TruthInvestigate

“Oh, the unspeakable greatness of that exchange,—the Sinless One is condemned, and he who is guilty goes free; the Blessing bears the curse, and the cursed is brought into blessing; the Life dies, and the dead live; the Glory is whelmed in darkness, and he who knew nothing but confusion of face is clothed with glory.”

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Location: Kingsland, Georgia, United States

A person God turned around many times.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

I will give thee rest

“The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.” (2Cor. 3:6).

I’d like to put this verse to a little different application than what I’ve used before. It seems to apply to the way we think.

I am arousing to consciousness in the morning, the darkness of early day still surrounding me in my bedroom. I am fully rested, and before even opening my eyes, my thoughts roam through the Bible. Thoughts of Jesus, thoughts of love, connecting precepts that form a chain of ideas which move from one slight deviation to another, yet each moving in the same general direction of some particular subject in mind. I try to remember it all so I can write it out on my blog, but invariable some of it gets lost in the fog of forgetfulness.

Those are beautiful mornings. I never want them to end. I don’t want to wake up and start moving around. Because when I start my morning routine, that wonderful restful mood of surrender under the influences of biblical beauty too often evaporates. Even if I can retain most of the thoughts and put them into written words for this blog, the mood is largely gone. This makes me sad and long for the return of the earlier disposition.

Return, O holy Dove, return, Sweet messenger of rest! I hate the sins that made thee mourn, That drove thee from my breast.

But is that too much to ask for. Is it wrong to desire a temperament of perfect surrender all day long, every day? Isn’t that what Jesus had? What we know of Him as a man we know during His ministry. But was He different before His baptism of the Holy Spirit? What was He like as a carpenter?

“I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” (Jn. 9:4). This apparently was His motto as a common worker. He was perfectly faithful as a carpenter as He was during His ministry. But, what was His frame of mind when He was working on that yoke or the chair or perhaps a cross providentially commissioned by the ruling governor? He must have had to stop meditating in order to put in some mind to hand coordination as He accomplished His mundane tasks.

The same happens for me. As I begin moving around, the day’s tasks take over my thoughts, and especially my mood. My work mind kicks into gear and my communion mind dies away. Is this the way it is supposed to be? Must the two minds be mutually exclusive of one another?

We are commanded to work. Work is good and essential, even for our spiritual growth. Not just useless work like a monk scraping lightly at the ground in his cloister’s garden, but useful, difficult work that accomplishes something. But as the day’s work drives away the rest received during the night of sleep, so the work mind often drives away the wonderful meditations of the early morning.

But this need not be. The letter killeth only if the spirit of the letter is missing; and the work mind killeth only if the Holy Spirit of work is not present. So long as the Spirit is there, whether in His communal or His practical role, we will find rest unto our souls. He will blend the early morning thoughts into the day’s tasks, holding that holy mood of His presence in place, keeping our feet on solid rock.

The six days of labor only grind us to powder if we’ve forgotten the blessing of the previous Sabbath of rest and communion or have no hope of a coming Sabbath of rest and communion, and many, many more. With hope and warm memories, the six laboring days become an easy yoke, a light burden.

Likewise, the rest of soul we receive in the early mornings may carry us through each laboring day. As the Bible states that the holy couple in Eden met with their Creator Friend in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8), so may we.

“My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” (Ex. 33:14).

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Kind, gentle, love of God

As I travel on this road to Jesus, I’m slowly learning how central love is in the whole equation of salvation.

God’s gracious example to us, especially as seen in Christ’s dealings with His disciples, is the only lighthouse toward which we must steer our personal religious experience in the storms of 21st century life.

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (Jn. 3:36). Love, gracious divine love, patient, long-suffering, kind love will keep us friendly with God. And when a knowledge of God’s love is lost from the people of God, they end up being cold and listless, and even bad to one another. When God’s love no longer holds center stage in the thinking of Christians, every fanatical doctrine under the sun runs rampant. Without the pure, selfless love of God sanctifying our hearts and minds, we lose control, and self-righteous fanaticism of all brands springs up.

But, when gracious love is preached and understood and believed, then all our worries and cold-heartedness disappears. All anxiety and indifference flies away and we are left able to obey all that God commands. We are one be happy family.

Love is the glue that keeps us loyal to God’s requirements. Without a knowledge of His gracious love, we feel nothing but condemnation from His high standard. Condemnation creates psychotic, unbalanced minds. A crushed heart is the devil’s goal. “He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger,” (Is. 14:6), desires to “scatter the power of the holy people,” (Dan. 12:7), thus to control our ability to think and break down our judgment, through devouring our faith and crushing our spirits.

And then all sorts of psychological malfunctions occur. Schizophrenia is a byproduct of the loss of God and His love. No church or family unit or workplace can function with the heavy weight of condemnation crushing the life out of each individual. No society can excel or nation be exalted under repression and oppressive governments. This the early republic of America proved true as it blossomed into a world empire.

Love must become focal in our thinking. We must hope in God’s mercy and claim His precious promises.

Psalm 6

O Lord, rebuke me not in Thine anger, neither chasten me in Thy hot displeasure.
Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed.
My soul is also sore vexed: but Thou, O Lord, how long?
Return, O Lord, deliver my soul: oh save me for Thy mercies’ sake.
For in death there is no remembrance of Thee: in the grave who shall give Thee thanks?
I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.
Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.
The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer.” (Ps. 6:1-9).

HOW LONG DO WE HAVE? Answer to an email

HOW LONG DO WE HAVE?
This is one of the most interesting things I’ve read in a long time. The sad thing about it, you can see it coming.


I have always heard about this democracy countdown. It is interesting to see it in print. God help us, not that we deserve it.


How Long Do We Have?


About the time our original thirteen states adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh , had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier:


‘A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.’


‘A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.’


‘From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.’


‘The average age of the world’s greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years’


‘During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:


1. from bondage to spiritual faith;


2. from spiritual faith to great courage;


3. from courage to liberty;


4. from liberty to abundance;


5. from abundance to complacency;


6. from complacency to apathy;


7. from apathy to dependence;


8. from dependence back into bondage’


Professor Joseph Olson of Hemline University School of Law, St. Paul , Minnesota , points out some interesting facts concerning the 2000 Presidential election:


Number of States won by: Democrats: 19 Republicans: 29


Square miles of land won by: Democrats: 580,000 Republicans: 2,427,000


Population of counties won by: Democrats: 127 million Republicans: 143 million


Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Democrats: 13.2 Republicans: 2.1


Professor Olson adds: ‘In aggregate, the map of the territory Republican won was mostly the land owned by the taxpaying citizens of this great country. Democrat territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in government-owned tenements and living off various forms of government welfare...’ Olson believes the United States is now somewhere between the ’complacency and apathy’ phase of Professor Tyler’s definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation’s population already having reached the ‘governmental dependency’ phase.


If Congress grants amnesty and citizenship to twenty million criminal invaders called illegal’s and they vote, then we can say goodbye to the USA in fewer than five years.


If you are in favor of this, then by all means, delete this message. If you are not, then pass this along to help everyone realize just how much is at stake, knowing that apathy is the greatest danger to our freedom.




From David Burdick:
Hello folks,

The shift from apathy to national dependence can be a rapid one, and then even quicker the shift to bondage. And as the Bible reveals it, the bondage will be worse than Nazi Germany experienced. It will be religious bondage of the worst sort, it will be papal bondage which will rise up out of the rubble it has brought the world down to.

This happened at the fall of the Roman Empire, and it is already happening again. Patriotism is good when it stands for real freedoms. But when a nation becomes hoodwinked into uniting religious doctrine with state affairs, it will be patriotic for a despotism that comes in sheep’s clothing.

I’m a Christian. Let the church deal in the work of the divine law of faith and love. I am a citizen and a veteran. Let the state deal in civil law and law enforcement. Its the only safe course to follow. And if the church has failed, let it own up to their failure, and not blame the government for their fall from grace.

When the church is honest with its own weakness and disloyalty with its heaven-sent charge, then they will see a transformation happen in their own midst. But let it never involve itself in political affairs. And let the state never involve itself in holy affairs.

Let the geo-religio-political Papacy continue to muddle the issues of religion in government; let it continue in its bold moves to inspire the Protestants themselves to destroy their own privileged heritage of liberty; let America call itself a Christian nation, and the United States will unite church and state, and be transfigured into an indescribable machine of callous ruthlessness and brutality on a par that the Dark Ages never saw.

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matt. 24:21).

Love in Christ,
David

If and when you see this time of trouble coming, forward this email to ten of your friends.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Bachus crucified?




I don’t know the date of this artifact, whether it was pre- or post-Christian era. I did a quick surf for it on the internet, but found nothing. I did find people who believe that the Judeo-Christian religion to be a borrowed one, borrowed from paganism.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all that Satan could have known of the plan of redemption, and preempted it in the rebellion of Ham, Cush (Bachus), and Nimrod/Semiramis, a century or so after the flood. It also wouldn’t surprise me if he wouldn’t have added to and reinforced his arsenal of deception by inspiring individuals after the Christ’s death to combine His crucifixion with those ancient pagan traditions.

Satan has ever used the tactic, “If you can’t convince them, confuse them.” Certainly some apparent similarities to Christianity brought to bear by the pagan religions has created much confusion.

Many people today see connections between the story that comes from the whole Bible, and myths created by the devil. Intellect alone has never proved a true compass when navigating the paths of truth. The knowledge of good and evil have been Satan’s territory since we fell into his hands. Faith in the God of love and righteousness have ever been the only safe guides to hear God’s voice.

Purity, selflessness, working hard to serve God and man, loving God with all the body, mind, and heart, have been the only real source of truth. Every other method to arrive at truth has led into separation from God, into darkness, and into further control by the power of temptation and sin.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Spend and be spent

“And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” (2Cor. 12:15).

I like what E-Sword says for its commentary on this verse.

He [Paul] should be willing to engage in unremitted efforts for their welfare; and if he has any right feeling he will find a pleasure in that toil He will not grudge the time demanded; he will not be grieved that it exhausts his strength, or his life, anymore than a father will who toils for his family. And as the pleasures of a father who is laboring for his children are among the purest and most pleasant which people ever enjoy, so it is with a pastor. Perhaps, on the whole, the pleasantest employment in life is that connected with the pastoral office; the happiest moments known on earth are the duties, arduous as they are, of the pastoral relation. God thus, as in the relation of a father, tempers toil and pleasure together; and accompanies most arduous labors with present and abundant reward.
Be spent - Be exhausted and worn out in my labors. So the Greek word means. Paul was willing that his powers should be entirely exhausted and his life consumed in this service.
For you - Margin, as in the Greek, for your souls. So it should have been rendered. So Tyndale renders it. The sense is, that he was willing to become wholly exhausted if by it he might secure the salvation of their souls.
Though the more abundantly I love you ... - This is designed doubtless as a gentle reproof. It refers to the fact that notwithstanding the tender attachment which he had evinced for them, they had not manifested the love in return which he had a right to expect. It is possible that there may be an allusion to the case of a fond, doting parent. It sometimes happens that a parent fixes his affections with undue degree on some one of his children; and in such cases it is not uncommon that the child evinces special ingratitude and lack of love. Such may be the allusion here - that Paul had fixed his affections on them like a fond, doting father, and that he had met with a return by no means corresponding with the fervour of his attachment; yet still he was willing, like such a father, to exhaust his time and strength for their welfare. The doctrine is, that we should be willing to labor and toil for the good of others, even when they evince great ingratitude. The proper end of laboring for their welfare is not to excite their gratitude, but to obey the will of God; and no matter whether others are grateful or not; whether they love us or not; whether we can promote our popularity with them or not, let us do them good always. It better shows the firmness of our Christian principle to endeavor to benefit others when they love us the less for all our attempts, than it does to attempt to do good on the swelling tide of popular favor.

Saturday, September 19, 2009

His uprightness and downreaching

“Clouds and darkness are round about Him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His throne.” (Ps. 97:2).

“Who touched Me?” (Lk. 8:45). The words rang out over the humdrum and din of the excited multitude. The galaxy of people stopped because the Center of the galaxy stopped. “Who touched Me?” He called out in royal command, this time looking straight at the woman who had touched but the hem of His tunic. Now she was in trouble; and trembling she came forth from the crowd, confessing her bold move in a male-dominated society.


He ignored her altogether, and His disciples advised Him to cast her away. His only answer to her begging for help was, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me.
But He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” (Matt. 15:23-28).


“What wilt thou?… Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?... Ye shall drink indeed of My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on My right hand, and on My left, is not Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of My Father.” (Matt. 20:21-23).

Yet, later we find one of the two here spoken to digging deeply into his Master’s gracious friendship. “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” (Jn. 13:23).


In all three cases, Jesus maintained a strong, professional exterior. His voice was commanding, His words were unimpassioned and always principled. Yet, there was something about Him that drew the people. Something attracted their trust in Him.


“For Mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from My face, neither is their iniquity hid from Mine eyes.
And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled My land, they have filled Mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable
things.
O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto Thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.” (Jer. 16:17-19).


“I will tread down the people in Mine anger, and make them drunk in My fury, and I will bring down their strength to the
earth.
I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He hath bestowed on them according to His mercies, and according to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses.” (Is. 63:6,7).


“And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth Thy wrath wax hot against Thy people, which Thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did He bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from Thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against Thy people.
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Thy servants, to whom Thou swarest by Thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.” (Ex. 32:7-13).


Again, we see that the prophets experienced the strong face of the Son of God, yet they could pierce the apparent impersonal divine attitude toward brazen, unrepentant sinners. This was not to deter Him from His righteous purpose, but to involve themselves with Him in His purposes. They felt safe in trusting Him. He was more than a God, He was a confidant.

We want a friend in God. And we can claim friendship with the Son of God. He has been sent for that purpose. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1Jn. 5:12). But our love for Him is severely tainted with selfish motives, which He is determined to cleanse and make holy. We desire a God who will come down and do the bawdy things we do, share in the illicit kinds of love Satan has trained us in. “Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.” (Ps. 50:21).

Our fallen natures define friendship to include undue familiarity, faithfulness without question, such “deep trust” in a relationship that it will sacrifice principle in order to keep the frienship. Adam with Eve; Aaron with the idolatrous rabble; King Hezekiah and the Babylonian statesmen. We don’t want restrictions and boundaries. So, the sin-loving multitudes are offended when they see a Savior who distanced Himself from sinners in His bearing and words. They interpret His reserved mannerisms as coldness. “How can He really be a friend?” they say.

It wasn’t cold exclusiveness that motivated Christ’s high bearing, but steadfastness to reclaim us from Satan’s grip, packaged in a determination to uphold His Father’s government. He doesn’t desire dead, sterile relationships, indifferent, platonic unions; He loves the intimate expression of pure love.

Yet, on the other hand, He cannot admit self-indulgence into any covenant of the heart. He will not let self ruin what He considers the utmost of precious treasures—a friend. He will die for an enemy to make him a friend. His misinterpreted coolness was really the manifestation of wisdom. True wisdom is actually wise love, a love that discerns what we really need, not what we think we need. True love motivates real wisdom.

The kind of loose, self-absorbed love eventually collapses. Holy love, founded on the solid Rock of self-forgetful goodness, is the only enduring and truly endearing love. Only those who walk in the light of God’s Law “have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1Jn. 1:7).

The popular definition of friendship is so perverted that many don’t recognize love when they see it. Yet it was pure love that motivated the Son of God. “God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:3,4).

“He was numbered with the transgressors.” (Is. 53:12). In order to cleanse us of self-indulgent love, He was sent by His Father to come in close and include Himself in our affairs. Without ever breaking from principle, He offered a love that was truly undying, yet was loyal to God’s law of self-sacrifice. Those whose faith could accept that arrangement followed Him. The rest were blinded by the adversary and rejected Him.

“The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.” (Lk. 16:16). His attractiveness is His love. It draws us through the filter of His righteousness, stripping away all our defilement. As we are pulled through the screen, our sensibilities appreciate His love more and more.

Fine is the filter, and strong is the love “which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:14).

Friday, September 18, 2009

The crux of the whole matter

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2Cor. 4:3-6).

What does this tell us about why some are lost and others are saved for an eternity with God? Initially, it sounds like some were born to be kindling for the fires of hell, and others just lucked out with predestination. “The gospel is hid from them that are lost.” Its no wonder some people hate the gospel! They feel like they were born lost! Predestinated to burn forever!

But is that what Paul is really saying? Not at all. The god of this world, Satan, has blinded their minds, or the glorious gospel of Christ would certainly have shined into their darkened souls. The lost aren’t lost because God arbitrarily deigned them to be born and then burn forever. As if God is saying, Somebody has to roast! There has to be a hell! What kind of devil would God be if that were true? This has turned multitudes far from their loving Father and has crucified Him without relief.

So, why are the lost lost? They are lost by their own choice.

“For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” (Matt. 13:15).

“For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (Jn. 3:20,21).

Why are the lost lost? One reason is that they don’t like to be corrected. They have never been humbled to the point of accepting that they could benefit from admitting to wrong and being punished for it. So, they refuse to be humiliated. Satan controls them like puppets through his pride which he instills in them. Under his delusion, they cannot be saved.

But I believe there is another reason the lost are lost. They refuse the prospect of a friend of infinite mercy—a kind of super-friend. God outshines them in mercy and righteousness; their proud competitiveness in morality brings them chagrin in the presence of divine grace, and even His mercy toward them they turn down.

“For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.” (Rom. 7:9-13).

When we see ourselves as decrepit as we really are, we have two choices. Either decide that I am hopelessly objectionable even for God’s mercy to ever let me into His heaven, then steel the conscience toward Him and run headlong into hedonism; or, look in hope for some possibility that God can accept me, realize that that would require infinite grace, then hear a voice of compassion in the conscience promising me His acceptance, and finally fall at His feet in a million pieces.

Here lies the whole crux of being saved or lost. What do we do with our detestable decrepitude? Can it be possible that there is a Savior from the blackest of sins? People might retort, Is there really a Savior at all? Yet, no one can deny that there is sin. Sin abounds; its loathsomeness is paraded before us every moment of our life, in others and in ourselves. Many might not believe in a Savior; but God, in His wisdom, has left us something to promote faith in Him. That something is the desolating effects of self-centeredness that fills this world like the waters cover the sea.

There is a Savior from sin. He speaks to us from the Bible. A voice from a book? Yes, the voice of the One who inspired that book. The Author who shows how long and hard He fought to save sinners like you and me. We can know for a certainty that He will work as determinedly for us as He did for Israel.

He used every method in the book—from nice to hard, both easy times and evil times. The only thing consistent about all His efforts was in His one determination to win sinners back and keep them for an eternity of love and fellowship with Him.

Who could turn that beautiful offer down? Its seems irresistible! It is irresistible—for those who will look at the offer. But, Satan can convince so many minds to love a cheap imitation. Then the mind accustoms itself to the counterfeit and feels no need for anything better. The drug is so mellow, life’s problems just melt away! At least for a few hours. The fun is so thrilling, the comedy is so hilarious, the knowledge is so deep, that the problems arising from our sinfulness seem to grow insignificant. But the thrilling fun, the hilarious comedy, the deep curiosities of knowledge never solve the problem of sin. Only divine gracious love can overcome the love for sin and make the act disappear, and later its linger effects.

Paganism plagued ancient Israel. It plagues us today, even in our enlightened 21st century. We have eyes, but we cannot see. Ears have we, but we cannot hear. The true essentials go unnoticed. Our need for a God of love is never a consideration. This world of sinners is blind and deaf and very dumb.

So what will we choose? The seeming impossibility of a God with infinite grace who is able to accept and transform great sinners such as you? Or the possibility that He loves to stay with you and I, despite our gross condition, making it is seemingly impossible for God to accept us, and bring us all the way until we are safely in His bosom?

When He has done so much to prove His love, why should we keep turning Him down and breaking His heart? Must He continue to be crucified afresh, as His heart has been slain since the foundation of the world?

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Argument against America and England being the lost tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh

There is an idea floating around the Christian community that the nations of America and England are two of the lost tribes of Israel. The proponents of this idea try to use the Bible to prove that Jesus sent His disciples up into northern Europe where they suppose the ten lost tribes of Israel to have been located in Christ’s day.

I show in this blog that Matthew 10 and Matthew 15 give no clear evidence of Christ sending His untrained disciples to far distant lands during His 3 year ministry. And when taking other texts into account, it is clear that they were not to go to the world until after Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

This is copy/pasted from an email.

Here are my thoughts. They may not answer all your claims, but in the back and forth we should be able to cover it all.

Of course, you know I will be biased toward EGW. Everyone is biased; it’s unavoidable. But, our best bet is to be biased according to the Holy Spirit’s inspiration. And I believe she was inspired. We must live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

“Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper.” (2Chron. 20:20).

I checked online at Bible Gateway for the phrase, “house of Israel.” The following texts indicate that the two houses of Israel and Judah were recognized by the time of David’s day, but that the phrase, “house of Israel” didn’t necessarily refer to only the nation exclusive of Judah and Benjamin, that is, the ten northern tribes. My conclusions come from these references and their contexts.

Of the references that specified only the northern 10 tribes, I found:
2 Sam. 12:8 (ten tribes) 1 Ki. 20:31 (ten tribes)
Jer. 3:18 (ten tribes) Jer. 5:11 (ten tribes)
Jer. 11:10 (ten tribes) Jer. 11:17 (ten tribes)
Jer. 13:11(ten tribes)
Jer. 31:27,31(ten tribes, and also the church under Christ)
Jer. 33:14 (ten tribes, and also the church under Christ)
Jer. 48:13 (ten tribes)
Hos. 1:4,6 (ten tribes via “Ephraim”) Hos.5:1;6:10;11:12 (ten tribes)
Amos 5:1,6 (ten tribes via the “house of Joseph”)
Amos 6 (ten tribes via “Samaria”)
Amos 7:10 (ten tribes via “Bethel,” and “the house of Jeroboam”)
Zech. 8:13 (ten tribes)

Of the references specifying all 12 tribes, I found:
Ex. 16:31 (all 12 tribes) Ex.40:38 (all 12 tribes)
Lev. 10:6 (all 12 tribes) Lev.17:3 (all 12 tribes)
Lev.22:18 (all 12 tribes) Num. 20:28 (all 12 tribes)
Josh. 21:45 (all 12 tribes) 2 Sam. 1:12 (all 12 tribes)
1 Sam. 7:2,3 (all 12 tribes)
2 Sam. 6:5,15 (all 12 tribes, David included)
2 Sam. 16:3(all 12 tribes) Ps. 98:3 (all 12 tribes)
Ps. 115:12 (all 12 tribes) Ps. 135:19 (all 12 tribes)
Is. 8:14 (all 12 tribes, “both the houses of Israel”)
Is. 14:3 (all 12 tribes, primarily Judah in Babylonian captivity)

Various meanings for the “house of Israel” were:
Ruth 4:11 (Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Joseph, Benjamin)
Is. 5:7 (Judah and Jerusalem)
Is. 46:3 (survivors of the Babylonian captivity, primarily the Jews)
Is. 63:7 (ancient Israel and the present tribe of Judah/Benjamin)
Jer. 2:4,28 (Judah)
Jer. 5:15 (Judah/Benjamin)
Jer. 9:26 (Judah and Jerusalem)
Jer. 10:1 (cities of Judah)
Jer. 18:6 (men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem)
Jer. 23:8 (a remnant of all 12 tribes)
Jer. 31:33 (remnant of all 12 tribes)
Ez. 3:1 (Judah/Benjamin in captivity)
Ez.11:15 (inhabitants of Jerusalem)
Ez.12:9,10 (prince in Jerusalem, and Judah)(inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel)
Ez.45:8 (remnant of all 12 tribes)
Amos 9:9 (all 12 tribes? I’m not sure)
Mic. 1:5 (Samaria and Jerusalem)
Mic. 3:1(Zion, Jerusalem)
Acts 2:36 (the Jews)
Acts 7:42 (the Jews via the Sanhedrin)
Heb. 8:8,10 (the church of Christ)

This is the first definite reference to both houses separately: “And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.” (1Kings 12:21).

The Lord here said He was married to both the houses of Israel: “Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:…. In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.” (Jer. 3:14,18).

Now let’s turn to the two texts in question, Matthew 10:5,6 and Matthew 15:21-28. “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 10:5,6).

The above references settle it in my mind that the words, “house of Israel” referred to the nation in general. Here, Christ was inferring that the Jews were lost. And they were. Why would He begin His ministry far away when so many needed His help now? Or if He stayed but sent His disciples to distant lands, how could He teach them without being present with them?

Beside, “judgment must begin at the house of God.” (1Pet. 4:17). “…and begin at My sanctuary.” (Ez. 9:6). The Lord always begins His work with those who should know Him best or should know Him. In the case of the New Testament, that was the Jews. Jesus said, “Salvation is of the Jews.” (Jn. 4:22).

“Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.

“Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
For Mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from My face, neither is their iniquity hid from Mine eyes.
And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled My land, they have filled Mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.
O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?
Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know Mine hand and My might; and they shall know that My name is The LORD.” (Jer. 16:14-21).

“Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them.” (vs. 16). Does that sound like what Jesus said at the beginning of His ministry to the Jews, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men”? (Matt. 4:19).

But Jeremiah says all that were taken captive to the north country would be brought back. That included all 12 tribes because when they were taken away, both Assyrians and Babylonians marched them north. But then Jeremiah mentions Gentiles being fished. This forces this text to include the 10 tribes of Israel.

Be that as it may, Jesus called His disciples to fish for men, but starting with the Jews and anyone else living in Judea and Galilee. Even by the time of His ascension He prevented them from travelling far from Palestine. “And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Lk. 24:49).

Not until Pentecost would they go to the furthest points of the world.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matt. 28:19,20)

“Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me.
But He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee.” (Matt. 15:21-29).

Was this only a test of her tenacity? Was He ignoring her because He was on some very important mission, and had no concern for her need? Or did He go there just because this woman, an alien of the commonwealth of Israel, came to feel her dependence of the God of Israel, even more than His own disciples did?

Does it sound like Jesus to ignore the poor in spirit and seek out more important people? “But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.” (Lk. 4:25,26).

“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” (Ps. 147:3).

“There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?
I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.” (Lk. 18:2-8).

Jesus was simply using this faithful woman, whom He knew He could depend on, to help teach a lesson to His hard-hearted disciples the truth of why God waits to answer our pleas for help.

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.
In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.
For thus saith the Lord; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel.”(Jer. 31:31-34;33:14-17).

This was fulfilled in the apostolic church. Christ was that Branch of righteousness. (Is. 11:1-9). Isaiah’s chapter 11 prophecy culminates with this promise, “And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and His rest shall be glorious.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
And He shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.
And there shall be an highway for the remnant of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.” (vs. 10-16).

As those recipients of the early rain of the Holy Spirit were driven to the uttermost bounds of the globe, no multitude, nation, tongue, or people could stop them from preaching that the Messiah had come.

In figurative language for them to comprehend, Isaiah used the Assyrians, Egyptians, Ammon and Moab to describe all the nations of the Far East, Europe, and Africa who would hear the present truth from the apostles.

Since then, Christ, the righteous Branch, the “son of David,” has been sitting on David’s throne in Mt. Zion “in the heavens.” (Ps. 2:4). “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” (Mk. 16:19,20).

“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” (Rev. 3:21).

“For finding fault with them, He saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people:
And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest.
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
In that He saith, A new covenant, He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” (Heb. 8:8-13).

Do we dare expunge Paul’s inspired writings from the Holy Scriptures because they don’t fit into our conception of what the Bible is trying to teach us?

“The scripture cannot be broken.” (Jn. 10:35). If the scripture cannot be broken, then we must reconcile the Old and New Testaments and make them agree. To make them agree is to say that the revival under the apostles, especially due to Paul, fulfilled the ancient promise to Israel. “All shall know Me, from the least to the greatest.” In the church, “the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16) the Lord finally got what He had been waiting for from Israel for 2,000 years.

“The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.” (Is. 11:13). This was fulfilled in the early church.

“That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” (Eph. 2:12-14).

Terrorism not an option

CBSNews blogs reported that “a controversial Arizona minister who prays for the death of President Obama has attracted attention from the Secret Service.” http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/09/08/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5294157.shtml.

The minister doesn’t plan to assassinate the president; he wants God to take the president away by natural causes. I didn’t read the article, and don’t know his reasons, but they must be misguided.

I just want to clarify my statement in my post on September 13. I wrote, “Soon, we are going to have to be Dietrich Bonheoffers.” If you know Mr. Bonheoffer’s story, as a Protestant pastor, he was one of only a few pastors who didn’t side with the Reich. He stood up and preached against the evil Nazi regime. But, he was also involved in an assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler.

I don’t really understand why a preacher would believe it is his duty to assassinate a leader, even one as corrupt as Adolf Hitler. I can’t say Pastor Bonheoffer was thinking “kill or be killed.” He probably desired to protect his loved ones and his beloved nation from the ruthlessness and brutality of this new enemy of democracy and peace on earth.

Nevertheless, the Bible teaches, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Rom. 12:19). To fight is to make things worse. “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” (Ex. 14:14). “Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2Chron. 20:15).

When we take on the fight, we always lose. Moses tried to deliver his people from oppression, and got one Egyptian. Peter tried to save himself (and, of course, his Master) from the Jews and got one ear. Only God can fight the battles and do it right.

I want it to be very clear that I don’t condone terrorism. When I was in the U.S. Navy standing watch topside, if I was commanded to shoot at a person stealing nuclear secrets or components, I would have done my best to aim and shoot to kill. Ours is a righteous nation. We have righteous laws. Our nuclear stance is deterrence, not aggression.

The person I were to shoot per lawful order would be my brother by creation. If he was right with God, but deceived at the moment into stealing for a rogue nation or rogue paramilitary group, God will judge him and I will see him in heaven. We will live together for eternity. If he wasn’t right with God, I wouldn’t see him in heaven even if I hadn’t shot him by lawful order. And he would miss out on eternal life.

Nations are sovereign; mine is and United States military exists to protect the sovereignty of all other nations. Therefore, no nation has the right to trespass and steal from another. Law and order must be maintained in the world. And I’m glad my country stands for that. And as long as my country stands for that, I stand by my country.

I don’t believe in doing as did Dietrich Bonheoffer in attempting to overthrow the Third Reich. I went on to write, “We are going to have to speak out against a massive abomination as in the days of Nazi Germany.”

The role of the church has always been as counselor. It speaks; it warns; it admonishes. Beyond that, it suffers and advances the cause of truth through blood, sweat, and tears. The blood of martyrs is seed. “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” 1Tim. 5:22).

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.” (1Tim. 2:1-3).

“For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand , and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread.” (Is. 8:11-13).

When the Lord sent the empire of Babylon to conquer Israel because of their disobedience to His laws, He warned them not to fight back. The captivity and loss of autonomy was their punishment from their God. To fight was to bring on a worse scourge. They fought anyway, and the devastation was so much worse.

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” (Rom. 13:1,2).

Theocracies are no more. Pagan governments rule the earth. The church can only be an advisor of earthly matters. It must not involve itself in the enforcement of civil law. Its only concern must be in preparing people for eternity, which begins in this life. Even without involvement in politics and law enforcement, through the power of God, through the power of His Spirit, we can yet hold a place above the most powerful civil leaders. This is why true overcomers of sin through faith in the love of God have been feared and hated by corrupt oppressors, beginning with Cain.

“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Rev. 1:5,6).

“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Rev. 5:9,10).

“And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father.” (Rev. 2:26,27).

“Thou hast also given me the shield of Thy salvation: and Thy right hand hath holden me up, and Thy gentleness hath made me great.” (Ps. 18:35).

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

All this perfection from random forces

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1).
This statement is so simple, yet so profound and awesome. Why do I believe it? Is it because I am a fool? Do I not desire to compare all the data? Admittedly a layman on the subject of origins, like so many athiests are, I am a believer in creation. Does that make me less intelligent than the atheistic evolutionist?

I try to make all the data fit. I do want an accurate picture of reality. I don’t need a “God” for a crutch or a security blanket to the point that I must invent that divine Person. He is not a figment of my imagination.

But when I look around me in the natural world, the question keeps arising within me, How could all this perfection come out of random forces? Simply by staying on the surface of the subject, we see miracle after miracle of stunning machinery within nature that works like clockwork. From the grandiose to the miniature and microscopic, we see cause for astonishment and bewilderment.

Even the most mundane objects decry the work of infinite workmanship and design. The human ear has been crafted for a two-fold (maybe three- or more-fold) purpose. 1) To catch sounds in the cup and reflect it into the hole where the delicate and sensitive ear drum transforms mechanical sound into electrical signals for the brain’s use; 2) To act as a radiator fin so that the brain does not overheat.

When I look at this, I allow the conclusion to materialize, that this could only be done on purpose, by a lot of wisdom and power. But then I am shocked by the thought of how much science and skill it must have taken for the Person who made it to design, shape, and engineer it. And to have all that wisdom encapsulate it in a genetic code, so that the parts of the ear blossom and bloom into their respective places and functions without the aid of a single human hand!

To the humble heart, that is a wonderful treasure! But to the self-sufficient, boastful, no-obligating-I’ll-do-everything-for-myself person, it’s quite a slap in the face. How dare God do that to me before I had the choice to refuse it! So I consign Him to no-reality and I can continue my self-absorbed existence alone. Just me, myself, and I.

The mouth, a transmutation between the highly vulnerable interior of the body, and the well protected from disease exterior. Inside the body, which is 70% water, mucous membranes separate all the different organs and sub-organs. Outside is a seven layer armament against bacteria, viruses, and sharp and hard objects, but it is porous and amazingly flexible armor. The skin breathes and provides one of the methods of waste removal from the human autonomous machine.

Therefore, at the mouth we find the lips which exquisitely transition the soft mocousy tissues inside the body to the courser, tougher skin wrapped around the face, that amazing, articulating part of the head which expresses, and ingests data for, the processes of the brain. How perfect! The lips! Such a simple example of infinitely more creative ability than man could ever, ever come up with! And the longer science explores and studies it all the more, day by day, the scientists find new occasion to praise the microsphere of nature. I hardly scratched the surface!

So I ask all those smart people in the atheistic community, how could such perfection come out of random forces? Will you make yourself a fool because you refuse to admit the obvious? Evolution is a figment of atheism’s imagination.

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” (Ps. 53:1).

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Heb. 11:3).

“Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.” (Prov. 8:1-8).

“Who would not fear Thee, O King of nations? for to Thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto Thee.
But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.
But the LORD is the true God, He is the living God, and an everlasting king: at His wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide His indignation.” (Jer. 10:7-10).

Sunday, September 13, 2009

An email on In God We Trust

Hi folks,

I felt the need to explain yesterday’s email. First of all, I am not a political activist. I don’t get involved in politics or any activity like that. I believe at the time of the end, where we are, there is no time for that. Satan has politics wrapped up in his hand and rarely today can anyone move up today’s political ladder and remain uncorrupted.

But, I did vote “Yes” on that NBC poll because I see an undercurrent that, it seems, others don’t see. This may be just my opinion, but I feel it fits well into the counsel of the Spirit of Prophecy.

Today, as never before, we are seeing a growing movement against the separation of church and state. That safety provision in our Constitution, which has kept America a peaceful nation and free from religious intolerance, is being attacked from many directions.

Prayer in public school, Ten Commandments in courthouses, abortion, In God We Trust on money, are examples of the forces that would label America as a Christian nation. Those issues seem so benign, yet they are the leverage points that are hastening the United States to its demise. Once Americans call themselves a Christian nation they automatically fall under the supervision of the pope, who deems himself as the leader of Christendom.

America has stood in the way of the re-emergence of the papacy of the Dark Ages. Protestantism, by its very nature as alter-ego of Catholicism, prospered into a burgeoning economic force without papal restraints and the drain that the papacy saddled the nations of the Old World. The Lord did bless us, and we have been an obstacle to hold off the return of Satan’s earthly tool to bring humanity down into his chains of physical, intellectual, and spiritual captivity.

Protestantism answered to the role that pagan Rome accomplished. Speaking of the church that would fall away from the gospel, Paul wrote, “And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed.” (2Thess. 2:6-8).

As imperial Rome held back a politicized Christianity in the form of the church of Rome, Protestant America has held back the return of the papacy during our country’s existence, but we are now seeing America’s strong stand being taken out of the way. Some people have seen that move beginning with the work of slavery and resulting in the Civil War. If slavery had continued, the spirit of the papacy would have spread to the whole country very quickly. Providence halted that work in order to be able to use America to prepare the world for His second coming.

But, today, Protestants aren’t the Protestants of the Reformation. They have lost their spiritual heritage and most don’t even know their history. Accordingly, in heart they have long ago returned to their Mother, and now in actuality. They are giving God’s gift to them, in a nation of freedom and peace, over to the control of a power that will make it wallow in destitution.

We are soon to see what Satan desires to do in every human soul. This country will not be a safe place to live. We will see every law broken down, marauding, riots. Our economy is in tatters due to the policies that the Vatican has been able to insert into our laws. I see this universal health care bill being the final straw to break our back. Soon, with a bankrupt system, Americans religious and secular, will be crying for the pope to come to our aid. And he will happily rescue us with the wealth that used to be ours. And his help will be held out to us—for a price.

That price will be that we acknowledge his primacy and call ourselves a Christian nation. Finally, then all these agendas of prayer in school, etc. that have been circulating will come to fruition. America will set up the beast power that will quickly force everyone to worship a man. The Mark of the Beast will not be a tattoo or a chip under the skin. It will be the character mold that resembles Satan’s because those who receive it will accept his false worship. The true God will be eclipsed by a man. Redemptive truth will be replaced by sacraments and lawlessness.

Do you want to keep In God We Trust in our money? Is it the patriotic thing to do? No, it is not. Our forefathers never had that motto on their money. It didn’t appear on our money until the 1930’s, well into the time period when the Vatican was growing bigger teeth and longer claws into the political workings of the only Protestant nation in the world.

In God We Trust was meant to stand for faith in God. But does America have faith in God? “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19). The kind of faith American’s have is outdone by Satan himself. Does that give us points with God? No.

The true faith is one that obeys God’s will—His commandments. How are we doing on that account? Not real good, even among the religious people. Is it enough to be good, moral people? No, we must love and follow the Bible. But we can’t even follow the Ten Commandments! We blatantly oppose the 4th (or the 3rd if you are Catholic)! Why? Because Protestants fear distancing themselves too far from the Mother church of Rome.

Then why do we think we rate God’s blessing? After 9/11 we saw those signs everywhere, God Bless America. What a farce! Was it a request? Was it a demand? Was it a glaring lie?

I love America. I’m glad to say I served in the United States Navy. I love my country. But I love heaven more. This old world of sin has got to go. And I believe our God is forcing that issue by finally allowing the Protestants to do what they have wanted for the past 150 years—that is, to return to Rome. They don’t protest any more, so why not go back?

They had the stewardship of God’s temple on Earth, the truth. They had His Law and His gospel. But they loved the abundant land and inventions God gave them more the spiritual heritage that made it all possible; they loved the creature more than the Creator. We were not a Christian nation then. We were a Protestant nation, having broken away from the rest of Christianity. We’ve never been a Christian nation. To become one now is to throw down our true history and fabricate a new one.

So, folks, while I have the freedom of speech and while the internet is still a free vehicle of communication, I want you to know why I am against prayer in public school, the fighting over abortion, the Ten Commandments in our courthouses, God Bless America on our signs, In God We Trust on our money, prayer before our football games, etc. I believe my stance is well founded. Soon, we are going to have to be Dietrich Bonheoffer’s.

We are going to have to speak out against a massive abomination as in the days of Nazi Germany. But this time it’s going to all happen in America. All the action will not be in the Middle East, it will all be here. And this time it’s going to be even worse than the Hitler regime. “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matt. 24:21,22).

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Healthy, wise, and happy children

“For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh.” (Matt.19:5,6).

When Adam first met Eve his first words were, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.” He saw and felt an identity in her that drew him to her side. It was love at first sight, and they became inseparable from that point on. They talked together; they did things together, they went everywhere together. They were as it is said, joined at the hip. More accurately, they were joined at the rib, united in heart.

Eventually, out of that physical union would come healthy children. A miracle of creation, new lives would come forth from them, new creatures that were the automatic product of their oneness, new beings declaring that oneness. Once the two got too close, the forces of love took over; nothing could prevent the close bond that would result in children.

The scenario leading up to Adam’s need of a life mate came through Christ enjoining upon him a task—studying the habits of the animals and giving descriptive names for them all. As Adam watched their habits he noticed that they always came in pairs. Each animal mate served the other by a mutual assistance and togetherness. There was a needed touching, a perfect matching of behaviors, conversation comprehensible to only each other, as well as the identical appearance, color, size, etc.

The work the Lord God gave Adam was suited to impregnate him with the one conclusion—that all of the animals had mates but he didn’t. If Adam had been self-exalted he would have concluded that since he was over his dominion he must remain aloof from the joys they enjoyed. He must abide alone. But Adam was like Christ; he felt equal with his creation. He was one of them, one with them.

Adam never complained about the disparity, but a growing need and stress grew within him. Now it was time; now Christ saw that Adam would protect, cherish, and hold higher than all the animals the woman He would give him. Eve must be treated better than even the most exquisite of fauna. And, accordingly, the Lord formed her more beautifully than the most beautiful of all intelligent life.

Now Adam had a true life mate. This was one who matched him in curiosity and wit. Woman was from him and perfectly like him in intellect. Together they would study the profound abounding world they found all around them. Out of this union would come children, wise, intelligent children.

But more than an intellectual equal, Adam had a mate who loved him more deeply than any member of his kingdom. Though he desired to be their equal, it just could not be. No one of them could understand the grandiose works of God and reach higher and higher with Adam in appreciating the love of God in it all.

But Eve was able to meet Adam on the same spiritual, glorious ground and advance with him in experiencing all the fullness of God. The love he had for her she could comprehend and reflect back to him. None of the animal kingdom could comprehend the depth of grace, lovingkindness, need to serve that Eve had. Adam’s joy was unbounded toward her. And out of that spiritual union came children, happy children.