Harming Americans???

Justice and accountability, does this include the 54 million baby's that have been aborted since January 22, 1973? Our Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branch of our Government and the country's people have had an extended vacation for a very long time. It is time to hold all of us accountable. Not only is the loss of life that our country is experiencing and is devastating our souls, but also the loss of income to the economy and our Government (Local, State, & Federal) including the Social Security Shortfall. The people who were aborted would have provided for the future, not only financially but the leadership, direction, and moral compass that we so desperately need. Our financial, moral, and spiritual problems all started by the seed that was planted in Roe vs. Wade and now has culminated in the full blown tree of destruction that is now tearing down the very fabric that our country was built on. Dr. Martin Luther King has said "Ultimately, you can't reach good ends through evil means, because the means represent the seed and the end represents the tree."
Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

Is it Politics or Is it the Church

John Adams, the second president of the United States, wrote, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.... Free government rests upon public and private morality." It is not our government that has failed; it's the church that has failed to be the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13).

Read what Dr. Jedediah Morse said in 1799: "In proportion as the genuine effects of Christianity are diminished in any nation, either through unbelief, or the corruption of its doctrines, or the neglect of its institutions; in the same proportion will the people of that nation recede from the blessings of genuine freedom...Whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of government, and all the blessings which flow from them, must fall with them." He was saying that Christianity, not government, is the driving force behind true freedom.

When World War II brought America back to her knees, a revival broke out that is still referred to as the era of the highest church attendance in recent history. A time of repentance and seeking God brought peace and a period of great prosperity. But sadly, the result was a church that was lulled to sleep. While it was sleeping, a generation of "baby boomers" became obsessed with materialism and freedom from moral constraint.

How did the church react? In a variety of ways, some of which were very good. People began seeking the Lord, and the Lord answered through what is often called "The Jesus People Movement," "The Charismatic Movement," "The Word of Faith Movement," "The Lay Witness Renewal," and others. These revivals were not spearheaded by any individual, yet they had worldwide impact. Truly these were mighty moves of God's Spirit.

Yet, as a whole, the church responded by promoting political involvement as the answer to society's woes. Make no mistake--Christians who live in a country that provides them the freedom to govern through voting or holding political office have a responsibility to participate. However, for many, politics has not been a weapon against the moral decline; it has been the only weapon.

The `70s and `80s saw the largest influx of Christians into the political process in recent history, and it did produce some good results. It influenced who was elected president and helped change the balance of power in Congress and the Supreme Court. Although some good came of it and the potential destruction of our nation was stayed off a little longer, it hasn't turned the tide. There are still millions of innocent children killed every year. Immorality continues to advance nearly unchecked. And some of our so-called "conservative" Supreme Court appointees defied logic by turning the government loose in ways that would have caused our Founding Fathers to mount a revolution.

Calvin Coolidge, the thirtieth president of the United States (1923-1929), declared, "The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them [the foundations of society] if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country" (brackets mine).

Our society isn't sick because of the government; it's sick because the church has not made faith in the teaching of the Bible "practically universal in our country." Once we cease to win the hearts of man, it is inevitable that ungodly people will make their way into leadership and take the country with them.

If we change people's hearts with the Gospel, the people will change the government with their votes. Government merely reflects what people believe in their hearts; it does nothing to form those beliefs. William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, wrote in the late 1600s, "Government seems to me to be a part of religion itself.... Let men be good, and the government cannot be bad."

It's good to pursue legal action and political means to right wrongs. But the power of the Gospel has more power to change the hearts of man than all the military might and legislative bodies of any government. Billy Graham understood that when he was asked to run for president in the 1950s. He responded by saying he would not lower himself to that position. He was not attempting to diminish the office of the president; he was elevating the office of a minister of the Gospel.

Elias Boudinot, president of the Continental Congress in 1783 and later congressman from New Jersey who served as president of the American Bible Society, said "the moral character of a people once degenerate, their political character must soon follow."

There is a civil war going on in America today, but it is not political. Sure, the courtrooms and congressional halls are the battlegrounds, but the war itself is between light and dark--the truth of the Gospel and the lies of the devil. It's between the people of God and the children of the devil.

In this war, the Enemy tries to hide his true objectives behind the mask of individual rights and personal liberties. But make no mistake: The real goal is the elimination of God and His influence from society so people can indulge in their carnal lifestyles without conviction or guilt.

The way to win this war and save the political character of this nation is to change the moral character of its people with the Gospel. Our Founding Fathers understood that. Dr. Benjamin Rush said in 1786, "Nothing can be politically right that is morally wrong."

The church needs to refocus its energies back to the Great Commission that our Lord Jesus Christ gave us: "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 alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matt. 28:19-20).

Are You in Trouble (Afflicted)?

James 5:13-16
13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

James spoke about the persecution of believers by the ungodly rich. He had admonished them to patiently endure this suffering. Now he is giving them practical ways to do that. If you are afflicted, pray. Don't pray against your persecutors but pray for them. Get into the presence of the Lord, and you will find fullness of joy and pleasures beyond your persecution (Ps 16:11).

If we are merry (Greek: cheerful), sing psalms. This is great instruction. And we should not just sing psalms only when we are cheerful, but we should sing psalms when we are discouraged to cheer ourselves up. A merry heart does good like a medicine (Pr 17:22).

They had doctors in James' day. Yet James didn't tell the believers to call for the doctor or those who practiced holistic medicine; he told them to call for the elders of the church and get prayer, and the prayer of faith would heal the sick. This is very contrary to the normal practice of the average church today. If believers in the typical church today asked their elders to pray for them, most elders of the church would ask them what the doctor says about their sickness or would send them to a doctor. This is not what this scripture is instructing us to do.

This is not to say that it's sin to go to a doctor. If it hadn't been for doctors, all the Christians would have died because they certainly haven't been trusting God for healing. But this is saying that the first line of defense against sickness is the prayer of faith. Believing God for our healing shouldn't be something we do as the last resort or only in combination with what the doctor can do. We ought to turn to the Lord first.

When asked, the elders of the church should anoint the sick with oil in the name of the Lord and pray over the sick person. As revealed in the next verse, if this is done in faith, the Lord will heal the sick and forgive any sin that may have occasioned the sickness.

The oil that we anoint the sick with is symbolic. It symbolized the power of the Holy Spirit. It had no healing power. The power to heal the sick is our faith in the finished work of Christ.

Prayer doesn't save the sick; it's the prayer of faith that saves the sick. Prayer without faith isn't true prayer.

The Greek word "SOZO," which was translated "save" here, is related to the same Greek word that was translated "salvation" hundreds of times in the N.T. (Mt 8:17). The fact that this verse substitutes "infirmities" and "sicknesses" for the words "sorrows" and "griefs" in Isa 53:4 makes it clear that when Isaiah said "with his stripes we are healed" (Isa 53:5), he was speaking of the physical healing of our bodies. Jesus provided for physical healing as well as forgiveness of sins. The very word "save" (Greek - "SOZO") is translated "made whole" in reference to physical healing in Mt 9:22, Mr 5:34, and Lu 8:48. Jas 5:15 says the prayer of faith shall save (Greek - "SOZO") the sick. Many scriptures mention the healing of our bodies in conjunction with the forgiveness of our sins (Ps 103:3, Isa 53:4-6, and 1Pe 2:24). Healing is a part of our salvation, just as much as the forgiveness of our sins. This shows that biblical salvation isn't limited to forgiveness of sins but includes physical healing.

The mention of forgiveness along with healing suggests that sins can be an inroad of sickness into our lives. Jesus made this same connection in ( Joh 5:14). Jesus showed that sin causes the tragedies that come into our lives. Although it isn't always our personal sins that bring these problems (Joh 9:1-3), the sin of someone is always at the root of the problem. (Example: Herod killed the infants (Mt 2:16). The infants and their parents didn't occasion this by anything that they did. It was the fear that raged in the heart of Herod that caused this mass murder.)

When it is our own personal sins that are involved, these "worse things" come upon us for two reasons. (1) It's the judgment of God upon sin (Le 26:15-16; De 28:61; Ps 66:18, 107:17-18; Isa 13:11, 59:2, 64:7; Ro 2:8, and 6:23), or (2) it is Satan and his forces freed to work in our lives because of sin (Pr 5:22; Joh 8:34, 10:10; Ro 6:16; 2Ti 2:26; 1Pe 5:8; and 2Pe 2:19). Problems, diseases, etc. are never God blessing us (De 28:1-14 contrasted with 28:15-68) or God's method of correction (Joh 15:3 and 2Ti 3:16).

As born-again, New Testament believers, we will not come under this punitive judgment of God (Na 1:2; Ro 5:9; 1Th 1:10, and 5:9). Jesus bore that judgment so we wouldn't have to (Isa 53:4-6, 11; Ro 5:8-10; 1Co 15:3; and Ga 3:13). Therefore, the reason sin is still damaging to us as New Testament believers is that it looses Satan to work in our lives (Ro 6:16).

Jas 5:15 makes a link between sin and sickness (Joh 5:14 as mentioned above). Now this verse is telling us how to disconnect that link. We confess our sins one to another. This isn't encouraging what some do when they confess to a priest. No man has any power to forgive our sins but God only (Mr 2:7 and Lu 5:21). Jesus is the only mediator between God and man (1Ti 2:5). This is just saying we need to humble ourselves and admit our faults and turn from them. This is what true repentance is. But those who refuse to humble themselves but persist in their sins block their own healing.

Are you in trouble, are you sick? Disconnect the link, pray, humble yourself by confessing and repenting (turning from sin to righteousness in Christ), and you shall be saved (healed).

Freedom is the Prevailing Cry of the World

Freedom is the prevailing cry of the world today, the overwhelming preoccupation of individuals and nations. Yet even though Scripture speaks of a liberty that Christ offers (Gal. 5:1–12), some people resist Christianity as itself an obstacle to freedom. Is this view of the faith justified?

On the face of it, it seems strange to identify Christianity as an enemy of freedom. After all, Christians have historically stood up for the poor, the oppressed, the captive, and the underprivileged. Likewise, liberation from ignorance, disease, and political oppression have invariably resulted wherever Christian faith and principles have been adopted. Why, then, would some view the faith as repressive?

Perhaps part of the answer lies in the problem of legalism. Whenever Christianity is made into a list of dos and don’ts, it becomes intolerant and restrictive. Instead of enjoying an intimate relationship with a loving God, the legalist is obsessed with rules and regulations, as if God were a celestial Policeman just waiting to catch us out of line.

To be sure, Christ does make demands on us that sometimes limit our autonomy. But true Christianity sees this as part of a relationship based on love and grace, not unlike a healthy marriage in which both partners sometimes sacrifice their own desires in order to serve the other.

But even if there were no legalists, many people would still resist Christianity because they resist any standards that would place absolute claims on them. To them, freedom means pure autonomy—the right to do whatever they want, with no accountability to anyone else.

But surely that leads to irresponsibility and license rather than freedom. Nor do people really live that way. Sooner or later they choose one course of action over another, based on some set of values. In other words, they surrender their will to standards, whether good or bad, and act accordingly. So it is not just the values of Christianity that “stifle” personal freedom, but values in general.

The real question, of course, is what kind of people are we? What is our character? Christians try to mold their character after the pattern of Jesus. He was the most liberated man who ever lived. His ultimate standard of behavior was, what does My Father want Me to do (John 8:29)? Did that code stifle His freedom? Hardly: He was utterly free of covetousness, hypocrisy, fear of others, and every other vice. At the same time He was free to be Himself, free to tell the truth, free to love people with warmth and purity, and free to surrender His life for others.

True Christian freedom is Christlike freedom. There is no hint of legalism about it. It accepts absolute moral standards that are well known and well proven, and it takes its inspiration from the most liberated human being who ever lived, Jesus of Nazareth. What is stifling about that? ¨

All Rules and Laws Take the Place of and Cannot Accomplish What Love Can

Ultimately do you know why there is speed limit signs posted on our roads? It is not to remind us not to speed or even tell us what the proper speed limit should be. It is because we do not know how to love. You see if we really loved one another we would not go faster in a given situation to cause someone else harm. We would always be looking out for one another, thus not needing a speed limit sign. Our mind set is so self orientated that we have to have rules and laws to remind us of others. Rules are also the reason to make a reputation for themselves. It does not matter what set of rules we follow or don’t follow. All that matters is that we have new life through our living connection with Jesus. If we live by love, then we as a whole family will realize God’s peace and loving-kindness. When love rules, no law is needed.

In Galatians chapter six twelve through fourteen the Apostle Paul reminds of this and even shows us how we focus those rules and laws to pronounce our own agenda. First Samuel 16:7 says, "for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." Those who see the way God sees are more concerned with the condition of the heart than they are a person's actions. But those who are carnal are always focused on actions instead of attitudes. The New International Version confirms this by translating this verse, "Those who want to make a good impression outwardly...."

Galatians 6:12-14
12 Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13 Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh.
14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

That's the way these Judaizers were. They hadn't even noticed the wonderful work that God had done in the hearts of these Galatians through the ministry of Paul. All they could see was what they hadn't done. Likewise today, legalists are so focused on outward acts that they often fail to see the deeper, more important work that the Holy Spirit does in a person's heart. If someone hasn't been baptized according to their tradition or doesn't worship after their form, it doesn't matter how much they love the Lord, the legalist pronounces them unclean.

Carnal people are consumed with carnal (external) things. They can't believe that God can accept anyone who isn't holy according to their standards. However, spiritual people are consumed with spiritual (internal) things. They recognize that holiness is a fruit, not a root, of salvation (Ro 6:22).

The Judaizers (Ga 1:1) were trying to escape persecution from their Jewish brethren who still believed Christians had to keep the law ( Ac 23:6). They maintained that if they showed the Jews that the way of salvation was still the law they could be accepted by them. So they were trying to force circumcision upon the church (Jews and Gentiles) as a "faith-plus-works" method of salvation. This would avoid the persecution that would come if they acknowledged that salvation comes only through Jesus and Him crucified.

The Simple English Bible translates this: "Some men are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do these things, so that the Jewish people will accept them, fearing they will be persecuted, if they follow only the cross of Christ."

Gal 6:13 These legalists who were demanding compliance with the law weren't keeping the law themselves. No one except Jesus has ever been able to fulfill the law, and no one else ever will (Rom 3:23; 1 John 1:8, 10). It is the height of hypocrisy to demand of others what you cannot do yourself. So, why would they demand this thing? Paul said it was so they could glory in their flesh. They glory in appearance or outward things and not in the condition of the heart (2Co 5:12).

Gal 6:14 Paul's critics gloried in the carnal things they accomplished while Paul gloried only in what Jesus had done for him through the cross. One way to discern a true man or woman of God is to see where their boasting lies. Those who boast in their own accomplishments are suspect, while those who boast in the Lord are the true and faithful witnesses.

Notice that there is a double crucifixion. The world was crucified unto Paul, and Paul was crucified unto it. This means that the world's system had nothing to offer Paul, and Paul had nothing to offer the world outside of Christ. Its one thing to remove yourself from the world's system, but it's another thing to remove the world's system from you. Paul had done both. Paul's sole purpose in life was to bring glory unto the risen Christ. The law or rules are an outside condition, love is an inward motivation that only comes from Jesus. Let’s see, choose Jesus or choose the law (rules). Choose the law and the law only produces death and cannot save. Choose Jesus and He only produces life (love) and does save.

When we truly love, no law or rule is ever needed. Don’t let laws and rules replace what love can accomplish.

What Reflection are We Radiating as a Church and as a Christian?

James 1:23-25
23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.

You have never seen your face. You have seen a reflection of your face, maybe a video of your face, or maybe a photo (picture) of your face. Not unless you can take your eyeballs out with the nerves attached have you been able to see your face with your physical eyes. It can’t be done. What this passage though is referring to is looking into the Word of God is like looking into a spiritual mirror. If we want to see what our physical face looks like, we have to look in a physical mirror. Likewise, we can't see our spiritual self, but we can look in the mirror of God's Word and see who we are in Christ. God's Word is spiritual and reveals our spiritual self (John 6:63). We need to become as sure of our spiritual image as we are of our physical image. After all, we can't directly see either one; we look at something else and take what we see by faith.

A man who doesn't do what he has heard in God's Word (Jas 1:22) is like a man who looks in the mirror but doesn't take any action. He goes on his way and forgets what he has seen. Likewise, we have to keep in front of us the image God's Word paints of our spiritual self and act accordingly. Notice God's Word is called "the perfect law of liberty." This is specifically referring to the New Covenant and all the liberty brought to us through the atonement of Christ. It is only through the grace given to us by the finished work of Christ that we can truly see our new selves and be blessed.

Very often the Church hold’s up a mirror reflecting back the society that surrounds it rather than the Word or the life of Jesus Christ that is our true mirror. If the world despises a sinner the Church should love them. If the world cuts off aid to the poor and suffering than the church should provide healing, food, and shelter. If the world oppresses than the Church should take the hand of the oppressed and lift them up. If the world shames and creates an outcast than the church should proclaim God’s reconciling love and show the way of forgiveness. If the world seeks profit and self-fulfillment the Church seeks sacrifice and service. If the world demands retribution than the Church dispenses grace. If the world has factions that bring dissension, than the Church should join in unity. If the world is destroying its enemy, the Church loves them both.

What mirror or reflection are you bringing the world today, does it reflect the Word and Jesus Christ or does it reflect the world?

Soylent Green, coming to a theater of Earth near you or maybe it’s already here?

In the film Soylent Green the police procedural and science fiction it depicts is an investigation into the brutal murder of a wealthy businessman in a dystopian future suffering from pollution, overpopulation, depleted resources, poverty, dying oceans and a hot climate due to the greenhouse effect and climate change. Much of the population survives on processed food rations, including "soylent green" which is processed food (small green wafers) made from humans who were euthanized at a designated early age.

Even though this film is science fiction it has some truth in our reality today. The earth is suffering from pollution, overpopulation, depleted resources, poverty, and climate change. Even though these are the categories most known they are not the least. As in the film we are also coming to the place of genocide where the earth and its resources are more important than human life. With the advent of terrorism, risk of nuclear war, and conventional war our hubris on handling such proves how naive we really are. We are already heading towards the brink of denying human life not just by the depleted resources which lessens availability to each person but we are already eating other human beings as in Soylent Green.

How so you ask? It is our sexual appetite that has caused a Soylent Green type situation. Since January 22, 1973 we as Americans have had over 50 million abortions. If that date sounds familiar it is the landmark decision of Roe vs. Wade. It is legal euthanasia and no matter what words that someone wants to put to this, it is still killing babies. Some say they are not babies, for they have not been fully conceived. However you want to call it, it is still not allowing life to continue. It does not matter if the person is 1 month old in the womb or 95 years old out of the womb it is still not allowing a life to continue.

This way of life, which has continued for almost 40 years, has now been accepted and imbedded in our psyche, what is our next step as we look at pollution, overpopulation, depleted resources, poverty, and climate change? Will we be more interested in saving our planet and less interested in saving life. Are animals more important than humans, are the oceans more important than humans, is our climate more important than humans? If we think that sex is more important than humans then why not these other things. Wars and terrorism is already denying humanity of others and killing them, why not climate control.

Soylent Green is already taking place, like anything when it is done in small ways it will always be a precursor to larger events. Never underestimate what a small band of committed people can do. Do you know why? It is because it is the only thing that has worked. It is the small group of people who were dedicated with our new government in 1776, it is the small group of disciples of Jesus Christ that turned the world upside down. But just as much as these were two positive instances, the same applies to negative ways. These precursors of eliminating life has grown into 50 million with abortions, now add wars, terrorism, and ecological disasters and we have the making of genocide on a major scale. Put into our psyche that your own carbon dioxide, and depletion of resources footprint can be the precursor to global genocide. That is when Roe vs. Wade will be a minor law in comparison to euthanasia to save our planet.


btw - The movie Soylent Green was released in 1973