Sacrifice, Praise, Petition and Trust

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.” Psalm 50:14-15

 

For weeks I’ve been coming back to this passage, with a determined desire to ‘practice’ it. “Sacrifice a thank offering;” just what does He mean by that? To sacrifice means that it will cost something that is hard to give up, something that you’ve have valued more than a relationship with God even.

 

Why does God want His people ‘of faith’ to thank Him when you don’t feel like it, when things aren’t going the way you want, and especially when you look back on your life and see that it isn’t the way you wanted it? How do we thank God then? It’s hard to do! But that’s what we need to do more than anything, more than cry and complain, more than wish and dream, more than pity ourselves and make others just as miserable as we are.

 

“God inhabits the praise of His people!” “The nearness of God – is my good.”

 

“Fulfill your vows to the Most High.” Have you ever vowed anything to God? Did you vow in your heart to give Him the first-fruit of your income, or your day, or your thoughts? When you first met Jesus, did you offer Him your life? Have you told Him you would live for Him, and serve Him no matter what happens?

 

“Call on Me in the day trouble and I will deliver you.” Oh yes, we all want Him to do that! But, He’s already given us His ‘condition’ for delivering us. When trouble of any kind comes, who do you call and talk to first? Where do you go before going to the Lord? What do you think of first to take? Are your cries to the Lord simply complaints, or are they petitions? Would you bring a petition before a king who favors you and not expect him to grant it? Will you wait for him to act on your petition, or take matters into your own hands – tired of waiting?

 

“And you will honor Me.” This “practice” in our daily life honors God; that of sacrifice, praise, petition and trust. God is far more faithful than we realize; far more than we give Him opportunity for Him to show how GREAT His faithfulness is towards us! Our life’s circumstances and situations depend a lot on how we see and treat the Lord our God. By not waiting on Him to act when we come to Him with our petitions, is saying to Him that He doesn’t care, He’s not in control and can’t be trusted.

 

One very good reason why we should read and study HIS WORD, from beginning to end, over and over, seeing more and more therein – is so we can see how good and true God always has been – to those who call on Him and trust Him at His Word.

 

Praise the Lord for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness; praise Him with music and dancing; praise Him before His throne each morning and all through the day. With all we have and don’t have – PRAISE THE LORD!

 

“Because he loves Me,” says the Lord, “I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him.
When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16

 

“But to the wicked person, God says: ‘What right have you to recite My laws or take My covenant on your lips? You hate My instruction and cast My words behind you.” Psalm 50:16

 

Can We Turn America Back?

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

2 Peter 2:7 “Lot was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of wicked people around him – where he lived.”

 

“My burden for the United States of America”

 

I want to apologize to all the family, friends and associates that are offended by what I’ve written concerning my understanding of what has happened to America. But, I think it is necessary to understand why I believe the way I do, because we are NOT fighting against flesh and blood, but against rulers of the unseen world. These unseen rulers are the ones behind all of the changes in our land, behind the new policies, and behind our civil warring, and behind America’s destructive path – that I write about below.

 

The United States of America as it used to be – is gone; for we are not united by any means. For unity to return it would mean that the older generation has to die out. The older generation sees where America is headed and is not at all interested in supporting that in any way. This ‘new’ America will be in the form of socialism with the government in complete control of every part of our lives; a government designed to ‘supposedly’ meet your needs; which God calls a “false god” because this is not what ‘government’ is supposed to do. These progressives of new America will teach all children their new thinking that sounds good but is pure evil. This mindset of new America is opposite of the thinking of the older generations who trusted in God.

 

It is my belief that for the progressive agenda to succeed it has to destroy the family unit, remove Jesus Christ from everything except cursing, and to remove God’s Word (the Bible).

 

The progressives with their agenda first needed to change what a true family is as God designed the family, which is the strength of any nation. They needed to replace a family by new ideas that come from the real enemy behind the progressive agenda. The best place to start this new thinking is in our schools, and teach our children at a very young age that they need to open up their minds to this new thinking of what a family is. Therefore, the Bible is no longer the source of truth on this subject.

 

Birth control and abortion has attacked the family, with Margaret Sanger in the 50’s and 60’s forming Planned Parenthood primarily to extinguish the black race. But, birth control and abortion has spread like a disease everywhere. Then came the sexual revolution in the 60’s with the younger generation coming against the older generation’s ‘morality’ so that they could continue living a lifestyle of no rules or consequences for sexual activities. They coined the idea that love is about sex.

 

The progressive leaders of our day came out of this moral breakdown of the true family which had always been the strength of America under God’s blessings. So they got to work removing God/Bible/prayer schools and from public places saying that it offends some people, which grew to offend more and more people under the influence of America’s real enemy and his cohorts. The real enemy didn’t want America’s children influenced by the teaching of the Bible and by openly praying to God, so schools were no longer allowed to teach the Bible, or to pray and now children are not even allowed to say the Pledge of Alliance to our flag in school because of the words: “one nation under God.”  Then the “progressives” went about taking away the rights of parents to discipline and teach their children the way God tells us to, and if we do not surrender to their thinking – we are threatened with arrest if we do what God tells us.

 

Then began the propaganda of making any wife/mother who stayed at home with her children to be regarded as “less” than what a woman is; that a real woman is one who can have a family and a career outside the home. Women began competing with men going after their leadership positions. The purity of marriage started breaking down with adultery and divorce. Adultery no longer a crime. Divorce no longer shameful. Women wanted to fight like men and were allowed into the military branches. Children being left for others to care of and teach. This caused a redefining of what a man or woman is, and led to unnatural mixtures with men acting like women and women acting like men, even men wanting to have sex with men and women with women; all unnatural and destructive. The victories of the real enemy in our lives. Now children are growing up to think this is all right and good; going against their conscience, which comes from God, to harden them against godly conviction. Therefore, it’s all working to destroy the America God started with our founding fathers; a nation God wanted to use to bless people.

 

Then came the arrogant idea and humanistic teaching that man has the answers and solutions to everything in the world. A modern generation has grown up to think men working together in unity can come up with the solutions to anything happening in the world. (Tower of Babel all over again!) All this “progression” away from God has caused a spiraling effect of corruption, injustice, a holocaust of babies in the womb, bold sexual perversions brought before the eyes of and ears of children, and the redefining of marriage, family and culture.

 

This new progressive thinking is not about the truth at all, and not about consequences for any wrong doing, and it’s not about helping people live the way they want either, but rather it is a growing society of people thinking self-centered thoughts all the time – influenced and led by the REAL enemy who has been working day and night to bring good old America down to her knees. These “progressive” teachers and leaders keep coming up with ideas, plans and policies that will allow their agenda of a “new” America to work for them. But sadly, nothing will work for the good except God’s design for family and government.

 

This “progressive” thinking is simply setting up America, like all nations, to welcome in a despicable man that the real enemy will embody. He will slip in when least expected and take over by flattery and intrigue. With deceitful promises, he will make various alliances. He will become strong despite having only a handful of followers. He will distribute among his followers the plunder and wealth of others – something his predecessors had never done; but this will last for only a short while.

 

Do I believe we can turn America back? Not likely! If we could then we would have to take over the schools and teach the children the truth according to God and get going sharing the Gospel of Jesus of Christ who is the Hope of all nations, and do it at any cost. We would have to stand as strong pillars in our society as to what a real marriage and family is all about. We would have to see godly mem taking over governmental positions. We would have to uphold righteousness in our personal lives as well as holding our own children to being responsible for truth and righteousness, and accountable for their bad choices. We would have to rally together in prayer to our God – asking Him to help us bring this nation back to Him. For this to be done it would take at least 50 – 60 years to bring about.

 

So what do we do then? I say get ready for judgment because this nation’s cup of inequity is full – according to God. The rotting of a nation starts from the head down. Study the Word of God so that you will understand what is to come and how to be prepared both spiritually and physically; how to teach your children and grandchildren so that they are trusting God and following through with what He wants them to do in their time – before our King comes to reign on the earth, just as He promised. The last kingdom of the earth – will be the everlasting Kingdom of God!

 

“As it is in heaven – it will be on the earth!” This is the truth, according to the Savior of the world: Jesus Christ – Son of the Living God and Creator of us all.

 

Raging Fires in California

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

FIRES RAGING UP AND DOWN CALIFORNIA, one right after another! I wonder why. No, I know why!

 

God is clearly judging the new law of Governor Newsom for “abortion up to birth.” And for his declaring: “Come one – come all for your abortions here, all the way up the birth of your baby!” And he and all the others are rejoicing?

 

God has been judging America for our legalizing abortion at all since Roe v. Wade. What will it take America?! More shootings at schools? More children being abused with transgender teaching? More homosexuals adopting children? More children being used for all kinds of perversions by perverts? What will it take America? We have a president and vice-president who see this evil, and are doing their best to end it, but it’s a “state” responsibility with the people of the state rising up and demanding from their governor and state senators too, to protect human life in the womb.

 

California’s fires are without a doubt, GOD being FIRED up about abortion of the worse kind, and so are those who know that life begins at conception, and the womb is to be the baby’s safe place to develop and be born into this world as REAL HUMAN BEINGS! You might think that’s the end of it, when you go get that abortion, but you will face that child one day who has returned to his/her Maker. You will have to answer for such ignorance after hearing the truth and deciding to end your baby’s life anyway for whatever reason. Ignorance is not bliss! Out of sight – out of mind, doesn’t work.

 

What our Governor has done is made legal what God calls murder: “the sacrificing of children to the gods.” Now whose side do you think Almighty God is on? And who is able to stand up to our CREATOR when HE is ready to deal with evil in this way?

 

Father God, we’re asking for a God-fearing governor to take Newsom’s place. Remove Newsom any way You want, but California needs to be RESCUED from the hands and laws of the wicked. We’re calling on You Father God, Creator of human life, and JUDGE of us all. If by fire and natural disasters, so be it! May the wicked turn to the wisdom of the righteous!

Terror to Triumph – Part 10

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

Matthew 15:6 “You nullify the Word of God for the sake of your tradition.”

 

It was during this time (medieval age) that tradition began to set in. Three things come out that I think are important. First, we have the commands of the Lord. When it comes to these commands this is not something we debate, but simply obey.

 

Secondly, we have the commands of the apostles. Again these are things that we are to take seriously, but they are not in the same category as the commands of the Lord. For example, the early church, under the direction of the Apostles did something that has not really been repeated since: Acts 4:34-35 “There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.”

 

Thirdly, what we have coming in is that a congregation will set up some rules or regulations that they agree to be governed by. Again, there is nothing wrong with this, but what happens is that number three begins to take on the importance of number one and soon number one fades out. Isn’t this what happened in Jesus’ days when He rebukes the Pharisees and teachers of the Law when He said that they nullify the Word of God for the sake of their tradition?

 

Author Rodney Stark, when he was being interviewed by World Magazine, said that the growth of Christianity from its start to the time of Constantine was about 3.4 percent a year. This means that at this rate of growth almost 50 percent of the Roman Empire would have been Christian by the year 350.

 

One other aspect of this growth was the importance of women. Christian women enjoyed many advantages compared with pagan women and the early congregations were quite disproportionately women and they in turn saw their husbands, sons and brothers converted.

 

Constantine made Christianity the official religion, lavished it with financial support and ended the persecutions, but the results were quite disastrous. Before Constantine made Christianity the official state religion – to take on the mantle of being a Christian they faced serious risks and made real sacrifices that their commitment demanded of them, but now it was different.

 

During this period church officials were among the ruling elite and so the sons of the rich and powerful rushed into the clergy and soon holiness was a thing of the past. The church became lazy and soon tradition set in and the commands of Christ became a thing of the past.

 

According to Stark, medieval Europe was very irreligious. He went on to say that people today point to the huge and splendid cathedrals built during this time and that they reflected the great regard that the common people had for the church. But, like Stark said, look at all of the splendid castles and palaces built during this same period. Does this mean that the common people had a great regard for the nobility? They did not have great respect, because both the palaces and cathedrals were squeezed out of the peasants at a great price.

 

However, there were some bright spots during this time.

 

1. The final dissolution of heathenism in the eastern empire may be dated from the middle of the fifth century. In the year 435 Theodosius II commanded the temples to be destroyed or turned into churches. In the West, heathenism maintained itself until near the middle of the sixth century.

 

2. The literary triumph of Christianity. In the first three centuries Christians confessed their faith in the midst of suffering and death. Now they had to come up against hypocrisy, selfishness, ambition, intolerance, the charge of catering to the ruling class, etc. Apologists like Augustine came to the forefront (City of God) as Schaff’s, History of the Church said: “The City of God is the most powerful, comprehensive, profound, and fertile production in refutation of heathenism and vindication of Christianity, which the ancient church has bequeathed to us, and forms a worthy close to her literary contest with Graeco-Roman paganism. It is a grand funeral discourse upon the departing universal empire of heathenism, and a lofty salutation to the approaching universal order of Christianity.”

 

What is important for us to see that in the midst of all the turbulence we see that the Kingdom of God is continuing on.
 

The Living Word of God

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

In the Word of God this morning the Lord showed me something about why our nation has been experiencing so many unmatched disasters and rapid increasing tragedies.  Here’s the passage in Scripture He used:

 

“The Levites are to set up their tents around the tabernacle of the covenant law so that My wrath will not fall on the Israelite community.”  Numbers 1:53

 

In America we have far too many priests and pastors no longer upholding the Word of God, by teaching the whole truth, and therefore all the people under them have a form of godliness (self-righteousness) yet denying the Holy Spirit power for real change; they are sheep without true shepherds of God.

 

The Levite men, of the tribe of Levi, one of Jacob’s 12 sons/tribes, were appointed by God to carry with them the “covenant law” from place to place as God led them through the desert to the Promised Land to possess so that what God told them (written down), would be carried out fully so that God’s wrath would not come upon the community of His people.

 

While the Lord’s ‘freed’ slaves were in the desert waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain with God – God gave Moses His Law: The Ten Commandments.  God told Moses to tell the people: “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now if you fully obey and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”  Then Moses came down the mountain with the Ten Commandments and many other instructions (Exodus chapters 20-31) for the people to live by for their good.

 

Moses received the two stone tablets with the Ten Commandments twice, because the first time as Moses came down from the mountain with it – all God’s people were immorally celebrating the golden calf they had formed with all the gold they brought with them from Egypt and with Aaron’s help, Moses’ priestly brother. Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe of Levites.

 

God saw their idolatrous celebration as Moses was with Him on the mountain and God was ready to strike them all dead for disobeying God and Moses: “I have seen these people, they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave Me along so that My anger may burn against them. Then I will make you (Moses) into a great nation.” But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord, why should your anger burn against Your people, whom You brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth?’ Turn from Your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on Your people. Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom You swore by Your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’ Then the Lord God relented and did not bring on His people the disaster He had threatened.”  (Exodus 32:9-14) Moses came down with the first stone tablets and threw them on the ground in front of them symbolizing how the people had already so quickly left the God who had delivered them with so many amazing miracles.

 

Moses then said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” All the ‘Levites’ rallied to him.  And all those who didn’t, were killed by the Levites, as instructed to do. (The yeast of wickedness spreads and must be removed.)  Three thousand died that day for rebelling against God and His servant Moses. After God showed Moses He placed in the cleft of a rock “His glory” by passing by Moses, showing him His back, Moses was now filled with all the confidence he needed to finish his purpose, for the Lord said to him: “ I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you Moses, and I will proclaim My Name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” (Exodus 33:19-20)

 

Moses then chiseled out two new stone tablets with God’s Ten Commandments and pleaded for the Lord to go with them to finish the journey to the Promised Land, after God said He wouldn’t because they are too stiff-necked, repeating their unbelief – tempting God to strike them dead. But the Lord honored Moses’ faith and said, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you Moses and I know you by name.” (Exodus 33:17)

 

Moses had this honor from God because Moses, a Levite, obeyed the Word of the Lord telling him what to do, but not without a personal struggle all along the way. And so we are also to obey and not deny God’s Word, but rather uphold all that Jesus Christ has told us to do in His name and for His heavenly Kingdom, our Promised Land. He’s given us His Holy Spirit so we can overcome every hindrance along the way: our flesh, the world and the devil always at us.

 

Are you a true Levite? You don’t have to be a Jew you know. The Gentiles who believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ from every race, tribe and peoples – have been grafted into the faith of Abraham for the “reward of faith” in following the Lord to the end of our time on earth.  God, through Moses, said of the tribe of Levi:

 

“Your Thummin and Urim belong to him. (Thummin and Urim = decision making, judgments and wisdom from God.) I tested the Levites at Massah; I contended with them at the waters of Meribah. Levi said of his own father and mother, ‘I have no regard for them.’ He did not recognize his brothers or acknowledge his own children, but he watched over My Word and guarded My covenant. He teaches My precepts and laws to the people. He obeys all My instructions for My people’s well-being and future inheritance. Therefore, I bless all his skills and I will be pleased with the work of his hands. I will strike down those who rise against him, till his foes rise no more.”  Deuteronomy 33: 8-11

 

Many years ago, when our children were still living at home, the Lord said to me that I was a “true Levite priest,” and I thought “I’m neither a man nor a Jew Lord!” Then He showed me it is because of my love and honor for God’s Word, faithful in daily reading, studying, teaching, and in judging everything by it, and along with their father, in holding our children accountable to what God tells us as a family. AND, in not allowing my mother or father any longer be the voice I listen to, and obey in what I’m to do with my life in Christ. Honor your father and mother YES! But never let your parents take the Lord’s place.

 

The Lord has told His ‘faithful’ church that we will be a “kingdom of priests” unto our God, but note that it’s only those who walk by faith in God’s Word – to the very end of my life on earth.

 

“Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying:

 

‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”  Revelation 5:6-10

 

In America, God’s Word is under severe attack, and far too many pastors are caving in to fear of what they will lose or suffer if they speak the truth and teach the whole Word of God, no matter who it angers or offends, because while most are angered or offended, a few will be reached and saved by faith in their Savior.

 

In the Lord’s letter to the ‘faithful’ church of Philadelphia He tells them how He will “keep them from that hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to TEST the inhabitants of the earth.” (Revelation 3: 7-13) The Lord commends them for NOT denying the Name of the Lord and for holding to His Word, and tells them what they will receive from Him for their faithfulness, and they will called “New Jerusalem” the Lord’s bride coming down from heaven at the end of the Lord’s reign on earth, making all things new and ready for eternity.

 

Keep On

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

When we understand the times we live in, it should cause us to pray. Remember that the armor mentioned in Ephesians 6 – must be used in the battle, if not for the battle what good is it?

 

The battle is prayer. If I have a battle coming, who would I want to go with me? The one whose armor is shiny with no dents, or the one who has armor is beat up with dents and with blood on his sword? Prayer is a mighty movement of my soul towards God. It is a stirring of my deepest forces toward Him. When I wrestle in prayer, I will come into His will. Then He will either bless me or give me the strength to do what He has asked me to do. Either way He will be with me; to hold on to, press on with, and even wait for – wait for Him to act first.

 

Restless desire, restful patience and strength are all embraced in prayer. Prayer is not an incident, or a performance, but a passion of my soul. Prayer is not a want, but a sheer necessity. If we are men and women of prayer, there is no limit to what He can accomplish through us.

 

If you pray you will not lose heart. So keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for by faith. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you? The key that will unlock the door is to “KEEP ON!”

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.

 

One other lesson that we can learn during this period is that we need to be intellectually ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us. When the barbarians came and the church was being wiped out in the Middle East and North Africa – this is what was needed.

 

It is said that history repeats itself. Also, it is said that the one thing that we have learned from history is that we do not learn. When we look back in history do we see any difference with what was happening then and what is taking place in our society today? I don’t think so.

 

For example, in his book RELIGION OF PEACE Robert Spencer brings out the following: “The ‘war on terror’ is an ideological conflict – one of which Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, secular Muslims, and others have a stake. But on that ideological front, the West is being notably deficient. And this is due, in no small part, not only to a lack of cultural self-confidence, but also to a sense that Christianity – upon which Western civilization is largely based – and Islam are at best morally equivalent. In the view of many left – liberal leaders, Christianity itself, or religion in general, is the real problem.”

 

Throughout history the early church faced “a war on terror.” Robert Spencer goes on to say: “If it is widely recognized, however, that the war on terror is in fact a struggle against an Islamic Jihad that would conquer and subjugate Western non – Muslims, and which is well on its way to doing so in Europe, and Western countries face a choice. They can acquiesce to the demands of their Muslim populations and, little by little, adopt provisions of Islamic sharia law until the Islamic social order is fully implemented. Or, they can choose to stand up for Judeo – Christian values and defend them against the ideological challenge of Jihad and Sharia Law.”

 

A question that comes to my mind is: Isn’t this what took place during the rise of Islam that began to spread through the Middle East and North Africa where the church had been planted, but was slowly beginning to disappear? They can ‘acquiesce to the demands of their Muslim populations and, little by little, adopt provisions of Islamic sharia law until the Islamic social order is fully implemented.’ We see this taking place in the West even today in countries like Great Britain, Germany, France and Sweden.

 

World Magazine interviewed author Rodney Stark about Islam and asked him the question: Why did the Muslims gain military victory with such ease during the seventh century? His response was: “They were very well-organized and led, and they were highly mobile (everyone rode on a camel and then dismounted to fight). In addition, they were opposed by fortress garrison troops who were poorly suited to fight battles of maneuver. Eventually, the Muslim invaders ran into quality Christian forces at Tours (Poitiers) and were routed. From then on the Muslim tide began to ebb. Christians soon began to retake Spain, then Sicily and Southern Italy, so that they were liberated.” However, it would be safe to say that there was no mass conversion to Islam. It took almost two centuries despite the immense financial and social benefits of converting.

 

It seems that the argument that Satan uses quite often is the argument of moral equivalency. In our Western world today (and it would seem the same in the Medieval Age as well) that we have modern liberals who would claim that there is no difference between the radical ideology of the Islamic Jihadist and the fundamental Christian today.

 

After September 11, 2001 very few in power would even suggest that Islam was the problem and that Christianity might be the answer. They saw the Islamist imposing Islam on their society, but the Christians doing the same thing and the latter posing a more serious threat. The modern liberal saw the Taliban beheading the people, but so would the Christians if they got the chance, according to their thinking.

 

Robert Spencer said: “It is a common assumption among many left – liberals in the West that Christian and Muslim extremist, radicals, or fundamentalists are two sides of the same coin.”

 

But is there a difference between Christians and Muslims? “When a tsunami devastated Muslim Indonesia and other South Asian countries in 2004, Western states pledged millions. The United States sent $950 million, Great Britain almost 800 million, Germany over 670 million, Canada of 400 million, France about 300 million, Norway 175 million and so on. The European Union also kicked in $628 million aside from the individual contribution of its member states, making Europe’s contribution two billion. The West contributions weren’t merely financial; the United States and Australia Armed Forces were the first responders to bring aid to people in need. This Western generosity, however, has gone largely unnoticed. What of oil rich Muslim nations? Qatar sent $25 million. After criticism of their initial paltry responses, Saudi Arabia sent 300 million, Kuwait 100 million, and the United Emirates 20 million.” (Quote from the book Religion of Peace)

 

What comes out to me is that we can learn from this period of history so that we need to know what we believe and be able to articulate it well. The more I look at history and the spread of the Kingdom of God the more I see that Jesus Christ is the answer and that the love of God conquers all; it never fails. Paul said: And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak.” 2 Corinthians 4:13 Do we believe that Christ is the way, the truth and the life? If so, we too will speak.

 

 

Who Did Jesus Call a Hypocrite?

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

In God’s Word this morning I read how and why Jesus called Israel’s governing leaders “hypocrites.” He called them hypocrites for many things they did, but in this case, it was for something that made me think of how our government has l-o-n-g been doing the same thing.

 

The Pharisees and Teachers of the Law (the government of Israel then) taught and instructed the people that to devote their wealth to God (give to them rather) what could be used personally to help support their own mother and father – was, according to Jesus, not honorable at all, not godly, not what God had said, but rather all about their own “human rules and human traditions.” Or, in our time, with our governing leaders: “government rules and traditional politics,” with their outrageous taxation so they can do what they want with OUR hard earned money. Jesus went on to say of these hypocritical governing leaders that:

 

“These people honor Me with the lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” Mark 7:6-13

 

I’m sickened by hearing Hillary Clinton, James Comey, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Chuck Schumer and all the other self-righteous politicians who use God’s Word to support what they’re doing that is so clearly very wrong and immoral, and not at all what God has said ‘in His Word’ that a government should do.

 

God put in office, this last presidential election, a man who feels like WE feel: fed up with a greedy, corrupt, incompetent, self-righteous, mismanaging, self-serving government! Like Jesus said, “Thus you nullify the Word of God by your human tradition that you have handed down. And you do MANY things like that.”  Like Jesus said: “HYPOCRITES!”  Like President Trump says: “Swamp-creatures!”  Trump is no Jesus, but God is using Donald Trump just the same.

 

And what are these “hypocrites” up to, with all they can think about and work on? Vilifying, maligning, slandering to remove him from the presidency; this man that GOD put there to expose them all! So who do you think they are really fighting against? And will they succeed?

 

It’s obvious from reading Scripture that God sent Jesus Christ FIRST to the government leaders of His people Israel to expose their hypocrisy, greed, self-righteousness, corruption and disobedience to God. Jesus Himself said that He was sent to them first, but they rejected Him as ‘sent from God,’ the God whom they supposedly serve. They were offended by Jesus’ confronting their waywardness, instead of being humbly convicted by the Truth and Righteousness sent from God, and turning from their wicked ways.

 

Before Jesus could reach out to the Gentiles and invite them into His Kingdom by faith in Him, Israel’s leadership had to be exposed and condemned, so that all people would see the truth, righteousness and justice of God’s Son and of His Kingdom that is to come in all fullness; that they follow Jesus Christ, Son of God, instead of false leaders in any generation and in any nation.

 

Jesus Christ is the only hope of the nations. Jesus Christ is the only Savior of this world. Worship and obey HIM!

 

 

Terror to Triumph – Part 9

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

“Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47

 

It was during this time in the dark ages (400 AD – 800AD) that Islam began and it spread quite rapidly – mainly through the sword. This new religion moved into areas where Christianity had sprouted and soon the church began to disappear. If you were to go to Turkey today you will find the ruins of the seven churches of Asia Minor mentioned in Revelation chapters 2 and 3.

 

Islam spread throughout the Middle East, came across North Africa and then over to Spain and tried to cross over the Pyrenees Mountains into France and the rest of Europe.  I mentioned Charles “The Hammer” Martel who fought the Muslim invasion and the Islamic thrust into Europe that was checked when a battle was fought near Poitiers and the Emir of Spain was killed. During this time the “Tall Men of the North,” that terrified the southern Europeans with their height, blue eyes, fair coloring, and fierce, warlike ways were also pushing into other parts of Europe.

 

It was during this time that our church fathers had to make a decision. When they sat down and evaluated all that was taking place in the world – especially with the spread of Islam wiping out the church in the Middle East and across North Africa – they had to make a decision. Should they dig in and try to hold on to what they have or should they go out and evangelize the Norsemen/men of the north? They decided that to go out and not dig in. It was a right decision and 300 years later after the fall of Rome Christianity had taken over Europe except perhaps for Norway.

 

Matthew Henry said: “The mighty heroes of the world conquered nations for themselves and made them miserable. The apostles conquered them for Christ and made them happy.” This was true not only of the Apostles, but also those who followed in their footsteps. Part of that army were those who took in the babies that were going to be aborted, fed the poor, and did other acts of mercy. They were seen by the others and this led many to accept Christ. The one thing that you find with this army is their commitment and sacrifice of the Gospel.

 

It was during this time unknown to most that this new army was beginning to change society, culture etc. one person at a time. We can compare these two armies. First, we have the pagan army that for 4000 years had accumulated all the wealth and had ruled with unprecedented power over these years.

 

On the other hand there was a small band of people that had no influence politically speaking and no wealth, but they went out and began to spread the kingdom of God one person at a time until their influence permeated society.

 

Our view of God determines everything. If we have bad theology we will compromise and eventually our liberties will be taken away from us.

 

What can we learn from all of this for our day and age? One lesson that I would like to bring out is that we should never have a “dug in mentality.” After World War II some of our church and missions’ leaders in the early 1950’s sat down to evaluate the world after that tremendous war to see where we stand in regard to missions.

 

Communism took over China and the missionaries had to leave. Nationalism had taken over Indonesia and India (some of our largest mission fields) and missionaries could not come in anymore. Church and mission leaders had to make a decision: Should we hold on to what we have or advance? Sadly, they saw a down trend in missions and made the decision to ‘dig in’ and hold on to what they have.

 

When I was converted and sensed God was calling me to the mission field I took a course in missions. In that course the teacher spent so much time telling me about all the places where I could not go as a missionary which were the places where missionaries were needed.  I was questioning God if He was really calling me to the mission field. The teacher was thinking like those who have a ‘dug in’ mentality.

 

In Acts 2:14 Peter stood up in Jerusalem and preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and it began to spread. Through the Apostle Paul it took a westward course. In the last 50 years we have seen some of the greatest advancements of missions in the history of the church.

 

A couple of years ago I was in the Middle East and saw how there was such a movement of the Gospel back to Jerusalem. The thought that came into my mind was: The Gospel of the Kingdom has circumnavigated the world and is now coming back to Jerusalem. Luke said: “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47
 

 

There’s No Place Like Home

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

Yesterday I saw the movie “Judy” about Judy Garland’s life played by Renee Zellweger. Some of you may not know her except that she was Dorothy in the famous movie: Wizard of Oz. She also was the star in the first version of, “A Star is Born,” which has been remade twice since, the second time with Barbara Streisand and Kris Christopherson, and lately with Lady Gaga and Bradly Cooper.

 

Judy was a famous outstanding singer, dancer and actress. But the way she became all that should never be how a girl is treated, used and promoted in Hollywood, but that’s the world for you!

 

Judy’s parents were vaudeville people with their own little theater. Judy began performing in vaudeville as a child (2 ½ years old) with her two elder sisters, and was later signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager. Her father was a homosexual as the rumors went. Her mother was the one who pushed them along into motion pictures. Judy struggled in her personal life from an early age. The pressures of early stardom affected her physical and mental health from her teens onward; her self-image was influenced and constantly criticized by film executives who believed that she was physically unattractive. Those same executives manipulated her onscreen physical appearance.

 

In the movie “Judy,” her producer of the movie: Wizard of Oz, had a woman administering pills to young Judy so she could work 16-18 hours a day and eating hardly anything so she would remain thin – looking like a little girl for the part of Dorothy. She was given barbiturates to control her appetite and more at night to get her to sleep. She became an addict as a teen, and then an alcoholic. Judy was looking for true love, even at a young age. The movie doesn’t bring out anything about her parents and upbringing.

 

Judy loved singing, dancing and acting, but it all became what she lived for – ending up an a drug and alcohol addict, married four times, with children she hardly saw.

 

In the end (from the movie) at the age of 47 when she was in London performing live on stage (having been booed out of America for), she humbly singing “Over the Rainbow,” that she couldn’t finish as she sat on the edge of the stage before her waiting audience. (Judy was always up close and personal with her audience.) As she sat there silent in the middle of the song, with her head down trying to hold back the tears of regret over her life, two gay men (fans of hers) that had become her personal friends, stood up to finish the song. Then the whole audience progressively stood up to join them. It was a touching moment for sure.

 

What hit me as so very very sad about Judy, was that she so desperately needed people to love her and remember her. “You won’t forget me – will you?!!!!”  Then at the end of the movie they showed a quote: “The test of the heart isn’t in how much you loved others but in how much you were loved by others.”  Hum.

 

As I thought about that – I tested that statement if it was really true. I guess it depends on who is testing your heart, the people of the world, or God. So I compared that statement to what the Creator, Refiner and Judge of our heart says about “love.”  I believe it’s God who perfectly tests the heart of people, not man. Someone can assume what is in your heart, why you do what you do and all, but man judges by his own heart’s condition. God judges by what’s really in our hearts. God says in His Word that man doesn’t know the depth of his own self-deception and wickedness, so how can he really know his own heart, or anyone else’s?

 

Those two sympathetic gay men, who were Judy’s loyal fans, and then friends at the end of her life, understood her suffering with not being at peace with herself; their emotional sympathy for her was very ‘personal.’ Judy and these two friends of hers didn’t get to know the Savior’s love for them, as far as the movie revealed. For had Judy been able to live in her Savior’s love, she might had said in the end: “There’s no love like the Lord’s love; don’t forget that.”

 

Like Dorothy repeatedly said in the movie Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like home,” I hope that Judy Garland had the opportunity before she died to know God’s love for her by faith in Jesus Christ.  For then she might have said on her death-bed, “There’s no place like HOME,” meaning her heavenly Father’s Home to which she was headed.

 

Judy Garland died at 47 years old from drug and alcohol abuse.

Yesterday I saw the movie “Judy” about Judy Garland’s life played by Renee Zellweger. Some of you may not know her except that she was Dorothy in the famous movie: Wizard of Oz. She also was the star in the first version of, “A Star is Born,” which has been remade twice since, the second time with Barbara Streisand and Kris Christopherson, and lately with Lady Gaga and Bradly Cooper.

 

Judy was a famous outstanding singer, dancer and actress. But the way she became all that should never be how a girl is treated, used and promoted in Hollywood, but that’s the world for you!

 

Judy’s parents were vaudeville people with their own little theater. Judy began performing in vaudeville as a child (2 ½ years old) with her two elder sisters, and was later signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager. Her father was a homosexual as the rumors went. Her mother was the one who pushed them along into motion pictures. Judy struggled in her personal life from an early age. The pressures of early stardom affected her physical and mental health from her teens onward; her self-image was influenced and constantly criticized by film executives who believed that she was physically unattractive. Those same executives manipulated her onscreen physical appearance.

 

In the movie “Judy,” her producer of the movie: Wizard of Oz, had a woman administering pills to young Judy so she could work 16-18 hours a day and eating hardly anything so she would remain thin – looking like a little girl for the part of Dorothy. She was given barbiturates to control her appetite and more at night to get her to sleep. She became an addict as a teen, and then an alcoholic. Judy was looking for true love, even at a young age. The movie doesn’t bring out anything about her parents and upbringing.

 

Judy loved singing, dancing and acting, but it all became what she lived for – ending up an a drug and alcohol addict, married four times, with children she hardly saw.

 

In the end (from the movie) at the age of 47 when she was in London performing live on stage (having been booed out of America for), she humbly singing “Over the Rainbow,” that she couldn’t finish as she sat on the edge of the stage before her waiting audience. (Judy was always up close and personal with her audience.) As she sat there silent in the middle of the song, with her head down trying to hold back the tears of regret over her life, two gay men (fans of hers) that had become her personal friends, stood up to finish the song. Then the whole audience progressively stood up to join them. It was a touching moment for sure.

 

What hit me as so very very sad about Judy, was that she so desperately needed people to love her and remember her. “You won’t forget me – will you?!!!!”  Then at the end of the movie they showed a quote: “The test of the heart isn’t in how much you loved others but in how much you were loved by others.”  Hum.

 

As I thought about that – I tested that statement if it was really true. I guess it depends on who is testing your heart, the people of the world, or God. So I compared that statement to what the Creator, Refiner and Judge of our heart says about “love.”  I believe it’s God who perfectly tests the heart of people, not man. Someone can assume what is in your heart, why you do what you do and all, but man judges by his own heart’s condition. God judges by what’s really in our hearts. God says in His Word that man doesn’t know the depth of his own self-deception and wickedness, so how can he really know his own heart, or anyone else’s?

 

Those two sympathetic gay men, who were Judy’s loyal fans, and then friends at the end of her life, understood her suffering with not being at peace with herself; their emotional sympathy for her was very ‘personal.’ Judy and these two friends of hers didn’t get to know the Savior’s love for them, as far as the movie revealed. For had Judy been able to live in her Savior’s love, she might had said in the end: “There’s no love like the Lord’s love; don’t forget that.”

 

Like Dorothy repeatedly said in the movie Wizard of Oz, “There’s no place like home,” I hope that Judy Garland had the opportunity before she died to know God’s love for her by faith in Jesus Christ.  For then she might have said on her death-bed, “There’s no place like HOME,” meaning her heavenly Father’s Home to which she was headed.

 

Judy Garland died at 47 years old from drug and alcohol abuse.