9 Ways to Become Happy

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9 Ways to Become Happy, changes, compassionate, contentment, depression, despair, discouragement, goodness, grief, harassment, hopelessness, humble, humility, humilty, joy, kindness, life answers, life struggles, life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-happiness, LONELINESS, morality, mourning, persecution, poor in spirit, suicide, Teacher

Who among us does NOT want to be happy? Silly question! Happiness is a universal goal or desire of mankind something all humans have in common. Even our “Declaration of Independence” includes happiness in its list of “unalienable rights” guaranteed by our Creator.

What IS happiness? The dictionary defines it as good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy. Some people define happiness in terms of achievement of personal goals like a six figure salary, or a new car. Others seek that perfect relationship (which, btw, does not exist!) Some seek temporary gratification by putting others down or using the weaker ones around us for our personal advantage. Still others just want everyone to agree with them … on everything!

Whatever your definition, I’d be willing to bet it includes some element of human comfort, so as I post these 9 methods toward happiness, you may find them foreign. They are, however, proven over centuries in a variety of cultures and circumstances.

9 Ways to Become Happy

• “Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. (or “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.”)
• “Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad. (or “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.)
• “Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.(or “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.)
• “Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed until they are full. (or “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.)
• “Happy are people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy. (or “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.)
• “Happy are people who have pure hearts, because they will see God. (or “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.)
• “Happy are people who make peace, because they will be called God’s children. (or “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.)
• “Happy are people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. (or “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.)
• “Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. Be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven. In the same way, people harassed the prophets who came before you. (or “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.)

WOW, huh?

These are commonly known as “The Beatitudes,” a message delivered by Jesus. Most Americans have some knowledge of Jesus, and even if they do not believe Him to be the Son of GOD, as He claimed to be, they see Him as a great Teacher.

Maybe He’s on to something here, eh? With suicide rates up, depression, despair, & discouragement overtaking the lives and hearts of many Americans, perhaps our culture’s compass has become skewed? Perhaps, all the “selfish feel good” mentality is counter productive? Maybe money isn’t the answer to all our problems, after all. Maybe it’s time for a new direction, as taught by an ancient wise “Teacher?”

How badly do you want to Be HAPPY? Badly enough to try a different way of thinking? A different way of living? You decide.

**NOTE: The BEATITUDES are found in Matthew 5: 3-12. The versions shown above include the Living Bible and the Message Bible is in parenthesis above, linked for your convenience.

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Follow the Matrix of Liberty

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America, character, Christianity, education, faith, Forefathers' Monument, Founders, freedom, justice, LAW, liberty, Matrix of Liberty, mercy, morality, Pilrims, Separatists, tyranny, youth

Matrix of Liberty: The Founders’ Monument

or
Where Do We Go From Here?

Unknown or unacknowledged by many, our forefathers erected a “Matrix of Liberty” for the purpose of documentation. It documents the road map they followed to win and establish LIBERTY in AMERICA. The monument has been there for decades, built with government funds, in the off chance We, the People would lose our way and allow the government to assume tyrannical power. Oops! Good thing, right? Yet, it is ignored.

Below, the matrix is explained. Each of the granite figures carries meanings like pieces of a puzzle. I have outlined each figure below, but the video completes the explanation. Please watch and be amazed!!!

FAITH
Meet FAITH! She is paramount! She is pointing upward toward the God of the Bible. FAITH in God is what brought the first Pilgrims, or Separatists, to Plymouth. Not the sour, pious stiffness we were told in school, but a LIVE FAITH that carried them through persecution and hardship as they broke free from tyranny.

MORLITY
Morality is internal liberty, and starts in the HEART of the individual. As we pursue our God in faith, He teaches us true fairness via internal morality of heart.

EVANGELIST
EVANGELISTS preach the message that transforms the heart. TRUE Freedom and Morality are products of FAITH in GOD and His Promises, the BIBLE, studied and taught to every person.

LAW
A MORAL SYSTEM translated from God’s Law into civil law, balanced by MERCY and JUSTICE, with Equality under the LAW for each individual.

EDUCATION
A Woman training her young children (YOUTH) according to heart-held principles and an honorable character, preparing the next generation to carry forward the “Matrix of Liberty!”

LIBERTY
LIBERTY is the result of following the “Matrix of Liberty!” LIBERTY is seated in Victory. He is holding the broken chains of the manacle of tyranny attached to his leg. He has slain the Lion Tyrant, yet bears the marks as a remembrance on his shoulder. Liberty has his foot on the chest of Tyranny, holding it down by following God’s principles only – no bloodshed! Strength based on Morality, overcoming evil with Goodness!

So much of what we were taught in school, and even more of what our children are being taught in school today is simply untrue based on historical documents still in existence. Notably, the first Bibles printed in the United States were funded by CONGRESS in 1782 for the use of our SCHOOLS – First public school law!!! Bibles were used in schools starting in 1647 through 1963 (which I remember!)

LEARN MORE … PLEASE WATCH VIDEO!!!!!

So … where do we go from here, America? Toward FAITH or TYRANNY?

Related reading: The Forefathers’ Monument Explained – VERY COOL!

Blind Leading the Blind

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choices, communism, fun, hollywood, lifestyle, morality, motivation, people, progressive, SEN. MCCARTHY, sex, virtue, WALTON'S, WE THE PEOPLE

Lassie (CBS)
1954 – 1974
Shown: Jon Provost

Hollywood has long been a cauldron of Progressivism. Remember Sen. McCarthy in the 1950’s? Had he not discredited his theories with his own alcoholism, maybe things could have been yanked up back then. Remember the “Black List” of Hollywood stars, directors, writers, etc suspected (or known) to be Communist sympathizers? They weren’t planning a violent coup. Instead, they created program after program that subtly and progressively dismantled or mocked what most Americans know as “traditional American values.” So who or what governs your morality?

If you compare the programs of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s to the programs today, what are the most obvious differences? Look closely, the progression from the respectful, kind, and caring family programs like Bonanza (1959-1973), Combat (1962-1967), Flipper (1963-1967), Waltons (1971-1981), Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983), Lassie (1954-1974), and dozens more to the what seem to be hideously biased Progressive TV “comedies” that represent the lower possibilities of human interaction … and they’re presented as the Best New TV Comedies of 2013, which are a smorgasbord of base behaviors. Really? This is the BEST we can do?

There was a time not so long ago when at least some in Hollywood had a glimpse of the potential for their industry to impact the population for GOOD! Under the guise of entertainment, at least some writers and producers sought to motivate people to “improve” themselves: either improve their circumstances via hard work and education, or “improve” their character by inspiring people to a more virtuous life.

American culture, too, rewarded those who worked toward self-improvement. Lifelong loyalty at work was rewarded with retirement. A “clean life” was desirable, and was often rewarded with success. Now, in contrast, a “clean life” is a joke, often the brunt of jokes like the football player, Tim Tebow. Even worse, it seems many cajole such virtuous individuals in the hope they will “fall!” We don’t hear about the alcoholic that succeeds in living “dry” and rebuilding his life, but the press circles especially celebrities with alcohol or drug issues just waiting for them to self-destruct … and we, the people keep buying the trash they give us.

Although still recovering from his injuries overseas, Sgt. Sanchez insisted on leaving his electric wheelchair to walk the flag down Main Street, U.S.A., saying “If it’s for the colors, I’ll walk”

What do you suppose would happen if We, the People demanded, by virtue of our dollars, more wholesome, virtuous movies and TV programs? Is morality really old-fashioned or just too hard for today’s weak-willed citizen? Must every TV sitcom be about SEX? Is there such a thing as a loving relationship that does NOT focus on SEX? If we say we, as a society, are dismayed by the 50% divorce rate, might we not seek solutions rather than further exploitations? If we’re concerned about the violence in our society, might we not question the “gangsta” lifestyle endorsed by many high profile musicians? Is there anything FUN besides SEX?

What do you care about? What motivates your choices? As much as I disagree with the blind hatred of Islamic fighters, on some level, I respect their commitment to a cause, although it is driven more by fear and hate than real devotion, it seems. Most Americans are not devoted to anything bigger than themselves … even many who claim a religion. Is there anything worth living for? worth fighting for? worth dying for?

Who are We Now? Who will We be in a Decade?

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America, American Identity, American moral decay, Benghazi, build, care, caring, Christianity, Common Core, Egypt, good or evil, IRS, islam, It's TIME!, Judaism, leadership, morality, morals, NSA, right or wrong, seniors

Reclaim it or lose it! It’s up to us!

Who are We Now?

To stand by silently while we look at the face of evil in full display before our very eyes is the very essence of condoning the evil being perpetuated.

If ever there was a time for decent people to stand up and be heard, this is it. We are assaulted on every front with compromise, corruption, and cowardice. Those we elected to represent us are not doing so, but rather working their own agendas at our expense.

We each in our own private agony seek a way to turn our nation back to her Foundation. But what can one man or one woman do against the blind hordes?

CARE!!!

Why do American families feel the need to put their Seniors away in “care” facilities?

Why do African-Americans try to emulate the gangster culture, then wonder why the neighborhood crime rate goes up?

Why do young girls, pre-teen girls (and boys), feel the desperate need for a boyfriend, to be “sexually attractive” and sexually active and we say, ok?

Why do we look the other way for marital infidelity, pedophilia, drug or alcohol abuse, even shoplifting?

WHO ARE WE? We used to understand that kindness, integrity, honor were good things. Now, we look the other way. We lock ourselves behind the walls of our little (mortgaged?) castle and think we’re immune. We even know the famous quote about evil being the result of what happens when “GOOD” people do nothing. Have we connected the dots yet? We’ve done NOTHING for decades and evil, perversion, corruption, degradation … moral decay has swept across this land.

So … who are we? Who do we want our CHILDREN to be?

Re-Defining Personal Freedom
and our National Identity

I have listed a number of articles below, each spotlighting an error, a bungle, a wrong turn. I know it sometimes seems hopeless, but I honestly believe we are making headway one American at a time. I also believe we can only lead the way if we know where we’re going. It’s one thing to tear apart the policies of the President. It’s another thing to know where we need to go. One answer: the CONSTITUTION!

• Story of teacher convicted of rape makes the case for school choice
• Scalia: SCOTUS shouldn’t ‘invent’ new minorities
• Confused and Adrift
• Missouri Banned the Wrong Clown
• Benghazi: No One Is Accountable
• Egypt’s Brotherhood as beleaguered as its leader
• More Single Moms Have Never Married
• Common Core: Reinforcing Failure

It’s time we reach out and CARE for one another again. Fear has gotten us no where! It’s time to care about our Seniors and the riches of wisdom and experience they can share with us. It’s time to care about the children who spend their days in daycare or poor schools and what they’re learning. It’s time to care about the growing corruption in Washington DC, and take a stand for who we want to be 10 years from now. It’s time to get beyond Democrat or Republican and embrace one another as AMERICANS! It’s TIME to stop pointing fingers and start using our hands to help build the America we want to pass on to our children and grandchildren … One American at a time! IT’S TIME!!!

TRAINED FROM BIRTH

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education, goals, honor, life, morality, poetry, purpose, SGT Sanchez

Although still recovering from his injuries overseas, Sgt. Sanchez insisted on leaving his electric wheelchair to walk the flag down Main Street, U.S.A., saying “If it’s for the colors, I’ll walk”

I was born at a time when freedom was honored,
Trained from birth to be a productive adult,
Emotive and intuitive, pensive and strong,
With many gifts and talents, among them, the gift of thought.

Back in those days, Parents and Teachers actually taught;
We learned how to read, how to interpret and think,
To see life’s difficulties as training for coming events,
Fodder for the cut and paste adventures in Life.

I just don’t know how things got twisted around,
And comfort and ease became watch words and goals,
Is nothing worth working toward, nothing innately prized,
And what about morality – Is it all about fast pleasure?

I weep and I mourn for our culture of leeches,
Unwilling to work – unable to dream,
But able to kill, to rape, and to languish
Without a purpose, without goals, without freedom.

Oh people, my friends, don’t you see what’s going on;
Don’t you feel the manacles tighten with each handout received?
Don’t you sense the great insult: always underestimated,
Coddled and indulged as lies wrap around and around?

Hear me and break free; please open your hearts,
To think for yourselves as the valued creations you are;
Yes, masterpieces of ability and bundles of talent,
Nobility untried awaiting Truth to break you free.

** For Inspiration Monday via Bekindrewrite

Where is the OUTRAGE? Or is EVERYTHING about Politics?

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America, America in decline, anarchy, culture, gang rape, Illegals, innocence gone, morality, outrage, outrageous behavior, political agenda, prejudice, rape, Right & Wrong, traditional values

Yes, there are many outrageous things happening in the United States of America these days. Corruption, compromise, and more corruption from the Oval Office all the way down through the ranks and social strata to the streets. While it may seem like a oversimplification, the ROOT of the problem is simple: Godlessness!

Now, before you totally shut me off, let me ask an age old question, debated through the centuries: Can morality exist without God?

If by morality, we mean a personal system of boundaries, then the answer is maybe. But if by morality we mean a cultural system of boundaries that reflects and aligns with our system of laws, then the answer must be NO! In a culture that acknowledges God, (by “GOD” I refer to a non-specific super deity,) as America did until the 1960’s, there is a universal code of behavior that is generally accepted as RIGHT, and similarly, a set of behaviors that are considered WRONG.

When God is removed, suddenly everything is up to the individual. Right and Wrong become relative: what I believe is right & wrong may not be the same as what you believe, so then whose ideas do we follow? This is where America is right now, and there is evidence every place you look, from the push by a tiny fraction of the America population (some 2%) for same-sex marriage – not content with civil unions (why not, if the legal rights are the same?) – to a significant segment of the population glorifying the gangster lifestyle with ultra misogynistic tendrils and required violence – from the willingness on the part of illiterate college students to sign a petition in support of FOURTH TRIMESTER ABORTION (say what?) to an abject dissociative relationship with the reality of the various scandals and breaches of our Constitution, it seems a large portion of our population is logically (mentally) disengaged! I don’t know how else to interpret the daily news, do you?

**PLEASE watch the VIDEO at the link below, even if Glenn Beck is not your “cup of tea!” The issue he raises here is a deeply provocative one!

Glenn Beck’s Emotional Monologue on the Horrific Story He Says Is Being Swept Under the Rug Because It Doesn’t Further an ‘Agenda’

Glenn Beck confronted society’s morality on his television program Thursday evening, shocked and disgusted at the events of recent weeks.

He primarily focused on the horrific report of a 13-year-old girl who was allegedly gang raped by up to ten men in Austin, TX, before being sexually assaulted by another man after being dropped off with “nowhere to go.” Doctors said their findings were consistent with the allegations.

“Where is the outrage? Where’s Al Sharpton?” Beck said, pausing briefly with emotion. “Where’s Barack Obama? Shouldn’t the president give a speech saying something like, ‘This girl could have been my daughter, after all my daughter is just turning 14?’ …How about speeches on the dangers of letting illegals live in the shadows? How about the speeches of let’s just be good to each other? Where are the marches?”

President Barack Obama spoke several times about 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was shot by George Zimmerman in what a jury recently ruled was self defense. The president said Martin could’ve been his son, or even could’ve been him 35 years ago. The issue aroused sustained national fury over the death of the 17-year-old.

But Beck said the 13-year-old girl should expect no such support.

“See, nobody really actually cares about people anymore,” Beck said. “It’s really only about politics. It’s not about Trayvon Martin. They had to make him look like a little 13-year-old-boy…Why? Because it would help them get elected, or re-elected, or get them to cause trouble or get more trouble. But see this little 13-year-old-girl, you don’t have to doctor a picture of her…she is 13.”

He continued: “We are witnessing a society that is completely detached, and we are detached because we have an agenda. Why didn’t we tell the story of the 13-year-old-girl? Because of an agenda. The second rapist was black, the others were illegal immigrants, so we don’t tell that story. That’s not a good story, that doesn’t help us with our agenda…”

……….. continue HERE

Remember Innocence?

UNDETECTED, a Novel

Tags

fiction, morality, pariotism, rebellion, revolution, secrecy, undetected

CHAPTER 1

“Ugh! Close, but not close enough,” Gram whispered only to herself. Where did that rascal go?” Her sharp green eyes scanned the tree tops until they locked on a thick fork in the tree. “Ah! I see! You made it home this time, squirrelly. Don’t count on it next time!”

Dressed in her favorite comfy cammies, Gram headed back through the forest to her shabby lean-to. Her two rescue dogs ran on before her. Inside, she hung her bow and arrow satchel on one of the hooks by the door, poured a cup of water, and made herself comfortable in one of the rockers on the porch. Her partner, Roy, crafted the chairs, and many other tools, from local trees. She sighed with appreciation as she welcomed the moment’s quiet.

Soon she would join the rest of the family at the main tabernacle for supper, but for now, she enjoyed the peace and quiet of the forest with the dogs, Alpha & Beta.

The lean-to wasn’t much, just a few split logs put together like the old Lincoln logs she played with as a girl, but made to look shabby and desserted. It sufficed as shelter, after all, what more does an older couple need but a bed, a toilet, a fireplace to ward off the evening chill, and a porch with rockers? A camouflage net hung from the trees surrounding the tiny cabin, and an unseen root cellar formed a sort of foundation and emergency shelter.

Years ago, the family had put their money together to purchase this parcel of land in eastern Tennessee, southwest of Knoxville. They had discovered a system of tunnels through the property, and the men amended them to suit their needs by blocking a few and reinforcing others. Each of Gram’s three children and their families had a home nearby. They had everything they needed. They lived simply, but happily, taking care of each other. They lived their own lives freely, and gathered daily for the evening meal to give thanks to their Creator for their love for one another, His protection, and His guidance.

Government had gone crazy in the last decade, and many chose to “disappear” into the wilderness to avoid the ever-watchful eyes of Big Brother. George Orwell’s 1984 might have been published in 1949, but it came to pass with the shift away from traditional American values toward the dawn of the 21st millennium.

“The yams are looking good! I wasn’t sure they were getting enough water,” gram said to the attentive dogs.

Her “garden” took much of her time everyday, such as it was. Not a large garden or a proper one with defined borders and rows, but random root vegetables to feed her and her family along with the meat they could still hunt or the fish from the nearby river. While mornings were spent in the garden, her afternoons were spent with her grandchildren, teaching the lessons of Freedom.

Before the Revolution2 started, gram was a teacher, so it was only natural that her heart was wrapped in the stories and tradition of early America, when God was still central in the culture. This is what she eagerly, lovingly wove into the lessons she gave her grandchildren as they gathered around her for “school.”

The men were off with the local militia for weeks at a time, but they had been back just last week to fill the family in on the news from the war. The patriots were standing strong, as their predecessors had at America’s beginning while the tyrannical government stretched its claws deeper into the private lives of its citizens. In the last month, they said, the tide seemed to be turning in our favor. More and more citizens were feeling the pinch of government infringement. Laws and regulations in conflict with the American Constitution were piled on the backs of the people until they nearly suffocated Freedom.

The dogs broke her reverie as they barked toward a woody grove. “What’s out there, girls? Dinner?” She chuckled softly, but the barking grew more intense, and the dogs trotted to investigate. Gram ducked inside to grab her shotgun as the girls reappeared with a young boy. He looked about 10, but scrawny and dirty.

“Where’d you come from, boy?” she asked with just a tinge of annoyance in her voice. The boy didn’t respond.

“Come here, boy.” She set her shotgun down beside her and motioned him closer. “You’re a mess, child! Where’s your family? Where do you live? Come, child, I just want to help.”

“Big brother went to war.”

“What about your family, child, your parents?”

“They’re gone, ma’am. Long time gone.” He looked down as if the carpet of leaves might somehow contain them.

“Well, never mind that now. Come sit here with me a bit and let’s get acquainted proper like. You can call me Gram – everyone else does!What’s your name?” She smiled. “You hungry, child?” She stepped inside and returned with an apple which she proffered to him.

…………….. to be continued

Comments? Suggestions?

The Birth or Death of American Liberty

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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!

Yes, Virginia, America has a Godly Heritage Vol 2, 2013

Tags

Alexis de Tocqueville, Cherokee tale of the Two Wolves, Founding Fathers, Human nature, Law of God, liberty, morality, Natural Law, pedophilia, sexual orientation, slavery, The 5000 Year Leap, true law, Two Wolves

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7: 14

The History of the United States of America is extraordinarily rich with detail and interwoven themes, that over the decades, have been watered down for simplicity’s sake. There are still a few who argue against the Christian origins of our nation and the lofty vision of the Founders to succeed in honest and free self government.

For example, clearly, at the time the Founders shut themselves off to convene in order to form a more “perfect union,” many of these Founders owned slaves, so what kind of morality is that? Such hypocrisy, you say! Well, wait just a minute before you pass judgement. Who hasn’t driven a little above the speed limit? Who never “stole” a cookie from the cookie jar without permission? Who, as an adult, never said or did something contrary to our beliefs? We ALL do this, for better or for worse. It is human nature to break the rules, some more than others. Still not a justification for slavery, but an explanation.

Slavery was a social “norm” throughout history, in many different cultures and time periods, and it is one thing to believe against the norm. It’s totally another thing to be willing to act against the norm. But is slavery, then, natural Law

Our Declaration of Independence says our nation’s Right to Independence is based on the “Laws of Nature and Nature’s God … ” The Founders drew that idea from the ranks of ancient thinkers, philosophers, and teachers of the “Enlightenment” … Plato, Aristotle, Locke, and Cicero. These men spoke of a Natural Law that issued from that which keeps Nature’s order. To protect man’s unalienable rights, God established immutable Divine Laws which do not change with every political wind.

If the Natural Law (or Law of God) is written in our hearts and minds, why do we so easily stray from it? It is because even though it is written within us, it remains a foreign thing. There are two warring natures within us. One is base and selfish; the other virtuous and godly. The Adam and Eve who submitted to God’s Law, and the Adam and Eve who rebelled against God’s law still rage against one another today.

There is an old Cherokee legend that talks about this inner struggle:

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.

“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

The struggle is universal; it is the human condition, and, as the tale above illustrates, the individual must made a choice which wolf, which nature to feed. We feed the good wolf by nurturing all that springs from real love – selfless love. Seldom in today’s America is this “good wolf” nourished. Rather, no matter where we look, we are bombarded with “food” for the EVIL wolf:

• sexual perversion and abuse: from college sex parties (orgies) to the rising notion that pedophilia is just another sexual orientation;
• various celebrations of self-indulgence: from the commercialization of Christmas to the deification of celebrities and athletes, from the “occupy” movement, to soap operas and “road rage;” and
• deception in leadership, from the Oval Office on down.

But then, what is the Source of LIBERTY, or the idea of Liberty?

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with one another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitles them …

“LIBERTY! The very word evokes hope and stirs the inner soul of man. Throughout the course of time, individuals and nations oppressed by the yoke of tyranny or bondage have cried out for liberty’s reprise and have sought for the comfort of its soothing rays. Revolution and war have oft been its price. Few nations have ever obtained it, let alone maintained it. Why so rare this prize for which so much blood and so many tears have been shed? Is its definition misunderstood? What is liberty and how is it secured, or more portentous, how is it lost?” More HERE

The overwhelming majority of Founders understood in their minds, if not their hearts, that slavery was not only EVIL but it contradicted the very ideals of freedom they sought to build into out nation, particularly the ideal of equality for all under the Law.

Prior to the time of the Founding Fathers, there had been few serious efforts to dismantle the institution of slavery. John Jay identified the point at which the change in attitude toward slavery began:

Prior to the great Revolution, the great majority . . . of our people had been so long accustomed to the practice and convenience of having slaves that very few among them even doubted the propriety and rectitude of it.

The Revolution was the turning point in the national attitude–and it was the Founding Fathers who contributed greatly to that change.

Many of the early American leaders went on to work to abolish slavery in the young nation. While each of the Founders had his own personal belief system, they sought “common ground” upon which to build the nation. Each of these men were highly esteemed, well-educated, and well-versed in the philosophies and political spectrum of the past. They knew not to build a nation on religion or religious doctrine, but they also understood that for liberty to endure, some moral boundaries were necessary. Read More HERE

“This is the covenant
that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws into their hearts,
and in their minds I will write them,”

Hebrews 10: 16 & Jeremiah 31: 33

I contend the law referred to in the Bible passages here, is the “Natural Law” identified by Cicero and his predecessors. This is the Law that is written on our hearts and minds. It is truth. The conflict only appears when we, as humans, try to circumvent this Law or supersede it in theory or practice. Abortion is an excellent example. For more than 40 years, American society has been torn by the desire to make unwanted pregnancies “disappear,” yet some believe simply saying it’s “legal” makes everything better. As evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of Americans who continue to march every January in disagreement with the man-made law allowing the murder of unborn babies, Natural Law cannot be overruled easily. it is written on our hearts and minds, and even if the courts say it is legal, our conscience tells us otherwise.

Sen Feinstein and President Obama can argue all they want against the Natural Law to honor our Creator, but, in the end, Natural Law cannot be overruled. It is human instinct, self-preservation, it is written on our inward parts, and our only hope for peace is to yield to this Law.

And yet we continue to attempt to live apart from the Natural Law, the law that is inwardly inscribed, and still we continue to look outwardly for solutions to society’s ills in futility.

Liberty cannot be established without morality,
nor morality without faith.
Alexis de Tocqueville

Related:

• Yes, Virginia, America has a Godly Heritage Vol 1, 2013
• SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF LIBERTY

Examples of Public and Private Duties
Here are some of the more important responsibilities which the Creator has imposed on every human being of normal mental capacity:

1. The duty to honor the supremacy of the Creator and his laws. (As Blackstone states, the Creator’s law is the supreme law of the world: “This law of nature, being coeval with mankind and dictated by God himself, is of course superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe in all countries, and at all times; no human laws are of any validity, if contrary to this….” [Ibid., Introduction, sec. 2, par. 39.])
2. The duty not to take the life of another except in self-defense.
3. The duty not to steal or destroy the property of another.
4. The duty to be honest in all transactions with others.
5. The duty of children to honor and obey their parents and elders.

Sound familiar?

MORE HERE

What’s It Worth to US?

Tags

al-Qaeda, Christian Church, compromise, contamination, deception, Expectations, If My people, morality, repentance, truth

This post is addressed to believers in Jesus Christ. The best of us have been contaminated by the sinfulness in our society. This is not a condemnation of others, but a gentle rebuke of myself and any who have ears to hear. If we want God to heal our land, quiet the hatred and violence, heal our families, we must repent of our sinfulness, our compromise, our choice to look the other way when our children do wrong. If we want God to heal our land … we must decide how badly we want … or need him to heal us, and we must decide what it is worth to us. We must also decide if we, as the American people, are able to heal and restore our land on our own. If not, the price is clear. Are we willing to pay it? Are we willing to clean up our act, our mouths, our attitudes for the sake of a restored America? Or have we become addicted to our stuff, our loose ways, our bad mouths, and our loneliness, the fear that rules our lives?

Perhaps the single most frustrating thing to me about this entire election season is the moral compromise within the Christian Church. First, I want to define for my purposes here, the Christian Church to be every faith, protestant, Catholic, or other, that believes in the divinity of Jesus Christ as the way to a victorious, contented life here and a heavenly life after. This includes, also, those who believe this way but are not involved with any particular denomination of local assembly.

In 2 Chronicles 7:14 God says, “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Not too many Americans would deny that our land is in great need of “healing.” But what price must be exacted to obtain the longed for healing? Is it turning back the clock to the “dark ages?”

They knew, yet they let the battle rage for hours while Marines awaited the green light. They knew, and they let Americans die … WHY? So YOU might think al-Qaeda wasn’t involved, so the President would look good. So, how’s that workin’ for you, Mr President?

I hear many Americans complain about the lying in DC, but is there TRUTH in our lives? I read about sex scandals because, of course, sex sells, but is our sex life pure? Celebrities are famous not only for their entertainment but for their common misuse and abuse of “recreational” drugs and alcohol. They make the news with their carousing, but what about you and me? Are our lives so pure and without “sin” that we are qualified to cast the first stone?

The horrific incident in Benghazi fills the blogosphere, and is beginning to appear in the mainstream media. Outrage over this affair is seen on Twitter and Facebook as more information filters out to us. As I read through one of the articles today, tears overwhelmed me. Righteous indignation over the administration’s apparent (perhaps deliberate) withholding of help from those under fire burned within me, and I wept.

My tears turned to prayers for the families of those lost, but quickly evolved into prayers for us … You and me sitting comfortably and allowing the character of people in this nation to waste away, expecting nothing above animal behavior. Oh, our expectations have been slowly eroded over decades even as we once were outraged by smoking or women in slacks. We have grown accustomed to immorality. Every TV programs flouts sexual exploits with multiple, rotating partners. While cigarette smoking has been minimized, language has devolved.

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chron 7; 14

We have a decision to make November 6, that involves so much more than who will set up housekeeping in the White house. Our behavior will cost us, one way or another. I used to teach my kids that “Righteousness brings blessing, but disobedience to God requires a price.” No! It doesn’t require that every American believe in God, or submit to His ways! No! It doesn’t require us to “give up” that secret vice we want no one to know about. It simply requires us to be honest with ourselves. How can we expect our leaders to govern in integrity if we don’t require it in ourselves? How can we ask our leaders to represent us in Truth, if we cannot discern the truth from fiction?

• We must decide if we want our society to be a caring and compassionate society that respects one another even when we disagree, or if we will forego our individual freedoms for some illusion of communal security.
• We must decide if we are ready to toss the Golden Rule and insist on the lowest Common Denominator in morality,as well as education.
• We must decide if the development of a woman’s brain is more important than the availability of free contraception and abortion.
• We must decide if mankind is no different than animals, or can we learn from our mistakes and pursue a virtuous life that bears its own rewards? Do we stay where we’re comfortable, even though it’s killing us, or strive to improve our lot for ourselves and our progeny?

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing;
therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice,
and that you may cling to Him,
for He is your life and the length of your days;
and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers,
to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

Really? What’s American Freedom worth to you?