Glen Scrivener, an evangelist in Eastbourne, UK and blogger at KingsEnglish.info, masterfully works through 100 phrases we commonly use in the English language which came from the King James version of the Holy Bible. Read his blog for a new phrase each day to celebrate its 400th anniversary.
Category: The World
Our nation still suffers from racial tensions on a daily basis. A better understanding of the Bible tells us that we are all really just one race – the human race! This video, part of the excellent “Check This Out” series also explains why we see so many different skin colors.
Evangelist Ray Comfort takes people from being “pro-choice” to “pro-life” in a matter of seconds by drawing parallels between the Nazi Holocaust and the American abortion industry. This 33-minute film will truly open your eyes to this horror and what we can do to end it.
What happens when we medicate a “chemical imbalance” instead of asking Jesus to heal our sinful hearts? The Citizens Commission on Human Rights documents the mad, mad world of psychotropic drugs.
As if charges of infanticide were not enough to convict them, abortionists are now increasingly facing allegations of racism. A recent report by Life Dynamics, Inc. carries on this trend by seeking to bolster their claims in a 2009 film, Maafa 21, that Planned Parenthood and others are targeting minority neighborhoods. Once this news broke nationally, the Guttmacher Institute (a research spin-off of Planned Parenthood, still funded by them despite the “divorce” attempt) predictably tried to spin the data by pointing out it bolsters their claims made in January of this year. Finding myself initially skeptical that both of these advocacy groups were engaged in the kind of data distortion we find too frequently in the political arena, I set out to conduct my own analysis. In the interest of full transparency, readers can explore the data themselves using the interactive tool below.
The basic claim made in the Life Dynamics report is that abortion providers and advocates choose to locate their facilities in minority areas to limit their population growth. They highlight clinics located in areas with black or Hispanic populations at least 125% of the state’s overall demographics. Guttmacher takes exception to this definition and instead chooses to point out that fewer than 1 in 10 clinics are in “predominately” minority ZIP codes, or those with greater than 50% black or other minority demographic. Also at issue is what should constitute an “abortion clinic”: is it just those that perform more than 400 abortions annually, all abortion-providing clinics, or abortion providers plus any other clinic operated by Planned Parenthood? As this analysis will show, virtually any methodology one accepts will still result in the same conclusion: the demographics of neighborhoods blighted by abortion advocates are overwhelmingly “blacker” than the nation as a whole or the particular state in question. In all candor, however, I must point out that this correlation does not prove causation when studied alone. Other factors must be taken into account which I will address in a moment.
My initial skepticism of both reports comes from each group’s tendency to only present data which supports their claims and omit that which does not. Life Dynamics only lists variances significantly higher than the State’s percentage and leaves blank any which are lower. The Guttmacher Institute only tells us the percentage of abortion clinics in majority black areas but chooses not to compare it to national statistics. Both of them also highlight extreme outliers to dress things up with hype. I propose something in the middle – more precisely, the exact middle, or “median.” Compare the median percentage of blacks in ZIP codes with clinics versus all ZIP codes in the nation or a particular state (using filters provided on the interactive chart above). As of the 2000 census, exactly half of all ZIP codes had black populations of more than 0.9% (the median value). Compare that to the median percent black among clinic locations of 4.4%. This type of comparison also shows that 83% of clinics are in places with more blacks than the national median. Had they been totally unbiased in their location choices, one would find little difference in the two medians. These facts alone show that the abortion industry predominantly picks areas with abnormally high black populations.
What if we “move the goalposts,” as Guttmacher’s Joerg Dreweke says, back from “disproportionately black” to “majority black?” They point out that roughly 9% of clinics are in predominately black neighborhoods. But, how does that compare to other ZIP codes? Of the 26,481 ZIP codes in the census data, 1,067 of them were more than half black. In other words, an unbiased location choice should have around 4% of their clinics in majority black areas, when in fact there are over twice that many! With pro-abort statistics again being overwhelmingly higher than what is normal elsewhere, I can guess why Guttmacher’s representative chose to overlook it.
Now, I have so far not defined what sort of clinic should be included. Guttmacher limits their list to those which perform over 400 abortions per year. Life Dynamics extends this to any clinic listed with the National Abortion Federation of the National Council of Abortion Providers. They additionally include all Planed Parenthood facilities, regardless of whether abortions are provided on-site. Their rationale is that “every Planned Parenthood facility in America either does abortions or refers for them.” If we are to trust the Planned Parenthood website listing clinics and services, there are in fact some clinics that advertise neither abortions on-site nor official referrals. I contend that in the final analysis, it makes little difference which clinics one includes in their data. I compared the above data for multiple types of services offered (and by whom) and found the same conclusions hold true in all cases. I would encourage readers not to simply take my word for it, but examine the differences on your own using the “Abortion Services” filter options above.
As stated before, this correlation (no matter how strong) cannot conclusively demonstrate Planned Parenthood’s motives. One could reasonably argue that the abnormal percentages of minorities are an unintentional byproduct of other choices. Perhaps they target urban areas, or want to provide free services to low-income women – both of which tend to be dominated by minorities. Maybe they’re simply responding to demand (which is far higher among minorities) and are color blind as to where the demand originates. All of these may deserve further analysis, but I prefer to judge motives by the history of actions and statements made. Those points have been made and argued elsewhere and it goes far beyond the limited scope of this article. Instead I suggest watching the excellent film Maafa 21 by Life Dynamics mentioned at the beginning. It extensively documents the eugenicist history of the entire abortion movement, carrying through from its very origins to our modern day.
What are we to do about all this? If it has not been enough to illustrate the millions of unborn children being picked apart limb-from-limb, can we expect charges of racism to work in favor of the pro-life cause? As a Christian, I suggest that our political efforts, though noble, may not be the most effective approach. Instead, I share the advice given in Psalm 19:7: “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” It is the law of the Lord which will convert the souls of the evildoers.
The giver of life is also the giver of justice and of mercy. If we are to see justice done and mercy shown on these unnamed victims, we must seek the Lord to do so. As you ponder and pray about this, let me point you to an upcoming film which is sure to aid us in learning how we may someday end the atrocity. It is called 180, featuring well-known evangelist Ray Comfort. One trailer for the film shows him doing his signature “man on the street” interviews. He gets several people to not only change their mind about being “pro-choice” but manages to do it in a matter of minutes or even seconds. Surely God is with this man. To reiterate: if we are to end the genocide, we must seek the kind of wisdom Jesus has given to Ray Comfort and others like him. Instead of relying only on our own ability to persuade through the lens of pop-culture definitions of morality, we must pray that God will change hearts and minds through us and through his words.
A recent wave of racially motivated violence in the form of “flash mobs” is sweeping the nation, but most of us are not getting the real story. The AIM Center for Investigative Journalism shares documents and findings from their Freedom of Information Act request in this special report.
EXCLUSIVE: Media Conceal True Nature of “Flash Mob” Racial Violence.
Categories
Mother’s Day
Christians, how was your Mother’s Day? Did you celebrate it with flowers, fine dining, and gifts? Did your mother have a good time being the center of attention for a day? How about the family? Did everyone enjoy honoring the family matriarch? Now that the festivities are over, have you ever stopped to ask why we celebrate Mother’s Day? Is it really just another innocent holiday (holy-day) celebrated by Christian families? Or have you considered it may just another piece of nostalgic Americana that has been hijacked by materialistic greed (especially within greeting card and restaurant industries).
Admittedly, as a Bible believer, I find the ecumenical holy days like Mother’s Day a bit uncomfortable because I can’t escape the paganism at our Local Churches. Sadly, even local churches that believe on Jesus Christ for their Salvation are so taken up by the world that they have no problem celebrating pagan holy days such as: Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Halloween, and Christmas. It seems the only people not caught up in this madness are the Jehovah’s Witnesses as they’re too busy witnessing to the world (like Christians should be doing).
Now Mr. Worldly Wiseman (the character in Pilgrim’s Progress) will remind us that Paul says inRomans 14:5 “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” However, as a self-proclaimed Pharisee (Acts 23:6), Paul is referring to the Sabbath and Jewish holy days. He is not referring to the pagan worship of Zeus, Santa Claus, or the local spring fertility goddess orgy. Proof of this is seen in Acts 19 when the pagans burn all their pagan books and the silversmiths (the greeting card and chocolate purveyors of their day) see their nostalgic “holiday” (and its associated profit) collapsing all around them.
Next Ignorance (another Pilgrim’s Progress character) will object: “But we aren’t worshiping Mother on Mother’s Day!” Are you sure about that? In new-age America, the two biggest “gods” that anybody worships are “self” and “money.” Mother’s Day (like Valentine’s Day and Christmas) is an excuse for our feminist-influenced mothers to worship self and to “enjoy” materialism for a day. If you don’t believe this, try not participating in the Mother’s Day mania next year and see what kind of scorn you endure. You will be criticized by both the “non-honored” mother and the Church-attending-pew-warmers attempting to salve their burning consciences for joining in the festivities of the world.
Try this experiment: Honor your mother on a different day than “Mother’s Day” or even honor her with something other than a greeting card, phone call, or Sunday dinner. As a Christian, you could send her a Bible, a tract, or even take her out soul-winning. See how well the non-materialism goes over. You will notice that many mothers caught up in Mother’s Day could care less about true honor; they are really looking for an excuse to brag/gossip to their friends about how wonderful their child is. On this note, Mother’s Day (like Father’s Day) is a bit like Easter: If you truly honor your mother and father (and Our Lord Jesus Christ) then you would honor your parents every day (Ex 20:12,Deut 5:16). Anybody who honors mother and father only once a year during a non-Christian Holy Day is a self-righteous fraud (a bit like Christians who only say “He is Risen” while munching on chocolate eggs on one Sunday in April).
Now putting the soapbox aside: If you claim the name of Jesus Christ, yet have never compared Mother’s Day to Scripture, I urge you to dust the cobwebs off your King James Bible and follow in the footsteps of the Bereans: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)
Where did we get Mother’s Day? Typing, “Where did we get Mother’s Day?” into an Internet search engine brings up Wikipedia in the top 10 results. Since Wikipedia is a shining example of anti-Christian ideology and rhetoric, it will be a fine starting point for our research (thus avoiding our natural Christian bias). According to Wikipedia, while Julia Ward Howe started Mother’s Day in America, worldwide it is linked to Catholic, Muslim, and Greek/Roman pagan traditions. So what does this mean for us as Bible Believers? We will answer this by addressing the 5 major Mother’s Day themes described by Wikipedia.
“The modern Mother’s Day is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May as a day to honor mothers and motherhood…. One of the early calls to celebrate a Mother’s Day in the United States was the “Mother’s Day Proclamation” by Julia Ward Howe. Written in 1870, it was a pacifist reaction to the carnage of the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War. The Proclamation was tied to Howe’s feminist belief that women had a responsibility to shape their societies at the political level.”
To begin this study, we must ask the question: “Who was Julia Ward Howe?” Again, according toWikipedia: “Julia Ward Howe (May 27, 1819 – October 17, 1910) was a prominent American abolitionist, social activist, and poet, most famous as the author of ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic’.” Juliawardhowe.org reveals that “Julia called together the first convention of women ministers attended by figures like the Universalist Lorenza Haynes and Unitarians Mary Graves, and Eliza Tupper Wilkes.” Finally, About.com claims that both she and her husband were Unitarians, which makes sense in light of the fact that she called a conference of women preachers attended by both Unitarians and Universalists. To sum it up: Julia was a Feminist Unitarian Preacher.
In the years after the Mother’s Day Proclamation, Ann Jarvis founded five Mothers’ Day Work Clubs to improve sanitary and health conditions. In 1907, two years after Ann Jarvis’ death, her daughter Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother and began a campaign to make “Mother’s Day” a recognized holiday in the US. Although she was successful in 1914, she was already disappointed with its commercialization by the 1920s.
While Julia Ward Howe made the first Mother’s Day Proclamation, it was really Anna Jarvis who was the force behind the modern American celebration. As is usually the case in America, Anna’s attempts at good works were usurped by the love of money less than 10 years after she foisted Mother’s Day upon us. If the roots in paganism and feminism weren’t bad enough, its crass materialism would be enough to discredit this holiday in the eyes of an honest observer. While not a Feminist/Unitarian, Anna was also not somebody a Christian should follow. She wasted her life and fortune suing and fighting everybody from Eleanor Roosevelt to the “The American War Mothers” in a vain attempt (Col 2:8, Php 2:16, 1 Tim 1:16) to perpetually honor her earthly mother instead of spending her life honoring her Lord and Creator Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11-13 tells us that Christian works will be tried by fire and only those founded on Jesus Christ will survive. If we spend our time fighting for non-Christian “good causes” such as saving the whales, the environment, or Mother’s Day, we will suffer loss in Heaven (1 Corinthians 3:15) as we entangle ourselves in the world (1 Timothy 2:4).
Celebrations of mothers and motherhood occur throughout the world; many of these can be traced back to ancient festivals, like the Greek cult to Cybele or the Roman festival of Hilaria. The modern US holiday is not directly related to these.
The historical background of Mother’s Day can aptly be summed up with Jeremiah 10:2 “Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen…” Jeremiah specifically told the Jews not to fall into idolatry with 5 verses warning not to worship the “Queen of Heaven” as doing so provokes God to anger. Jeremiah 7:18 “The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.”
In some countries it was changed to dates that were significant to the majority religion, like the Virgin Mary day in Catholic countries, or the birthday of the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad in Islamic countries.
Sadly, many people are caught up in the Mary-worship of the Catholics and are ignorant of what the Bible says on the matter. Paul informs us in 1 Corinthians 10:11 “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” This means that while Jeremiah wrote to the Jews of his day, his message is still to be taken seriously by us today. It is no surprise that Muslims are also caught up in Mother’s Day since they are essentially a cultic offshoot of Roman Catholicism in the same way that Mormonism is an outgrowth of Christianity.
As we can see from our cursory examination, Mother’s Day is an overly commercialized modern holy day rooted in Idolatry (Anna Jarvis), Feminism/Unitarianism (Julia Ward Howe), and Paganism (Queen of Heaven, Greek/Roman Mythology, Catholic/Muslim Idolatry). As a pagan holy day, it offers nothing to a Christian save a worldly compromise to pacify women seeking to usurp the authority and honor of both God and their husbands (see Genesis 2:18 and 1 Corinthians 11:7). If after studying all this information, you still feel compelled to celebrate Mother’s Day in the manner of the world, consider this: instead of sending your mother chocolate that will only ruin her health, you could edify her soul by sending your father a Bible study on Proverbs 31, Titus 2,1 Corinthians 11, and 1 Corinthians 14:35. These may help regain his role as the spiritual leader of the family who will insist on his children honoring his wife each and every day according to godly wisdom in place of materialistic foolishness.
America, it’s time to ask ourselves a serious question. Are we a nation of Christians (Acts 11:26) or a nation of heathens (Galatians 1:16)? I know we claim that we used to be a nation of Christians, but can we still claim that title? And if we are still comprised of Christians, why is the rest of the world out-shining us (Matthew 5:16) when it comes to living what we claim to believe? While “good works” are not proof of our heart condition; they are normally a pretty good indicator (James 2:20).
Consider these factoids from around the world:
1) Macedonia has a small “protestant” demographic spawned from missionary endeavors and one of these “protestants” named Boris Trajkovski was elected president of Macedonia from 1999 until his tragic death in a plane crash in 2004. Boris apparently studied in the United States to become a Methodist lay minister. Now I’m no fan of the majority of “in-name-only” Christians in modern American Methodist churches, but I have to admit that I’m impressed that there is a country on the face of the earth that would have the fortitude to elect a man whose hobbies include Biblical teaching and evangelism. Seriously think about it. Can you imagine a president of the United States getting elected if the media found out he was a lay minister?
2) China, which prides itself on its Communism and atheism has banned both pornography and gambling. As early as 2007, China also banned sexually suggestive ads on radio, TV. Can you imagine that happening in our “Christian” country? The liberal sickos would riot in the streets. Hollywood would lose billions, the Super Bowl wouldn’t have any commercials, and PETA would have to dump Pamela Anderson.
3) Uganda outlawed homosexuality and had the guts to face the wrath of the international homosexual lobby. Almost a David and Goliath situation considering the fact that the homosexual lobby is backed by such minor players as George Soros and G.E. (MSNBC anyone?). At least some public school children in this world still know what a mommy and a daddy are.
4) Abortion is illegal in almost all of Central and South America, almost all of the Middle East, and about 2/3 of Africa. These are nations that are supposedly “backward” and “3rd world” and “need” Christian missionaries, yet somehow they are moral enough as societies to NOT kill their own babies.
This may sound like a wild idea, but perhaps it is time to stop sending 100% of our missionaries overseas and to start sending them out domestically? Not to make the most of extremes, but of these two pictures: who needs to hear about Jesus? The “heathen” in a foreign land? Or the heathen living among us?
I will let the Holy Spirit work on your heart on this one. The best I can do is inform and irritate: Matthew 5:13 “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”
America, consider this biblical truth. A tree can best be understood by the fruit it bears (Matthew 7:16-20). In the last 100 years we have turned everything in our society upside down. Out with the Bible, men, work, and families. In with New Age theology, feminism, entertainment, and fornication. It is time to ask: are we bringing forth fruit unto God (Romans 7:4)? Or are we bringing forth fruit unto death (Romans 7:5)?
Pro-Life advocates have widely reported shockingly high abortion statistics recently released from New York City. But, how does abortion compare to leading causes of death in America? How does it compare to mass murder campaigns throughout history? In all areas, the data prove that the mother’s womb is indeed the most dangerous place in the world.
Live Action, a group that has gained national prominence with their undercover videos exposing illegal activity within Planned Parenthood, reported that New Yorkers had 52% more abortions than died from all other causes combined in 2008[1].
This insight led me to investigate further: how does abortion compare to leading causes of death in America? We hear a lot about heart disease being at the top of that list, especially when big-government politicians call for legislation protecting us from known risk factors in popular foods. As it turns out, the abortion rate in our country is nearly twice as high as the death rate from heart disease[2].
Now, let’s take the next logical step and compare the number of babies killed in America since Roe vs. Wade to the top five multicides (which includes genocide and any other mass murder campaigns) throughout history.
We can see that the number of abortions in America secures our place as being more murderous than all the regimes we invoke to compare against our political enemies du jour[3]. Yet, this rate is still fairly low when matched up with the rest of the world. Global abortions in 2003 were at a whopping rate of 41.6 million annually, down from 45.6 million in 1995[4]. At that rate, there would be over one billion babies murdered in the span of 25 years. By a wide margin, the pro-life mantra: “The most dangerous place in the world is the mother’s womb” rings true.
So, what are we to do? Protest at abortion clinics? Lobby state and national legislatures? Appoint pro-life judges? All of these things help to varying degrees but ignore the root of our problem: SIN. You see, I’ve left out the most important statistic of all: 100% of all deaths result from Original Sin. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” Rom 5:12
We as individuals and as a nation must repent – turn from our wickedness – to escape God’s certain judgement. Jeremiah 18:8 outlines our only hope for saving our country: “If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.” Our best weapons against the evil of abortion are not the courts or the voting booth. It is the Sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17). I pray God through his humble and obedient servants will send this Spirit to all peoples, tribes, and nations to deliver us from death and Hell before our time runs out.
[1] Abortion data from http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/vital_statistics/2008/table23.htm
Causes of Death from http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/vs/2008sum.pdf
[2] Abortion data from http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html#2
Causes of death from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm
*Excludes deaths from medical errors which likely fall somewhere within the top 10 (estimates vary widely)
[3] Abortion data from http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html
Multicide data from http://necrometrics.com/20c5m.htm
*Estimates vary widely
Live Action, a pro-life activist group, uncovers data comparing the number of babies killed in New York City to the total number of deaths in the same city. The data show that abortion is by far the number one cause of death in that city.
Shocking Stat: Number of Abortions Exceed All Other Deaths Combined in NYC.
Brother Baldwin,
I write this letter to you because I am afraid you have surrounded yourself with sycophants who will not look you in the eye and expound God’s Truth (2 Timothy 4:3). I was once in your shoes, and as such I will try to fulfill Proverbs 27:17 in my attempt to guide you to truth. Like you, I was literally ready to head for the hills and divorce myself from the insanity that has become modern day America (Matthew 24:38). As always, God’s will won out over my will and in attempting to leave society, I was taught some valuable lessons about God’s will for us today. As Christians, we are preach the word (2 Timothy 4:2) and not get caught up in the affairs of this world (2 Timothy 2:4). I believe that God will use this move to Montana to open your eyes just as he opened mine. I pray that when the time comes, you will heed God’s will and not man’s will as this trip you are making will be a tremendous example to others who are looking for both spiritual answers and spiritual guidance.
This is in response to your 15 September 2010 post titled: “Why We Are Moving To Montana.”
By now, readers of this column should be aware of the decision my family and I made to leave the beautiful Gulf Coast beaches, and move to the majestic Rocky Mountains: the Flathead Valley of Montana, to be specific. Mind you, Pensacola, Florida, has been my wife’s and my home for 35 years. It is the place where each of our children was born and raised, and still resides today. Rest assured, each of my family is aware of the cold weather climate to which we are headed. We are also very cognizant of the extremely difficult economic circumstances that exist. The truth is, if we were basing this move on things such as “practicality,” or “job opportunity,” or “a place to retire,” we would either 1) stay where we are, or 2) move somewhere else (someplace warmer), because this move, in many ways, is impractical, financially challenging, and could bring personal discomfort to all of us during those harsh Montana winters. The fact is, none of that has any bearing on our decision to move.
I know unbelievers and skeptics have a hard time when I say this, but, we are moving to the Flathead Valley of Montana for the same reason we moved to Pensacola, Florida, 35 years ago: we know it is God’s perfect will for our lives. Period. Why else would we do it? Why would we leave the comfort and security of home, family, and friends? Why would we attempt such a major move in such an economically depressed housing and job market? Why would I walk away from the church that my wife and I started and have poured our hearts and souls into for over 35 years, and that took such very good care of us? On a human level, this move makes absolutely no sense. But as Christians, we are not supposed to live our lives on a purely human level, are we?
I agree with you Brother. Your moving from Pensacola aligns with God’s will for a number of reasons. First, there are already multiple Bible-believing ministries operating in Pensacola so leaving will not live a spiritual void. Second, there are almost zero Bible-believing ministries operating in Montana so your arrival will fill a spiritual need. Third, you (like myself and many others) have added the Constitution to the Christian Bible which violates the specific prohibition of Revelation 22:18. I believe that God is inspiring your move in the same way he inspired mine, to open your eyes to a truth that you have either neglected or not known regarding freedom.
So, instead of moving south (like most every preacher you ever knew over the age of 50), I feel God moving me north (about 75-miles-south-of-the-Canadian-border kind of north!). And so does every man in my family. Count them: that’s 5 households and 17 people ranging in ages from 3 months to the upper 70s (I am 58).
I promise you, we have bathed this move in intense and prolonged prayer and meditation. This was not a quick decision. But why would God move us?
For one thing, it became very plain to me that my ministry was over in Pensacola. The brook had dried up, to borrow from the life of Elijah. And I’ve known too many pastors who allowed their personal affections for a prolonged ministry to obfuscate the clear revelation and reality that their ministries had ended and it was time to move on. And in every such instance, the longer they stayed, the more the ministry declined. I had vowed many years ago to not let that happen to my wonderful church family. They deserved God’s best, even if that meant my departure.
Brother, I applaud your discernment in knowing when to exit gracefully. One of the biggest errors of the modern local church is that we have a tendency to base our success on numbers. The more people we see in the pews, the more we are able to congratulate ourselves. As such, it is hard for a preacher to avoid falling into the twin traps of pride (over his attendance numbers) and greed (over his offering plate numbers). However, is the numbers game biblical? The Bible tells us that the local church is a place to both equip and edify the saints (1 Thessalonians 5:11, Ephesians 4:12). It is essentially a training center from which to send fellow soldiers (Philippians 2:25, Philemon 1:2) for Christ into a fallen world. Its success should not be based on corralling and stagnating Christians as babes in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1), but in sending them out equipped to meet a fallen world (Matthew 9:37-38). The same precept applies to pastors too. When your spiritual work is done, it is time to move on (consider Philip in Acts 8). I congratulate you for having the both the discernment and the guts to walk away from a built-up ministry as most preachers erroneously think that they (and not God) are holding the local congregation together (Ephesians 5:23).
For another thing, my family and I are ardent patriots. To us, freedom and liberty are much more valuable and desirable than wealth and riches–or even comfort and security. And we believe God has been showing us that if there is a place left in America where true freedom has an opportunity to experience a rebirth, it is in the Mountain States of America’s great Northwest. I love the fact that Montana is often referred to as “The Last Best Place.” And as far as freedom and liberty are concerned, it just might be.
Brother, I speak to you as one who has been in your shoes. I too erred as a Christian who was an ardent patriot. I too put my faith in my country ahead of my faith in Jesus Christ. You are correct to desire freedom and liberty over wealth and riches. I pity the wretched souls in this nation who value their government handouts more than they value their freedom to think. However, as Christians, we cannot allow this desire for freedom and liberty to derail our primary marching orders: the Great Commission.
As I say this, I have no doubt that God has shown you that the mountain states are the last bastion of liberty in police state that is the United States of America. But are the freedom-loving people of the mountain states free in our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 7:22)? Or are they simply free FROM our Lord Jesus Christ (not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness… 1 Peter 2:16)? I pray that God is moving you to Montana to both open your eyes to the biblical concept of freedom and to open up a ministry to the multitudes of sinners who inhabit the state.
Now, we are not naïve. We realize that there are many Big-Government liberals and neocons in the Mountain States who will not be pleased to see us come. When compared to the rest of the country, however (and I’ve seen most all of it), I would dare say that there are more freedom lovers in the Mountain States (per capita and per square mile) than anywhere else in the country.
Again Brother, I ask you to consider: are these freedom lovers bathing in the light of Jesus Christ (John 8:12)? Or are they simply hiding in farthest corners of darkness (Acts 26:18)? The untold story of every remote tribe on earth is that in their freedom, they invariably worship man or the creation, not our Lord and Creator. Until some brave missionary brings them the Gospel (Mark 16:15), they seldom have biblical truth.
Since the release of my last two columns announcing our move to Montana, I have received more emails than over the last several months combined. And believe me, I’m talking about hundreds and even thousands of emails. I have received more than 200 emails just from people living in Montana, and 99% of them were enthusiastically supportive. I can assure you, the response that my family and I have received from Montanans has made us feel at home even before getting there.
Many Montanans are excited about the prospect of my starting a new ministry in the Flathead Valley, and once again being able to livestream my messages over the Internet. Others are excited about the prospect of us entering the freedom fight. But most seem excited about both!
Brother, I must ask: Are these people supportive of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16), or of your gospel of freedom at all costs (Galatians 1:7)? Are these people born again, Bible-believing Christians? Or are they a modern fulfillment of 2 Corinthians 4:4? If they are merely supportive of freedom, then you need to tread carefully so that you can preach and teach the gospel (as opposed to merely becoming a false teacher for their itching ears… 2 Timothy 4:3). Please test yourself to make sure you aren’t turning the gospel of salvation into another gospel (of freedom): Galatians 1:8 “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
Furthermore, it is our studied opinion that America is headed for an almost certain cataclysm. As Christians, we suspect that this cataclysm could include the judgment of God. As students of history, we believe that this cataclysm will most certainly include a fight between Big-Government globalists and freedom-loving, independent-minded patriots. I would even argue that this fight has already started. And as this battle escalates (and it will most assuredly escalate), only those states that are willing to stand and fight for their independence and freedom will survive–at least in a state of freedom. And we believe that God has already put the love of liberty deep into the hearts of the people of the Mountain States; and we further believe that God is already calling (and will continue to call) many other freedom lovers to those states. One thing is for sure: we know He called us!
Brother, you are 100% correct. This nation is headed straight to Hell. Instead of applying the brakes, the liberals and the conservatives have engaged the afterburners. If there was ever a time to be concerned for physical safety, it is now!
However, as a Christian, what should your response be? Should it be to organize a defense? Or should it be to step up your efforts to reach the lost? Matthew 16:25, Mark 8:35, and Luke 9:24 would be a good place to start researching this dilemma. I have no doubt that God called you to Montana, but was it to defend a man-made Constitution or to minister to the saints? Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Please make sure you are running the correct race (1 Corinthians 9:24) and fighting the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12).
We are not going to Montana to sunbathe (or even ski); we are not going to play games, or play politics; we are not going to “take it easy,” or “hide,” or hibernate. We are not going to “enjoy the climate.” We are going to fight! We are going to work! We are going to help the freedom-minded people of Montana make their stand for liberty! In many ways, the Mountain States just might become The Alamo of the twenty-first century, with, hopefully, much better results. But if not, I would rather die fighting for freedom with liberty-loving patriots by my side than be shuttled off to some FEMA camp after having been rejected and betrayed by soft-living, comfort-seeking, materialistic statists who simply “don’t get it” and have no desire to “get it,” which seems to be pretty much standard practice for a sizeable majority of people today–Christian and non-Christian–around most of the country.
Brother, take a step back. Why are we going to have those FEMA camps? Is it because we have neglected the cause of liberty in this nation? Or is it because we have neglected our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 2:19, Hebrews 2:3)? What does the Bible say? It is very clear that God is in charge of what is happening (Jeremiah 18:6-10). If you truly want to defend this nation, you need to take the gospel to the highways and the hedges (Luke 14:23) instead of holing up in the Alamo. Sometimes the best defense is a good offense…
The Mountain States are also attractive due to the distance separating them from the great regions of the country in which the tables are truly stacked against any growth and extension of the principles of federalism or limited government, namely, the Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest (with my apologies to freedomists in those areas). Big-city liberalism dominates most of the states in these regions. The federal government has invested billions of dollars and thousands of personnel establishing and oiling the Orwellian machine in these areas. There are exceptions, of course, but they are few and far between, and therefore, quite isolated should any kind of serious stand be required.
Brother, have you heard yourself? What is a freedomist and where is a freedomist found in your Bible? It’s bad enough that apostates label themselves Calvinists, Lutherans, Catholics, Anglicans, etc, but freedomist? Even Joseph Smith didn’t have the gall to add such a non-biblical word to the Book of Mormon. The word freedom only appears twice in the Bible (Leviticus 19:20, Acts 22:28). If we are to emulate Paul, we should relish not in freedom, but in being “free born.” Are you pleasing men or God with your freedomist ideals? 1 Thessalonians 2:4 “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.”
Add to the intrinsically oppressive nature of big-city liberalism and UN-sponsored globalism the out-of-control illegal immigration problem along the Southern Border and one has a recipe for disaster! And that is exactly what is coming: a disaster!
Brother, preach this! Preach this message until you go hoarse. Your warning here is biblical as God has promised us a world given over to Satan (Revelations 13:7). While we may not appreciate it now, the Lord gives us the bread of adversity and the water of affliction to open our blinded eyes (Isaiah 30:20). Just like ancient Israel, this nation despises the word and trusts in oppression and perversity (Isaiah 30:12). As to illegal immigration, just like Israel our inheritance has been turned over to strangers and aliens (Lamentations 5:2). Brother, use your internet ministry to proclaim the truth to this fallen nation: that we had better repent in sack cloth and ashes or we are going to be destroyed (Jeremiah 18:8, Matthew 11:1). The Chaldeans are at the gate and only a miracle can save us now (Jeremiah 21:4).
If I am correct in my analysis, and Montana (and surrounding states) really is in store for a FREEDOM RUSH, then it is certain that patriotic businessmen, laborers, tradesmen, professionals, clergymen, physicians, technicians, and people from virtually every walk of life will find themselves among the “gathering of eagles.” From an economic and spiritual perspective alone, the prospect of such a rush could be not only exciting, but also historic!
I have no doubt that when this nation falls, there will be a huge migration of polar opposites. The super-bowl watching welfare slaves and their “liberal” taskmasters will congregate in their modern Babels. Those who value their freedom will likewise flock to the hills. But are we flocking to build hermitages and fortresses or to regroup to reach the lost? Psalms 9:9 reminds us that the Lord is our refuge in times of trouble.
Therefore, let no more be said of hardship! Our Pilgrim forebears crossed the Atlantic Ocean without maps and with no one to greet them in their quest to find a land of liberty. Our Patriot forebears challenged the greatest military force in history (at that time) and stood on Lexington Green, Concord Bridge, and Bunker Hill to defend this land of liberty. And our Pioneer forebears traversed thousands of miles in covered wagons with no roads or bridges in their quest to carve a land of liberty out of the wilderness. Traveling 2,500 miles in trucks and cars across mostly an Interstate highway system, sleeping in hotels, and eating at restaurants seem like mighty puny sacrifices to make to find that land where this latter-day remnant can live and stand together.
I applaud our forebears because they sought freedom to worship their Creator, not freedom to worship the god of American materialism. Liberty in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:17) cannot in any way be brought down to the man-made designations contained in the Bill of Rights (1 Corinthians 8:9). You also miss the fact that God works in mysterious ways (Romans 16:25) when it comes to propagation of the Gospel. One of the main reasons God put the travel bug in the Europeans was to restore the Gospel to a Christ-rejecting world that had done its best to extinguish the light of the Gospel. The Buddhists, Muslims, and Hindus all but eliminated the churches (Nestorian, church of east, etc.) in Asia. The Animists did the same thing in Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Ever wonder why the bloodthirsty Aztecs were looking for a European/Middle Eastern man to come riding in on horseback? At one time, they too had the Gospel (Romans 10:18). Revelation 19:11, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.”
Yes, I realize the real work will only begin once we have arrived. I completely understand that Montana is not the Garden of Eden and that the Serpent is already there, waiting for us. I expect a fight. And I know I speak for the men of my family when I say, Bring it on! Freedom and liberty, along with the Natural Law principles of federalism and independence, are worth fighting for. In fact, they are worth dying for. So, living or dying, we intend to circle the wagons around the State of Montana and fight to our dying breath for the right of that State to live free! And while we are at it, we believe God will let us help many good, freedom-loving people of Montana find true inner freedom that comes from Christ alone. After all, any true student of American history knows that revival and revolution go hand in hand.
What is this Natural Law that you speak of? Is it the law of nature described in Romans 2:14? Or is it the non-biblical laws of nature dreamed up by Aristotle, Cicero and Augustine? I ask for clarification because your “freedomist” audience may not understand that the invisible things of God are understood by all and that they are without excuse (Romans 1:20). Bring it on? Are we commissioned to fight with human fists or wielding the word of God (Ephesians 6:17)? I have no doubt that federalism, independence, freedom, and liberty are worthy ideals, but they should never be the prime focus of our Christian ministries (2 Timothy 2:4). Please make sure you aren’t getting distracted by the minutia when you need to be focused on the war at hand (1 Timothy 1:18).
To borrow from the Apostle Paul, “And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto [Montana], not knowing the things that shall befall me there.” (Acts 20:22) But I also have faith in another Biblical principle: that God opens doors that no man can shut (Rev. 3:8). And for the Baldwin family, that open door is the Flathead Valley of Montana. And no recession, or ridicule, or opposition, or false accusation, or cold and snow can shut that door. Montana, here we come!
Brother, please only quote Paul if you realize that Paul was focused on winning souls (i.e. Acts 20:21) and not establishing a patriotic resistance. Second, God opens doors that cannot be closed by man, but God is talking about doors to proclaim the Kingdom of God, not to establish the last stand of the Alamo. Third, I have no doubt that you all are called to Montana. I just pray you learn biblical lessons from the move and that you focus on preaching to the Montana lost.
I end this letter on the following verse and its implications for anybody who would try and fight God’s coming judgment on this fallen world (the New World Order is nothing more than a modern Babylon):
Jeremiah 38:2: “Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.”
American Christians, when was the last time you read Jeremiah – I mean seriously read Jeremiah? I ask this question because so many of us think that God made something special here in America, and therefore God won’t abandon us. Some of us even think that what God made here is so special that it is worthy of us expending our blood to defend it. But what does God say in this matter? If you’ll turn to Jeremiah 18, you will see that God thinks our defense of “liberty” and/or the “Constitution” is futile. Picking up arms, going to the polls, and/or legislating in the name of “God”, “country” or “morality” keeps our “troops” on the wrong battlefield.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m no pacifist and I’m no slouch. I’m not talking about Christians employed in military service (military service is clearly biblical: 2 Timothy 2:3). Nor am I talking about Christians standing up for truth and/or righteousness (people need to hear the truth: 1 Timothy 2:4). What I am talking about is putting the values of American patriotism (or nationalism) ahead of the Bible. Our primary mission isn’t to stand up for Uncle Sam, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, etc. It is to stand up for our biblical foundation and preach the Gospel: Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” According to Jeremiah, God only wants one thing from this country: to turn from evil (repent) as a nation.
Let us analyze American Patriotism in light of Jeremiah 18:2-10. These verses will make it abundantly clear that as American Christians, we need to concentrate on fighting a spiritual war above all other battles. As Ephesians 6:11-12 tells us: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” We do not need to get sidetracked fighting symptoms of apostasy such as homosexuals in the military, liberal activist judges or politicians undermining Natural Law. Instead, we need to focus on the cancer that is destroying this nation from the inside out: unbelief.
Jeremiah 18:2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
Why should we be analyzing the Old Testament, let alone Jeremiah? Paul tells us that the Old Testament is written for our admonition in the end times: 1 Corinthians 10:11 “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” Like Jeremiah, we are to hear God’s words if we are to understand what we are to do in these perilous times.
Jeremiah 18:3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Jeremiah 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
As usual, God is trying to teach us something. He is giving us a visual picture to precede his spiritual lesson. Here we have a potter working a vessel of clay on his potter’s wheel. The vessel of clay becomes marred, and instead of attempting to repair it, he just makes another vessel out of the same lump of clay. This concept of God as the potter and man as the clay is one that is repeated throughout scripture. See also Isaiah 29:16, Isaiah 64:8, and Romans 9:21
Jeremiah 18:5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Jeremiah 18:6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
Jeremiah 18:7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
God then proceeds to lay into Israel over their wickedness and tells Jeremiah that he can pluck up, pull down, and otherwise destroy any nation in an instant. Just like the potter working a piece of clay, God can destroy and rework a nation at will. Now, re-read 1 Corinthians 10:11 (above). Here, some may ask: “This is the Church Age, isn’t God just speaking about Israel?” What does 1 Corinthians 10:11 say? It says this picture of the potter is both for our example and for our admonition.
Jeremiah 18:8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
As usual, God works multiple lessons into every example. God explains in verse 8 that there is hope for a nation that turns from its evil. Not only is there hope for a wayward nation, but in a direct refutation of Calvinism’s “eternal decrees”, God explains that he will repent of his planned destruction if a nation repents of its evil. This is not a one-off concept; it is re-iterated in Jonah 3:9-10, Genesis 18:32, and Matthew 11:21-23.
Jeremiah 18:9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
To the American patriot’s credit, they are correct to believe that God had a hand in this country’s beginning. Verse 9 tells us that God builds and plants nations in an instant. This is what happened to the United States. Popery had Europe in a stranglehold and through the Jesuits was attempting to usher in another “Dark Age.” When all hope seemed lost, God fulfilled the prophecy of Genesis 9:27 and opened up a land of freedom in the midst of Shem’s tents. This verse also best explains why King George III inconceivably divorced America with the Prohibitory Act on 22 December 1775 and how the seemingly invincible British army lost a war to a rag-tag band of farmers (see The Revolution Myth by Gene Fisher and Glen Chambers).
Jeremiah 18:10 If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
Now, here is where it gets scary for modern Americans. Verse 10 builds on verse 9 and tells us that God benefits, and does good for, those countries that He builds and plants. This concept is quite clear in history when one examines the United States. We were instantly propelled onto the world stage with almost limitless opportunity, resources, and talent. Then our sin natures got the better of us and we succumbed to one of the most famous verses in the Bible, Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
So where does this leave us as modern day Americans? The answer should be obvious. Our country needs to repent of its evil and spiritual rebellion towards its Creator. As Christians, we need to go out to the highways and the hedges and witness to the lost (Matthew 22:9, Luke 14:23). We must stay focused on the harvest of Luke 10:2 “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.”
We cannot allow ourselves to be sidetracked by man’s logic and/or “good causes.” 2 Timothy 2:4 “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” Running to the hills will accomplish nothing. Storing up food, money, and/or ammunition will not save us (see how fast Belshazzar lost everything in Daniel 5). Gaining political office and/or voting our way out is doomed to failure (see the dismal track records of the “Christian Coalition” and the “Moral Majority” since Christians have tried to vote this country back onto the narrow path; Matthew 7:13-14). Even protesting abortion, while a good thing, will do nothing to change the heart conditions of the heathen who voluntarily murder their own children in the name of Baal (Jeremiah 7:9).
Have I deflated your patriotic balloon enough yet? Don’t give up entirely, just redirect your energies. Ephesians tells us that our enemies are not liberals, homosexuals, or even the New World Order. Our enemy is the Devil himself. We don’t even need to worry about the 2nd Amendment as guns aren’t going to win this battle. Crack open that dusty old King James hiding on your bookshelf and don your battle gear: Ephesians 6:12-13 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Christians, it is time to ask ourselves an important question: “Would God condone medical practices that utilize dead babies as the cure to a disease?” Would the Creator God of the Universe, Our Lord Jesus Christ, give mankind medicine concocted from the remains of murdered unborn children? Would God, who declares witchcraft to be a sin (1 Samuel 15:23), require us to mix mutilated bodies of babies into a bubbling chemical stew as the basis for a growth medium from which we then derive a cure for disease? If you answered yes to any of these questions, your heart may already be too hard to break (Romans 1:24).
We need to stop blithely following “expert” medical advice under the convenient excuse that God gave us doctors; thereby implying that all medicine must be inherently good. Modern medicine with all its scientific technology is harboring a satanic secret. There are vaccines used in routine medical practice made from dead babies. Yes, you read that correctly. There are drugs made from dead babies. Three ‘dead baby’ vaccines are administered to children on a regular basis. These three are the MMR, Chicken Pox, and Hep A vaccinations.
To prevent this diatribe from turning into a book, we will limit this article to direct citations of these three common vaccines. The phrase “dead baby” is used both intentionally and repeatedly to allow the depravity of this situation to sink in. We will then step back and allow both the Holy Spirit and your conscience to work on you further. If after examining this issue you still condone the usage of ‘dead baby’ vaccines, I must beg the questions: “Are you really a Christian? Are you even saved? Are you so backslidden that you don’t even have a twinge of anger or sadness over the wholesale slaughter of children?”
Before you blow this information off as mere “anti-vaccine” propaganda or the ranting of some uneducated internet denizen, please note that our references come directly from Merck. Merck is one of the largest and most respected pro-vaccine pharmaceutical companies on the planet. They wouldn’t be claiming to use dead baby cells in their vaccines if they weren’t actually doing so. Here is proof from Merck’s own website:
MMR. Mumps, Measles, and Rubella.
“1. Plotkin, S.A.; Cornfeld, D.; Ingalls, T.H.: Studies of immunization with living rubella virus: Trials in children with a strain cultured from an aborted fetus, Am. J. Dis. Child. 110: 381-389, 1965.”
Please note that this reference directly states the rubella strain is cultured from a dead baby. Merck makes no attempt to hide the fact that a baby was killed to make this vaccine.
source: http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/m/mmr_ii/mmr_ii_pi.pdf
Chicken Pox.
“introduced into human embryonic lung cell cultures.”
The only way to get a human embryonic lung cell is to kill an embryonic human. (i.e. a baby). Why are using dead baby cells in order to fight a disease that is almost always harmless?”
source: http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/v/varivax/varivax_pi.pdf
Hepatitis A.
“human MRC-5 diploid fibroblasts”
MRC-5, which you can look up online, is code for a particular baby murdered in 1966. Evil people will quip: “but they’re only using a baby already long dead, they’re not using new victims.” This may be true for the current vaccine, but common sense will tell you that if they were using dead babies in experiments in 1966, then they are still using dead babies in products today (such as women’s skin cream).
sources: http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/v/vaqta/vaqta_pi.pdf
You are probably thinking: “What kind of crazy conspiracy theory is this?” Modern drug companies wouldn’t use deceased children for medicine, you may object. I’m sorry, folks, it’s time to face the reality published by the vaccine producers themselves. Modern medicine has been making vaccines from dead babies for years. The modern medical community that sings the praises of these vaccines has practitioners among them that have killed 50 million babies in America since the 1970s without shedding a tear. Only the atheistic dictators Mao and Stalin are alleged to have killed more people!
Now that we’re finally awakening to the evils of this world, let’s ask another question. Is it possible that these vaccines made from dead babies are actually harmful to our children? Is it possible that the explosion in immunological and nervous system diseases in modern times is actually a physical response of God’s perfectly created human body as it attempts to purge itself of toxins such as dead baby vaccines? Is it possible that injecting dead baby vaccines into the bloodstream of living children is such an abomination that God would allow the injected child to die in order to shed light on this evil practice?
Here and here are two articles that are a good place to start when answering this question. Please do not shirk your responsibilities. God tells us that parents, not doctors or insurance agencies, are responsible for the welfare of their children (1 Timothy 5:8).
Let me end on a word for the wise. Mothers have a tendency to mentally short-circuit when faced with the reality that they are voluntarily harming their own children by injecting them with a chemical witch’s brew full of cells from aborted fetuses (i.e. dead babies). Nurses and doctors will naturally shut out all vaccine information they are presented with to avoid facing the realization that they have been accomplices in the maiming or killing of hundreds if not thousands of otherwise healthy children over the course of their medical careers. Their rejection of the truth is a human knee-jerk emotional response as they try to protect themselves from the weight of their consciences and overwhelming feelings of guilt. Present this information to them in as loving a manner as possible and reassure them that God can and will forgive their participation in this evil if they will only fall to their knees and ask His forgiveness.
From an American Soldier
“Some Americans believe that our Founding Fathers instigated a war on April 19, 1775, in order to throw off British government, and that the Declaration, approved on July 4, 1776, was a public justification of this overthrow. American Christians have had difficulty understanding why many of our Founding Fathers, while adhering to biblical principles in their public and private lives, could, at the same time, rebel against constituted government. Historical investigation shows that they did not rebel.”
p. x “The Revolution Myth” by Gene Fisher and Glen Chambers.
Let me preface this article by acknowledging that I have never met Brother Gipp in person, and due to geography, I will probably never meet him in this life. From what I know of Brother Gipp, he is an outstanding biblical teacher and I am greatly indebted to him for his Answers Book, A Student’s Defense of the Authorized Version, and Gipp’s Understandable History of the Bible. If you have not read these three books, they are outstanding lessons regarding why we must never lose our Scriptural Foundation (as found in English in the King James Bible).
I am writing an open letter (in response) to Brother Gipp’s “Open Letter to the Military” in an effort to fulfill Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” It is written to all Christians who have become wrapped up in the pseudo-Christian “American Patriot” movement and to all Christians who are inadvertently fighting spiritual symptoms (i.e. flesh and blood) instead of spiritual illness (i.e. unbelief in our Lord Jesus Christ). I pray that this open letter will open your eyes to the truth as God’s word has opened my eyes.
This letter is written by a bible-believing born again Christian, an American by birth, and a soldier by choice. In 2006, I was saved through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. To clarify, I do not speak of the false “faith” of American Churchianity that makes Jesus just another false idol right next to mom, country, and apple pie. It took 27 years, but God finally brought my prideful, self-righteous self to my knees and exposed my need for a Savior. He made it abundantly clear that I could not save myself, that I must trust in the blood of Jesus to wash away my sins. Like “Christian” in John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress,” a burden was lifted off my soul that will never return.
I believe it is essential to get a message across to Christians in America in an era that may very well be our darkest hour. A message that flies in the face of everything I have held dear as both an American and a soldier. A message that is a 180-degree about-face from what I believed before I began to diligently search the Bible for answers on this subject (2 Timothy 2:15). A message that will contradict the statements and teachings of many bible-believing brothers in Christ who I view as elders and/or teachers. However, contrary to popular perception, the Bible does not promote unity (2 Corinthians 6:17, 1 Timothy 6:5), it promotes truth (John 8:32, 1 Timothy 2:4), and it is for truth that we must stand. It is high time we compare “American Patriotism to truth and to expose its flaws to the light of the Bible.
As we all have been taught from elementary school on, America, according to the Constitution is a republic, governed by the people, for the people. It is clearly not a monarchy (although one could argue it is practically an oligarchy), and no matter how many times the ignorant repeat the lie, it is not a democracy. It is a republic. As a republic, the people, by way of elected representatives, are in control of their destiny. Sounds good right? If only it were still true. For all practical purposes, our republic and our Constitution exist in name only; nothing more than nostalgic remembrances of a “better day.” Proof of this can be seen daily on the news: The 1st and 2nd amendments are on life support, insane judicial activism is unrestrained, and political campaign “donations” (legalized bribery) rule the day. The physical battle for liberty in this nation ended at Gettysburg where freedom-loving blacks (contrary to liberal propaganda) and whites died fighting the shock troops of the New World Order. If God had wanted unbridled American liberty to continue, the Confederates would have won.
Americans long ago rejected the word of the LORD, and consequently He has rejected the American people (Jeremiah 18:10). This is not a new phenomenon. The Bible was thrown out the door of schools in 1963. Socialism was institutionalized by Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930’s. “Christian” scholars and pastors rejected God’s words as preserved in the AV in favor of the apostate ASV in 1901. This republic tolerated full-fledged martial law with no pretense of the Constitution in ½ of the country from 1865-1877. In fact, the Constitution was officially destroyed in 1865 during the War of Northern Aggression when Lincoln shredded the Bill of Rights and attacked an independent sovereign nation. Long before Lincoln, the dual plagues of Unitarianism and Deism spread throughout the land and if it weren’t for some bible-believing, fire-breathing Baptists (and Methodists) the Bible would have all but been extinguished in this country (read William Grady’s What Hath God Wrought). Like Israel (and all sinners), this nation fell into unbelief as soon as it was born. George Washington himself trampled all over both the people and the Constitution when he attempted to put down the so-called Whiskey Rebellion and the republic was only 5 years old.
If popular folk-lore is to be believed, this nation was conceived in iniquity. Have you read1 Samuel 15:23? It tells us that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. If this nation indeed was born out of rebellion over something as spiritually unimportant as taxation, we must seriously ask the question: Were the “founding fathers” biblically literate, let alone Christian? Christians should never appeal to rebels for their marching orders. For all who insist on believing the Boston Harbor rebellion propaganda, I must point you to the outstanding book: The Revolution Myth by Gene Fisher and Glen Chambers. These authors offer the only plausible answer as to how Bible-believing Colonists could have picked up arms against England. They inform us that the colonists didn’t rebel from the King, the King declared war on the colonists on 22 December 1775 with the Prohibitory Act. If this is true, our real Independence Day is not July 4th. It is December 22nd (not to be confused with the pagan Hol(i)y-Day, Christ-Mass mentioned nowhere in the Bible).
Today we literally live in the modern equivalent of Sodom and Gomorrah. The “Ism’s” have taken over the public square: Animism, Atheism, Agnosticism, Buddhism, Calvinism, Catholicism, Communism, Fascism, Feminism, Hinduism, Judaism, Materialism, Mormonism, Muhammadism, Satanism, Socialism, etc. As a people, we literally care more about Hollywood celebrities, sports, and music stars than we do about God, family, or country. What happened? As has happened many times in history, we allowed Satan to fulfill 2 Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
The next time an atheist asks for proof of biblical prophecy, just turn on a television and show themMatthew 24:38 “For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,” We are so carnal, I would not be surprised if 10 righteous men could not be found in most cities in America. Genesis 18:32 “And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.”
1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” Per 2 Corinthians 4:4, this message will only make sense to born again Christians. It can be summed up with three scriptures:
1) 1 Samuel 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” As previously mentioned, Christian Americans need to repent of their acceptance of the American Rebellion myth. I don’t care how much we respect George Washington, et. al. If they were rebels to a legitimate God-ordained government, they are not to be placed up on pedestals. Instead, they are to be held as examples to our children as men we should NOT emulate. As Christians, we need to separate ourselves from any modern movements that seek to falsely make rebellion a Christian heritage or value.
2) Jeremiah 18:6-10 “O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.”
1 Corinthians 10:11 tells us that Old Testament history happened as examples for our admonition. That said, what does the Old Testament say about the course of nations? It is explicit. Jeremiah tells us that nations are like clay in the potter’s hand. God builds them up and destroys them based on their obedience and spiritual condition. If they obey God (like our forefathers) he will build them up. If they do evil (like our current culture) he will repent of the good he previously did for them and will proceed to pull down and/or destroy that nation. What you are seeing today is nothing more than a fulfillment of God’s word. We rejected God, and God is fulfilling his promise to destroy us. We cannot blame the atheists or liberals for their nefarious attempts to destroy this country. They are just change agents for God’s coming judgment.
3) Romans 1:25 “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” Romans 1:25 pretty much sums up American history from 1776 – Present. We changed the truth of God (the KJV) into a lie (fake bible versions, false preaching/teaching, prosperity gospels, etc.) and worshipped the creature (Social Gospel, 19th century Utopia movements, Evolution, Feminism, New Age earth worship, etc.) more than God. Instead of worrying about God’s coming judgment, we should be thankful he hasn’t rained down fire and brimstone on us already.
I will now proceed to analyze Brother Gipp’s letter in light of the Bible:
“There may be dark and trying days ahead for our country. The actions of this president have been hostile to both our Constitution and freedom in general.” You are correct. This is a dark and trying time and the actions of this president are indeed suspect. However, what does the Bible say? Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” Do you subscribe to the view that “We the People” are king and the President is the servant? If so, we don’t get off any easier in Proverbs 29:12 “If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.”
“The country, as a whole, is emotionally charged and bent on self preservation rather than the good of the nation.” You hit the nail on the head! It took me three years to come to grips with this reality as I was once stuck on self-preservation too. Like many American Christians, I rationalized that maybe if I prepared, stocked up, and trained, we could take on the minions of the New World Order until the Rapture occurred. Why? Because the Bible indicates that somebody will be doing some type of resisting in the time of the Anti-Christ: “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” (Revelation 12:14)
However, taking this view now is anti-biblical for three reasons: 1) it violates Luke 17:33: “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” 2) It is based in materialism, and not biblical faith. Paul too was “free born” (Acts 22:28) but not once do we find him picking up arms to defend that status. 3) Who are we to oppose prophecy? Do we want to end up like the Israelites facing Babylon in Jeremiah 21:4? As Gamaliel wisely noted inActs 5:39 “But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.”
“The President and Democratic Party in general seem bent on forcing their agenda on a populace that is more and more resistant to that agenda.” If only it were this simple. The Republican party did the same thing only 2 years ago but most “conservatives” ignored it because the Democrats always appear to be worse. We are consistently presented with two choices in this country: 1) Militant Corporate Fascism (Republicans). 2) Bloodthirsty Communism (Democrats). We then have the unpalatable “choice” of voting for the next Hitler or the next Stalin. Ron Paul burst on the public radar two years ago and “conservatives” and “liberals” alike all but laughed him off the stage for promoting the Constitution.
The American resistance to our present circumstances has nothing to do with biblical repentance or a sudden national belief in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As can be seen by the “Tea Party” movement and healthcare revolts; our real motivations are to save our precious treasures and possessions. If this was a Christian resistance movement we would have started pushing back in 1963 when the courts tossed out the Bible or in 1973 when we legalized the wholesale murder of babies (50 million and counting). Ironically, as a generation, the Baby Boomers rejected God, and God is now going after the only thing they care about: their money (in the form of their retirements, health care, and savings).
“It could be very likely that, in an effort to seize control of the nation, President Obama or some other forces acting on his behalf may stage a “crises” that “forces” him to take dictatorial control of the nation.” First, the President is nothing more than a Manchurian Candidate. A mere puppet of the global elite (princes of this world, 1 Corinthians 2:8). The few times Obama has skipped the teleprompter he suffered verbal lapses worse than the “Bushism” theatrics. Second, he already has dictatorial control because we voluntarily signed it over long ago in the name of “peace” and “security” over the staged crisis of 9/11 (admittedly just the latest in a long string of staged crises in this country – Gulf of Tonkin anyone?). George Orwell pretty much hit the fake crisis nail on the head with his classic novel, “1984.”
“There may be a “frame-up” of conservatives in which some “Bible-toting, Constitution quoting” mock conservative commits some heinous crime designed to turn the nation’s anger away from the administration and towards anyone who would dare disagree with the president.” This has already happened three times in the last two decades: 1) Waco. 2) Ruby Ridge. 3) Oklahoma City. Before that the John Birch Society was all but decimated by a calculated campaign of media slander. Frame-ups are to be expected as non-Christians and their satanic handlers have no moral basis from which to base their decisions. Romans 3:11 “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” For insight into how they play the game, read:Rules for Radicals by Saul D. Alinsky
“There is even a chance that the nation may shortly slip into a civil war or anarchy. If this happens the only force able to combat such a coup would be the U. S. Military.” I do not doubt that this nation is on the brink of civil war and/or anarchy. However, there are two things to keep in mind: 1) God is in Control so “Fear Not” (Matthew 10:31). There will be no government change (or for that matter, government preservation) without his approval. 2) The coup you refer to already happened in 1865 when “we the people” became Rockefeller’s corporate America, Inc (Lee and Stonewall Jackson, both Christian military men, lost that battle).
“To our Military. Please remember at all times that you swore an oath to defend the United States Constitution, NOT the government, be that the President, Congress or Supreme Court. Your allegiance should always be to use any power within your ability to defend and preserve our Constitution against all enemies, foreign or domestic. If the president attempts to establish dictatorial control over the country, not granted him by the Constitution, then he is no longer president and instead, a rebel, threat to your country. You owe him no loyalty, obedience or defense. He is to be arrested along with all those who assist his attempted revolution and tried in a criminal court.” The only thing that men learn from history is that they never learn from history. The following presidents declared martial law and/or established dictatorial powers over this country: 1) Lincoln. 2) FDR. 3) Kennedy. 4) Bush II
“If the President calls in troops from a foreign country to subdue the population, all such troops are to be viewed as foreign invaders and dealt with accordingly. No nation should have troops in this country. No president should request or allow such a thing. Any president that allows or initiates such an act is attempting to become a dictator.” Where do we get the notion that the President can’t call in foreign troops? The kangaroo courts have already determined the Constitution is subject to change and interpretation (ironically, just like “Christian Scholars” say that our “inerrant” biblical text is open to change and interpretation). The president is our elected representative. Based on our system of government, he speaks for all of us. If we don’t want foreign troops on our soil, we should probably be voting for a president that won’t bring them onto our soil. We voluntarily voted Obama in office as a nation. Why? Because political correctness, peace, prosperity, and the social/welfare gospel are more important to us than either Jesus Christ or personal freedom. Just as God gave Israel the king they wanted in 1 Samuel 8:10-22, God has given us the desires of our heart (tyranny)
“The United States military is like no other in the world. As shown in all wars in which they have fought, they can literally obliterate an enemy and yet, within minutes of the battle being over, be handing out candy to children.” You are correct. We are like no other military in the world. However, it’s not for the reasons you think. The candy and compassion are nothing more than P.R. glosses to hide the ruthlessness of the American soldier who is literally the most skilled killing machine on the planet. This is why third-world despots tremble at the thought of the US Marine. Nobody wins wars by being nice (search the word “destroyed” in the Old Testament)
“It is this benign might that will be needed if trying days come upon us. Ruthless against the invader yet benevolent to the populace.” Again, this is nothing more than Hollywood fiction. We fire-bombed hundreds of thousands of civilians at Dresden. We nuked two civilian cities in Japan. We decimated the Vietnamese populace. Iraqi civilian deaths are estimated to be 100,000+. Shall we include all the third-world dictators and tyrants who have wipoed out their own populace while supported by American F-16 diplomacy? Don’t get me wrong, I am no peacenik. War is clearly a biblical concept (mentioned 200+ times). We just shouldn’t pretend that American troops are something other than fallen and sinful men (especially since most of our troops are NOT born again Christians).
“Use your might to defend civilians, not to oppress them. If ordered to attack or subdue American citizens refuse to obey the order!” You can’t have it both ways. We can’t both defend the Constitution against domestic enemies while simultaneously refusing to attack or subdue American (domestic) citizens. This is the clamor of desperation of one who is doubting God’s control in the destiny of our nation (trust me, I was previously in your shoes and I too harbored these conflicting feelings). Again, trust God. He is in control: Mark 13:7 “And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.”
“If chaos sweeps our nation then do not use your might to establish private armies that seek to enslave the citizens. Use your might for right.” What is right? Man’s view of right or God’s view of right? If God is rebuking and/or chastening us, who are we to resist? Revelation 3:19 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
To Those in Law Enforcement
The police forces of Third World nations are notoriously corrupt. In many cases they are nothing more than thugs, drug dealers and enforcers for criminal elements. Again, the police, like the military, are nothing more than a reflection of a society as a whole. You are asking unregenerate men, who do not believe in King Jesus, to go against their sin nature. The only way you will change them is to follow 2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
“Following the events mentioned above the United States will become a violent, dangerous and scary Third World nation. Rule of law will breakdown and people will be killing one another for food, fear or revenge. Just as you are the civilizing force in our society today, you will be desperately needed in the days following any breakdown of society.” Agreed. Consider three more verses:
1. 2 Peter 2:10 tells us that those that walk after the flesh despise government.
2. Matthew 10:28 “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
3. Matthew 10:29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.”
“Because you have trained in the use of force and know how to get people to obey you there may be a great temptation to abuse what you have been taught and try to oppress the civilian population. In light of the lack of respect and appreciation you may feel you have endured by some elements of the public, please do not allow yourself to fall into corruption with the rest of our society. There will be an ample number of weaker civilians that will desperately need your help and protection. Your nation will need you as never before. Abandon your morals and it will be bloody chaos.” No argument. But here is our chance as Christians to step up and live what we believe. The testimonies out of China, Vietnam, Sudan, Nigeria, India, etc. of police and military personnel being converted to Jesus Christ after their oppression of local Christians is awe-inspiring. From biblical testimony, we have the jailor of Acts 16 who came to salvation through the improper beating/jailing of Paul and Silas. Check out Voice of the Martyrs, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, etc. for more information on Christians persecuted for their faith.
“Don’t submit to the desire to use your power to bully, cajole or get even with the weaker folks in our society. You will be physically stronger than most but you will need to be morallystronger. You will have weapons others do not have, don’t use them in a shameful manner.”Again, this is a chance for us to live our faith. You are asking non-Christian men to act against their sin natures. It won’t happen unless God works on their hearts. I know it is scary to contemplate, butRevelation 17:6 doesn’t exclude the blood of American saints.
For Both Groups
Regardless of what you have been told, the greatness of the United States is not due to the “Sacred Cow” of “Free Enterprise.” our forefathers did not come here to start Pizza Hut! They came for the right to freely worship the God of the BIBLE. (Not the Koran.). Correct. And their descendents, all the way down to us, traded in the God of the Bible for a bunch of man-made false idols. See Isaiah 1 and Jeremiah 18 for our options (i.e. repent or face the consequences).
Man is basically selfish. Only the Bible admonishes man to think of others ahead of himself. Only the Bible gives him the inner strength to resist the desire to be vengeful, vindictive and oppressive. Because of 150 years of Bible preaching (1620-1776) our people grew up moral.Agreed. The one thing that the atheists never admit to is that the success/failure of modern Europe was rooted in the Bible. Without the Bible, the Europeans were just a bunch of wild tribesmen living in squalor at the edge of the Roman Empire. The problem we face is that since 1776, Bible preaching has degraded into the Joel Olsteen/TBS Prosperity Doctrine mixed with Timothy Leary’s “if it feels good, do it.”
That morality gave them the carefree spirit that saw our forefathers advance technology by thousands of years, from the sailing ship to walking on the moon in 200 years. Yes, on the one hand, Bible morality and literacy is the engine for progress. On the other hand, that same technological progress eventually leads to laziness followed by lack of Bible literacy. Proverbs 16:18“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
Look at nations today that were never run by the Bible. They are Third World nations locked in the past we left behind. What little technology they have was given by that Christian nation, the United States of America. Correct again. And look at America since we have kicked the Bible out of government, schools, and pulpits: We are looking more and more third-world by the day.
Our society has been duped. It was told this would be a better nation if there was no prayer in our schools. Are we? We would be more “progressive” if we allowed our children to have no morals. Are we? We would be more civilized if we didn’t spank our children. Are we? We would be happy if we got everything we ever wanted. Has it worked? The answer is “No” inevery case. Correct again. When we worship man, we end up with chaos. This is a hard lesson to be re-learned by each generation. 1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”
The only real hope America has for survival is a return to hard biblical preaching. Not the lame, “Let’s have a group hug” of liberalism, but the “Hellfire and brimstone” that New York, Hollywood, Congress, the Supreme Court, the President…and you are afraid of. If you choose “greed and the gun” over the “Bible and benevolence” we are truly doomed. Amen Brother. Please, for our country’s sake, focus on this kind of preaching. I would much rather see this nation repent than to be destroyed, but I will not shake my fist at God (Romans 9:20). Please do not get side-tracked on legislating, petitioning, or voting our way out of this spiritual mess we are in. Instead, preach the Gospel and follow the admonishment of 2 Timothy 2:4 “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” If Christians plant and water, God will give the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).
“Review some of your recent actions and see how self-motivated they were. The best thing you can do is to turn from greed to God. That thing in your past that you are ashamed of has already been paid for by the punishment Jesus Christ endured. Yet, because He was God and not man He rose from the dead. Think about it. What good is a religion that couldn’t get its Founder out of the grave? Now, go check where the founders of every religion in the world are right now. If Jesus Christ has the power to get Himself out of the grave He has the power to forgive your sins, come into your heart and save you and, if you should die, raise you from the grave when He returns. When He returns He will reward those who have accepted Him as their personal Saviour and chosen to serve Him.” No argument. We need to take a cue from the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons and start spreading the Gospel door to door if this nation has any hope.
Over the past 50 years our public schools and institutions of higher education have turned this nation to heathenism. We will not see how thorough and devastating this conversion has been until the collapse comes. our Nation’s hope will be the morality of our military and law enforcement officers. But the hope of every individual will be in putting their eternal soul in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ…as it always has been.” Hold it. You just got-side tracked by some lurking nostalgia for your pseudo-Christian American patriotism heritage. Our nation’s hope has nothing to do with the morality of the military or law enforcement officers. Our nation’s hope will be to repent and turn towards the Creator God of the Bible, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Jeremiah 18:8 “If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.”
Let me finish by saying: Brother Gipp (and/or any born again bible-believing Christian), if anything in this response contradicts biblical truth, I ask you in all sincerity to correct my error. Please show me in English from the King James Bible where I am wrong and I will accept it without question. Too many times today we forget to “be Berean” Acts 17:11 “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
In Christ,
A Pilgrim
Jeremiah 37:19 Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
This is an open letter to Glenn Beck and all other Americans who mistakenly believe that Christianity equates to being: 1) a good person. 2) American. 3) a conservative. 4) republican. You could not be farther from the truth. Your patriotism, political activities, or vain attempts at righteousness apart from the Holy Spirit mean nothing when it comes to avoiding the Lake of Fire. It has everything to do with repentance and belief on our Lord Jesus Christ.
While nobody would expect otherwise from the liberals, atheists, agnostics, and new-agers, politically conservative Glenn Beck took issue with a comment from the Bible that Alabama Governor Mark Bentley made about his Christian Faith:
“Anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I’m telling you, you’re not my brother and you’re not my sister, and I want to be your brother,” (Matthew 12:50, Mark 3:35)
According to the Alabama Local News, “Beck said the problem was with the sentiment, not the wording. A true messenger of Jesus Christ, he said, must consider every person a brother or sister.” “Even Luke Skywalker recognized that Darth Vader was his father,” Beck said Later, he added, “Governor, you are sadly mistaken about your Christianity.”
Glenn, where do you get your ideas about Christianity from? Star Wars? God is not with the Jedi. Mark Bentley got his wording from the Bible (Matthew 12:50, Mark 3:35). Have you even read the Bible? Do you believe the Bible? If you are really a Christian, why would you take exception to a fellow Christian expounding on Biblical ideas? Paul did not care if one preached out of strife or good-will, as long as the good news was spread (Philipians 1:18). How can the Governor be mistaken about his Christianity when he is quoting Scripture within context?
A true messenger of Jesus Christ preaches the Gospel according to Paul. He does not consider non-Christians to be his spiritual brothers and sisters. 1 Corinthians 10:32 tells us that this fallen world is classified into three people groups: 1) Believers. 2) Jews. 3) Gentiles. Until a Jew or Gentile Believes on Jesus Christ, he is not our spiritual brother. According to the Bible, people who preach contrary to the Bible are accursed (Galatians 1:8-9) The Governor was preaching from the Bible. You are preaching against the Bible. Maybe you need to look in the mirror and examine yourself by asking, “am I an unwitting minion of Satan?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) Again, I ask you, please repent and believe on your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Sadly, after a single lambast from Glenn Beck and the atheist media, the Governor pulled a Peter (Matthew 26:75) and apologized for quoting the Bible among an assembly of Christians.Please pray that the Governor will stand tall for faith in Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 6:12).