Roger Sherman Society

Remembering Lot's Wife

2010-05-27T13:02:00.000-07:00

Wives actually don't show up all that favorably in the Bible. Some stellar exceptions are Noah's wife in the Old Testament and Aquila's wife in the New. But from Eve to Mrs. Job to Mrs. Lot to Jezebel to Sapphira ... we get the picture.

But of all the wives, Jesus admonished us to remember one in particular: Mrs. Lot. We know the story — angelic visitors were sent, by God's grace, to rescue Lot and his family before Sodom was destroyed. Lot warned his family, but some of them thought he was joking. Whether motivated by love, obedience or faith, just three left with Lot before the city was destroyed.

We know the story: she didn't believe enough to remain obedient. She looked back — after being warned explicitly not to — and she became a pillar of salt. Now, why would Jesus point to this particular incident as something that those living in these last days should remember? A few reasons come to mind.

First, Mrs. Lot didn't know where she was living. She apparently didn't believe that she was living in a city that was coming under judgment.

Second, she didn't know when she was living. She may have believed, in a general sense, that God would judge the world "some day." She did not know that the day had come.

Finally, it appears that she did not know WHY she was living. Her "job description" as Lot's wife involved being a "suitable helper" for her husband. By disobeying and looking back, she effectively deserted Lot just when he probably needed her the most.

These things are coming into sharper focus for me as we see the judgments against America continuing. As I write, a dispersant called Corexit is being dumped in massive quantities in the Gulf of Mexico, which is making that body of water TOXIC. At the same time, national weather services are predicting an unusually severe hurricane season. We have a certifiable Marxist in the White House and an economy on the brink of total collapse. It should be clear to any student of scripture that God's benevolent hand of restraint is being withdrawn, and that some frightening things are in the very near future. It troubles me that many who consider themselves Christians are either unaware, or unconcerned.

Most of us have never experienced an economic collapse. Most of us have never lived in an aggressive police state (such as existed in Germany under Hitler and in Russia under Stalin). None of us has experienced a hurricane that is spreading toxic waste and oil over large portions of the landscape. And tragically, most of us continue in the false hope that "it can't happen here."

Remember Lot's wife.

America has shed the blood of over 50 million innocent babies, and that blood — like Abel's — cries out to the just Judge for vengeance. God has given us ample time to repent, and we have not repented. The problems now facing us are not political problems or environmental problems or economic problems; they are SPIRITUAL problems — the hard-heartedness, rebelliousness and disobedience of people who purport to be children of God. We are occupied by the activities of our busy lives and the amusements of the culture. The Titanic is going down but we're in the lounge playing cards and can't be distracted.

God is not deceived; neither will He be mocked. He is not mollified by our little prayer asking Jesus into our hearts, or our superficial once-a-week religious exercises. The Judge of all the earth will do right, and He has been warning us continually. Will we listen? Will we OBEY?

Remember Lot's wife.

National Day of Prayer Outrage

2010-05-07T12:39:00.000-07:00

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/may2010/fancyjo57-1.htm

Billy Graham is apparently a 32nd or 33rd degree Mason, and the physical contact shown here is allegedly a Masonic handshake (see response by "Oops" at the end of the posting) of some sort. Whether either of these allegations is true, your view of these things is probably correct. I strongly suspect that Franklin is "one of us" and his dad is not.

Political philosophy grows from theological roots, and I believe that Billy's easy-believism "gospel" and his promotion of the non-participatory and Nicolaitan American church model did plenty to prepare the country for the rise of Obama. Pastors and surveys consistently show that most people choose a church and go to church "to have their needs met," NOT to "prepare them for works of ministry" or even "to participate in corporate worship." So we have a bunch of folks who call themselves Christians because they said a prayer once or made a decision to "accept" Jesus - and they want God and government to take care of them.

Satan's strategy folks: to engender rank disobedience in the body of Christ to the command to "grow up in all things in Christ" (Ephesians 4) so that Jesus has an eternal day-care center and NOT the mature bride He deserves.

Obama and Billy Graham are theologically on the same page. Graham nurtured the roots of this blasphemous fruit, and Obama is now finishing what Graham began. Obama hasn't made much of a secret about his contempt for Bible-believing Christians, and one can only wonder how Billy really feels about those of us who take Christ seriously.

The scripture plainly states: "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose [them]" (Eph. 5:11).

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Steve

Raleigh, North-Carolina
Anakypto Forum on BlogTalkRadio

A word about "false prophets"

2010-04-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

http://falseprophetwatch.blogspot.com/2009/11/prophecy-for-x-mas-day.html

I was doing some web research and came upon this link. The blog author positions himself as one able to root out and expose "false prophets" - his tag line being "Exposing False Prophets Who Refuse To Repent of their False Prophecies or Abominations."

Hear! Hear! - He seems to think that citing Amos 3:7 is somehow a flashing neon sign that says, "What follows is a false prophecy."

Oh, well. The self-appointed prophets of Micaiah's day sang from the same hymn book. John Lawler added his voice to many with his admonition that served as source material for the anonymous "falseprophetwatch" blogger. John's warning is here:
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/nov2009/stevec1126.htm
I guess I'm guilty by association, but would like to point out to the skeptics viewing these posts that Jonah was also a "false prophet." By their definition, anyway -- Jonah said that Nineveh was 40 days from destruction. No fudge factors, no weasel words, nothing ambiguous. "Forty days and you're done!"

But God relented. Jonah may have been upset because he was embarrassed; his prophecy didn't come to pass! More apparent, however, is that Jonah was upset because he hated the Ninevites and WANTED THEM DESTROYED. And this was a true prophet of God.

That to say this: first, John Lawler's Christmas prophecy did not specify WHICH Christmas. Obviously, it wasn't last Christmas. But the imagination need not be stretched to believe that this coming Christmas could be the one in view. God, in His mercy, has given the people a WHOLE YEAR to get their affairs in order and leave the danger zone. In His mercy, He has given California a 12.6% jobless rate, further motivation for the people who live there to move anywhere else.

Daniel Matson has pointed to November 8th as a likely "official" beginning of the Tribulation period, though for folks in Iceland (and downwind), their Tribulation period may have already begun. Suffice it to say, we're at least on the on-ramp to the last seven years of this highway to hell, and we can at least expect more folks like the falseprophecywatch blogger to come out of the woodwork and post their resistance ... until the infrastructure collapses here and the internet becomes, like so many other creature comforts, just a memory.

That to say this: if you have a watching/warning ministry, keep at it.

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2009-07-13T09:04:00.001-07:00

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Are we a "Christian nation"?

2009-06-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

I got a link to the video Our Judeo-Christian Nation which is Congressman Randy Forbes' response to Not-the-President Obama's recent comment that we are not a Christian nation.

Here's my response after viewing the videos:

Obama did not deny our Christian heritage, so Forbes is answering a point that was never raised.

Would a "Christian nation" really "legally" murder over 50 million children? Would a "Christian nation" really legalize homosexuality? I don't know what point Obama was trying to make, but like Caiaphas (see John 11:49-52) he may have been speaking a prophetic word. We — the nominal "Christians" in this country — have in fact repudiated our Christian heritage. David Barton has done landmark work in this area, and I would guess that most church-going Christians know more about the work of Simon Cowell than they do about Barton's achievements.

John Adams said, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

James Madison: "We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions... upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."

Are we a "moral and religious people" as contemplated by Adams, or Washington, or Witherspoon? Does the average American Christian even know the Ten Commandments?

As Walt Kelly said many years ago through his "Pogo" comic strip: "We have met the enemy, and they is us."

2 Chron. 7:14 predicates national healing on the repentance of "My people who are called by My name." When we, as Christians, repent before the throne of God .... then Mr. Obama can eat those words. Until then, the Muslims actually have some of the moral high ground, because they don't murder their inconvenient children and they don't tolerate sodomy.

Check out ---> http://www.prayersforthepeople.com/id100.html <--- for some sobering thoughts.

I'm not defending Obama, not by a long shot. He is the most rabidly pro-abortion "President" in our history, not because he favors abortion (as a Muslim, he opposes it) but because he favors dead Americans.

But we — the Christians — have brought this on ourselves. Check out Ezekiel 16:49-50. Sounds like us to me.

We in Laodicean America are in deep, deep doo. And the problem is not Obama ... it's us. He did not repudiate our Christian heritage; we did.

Will we repent? Will we rebuild our family altars? Will we turn off the streams of video immorality that flow into our homes and fall before our Savior in tears? Will we make restitution? Or will we continue to comfort ourselves that "we're Christians; the problem is with the Democrats/Socialists/homosexuals/Muslims" and that God is somehow indifferent to our sins because, after all, we "invited Jesus into our hearts"?

I posted these thoughts on an online forum, and one reader took exception to my statement that "the Muslims actually have some of the moral high ground, because they don't murder their inconvenient children." He pointed out what is fairly common knowledge by asking, "What would you call sending young children out as suicide bombers? What would you call it when Iran sent their little kids to the front lines to be the triggers/sensors for booby traps?"

It's a point worth considering. I don't believe for a second that Islam is more moral in the Biblical sense than Christianity. My point is that American "Christianity" is on the same level. They kill kids; we kill kids. They "justify" it because it's their war against the infidels. We "justify" it because "we can't afford another child right now" or "I won't be able to fit into my prom dress" or "what will the neighbors say? I'm a deacon!" Have they killed fifty million yet?

We in America are "horrified" that those "evil Muslims" would send their kids out onto the battlefield to trigger booby traps, but how much noise do we make about guys like Tiller and Haskell ... or the abortionist who has an office right down the street? What do American "Christians" have to say about that? A lot apparently said, "We want Obama." The one sin that Jesus rebuked more severely than any other was that of hypocrisy.

Matthew 12:41 comes to mind, as does Ezekiel 23:11. The Ninevites were no paragons, but they had the sense to repent in the face of imminent judgment. "Oholibah" had more spiritual light, and yet one-upped the wickedness of her sister.

They have the Koran; we have the Word of God.

And I stand by my statement. We had a Christian heritage, and we have squandered it. God will hold us accountable, and having "Proclaim Liberty" engraved on the Liberty Bell won't blunt His judgment. It's not Obama's fault and it's not Islam's fault; it is OUR fault.

We are in trouble. Will we repent?

Time will tell. But there isn't much of that left, either.

When is Pentecost? And How Much Does It Matter?

2009-06-12T16:34:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked why I am using July 23rd as my Pentecost date for The Final Fulfillment of Pentecost.

I had contacted Arnold Bowen and he said it's on July 22nd. Then I went to Troy Miller's "creation calendar" site and checked out http://www.creationcalendar.com/CalendarIssue/17-FeastOfWeeks.pdf and that seems to point to the 20th (unless I miscounted).

I also considered Deuteronomy 16:9-10, which says:

"You shall count seven weeks for yourself; begin to count the seven weeks from [the time] you begin [to put] the sickle to the grain. Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the LORD your God blesses you.

I can certainly sympathize with anyone who says the whole issue is confusing.

I selected July 23 because it's the "outside limit" and because, at the time, Arnold was my most trustworthy source. July 22 is the New Moon.

It will also be Obama's 183rd day in office. It could be that he plans to have all the Christians off the streets at the end of his 172nd day and then he will "rest" (faithful Muslim that he is) and we will have ten days in the slammer (Rev. 2:10) before we are delivered ... one way or the other. Highly speculative, I readily admit ... but in today's political climate it is not all that unlikely.

From a practical point of view, it's becoming less important to me because, when that time actually arrives, I believe there will be Magor Missabib ("terror on every side") and most of our neighbors will be freaking out. In any event, our calling at this hour, I believe, is to speak prophetically, and our example should be John the Baptist, during whose ministry the Kingdom was also at hand.

In The Greatest Prophet? Steve & Marilyn Hill point out:

According to Jesus the greatest prophet was John the Baptist who came preaching "repentance for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." So far as we know John never had a vision, dream or angelic encounter. Yet Jesus called him the greatest prophet!

So if we get the date right, good for us. But if we get the message wrong ....

My prayer is that each of you remains strong and focused, and that you are extremely effective in the ministry God has given you.

Pentecost Rapture 2009

2009-06-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

A case can be made that Pentecost is a feast that lasts more than one day (Acts 21:27). If the Feast of Weeks is a week long, we still could have a "Pentecost rapture" this year, while not knowing the day or the hour.

In the parable of the bridesmaids, the bridegroom was delayed. He was not there at the appointed time. At midnight, when ALL the lamps were apparently running out of oil, the delayed bridegroom's arrival was announced. Was the Lord telling us, in veiled parabolic language, how events would play out when He returned for His bride?

We can speculate, of course. What isn't speculative is the growing international animosity against Israel and the accelerating efforts of Iran to develop nuclear weapons. These are, to me, much more compelling arguments for the soon coming of Christ than are my extrapolations from parables. And Jesus definitely gave us signs to watch for that concern Israel, and relate her last-days distress to His return.

Not-the-President Obama is out of town this week. Most of his cabinet will be in the midwest. It appears that the NWO people in our federal government know that something major is about to happen, and that DC will not be a very safe place to be. A rapture in the next six days remains, to me, extremely likely.

What's Wrong With Being a 'Date-Setter'?

2009-05-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

Thomas Ice has a problem with it. So does Pastor Joseph R. Chambers of Paw Creek Ministries, who asserts that "we are forbidden to set dates."

Oh, really?

I find it interesting that there was a specific date set for Jesus' first coming, and He held the Jews responsible for knowing it. Jesus rode into Jerusalem in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9 exactly 483 years TO THE DAY after the decree by Artaxerxes to rebuild the city, just as Daniel said.

Brother Ice "supports" his position with scripture:

Matthew 24:36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Mark 13:32 is an exact parallel.

Matthew 24:42 "Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

Matthew 24:44 "For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

Matthew 25:13 "Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. Mark 13:33-37 is a parallel passage.

Acts 1:7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.

Sorry, but I see no support here. I see neither a COMMAND nor any prohibition; simply statements of fact that were true when uttered, and applied to those to whom spoken. The fact that they don't know doesn't mean that WE can't know, that we won't find out, or that we are forbidden to search for the answer. Nor do I see a refutation of Amos 3:7

Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

David Jeremiah recently pointed out that we probably know more about the book of Daniel than Daniel did. The prophecies concerning the end times were a 'closed book' for much of church history, but these things are for us to know in our time. Mapping current events to Bible prophecy is what the command to "Watch" is all about, and extrapolating to particular windows of time is hardly inappropriate.

I concede that Edgar Whisenant and many others have given themselves black eyes by making predictions that were inaccurate. But it does not logically follow that, because one or a hundred students of the Word make errors in their study, that the rest of us should stop watching and stop warning.

Is a watchman who won't warn any better (or any worse) than a watchman who won't watch?

The king has departed on a long journey. He has given instructions to watch for his return. Does the watchman fulfill his duty by simply reminding the people that the king will return? If he does not know exactly when the king will return, does this excuse him from being at his post?

And if he sees -- off in the distance -- something that indicates the king may be returning, should he announce it? Or should he "wait and see"? If he sees all the signs of the kings approach but does not see the king, should he proclaim it? If he thinks he knows when the king will arrive, should he say so?

Jesus told us to "watch and pray." Just what did He mean by that? Did He really mean "wish and pray" or "hope and pray"? What does "watch" REQUIRE us to be doing?

Perhaps it means watch for the signs that He said would immediately precede His return. If that's true, they why are so many Christians so ignorant of the signs, and so ignorant of what is going on in the world? Are we being .... disobedient?

If we love Him, we are to keep His commandments. Did He command us to "watch"?

I'm a date-setter. I have nothing to gain if I am right, and plenty to lose if I am wrong. But I believe that both current events and prophecy are pointing at Pentecost 2009 as the day of the rapture of the church, and I believe Jesus' command to me to be a watchman REQUIRES that I proclaim my conclusions and how I reached them.

His command also requires some due diligence on the part of those who hear what I have to say.

See you on Saturday.

Final Note on Corrie Ten Boom

2009-05-14T18:48:00.000-07:00

I took some heat for my previous post because I mentioned Corrie Ten Boom in what one reader thought was a "malicious" way. So it wasn't general heat; just one miffed brother. Except for that, the response to my theme -- that "the problem is that the professional clergy does not prepare the saints for ANYTHING." -- was overwhelmingly positive.

So let me briefly clarify: Corrie Ten Boom had a ministry of reconciliation, mainly for Europeans in the aftermath of World War II. I cannot and do not judge her, nor do I, did I, or did I intend to "malign" (malign: having or showing intense often vicious ill will: malevolent) her or her ministry. However, I was and remain unwilling to give her a pass for what I consider shabby eschatology. Nor can I countenance the vilification of Christians who see the reasonableness of a pre-trib rapture. I am not asserting that Corrie did so, but it appears that she considered pre-tribbers to be "heretics." I believe that rises to the level of vilification.

I stand by my comments regarding the "celebrity Christianity" that seems to characterize much of American-style "Christianity" but I cannot include Corrie in that, since she apparently did not aspire to "celebrity" status and, in any event, she was not an American. She had a ministry, and she served with genuine humility, always seeking to glorify her Savior. Would that more of us would follow her example.

The negative feedback I got began with my being accused of dishonesty, and descending from there. My dialog with my detractor has hopefully resolved our differences, and it would be inappropriate to post it here. Suffice it to say that I hope this suffices.

'Nuff said.

The Rapture and Corrie Ten Boom

2009-05-03T06:07:00.000-07:00

In A History of the Early Church & Post-Tribulation Doctrine, author Richard Perry presents his defense for the post-tribulation eschatology, and buttresses his arguments with the opinions of the late Corrie Ten Boom.

First things first - if the pre-tribulation rapture is true, then it would be wrong to withhold it from Christians, to label it as false, or to marginalize it or vilify those who proclaim it. If it is true, it is God's truth, and God's truth -- ALL of it -- belongs to ALL of God's people.

Let's be clear on what it is that we believe: that there is a prophesied specific time of extreme tribulation that will affect the entire earth during the very last years before Christ's visible return to establish His Kingdom and begin to reign on the throne of David, and that Christians who are alive when this particular period of tribulation begins will be removed from the earth beforehand.

THAT is the pre-trib rapture position, and to attempt to make it apply to ALL hardship and ALL tribulation throughout the entire "church age" is to misrepresent the eschatology. Yes, Christians will be persecuted ... but to a point. The church has endured persecution and tribulation since Jesus left. All we're saying is that the final seven years of tribulation are not for the church.

That being said, let us consider for the sake of the argument that Christians will NOT be spared. Let's say they must prepare themselves spiritually for end-time tribulation. Just what does this "preparation" look like? How should the Christian proceed?

I would suggest that, first of all, the Christian deal with all known sin. Repent! When appropriate and possible, make restitution! Clean up your life - identify and discard every bad habit, every evil vice. Get all the garbage out of your home and out of your life. Get your prayer life on track; live by faith. If you are facing hardship, and especially hardship directed at you by an anti-Christian world that wants to destroy your faith, it would seem that your optimal preparations would be quite clear. You need to get your faith established. If you are being persecuted, you sure don't want sin in your life to get between you and God.

BUT - if you look at my suggested activities, you will see that they are exactly the same as I recommend for those anticipating the rapture. In other words, whether we live or whether we leave, we are the Lord's. Preparing for the rapture also prepares you for hardship.

The problem is that the professional clergy does not prepare the saints for ANYTHING. Many "believers" have such a casual view of sin that they see no need to deal with it; they think the rapture is a come-as-you-are party, and that spots and wrinkles, or even the total absence of a wedding garment, are nothing to be concerned about. "Jesus loves me so much that sin doesn't matter! Let's party down!!" I personally know people who consider themselves Christians who refuse to believe in the imminent rapture ... and also refuse to believe in imminent tribulation! They think things are gonna stay about the same, or eventually get better again.

I think Miss Corrie mis-identified the problem. At least she's correct in stating that there is a problem. But the problem is not Pre-trib eschatology, but American ecclesiology. The American way of "doing church" doesn't prepare anyone for much of anything. Going to a building and having someone lecture you for 45 minutes every Sunday morning is not the abundant Christian life. Singing hymns only equips you to sing hymns. Listening to "professional" Christians equips you to listen. Participating in the "Christian" youth group equips you to play video games or go to a theme park. Practically NONE of the Christian busy-work in American-style churches equips the saints for the hard work of living for Christ in a world that hates Him. Instead, we have embraced "Pagan Christianity." Most of the folks who I know who ARE equipped grew up at home on their own. They started their own small group, did their own Bible study or otherwise started taking their Lord very seriously. Very few are equipped or even encouraged by their "church leadership."

And Corrie allowed herself to become part of the problem. She has allowed herself (may she rest in peace) to become a "Christian celebrity." That's how we "do church" here. Most of us just spectate. Christianity, for many, is just another item on the "To Do" list that is checked off on Sunday morning. We want celebrities: the big name preachers and the big name musicians and the notorious sinners who got saved ... or the concentration camp survivors. The thing that gets left out is God's grace. Corrie endured the camp by grace; the same grace that holds my life together. But we prefer celebrities ... just like the world.

I agree that most American Christians are unprepared for either rapture or tribulation. The problem is not with the eschatology, however. It's with a liturgical, organizational (rather than organic) religionized Christianity that does not allow for the equipping of the saints, mainly because it strips Christ of His proper headship and replaces Him with Christian celebrities and professional clergy.

Final thought: Pre-trib rapture belief is not a heresy. Heresies mis-represent God and replace God-centered priorities with man-centered ones. Much "prosperity theology" is heretical because it posits that the comfort of man is paramount to holiness. "Family-centered" ministries also err in placing the "needs" of the family before our duty to love and serve God. Most of the pre-tribbers I know love God first and foremost; many have lost relationships with family members because they love the Lord first. The real heresy in this argument is the heresy that the body of Christ is an organization run by professionals, rather than an organism headed by Christ.

Preparing for His appearing -- "The Bride must make herself ready"

2009-04-19T17:10:00.000-07:00

The days before Christ's return are ticking down quickly. The most probable dates, to me, are May 21st (the Ascension) and May 31st (Pentecost). However, we should be ready for His appearing at any moment. I have recommended a few action steps, which I repeat here for those who may be new to this blog or may have not seen them:

Get your spiritual house in order. REPENT. This means align your life with the law of God. Where you have sinned, you must acknowledge your sin, confess it to God, and make restitution where-ever possible and AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

OBEY - Every person who was saved in the Church Age repented, confessed, was baptized, and submitted to the Lordship of Christ in ALL of life. If you are not living in newness of life, it's because you are not reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. Do yourself (and your loved ones!) a favor: turn off the TV, take out the trash (foul books, music, videos, etc.) and get your heart right before God. DO NOT PUT THIS OFF. Don't trifle with God, His law, or His offer of salvation. He WILL preserve you if your belief is evidenced by obedience, hatred of sin, holy living, and love of the brethren.

Don't be deceived. Study your Bible. The time is getting really short.

Pray for those you know who are still lost. No one can come to faith in Christ unless the Father draws him (John 6:44). IF you are saved, you have a privilege and an advantage that most people don't share: access to God's Throne of Grace. Use it!

I know that, especially among the Evangelical community here in the U.S. there is still a lot of resistance to what is mis-characterized as "water salvation" and this leads to a great deal of resistance to water baptism. I was once among them. However, true conversion ALWAYS results in obedience, and immersion is both 1) a command of Christ, and 2) a prerequisite for the rapture. Check out The Epic Event and notice that according to Hebrews 10, to participate in the Event we must:

draw near with a true heart,
have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,
have our bodies washed with pure water,
hold fast the confession of hope without wavering,
stir up love and good works, and
exhort one another.

Here is an excellent audio resource by Mark Biltz that you may also find helpful:

A Church Without Blemish — If you've ever wondered about the meaning of "spots, wrinkles and blemishes," this is an in depth study allowing the Bible to explain itself.

Remember - once that trumpet sounds, it will be TOO LATE to do any more preparation. Let's all be found without spot, wrinkle or blemish when our beloved Lord returns for us. Let's make it His most joyful day!

Why the "Tea Party" Movement Will Go Nowhere

2009-04-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

The "tea party" movement will go NOWHERE. Here's why:

Our problem is not economic or political. It is a moral rot undergirt by the culture's willingness to accept homosexuality, and primarily by the culture's willingness to accept the "right to choose."

Our rights come from God as an endowment, but we have squandered the endowment by embracing what God abhors. We now have the blood of 50 million innocent American babies crying out to God for vengeance. God has obviously decided to take our God-given rights away.

Were these tea-partiers staunchly opposed to the wickedness of abortion, we would at least have standing to appeal to God and rely upon His Divine providence. Or His mercy. But alas! many of our conservative and patriotic comrades-in-arms have no problem with abortion at all! They think "choice" in all matters is a good thing, and object only to an overbearing central government's meddling.

There is no consensus for righteousness amongst these tea-partiers, and God is properly using Obama and his ilk to punish America for her sins.

So this "tea party" fad is simply a tempest in a teapot. There is NO call for repentance, or for the end of the shedding of innocent blood. For this reason, the patriots cannot prevail.

In the days of Israel's revivals, the idols were torn down and the center of Molech worship in Jerusalem, the valley of the son of Hinnom, was turned into a garbage dump. When we give that sort of treatment to the abortion "clinics" in our communities, then maybe ... MAYBE ... God will hear and relent. But I don't think it's gonna happen. It appears that the Libertarians are the strongest bloc within the "freedom movement" and they still don't get it. On most of the political forums I've visited, talk of tax resistance is fine, but talk of ending abortion is "mixing politics with religion" ... the same old cop-out.

I don't even know a lot of Christians who are passionate about ending abortion. So, if we won't end it, God will.

P.S. Another excellent treatment of this topic was written by Joel McDurmon: TEA-Party Hypocrisy: How Much Socialism Is Acceptable?

Prophetic Implications

2009-02-18T16:06:00.000-08:00

In the world of eschatology, much has been made of the regathering of the Jews in their ancient homeland. I have been rather critical of this "sign" because many of the so-called "Jews" in the modern STATE of Israel are allegedly not descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Instead, they come from the Khazar kingdom of early Europe and they are not even Semitic people.

That being said, it may still be that the re-establishment of a Jewish nation could be a sign. It is certainly unprecedented. And in view of the prophesied destruction of 2/3 of the people in the land at the hands of the "Magog Alliance," it is not outside the realm of possibility that the survivors could be Mizrachim Jews; that is, Semitic people.

Highly speculative, and no offense intended. In any event, if the creation of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948 is of prophetic significance -- if this is the "budding of the fig tree" that portends the final generation before the return of Christ -- then it's possible to crunch a few numbers. If the maximum time passes and Jesus does not return, we will know that Israel's re-establishment was not a sign. However, it is better to be prepared for the Lord's return and be mistaken, than to NOT be prepared and have Him come.

A Biblical "generation" is generally agreed to be seventy years. Indeed, that is the only possibility remaining if the "fig tree" budded in 1948. In addition, a prophetic year is 360 days. Thus, the duration of a generation would be 25,200 days and the last day would be on May 12, 2017. If there is a final 7-year period of worldwide tribulation, which many Bible students see as the most likely meaning of the end-time prophecies, that period would have to begin no later than June 18, 2010

However, a quick perusal of the news on the internet, or your favorite print media (if they haven't already gone bankrupt) seems to announce that some "tribulation" has already begun. Can you find anyone (who isn't trying to sell you something) who thinks things are going to get better any time soon? Will these multi-trillion dollar bail-out schemes help the average working stiff, or put any bread on YOUR table, or help you with YOUR mortgage?

Is it possible that we are seeing a ramp-up to world-wide chaos: economies in shambles, people at war, violence in the streets, famines and plagues? What would one expect the world to look like after the Four Horsemen begin their work?

My experience in discussing these things is that most people don't believe we are really on the threshold of the return of Christ. This, of course, is another confirming sign; just what Jesus said to expect. However, looking at the scriptures and at the state and direction of our world, it is hard to draw any other conclusion.

This is it, folks. Jesus Christ IS coming back. Russia and Iran are forming an alliance, and the next major event (besides the removal of the Bride of Christ from the earth) will be a major war in the middle east, and judgment on the "coastlands."

Read The Final Fulfillment of Pentecost (or re-read it - it's been enhanced) and follow the links at the bottom. If you are fearful as you face the future, it's because your heart isn't right.

Judgment is coming. Expect it, and be ready for it.

The Final Fulfillment of Pentecost

2009-01-20T09:07:00.000-08:00

I've always been interested in prophecy, and I've always been a date-setter. One of the first books I read after becoming a Christian was a book by a guy named Taylor who had biblical "proof" that the rapture would occur in September of 1975, and that Juan Carlos of Spain HAD to be the Antichrist.

We've come a long way.

I've seen a lot of theories, believed a few of them, and have been "wrong" every time ... so far. But the point is not to be "right" ... the point is to be READY. Knowing when the Lord could come can be a very focussing activity. And whether the conclusions in my article are right or not is insignificant compared to whether we are ready ... or not.

These are my concluding thoughts, which also appear at the end of the article. If you're "too busy" to read the article, please at least spend some time on these:

First, this is NOT a time to panic. We have known for 2000 years that Jesus was going to return, set up His kingdom, and judge the earth.
Get your spiritual house in order. REPENT. This means align your life with the law of God. Where you have sinned, you must acknowledge your sin, confess it to God, and make restitution where-ever possible and AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
OBEY - Every person who was saved in the Church Age repented, confessed and submitted to the Lordship of Christ in ALL of life, and was baptized. If you are not living in newness of life, it's because you are not reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. Do yourself (and your loved ones!) a favor: turn off the TV, take out the trash (foul books, music, videos, etc.) and get your heart right before God. DO NOT PUT THIS OFF. Don't trifle with God, His law, or His offer of salvation to those whose belief is evidenced by obedience, hatred of sin, holy living, and love of the brethren.
Don't be deceived. Study your Bible. The time is getting really short.
Pray for those you know who are still lost. No one can come to faith in Christ unless the Father draws him (John 6:44). IF you are saved, you have a privilege and an advantage that most people don't share: access to God's Throne of Grace. Use it!
If June 1st arrives and none of these things have happened, it is because I made unwarranted assumptions or otherwise erred in my study. The Bible is still true. You will never be any worse off for preparing for your inevitable meeting with God. And you could still be hit by a truck on June 2nd.

I hope this article blesses and encourages each of you, and I hope you have friends to whom you will want to forward the link:

http://www.rogershermansociety.org/pentecost.htm

Yes, I'm setting a date for the return of Christ. Please remember the boy in the fable who cried "wolf!" He was wrong every time ... except the LAST time. I have also been wrong every time ... but I've been ready. My earnest prayer is that we all will be; that we will not shrink back when He appears, or be found asleep instead of being ready as He commanded us.

May the Lord continue to bless you as you seek the truth in Him.

"Whoever believes in Jesus will ....."

2009-01-07T08:37:00.000-08:00

I would submit that there are several Biblical ways to complete this, and all the completions are complementary. James says that the faith that saves is a faith that issues in obedience: "faith without works is dead." You SEE that a man is saved by works (because only God can see faith; all we can see is its results). Jesus said, "If you love Me you will keep My commandments." A "faith" that does not create any visible change in the life of the person is not a saving faith.

"Do I have to be baptized?"

That's probably not the real issue. The issue seems to me to be, "Just how disobedient and rebellious can I remain and still avoid hell?" These folks aren't particularly interested in loving God, submitting to Christ, becoming holy .... all they want is fire insurance. They want to remain fleshly; hence their aversion to burying the old man.

I see this throughout "organized" Christianity; people who want to "follow the program" so they won't go to hell, but who at the same time don't want to allow the Lord to transform them. That's why they continue to listen to the same garbage music, watch the same garbage movies and TV programs, run with the same worldly crowd, and let their Bible gather dust.

Baptism is a HUGE privilege. Those unwilling to submit to it are not going to fool God on the day of judgment. He won't be swayed by their theological rationale. But on the other hand, those who submit to the "ritual of baptism" and obey from the flesh rather than from the heart, and who don't continue in faith and obedience, will be just as lost as they were before they got wet. Baptism isn't magic; it's obedience. Talking about "saving faith" that does not issue in an obedient life is like talking about a one-ended stick. There is no such thing.

Rumor has it ....

2008-12-31T11:59:00.000-08:00

Rumor has it that Michael Newdow, a fairly well-known atheist from California, has taken umbrage at the use of the phrase "so help me, God" in the inaugural oath of the President.

Anyone who doesn't believe in God is unfit to "serve" in government.

Period.

I don't care how many PhD's he may have, how popular he may be, how long he's been around, or how clever his arguments against the existence of God may be. He is UNFIT to serve.

Why do these morons keep giving Newdow and his ilk a platform?

Interesting - Newdow will marshall a "constitutional" argument against references to God, but says nothing about Obama's constitutional disqualification because he was born in Kenya. What a hypocrite.

There. I said it. I'm done ranting. Have a nice day.

Intemperate Thoughts About 'Christmas'

2008-12-21T08:29:00.000-08:00

I am happy that the world has not dressed Jesus in red and white, and had Him sliding down the chimney with His twelve apostolic-elves. I'm glad that His mother has not been re-cast as Mrs. Santa Claus ... or some similar abomination. Still, I'm sure Madison Avenue has at least toyed with the ideas, along with making gift-giving a new sacrament.

But I have abandoned Christmas. The "Christmas Story" is such a twisting of the biblical history that it's an embarrassment. This "baby Jesus" is not what the world needs. Jesus -- displayed as a helpless Babe in a manger is the only Jesus that our crumbling world can tolerate. But it needs to see Jesus Christ the Triumphant, the Judge of the World, the Lord of all the earth, the One Whose fierceness against sin this country will soon face.

We do our country no favor by going along with a pagan Saturnalia feast that's been recycled for the American pseudo-Christian culture. There is no historical record of Jesus or the early church celebrating Jesus' birthday. Why we trot out His baby pictures once a year in a commercialized buying frenzy, laden with guilt and sugar cookies, and then think there's something redeeming about the whole exercise, remains a mystery. "Christmas" is not Christian. It does not honor Christ, it does not edify His people, it does not minister to the lost.

The message America needs to hear now ... ESPECIALLY now .... is "Repent! Judgment is here!" ... not "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" or "Away in a manger."

Let the church BE the church.

Do we REALLY want revival?

2008-12-20T15:40:00.000-08:00

I have yet to hear anyone with any credibility suggest that things in this country are going to get better any time soon. Yesterday's pessimist is today's realist. The fact is that our country has been incredibly blessed by God for many, many years. We know from Romans 2:4 that God's goodness is intended to lead to repentance. But unfortunately, the more God has blessed us, the harder and more reprobate we seem to have become.

I believe we are now seeing "Plan B" -- the removal of God's hand of blessing from our land. Our problems are not, nor have they ever been, economic. They have ALWAYS been spiritual.

This is the year for us to get our lives right. This means relationships, not stuff. We can afford integrity, but not reputation. We should invest in caring for others, not impressing them.

Please devote some time to the following two items. The article is good and the audio is better.

How To Have a 'Personal' Revival (article)

How To Experience Personal Revival (audio)

I believe this is the year that will make or break a lot of families. This isn't me pretending to be a prophet or anything; just looking at current trends and extrapolating their likely convergence and results. The economy is in melt-down, and nobody really trusts anyone. We're addicted to creature comforts and a police state is in the offing. These are all in-our-face symptoms of a formerly Christian culture that has repudiated its heritage.

In short: there is a problem. I believe God will raise us up and allow us to be part of the answer, but only if we submit to Him.

Please spend some quiet time reviewing the above links. Let's re-align our lives in the light of God's priorities.

Prepare To Be Horrified

2008-12-11T11:07:00.000-08:00

We got on the 'slippery slope' of infanticide and euthanasia back in the 1950s (remember?) when Thalidomide was being given to pregnant women to ease the discomforts of morning sickness during pregnancy. As it turned out, use in Germany had already revealed that birth defects were a likely result, but this information was withheld, possibly to foment debate on the "ethics" of aborting a pregnancy if it were known that the baby would be severely deformed, retarded, or both.

Back then, the alarm bells sounded ... but alas! we wound up with abortion on demand about twenty years later.

Then partial-birth "abortion" - the gruesome murder of the baby at the time of birth. And "benign neglect" - allowing a baby to die after birth if the baby survived the attempted abortion.

Now, Baroness Warnock has weighed in with the second-to-the-last step on the slope: The DUTY to die if one's life has become burdensome, either to others or to the state. According to Warnock, "Old people with dementia have a duty to die and should be pushed towards death." She doesn't say how hard a push should be administered, but the "duty" to die can only be followed by one thing: the "duty" to kill those who won't do their "duty" voluntarily.

We can see this one coming, folks. This will be doctors REQUIRED to KILL THEIR PATIENTS if the patient's care becomes "too expensive" in the eyes of some state bureaucrat or, more likely, some formula developed by a committee so no one person need shoulder all the blame.

We are talking about the State creating a DUTY to violate the 6th commandment. These are scary times, people. Surely, the return of the Lord and the Day of Vengeance cannot be far off. Jesus said, "Unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved." The scripture also warns of a day when the living would envy the dead, and when people would cry out for the mountains to fall on them and hide them from the face of the Lamb. (Rev. 6:16)

This nation is being turned into hell. Too many are still slumbering; aware of the dire straits we find ourselves in, but more afraid of Obama than they are of the Lord, or perhaps believing that "Messiah Obama" will actually 'turn things around' and get back to the way things used to be.

Well, with the blood of over 50 million innocent children already spilled, and apparently more on the way, this will not happen. There is no spirit of repentance sweeping the land, and as much as we long for and pray for a spiritual revival, that revival will not protect those wicked among us who have chosen to defy the Law of God (including many, I might add, who are hiding out in churches).

Don't be distracted, deceived, or dismayed. Judgment is almost here. Are you ready?

"The Fix Has Been In"

2008-10-28T06:41:00.000-07:00

I found out through Devvy Kidd's research published in her column on NewsWithViews.com that the McCain-Palin Compliance Fund was incorporated in Delaware in February of this year. My first reaction -- and I posted to the first version of this blog entry -- was that the whole "primary campaign" was a sham and a fraud.

I found out subsequently, from another source, that the Fund was re-named after Sarah Palin accepted McCain's invitation to join him on the ticket.

However, this does not serve to disabuse me of my original conclusion: that the whole game is RIGGED -- We, the People, have no more voice in the selection of our leaders than the Framers of this republic had in the matter of who sat on the British Throne.

The "campaign" was almost totally for show, though it did serve a useful purpose in smoking out folks like Dr. James Dobson and a few other "Christian leaders" who neglected principles on their way to the polls because of their terror at the prospect of living in an ObamaNation come January.

And I still believe that the folks who own The System had already decided who the winners and losers would be. They simply were not as careless with the 'smoking gun' as Devvy would have us believe. Every dime spent on "the campaign" for ANY candidate was wasted money down the rat hole (or, more properly, into the coffers of the Friends of The System in the media), with the exception of at least some of the money given to the Ron Paul effort, as his campaign was highly educational.

This is no longer a Constitutional Republic, and we are no longer self-governing people. We are a conquered people. Through fraud, deceit, lies, and our own trusting stupidity, we have allowed our servants to become our masters.

My first conclusion was that we now have a Duty to Disobey. We really have a primary duty to repent and discern the will of Jesus Christ as we go forward. It is, after all, to Him that we must give an account. That being said, our incoming administration and the federal bureaucracy upon which it rests ("the woman who rides the beast") are still illegitimate and they rule by force and terror, not by legitimate authority.

Once Saved - Always Saved?

2008-09-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

I'm plugged in to the ACA network, sponsored by Ning. It's membership is limited to members of the Church of Christ; that is, all "true" believers who follow the Bible in faith and practice.

One of my fellow network members opened a discussion thread on the forum to discuss the idea of "once saved, always saved." This idea is generally rejected by the Church of Christ, and we were fairly freely discussing the issue.

I say "fairly" because it must be understood that concluding that OSAS is true would be heresy. So the conclusion of the discussion is foregone. But the discussion remained civil and some of the points raised were intriguing .... at least, some of us thought so.

And then .... alas! .... some questions were apparently posed that the Guardians of Orthodoxy could not answer and ... the discussion was electronically terminated.

If you've browsed this blog, you already know that I don't like tyranny in any of its forms. But there is something stirring in the hearts of many Christians, and we may yet see the revival we've prayed for. And we will also see, once again, that the biggest resisters will be the religious establishment.

No Such Thing As A Good Cop

2008-08-21T08:51:00.000-07:00

Committing immoral violence is an unavoidable part of EVERY cop's job. There cannot be a "good cop" any more than there can be a "good car-jacker." Every cop's job is inherently evil, because a cop cannot just decide not to go after people who commit "victimless crimes," which make up MOST of the people the police harass, fine, or imprison.

Read the whole story here: http://www.rogershermansociety.org/nosuchthing.htm

By the way, of all the nations of the world, the U.S. now has the largest percentage of its people in prison. So much for the "land of the free."

Why the UFO-nauts are still hiding

2008-08-03T16:11:00.000-07:00

One of the weird things that's supposed to increase during the time of great tribulation just ahead will be demonic activity. Many skeptics who read the Biblical accounts of exorcisms like to ridicule those "backward" people who believed such "nonsense," preferring the enlightened opinions of guys like Freud. Well guess what? Jesus knew exactly what He was doing, and if He said it was a demon possession, then that's exactly what it was. The fact that these things are now rare can be easily explained by one simple fact: there are Spirit-filled disciples about, and no demon can stand against the Word of God wielded by a knowledgeable Christian spiritual warrior. In fact, even an inexperienced warrior is more than a match for a demon.

So, while one of the Apollo astronauts, and the Pope, and a few other notable people have come out and done some advance work for 'aliens,' the fact is that no alien can stand in front of a TV camera and risk the possibility that he will be exposed by a Christian. The Spirit-filled believers must be taken out of the way.

And this is one thing that the bad guys can't do. But God can, and as noted in previous posts, I firmly believe that He will do exactly that, and in the VERY near future.

That is not to say that there won't be attempted "exorcisms" or similar confrontations after the Christians are gone. But they will play out like the episode in Acts 19, where seven guys got their clocks cleaned by a demon who knew they were spiritually unarmed. Those seven guys were fortunate that they didn't all get killed.

In the Tribulation, nominal "Christians" may also try to rebuke demons/aliens in Jesus' name, but it will be the same story: "I know Jesus, but who are you?" They will discover ... too late ... that Jesus is a person to whom a true believer is totally submitted in faith, and not just a genie or cosmic bellhop who will come running whenever we tell Him to.

I believe the signs in the heavens will not be limited to astronomical signs in the sun, moon and stars, but that alleged UFO activity will also be part of the end-time deception. Jesus' first words in the Matthew 24 Olivet discourse were, "Take heed that no one deceives you." And much of this deception will issue from spiritual "leaders" who affirm that Jesus is the Christ, and who claim to speak in His Name.

How deceived are you?

A few thoughts on the "Last Days"

2008-08-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

Peter announced the beginning of the "last days" on Pentecost, almost 2000 years ago. One must wonder what he meant. Is the 'last days' such a long period of time that the term is essentially meaningless? Or is there some other constraint we should be aware of?

In a series of five things, one could not properly refer to the second thing in the series as one of the 'last' of the series. Speaking precisely, even the third in the series wouldn't be considered one of the last. So what are we to make of 'last' days that started two millenia ago? How many days would have to preceed them to make them 'last'?

One very common construct is simply this: there are seven 'days' of creation; six of active work and a seventh day of rest. This is a model of the total amount of time created, a day is as a thousand years. There were four 'days' -- four thousand-year periods -- preceeding Peter's statement at Pentecost. The two thousand years since are 'last days' ONLY IF the total number of days is 7 or 8.

Eight breaks the model. Eight is a new beginning, one obvious example is in music: do - re - mi - fa - sol - la - ti are the seven tones, and then the octave is a new beginning. The seven days in a week isn't a coincidence; it's the pattern.

Scripture confirms this in many ways: "After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up."

In the dire straits in which we currently find ourselves, it strains credulity to believe that we will continue to muddle along as we have and manage to even survive for another thousand years. This is it. All the horrors of Revelation are now technological possibilities. The stench of our sin has risen to the nostrils of God Himself, and He will no longer remain silent. The next events will be the Rapture of the overcomers, an incredible war starting at the Euphrates, and some sort of 'peace covenant' that will be confirmed for seven years.

Other possibilities include: biological warfare that will decimate the world's population, alleged "extraterrestrials" (demons masquerading as UFO-nauts) who will try to 'confirm' evolution and necessarily debunk the Bible, and dictatorial government action taking direct control of all U.S. food sources.

Some speculate that there will be EMP weapons deployed against the U.S. which would effectively roll our technology back about 100 years. I'm inclined to doubt this, mainly because the NWO needs technology for their plan to chip and control the survivors of their next war.

In any event, it's becoming 'open season' on Christians around the world, and the U.S. was the last safe haven. However, even here a Christian who speaks out against either the dictatorial and illegal regime in Washington, or against sodomy or any of our other national sins, is now branded a 'dissident' or 'terrorist' and can expect to be rounded up and imprisoned, tortured, and executed. There is no place else to go.... except UP.

We in Christ have served notice on the culture: our lives and message are an indictment against a world that has turned in active rebellion against God, against Jesus Christ, and against the Word of God. All that is left is wrath, and we in the U.S. will soon discover that God has more disaster than Washington has relief. And if we come to ourselves in time, we will also realize that WE DESERVE WHAT IS COMING.

Months ago, when McCain and Obama emerged as our two 'candidates' from whom we would choose our next President, we should have fallen on our faces in bitter repentance. But we did not. As has been stated countless times, our problem is not political or economic -- it is spiritual.

This world might stagger on for another hundred years before Jesus comes again; I might be all wrong on the Rapture. But the fact remains: we are on the brink of cataclysmic events that will forever change life on earth, and many of us won't survive the transition. For those who will shortly die at the hands of the NWO elites, this is their LAST days. A rapture in September doesn't matter to someone gunned down in August.

Prepare to meet your God.

Rapture Fever

2008-07-30T16:41:00.000-07:00

The excitement about the imminent return of Christ for His Church got another boost with J.R. Church's recent interview of Mark Biltz. Check them out here: http://www.rogershermansociety.org/prophecy/

Mark appears to have done his homework, and the conclusion that is there for the grasping is simply this: in about 60 days Jesus will return for his church and seven years of severe tribulation and wrath will be unleashed on those remaining on the planet.

Those who 'love His appearing' and who are the overcomers (see the 7 letters in Revelation) will be spared ("kept from") the awesome judgments that will soon be poured out: man's wrath, nature's wrath, and God's wrath.

Will I look back on this blog entry in October and chuckle over my eschatological error?

Probably not. Those following current events already have a lot less to chuckle about, and I expect that Bush & Co. will uncork their latest disaster before the November elections. Knowing that our probable next "leader" will be either Obama or McCain would incline me to cry if I'm still here at regime change.

But it won't be for long. The NWO thinks there are too many of us common folk, and with their aggressive efforts to make life as unliveable as possible for us as they attempt to reduce our numbers by about 5 billion ... for those left behind, they will truly begin to envy the dead.

I intend to spend these next (last) sixty days in prayer, personal worship, Bible study and thanksgiving as much as possible. By God's grace, our needs will be met, and by God's grace, my whole family will be among the overcomers.

End Game

2008-07-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

The economic situation we see today is what the international bankers and elitists intended. The current state of the American economy was inevitable.

To understand why, one must first review the basic principles of our monetary system. Once the basics are clearly seen, the lies, deceit and theft are obvious.

We have a debt-based monetary system. "Money" comes into being when the Federal Reserve, a cartel of private banks, lends 'dollars' to the federal government in exchange for government bonds. The bonds are backed by all the real and personal property in the country. The 'dollars' are imaginary units; 'notes' that are backed by and redeemable for nothing.

No competition is allowed. The ONLY thing that can be used for money is debt created by, and benefitting, the Federal Reserve bank. One MUST use Federal Reserve Notes to participate in the American economy. Significantly, one must also obtain Federal Reserve Notes to pay the ever-increasing taxes created to pay for this system (and to fund perpetual war).

What many do not understand is that the only way to pay a debt plus the accrued interest, is by paying back 'money' that does not exist. This means that, of necessity, the ultimate resolution of all debts is either forgiveness or foreclosure. The option we assume is available -- repayment -- is not available.

I repeat: this is not an unfortunate miscalculation or minor problem with the system. This IS the system as it was designed and intended. When the Federal Reserve Act became "law" in this country, the eventual transfer of ownership of everything of value to the bankers became a certainty. The only question was how long the 'cat' wanted to play with us mice.

If it surprises you that a banking mechanism that creates nothing of real value can wind up owning everything, you need to take another look at how a debt-based monetary system works.

Suppose we're on an island and we decide to use coconuts for money. It takes a certain amount of effort to harvest coconuts, but they are intrinsically valuable (one can eat them). If I want to buy your hut from you and you offer to sell it for 100 coconuts, that debt can eventually be paid.

However, suppose we have a banker on the island with us, and he convinces us to use coco-Notes instead. I go to him to borrow 100 coco-Notes. These 'notes' do not exist until the loan is created. Suddenly, our little island economy has 100 monetary units in circulation. At this point, that's all the money there is. So I pay you for your house. But I borrowed those 'notes' at interest, say 1%. Where does the interest come from?

Suppose on this same island, Rita wants to buy Sam's canoe. She borrows 50 coco-Notes to make the purchase. I can then do some work for Sam (who has spending money from selling his canoe), and earn the 'Notes' to pay off my loan. Now Rita has a problem. The banker has the interest, the principal of my loan is paid and ceases to exist, and there's no lien on my hut. But Rita owes 50 plus interest on the canoe, and there is not that much 'money' in the economy. There is NO WAY she can pay. So the banker forecloses and winds up with the canoe.

It's a dog-eat-dog world. I can no longer create value and monetize that value. All I can do is use the debt monetized by the bank. As a matter of LAW, my gold, silver, and coconuts are no longer money. They are simply commodities; property hypothecated against the debt created by the bank. Life becomes dog-eat-dog because the only way I can pay my interest is by going after someone else's principal. Whoever is still struggling when the music stops loses everything.

The game runs as long as the banker wants it to. As soon as he stops making loans -- 'creating money' -- those at the bottom of this food chain start facing foreclosure.

Welcome to America 2008. This is EXACTLY what the bankers are doing.

As we watch, the Federal Reserve is taking direct control of more and more banks. Their little flim-flam game is stealing all the property in America and, as Jefferson said, we are about to wake up homeless on the continent our forefathers conquered.

Understanding the Trick

2008-07-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

I've long maintained that 'liberal' and 'conservative' are simply styles of rhetoric that candidates for public office rely on to appeal for support. Once in office, however, they are almost all (Dr. Ron Paul being a notable exception) statists. Policy supports the growth of the government, and different excuses are offered to make the same vote for the same policy seem both liberal and conservative; i.e. in your best interests, regardless of your position on the 'political spectrum.'

It's all lies, of course. Almost all of the people who run for public office do it because they want power, not results. Once enough of us understand how this 'trick' works, maybe we can make some long overdue changes. But I still doubt that 'the system' -- broken as it is -- can ever be used to fix itself. We didn't vote ourselves into this mess. Rather, this road to hell is paved with crime, usurpation, lawlessness, rationalizations ("it's for their own good" or "the end will justify the means") extortion, and rebellion against God.

"How To Be A Successful Tyrant" digs into the mindset in a serious and yet whimsical way. Tyrants are dead earnest about their dream to run our lives and rule the world. Thinking themselves wise, they have done the very un-wise thing of attempting to sit on a throne that only Jesus Christ is worthy to sit upon. And He Who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord will hold them in derision.

That said, our duty is to watch and pray. Watch -- know what's going on; not the sound-bites for the mindless often offered up by network news, but the real story of what is happening and why. See where this road will take us.

Then pray. Turn off the entertainment and get on your knees, or your face. Examine yourself, repent and make restitution. And urge others to do the same.

Larken's book may help understand the enemy without, and within. The sins that so easily beset us reside in all our hearts. Today's elitist tyrants have only one thing the rest of us lack: opportunity.

A Great Black Man

2008-07-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

Actually, two black culture articles of interest today. "Proud To Be Stupid?" is a rebuke against the recent silliness in Dallas, Texas - construing the use of the astronomical term "black hole" as some sort of racial slur.

Second, and more uplifting, is a brief tribute of sorts to Frederick Douglass, a former slave who freed his mind and his body from slavery -- without self-pity, without race-baiting, without any of the counter-productive (at best) and downright destructive tactics used by too many of the black leaders today. Mr. Douglass was A Great Black Man and it's a shame that more of us aren't familiar with his wisdom. Visit the site and remedy that.

Sabbath Q & A

2008-07-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

Q: I am curious about your opinion of the meaning of Colossians 2:16-17:

16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--
17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.

A: My thoughts --

Sabbath and Sabbath-keeping (or Sabbath observance) is getting a lot more attention now than it did even ten years ago. I find this consistent with God's stirring our hearts and getting us out of our luke-warmness. I think the Sabbath has gotten a bad rap.

First, the idea of Sunday being the "Christian Sabbath" is rather fanciful. The antinomians ("anti-law" - the law is fulfilled in Christ so we are completely free of it. All that's required is that we love one another and love our enemies) still don't have much problem with the idea of Christians being somehow 'required' to observe Sunday as a 'day of worship.' But if you've read Pagan Christianity (for one), you know that abandoning the 7th day and having church meetings on the 1st day instead is distinctively pagan. Constantine wanted to wed the church to the state, and that's part of the way he did so.

I've noticed in my web research that there are various schemes for calculating the Sabbath. Some are based on the lunar cycles and get rather complex. I'm inclined to believe that God would not require a Sabbath observance as part of His moral law and then make compliance difficult or confusing. "Remember the Sabbath" should be no more difficult to understand than "Thou shalt not steal." True, we can make it difficult with our sophistry, but that's us, not God.

The Jews had a problem because they reasoned the Sabbath with their flesh and their mind, not with their spirit and their heart. They wanted a bunch of specific rules and wanted to quantify Sabbath-keeping. I think Jesus and Paul both dealt adequately with their errors. THAT we remember the Sabbath is a matter of the moral law; HOW we do so is under grace.

In the Colossians passage you cited, I think the emphasis is on people setting themselves up (or setting others up) to judge the quality or adequacy of the various areas cited. The point, I think, is that your Biblically-informed conscience should guide in these areas. The purpose of Sabbath-keeping was primarily as a commemoration of God's creative work. Were the Christians to actively commemorate creation, I believe the Holy Spirit would then convict the culture of the sin of embracing evolutionism. Attributing the work of God to others -- "chance" or "nature" or whatever -- is blasphemy against God. (When the Pharisees attributed a healing done by the Holy Spirit to the work of Beelzebub, Jesus called it blasphemy - see Matthew 12.)

The point, I think, is that we don't quantify the moral law, or see how close we can get to violation without 'technically' stepping over the line. This was the sin described in Numbers 15. It was forbidden to gather wood on the Sabbath. The man thought that because what he gathered was "sticks" and not "wood," (a subtle difference), that he wasn't 'technically' breaking the law. But he had rebellion in his heart, and rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. He didn't want to distance himself from sin, but wanted to get as close to the line as possible without stepping over.

I believe that, out of love for God and love for our fellow-creatures, we ought to observe a Sabbath and grant Sabbath rest to our employees, our family members, and our community. Were the Christians, for instance, to stop shopping on the Sabbath, all those retail clerks would have nothing to do and their pagan bosses would send them home. They would get their day of rest. So, to effect that, part of the historical Sabbath observance was to not use money on the Sabbath. Exceptional circumstances may REQUIRE the use of money on a Sabbath ... but those are exceptions. Our 'legalism' regarding Sabbath-keeping shouldn't keep us from doing good on the Sabbath.

Somewhat common sense, one would hope. But common sense is often jettisoned when legalism takes the helm.

Food, drink, new moon and Sabbath are spoken of as 'shadow' but the same claim is never made about, say, prohibitions against idolatry, or murder, or the requirement to honor one's parents. And, of interest, the dietary prohibitions are not in the moral law. Sabbath is in both the moral and the ceremonial law. So the ceremonial aspects are obsolete, being fulfilled in Christ. Our true "Sabbath" is not a day, but a Person. We rest in Christ; He is our Sabbath. However, this does not nullify or set aside our requirements under the moral law. I need not elaborate.

Sabbath is getting a lot of resistance amongst the mainstream believers. I think that's tragic, but that is God's concern, not mine. Christians set the seventh day aside for cleaning the garage, abortions (last I heard, the busiest day for the butchers), shopping, etc. When we become RADICAL about obeying and honoring God, and about saving this country from an otherwise certain doom, THEN and only then ....

2 Chron 7:14 - 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 will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

No Confidence

2008-07-08T14:04:00.000-07:00

We have now reached the point where there is absolutely nothing else the criminals running the Federal "government" need to do to convince the honest among us that they are, indeed, criminals. They have lied, murdered, stolen ... they routinely kill people and steal things, reward evil and punish good. And the only thing left short of armed resistance -- which I believe is coming -- is for people to publicly repudiate this gang of thugs.

Our legitimate Constitutional government is no more. It exists only in imaginations and in history books. We have gangster government; people who are actively and self-consciously opposed to God's Law and righteousness.

I repudiate them all, and I call down God's righteous wrath upon their heads. May God hear the cries of His people, and may He deliver us speedily. I believe His judgment has arrived, and a year from now we will still be reeling from it.

Read my repudiation at http://www.rogershermansociety.com/noconfidence.htm and please pass these links around. The system is broken, and we can't use a broken system to repair the system. Technology will not save us, neither will good intentions or 'voting for change.'

We're screwed. It's time to repent and honor our 400-year-old covenant with God.

Would You Have Signed?

2008-07-04T16:13:00.000-07:00

Talk is cheap. As Ron Paul noted, "the founders would be ashamed of us for what we're putting up with." Here's an update, with a short list of some of the crimes and malfeasance of our current Federal rulers. And here's your opportunity to put them on notice. Mad as hell? Gonna take it any more? Sign up ... or shut up.

Here's the link: New Declaration of Independence

Forced Money

2008-07-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

How about a new kind of website - one that "FORCES" money into your pocket! The days are now over where you were left with just "chance" on your side when it came to making money on the Internet.

A brand new technology has been developed that makes websites pay you by "force!"
Short of government-style extortion, this new technology might as well be the exact same thing. (And 'no' it was not designed by the IRS!)

This breakthrough was developed by a New York Virtual Marketing firm, and is taking the Web by storm! A spokesperson explained, "Imagine the Worldwide-Web as an ocean of money ... our new technology merely makes a way for YOU to be able to dig a big trench from that 'cash-sea' directly into your backyard!"

You get a webpage that captures a huge segment of the daily visitors it receives and winds up upselling them repeatedly with a predictable conversion each and every time. Additional site features generate ongoing traffic.

Curious? Get the complete story by visiting Forced Money.

Check it out and start making a little money on the web ... for a change!

Why Are We Here?

2008-06-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

Dennis Marcellino cites a survey on CNN Headline News that said the #1 interest of 43% of Americans is, “What is the meaning of life?”

Logically, life must have meaning. If life had no meaning, the concept would have no meaning. It would then never occur to anyone to wonder about the 'meaning of life' because the idea itself would be nonsense.

We're at the brink. Politicians want more power, corporate leaders want larger market share and higher profits, starving people want food, war-ravaged people want peace, and the average blue-collar worker just wants to be left alone.

But is that 'meaning'? Wanting things and getting what we want?

Henry Blackaby gave the keynote address at a National Day of Prayer event four years ago. His comments remain relevant: God Himself has an agenda for the world, and particularly for His people. We would be well-served to forget our priorities and think about His. All our earthly hopes, dreams, and accomplishments will vanish like a dream disappears when one awakens. None of it will matter, nor will it leave evidence that it ever even existed. But the One with whom we have to do -- He will hold us accountable.

We are called to 'watch' - to meditate on God's Word - to be extensions of God's grace in this world. So put away your vainglory, your temporary hopes and yearnings for physical comfort, power, and praise. The world, the flesh and the devil will be gone soon enough.

Then what?

I'm Better Than You

2008-06-24T12:53:00.000-07:00

"Diversity" suggests that differences are just that. I'm not 'better' (qualitatively) than another person just because I have different preferences, abilities, or physical characteristics. But this does not apply to politics. A person who eschews, or actively fights against theft, or kidnapping, or violence is actually a BETTER person. It may not be politically correct, of course, in a land that prides itself on equality, but we need to be realistic.

In this article, Larken Rose makes the case for qualitative inequality - not that it should exist, but that it does. He then challenges the reader to ask a statist you know why he feels okay about advocating that YOU be forcibly robbed every year to pay for things you don't support. And see if he can look you in the eye when/if he answers.

Also included is a link to one of Claire Wolfe's classics: 101 Things To Do 'Til the Revolution.

Read the complete article here: http://www.rogershermansociety.org/better.htm

Teaching Subservience

2008-06-22T18:31:00.000-07:00

We're used to hearing of our 'failing' public educational system, but as a matter of fact, the public schools have been incredibly successful at their primary mission: creating compliant, submissive worker-bees for the national plantation being governed by the emerging Federal tyranny. It is unfortunate collateral damage that we've created a huge body politic that can barely reason, but that was never the intention.

Larken Rose, H.L. Mencken, Mark Twain, John Stuart Mill, and John Taylor Gatto all contribute insights into this exposé of public education and the tyrannical objectives behind its demise.

Teaching Subservience by Larken Rose - Everything about the 'education' systems in most of the world teaches, first and foremost, that one should always be subservient to authority.

Demanding News

2008-06-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

Bogus "news" stories, outright fabrications, disinformation, and mindless 'infotainment' have become standard fare for much of the mainstream media. As a result, the average American viewer is either tittilated, mis-informed, or uninformed. This is hardly the formula for the informed electorate that we need if we want to get this country back onto the right track.

Michael Carl seems to think that we need to hold the media strictly accountable for accuracy, content, and relevance. In today's article, Demanding News, Rev. Carl calls on Americans to get involved by engaging the media and challenging them to return to the previously high standards of American journalism.

Trivial, lame and absurd stories do not deserve space in today's news, especially if it means significant stories must go unreported. And there is never any excuse for reporting lies as truth.

Hateful Freedom?

2008-06-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Should the victims of extortion stand together to RESIST their own prosperity? This is what AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes is encouraging Democrat union members to do in Massachusetts, where a campaign to abolish the state's income tax is gaining momentum. Of course, as long as they have electronic voting machines, the issue remains -- not in the hands of the voters -- but in the hands of the mainstream media who must make the referendum results appear plausible.

In our Orwellian world, it's entirely possible that the wage slaves in Massachusetts will vote to keep the security of their chains rather than "abolish the forms to which they are accustomed." Still, Haynes' lunacy has not escaped the notice of Larken Rose, who presents his own analysis in his recent article, Hateful Freedom?

Those who trade freedom for security lose both. Let's see what Massachusetts does.

"For the Unpopular Side"

2008-06-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

More clarity from Larken Rose: do people ACCUSED of being terrorists, or "enemy combatants," or whatever, deserve to be treated as innocent until proven guilty? Put the shoe on the other foot. If Chinese troops came over here, and did random searches of homes without warrants or probable cause, and arrested hundreds of people based on nothing more than guesses or suspicions, would you think it was okay? In other words, do you ACTUALLY believe in freedom, or do you just believe that YOU should be free?

When politicians whine that they need more power, you would do well to assume that they want to use that power against YOU, or at least that the power WILL be used against you at some time in the future.

Read Larken's latest here: http://www.rogershermansociety.org/unpopular.htm.

How To Get Rid of Love Handles

2008-06-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

I have never had much of a problem with excess body weight, or with 'love handles' in particular. But I got an email from Travis Sago and he suggested I write on 'How To Get Rid of Love Handles.'

"Weight Loss" is BIG business (no pun intended). Part of the problem is diet, part is lifestyle (lack of exercise) and part is psychological. It's no secret that Americans dine on garbage ... stuff that is really not all that nutritious. It's also no secret that our lifestyles are a lot more sedentary. With our short attention spans, we want to take one pill one time to solve the problem, whether it be skin problems, depression, or even excess weight. Unfortunately, those solutions have only one noticeable benefit: wealth and job security for the pill sellers.

It's been suggested that one of the problems with 'weight loss' is the phrasing. When you 'lose' something -- your car keys, your wallet, your term paper -- you usually set out to find it. So simply changing the phrase from 'weight loss' to 'weight release' changes the mindset. Those 'love handles' are NOT YOU. They don't belong on you, and they don't belong to you. So release them, let them go. And then don't go trying to find them or replace them.

No one needs to buy a book or see a doctor to learn that broccoli is harder on love handles than candy corn. There is lots of information (and some malicious dis-information) on the web or in the library. One concept that made sense to me (for overall health, not just weight loss) is the idea of eating according to your blood type. This information is presented by Dr. Peter D'Adamo. Unfortunately, a lot of the foods he doesn't recommend for my blood type are on my favorites list. In addition, if you have people in your family with different blood types, you wind up with either a short list of foods you can all eat, or you compromise the system.

One person who applies science to both diet (for health) and lifestyle/exercise (for fitness) is Tom Venuto. Folks who are serious about losing those 'love handles' will often try all the free stuff, listen to their friends and co-workers, and ricochet from one program or diet plan to another with no results. Tom understands this subject and guarantees his results.

For someone who just wants to get rid of love handles quickly without getting into condition, the Fat Loss 4 Idiots program might be just the ticket. I think this 'for idiots' thing has been beaten to death, and the suggestion that love handles are a sign of mental deficiency is an unkindness that heavy people should not have to endure. BUT -- the program guarantees a 9-lb loss every eleven days... safely. Nothing bizarre or extreme, some encouragement, some education, and a manageable program (you can do almost ANYTHING if it only lasts 9 days). You'll know in plenty of time whether the approach works for you or not.

So, if you want to know how to get rid of love handles, this information could be just what you need. Summer's almost here and it's a great time to get back in shape.

Selenium Therapy

2008-06-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

I found a very interesting book from, of all places, ClickBank. It is about the life, discoveries, and 73-year medical career of Dr. Emanuel Revici. He developed what might be called "Selenium Therapy" in the treatment of cancer. I wrote a short article about it which will, hopefully, get some visibility through Ezine Articles (as I make this post, the article is still in the 'pending approval' pipeline).

Dr. Revici died at age 101; clearly he was practicing what he preached. He earned the disdain of the "Cancer Industry" because, obviously, cancer is Big Business here in the U.S. Pardon my cynicism, but it's a painfully obvious truth. But the value of his information was borne out by my research on Amazon. The book retails for $40 and there was only ONE COPY on Amazon offered for sale. It was offered as a collectible because it was signed by the author, who has the book listed. No one else who has purchased the book wants to part with it. According to the sales page (linked above), used copies have been sold for as much as $570. Truly, good information has value.

The book tells all; or at least all that one needs to intelligently apply the discoveries and therapies of Dr. Revici. All we need to do is get the word out.

So, dear reader, copy and paste the link into an email and send it to all your friends. Do them a huge favor.

Earn 3k-5k Weekly

2008-05-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

The "Reverse Funnel System" is not at all what it's cracked up to be. Ty is on top and is doing very nicely, thank you, but the system itself is designed to benefit him ... and guess at whose expense?

Promises ... promises ... and the major problems with making money online remain unsolved.

America - From Freedom to Fascism

2008-04-07T18:49:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, March 04, 2006 I viewed From Freedom To Fascism at the Galaxy Cinema in Cary, North Carolina. From a technical point of view, it was masterfully done. The purpose of this review is to consider the content of the film, and also Robert Schulz’ comments following the presentation.

Russo wants us to believe that a One-World Government is being orchestrated by the international bankers/Council on Foreign Relations, and that once this new government is in place, national sovereignty and personal freedom will no longer exist. He exorts us to do whatever we can to resist, while resistance is still possible. I believe this thesis misses the mark.

What Mr. Russo doesn’t acknowledge is something the Framers knew quite well: There is already a one-world Government. It was firmly established almost 2,000 years ago when Jesus Christ announced, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” This is not an article of faith, true only for the religious folk among us. Rather, this is an article of FACT, and it’s true for everybody, whether they believe it or not.

The framers believed it. Franklin, Jefferson and Washington all referred directly to the overarching superintendence of a just God. The most-referenced resource in the writings of the framers was Blackstone’s commentaries, and his most-referenced resource was the book of Deuteronomy. The existence of God and His intervention in the affairs of men was generally understood here in America 225 years ago.

Russo sees the current political trends as the machinations of malevolent bankers who are bent on controlling the world. He doesn’t see them as pretenders to a throne that is already occupied. Nor does he suggest the possibility that our current distresses are the direct results of our moral rebellion against the One who is sitting on that throne.

The increase in tyrannical oppression that we will certainly experience if we don’t repent is simply the tool of chastisement that God is using to judge us. Should we, like dumb oxen, continue to kick against the goads? Or should we rather make peace with the One who is using those goads to punish us?

Because — like it or not — THAT’S the deal. God allows the wicked to flourish that He might destroy them forever. But He won’t destroy them as long as it’s in our best interests to suffer under them. And we will continue to suffer until we repent.

I commend Mr. Russo for his clear and compelling presentation of the unvarnished truth. This was obviously a labor of love, and he poured himself into the project.

Following the showing of the film, Mr. Robert Schulz took center stage and tried to segue from the film to his cherished issue: the petitions for redress of grievances that his We The People organization has been promoting for years. This part of the program was, to me, disappointing. While it is most certainly true, as Mr. Schulz pointed out, that the American population is more familiar with The Simpsons than they are with the Bill of Rights, it would have been appropriate to point out that American “Christians” are more familiar with The Simpsons than they are with the Ten Commandments.

AND THIS IS THE PROBLEM! The problem is not “international bankers,” or “international corporations,” or “the Council on Foreign Relations.” The problem is US: Christians who practice all the sins that offend God, then expect to remain free. And contrary to Mr. Schulz' assertion, a Petition For Redress is NOT the solution. Only national repentance will bring an end to the hostilities. This MUST begin with God's people who are called by His name.

Folks, the reason we are losing our freedom is because we don’t deserve to keep it. And until we repent and start living like sons and daughters of God, we will continue to slide down into the abyss.

Mr. Shulz and Mr. Russo both strongly promoted the idea that all power resides in the people, and that government must be with the consent of the governed. This is just democracy — a lie as old as the whopper Satan told Eve in the garden. The truth is that all power and all authority reside in Christ, NOT in “the people.” God does not bless us with freedom so we can do what we want. God allows us to be free so we can do what we ought. The problem is not political, it’s theological. The framers understood that our rights were an endowment from our Creator.

Test this yourself. What sort of wholesome, Christ-honoring behavior sets Christians apart from the public at large in America? Do Christians refuse to see some movies that the rest of the public watches? Do Christians have fewer abortions than non-believers? Is pornography beneath the standards that the Christian community has set for itself? Do Christians swear less? The only discernable difference between American Christians and the population at large is that Christians tend to go to their Sunday morning, seeker-sensitive, church “services.” And you probably know as well as I that these activities are designed to appeal to “the lost,” NOT to honor God. The “god” that is presented in many of these meetings is one of love, tolerance and diversity; a rock-and-roll deity who endorses just about any activity.

Read (or, hopefully, re-read) the Book of Judges. It’s like a broken record: the people rebel against God and His law, so God raises up the Moabites to oppress them. They repent and are delivered. They relapse into sin, so God raises up Jabin and the Canaanites to oppress them. They repent and God delivers them. They return to their evil ways, so God raises up the Midianites to oppress them ... get the picture?

Sound familiar?

Pointing these things out was not Mr. Russo’s purpose. He solely intended to sound another wake-up call to those slumbering among us. Pointing out the theological connection is the responsibility of the pastors and evangelists, and it appears they are still asleep at their posts. Perhaps Mr. Russo's effort will awaken them.

Political tyranny is not pleasant, but effective resistance will take the form of repentance, not rebellion. I had hoped that Mr. Schulz would see this. I certainly hope YOU do.

Would You Have Signed the Declaration of Independence?

2008-02-12T17:48:00.001-08:00

Opinion Polls & Market Research

The Knife in Ron Paul's Back

2008-02-06T08:26:00.000-08:00

I spent several hours walking my precinct on Monday, then went to my precinct meeting yesterday. The sense I got from my street canvassing, even among some registered voters, is that there isn't much difference between Democrats and Republicans. And I've preached that long and hard for quite a few years.

Ron Paul's unavoidable problem is that he has to run as a Republican or else he has NO ACCESS to the system. The Republicrats run the show, along with their handlers in the media. The media provides 'viability' or 'electability' by covering a campaign, and the Major Parties then choose from amongst the media's anointed to provide the voters with a well-managed choice.

The knife is the Republican's well-established history of duplicity, treachery, and betrayal. The patron saint of the 21st century Republican establishment is that icon of Conservatism: Ronald Reagan. But it was Reagan who laid the foundation for almost all of our problems. He didn't deliver on his promise for smaller and less-intrusive government, he had huge budget deficits, and he handed off to George Bush I who was a CIA operative and began all the entangling alliances, etc. in the middle east. He also disgusted us with Republican big government and greased the skids for 8 years of the Clintonistas. Two years into the Clinton regime, the voters (maybe) voted for change, and the "Contract With America" came forth. Gingrich and Armey were going to provide leadership for a batch of conservative freshman Congressmen who were going to pare down government - "bind them down by the chains of the Constitution, where they can do no mischief" as Jefferson said.

Instead, Gingrich and his buddies did all within their power to derail the clear will of the People and give us even BIGGER government.

Bush the Second ran on a platform of a humble foreign policy, no nation-building, lower taxes, responsible "Christian" government. This led to more Republican betrayal, as we all now know.

The best thing is that the Republicans don't like Ron Paul. He is obviously not one of them. I only hope he can demonstrate that the betrayal came from the NeoCons who have hijacked the party, and that this stranglehold on the body politic by the warmongers and the banksters can be broken. Whether they can be permanently put into a cage is another question, as the American voting public seems incapable of eternal vigilance. But it does awaken from its slumber from time to time, and we can only pray that this is one of those times.

A political rant to a local Candidate for office

2008-02-02T14:17:00.000-08:00

As far as I can tell, the "STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA" is a federal corporation that has usurped the organic republican State of North-Carolina and consists of a band of thugs and criminals whose sole intent is to plunder us. These people are thieves and worse, and will stop at nothing to continue their evil regime. I am appalled and disgusted by them.

When the Cubans were confronted by tyrannical government, they had some place to escape to. As far as I can tell, we have no place to escape to. We must either fight or submit. Our political enemies are destroying the middle class by design, and simply want a well-regulated federal plantation where we peasants and serfs work all day (with an extra part-time job on the weekends) while they train up OUR children in government schools, and then when we are too old or weak to work, we die.

It's one hell of a system, and it's designed that way.

I hope that you will join with us to engage the system and begin to eviscerate it. A pledge to 'not raise taxes' does not excite my passion when taxes are already obscenely high. A pledge to dramatically lower taxes would be better, and a plan to ELIMINATE taxes would suggest you get it. These bastards are harvesting billions of dollars from folks who just want to live their lives in peace. Many of these elected officials properly belong in prison. You know it ... I know it. And they probably know it, too. What's their response? Support for the "Homegrown Terrorist Act" that will be used to round up and incarcerate folks like me for simply expressing these intemperate thoughts.

Last year, our local Sheriff had a clear-cut decision to either obey his oath to God to support and defend the Constitution, or to piss on the oath and the Constitution and steal over thirty thousand dollars from me. That quisling coward chose poorly, and I am quite confident that God Himself will avenge. And it is still a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

If you are elected, and I hope you are, I fully expect you will aggressively pursue these people, and shine the light of truth on these scuttling cockroaches and their nefarious deeds. YouTube may yet save us! Make a movie and upload, and let the body politic see what these people are really like. The Revolution is not about Ron Paul; it's a whole lot bigger than that. The world knows we MUST prevail, or this will truly become "Prison Planet."

What are we gonna do about it?

Political Philosophy

2008-02-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

If I don't have a right, then I can't delegate the exercise of that non-existing 'right' to someone else. I don't care how competent or well-intentioned people in government are, if they don't have authority to do something, they shouldn't do it. And if they do it anyway, someone should be impeached (or fired) and then tried. Arrogant and tyrannical "public servants" should be on the street and living under bridges, rather than our returning veterans.

Civil government's natural tendency is to usurp, and the body politic's natural tendency is to trust their elected representatives. OUR elected representatives no longer represent us. They plunder us for their benefit.

We got here for several reasons:

First, the failure of most of us to responsibly self-govern. When we exchanged liberty under God for license, a power vacuum of sorts was created, and civil government filled the void. We've had severe moral lapses and we are paying for it.
Second, VOTE FRAUD. I don't believe we voted for a lot of this stuff. "Those who count the votes decide everything." (attributed to Josef Stalin) and our votes are counted by computers programmed by Diebold or, in NC, an outfit called ES&S. I understand these companies are owned by Israelis. So it's no wonder that pro-Israel candidates litter the political landscape.
Third, flaky theology. Many believed the "Rapture" would deliver us, so didn't care how polluted the political and social environments became. Indeed, many Christians, including pastors, taught and believed that things MUST get this bad, that this was the outworking of prophecy, that it was God's Will. Some also believe our mis-adventures in the middle east are also, somehow, sanctified activities -- even though none of it honors or glorifies Christ. Blindly, they vote for leaders who offer us more of what Schofield's Bible told us was destined to happen. Well ... it's many years after the so-called "last generation" and we're still here, and rather than God blessing us for our obedience, He is clearly judging us for our gross malfeasance.

What to do? How about:

Strict limits on governmental authority and activity
Balanced budget
Eliminate taxes
Strict accountability against lawbreakers and usurpers in government. Criminal sanctions for breach of fiduciary trust for those who violate the Constitution.
Privatize - let the market decide

I would like to see a culture that honors its senior citizens by making them tax-immune after age sixty. No property tax, no income tax, no sales tax. We need to 'rise up before the hoary head' as the scriptures say, and respect the fact that these folks have paid their share.

We also need to get the government out of the school business. Period. Privatize every single school and get rid of the Department of Education.

Get the government out of garbage collection and the rest. All the government properly needs to do is punish the wicked. We need a Sheriff who respects the Constitution (that excludes Harrison) and will go after the true miscreants in our society, and we need a court system to try them (with fully informed juries), and a penal system to rehab them if possible, or execute them if necessary.

And we need a legislature that will go through the laws on the books and repeal a LOT of them.

We have a RIGHT to travel. The DMV has no legitimate authority taking our natural God-given right, converting it into a 'privilege' by legal word-smithing and sophistry, and then selling that right back to us as a state-granted privilege. There should be, and properly is no, tax on my RIGHT to own an automobile or a house or any other property.

Join the Revolution: Would YOU have signed the Declaration of Independence?

Another One Bites The Dust?

2008-01-28T13:00:00.000-08:00

Rumor has it (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/01/breaking-news-i.html) that Rudy Giuliani is considering quitting the race. Many in the Revolution will take this gleefully, but ...

But I don't think our objective should be to simply 'win' an election. We need to win the hearts and minds of our political opponents. We want the wholesale rejection of centralized political power, Keynesian economics, empire-building and all the other failed policies and philosophies that have brought us to the edge of the abyss.

The mainstream media, I suspect, are not happy with another drop-out, as there will be less advertising dollars for them. Too bad. It would be nice if the media would also figure out what is really going on.

Fund Raiser

2008-01-28T08:28:00.001-08:00

(This was a fund-raising 'Chip-In' widget to support the Ron Paul campaign in North Carolina.)

New Hampshire Debates - we were lucky

2008-01-05T22:12:00.000-08:00

Dr. Paul did not look well on Saturday night. He looked exhausted, and also a little confused. I think it was clear that he got the least face time of all the candidates. I also think it's a blessing in disguise that the FOX effort was cancelled. They are still not our friends, but the NH GOP took the opportunity to appear 'principled' and I think not having another debate works to our advantage.

Dr. Paul differentiates himself by being the only candidate who stands for the RULE OF LAW. This is significant, and instead of addressing issue-this or issue-that, he needs to rise above all the "me, too!" offered by both parties, and hold every one of them accountable to the Constitution. Even when asked about his core principles, he hit maybe a ground rule double when he should have hit that one out of the park.

We are tired of tyranny. We've seen enough rule by well-intentioned men who think that anything worth doing should be done and managed by the Federal government. And we need to hit all these tyrants with that concept over and over and over again. We need to remind the body politic that if ANY proposed course of action does not pass Constitutional muster, it must be rejected, and that any pretender to the Presidency who will ignore the Constitution is not worthy of anyone's vote.

Before we know it, all kinds of other candidates will be launching campaigns for judgeships, State senators, U.S. Congress, sheriffs, etc. etc. And we owe it to the electorate to raise up a clear standard, that standard being the Constitution. We need to tell them over and over again that we are replacing a government of men with a government of law. That's what this Revolution is all about. We want our freedom back, and we will never get it back as long as we support people who refuse to obey the law. We need to urge every voter or potential voter to turn off the tube for 20 minutes and read the Constitution (and a downloadable PDF copy should be available on every web site that supports Ron Paul).

Finally, I would suggest a series of radio spots along the lines of:
Hi, I'm Ron Paul, Republican candidate for President.

During this campaign, you will continue to hear candidates for various positions as they offer their solutions to the many problems our country is now facing. How can an intelligent voter decide which solutions are best?

Might I suggest a simple test that is often overlooked? Just look in the U.S. Constitution and see for yourself if the law gives authority for the solution proposed. For instance, a candidate may universal health care. However, the Constitution does not grant the Federal government authority to meddle with health care at all. The Constitutiont says, "the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution ... are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people," and the Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land.

The lawful and moral answer then becomes clear: Health care is a matter for families, the free market, and perhaps state governments. History has also shown us that this is the right path. Since the Federal government began meddling in medicine, health care in this country has gotten worse.

Be an informed voter. Visit our web site for a free copy of the Constitution.

I'm Ron Paul, and I endorse this message.

These can be mp3 files on the web site that we can download and play on local radio stations, pass on to friends, or even call local call-in radio shows and play through the phone and over the air. Dr. Paul's answers and issue statements should be salted with direct quotes from the Constitution.

We ... as Ron Paul supporters ... need to be totally conversant in the Constitution. The defining issue of this campaign is nothing less than the future of our country, and perhaps of the free world, and that issue is this: Are we a nation of law? Either we will be a nation of law or we will be a nation of tyrants. We either elect a President or we get a king. Hillary recently responded to a hard question by having the questioner hauled out of the meeting and tasered. This while she is campaigning to get people to like her and trust her. What she will do if elected is anyone's guess, but almost all of our Republican candidates are cut from the same cloth.

Feel free to forward this, read it on your program, whatever. Most important is to get these ideas before Dr. Ron or Dr. Rand.

Let freedom ring!

Blogging Techniques Offer from Simpleology

2007-12-20T17:00:00.000-08:00

I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.

It covers:

The best blogging techniques.
How to get traffic to your blog.
How to turn your blog into money.

I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.

Christmas - my irreverent thoughts

2007-12-08T07:14:00.000-08:00

My bottom line on Christmas is simply this: it's a secular/pagan holiday that does NOT honor Christ, does NOT advance the gospel, and basically leaves people with warm and fuzzy sentimentality while (hopefully) emptying their pockets. The biggest smiles and the merriest Christmas belong to the retailers. January is doubly bleak, because the weather is usually disagreeable, and the bills come in.

Jehovah's Witnesses have hit this one right (and they are also right on the Pledge of Allegiance). Christmas is not for Christians. When you celebrate your birthday (if you do), do you break out your baby pictures? Do you relate a historically incorrect rendition of your birth? If not, then why is this done for Jesus Christ?

It's just Saturnalia, folks: A Pagan Holiday in drag. No "Christmas" before about the 4th Century, when the political powers that then existed apparently realized that the only way to control the Christians was to infiltrate them, something very difficult when the church was underground. So they made Christianity the 'official religion' of the Roman Empire, something to which the church never aspired.

And guess what? Same deal today: "Christianity" is the "official religion" of America, and the government (our pagan masters) controls the whole show through its network of 501(c) 3 franchises that dot the landscape.

Have you ever seen an "American Flag" in a church building? Why is that? Just who do they serve? Do they collect taxes from the folks who work there? Are they under submission to Federal, state, and local civil governments? If so, why? Perhaps because the "Jesus" they serve is also under submission - a FALSE CHRIST (that's what "antichrist" means, by the way) that has been manufactured for people who don't really want the real One.

Hmmmmm.

"We Are The Borg"

2007-12-08T07:04:00.000-08:00

Star Trek - The Next Generation had, as one of the nemeses of the Enterprise crew, a foe called The Borg. This was a community of people who submerged their identities into the collective and, by technological means, became completely interactive with each other. The goal of The Borg was to assimilate everyone and, of course, this meant overcoming the resistance of any who did not wish to become part of the Borg collective.

I leave it to you, reader, to determine if that's the direction we're going and, if so, whether we really want to go there. I fear that when a lot of people decide they don't want to go there, it will already be too late.

Unless, of course, we experience one of those 'singularities' that takes out our technology and puts us back where we were in the 19th century.

For myself, I'm 'tech'd out' so to speak -- I've had too much of what our technological world offers and I'm tired of it. That's why I haven't blogged in the past three months and why I'm not renewing my web sites. I fear that it can only get worse, and that possibility does not excite me.

We Are Not Professionals

2007-09-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading John Piper's plea to pastors, entitled Brothers, We Are NOT Professionals in which he outlines what he calls an appeal for "radical ministry." The word 'radical' comes from the Latin word 'radix' meaning 'root.' Ironically, radical ministry today just means getting back to the roots -- the basics -- of what ministry was when the apostles lived.

My thanks to Jim Hatfield for recommending it.

The book was published in 2002 and I don't know how long it takes for something like this to gain traction in the 'marketplace of ideas' but I sincerely hope, in this case, that it's quickly. It targets pastors, but since a pastor is a spiritual shepherd, the lessons apply to anyone in the Body who has a leadership role relating to anyone else. Fathers are 'pastors' of their families and church staff members similarly are in leadership positions.

Read it and then return to this blog and post your thoughts.

Taking Hell Seriously

2007-09-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

Bill Weise (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho9iA2pJ9SM) claims that in 1998 he had an out-of-body experience in which he visited hell.

This is, to me, a very sobering thought. Today, it's theologically fashionable to postulate that either everyone will be eventually saved, or that hell is not really that serious; that is, either it's not permanent or the flames aren't really that hot.

Or that it's all parables and figures of speech ... I won't catalog all the theories; just ask any ten church-goers and you'll hear plenty.

Weise and those who interview him tend to think that this experience, and Weise's relating of it, are intended to energize the believers in their efforts at 'soul-winning.' I'm too Reformed to accept that, and think the problem the Lord is addressing lies elsewhere.

Of course, it's also evangelically fashionable to believe that the Lord is basically very satisfied with us: our attitudes, our lifestyles, our effervescent worship services, etc. So we're lagging a bit in the area of personal evangelism and He sends us a wake-up call in the person of Bill Weise, and the message is "Get out there and witness! Your neighbors will go to hell if you don't warn them!"

As I said, some Reformed thinkers may find this problematic. I certainly don't believe the Lord will allow someone to perish because I am disobedient. We can pursue this later (or write me). I think the real problem is ingratitude in the Body. We Christians don't really believe that being saved from hell was all that big a deal, so we lack gratitude for what Christ has done for us.

Check out the video. More importantly, check out what the Bible has to say about hell. Read Jonathan Edwards' classic Sinners In The Hands of an Angry God. Meditate on what God says you were like, and what condition you were in, before you were saved. Then thank God for His grace toward you, and for the mighty deliverance that was wrought for you in Christ. A flat tire, a layoff, a serious disease, a tax levy -- none of these should be even considered as evidence against God's passionate love for you in light of your deliverance from hell. So don't insult Him (as I confess I have) by questioning His love and compassion because of the temporary inconveniences of this brief experience we call life. I don't know what you may be going through right now, but no matter what it is, it sure beats hell.

Ron Paul - President or Savior?

2007-08-21T21:14:00.000-07:00

Let me state at the outset that I really like Ron Paul. Of all the announced Republican candidates for President, he is far and away the best. But my comments concern his supporters, and it's just a caveat: Ron is running for President, not Savior. I have no doubt that he would set nothing but good precendents, that his appointments would be stellar, and that, if given the necessary support, he would do more to enhance and restore this country than anybody since maybe Andrew Jackson.

Having said that, I still think it needs to be repeated often that we didn't wind up in this mess because we voted for the wrong guys. This country is suffering from severe moral lapses. The blood of over 50 million dead babies still cries out to the Lord for vengeance, as does the blood of countless tens of thousands of others whose untimely demise is directly attributable to overt or covert actions of American political regimes. And we remained complicit as long as the market was bullish. We continued to look the other way, default on our moral and civic responsibilities, and go along with the status quo when we thought it was too hard or too unpopular to do otherwise.

If there are not tears in the streets, I still fear there will be blood, even if Ron Paul is elected. He may be the leader God gives us to shepherd this country through its repentance. But repentance there must be before national restoration and renewal can occur.

We can't just elect one 'good guy' and expect that everything will be fine.

So, to my fellow Ron Paul supporters I say: let's bear in mind that this is a spiritual mess we're in, and let's become the kind of people who deserve a Ron Paul presidency.

Take Your Conscience To Work - National Campaign

2007-08-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

We really don't need pastors to be out in the street or in the face of all those unbelievers out there. All we really need is pastors who aren't afraid of their congregations and who will challenge their people to "Take Their Conscience To Work" - and hold them strictly accountable if they don't.

What most of us don't understand -- or refuse to believe -- is that WE ARE DOING THIS TO OURSELVES. The IRS doesn't send an agent from Utah or WashDC to harass us and steal our stuff. They have a local office, and a sheriff, and a judge, etc. etc. These local people are members of our churches, or neighbors, maybe even members of our families. The places where they work run because WE staff the offices and 'turn the wheels.' If all the 'behind-the-scenes' people, the clerks and so forth, simply REFUSE to participate in illegal activities, the whole process stops. True, it will tend to stop quicker if the judges and our elected officials stop their state-sponsored terrorism against us (is there any rational person who thinks the IRS is not a terrorist organization?), but if every Christian finally decides to just do what's right, the system will grind to a halt.

But we don't. We Christians continue to function and give our little daily pushes to the wheels of tyranny because we say, "I'm not really doing anything wrong. I just _______ (open the mail, answer the phone, administer the network, take out the trash, etc.) If our duties, as menial as they might be, were not essential to the functioning of the business or office, our jobs would be eliminated. If immorality, societal decay, socialism and tyranny are being promoted in any way by the business you are in, you are contributing to it.

So I think "Take Your Conscience To Work" should become a rallying cry of the patriots. Let's truly integrate our Christian principles in our life's work and refuse to do anything that contributes to the further decay of our culture. The problem isn't Mexicans coming over the border, or megalomaniacs in DC. The problem is that we each, in our own little ways, contribute to tyranny every day. Why? Because 'we need the money,' and if we don't perform, we don't get paid. And if we are willing to be slaves to mammon, we will get just what we deserve.

Perhaps this is why neither Jesus, nor John the Baptist, nor Paul railed against the oppressive Roman government. They each realized that the empire's engine of oppression could only operate with local support. So instead of decrying 'the government,' John specifically addressed the agents through whom tyranny was exercised: "Collect no more than what is appointed for you." "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages." (Luke 3:13-14) No railing against "the system" and no attempt to change policy or politics. Just do what's right.

Jesus also dealt with the tax system when He called Matthew: "Follow Me." (Mark 2:14) That was it; one less tax collector for the people to deal with. What will happen if every Christian in the government decides to truly follow Christ, instead of just paying Him lip-service on Sunday? And what would happen if, as I suggested previously, the pastors would hold their members accountable for seven-days-a-week discipleship? Jesus saw two clear and exclusive loyalties: God and Mammon. It's gotta be one or the other; can't be neither and can't be both.

Paul said, "Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hand the thing that is good, that he may have something to give to him who has need." (Ephesians 4:28) We all know (or sure should by now!) that the mis-applied 'income' tax is simply theft. Those who promote it and those who benefit from it are stealing property. Again, Paul does not rail against 'the system' but rather simply tells Christian participants to drop out of it.

Most Christians I've met are too immature to understand the power of this sort of obedience, even though Jesus Himself explained it in clear terms in Matthew 16:19. Your un-Christian neighbor wants to be 'just as good as a Christian' (is supposed to be) but doesn't want to get involved with church, religion, or (God forbid!) obnoxious Christian people. Still, the standard is set by the people of God. When we quit trying to tell the world how they should live (self-righteousness or holier-than-thou, both nauseating to Christ) and start living as we ought, we will raise the bar and set the standard to which the culture must rise if they want to be 'just as good as a Christian.'

It's really no more complicated than that. As long as we're content to gather in our little buildings and sing our little songs and have our little Bible studies, the world and the culture will remain unchanged. As long as we continue to ROT as we pretend to be disciples and are really just compliant cowards, our culture will continue to deteriorate. Chuck Missler has pointed out that "faith is not belief in spite of the evidence. It is obedience in spite of the consequences."

When we start taking Christ seriously and we take our Biblically-informed consciences to work: when we refuse as a matter of faith and obedience to participate in any way to the further destruction of our culture, THEN we will start having an impact.

The longer we wait, the bloodier and messier it will be.

Cowardice and Hypocrisy Leading to Tyranny

2007-08-17T15:35:00.000-07:00

I want to clarify something that I think most Patriots and Christians still don't get. Chuck Baldwin has identified it as cowardice in the pulpit. I think he's accurate as far as he goes, but the picture he has presented is incomplete.

There are hundreds of thousands of us who toddle off to work every day. These are the people who keep things running. The clerk, the mechanic, the radio announcer, the Congressional aide, the insurance salesman. Many of these people also go to church on Sunday.

But these people, by and large, have not integrated what they profess on Sunday with what they do on the job. They are like the politician who says "I will not let my personal opinions influence the way I will conduct my office if I am elected." Most people think this is just the politician promising 'fairness.' I see it as a politician promising an office that lacks integrity. Fact is, we WANT officials whose conduct is consistent with their character, and we want to vote for people whose character matches ours or, even better, matches that of Christ.

For Christians, the 'salt' and 'light' in the world, the issue is deeper. As disciples of Christ, we are REQUIRED to integrate our faith with our life. Christianity isn't a religion; it's a dynamic day-by-day relationship with our Creator through Christ. We are to reflect and live out the presence of God in our lives all day, every day.

We little cogs in the wheel, however, are 'just doing our jobs.' That pathetic and unGodly Nuremberg defense is still with us.

What would happen if Christians would simply REFUSE to violate their consciences at work? The sheriff who refuses to enforce what he knows is an unlawful order, the insurance salesman who refuses to promote an immoral insurance contract, the banker who refuses to go along with an unconscionable deal? OR -- the Christian bureaucrats who are salted through the current regime who are just following orders, or who feel that because their role in some odious program is so minor that whether or not they comply, they can't stop the machine but they CAN get fired. "And, after all, God DOES want me to support my family, doesn't He?"

It is the pastors and, to a lesser extent, the elders, who must confront this rank hypocrisy in the flocks. If a Christian, for instance, is 'just the receptionist' in a clinic that just does an occasional abortion every once in a while, that Christian needs to be told that there is a MAJOR ISSUE here and that he/she had better take a stand or else his/her sorry butt will be thrown out of the church and into the gutter where it belongs. Harsh? That's what Jesus Himself said! Savorless salt belongs in the gutter, to be trodden underfoot by men.

I am not complaining about pastors who refuse to confront the culture. I don't think that's their job. They (along with evangelists, apostles, prophets and teachers) were given to the church to equip the people of God. My complaint is with pastors who refuse to confront the hypocrites in their own congregations. Who offer warm and fuzzy and entertaining sermons Sunday after Sunday; whose congregations never weep ... or see a reason to.

What we need is a "Take Your Conscience To Work" campaign where everyone who names the name of Christ is charged with the responsibility of discovering the mission of his employer and the implications of everything he/she does, and say 'NO!' whenever any work activity tends toward the further destruction of our culture and our country.

Michael New had the courage to refuse to obey a manifestly unlawful order. Most of us are too consumed with the pursuit of the rapidly depreciating FRN to do the same. If we don't have the courage to live as free people and say NO! to the oncoming tyranny, we will get the tyranny. We are doing this to ourselves and the battle line is drawn between every pulpit in the country and the people who are charged to be salt and light.

When the worker-bees stop, everything stops.

I recently had my car STOLEN by the "STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA" (a federal corporation). The deputy who came out to actually steal my car KNEW something was wrong. He KNEW he had no moral right, nor did the STATE, to take my car (or my money). But he didn't have the ethics or the guts to tell his higher-ups. It was easier for him to just obey orders. Tyranny wears the uniform of the police and Sheriff, and these are the ones who will enforce our destruction. And MANY of these cops and deputies go to churches; churches where the pastors don't have the guts to tell the truth.

More on Tom Cryer

2007-08-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

I never felt so nauseated.

I posted a question regarding Tom's income tax trial on the Answers forum at Yahoo! While I hesitate to make an unwarranted inference from the responses I received, it's hard to be optimistic. Among the pearls of 'wisdom' that were contributed by various respondents:

"PepsiLime" contributed what was voted to be the 'best' answer. He/she offered "I don't think they allow a website to be operated in prison while you're serving time for tax fraud, tax evasion, and whatever other charges he'll get convicted of." This is the 'best' answer? Well, P-Slime, until you and your fellow communistic, socialistic misfits take absolute control, we will still have something called protection from double jeopardy. Did you even read my post? Tom Cryer had a criminal trial and he was found NOT GUILTY. That means the jury decided he DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. So why, pray tell, would he still find himself serving time? And why did the rest of you morons choose this as the "best answer"?

Numbercruncher opines "You do not have the God given right to work or to own property. The declaration of Idependence [sic] is pretty clear on this issue." He adds "In the end we would all love to keep more of our money, but we also like our parks, raods, sewers, water system, police and so on - taxes are what pay for that." Numbercruncher's response is almost as lame as the one offered by Pepsi Slime. Another Nazi, Numb has obviously never even read the source document he references. This state-worshipper seems to think that all good things come, not from God our Creator, but from the federal government. Another lame brain. Clueless.

Judy, designated a 'top contributor,' weighs in with this gem: "I don't think that God gets involved in property rights." I guess she doesn't think God had much to do with Deuteronomy, either. The eighth Commandment says "Thou shalt not steal." If no one has any rights to property, the concept of 'theft' is nonsense. What you really believe, you Nazi, is that the government owns everything.

Ronald E B came in on the shallow end: "The 16th amendment to the constitution was ratified by the states in 1913. It has been the law ever since. It says, in part:"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived..."That is pretty clear. Those who argue that congress doesn't have the right to tax income have never won in the 94 years since it became the law of the land." He remains blissfully ignorant of how the term 'income' is legally defined, and is also unaware of the massive fraud in the so-called 'ratification' of the 16th. In any event, the courts have correctly ruled that the 16th, (whether ratified or not) granted no new powers to the Congress. Another state-worshipper, or coward (or both) who has no knowledge of the issue, or law, or history.

Bostonianinmo thought Cryer got lucky but is a moron anyway for challenging the system. So was Paul Revere, right?

NGC6205 says, "Please don't fall for tax protestor rhetoric. Most tax protestors are delusional." Delusional? I'd say NGC6205 should look into a mirror. Apparently, he thinks he's a license plate.

I'm not surprised at the lack of legal understanding of most who responded, since the legal craft has worked for over 70 years to make the Code as incomprehensible as possible. The puking factor, however, is the amount of socialistic ardor these posters have for the income tax. I would expect that a true American would be appalled by the very thought of either rights coming from government, or of civil government having an inherent legitimate claim on the property or labor of any natural person. But these folks seem to be okay with the American Socialist Empire, with government crushing people and stealing property.

Well, Americans -- most of you are a disgrace to the principles upon which our nation was founded. As Samuel Adams said, "Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." Because you have forgotten God, He will also forget your children. And that noble experiment in liberty under Law will be relegated to the ash-heap of history. You will all be slaves on the federal plantation, and the banquet of prosperity we enjoyed under a rubric of limited civil government will just be a dim memory.

There Is No Law

2007-07-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

Tom Cryer took his case to court and he won. Let's re-phrase that: the IRS took Tom Cryer to court and lost. Big time.

There is no law, nor could there be, that gives the federal government a piece of you for simply exercising your God-given right to work and exchange your life and efforts for property.

There is NO LAW.

The "show us the law" petition is now obsolete. It's out there for all of Creation to see. By legal sophistry and brute force, our so-called "representatives" and our so-called "impartial" judges have conspired to rip off working Americans, who create and, by law, own the wealth in this country.

Now there is a website to orchestrate the propagation of this message: http://www.truthattack.org.

Go there, sign up, join in, TAKE ACTION. We simply cannot afford to do nothing and leave a slavery plantation to our children and grandchildren.

Why Does God Permit Evil?

2007-07-26T21:25:00.000-07:00

I cranked off quite the essay on this topic about a week ago, then immersed myself totally in a week-long HTML experience, punctuated regularly by one or more of my three grand-daughters who clamored for immediate attention.

Then, four days ago, I rekindled a friendship with a Christian brother currently living in Florida, and a flurry of 28 emails ensued. He's involved in prison ministry and also in League of the South. He also approved of my sentiments regarding our "Woos-ified 'Jesus' " and I hope he passes the link around. I've heard quite a few sermons in my almost-60 years, and NEVER heard one that addressed the rugged masculinity of Jesus and His disciples. I'm confident there are some sermons like that out there, and I would bet that they are all of VERY recent vintage. For myself, I've tuned out almost all of it, except R.C. Sproul and Ravi Zacharias.

My views on evil are posted at http://www.rogershermansociety.org/whyevil.htm and I won't repeat them here. And I'm not sure I'll even agree with them here. A pure Reformed theology postulates that if God is sovereign, he is sovereign over ALL. I can't freely choose what color socks to wear; it's all overruled by God.

I'm not willing to go quite that far. I can allow for 'free will' that doesn't touch moral issues. And when you see the article I just referenced, you'll realize there could be (and I believe there is) a metaphysical aspect to the issue that doesn't even occur to most of us.

The only reason I bring it up is because I'm hoping someone will stumble into either this blog or the article and will offer some refining or clarifying thoughts. The 'average' Christian certainly won't, but I think there are a few thinkers out there who have abandoned our Christianized civil religion and are willing to consider the matter on its merits.

And after I get all this HTML taken care of and my new book is 'officially' published, I should be able, by God's abundant grace, to direct a little more energy in these metaphysical pursuits.

Dear Church -- ready for grad school?

2007-06-18T12:19:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the lights come on.

I'm convinced that there are a whole lot less true Christians in this country than we've been led to believe. And I really don't expect much from unbelievers, no matter how well disguised they are.

But I've still believed there is a solid core of authentic disciples in this country; people who have earnestly repented, who are submitted to the LORD Jesus Christ, who study their Bibles and live out their faith. These have cried before the Throne of God for national deliverance, for a revival -- anything to stop our accelerating slide into the abyss.

But the beat goes on, the pace increases, and we watch the sign-posts of debauchery whiz past even faster. Things that were unthinkable even ten years ago (need I elaborate) are now happening. Christ is the only one who can stop the insanity, and He doesn't seem willing to do so.

And I wondered, "why not?"

Well, I decided to review my history, and I noticed a pattern: the periods of glory in the history of the church were times of persecution. For the church in America to be refined, we MUST be persecuted.

Christ is sending us to grad school.

We've had "Christianity on the cheap" for as long as I've been around (just shy of 60 years). "Just believe in Jesus" has been a mantra for a while now. The visible church has become a marketplace, and it's easy, even respectable, to be a "Christian." We've had cassettes, Bible book stores, Christian web sites, TV shows and radio programs. Let's face it, the average Christian has been washed with Bible teaching, and has also been exposed to every flaky theology to come down the pike.

And now it's about time for the rinse cycle.

Biblical Christianity is about to be criminalized in this country. Between "hate crimes" legislation and the "war on terror," large numbers of people will be rounded up and jailed. Lots of "Christians" will, of course, decide that the price tag is a little higher than "easy believism" led them to believe, and they will simply recant.

For the rest, the hot refining fires of persecution will do what persecution has always done.

So I think it's probably time we abandon the idea that Christianity, or even common decency, will be returning to America any time soon. God's plan seems to be that His people will be preserved through the rigors of an Americanized Babylonian captivity. Yes, it will be arduous and yes, some of us will die under less than pleasant circumstances. But those outside will live in cities whose streets flow with blood, and the unrestrained judgments of God will fall unrestrained on them.

When the dust settles, He will lead us out, and we will finally have become the people He wants us to be.

As Paul said, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God," (Acts 14:22) and "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim. 3:12)

What Every Job-Seeker Should Know: http://www.transitioncoachingforall.com

Our "Woos-ified" Jesus

2007-05-27T08:50:00.000-07:00

I am becoming more aware of, and more concerned about, the picture of Christ that we -- His children -- reflect to the world. "Niceness" has become, at least in the American Christian sub-culture, the consummate virtue, trumping courage, boldness, and honesty. For the most part, the good Christian man is sweet and docile. Rugged, 'biker-dude' masculinity is passe.

But what about Jesus? I considered the lyrics to what has become one of our standard praise choruses in the church:

"Jesus" is the sweetest name I know
And He's just the same ... as His lovely name
That's the reason why I love Him so,
"Jesus" is the sweetest name I know.

Substitute any other man's name in the verse above. What do you get? I'd call it "A Paean to a Pansy."

Jesus was not "sweet" and "lovely." He was a rugged and thoroughly masculine man. A lumberjack, a work-and-sweat laborer. When a carpenter built something in ancient Israel, he didn't run down to the lumber store. He cut down a tree -- by hand -- and proceeded from there. No Skil saws or power tools.

Similarly, Jesus' friends were heavy dudes. Fishermen who worked all night with hands and shoulders and backs. Do your homework and see for yourself how these people lived.

And yet, we portray Jesus and His disciples as soft and lovely, in our music and in our art.

Listen, folks. Jesus Christ is no wimp, and we give Him an insult if we portray Him as such. Christian men need to become the most manly people on the planet. Don't let either the world or the wimps in the Christian establishment define YOUR Christianity.

http://www.rogershermansociety.com

Jeremiah - God's Offer of Reprieve

2007-03-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah gives us a view of one of the darkest time in ancient Israel. Hezekiah had been a good king, but his son Manasseh filled Jerusalem with blood from one end to the other. Now Zedekiah was king, and the Babylonians were coming to destroy Jerusalem. In chapter 17 at verse 4, God told His people that they had kindled a fire in His anger that would burn forever.

They should have been terrified!

Of interest is God's offer of forgiveness which, unfortunately, they did not accept. God simply said that if they would just obey the 4th Commandment, which they had been flagrantly violating, he would restore their city and it would remain forever (Jer. 17:19-25). His counsel to them was to observe the Sabbath.

Read the entire article at http://www.rogershermansociety.org/reprieve.htm

Life Without Limbs

2007-03-06T11:17:00.000-08:00

I was recently sent a link that introduced me to the life and ministry of Nick Vujicic. I can't add much to the content of the videos posted here: http://www.dawneden.com/2006/09/no-arms-no-legs-no-worries.html.

What about "The Secret"?

2007-03-05T22:12:00.000-08:00

The latest fad amongst the network marketers (and others) is "The Secret" - a DVD and book combination created and marketed by Rhonda Byrne. I've seen it several times, and just read a scorching review of it and one of its new proponents -- Oprah Winfrey -- by actor/writer Peter Birkenhead. Check it out at
http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2007/03/05/the_secret/.

As I've said previously (not in this blog, and it's not original with me), 90% of the stuff in rat poison is good for the rat. I doubt that 90% of "The Secret" is good for the person honestly seeking to improve his life. And fortunately, most of the really toxic stuff is blatantly obvious.

This is NOT a world where you can get what you want just by wishing for it. And there IS a final judgment.

But there are a few things RIGHT with "The Secret." Building your attitude on gratitude instead of grumbling will make the world a better place. And I don't think any vision is too big. You CAN become what you want ... sorta. It's unlikely that all the kids aspiring to become the President will do so. Still, there is no reason not to aspire to greatness.

I expect there will be a lot of responses to "The Secret" now that it's become part of "Oprah Consciousness" and has become a best-seller. And I'll be looking for a solid, Biblical response to the New Age psychobabble therein. But let's remember that even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Our "Secret" as Christians is, of course, no secret at all. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." And "Blessed is the man ... who meditates on God's law day and night .... whatever he does prospers." (Psalm 1). In short, build your foundation in God's Kingdom and enjoy the fruits thereof. And, like the genie in "The Secret," there is NO LIMIT to the blessings.

History of the True Church

2007-03-04T16:29:00.000-08:00

QUESTION: There is a lot of buzz about the history of the church of Christ being the ''Campbell Movement.'' From a.d 33 to a.d 606 there is church history but then history seems to go silent concerning the church of Christ. Where did our history go? For almost 1300 years there is not much said about the "Church". Can we really account for the silence? Or has our whole belief/doctrine been fused together without accurate merits? - (Dwight B.)

The history of the Campbells and Barton Stone in the Restoration Movement is well documented.

What history looks like in the rear-view mirror is actually very similar to what we see happening today. There is the "visible" church -- those 501(c)3 religious franchises that dot the landscape. Within some, and outside of many, there are those blood-bought disciples who quietly live lives of Christian integrity and spiritual power. Inconspicuous, and often doing great works that are ignored by the culture because they are done in the name of Christ, these people are nonetheless a tremendous preserving and stabilizing influence.

Christ came in the fullness of time. Read ancient history -- The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, The Works of Josephus, the Inquisition, etc. etc. and realize how barbaric man is capable of becoming, and how human nature is unspeakably brutal when unrestrained and untamed. Then look beneath the surface at the people of Christian faith who have prevailed. Their names are rarely recorded, but the evidence of their lives is unmistakeable. What else could explain why fallen man has not destroyed himself and this planet in the 2000 years since Christ?

The early Christians and many since were not persecuted for their goodness, but for their allegiance. Read Foxe's Book of Martyrs and you will see that the church has always been here.

Having said that, if you look back before the Campbell/Stone Restoration, you don't see church buildings with "The Church of Christ" on them, or books and newspapers speaking of "The Church of Christ" as you do today. As it should be, I suppose. The phrase "Church of Christ" does not appear in the Bible, as you know. "churches of Christ" as a simple descriptive appears once, in Romans 16:16. Biblical Christians were not concerned with a "corporate name," that is, some name that would identify their group. Biblically, they were "followers of the Way." In John 15:15 we see that Jesus called His disciples "friends." (This is where the 'Society of Friends' got their name. Their detractors called them "Quakers" - they did not choose this name for themselves). The disciples were called "Christians" first at Antioch, and some think this was also a pejorative.

The "Church" was hijacked by the Roman Empire at about the time of Constantine. Remember, to the early disciples, Christianity was not a religion. It was a lifestyle grounded in a relationship with God through Christ. No one in those early days could stand up and say, "In the name of _________ (name your favorite 'deity' from the Roman pantheon), be healed" and expect anything to happen. But in the Name of Christ, things happened! Recognizing the power and desiring to either control it or muzzle it, they made Christianity the "official religion" of the Empire. Suddenly, to be anything in the culture or in the political system, one had to profess Christianity. And we see the same thing today: folks who speak "Christianese" ... who know the buzz words and speak our lingo and sing the same hymns .... whose lives are powerless at best, and often are counter-productive to Biblical truth.

It was, perhaps, for this very reason that the trappings of institutionalism were eschewed by the church fathers. They didn't have church buildings, real estate, elaborate church and para-church ministries, or any other sort of institutional hierarchies within which wolves could ascend into positions of influence and power. Their trademark was love, and their credentials were simply written on the hearts of those to whom they unselfishly ministered. They didn't set up seminaries, or denominational headquarters or any of the rest. They were ... simply ... followers of the Way. Their 'religion' was their life, not their Sunday morning and Wednesday night activity. Their ministries were simply the overflow of who they were.

These people knew something many of us have forgotten: that all authority in heaven and on earth was given to Christ. It's not a future event, with Satan running things down here until Jesus returns. They were absolutely convinced that Jesus was their King, that He would protect them as they remained in His will, and that they had a home not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. They knew that "faith" is not a belief that is maintained in spite of the evidence, but it is OBEDIENCE to Christ in all things, in spite of the consequences.

So where were the Christians before the Campbells? The same place they are now: overlooked and ignored in the world because of the compelling presence and distraction of visible religion. The TRUE church of Christ was commonly compared to things small, humble, insignificant, or unnoticed: the tiny mustard seed, or salt which flavors (and creates thirst) while becoming essentially invisible when used to season food. Spiritually, THE light of the world, reflecting the glory of God in Christ to a dark world. But alas! the world prefers darkness..... and religion. So while the picture of the church has been neglected, her footprints in history are impossible to ignore. If you're looking for a 14th century building or a 9th century manuscript with "Church of Christ" on it, you won't find it.