Most Christians have really read little of their own Bible, so expecting them to be familiar with so-called holy books of other faiths is somewhat of a stretch. N.J. Dawood gave us an English translation of the Koran so that we might have a better understanding of the religion that drives some to violence. Admittedly the following quotes do not present a complete picture of Islam… nothing a few paragraphs in length could do that. It should, however show that there are areas of concern and prompt further study.
“Slay them wherever you find them…Idolatry is worse than carnage…Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God’s religion reigns supreme.” (Surah 2:190-)
“Believers, do not make friends with any but your own people…They desire nothing but your ruin….You believe in the entire Book…When they meet you they say: ‘We, too, are believers.’ But when alone, they bite their finger-tips with rage.” (Surah 3:118, 119)
[Revisionist historians would have us believe that our founders were irreligious or, at best deists, who did not believe in a personal God involved in every area of our lives. Instead taking the word of ivory tower academics, let's look at the words of one our most courageous founders.]
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
By His EXCELLENCY
John Hancock, Esq.
GOVERNOR of the COMMONWEALTH
of Massachusetts.
A PROCLAMATION,
For a Day of Public Thanksgiving.
In consideration of the many undeserved Blessings conferred upon us by GOD, the Father of all Mercies; it becomes us no only in our private and usual devotion, to express our obligations to Him, as well as our dependence upon Him; but also specially to set a part a Day to be employed for this great and important Purpose:
I HAVE therefore thought fit to appoint, and by the advice and consent of the Council, do hereby accordingly appoint, THURSDAY, the seventeenth of November next, to be observed as a Day of Public THANKSGIVING and PRAISE, throughout this Commonwealth:—Hereby calling upon Ministers and People of every denomination, to assemble on the said Day—and in the name of the Great Mediator, devoutly and sincerely offer to Almighty God, the gratitude of our Hearts, for all his goodness towards us; more especially in that HE has been pleased to continue to us so a great a measure of Health—to cause the Earth plentifully to yield her increase, so that we are supplied with the Necessaries, and the Comforts of Life—to prosper our Merchandise and Fishery—And above all, not only to continue to us the enjoyment of our civil Rights and Liberties; but the great and most important Blessing, the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
In the past few years the number of concealed hand gun permits have exploded all across the nation, except in states that believe the protection they provide is all the protection their citizens deserve. Of course it sounds like a cliché, but it is true that, if you are in imminent danger, a gun in the hand is better than a policeman on the phone.
We Christians trust God for our safety and many believe we should not have to depend on man’s weapons. There is no argument with this thinking. However, we live in a world with other people around us. We Christians should be even more aware that whatever we are doing or what is going on… it’s not just about us.
On October 16, 1991, George Hennard drove his pickup truck into a Luby’s cafeteria in Kileen, Texas and proceeded to kill 23 patrons and wound 20 others. Adding to the tragedy was the fact that at least one of the victims had a pistol locked in the glove compartment of his truck. Had he had it with him, lives could well have been saved. We are seeing more of this sort of thing as time goes by. Just this past week we saw a vicious attack on a west coast salon.
This weekend a special event is taking place all across the nation. The film Courageous opens in theaters with a message for men that is sadly needed for our time. Courageous is a movie that shows men working to live up to their roll in life and in their family. It shows four sheriffs deputies dealing with life on the streets to protect the public and their families… sometimes at a price to these same families. They find a solution.
Herman Cain’s victory in Florida has been declared an upset by the elite media who are troubled when events don’t align themselves with their notions and desires. Somehow this did not fit the establishment’s Perry vs Romney story line. Whether this really was an aberration and the little people were just saying “none of the above” is something time will tell. The problem is that the formerly mainstream media, and our sometimes reliable FoxNews, almost universally found some other reason for the Cain victory, in which he gathered more votes than both Perry and Romney combined, than the little people actually liked him and would like to see him deflate the Obama campaign.
We shall see if the former Godfather’s Pizza king can build on this showing or if he will be returned to his place as an also ran while the anointed candidates fight it out for the big money support and the primary voters. It will be interesting to watch. Assuredly, Karl Rove will be telling everyone who will listen that this unauthorized and unanticipated turn of events means nothing in the big picture, as will many other experts the talking heads call on for political analysis.
While it is sometimes entertaining to watch two opposing opinions trying to talk over each other on the news shows, when one of the modern day purveyors of propaganda want to make a point, they have one “expert” spinning the facts in the desired direction. The problem with this practice, is that those who follow their advice and almost invariable are led down a dead end rabbit hole.
Looking at the ways the cities of New York and Washington DC are planning to remember the tragic events of ten years ago, we see a picture of the society our secular progressives have been pushing for years. In New York, there is room for the politicians craving a photo op, but none for the heroes of that awful day, the families with empty chairs at the dinner table, or even the pastors, priests and rabbis that give spiritual comfort to a hurting city.
In Washington, at the National Cathedral even, there will be representatives of all sorts of fringe belief systems, but none from the largest groups of Christians in the land. It seems that religion is welcome in this venue only if it will be subservient to the secular wishes of the state. What can we expect from these gatherings? Nothing our founders would tolerate! Yet, like sheep, we follow blindly as we tolerate all the lies and misinformation that comes from the people in charge of our country.
Should we try to change these events? What would be the point? Islamic crazies have contended that they will make as much noise as possible during the moment of silence in New York. I have to wonder what the purpose of the moment of silence is at such a gathering. Certainly it is not to seek comfort from a Creator they fail to acknowledge.
There has been quite an uproar over the elite’s plans for the 911 commemoration in New York City. While the program is disturbing on various levels, it is useful for reaffirming the mindset of those in our country’s highest offices. How we respond determines if we remember those who died and those who tried to save them, or if we honor the government who is interested in remembering neither.
It is unfortunate that the place will be so filled with politicians, insiders and “dignitaries” that there is no room for the real heroes of 911, or the families of those who did not survive. These are the ones who deserve recognition because of what they did for their city and for their country. They are not the elites who are there because of their position in life – the winners of life’s lottery by virtue of their family name or fortune or by virtue of their academic pedigree.
These are the blue collar families that make this country run. They are the ones who keep us safe, not the ivory tower academics who deal only in theory but who fall flat on their faces when it comes to implementation. Read more of this article »
Even before the 1917 Russian Revolution, leading universities in the United States had begun a transition from the Christian roots of our nation into atheistic, secular materialism in their teaching of the so-called social sciences.
Nominally-Christian theological seminaries were in the vanguard of the movement toward socialism. Rochester Theological Seminary’s professor Walter Rauschenbusch, one of the best known socialist spokesmen of his era, was a founder of the Social Gospel movement late in the 19th century. Social Gospel was nothing more nor less than socialism masquerading as Christianity. Read more of this article »
This past Sunday, we had a special speaker at Grove Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond. Jack “Murph the Surf” Murphy, champion surfer and world class jewel thief told his amazing story. That such a man is speaking at a conservative evangelical church, let alone, is free and alive, is nothing short of a miracle. He was facing a parole date sometime in 2225. Yet, when the miraculous takes place, the facts don’t count.
He told the story of sitting in the back of prison chapel hearing chaplain telling him and his fellow prisoners that if the best you can do is get up in the morning and put on your prison shirt, you aren’t managing your life very well. That was they day his life began turning around. He might have seen himself among the lowest of the low in society and knew things were not right in his life.
Jack Murphy found God in the midst of thieves, murderers and rapists. He found Him while living in a six by nine foot cell. He became concerned about the prisoners around him – more concerned about them than himself. He walked out of that Florida prison after 21 years a different man than the reprobate character that the state put away. Read more of this article »
The Associated Press ran the distressing news that spending is down 0.2 percent. This is the first decrease since September 2009 – so the Commerce Department tells us. No, unfortunately, it is not the federal government they are talking about. It is the American consumer. Not only was there a general pull back on the outflow of dollars, but more specifically, larger purchases like cars and appliances slid as well.
To make matters worse, these selfish citizens are pulling more money out of the economy by increasing personal saving to almost five and a half percent of after tax income. They did this in spite of the abysmal interests rates forced upon us by the Fed trying to meet the government’s insatiable need to borrow.
This combination of less spending and more saving is an indication many are taking what steps they can to protect their families and themselves from the man made disaster called the US economy. They realize nothing is certain anymore. They know “good” jobs could be gone tomorrow… whether through diminished markets, outsourcing or aggressively hostile regulation. Read more of this article »
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the biggest reason America is in the mess that it’s in today is directly due to the apathy and indifference of the American pulpit. I am reminded of what Charles Finney, the famed 19th Century revivalist, said: “If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the public press lacks moral discernment, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the world loses its interest in Christianity, the pulpit is responsible for it. If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become so corrupt that they very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it.”
Our second President, John Adams, put it this way: “It is the duty of the clergy to accommodate their discourses to the times, to preach against such sins as are most prevalent, and recommend such virtues as are most wanted. For example, if exorbitant ambition and venality are predominate, ought they not to warn their hearers against those vices? If public spirit is much wanted, should they not inculcate this great virtue? If the rights and duties of Christian magistrates and subjects are disputed, should they not explain them, show their nature, ends, limitations, and restrictions, howmuchsoever it may move the gall of Massachusetts?”
Martin Luther, the great Protestant reformer, was even more direct. He said, “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved. And to be steady on all the battle fields besides is merely flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”
Cross City, FL – Today Liberty Counsel filed a Notice of Appeal on behalf of Dixie County, Florida, at the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals to defend the county’s Open Forum policy, which allows private displays of law and history, including the Ten Commandments. Liberty Counsel represents Dixie County in a federal lawsuit filed by the ACLU in 2007, after the county permitted a local resident to erect a Ten Commandments monument outside the county courthouse, where other private displays are also allowed.
The U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Florida (Gainesville Division) ruled against Dixie County, ordering the Ten Commandments monument be removed by August 14, claiming it violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The plaintiff represented by the ACLU does not live in the county, has never lived in the county, and has no intent to ever return to the county. Liberty Counsel will argue on appeal that the case should be dismissed because the plaintiff has no standing to sue. Moreover, Liberty Counsel will awww.LC.orgrgue that the case presents a Free Speech, not an Establishment Clause, issue. The Open Forum policy allows private citizens to erect private historical displays at their own expense. Read more of this article »
“For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” — 2 cor. 11:14
Dr. Mark Hyman is editor-in-chief of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine which is said to be “the most prestigious journal in the field of integrative medicine, and the medical editor of Alternative Medicine, the Art and Science of Healthy Living.”
“It is called alternative because the technique/ drug/ herb has not been or cannot be adequately tested, or has been found ineffective or dangerous. If it were a safe, tested treatment, it would not be in the alternative category. Many cited studies to support these methods are flawed, short-term, based on anecdotal evidence, conducted by believers in the techniques, & often are not published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. The terms complementary, blended, and integrated are now being used as well since alternative treatments are being combined with traditional medicine. This makes it more difficult to test the alternative methods or to know what is really working when the patient improves. It should be remembered that the placebo effect accounts for 30% or more for a person feeling better.”
Dr. Hyman claims he’s not into meditation but he does recommend yoga to create calm. Read more of this article »
Pastor Rick Warren continues to work at “fulfilling people’s needs.” His latest endeavor is “The Daniel Plan,” a 52-week health and fitness program. Pastor Rick has decided it’s high time to lose 90 pounds. But there’s more to his health plan than meets the eye.
“The church says all of its more than 5,000 small groups will go through “The Daniel Plan,” which is part of Saddleback’s “Decade of Destiny,” a 10-year plan launching this month “to help individuals succeed and be who God designed them to be in every aspect in life.”" (Online source)
On January 15, over 6,000 people flocked to Saddleback’s main campus while thousands more watched online at the other Saddleback campuses. Read more of this article »
Many people who love their country and yearn for a time when good was sought after and evil was to be avoided, swear by commentator Glenn Beck. Yet others who claim the same value system look on him as a shyster looking to make a buck (or a bunch of bucks) off the angst of the American people. Of course there are those who say the same thing about Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin.
Some point to the time a while back when he came on the Fox and Friends morning show promising to expose the FEMA camp stories. He said that he thought they were just rumors until he looked into them… then promised to show proof they existed on his evening television show. When 5 o’clock rolled around the story changed to a debunking session. This is viewed as proof that he sold out to whoever in government wanted to keep them secret. He has also lost credibility with some viewers over his treatment of “birthers”.
Yet, who among us has not made mistakes. Who among us has never failed. Even the prophet Isaiah, when confronted by the living God, recognized his own inadequacies and declared, “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” If even this spiritual giant had his flaws, are we right to expect perfection of any one? Read more of this article »
I couldn’t count how many times I’ve heard a sincere Christian say to me, “Chuck, all we have to do is elect more Christians to public office.” I wish it was only that easy! The fact is we have been electing “Christians” to public office for decades. In fact, when is the last time you voted for someone who did NOT proclaim to be a Christian? Most everyone in public office claims to be a Christian. In my whole life, I never remember a candidate for public office saying, “Vote for me; I’m an atheist.” Do you?
Richard Nixon claimed to be a Christian; Gerald Ford claimed to be a Christian; Jimmy Carter claimed to be a Christian (he even taught Sunday School and took alcohol out of the White House); Ronald Reagan claimed to be a Christian; Bill Clinton claimed to be a Christian (how many times did we see Clinton on his way to church with his giant-print Bible under his arm?); George Bush I and II claimed to be a Christian. Bush II held prayer meetings in the White House we are told. Even Barack Obama claims to be a Christian. Ditto for virtually every congressman and senator ever elected. Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, men and women, whites and blacks: they all claim to be Christians. If electing “Christians” was all we needed to do, we should be in the Millennial Kingdom by now!
Of course, I can hear many Christians now saying under their breath, “But we need REAL Christians in public office.” And, of course, the people saying this are the ones who are qualified to know which ones are REAL Christians and which ones aren’t. Right? Read more of this article »
[The picture may have been photoshopped, but it carries the message of some things that are taking place in both evangelical and mainline churches. This article only skims the surface and I would recommend that readers looking for more information Google and Bing the work Chrislam for more information.]
To many who have never taken the Bible too seriously, a Christian is a Christian is a Christian. They do not grasp the concept of false teachers that look good and smell good, but are wrong… dead wrong. There is a growing phenomenon in some churches go beyond interfaith community improvement activity to attempts to harmonize Christianity and Islam.
For want of a better term, this results of this effort is called Chrislam after the syncretism that began in Nigeria around 1980. There are those who see similarities between Christianity, Islam and even Judaism. There are similar moral teachings, all are monotheistic and have end time expectations.
Because of this some churches are have been sharing services with Korans in the pew racks next to the Bibles. Last September a Cordova Tennessee church opened its doors to the Memphis Islamic Center for Ramadan prayers. The Islamic Circle of North America is holding its regular Friday prayers at the Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Alexandria Va. A spokesperson says it’s part of being neighborly and developing relationships, even though they are taking heat for it. Read more of this article »
Washington, DC – Today national leaders signed a Freedom Federation letter that is being hand-delivered to all members of the U.S. Congress, urging them to balance the budget and lower the national debt. The letter asks for four things: that the national deficit be cut now by $500 billion, that spending caps be enacted, that there be no increase in taxes, and that a balanced budget amendment be passed. The letter states in part: “We believe that this is a moral, fiscal, and national security imperative” which needs immediate attention.
This letter is signed by national leaders of multiracial, multiethnic, and multigenerational faith-based and policy organizations representing over 40 million people, who are united by one or more core conservative values expressed in the Declaration of American Values.
Under the principle of supply and demand, the world’s available loans are being used at an unsustainable rate. As the supply of available finances dwindles, the cost of each loan increases. Without the necessary supply to accommodate the government’s incessant demand for capital, Congress will be forced to print money, which will cause hyperinflation. Our current trajectory indicates that we are headed toward a debt wall that could be reached in as little as two years. Read more of this article »
We all understand the power of working as a team. It is good to have others to share burdens with. Yet there are times when we are faced with choices where no one goes with us. We sometimes come to cross roads where we can go with the crowd down a path we know to be wrong, or we can break with the group think and follow the promptings of our conscience.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is standing at such a crossroads. He could follow the desires of most of the world and allow the enemies of his country to possess land that was given to his ancestors and promised to succeeding generations, or he could do the right thing. The left in this country and his own are saying all manner of evil about him. They are plotting his political demise… although the people of his homeland believe otherwise.
He understands the principle that doing the right thing is more important than being popular. Read more of this article »
Many years ago, after returning to college with a number of years experience in the real world, I had the privilege of sitting through a class named “Man In God’s World”. As it turned out, this class had more impact on my world view than any event before or since. Reviewing some of the things I learned may help the reader understand why being a Christian is not a Sunday morning thing… but it colors, or should color, our view and approach to everything around us, including our interactions with society.
Using Jesus as our model, we find a life that was filled with pointing everyone to the Father and teaching spiritual values and lessons. But he did not stop there. He healed the sick, restored sight to the blind and raised the dead. He rescued a woman about to be stoned by an angry mob. He taught us how to get along with our neighbors, how to handle our money and how to relate to our government. His life and actions showed concern for every area of life, not just the afterlife.
Some Christians believe that if they go to church on Sunday and get their ticket punched, what they do the rest of the week doesn’t make that much difference… as long as it’s nothing too bad. If they don’t kill anyone, or throw widows out of their homes… they will be alright. Is this the case? Are there rules for life? Do they apply to everyone, everywhere? Read more of this article »
This past weekend I went back to my old home town in Upper Bucks County, PA. On the way back from my old church – a good evangelical church – I passed St. Isidore’s Roman Catholic Church. My primary recollection of it from my younger days was weekend dances at their old location for area teenagers. This time, however, something other than their beautiful building caught my eye. Close to a hundred white crosses dotted the front lawn along with several signs explaining that each one represented thousands of innocent children who lost their chance at life to a greedy abortionist. Their wording was a little more euphemistic, but carried the same message.
This got me to thinking. Why is it evangelical churches who say they take the Bible seriously and literally are seldom heard from on this issue? Is it not part of being salt and light in this troubled world to stand up for these weakest ones who cannot speak for themselves? Is it not part of being salt and light to stand for good and against evil?
I understand that most churches that would classify themselves as evangelical would claim to be against abortion. But for all our numbers, we allow our Catholic brothers to carry on the fight virtually all alone. Sure our understanding of our relationship to our Creator is somewhat different, but our understanding on the issue of killing babies comes from the same scriptures to the same conclusion. Read more of this article »
Most of country was shocked and saddened by the death and destruction tornadoes brought to Alabama, Mississippi and even my home state of Virginia. I say most, because there are reports that the leftist blogosphere is abuzz with joy that those killed deserved it because they were Republicans. There may be reasons that go far deeper than that.
I am waiting for the usual reports that the violent weather patterns are the result of “global warming”… even the fault of the hated George Bush. Again, it may well go far deeper than that.
It may be that our Creator is trying to get our attention for all the abominations we have been permitting and even encouraging in our land. We, as a nation, seem to have been doing all we could to tell our Creator that we are just going our own way.
Why then, one would ask, would the poor southerners be bearing the brunt of God’s wrath? Would one not expect Washington or Los Angeles be a more appropriate target? To your thinking, and my thinking, that would seem to be a logical choice. However, we are told that His ways are above our ways. His logic is greater than our logic. Read more of this article »
The above video has been around for some time showing Barack Obama mocking the Bible and people who believe it. He has criticized small town folks for clinging to their guns and religion… when they should be listening to him and his wisdom. While this doesn’t make us feel confident and secure personally, there is a much deeper problem with this thinking.
On one hand, if it were even recognized by most people they would see Christians handling it with grace and humility. When was the last time you heard of Baptists blowing up buildings or Pentecostals decapitating people in blind rage. On the other hand, it does not bode well for our nation. Read more of this article »
During the first American Revolution, many of the unsung heroes were men of the cloth who would preach about salvation for mens souls and the relationship of the same men to each other and the world around them. They spoke of the revelation of God to the world beyond scriptures in the nature of creation itself, and along with it, the concept of natural law which recognized the worth of each individual… and the rights, natural rights, that came along with this unique position.
Ignored by many historians, blinded by the “separation of church and state” mantra, was the role Jonas Clark played in Lexington MA on April 19, 1775 when British troops marched into town looking for Samuel Adams and John Hancock. He had been working with the men of his congregation, preparing them for the time when it would be necessary for them to defend their homes and families. His followers were among the first on the scene to stand their ground against their masters from across the sea.
John Peter Muhlenberg, a Lutheran pastor in Woodstock VA, upon hearing of the fighting in the northern colonies, preached a sermon on Ecclesiastes 3, then removed his clerical robe to reveal the uniform of general in the Continental Army. He then went on distinguish himself in numerous battles to rid the new land of foreign oppression and control. Read more of this article »
The Internet is filled with good and bad. Personally, I believe the Internet (along with a precious few independent newspapers and radio talk shows) is analogous to colonial America’s “Committees of Correspondence”: it is the last resource of uncontrolled, unfiltered information left. I dare say if it wasn’t for the Internet (and the massive private ownership of firearms), it is doubtful that there would be anything left of the once great American republic. There isn’t much left as it is.
To help readers locate a variety of quality web sites, we posted a list of sites that I personally have found helpful. I invite readers to peruse these fine web sites: Click here.
Scrolling down the list, one will find James Wesley, Rawles’ web site: “Survival Blog.” This is one of the very best online resources for preparedness that I know of. Furthermore, I recommend that everyone read Rawles’ fantastic book, “Patriots: A Novel Of Survival In The Coming Collapse.” This book should be regarded as must reading for every American who cares about the future of his country and his family. Read more of this article »
I often receive inquiries from college and university students. Contrary to the thinking of most older adults, I find a sizable number of today’s youth much more constitutionally aware than are their parents. I’ve traveled all over America and spoken to thousands of high school and college age young people. My observation is this: the youth of America have not rejected the message of liberty and constitutional government; they haven’t HEARD the message of liberty and constitutional government. When they do hear it, as often as not, they embrace the message enthusiastically. If the Ron Paul Revolution of 2008 proved anything, it proved that!
Recently, a student from a prestigious university wrote me with a short list of questions for a thesis he is writing, which is entitled, “The Effect of the Evangelical Movement on the 2008 Presidential Election.” He reads my columns and was motivated to ask me to contribute to his report. I am using today’s column to answer his questions.
Question: “What, in your opinion, is the best way for the government and religious organizations to interact?”
Answer: The best way for government and religious institutions to interact is the same way that government and virtually all institutions should interact: by the government staying the heck out of their business! Read more of this article »
There have been multiple studies exploring the positive relationship between church attendance and civic involvement. The most recent I’ve come across one by The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE). To those who understand the balance between depending on the grace of God and working out their salvation with fear and trembling, it is not surprising to see proof even from secular researchers that frequent attendance at worship services is an indicator of greater involvement in community betterment activities – both civic and political. While it is can be argued about the cause and effect relationship, the fact remains that study after study shows that Christians tend to be better citizens… helping out in their communities, taking responsibility to help the disadvantaged and campaigning for the candidates of their choice.
Given that some activities follow the liberation theology radicalism of Jeremiah Wright, it can still be said that though some are misguided, the desire to make a better world and stand up for their fellow man is manifestation of the same James 1:27 that tells us “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” While we may not agree with their approach, this desire is closer to the ideal we are working toward than that of someone selfishly living only for themselves… and we can pray for their redirection and increased understanding. Read more of this article »
[The late Francis Schaeffer often cited Rutherford's work, Lex, Rex, translated "The Law and the Prince", as one of the earliest arguments for the right of the people to reject and replace an unjust government. Written in 1644 it came more than a century before American patriots threw off the chains of the British monarch. It goes beyond the simplistic, compliant interpretation of Romans 13 popular in many ineffective churches and takes a big picture view of the relationship between people and their government.]
For the lawfulness of resistance in the matter of the king’s unjust invasion of life and religion, we offer these arguments.
Arg. 1: That power which is obliged to command and rule justly and religiously for the good of the subjects, and is only set over the people on these conditions, and not absolutely, cannot tie the people to subjection without resistance, when the power is abused to the destruction of laws, religion, and the subjects. But all power of the law is thus obliged, (Rom. xiii. 4 ; Deut. xvii. 18-20 ; 2 Chron. xix. 6 ; Ps. cxxxii. 11, 12 ; lxxxix. 30, 31; 2 Sam. vii. 12 ; Jer. xvii. 24, 25,) and hath, and may be, abused by kings, to the destruction of laws, religion, and subjects. The proposition is clear. 1. For the powers that tie us to subjection only are of God. 2. Because to resist them, is to resist the ordinance of God. 3. Because they are not a terror to good works, but to evil. 4. Because they are God’s ministers for our good, but abused powers are not of God, but of men, or not ordinances of God ; they are a terror to good works, not to evil ; they are not God’s ministers for our good. Read more of this article »
There are over 300,000 evangelical Christian churches in America. That equates to tens of millions of professing Christians and hundreds of thousands of Christian ministers. Think of the church sanctuaries, educational facilities, schools, camps, radio broadcasts, television programs, colleges, seminaries, preschools, youth retreats, etc., that grace America. In some communities there is a church building on just about every corner. In spite of this massive exposure to the modern Church, however, the nation has been left virtually unaffected, uninfluenced, and unimpressed.
In fact, one could make the argument that while America’s churches have experienced unprecedented growth in membership and wealth during the last half-century, the country as a whole has simultaneously nose-dived into corruption, deception, socialism, and even an increasing federal despotism. How can this be? Where is the influence for God, for good, and for liberty from these hundreds of thousands of churches and multiplied millions of professing Christians–not to mention billions of dollars raised and spent by these religious institutions?
For all intents and purposes, the modern American Church is pathetically impotent! Not only has the American Church failed to influence the nation to any significant degree, it has proven itself to be ineffective in influencing its own membership! Read more of this article »
Job 25:2 (KJV): Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places (the heights of heaven).
Air superiority is a necessity in any battle here on earth because the upper atmosphere controls all that is underneath it.
This principle truth had relevance long before Bildad the Shuhite ‘s dialogue with Job. The “heights of heaven” is the location of the Lord’s success in spiritual warfare against Satan (Rev. 12: 7 – 8). The heavens are also a powerful witness to Bildad’s forefather Abraham (through Keturah). G-d used them as a celestial screen to showcase His covenant to Abraham; to be the father of many nations (Gen 17:4).
Genesis 22: 17: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; Read more of this article »
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Most Christians have really read little of their own Bible, so expecting them to be familiar with so-called holy books of other faiths is somewhat of a stretch. N.J. Dawood gave us an English translation of the Koran so that we might have a better understanding of the religion that drives some to violence. Admittedly the following quotes do not present a complete picture of Islam… nothing a few paragraphs in length could do that. It should, however show that there are areas of concern and prompt further study.
In the past few years the number of concealed hand gun permits have exploded all across the nation, except in states that believe the protection they provide is all the protection their citizens deserve. Of course it sounds like a cliché, but it is true that, if you are in imminent danger, a gun in the hand is better than a policeman on the phone.
Herman Cain’s victory in Florida has been declared an upset by the elite media who are troubled when events don’t align themselves with their notions and desires. Somehow this did not fit the establishment’s Perry vs Romney story line. Whether this really was an aberration and the little people were just saying “none of the above” is something time will tell. The problem is that the formerly mainstream media, and our sometimes reliable FoxNews, almost universally found some other reason for the Cain victory, in which he gathered more votes than both Perry and Romney combined, than the little people actually liked him and would like to see him deflate the Obama campaign.
Looking at the ways the cities of New York and Washington DC are planning to remember the tragic events of ten years ago, we see a picture of the society our secular progressives have been pushing for years. In New York, there is room for the politicians craving a photo op, but none for the heroes of that awful day, the families with empty chairs at the dinner table, or even the pastors, priests and rabbis that give spiritual comfort to a hurting city.
There has been quite an uproar over the elite’s plans for the 911 commemoration in New York City. While the program is disturbing on various levels, it is useful for reaffirming the mindset of those in our country’s highest offices. How we respond determines if we remember those who died and those who tried to save them, or if we honor the government who is interested in remembering neither.
by Thomas Brewton
This past Sunday, we had a special speaker at Grove Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond. Jack “
The Associated Press ran the distressing news that spending is down 0.2 percent. This is the first decrease since September 2009 – so the Commerce Department tells us. No, unfortunately, it is not the federal government they are talking about. It is the American consumer. Not only was there a general pull back on the outflow of dollars, but more specifically, larger purchases like cars and appliances slid as well.
[Conclusion of a two part series. This post originally appeared in the 
[This post originally appeared in the 
Many people who love their country and yearn for a time when good was sought after and evil was to be avoided, swear by commentator Glenn Beck. Yet others who claim the same value system look on him as a shyster looking to make a buck (or a bunch of bucks) off the angst of the American people. Of course there are those who say the same thing about Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin.
We all understand the power of working as a team. It is good to have others to share burdens with. Yet there are times when we are faced with choices where no one goes with us. We sometimes come to cross roads where we can go with the crowd down a path we know to be wrong, or we can break with the group think and follow the promptings of our conscience.
Many years ago, after returning to college with a number of years experience in the real world, I had the privilege of sitting through a class named “Man In God’s World”. As it turned out, this class had more impact on my world view than any event before or since. Reviewing some of the things I learned may help the reader understand why being a Christian is not a Sunday morning thing… but it colors, or should color, our view and approach to everything around us, including our interactions with society.
This past weekend I went back to my old home town in Upper Bucks County, PA. On the way back from my old church – a good evangelical church – I passed St. Isidore’s Roman Catholic Church. My primary recollection of it from my younger days was weekend dances at their old location for area teenagers. This time, however, something other than their beautiful building caught my eye. Close to a hundred white crosses dotted the front lawn along with several signs explaining that each one represented thousands of innocent children who lost their chance at life to a greedy abortionist. Their wording was a little more euphemistic, but carried the same message.
Most of country was shocked and saddened by the death and destruction tornadoes brought to Alabama, Mississippi and even my home state of Virginia. I say most, because there are reports that the leftist blogosphere is abuzz with joy that those killed deserved it because they were Republicans. There may be reasons that go far deeper than that.
During the first American Revolution, many of the unsung heroes were men of the cloth who would preach about salvation for mens souls and the relationship of the same men to each other and the world around them. They spoke of the revelation of God to the world beyond scriptures in the nature of creation itself, and along with it, the concept of natural law which recognized the worth of each individual… and the rights, natural rights, that came along with this unique position.
I often receive inquiries from college and university students. Contrary to the thinking of most older adults, I find a sizable number of today’s youth much more constitutionally aware than are their parents. I’ve traveled all over America and spoken to thousands of high school and college age young people. My observation is this: the youth of America have not rejected the message of liberty and constitutional government; they haven’t HEARD the message of liberty and constitutional government. When they do hear it, as often as not, they embrace the message enthusiastically. If the Ron Paul Revolution of 2008 proved anything, it proved that!
There have been multiple studies exploring the positive relationship between church attendance and civic involvement. The most recent I’ve come across one by 
by Samuel Rutherford (1644)
There are over 300,000 evangelical Christian churches in America. That equates to tens of millions of professing Christians and hundreds of thousands of Christian ministers. Think of the church sanctuaries, educational facilities, schools, camps, radio broadcasts, television programs, colleges, seminaries, preschools, youth retreats, etc., that grace America. In some communities there is a church building on just about every corner. In spite of this massive exposure to the modern Church, however, the nation has been left virtually unaffected, uninfluenced, and unimpressed.
Job 25:2 (KJV): Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high places (the heights of heaven).
