SPEAKER_01 0:00

You are welcome. This is the Ministry of Reconciliation podcast. Today we have a special guest. He is Dr. James Torkirson. Is that how I am supposed to pronounce the name?

SPEAKER_00 0:15

It's pretty close, Emmanuel. It's Torkelson. We don't generally pronounce the D just to make it easier to say.

SPEAKER_01 0:22

Thank you very much. He has written a book, Awakening, Exposing the Web of Deception, Threatening Offith, Family, and Freedom. I'm so excited to have you here on this podcast, but also to share with us the heart of this topic. As a parent, it is very interesting. Could you please tell us about this topic?

SPEAKER_00 0:50

Sure, Emmanuel. Thank you. Thank you again for this opportunity. As the title indicates, it's a call to awaken. It is meant to expose many of the dangerous and radical agendas that are attacking our country's foundation and traditional values, as well as those values and traditions around the world. But it takes a thorough look at how secular humanism has birthed extreme ideologies that are being used to attack our traditional American belief system, Javel Christian heritage. And the hope of this web of deception is to destroy our faith, our families, and our freedom. And so I try to bring to light the unfortunate reality that much of this attack has actually had impact and it's influenced our government, our corporate media. That voice is now an extension of this extreme ideology. And our academic institutions are seeing agendas and ideologies and riots and a stand for pretty much everything that used to be on they're now promoting as mainstream or an attempt again to overthrow our traditions. And it's weaved into our major institutions all around the country. We think about what we've stood for so many years, and the very foundational rock of this country was on God and freedom. And now we're seeing an attack on both God and freedom. And what's interesting is that anything that's anti-biblical can be promoted and supported. But the traditional biblical belief systems uh are the ones that are being attempted to be shut down. I read recently and saw recently where there was a pastor in another country uh who was arrested because he spoke from the Bible about sin. And we see an attempt even now in America that they want to remove that word sin. They want to kind of parallel that as as hate language uh and eventually a hate crime. And so then I'm thinking, Emmanuel, you know what? Imagine if Christ was to walk across our country today, but it but particularly even across America and started preaching against sin, what would happen? Imagine the rioting, imagining the anti-uh voice, imagine this attack on Christ himself if he was to preach his gospel today in this political and cultural environment.

SPEAKER_01 3:24

Yes, thank you very much. Um what do you think is the likely cause of this?

SPEAKER_00 3:29

Well, I I talk in my book a lot about that, that it the bottom line is it's a spiritual war. Uh I recently did a podcast as well to try to answer that very question, and it cannot be answered by logic or reason because there's a lot of good people that are jumping onto the hate wagon, you know, jumping onto the silencing the voice wagon. And and that's why I I talk about it as a web of deception. And the only thing that can explain what's going on is a spiritual warfare, a battle of good and evil. That we have uh a tradition and a history and a Christ-based uh faith that promotes decency and love and respect. But the reason it's opposed by so many is because it puts uh parameters around expected behavior. And we have a rebellious people across the planet that doesn't want parameters around their behavior or thought. They want to be able to normalize and standardize anything they think or want to do. And the Bible doesn't support that. Now, the Bible I see is probably the greatest health book ever written. It's inspired by God, written by men, but the things in the Bible direct us towards doing things that are healthy, whether it be the Ten Commandments or don't be a drunkard or don't be lazy. The instruction gives us guidance. You know, it's a health book and a directional book for us for our life. And I often say that the Bible was given us to mankind to protect us from ourselves, because otherwise our rebellious nature kicks in, we don't want parameters. But there's also nothing in the Bible that it says that we should not do or directs us not to do that is unhealthy. So there is no restriction other than the protection of our health, and even then God doesn't require it because He's given us free will. He recommends it because it's what will lead us to a healthy lifestyle. And so to answer the question again, what's what's causing this? It's that spiritual battle that we live in today. Satan, who's the author of confusion, the dis great deceiver, the father of lies, is trying to whisper in people's ears that you can do this, you can do that, don't worry about ramification, much like what happened to Adam and Eve in the garden that caused the fall of man in the beginning.

SPEAKER_01 5:37

What do you think might be the uh motivation for for these movements that are antichrist in nature?

SPEAKER_00 5:45

I think the motivation uh for many, many people isn't isn't uh evil or corrupt. I think it's misled. I think that they're feeling that somehow their freedoms will be negated by a restrictive biblical reference. And and and the only reason that they can think or feel that is again, they've been misled hearing this voice that's whispering in their ear saying, You're being told you can't do this, you're being told you can't do that. Or there or the voice is saying, You need to be more inclusive, you need to be more accepting, you need to be more loving. And I think that's what happened to the church in the first place as to why this movement began to take its its impact that it has today, is that we've actually been too permissive and too inclusive, where we went from accepting the person to accepting the behavior. And that's the difference between, you know, biblical truth and and and just unconditional acceptance. Jesus didn't unconditionally accept behavior. He did unconditionally accept anybody that came to him. But much like the woman at the well that was caught in adultery and they said stone her, he showed his empathy and grace and said, Hey, he is without you, without sin, let him cast the first stone. So he accepted her and loved her, but what did he say to her? He said, Now go and sin no more. In other words, change your behavior. That limitation does not want to be heard today from a rebellious people, and the enemy is whispering in their ear and saying, Don't listen to that, don't listen to that, do your own thing, much like Adam and Eve in the garden, do your own thing.

SPEAKER_01 7:15

Yes, you tackled the question I was already about to ask you. Whether church is aware and whether it has a position on this, but you seem to indicate it's aware. And then if that is true, what is its position? Is it awake in any way?

SPEAKER_00 7:35

Excellent question, uh, Emmanuel. And I have a chapter in my book, Awaken, that's called A Church Confused, because I think that much of the church is awakening, but much of the church is falling into this fallacy of belief that acceptance means you accept everything and you accept the behavior along with the individual. That's the deception. Jesus accepted everyone that came to him. He would not reject anyone, but he did reject behaviors. And so the church has somehow got confused into thinking, if I reject a behavior, I'm rejecting an individual. And that's just not true. Because if we accept all behaviors, we're accepting sin and we begin to normalize it. And we know that God can have no fellowship with sin, that he only dwells in those that are righteous, and we become righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ. Right? Not on our own, but when we accept Christ into our life, he washes us of our sin. And every creation needs that. And and so to overlook that and accept people in and say, I accept you as you are, including your behaviors, you don't need repentance, we're now preaching against the Bible. Because the Bible, like the great Billy Graham said, all need to repent, all need to be born again, all need Christ to wash away our sin. And unfortunately, the church has compromised that message by thinking if they hold firm on that stand, they're rejecting people. But they're not rejecting people. They're just rejecting some of the behaviors that won't allow them into the kingdom of God.

SPEAKER_01 9:06

Thank you. That is very helpful. Many people have cried out that the church isn't helping on do you think this is endangering the voices of independent church gods who are committed to Christ?

SPEAKER_00 9:23

Yeah, you know, again, much of the church is because there is a great awakening. We're seeing that in countries around the world. We're even beginning to see pockets of it uh develop in the United States. We're seeing an awakening, and and that's the also the reality of the mathematical equation of goodness and evil and and so forth, is that there there's always this action and reaction and an equal and opposite reaction. So as this negative voice is compiling and becoming more prominent, there is an awakening amongst faith believers, faith walkers, Christians, uh, you know, anybody that's saying yes to God and wants to follow him, that voice is also becoming stronger. But along with that, then we're seeing people having to, in churches, having to choose sides. Am I going to stay complacent? Am I going to just kind of go with the woke uh theology? Or am I going to stand firm for Christ? So we're seeing a separation, if you will, of sheep and goats. We're seeing a separation of truth and f and fiction. And and so that divide is becoming greater. I say that there no longer will be a gray. You know, that fence that people sat on is going to disappear. So we will have to chick a pick a side. And and so, you know, when we pick that side for Christ, then that voice obviously is going to become stronger against us. But the churches need to do that. Many of them are, but unfortunately, many of them are just staying complacent and saying, you know, we're going to go with the woke agenda theology. And that woke agenda theology will not be a theology that enters the kingdom of God because the kingdom of God will not accept sin into the kingdom. We have to be washed in the blood, we have to accept Christ, and we do have to change our ways. It doesn't mean that we don't make mistakes. We all do by accepting Christ, it doesn't make us perfect, it makes us washed and acceptable unto the Lord.

SPEAKER_01 11:09

Yes. And do you think God might have purposely uh let this continue? Uh I'm not saying could he have done this, no, but could he have let it continue just because human weakness increased and therefore he lets this delusion uh challenge them?

SPEAKER_00 11:31

Yes, I I I do in this sense. Uh so God, the great master designer, had a plan in mind and has a plan in mind. So since the beginning of time, he designed a planet and he put all the all that walked and breathed on it, he put water on the planet and he formed the stars, and and it somewhere in time then he put man on the planet, Adam and Eve and started. But he put a timetable on all this because when we look at timelines, we have our finite timeline as mankind, and it's very short in the timeline of eternity. So God is at work for eternal purposes and eternal planning at all times. And how Earth fits into it, how mankind fits into it, is all on a finite timeline in relative in relativeness to his eternal timeline. So is he allowing this? Yes, because it fits into his divine master plan that we really cannot see forthcoming because it's an eternal plan. But we have glimpses of his plan from biblical prophecy, biblical truth, and biblical promises. So we know that there will be a day, as the Bible teaches us, that Christ will return on a white horse, and he's going to return for his people. There will be a rain on the earth for a time. We don't know the dates, we don't know the years, but we know that there's seasons that he has promised in biblical prophecy that those things will happen. But for those things to happen, then everything that's happening now must happen. So yes, he's allowing this to play out because this will then eventually usher in the return of Christ. Uh we don't know how many years, but it's all perfectly designed, masterly planned by Creator Himself.

SPEAKER_01 13:01

Is your book helping Christians to prepare for the coming of Christ?

SPEAKER_00 13:07

It is. And there's much in there to cause them to see and read and refine their true North with clarity, and true North being Christ. But then there's also a very heartful approach and attempt to speak to those on the fence, to speak to those that are good people, that have been drinking of the diluted toxin of the messaging from the extreme ideologies, but yet have not sold out their soul. There's people that are still kind of confused and unsure about which way to go and what's true and what isn't. And so my book also speaks to those to try to help them through logic and reason realize that Christ is real, God's word is true, and that there's a message out there trying to pull them into the wide path of destruction that the Bible talks about.

SPEAKER_01 14:18

Excellent. Uh, I think at this point it would be great for you to tell our audience where to find your books.

SPEAKER_00 14:25

Thank you, Emmanuel. I appreciate that. Uh yes, and and there's a number of things the Lord has has led me into, and I'll share those. Uh, you know, one, I do a podcast, I release one or two episodes daily, or not daily, weekly, and it's called the Dr. T Show. And the theme is faith, truth, and discernment. And so we address many of the topics that we've talked about today on a regular basis. Secondly, my website is drtconsulting.org, drtconsulting.org, where I have resources, some free resources, valuable information, and podcasts are there. Everything you want to know about me is there. Uh, my book, Awaken, Exposing the Web of Deception, can also be found through my website or Barnes and Noble, Amazon, wherever books are sold. Uh, and then also you could directly email me if I can be a support and a help in any way, and that's James at DrTconsulting.org.

SPEAKER_01 15:21

Thank you very much. It's important to read, uh to stay awake uh because one would ask, are Christians ready? Uh, you think they will not be unless they uh they they stay close to the road. Maybe I shouldn't really answer that. Uh Christians ready, Dr. T.

SPEAKER_00 15:40

That's a great question. And you are so right on with that, Emmanuel. Some are, many are not. And and and and remember, Jesus gave us parables about staying awake and staying alert, and and those that were ready and those that weren't, and some mat uh some missed the return of their Lord. And and so we need to, in this season, we're seeing signs and symptoms. We need to be awake, we need to be alert, we need to be equipped and prepared for what's coming, and that's that continual onslaught of evil battling good. Uh that's a war that began in the heavens when God cast Satan and a third of of the angels that followed him out of heaven, and and that war continues to this day. So, yes, some are ready, many are not, and so I encourage all believers, we all fall short, but that's all wrapped in the grace of God through the blood of Jesus Christ. What he wants us to do is not be concerned about our past, but only our today, and what we do to be prepared for the tomorrow, and that is in our heart and our spirit to welcome the bride when he comes to for for his groom, or welcome the groom when he comes for his bride, and and and to be prepared for that, and then on a daily basis do everything that we can to walk in him, to share his love, and to demonstrate the life of Christ within our own life.

SPEAKER_01 16:58

Thank you. We are close to uh the end, but we have a few more questions. Would like you to help us. How easy is it for Christians? I mean here, the God-fearing people, to continue loving even those who are hard to love in the middle of these trials?

SPEAKER_00 17:18

You know, that's a good question, also. And and the reality is, you know, it's not that difficult if if we accept that love of Christ within us and realize that we weren't lovable, that we are we are a sinner, that that we are our our you know, our goodness is as filthy as rags, the Bible says. And and so when we recognize our own lack of goodness and that we aren't lovable, but Christ loved us first. And so he's given that to us freely, then we in turn can take what he gave us and demonstrate that towards others, not accept the behavior, because he didn't accept our behavior, right? If he if Christ accepted our behavior when we came to him, he wouldn't have said we needed to repent and change and become like him. We needed to repent from our past and become anew. And so we did that, and so now we're washed in the blood, but our righteousness is only in him. There's nothing good in ourselves. So when we really realize that, and now we look at other people regardless of their behavior, regardless of their attitude, I can demonstrate some of that love and acceptance that Kiki put in me for them while not accepting the behavior. So I think to answer your question in a nutshell, our level of acceptance of others, even if they're not lovable, even if they're not good to us, will really probably relate to the extent that we realize our love and acceptance by Christ as we are. So as we experience that with Him, we're better able to have that for others.

SPEAKER_01 18:47

Thank you very much. And as we grow, would you like to leave our audience with a few tips on how they can stay awake victoriously until the Lord Jesus Christ comes?

SPEAKER_00 18:58

Definitely, yeah. And the the key principles are simple: start your day with prayer. Close your eyes before the Lord and say, Lord, here am I, your servant today. Not sure what steps to take, what directions to go, but I'm gonna rely on you and your Holy Spirit to guide me. And let me walk in prayer and let me walk in thoughtfulness and thanksgiving to you. So if we begin our day like that, all of a sudden we've invited the Holy Spirit to begin to guide us. And then we stay mindful of Him. We need to take opportunity to study His Word, to read the Bible, because that is our food for our soul and our spirit in studying the Bible. So we need to pray, we need to study the Word, and then thirdly, fellowship with like-minded people. Have opportunities to talk to brothers and sisters in the Lord because we encourage one another, we lift up one another, and we strengthen one another, much like you and I are doing today, Emmanuel. This will be food for us, this will equip us more, this will encourage us more. And so we need to have fellowship with like-minded, we need to stay in prayer, we need to read his word. And if we can do just those three basic things, that is a diet for spiritual success.

SPEAKER_01 20:02

Thank you very much. It's been great hosting you on the Ministry of Reconciliation podcast, and you're always welcome.

SPEAKER_00 20:09

Thank you so much, Emmanuel. This has been a good uh good opportunity, a good moment to share with you. I just love sharing with brothers from around the world and sisters from around the world. I love that the Lord has given us this capacity for good.

SPEAKER_01 20:22

Thank you very much.