Category Insights on Scripture

Deep thoughts from the well spring of life

Unmasking the Masquerade: Testing the Spirits in an Age of Digital Deception

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

In recent weeks, headlines have sounded an alarm across the digital landscape. Popular accounts on X were once thought to be American voices of patriotism. However, these were actually foreign operations disguised as frontline journalism. Behind the avatars of stars and stripes were individuals posting from Turkey. Others were posting from Nigeria, Eastern Europe, and beyond. These individuals hid behind the fiery rhetoric of “citizen journalists” and “grassroots patriots.” Their goal was not dialogue but division—sowing discord, amplifying outrage, and spreading lies under the guise of neighborly concern.

The exposure of these masqueraders is more than a digital scandal; it is a prophetic signal. Scripture warned long ago that “certain individuals have secretly slipped in among you… ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God” (Jude 4). What Jude described in the first century now plays out in real time across our social feeds. Wolves in sheep’s clothing have traded pulpits for platforms, but the strategy remains unchanged: infiltrate, deceive, and divide.

This moment calls for vigilance. John’s exhortation rings louder than ever: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). The Bereans modeled this discernment, examining the Scriptures daily to confirm truth (Acts 17:11). In our age, the same diligence must be applied—not only to sermons but to headlines, viral posts, and trending hashtags. Outrage is the bait; deception is the hook.

The danger is not merely foreign influence but spiritual intoxication. Peter’s warning is urgent: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Emotional reactions—anger, fear, tribal loyalty—are the fuel of deception. To be sober-minded is to resist the intoxication of outrage. It means walking in clarity and peace even when the digital storm rages. Paul echoes this call in 2 Corinthians 11:14, reminding us that “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” The masquerade is not new; only the costumes have changed.

The Prophetic Parallel

Consider the prophetic parallel: these foreign-run accounts cloaked themselves in patriotism or compassion. Their origin was foreign and their intent was division. They did not seek mere popularity or digital influence. Their purpose was to inject falsehood into the public square. They pretended to be legitimate voices concerned for our welfare. It is sinister and evil. They speak the language of their father—the devil—who is the father of lies (John 8:44). Just as Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, these voices masquerade as patriots. They pose as journalists or neighbors, but their words are poisoned. The saints must be vigilant. They should store up truth that cannot be corrupted. They must refuse to be swayed by the counterfeit compassion of deceivers.

And so the Word presses us further: “Look to yourselves, that you do not lose those things we worked for, but that you may receive a full reward” (2 John 1:8). The danger is not only being misled by false voices, but losing the very testimony and inheritance we have been entrusted with. Vigilance is not optional—it is the safeguard of salvation’s reward.

The watchman’s task is unchanged. Ezekiel 33 describes the watchman who sees danger and sounds the alarm. Today, the danger is digital infiltration, and the alarm is discernment. The church must not be naïve. Many false prophets have gone out into the world, and many false voices have gone online into our feeds. The masquerade has been unmasked, but the masquerade itself continues. The saints must be vigilant, discerning, Berean, and sober-minded.

Yes, Elon Musk’s “unmask” feature on X has exposed many false profiles, but the greater unmasker is the Holy Spirit. “When He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). The Spirit is our safeguard, our discerner, and our guide. Jesus Himself declared: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). The best defense against deception is not technology, but obedience to the Shepherd’s voice.

✒️ Closing Admonition

Take heed, little flock. Many voices seek to ensnare, but you shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free. The Shepherd’s voice is clear, and His sheep will obey no other.

Tagline

“Let God be true, and every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).

The Shutdown: A Barnyard Parable

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

Muddy Waters and Judging Between Sheep and Sheep

“Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also muddy the rest of the water with your feet?” — Ezekiel 34:18



“As for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will judge between one sheep and another, and between rams and goats.” — Ezekiel 34:17

The farm’s gates swing shut. “Emergency measures,” trumpet the Elephants. “Necessary sacrifice,” bray the Donkeys. But inside the Big House, both species feast together on grain that was meant for winter storage.

Out in the barnyard, the animals take sides. “The Donkeys caused this!” cry the mice who follow the Elephants. “The Elephants are starving us!” bleat the sheep who trust the Donkeys. They fight over muddied water troughs while neither notices the pipeline running straight from the well to the Big House.

The exhausted horses, working three shifts to buy the same oats that used to cost half, don’t have energy to question why the “opposition” parties keep meeting for midnight suppers. The cows, confused by conflicting reports about which field has grass, give up and chew whatever’s in front of them—usually each other.

Old Major’s dream of “All Animals Are Equal” still hangs painted on the barn, but smaller print keeps appearing underneath: “During Shutdowns, Some Exceptions Apply.” “Temporary Emergency Measures May Extend Indefinitely.” “Your Sacrifice Ensures Our—I Mean YOUR—Security.”

The pigs—now “consultants” who work for both Elephants and Donkeys—explain that the muddy water is actually better for you. “Minerals,” they oink. “Probiotics. Trust the science we funded.”

But one ancient ram remembers Ezekiel’s prophecy: The Judge sees through barn walls. He knows which hooves muddied the water. He’s coming to separate those who got fat on others’ grain from those who starved believing the performance.

The question echoes across the barnyard: When you see them muddying the trough, do you help clear it? Or do you kick in more dirt because your side told you it helps?

The Judge is taking notes. And He’s particularly interested in why the Elephants and Donkeys keep accidentally ordering the same catering service.

But then—the first drops fall.

Rain. Clean, unmuddied, straight from heaven. No pipeline can capture it. No spin can poison it at the source. The animals lift their faces, tongues out, tasting clarity for the first time in years.

Some animals stop fighting over the muddy troughs. They position buckets, barrels, anything that holds water. “Why drink their mud when we can wait for rain?” whispers one lamb to another. Word spreads through the underground—not through official channels the Big House monitors, but farmer to farmer, sheep to sheep: The Judge hasn’t forgotten. He’s sending what they can’t control.

The Elephants and Donkeys panic. They can’t shut down rain. They try: “Unauthorized water collection is dangerous! Only properly filtered water protects you!” But more animals notice—every time it rains, the Big House residents rush to cover their feast tables while the rest of creation drinks freely.

And in the distance, a figure approaches through the storm. Not another politician-shepherd with promises. The Owner Himself, come to judge between sheep and sheep, between those who muddied and those who chose to thirst for truth.

The real revolution isn’t overthrowing the Big House. It’s remembering water doesn’t come from them. It never did.

“I Myself will tend My sheep… I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.” —Ezekiel 34:15-16

Look up. The forecast shows more rain coming.

The Church of Jeroboam: How Halloween Exposes our Calendar of Compromise

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

By Allen Frederick

This article serves to peel back the layers of spiritual compromise hidden within the modern Christian calendar. It is much like unwrapping a mummy to reveal the skeletons in the closet. With historical and biblical precision, it shows the repackaging of ancient pagan rituals. These rituals have been accepted under the guise of Christian tradition. The purpose is to challenge believers to discern these counterfeit practices. The goal is to call the Church back to God’s original appointed times and faithful worship. This will restore reverence and truth to our sacred calendar.

“Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah… in the month which he had devised in his own heart.” —1 Kings 12:33

In two days, millions of Christians will dress their children as demons. They will decorate their sanctuaries with skeletons. They will call it “outreach.” They’ll defend this spiritual masquerade with theological gymnastics, claiming they’ve “redeemed” a pagan death festival for Christ.

They haven’t. They’ve become the Church of Jeroboam.

The Pattern of Apostasy

Jeroboam faced a significant political problem. It arose when he became king of Israel’s northern tribes after the kingdom split (1 Kings 12:20). If his people kept traveling to Jerusalem for God’s appointed feasts, they might defect back to Judah. His solution? Create counterfeit worship that felt familiar but kept people under his control.

His innovations were damning:

  • Golden calves in Bethel and Dan—“It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel” (1 Kings 12:28)
  • Non-Levite priests—“He made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi” (1 Kings 12:31)
  • A new feast day on the 15th of the 8th month—“like the feast that was in Judah” (1 Kings 12:32)
  • Alternative worship centers—“He offered sacrifices on the altar which he had made in Bethel” (1 Kings 12:33)

Sound familiar? It should. The modern Church has perfected Jeroboam’s playbook.

Jeroboam, Thy Name Is Pope Gregory

The Celtic festival of Samhain never died. When Rome suppressed Druidism around 60 CE, the practices went underground but lived on in rural communities. When Christianity arrived, it found these death rituals still thriving.

Enter Pope Gregory I (590-604), who pioneered “interpretatio Christiana”—the strategy of absorbing pagan practices rather than destroying them. His successor, Pope Gregory III (731-741), moved All Saints’ Day to November 1st, directly overlaying Samhain.

Jeroboam created alternative feast days to keep political power. Pope Gregory created alternative holy days to gain religious control. Both compromised God’s truth for human convenience. Both made unauthorized additions to God’s calendar. Both led God’s people into generational apostasy.

The Druids dressed in animal skins to hide from spirits. We dress in polyester to mock them. The ritual remains—only the rationale has changed.

Halloween: The Gateway Drug

Walk through any Spirit Halloween store (prophetic name, isn’t it?) and witness the fruit:

  • Ouija boards marketed to children
  • Demon costumes labeled “fun”
  • Witchcraft normalized as entertainment
  • Death glorified as decoration

We didn’t defeat paganism—we legitimized it. We gave darkness a Christian name and watched it devour our children.

Scripture warns: “Do not learn the way of the nations” (Jeremiah 10:2). Yet we’ve done more than learn—we’ve mastered their ways.

The Reformation That Wasn’t

Here’s the ultimate irony. Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg door on October 31, 1517. He did this not to mock Satan. He chose this date because crowds would gather for All Saints’ Day. He used a compromised holiday to protest compromise.

But the Protestant Reformation reformed theology while keeping Rome’s calendar. We protested the papacy but preserved their parties. We rejected transubstantiation but kept Saturnalia. We abandoned purgatory but clung to Easter eggs.

The Reformers broke from Rome’s doctrine but remained shackled to Gregory’s calendar. They changed the management but kept Jeroboam’s system intact. We became protesters who still party on pagan holidays.

The Trinity of Compromise

Halloween isn’t alone. It’s part of an unholy trinity:

Christmas – Rome’s Saturnalia rebranded. We celebrate Christ’s birth on a date He wasn’t born, using symbols He never sanctioned.

Easter – Ishtar’s fertility festival baptized. We celebrate resurrection with pagan eggs and rabbits while ignoring Passover, which actually points to the Lamb.

These aren’t cultural accommodations. They’re high places we refuse to tear down. Sacred cows we defend more fiercely than God’s actual appointed times:

  • Passover (Leviticus 23:5)
  • Pentecost/Shavuot (Leviticus 23:16)
  • Tabernacles/Sukkot (Leviticus 23:34)
  • Day of Atonement/Yom Kippur (Leviticus 23:27)

The Cost of Compromise

Scripture mentions “the sin of Jeroboam” twenty-one times. Every king was judged by whether they “walked in the ways of Jeroboam” (1 Kings 15:34). His compromise became generational apostasy.

The pattern persists:

  • Jeroboam: “Worship Yahweh, but my way”
  • Pope Gregory: “Come to Christ, but keep your festivals”
  • Protestant Church: “Sola Scriptura, but not for holidays”
  • Modern Church: “Reach the lost by joining their parties”

A Prophetic Call

God didn’t whisper when He judged Jeroboam. He shouldn’t whisper now.

To Pastors: Stop defending what God never ordained. Your theological degrees don’t authorize you to rewrite God’s calendar. “Come out from among them and be separate” (2 Corinthians 6:17).

To Parents: Every costume is a catechism. What are you teaching? “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11).

To the Remnant: Yes, you’ll be hated. Yes, you’ll be called legalistic. Stand anyway. “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too” (1 Corinthians 10:21).

The Bottom Line

The Church didn’t redeem Samhain. It resurrected it. We gave paganism a priestly robe and wondered why our children can’t discern darkness from light.

Jeroboam’s epitaph was simple: “He made Israel to sin” (1 Kings 14:16). Gregory’s legacy is identical. The Reformation’s failure is the same. If we continue in their footsteps, our epitaph will match theirs.

This Halloween, while others party with darkness, may a faithful remnant rise. They will declare: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). This commitment will be on His terms, in His time, by His Word alone.

The high places must fall. The sacred cows must die. The calendar must return to its Creator.

It’s time to stop being the Church of Jeroboam.

This has been a “View From the Nest.” And that is the way I see it. What say you?

“The Battle Belongs to the Lord: When Disciples Stand, Thrones Tremble”

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

They mocked David. He was young, untrained, and unarmored. No sword. No shield. Just a sling, five stones, and a covenant confidence. Goliath stood tall, armored in arrogance, spewing threats like thunder. But David didn’t flinch. He didn’t match the enemy’s size—he matched the enemy’s defiance with heaven’s authority. He showed up. And when he did, the battle shifted. Because the victory was never in the weapon—it was in the Word. “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies…” (1 Samuel 17:45)

We are living in a time when the strongholds of humanistic ideologies are beginning to crack. Not because we’ve stormed the gates with violence, but because the remnant has taken its place in prayer. The palaces built on pride, rebellion, and echo-chamber talking points are trembling under the weight of truth. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4) The Word of God is not passive—it is active, alive, sharper than any two-edged sword. “Piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit…” (Hebrews 4:12)

Daniel knew this. When the decree came down to silence prayer, he didn’t negotiate. He didn’t hide. He opened his windows and prayed anyway. And when the lions roared, he didn’t beg for mercy—he trusted the One who shut their mouths. “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me…” (Daniel 6:22) That’s the kind of resolve the Spirit births in those who refuse to bow to fear. Daniel didn’t escape the den—he endured it. And the only casualties were the ones who tried to silence the devoted. “No weapon formed against you shall prosper…” (Isaiah 54:17)

The same fire that was meant to consume the three Hebrew boys became the stage for God’s glory. They didn’t plead for deliverance—they declared their allegiance: “But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods…” (Daniel 3:18) That’s peace. That’s power. That’s prophetic defiance. And when they were tossed into the furnace, they didn’t burn. They didn’t panic. They didn’t even smell like smoke. “And the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed…” (Daniel 3:27) The only ones who died were the soldiers who tried to enforce compromise. God doesn’t just rescue—He reverses.

And then there’s Haman. The schemer. The manipulator. The one who built gallows to silence Mordecai and erase a people. But God had a counterplot. “So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.” (Esther 7:10) That’s what happens when you mess with covenant people. The gallows of accusation, misinformation, and intimidation will not stand. They will collapse under the weight of divine justice. “The Lord is known by the judgment He executes; the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.” (Psalm 9:16)

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We don’t fight with clever comebacks or viral trends. We fight with intercession, with worship, with the sword of the Spirit. “Take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17) We fight by standing. Armored up. Eyes fixed. Refusing to back down. Because the battle belongs to the Lord. “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:14)

So let the lions roar. Let the furnaces blaze. Let the gallows rise. Let Goliath shout. We will not be moved. We will not be silenced. We will not bow. We are the ones who show up. Not with bravado, but with boldness. Not with performance, but with presence. Not with fear, but with fire. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid…for the Lord your God goes with you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) Because the Word of God is our weapon, and the Spirit of God is our strength.

And when the dust settles, it won’t be the devoted who fall—it’ll be the deceivers. The throne rooms of pride will tremble. The palaces of propaganda will collapse. And the remnant will rise—not because we were loud, but because we were loyal. Not because we were strong, but because we were surrendered. “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57) The battle belongs to the Lord. We just need to show up.

Modern Witnesses: The Battle Still Belongs to the Lord

We’re not just looking back to ancient heroes—we’re witnessing modern-day warriors rise. Erika Kirk stood before a crowd and forgave the man who murdered her husband. That wasn’t weakness. That was warfare. “Father, forgive them…” wasn’t just spoken on a cross—it was echoed in a courtroom. Her courage didn’t come from emotion—it came from the Comforter. And Charlie Kirk’s boldness in confronting cultural strongholds with biblical clarity reminds us that the sling still works, the lions still roar, and the gallows still fall.

These aren’t just viral moments—they’re prophetic markers. God is raising up voices who won’t bow to fear, won’t bend to compromise, and won’t back down from truth.

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony…” (Revelation 12:11)

Crayon Box Christianity: Coloring in the Fruit of the Spirit

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
— Galatians 5:22–23

Ever opened a fresh box of crayons and just paused? The smell of wax. The vibrancy. Each one sharpened and ready—full of promise.
That’s how the Holy Spirit works in us: coloring our lives with divine traits that reflect God’s heart.

Let’s color it in:

❤️ Love is Red – Bold. Foundational. The base coat of grace.
💛 Joy is Yellow – Bright. Uplifting. The sunshine that refuses to be dimmed.
💙 Peace is Blue – Calming. Steady. A cool current in chaotic waters.
💚 Patience is Green – Growing. Grounded. Gentle strength in every season.
💕 Kindness is Pink – Tender. Compassionate. Soft enough to heal wounds.
🧡 Goodness is Orange – Vibrant. Honest. A visible virtue.
💜 Faithfulness is Purple – Loyal. Regal. Not swayed by storms.
🌸 Gentleness is Lilac – Subtle. Strong. A whisper that moves mountains.
🖤 Self-control is Black – The outline. The boundary. The wisdom that holds everything in place.

Every day, the Spirit hands us the crayon box.
The question isn’t “Are you gifted?”
It’s “What fruit-color are you letting shine today?”

Even if you’re feeling broken, worn down, or only good for scribbles, God can still use you to create beauty—on someone’s heart, in someone’s storm, through someone’s doubt.

Stay tuned: this is just the first stroke of the canvas.
Next up, we’ll dive into each Fruit of the Spirit—one color at a time—and see how God’s palette transforms our walk.

Make sure you sign up to receive all devotionals in this series: Coloring in the Fruits of the Spirit.