A Cover Up?

Okay... A lot has been said about the Bush Administration ruining our economy, and no doubt excessive government spending for the last 16 years would likely be a portion of the problem. But, you cannot get away from the fact that the mortgage and housing finance crisis has left our banks, our stock market and our people hurting financially and our federal government feeling the need to hold the bag on all the economic issues we face today.

I hear the Democrats say - the middle class deserves to have everything given to them by the government. Tax breaks, education for their children, health care... and the rich (loosely defined as anyone making more than $250,000 per year - unless of course you are a professional politician in Washington D. C. then everything in your life is a tax right off, after all should we be taxing the taxes - their salary is after all our tax dollars at work) should pay for it. What? Is that really what the American Dream has been scaled down to?

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I and my family are admittedly the Middle Class - but if the Democratic party gains power there will be more of the same - the same as the last two years in our House and Senate chambers. Months and years of the Republicans and Independents seeking the help of the majority party to do something in favor of our country - in favor of our people - in favor of our future. And more of the name calling, "We didn't meet to talk about that," "Congratulations, Detroit Redwings on winning the Stanley Cup" kind of nonsense I have been watching on C-Span in recent months.

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I am not saying I agree with everything any one party is doing. I'm saying get informed about what is really going on. Watch your Federal Government at work and determine who you believe is really trying to do what is best and in keeping with the liberties and freedoms that the Founding Fathers wanted to ensure for the future generations of this nation. Do we want to leave our children an entitlement legacy or a legacy that says no matter where you start you can get to where you dream because our country is the freest, greatest, most beautiful nation in the entire world where the least to the greatest are empowered to ma$ke their own lives better with a dream, a spirit of determination and a goal to be all that you can be (and I'm not just talking in the army either).
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The very idea that someone enslaved by poverty as a child could be elevated to the top of a corporation or own their own company and build a better life than they started out with (there are none to few of these testimonies... right?) Not because someone gave it to them, but because someone empowered them to believe enough in the process of free enterprise, ingenuity and just plain hard work and determination. Add faith in God, a divine destiny and a powerful prayer life and you have the opportunity for explosion in this nation again.
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The entitlements that the Democrat party speak of are the notions of socialism and communism that cast us into social brackets and lock us into societal norms without the opportunity to grow ourselves or improve ourselves through our faith, our ambitions, our talents and our opportunities - a system of government that benefits the elitist governing body, not the people.

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Democratic candidates and office holders have for the large part clearly stated that the American people can neither think for themselves or manage their own lives and finances - Their policies say we need a huge government that gets richer off of our misery and sells us to anyone willing to buy our debt. They solve problems by growing the scope and reach and corruption of government by inactivity and pointing to themselves as the answer. It destroys our society at its foundations.
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The Republican's have advocated for the most part that our government's reach and participation in the individual life should be limited, that people should be empowered to live by their faith, think for themselves, and be empowered to act on their own behalf. That government should empower people not entitle them. Republicans by name represent the foundation for our legal system - rule by law. Let's look hard before voting.
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Independents seem to be split between the two. I believe liberty is the answer, truth is the answer, God is the answer, but not the gods who have set themselves up in Wahington believing the swing of a gavel garners them power and opportunity.
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The following video is available on Youtube and speaks to these very issues. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae's downfall was actually the advocated position of many democratic and lobbyist from the affirmative action sector. These advocates including members of the Clinton Administration have asked the housing industry to relax lending standards for the last 30 years when minorities and lower income families apply for loans for housing. The pressure was so great --- that it happened. People who could not afford to buy a home were empowered and credited with the ability to buy a home way beyond their means. Until the mortgage rate adjusted or the funding ran out. The real estate market fell flat and the housing values are sinking while banks and mortgage companies own homes that are empty, torn up and valued at less than the amount that is owed on them. People are suffering and feeling the shame and loss of foreclosure because they were sold a lie.
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See for yourself who is telling the truth. Who is being realistic in their concerns? Whose statements proved to hold true?

Our Pastor, Robert Morris, said this morning that the reason we are in a financial crisis is because our nation is in a spiritual crisis. Think of it, when Congress held church in the chambers before they opened each session, when God was at the center of our culture and our heritage - our nation prospered, won wars and experienced the greatest freedom this world has ever known. When He is asked to leave and forsaken... when He is denied and the people are caught up in their own reality... We fall apart. Why is that happening? We need the Lord - Pray for our nation.

Two Things...

First...

William "Bill" Ayers, radical-Self-Proclaimed Terrorist who said he was not sorry for his terrorist acts against this nation, who also introduced Barack Obama to the Chicago Political scene and served on civic boards with him in Obama's early career days.... is also a Self-Proclaimed Marxist. These are not opinions. These are things widely and publicly known to be true. Audio tapes and published accounts of these activities are well documented.

Who was Karl Marx - the father of Communism. I found this information from http://www.wikepedia.org/:

" Manifesto of the Communist Party (German: Manifest der Kommunistischen Partei), often referred to as The Communist Manifesto, was first published on February 21, 1848, and is one of the world's most influential political manuscripts. Commissioned by the Communist League and written by communist theorists Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, it laid out the League's purposes and program. The Manifesto suggested a course of action for a proletarian (working class) revolution to overthrow the bourgeois social order and to eventually bring about a classless and stateless society, and the abolition of private property."

Karl Marx is quoted as saying "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need."

In other words, from those who have we will collect and from those who have not we will distribute. Sound familiar? The basis of the Obama Tax Plan, the basis of European and Western Culture Socialism and the foundation of the Communist Movement in Russia found throughout the Communist Manifesto written by Karl Marx.

When you research communism and Karl Marx at Wikepedia you will find that one of the forms of Marxist Theology (Theology and Religion was one of the things that Karl Marx significantly opposed) you will find "Black Liberation Theology." Do a google search on Black Liberation Theology and see whose names pop up... There are some serious issues that are not being addressed in this election. We need to be reading about William Ayers, Karl Marx, Barack Obama, Reverend Wright and the many others who are supporting this type of "Change" which will completely destroy the principles and the foundations this great country flourished under and was founded on. Principles that fostered favor and prosperity for more than 200 years and is now being trampled on as outdated and illegal. For a relevant bit on Black Liberation Theology click this link: Fox News Jeremiah Wright Interview these are not my words...

Please consider the weight of the words of the Communist Manifesto, the weight of Black Liberation Theology being linked to Marxist thinking and the promises that Senator Obama is making. Is the truth behind this man's politics that he is authentically a Christian who follows or serves Christ and seeks Him in every way? If it is and he has a teachable spirit and a humble heart, I could support him for president... But, if it is true - I have not seen its fruit. Not in his eloquently spoken words or his expensive advertisements. I have not seen anything but a man building a monument unto himself. A man building and shaping "New Speak" that leads us to believe the truth is a lie and a lie is the truth. What is Democracy? What does it mean to be a Democrat? Not by modern political definitions, but by the definition that existed before New Speak began to roll onto the scene. What is a Republic? What does it mean to be a Republican? Not by modern political definitions, but by the definition that existed before New Speak began to roll on the scene. What kind of Governmental System do we have? Why did the founding fathers choose this form of government? And how would they view taxes? Considering their Constitution had to be amended in order for federal taxes to be rendered unto the people.

George Orwell was dead on... 1984 may have been some 24 years too early, but we are living in a culture of New Speak, of New Morals, and it is a place where the government "AKA BIG BROTHER" is watching, monitoring and controlling and they are disguising it in speeches about FREEDOM - what ever happened to a government of the people, for the people and by the people... A government that is ruled by a Constitution of law and not the suits who twist it to fit their own agendas, purposes and goals. A government with built in checks and balances run amuck is what we have... and it is lying to us. When will we actually demand that they all stop... when?

The second thing is... my review of the movie "W." Oliver Stone's supposed objective movie about our sitting President. Of all the things I could say... this is all I am willing to offer.

By way of review I have two words:

DISAPPOINTING

DISRESPECTFUL

My Recommendation: Don't see it - Josh Brolin's portrayal of the President is an SNL type satire pose and is purely defaming. Dare I say it again, Disrespectful.

Right wrong or indifferent - for the sheer courage it takes for President Bush to rise everyday and face the world that we currently live in. For him to openly acknowledge, pray to and embrace God as his personal source of hope, power and inspiration much less Salvation as a man who holds the highest office in this nation is no small thing. I would rather have a President who prays and makes decisions based on his relationship with God over a President who makes his decisions based on the public polls, the way the wind is blowing... Who will talk the talk to us in our own language without honoring the values and the truth that resonates when he speaks those words.

In Prayer, I must come to terms with what God tells me to do in this election. Each of us must vote and make our decision. It is not our right or privilege - it is our responsibility.

Righteousness, dignity and grace must be restored to this nation and it must begin with us. We must live it and demand it for it to become a prevailing mark of this society once again. Please pray for President Bush and his family, please pray for Senator Mc Cain and his family as well as Governor Palin and her family. Please also... Humbly pray and intercede for Senator Obama and his family and Senator Biden and his family. Pray for your representatives in congress and at the state government levels and pray for these coming elections. Pray also for righteousness, humility and justice to be restored to our government offices at every level. For these offices to be held by God honoring, God fearing and God serving men and women who will put God first and align their priorities according to His will and seek His Wisdom as Solomon did. Restoration, Redemption and Truth. May they always prevail and may God have mercy on our country, our families and our lives.

"Holiness, Holiness is what we long for, Holiness is what we need. It's what we need from YOU."

Closing Thought: Now, let me ask you where Communism got the citizens of Russia and its Soviet Union before the Wall and Iron Curtain came down. Remember when they burned their money for heat and were trading cranberry coupons because their economy went DEFUNCT. Where has it gotten the citizens of China, North Korea, North Vietnam, Cuba and ... Well - you name the other communist countries and examine who has the power, who benefits and who pays. China... The People's Republic of China whose government shoot it's citizens in the street.

Do we really want to live that way? Think it over and VOTE. Pray over the Chapters of the book of Joel. Pray that those "mulitudes who come to the valley of decision" will come and make a righteous decision and that God's Will would be accomplished and His name exalted above all else.

"The vats are overflowing for their wickedness is great..." The Lord come down, have mercy on Your land and pity for Your people. Hear our cry, come heal our land. We need You Lord. We need You Lord. I thank You that You hear our prayer, that You have already provided the answer and we HAVE CONFIDENCE that nothing in our lives depends on the things of this world but on the God who created this world and rules on the throne of the Ancient of Days. Your ways are just, Your actions are Sovereign and Your will is always right. May Your Name Be Praised as we see Your Spirit pour forth on the generations and Revival come to this nation, its people and especially Your church. LORD... Come down and meet with us in our hour of need. We repent of our denial and apathy and our unwillingness to take a stand and make a name for You. We repent and we confess You are the Lord and our only Hope.

Blessings and honor, Glory and Power are Yours Oh Lord, Forever and Ever Amen. Thank you for hearing our cry tonight.

Planting seeds for change...

I'm asking for change...

Whatever you think of what's happening in Washington - your voice needs to be heard. I am proposing a letter writing/phone call campaign that tells Washington to stop the machine now! More than one letter, but a whole host of letters sent regularly, often and written from the hearts of those of us who sit in our homes every single night praying for change, hoping for our nation's recognition of God as the ultimate solution to our national crisis... and so on.

I'm asking you to write from your heart weekly, monthly or at the least regularly... I'm sending the same one each time to your congressman/woman and senators as well as the President and any other Government you feel inclined to write to... Let them know you appreciate their service, ask for what you desire to see happen and then commit to pray for them regularly and often while they serve.

If we are going to see change, we are going to have ask for it - be specific and refuse to stop asking until the change comes. Ask God first, let Him show you what to write about and do as He tells you. I know not everyone feels so called or will be called. No one in Washington is serving our interests - no one is doing what is right. They've compromised at our expense. If we want America back - we're going to have to take a stand.

Nancy Pelosi said the "TEA Parties" yesterday were not grassroots, that they were "ASTROTURF." Send your seeds for change to Washington.

300,000 people expressed outrage to the tax and spend quality of washington that has existed for at least the last two decades yesterday and it has been dismissed. It must be expressed openly, respectfully and regularly for it to become an issue that they will pay attention to - that they will hear!

A Kingdom Agenda

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There is a disturbing document making its way around the internet. Fox News has covered it. Bloggers are writing about it. Conservative Radio is talking about it... And, I'm posting a link to it HERE.

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Please read this important document. It may have more to say about you than you would like to admit. While others may be totally willing to jump out there and boldly proclaim truth in spite of it. At the very least, we need to know what our government is publishing about its own citizens.

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So... I guess the question now becomes:

What does that have to do with a Kingdom Agenda?

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May I just say, I am so glad you asked.

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I want to examine some things I learned in a class taught by my friend and Pastor last night at Gateway Church. You can hear a version of that message HERE. (Select "Kingdom of God" audio link.)

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The subtitle is: "The Gospel Jesus Taught." I love that subtitle.

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Jesus came to bring the revelation of God's Kingdom to earth. If we are seeking and teaching anything in our lives with Him other than a revelation of the Kingdom are we missing a vital aspect of His message?

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23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Great multitudes followed Him--from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

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Matthew 4:23-25 (NKJV)

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In the class, we looked at what Jesus did immediately following his water baptism and spirit baptism (the Holy Spirit descending upon Him and remaining). (Matthew 3-4, John 1)

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Jesus submitted to the "Baptism of Repentence" that John preached, He received the blessing of His Father as He came out of the water when the Holy Spirit came to rest upon Him as a dove. And, His Father in heaven identify Him as "...My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

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Then Jesus was taken to the desert where He was tempted in every way which was common to man. He had a showdown with the devil and overcame him. When Jesus returned, He began his public ministry which involved teaching in the synagogues or establishing Himself as the Jewish Messiah, preaching the gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 4:12-17, Mark 1:15, Luke 4:43, John 3:3) bringing a revelation of the Kingdom of God to earth, and bringing healing and restoration to the people who heard His message.

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12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned." 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

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Matthew 4:12-17 (NKJV)

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When we hear the word "repent," what do we normally think of? "Stop doing bad and start doing good?" Is that the context of what Jesus was saying here?

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Why would he tell them to repent?

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The Jews of Jesus' time were looking not just for any Messiah, but a very particular Messiah. They were looking for a Messiah who would bring:

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1. Power - Overthrow the oppressive regime they lived under and give them power to govern and take care of themselves.

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2. Wealth - Material wealth. Everything that comes with the spoils of victory. They were looking to prosper and grow in material wealth.

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3. Fame - Renown. To be made known and to be recognized as a force of God.

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Jesus understood that the Jews were looking for this Warrior King. He also understood that their entire lives were wrapped up in the Law and the works of "righteousness." These people were not morally perverse people. If they sinned, they were sacrificing an animal. If they didn't sin they were sacrificing an animal. Their entire lives were tied to and wrapped up in observance and obedience to the Law. So what did they have to repent of?

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For these religious Jews to receive a revelation of the Kingdom of God and His Savior, they were going to have to receive a radical adjustment in their thinking.

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Is it possible that the message of the gospel that I share is not the same as the gospel Jesus shared?

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REPENT... In the Greek, the word "metanoeo" is translated "to think differently, afterwards..." KJV - Repent. The word Repent is actually made up of two Greek words, "meta" which means change and "noeo" which means "to exercise the mind (observe), i.e. (figuratively) to comprehend, heed:" (Ref. 3340 and 3539, 3536. Biblesoft's Exhaustive naryStrong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

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Biblically, the term repent carries stronger exhortation than simply "Make a different decision." It carries this idea, "Repent: Consider, perceive, think, understand, change your mind, for the Kingdom of God is at hand."

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The first time I heard this teaching, the pastor instructed us to extend our arms and hands in front of us. She had us carefully observe how far away our hand was from us. Then she said, "How far away is the Kingdom of God?"

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"It is at hand."

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How far away is your hand?

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It's right here. The Kingdom of God is right here. It is not some far off, distant type of Fairy Tale place. It is right here. It is represented in The Lord's Prayer:

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Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

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Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV)

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Jesus taught the Kingdom: Truth, Life, Restoration, Deliverance (Healing). Was Jesus saying, "Straighten up and Do right because the Kingdom of God is at Hand?"

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Jesus Preached the Kingdom of God. All of His parables are a revelation of the Kingdom of God. So, is entry into the Kingdom about a transition from this existence into an eternal one? OR, is entry into the Kingdom about a change in my perception?

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Is my perception of the Kingdom based on my knowledge of good and evil? OR, is my perception of the Kingdom based on the works of the Kingdom that Jesus did while He was on earth? Am I only concerned with getting people saved, cleaned up and in church? Correcting their behavior and making better decisions? Am I inteterested in seeing people learning the Biblical Truth of God, repenting and being born again into the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ, and seeing their lives restored and healed from the wounds, traumas and spiritual attacks in their lives?

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Which lines up with the gospel Jesus preached?

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Matthew 13:44 is the parable of the Treasure in the Field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." (NKJV)

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What is the revelation of the Kingdom in this verse? Who is the man? Who is the field? What is the treasure hidden within it? What did the man give to gain the field and its treasure?

I'll leave my response in the comments. I hope you will as well.

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My final question is this: Are we living by a Kingdom Agenda? When I define myself as a conservative, Republican, Evangelical, Pro-Life, Pro-Marraige... American - am I representing a Kingdom Agenda or a "good, moral" political perspective?

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When we get down to it... Did God giving us free will make Him pro-choice? Did He ever intend for us to forcefully advocate our beliefs and values on others (by Law)? Could he have intended to make a people for His Name who would lead them to Him because the lives we live are set apart and not of this world?

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Is our verbose rhetoric in the name of God Gospel/Kingdom focused or "good vs. evil" and action (righteous works) focused? Is my concern more for following the rules, or is my concern for the condition of the people I encounter everyday in this life and helping them discover the truth that sets them free?

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These are just questions. Questions I have had to ask myself. Am I willing to take a moral stand without ever taking a Kingdom one? These are good questions.

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I desire to live by a Kingdom Agenda...

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Most of the material contained in this post is taken from the notes I took during "The Kingdom of God"~ Freedom Ministry Class. Gateway Church. 4/13/09.

Dying Grace

I have been considering the account in Acts 7 of the testimony and stoning of Stephen.
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Stephen was taken before the Sanhedrin and questioned about his faith and beliefs. His response was to recount fully the entire History of the Hebrew People and the revealed Glory of God. Their response to his testimony was outrage, anger and a stoning.
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I believe we are dangerously close to living in this type of hostility toward the truth of God's Word, and His image being displayed in the faithful of His calling.
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Consider the following information regarding Harold Koh, a candidate nominated by our President to the #2 position in the Justice Department.
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JUDGES should interpret the Constitution according to other nations’ legal “norms.” Sharia law could apply to disputes in US courts. The United States constitutes an “axis of disobedience” along with North Korea and Saddam-era Iraq.
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Those are the views of the man on track to become one of the US government’s top lawyers: Harold Koh.
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President Obama has nominated Koh — until last week the dean of Yale Law School — to be the State Department’s legal adviser. In that job, Koh would forge a wide range of international agreements on issues from trade to arms control, and help represent our country in such places as the United Nations and the International Court of Justice.
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It’s a job where you want a strong defender of America’s sovereignty. But that’s not Koh. He’s a fan of “transnational legal process,” arguing that the distinctions between US and international law should vanish. (Quoted from the ALL AMERICAN BLOGGER)
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My father sent me an email regarding this very subject late last week. If I got myself consumed with this information I would be very, very afraid. Panicked Even. I'm grieved at best for the state of our nation and the plight that our children and grandchildren will have endure based on the selfish and arrogant positions our government has imposed upon its people.

Here is what I wrote in response to my father's cautionary email:

I know you don't like to predict seasons and times, but we are admonished by Scripture to discern the times and seasons in which we live. And, I don't know about you but the books of Revelation and Daniel seem to be coming more and more alive. One World Government, a Messiah Complex Leader, HMMMM...

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I guess my only consolation at this point is that God promises that there will be a REVIVAL in the last days, and I for one want to live every moment here faithful to God regardless of the circumstances. If Sharia is the law... Then I will die for my faith. That's is all I know at this point. I have to trust God. He allowed this to happen to bring about His ultimate will and purpose for this nation. Hopefully congress will wake up before it is too late. As it stands now - we have a President who thinks he is Christ and a Congress and Senate with a Runaway Jury Mentality!

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Father God, and Our Lord Jesus, my prayer today is do not tarry a moment longer than necessary - we are the people of Your Name and we know You, Oh Lord have never forsaken the righteous or left your children begging for bread. We believe You have the power to change hearts, to reverse decisions and even to make the sun stand still in the sky if that is Your desire. We look for You in the Eastern Sky and commit ourselves to stand firm on the faith you've planted in us until you come to call all of Your Children Home. Thank you for always hearing and having an answer prepared for us when we come to Your throne of grace. You are good and Your mercy endures forever. May Your grace and love be with us in the days ahead. In Jesus most holy name I pray, Amen.

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I'm going to wear my knees out before I surrender my hide. Even in great struggle and physical captivity - God showed up for the likes of Daniel and Jeremiah, and Paul and John. He will do it for us as well. And when that time comes that I may be persecuted for my faith - I pray for the dying grace that God gave Stephen - a glimpse of glory as he was stoned to death. Hold fast to God, Daddy. As I know you are. He always takes care of His own. Now more than ever we must believe that to be true.

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Stephen implored the religious/social leaders of his time to listen to his plea on behalf of God and they stoned him. I believe we are headed to an escalation of these very days revisited upon the people beholden to the name and salvation of Jesus Christ. Stephen was granted a glimpse of God's glory as the stones were cast upon him and his life translated from an earthly faithfulness to a heavenly glory. How beautiful that moment in Scripture is to me. My question today is: Are Christians today, in this western culture of "Me" first, prepared to die for what they believe or will they succumb to the degradation and alienation of society to the point of denying God to spare their own lives?

I guess that makes me thankful for Peter's testimony... We will be sifted. We will be. May God be glorified - whatever may come. But for today, I pray - Thy will, not mine be done, Oh Lord. Please do not tarry long. Come, Lord Jesus, Come. Amen.

P. S. On Second Thought...

I have elected to only state the obvious. Our Democratic led Legislative Branch of the government is a RUNAWAY JURY at this point. They slipped off the far edge of reason and are now selling us to the highest bidder... Look out world, Here We Come. Now. All of that said... Perhaps the Liberal minded will not be able to vote on pressing issues since their arms will be in casts from working so hard to pat themselves on the back for WHAT?

It's all I have to say... Kangaroo Court. Anyone see Captain Kangaroo lately?

I Respectfully Disagree...

I'm really in a huge battle these days... I either watch the news and find myself shaking my head, or I don't and remain uninformed.

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WHY?

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Because before the election God asked me if I would respect the office of President of the United States whether I agreed with the man who held the office or not. I could do nothing but comply.

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I'm going to admit something here. I do respect the time, the courage and the extreme pressure that rests upon this President to get it right in a very troubling time. As I recall, it was the same pressure on the previous administration in the wake of 9/11 and it AGED the 43rd President in his eight years as I never thought possible. However, I cannot and will not voice agreement with morally and socially as well as legally and fiscally irresponsible choices and policies.

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Today I ask this question:

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* Is this a President standing for change I CAN BELIEVE IN?

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.No. He is not. He is not a President resetting the moral standard and compass in this nation by his own example. He is on a popularity tour. Laughing at the expense, to the tune of Billions and Trillions of dollars, of tax payers across this country. Tax dollars that you and I are forced to give this government by law. I respectfully disagree with his position on people he has nominated to his administration - who by their own admission failed to pay tens of thousands of dollars in taxes and were treated without consequence, even rewarded for such behavior. These are the very people assigned the responsibility of managing the recovery of our nation's economy.

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NO. He is not. He is not a President who is placing the safety and security of this nation above his politics and the liberal national agenda. HE is not. The change he is initiating regarding protection of our borders and the war on "man-caused disasters" (The New Homeland Security Secretary's take on what 9/11 is... She told the German version of Time Magazine this very thing. I heard the sound bite on Richard Land's radio program.)

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NO. He is not. His role in denying thousands of individuals their constitutional right not to violate their moral and religious beliefs by abstaining from being required to perform abortions devalues both our First Amendment rights and the sanctity of human life in one fell swoop. This President says we have a MORAL obligation to reform health care and provide the same socialized, dysfunctional medical care that people from other nations flock to our country to escape, but does not feel we have a MORAL obligation to prevent the senseless genicide known as abortion. This is not change I can believe in.

NO. He is not. Is anyone going to complain about the time he is not spending in the White House? They didn't do it about Mr. William Jefferson Clinton, but did so about Mr. George W. Bush... Is the same double standard going to apply for our media junket President?

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I'm afraid that while I honor the fact that he has taken on by choice the most stressful as well as powerful position in this country at such a young age. I will not and cannot agree with the decisions he has made and the budget his administration is proposing that will ultimately bankrupt this nation and leave our children destined to be enslaved to others nations. I am disappointed, Mr. President. You have not changed one thing you promised. You have changed many things, but the standard is not better - it is far worse today than it was six months ago.

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And, that is just about the Executive Branch. Tomorrow I will write more about the RUNAWAY CONGRESS/SENATE that is holding "Kangaroo Court" in our nation's capital. Liberal America, you may be getting some of what you want but truthfully what you want will destroy this nation at the core of its being. We've been trending this way for years and the recent elections have put us on the downslide of a very slippery slope. Please pray for our nation, our President, our Congress and Senate and every person in this nation. PLEASE PRAY.

**Comments for this post will remain closed.**

Something to Think About

I was sent the following (first) youtube video and felt it was interesting information. From your standard, U. S. Citizen - there is not "I'm John McCain an d I approve this message. This is not a celebrity or a talking head of the media - just a military soldier who did his duty in Iraq and has this to say:

Again this appears to be a non-McCain sponsored ad about Obama's Economic policies.

Anyone seeking the office of the President should consider the gravitiy of the sentiment of this song. (DISCLAIMER: This song originally targeted our sitting President, and I do not agree with the sentiment toward him, but the young man who sings this song said he is learning and the words grabbed him so he decided to sing it. He said that he doesn't agree with everything and recognizes it is pretty specific toward President Bush, but he also said that he sees it as more of a look at all politicians present and past and the mistakes they have made.) Fair Statement? You decide... In a fickle society a popular President can fade quickly and sideshows become mainstream news.

I went about looking for some pro-Obama from the average American citizen on Youtube and did not find it. I did however find some talking head material that I thought was interesting.

Now, I am not trying to persuade you to vote for either candidate... I'm trying to say that there are a lot of talking heads out there - including the two candidates and it is very hard to make sense out of it. We may not like either candidate - my eldest daughter will vote for the first time in this election and I suggested we might just elect to vote "No Confidence."

I was really strong set in this position until my dad reminded me that though they would have to count my vote - it would really be lending credibility to the candidate that I would least like to see gain the office. For that reason, I have made a decision on how to vote. Not so much because he is my first choice, but because of the two he is the best choice.

As I did this research, I found two things very interesting - 1. That there are people, your average everyday "middle-class" American people making videos supporting John McCain based on their own knowledge of this nation's state of affairs... 2. I could not find one that favored Barack Obama of the same type or origin. That spoke to me in big, bold capital letters.

Whether or not you like the candidates that are running for office - you must vote - one person's vote can make the difference.

God recently reminded me that He is the one who sets up kings and deposes them... Good kings, bad kings, indifferent kings and ungodly kings... He sets them up and deposes them (Daniel 2:21). But, as I typed this post He also reminded me that He turned the nation of Israel and many others over to the wickedness of their hearts when they consistently - as a nation - turned their hearts hard toward Him. He sent them into captivity and even remained silent for more than four centuries. Are we so blinded by pocketbook economics and the entitlements of government that we are missing what God would have His people do in this election, in this nation in this exact time and season of the world's history? (Acts 17:26) We all have a role to play - Vote. Vote your conscience, vote your moral perspective, but most of all vote.

And to quote Kevin Costner's character "Bud" in "Swing Vote:" Remember - "We need a president who is better than his speeches."

Because I am not advocating a political view and do not wish to engage political debate - I am going to close the comments for this post. Thanks for understanding. Feel free to email me if you have comments or questions.

Follow Up

NOTE: Comments are closed for this post. I would like to read your responses I would just prefer to receive them by email. Please feel free to send me your comments. I will not be responding, but appreciate your perspectives.

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My "Smear Campaigns" post got a disagreement on Palin's priorities. Which is okay - in this way we may have to agree to disagree. Not that I don't appreciate other opinions in this regard - I just have come a long way from my former position of women have no business in leadership.

But if we are going to disagree I will make clear where I stand on the issue of women's service in or outside of the home:

I want to say that in a country where women are entering the workforce more and more just to make ends meet and to assist their husbands in providing a home and a good life (basic necessities) for their children I believe that we should honor those who pursue this line of work and service as much as those who remain in the home with full time responsibilities as wife and mother.

My question is: Does it mean that she can't do both well? Proverbs 31 highlights the wife of noble character - and she was not just "a stay at home mom" fulfilling her ministry and mission field calling at and in the home. She was in the marketplace selling fine linen and in the field as she brought in the harvest beside her husband. Her children were taught to work right beside her and she brought honor to her God, her household and her husband.

If Sarah Palin can run for the office of Vice President and fulfill that responsibility with the blessing and support of her husband what is wrong with that? How is that forsaking the call of God in her life as a wife and mother? Is it really our business to judge whether or not she was born for such a time as this? Women of influence and power were prominent in the Bible - Abigail who defied her husband to honor the king. Esther who defied a nation's protocol to save her people - could Sarah Palin be serving a higher purpose that none of us could see? Time will tell.

I am a stay at home mother, the child of a stay at home mother and I have also been a work in the workplace mother as a single and married mother. I was a teenage unwed mother and a divorcee by the time I was 21 with three little babies in tow. I did not make good choices and I did not do everything right or by the "Good Book..." but I would beg to find anyone perfect or anyone who has made all the right choices. I advocate both positions because I know the sacrifices involved in each. A working mom is equally noble in my book because she has to pull off the duties of both full time mom and out of the home employee.

Even Billy Graham's daughter recounts the blessing and the draw-back of the "higher calling." Ruth Bell Graham was known to travel with her husband and left her children with "Navigators" and to the care of their grandparents to accompany her husband to the mission field. This may not have been a full time deal, but it was reported in the memoirs of Ruth Graham of her parents. Did anyone question their higher call which took them far away from their home and the children they were raising because their ministry was the "Lord's work" and not government's? Does anyone laud them as neglectful parents because Franklin Graham lived in rebellion when he was younger or that Ruth Graham (daughter) ended up in three failed marriages? No... We praise and honor the sacrifices that were necessary for the work of the Lord to be accomplished in the life of this family.

Would anyone dare say Beth Moore is irresponsible in fulfilling her call as wife and mother for leaving every weekend to go and minister to women at conferences even while her children were still young? Her daughters told us just a few weeks ago that the sacrifices made for the sake of their mother's ministry were worth it.

Why is Sarah Palin different?

Does anyone question the call of women with small children to the mission field of India where their children are at risk of being murdered or beaten by those hostile to Christians? No we honor them for their sacrifice. Are they missing their higher calling? I personally know of a family who went to serve in India with their children and their young son was beaten severely and hospitalized while they served - does this mean his mother failed to do her duty to serve at home and take care of her children?

At what point is it a "higher calling" or just an excuse to sit back and allow these "political" things to be someone else's responsibility? Each of us must find these answers in our own lives. There are absolutes... the Ten Commandments outlines absolutes well - but in the areas of whether to work within the home or outside of it as a "higher calling" is something I find that God compels us to do in honor and deference to our husbands and His (God's) purposes. Does that mean a woman cannot lead well? Or that she should not be inclined to do so? Does a "stay at home mom" corner the market on the Titus 2 calling? What is really being advocated by imposing that view on others?

When do we start laying down stereotypes and judgments --- why is it so okay for Hilary or Oprah, but not okay for Sarah Palin? My point in my last post is that the media and our society will paint any picture they choose to smear a person's reputation and character to get what they desire most. In this case, to defeat McCain and promote Obama. Including "Hero Worshipping" a philandering and adulterous President who was courting interns and lying about it while we were paying him big bucks to do it!

I am equally saddened by what the HOLLYWOOD HYPE does to our young people like the Spears girls, Lindsay Lohan and Heath Ledger and others like them who are thrown under the bus and killing themselves in the name of entertainment and news. But that is another post for another day.

I am not thoroughly convinced my view is right for everyone - but it is where I have come. At what point is our opinion about "Christian Service" in our homes more noble than serving others in the public arena in whatever area we have been gifted and naturally bent to serve?

My social rant and political postings are now complete. May God bless America and May His will be done in this nation's election this November.

A couple of other perspectives I found beneficial:

A Woman's Highest Calling

Baby Wearin' Mama

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This is not a post advocating you vote for McCain over Obama. I have my opinion which I don't mind making publicly known. This blog is not a 501(3)c and in no way affiliated with any charitable organization or church. I advocate you go out and vote your conscience. If Obama is a better option because Palin is a woman and mother of five or because you disagree with McCain's politics and position, then I pray that the right person to lead this nation back to God and godliness is elected this fall and little more.

**COMMENTS CLOSED**

Smear Campaigns

I have not pictures. No cute quote boxes. Nothing but a heart saddened by what I see in the news everyday.

Politically incorrect gossip bloggers are doing their best to tear down a 17 year old girl who exercised bad judgment and is now living with the responsibility of such choices... All in the name of Democrats and Republicans. It just makes me sad.

I'm political - I don't talk about it here and I know there will be those who differ with me ya'll, but I'm conservative to my core. I must admit that I have not been excited about this year's presidential race, Sarah Palin gave me reason to hope again. I have been following the political scene since Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain clinched their respective party nominations and my poor husband has been subjected to all manner of political news programs... But, we both like Sarah Palin.

Then the news broke yesterday about her family and I wanted to cry. Where has this country gone wrong?

A 17 year old girl made a morally irresponsible decision and all of a sudden her mother is neglecting her family. YA'LL. An American President had a MORAL. INDISCRETION. in the OVAL. OFFICE. And it was none of our business?

Our society is gossip rag driven and though Sarah Palin and her family are all together human - I think she is the kind of politician that this country needs. The kind who makes the career insiders shake in their boots.

Okay and can I say just one more thing? (Go ahead, Michelle, it's your blog.) Okay, I think I will. - For those of you thinking I am crazy. Well flat out. I. JUST. MIGHT. BE.

All the politicians in this country have had it wrong for a long time. They talk about Democracy - our nation is NOT a democracy - my right eye it is a democracy. We are a republic. We are not ruled by majority. Even the popular vote does not really land us an elected official anywhere but on the local level - We have an electorate who casts votes, too (And that is who really counts opinion wise). We are ruled by Law that has in place a system of checks and balances - not popular citizen opinion - though I would guess you would have a hard time convincing some "legislate from the bench" federal and supreme court judges of that little truth. So... Okay, my point.

Anybody here remember George Orwell's happening little novel 1984? Yeah, well me, too. Something about "New Speak" redefining terms to convince people that something was so when it was not. We are living in it and Big Brother is more than a television show. He's watching honey-chile... He's watching, oh yes he is. RFI chips, identity theft, wire tapping... In case you were wondering - Big Brother is the enemy's idea... Oh Yes, I believe it is.

Oh and there is this little issue of the arabic countries who are buying our national debt and banks... Lock, Stock and Barrel. They won't have to take us by force, they will just repossess what they have already paid for. And, they are saying we are increasingly becoming a bad credit risk.

I love ya'll and this country, and I'm praying like everything that God does not turn us over to what I see on television everyday cause it is just plain scary - SCARY. I fear God and I know He sets up kings and deposes them. He will let us go into captivity to accomplish His purposes if we become a nation that has forsaken Him and does not heed His call to turn back. We must pray, we must pay attention and we must stop killing off the next generation of our country while we forsake God as a nation in the name of freedom. Oh, and WE. MUST. VOTE.

Now Read:

2 Chronicles 6:26-42 NIV is Solomon's prayer to dedicate the temple to God: " 26 "When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 27 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance. 28 "When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 29 and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel—each one aware of his afflictions and pains, and spreading out his hands toward this temple- 30 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive, and deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of men), 31 so that they will fear you and walk in your ways all the time they live in the land you gave our fathers. 32 "As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, 33 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name. 34 "When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to you toward this city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, 35 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. 36 "When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; 37 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly'; 38 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; 39 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you. 40 "Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 41 "Now arise, O LORD God, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. May your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, may your saints rejoice in your goodness. 42 O LORD God, do not reject your anointed one. Remember the great love promised to David your servant."

2 Chronicles 7: 21-16 NIV is ringing in my head as God replied: "12 the LORD appeared to him at night and said: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. 13 "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there."

POLITICAL. RANT. OVER.