BREAKING: JESUS, the CHRIST, is ALIVE!!!

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ALIVE FOREVERMORE, Bread of Life, Great Man, Great Prophet, Great Teacher, He is ALIVE, I AM, JESUS IS ALIVE, Living Water, my Source and my Goal, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the DOOR, the GOOD SHEPHERD, the LIFE, the LIVING WATER, the Messiah, the Resurrection, the TRUTH, the Way

JERUSALEM: After all the terror brought on by this wandering Jew, and to His own people, it seemed we were done with him. But somehow, he has managed to stir up even more excitement. Some of his devotees went this morning to tend his body, but they found the tomb EMPTY! Graveclothes on the ground, but no sign of the body of this “King of the Jews!” We will have more from the sight on the evening broadcast.

Most Americans, most Westerners are well aware of the story of Jesus’ capture, beatings, crucifixion, and subsequent resurrection. For many, it’s a case of “familiarity breeds contempt!” – something we know but would rather not be reminded of year after year. For a few, it is something so preposterous, it insults our intelligence. Yet, it persists, year after year … song after song … tale after tale of “miraculous” events attributed to this man, Jesus.

That is he lived once, is fact. That he taught a simple, yet difficult morality, fact! That many “wonders” are assigned to his ministry, hearsay. What are the most “unbelievable” issues surrounding this man and his claim of being the Son of God? What’s the problem of belief?

• his virgin birth?
• his un-detailed childhood?
• his various miracles?
• his character?
• his resurrection?

Most people, it seems, even within other faiths, think of Jesus as a “great man”, a “great teacher”, a great “philosopher.” I have a problem with these claims. While much of his “teachings” are in parable form, there are some rather monumental statements or claims made by this very man.

For example,

• Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)




• “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” ; “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” (John 6:35-41 NIV)




• “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10: 11 NIV)






• Jesus said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9 NKJV)




• Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30 CJB)




• Jesus said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (REV 1:8) NIV ; “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.” (REV 21:6 NIV) ; “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (REV 22:13)




• “25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

  27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” (John 11:25-27 NIV)

He made several additional statements about himself, many in the book of John … all of which expand the image of exactly WHO Jesus said he was, but … these claims don’t really fit in with the program. I mean, Either Jesus is exactly who and what He claims, OR He’s the greatest con-man EVER!!! There really isn’t any room in the middle. One cannot be a “Great Teacher” is half of what is said is a lie. One cannot be a “Great Prophet” is the words spoken are not dependable. So, either He is who and what He claims, or he is nothing.

If a man is known for speaking falsehoods, lies, and deceptions, even if he occasionally does good deeds, is he the kind of man that could revolutionize the world even 2000 years after he was reportedly crucified? Why are there people who insist he is alive today? Will there be people 2000 years from now who claim I am alive? I doubt it. I will live and die in my time as will you, dear Reader, and, but for those who remember us, that will be all that is known here. So why, if Jesus was just a man, is he still celebrated the world over at his birth, death, and Resurrection? Oh yea … the Resurrection! HE IS ALIVE!!!

This is the ONLY logical explanation. He is ALIVE. He is still changing lives. He is still healing broken bodies and broken hearts. He is still freeing people from the weight of our sinfulness. He is still freeing people from addictions. He is still providing for those who call on Him for help. He is still rescuing us from ourselves. HE IS ALIVE!!! The TOMB IS EMPTY, but my heart is FULL!!! Is YOURS?

Jesus is alive!!!

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Overwhemed? Take a Step of Faith!

Tags

Conservative Voice, Constitution of the United States, CONTRACT FROM AMERICA, Freedom Works, MERCURY ONE, PATRIOT VOICES, Sequestration cuts, WE THE PEOPLE

I happened to tune Rush Limbaugh in the other day (not sure which day.) He was going on about the obscene extravagances of the Obama vacations, i.e. 3 lavish trips in as many months. That coupled with the intentional damage the Obama administration is pushing onto the American people via the “Sequestration cuts,” is enough to outrage anyone paying attention. Rush commented that he was surprised there wasn’t more of an outrage … more what? More ranting? More … This is exactly where a majority of Americans find themselves. Exactly HOW are we supposed to demonstrate our outrage? And HOW do WE-the-PEOPLE choose which of the many OUTRAGEOUS actions/policies/EX orders etc to go “ballistic” about even if we were to figure out how to GO ballistic!

Fact is, I believe the majority of the American people are awake. They SEE what is happening but feel powerless to DO anything constructive to halt the destruction. So many new organizations, groups, etc, each with their own agenda, plan, focus … NONE opting to work together with OTHER groups … WE-the-PEOPLE are too splintered, which is EXACTLY what the President wants. The more he and the media point out our DIFFERENCES, the more divided we are, and the easier it is to override OUR WILL. At some point, WE-the-PEOPLE must lay down our differences and realize it is AMERICA we need to save, AMERICA we must defend … at ALL costs, including the cost of OUR specific issue. We must unite atop the Constitution of the United States and demand our leaders obey it, comply with it, or change it legally – not by Executive order!

God birthed America with a purpose. It has been the most generous, most helpful, most innovative, the most compassionate nation on earth. Perfect? NO WAY! There are several dark chapters in our history, but the overall influence on the world has been positive … until now. Too many Americans have gotten lost amidst everyday life and circumstances. We must once again reach out our hands to one another … Hurricane Sandy victims are still without … Many are hurting in today’s economy and joblessness. REACH OUT & TOUCH … We must reach out and re-connect! Whatever else we are or are not we are Americans!

Below are a few related links to groups/organizations focused on Conservative goals. There are many other groups/organizations worthy of help, but these are the BIG THREE … IMHO. The more of us that get involved, the more authority our VOICE will have on the many issues vital to our nation’s future. Think of it as a Step of faith … We don’t know what will come of our effort, but the effort itself is a good thing! God is ultimately in control, so if we acknowledge His gentle guidance, and adhere to it, only good will come of it.

• FREEDOM WORKS: FreedomWorks recruits, educates, trains and mobilizes millions of volunteer activists to fight for less government, lower taxes, and more freedom.






• PATRIOT VOICES: Patriot Voices is a grassroots and online community of Americans from across the country who stand together to affect change that otherwise could not be accomplished alone. We know that standing on the sidelines is not an option. We are committed to promoting faith, family, freedom and opportunity. We believe that we’re one nation under God and all we do must be consistent with the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights. We support candidates who share our convictions and hold those accountable that serve us in elected office.






• MERCURY ONE: “To inspire, organize and mobilize individuals to improve the human condition physically, emotionally and spiritually with malice towards none and charity for all.”

And for WE-the-PEOPLE … AND those who seek leadership among us …

CONTRACT FROM AMERICA: The Contract from America is a grassroots-generated, crowd-sourced, bottom-up call for real economic conservative and good governance reform in Congress.

Road Rage & Cousins

Tags

America, choices, control, COURTESY, Grow up, IMPERFECTION, kindness, out of control, plan ahead, road rage, Self-control, self-government, unacceptable behavior

Ever been on either side of a “Road Rage” incident? Someone cuts you off and nearly drives you into another car or obstacle? Or maybe someone forgets to signal for a turn and you wait and wait … then they turn! It’s enough to make your blood boil, right? Of course it is! You’re justified in your feelings, so what’s your response? Do you pound the steering wheel and let loose a string of colorful words? Do you flip the “idiot” the bird? Do you ram his car from behind?

What if it’s YOU? What if YOU’RE the one who forgot to signal because you were engrossed in a conversation on our phone? What if YOU are the one who lost concentration for a second and pulled out in front of an oncoming vehicle? Never done it? I have! I confess! Not often, but it has happened.

Most of us ave been on BOTH sides of bad driver courtesy. Hmmm COURTESY … is that a WORD? Is it something any of us think about any more? Yea, sure there are LAWS, but then there is … COURTESY. What happens if two cars arrive at a 4-way stop at the same time? Who goes first? Is it just a matter of reflexes and which punches the gas first?

Road rage is just one evidence of a universal problem we humans experience – IMPERFECTION! Now, I realize some of us are … almost perfect, but we all know the other guy is anything but perfect! In fact, the other guy is an absolute idiot, if you tell the truth, right? Until … you miss that STOP sign hidden behind a low-hanging tree branch and fly through the intersection past a parked patrol car! Ooops!

GIVENS:

1. ALL HUMANS ARE FLAWED
2. EACH live HUMAN WILL OFFEND (disappoint, discourage, frighten, embarrass, confuse, irritate, annoy, bother …) SOMEONE TODAY
3. EACH live HUMAN WILL BE OFFENDED TODAY, and, sad but true,
4. YOU WILL OFFEND SOMEONE TODAY

In light of the fact that I KNOW I will offend someone today, or at least will have the opportunity to offend someone today (in or out of a car), I can CHOOSE (gotta love FREEDOM) ahead of time, what my response will be. I can, therefore, BE PREPARED when the incident occurs.

It is humanly possible to decide ahead of time what my response will be to “OFFENSE.” ( as in disappointment, discouragement, fear, embarrassment, confusion, irritation, annoyance, bother …) I can CHOOSE:

• to throw my justified “rage” (or other justified reaction) at the well-deserving “idiot” for daring to ruin my day, OR
• to acknowledge the “mistake” graciously, as I would like to be treated in the event of MY error.

If I respond in RAGE, I can expect RAGE when I mess up. If, on the other hand, I can hold it together and wave off the mistake kindly, maybe the next time I drive with my head in my phone instead of on my driving, I will be shown kindness as well.

THIS is called: SELF-CONTROL! YES! (or Self-government) You and I have a DOMAIN! It is our own thoughts, words, and deeds! I have the ability to be … IN CONTROL of my words – to choose to speak kindness or not. Btw, truth need not ALWAYS be spoken, if it cannot be done in kindness! Honesty is wonderful, but it is trumped by Kindness!

RIGHT???

I make plenty of mistakes, just ask my kids! It is my hope, that when I do, kindness will be the response. Anger serves no positive purpose. NONE! It raises our BP, and who knows what all inside our body, and it takes our mindset to a bad place … an unsettled place.

It is the SOFT answer that turns away wrath! Did you know this? Try it next time someone yells at you. Quietly apologize. (Right or wrong!) So the next time you are distracted while waiting for the traffic light to change until a horn blasts you back to reality, smile and wave in apology as you drive away. Or the next time you’re BEHIND someone asleep at the light … don’t honk heavy … just tap it enough to alert the distracted driver in front of you and wear a smile when he looks back. Both of you will feel so much better than an ugly “Road Rage” incident.

SELF-CONTROL
is just controlling your SELF

Just in case you aren’t sure, this approach works for OTHER things as well. FREEDOM is a great thing – it allows us CHOICES!!! Wise men and women have debated the various structures of government for millennia, but most have been unwilling to recognize that even the seemingly perfect structure cannot provide security and freedom without self-government. The individual must “govern” his own choices, his own thoughts, his own responses, and his own behavior for Liberty to endure.

Each individual must undertake this journey. It does no good if only a few manage themselves well. For security and freedom to flourish in any civilization, the people must learn SELF-GOVERNMENT … self-control! We must teach our children to control their urge to lie, to steal, to throw a tantrum when they don’t get their own way. We teach them both by example and by correcting unacceptable behavior. Throwing a tantrum because mommy won’t buy that candy bar at the check out is NOT acceptable behavior.

It is time to Grow up, America! We have behaved badly for too long. Stop pointing to other people’s bad behavior as an excuse for our own bad behavior. Stop looking for JUSTIFICATION! When we throw our tantrums, we shame the GOOD and HONORABLE among us. We disrespect our GOD and our HERITAGE when we do not extend COURTESY to one another. We cannot control the thoughts and behaviors of others, but we CAN and MUST control our own! We KNOW better! We were taught better, at least if we’re over 35!

Just like our CONSTITUTION is not there to define our boundaries, but to define the boundaries of government, so GOD’s law is not here to confine us, but to release us to a more flavorful, more fulfilling life … if we just follow His WORD.

RESPONSIBILITY is FREEDOM‘s
last name!

Not the greatest video, but the SONG is GREAT!

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS: Tool of Democracy

Tags

2nd Amendment rights, abuse, bullying, democracy, Divider-in-Chief, gay marriage, infiltrators, islam, Muslim Brotherhood, Occupy Wall St, politial abuse, political correctness, President Obama, racism, Republic, SEIU union members, Special interest group, WE THE PEOPLE

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
is nothing but MOB RULE!

Or Democracy VS Republic

The fact that we use and accept both the words and the concepts behind “political correctness,” demonstrates our lack of social awareness or lack of courage, one or the other!

AN attitude, word, or behavior is either Right or Wrong based on its merits, not its fashion-ability. This is just one more way that the government manipulates the population to change according to a particular social or political agenda – by declaring acceptable and unacceptable thoughts, behaviors, and ideas. This is not a NEW thing! Historical tyrants of the past instituted their own key words, ideas, and behaviors based of their goals or vision. Hitler introduced the idea of blaming the Jews for the financial difficulties of Germany in the early 1930’s culminating in the ruthless murder of 6 million Jewish people. “Stalin sent millions of people to their deaths, forced defendants at the show trials during his long rule to confess to crimes he himself had committed and inundated Soviet archives with forged and doctored documents.”

How effective is PC as a MOB RULE/THUG tool? Think for minute. Since President Obama was first elected,

• he has done a flip-flop on “Gay marriage,” confusing his own party, and creating yet another rift in the American population by pitting gays (and their liberal acceptors) against the mainstream public who either do not care about the conflict or do not grasp its hidden agenda of control.
• he has fed the flame of racism 100 times over, calling all good Blacks to support him and telling all Blacks who do not support him they betray they own people. Sorry, but we are ONE PEOPLE – ONE AMERICA!!!! He is the Divider-in-Chief!
• he paid SEIU members to orchestrate “OCCUPY Wall St” as a tool to create chaos and further division, blaming “greedy” wealthy bankers for their lack. Ironically, while these protesters blamed the bankers for their greed, they were apparently completely blind to their own greed as they coveted what the bankers had worked for but, of course, the occupiers weren’t willing to work for the same wealth.
• he has elevated devotees of Islam , whose very definition calls for either conversion or death of the infidel, to the prominent positions in the DOJ, DHS, and CIA. There are known operators high up in all of our security departments and intelligence operations. He has surrounded himself with members of the Muslim Brotherhood, further evidenced more recently by his “Sequester gift” of F-16 fighters to Egypt’s MB government. While he makes uber allowances for adherents of Islam to practice their “religion,” the door to followers of Jesus Christ to worship as they wish are closing in rapid number(re: headline photo).

We-the-people are INDIVIDUALS, and as such, we have the propensity for good and evil, and beneficial or harmful attitudes, beliefs, behaviors. The FREE PRESS enabled by our Constitution is supposed to present various events and issues from a variety of positions to help individual citizens educate themselves and decide their personal view. When Political correctness is thrown into the mix, and simultaneously the media becomes a team of journalistic thugs freely twisting and manipulating the “news” for the agenda of the “majority” party, clearly, the people are VICTIMS of POLITICAL ABUSE! It is nothing less than MOB RULE. This is specifically why our FOUNDERS established America as a CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC, NOT a Democracy! But the KEY to a Republic is the participation of the People! Oooops!

“A community declines when the majority of its citizens become selfish, and under this influence it slowly dismantles all the restraints upon self-indulgence established by manners, customs, beliefs and law: tradition. (See the law of reverse civilization) As each subsequent generation of selfish citizens inherits control of the community, it takes its opportunity to abandon more of the irksome restraints that genius and wisdom had installed. The proponents of this social demolition achieve their irrational purpose by publicly embracing absurdity through slogans while vilifying any who do not support their stance. The purpose of the slogan is to enshrine irrational fears, or fancies, as truth through the use of presumptuous words, so public pronouncement:
1. Dissembles the real nature of the claim: example – “FORWARD!“
2. Identifies any dissenters as enemies of the truth – “Tolerance” or “COEXIST”, that is People who contradict “FORWARD are blinded by prejudice and moving “backwards.”
3. Acts as an excuse for any crimes committed in its name” – “Racists” or “Terrorists”, that is People who contradict this claim are trouble-making bigots, which makes them enemies of the community, if not humanity, and deserving persecution!
“Now, in the late 1990s, the results of being bourgeois (retaining traditional notions), is being labelled racist, sexist etc. and risk losing your job, your reputation, being jostled in the street, being subject to judicial penalty and death threats. And it is this very extremity of reaction that has won media attention and the name Political Correctness, though the reaction will become even more unpleasant with the next generation.”

from Political Correctness

America is different than most other nations in that our Constitution claims “Providence,” or “our Creator” as the Source of our Basic Human Rights. These then, are written as the Bill of Rights, which, incidentally, our new CIA Director, John Brennan omitted from the draft Constitution he was sworn into office upon. Odd, don’t you think? That’s like removing the spinal column from a human being! The fact that our Rights issue from God means that the government is not their source, and therefore cannot rightly take them away. Most other nations have the Source of their Law, their human rights, as the head of political power or the seat of government.

While many interchange the words “Democracy” and “Republic,” they are two significant different ideas. “By definition, a republic is a representative form of government that is ruled according to a charter, or constitution, and a democracy is a government that is ruled according to the will of the majority.” Vive la différence!

The Founders were extremely knowledgeable about the issue of democracy and feared a democracy as much as a monarchy. They understood that the only authority that can take away the people’s freedom is their own government, either by being too weak to protect them from external threats (anarchy – chaos) or by becoming too powerful and taking over every aspect of life (tyranny). In a Republic, the sovereignty resides with the people themselves. In a Republic, one may act on his own (as an individual) or through his representatives when he chooses to solve a problem. The people have no obligation to the government; instead, the government is a servant of the people, and obliged to its owner, We the People.

Many politicians as well as citizens have lost sight of that fact. Instead, we allow the government to dictate what size drink we may buy, our use of baby formula, or cigarettes. We are letting politicians tell us to compromise on our 2nd Amendment Rights to Keep and bear arms to protect the other rights granted us by God. We are bowing to a government dictate for public funded “free” birth control to low income people while they mock our freedom to worship and live morally as we choose.

• The Freedom of Religion means I, the individual, get to choose whether I live by one of the known religions or none at all, but it is individual choice, not federal mandate.
• Right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness means I, the individual, have the freedom to pursue my dreams, my goals, my ambition as far as my energy and resources may take me. They do NOT guarantee me happiness or unlimited resources.
• Just because I, the individual, am guaranteed the Right to keep and bear arms, doesn’t mean I HAVE to keep or bear arms. It only means I have the freedom to do so, if I wish.

We are without an anchor in a violent storm with the media and politicians TELLING us what is “acceptable” and what is not. They are BULLYING us, my friends! They are bullying us into giving up our FREEDOM!

Freedom means choice. The liberal left, in their misunderstanding of the Constitution, is determined to restrict and regulate as much of American life as they can. That is not freedom, nor is it security they provide by their invasion into our personal lives. They do not believe the average American is capable of making reasonably intelligent decisions concerning Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I do! Like Sen Feinstein on the 2nd Amendment, they believe they have been given the RIGHT (by election or Divine Right of Kings?) to make decisions FOR us. Rather than applying Constitutional law to facilitate the individual’s life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, they are working toward greater and deeper control of our lives, for our own good, they promise, yet they are not willing to abide by the regulations and restrictions they impose on us.

How much more abuse will it take, my friends? The politically correct attitudes and nuances of today will become the regulations and mandates of tomorrow. Let’s take our place in this noble experiment and require our government to SUPPORT & DEFEND the CONSTITUTION they SWORE to uphold or change it in the prescribed manner! Let’s hold their feet to the fire … journalists, too, and require them to DO their JOB!!! Let’s remind them we understand the Constitution, and we know our place in keeping our leaders accountable!

The Truth About Government Ammo Purchases

Tags

Ammo purchases, Apocalypse, Department of Education, Department of Homeland Security, obama, Pray for America, Social Security Administration

All of us have seen the rash of articles and scary headlines about DHS acquiring huge stores of weapons, ammo and even armored vehicles. We may also have seen articles about armed internment camps on US soil.

Should we be fearful? Should we be stockpiling? “Be prepared,” for the worst, but don’t anticipate it! After all, we are Americans, the most innovative, creative, and self-reliant people on earth … right?

The Truth About Government Ammo Purchases

The last few months have seen troubling news of massive government purchases of ammunition. Agencies from the Social Security Administration to the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Homeland Security have purchased millions of rounds. But is the whole thing more hype than substance?

Ever since Barack Obama was first elected in 2008, he has been selling guns and ammunition at a faster clip than any gun salesman could hope for. And since his re-election, citizens have been faced with severe shortages of both. This can only be exacerbated by large government purchases. The Social Security Administration (SSA), for example, purchased 174,000 rounds and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) bought 320,000 rounds. More understandable in purpose but also perhaps more staggering in scale, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) put in a request for 450 million rounds, while the FBI intends to purchase 100 million.

The headlines are ominous, but some of the hype can be put in perspective by doing a little math. National Review’s Charles C. W. Cooke does just that. The SSA’s request for 174,000 rounds amounts to just 590 rounds for each of its 295 inspector general agents “who investigate Social Security fraud and other crimes.” Some of us might go through 590 rounds in an afternoon at the range. As for the USDA, 320,000 is enough to provide the same number of rounds for 542 agents, and, through the Forest Service, those agents have an area the size of Pakistan to cover.

When it comes to the bigger orders, Cooke writes, “The FBI and DHS’s apparently vast orders are deceptively presented by the conspiracy theorists. It is true that in 2011, the FBI ordered up to 100 million bullets for its 13,913 special agents (which works out to 7,187 per agent). And, yes, the Department of Homeland Security — a composite department that oversees USCIS, Customs and Border Protection, FEMA, ICE, the TSA, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and the National Protection Directorate — placed a request for up to 450 million rounds for its 65,000 armed personnel (which works out to 6,923 per agent). But in the real world, ammunition is not divided up and handed out on such a basis. What is bought is stockpiled and then allocated on the basis of need. The DHS’s order is expected to last for at least five years, and it was placed up front primarily as a cost-saving measure.” Indeed, DHS is not bound to buy that much; they merely have a tab on which to order more rounds as needed. And each agent would have just under 1,400 rounds per year over that span.

That certainly doesn’t mean there aren’t questions or that we should simply shrug and look the other way. For starters, the Department of Education recently placed an order for “27 Remington Brand Model 870 police 12-gauge shotguns.” This might lead any reasonable person to ask, as Cooke does, “Whether it is in possession of one bullet or 1 million bullets, should the federal Department of Education be armed in the first place? If so, why?” We would add, should there even be a Department of Education? But that’s a topic for another day. The DoE has been known to botch raids when it was the wrong enforcement vehicle from the start.

The same questions could be asked of any number of bureaucracies. Does the Social Security Administration really need an armed enforcement division? We’ve known some unruly seniors in our day, but that seems to be overkill.

Then there’s the information that’s just plain false. Reports have been circulating that DHS has procured 2,717 Mine Resistant Armor Protected (MRAP) vehicles. The truth is, DHS has had retrofitted MRAPs since 2008, and now has 16 of them for serving “high-risk warrants.” The figure of 2,717 comes from a delivery to the Marine Corps, not DHS. None of that, however, takes away from the problem that these are more properly military vehicles for war zones, not law enforcement tools. The militarization of law enforcement is undeniably troublesome. Furthermore, DHS is the same bureaucracy that claims right-wing extremists pose a threat, and it’s run by an administration that thinks that “weapons of war” shouldn’t be on our streets. Unless they’re the ones driving them, apparently.

There are certainly troubling trends here and very real threats to our Liberty, but we must be careful not to exaggerate. While readers know that we never minimize the outrageous growth of government beyond its constitutional bounds, it also doesn’t seem to us that the government is, as some have put it, “stockpiling bullets in case of civil unrest.” Questions about procurements and functions? Absolutely. Apocalypse? Not yet. MORE HERE

Can Government Be Trusted? VIDEO

MY RESPONSE: Pray like there is no tomorrow! Pray for America, for Americans to awaken to our heritage & our destiny! Seek God’s wisdom for you and your family. That is what me & mine are doing!

IMPORTANT ARTICLES:

• DHS Approves Two New Contracts For $4.5 Million in Weapons & Ammo, Adds To Huge DHS Arsenal
• Apocalypse Soon
• Chaos from the Sky: Why the EMP Threat Is Real

The Future of the CHURCH

Tags

Body of Christ, Catholic Church, Christians, Jesus, Pope Francis I

Newly Elected Pope Francis I — Chosen 3/13/13

♫♫ I hear the Sound of a Mighty Army ♫♫

I hear the sound of a mighty army,
I hear the roar of an angry Lion,
I hear the sound, it’s a long way off,
But I hear the sound, I hear the sound.

I feel the beat of a mighty army,
I feel the mountains tremble and quake,
I feel all nations taking their places,
I feel the beat stronger everyday.

Darkness gathers
Twisting Truth to lies,
But there’s an Army gathering together,
One body, one Bride, one Lord.

Let those who have ears, hear …

©2013 Eaglesong
All Rights Reserved

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

“I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me. I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me.” John 17: 20-21 CEV

It’s true. I hear the sound of God’s Church coming together from various denominations, creeds, nations, and purposes. I hear the sound … We are not all the same. We are not all given the same purpose. There are theological, philosophical, and practical things we disagree on, but … But all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus are His Church. We do not need to compromise our beliefs to come together in Christ.

This may come as a shock to some. It may seem sacrilegious, but though we are not all of the Roman Catholic faith, we, as believers, are a part of Christ’s Church. As this new Pope assumes his role as Christ’s preeminent ambassador on earth, it strikes me that we ought to support him as best we can and pray for his to lead the Church with God’s wisdom. It is the Godly thing to do!

“We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.” EPH 6: 12 CEV

Some have the opinion that the anti-Christ will come from the Roman Church. Some non-Catholics have skeptical views of the Catholic church. Jesus, however, ordained the Church, and for many centuries there was only one Church. Imperfect, unjust, politically swayed at times, yes, but still an instrument of God. Like the men and women of the Bible, even those well known like Abraham, Moses, and David, each of us is flawed, so any group or organization we put together will also be flawed and imperfect. The Church is no different.

What am I saying? I’m saying to LOVE one another! It’s a command, after all! We have to grow up,get beyond our differences are learn to love one another, appreciate our differences instead of beating each other with them. Then, and only then, will the world see JESUS!

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” JOHN 13: 34-35

The world really needs Jesus … the REAL JESUS, not some fabricated, comfortable religion! But we each have to do our part.

AMERICA’S WARNINGS

Tags

The Harbinger: The Ancient Mystery that Holds the Secret of America's Future

“Some world call it tolerance,I said.

“Yes,” he replied, “the same tolerance that overtook ancient Israel…a tolerance for immorality and a growing intolerance for the pure–a tolerance that mocked, marginalized, and condemned those who remained faithful to the values now being discarded. Innocence was ridiculed and virtue was vilified. Children were taught of sexual immorality in public schools while the Word of God was banned. It was a tolerance that put the profane on public display and removed nativity scenes from public sight…contraband, as if somehow they had become a threat–a strangely intolerance tolerance.” from The Harbinger: The Ancient Mystery that Holds the Secret of America’s Future

Above is an excerpt, a taste of an inspirational book. I have never been much for conspiracy theories, but neither do I believe in coincidence. Nothing happens by accident, so everything has a purpose at least one purpose, sometimes multiple purposes. I’ve only just started the book, but there is so far, nothing NEW in it, just a different presentation, a New Organization of the same things many of us have been saying for some time.

God has always sought a People to call His own. He is a God of Covenant. He made a Covenant with ancient Israel, but Israel repeatedly broke Covenant. Their rebellion brought about their own destruction – not a punishment, but the consequence of their own actions. Will America repeat Israel’s defiance and destroy herself, or will she heed the Harbingers, the warnings, the signs and even history? I pray we will humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways and seek our loving God.

The Birth or Death of American Liberty

Tags

America, Battle Hymn of the Republic, God's Law of Love, Greatest Nation on Earth, individuals, LAW, morality, truth, We're the Greatest

Mine eyes have seen the glory … have yours?

Not long ago, I remember a discussion that posed this song, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, as our National Anthem. It’s a powerful lyric with a musical score that understands the lyrics. But what does it mean?

It means … America is a nation of individuals. Each of these men and women had their own stories, their own reasons to take a stand, and their own aspirations. None were professional soldiers. None were trained in the art of “building a new nation.” The only thing they had in common was a desire to live FREE, unencumbered by government restrictions and regulations, guided only by what was “RIGHT.” They’d had enough of a tyrant – the King – ruling over them and making decisions for them… for their own good. When the king decided to disarm them, telling them he (the government) would keep them safe and take care of them, they knew better. They’d seen how the King “took care of the people” before, and they knew there had to be a better way to live. They knew!

Now, flash forward 236 years and our government today is copying the same legislative pattern Britain’s King George III followed all these years ago. We have been lulled into complacency by the power-grabbing elite of both parties, and in the process we have compromised our values, our morals, and now, we stand for NOTHING!

America is NOT the Greatest Country in the World

If only we could remember that our neighbor is just like us. We are all the same in our basic needs. Even the major religions all believe the same basic moral values and strive to improve both the individual and the culture by helping each other. If only we could remember what it feels like to do the “RIGHT” thing instead of the most profitable thing. If only we could remember the things our gramma taught us …

• If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
• You have two ears and one mouth, so you should listen twice as much as you speak.
• Be nice to the stranger, because you may find yourself in a strange place sometime in need of help.


And so on …

There is a TRUTH that supersedes all other thought. There is a Law that is universal, fair and honest. There is a morality that governs LIFE. It is God’s Law of Love.

This is NOT a requirement to be a CHRISTIAN, but simply a point of contact, a guideline, measurement stick. Each of the major religions hold to the same basic MORAL tenets, even if other aspects differ. Buddhism, Hinduism, Paganism, Judaism, and Christianity all respect LIFE. Even Islam respects life, although they define it differently. The point is … KINDNESS, RESPECT, HONESTY, CIVILITY, INTEGRITY … there is no LAW against any of these, nor any other society that abhors any of these things. They were once vaunted here, in the United States of America, a mere generation ago. Many remember … Can we not recapture these VALUES to put VALUE back into our daily discourse with one another? Hatred is such an ugly thing! Even uglier on the streets and in the homes of … US!

God’s Law of Love is the ultimate fulfillment of Biblical law, including the Ten Commandments, as it fulfills the intent of such laws. “All the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14). Through Christ’s salvation and His Law of Love, Christians are released from the Mosaic laws in the Old Testament and are no longer bound by them. Instead, they are held to a higher law—Christ’s Law of Love, which should guide all our interactions with others. It is from this place that real liberty springs!

Only WE can change America. It’s not up to the government, or Big Business, or Walmart, or the oil companies. It’s up to US… you and me. We must decide. We MUST choose … Liberty of die!

Is America Moving Toward … Darkness?

Tags

consequences, For such a time as this, liberty, moral decline, poetry

By all appearances, America has joined the ranks of Socialist nations like the UK and Italy to open wide for Islam’s welcome in spite of the volumes of evidence that decry such a move. No other “religion” (and I use the term loosely) has such an extreme “exclusivity” clause as Islam which commands “JIHAD” on all who will not convert. No exceptions, no other criteria, no other religions accepted.

“Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude.”
Alexis de Tocqueville

It cannot be a good thing, an evolutionary bonus for one nation to open its doors to it avowed enemy, even in an attempt to “understand” them. We in the West, cannot get inside the heads of these people because we haven’t lived their lives, their morals, their life standard. I’m not talking about rich v poor here. Afghans, for example, have never tasted personal liberty. They teach their children hatred of the Jews and the West from their births. Americans are not familiar with this even if we “know” it with our minds. it is something totally foreign to us.

“Given the history of mankind, few generations escape the threat of civilizational darkness in one form or another, and the Free West has had perhaps more than its share of challenges. If blessed or fortunate, these forces of destruction are met when a people are in their ascendency or vigor and able to command their virtues as a counter to subjugation or annihilation. In contrast, societies which have forgotten their martial fortitude and love of self-determination, a trait that all healthy higher cultures manifest, telegraph unmistakably that they are exhausted and ripe for concessions. Having waxed luxurious and insensate, such peoples grow to believe that the world was forged on the day they were born and will end when they have passed through the ether. In obliterating the past, the future is reduced to a fool’s dream that is as unworthy of concern as the beating of a butterfly’s wings in the Sudan. I believe that we find ourselves in this latter age.

“And who can doubt that America is quickly becoming such a people? Although possessing a military-technical prowess that has been the envy of the earth, the prerogatives and prudential will to utilize that power has been diminished by the preoccupations of self-doubt and the insane crippling fetish for equalization that invariably accompanies the debilitated spirit. To be sure, nothing exemplifies such moral enervation as the schizophrenic Obama foreign policy of “leading from behind.” Indeed, this passive-aggressive policy funnels money and arms to our sworn enemies while it disengages into the persona of a sideline spectator — creating a power vacuum that is enthusiastically filled by foreign seats of power that revel in our enfeeblement and contemplate our impending humiliation with gusto.” READ MORE

One of the FACTS children today are not being taught is that our decisions, thoughts, and actions all have CONSEQUENCES! Consequences can be positive or negative. When written, consequences are posed in “If – then” form: If it rains, then the ground will get wet. If I smile at the stranger, then she may smile back. If you eat lots of sugar, then you may develop diabetes. If you are lazy, then you most likely will not become wealthy (unless you get into politics!)

The moral decline that is lauded by the left and decried by members of the Tea Party will have consequences. Some are already showing in the rapid rise in the numbers on food stamps and disability. A civilization that is encouraged not to work, will soon stop working, or at least, stop working well. But there’s far more to it than “giver-ment” dependence.

“When, in the 1950s, Nikita Khrushchev said, “We will bury you,” and, “Your children will live under communism,” Eisenhower’s America scoffed.

“By 1980, however, the tide did indeed seem to be with the East. America had suffered a decade of defeats. Southeast Asia had fallen. The ayatollah had seized power in Iran. Moscow had occupied Afghanistan. Cuban troops were in Ethiopia and Angola. Grenada and Nicaragua had fallen to the Soviet bloc. Eurocommunism was all the rage on the continent.

“Just a decade later, the world turned upside-down. The Berlin Wall fell. Eastern Europe was suddenly free. The Soviet Union disintegrated. China abandoned Maoism for state capitalism.

“Now, 20 years on, the wheel has turned again — toward darkness.

“In an essay, “The Return of Toxic Nationalism,” Robert Kaplan, a geopolitical analyst for Stratfor, writes that Western elites are failing to see the larger, darker picture of our evolving world.

“Out of the Arab Spring will likely come an “Islamist-Nasserite regime” in Cairo, writes Kaplan.” READ MORE

Though it may seem a bit redundant, I believe with the Founders that …

“Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.

Alexis de Tocqueville

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

For Such a Time as This

It’s time, it’s time for Americans
To quit playing round,
It’s time, it’s time, to find our way through
To the land of the free, the home of the brave.

Where men and women, young and old,
Are rich within themselves,
And plenty they have to share and enjoy,
When respectfulness abounds.”

For such a time as this, we have been created!
For such a time as this, we’ve been equipped,
To tear down strongholds or share a friendly smile,
To destroy hatred in our streets.

So think for yourself, for a change, my friend,
And dare to remember when …
In spite of our differences, or maybe because of them,
Americans were actually FRIENDS!

Stop listening to the pundits
Who posture with pretty words,
But listen instead to your heart of hearts,
And hear the heart of the God of your youth.

For such a time as this, TRUTH has been revealed,
For such a time as this we have endured,
We know what hardship feels like and brokenness, too,
But more, we understand God’s GRACE.

**a song to the heart of America**
©2013 Eaglesong

The Violent Seize It by Force

Tags

aspiration, crossroad, definace, difficulties, energy, Founders, hope, personal struggle, perspiration, rebellion, SALVATION, temptations, trials

“And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time,
the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault,
and violent men seize it by force, as a precious prize; a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion.”
Matthew 11:12 AMP

There are many puzzles in our daily walk, both as a Christ-follower and as an American. The verse quoted above has long been one of those puzzles because it seems to be contradictory to the overall message of the Gospel of Love. We get glimpses of the true sentiment from time to time … the righteous indignation of Jesus (Mt 21: 12-13) as he overturned the tables of the money changers in the Temple because they had turned the “place of prayer & worship” into a mercantile or the righteous indignation of Paul as he chastised the slave girl (Acts 16: 16- 40) following him. It’s not a popular topic of either teaching or conversation.

I. The CONFLICT: As human beings, our tendency is to most highly value only that which we work to earn or possess. In Philippians, we’re told to “work out our own salvation.” (Philippians 2:12-13 Later, in the same book, we’re told to “press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.” (Phil 3: 14)

SALVATION is free … It is the Gift of God. (Romans 6:23) The moment we ask, salvation is ours, BUT … it is a daily calling which we have to put on each day. It’s like buying a new, warm woolen coat. It is ours, but for it to accomplish its purpose, it must be put on. So salvation must be put on, must be wrestled with on a daily basis because it does NOT come naturally. Even when we believe, even when our motivation is love … our minds and bodies want to do their own thing. We are asked to fight for it, and take it by force, sometimes, as though someone else wants our new woolen coat. We have the coat, and no one really can take it from us, but we can lay it down and walk away without enjoying its warmth and comfort.

Our Founders prayed for God to help them build a nation that would endure.

Our nation is at a vital crossroad, and the people of America must make the choice. Either we will resign ourselves to live out our lives in the compromised civilization that we see around us, and settle for the life of dependency and lack, OR we can put on our warm, woolen coat of salvation, accept that God’s ways are better, are SUPERIOR to our ways,admit our error, and walk into the abundance God always has for His people. Do we wish to bow to those in government or to the King of Kings? Do we bow to the government of men or the government of God? God’s ways are more difficult, for sure, and sometimes more uncomfortable, but ultimately much better and healthier! We choose not just for ourselves, but for our children, our grandchildren and for our nation.

I’m not sure that’s the best way to explain it, but … Maybe John Bunyan did a better job in his amazing book, Pilgrims Progress (highly recommended book):

” Then the Interpreter took him, and led him up towards the door of the palace; and behold, at the door stood a great company of men, as desirous to go in, but durst not. There also sat a man at a little distance from the door, at a table-side, with a book and his inkhorn before him, to take the names of them that should enter therein; he saw also that in the doorway stood many men in armor to keep it, being resolved to do to the men that would enter, what hurt and mischief they could.

“Now was Christian somewhat in amaze. At last, when every man started back for fear of the armed men, Christian saw a man of a very stout countenance come up to the man that sat there to write, saying, “Set down my name, sir;” the which when he had done, he saw the man draw his sword, and put a helmet on his head, and rush towards the door upon the armed men, who laid upon him with deadly force; but the man, not at all discouraged, fell to cutting and hacking most fiercely. So after he had received and given many wounds to those that attempted to keep him out, Matt. 11:12; Acts 14:22; he cut his way through them all, and pressed forward into the palace; at which there was a pleasant voice heard from those that were within, even of those that walked upon the top of the palace, saying,

“Come in, come in,
Eternal glory thou shalt win.”

So he went in, and was clothed with such garments as they. Then Christian smiled, and said, I think verily I know the meaning of this.

Now, said Christian, let me go hence…”

II. APPLICATION: Again, I say … Nothing worth having comes easy. None of us learned to walk without falling down a few times. None of us learned to love without having our hearts broken a time or two. None of us learned to stand alone on God’s grace without failing miserably AND being hurt a few times.

“To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me!” (Col 1: 24-29 NCV)

Salvation, like Liberty, is an individual accomplishment. I can’t accomplish yours, and you can’t accomplish mine. All we can do for one another is facilitate the decision and encourage each other along the way.

Jacob wrestled with the Angel of God and would not let him go without a blessing. Genesis 32:24-28

As we walk out our salvation, we walk into greater and greater Liberty. We free ourselves from the dictates of men and focus on what pleases God. We learn to revel … to play inside God’s abounding love for us, free from worrying about what others might think of us. We know that as long as we walk inside God’s grace, whatever happens is blessed, ordered of God, and ultimately permitted GOOD for us. However, we must all realize, too, that while there are plenty of peaceful and restful times, there are also numerous “battles” we must walk through to make forward progress. We cannot stand still long, so we must choose to push ahead, upward or fall backward. The way is ready, but we must walk it.

III. CONCLUSION: God does not implant His character into our lives as the weaver might set in gold or silver threads. He does not automatically remove and replace our ugly, sinful traits with holy ones. It is through our personal struggle, each of us must work our way through temptations, trials and difficulties toward our upward goals. The help of God is given in cooperation with our aspiration, perspiration and energy. While God is at work in us, we are to work out our own salvation. The struggle is between our human nature and the implanted nature of God simultaneously occupying the same space! Our base human nature, when left unchecked produces the culture we’re looking at in the news – perverted, selfish, and violent, but the Holy Spirit within us will build into us the Character of Christ, if we permit Him. IF we permit Him. Will we? This is America’s only hope. It is OUR only hope, but it is more than enough!

*Online version of Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyon