Dr. Kate’s View: The 16 Year Plan to Destroy America

Via Dr. Kate’s blog, there is an excellent essay from Thread Reader:  @drawandstrike which explains what has been going on with the fake news about Trump and the “Russia collusion” false accusations.

See: Dr. Kate’s View: The Obama/Clinton Plan to Overthrow the United States.

Yep…they never thought that HiLIARy would lose!

This graphic alone is quite devastating!

My comment there:

Wow! That is a great graphic illustrating the corruption, deceit, evil, lies, etc. of the Obummer BADministration, as well as what we would have horribly endured under (I shudder to think it!) HiLIARy in office instead of President Trump!

God heard our prayers in 2016 and in His Sovereignty, guided Donald J. Trump to run for the Republican nomination, and then win the Presidency! Thank you, Lord Jesus!

I continue to pray that the Deep State swamp is finally exposed (and drained!) for all the American people to see; and for those who are involved in such evil – that they get arrested, tried, prosecuted and put in jail for their egregious crimes!

If you have any relatives or friends who are (unfortunately) watching the fake news media of mass deception stations (I know people who are continually being fooled by the liars in media, and it’s tough to convince them of the propaganda being spewed daily), show this essay to them so that they can be much more informed about what has been going on and why so many fake news proponents on TV who are on the liberal- leftist side of politics (and, are obviously still bitter about HiLIARy losing the election!) tried so hard to push a false narrative in order to destroy President Trump’s election and his positive, America First agenda for the American people!

Be sure to also read the following link!

Thread Reader @drawandstrike

It is a comprehensive explanation (without the media of mass deception’s typical spin machine that tried for a year to spin lies about Trump, Flynn, and Russia) of what REALLY was going on and how the Trump campaign was targeted by the Deep State Swamp dwellers who were hell bent on destroying his candidacy and now his presidency, Michael Flynn, and the incoming and existing Trump Administration.

Hat tip: Dr. Kate’s View

“The Big Ugly” of the Deep State Swamp

To be honest, I don’t really like to post about the current political agenda much anymore.  It’s so depressing to see how the media of mass deception lies and squeals about President Trump’s imaginary “racism,” illegal immigrant “bias,” their constant desire to impeach him (with no logical reason for it!), their crazy accusations that after a doctor’s clean bill of health (plus a cognitive test where he scored 30 out of 30) that he isn’t really healthy or fit for the presidency, blah blah blah blah!!!  I could go on listing so many more lies being spewed by these derelicts!   Instead, I want to share a link to a good post, a portion of a comment I read there, and then a comment I posted at that site.

Kingsjester’s Blog: Trump Wins the Government Shutdown. Why Did the Dems Fold? – A KJ Analysis.

Excerpt:

“The Democrats are now executing pages in their playbook that they’ve executed countless times before. Original technique, original strategies? There aren’t any anymore. The Democrats have become the most predictable group that we have.” – Rush Limbaugh, 1/22/2018

FoxNews.com reports that

The Senate on Monday voted 81-18 to break a Democratic filibuster on a stalled government spending bill, clearing the way for Congress to approve the stopgap measure and end the three-day government shutdown.

Democrats effectively backed off their opposition, after being given assurances from majority Republicans.

Before the vote, Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer made clear that Senate Democrats would supply the GOP-controlled Senate with the votes needed, but only in exchange for “fair” and immediate efforts to consider legislation that would protect illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children.

“We will vote today to reopen the government,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said on the Senate floor. “In a few hours, the government will reopen.”

The 100-member, Republican-controlled chamber will now need only a simple majority to pass the temporary spending bill that would keep the government open until Feb. 8. The House would then have to approve the bill, sending it to President Trump’s desk.

*******

In one comment there, “bydesign001” wrote:

I can’t help but wonder how many Democrats were thinking (if not saying out loud) this past weekend that they liked Donald Trump so much better when he was only Donald Trump, the citizen.

I wrote in response:

That’s the best line that I have read in a long time! So true! The Demos loved getting donations for their campaigns all those years from Trump, but when he descended down on that escalator while announcing his run for the Republican nomination for President, he immediately became an official enemy of the Demos!

I just love how he takes them to task, Tweets them into a frenzy, ignores the media of mass deception criticisms, doesn’t back down on his convictions or his goals in office; and thus has accomplished so much for We The People in his first year in office!

I’m calling the Democrats in Washington D.C. “the Demos” now because all that they want to do lately is be demolition wrecking balls against President Trump’s successful agenda!

People who refuse to see and recognize that the economy is much better, or that more jobs have become available, or that people are getting off of food stamps (and now have the pride of earning their own money through having a job) are simply blinded by their own hateful ideology (and, apparently, STILL can’t get over HiLIARy’s loss!);  and are so bitter that President Trump is getting so much done for the sakes of the American people.

I won’t even get into the scandals that are currently swirling around the former BADministration.  Readers can do the research and see for themselves the corruption, lies, deception, criminality, and harm that has been done by the Deep State/Swamp dwellers that have been getting away with their crimes for years, if not decades.

I recommend  The Last Refuge (a.k.a. The Conservative Treehouse) as a daily read so that you can discern for yourselves what is being exposed about these Deep State Swamp creatures who are hell-bent on destroying all that we hold dear here in America! Sundance, the author of that blog calls what’s going on in the D.C. Swampland, “The Big Ugly.”

 

I suggest reading the last several weeks of posts.  Maybe start here:

Representative Matt Gaetz Discusses #ReleaseTheMemo : “Laws Were Broken”…

Rep. Trey Gowdy and Rep. John Ratcliffe Discuss Missing FBI Text Messages…

FBI Shadow Figure Surfaces To Protect President Obama Amid Released FBI Text Messages…

Rep. Dave Joyce On Intel Memo: “Americans will be surprised how bad it is”…

Deep Weeds Beyond “The Big Ugly”…

Great Video Explanation – “Operation Trump” – Former Federal Prosecutor Outlines Scope of FBI and DOJ Corruption…

And, don’t miss this one!  Apparently, members of the media of mass deception wanted to “interview” Sundance because his research is so detailed, impeccable, and shocking.  However, he politely declines.  See:

Attn: Media

Despite all of the trouble, corruption, lies, sin, and ugliness that is going on in this world, we hold onto the TRUTH of Jesus Christ and God’s Word, the Bible!

Hat tips to all links.

Prophetic update: Is the Great Deception here?

Some call it fake news. Jesus called it deception. When His disciples asked about the signs of the last days, Jesus began by giving His followers this warning: “Take heed that no one deceives you” (Matthew 24:4).

We live in an age of deception – fake news, false advertising, viral lies and click bait. The mainstream media perpetrate falsehoods regularly, as do various alternative media.

But one of the major sources of 21^st-century deception can be found in an unlikely place: our schools. For instance, the U.S. Department of Education urges all public schools to teach Islam.

It’s really just thinly veiled propaganda, though they would certainly not use that word. The DoE says schools should teach Islam “to create an anti-bias learning environment.”

Many regularly teach the religious doctrine that God and Allah are the same. Forget the “separation of church and state” arguments for the moment. This one teaching alone is a form of gross – and deadly – deception. And the deception is being inculcated in our malleable children, by order of the state!

In 2017, truth became even more subservient to political correctness. Isaiah 5:20 says, in part, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil …” Those words perfectly describe the pervasive spirit of deception that seems to have settled upon our world.

Another sign of the end times is an increase in the persecution of those who name the name of Jesus Christ.

Christianity Today reported, “For the third year in a row, the modern persecution of Christians worldwide has hit another record high.” Fox News said, “Nearly one in 12 Christians across the globe lives in an area where there is high-level persecution against members of the religion.”

A Yemeni man called “Sam” told CBN News: “Life for Christians in Yemen is very hard. For that matter, across the Middle East, there’s not a country where Christians are not suffering for their faith. This is our reality.”

But 2017 also found the persecution of Christians arise in unexpected places. Canada enacted Bill 89, which gives the state the power to take a child away from his or her parents if they do not agree that their child is transgender.

Jack Fonseca of Campaign Life Coalition warned: “[W]e’ve entered an era of totalitarian power by the state, such as never witnessed in Canada’s history. … Bill 89 is a grave threat to Christians and all people of faith.”

Even in America, it is becoming dangerous to be a Christian – especially one who is willing to take a stand for Judeo-Christian values. In 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case of Jack Phillips, the Colorado baker who declined to make a wedding cake for a homosexual couple. His story is a reminder that following Christ may soon harm a believer’s ability to hold a job or run his own business in a Western nation.

Over the last few decades, some Bible scholars have postulated that the “mark of the beast” might be a computer chip inserted under a person’s skin. The chip would serve as an identifier and repository of vast amounts of information about the individual.

From critical medical information to credit and banking information, the chip would guarantee security and convenience. It would also make possible an amazing Bible prophecy concerning the Antichrist’s partner, the False Prophet.

Revelation 13:16-17 foretells, “He causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand, or on their forehead, and he provides that no one should be able to buy or sell, except the one who has the mark.”

In July of 2017, a company in Wisconsin implanted tiny computer chips into the hands of about 50 employee volunteers. These chips only allow them to open doors and buy snacks from vending machines without money. In other words, they’re to make things more convenient for the busy employees. It sounds harmless enough, but it portends more ominous possibilities in the future.

Last year, the New York Times called certain toys “the cyber security nightmares of 2017.” The paper was referring to the fact that more and more toys contain cameras and microphones that connect to the internet – and constantly gather data.

Today, toys spy on us. Cell phones spy on us. Televisions, cars and even refrigerators spy on us.

In 2017, TSA began using facial scans at some airports. In October, the liberal Slate magazine reported on legislation pending before Congress. It said, “… an alarming section of the bill would give… a green light to begin using biometrics to identify people in airports nationwide… right now there’s only one technology fit for a biometric surveillance system: automated, real-time face scans

Read it all: WND: Prophetic Update: Is The Great Deception Here?

I wanted to copy and paste more of the article, but my computer is acting up and I keep getting the message: “WND is not responding.” I think that such a message, in and of itself, is a deception being done by g00gle in order to keep readers from that conservative website. Or, maybe it is just my computer? (I received a Mac laptop for Christmas and am anxious to learn how to use it so that I don’t have to deal with these “Internet Explorer” problems anymore!)

I have read that conservative sites are often targeted with difficulties, bans, and even undeserved blocking to make their readership go down. Need an example? Here’s one:

Right Wing News: How Conservatives Are Being Destroyed by Facebook, Twitter and Google Without Even Realizing It

My little ole’ Talk wisdom blog, with only 93 followers and usual readership of anywhere from 20 – 50 viewers each day, isn’t a big threat so g00gle likely ignores this site. [There have been times where certain posts got 100’s of viewers, and in the case of the Stephen Paddock Las Vegas shooting post, my stats rose to the highest level ever; over 2,300 views!]

Back to the topic. Hopefully readers here will go to WND and read the entire article. I would like to cite some of the better comments left there.

1. USPatriotOne • 14 minutes ago

The Bible is very clear on what needs to happen before Jesus’s return and the birth pains this world will go through before his return. There are several birth pains from earthquake’s to weather to signs from space to man’s deceptions and lies against their fellow man/woman to the mark of the beast and on and on it goes..!!! Nearly all these signs have either already come into being or are in the process of manifesting into our very lives whether we want this to happen or not..!!! I never found the Bible (the word of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit) to be wrong in any shape or form. Yes Satan and his NWO/Deep State/DemoRats/Rino’s and Islam lie daily to “We the People” and the World at large that the Bible is wrong, but it’s all part of the great deception engulfing our planet, and yes Jesus is about to return, I believe, all the piece’s to God’s grand puzzle are nearly in place! Satan and his demonic followers know this and their end is NEAR! Praise be to the Lord Jesus Christ! Please Lord Jesus protect Prez Trump and VP Pence along with all Christians and Jews in America, Israel and around the world, I pray this in you most holy name our Lord and Savior “Jesus Christ”…Amen!

2. Al-Franki “el-da dhimmi” • 2 hours ago

Hal’s right, we’re pretty fully ‘decepted’ by now. I do remember his book from the 60’s warning us about end times. That was a long time ago he was telling us this…just remember, God’s ‘time’ is not ‘our’ time. It’s up to us to ‘see’ and heed the warnings no matter the time period.

3.
allpan • 12 hours ago
Great article, right on target. America has a poor teaching problem. We are # 36 out of 75 countries taking the international testing (PITA). We teach everything except the basics. Truly, our nation and others are facing the Judgment of God. There is so much disunity in the USA, violence, hatred and rejection of the Bible, we are truly in the last times. The Tribulation spoken of in the Bible is going to be a shocker to this world.

 

4. Watcher • 11 hours ago

“Today, toys spy on us. Cell phones spy on us. Televisions, cars and even refrigerators spy on us. In 2017, TSA began using facial scans at some airports. In October, the liberal Slate magazine reported on legislation pending before Congress. It said, “… an alarming section of the bill would give… a green light to begin using biometrics to identify people in airports nationwide… right now there’s only one technology fit for a biometric surveillance system: automated, real-time face scans.””

“in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man” (Dan. 7:8)

Cameras have eyes like the eyes of man.

Google: “comparing the human eye and a camera”

That bit of prophecy in Daniel 7:8 is telling us that there won’t be many places to hide from the kingdom of the Anti-Messiah, for camera eyes shall be virtually everywhere. That’s one of many ways in which his kingdom shall as much as possible mimic the coming kingdom of the true Messiah. If people understood that, they wouldn’t be off on a wild-goose chase looking for a Muslim Antichrist…

[Note from Christine: The camera comparison from commenter “Watcher” might be a bit off because the verse continues with, “and a mouth speaking great things.”    However, with the technology of today (and cameras everywhere!), it’s true that “there won’t be many places to hide” from the rule of the Antichrist. Here’s a graphic with a better illustration:

Since “allah” is a false god, IMHO, the Antichrist could be (most likely, secretively) muslim. I did find the Daniel 7:8 verse fascinating in the context of this discussion.]

End of Hal Lindsey’s article:

Why are people so upset with President Trump? Sure, he rubs some people the wrong way. He says unexpected and, sometimes, inappropriate things. He speaks – or tweets – when maybe he should stay silent.

But when you look beyond his bluster and just look at his actions and record, he’s mostly a moderate, right-of-center politician – not at all out of the mainstream.

I think the real reason so many people are obsessed with destroying President Trump can be found in his resistance to the New World Order.

In 2017, he refused to recertify the Iran nuclear deal. He formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord. He’s renegotiating NAFTA. He put an end to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He demanded that NATO members pay their own way. He called the United Nations to account and cut some of its funding. He got tough with the Palestinian Authority. He put the Muslim nations on notice that it’s their responsibility to confront and curb Islamic terrorism. And more.

In other words, he stood up to and fought the globalist elites who were on the brink of cementing their supra-national control of the entire world. And, believe it or not, by doing that and by seeking to return autonomy and sovereignty to the United States – and bring Judeo-Christian values back to the public square – President Trump may have complicated the build-up to the Antichrist’s one-world government.

And doing that guarantees him some terribly powerful enemies – including Satan himself.

That’s why, as we enter 2018, it is so critical that all believers follow Paul’s admonition: “I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

I would go a step further. I urge you to pray earnestly and daily specifically for our president and vice president. Pray that God will encourage them, give them wisdom and determination, and protect them as they stand in the gap for the America we know and love.

Some people consider the Trump Presidency as a type of reprieve from what is eventually going to come as a result of end times prophecy.  Of course, that would depend upon one’s political, social, and religious beliefs.  Those that hate President Trump [for whatever reason(s)] will likely NEVER see the good that he has accomplished in the first year of his presidency.

No matter what, keep praying people!

Hat tip: WorldNetDaily

“12 Strong” Movie

I first heard about the movie entitled 12 Strong last night during a Fox News Channel report.

One theater website describes the movie:

Set in the harrowing days following 9/11, a U.S. Special Forces team, led by their new Captain, Mitch Nelson (Chris Hemsworth), is chosen to be the first U.S. troops sent into Afghanistan for an extremely dangerous mission. There, in the rugged mountains, they must convince Northern Alliance General Dostum (Navid Negahban) to join forces with them to fight their common adversary: the Taliban and their Al Qaeda allies. In addition to overcoming mutual distrust and a vast cultural divide, the Americans – accustomed to state-of-the-art warfare – must adopt the rudimentary tactics of the Afghani horse soldiers. But despite their uneasy bond, the new allies face overwhelming odds: outnumbered and outgunned by a ruthless enemy that does not take prisoners.

I teared up when I watched the trailer.

Watched it again and teared up again!

Fox News Channel website excerpts (link above):

Fox News spoke with Bruckheimer about the captivating soldiers behind “12 Strong,” his passion for the American military and being a proud conservative in Hollywood.

Fox News: What inspired you to tell the story of the horse soldiers?
Bruckheimer: I like to tell stories about individuals who have made a difference in our world, but yet you know nothing about them. This was a classified story that was recently declassified. It made such a difference for our country and the Afghan people.

Fox News: Where did your passion for the military come from?
Bruckheimer: I think about their professionalism and how they operate and the fact that they give up so much to protect our shores. And the fact that they have to leave their families, especially the men on this particular mission. Mark [Nutsch], the man Chris Hemsworth plays, he left behind his wife and child and didn’t know if he would ever come back. And they do that because they love our country and they want to protect their families. And I believe these men should be celebrated.

Fox News: In “12 Strong,” how important was it to show Afghan soldiers helping American soldiers especially after the 9/11 tragedy?
Bruckheimer: We were fortunate because we worked with a lot of Afghan refugees. They’re actually in the movie. There’s a whole community of them in New Mexico. And what they said to us after they’ve been working on the movie and read the script, they said, “This is such an important film for the Muslim people and for the Afghani people.” So they can see how we can work together against the common foe and rid our country of invaders. And the fact the brotherhood between the two different nations, I think, is very important.

We tried to give an honest account of that. This is Hollywood, and we do have to tell a story in two hours when it reality it took three weeks. But we tried to be as accurate as we could. When we showed it to them, and we showed it to the head of Special Forces, they said we captured the essence of that operation, and that’s the greatest honor for us as filmmakers to get the people really on the ground and more involved to stay we portrayed them right.

Good Reminder: Taming the Tongue

Its Primitiveness to Combat For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. (3:7–8) James’s point in these two verses is simply that […]

via January 9, 2018 : Morning Verse Of The Day — Truth2Freedom’s Blog

My comment there:

Really an important topic! Such biblical points regarding “the verbal damage done by the tongue” need to be shared these days!

The horrible rhetoric being spewed by so many (especially on “progressive” news shows and by Hollyweird) is egregious; and many times those who continually disparage others for their “speech” are doing so in an unreasonable manner which is NOT necessary!

We all obviously struggle with “the tongue” problem; but the ones doing the most damage in our society today (IMHO) are those who spew hate filled rhetoric against conservatives and biblically-based Christian believers.

The Bible’s accurate picture of the tongue’s destructive potential offers us no excuse for acquiescing to the tongue’s evil potential (see Eph. 4:29). By committing our tongues to the power of God, we can see them used to build up and strengthen others rather than to tear them down.

Well said and excellent reminder! People are not going to change without Jesus Christ guiding them in their lives. This is where the power of the Gospel through forgiveness comes in.

 

Hat tip: Truth2Freedom Blog

On Family Loyalty and Christian Discipleship

As a born-again Christian over the course of several decades now, I am often curious to read what other Christians have written regarding Bible difficulties.  Today, I read an interesting post over at Bill Muehlenberg’s blog entitled, “On Family Loyalty and Christian Discipleship.”  He categorized it under the headings of “Christianity,” “Difficult Bible Passages,” and “Family.”

To be honest, I became a bit alarmed when I read some of the sections of the post that were about “radical discipleship.”

Excerpt:

Radical discipleship means putting God first above everything else – even above good things which God has blessed. That may mean having to choose at times between loyalty to Christ and allegiance to family. That is what Jesus is on about here: the radical call of Christian discipleship.

When I read that, I immediately thought about the term “cult.”  For me, the only reason I can think of to have the need to “choose, at times, between loyalty to Christ and allegiance to family” would be if certain family members are causing harm to the Christian and/or purposely attacking any member for their Christian discipleship.  Didn’t Jesus also tell us that the “wheat (true believers) and the tares (fake or false adherents)” will grow together, and at the harvest will then be separated?  Well, Bill’s next several paragraphs helped to ease my fears about where he was going with this:

Let me finish with a few wise words of commentary here, just on the Matthew passage. Craig Blomberg cuts to the chase: “Theological syntheses must balance Eph. 6:14 and 1 Tim. 5:8 with teachings like these. Devotion to family is a cardinal Christian duty but must never become absolute to the extent that devotion to God is compromised.”

R. T. France puts it this way:

Like many prophetic oracles, this saying is cast in an absolute form which needs to be set alongside other contrasting aspects of Jesus’ teaching. Family enmity is not a virtue in itself, nor is it the universal experience of Jesus’ disciples, but it is a matter of priorities. Loyalty to Jesus and his mission comes first, and the result of that may be that family ties are strained to breaking point. But there is a new family relationship for disciples of Jesus which more than compensates for what may be lost by loyalty to him (12:46-50; 19:27-29).

Robert Mounce comments, “The issue is one of priorities: our commitment to Christ must be greater than to anyone else. Jesus is not counseling his followers to ride roughshod over family affection or responsibility. The point is that when a person pledges solidarity with Christ and his mission, nothing – not even the love of a family member (understood as unsympathetic to the Christian faith) – must be allowed to stand in the way.”

Again, the point is not to trash family relationships but to fully exalt Christ in everything. As Daniel Doriani comments:

Jesus assumes parents and children love each other. He approves of love in the family. But he says love of family must never push him into the background. A disciple must love him supremely, more than father or mother, son or daughter, husband or wife. If we must choose between pleasing Jesus and pleasing our family, Jesus says we must love him more than father or mother (10:37).

This is not about the Christian repudiating or attacking his own family. The point Jesus is making is that when we come to Christ, family members may well turn on us and reject us. As D. A. Carson puts it, “He does not mean that those he wins as his disciples will turn against their family members, but that by winning men and women to himself their family members will turn against them.”

Ah…OK, that makes more sense.  I have experienced when a family member “turned against me” because of her unbelief in Jesus Christ and her rejection of God’s Word, the Bible.  This person even went so far to spread rumors about me to another relative in order to trash me and turn that relative against me as well.  Sadly, she passed away back in 2011.  Even though I tried to reach her with the Gospel on several occasions (books, emails, sharing my dad’s journey to faith before he died), and prayed for her salvation, her belief was that she would go to heaven because she was kind to animals.  Of course, I won’t know until I get to see the Lord in eternity whether or not any of my invitations to her about her need to accept Christ as Lord and Savior helped her make that eternal decision.

Back to the article.

Bill writes:

So these hard words of Jesus about radical discipleship are NOT meant to be used as an excuse for believers to ride roughshod over their own families. Family life is held in high regard in Scripture, and Christians should do all they can to maintain healthy family relationships.

I know about this type of situation.  When someone marries into another Christian family, one might think that they are “safe” regarding Bill’s admonition that discipleship doesn’t mean to “ride roughshod over their family” members.  Unfortunately, this is not always true.

There can be many reasons for a spouse to encourage her husband to become estranged from his family. You can read my former post about that HERE.

Another reason could be that the Christian spouse that the son married into is in a kind of family cult.

I was surprised to read that Bill had been exposed to cult behavior.  It could happen to anyone.  And, if a particular spouse is not aware of the underlying reasons why a wife would want her husband to abandon his family, he could be manipulated into doing it.

Bill wrote:

Having been in a few cults early on in my Christian journey I know how normal it is for the new convert to be urged to hate their family and turn against them. It is quite common in the cults for the leader to pit the believer against the rest of their family, and insist that the cult is his new family.

Bill continues to write:

This is certainly not what Jesus had in mind when he said these words. Family life is something God-ordained and we need to show proper respect and love for family members.

But then, he also wrote:

The main message of Jesus here is that at times we will have to risk alienating our own family as we fully follow Christ.

When an in-law family is involved in a cult (or, even just cult-like behavior within that small family), they can give a new member of the other side of the family a reason to alienate his own parents and siblings!  I’ve seen it happen and it is excruciatingly painful, terribly sad, and certainly not biblical in nature!  The example I can share here is that “unhealthy communications” and “perceived crossing boundaries” were excuses used for a son to dump his Christian family members; without any effort to discuss such grievances.  Even the suggestion by his side of the family to go to Christian family counseling in order to resolve the issues at hand has been rejected.

Bill admits:

It is unfortunate (alienation from family members) when that does occur, and we are not to go out of our way and seek for that to happen.

Well, in the example that I shared above, the female in-law family DID seek for it to happen.  Terminology like counseling someone into “taking a deep dive” and “purging someone out of his bottled up self and shallowness, even if that means countless hours of staying up all hours of the night to get to the root of your hearts and listening to the convictions of the Holy Spirit… even if it hurts!” was used.   And saying to the untrained in-law “mom” who is doing the so-called “counseling” that “it doesn’t come overnight and you have to work for that transparency…such a blessing that you explained AND most importantly demonstrated that it takes continued commitment and listening to God to make it work!…and that there’s no “easy” way.”  She continued:  “I am so excited for me and Carey to follow in that!”

Now, those particular paragraphs may sound innocent and like there isn’t anything wrong with what is being espoused.  However, when it includes encouraging the husband to abandon his Christian parents (to whom he had previously always expressed love towards, and had written wonderful praises and thanks for his good Christian upbringing in decades worth of birthday cards and Mother’s/Father’s Day cards) and also caused him to choose to become permanently estranged from them; one could look at it as being very damaging.  Such a Facebook post now sounds cult-like and quite scary!  It very well could be another kind of “spirit” working within that family dynamic; NOT the Holy Spirit of God.

Even though my family member (who died in 2011) rejected me for my faith in Jesus Christ, often mocked me for it and even told lies about me to other family members, I still did not become estranged from her.  I continued to attempt to reach her with the Gospel.  And, despite some of the mean things she had done to me over the years, I had to FORGIVE her for them!  When I finally prayed about it and did forgive her for years of dislike, mean things done in the past,  and lies told about me,  a heavy burden was immediately lifted off of me!  THAT is the Jesus Christ that I know and worship!  Only He could do that for me.  When I am weak (and filled with un-forgiveness), He is strong and through the power of the Holy Spirit, had years of pain lifted off of me!

That act of forgiveness was what was NEEDED in order for me to start re-establishing a new relationship with her (mostly via phone because she lived across the country)!  A reunion of sorts was planned, but sadly, she died before that could be arranged. One of the last things that I had discussed with her was my post about Remembering Dad. I hope she read it and took it to heart.

As I had written in the case of Aurora and Carey, outstretched hands and the willingness of communicating with estranged family members requires forgiveness. Such a trial in life as this may be necessary in order for Aurora and Carey to work out conflict within their own lives. Perhaps the parents and extended family members on the son’s side of the family are just collateral damage. It could be a necessary time in the young couple’s lives to go through, in order to see what they have done more clearly. Ultimately, it is my hope and prayer for them to be reconciled back to the parents that raised their son in a Bible-based church and manner; a family that takes seriously 2 Timothy 2:15 that requires believers to “rightly divide the word of truth.”  That is key to the adherence towards  true Christian faith.

Hat tip:  Bill Muehlenberg’s blog