Who's a Christian?

Over the last nearly 3 years I have seen rage, jealousy and bitterness run people. They become bitter against one another, and the root of it all is greed, hate, and jealousy. To see men and women who should be brothers and sisters act like this is disgusting and disheartening.

Folks, our nation is doomed because of the self-seeking ways of those around us.

Disputes between brothers and sisters

Let me be very clear: if you are part of a clique that is divisive, filled with envy, jealousy, rage, anger, or any other of the works of the flesh, then you are NOT a Christian. If you set out to destroy someone and deliberately take something away from them because you think you know something, you are not a Christian.You can pray, you can cry, and your prayers will hit the ceiling of brass. If you do  manage to accomplish your goal by banding together, it will be short lived.

"Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." Matthew 5:23,24

You will likely say to me, but this has happened before, so we are justified. No you are not.  The fruit of these little cliques is evil - and the motive is not pure.  Are you working to save lives? Are you working to reconcile? Are you working to help the victim?  Do you care about how  your personal attacks have affected the people?

Leadership

On the principle of leadership- when someone is called  to create something, then they are the one called to do it. Regardless of personality disputes, if they are the one who created it - they are the one who created it. Do you tell your commanding officer you can do it better and march in to take his place?  Likely if you do that, you will go to jail.

Leaders are rarely perfect. In fact, most of the time they are not...many of them have serious problems. Mutiny is a serious offense. But it is NOT someone else's place to destroy them. It is in the hands of God and Him alone. If you are offended by everything they do, then that is something wrong with YOU, not them. What is the motive? It is not altruistic, it is fleshly and of the works of the flesh.

"Now the works of the flesh are evident which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousy,outbursts of wrath, selfish ambition, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just a I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God." Galatians 5:19-21

Hatred

The venom spewed by some of these little cliques is disgusting and abhorrent. It is rooted in the love of money and jealousy, not goodness or love. Kindness has left them, understanding has fled from them.

"If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." 1 John 4:20-21

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through  with many sorrows." 1 Timothy 6:10

Wicked times

Last night I drenched my pillow in tears, alternately with sorrow, anger and rage. Why? Because my America, my state, my heritage, is lost. We may never be able to get it back.

My husband came home from his huckleberry prospecting yesterday to tell me that some government agency is spraying the forests with a chemical that is killing the huckleberries. While he was out he saw brown, dead bushes that will never again yield the luscious purple berries that both humans and bears love to eat. They are killing a traditional food supply for us all, and even the animals who depend upon them.

He also informed me that baited wolf traps litter the area- where people used to love to walk with their dogs. The traps endanger not only people and dogs, but other animals as well. Signs can't be read by animals- duh. Shoot them according to the law if you must, but baited traps are cruel and dangerous to every one and every thing. I was enraged!

Yesterday morning I had coffee with an old friend who told me about some experiences he had with campgrounds and small towns in south central Idaho - the tides of immigrants from Mexico who are pushing local residents out. Many of the residents of those towns are moving to Twin Falls - where they will experience yet another government travesty. Mexican and South American Immigrants who live on the taxpayer welfare money - and drive their expensive trucks with boats  and ATVs. They are not friendly, these people who feel entitled. Are they getting so much taxpayer money that they live better than most ordinary people? Or are they supplementing it with drug money?

Idaho 's governor Butch Otter has also accepted the stream of Muslims from Syria into our state...more welfare money out of our pockets for people who hate us and want us dead. Some are sent to Boise, some are sent to Twin Falls...so the people who were pushed out of other towns will eventually be pushed out of Twin Falls as well.What will they do?

Let me make this clear - Idahoans are generally good people. But this kind of government malfeasance must stop. Will we, as residents of this state continue to be destroyed by the government? Or will we do something about it?

That's just Idaho. What about the nation as a whole? Where people kill police officers out of spite. Where a race war is on our doorstep because of a President who is a hate-filled Marxist.  Where good is thought of as evil and evil is good? Where Christians are now targets as the bad guys and treated with disdain? Where we are threatened on every side from people who hate us...

We are in desperate need of God. Will our desperation finally drive us to our knees?

The Thin Blue Line

A police officer I used to work with was shot and killed on Tuesday. I remember his smile, his jovial attitude, and on occasion he'd crack a joke when he came into my office. He was a kind-hearted soul, a credit to his uniform.

As I wrote up the story of the shooting, I ran across a picture taken by KREM reporter Sten Walstrom.  It was a twitter photo of a Coeur d'Alene fireman spraying the pavement with a chemical, probably to remove blood. It hit me hard. A sad moment, the testimony of a solid, good life reduced to a pool of blood on the pavement.

The Thin Blue Line

Police officers stand a short distance between us and the criminals of this nation.  The distance is often a very thin blue line.

The Wilbur Avenue neighborhood where Sgt Moore was killed is filled with homes. People going about their daily business, never dreaming they might have been one heartbeat away from death.

One officer's life - one split second of danger that forever changed his friends and family- and perhaps the neighborhood where he died- and most definitely the life of the shooter, who now faces a murder charge in addition to the others.



One Second to Eternity

That Thin Blue Line is the line between life and death, between here and eternity.  It is the moment when a police officer takes an undeserved bullet from a criminal who could case less about anyone but himself. Policemen know the risks. Spouses know the risks. And yet the shock of losing loved ones is always worse than we can fathom.

In a few weeks, most will forget. They will once again go about their daily routines, not mindful of the men and women who stand between them and the bad guys.

My advice to all of you - keep an eye out for our law enforcement officers. Honor them, respect them, support them. The more society wants to condemn them- or kill them- the more tense and nervous they will become. If we want to keep any semblance of home town police officers in America we must honor and recognize that Thin Blue Line.

The Bread of Life

In the Old Testament temple, there was a plate with "shewbread" on it.The symbolism for it was of the Presence of God. That bread had to be baked FRESH every day, showing that the Presence of God must remain fresh. Only the Priest could partake of it. He would break the bread by tearing it apart, bless it, then eat it.

Along comes King David- who ate the bread and gave some to his men as well. Was it blasphemy? What did it mean? Or was David just being an rebellious fool?

Now comes Jesus. He continually claims to be the "Bread of Life" and tells people they must eat Him. hmmm.... He is the embodiment of the Presence of God within us.At the Passover celebration, He stated, "This is My Body, broken for you." Yet not one of His legs were "broken" at the crucifixion - which was highly unusual.

On the cross, Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?" The moment He died, the covering between the Holy of Holies in the Temple and ordinary people was ripped in two. That religious separation was destroyed.

The moment the sins of the world were placed upon Him, He was SEPARATED FROM THE FATHER as the perfect sacrifice was made. The Bread of Life was torn from the Father.

He is the Repairer of the Breach, the Restoration, the Bread of Life.

The true Bread of LIfe was broken for us - separated from the Father for that brief time when sin broke Him apart from the Godhead. He is the living Presence of God... the Bread of Life.

Now that Bread, that living Presence of God is once again whole- and we are invited to partake of Him. It's about relationship- which King David understood innately because he KNEW his God.

So the question remains for all Christians- do they have relationship or religion?

Walking in the Spirit or in the Flesh

What do patriots do when they hear a rumor or think they see things that are wrong? Let's just say that our forefathers knew the principle of paying attention to the fruits of a situation rather than the words.

"While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by an extreme of wickedness can very seriously injure the government in the short space of four years." Abraham Lincoln

Well that's America - when we began to vote for the unrighteous ones, satan unleashed some spirits into the world that have truly "injured" the government. I guess the key here is that the people of America have lost their virtue and vigilance. It is lost to deception, lust, sin, and evil on a scale Abe Lincoln could not have imagined. And the main issue isn't just the nation as a whole. Let's talk about the personal lives of individuals.

If we we walk in the flesh rather than the Holy Spirit, then what we see is also in the flesh. That simply means we cannot tell good from evil - and we ourselves become susceptible to lies. It is where most of America is right now. If that "atmosphere" is present in the world, how much more so will it be present in the lives of individuals?

Satan comes to "steal, kill, and destroy" (Luke 10:19) but Jesus came to give us life and that more abundantly. Anyone who has participated in wilfully and maliciously tearing someone DOWN has stepped into the devil's ultimate plan. Jesus Christ came to save the world, not to condemn it. Throughout His ministry on the earth, He forgave, blessed, encouraged the sinners around Him, transforming their lives.

Those who thought they were righteous, however, He smacked them around with His words and a whip. WE are living at a time when we have to forgive, be watchful against what people do rather that what they actually say. If their words are righteous sounding, but they wilfully tear down others around them, then watch out. They are wolves in sheep's clothing, and to be kept at arm's length.

The days in which we live

Our founding Fathers may have worn tights, lace on their cuffs and around their necks, but they most certainly were not wimps or cowards. They knew when it was time to fight. It is their spirit, their belief in what is right that has pervaded American society from the beginning. Do you have that same spirit? Or will you succumb to the worldly atmosphere that saturates societies now?

"These are the times that try men's souls." Thomas Paine

We're in a war. A real one. You may think that the only one we're in is with radical Islam, but I'm here to tell you that the war is much much deeper than the natural world.

The forces at work at this point in history are not ones you can touch with your hands- they are ancient forces of evil that have a purpose. You can either play by their rules, or follow the heart of God. You choose.

So many are becoming selfish rather than selfless. But the Bible is VERY clear on the subject- if someone has something against someone else, God does not receive our gift until we have fixed the problem. When there is a seed in the heart that is of darkness, there will be no friendship with God. That means those who walk away from being a friend, those who have their own selfish agenda in mind...they become the Judas factor.

"Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold..." Matthew 24:12

I have a dear friend who is going through hell right now. His sister is dying. He is mother is upset. His company is experiencing a temporary downturn and there is no money- he has lost nearly everything, and he has a family. His Facebook page was taken down for unknown reasons, which destroyed his ability to make more money. He has been betrayed by many who claimed to be his friends. He is most certainly NOT perfect, but he is still a human being with a heart. And he is not alone- the forces at work are raging through the world.

Friendships are being destroyed because of division. Patriots are not still patriots, because they are divided. If you can't stand together you can't call yourself a patriot, it's as simple as that. Families are being destroyed. Businesses are failing. Plagues are rampant, wars are everywhere, sin has torn our nation - and the world- apart. Everything that can be shaken is being shaken. The bottom line is that WE MUST HAVE HEARTS that follow God and not the things of this world. If our focus is on what we see, we will never reach the goal that God has set for us.

STOP right now and investigate your heart. Ask God to reveal anything in there that is off the beam. Don't worry, He doesn't carry a baseball bat- He is merciful. He will show you. If you do not believe in God, then ask that He reveal the truth to you. Let Him shower you with his gifts. Don't be afraid of becoming milktoast- Jesus walked the earth in great power- and He wasn't afraid to use it for the benefit even of people who hated Him in the end.God doesn't cotton to wimps- He seeks the meek, but not the weak. The spirit of our American forefathers still lives within us all- but as they asked for Divine assistance, so must we.

The significance of current events

We traverse through points of history generally oblivious to the significance of the events around us. But there are clear warnings from Scripture. Like this: A river in China has "mysteriously" turned blood red.

Rev 8:8 "...and a third part of the sea became blood." That word "sea" is thalassa it's Greek for sea, pool, lake, etc. Generally, Americans tend to ignore things like this- a "Red Tide" is just you know, that "stuff" in the water. Just because it makes the seafood in it inedible that's no big deal. Right? The Chinese river turning red is just from "stuff"- pollution- in the water.

The ocean now has "dead zones" in it where oxygen is absent. Fish, crustaceans, other creatures die there.

"...And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died..." Rev 8:9

We need to start paying attention to the signs around us. The wonders in the sky from the Hubble Space Telescope, for example.

When you add these things to the horrific deaths of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East; when you see Israel having to fight to defend itself against terrorists who want them wiped from the earth; when you see our own nation run far away from God and become enveloped in the "gross darkness" of Isaiah 60, then you must realize that things are rolling towards a massive Divine culmination.

It's time we got our collective heads out of the sand, folks. Time is short. "You will be made to care" is a statement that rings true across all demographics. You can wait for rescue, or you can prepare yourself for whatever comes. Don't wait- prepare. Be wise as serpents, harmless as doves. Get ready for the Bridegroom, keep your lamps lit with His anointing oil and don't let it go out by complacency, laziness, or sheer boredom. Know Him. Know him personally. Walk in His power and grace. Will you be willing to commit to Him with everything you are? Or will you sit on the couch and ignore the situation around you?

"And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt with flatteries; but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits." Daniel 11:32

No Turning Back

Photo by Tom Michalski, Brennan, Washington

There comes a time in the lives of all leaders, when turning back is not a viable option.It's a moment when the mountain is too high, the attacks too strong, the pain to deep to continue...and yet we must.

Let me use an example from my own life: My husband, his best friend, his daughter and I were headed out for a hike around a lake in the High Sierras of California. The day was warm and comfortable at 7am. We walked for about 5 miles, enjoying the exercise and chit-chatting about nonsensical things.We stopped by a rushing glacial stream to eat lunch and turn around to head back to camp.

The path of no return

Suddenly, as we turned to go back, we saw that the path we had taken was under water! Unbeknownst to us, a small dam at the other end of the lake had been released, and our way back to camp was completely blocked. We had no choice but to go forward...up steep rocks in the blistering sun, with no supplies left.

What started out to be an easy hike by the lake had turned into a matter of survival for me, the blond sunlight-sensitive person.I drank from pools of water that had bear tracks in the mud beside them. The heat stroke started to set in. As I climbed the bare rocks before me, my vision started to cloud and I knew I was in serious trouble. I also foolishly looked down at the spear-like treetops below me. I froze.

My husband saw that I was growing sicker, so he threw the buckle end of his belt to me, and literally hauled me off that rock. Ahead he saw a fallen tree, and shoved it down the steep shale-covered hillside into the lake. We slid down the embankment and he dragged me into the water. The cool drenching saved my life, as we floated back to camp on the log.I started to feel better before we got to the other side. The others had no ill effects and simply hiked back to camp around the rest of the lake. My husband smiled and told me I had passed my "survival training." I felt oddly victorious, and the view from that part of the lake was spectacular. We had trekked 12 miles in 98 degree heat, with not enough water or food. And we could not turn back.

Never Give Up

When it feels like you want to give up, when you just can't go on another minute, don't give up. Fight through the pain, the sorrow, the heartaches, the attacks, the steep climb, and keep going. You can't go back now, you've come too far. Even though you are tired, victory is coming. That feeling when you have won, when you have overcome all the odds against you, is unfathomable. And God is with you, even when it feels like He is not.

Faithfulness and Truth

Trust, faithfulness, honor, truth...these are words that the Bible is quite clear about. Jesus is ALWAYS there for us, no matter what we go through in our lives. He is faithful, He honors us, He speaks truth, and we can trust Him. That pattern, that pathway, is the one we are to follow.

Many years ago, there was a man who came to our church from Texas. He began to contact people individually, wooing them with promises of money and a plan to make everything wonderful in their lives. He never once talked to me, because he knew my loyalty to my pastoral leadership was solid and unwavering. The spirit within him targeted the weak, the ones with personal desires. A few days after he showed up, I went to the church and found my pastor and his family huddled on the bed. Some of them had been crying. The parking lot was empty, only one car in sight. The man managed to drag all but three of us to Texas. Those who left created an impossible financial situation for my pastor- he had to go back to secular work. Those next few years were hell for him and his family, all because of a wolf in sheep's clothing, and a personal agenda that was completely unlike that of Christ.

The Word tells us that we should become like Jesus. Too often, people turn that into a religious idea. They choose to talk a lot about God, or babble on about His ways, but they never really apply those words to their lives in real works. James 2:17 says that faith without works is dead. Being like Christ means being LIKE Him - always faithful, always standing true to who you are and what God wants you to do.

It also happens that people who call themselves Christians have personal agendas that have nothing whatever to do with God's heart for them. It's called "selfish ambition" in the Bible. And people often follow that, thinking they are following God, when they are a long way from the truth.

I have encountered too many people who tell me they are Christians, but friendships, true friendships elude them.Why? because they are flighty and do not fight for those friends in prayer or in person. I want to be LIKE Jesus. He has been my friend through feast, famine, flood, fire, and every moment in between. He has even stood with me in my own failings and sin. Let's be like that for the people in our lives. Let's really be like Jesus. As new friends of mine would say:

"Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas: Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever."

The Remnant

The following entry into a contest won an award- I hope you will all enjoy it

THE REMNANT

by Faye Higbee

Amidst the broken walls of allowable love of country stands the tattered remnant of America’s patriots. Reviled as evil, their hearts for a nation once free are now stamped as dangerous and incapable of compassion. Where once a bright future reigned, now dark clouds of fear…or is it anger…shroud the hearts of The Remnant.

Yet they stand, their fingers intertwined with those of their children. They face the future with hope, knowing that the seasons of nations can transform from Light to Dark, or Dark to Light, in an instant.

The sight of “Old Glory” still causes their hearts to cry out. Her unfurled majesty is a moment of wonder for the privilege of citizenship in a land where belief in Freedom lives on in spite of the circumstances. A land where giving up or giving in is not an option. It’s a land where the flag’s symbols drive passion and love of values, a love of life. The patriot is caught in a moment of reflection, a moment of quiet remembrance.

Lest they forget that the flag is not just a flag, her colors call out to them. “My red stripes, my blood, shed to protect your sacred vow. The white of purity is a state of the heart which struggles for release within your human condition. The blue of Heaven, your final hope, the favor of the Almighty sought by the forefathers of America’s Constitution. Do you remember? Will you stand firm? Will you defend me?” The Remnant stands silently, inwardly weeping for the foundations destroyed by human disregard for her meaning.

Benjamin Franklin’s words from the day of the signing of the Declaration of Independence ring through the ages in stark testimony to the plight of the land once called “the colonies.” “We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.” The Remnant cannot forget. They know that foundations are built on unity of purpose.

Descendants of the Revolutionary War know well the sacrifices of their ancestors. Frigid nights when inhospitable conditions threaten to destroy the men who call themselves “patriots.” Wearing tattered rags and threadbare shoes, they forge ahead because to give up would mean certain death. With few weapons and even fewer troops, their courage and determination to create a land of liberty pushes them far into the mouth of the English Lion.

Captured, murdered, tortured, but not crushed, a tiny armed militia finally breaks free of the yoke of tyranny. Their hope of freedom is won by sheer inner strength, the heart of The Remnant. It is the heart, after all, that drives mankind.

Through the conflicts of the ages, in battles both foreign and domestic, the fledgling nation grows. The Remnant flourishes, bent upon breathing life into their land. They make mistakes. They falter. Then in a rage that rivals the war in Heaven, brother fights against brother during the pursuit of freedom for all in the Civil War. Differences threaten to rip apart the nation that has been so desperately won.

The Remnant once again emerges, a breed whose hope for healing of their land shines brightly in the darkness of war. Abraham Lincoln speaks their hearts: “If we do not make common cause to save the good ship of the Union on this voyage, nobody will have a chance to pilot her on another voyage.” 1861 through 1865 mark years of savage bloodshed, as America splits itself apart over many issues, not the least of which is freedom for the slaves.

And yet, in the battle for liberty and justice for all, The Remnant triumphs.

As the fight for freedom moves to the world stage, The Remnant’s heart begins to break under the barrage of sorrow. A sense of sadness begins to pervade the nation. The hardships of two World Wars, the Great Depression, broken lives and dreams overwhelm the senses. Victories bring celebration, but by the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War, a jaded and cynical nation emerges. The Remnant watches as men and women no longer fight to win. Now they have learned to give up and give in.

Only brief respites during the years to come gives hope to The Remnant once again. But afterwards, the tide turns, and what was once an honor becomes something to disregard. What was once good is now spoken of as evil. Instead of unity, division now reigns supreme over the land. The definitions of a patriot and the very history of a nation are now subject to the whims of those who do not understand the hearts of The Remnant.

Yet, in the face of ever growing hostility, The Remnant persists. Freedom burns deep in their psyche. The land of the free may be weakened in the reality of current politics, but that hope, that desire for liberty still pervades the hearts of those who love America.

I am part of The Remnant. My family’s forefathers fought and died against overwhelming odds in battles for the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The sight of Old Glory fluttering in the breeze builds a lump in my throat. It is as if her stars have been ripped from the field of blue, and her red stripes swept from the flag. My heart breaks to see angst and division slashing the fabric of what was once a proud nation.

As I reflect on the sacrifices of my ancestors, I grieve for my country’s failure to recognize its own foundations. Whether it’s debt that crushes the hopes and dreams of the citizens, the loss of freedoms once granted under the Constitution, or the lack of vision for the future, this country is on a collision course. And I wonder. Will we, The Remnant, rise once again to right this Ship of State before it runs aground on the shoals of history? Or are we doomed to the tyranny of government that fails to understand the consequences of its actions? Only The Remnant knows its own heart. And the questions? Only The Almighty can answer.

Operation Eternal Light- Duty, Honor, Country

Duty, Honor, Country. Those are not mere words, but ideals that encourage men and women to the highest standard of service. Duty, to obey and follow those who have gone before them into the very belly of hell when necessary...it is also a call to save lives even when it costs them their own. Honor involves respect, integrity of heart, virtue that comes from facing the fires with honesty and truth. Country is about our Faith, our Republic, our America... our way of life. All of those things are engaged in a battle today that will determine whether we fall both as individuals and as a nation. I will not give up, and I will answer that call -we must all stand together.

Individuals in my world are battling, not the forces of evil, but each other. I love you all. God loves you all. I have grown more fond of each and every one of you than you can possibly imagine. Hardened hearts are causing a ripple effect of upheaval and warfare across the board. I'm asking you all as your friend, and as a pastor called to these last days, to stand down from this fight. You are not just hurting your "enemy," you are destroying yourselves. A house divided against itself cannot stand. We cannot win this country back without all of you- no group can do the task alone. You are not just hurting your enemy and yourselves, you are creating collateral damage among those who desperately want to be a part of what you are about.You are leaving a trail of broken hearts and minds that God will inevitably judge. And He will judge the division by leaving us to the tryanny of a government that hates us.

For those who profess to be Christians, I ask you this question: if Christ forgave you, how can you not forgive others? (Matthew 6:14, Luke 17:3) The "Lord's Prayer" states that God will "forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trepass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." How do you suppose we are to be saved from evil if we have not forgiven? You who started this conflagration know exactly who I'm talking to. You backed a man into a corner so of course then, from the defensive position, he came out swinging. God is deeply grieved. The Word says that if we have something against a person, we must go and be reconciled THEN bring our gifts to the Lord. You cannot hate your brother and still be a Christian.(1 John 4:20). We cannot just spout Jesus' words, we must LIVE them.You do not have to like someone, you do have to love them. We "wrestle not against flesh and blood." Period. Man up and walk as Christ commands you to walk.

We have a President who has actively split this nation in pieces. That spirit is having a ball. The ONLY hope we have is to "resist the devil and he will flee."(James 4:7). So resist, gentleman. Resist the temptation to hate, to return evil for evil, resist the war of words. Plant the flag of forgiveness and peace, and the fire will go out. Let it be Operation Eternal Light.

For my friends who are on this internal list- I am sorry you had to hear this. But perhaps you will pray for us all. This has become literally a life and death battle for many. Thanks. Faye- aka "Colonel"

Division- a recipe for failure

Conservatives are deeply divided at this juncture on almost every level. One refuses to vote for whoever, another refuses to vote period, the whole arena is filled with blame and accusations. Everybody is refusing blah blah blah... the whole thing sickens me. We are handing our country over to the enemy on a blood-stained platter.

Groups within America don't fight the enemy, they fight each other. I have been accused of some crazy things by Christians lately. So let me state this in terms everyone can understand:

The enemy we need to fight FIRST is the demonic. Satan's tactics have not changed: he strikes the shepherd and the sheep scatter. How does he do that? 1) By lies. He whispers in people's ears and they listen to him. Witness Chris Christie claiming that the more serious right wing people are "dangerous." It's the division, the name-calling, that is "dangerous."

2)By assumptions. He sets up circumstances so that we can't see the truth through the garbage. Then everyone is at each other's throats without truth in the middle. And by then pride sets in and nobody wants to back down. We MUST learn to know when it's time to heal the rifts or break from them. Just remember- breaking from those may create an election that cannot be won. People will become tired of the fracas and just stay home.

3)By sickness. He loves to set the saints up for illness- he'll wreck your blood pressure, make your head bleed, use anything you're doing against you, and especially if you have an attitude problem--he'll wreak havoc with that one. If you have something against someone else, dump it before the throne fast, or you could be struck with cancer or something else. Bitterness WILL kill you, guaranteed.

The battle is raging for the hearts and minds of America. If we play ball with the demonic forces we will lose. We must stop the bickering, the hate-filled rhetoric, the prideful attitudes that stand in the way of victory. The enemy cannot win this battle IF we follow the principles of the Lord. But that requires us to take the high road, not fall into the trap. The picture posted on this website is from a Facebook post, so I have no clue who took it. But it does reflect the battle we face between the promises of God and the enemy's darkness. Stop the fights. Let's save America.

Weak Kings

Let's discuss Joan of Arc. Her high intelligence and prowess led to her becoming the first and only woman to ever be the Supreme Commander of the armies of a nation at the young age of seventeen. She fought long and hard against their enemies and was fiercely loyal to a weak king. She gave him her all. Never once deciding that Dauphin was unfit for the office of king, she fought on with courage and strength. She fought heavily behind enemy lines. But in the end, she was captured. It was ultimately the king's failure to ransom her from the enemy that caused her to be burned at the stake. She was a courageous young woman with gifts beyond her years. Her life was cut short while fighting for her nation, a nation that was run by a fool who didn't care about much of anyone but himself.

America was born in rebellion. Our first leaders had foresight and wisdom, based upon Judeo-Christian values and thoughts. They cared about their armies, and their people. They were decidedly NOT weak. They knew the stakes, they fought the fight. And they won.

Over the centuries, American leaders have run the gamut between strong and powerful, and weak. But at no time have we had a leadership as weak as the one we have today. They rule by subterfuge, intimidation, and deception. Their minions follow them blindly without forethought. If you think they are strong, you are mistaken, because evil is foolish. They not only make scandals, they are personally so wrapped up in themselves that they could care less about the people. They do not serve us, they serve themselves. When leadership does that, people die.

We can chose to blindly follow these leaders, or we can stand up and and say NO. We can chose to let America be destroyed by their actions, or we can ask for Divine Guidance and believe that we can prevail. I have seen many people on some of the social networks either stick their heads in the sand and pretend all is well, or they sound like they will give up. Personally, I will not give up. This is MY country.Is it yours? Will you jump of the cliff for these leaders who do not care about you? Or will you say no way?

Under the Surface

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/30/govt-knows-best-white-house-creates-nudge-squad-to-shape-behavior/

The link today goes to what I'd call a bizarre story of nanny government. They've created a "nudge squad" to try and get people to change their behaviors to the model of the government. While some of it sounds oh so logical (saving money, automatically signing people up for weight loss clinics, etc)there is an insidious tone to it that leaves me feeling creeped out.

It would be nice if this administration would stop trying to alter the citizens (a nasty form of brainwashing) and just stay out of our lives. Big government is far more obese than anyone in America. It's big sloppy reach is so wide by now that we can't do anything without Big Brother snooping around in our lives. So now they want to "nudge" the departments into acting and accomplishing personal things the way "They" want them to. Say, for example, the "nudge squad" demands that you save money according to their guidelines. Suppose you can't pay your mortgage if you have to take that much out. So they're what, going to fire you for not saving? This concept is straight from the pit.

The "squad" says they can "opt out." Yep. I'll bet they can. Opt out of the job and on out the door. The problem with "nudges," as one blogger put it this morning, is that it can quickly become a shove.Especially with a government that operates in evil. They are literally trying to create an army of totally compliant people. And that doesn't work for me.

Freedom is about just that: freedom and personal responsibility. An "offer" is better than a "nudge." This administration's continual interference in our lives has reached epidemic proportions. And the problem is that anger is reaching a boiling point in America. And all of it is caused by the head dude of control freaks, satan himself.

If we could see the demonic realm around us, we would see that there is a plan in place. Satan can't allow freedom, because he is a control freak. He has to have slaves rather than followers. God has friends. Friends who choose to follow Him in love and faith. Satan can't do that, so he attempts to control us on every level. He tries to control us by fomenting anger, by demanding that we comply with the administration's "nudges," and by sacrificing the freedoms that our forefathers fought for. Will you be "nudged?"

Conversion or Pressure?

I was having coffee with a friend the other day and he made this statement: "What is the matter with the Republicans? They've had some sort of religious experience and converted to the Democrat side." And he is correct. Some of those we have staunchly believed in as Conservatives seem to bail on us and support everything from Amnesty to Gun Control. WTH? Are they just believing lies, or are they under some sort of pressure?

Being a suspicious sort, I don't believe in coincidence for any reason. I do believe that the Democrats have been using some underhanded tactics on our erstwhile "Conservative" legislators. Why do I think that? Because this administration has a track record of lies, distortion, and deception. They are power hungry, greedy, and have an agenda not favorable to America in any shape or form. Those kind of behaviors cannot be "compartmentalized" and will always manifest in evil ways.

This morning we hear that Chris Christie, Mr. Conservative Hero, rather obnoxiously told us that Sen. Rand Paul is "dangerous" because he is concerned about the need for probable cause in obtaining permission to spy on people. There is something under the surface here. If you stand up for liberty you are labelled as "dangerous," even by the very party that's supposed to be on the right? So he says the "libertarian streak" is dangerous? The Republican party has been complicit in the conversion experience.This is more than wrong, it will split our nation into so many factions that we'll be guaranteed a disaster in 2014.

Chris Christie is wrong. Obama and his "we know nothing" crowd are the dangerous ones. People who love the nation and stand up for the Constitution are not. I think Mr. Christie has had a conversion experience and needs to step aside. He is not worthy of our votes. Whether it is money-greed at the root of such sellouts, the desire to stay in power, or a simple extortion plot, we are in serious trouble. And we thought it couldn't get any worse? Stay tuned.

The Forces of Chaos

Remember Agent Maxwell Smart and his fight against the evil organization known as "CHAOS?" As silly as he was, it wasn't far from the truth. He followed CHAOS agents around and through his bumbling always managed to come out on top. His bumbling around was funny. Ours is not.

"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." Ephesians 6:12

The forces that have been at work in the absolute evil that is occurring in America right now are NOT divided. Let me say that again: satan's house is NOT divided. He has a plan, and that plan is to get the righteous people so angry, so filled with rage that they do stupid things. He's hoping we'll fall for his scheme. He's excited about it.

Whether it's the tide of islamic extremism, the actions of MrO, or the race-baiting, the hatred of Black vs White and vice versa, he's got us where he wants us: at each other's throats.This is not a flesh and blood battle- but it does involve flesh and blood people. Our weapons must be spiritual FIRST, and natural second. "When a well-armed man protects his house, his goods are safe." Luke 11:21 Sounds like my favorite 2nd amendment Scripture. But the next verse reminds me that I can't trust in my own strength: "But whan a man stronger than he comes upon him, and overcomes him, he takes from him all his weapons that he trusted in, and divides his spoils." (vs 22).

The fact is, that no matter how much we prepare in the natural (and we should), we must not forget the Lord, or that the forces of CHAOS- or the demonic realm- are just as real as the gun in our hands.People are used by those forces to create fear, confusion and anger. The Lord admonished us to "Be angry and sin not." Tough right now for many of my friends- we're ALL angry. We're tired of evil governments, we're tired of race baiting, and b.s.spread by liberals who don't know jack about anything they so freely talk about. And they are wrong headed, their ideas create the opposite of what they spout. We're sick of it. But we must not let the sun set on our anger. DAILY we must let that frustration and anger be lifted to the Cross and peace must come flooding back.

It's the heart where this battle will be won. We cannot become like them, the bitter, nasty people we see and hear all day long. Let's not allow our hearts to be fundamentally transformed into the same ilk as our opponents. Let's not let the media bias or any other avenue used by the enemy destroy who we are as a people. We are Americans. We are patriots. This is our country. Let's remember how to fight the battles: pulling down the anger in our own minds and hearts, and THEN fighting in the natural.

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty though God to the pulling down of strongholds;" 2 Corinthians 10:4

If we don't hang together...

Benjamin Franklin once told his fellow colleagues that "We must indeed hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately." Problem is, in today's polarized world, we are literally being forced to turn on each other. We are so filled with anger that we can't seem to stand together on anything.

Whether it's the right or the left, there are those who literally demand that we believe certain things their way. Example from my life: I don't have to believe in the rampant killing of wolves just because they are wolves, but some on the right think I should. Liberals demand that I believe in never killing one. Wholesale slaughter of any wildlife is disgusting to me, whether it's a wolf or a wild horse. I believe in the right to hunt game animals for food. But trophy hunting is abhorrant to me. Killing for the sake of killing is a spirit of murder, no different than serial killers who kill for the thrill of watching the life drain out of someone. That's why I hate abortion- it's flat out murder. We must be balanced in what we believe in, or we will become that which we have worked so hard to stand against.

I will stand with even the most militant conservatives, many of whom are former military and know what they've sacrificed for freedom. I may not agree with everything they say, but I believe in them and will not turn against them because of intimidation from the left or the right. My Dad brought me up to walk against "peer pressure" and do what is right instead. I frankly don't care what people say to me, I will walk according to my beliefs. My view is decidedly Christian, so I believe in loving my enemy- but love does not mean condoning an action. Sometimes loves requires being held responsible. That goes for everything from a wayward kid who steals or uses drugs to a politician who tries to destroy our freedom. In this country, if we do not exercise our rights, we will lose them to people whose drive for power outweighs the rights that people like Ben Franklin fought so hard to give us. WE MUST hang together.

Too Young to Die

America is too young to die. Even the British (1497-1997) and Roman Empires lasted several centuries(27BC-467AD/610AD). As our founding fathers quarreled among themselves over the rights and promises needed for their fledgling nation, one common thread kept them on track: their background at the hands of a tyrannical government.

This nation was born in rebellion. Rebellion against dictators, against those who would crush the hopes and dreams of the people, against big government that refused the basic human rights of freedom, life, and the pursuit of happiness. It was born in rebellion against control by those who did not understand what it was like to be free. And as a nation of rebels at heart, we have a new fight ahead of us.

Is the sun rising over America, or is it setting? So many people have said we are dying. And as a conservative and a Christian I have to agree that it appears on the surface that we are being led down a path to destruction by those who do not care about our people or our values. But even in sunset there is hope for the sunrise. When any group of pro-abortionists can shout "Hail satan" at us in the midst of the singing of "Amazing Grace," it should be a huge red flag that the polarization of America has reached a fever pitch. It is time to act on our conscience. It is time to rise up and be counted. It is time to stand firm on what we know is the truth and not let intimidation by power hungry people shove us off the land. Because the sunrise is coming.

If we will push back. If we will refuse to be led down the path to oblivion, we will prevail against this tide of darkness. There are some sheep among us, but there are warriors too. We need those warriors now more than ever before in our history. The sunrise will come. And we will once again be free to shout "USA USA" in our schools. We will once again be free to worship the God of our forefathers. We will stand with our weapons, backing down the enemies of our nation. Yes, America is too young to die. Never give up. Let us all stand together, arm in arm, with weapons both natural and supernatural, believing in a bright future for tomorrow's America.

Thug Leadership

America is ruled by a gang of thugs. The media thugs, the White House thugs, the Congressional thugs (for them there are a handful of exceptions- a tiny handful of exceptions).

The media thugs are so far out of whack that they destroy people's lives simply at the thought of a story, even when that story is so old that is doesn't even qualify as a story anymore. Witness Paula Deen, for example. She's not perfect. She's a human being. So the media goes after her tooth and fang for being racist, while ignoring the seething hatred of others. As my friend Bobby Wilhelm says in his book Bobby Convict, School of Hard Knocks:"Even saying the term "Black race" is moronic, since we're all part of the same race - the human race."

We have a group of leadership thugs that care nothing about the citizens of the US- their "caring" is couched in lies, deceptions, selfish motives and personal agendas. They are not Americans at their core- obvious by their actions to date. Why there are ANY Americans who continue to follow them is mind-blowing. I think it's a cult mentality.

I watched a show last night on the ID network about cult murders. The common thread was that the people who both committed the murders and followed the leader were completely mesmerized. They couldn't think for themselves. Whatever he said sounded completely logical, even when he advocated murdering an entire family because they weren't "pure" in heart. AMERICA WAKE UP! Don't be a nation of sheep who blindly follow the thugs in leadership! Stand up and say NO! You can be for the poor, the downtrodden, the broken people of the country and still be against modern day pirates who want to destroy your lives. Don't let the thugs win!

The Horizon

The horizon for America appears bleak. The dark clouds of corruption, incompetance, division and hatred seem to shroud our nation. Our light grows ever dimmer with the loss of common sense and wisdom. Where once Statesman could speak wisely with foresight for all, now politicians speak foolishly with angst toward each other and our citizens. We wonder if the madness can be stopped. Like an out of control ship with no Captain, this ship of state shifts wildly toward the rocks. With no Lighthouse to guide her, the only result can be collision. The Republican party picks its own "good ol' boy" rank and file. They want only those who will move at their command rather than the fresh blood of those who see into the future. They seem to not see the same "handwriting on the wall" that spelled the destruction of King Belshazzar in the book of Daniel. The Democrats are so far gone into the liberal camp that they have become blinded. Judgment has already come to America in the consequences of dropping God from our schools, from our society, from everyday life. We murder the innocent daily in the abortion of children simply because our society has become inherently selfish. We call good evil and evil good. We think that disarming the people is the way to safety, when it is the very pathway to doom. Tyranny will stop at nothing to control its populace. Foreign influences chip away at the sovereignty of the United States. We listen to and believe lies rather than stand up for truth and freedom. Yes, the horizon for America is threatened. Can the Light return to our nation? You decide. Where will you stand?