Slave or Free?

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

How do you take a free people and make them into slaves? By giving to them, and in this way they learn to depend upon the giver. The more handouts from a government – the more people become slaves of the government.

 

How do you take enslaved people and make them free people? Make them responsible for what they need; let them earn a living and enjoy the fruits of their own labor. This way they will look to God their true Provider for what they need, and will depend upon Him. It is my believe that it is impossible to take a slave and make him free. It will take another generation to make people free; but it only takes one generation to make a people slaves. So be very careful when the government offers you something for nothing.

The Proverbs 31 Woman – Chapter 9 – Marriage Bed Kept Pure

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

The woman of virtue shares her bed and body with only her husband and so she covers both.

 

“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Hebrews 13:4

 

Sexual intercourse is reserved for the wedding night because it spiritually and physically binds you to your husband/wife.  Leviticus 19:4-26 is how you keep your marriage bed pure, for God has written down for all human beings what is sexually immoral and destructive to marriage and family:

 

“You must NEVER have sexual relations with a close relative. Do not violate your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother. Do not have sexual relations with any of your father’s wives, for this would violate your father. Do not have sexual relations with your sister or half-sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born into your household or someone else’s. Do not have sexual relations with our granddaughter, whether she is your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for this would violate yourself. Do not have sexual relations with your step-sister, the daughter of any of your father’s wives, for she is your sister. Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sisters, for she is your father’s close relative. Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s close relative. Do not violate your uncle, your father’s brother, by having sexual relations with his wife, for she is your aunt. Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law; she is your son’s wife. Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife, for this would violate your brother. Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. And do not take her granddaughter, whether her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, and have sexual relations with her. They are close relatives, and this would be a wicked act. While your wife is living, do not marry her sister and have sexual relations with her, for they would be rivals. Do not have sexual relations with a woman during her menstrual impurity. Do not defile yourself by having sexual intercourse with your neighbor’s wife. Do not permit any of your children to be offered as a sacrifice to Molech (abortion, satanic worship, prostitution, child pornography, incest, etc.), for you must not bring shame on the Name of your God. I am the Lord. Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, or a woman having sex with a woman. It is a detestable sin. A man or woman must not defile themselves by having sex with an animal. This is a perverse act.”

 

“Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for the people around you have defiled themselves in all these ways, and you must not do what they do. Because the land has become defiled by sexual immorality, I am punishing the people who live there. I will cause the land to vomit them out. You must obey all my laws and decrees, and this applies to everyone, to all people of the earth.”

 

Marriage is to be honored and protected “by all.” That means that marriage by GOD’s design is to be honored and protected by the government too, and is why we need to be paying attention to who is running for election. When sexual immorality is allowed to freely thrive in any land – the Word of God says that the land itself becomes defiled. When the land becomes defiled the earth fights back against these sexual perversions: the earth “vomits out its wicked inhabitants.” People die, and they die by all kinds of disasters and diseases.

 

God designed marriage specifically for one man and one woman who both promise to remain faithful and committed to one another until death parts them. If your wife or husband is unfaithful (attracted to and sexually active with someone else) then He allows you to divorce but with this God also says that you are not allowed to remarry anyone else or you become an adulterer as well. Why does God see it that way? He sees it that way because of His ability to heal and restore, and because of our vows so that we learn how to be faithful to what we say we will do. Adultery in any case is a sin, and God forgives sin. But sin has consequences in our lives; serious consequences that serve as God’s painful discipline that teach and train us.

 

Today we see a different type of wedding vow that leaves room to cancel their marriage contract for any reason. “I promise to be faithful to you until I find someone I like better.” “I promise to be faithful to you until you hurt me.” “I promise to be faithful to you until you can’t or won’t serve me any longer.” “I promise to be faithful to you until you stop making me laugh.” “I promise to be faithful to you until you stop doing what I want you to do.” “I promise to be faithful to you until you are disabled and completely dependent on me.” You don’t hear any of these statements in their vows, but God does.

 

God knows what is in our hearts better than we do. God sees our future and what every married couple has coming that could divide them. I look at my marriage when we made our vows to each other May of 1975 and all the issues that could’ve divided us over these years had we each NOT stayed close to the Lord. Our four adult children with their spouses are learning the same too, and oh how happy we are as GRANDPARENTS that they are!

 

Being faithful to our spouse, even in our thoughts, is not easy to do on our own, but….

 

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!” (Philippians 4:13) Jesus Christ didn’t give up on us as He died to Himself, literally on the Cross. Therefore, I can die to myself with His strength in me. I can arrest my wicked thoughts and make my thoughts agree with the mind of Christ because His Spirit lives in me.

 

When a couple stays married “for the children,” this is not wrong but right. When we put our thoughts on what is best for someone else, we can change for the good. Divorce is rooted in self-centeredness, in almost all cases. Adultery is rooted in self-gratification. All sexual sins are rooted in self-gratification and defiles the body.

 

Even a bad marriage can turn good when ‘self’ gets out of the way. The reason a marriage starts to go bad in the first place is because ‘self’ wants its own way. It can change course by thinking God’s way, acting in right ways, and forgiving your spouse and forgiving yourself too.

 

Our vows are witnessed by our heavenly Father because marriage is His design and establishment. He watches over it. He holds us to our vows. This holy accountability to God is why we have so much guilt, and should have guilt, when we try to break our marriage covenant, and why we have unnecessary trouble and battles when we divorce and remarry.

 

God, your Father and Judge, will not ask you why you got a divorce. He will ask you why you let your marriage fail and your children suffer and go astray.

 

A long time ago my daughter told me that she was invited to a “divorce party.” Why should anyone want to celebrate a broken marriage and honor a divorce by giving gifts? Why would anyone want to make merry over children grieving over their mommy and daddy dividing? How selfish and insensitive! She did not go of course, but was just as shocked as I to hear of such a shameful thing happening.

 

There are boundaries we must see in our marriage that will keep us from seeing our husband (or wife) as someone who is there to accommodate our every need and desire: false expectations. Boundaries work to bring us before the Lord to receive that which only He can provide and protect for us.

 

The marriage bed is protected by both husband and wife remaining respectful of one another’s feelings and convictions. The body, which God designed, is not to be treated in a degrading or hurtful way; whether you are mistreating your own body or your spouse’s body.

 

In marriage God says that our body is not our own. “The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. And in the same way the husband yields to his wife.” (1 Corinthians 7:4) Both respect each other’s body, because “in Christ” my body is a member of Christ Himself. My body is His Temple. (1 Corinthians 6:15-20) Nothing wicked is allowed in His Temple, or in the Body of Christ (His Church).

 

When God said that “the two will become one flesh” (6:16) it doesn’t just mean that they can produce a child together. In every aspect of human life they are to become one, inseparable and faithful to each other, just like when we become united to the Lord by His Spirit; we become one with Him in purpose. Nothing can separate us from His love!

 

If you entered a sexual relationship before marriage you need to confess and repent before the Lord. You need to confess to your fiancé that you had previous sexual relationships before you marry. This needs to be forgiven and under the blood of Christ from the start of your marriage.

 

The Holy Spirit teaches that the only time we are allowed to deprive one another sexually is when we need to be alone with God in prayer and even then we need to be sensitive enough to our spouse to have their understanding and support. God might call the two of you to a time of prayer and fasting [sexually] in order to gain more understanding of something lacking in your relationship that sex can not fix. (1 Corinthians 7:3-6)

 

“Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer.” 1 Corinthians 7:5

 

So often men think that as long as their wife has sex with them – all is well in the relationship. It is not wrong for a wife to hold back sexually when her husband is disrespecting her. God tells the man that he should love his wife as he loves his own body (Ephesians 5:28), treating her with consideration as a delicate vessel, with honor because you both are fellow heirs of the gracious gift of life. (1 Peter 3:7) If a man does not treat his wife this way his prayers will be hindered. God will not listen to the man who dishonors his wife, nor will He listen to the wife who dishonors her husband.

 

Sickness and disease can also deprive sexual activity in a marriage, but it’s not your right to get your urges met by another person, or by masturbation, because both are about self-gratification, and self-gratification is wicked. Self-discipline and self-denial is what we need to work on with God’s help. God will help you with your sex drive if you go to Him and wait on His strength and wisdom. We have not – because we ask not.

 

If we selfishly deprive each other – we are inviting the enemy in to tempt and destroy. The Lord pardons every wicked thing we do when we confess it to Him as sin. Confession does not finish the work of repentance; obedience does.

 

We keep our marriage bed pure by staying away from people who talk about their sex life and the private parts of the body as if it was healthy or practical to do so. Be wise and discerning of movies, books, songs and websites too. Keep your mind and marriage holy because God is Holy and you are His Family.

 

If you have a weakness or addiction in the area of sexual immorality then confide in your spouse after you talk to the Lord about it. Get it out in the light so the devil can’t use it against you to keep you enslaved. Trust God with your confession. Pray with your spouse about it. Hold each other accountable, but do it in love and not with a critical or self-righteous attitude. Remember, we all have our weaknesses and the sin that so easily besets us.

 

Why is it so fundamentally vital for men and women to be inexperienced sexually before they marry? Two reasons why. One: Sexual intercourse connects you spirit to spirit. It’s not simply an act of the flesh. No divorce contract can void what is of the spirit. Two: Having no other to compare to keeps your sexual thoughts pure towards one another. Comparing sexual experiences (whether your own or what you watch in the movies or on computer) breeds disapproval and disrespect. It can easily destroy your marriage.

 

In a Song of Solomon’s (1:6) the new bride talks about how handsome and charming her lover (husband) is. She also sings: “And our bed is verdant.” This young bride expresses her delight in that she and her husband have both kept their marriage bed innocent and inexperienced by waiting till they were married to enjoy each other sexually.

Supremacy in Redemption

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

When we think about God, who He is and what He has done, we must give some thought to the Supremacy of His redemption. In reading through Isaiah chapters 42-45 one sees the number of times the Lord shares who He is and how He is the only One.

 

One of the first things He brings out in Isaiah 42 is that He will bring justice to the nations. Several times this is mentioned. Isaiah 42:1 “I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations.” Isaiah 42:3-4 “In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.”

 

To me an aspect of this redemption is bringing justice to the nations. It is a two-fold act that will achieve this. First, we have the first coming of the Lord where the Gospel is preached whereby people are given a chance to respond. Secondly, we have His second coming whereby “the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.” 1 Corinthians 15:24

 

When I think of all of the unjust things being done one cries out for justice, because there is no justice. However, one of the things that reformation brings around is an awareness of who God is and that He will not relax until justice is brought forth to the nations. “He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth.”

 

Another very important aspect of His Supremacy in redemption is that He is the only One. There is no one else. Although our world is filled with many false hopes of redemption there is no one else but the Lord who can bring redemption. Isaiah 43:1 “Fear not, for I have redeemed you.” (verse 11) “I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.”  (verse 13) “No one can deliver out of my hand.” (verse 25) “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” (Isaiah 44:22) “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”

 

It is obvious from these verses here in Isaiah that God and He alone is our redeemer. This is important because we do see from Isaiah 44 how a man will take a block of wood and use part to make a fire and keep warm, cook his food and what is left over – make an idol to worship and say: “Save me; you are my god!” Isaiah 44:17

 

In our Western culture we might be a little more refined than this man as depicted in Isaiah 44, but we still do the same thing. How do we use and look at money, for example? We use some to give us heat in the winter, to cook our food over our stoves and we store it up so that when a rainy day comes or problems come we can say to the money that we have put away: “Save me; you are my god.”

 

Reformation brings us back to who God is and what He has done and what He says He will do. We will begin to see afresh that Christ is the answer to all the world’s sin and troubles. We need only to look to Him and no other. Hebrews 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”

 

Recognizing the Supremacy of Christ’s redemption will also give us a sense of urgency that this salvation message is the only hope for the salvation of the world. It will not come through our major religions either, or through any government that we so often hope in, but through the Lord Jesus Christ.  ONLY CHRIST SAVES.

 

 

 

 

GOD and Who He Is

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

One of the problems that we face today is that we have an inadequate view of who God is. Most, if not all of our problems, can be traced to the lack of knowledge of who God is.

 

It is interesting to note that neither the prophets nor the apostles tried to prove the existence of God. Everywhere in the Bible the existence of God is assumed as a fact. Whether man knows God or not – depends upon man’s moral state. The problem that we are faced with is not one of not knowing whether there is a God, but that of not wanting to be ruled over.  However, history shows us that we will either be ruled by our God or we will be ruled by tyrants.

 

Reformation will bring us back into this right knowledge of who God is. In Isaiah 40 we see something of the same format being laid down in Matthew 3. John the Baptist is the voice of one crying in the wilderness, then comes reformation – Jesus Christ is revealed and walks among people.

 

In Isaiah 40 we have the same thing. First we have the voice in the wilderness, then reformation comes: “And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (40:5)

 

One of the first miracles that Jesus did was to take water and turn it into wine. John 2:11 “This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” What did Jesus do? He took something ordinary (water) and made something extra-ordinary out of it (wine). In so doing He showed us His glory. Isn’t this what we find today. He takes us and makes something extra-ordinary out of us by having a plan and purpose for our lives. When we look around we see an abundance of the glory of the Lord in our midst. For example: the miracle of the little baby just born with all of her/his faculties, and the sunset and sunrise with all of the different colors changing as the sun gets higher, and even man going about his daily activities.

 

However, what we find first of all is the supremacy in God’s attributes. One of the things that Isaiah is trying to do is build confidence in the hearts and mind of God’s children. They have just come through a horrible time and now they need comforting, they need restoring, they need reformation.

 

So Isaiah starts with God. This is where we all should start. Like I said at the beginning, most if not all of our problems stem from a wrong view point of who God is.

 

Isaiah is trying to bring home to the Children of Israel how great God is. He does this by taking what we would call great in this world and comparing it to God and showing that there is no comparison at all.

 

“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?”  Isaiah 40:12

 

Take the oceans of this world with all of their power and unending waves that crash upon the beaches of the world. God holds them in the palm of His hand. It is interesting to note that He holds the water in His hands, but He gathers us in His arms. “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” (Isaiah 40: 11) There is more strength in the arms then in the hands and God has us in His arms.

 

Another aspect that Isaiah brings out is the ‘mind of the Lord.’ Who does God consult? Who taught Him? Who is His counselor? Who shows Him the path of understanding. No One. He is the fount of all wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  “For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6

 

In verse 15 Isaiah compares God to the great nations of the world. The Children of Israel have just come out of the great nation Babylon, but compared to God he states: “Nations are like a drop in a bucket. (vs.17)  “Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.” The conclusion that Isaiah comes to is verse 18: “To whom, then, will you compare God?”

 

Later in the same chapter Isaiah tries to compare God to great men. Nebuchadnezzar, Napoleon, Mao se Tung, and others of our day who hold sway over large numbers of people, but when compared to God they are nothing. God only needs to speak and they cease to exist.

 

In verse 26 of chapter 40, Isaiah tries to compare God to the vastness of the heavens. “Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” Scientists now say that in the galaxy of the Milky Way, there are two hundred billion stars, but in the universe,  there are more than two hundred billion galaxies.

 

We read in Genesis that when Abraham and his nephew Lot separated, Lot lifted up his eyes and saw Sodom, then he became a friend of the world. Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the stars, and became a friend of God.

 

Reformation brings us back to the Supremacy of God in this universe.

 

 

 

Common Sense

Posted by & filed under Michael K Dietz, Mikes Blog.

Ever wonder why our political leaders make some of the stupidest laws; laws that defy common sense? The Bible says, “Common Sense comes from God.” Therefore these political leaders are godless. What makes godless leaders think they have the answer to the problems we face today? How great is that arrogance?

Proverbs 8:14
“Common sense (wisdom) and success belong to Me. Insight and strength are Mine.”  Says the Lord.

The Proverbs 31 Woman – Chapter 8 – The Glorified Womb

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

God has given man His will to do. A wife makes her husband’s responsibility to God much easier when she works with him rather than working against him. A man’s God-given burdens are lightened by his wife’s favorable attention to it; helping her husband using her abilities, spiritual gifts and prayers – in doing God’s will. God’s will for a man requires the man’s wife to be his partner in it. And this is a very beautiful thing to see at work.

 

The wife who does not glorify her husband can not glorify God. This is so important to understand. Women today do not like to hear that they were made “for the glory of man;” that God “created woman for man.” (Genesis 2:20-21 and 1 Corinthians 11:7-10) Why would a woman feel offended by this? Does this offend you?

 

Most little girls have not been raised up to think the right way about boys/men and marriage, and is why most Christian marriages don’t last. Most little boys have not been raised to think the right way about girls/women and what “marriage” is for – by God’s design and purpose.

 

In many places on the earth women are regarded as slaves and treated like animals or objects. This is not what God had in mind for a man’s wife or any woman. It doesn’t matter where you live on this earth, no matter what religion you accept or are forced to accept, no matter what government you live under and no matter whose wife you are; you are God’s beautiful and valuable daughter. Put your trust in your Father above, give your heart to Jesus Christ your only hope and Savior, and then watch how your heavenly Father deals with those who mistreat you.

 

God deals severely with the men (and boys) who make His daughters (at any age) to live in fear or shame. You belong to God first. It is a dreadful thing to experience the righteous anger of God for how one of His daughters are mistreated. Turn an evil man over to your Savior and Deliverer, and remain faithful in praying for him. Love never fails!

 

A woman’s success as a godly wife and mother is found in her close relationship with the Lord and how skillful she becomes in using all that she’s been given to benefit her husband and her children. Even as I write those words – there came a thought: “What about me? Why can’t I benefit myself with my own skills?” Even if I never marry and/or never have children – it is never all about me!

 

God gave women an honor that He did not give men. In the womb of woman God perfectly forms each human life with incredibly unique aspects so that there are no two people alike ever created. (Psalms 139:13-15) Yes, human life starts at conception as far as man can see, or at least he should see this as truth, but as far as God sees – you were His thought and joy before anything came into existence. God planned your existence before your mom got pregnant with you. God planned for YOU to be born and to come to know His love and purpose before He created a thing. To live and thrive and know your heavenly Father through Jesus Christ is everyone’s God-given right and purpose. We all come from God and return to God, and we are held accountable for the life He gave us; both physically and spiritually.

 

In some cultures women have grown up believing they have the right to abort the child in their womb. I believe in women’s rights, but a woman’s “right to choose” doesn’t apply when she’s on the abortionist’s table; it applies when she is tempted to spread her legs for a man or boy, if you know what I mean. Abortion is not the right choice! It’s not the right choice even when the doctor tells the mother and father that having the baby will put the mother’s life in jeopardy. Calling on God’s power and trusting Him for the outcome of the delivery – is the only right choice. God knows and has a plan for that unborn child no matter what stage of growth he/she is in.

 

And, it’s not the right choice in the case of rape either! Why should a baby pay (by death) for the sin of someone else. So you don’t want to be reminded of what happened? So you don’t want to take the chance that the child would be like his/her father? So you aren’t ready to have a child? So, so, so! SO! Let’s try trusting God! Let’s give God a chance to make it all work out perfectly.

 

Condemn the criminal, not the child! Forgiving the offense helps you to heal from any offense taken against you. Forgive the offense and welcome the child; this is how you overcome what has been done to you. You can forgive any offense; it’s a choice and it can be done when we consider how Christ has forgiven each of us. No one is righteous or good according to God. “All have sinned” and need to be forgiven!

 

You can forgive the offender even though you never see the offender again. But in cases where the offender is someone close to you like a family member, and who has not been arrested, forgiving the offender doesn’t mean you have to be around them, or to pretend to feel what you don’t feel in their presence. Again, call on the Lord and entrust yourself to HIM who deals justly with the wicked. “Vengeance is mine,” says the Lord. “I WILL REPAY!”

 

God is eager to do what looks impossible to us when we acknowledge who HE IS and surrender our understanding to His perfect wisdom and love. The doctor that considers abortion as an option is NOT to be trusted. Trust God instead, because God is the creator of your womb and of the child in you. Trust God and then give Him the glory for the outcome!

 

Jesus is the only One that can heal us because when Jesus suffered at the hands of evil men, even by his own family members, He forgave them all. His love covered a multitude of sins; the sin of the whole world! Imagine that. That same Holy Spirit in Jesus can do the same in us, if we allow Him to. Call on Jesus Christ for His forgiving you of all your sins – and then ask Him for His Holy Spirit power for you to forgive others.

 

For a little girl who has been violated – she will need a wise godly woman (mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, etc.) to help her come through it so it does not ruin her potential and good future. God will help any girl or woman who asks Him for the power to forgive and see her situation as an opportunity. What happens to each of us can be used for good in some way if we allow the Lord to heal us and impart His wisdom. His healing us makes us responsible with “that healing” from Him. It’s not all about you. Every miracle from God requires us to follow through with what His miracle was intended to do for others.

 

God is love. God is eternal. God is Creator of all life. God’s will and instruction for mankind to increase – has never changed. The womb of the woman belongs to God; He created our womb. The sperm of a man connecting with the egg of his wife is to produce offspring. This is the primacy of sexual intercourse within marriage. God added ‘a feeling’ to pro-creation between husband and wife, but sadly this “feeling” has become the priority so that we now have sexual perversions esteemed and taught as normal and good. What a surprise they have coming.

 

Through the ages the devil used his vessels to train women and little girls to think of themselves wrongly; to think of their bodies (and their wombs) in an evil way instead of God’s holy way. Women have it down to an art how to use their bodies and sex appeal to get what they want. They actually see it as a talent or skill that should be developed. Hollywood is filled with such women and young aspiring actresses. Books are published about them. Songs are written to esteem them. Children are sacrificed for them. That which is evil has become noble! That which is honorable has become shameful!

 

“A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a shameful wife is like decay in his bones.” Proverbs 12:4

 

Why We Need Reformation – Part 2

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

The third thing that we need to ask ourselves in regards to our culture:  Is the church making an impact in our culture today? Who is in control in our culture? Is it God or is it Satan? When we turn on TV what do we see: programs that honor God or Satan? When we listen to modern music what do we hear: music that honors God or Satan? When we look at art, films, etc. what are we confronted with: something that honors God or Satan?

 

Chuck Colson was speaking to a group of pastors about engaging our current culture. He said that one of the pastors came up and asked a question: “But won’t engaging the culture this way interfere with fulfilling the Great Commission? Isn’t our job to win people to Christ?”
Chuck’s response to this was: “Of course we’re called to fulfill the Great Commission, but we are also called to fulfill the cultural commission.” Christians are agents of God’s saving grace – bringing others to Christ, but we are also agents of His common grace: We are to sustain and renew His creation, defend the created institutions of family and society, and critique false worldviews.”
I was reading a book on the Nazi conscience. I was wondering how could a nation that had such a Christian heritage turn in such a way that millions would be killed.

 

We all have a conscience, but the question is: What is the conscience set on? For example, I think of some of the different religions in the world, Hinduism for example. They have what is known as Sati (wife burning). When the husband dies they throw the wife (alive) on the burning pyre so that she might be with him in the next life in reincarnation. Their conscience does not seem to bother them. My conscience would. What makes the difference?  It depends on what their conscience is set on.

 

For me it is set on the Bible – I have a biblical worldview. This makes a difference. The Hindu has a Hindu worldview. It is a difference of belief. So it would seem that what we believe is very important.  What is remarkable to me is how a nation that supposedly is a Christian nation (nominally) can have a Christian belief and still do what they did during the war? How was a nation’s conscience cauterized to allow something like that to happen? Also where was the church in the midst of it all?

 

Then I think of the USA with over fifty million of our babies that have been aborted. Where is the church? What happened to bring us to this point? Where is the church in the midst of it all?

 

While reading this book several things stood out for me. First, we see that it was a time of lax moral codes in the country. It seems that everything was okay to do. No morals, no truth. It was a time when the moral people (probably the churched people) felt that something needed to be done. But what and by whom? It seemed that there was a sense of impotence. It was at this time that a man – Hitler – rose who seemed at first to be a man of morals giving voice to what many felt. He was a good speaker and a charismatic character. He was sharing what many people felt and through his charisma many fell for his propaganda.

 

Next we find that Hitler had a tremendous propaganda mill and through this he began to pour out the poison. In one sense what he was doing through his propaganda mill was to engage the major issues of the day and give an answer. What the preachers should have been doing we find Hitler doing. We now know the rest of the story. Biblical preaching is engaging the major issues of the day and giving a Biblical response.

 

Through the constant barrage of propaganda, people’s thinking and belief began to change – which in turn affected their conscience and setting the barriers for their conscience. Once that happened it was easy to lead them to other things as well. This is what we see today in our own culture.

 

Later when Hitler took more and more power then it was even more difficult for any opposition to be raised. It seemed that he also used thugs to help bring about his message by fomenting fear in the hearts of anyone who did not agree with the propaganda.

 

What do we encounter today when we speak out against a homosexual lifestyle? So where was the church when they were “coming out” as they say? Did the church see? Did they understand the dynamics that were taking place? Perhaps some did and they did speak out to their own detriment. I think of Bonhoeffer who was eventually put into prison and later hanged.

 

Looking at our culture in the West today makes me want to CRY OUT for reformation!

Needed: Reformation

Posted by & filed under Franks Blog.

 

 Background of Isaiah the Prophet

 

It was said that Isaiah’s ministry lasted for about sixty years and that he supposedly died under the terrible reign of Manasseh. Jewish tradition says that he was brutally martyred by being placed in a hollowed trunk of a tree and then “sawed in two.”

 

Reading through the book of Isaiah one is impressed with his vivid sense of the majesty of God. When we look into Isaiah chapter 40 we will see that he compares God to how we think in terms of greatness, and then he says that there is no comparison.

 

One of the main things that Isaiah is speaking against is the outward forms of religion with no inward reality. Reading through Isaiah one is impressed with qualities like “boldness, patriotism, tenderness, broad sympathy, stormy indignation at hypocrisy, with deep spirituality and a profound sense of the Divine majesty.” Isn’t this something missing today in our churches and meetings together? Are not these the things of character that should be more in our preaching today?

 

When Isaiah began his preaching career several things were happening in Israel. The ten tribes (Israel) were nearing destruction by Assyria whose capital was Nineveh.  They were desperate times.

 

Israel joined with Syria under the leadership of Damascus. Judah would not join so Israel and Syria invaded Judah to coerce Ahaz, the king of Judah, to join the confederacy. So we find Ahaz making a treaty with Assyria and marching forth to overthrow Syria and Israel. So Judah then became dependent on Assyria.

 

Later Hezekiah rebelled against the King of Assyria. Isaiah was always advocating that Judah’s dependence should be upon Jehovah and not some earthly monarch. However, the king of Assyria came to lay low Judah and since Egypt failed to respond to help, Judah had to buy off the King of Assyria with gold, etc. and so again became dependent upon Assyria.

 

Later when Assyria was coming to attack Judah and Jerusalem Hezekiah heeded Isaiah’s advice and trusted in the Lord to deliver them from this ‘present danger’ coming upon them in the form of Assyrian army. The result was that God sent His angel and a great disaster fell upon the army, and from which King Sennacherib never recovered.

 

Judah was freed from the threat of invasion and enjoyed a season of peace.

 

When we come to Isaiah 40 we see that there is turn in God’s approach to His people. They have repented and now are turning back to God and so we read in Isaiah 40:1-2: “‘Comfort, comfort my people,’ says your God.  ‘Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.’”

 

Later we have the words: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.’” Isaiah 40:3

 

The same words are repeated in Matthew 3:3 “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him,’” referring to John Baptist prior to the first coming of the Lord.

 

In reading through Isaiah 40 one sees what ‘reformation’ will do and what is needed today. 

 

 

 

 

“When abortion ends, child corruption in America might end as well.”

Posted by & filed under Carols Blog.

These points come from Linda Harvey’s column in January’s Whistleblower magazine. She is president of Mission America and a weekly columnist for WND (World Net Daily – Whistleblower). Prayer and comments at end are mine.

 

 

“New York Times published a story: “His eye make-up is better than yours.” About a 10 year old boy and his Instagram make-up following. There’s a flooding from the media featuring stories that highlight gender-confused kids, with a chorus of support for this delusional behavior.”

 

“Teen Vogue magazine featured an article about how to safely engage in anal sex.”

 

“In public libraries children with their on-looking parents listen to men dressed in female attire and hideous make-up (drag-queens) read books to innocent children.”

 

“In Austin Texas, an International Drag Festival, an all-ages event, featured an 11-year-old boy dressed a girl dancing before other children and cheering transvestites, some of whom also took the stage for obscene performances, occurring at a Holiday Inn.”

 

“Disney topped the list of offending producers with their remake of Beauty and the Beast where they cast one of the males as a homosexual character, (subtle but sure).”

 

“TV shows more and more introducing obscenity and/or homosexuality themes to children. Netflix’s Big Mouth. Disney’s Doc McStuffins, Andi Mack and Star vs. the Forces of Evil. Disney is also a major donor to the Gay/Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Disney has not been the same since Walt Disney left.”

 

“A New Jersey bill PASSED that guaranteed confidentiality for kids engaging in transgender-behavior, because, as we all know, parents are the enemy, right? Similar school policies exist in Maine, Maryland, Hawaii and elsewhere.”

 

“Hollywood rushed to give awards to a movie featuring the “romance” of a teen boy being seduced by an adult man. Movie is called: Call Me by Your Name. Accusations keep piling up of alleged abuse of boy actors by powerful Tinseltown males. Former child actor Corey Feldman’s long-time allegations are finally getting a hearing.”

 

“Schools continue to promote homosexual and transgender behavior.” (Against parent’s rights and input.)

 

“GLSEN’s propaganda events like the April – Day of Silence and fall – Ally Week can hardly be taken seriously anymore. There is no silence with this obnoxiously LOUD agenda. They have financial allies like Target, Wells Fargo, Walt Disney Co. and JP Morgan Chase.”

 

“Radical pro-abortion forces have teamed up with homosexual activist groups to push for more-explicit-than-ever comprehensive sex education curricula in schools, where 7th graders are told that vaginal, anal and oral sex are equally valid sex practices, all normal for teens and manageable with condoms (which are demonstrated on plastic models). The sound (truthful) alternative teaching of abstinence is dismissed and mocked.

 

“Rights, Respect, Responsibility” “Get Real” “Making Proud Choices” “Be Proud! Be Responsible” “F.L.A.S.H.” “Reducing the Risk” “Teen Talk” – While these may look professional on the outside, they are some of the most objectionable curricula in schools, and parents need to revolt, as many are.”

 

“Too many vulnerable children are being violated and videotaped for the voyeuristic pleasure of evil adults. There’s big money in the child rape trade, and organized crime is making this product a priority. More and more ‘influential’ educators, professors, police, federal officials, judges and lawyers are being arrested and charged for these crimes.”

 

“Those who have charge over children are sometimes ‘deliberately’ directing them away from Christian faith. Brave Christian voices are bullied into silence. Too often, Christian students and teachers cannot stand up against homosexual propaganda without being persecuted at school in clear violation of our First Amendment freedom. Few will resist educators, administrators and school-board members firmly entrenched in their anti-morality, anti-Christian positions.”

 

God WILL help us when we start understanding, praying and organizing ourselves to get with “obstructing and resisting” these evils.

 

“While the chance to believe in Jesus Christ is the most important opportunity we can offer a child, those who are not allowed to be born in the first place never have that chance. Abortion continues to be the biggest preventable threat to children in the U.S., yet is still supported up until birth by many PROGRESSIVES and DEMOCRATIC PARTY POLITICIANS.”

 

We must do everything possible to stop abortion and save babies in the womb; through all sorts of means, especially to see pro-life policies enacted.

 

“When abortion ends, child corruption in America might end as well.”

 

Father God, turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the hearts of children to their godly fathers – that they grow up in the truth and love of Jesus Christ. Father God, transform our thinking by the renewing of our minds with Your Truth, Your Word is Truth. Purify our hearts as we repent and turn from our own wicked ways. For nothing is hidden from You. Hear our requests and cries for help in this wicked society. We want to make ready a people prepared for You and Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ Name.

 

In reaching the hearts of our children from their earliest ages, we must first practice morality and self-governing as parents, turn from our own wicked ways. Then start teaching our children morality as defined by our Creator God; we must teach them respect for life, that abortion is a great evil; we must teach them first before they are taught by others. We protect our children by removing our children from schools where they are being taught that evil is good and good is evil, and find ways to organize (with God’s help) the proper environment for our children to be taught basic education and right values.

 

Self-governing using God’s definition of morality – is POWERFUL in overcoming our enemies.

 

“I will say further that the rules that we learn from Scripture provide the framework for a society based on love, respect and creativity, as opposed to power and control….Sexuality OUTSIDE the framework of mutual love, commitment and respect between husband and wife is transformed from a physical expression of intimacy and beauty to the gross and crass behavior of brutes.

 

“Government was not designed to ‘mend men’s souls.’ It was designed to allow citizens to live free” (and self-governed under God’s laws of life and love).

 

Our first president: George Washington said, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be managed without religion.”

 

“Washington’s point is crucial. In a free society, one in which we want to minimize government and political control, we must maximize SELF-GOVERNANCE. The proper morality that emerges from true religion provides the rules by which free men and women govern their own behavior.”

 

“The only viable path to a healthy, free nation: Choose to heed the wisdom of our first president (founding father).”

Too Old You Say?

Posted by & filed under Mikes Blog.

This morning I was very encouraged by what the Lord said to me. I see lots of people who are my age but retired. Then this morning the Lord said, “I have things for old men to do.” While most retired men have quit working like they used to – I have started a construction company with my son, I bought a big piece of land that needs to be developed and homes built there, and I’m to prepare a people for the Lord’s coming.

 

So to all you ‘old’ men: GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A NEW MINISTRY in your old age. Just like Caleb (in the Bible) who still saw so much work to be done in his old age. His age wasn’t an issue at all to him.

 

Each of us (old guys) in the world’s view are too old to do anything, and too old to even listen to what we have to say, but the words the Lords says to us is, “I still have work for you old men with faith in Me – to do, SO FINISH STRONG.”