Pat Condell hits another one out of the park with his assessment of the Geert Wilders trial. As Pat says, authoritarianism mixed with cowardice will have deadly consequences. I fear that the forces of darkness are winning the cultural and spritual battle. The time of the church age is about to close. Will you be ready when Jesus comes?
Johnny Cash
Happy New Year everyone! I'd like to apologize for not posting sooner. I had a good Christmas break even though I was busy with work and classes. Better that than just hanging around at home I guess. My studies are going well with my first win in moot court. Woo Hoo! I'm finding that the second time around was easier than the first. Isn't the way that it always works? It's going to take some time to get my legs under me as a new paralegal.
I wanted to start the new year with the concept of treasure. What I'd like to talk about today is the consequences of leaving your worldly faith behind and following after Jesus. While our reward in eternity is beyond our comprehension, the consequences here on Earth are very real and understandable. Here are three points to consider if you want to follow Jesus.
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
(Matthew 6:19-21)
Sacrificing Your Most Valued Treasure: Your Sense of Self-Importance
The number one obstacle without question is a person's sense of pride. After all, you're a good person. You donate to charity. You perform good deeds. You haven't done anything that bad, have you? You may even be a regular church-goer! All of that means nothing. When we try to substitute our works for grace we are fundamentally rejecting what Jesus did for us at the cross.
Christianity isn't so much about religious doctrines, it's about a relationship with the Father by way of the Son. Without acknowledging His Lordship (and therefore His mastery over us) we become a narcissist and a sociopath. A narcissist only has space in their busy lives for themselves. All their relationships are a disaster because they cannot make room in their heart for anybody else. As far as the sociopath is concerned, the universe revolves around them and woe unto that individual that fails to acknowledge this salient point.
Your Second Most Valued Treasure: Your Position and Your Power
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
(Matthew 6:5)
Perhaps you're a person of influence and power. Maybe you have a reputation to protect. Or perhaps you're well thought of, a man about town as it were. Understand that all that can be taken away from you just like that. And if you're an unbeliever with position and you make that fateful decision to follow Christ, you better expect a sudden downgrade.
Do you want to be a celebrity? If your dream is for the world to fall on their knees and follow after you, becoming a Christian would be the worst thing you could possibly do. We hear of stories of individuals who had the money, the social status, the cars, the clothes and all the material advantages. They had the things which are supposed to make a person happy. Then they turn to Christ and usually end up paying a heavy price for their conversion.
Your Third Most Valued Treasure: Your Comfort Zone
Understand that God is not out to get you or to traumatize you with endless adversity. But what He is going to do is to take you out of your comfort zone in order for personal growth to occur. In short, God is going to take you on a path to discovery that few will ever tread. You can forget about people identifying with you because they won't. You've already surpassed them in godly knowledge and understanding. They're eating the dust of the trail that you're blazing and they don't like it. You've become a complete stranger to them.
If you want to be a pro in anything, be it theological or secular, be prepared to lead a lonely existence. Because the more competent and knowledgeable you become, the fewer and fewer peers (and friends) you will have. If want to rise above mediocrity, you'd better be prepared to shed friends and gain enemies.
We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
(Matthew 6:24,25)
Don't get this ridiculous idea that once you decide to follow Jesus everything is going to be sunshine and roses. You will still be buffeted by the storms of life. In all likelihood these storms will increase in intensity. But you will have something that an unbelieving world does not: A solid foundation upon which to stand. Nowhere does the Bible promise a life of ease for those who become a disciple of Jesus. What the Bible does promise is the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Can the mind comprehend such glorious wonders? It cannot. And that's the rub. We trust in God's promises, not Man's. A Christian would have it no other way.
Johnny Cash
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
(Daniel 12:10)
My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. The more the priests increased, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful. They feed on the sins of my people and relish their wickedness.
(Hosea 4:6-8)
With all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
(2 Thessalonians 2:10-12)
I'm sure you've heard this one before: If a tree falls in a forest and no-one hears it, does it still make a sound? Before you attempt an answer let me ask you something similar: If you tell the truth and no-one listens, did you still tell the truth? The answer is YES!
So You Wanna Be a Prophet?
I should caution you that the conditions of the job are bad and the pay is worse. The upside is spending eternity with God in glory. Still interested? Unsurprisingly, many turn away from such an opportunity when they hear of the personal sacrifices that need to be made.
Why We MUST Tell Others of God's Impending Judgement (And The Stony Silence That Usually Follows)
You must understand you'll never win a popularity contest at home, at work or in the blogosphere if you preach the message faithfully. Sin, hell and judgement are not popular topics of conversation at the dinner table. A wall of silence and hostility is often the net result of those who speak lovingly of God's hatred of sin and unbelief. If you want to preach it realize this world will turn you into the villain. 'It's doom and gloom!'. 'It's a negative message!'. 'Why do you want to see the world destroyed?' 'Why the hateful message?'. And so on and so on. You become the bad guy because you don't buy into the secular propaganda about 'saving the world'.
The Call To Repentance and the Humanist Response
So you preach the message of divine judgement falling on this world and what do you get? Right off the top, a wide majority will disregard your warning. A hurricane is headed this way but seeing as it's pleasant outside, why bother. The hurricane comes and by the time they realize their fatal error it's too late. Then there's a second group who do listen but take half-measures. A five foot dike isn't going to do the trick against a ten foot storm surge. The third group represents the minority that do take the appropriate measures and are fully prepared against the storm's onslaught.
So it is with us. Look, all God wants is for you to repent of your sins. We look at the bloody cross and the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. We believe and then we repent. The first group are those mockers and scoffers who willfully disregard any warnings. 'Life is good' they say. 'No need to repent!'.
The second group isn't much better. They take modest precautions but usually adopt a laissez-faire approach. These are the technophiles who believe that science and technology will save us. They share the same attitude as the rest of the godless utopians who've put their faith in practical atheism and fortune cookie philosophy. Others place their hope on Man (such as President Obama) or other flawed institutions (United Nations) to rescue them.
The third group are those serious-minded folk who truly understand the situation. They don't disregard the warning nor do they place their hope on Man's abilities. Their rock and their foundation is Christ. Eternity is theirs!
The Illusion of a New World Order
I truly believe a renaissance can be had if we repent first. Think of all the racial strife. Think of the war between men and women. Then think of the generational gap. The only thing that can bring peace to mankind is a return to Godly obedience. All attempts at creating a NWO has failed because it has forgotten to put Biblical knowledge at the center. The priests that Hosea speaks of are still with us today. These so-called progressives have appealed to the flesh (meaning our pride) and have sold us a raw bill of goods. Do not think Barack Obama is going to save us. On the contrary, the increasing move towards godlessness will only accelerate God's plan for dealing with an unbelieving world.
If you have not done so, please get saved today. The wicked do not understand but the wise will understand. The wisdom that Daniel speaks of comes from above, not from our experience and human emotion. Have you embraced this yet? This is the hour of your salvation!
Johnny Cash
A quick note here. My brief experiment with Google ads is over. A total of 2 clicks for a total of 31 cents tells me all I need to know. Also, thanks to Fred from Tampa for your most recent comment. You sir are a tremendous source of encouragement!
Well, I managed to survive my move over the weekend. Six full truckloads over three days just about killed me. Glad it's over though. The X-Def lives on!
Barack Obama as President
Get used to it for at least the next four years. Possibly eight. Yikes! Here's what I think what happened over the past two years. John McCain lost this election not because he wasn't suitable or ready, but due to hubris. He's basically running as a member of Dubya's Republicans as opposed to running on his own name. The GOP ran out of luck and out of time to correct their mistakes. To be sure, many of the wounds inflicted were of the self-inflicted variety.
The 2003 War In Iraq
Irrational exuberance combined with underestimating the resolve of the enemy guaranteed that no lightning victory would occur. The Bush doctrine, which put forth the idea that free and democratic countries don't start wars, was correct on the strategic level. Lack of discernment hobbled the Iraq and Afghanistan efforts from the start.
McCain's Sisyphean Struggle
Sisyphus was the poor sod doomed to roll a massive rock uphill everyday for eternity. The media was in Obama's pocket from the get-go. Hard to get your message out when no-one wants to co-operate. To be sure, media liberals outnumbered conservative thinkers even in Reagan's day. Still, the Great Communicator managed and led. I think however that Reagan's America is vastly different than the one Bush 43 presided over. Prayer and attending church on Sundays were a given. Today, when a believer mentions God people look at them like they talk to an invisible man in the sky. Marriage was always between a man and a woman. Life began at conception and that was that. Sure there was sin in America in Reagan's day. But we didn't advertise and brag about it, did we? It isn't the demographic shift that should worry us, it's the moral shift away from Biblical values that will pose problems for America.
Swimming with Sharks
What's next? The next president faces immense challenges. Will Russia, with its increasing move towards sovietism, make a move? How about Iran? So many questions. I have a feeling that we'll soon find out. President Obama will be tested, let there be no doubt about that. In the meantime, do pray over President Obama. He'll need God's protection and all of His wisdom to guide a very difficult and complex country.
God Bless America!
Johnny Cash
"Those people who will not be governed by God will be ruled by tyrants."
- William Penn
There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
- Psalm 33:16-18
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. - Psalm 20:7
See full article here for the above quotes.
'There are some men out there who simply want to watch the world burn.'
So says Alfred (Michael Caine) to Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) in 'The Dark Knight'. Alfred relates a story about a jewel thief in the Burmese jungle. Later in the movie, Bruce asks if they ever caught him. Alfred answers in the affirmative saying, 'We burnt down the forest'. Certainly a high price to pay to catch just one man.
What Truly Divides Us Then?
Let me articulate what many are thinking today: The lunatics are running the asylum. I'm talking about the paranoid and the conspiracy whisperers who see all manner of enemies, both real and imagined. As it turns out, we don't have to look far to find these strange individuals.
The Battle for Young Hearts and Minds in the Classroom
From another K-House article:
In Louisiana this week, Governor Bobby Jindal has opened himself to a whole hurrah of criticism from the liberal community because he has signed into a law a state bill that basically allows academic freedom when it comes to controversial subjects like evolution or global warming. The law does not mandate the teaching of anything. It merely allows teachers to teach the controversies, a long as they do so objectively without an attempt to promote religious doctrine.
As John G. West recently noted on National Review Online,
"Opponents allege that the Louisiana Science Education Act is 'anti-science.' In reality, the opposition’s efforts to silence anyone who disagrees with them is the true affront to scientific inquiry. Students need to know about the current scientific consensus on a given issue, but they also need to be able to evaluate critically the evidence on which that consensus rests. They need to learn about competing interpretations of the evidence offered by scientists, as well as anomalies that aren’t well explained by existing theories."
Free and critical thought in our schools? Wow, what a radical idea! If this revolutionary idea actually catches on, more than a few university professors might be out of work!
The Battle for Young Hearts and Minds in the Classroom: Part II
The Rise of Anti-Semitism in Our Universities
There is indeed rot in our Canadian universities. I consider myself fortunate that I graduated McMaster well before 9/11. The efforts on campus to delegitimize Israel and blame America for those fateful attacks have no doubt skyrocketed since I left. If there's one thing I've learned about anti-semites is this: Not reason, not logic, not even the lessons of history can budge an anti-semite from his paranoid, conspiratorial mind-set. Jew-hatred is implacable. There cannot be peace between those that love God's chosen people and those that wish their destruction.
The 'I Hate Bush' Agenda: The Disturbing Fanaticism of the New Left
In a recent FPM article, the battle to profile terrorists in order to save American lives is one we should all support. Yet, even an attempt to try a more watered-down approach is met with hostility and threats of litigation from the usual suspects (CAIR, ACLU). I can sort of understand their point. Profiling can be abused and given to excess. I think the real reason for opposing the profiling of terrorists has more to do with left-wing fanaticism. The assumption of a 'vast, right-wing conspiracy' led by the President is a pet theory the leftists are loathe to surrender. As with the evolutionists and the anti-semites, any attempts at reason and logic is met with a brick wall of denial and a closed mind.
Of This I Am Convinced
Though we may suffer for the cause of Christ, I am convinced of the need of those who need God's healing touch. Their struggle may not neccessarily a physical one, it is a struggle that causes lack of discernment. It is God and God alone that gives us true wisdom. Therefore let us not hate our enemies; let us pray for them instead. In the meantime, we need to hold fast and continue to look up for our redemption.
Johnny Cash
After Jesus told Nicodemus 'For God so loved the world .....', He gave us this warning about those who choose darkness over the light:
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
(John 3:19-21)
Saving the World Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
Have you heard of this 'one world' movement? You know what I'm talking about: That annoying touchy-feely Hollywood PC that has all the charm and romance of a malignant brain tumor. Were it not for such conservative thinkers such as Pat Buchanan, this type of doe-eyed pacifism would destroy us.
All Is One, Dammit!
All is indeed one - except for those who see this sham for what it truly is. Do you want to know the greatest lie out there today? It goes something like this:
Truth divides and causes problems (true). Therefore, eliminate truth (and all those who speak it) and all our divisions and problems will cease (false).
To the short-sighted and foolish this logic makes sense. But like all good lies, it must have an element of truth in order for it to be believed. 'Let us rid ourselves of these truthmongers', the elites tell us, 'and then shall we have our godless utopia!'. Know what I call that? A death wish. Here in point form is my refutation of that silly lie:
There is no unity apart from truth.
Truth is not some inanimate object that we play with for a while and afterwards throw it away when we get bored.
Truth is a person whom we know as Jesus Christ. Jesus is the visible, undeniable and physical manifestation of truth. Therefore whoever rejects Christ rejects truth also. Hence, there will never be unity in a Christ-rejecting world.
Truth is both timeless and universal. All the time, everywhere! What a concept! Like it or not religion matters, be it in church, business or in nation-wide elections. Despite all the secularists' best efforts, people are still defending the cause of Christ.
There is no 'Whatever, whatever, whatever' when it comes to truth. Either something is or it is not. If it be true then we must seize it. If it is false it must be vigorously opposed. So yes, truth does divide. Who says that's necessarily a bad thing? What's wrong with making the right kind of enemies? What's wrong with striking fear into the hearts of those who wish to eliminate our God-given freedoms? There's nothing wrong with it!
Calling out our Enemies: Islam, the Loony Left and the Law
As I see it, we have a choice. We can fight in the darkness and lose. Or we can fight in the light and achieve victory. There cannot, nor will there ever be, peace, justice and unity apart from victory. For it is only in the crucible of victory that freedom is upheld.
Recently in Canada and in Europe, it is obvious where the real allegiances of our courts lie. The term 'legal jihad' has greater swath than ever before. Our dhimmi courts have abandoned our Judeo-Christian traditions and have sided with the enemy.
Does the term 'amoral sociopath' mean anything to these MoveOn.org types? Bill O'Reilly exposes an outlandish ad launched recently smearing Republican candidate John McCain. The concept of 'shame' and 'accuracy in journalism' is forever lost to them.
Were they just plain annoying (not to mention rude and abrasive), we could ignore the Left completely. But as observers of both Islam and the Left, it is clear that an 'Unholy Alliance' of sorts has arisen. In this Daniel Pipes article, a particular paragraph for me stood out:
Throughout his life, Michel Foucault's concept of authenticity meant looking at situations where people lived dangerously and flirted with death, the site where creativity originated. In the tradition of Friedrich Nietzsche and Georges Bataille, Foucault had embraced the artist who pushed the limits of rationality and he wrote with great passion in defense of irrationalities that broke new boundaries. In 1978, Foucault found such transgressive powers in the revolutionary figure of Ayatollah Khomeini and the millions who risked death as they followed him in the course of the Revolution. He knew that such "limit" experiences could lead to new forms of creativity and he passionately threw in his support.
Great passion in the defence of irrationalities? No wonder these socialists scare us!
The Forces of Light: The (Hidden) Army of Jesus Christ
Gospel for Asia missionary Layak Kamol risks his life every time he walks to church and back. Anti-Christian fanatics have threatened him numerous times that they will kill him because he continues to share Christ in Chhattisgarh, India. On June 29, they did more than threaten.
You can read the rest here.
Jesus said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)
Do you believe?
Johnny Cash
In the twentieth century, two massive events occurred in May. In 1945, the fall of Nazi Germany ended one of the most destructive wars in all of human history. Three years later on May, 14, 1948, the re-birth of the state of Israel shook the world and foreign governments.
Before we look at Israel's modern day rebirth, we must first look at the three captivities that Israel endured. The first two were regional in nature, the third captivity was worldwide.
The First Captivity: Egypt
Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD's divisions left Egypt. (Exodus 12:40-41)
Here's the best part:
The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:35-36)
To the very day the Israelites were driven out by the Egyptians. There was no escape here, they were pushed out! Moreover, they actually plundered the Egyptians prior to leaving and were laden with gold, silver and clothing. I don't know about you, but this absolutely blows my mind. The exodus happened to the very day that God promised to Abraham and were made rich with parting gifts in the process.
The Second Captivity: Babylon
This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. "But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt," declares the LORD, "and will make it desolate forever." (Jeremiah 25:11-12)
Notice the seventy year cycle. As I mentioned in 'Pentecost 2017', seventy years was often used to purify and sanctify God's people from sin. After King Cyrus of Persia allowed the Jewish people to leave and go back to Jerusalem, a partial return in unbelief was the result.
The Third Captivity: Worldwide
The prophet Ezekiel was given an odd task setting the stage for the rebirth of modern Israel in May of 1948:
"Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the house of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the house of Israel. "After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the house of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year. (Ezekiel 4:4-6)
So 390 days plus 40 days equals 430 years, seeing as one day symbolizes a year. Of those 430 years, 70 years was subtracted due to Israel's captivity in Babylon. That leaves us with 360 years of judgement. However, these years were multiplied by seven due to their unbelief:
If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. (Leviticus 26:18)
If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve. (Leviticus 26:21)
Those 360 years is now multiplied by a factor of seven. 360 x 7 = 2520 Biblical years (comprised of 360 days each). Divide 907, 200 days (2520 x 360 = 907,200) by 365.25 (the solar year to which we are accustomed) and you get 2,483.778 calendar years. So from 606 B.C. to the spring of 536 B.C. was seventy years of captivity under Babylonian rule. God's people then partially return in unbelief according to Cyrus' decree.
According to our logic, we add 2,483.8 calendar years to the year 536 B.C. (keeping in mind there was no year between 1 B.C. and 1 A.D.) we get:
May 14, 1948.
Israel's third captivity comes to a close and modern day Israel is reborn, exactly right on time.
Kudos to Grant Jeffrey
You didn't think I could come up with this all by myself did you? My research is based on Grant Jeffrey's book Armageddon: Appointment With Destiny. To be precise, Chapter 3: Ezekiel's Vision of the Rebirth of Israel in 1948 is where all this information is found.
So is Israel's Rebirth Really an al-Naqba/Disaster?
It is for those that oppose the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. As the star of Bethlehem heralded the First Advent, the Star of David on Israel's flag heralds the Second Advent. No wonder the unbelievers are terrified! Even so, come Lord Jesus!
Johnny Cash
If the greatest truths are about God, it stands to reason that the greatest lies we face also concern God.
The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4"Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'
5"But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.
13"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
14"For many are invited, but few are chosen."
(Matthew 22:1-14)
Let's see if we can figure out what this parable means.
The King: This one strikes me as obvious. This is God the Father. The son is none other than Jesus Himself.
The Invitees: The high muckity-mucks of this world. The 'beautiful' people if you will. In 21st century terms, they'd be the Hollywood celebrities and the political elite. Sadly, their businesses keep them away from God.
The Servants: This one is the most curious of them all. Three times the King sends forth His servants. These are three seperate and unique groups sent out in chronological order:
Verse 3: Those who served God faithfully prior to His First Advent such as the OT prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah.
Verse 4: God's people, the Jews. Don't you find verse 7 terrifying? Yet that's exactly what happened to Nazi Germany in the waning months of WW II (More specifically, think of the firebombing of Dresden). It was God's plan that it would be the Jewish people who were going to spread the gospel. Satan's great plan therefore is to rid the world of Jews because they delivered the gospel to humanity.
Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed." (Isaiah 61:9)
Verse 8-10: Seeing as European Jewry fared poorly, the third set of servants must be Gentiles. These are your pastors, your Sunday school teachers, and (blush) your faithful Christian bloggers.
The Guests: These lucky guests have chosen to accept Jesus Christ as their saviour. However in verses 11 and 12 the King confronts an usurper. Who is this person who has shown up in his old, shabby clothes?
Many Are Invited But Few Are Chosen
Thus verse 14 closes the parable. But we are still left with the question: What is the greatest lie ever told? It is this: We CANNOT stand before God based on our own righteousness. This is exactly what the usurper finds out when he is dramatically given the heave-ho. On the surface, this seems strange to us. After all, Jesus hung out with prostitutes and tax-collectors. Why is our King so enraged at our usurper not wearing the wedding clothes? It is the sin of pride. Not just any kind of pride mind you, it's religious pride.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)
Not by our own efforts and by our works do we please Him. When we put on the garments of salvation and robes of righteousness it is only then we are allowed to enter into the banquet hall. By believing in the shed blood of Christ alone do we achieve full atonement.
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. (Isaiah 64:6)
Johnny Cash
The second part of this post can be found here. Please do give it a read.
Time to change things up. My last post was a little on the heavy side so I'm going easy this time. The title of my post says it all.
Barack Hussein Obama: 2008 Used Car Salesperson of the Year
The man is thoroughly deserving of the title. As I see it, there are two, not three, legitimate contenders for the Oval Office. One is John McCain who is looking more presidential with each passing day and the other is good ol' what's-er-face. Uh, that's Hillary I'm referring to. Obama, despite leading the Dem delegate count, looks more and more like a local used car salesman. And not in a good way either. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing more manlier than two (or more) guys talking about cars. So I actually like kibbutzing with car salesmen for some strange unfathomable reason. But Obama? No way. I imagine the sales pitch would sound something like this:
BHO: This car can be yours for $12,000!
Me: But the sticker price says $8,995!
BHO: Ah, but you forgot to add the racial aggravation surcharge!
Me: What the (bleep) is a racial aggravation surcharge?
BHO: Well you see my pastor told me that the gov't hands out guns to black people to kill each other. Not to mention HIV which is injected into blacks by the feds. Plus 9/11 was inside job designed to erect a police state against (you guessed it) blacks! Hence the surcharge.
Me: ???? ????
BHO: But of course I was never there when he actually said all that (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). I mean I've only been going to the same church for twenty years so how could I have known my pastor's true feelings?
Me: ???? ????
BHO: So do you want to buy the car?
Me: Screw you. I'm outta here.
So the blacks got screwed by 'The Man'. Well Boo Hoo. They can join the long line of the oppressed right behind the NA Indians, the Jews, Hispanics, the Roman Catholics, Asians and every other racial/ethnic/religious group that faced stiff opposition from the 'powers that be'. Playing the victim card with the American public will get you nowhere. Nor am I apologizing to blacks (or anybody else for that matter) for being white. Not just any white guy, but a pasty white Anglo-Canadian with English roots who votes Conservative. So there.
Who's the Real Defenders of Civil Liberties?
I'll give you a hint: It isn't smarmy and smug liberals. No friends, it has always been God-fearing middle class working Americans (and Canadians too) who are the true defenders of human freedom. Liberal sociopaths who care nothing except for their own political rights and sexual freedoms have never lifted a finger for the defence of liberty. Who's defending Iranian gays from the jihad being waged against them? None other that Robert Spencer. Yes, THAT Robert Spencer, Catholic conservative and director of Jihad Watch. Not one Hollywood liberal with an axe to grind against America and the church will take up the cause. Who's defending Rachel Ehrenfeld, an American being sued by a Saudi billionaire by way of a British court? Not the liberal media save three (NY Post, NY Jewish Week and the SF Chronicle). Can't have successful and empowered women put on a display lest they offend delicate (male) Muslim sensibilities. A direct assault upon our cherished freedoms and the MSM doesn't even blink. It's worse than indifference. It's dereliction of duty. Heck, it's outright cowardice in the face of the enemy.
Craven Dhimmitude: Laura Bush in Saudi Arabia
So please don't talk to me about how good it is that we have all these secular-progressives to (mis)lead us. We do all the heavy lifting while you hog the spotlight? I don't think so. It has always been those individuals raised with strong Judeo-Christian values and ethics that have been the vanguard of freedom. The same cannot be said of our lib-left friends.
Johnny Cash
Couldn't resist posting as Feb. 29th comes only once every four years. Hard to say whether this blog will still be active on February 29th, 2012. Maybe or maybe not. Nevertheless, with this 'leap' idea in mind comes today's devotional:
Jesus Walks on Water
During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
"Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"
When they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." (Matthew 14:25-32)
Here are a couple of thoughts that come to mind:
This Is Likely A Literal Event
Oh, how the intelligientsia and the sophisticates of our day love to discredit the plain wording of the Bible! Seeing as this is a historical event, one that cannot be easily reproduced, we have to take the play-by-play of Matthew at face value. I do believe Christ literally walked on water as did the apostle Peter. Many people (including those in the church) love to take an allegorical approach, a sort of deconstructionism that deprives Jesus of His supernatural authority over nature. Mother Nature can be believed, but Father God cannot.
The Fourth Watch
I think (though don't quote me on this) that the fourth watch was between midnight and 6 a.m.. We can reasonably expect that it was damp, dark and cold. Isn't it interesting that Jesus chooses to make a miraculous entrance at such an unlikely time? 'God will answer this way and in this time', we reason according to our human wisdom and experience. I can absolutely guarantee you those in the boat did not expect Jesus to come at that time and in that manner. When we deal with God we should do the same. So often we put a sovereign God in a box and don't allow Him to work outside of our assumed parameters. We serve a big God. Our faith ought to properly reflect that.
An Untested And Unsure Faith
There is no doubt in my mind that Peter was a man of great faith. Jesus saw that too, but He also saw an immature faith that needed work. The joy in Peter's heart in getting out of the boat to greet Jesus on the water must have been immense! Yet a storm develops, that initial joy turns into fear and Peter immediately begins to sink. Peter failed to anticipate adversity. Many Christians (particularly the new ones) do the exact same thing. We get the false impression that once we give our lives to Christ that it's smooth sailing from here on in. However, Jesus said on the Sermon on the Mount:
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)
Hey, don't you feel 'blessed' after reading that? Please don't fail in anticipating adversity in your relationship with God. God wants you to have a mature faith. You may believe as you wish, but an untested faith is an unsure one.
The Other Disciples In The Boat
So often we fail to notice the third party in this miracle, namely the other disciples in the boat. This is the real tragedy of the story. I'm referring to those Christians who have built a 'comfort zone' around their faith. They may be saved and have eternal life but rarely do they go out on a limb in trusting God's powers. Which is not to say that we should tempt God. Indeed that is a sin! A dull, colorless and stale faith with which we have grown accustomed to causes us to miss out on God's best. I think God wants us to be a Peter. Even if it means we look a bit foolish in the process! A Christian that is concerned about their reputation before Man will never get to 'walk on water'. God wants you to live victoriously in Him. Will you get out of the boat and begin to trust Him today?
Johnny Cash
Nobody knows for sure what Jesus actually looked like. He was Jewish to be sure, and likely had a Mediterranean (meaning dark) complexion. However, that is not the main point of this devotional. The question we really ought to be asking ourselves is 'Has Jesus opened my eyes so that I may see Him?'.
They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"
He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around."
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. (Mark 8:22-25)
We must make an important distinction here: This is ONE miracle in two parts, not two miracles, the first one incomplete and the second one completed. Why the 'in-between' stage where the blind man has his sight only partially restored? First of all, Jesus is putting His sovereign power on display. Everything He does is for a reason and in its due time. Secondly, and most important of all, Jesus wishes to show us three basic levels of faith:
Complete Blindness
This is where the majority of people lie. They may be 'good', but have little or no use for the Bible or church. The broad path to destruction has become a comfortable place to stay and they see no reason to change.
'Trees walking around'
These love to compare themselves with themselves (bizarre circular logic if you ask me) or against others. These are those who've found religion but never found the forgiveness that only Christ can bring. They read the Bible, go to church and bore us to death with their list of good deeds. 'Good' indeed! But they've never really had an encounter with the Divine such as the prophet Isaiah:
"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." (Isaiah 6:5)
Mere religion without genuine repentance still leaves us blind. Those having ears that do not hear and eyes that do not see are a sorry sight to behold.
Full Restoration of Sight
Oh, blessed are those that truly see Him for who He is! Why is it that so many are angry with God? Why is Jesus' name dragged through the mud on a daily basis? I'll tell you why: Ignorance. Their eyes have not been opened by the Holy Spirit. Violence masquerading as love is the epitome of false religion. Yet so many falsely attribute these problems to Jesus' teachings. This I think is where God wants us to be. To have our eyes opened to the Messiah.
Hope you enjoyed my first full-time devotional. I've got some other links I'd like to share:
Check out this cool photo essay of naval gunfire from Stratfor.com. Be warned it may take time to load. I have a 248 kbps modem and it loads reasonably quickly for me. Just watch the Stratfor logo as it fills up.
Part two of a never ending road trip for six GFA missionaries in Andhra Pradesh. Part one can be found here from an earlier post.
A Saudi columnist laments the expulsion of Christians from Arab lands. The more I learn of the ME, the more intrigued I become. It is much more layered and complex than what we think.
Eight evangelists in Jordan have been arrested. May God see them through their ordeal with strength and grace.
Johnny Cash
Better late than never I suppose. Seeing as it's still January and I've had these bookmarks burning a hole in my pocket, time to do the right thing and get rid of them. So in no particular order, here are the individuals who've either earned our admiration or contempt.
2007 Man of the Year: General David Howell Petraeus
Check out the rack of medals on this guy. While the American military tend to hand out service medals like they were Halloween candy, some of the medals here (click to enlarge) aren't exactly chump change. For defeating al-Qaida in the Land of the Two Rivers (and causing the Left to cry in their towels), General David Petraeus gets a sizeable laurel.
One Big Honking Dart to Czar Vlad
Does anybody out there still read TIME magazine? Being called TIME's 'Person of the Year' was once upon a time met with bated breath. Now it's met with a shrug and a yawn. While TIME insists that this is not an endorsement, Putin's Russia has become increasingly hostile towards freedom of the press, political freedoms and a top-down approach to the economy.
Check out these Russian neo-nazi skinheads. Does their salute remind you of anyone? Whenever tribalism and anti-Semitism raises its ugly head, wars and rumors of wars are the natural result. Worthy of a dart. Preferably where it really hurts.
A Dart to Those Who Would Appease Our Enemies
Seeing as our enemies won't be surrendering to us anytime soon, it behooves us to be wary of any politician who's naive enough to believe that this jihad is nothing more than a big misunderstanding. America doesn't need to be 'nice'. It needs to be strong (Hello President John McCain!). A dart to all those who would undermine America with this rosy thinking.
A Laurel to ABC News
Rarely do I give a tiff about the MSM. However, I have stumbled across this link which will help those American voters who aren't sure whom they should support. Just answer each multiple choice question honestly and get the top three candidates who best fit your political views. Try it a number of times (with different answers of course) and see what you come up with. It's the least I can do to dispel the fog and confusion surrounding this presidential race.
Laurels for Stratfor and Walid Phares
Forecasting the future is notoriously difficult. People can die in violent and unexpected ways (witness Mrs. Bhutto) and irrational people on a glory trip can cause us no end in trouble. I applaud anyone who is willing to put their reputation on the line and give us their thoughts as to what will happen in the next twelve months.
Here is Stratfor's Annual Forecast for 2008 (pdf file).
And here is Mr. Phares with his prognostications.
A Dart for Saudi Arabia and North Korea
Why you ask? These two countries top the list when it comes to persecuting Christians. In Saudi Arabia, Wahhabi Islam has a strict monopoly. In the Hermit Kingdom, being sent to prison camps (along with all your family) is the fate of those found in possession of a Bible.
Laurels To Those Spreading the Good News
Evangelism isn't something you have to do, it's something you get to do. Witnessing to an unbelieving world is difficult even at the best of times. So when God places His missionaries in almost impossible circumstances, it is nothing short of miraculous when those efforts still bear fruit.
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate. Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? (1 Corinthians 1:19-20)
In Afghanistan.
At a porn convention. Yes, you read correctly!
A prison ministry. Satan really is quite stupid. A jailed missionary is the most dangerous person of all. Why? Because he has nothing but the souls of inmates to gain.
Lastly, a dart to Michael from Texas. He was one the the many winners (or is that losers?) of the 2007 Darwin awards. Alcohol makes fools of us all.
Johnny Cash
Here are three main points which for me prove God is still interested in our well-being and that He still loves us.
Answered Prayer
Many atheists scoff at this notion. Say a believer is sick and his (or her) church is praying for a healing. Later on however that person dies. 'See!', the scoffer would say, 'Your prayers weren't answered!'. That may be true if we rely on human experience to solve the problem. God doesn't answer prayer when, where, or how WE think He should answer our prayer. The death of a beloved member of a church will never be fully explainable using our fallible and mortal logic. So it is when we see little or no progress in a prayer that is consistent with God's will. God is just and forgiving and is sovereign above all. Just because it doesn't make sense to you does in no way imply God doesn't know or care. He DOES know and He DOES care!
Changed Lives
God is still in the business of reclaiming lost souls. Indeed, He has not changed one bit! This is wonderful news for those that knew Him when they were young but fell away or those that have never heard God's plan of salvation before. Whether it be daredevil Robert 'Evel' Knievel who came to faith late in life before passing away or Franklin Graham preaching in Hong Kong, people are coming to faith in Christ in record numbers. In the above article it states:
American evangelist Franklin Graham held his largest evangelistic event to date this past weekend with 423,335 people overflowing seven separate venues in Hong Kong and in neighboring Macau.
And ...
By the final night, 33,464 people had responded to the invitation to accept Jesus Christ as their savior.
In one day nearly half a million people heard the message of salvation and some thirty-three thousand responded. Peter gave a sermon on Pentacost and 3,000 souls were added to the Book of Life. Mr. Graham has now superseded that miracle event eleven times over. Do not believe the secular humanist media who say that Islam is the world's fastest growing religion. It isn't. Muslim women may be winning the 'War of the Womb' but in terms of adult converts the contest isn't even close.
Fulfilled Prophecy
I could fill a hundred pages if I had the time and money to show you that God's plan of redemption is still on track. Fortunately for you I will not attempt to do this right now. Precept upon precept and line upon line is the only way to show the veracity of this position. Here are seven reasons why Christ's return is far closer than what we think:
The regathering of the Jews in Israel (Ezekiel 37): Despite the odds and its formidable foes (see below), Israel continues to flourish amidst a sea of hostility.
Israel is made a nation in one day (Isaiah 66:8):
Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labour than she gives birth to her children.
Yet the impossible happens and Israel is reborn on May 15, 1948. Is this a disaster or 'al-Naqba'? For Satan and all those who follow him it is!
Jerusalem Becomes The World's Burdensome Stone (Zechariah 12:2-3):
Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. In that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
Throw the Jews under the bus and peace will surely follow! What folly. Sadly we have learned NOTHING from history.
The Rise of Russia (Ezekiel 38-39):
The recent reversal by the Bush administration regarding Iranian nuke capabilities takes the heat off of Iran as far as the rest of the world (namely the EU and UN) is concerned. With Iran no longer under the microscope Israel is placed in even greater peril than before.
The Call For Global Gov't (Daniel 7:7):
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.
I'm of the firm belief that along with the ME conflict and economic integration, climate change will be a big enabler of global government.
Increase in Knowledge, Power and Speed of Travel (Daniel 12:4):
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
This one is really personal. I cannot help but think of my two nephews Huey and Duey (not their real names obviously) who are growing up in this modern age. The technological gap between when my sister and I were born and when Huey and Duey were born is like none other. Thanks to air travel I've visited all four provinces of Western Canada (BC, AB, SK, MB), as well as Quebec and the Maritimes (NS and NB). Mom and Dad visited England (again) this year and have journeyed as far as Australia! No other generation previous to this one is more travelled.
The Rise of Immorality (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
OK, so I know this sounds old. While every generation has had its share of cads and bounders, can any other generation boast of such sensuality as ours? I don't think so. We have forgotten how to blush. Shame is just another word in the dictionary. Know this: all this bad behaviour we see doesn't prove the Bible false, it proves it to be true.
So there you have it. You can argue if you wish but all my points are valid. It takes more faith to be an atheist than a Christian. Be one less of them and one more of us and join the adventure!
Johnny Cash
Some prophetic warnings about the latter days:
They shall deliver you up to be afflicted, and kill you: you will be hated of all nations for my name's sake. Then shall many be offended, and betray one another, and hate one another. Many false prophets shall rise and deceive many. Iniquity shall abound and the love of many shall wax cold. But he that endures unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Matthew 24:9-13
Check this picture out:
Your eyes are not deceiving you. This upside-down Christmas tree (Sorry, didn't mean to use the 'C' word) is apparently being offered at Lowe's Hardware stores. Actually, Lowe's sells only 'Family Trees' and all references to Christmas (save two instances) in their catalogue have been removed. As Warner Todd Huston points out:
Christmas is still under attack if not by direct, anti-Christian design, then by the cultural neglect born of the legal department by many of our corporations. The fact that they are merely doing it for their own protection does not make it any less an erosion of our culture and traditions.
We should see this kind of attacks against Christmas traditions for what they are: Malicious and frivilous. What will be required to resist this cultural jihad? Leaders in the corporate world that have courage, fortitude, and a backbone for one. Judges who are more interested in upholding the law than 'judicial activism'. Finally, politicians (gulp!) who will fight for our Christian heritage. Participation in the Christmas season is optional and is left up to the individual. This is as it should be in a free and open society. But do not trample my right to participate in the holiday season because of your intolerance.
Do check out Faith Girl's latest post. I posted the same day so many of you might have missed it. See? Even the most devout amongst us get sidetracked by all the hustle and bustle. Sometimes it takes a child to remind us of God's great gift to humanity. You can also view my Christmas rant here.
I hope you enjoyed my endorsement of Mike Huckabee and his call for a 'Fair Tax'. I highly recommend Ian's comment that he left behind on my post. Thank you sir for your insight. Here's an update (pdf format only) answering some of the questions that've been raised.
God's warning to us still rings true today. From the GFA, a story about anti-Christian extremists attacking two GFA missionaries in Haryana, India. I'm deeply moved by the fact that all this suffering that these missionairies endure is counted as 'privilege'.
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:36-39
Johnny Cash
I want to continue where I left off in my last two posts. Whether it be the secular-progressives or jihad-committed Muslims, there is a strong move towards despotism today. Genuine free speech, one that allows a conservative and a Bible-believing viewpoint is dead in the water. The art of academic debate is dead, buried and eulogized as well. 9/11 represents a turning point to be sure, but does it really matter exactly when anti-Americanism came into vogue? If there's one thing we must do, we must get rid of this incessant navel-gazing and self-loathing. We need to get our groove back! America and the West has had her share of enemies. Always have and always will. The key difference between now and then is that Americans believed in themselves. Not only did they believe that America was good for Americans, but good for the world. To be sure, Americans know full well their country isn't perfect. God knows it isn't. But this nonsense about '9/11 was an inside job' and 'Bush started this war' has to go. It is not adding one iota of good to our fight to remain free. Indeed, it is sapping our morale while aiding and abetting the enemy.
The greatest danger we face right now is Islam, in particular the violent imposition of a world-wide caliphate under Sharia law. In other words, say goodbye to the Constitution and British-based law. Let there be no mistake, there will be no place for Christians in this anti-utopia. In places where Islam is already predominant the situation will deteriorate. In Israel, Arab Christians are at the forefront of this vicious persecution. It already may be too late for this religious minority under siege. The UN gives Palestinian Christians the 'Darfur' treatment as do the feminists and other human rights groups. They are persona non grata as far as these 'progressives' are concerned. Be it a deliberate act of blindness, ignorance or hypocrisy, the new totalitarians are very much in the PC camp.
Old Habits Die Hard Dep't: Putin being relieved of the Russian presidency will matter little. As Prime Minister, Mr. Putin will still be very much 'The Man' in Mother Russia.
So do we give up? No! So long as the church is still here we can work for good. While missionaries in India face persecution, many are still finding hope in it's slums.
Johnny Cash
This is a sign leading to Mecca, Islam's most revered site. Actually, I think this sign should read 'The Broad Path To Destruction' on the left while 'The Narrow Gate Which Leads To Life' on the right. But that's just my opinion.
This is part two of the previous post. I felt (correctly) that trying to get all the links in one post would be horribly unwieldy. Think of it as your favorite double album, X-Def style.
Sorry, but Dubya has got to go. Here's what's got me in a tizzy: According to America's Commander-in-Chief, Muslims and Christians all pray to the same God. Yep, George said so so it must be true. Is W incompetent? Bush is much more cunning than that. Is he stupid? I tend to believe he's playing this 'Good Ol' Boy From Texas' role to the hilt. No, I think he's afraid of the Muslim backlash and is mindlessly pandering to the multi-culti hordes. Rather than be a man about it and make his misgivings of Islam as a 'Religion of Peace' be known, Bush has decided it far more politically expedient to turn his back on America's Christian heritage and coddle terrorists instead. In the end we all suffer for such dhimmitude.
Islam is bad for gays and lesbians. This is obvious for anyone that bothers to do the research. Why then is the gung-ho Hollywood pink mafia so silent? Because the persecution of gays in the ME do not fit into their anti-American, anti-Christian crusade, that's why. To admit the obvious, that gays and lesbians enjoy a far greater range of freedoms and rights in a post-Christian America than anywhere else is anathema to these ideologues. The church won't give the rubber stamp approval that the pink mafiosos so desperately crave, the church must be punished. This is stupid, short-term thinking. If gays think it's tough now, they haven't seen anything yet. An Islamic caliphate will go on a bloody rampage, killing every gay, lesbian and trans-gender they can get their hands on. I don't want to see this. The greatest love you can show a gay person is to tell them about Jesus. They may not like it or give you the courtesy of hearing you out, but they need to hear the Gospel and the forgiveness that only Jesus can bring.
There is no other country on Earth that feels the sting of Islam daily more than Israel. In Gaza, a 31 year-old Christian named Rami Ayyad was murdered. His offence? He was the only Christian book store owner in town. Arabs displaying their love for Israel (yes, some do exist) are also stigmatized by their 'brethren'.
I'm cutting this post short. I'll expand on it later. Sorry for the shoddy work.
Johnny Cash
There are two big lies undermining Western civilization:
1) Shoddy theology divorced from Biblical truth and;
2) 'See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil' PC multiculturalism.
The persecution that Christians are enduring today is increasing. The shadows of what is to come will only increase with time as the church age draws to a close. There are two groups which are leading the charge: The secular-progressives and the Muslims. This post will deal with the first enemy of Christianity.
The Church of Militant Secular-Progressive Humanism
What do a bisexual female rabbi, the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the Methodist Church have in common? Absolutely nothing. These three disparate groups recently combined for a bizarre spectacle on Capitol Hill protesting the Iraqi war. I have no problem if someone wants to protest the ongoing debacle that is unfolding in Iraq. Nor do I have a problem if a bunch of religious groups want to get together to issue a joint statement. What I do have a problem with is what these groups are preaching and teaching. Ecumenicalism is a bloodless gospel and is shoddy theology (see above). Any effort to deny the shed blood of Christ as the only atonement for sin is bad doctrine. The opposite of truth isn't error, it's pure death.
Support Our Troops
There can be no shallower statement issued by the self-serving left. Given their actions, why bother? Terrorists hide behind children while American troops are hamstrung by a long list of ROE's. News of success in the field is largely ignored by the press while any hints of wrongdoing by our military is given blanket coverage. Is it any wonder I get a little cynical?
The Hermit Kingdom
It should surprise no-one that North Korea is at the forefront of Christian persecution. Being found with a Bible in your possession sends you and your entire family to prison camp. North Korea is also in the business of arming Israel's enemies.
Free Speech Is Acceptable Provided We Agree With It.
That is if you happen to be rich, white and liberal. Or give generously to the Democratic Party. As the lovely Michelle Malkin reports, God help you if you make your dissatisfaction with MoveOn.org public. The difference between the German SS and MoveOn.org's lawyers? The latter are better dressed. The tactics are frighteningly similar though.
Forget about Islam. That's what students at Columbus State in Ohio are being told as efforts to bring Islamo-Fascism Week to campus is shut down by the school's administrator. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was given a forum at Columbia University in NYC yet students at a public college are denied access to their own campus. The hypocrisy couldn't be starker. The censorship of unpopular speech and the use of intimidation is alive and well in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Two more miscellaneous links to close out this post.
Mark Of The Beast Update: The technology for this has already arrived. Right now it's simply a matter of logistics and the gaining of public support. One of the biggest enablers of the MOTB is credit card and debit card fraud. A microchip embedded in the card will go a long way in preventing identity theft. It will also facilitate the greatest persecution of Christians just prior to the Second Advent. 'Chipping', as it's being called is already in use by veterinarians and cattle farmers. The jump to chip humans is not as big of a leap in public policy as you might think.
So long as we're here we'll still be helping the less fortunate. In West Bengal, flood relief by GFA workers are opening up doors for the Gospel. Hallelujah! Praise God for He is Most High!
Johnny Cash
Of course it isn't paranoid if they really are out to get you. Not me personally mind you, it just seems that there's a lot of fear and loathing making the rounds recently. I've been getting a few off the wall comments in the past few days. One I rejected (which I talked about earlier) and two more which I have published. I always get a kick out of these loons who wish to lecture me and show me the error of my ways. One even suggested I get baptised and repent of my sins! It's almost comical I tell ya. I guess that's because I refuse to call Dick Cheney 'Darth Vader' or make Bush out to be evil incarnate. Deeply flawed and foolish Bush is, but W ain't pure evil. Anyways, do keep those comments coming and check back as I might leave a comment to counter yours. Here are three things to remember:
1) All comments left on this blog are considered public domain and is therefore fair game. I can agree, disagree or make fun of your comment as I see fit.
2) Just because I choose to publish your comment (be it silly or thoughtful) does in no way constitute an endorsement of that comment.
3) It's my blog and so I ALWAYS get the last word. So there.
I really do enjoy a good rant. Gives me a sense of accomplishment.
Jimmy Carter has lost it. No wait, let me correct that. He probably never 'had it' to begin with. It's only now are we beginning to see this foolish man for what he truly is. Does he really believe everything the Iranians tell him?
Gotta be tough being Jewish. When the world really is out to get you, I reckon you have every right to be a little bit defensive. Whether it be old enemies such as the Soviets or the Iranians threatening a 600-missile salvo in your direction, it takes guts and moxie to be an Israeli. Here's Israeli FM Tzipi Livni in a protest march in NYC over the multicultural lunacy happening at Columbia University. You go girl!
How New York City should correctly respond to the Iranian president:
Law and Order, Sharia style:
See the original link here.
Here's something that got my attention recently. World Qods Day falls on October 12th, which is the last Friday of Ramadan. The Iranians have promised a 'surprise' for the West. I'm guessing it won't be a pleasant one. I have to admit I'm intrigued by this. That big kidder Mahmoud could be blowing smoke here. Or not. Either way, Iran definitely carries the capability of doing something incredibly destructive and foolish. Is this the Gog and Magog invasion of Ezekiel 38 and 39? Hard to tell. I'm not in the business of making grand prophetic announcements so I'll sit tight and watch that date carefully.
Here's some good news to close out this post. Women in India are spreading the good news in a nearby market, Pope Benedict XVI stands up for religious liberty and Dave Barry shows us how he keeps his cool (barely) when the lights go out.
Johnny Cash
I hope all you young 'uns are back in school safely. For some university or college students their classes don't start until tomorrow. Here in Brampton the humidity has left and some cool wet weather has taken its place. Yep, it must be fall! I also want to extend my condolensces to Faith Girl as her paternal grandmother has recently passed away. The funeral was today in Newmarket. She's also promised me a new post sometime this month about her loss. I'd also like to thank you for your patience. As I've indicated before, new posts will happen weekly as opposed to semi-weekly unless the moment strikes me.
We've got lots of stuff to cover so let's get to it.
As Daniel Pipes has found out, CAIR will stop at nothing to smear all those who oppose them. I don't think they even care if the false accusation sticks. So long as the object of their hate ends up wasting both their time and money defending themselves the purpose is served. Such is the amoral state that Islam produces.
Am I being to harsh with Muslims here? Am I biased or even 'Islamophobic'? I don't think so. Judging from the e-mails I get every day the litany of illegal activities that Muslim specifically perpetrate grows. It's not that people of other belief systems don't commit foul deeds. They do, but their actions consistently pale in comparison as to what is committed in the service of Allah's religion. Nor do you have to look far and wide for such indescretions (putting it mildly). In Sderot, Israel, a day care centre becomes the target of an errant Kassam rocket. Two women are beheaded in Pakistan due to alleged 'immoral' (read: sexual) activities. I don't care if these two were the biggest whores in all of Pakistan. No woman deserves such a fate. The concept of cruel and unusual punishment is void in Sharia law. Also, fifth column Muslims are encouraged to murder infidel gov't figures. From MEMRI comes this little nugget:
You feel that you want to carry a weapon, fight, and kill the occupiers, and that it is our duty to call for jihad as much as to call for prayer. All that is required is a firm personal decision to fulfill this obligation, and participation in jihad and the resistance.
The beat goes on and on. Where does it stop? More dhimmitude here in Canada as PM Stephen Harper slams Elections Canada for allowing niqab and burqa-wearing Muslimahs to vote without unveiling. PC rules the day once more over common sense.
Iran shows its contempt for America in its interference over Iraq. If America wants to negotiate with the Muslim realm, that's fine. But should you negotiate, you must do so from a position of strength, otherwise forget it. Whether one bomb is dropped or a hundred, the reaction from the Iranians will be the same. Is the West ready for such a strong reaction? I doubt it.
Three more articles then we're done.
Satan is becoming more and more brazen with each passing day. It is a sure sign of the last days in which we live. Eight Israeli neo-Nazis (!) with a Russian background have been arrested by Israeli authorities. Apparently all you need is at least one Jewish grandparent and you're in. Here's hoping Israeli lawmakers take a much more critical (and balanced) approach as to who they offer citizenship to. With a long list of enemies (both foreign and now domestic), the Jews cannot afford to be picky about who their friends are going to be.
Why are secularists more terrified of the Bible thumper at the front door then the suicide bomber sneaking in through the back? A strong and vibrant church is the best bulwark against Islamic supremacism. The militant secular-progressive jihad against Christianity in America's schools continues. How foolish. How self-destructive!
Finally, doesn't the concept of abrogation within Islam bother you a wee bit? If God is holy, unchanging and consistent in His ways, why should He nullify even one of His teachings? A look at both the NT and OT confirms this. That which was laid as a foundation in the OT is built upon in the NT. No such abrogation there! Jesus came to fulfill the law, not to do away with it! The only other possible conclusion to make is that the Koran did not come from God. Allah is not Jehovah. Never was and never will be.
To my good friend DizzyFatPlonka: Dude, go to the source. The Bible is the fountain of my inspiration and the source of my love for the Jewish people. You need to go to the foot of the cross and confess your sins, every single one. I know you are an admirer of Jesus Christ. But judging by your most recent comments I suspect you don't know Him as Saviour yet. Will you join me in the light or sit there and curse the darkness? Please choose wisely. I look forward to your response.
Johnny Cash
The jihad waged against artists critical of Islam continues. Below is a cartoon that caused a stir recently from Berkeley Breathed of 'Opus'. I think this was an edited version as the woman in the cartoon calls herself 'Fatima Struggle' instead of the more obvious 'Fatima Jihad'. In the last frame, the English phrase 'God willing' is used instead of the Arabic phrase 'Inshallah'. The latter would be the more natural response from a devout Muslim(ah). Even with this top-heavy editing, it still created trouble. If you have problems reading it here, just click on it and a new window should open with the cartoon enlarged.
On to more serious stuff. A disturbing story from the Guardian UK about the rise in female suicides in Batman, Turkey. Sorry, no Robin jokes here. I guess the move from 'honor' killings to a coerced suicide is seen as progress in these parts. A bizarre notion of honor if ever there was one.
Here's a true life horror story of two underage Christian girls (11 and 16) in Pakistan who were kidnapped, converted to Islam and forced to marry. Again this is par for the course for Islam. So long as Islam is advanced is the only thing that matters and all ethical considerations are shunted aside.
More weak-kneed cowardice from the multiculti crowd as the turning of the blind eye to female genital mutilation (or FGM) continues. This is an inexcusable sin of omission. Those in love with their own apparent goodness fail to realize you can be condemned for NOT doing certain things. I don't care how 'good' you are. If you take a see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil approach you are part of the problem. Period.
In Antwerp, Belgium, horror story #2 about a female boss and her male Muslim employees. Should it surprise you that these chauvanist pigs refuse to recognize her authority? Or that the woman's superiors refuse to back her because they're intimidated too? None of this should come as a surprise. No Muslim male will ever submit to a woman in charge. Nor will they bother with a non-Muslim boss. Hell, a male Muslim boss deemed 'not Islamic enough' will get the cold shoulder too. Is it any wonder that our fantasy-based policy of Iraqi 'democracy' is failing?
Get it? Islam does not respect women, despite all protestations to the contrary. It does not respect our laws, our culture, our institutions or our religious beliefs. Oh, if only women would reciprocate the love/lust (y'know, whatever) I have for them! But that's another story for another day.
Johnny Cash
