Christians in Need of Encouragement?

What true, Bible based, Jesus loving, born again Christian wasn’t disappointed in the Supreme Court ruling that changed the natural definition of marriage this past Friday?

I have spoken with several people.

Some were absolutely devastated!

Many where completely in shock!

Others, knowing what Bible prophecy tells us will happen the closer we get to the end times, were not really surprised.

Most of us were deeply saddened.

It is OK to grieve…for a time. After all, we grieve every Good Friday for what Jesus Christ had to (chose to!) do in order to save us all from our sins.

I must admit that one worship song called “Forever” that is so eloquently sung by Kari Jobe  puts this whole debacle into proper perspective.  Wait till you hear what the gentleman (who comes up to the microphone as Kari pauses in singing the song) has to say!  So AWESOME it gave me goose bumps!!!

Beautiful song!  Beautiful voice! Beautiful worship!

I have posted it here, but often YouTube doesn’t allow playback on certain blogs.

Therefore, I have also provided the link.

Click here:

Kari Jobe: Forever – Live

 

Lyrics:

“Forever”

The moon and stars they wept
The morning sun was dead
The Savior of the world was fallen
His body on the cross
His blood poured out for us
The weight of every curse upon him

One final breath he gave
As heaven looked away
The son of God was laid in darkness
A battle in the grave
The war on death was waged
The power of hell forever broken

The ground began to shake
The stone was rolled away
His perfect love could not be overcome
Now death where is your sting?
Our resurrected King
Has rendered you defeated

Forever he is glorified
Forever he is lifted high
Forever he is risen
He is alive, He is alive!

The ground began to shake
The stone was rolled away
His perfect love could not be overcome
Now death where is your sting?
Our resurrected King
Has rendered you defeated

Forever he is glorified
Forever he is lifted high
Forever he is risen
He is alive, He is alive!

We sing hallelujah
We sing hallelujah
We sing hallelujah
The Lamb has overcome

Forever he is glorified
Forever he is lifted high
Forever he is risen
He is alive, He is alive!

You have overcome
You have overcome
You have overcome
You have overcome

 

In addition, I wanted to share some resource links that I have come across through blogs I visit.

 

There are plenty of resources out there to help Christians cope with the devastatingly immoral decision that was pushed upon America through the 5-4 SCOTUS decision that made homosexual “marriage” suddenly legal in all 50 states. I have started compiling a list (below), and will most likely add to it as I come across other excellent blog posts. Any reader who has links to share about this topic, please post them in the comment section.
Resources:

Video: Pastor Jobey McGinty of Life Mission Church: Does Jesus Satisfy You?: Gospel of Matthew: the King and His Kingdom, Ch. 14.13-33

Published on Jun 30, 2015

The Gospel of Matthew was written so that we would know our King, see what His Kingdom is about, and what we believers, the citizens of this Kingdom, are to be and to do as ambassadors of the King. We will be looking at the life, teachings, miracles, life, and death of Jesus Christ.

In this sermon, Jesus miraculously feeds 5,000 hungry followers, and then walks on water when His disciples are in peril on the sea. But what was His purpose in doing these things? To simply show His power? No, here in these stories, He aims to not just show that He can provide, but He shows that He Himself is the Provision.

Additionally, there are some opening remarks regarding the June 26, 2015 Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage.

Joseph Franks: How Ought Christians to Respond to the Societal Ethical Shift?

Romans122Life: What Jesus Might Say To the LGBT Community.

The Master’s Table: Remember What We Are Called To

The Poached Egg: Top Christian Resources on the Marriage Debate (Books, Articles, Videos, Podcasts on Gay Marriage/Same-Sex Marriage)

Steak and a Bible: Don’t Miss List: SCOTUS Marriage Edition

Thanks and hat tips to all links.

John Roberts’ dissent in Obergefell that blow the majority’s opinion out of the water.

Charles Krauthammer appeared on the O’Reilly Factor and explained why America is changing so rapidly.  One reason that this decision is seen by at least 40% (if the polls being revealed are correct) of Americans, which is 128 million of us (if, again, the polls are correct) as wrong is that the judiciary, according to the Constitution, does not have the right to create new law.  Those of us that disagree with this ruling do so for several reasons. The biggest one is the fact that many Americans know that the Supreme Court is not supposed to make new law!  That is what the Legislative branch is for, and the legislatures of each state where making such decisions through the voting process within their states. Thirty of our fifty states had passed laws declaring that the thousands of years old definition of marriage (instituted by God) should remain as the union of one man and one woman.  Unfortunately, liberal judges in the courts started to strike down these decisions.  But several states gained court decisions that upheld the We The People decisions that were voted on within their states.  Was it right to just sweep them away as the Extreme Court did?  No.  Of course not!

The second reason why this ruling was wrong is because two judges who performed homosexual marriages should have recused themselves from this decision.  The third reason why is the chief justice’s dissent which explained why this should not have been done the way that it came down.

Near the end of his 29-page dissent, Roberts registered this strongly worded reprimand:

“If you are among the many Americans — of whatever sexual orientation — who favor expanding same-sex marriage, by all means celebrate today’s decision. Celebrate the achievement of a desired goal. Celebrate the opportunity for a new expression of commitment to a partner. Celebrate the availability of new benefits. But do not celebrate the Constitution. It had nothing to do with it.”

In other words, the Constitution was completely ignored in this case!

But that’s not the only reason for Justice Robert’s dissent in this case. The Federalist provides: Here Are The 11 Most Devastating Quotes From John Roberts’ Gay Marriage Dissent.

Excerpt:

The dissent of Chief Justice John Roberts, however, contains a number of real gems. Here are 11 quotes from John Roberts’ dissent in Obergefell that blow the majority’s opinion out of the water.

On the proper role of the federal judiciary:

[T]his Court is not a legislature. Whether same-sex marriage is a good idea should be of no concern to us. Under the Constitution, judges have power to say what the law is, not what it should be. The people who ratified the Constitution authorized courts to exercise “neither force nor will but merely judgment.

Nowhere is the majority’s extravagant conception of judicial supremacy more evident than in its description—and dismissal—of the public debate regarding same-sex marriage. Yes, the majority concedes, on one side are thousands of years of human history in every society known to have populated the planet. But on the other side, there has been “extensive litigation,” “many thoughtful District Court decisions,” “countless studies, papers, books, and other popular and scholarly writings,” and “more than 100” amicus briefs in these cases alone. What would be the point of allowing the democratic process to go on? It is high time for the Court to decide the meaning of marriage, based on five lawyers’ “better informed understanding” of “a liberty that remains urgent in our own era.” The answer is surely there in one of those amicus briefs or studies.

The truth is that today’s decision rests on nothing more than the majority’s own conviction that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry because they want to, and that “it would disparage their choices and diminish their personhood to deny them this right.” Whatever force that belief may have as a matter of moral philosophy, it has no more basis in the Constitution than did the naked policy preferences adopted in Lochner.

On the constitutional basis for a right to same-sex marriage:

Although the policy arguments for extending marriage to same-sex couples may be compelling, the legal arguments for requiring such an extension are not. The fundamental right to marry does not include a right to make a State change its definition of marriage. And a State’s decision to maintain the meaning of marriage that has persisted in every culture throughout human history can hardly be called irrational.

The majority’s decision is an act of will, not legal judgment. The right it announces has no basis in the Constitution or this Court’s precedent.

The Constitution itself says nothing about marriage, and the Framers thereby entrusted the States with “[t]he whole subject of the domestic relations of husband and wife.”

Stripped of its shiny rhetorical gloss, the majority’s argument is that the Due Process Clause gives same-sex couples a fundamental right to marry because it will be good for them and for society. If I were a legislator, I would certainly consider that view as a matter of social policy. But as a judge, I find the majority’s position indefensible as a matter of constitutional law.

On the natural and historic basis of the institution of marriage:

The premises supporting th[e] concept of [natural] marriage are so fundamental that they rarely require articulation. The human race must procreate to survive. Procreation occurs through sexual relations between a man and a woman. When sexual relations result in the conception of a child, that child’s prospects are generally better if the mother and father stay together rather than going their separate ways. Therefore, for the good of children and society, sexual relations that can lead to procreation should occur only between a man and a woman committed to a lasting bond.

On how the majority opinion basically requires legalization of polygamy/plural marriage:

Although the majority randomly inserts the adjective “two” in various places, it offers no reason at all why the two-person element of the core definition of marriage may be preserved while the man-woman element may not. Indeed, from the standpoint of history and tradition, a leap from opposite-sex marriage to same-sex marriage is much greater than one from a two-person union to plural unions, which have deep roots in some cultures around the world. If the majority is willing to take the big leap, it is hard to see how it can say no to the shorter one. It is striking how much of the majority’s reasoning would apply with equal force to the claim of a fundamental right to plural marriage.

When asked about a plural marital union at oral argument, petitioners asserted that a State “doesn’t have such an institution.” But that is exactly the point: the States at issue here do not have an institution of same-sex marriage, either.

On what our Founders would think about five unaccountable oligarchs in robes deciding what does and doesn’t constitute marriage:

Those who founded our country would not recognize the majority’s conception of the judicial role. They after all risked their lives and fortunes for the precious right to govern themselves. They would never have imagined yielding that right on a question of social policy to unaccountable and unelected judges. And they certainly would not have been satisfied by a system empowering judges to override policy judgments so long as they do so after “a quite extensive discussion.”

You can read the full opinion here.

These eleven points help explain exactly why at least 128 million Americans have the right to also dissent on this decision!  Yet, we are being viciously attacked and demonized by the supposedly “tolerant” leftists on the winning side.  However, two days did not go by before the gay gestapo activists stated their continued goal to destroy our First Amendment freedoms.

When people say “it’s all about marriage equality” or “equal protection” we all should respond with a question regarding that other awful decision on abortion over 30 years ago:

That was another sweeping decision made by the Extreme Court that also took away States rights on protection of babies in the womb.

Back to the topic.

Charles Krauthammer also shared three reasons why America has been in the throes of secularism since Darwin.  He did state that at least our churches are not empty like many churches in Europe.

The secular left realized that it wasn’t going to win in the public square, so they had to go through the culture.  Many parents can no longer resist what is being pushed in the social media, Hollywood, and the rabid progressive push found in non-Christian colleges and universities.

Bill O’Reilly explained why Americans should not be forced to participate in homosexual marriages. There is nothing in the Constitution that allows them to re-define marriage. But that is what they did. Justice Kennedy, in his opinion, stated that the ruling was done to provide equality.  But the consequences of this bad decision go much further! Rush Limbaugh explains it very well!

Excerpts:

Now, that debate’s been shut down because Anthony Kennedy and his four renegades rode in, shut off the debate, and determined, “Right here it is! It’s right there in the 14th Amendment, see? See? It’s right there, that people in this country who are not happy ’cause they’re left out of things have a right to be included in those things, and it says it right there in the 14th Amendment.” It does? “Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! It’s right there.” I don’t see it. “Well, you have to be a lawyer and be thinking like we do to see it. But it’s there.”

A-ha. The same thing that happened with abortion. See, there’s gonna… The culture has now, society has now been roiled and the debate is gonna rage on. It’s not over. It isn’t gonna be over, because never forget this. No matter what victories the left, the socialists, the liberals, the Democrats, whatever you want to call ’em — no matter how many victories they have — it is never enough. No matter how much money they get to spend, no matter how much money they get in benefit, no matter what it is that they demand, it is never enough.

Do you know why? Because when Justice Kennedy and the rest of these people talk about dignity and self-esteem. That’s exactly what’s on the table here. I don’t care if it goes gay marriage to Obamacare. I don’t care what the issue is. The Confederate flag? You’ve got people over there who are miserably unhappy about something, and they believe that getting something — taking something away — from other people will make them happy. And it never does. It’s never enough.

And it’s going to be the case with gay marriage. It is not going to make them feel the way they want to feel. It’s not going to erase whatever baggage they have. It never is. This is not specific to gay marriage. It’s specific to liberals, because their targets, their quests or what have you, are rooted in a void, if you will. I think they’re absent God in many cases in their lives. Not just gays. I’m talking about the global warming crowd. Everybody who denies the existence of God in favor of a different god somewhere over here, it’s not enough.

[In] fact you could almost say, if you study leftists — the welfare state, the benefits state, whatever you want to call it — the more they get, the angrier they become. The more they get, the more unhappy they become. This is something that I have noticed, particularly these past six years. Black America’s angrier than it’s ever been. Various special interest groups on the left are angrier, more unhappy than they’ve ever been, while at the same time we are hearing it’s the greatest week for Obama in his presidency last week.

[So] as I was saying, to “fix” that, you have to take other parts of the Constitution that do exist and deemphasize them or ignore them. Freedom of speech and religious liberty. And I’m telling you, it’s a toss-up which is gonna come first. No, it’s not. Religious liberty. The attack on religion is next, on organized religion. There’s already… I got a couple of stories in the Stack about leftists making an immediate concerted move to remove the tax exempt status from all churches if they will not perform homosexual marriages.

It’s not enough for you out there to say, “Okay, well, the court said gay marriage is legal, fine.” That’s not enough. You must actively embrace it. You must actively support it. You may not oppose it. You may not even dis it. In fact, folks, in Kennedy’s opinion… Get this. In Kennedy’s majority opinion, when talking about religious liberty (this is just so big of him), he grants that people of religious disagreement will continue to have the right of dissent.

But he didn’t say anything about the right to practice religious liberty. Not in this decision. They made all kinds of references — a couple/three — that if you are a deeply religious person, a priest or a pastor of a church, you’re free to dissent, meaning you’re free to tell people you disagree. But you are not free to act on it. In other words, “You can’t deny the constitutional right we just ordained. You can argue against it, you can say you don’t like it, and you’ll be okay. But you cannot practice that. You can not!”

Any person with any semblance of logic, reason, and wisdom can plainly see that important decisions like these are being made outside of what is written in the Constitution. Those on the other side of the issue may have the right to their own beliefs, but they don’t have the right to demonize and punish those who disagree! Our belief in natural marriage – as it was instituted by God – has been a life-long personal and religious belief for me and millions of other Christians. We should continue to have the right to follow the Bible, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and our own religious consciences and convictions.

My next post will discuss how and why such moral depravity as this bogus decision is being forced upon Americans and why Bible based Christians recognize such sinful actions as signs of the times pointing towards Christ’s return.

Hat tips to all links.

Natural Man is Blinded to Spiritual Things

 

I found an enlightening article that goes into more detail regarding what Jesus meant, (as well as what the terms commonly meant to first century Jews) when He told Nicodemus in John 3:3 that he must be “born again” in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Christine

*******

 

“Born Again”

Though some people regard the phrase, “born again,” as modern lingo denoting enthusiastic Christians, Jesus Himself used the expression to describe those who have experienced genuine salvation. However, the idiom didn’t originate at His encounter with Nicodemus in John 3.

To the first century Jew, “born again” was a commonly understood term for certain rites of passage in a man’s life. Six different events were so labeled in Rabbinic Judaism. The first was the bar mitzvah (literally, “son of the commandment”), a confirmation ritual whereby 13-year-old boys entered manhood and shared the moral and religious responsibilities of the adult community. A man was said to be “born again” a second time when he married, and the expression was also used if he was ordained as a rabbi. Becoming the head of a rabbinic academy—a position open only to rabbis who were married—was a fourth time the term applied. The final two usages of “born again” were a Gentile’s conversion to Judaism and a man being crowned king.

In light of this, the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3:1-21 becomes more understandable. Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council known as the Sanhedrin, is identified as a “ruler of the Jews” and “the teacher of Israel” (vv. 1,10). As such, he was obviously considered “born again” in the first four ways listed, namely, he was bar mitzvahed, married, ordained, and a rabbi in leadership.

So when Jesus said to him, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (v. 3), Nicodemus was naturally confused—he had already been “born again” in all of the four ways available to him. Notice his response: “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” (v. 4) He was thinking that the only way to go through any of those rites of passage would be to start physical life over as a baby.

The Lord met Nicodemus where he was and then broadened his understanding to include the spiritual: “…Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (vv. 5-6). Though his comprehension was incomplete that night, Nicodemus later showed evidence he understood another way to be born again. (John 7:50; 19:39)

This article is based on the manuscript Nicodemus—A Rabbi’s Quest by Arnold Fruchtenbaum. For more information, visit http://www.ariel.org/.

With that in mind, let’s look at reasons why people who do not understand Christian faith often ridicule, denigrate, and even hate Jesus Christ, hate the Word of God – the Bible,  as well as hate those of us who wholeheartedly believe in God’s Living Word – Jesus Christ, and God’s written Word – the Bible.

First of all, it is a fact that natural man is blinded to spiritual things.  How do I know this?  Because I have been there.

Non-believers, skeptics, agnostics and atheists often attempt to use logical reasoning to explain away humanity’s need for redemption. In their prideful hearts and minds, Jesus Christ dying on the cross for man’s sins is a ridiculous notion.

In my discussions with several people who reject Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross and subsequent resurrection to life, I have often found similarity in the reasons they hold for such rejection. When I share, explain and exhort the Gospel message they not only out rightly reject that message, they also cannot comprehend God’s truths as revealed in the Bible.

Why?

The Bible calls such incomprehension as being “spiritually discerned.”

1 Corinthians 2:14 – But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.

In Pastor Chuck Smith’s commentary, he simply states:

v. 14 The natural man is blinded to spiritual things.

In Pastor Chuck Smith’s sermon notes, he goes into great detail about what is the natural man? He also shares many Scripture links which describe why natural man is indeed “blinded” to spiritual things.

In this post, I’d like to particularly focus on the following sermon notes:

B. What does Paul have to say about the natural man?

1 “He receives not the things of the Spirit of God. They are foolishness unto him.”

a. You try to talk to him about spiritual things and you may as well be talking to a Barbie Doll.

b. There is absolutely no comprehension.

c. Sometimes they will listen patiently if they are cultured, and others will just get angry and scream at you.

Been there; experienced that!

Pastor Smith goes on to explain:

a. They are spiritually discerned.

b. So he lacks the faculties by which they are known and understood, (i.e. the spiritual nature).

c. You might say with equal logic, the blind man cannot appreciate the beauty of a sunset.

d. The deaf man cannot know the glories of the symphony.

e. They lack the faculties by which these things are known.

Many of the people who reject the Gospel of Christ are intelligent; often extremely intelligent.

So what is the problem?

Why can’t they grasp what born-again believers in Christ are sharing?

Perhaps it has a lot to do with the fact that logical reasoning is not an absolute law that governs the universe, nor is it a set of rules that govern behavior.

One must decide whether logic is the right “tool” for the job. There are other ways to communicate, discuss and debate.

Jesus tells us in John 3:3 – Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Just two verses down in John 3:5, Jesus says it again – Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

And then again in John 3:7 – Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Must be extremely important because Jesus mentions it three times within 5 sentences (verses)!!

What must happen before being born again? One must have faith in who Jesus is!!

Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

Faith is daring the soul to believe what the eyes cannot see.

Logical irreverence dictates, “I’ll believe it when I see it,” whereas faithful devotion enables one to “believe it, then I’ll see it.”

Intellectual pride, rationalizations and excuses all keep people from God. The Gospel seems foolish to those who forsake faith and rely on their own understanding.

What happens to those who are not born again in the Spirit through Jesus Christ?

Romans 8:9 – But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

We don’t belong to Christ until we are born again of the Spirit!! All the church going, tithing, chorus singing, good deed doing, works of the flesh etc. will not make you one of His!

When Jesus ask us, “Who do you say that I am?” what is your response??

Matthew 16:16 – And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

John 6:69 – And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Jesus emphasizes the importance of faith:

“Because you have seen me, you have believed, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

The Betrayal Papers

be-tray
verb (used with object)
1.
to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty:
Benedict Arnold betrayed his country.
2.
to be unfaithful in guarding, maintaining, or fulfilling:
to betray a trust.
3.
to disappoint the hopes or expectations of; be disloyal to:
to betray one’s friends.
4.
to reveal or disclose in violation of confidence:
to betray a secret.
5.
to reveal unconsciously (something one would preferably conceal):
Her nervousness betrays her insecurity.
6.
to show or exhibit; reveal; disclose:
an unfeeling remark that betrays his lack of concern.
7.
to deceive, misguide, or corrupt:
a young lawyer betrayed by political ambitions into irreparable folly.
Source: dictionary.com

 

I found the following video link in the comment section of another blog.  It is only Part 5 of 6, but I think even just this one video helps support what Joe at Oil For Your Lamp claims in his post that when we “CONNECT THE DOTS: it’s not really about health care or ‘equal rights’ for homosexuals.”  The true goal is to destroy the freedoms we have enjoyed since the founding of our nation. When readers view the video, you will all be reminded of what 0bama said while campaigning back in 2007. “We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America.” We now have seen 6 1/2 years of what type of “transformation” he was referring to.

Regarding the terms “fundamental transformation” and love of country, someone once quipped (paraphrased here):

If you love your wife, you are certainly not out to “fundamentally transform” her.

So, why would someone running for president want to fundamentally transform the country that he supposedly loves? Answer: he wouldn’t!

Through the systematic (and planned) destruction of our U.S. Constitutional rights as free people; the programmed re-gressives in charge right now (influenced by socialism, communism, tyranny, and totalitarianism-type governments of the past) will continue to utilize every tactic possible in order to undermine our freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of association rights.

Of course there is no doubt that they would also love to eliminate the Second Amendment – our right to bear arms.  That is what fascist Hitler did in Germany back in the 1940’s and many communist dictators did in order to oppress, denigrate, and even kill millions of people in their countries as well as in other countries that they wanted to take over.

I know that it might be difficult for some people to grasp or even believe this, but our once great nation is filled with evil-thinking people in government.  The ultimate goal of such tyrants (often masquerading as “progressives” to fool the minions),  is to eliminate such rights that were once guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.

 

The Betrayal Papers: Part V – Who is Barack Hussein Obama?

Watch the video. You will see even more of the “connect the dots” information that will reiterate the truth about what Joe wrote concerning history and the events of the past week in his blog post.

At this point, I have only viewed the one video. But just that one video was enough to convince me, once again, that Joe was spot on in his “connect the dots” evaluation post!

Here is a link to the transcription of the video at:

The American Report: Betrayal Papers: Part V – Who is Barack Hussein Obama?

There are many links within the post to view that further explain the content of both the video and the transcribed post of the video.

I would like to say “happy viewing” of the video or “happy reading” of the transcript, but the information is so devastating that I can’t even joke about it.

Of course, there will be the naysayers with their forever 0bamaBorgBot blinders on who will NEVER believe anything negative about this puppet-man and his group of evil puppeteers (Soros, Jarrett, etc.). They will likely pooh-pooh the whole thing and continue to live in their O-bubble socialist utopia.

However, it is my hope and prayer that perhaps others who happen to read this post, view the video, and read the transcript will have their eyes opened to see, hear, and then speak up about the tyranny that we are now living under!

It is my prayer that the post at Oil For Your Lamp, the video at You Tube: The Betrayal Papers: Part V – Who is Barack Hussein Obama?, and the transcript at American Report will spread far and wide in order for people to see that much of the dangers and fears that many conservatives warned about before 0bama even got into office, as well as the subsequent deceptions and evil that this puppet and his puppeteers have wreaked upon America – have now come to fruition.  Add on all of the BADministration scandals and we see the immense harm being done to our nation, the American people, and around the world.

Note this comment from American Report:

Why No Impeachment? says:

June 21, 2015 at 2:10 am

There is no impeachment of Obama because those who must impeach him, (Congress), are complicit in the “biggest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people”, (Thank you for that quote, Clint Eastwood). A known identity fraud con-artist was allowed and assisted in usurping the presidency and those complicit, Congress, leadership especially, and the media have a goal they believe they absolutely must accomplish which is to get “Obama” across the finish line in 2017 officially considered a legitimate president. Impeachment, whatever the stated reason, would create an uncontrollable worldwide discussion of, “Who is Barack Hussein Obama?”, which those involved in the biggest fraud in history will do anything to prevent…….hence, no impeachment, no matter what. Obama and his regime know he will not be impeached, (and Boehner has came right out and said that several times), and the Obama regime continues to do whatever they want without fear of the truth behind The Obama Fraud being acted on by Congress or the Courts or, for the most part, the media.

To save face, and much more, those involved must continue the charade of legitimacy no matter how obvious it becomes, and that is what has been going on since Obama was sworn in back in 2009.

Hat tips to all links.

CONNECTING THE DOTS: It’s Not Really About Health Care or ‘Equal Rights’ For Homosexuals

This post is dead on and the progressive pawns who are out there celebrating these communism-intended “victories” of the evil elitists ( who are more accurately described as the insane – running the asylum) don’t even realize how badly they have been duped! By whom, you may ask? You will need to read the entire post that I have reblogged here in order to see the evil intentions of the new Hitlers and Stalins running (more like ruining!) our American government! Black3Actual does a really great job exposing all their evil and deceit! This post needs to be spread far and wide! Hopefully, some will finally awaken out of their progressive stupor of lies and join God’s side to help heal our nation!
~ Christine

6/28/15 Update:

Found the following video link in the comment section of another blog.  It is only Part 5 of 6, but I think even just this one video helps support what Joe at Oil For Your Lamp claims in his post that when we “CONNECT THE DOTS: it’s not really about health care or ‘equal rights’ for homosexuals.”  The true goal is to destroy the freedoms we enjoy since the founding of our nation. When readers view the video, you will all be reminded of what 0bama said while campaigning back in 2007. “We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America.” We now have seen 6 1/2 years of what type of “transformation” he was referring to.

Regarding the terms “fundamental transformation” and love of country, someone once quipped (paraphrased here):

“If you love your wife, you are certainly not out to “fundamentally transform” her.”

So, why would someone running for president want to fundamentally transform the country that he supposedly loves? Answer: he wouldn’t!

Through the systematic (and planned) destruction of our U.S. Constitutional rights as free people; the programmed regressives in charge right now (influenced by socialism, communism, tyranny, and totalitarism-type governments of the past) will continue to utilize every tactic possible in order to undermine our freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of association rights. Their goal is to eliminate such rights that were once guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States.

The Betrayal Papers: Part V – Who is Barack Hussein Obama?

Watch the video. You will see even more of the “connect the dots” information that will reiterate the truth about what Joe wrote concerning history and the events of the past week in his blog post.

At this point, I have only viewed the one video. But just that one video was enough to convince me, once again, that Joe was spot on in his “connect the dots” evaluation post!

Here is a link to the transcription of the video at:

The American Report: Betrayal Papers: Part V – Who is Barack Hussein Obama?

Many links within the post to view that further explain the content of both the video and transcribed post of the video.

I would like to say “happy viewing” of the video or “happy reading” of the transcript, but the information is so devastating that I can’t even joke about it. Of course, there will be the naysayers with their forever 0bamaBorgBot blinders on who will NEVER believe anything negative about this puppet-man and his group of evil puppeteers (Soros, Jarrett, etc.). They will likely pooh-pooh the whole thing and continue to live in their O-bubble socialist utopia. However, perhaps others who happen to read this post, view the video and read the transcript will have their eyes opened to see, hear, and thus speak up about the tyranny that we are now living under.

It is my prayer that the post at Oil For Your Lamp, the video at You Tube: The Betrayal Papers: Part V – Who is Barack Hussein Obama?, and the transcript at American Report will spread far and wide in order for people to see that much of the dangers and fears that many conservatives warned about before 0bama got into office has now come to fruition.

Note this comment from American Report:

Why No Impeachment? says:

June 21, 2015 at 2:10 am

There is no impeachment of Obama because those who must impeach him, (Congress), are complicit in the “biggest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people”, (Thank you for that quote, Clint Eastwood). A known identity fraud con-artist was allowed and assisted in usurping the presidency and those complicit, Congress, leadership especially, and the media have a goal they believe they absolutely must accomplish which is to get “Obama” across the finish line in 2017 officially considered a legitimate president. Impeachment, whatever the stated reason, would create an uncontrollable worldwide discussion of, “Who is Barack Hussein Obama?”, which those involved in the biggest fraud in history will do anything to prevent…….hence, no impeachment, no matter what. Obama and his regime know he will not be impeached, (and Boehner has came right out and said that several times), and the Obama regime continues to do whatever they want without fear of the truth behind The Obama Fraud being acted on by Congress or the Courts or, for the most part, the media.

To save face, and much more, those involved must continue the charade of legitimacy no matter how obvious it becomes, and that is what has been going on since Obama was sworn in back in 2009.

The Oil for Your Lamp

I want you to stay with me through this post.  I am going to try to show you something that most of cannot see.  But I want to start by telling you it is not that we are incapable of seeing it, but because the things we need to know in order to see it have been hidden from us.  I want to correct this by showing you some history and how it is connected to current events.  However, you still have to want to pay attention long enough to let me do that.  Will you?  Will you give me enough of your time to show you what actually happened this week?  I hope so, because, if you do, I can show you a glimpse of the future — but I warn you, it will not be a pretty picture.  It all starts with the Truth in this statement:

View original post 1,895 more words

Same-sex marriage is a perversion of the institution of marriage and an offense to God who created marriage.

Years ago, I posted a link and excerpt from a blog entitled:

True Discernment: Jesus, The Days of Noah, and Same Sex Marriage

Excerpt:

Jesus said in Luke 17:26-30, “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when Son of man is revealed.”

Jesus being a first century Rabbi, like most Jewish teachers, coupled Sodom with the flood generation as a typical image of evil. His intent was to inform his audience that at His second coming the conditions of the world would mirror Noah’s days and the days of Sodom and Gomorrah.

As in the Days of Noah

The Midrash Rabbah Genesis is a specific form of rabbinic literature of ancient Judaism commentaries of the Hebrew Scriptures. It is based on the interpretation of the Torah (Old Testament). It speaks about the subject of same-sex marriage during the days of Noah.

The rabbis wrote in the Midrash Rabbah Genesis that the flood in Noah’s day was primarily triggered when males starting writing marriage deeds with other males, and between men and beasts (bestiality). Based on the account of Midrash Rabbah Genesis, same-sex marriages took place during the days of Noah. There was nothing new under the sun and this is stated by Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1:9. Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah is synonymous with the destruction of the flood generation in Midrash Rabbah Genesis. It states in the Midrash Rabbah Genesis that Lot pleaded all night for mercy for the Sodomites, and that the angels permitted him to plead for them. But once the people said, “… bring them out [the angels] so we may have sex with them,” mercy ran out. The angels told Lot, “for now on you have no right to plead anymore.” Judgment was sent upon Sodom. Flood water was the judgment of God on the people in Noah’s day. Fire and brimstone was the judgment against Sodom and Gomorrah.

The blog author explains that the book of Enoch is not inspired, and thus not part of the canon of Scripture, however the book of Jude contains some quotes from it. Enoch is being used by the author as a good reference resource.

Excerpt:

The book of Enoch was written before the birth of Christ and although it is not an inspired book, it is a good resource. Parts of it are quoted in Jude 14-15. 2nd Enoch 34-1, 3-4 states, “God convicts the persons who are idol worshipers and sodomite fornicators, and for this reason he brings down the flood upon them. And all the world will be reduced to confusion by iniquities, wickedness and abominable fornications. That is, friend with friend in anus, every other kind of wicked uncleanness which is almost too disgusting to report, and the worship of the evil one. And that is why I shall bring down the flood onto the earth, and shall destroy everything, and the earth itself will collapse in great darkness.” Second Enoch states that perverse homosexual relationships were the main cause of the flood. Both Midrash Rabbah Genesis and the second book of Enoch state that God frowns on homosexuality in cultic prostitution, and in so-called “loving consensual” homosexual relationships. So don’t believe the liberal Christian theologians, gay-affirming churches and inclusionists. Homosexuality and same-sex marriage are an abomination in God’s eyesight.

Today’s post there:

What Does the Bible Say about Same Sex “marriage”?

Excerpt:

The answer, according to the Bible, is that everyone inherently knows that homosexuality is immoral and unnatural, and the only way to suppress this inherent knowledge is by normalizing homosexuality and attacking any and all opposition to it. The best way to normalize homosexuality is by placing gay marriage/same-sex marriage on an equal plane with traditional opposite-gender marriage. Romans 1:18-32 illustrates this. The truth is known because God has made it plain. The truth is rejected and replaced with a lie. The lie is then promoted and the truth suppressed and attacked. The vehemence and anger expressed by many in the gay rights movement to any who oppose them is, in fact, an indication that they know their position is indefensible. Trying to overcome a weak position by raising your voice is the oldest trick in the debating book. There is perhaps no more accurate description of the modern gay rights agenda than Romans 1:31, “they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.”

To give sanction to gay marriage/same-sex marriage would be to give approval to the homosexual lifestyle, which the Bible clearly and consistently condemns as sinful. Christians should stand firmly against the idea of gay marriage/same-sex marriage. Further, there are strong and logical arguments against gay marriage/same-sex marriage from contexts completely separated from the Bible. One does not have to be an evangelical Christian to recognize that marriage is between a man and a woman.

According to the Bible, marriage is ordained by God to be between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:21-24; Matthew 19:4-6). Gay marriage/same-sex marriage is a perversion of the institution of marriage and an offense to the God who created marriage. As Christians, we are not to condone or ignore sin. Rather, we are to share the love of God and the forgiveness of sins that is available to all, including homosexuals, through Jesus Christ. We are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and contend for truth with “gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). As Christians, when we make a stand for truth and the result is personal attacks, insults, and persecution, we should remember the words of Jesus: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).

Hat tip: True Discernment

Jesus Said the Signs of the Times Would Be: ” As In The Days of Noah and As In The Days of Lot.”

America is now officially within what Jesus Christ warned about regarding the signs of depravity, sin, and evil which would point towards His return.  Jesus said it would be  As In The Days of Noah and As In The Days of Lot.

Joel C. Rosenberg had written a post back in March, 2015, which is entitled, Three existential threats facing America. (My address to the National Religious Broadcasters convention.)

Rosenberg first discusses Ezekiel chapter 33.  It is about the role of the “Watchman on the Wall.”   Rosenberg (as well as I) believes it is deeply relevant to our times.

Joel writes:

More than 2,500 years ago, the Lord spoke these words to the Hebrew prophet Ezekiel.

• A man of God
• Born in Israel
• Exiled and living in Iraq
• Amidst grave dangers rising

What was Ezekiel commanded to do? The text is clear.

• Listen to God
• Watch for threats
• Warn the people, come what may

This was a divine calling – an enormous responsibility. And God was clear. Some would listen to Ezekiel’s warnings. Some would not. Ezekiel was not going to be held responsible for the decision others made to obey the Lord or not. He would be held responsible for obeying the Lord, teaching people the Word of God and warning the people when God told him to speak. Fortunately, Ezekiel was faithful to the task.

As followers of Jesus Christ — and as pastors and ministry leaders and religious broadcasters — each of you are, in our modern times, also watchmen on the walls. In many ways, you have the same calling. The same responsibility.

• To listen to the Word of God, found in the Bible
• To speak the Word of God — to tell people the bad news and the good news according to the Scriptures
• To warn people of threats that are rising
• To speak the truth in love, come what may

God warned Ezekiel — as He warns us today — that if He speaks and we don’t share His Word with others, we will be held to account. What’s more, if we see threats rising, and we do not warn people, we will be held to account.

In the first threat facing America, Rosenberg asks the question:

Threat #1 — What if America is not simply in a season of decline but heading towards collapse, towards implosion?

Within the list of “season of decline” threats we face here in America, he mentions one of the most important factors – the 58 million children in the womb that have been aborted since 1973. That awful Extreme Court decision has wreaked havoc upon the lives of many Americans – especially women! The question is whether or not we, who are called by the name of Jesus Christ will stand in the gap and continue to condemn the evil practice of abortion for the sake of saving this nation from judgment.

Joel writes:

Since 1973, Americans have aborted 58 million babies. Think about that — 58 million. It is a staggering number. And if something doesn’t happen soon to change course, in less than two years we will hit 60 million.

If this happens, we as Americans will have murdered ten times more human beings than the number of Jews murdered by the Nazis.

We know the judgment of God that fell upon Nazi Germany. What do we think is going to happen to a nation that exterminates ten times more people than the Nazis?

The judgment of Almighty God is coming. There is no way out. The souls of 58 million babies are crying out for justice – and they will get it. But for this to happen we need to be pleading with God to have mercy on us. We need to be calling people to prayer, fasting and above all repentance.

At this point in my post I would like to interject another “watchman on the wall” landmark decision which will be coming any day now…perhaps even today, June 26, 2015. The decision on whether or not the Supreme Court of the land will decide to sweep away state’s rights regarding the legality of same-sex “marriage”; and thus change the thousands of years definition that God gave us that marriage is the union of one man and one woman!

Well, the decision has just come down and in a 5-4 vote, the Extreme Court struck down individual state right to ban same-sex “marriage.”

Instinctively, I knew that this would happen. The “deciding” court justice – Kennedy – apparently has a lesbian sister. Who would think that this man would care about the constitutional rights of states to make these decisions? It’s apparently more important to make a decision this huge based on his own personal preferences, rather than what God says in the Bible about marriage; or what our Constitution says about states rights on such decisions.

America is now officially within what Jesus Christ warned about regarding the signs of His return.  Jesus said it would be  As In The Days of Noah and As In The Days of Lot.

Jesus was asked what would be the signs of the times on the earth to indicate his return?

Mat 24:37

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Luk 17:26

“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:

Luk 17:27

“They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

Luk 17:28

“Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;

Luk 17:29

“but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.

Luk 17:30

“Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Luk 17:31

“In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.

Luk 17:32

“Remember Lot’s wife.

Luk 17:33

“Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

There was an excellent post in my reader last night that explained the dire consequences of a sweeping same-sex “marriage” ruling for all 50 states here in America. I need to find it again. When I do, I will post it here.

Found it!  Here is a copy in its entirety:

IT IS NOT ABOUT “GAY” MARRIAGE!  IT IS ALL ABOUT DESTROYING THE FIRST AMENDMENT!

The Supreme Court is set to decide whether or not there is a Constitutionally protected right to ‘gay’ marriage, but this is not what is actually being decided.  What is really being decided is whether or not rights can contradict.  The goal is to establish that rights can contradict because it opens the door for government to decide which rights take precedence over others.  I have already explained why rights cannot contradict and why.  This then begs the question as to why the Courts would even consider this case about ‘gay’ marriage.  The answer is simple: this is not about rights.  That claim is just propaganda aimed at creating an emotional appeal so you will not use reason to examine what is really happening.  However, if you can set the emotion aside and look at what is actually happening, you will quickly see that this is about giving the government a path to destroy the First Amendment!

The process is simple: if there is a ‘right’ to ‘gay’ marriage, then it suddenly becomes a ‘hate’ crime to oppose ‘gay’ marriage in any form.  This opens the door to the destruction of faith-based organizations.  It will not matter whether they are churches or businesses, they will have to comply with the government dictates or be shut down.  But it goes further than that.  If you are a doctor but disagree with homosexuality, you could lose your job.  Same for lawyers, firemen, police officers: anyone who disagrees with homosexuality will be at risk of government persecution.

You see, what the Supreme Court is actually about to rule on is whether or not the government has the authority to define bigotry and then use that as a justification to persecute anyone who has just been declared a bigot.  This is one of the reasons I write so much about language, both here, but especially on my other blog, The OYL.  If the government is allowed to redefine the meaning of words at will, then it does not matter what the law says: it will change according to the whims of the government.  This is the very definition of tyranny.  Yet, this is what the Supreme Court is about to decide: whether or not the government has dictatorial powers.

If you doubt me, consider this: what happens is someone you disagree with politically gets into power?  And once in power, that person reverses the definitions of words?  And hatred is suddenly defined as anyone who opposes Islam?  It may not bother you that Jews and Christians will still be persecuted, but now, so will homosexuals.  Yes, the court and law will still say you cannot ‘discriminate’ because of homosexuality, but the government will have just put the rights of Muslims over those of homosexuals.  So now, where the law will allow homosexuals to claim their rights over those of Christians, it will also support the rights of Muslims to exercise their rights over both homosexuals and Christians.  Now, just in case you do not understand what this means, I’ll explain: it means Christians will have to either convert to Islam, pay a punitive tax or die.  However, homosexuals only have one option — to die!

There are other scenarios that I could use to illustrate how this will work, but the point is this: it is not about ‘gay’ marriage, it is about opening a path to destroy the First Amendment.  It is about destroying the right to conscience, and by extension, freedom of expression. It is about the Supreme Court finally handing the government dictatorial powers as a matter of law.  But understand, if the Court does this, it will actually be destroying the law.  So this ruling is not about ‘gay’ rights: it is about the final destruction of the U.S. Constitution — period!

H/T: The Road to Concord

After reading that post over at “The Road to Concord,” I was reminded of a post I wrote back in 2010. At first, I was confused about the following photo which was taken in a “World Can’t Wait” protest march. The photo and brief excerpt below (written in 2013) describes what (and why) there is this unholy alliance of Islam and Communism.

Notice that the man holding the sign is wearing Muslim terrorist garb.  The man walking next to him is wearing a commie red t-shirt with the image of Che Guevara!

How ironic that the Muslim man is holding that sign (below)!  Here’s a quote from Che Guevara that may explain their union of nefarious ideologies:

“I don’t care if I fall as long as someone else picks up my gun and keeps on shooting.”

Che Guevara

H/T Brainy Quote

I wish that more Americans would heed Ronald Reagan’s advice:

“How do you tell a Communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin.”

― Ronald Reagan

 

What those two men (seen in photo above), marching together, BTW, in an anti-Israel demonstration during the Bush presidential years) represent is the forming of an alliance between radical Islam and Communism!  Also, notice what the sign says:  “Thank You S.F. (San Francisco) Liberals – You Die Last.”  How ANYONE could possibly support either group is beyond any semblance of reason!  Liberals are being USED by both!  Yet they are either complicit in either ideology or just too damn ignorant to realize it!

Only one of these evil and nefarious ideologies will win out (meaning, here on this earth – in a temporary way – while the Lord Jesus Christ tarries) and the bloodbath will be ugly!  With all of this in mind, let’s re-read what  the author at The Road to Concord stated:

You see, what the Supreme Court is actually about to rule on is whether or not the government has the authority to define bigotry and then use that as a justification to persecute anyone who has just been declared a bigot.  This is one of the reasons I write so much about language, both here, but especially on my other blog, The OYL.  If the government is allowed to redefine the meaning of words at will, then it does not matter what the law says: it will change according to the whims of the government.  This is the very definition of tyranny.  Yet, this is what the Supreme Court is about to decide: whether or not the government has dictatorial powers.

If you doubt me, consider this: what happens is someone you disagree with politically gets into power?  And once in power, that person reverses the definitions of words?  And hatred is suddenly defined as anyone who opposes Islam?  It may not bother you that Jews and Christians will still be persecuted, but now, so will homosexuals.  Yes, the court and law will still say you cannot ‘discriminate’ because of homosexuality, but the government will have just put the rights of Muslims over those of homosexuals.  So now, where the law will allow homosexuals to claim their rights over those of Christians, it will also support the rights of Muslims to exercise their rights over both homosexuals and Christians.  Now, just in case you do not understand what this means, I’ll explain: it means Christians will have to either convert to Islam, pay a punitive tax or die.  However, homosexuals only have one option — to die!

There are other scenarios that I could use to illustrate how this will work, but the point is this: it is not about ‘gay’ marriage, it is about opening a path to destroy the First Amendment.  It is about destroying the right to conscience, and by extension, freedom of expression. It is about the Supreme Court finally handing the government dictatorial powers as a matter of law.  But understand, if the Court does this, it will actually be destroying the law.  So this ruling is not about ‘gay’ rights: it is about the final destruction of the U.S. Constitution — period!

Next, go back and read what Joel Rosenberg wrote regarding these two points:

RADICAL ISLAM AND APOCALYPTIC ISLAM

Threat #2 — What if America is not simply at rising risk of attack by Radical Islam but heading towards the risk of annihilation by Apocalyptic Islam?

ISRAEL

Which brings me finally to Threat #3 — What if America is not simply entering a season of strained relations with Israel, but we are heading towards total American abandonment of the Jewish State?

We need to heed Joel Rosenberg’s words:

This is the most dangerous moment in the history of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

What do the next two years hold?

I’m not sure. But this much I know: on top of all America’s national challenges and sins, we dare not also abandon or turn against Israel and the Jewish people. If we do, we will seal our fate with God.

Which brings me back to you — the watchmen on the walls.

Are you warning the nation and the Church of the dangerous road the President has us on vis-à-vis Israel?

Are you mobilizing Christians to love and bless and pray for and stand with Israel and the Jewish people in this critical hour?

CONCLUSION

I am afraid I cannot tell you whether God will grant America a Third Great Awakening and/or raise up a King like Josiah (see 2 Chronicles 34-35) and thus forestall the coming judgment.

I cannot tell you whether the American government will do its job to protect us and our allies from Radical and Apocalyptic Islam before it’s too late.

Or whether the Church will do her job in fulfilling the Great Commission and standing with our persecuted brothers and sisters in the epicenter.

Or whether America and the Church will stand with Israel and bless her and the Jewish people.

All I can tell you is that you and I have been called to be watchmen on the walls.

Our job is to:

• Listen to and study and know the Word of God
• Teach the Word of God
• Watch for threats
• Warn the people, come what may

We are not going to be held responsible if people do not listen to us or to the Word of God. We will be held to account if we fail to speak and act when the Lord commands us to do so.

Much is hanging in the balance. May you and I be found faithful to the task.

 

We need to heed God’s Word even more!

 

1Pe 3:12

For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.” [fn]

1Pe 3:13

And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?

1Pe 3:14

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” [fn]

1Pe 3:15

But sanctify the Lord God [fn] in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

1Pe 3:16

having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

1Pe 3:17

For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

1Pe 3:18

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us [fn] to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

1Pe 3:19

by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

1Pe 3:20

who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited [fn] in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

1Pe 3:21

There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

1Pe 3:22

who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

May You and I Be Found Faithful to the Task

America is now officially within what Jesus Christ warned about regarding the signs of depravity, sin, and evil which would point towards His return.  Jesus said it would be  As In The Days of Noah and As In The Days of Lot.

Joel C. Rosenberg had written a post back in March, 2015, which is entitled, Three existential threats facing America. (My address to the National Religious Broadcasters convention.)

Rosenberg first discusses Ezekiel chapter 33.  It is about the role of the “Watchman on the Wall.”   Rosenberg (as well as I) believes it is deeply relevant to our times.

Joel writes:

More than 2,500 years ago, the Lord spoke these words to the Hebrew prophet Ezekiel.

• A man of God
• Born in Israel
• Exiled and living in Iraq
• Amidst grave dangers rising

What was Ezekiel commanded to do? The text is clear.

• Listen to God
• Watch for threats
• Warn the people, come what may

This was a divine calling – an enormous responsibility. And God was clear. Some would listen to Ezekiel’s warnings. Some would not. Ezekiel was not going to be held responsible for the decision others made to obey the Lord or not. He would be held responsible for obeying the Lord, teaching people the Word of God and warning the people when God told him to speak. Fortunately, Ezekiel was faithful to the task.

As followers of Jesus Christ — and as pastors and ministry leaders and religious broadcasters — each of you are, in our modern times, also watchmen on the walls. In many ways, you have the same calling. The same responsibility.

• To listen to the Word of God, found in the Bible
• To speak the Word of God — to tell people the bad news and the good news according to the Scriptures
• To warn people of threats that are rising
• To speak the truth in love, come what may

God warned Ezekiel — as He warns us today — that if He speaks and we don’t share His Word with others, we will be held to account. What’s more, if we see threats rising, and we do not warn people, we will be held to account.

In the first threat facing America, Rosenberg asks the question:

Threat #1 — What if America is not simply in a season of decline but heading towards collapse, towards implosion?

Within the list of “season of decline” threats we face here in America, he mentions one of the most important factors – the 58 million children in the womb that have been aborted since 1973. That awful Extreme Court decision has wreaked havoc upon the lives of many Americans – especially women! The question is whether or not we, who are called by the name of Jesus Christ will stand in the gap and continue to condemn the evil practice of abortion for the sake of saving this nation from judgment.

Joel writes:

Since 1973, Americans have aborted 58 million babies. Think about that — 58 million. It is a staggering number. And if something doesn’t happen soon to change course, in less than two years we will hit 60 million.

If this happens, we as Americans will have murdered ten times more human beings than the number of Jews murdered by the Nazis.

We know the judgment of God that fell upon Nazi Germany. What do we think is going to happen to a nation that exterminates ten times more people than the Nazis?

The judgment of Almighty God is coming. There is no way out. The souls of 58 million babies are crying out for justice – and they will get it. But for this to happen we need to be pleading with God to have mercy on us. We need to be calling people to prayer, fasting and above all repentance.

At this point in my post I would like to interject another “watchman on the wall” landmark decision which will be coming any day now…perhaps even today, June 26, 2015. The decision on whether or not the Supreme Court of the land will decide to sweep away state’s rights regarding the legality of same-sex “marriage”; and thus change the thousands of years definition that God gave us that marriage is the union of one man and one woman!

Well, the decision has just come down and in a 5-4 vote, the Extreme Court struck down individual state right to ban same-sex “marriage.”

Instinctively, I knew that this would happen. The “deciding” court justice – Kennedy – apparently has a lesbian sister. Who would think that this man would care about the constitutional rights of states to make these decisions? It’s apparently more important to make a decision this huge based on his own personal preferences, rather than what God says in the Bible about marriage; or what our Constitution says about states rights on such decisions.

America is now officially within what Jesus Christ warned about regarding the signs of His return.  Jesus said it would be  As In The Days of Noah and As In The Days of Lot.

Jesus was asked what would be the signs of the times on the earth to indicate his return?

Mat 24:37

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Luk 17:26

“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:

Luk 17:27

“They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

Luk 17:28

“Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;

Luk 17:29

“but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.

Luk 17:30

“Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Luk 17:31

“In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.

Luk 17:32

“Remember Lot’s wife.

Luk 17:33

“Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

There was an excellent post in my reader last night that explained the dire consequences of a sweeping same-sex “marriage” ruling for all 50 states here in America. I need to find it again. When I do, I will post it here.

Found it!  Here is a copy in its entirety:

IT IS NOT ABOUT “GAY” MARRIAGE!  IT IS ALL ABOUT DESTROYING THE FIRST AMENDMENT!

The Supreme Court is set to decide whether or not there is a Constitutionally protected right to ‘gay’ marriage, but this is not what is actually being decided.  What is really being decided is whether or not rights can contradict.  The goal is to establish that rights can contradict because it opens the door for government to decide which rights take precedence over others.  I have already explained why rights cannot contradict and why.  This then begs the question as to why the Courts would even consider this case about ‘gay’ marriage.  The answer is simple: this is not about rights.  That claim is just propaganda aimed at creating an emotional appeal so you will not use reason to examine what is really happening.  However, if you can set the emotion aside and look at what is actually happening, you will quickly see that this is about giving the government a path to destroy the First Amendment!

The process is simple: if there is a ‘right’ to ‘gay’ marriage, then it suddenly becomes a ‘hate’ crime to oppose ‘gay’ marriage in any form.  This opens the door to the destruction of faith-based organizations.  It will not matter whether they are churches or businesses, they will have to comply with the government dictates or be shut down.  But it goes further than that.  If you are a doctor but disagree with homosexuality, you could lose your job.  Same for lawyers, firemen, police officers: anyone who disagrees with homosexuality will be at risk of government persecution.

You see, what the Supreme Court is actually about to rule on is whether or not the government has the authority to define bigotry and then use that as a justification to persecute anyone who has just been declared a bigot.  This is one of the reasons I write so much about language, both here, but especially on my other blog, The OYL.  If the government is allowed to redefine the meaning of words at will, then it does not matter what the law says: it will change according to the whims of the government.  This is the very definition of tyranny.  Yet, this is what the Supreme Court is about to decide: whether or not the government has dictatorial powers.

If you doubt me, consider this: what happens is someone you disagree with politically gets into power?  And once in power, that person reverses the definitions of words?  And hatred is suddenly defined as anyone who opposes Islam?  It may not bother you that Jews and Christians will still be persecuted, but now, so will homosexuals.  Yes, the court and law will still say you cannot ‘discriminate’ because of homosexuality, but the government will have just put the rights of Muslims over those of homosexuals.  So now, where the law will allow homosexuals to claim their rights over those of Christians, it will also support the rights of Muslims to exercise their rights over both homosexuals and Christians.  Now, just in case you do not understand what this means, I’ll explain: it means Christians will have to either convert to Islam, pay a punitive tax or die.  However, homosexuals only have one option — to die!

There are other scenarios that I could use to illustrate how this will work, but the point is this: it is not about ‘gay’ marriage, it is about opening a path to destroy the First Amendment.  It is about destroying the right to conscience, and by extension, freedom of expression. It is about the Supreme Court finally handing the government dictatorial powers as a matter of law.  But understand, if the Court does this, it will actually be destroying the law.  So this ruling is not about ‘gay’ rights: it is about the final destruction of the U.S. Constitution — period!

H/T: The Road to Concord

After reading that post over at “The Road to Concord,” I was reminded of a post I wrote back in 2010. At first, I was confused about the following photo which was taken in a “World Can’t Wait” protest march. The photo and brief excerpt below (written in 2013) describes what (and why) there is this unholy alliance of Islam and Communism.

Notice that the man holding the sign is wearing Muslim terrorist garb.  The man walking next to him is wearing a commie red t-shirt with the image of Che Guevara!

How ironic that the Muslim man is holding that sign (below)!  Here’s a quote from Che Guevara that may explain their union of nefarious ideologies:

“I don’t care if I fall as long as someone else picks up my gun and keeps on shooting.”

Che Guevara

H/T Brainy Quote

I wish that more Americans would heed Ronald Reagan’s advice:

“How do you tell a Communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin.”

― Ronald Reagan

 

What those two men (seen in photo above), marching together, BTW, in an anti-Israel demonstration during the Bush presidential years) represent is the forming of an alliance between radical Islam and Communism!  Also, notice what the sign says:  “Thank You S.F. (San Francisco) Liberals – You Die Last.”  How ANYONE could possibly support either group is beyond any semblance of reason!  Liberals are being USED by both!  Yet they are either complicit in either ideology or just too damn ignorant to realize it!

Only one of these evil and nefarious ideologies will win out (meaning, here on this earth – in a temporary way – while the Lord Jesus Christ tarries) and the bloodbath will be ugly!  With all of this in mind, let’s re-read what  the author at The Road to Concord stated:

You see, what the Supreme Court is actually about to rule on is whether or not the government has the authority to define bigotry and then use that as a justification to persecute anyone who has just been declared a bigot.  This is one of the reasons I write so much about language, both here, but especially on my other blog, The OYL.  If the government is allowed to redefine the meaning of words at will, then it does not matter what the law says: it will change according to the whims of the government.  This is the very definition of tyranny.  Yet, this is what the Supreme Court is about to decide: whether or not the government has dictatorial powers.

If you doubt me, consider this: what happens is someone you disagree with politically gets into power?  And once in power, that person reverses the definitions of words?  And hatred is suddenly defined as anyone who opposes Islam?  It may not bother you that Jews and Christians will still be persecuted, but now, so will homosexuals.  Yes, the court and law will still say you cannot ‘discriminate’ because of homosexuality, but the government will have just put the rights of Muslims over those of homosexuals.  So now, where the law will allow homosexuals to claim their rights over those of Christians, it will also support the rights of Muslims to exercise their rights over both homosexuals and Christians.  Now, just in case you do not understand what this means, I’ll explain: it means Christians will have to either convert to Islam, pay a punitive tax or die.  However, homosexuals only have one option — to die!

There are other scenarios that I could use to illustrate how this will work, but the point is this: it is not about ‘gay’ marriage, it is about opening a path to destroy the First Amendment.  It is about destroying the right to conscience, and by extension, freedom of expression. It is about the Supreme Court finally handing the government dictatorial powers as a matter of law.  But understand, if the Court does this, it will actually be destroying the law.  So this ruling is not about ‘gay’ rights: it is about the final destruction of the U.S. Constitution — period!

Next, go back and read what Joel Rosenberg wrote regarding these two points:

RADICAL ISLAM AND APOCALYPTIC ISLAM

Threat #2 — What if America is not simply at rising risk of attack by Radical Islam but heading towards the risk of annihilation by Apocalyptic Islam?

ISRAEL

Which brings me finally to Threat #3 — What if America is not simply entering a season of strained relations with Israel, but we are heading towards total American abandonment of the Jewish State?

We need to heed Joel Rosenberg’s words:

This is the most dangerous moment in the history of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

What do the next two years hold?

I’m not sure. But this much I know: on top of all America’s national challenges and sins, we dare not also abandon or turn against Israel and the Jewish people. If we do, we will seal our fate with God.

Which brings me back to you — the watchmen on the walls.

Are you warning the nation and the Church of the dangerous road the President has us on vis-à-vis Israel?

Are you mobilizing Christians to love and bless and pray for and stand with Israel and the Jewish people in this critical hour?

CONCLUSION

I am afraid I cannot tell you whether God will grant America a Third Great Awakening and/or raise up a King like Josiah (see 2 Chronicles 34-35) and thus forestall the coming judgment.

I cannot tell you whether the American government will do its job to protect us and our allies from Radical and Apocalyptic Islam before it’s too late.

Or whether the Church will do her job in fulfilling the Great Commission and standing with our persecuted brothers and sisters in the epicenter.

Or whether America and the Church will stand with Israel and bless her and the Jewish people.

All I can tell you is that you and I have been called to be watchmen on the walls.

Our job is to:

• Listen to and study and know the Word of God
• Teach the Word of God
• Watch for threats
• Warn the people, come what may

We are not going to be held responsible if people do not listen to us or to the Word of God. We will be held to account if we fail to speak and act when the Lord commands us to do so.

Much is hanging in the balance. May you and I be found faithful to the task.

 

We need to heed God’s Word even more!

 

1Pe 3:12

For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their prayers;
But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.” [fn]

1Pe 3:13

And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?

1Pe 3:14

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” [fn]

1Pe 3:15

But sanctify the Lord God [fn] in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

1Pe 3:16

having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

1Pe 3:17

For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

1Pe 3:18

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us [fn] to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

1Pe 3:19

by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

1Pe 3:20

who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited [fn] in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

1Pe 3:21

There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

1Pe 3:22

who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

Suspect in deadly South Carolina church shooting ID’d; manhunt underway. Update: Shooter arrested.

Sometimes I wake up at 3:30 a.m. and can’t go back to sleep.  This usually occurs when I fall asleep too early; before 9:30 p.m. the night before.  I turned on Fox News (before killer was publicly identified) and it was then that I first  heard about the horrific church shooting in Charleston, North Carolina.

Excerpt from Fox website:

South Carolina police are hunting Dylann Roof in the deadly shooting Wednesday night at a Charleston church that left nine people dead, authorities announced as they identified the 21-year-old as the gunman.

Police immediately branded the shooting spree, which began just after 9 p.m. Wednesday, a hate crime, and released surveillance images of a white man fleeing the scene at 180-year-old Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church after the horrific incident, which left six women and three men dead.

The Last Refuge blog has two posts up that give a lot of information.  Of course, people are also speculating about the reason(s) why this murderer did what he did. I sincerely hope and pray that he will be caught right away, put in jail where he belongs and ultimately brought to justice in whatever manner the jury decides.

The Last Refuge: Charleston Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting – Discussion Thread…

One of the last comments in the thread (as of 6/18/15 at 7:58 a.m. PT) identifies the shooter as Dylan Roof, and is quite chilling regarding the possible motive of the shootings.

Donald Joy says:

June 18, 2015 at 10:39 am

Someone on Twitter posted that those are flags of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and apartheid-era South Africa on his jacket. Both countries in Africa where a white European minority once dominated and ran things productively, now whites there are massacred non-stop and their property taken.

This kid knew exactly what he wanted to do and why.

A more recent post at The Last Refuge shares additional photos and commentary, with commenters sharing additional links.

AME Church Shooting – Police Have Identified A Specific Suspect – Surveillance Video and CCTV Captures.

Another pastor from Charleston N.C. was interviewed (in the early morning broadcast) regarding the shooting. IMHO, it was unfortunate that he believes that gun control is the answer to mass shootings like this one. If someone in the congregation had a concealed carry permit and gun with him (or her), the perpetrator could have been shot and killed on the spot – possibly saving some of the 9 lives that were so tragically lost.  Is it just a coincidence that most mass shootings occur in gun-free zones?

Prayers going up to God for the loved ones of all the victims. Additional prayers going up to God for the sake of that historic church and town, and that any demonstrations would be peaceful and prayerful. Haven’t we all had enough of the riots, looting, and additional mayhem brought about by individuals and groups that want to exploit tragedies like this for their own personal or political benefit?

Enough!!!

 

Hat tips to all links.

Update:  According to this twitter posting over at The Last Refuge blog, The Clarion Ledger is reporting the Dylann Roof has been arrested.

The Clarion-Ledger

✔ @clarionledger

BREAKING: WLTX in South Carolina reporting that Dylann Roof, the alleged church shooter, has been arrested.

8:20 AM – 18 Jun 2015

The Clarion Ledger Face Book announcement on capture:

Church Shooting Suspect Arrested in Shelby, NC.

Having Their Conscience Seared

Over the past 15 + years of blogging, it has been my experience  that liberal, non-Christian people who occasionally post comments here basically reveal that they object to what I write because they hate what they see as “my viewpoint.”

What I share here comes via God’s Word. Jesus did tell us that I [we Christians] would be hated because they [non-believers] hated Him first.

Jhn 15:18

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

Jesus’ first words when he began his ministry on earth were, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Mat 4:17

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Repentance is not a popular word in today’s world of increasing immorality and decay.  The acceptance of moral relativism is the way that modern man knowingly, or unwittingly, “gives heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.”

Jesus also stated that he didn’t come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them. (In case you are not familiar, this includes the law and prophets of the Old Testament.)

Mat 5:17

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Without confession and repentance [means turning away from sin], through the shed blood of Jesus Christ at the cross, there is no remission of sin.

Surmising that certain sexual behaviors (which secular man now accepts and embraces) are all acceptable even to God, such groups and individuals go about mocking or condemning Christians who know  (through Scripture) that God never has, and never will accept such behaviors!   Those who turn a blind eye to this fact and insist that “there’s nothing wrong with it” and wholeheartedly accept and/or participate in aberrant sexual sin,  do so as the result of one’s conscience being “seared” in such sin.

1Ti 4:1

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

1Ti 4:2

speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

Thus, embracing, accepting and/or celebrating sexual sin is an act of turning away from God and listening to the enemy of our souls.

Having one’s “conscience seared with a hot iron” is an analogy used to describe giving in to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.

In a commentary written by A.W. Faussett, he writes:

 giving heed— ( 1Ti 1:4 Tts 1:14 ).
seducing spirits–working in the heretical teachers. 1Jo 4:2, 3, 6, “the spirit of error,” opposed to “the spirit of truth,” “the Spirit” which “speaketh” in the true prophets against them.
doctrines of devils–literally “teachings of (that is suggested by) demons.” Jam 3:15, “wisdom. . . devilish”; 2Cr 11:15, “Satan’s ministers.”

      2. Rather translate, “Through (literally, ‘in‘; the element in which the apostasy has place) the hypocrisy of lying speakers”; this expresses the means through which “some shall (be led to) depart from the faith,” namely, the reigned sanctity of the seducers (compare “deceivers,” Tts 1:10 ).
having their conscience seared—Greek, “having their own conscience,” &c., that is, not only “speaking lies” to others, but also having their own conscience seared. Professing to lead others to holiness, their own conscience is all the while defiled. Bad consciences always have recourse to hypocrisy. As faith and a good conscience are joined ( 1Ti 1:5 ); so hypocrisy (that is, unbelief, Mat 24:5, 51; compare Luk 12:46 ) and a bad conscience here. THEODORET explains like English Version, “seared,” as implying their extreme insensibility; the effect of cauterizing being to deaden sensation. The Greek, however, primarily means “branded” with the consciousness of crimes committed against their better knowledge and conscience, like so many scars burnt in by a branding iron: Compare Tts 1:15 3:11, “condemned of himself.” They are conscious of the brand within, and yet with a hypocritical show of sanctity, they strive to seduce others. As “a seal” is used in a good sense ( 2Ti 2:19 ), so “a brand” in a bad sense. The image is taken from the branding of criminals.

We now understand the seriousness of having one’s conscience “seared with a hot iron.”

Jesus also said:

Jhn 14:15

“If you love Me, keep [fn] My commandments.

Jhn 15:10

“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

We are all in need of forgiveness through repentance from sin. Jesus is the only way. Read John 3.

Scripture speaks of “veiled eyes” to “those who are perishing.”

If non-Christians want to think that warning people who are spiritually lost and under the snare of demonic deception is somehow “funny” or not a good thing…then that is their opinion. But through God’s written word, Jesus calls me to contend for the faith, share the truth and share God’s Word with people so that they will see the way out of their slavery to sin and deception.

A new book on Spiritual Warfare, written by Dr. Karl I. Payne reveals that demonic deception is increasing, even within the Christian church (meaning, the liberal kind of churches that accept all sorts of heresy and apostasy; including the deception of sexual deviancy as “normal”), and the book of Jude warns us that the worst of these types of deceptions are still to come.

Payne writes:

If God allows demonic activity to increase until His return, I believe He will also train up and equip a growing number of His children to faithfully and effectively contend with the power of darkness who oppose His plans and people. Too many North American churches are well on their way to becoming the same spiritually dead museums as Western European churches.”

As born-again Christians, we are to combat against the battles of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Throughout Scripture we are told to put on the whole armor of God to become better equipped for the unseen warfare that hinders Christians from living the life Jesus has called us to live.

Jesus said:

Jhn 12:46

“I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

We are to speak out on such issues in order to help people overcome the darkness of sin in their lives and be saved through repentance and faith at the foot of the cross of Christ.

To be honest, I cannot really care what the naysayers think of me.   It is more important what God thinks of me, and sharing the truth as it is written in Scripture and most importantly, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is light-years more important than clamoring for the acceptance of unredeemed man.

2 Corinthians 4