God Blog

Approaching God One Thought At A Time

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
- Benjamin Franklin

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Time To Leave CA?

For decades our once Golden State has been turning crimson. Home to Hollywood and the pornography industry, the 1960’s sexual revolution and legalized abortion (years before the holocaust of Roe vs. Wade) not to mention every other worldly sinful excess, we may well be the most wicked Nation/State in history.

Now, in what is
forecasted as the new normal, after nearly half a decade of drought, December 2017 found CA still on fire, even after a record setting rainfall reprieve in 2016. Might this be just a foretaste of things to come? (Note: Article updated Fall of 2020).


A sensible man watches for problems ahead and prepares to meet them. The simpleton never looks and suffers the consequences.


- Proverbs 27:12 TLB


It goes without saying that California represents one of the greatest socioeconomic and spiritual resources on earth. With a growing population of 40 million (larger than Canada) and economy of $2.7 trillion (larger than all but 5 countries in the world) the state of California is a force to be reckoned with.

The
Greater Los Angeles area (GLA) is equally impressive. Gateway to Asia and the entire world, with over 80 million passengers annually, LAX holds the title of "the world's busiest origin and destination (O & D) airport on earth.” GLA’s 18.7 million residents make it the second most populace region in the U.S. and well as one of the largest in the world.” “Sporting an annual economy of $70 billion” Wikipedia adds “In addition to being the nexus of the world's largest entertainment industry, Greater Los Angeles is also a global center of business, international trade, education, media, fashion, tourism, science and technology, sports, and transportation.” It’s easy to see why every major and most minor societies on the planet travel to and from and/or have residence and commerce with GLA.

Even such a stellar statistical overview can hardly do justice to the vast human relationship needs and opportunities represented by such a diverse people group. All the more so given GLA’s global inroads and impact. Clearly such a valuable, if not priceless, resource and responsibility should be considered with the utmost care and consideration.


This being said, the question is “what has been the spiritual net effect of the influence of California in general and GLA in particular on it’s residents and those of America and beyond?”

In a word…
devastating.

From cover to cover the Bible eulogizes humanity’s
propensity for deception and preoccupation with sin. From Genesis to Revelation Scripture warns and even pleads with mankind to recognize and repent from foolishness and evil by turning to God before the onslaught of calamity and judgment:

  • “Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: You are saying, ‘Our sins are heavy upon us; we are wasting away! How can we survive?’ As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?" Ezekiel 33:10-11 The Message

  • "The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering, extraordinarily patient toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9 Amplified Bible

  • "The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we've learned: that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free." 1 Timothy 2:1-6 The Message
As an expression of Omnity’s compassion, for millennia the faithful and patient love and mercy of God has been extended to humanity through the inconceivably costly atonement of Christ as witnessed by myriads of caring Christians (often to the point of persecution and/or martyrdom).

  • “We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him. He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn't say a word. Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in silence. Justice miscarried, and he was led off— and did anyone really know what was happening? He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people. They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man, Even though he'd never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn't true, Still, it's what God had in mind all along, to crush him with pain. The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life. And God's plan will deeply prosper through him. Out of that terrible travail of soul, he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it. Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant, will make many "righteous ones," as he himself carries the burden of their sins. Isaiah 53:6-12

  • "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

  • After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses (Grk: Martyrs) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:3-8 NIV
It may well be argued that while the Bible’s free yet conditional offer of salvation is eternal, God’s patience is not. For example, in the previous passage Christ forewarns His followers that the game plan for power evangelism and discipleship is martyrdom everywhere from “Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Accordingly they, and by extension we, are directed to embrace rather than flee persecution for Christ’s sake. Juxtapose this with quite a different warning of impending and searing judgment from the Book of Revelation:

  • “One of the Seven Angels who carried the seven bowls came and invited me, “Come, I’ll show you the judgment of the great Whore who sits enthroned over many waters, the Whore with whom the kings of the earth have gone whoring, show you the judgment on earth dwellers drunk on her whorish lust.” In the Spirit he carried me out in the desert. I saw a woman mounted on a Scarlet Beast. Stuffed with blasphemies, the Beast had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, festooned with gold and gems and pearls. She held a gold chalice in her hand, brimming with defiling obscenities, her foul fornications. A riddle-name was branded on her forehead: great babylon, mother of whores and abominations of the earth.” Revelation 17:1-5 MSG

  • Following this I saw another Angel descend from Heaven. His authority was immense, his glory flooded earth with brightness, his voice thunderous: Ruined, ruined, Great Babylon, ruined! A ghost town for demons is all that’s left! A garrison of carrion spirits, garrison of loathsome, carrion birds. All nations drank the wild wine of her whoring; kings of the earth went whoring with her; entrepreneurs made millions exploiting her. Just then I heard another shout out of Heaven: Get out, my people, as fast as you can, so you don’t get mixed up in her sins, so you don’t get caught in her doom. Her sins stink to high Heaven; God has remembered every evil she’s done. Give her back what she’s given, double what she’s doubled in her works, double the recipe in the cup she mixed; Bring her flaunting and wild ways to torment and tears. Because she gloated, “I’m queen over all, and no widow, never a tear on my face,” In one day, disasters will crush her—death, heartbreak, and famine—Then she’ll be burned by fire, because God, the Strong God who judges her, has had enough.” Revelation 18:1-8 MSG

  • “The kings of the earth will see the smoke of her burning, and they’ll cry and carry on, the kings who went night after night to her brothel. They’ll keep their distance for fear they’ll get burned, and they’ll cry their lament: Doom, doom, the great city doomed! City of Babylon, strong city! In one hour it’s over, your judgment come! “The traders will cry and carry on because the bottom dropped out of business, no more market for their goods: gold, silver, precious gems, pearls; fabrics of fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet; perfumed wood and vessels of ivory, precious woods, bronze, iron, and marble; cinnamon and spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine and oil, flour and wheat; cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots. And slaves—their terrible traffic in human lives. Everything you’ve lived for, gone! All delicate and delectable luxury, lost! Not a scrap, not a thread to be found! “The traders who made millions off her kept their distance for fear of getting burned, and cried and carried on all the more: Doom, doom, the great city doomed! Dressed in the latest fashions, adorned with the finest jewels, in one hour such wealth wiped out!” Revelation 18:9-18
As with all the teachings of Scripture, this and every prophecy denotes not only an event but a principle. To some degree this makes moot any conjecture as to whether America (or any other nation), California (or any other state), Los Angeles (or any other city) is actual “Mystery Babylon.” Therefore while America, California or GLA may or not be the “place” the pivotal question is to what degree does the “principle” apply?

So why does any of this matter? Integrating Acts’ great commission with John’s Revelation yields the following Biblical precept.
While suffering for the gospel is to be anticipated and thus embraced, suffering Divine judgment of sin is to be anticipated and thus escaped.

The need for
prophetic Christians to develop critical discernment and spiritual sensitivity, particularly in regards to what is and about to happen around us, is a reoccurring lesson throughout both Old and New Testaments.

  • So get yourselves together. Shape up! You’re a nation without a clue about what it wants. Do it before you’re blown away like leaves in a windstorm, Before God’s Judgment-anger sweeps down on you, Before God’s Judgment Day wrath descends with full force. Seek God, all you quietly disciplined people who live by God’s justice. Seek God’s right ways. Seek a quiet and disciplined life. Perhaps you’ll be hidden on the Day of God’s anger.” Zephaniah 2:1-3 MSG

  • But keep alert at all times [be attentive and ready], praying that you may have the strength and ability [to be found worthy and] to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man [at His coming].” Luke 21:36 AMP
In keeping with the principles regarding the prophecy against Mystery Babylon, particularly when it comes to causing “the world to drink of the maddening wine of her adulteries” Hollywood and the pornography industry have been the leading contender for decades. Coincidentally, many of California’s critical concerns go double for GLA. From a spiritual standpoint this appears to be a tragic case of Scripture’s warning that those sowing the wind (evil) will reap the whirlwind (judgment). Consider just the extent and impact of GLA’s economic expansion through the global export and exploitation of “defiling obscenities, her foul fornications.

1. Immorality: The proliferation of what was once considered soft porn infects everything from cartoons and prime time advertisement to thousands of TV episodes and movies.

2. Porn: Tens of thousands of scenes depicting acts of immorality and/or hard core porn, not to mention entire TV episodes and series, movies and music videos dedicated to such programming. CA is one of only two states to recognize the “adult film industry” as legitimate business. Online content alone generates $3 billion per year.

3. Profanity: Hundreds of thousands of curse words permeate as many scenes not to mention entire TV episodes and series, movies and music videos.

4. Violence: Tens of thousands of scenes not to mention entire TV episodes and series, movies and music videos are dedicated to such programming.

5. Gore: Tens of thousands of scenes not to mention entire TV episodes and series, movies and videos are dedicated to such programming. Consider this shocking and censored Youtube clip from Hostel 2.

6. Horror: Tens of thousands of scenes not to mention entire TV episodes and series, movies and videos are dedicated to horror programming.

7. Occult: Thousands of scenes not to mention entire TV episodes and series, movies and music videos are dedicated to such programming.


Hard Saying, Who Can Hear It?

Unfortunately the kinds of concerns mentioned above hold little interest for the rank and file of modern Christianity. It takes little effort to see why. Easy believism’s cheapening of grace has resulted in hundreds of millions within Churchianity remaining apathetic at best. Serious Bible study is evaporating, leaving even the average church attender all but Biblically illiterate, unable to quote ten or often even 5 verses in a row much less interpret and implement them correctly. Regular and lengthy prayer is passé. Modern “believers” have become practical agnostics, stopping and praying only a few minutes a day if that, with perhaps a handful in a thousand attending serious weekly prayer meetings. Assuming salvation by mistaking well meaning presumption for faith, the eternal security of seeking and serving God has been replaced by the temporary pleasures of worldliness, and if not too inconvenient a weekly intermission for church. Sound study of God's word has been exchanged for sentimentality and wishful thinking.  Worship for choruses.  Godly fear for feeling good.

Few today are wise and willing enough to do the
difficult work of appropriately discussing the Scriptural specter of impending judgment against gross immorality in either time or eternity. Doing so not only stirs up unpleasant thoughts and feelings of our own besetting sins and doubtful habits but highlights painful concerns regarding the silence and distance of God as attested by the nearly universal experience of unanswered prayer.

Given California’s population, for tens of millions such a topic also raises questions as to the spiritual state of those we love. Facing the daunting challenge of
lost family and friends, not to mention our lackluster response to the glaring spiritual needs around us, is a task more difficult than most care to undertake.

For the few who do, the reasonable position might well be to stay and fight rather than run for cover. But just how fervent and effectual are we or our prayers? The New Testament repeatedly reinforces the concept the real prayer by the righteous yields remarkable results:

  • "At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." John 16:23-24

  • "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20

  • "But Jesus was matter-of-fact: "Yes—and if you embrace this kingdom life and don't doubt God, you'll not only do minor feats like I did to the fig tree, but also triumph over huge obstacles. This mountain, for instance, you'll tell, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it will jump. Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it a part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God." Matthew 21:21-22 MSG

  • Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain, and it didn’t—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again.” James 5:16-18 MSG
In truth the quality of our prayers, or lack thereof, is more likely a liability than asset. Given the ubiquitous levels of temptation and deception, entitlement and sin rampant throughout modern life and Churchianity, (many of which originated within and/or find there fullest expression through the influence of CA/GLA) a majority of the best of us start the day as resistance fighters only to find ourselves sympathizers by noon and collaborators by evening. While sad to admit, it’s one thing to fight and fail and quite another to fail to fight.

We do well to carefully consider Revelation’s principals and advice as penned by John the “Apostle of Love.” One of only three within Christ’s inner circle, his credentials are impeccable. Author of the unique and lauded Gospel of John, including the New Testament’s most famous verse John 3:16. Entrusted steward of Mary the mother of Jesus at the foot of the Cross. Miracle worker in the Book of Acts. Writer of the “Love Epistles.” When the “disciple whom Jesus loved” is chosen by the resurrected Christ as His Revelator, we should listen well indeed.


COVID-19 and BLM

The modern world has never yet seen its equal. Not since the 1918 Spanish Flu has a pathogen killed so many. Never have billions been forced into extended lockdown. Never has the global economy been in such disarray. Never have non essential businesses, including religious institutions, been ordered to close their doors. Never have Christian churches around the world been shuttered on Easter Sunday.

The true origin and nature, impact and aftermath of 
COVID-19 is unknown. Its current and future ramifications on healthcare and economies, families and societies has yet to be seen. What should be clear to wise Christians is the full extent of the crises and/or opportunity such a previously unprecedented circumstance affords. This includes:

1. Reflection: Global non essential business shutdowns, shelter in place ordinances and social distancing mandates all but force moments of pause. Such a worldwide pandemic provides ample opportunity to ponder a variety of often overlooked issues. First and foremost, that while in the developed nations we posses a quality of lifestyle rivaling that of mythological gods, we are yet fearfully and wonderfully made. And for all our pomp will die as do dogs. Thus everyone clearly has a critical need to both know and please our Creator and Savior.

2. Discernment: Christians are commanded to correctly discern everything. Jesus warned, "Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.." Truth itself must be spiritually discerned. This includes the primary and secondary religious lessons C-19 offers:


With the unprecedented global impacts of COVID-19 (governmental, economic, institutional and perhaps medical), it seems a new world order of regulation and infrastructure may be at hand. More so in the U.S. given the fermentation of bogus George Floyd rioting and anarchy. The most obvious and successful campaign of disinformation, from both liberal government and media, has pointed the gun and repeatedly pulled the trigger on American society at its lowest point (COVID-19) thru BLM’s unchecked mass looting, violence and even murder continuing for months. Augmented by vast supply lines of support and genuflection by major corporations and political organizations.

Including a majority of
Republicans who have done little to nothing to immediately end such obvious evil. Up to and including President Trumps failure to do much more than tweet about enacting the Insurrection Act. Matt Walsh does an excellent job making the case for this. Including using DNC soundbites from Barack, Michelle Obama and others clearly revealing their intent to unleash and justify lawlessness in forwarding their lawless agenda.

Never before has the battle line been drawn so clearly. Even the
genocide of abortion, particularly during early term pregnancy, is largely unseen. More a religious and moral issue than an obvious crime against humanity. Today’s looting and violence, is supplemented with the tearing down of monuments while bestowing martyrdom and sainthood on felons... This with the cooperation of a majority of the most powerful individuals, corporations and organizations in the U.S. and world. Again, with the tacit approval or allowance of many conservatives and even modern Christianity. See Matt Walsh YouTube episode 545: It’s officially time for BLM to be labeled a domestic terror group. DNC comments.

While some hope President Trump’s inaction during months of BLM domestic terrorism is a bid to expose the true nature of the far left agenda, combined with
President Trumps refusal to date to enact the Insurrection Act to put down domestic terrorism, it seems as or even more likely they are two sides of the same coin setting the stage for a full scale race war. To the point of choreographing race riots with militias on both sides (if link does not play click here to download militia video). All this while calling to defund the police after already making the crucial job of society's protectors all but impossible.

Scripture is clear such manipulations of facts and logic, much less the rebellion and anarchy they promote, are forbidden and will prove disastrous for all parties involved.

All this as the specters of apocalyptic events appear to loom on the horizonSome rightly pinpoint glaring lapses in judgment and common sense. Others forward more nefarious social and spiritual scenariosAs for a COVID-19 vaccine, there are a great many reasons for caution, up to and including genuine concerns in regards to efficacy and safety, not to mention medical professionals questioning plans to roll out genetic manipulation and even nano technology (if video link fails to play click here to download an important 20 min video).

This year we've seen unprecedented and inconceivable incompetence, or worse, regarding the COVID-19 fiasco. Particularly the abuse of emergency powers to force economic and institutional shut downs, shelter in place and social distancing ordinances. Such disingenuous governance all but ruining the economy, while putting much, if not all of the nation at risk. The last several months of unchecked rioting and looting, violence and murder have also demonstrated a conspiracy at the highest levels of liberal politics, media and major corporations. Furthermore, the lack of immediate commensurate response by conservative lawmakers, particularly President Trump's failure to use the Insurrection Act to quell the violence, seems to suggest duplicity, if not a coordinated effort, to achieve a series of terrible agendas. The orchestration of race riots targeting and inflaming at least the East and West coast, if not the entire nation, may likely be just the onset of a series of extremely unfortunate events.

As for talk of large citizen militias, we have a relatively unique mandate in the Declaration of Independence to resist and even abolish governments when necessary and left little or no recourse. Declaration of Independence P2:

  • “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
Regarding isolated or even massive citizen resistance against tyranny, there are many issues to prayerfully consider. Weaponry for example. Fighter planes and well armed tactical drones, missiles and tanks... were not part of the British arsenal during the revolutionary war. Even the liberal extremist leaders of smaller states like Oregon, who's citizenry has suffered a plethora of reasons to rebel, presumably have access to such weapons.

Additionally, while liberal (and conservative?) leaders on the state and national level may SEEM to be bumbling idiots, or evil fools, this is unlikely. Those with real power, the genuine puppet masters pulling the strings, are anything but. Major decisions and outcomes, social and political movements and upheavals, have been masterfully choreographed to bring us to this point and beyond. This includes any response, or lack there of, by modern Christianity.

Prophetic Christians may well realize their best option is to seek God's will and direction on wether to stay or leave. And if the latter, when and where to go? Somewhat along the lines of Christ's warning regarding persecution and/or last day events. As already mentioned:

  • "But keep alert at all times [be attentive and ready], praying that you may have the strength and ability [to be found worthy and] to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man [at His coming].” Luke 21:36 AMP

  • "Get out, my people, as fast as you can, so you don’t get mixed up in her sins, so you don’t get caught in her doom." Revelation 18:4 MSG

And elsewhere:

  • "When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don’t quit. Don’t cave in. It is all well worth it in the end. It is not success you are after in such times but survival. Be survivors! Before you’ve run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived." Matthew 10:23 MSG
Those staying, leaving or undecided do well to consider the present and coming Times and Seasons in which we live. Both from a Scriptural and social/economic basis. The Apostle John's Book of Revelation is remarkable on many levels. Within its pages John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, reveals the greatest time of suffering and death Earth has ever known. Just two of his sixty predictions will take the lives of half of humanity!

Our generation has been given unprecedented and tremendous gifts and would do well to remember Christ's warning, "to whom much is given much is required." Besides reaping the answers to the prayers of all generations we also have 2,000 fulfilled Bible prophecies and the pages of the Scriptures's final Book of Revelation coming alive as a prophetic witness of Biblical authenticity.

The Apostle John, perhaps well educated in the knowledge of his time, still knew far less about the world than today's average elementary school student. Even so, he was able to look ahead into the future and describe in detail what were then unimaginable events. Two thousand years later the honest reader of his words can see the stage being set for the last chapter of human history as many of of his prophecies begin to unfold!

For example, the nation of Israel is a key player in Revelation's drama, yet in the Apostle John's day Israel was being ground under the boot of Rome, a global power showing no signs of weakening. For John to suggest Israel would become the center of world wide attention was ludicrous. All the more so after 70 A.D. when the Romans literally wiped it off the map. Yet in 1947 A.D. Israel reappeared in the same location. Never before or since has a nation having vanished for two centuries, much less two millennia, suddenly reemerged so. Israel's resurrection as a nation, not to mention its global status, is unprecedented in human history. Adding to Israel's miraculous modern history is the unbridled hostility of billions of Muslims, hundreds of millions of which all but surround the small plot of land Israel resides on. About the size of San Bernardino County in the Los Angles basin, Israel's population has been as little as 3 million. The Muslim nations nearby occupy as much territory as the United States, with over 300 million and yet in every war and conflict Israel has not only survived but conquered its attackers. The odds of Israels reappearance, growth and national prominence are astronomical. Additionally, there are a host of other previously impossible predictions all testifying to the validity of John's awesome and awe-full prophecy. These include the potential of a nuclear holocaust and fallout, as well as the technology necessary for the Mark of the Beasts, both for the first time in human history at the stage of development necessary for the kind of implementation Scripture warned of two millennia ago.

The Alive After The Fall video is a short but well produced overview of last day prophecies in light of recent events. It also offers a reasonable thought fearful handling of America's currently apparent place in Biblical prophecy, along with resources to help equip individuals and families to survive what may well be coming. GB highly recommends watching the video, but if necessary you can click here to view the transcript.

For an updated and in-depth handling of the global challenges ravaging the U.S. and greatly exacerbating California's
deterministically ultra liberal and sinful agenda, please see God Blog's eBook "Times and Seasons" as well as the following articles:



8 Reasons To Go

The beginning and end of this article were written in late 2017. Given the 2020 COVID-19 and Antifa-BLM crises, many if not all the events described above and below have been elevated and accelerated exponentially. Californians now face an increasingly daunting list of major challenges. Many, if not all, reaching a tipping point that may signal current and/or coming judgment, Divine and/or otherwise, through a variety of sources:


1. Drought: “From December 2011 to March 2017, California experienced one of the worst droughts to occur in the region on record. The period between late 2011 and 2014 was the driest in California history since record-keeping began.102 million trees died in total due to the drought from 2011 to 2016, with 62 million dead in 2016 only, according to the US Forest Service.” - Wikipedia

  • Forecasts suggest droughts in CA and West Coast, South West and perhaps the entire Western US are part of changing weather patterns likely caused by global warming’s effect on sea temperatures and jet stream patterns.

  • Given currently unsustainable population and agriculture uses, ground water is being depleted at an alarming rate.


  • An article in the Economist entitled “Drying In The West” highlighting the extreme extent and effect of drought conditions on agriculture and water provision for major population centers for CA and it’s effect on our neighbors after only 3 of 5 years.


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2.


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3. Health: Repeated and intensifying drought and fire conditions are likely to result in dangerous health conditions for CA residents. Direct bodily harm and air quality coupled with mass evacuation and relocation concerns may effect the physical and emotional well being of millions in coming years. Note: Maps below are from August 2017. Air quality concerns from the smoke of numerous and rapidly spreading wildfires continued to escalate, particularly for GLA, into December.

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4. Economy: According to the Sacramento Bee, as of Dec 6, 2017 “October’s wine country wildfires are now the costliest in California history, with insurance claims pegged at $9.4 billion.” Combine this with the economic toll of fire’s throughout CA for 2017 and it’s clear cascading costs due to extended and/or increasing wildfires, much less the corresponding droughts causing them, would be pricey. When coupled with traditional economic issues such as stagnant real wages in the face of rising costs of living such as housing and expensive insurance premiums, CA faces increasing economic challenges indeed.


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5. Housing: CA cities in general and GLA in particular have long been associated with high housing costs as demonstrated by the 2013 graphic. Mounting cost have and will continue to place pressure throughout the state, particularly on large population areas.


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6. State Debt: CA’s mounting “Wall of Debt” has been estimated as low as $26.2 Billion and as high as $443 Billion.

  • The Orange County Register reported in September 2017 that a new study from financial watchdog group Truth in Accounting, just released its annual Financial State Of The States report stating, “the Golden State did not fare well in the analysis, ranking 43rd in terms of debt per taxpayer, and comprising one of nine states to earn an “F” grade. “Repeated decisions by state officials have left the state with a staggering debt burden of $255.1 billion,” the report concluded. “That burden equates to $21,600 for every California taxpayer.”

  • The OCR article continued, Using more conservative discount rates for the state’s pension systems, which many financial experts feel are more realistic than the systems’ own assumptions (even though these have been lowered somewhat in recent years), the unfunded pension liabilities alone have been estimated in the high hundreds of billions of dollars, and perhaps as much as $1 trillion. This would put the debt burden at close to $100,000 per person.”
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7. Crime and Punishment: An article by United States Common Sense entitled Unsustainable California: The Top 10 Issues Facing the Golden State addressing Crime and Corrections reported Since 1971, the number of California prisoners has risen over 500% and the number of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) personnel has ballooned over 800%. The massive population and personnel cost have been contributing factors to the department’s ten-fold budgetary increase over the same period.” Such statistics reveal both extremely costly economic and social issues facing CA and GLA.


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8. Employment: The issues mentioned above may well continue to pressure an already strained job market. Coupled with the potential for employment losses due to a variety of causes including approaching automation, large metropolitan areas may be at greater risk. This may go double for CA and/or GLA already stressed by some or all of points 1-7.


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While some of the challenges mentioned are not unique to CA and/or GLA, their combination with those that are present a serious case for concern.
All the more so when viewed from the often underestimated spiritual aspects and principals previously addressed.



Author’s Comments

This may be the most disturbing of the over 150 Godblog articles written to date. While many, such as
Radical Discipleship represent an honest case of one’s reach exceeding one’s grasp, this issue is more heartfelt and complicated for a variety of personal and ministerial reasons:

  • Born in GLA and a lifelong resident of CA, given our extreme wonder and diversity of people and places, this is by far my favorite State, if not place on earth. - Beauty is near and dear.


  • A guest speaker to audiences of tens of thousands I’ve given nearly 100 interviews and authored twice as many articles and audios on a variety of topics. - Evangelism and discipleship are my passion.

  • As the executive director of Right to Life of Central CA I created the first Pro-life/Chastity peer driven teen multimedia presentations called TruthTalks. My youth group of as many as sixty teens gave over 500 free presentations to audiences of more than 25,000 across California. - Teens deserve our best prayers and effort.

  • From 2006 - 2008 I served as the founding director of Parents' Right to Know California. During the last three parental notification initiatives I was the primary contact and consultant for ten thousand CA Protestant churches and Christian organizations. - I deeply respect the work of activists and parachurch organizations.

  • Through PRKCA I organized the first coalition of political endorsements from church denominations and organizations such as the California Southern Baptists, Assemblies of God, Foursquare and Calvary Chapel. - Modern Christianity holds the best, if not only hope, for much needed revival and reformation.

  • My groundbreaking pro-life political DVD, entitled "Protect Me...Please" was shown in thousands of Protestant and Catholic churches and groups making the cover of both the L.A. Times and San Francisco Chronicle. - Protestant and Catholics hold immense and untapped transformational power.
Given the lifelong investment in our state highlighted above, combined with the national and global ministry opportunities represented particularly by GLA, its never been my intention to abandon CA.

For additional information regarding this and related topics please see GB Articles: COVID-19, Times and Seasons, Missing Something, Litmus Test, If My People, Prophetic Advice, Sacred Assembly and Renewal, Revival, or Reformation.


Other considerations:



Personal Note

Most of our family and extended family live in CA. My
son and his family moved to Texas late 2019. My daughter, their spouses and children as well a brothers, brothers and sisters in law, nieces and nephews… from both my wife’s and my side of the family remain in CA.

My daughter’s household is embedded in her husband’s thriving family business (multiple preschool locations in the Central Valley). Economic challenges complicate maters. Personally, three undeserved ministry reversals and 2008’s recession (redistribution of wealth) have left little to fund my relocation, much less that of beloved family members.

Millions of Californians share these and/or other problematic issues. Judging by the condition of many marriages and families today, the socioeconomic stress of moving out of state could prove disastrous in its own right.

Then there is the added difficulty of rightly hearing what the Spirit is saying in this, if not many, regards. When it comes to
accurate discernment and genuine spiritual sensitivity the proliferation of well intended but misguided denominations and doctrines, as well as our proclivity towards worldliness and sin, tend to speak for themselves.

Nevertheless, the principle if not the actual prophecy mentioned above, combined with a list of real and growing concerns may be changing the risk vs. benefit equation for my family… How about yours?




More information

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