His Daughter Of Destiny

Angel of Lies

2009-05-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

2 Corinthians 11:12-15 (NIV):
“And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”

When you think of vampires today, the images in your mind may be dark, scary figures with fangs and a cape. This figure can transform into a bat that flies, and feeds off of human blood, usually killing its victims or turning them into vampires as well. It is a creature that dwells in our nightmares and gives us the creeps. Or, if you buy into what Hollywood would have us believe, it can be the complete opposite. This creature is handsome, a perfect man who never ages. He is kind and a perfect gentleman. He has a substantial bank account, and enjoys all the finer things in life. He sleeps all day and parties all night. And he’s basically indestructible. Or, maybe he is a warrior who slays his own, and has the perfect muscular body. He’s ashamed of what he is, and has inner conflicts that draw our sympathies. Lately, Hollywood seems to glorify this lifestyle, making it seem that there is nothing wrong with being a vampire or falling in love with one.

To me, some of these representations of vampires paint the perfect picture of what Satan was in heaven. Satan was the anointed cherub (Ezekiel 28:14). He was adorned with every precious jewel (Ezekiel 28:13). He was the model of perfection, full of wisdom and beauty (Ezekiel 28:12). He was persuasive enough to convince one-third of the angels to join him in his rebellion against God (Revelation 12:4). After his fall, Michael the archangel did not stand up to him without the Lord’s help (Jude 9). But his pride was his downfall. He refused to be second best. He wanted all the power that God had; He wanted to be God (Isaiah 14:13). He is the ruler of this world. He knows very well how to deceive us. Make no mistake–he is not called the deceiver for nothing. He is the enemy of our faith. DO NOT TAKE THIS LIGHTLY! Vampires are another tool that Satan and his demons use to distract us from God.

The origin of “vampires”
Let’s start with the word “vampire” and its origin. The newer reference for the word “vampire” is of a recent date and is derived from the Hungarian word “vampir.” A nineteenth-century Austrian linguist, Franz Miklosich, said the word “vampire,” and its Slavic synonyms, all come from the Turkish word "uber," which roughly translated means “witch.” Babylonian demonology refers to a demon creature that fed off the blood of newborn babies and pregnant women. One demon, Lilitu, who was adapted into Jewish demonology, is sometimes referred to as the mother of all vampires.

Research shows that cultures and countries around the world have some reference to a myth or legend relating to the vampire. Some of the legends refer to these creatures as a "werewolf" or "zombie," both of which supposedly drank and fed off of human blood. Most every culture and country has referred to these creatures as "demons." Even the devil was considered synonymous with the vampire. Blood drinking and similar activities were linked to demons or spirits who would eat flesh and drink blood.

As you read just the origin of the word and its meaning, you can see that none of this can be of God. The Bible says that the shedding of innocent blood is a grave sin. God said do not eat or drink blood. (Acts 15:29, Leviticus 17:11, Hebrews 9:11-14) There are three reasons that God commanded us not to drink blood:
1. Diseased blood will make us sick, and God is trying to protect His people.
2. God didn’t want us consuming blood to worship a false idol.
3. Blood is considered our life source. Without it we can’t live. (Leviticus 17:14)
Christians also know that light can not dwell with the dark. If vampires are good, then why do they move only at night? “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)

Not blood “suckers,” but blood spillers
Numerous persons throughout history were believed to be real vampires. When you think of "Dracula," you might think of the famous novel by Bram Stoker, and the movie based on the book. However, the name Dracula is synonymous with the notorious prince or voevod (warlord) of Romania, Vlad Tepes. He was not a fair ruler, but a very cruel man. Most of the information about this prince's life was from oral accounts from his homeland. These accounts tell of his conquests for his country, and portrayed him as an evil demon. His name Dracula translates, “son of Dracul,” and some say it means “demon” or “devil.” If that isn’t enough, his name Tepes translates to "the impaler."

There were many reasons why his own countrymen and the Turks feared him. As a young boy, he was imprisoned by the Turkish Sultan. Many believe it was while he was in prison that he became "sadistic.” Vlad the III was known as the Impaler because this is what he did. The stories of his atrocities are numerous and too graphic and morbid to list. There was never any mention of Vlad being an actual vampire.

I also came across the story of Countess Elizabeth Bathory. Elizabeth was a Transylvanian noblewoman born in 1560. By the time she was 25 years old, she had become obsessed with her beauty and terrified of growing old. When her husband died in 1604, and she moved back home to Vienna, she started to play in certain forms of sorcery, including attending rituals that sacrificed animals.

She became obsessed with blood by accident. Once, when she was correcting one of her servant girls, she became full of rage and went after the girl with a pair of scissors. The girl’s blood sprayed all over Elizabeth. When she started cleaning up, she noticed that her skin looked more youthful. This started her on a mass murdering spree. Because of her vanity, and the fact that she believed that bathing in the blood of young women would preserve her youth and beauty, from the years 1604–1610, she killed over 600 young women. She was eventually found guilty, her servants were put to death, and she was sentenced to life in prison in her own house. She was placed in a room with no doors or windows, only an opening for food to passed through and slits for air. Although the documents of her trial were sealed, it was later rumored that not only did she bathe in the blood of her victims, she drank it as well.

Not “undead,” just dead
In the 17th century, reported sightings of vampires increased worldwide, but it was the lack of knowledge about the way the human body decomposes that was to blame. People didn’t understand that when humans die, their bodies go through a natural decomposition process. The abdomen stretches and becomes “ruddy” or “plump” as bodies release their gases. It also causes blood to trickle from the nose and mouth, causing it to look like the body just feasted on blood. Bodies can also moan when gases escape. This would give the impression of the corpse moaning. Finally, as the skin loses fluid and tightens, it gives the illusion that the hair and finger nails are growing.

Before the use of machines, modern medicine was meager. There were no MRI’s or x-rays. If you became ill and slipped into a coma, there was a chance that you were mistaken for dead, and then buried–placed in your coffin and put under six feet of dirt. Imagine waking up and finding yourself in this situation. No doubt you would scream, and scratch at the roof of your coffin. After all your efforts, you would eventually suffocate. This happened a lot. When the vampire hysteria came about, people dug up their loved ones to see the scratches on the coffins and believed they were vampires. Wooden stakes were driven into the heart, or the body was decapitated. The stories and legends are countless. I believe that ignorance—about early serial killers, the way the body decomposes, and disease—fueled these legends further.

The Light vs. the lie
Over the years, the enemy of our faith has covered up the references to the gore and violence in order to depict a myth about a perfect undead gentleman. Satan’s only mission is deceiving the world. He is offering his own version of eternal life. He does this because as the ruler of this world, he wants to keep us from the light. You are unwillingly supporting the enemy if you believe his lies. He will always misrepresent Christ. He can present himself as a beautiful angel of light, but the only thing Satan can offer you is death and eternal suffering. If you allow him to distract you, he will pull you further away from God.

This ploy has taken hold of the young women of this generation. Stephenie Meyer opened her infamous novel Twilight with God’s word from Genesis 2:17. It says, “But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” I implore you: Do not take the forbidden fruit. The enemy will twist God’s word, but God’s consequence in this scripture is clear: Death.

The only real vampire that God knows and approves of is His own creation: THE VAMPIRE BAT!

Seeking Godly Relationships

2008-07-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been asked for advice on relationships. I just felt so much sorrow for these women and young women involved in unhealthy and ungodly relationships. It has been weighing on me to write about strong healthy relationships with Christ as your foundation.

God created a perfect match for you. You don't have to worry about finding him. First you need to seek out God and He will do the rest. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33) A womens heart should be so lost in God that a man needs to seek Him in order to find her.

We need to know what kind of person we are getting into a relationship with before making a commitment. The most important thing is to find out if the person has been born again in the Spirit of Christ. God wants you to have a man that loves and serves Him. Does he have evidence of being a follower of Christ or does he act like the rest of the world? Why is this so important when finding a partner? This man will be so in love with God he will do everything that pleases God. He will honor, respect, cherish and adore you. He WILL NOT cheat, lie, hurt, and leave you abandoned. He will lift you up and hold you in your time of need. He will help strengthen your relationship with Christ. Also just think if you have children with an unbeliever or person of a different belief how confusing will it be for that child. Will your child be raised to love and fear the Lord? Or will your child repeat, suffer, or inflict the same hurt and pain that you once were in?

When you are in a committed relationship with someone, it is so important to remember to love the Lord above anyone else. When you say or believe that your “boyfriend” or “girlfriend” is your "everything" or the most important thing in your life, this is called idolatry. Your committing a sin. God tells us to put him first in everything we do. Jesus himself reinforced that when the disciples asked Him, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. (Matthew 22:36-38)

I just got married almost two weeks ago. In this marriage there is three of us. My husband, myself, and Jesus Christ. We both know that this would fail if we did not both share in our belief, faith, and trust in Him. We did not always have smooth sailing. We had our ups and rock bottoms. We both committed sins against each other and hurt one another constantly. My husband surrendered to the Lord and he is a new creation in Christ. We love, honor, respect, each other. We are now more kind, patient, and understanding. We have learned the importance of listening and praying together. Now our love for one another shines for everyone to see.

I believe whole heartedly that this is the best way to secure a foundation for a healthy godly relationship. It will benefit you greatly. If you do decide to marry make sure that Jesus is the foundation of your relationship. When two people marry, they cleave to one another and become one flesh, which should be permanent and inseparable through Christ.

Written By:
Daughter of Destiny

GOD is LOVE.

Jeremiah 1:5, Jeremiah 29-11, 2 Peter 2:20, John 3:3-8, Philippians 2:5, 2 Corinthians 6:14-15, Matthew 10:37, 1 Corinthians 6:9-13, 2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Corinthians 6:18, Romans 12:9-10, Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5

What does the bible say about partying and clubbing?

2008-06-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

The bible says “Don’t do it!” The bible refers to partying and clubbing as part of our “sinful nature” and goes on to say that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.(Galatians 5:18-21)

Romans 13:12-13 says, “The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy.

This is not because God does not want us to have fun or hang out with our friends. He wants us to use wisdom and be an example for others. We ruin our own testimony by hanging out in these places, drinking, and engaging in ungodly behavior. By being at bars and clubs it may appear that we condone drunkenness and partying. How can we hang out with the devil on Saturday night and go to church Sunday morning as if nothing happened the night before? People are watching and our actions can cause someone else to stumble in their faith. (2 Corinthians 6:3)

Hanging out in clubs and bars only leads to temptation and destruction. I used to do the club scene too. There is nothing there for us any more. There is no positive influence or encouragement found in these places only drunkenness, dirty dancing, drugs, offensive music, fighting, lies, and regret.

The more you spend time with Jesus the more you will find that you will not even desires these things any more. You know in your heart that you are not called to be in those places. Jesus is coming soon we must be prepared at all times.

May our Lord give you strength and courage to accept the truth of His Word. In Jesus name..Amen

Daughter of Destiny

Why We Suffer

2008-06-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

Many times as Christians we wonder why we suffer. We do our best to lead a Godly life and to submit to His ways. Sometimes along the way we encounter suffering. We ask God why? Why me? Why now? What is God doing?

We as Christians are called to a life of suffering. These experiences are teaching tools God uses to strengthen us and give us perseverance. (Romans 5:3) It also teaches us to endure with patience, increase our faith, trust God, and leads us to depend on God and his word.

This is a fallen world and the hearts of men are full of sin. God is teaching us to rely on Him and not the resources the world has to offer. Sometimes as Christians, we constantly battle our cultures and society. We struggle sometimes with the ways of the world, what our friends and family think, or how the world perceives us. Many Christians forget that they are not part of this world. Rather we are new creations in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Sometimes it’s just our own foolishness. (Gal 6:7-9) We make ungodly choices knowing in our hearts that they are wrong. Then we have to suffer consequences. Suffering is God’s way of maturing and disciplining His people. (Heb 12:6) We learn from those mistakes and we become stronger in Him.

Maybe God just wants to get your attention. We may have strayed away from the calling He has placed on our lives and He is calling us back. He has a purpose for us.

We suffer persecution because of our faith. (2 Tim 3:12) Christians are identified with Christ because of their suffering. We know that when we do what God calls us to do we are blessed. The same is said for suffering. When we suffer through situations, our God will not forget us. He suffers with us, he encourages us, and he rewards us. (Isaiah 41:13)

The real test, ultimately, is how we handle things later. Paul says he does not focus on the now but on the future. It is hard to think about the future when your now is so full of pain. It strengthens our testimony. You can help someone in a similar circumstance.

Remember the path to glory for Jesus was a path of pain and suffering. Jesus endured suffering and pain. He did it without sinning, without complaining, and with perfect patience. Jesus is the perfect example of how to respond to our suffering. (1 Peter 2:21)

1 Peter 4:11-13
Psalm 119:49-51
2 Timothy 2:12