Ask yourself, “Does this man know Christ?” If you answered, “Yes.” You probably don’t either. Yes, God is one, but He is a trinity. No, the one true God is not the same god worshipped by other monotheistic religions. If you believe that, you don’t know Jesus. Amen, is not a gendered term, so offering an alternate in the form of awomen is purely idiotic pandering, and offensive to all Christians. אָמֵן ’âmên; in Hebrew means, verily, truly, amen, so be it, and here is the Greek usage of the Hebrew word, ἀμήν amēn; of Hebrew origin (h543); properly, firm, i.e. (figuratively) trustworthy; adverbially, surely (often as interjection, so be it): — amen, verily. AV (152) – verily 101, amen 51;firm metaph. faithful verily, amen the beginning of a discourse – surely, truly, of a truth at the end – so it is, so be it, may it be fulfilled. It was a custom, which passed over from the synagogues to the Christian assemblies, that when he who had read or discoursed, had offered up solemn prayer to God, the others responded Amen, and thus made the substance of what was uttered their own. – The word “amen” is a most remarkable word. It was transliterated directly from the Hebrew into the Greek of the New Testament, then into Latin and into English and many other languages, so that it is practically a universal word. It has been called the best known word in human speech. The word is directly related — in fact, almost identical — to the Hebrew word for “believe” (amam), or faithful. Thus, it came to mean “sure” or “truly”, an expression of absolute trust and confidence. — HMM This is from Olive Tree Enhanced Strong’s Dictionary and Biblestudy app. Do you all see how wrong Demoncratic representative Emanuel Cleaver is?
Category: government
Hate, Hate Speech, and Meaning.
According to Webster’s dictionary hate speech is; speech expressing hatred of a particular group of people. Also, according to Webster’s dictionary hate means;
a: intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury
b: extreme dislike or disgust : ANTIPATHY, LOATHING
had a great hate of hard work
c: a systematic and especially politically exploited expression of hatred
a crime motivated by bigotry and hate
—often used before another noun
hate mail
an organization tracking hate groups
— see also HATE CRIME
2: an object of hatred
a generation whose finest hate had been big business
— F. L. Paxson
hate verb
hated; hating
Definition of hate (Entry 2 of 2)
transitive verb1: to feel extreme enmity toward : to regard with active hostility
hates his country’s enemies
2: to have a strong aversion to : find very distasteful
hated to have to meet strangers
hate hypocrisy
intransitive verb: to express or feel extreme enmity or active hostility
harsh faces and hating eyes
Now, if you will, please read how Noah Webster defined hate himself in his 1828 dictionary, and remember, Webster was a devout Christian;
HATE, verb transitive [Latin odi, for hodi.]
1. To dislike greatly; to have a great aversion to. It expresses less than abhor, detest, and abominate, unless pronounced with a peculiar emphasis.
How long will fools hate knowledge? Proverbs 1:22.
Blessed are ye when men shall hate you. Luke 6:22.
The Roman tyrant was contented to be hated, if he was but feared.
2. In Scripture, it signifies to love less.
If any man come to me, and hate not father and mother, etc. Luke 14:26.
He that spareth the rod, hateth his son. Proverbs 13:24.
HATE, noun Great dislike or aversion; hatred.
Notice, the current meaning assumes that usually hatred comes from fear, anger, or sense of injury. The word, “usually” does make it technically correct, but can you think of an instance where it is good to hate? The modern secular world knows what is good to hate, and what is not good to hate, but they have reversed them. As Christians, we should hate sin in our lives. We should hate sin as a rule. We should hate what God hates. Since God is the ultimate good, we can trust that what He hates is in fact hate worthy. The world around us on the other hand, hates what God loves. In fact, they hate the one true God. They make up for themselves idols to call god. They lavish their love on those idols. They love what is detestable to the Lord.
In a society with a bi-polar view of what is good, virtuous, and honorable, where one extreme looks upon the things of God in truth, and acknowledges those things, and the other extreme looks on those things believing the lies of their master, views them as evil, malicious, and hateful, as well as a plethora of people ranging the gamut between the two, it results in a disparate malfunctioning society.
Speech is simply speech. It is the speaker who harbors hatred, or love in their heart. Does the speaker hate what God hates? Does the speaker hate what the godless hate? This is the true question that should be asked. Instead, we assume that speech can in and of itself be hateful. If that be true, then speech is an entity with volition of thought. If a man reasons with a debased, darkened mind, he might believe such a thing. However, even a man with a debased, darkened mind, as a rule, and a majority, at this point in time, can see that this is fallacious.
If speech be speech, and hatred not necessarily evil, then why must such a seemingly subjective thing like speech be deemed hateful? We do not know the condition of the speaker’s heart, nor do we know his intellectual intentions towards the objects of his speech. The assumption that all speech that elicits negative emotions from the varied masses in audience is hateful, negates the obvious facts of ignorance to the subjects intentions thereof.
Since this is true, wouldn’t it be better to allow the subject, himself, to enlighten the audience in regards to his intentions, and motives, if there be a question? Also, there is no material damage in relation to the subjects speech, unless it instructs such damage, by direct expunction carried out by the objects. This is mitigated by the volitions of the objects assuming their faculties are about them, and that they are not otherwise given to some delirium induced by injury, or chemical.
Each agent is acting upon his own volition, informed by his own personal philosophy, through which he interprets the world around him. If that philosophy finds its source in anything other than what is objectively true, it by definition contains lies. This is why the God instructs us to build our house on the solid rock. That rock being Jesus, the way the TRUTH, and the life. To do otherwise is to found your house on that which is shifting always, the subjective cumulative consciences of lost agents of satan, whether they know it and intend it, or not.
I adjure you all, do not assume this notion of hate speech, or hate crimes for that matter. Build your life on what is true. God is true. He cannot lie. His word is true. Jesus is the word made flesh. I’m sure Webster would have concurred. We must all repent of our sins, even those sins that at once we assumed were virtues, but in light of the truth see them as betrayals of our Creator. He is the law giver, and the judge. We are not. His word is objective truth. We must repent of our perversions of truth, and trust alone in the work of Christ Jesus for our justification to the righteous law giver, and judge.
I think Mr. Noah Webster would be horrified to see how the dictionary of his namesake has been corrupted by the enemy of truth.
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Where does murder come from?
With recent events in America, one wonders, “Why? Why are people killing others?” Meanwhile the left is using these tragedies as an excuse to shift the blame to an inanimate object. This of course makes the right angry enough to commit murder of the heart, while the left is angry enough to actually commit murder. Their pundits are encouraging it on the nightly news, if that is what you call it. Of course on the right we’ve taken to calling if fake news, because we are tired of all the lies, half truths, and godless, communist, propaganda. Before you run off, assuming this is a political rant, I urge you to keep reading.
Murder is nothing new. Mankind has been killing since the beginning. The agnostic, or atheist left would have you believe it is a matter of education. They assume that people are naturally good intentioned, and if they grow up to be hateful, bigots, evil conservatives, or murderers, it is simply because they were given wrong, or inadequate education. As a Christian, a Father of 4, and a Corrections Officer of 24 years, I can assure you that is not the case.
We are born with one thing on our minds, our own individual pleasure. Our flesh is the most important thing to us. We learn to love our parents, because they take care of us. It still boils down to self. Without them, I would have nobody to feed me, clean me, comfort me. We don’t wonder why they do those things at first. We just accept it. We must have some quality about us that is worthy of that kind of affection, but then the lessons begin. Punishment for doing bad things. Rewards for doing good things. Well the nature of a child loves rewards. The flesh loves goodies, and compliments, but it hates spankings, physical pain, removal of fun things.
Being selfish, and evil is our nature. We have to be taught to be good. We want to be comfortable, and enjoy pleasurable things. That is not necessarily sinful, but when it involves committing a sin, or sins of omission to achieve that comfort, or pleasure, then we are guilty. Read what God has to say about it in His word,
James 4:1-10 (NASB) Things to Avoid
What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
It is pretty clear that we murder because we are selfish, sinners at heart. We don’t rightly fear God, nor do we heed his laws. We make up our own to please our flesh. We make up our own gods as well. Some depressed teen surmises that nobody loves him, or they don’t live up to his unrealistic expectations of how they should behave towards him, which further drives him to hate those who don’t participate in his self-pity, so he decides to teach the world a lesson. This by the way is the result of all the self-esteem nonsense pushed down our throats for the last 40 years. People don’t need to feel better about themselves, or esteem themselves more, especially if that esteem is misplaced. We need to see ourselves as God sees us. We need the truth.
You didn’t see this happening in the 60’s and 70’s. We used to drive to school with our rifles in a wrack on our pickup cab rear window. It was common place. Kids would come to school with their dear, or elk in the back of the pickup to show it off after a successful hunt. The problem isn’t guns, kids, or video games. It is the sinful heart of man, and the lies that we are telling our kids. This is a necessary consequence of becoming a godless secular society. You want to blame someone leftists? Blame yourselves.
People seem so shocked by murder partially as a selfish way to virtue signal. We also are shocked by it because we see ourselves as good, and deserving happy lives with many rewards, and pleasures. To think that someone would not value us they way we value ourselves is a shock. Of course there are exceptions to the rule.
There are people who are shocked for the right reasons, most of those people are Christians. They see the value of human life according to the word of God. They understand that we deserve death, and hell, and that every day is a blessing from God where we should seek to glorify Him. They understand the inherent idolatry, and blasphemy of destroying an image bearer of God, and spilling the blood unjustly, the blood of His creatures who belong to him, the blood that contains the life.
What we need is for people to be taught the truth. We are sinners. We need for Christians, the Church, to preach the gospel of Christ. If people come to Christ, and are changed, they won’t become mass murderers. Do you want to see America great again? Preach Christ! More laws won’t do it.
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The Predominate Cult Defines the Culture.
The predominate cult determines the culture. Until the last one and a half centuries, Christianity was the predominate, “cult” if you will, in America, and much of the civilized world. Post-modernism, and secular humanism have had their sway for the last 50, or more years. This has culminated in a Post-Christian, atheistic, and ever increasing antichrist cult, and resultant culture. The views of this cult are evident in the dogmatic doctrines of the leftist, otherwise known as socialists/communists. God is replaced by the state, because you shall have no other god than the state according to the enemy. After all, if they knew they were outright worshiping satan, the couldn’t immediately stomach it, or convince others to do so either. Give them the state as god, and they will rend themselves into a bloody foundation for it to set atop as a glorious, and gory crown to their sacrifice of neighbors, friends, and brothers. Its gaping maw ever open, ever consuming the human chattel like chafe tossed into a boiler furnace to further power the all-consuming monster of human suffering.
The god they worship has given them a sliding rule of right and wrong, that is more often than not, an inversion of God’s created order. This blasphemy, rebellion, and idolatry is no accident. It is engineered by the most infamous of totalitarian rulers, the devil himself. Our enemies are not of flesh and blood, but rather are spirit. Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Like unto marionettes dancing on the silken black threads of their malevolent master, they dance the dance of demoniacs immemorial. They have taken what is good, by force, blackmail, coercion, deceit, fraud, and theft, and corrupted it. They have convinced the world of the dead, enslaved to the satanic system that what is good, is actually evil, and that what is evil, is actually good. Good has become such an evil it requires the ultimate humiliation and punishment. They cry for blood, and have swift feat to carry them along to its macabre end. It is a slight of hand that should not work, but does.
For who can blame the deaf, blind, and dead, for not being able to discern the truth from a lie? From their state, there is no excuse. They remain fully culpable for their estate. God is just, and those who remain dead in their sins and trespasses will experience God’s wrath eternal. Would you like to change the world? Are you greatly vexed, as I am with the insanity, and immorality of the leftists? You won’t find the solution as a politique. Much like the politique of 16th century France, if you believe you will find the solution in human policies, and national strength, you will be disappointed.
The solution for our current debauchery lies in the miraculous power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation. It quickens the dead soul to life, true life, life eternal! It makes the word of God come forth and dominate the darkened mind, it illuminates it, bringing light into the darkest man! O there is nothing more grand and glorious than the power of God displayed saving a wretch from his defiled and putrefied body of death except for God Himself! Preach the gospel to all the Earth, make disciples of all men! By His stripes we are healed! God commands all men everywhere to repent! Preach repentance and faith in our Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ! For when a dead sinner becomes our true brother, he cannot help but to be changed in spirit, and soul! He will begin to hate the sin that he reveled in, and love the glory of God above all else! [1Co 6:20 KJV] 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. [Psa 115:1 KJV] 1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, [and] for thy truth’s sake.
[Eph 6:10-24 KJV] 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 21 But that ye also may know my affairs, [and] how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: 22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and [that] he might comfort your hearts. 23 Peace [be] to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace [be] with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
[Isa 53:1-12 KJV] 1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither [was any] deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
[Act 17:22-34 KJV] 22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, [Ye] men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by [that] man whom he hath ordained; [whereof] he hath given assurance unto all [men], in that he hath raised him from the dead. 32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this [matter]. 33 So Paul departed from among them. 34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which [was] Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
[Rom 1:15-32 KJV] 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
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White Privilege?
I saw a video on a friends facebook wall. The link is at the bottom of the article. It was disturbing to me that so many Americans feel ashamed of their, “privilege” and don’t thank God for it, and His providence. We are not entitled to good things just because we are here. Here is my take on the video.
Let’s reason together. Now that we have had emotional reactions it is time to put this sentiment into its proper perspective. Leave the white, black, and hispanic, “underprivileged” American kids on the field. Replace all the other kids with some Somalian kids. (Could have just as easily used anyone one of these classes of children;children who are in wheelchairs, have down syndrome, or were aborted.) Now ask a set of questions that will be certain to demonstrate how much improved the lives of the American kids are without those other setbacks are. What you are seeing here is a direct attempt at emotional manipulation by someone who does not care about original sin, individual sin, theodicy, God, His sovereignty, or His providence. Listen, you should thank God for being born in this country, to the parents you had, the color of skin, the air you breath, the clean water and abundant food. You should thank Him for everything. You should feel compassion for your fellow man, but don’t allow it to cloud your reason. A man goes to an orphanage to adopt a child. He looks among all of the children, finds the most pathetic looking one he can, adopts him, nobody would call that man a sinner for not adopting all of the children. He would get a pat on the back for changing just one of their lives. Every last one of us are guilty sinners. Each one of us deserve, suffering here on Earth, painful drawn out deaths, and an eternity in Hell, because of our sinful natures, our rebellion against God, our individual sins, and our hatred of Him before our conversions. He is under no moral obligation to save anyone, or give them a comfortable, “fair” life. We are not morally obligated either. If you buy into the left’s logic, we must ensure that everyone starts our with, and continues to have, all of the same opportunities and privileges. Who do you think would enforce that? How would they enforce it? I’ll tell you what it would look like, it would look like the USSR. People would be marched off at gunpoint to concrete block houses. The government would become your god. They would enforce mutual oppression of everyone, or kill those who dissented. One of the wonderful things about our founding documents is that we have the right to pursue happiness. We are created equal by our Creator, God. We are not made equal by government. What we do with our lives is up to us. You can blame other classes of people, who under God’s sovereign providence had a more comfortable life, but that does not mitigate your condemned condition before the Lord of glory. What if, God only saves the elect whom He predestined in eternity? Are you going to blame Him, and call Him immoral, or a fool?
Romans 9:14-24 “14What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! 15For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” 16So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.” 18So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.
19You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” 20On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? 21Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? 22What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? 23And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, 24even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.”
Let those who have been given new natures by God, and are born again, have compassion on the less fortunate. We will minister to their needs out of the excess of love that Christ has demonstrated on the cross towards us. Don’t rob us of that blessing. Don’t reduce the less fortunate to wards of the state, and welfare which is a nameless faceless benefactor with no compassion. Let them instead seek mercy from the Lord and His elect so that they will see His kindness in them, to them, and from them. Let them see that they must come to God with nothing, entitled to only suffering and Hell, just as we did. Beggars of divine grace, filthy, defiled, hands. They aren’t just empty hands after all… They have been tools of the enemy full of perversion, sin, and unrighteousness.
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What does, “Give me your tired,” mean?
We are all familiar with the poem, “New Colossus” on the Statue of Liberty. If not the entire poem, at least this portion of it,
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
To many it has become a mandate as if it were part of the, United States Constitution. In actuality it is just a nice sentiment expressed in a poem, on a statue given to us as a gift by the French. It is a noble ideal, but does it include those who would seek to destroy our nation, and way of life? Does it include criminals entering our country illegally? Does it include criminals fleeing justice from their own countries? Does it include religious fanatics seeking to impose sharia law, and overthrow our Republic?
This country was built on the labor, and force of will executed by immigrants seeking a better life, freedom to worship God as they chose, not as they were compelled by the government. We enjoy our reputation of being the land of the free and home of the brave. We like the idea that people endeavor to come here to better their circumstances, to enjoy the American dream. We tend to forget though that it isn’t our Christian duty to offer sanctuary to any and all comers, all of the time. There are times when our national security and the safety of our allies supersede our desires to open our doors and arms to immigrants.
When it is prudent, and reasonable to allow immigration, we should. As Christians, we should want goodness for others. We should be glad to extend the hand of friendship to them. There is nothing wrong with rewarding those who seek to do it legally and for the right reasons. There is also nothing wrong with not rewarding those who would exploit us and enter in illegally. When I talk with liberals, many of them seem to think it is a moral mandate to accept even those who would kill us. They insist that we reward people who are here illegally, people who have knowingly flaunted our laws in our faces.
It seems they have changed the poem to,
“Give me your lazy, your poor,
Your malevolent masses yearning to spill blood,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the criminal, radicalized Islamic flood,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
I’m pretty sure the moral of the poem isn’t to accept every person who wants to come, but rather to extol the virtues of a nation that has been a land of opportunity for people looking for a better life. I hope people can understand this notion before they tear down the statue of liberty as a misplaced symbol of their ire.
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Snowed in, with a bad back, and an inauguration to watch.
The last few days have been interesting. So much snow, that my gas furnace and on demand water heater both had their roof-top exhausts covered completely with snow. I didn’t want frozen pipes or a frozen house, so I had to get the exhausts cleared and call some professionals to get the over 3 ft. of accumulated snow off my roof. Thanks Arturo Martinez for all your hard work. If anyone needs some snow removed from their roof, message me and I’ll send you his number. The next morning of fun was realizing the pets could not go outside to do their business. I began to dig them a patch of ground out and wrenched my back. It gave me time to ponder deep topics like, “Will it get better or worse? Will I be able to get to work Monday? How many ibuprofen have I already taken?” One thing is for sure, is that the will of God will be done. This brings me to the inauguration. 4 and 8 years ago, I trusted in the will of God when the pro-abortion, (a.k.a. baby killing) perversion promoting, (LGBT nonsense) Barry Soetoro a.k.a. (Barack Obama) took office and kept it. Even while I wondered how people could condone the evils of perversion, (LGBT) perverse marriage, (Gay Marriage… no such thing) abortion, and socialist totalitarianism, I was comforted by the knowledge that God is sovereign and in control of all things, including the political leadership of this country. I honestly believe we were getting the leaders we deserved as an unrepentant people. We have been calling good evil and evil good for far too long to keep on experiencing the blessings of God. Instead, for 8 long years or corrosive evil leadership, we were under the discipline of God. I hope that the people have repented, and we will be experiencing a reprieve. God willing, may America be blessed once more. I would ask all of you to repent of your sin, put your faith in the finished work of Christ, and seek God’s glory and will first and foremost in the years to come.
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I Know Everyone is Preaching Unity, Love, and Acceptance, but…
When the Bible talks about unity, it is for unity among the believers. When the Bible talks about loving your brother, it is talking about your brother in Christ. When it talks about acceptance, it is not about accepting sin.
The enemies of the gospel, Christ, and the cross are our enemies as well. They are the ones who are sold out to Satan. They hate the gospel, they hate Jesus, they pervert scripture, and they hate His sheep. These people are not the same as the lost who are living their lives in ignorance. The lost, for the most part are just plain ignorant about God. They don’t really care. The enemies of the gospel are different. They have made up their minds. They hate God, His Word, and His gospel. They also hate His followers and everything that He says is good.
They push every sinful agenda you can think of. These agendas are part of a larger, “Death Culture” worldview. They love every defilement of what God says is good. Just to name a few things; atheism, gender perversion, gay marriage/defilement of marriage, fornication, adultery, liberalizing of the Church, drug use, and so on. They love anyone who agrees with them and they hate anyone who disagrees. They preach tolerance while being some of the most intolerant people in the world.
So in the wake of this election, I’d like to share a different perspective and line of advice. I am not preaching love, tolerance, peace, unity, and acceptance solely for their own sake. No, I’m preaching being in the world, but not of it. I’m preaching, put on the full armor of God, pray for your enemies… they are your enemies. Don’t make the mistake of thinking they are simply your neighbors and coworkers. These are the folks that the Bible says will turn you over to the authorities to be martyred, your sons and daughters.
Remember folks, this is a life of death war, eternal life is on the line. We are to blame for turning our Church services into entertainment for goats. Church is for the saved of God, to give glory to God! We are to worship Him together with our brothers and sisters. We are to go out and be the ones who deliver the uncomfortable truth! You are sinners! Repent and believe the gospel! Hell is real! Jesus is God!
I don’t care how many people are triggered. I want to trigger them all! They need to be shaken down to their cores! I don’t care how many of them are scared! They very well should be scared! They are headed straight to Hell for all eternity! We need to scare them! How else can we love our enemies? This is true love, to tell them the truth, to give them the gospel that can convert their hearts. So, offend them, offend them all in the name of God!
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Something from Habakkuk to Remember.
Here is Habakkuk’s cry to God,
“Habakkuk 1:1-4 NASB The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw. (2) How long, O LORD, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save. (3) Why do You make me see iniquity, And cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. (4) Therefore the law is ignored And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted.”
Notice, his cry to God could be our cry today in the midst of a godless, secular, America. Now look at God’s reply,
“Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days– You would not believe if you were told. (6) “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That fierce and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth To seize dwelling places which are not theirs. (7) “They are dreaded and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves. (8) “Their horses are swifter than leopards And keener than wolves in the evening. Their horsemen come galloping, Their horsemen come from afar; They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. (9) “All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces moves forward. They collect captives like sand. (10) “They mock at kings And rulers are a laughing matter to them. They laugh at every fortress And heap up rubble to capture it. (11) “Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god.”
Do you see what God was doing there? He was giving the prophet Habakkuk His word that He is using the pagan Chaldeans for His purposes. He was raising them up to use as judgment against His people. Israel had rebelled and neglected God’s word as revealed through the prophets. Make sure to read the last part of verse 11, “But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god.” The Chaldeans were going to be held accountable by God in His justice.
Habakkuk’s reply to God,
“Habakkuk 1:12-17 NASB Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. You, O LORD, have appointed them to judge; And You, O Rock, have established them to correct. (13) Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor. Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they? (14) Why have You made men like the fish of the sea, Like creeping things without a ruler over them? (15) The Chaldeans bring all of them up with a hook, Drag them away with their net, And gather them together in their fishing net. Therefore they rejoice and are glad. (16) Therefore they offer a sacrifice to their net And burn incense to their fishing net; Because through these things their catch is large, And their food is plentiful. (17) Will they therefore empty their net And continually slay nations without sparing?”
At first it seems that Habakkuk understands why God is going to punish Israel, but then he goes on pleading with God. His questions seem to call for God to not allow this to happen. Sometimes we can be like that. We live in a great land. Many of us are like the Chaldeans. We put our faith in the strength of our military, or our wealth. We trust a nationalistic ideology called America. We offer our sacrifices to it. We neglect God and His word. We rebel against Him. We kill our young and call it a woman’s right to choose. We make legal all types of perverse abominations and call it progress, and liberty. Just because we legislate it and make it legal does not make it moral. Just because a secular majority deems something to be good doesn’t make it so.
As Christians we have an external moral authority Who is immutable. He never changes and is eternal. His decrees of good and evil stand for ever, no matter what human government makes legal. The political candidates we have to choose from, the debased minds that many of our fellow Americans have, the perversions that are abounding, are all punishments from God. We are under judgement. We need to be outside of our Churches, evangelizing so that people might be saved and come in. We need to repent of our personal sins. We need to repent of the attractional model of Church. We need to stop begging goats to come in to our Churches. We need to go out to them and preach the gospel of Jesus, which is repentance from sin and faith in Christ’s work on the cross.
When people are miraculously changed by God they will become sheep. They will come to Church without the need of the gimmicks of silly centers. They will hunger for the preaching of God’s word, fellowship with brothers and sisters, praising God with hymns, prayer, and the glory of God will be their aim. Don’t be bashful, now is not the time. Be bold for Christ and His gospel to go forth! Are you saddened by the damage and hurt you see being done by sin in the lives of your friends and neighbors? Do you think that you love them? If you do, then you must give to them the only cure for their brokenness. You must give them the only thing that will heal them and make them whole! Give them the gospel of Jesus! It is truth and love!
So if you find yourself crying out to God much like Habakkuk did, ask yourself why God is doing what He is doing. Ask yourself what the proper response is to what He is doing. Then I think you will come to the same conclusion.
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Romans 13
Properly understood we can see God’s providence, and common grace demonstrated in these verses. Through the ordination of governmental authority the people are restrained from being as evil as they would be if left with no law and order. This grace is afforded both to the lost, and the saved, thus His grace in common to both. This is not a mandate to submit to a Godless secular government if it demands that we violate the faith, or the word of the true and living God. The exhortation at the end compels us to live in a practice of righteousness, and to seek to please God, in such a way that a Christian would not be concerned about incurring the ire of the government, as they would be beyond reproach. I hope that helps.
| ◄ Romans 13 ► |
| New American Standard Bible
Be Subject to Government 1Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.7Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. 8Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 11Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.13Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. |
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