The Silence Is Deafening

     I wonder how much difference it would make in the future of this country if our Churches were unafraid?  (And by that, I mean our Church Leadership).  Boy, I would sure like to have the opportunity to find out!
     An article by Joe McKeever, of the Christian Post, really got me to thinking.  What if Pastors quit worrying about what their congregation might think if they talked about national issues like same-sex marriage or abortion?  If they actually talked about these hot-button issues from a biblical perspective, don't you think that it might change the way our culture views them?  You don't have to give a hell-fire and brimstone sermon; or question anyone's salvation; or pass judgment on your fellow man.  You make it about God -- what HE says; not the ACLU, the various "pro" organizations, or even your Church Board.

     It's easy to recite the statistics of our declining culture since these agendas began to be adopted.  And it's not hard to find Scripture where God tells us the consequences of these choices, which just happen to mirror our present society.  So what do Church leaders have to lose?  By avoiding the topics, we have seen the tailspin that has resulted in the disintegration of the family.  So how is that working for us?  Whether it is a fear of being unpopular, of offending someone, or of violating some federal law, the Church is exhibiting a lack of courage when it comes to calling our nation to a spiritual conscience.
     And then, what if Church leaders had the guts to call out our national leaders on moral grounds? Just over the past few years, how many stories in the media were about our politicians cheating on their wives, cheating on their taxes, lying about government activities, funding our enemies, back room bribes, improper campaign contributions, under-the-table payoffs, obstruction of justice, internet sex scandals, extravagant vacations at the taxpayers' expense .... I could go on and on!  It's become so mainstream and frequent, that it's almost "ho hum"; that's just the way it is!
     And did you know, that according to political scientist and researcher Scott Basinger, 60% of scandal-tainted incumbents ultimately find themselves back in Congress?  Do you think that it could have anything to do with the fact that our pulpits are silent about these offenses against God?  What affect does this silence have on the general population?  Perhaps make these immoral decisions seem more acceptable?  "After all, my Pastor keeps preaching about Grace, right?  I'm not hearing anything about what God really feels about these actions, so maybe this is to be expected from our sinful society. And my Pastor says that it is God's desire to forgive us."  Sadly, I'm afraid that this may be the message many in our congregations are receiving.
     Again, if Pastors and Church leaders had the strength and courage to speak about the moral life that God wants us to live.... the life that Jesus lived! .... then just maybe our national leadership wouldn't find it so easy to excuse their selfish behavior.  What would it look like to actually have a moral standard that we all tried to live up to; from the Average Joe to leaders in Business, Politics and Entertainment?  Could we actually develop a consciousness about whether our actions are pleasing to God?  Wouldn't that be a radical departure from the "me first" and self-gratifying character of the past few generations?
     The bottom line is this ... for centuries the Church has been the guide for societal thought, behavior and standards.  That has not always been a positive model.  Church leaders can be just as corrupt and immoral as the next sinner.  BUT, the human condition has benefitted the most when the Church and her leaders have conducted their Spirit-led responsibilities in the Truth and Light of the Bible and Jesus Christ -- when they have been unafraid of speaking boldly and forcefully for Godly principles.  Without that fearlessness and leadership that will act on professed beliefs -- regardless of danger or disapproval -- we are destined to continue down this dark road to societal collapse.

Psalm 16:8     "I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken."
   
   

Matthew 9:37-38

Because I am a Christian, I choose to dedicate my Sunday posts to the worship of my God.  I love to explore the Bible and listen to what God is trying to tell me about how to live this earthly life.  I hope you can glean some Truth from my words and apply it to your own life.  Blessings!

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

     I was especially moved to meditate on this Scripture today.  On Friday morning, at the break of dawn, my husband and I met at our little town church to pray with our Youth Ministers as they readied to make a trip to an Apache Indian reservation in upstate New Mexico.  These Ministers were youthful and exuberant, on fire to make this a spiritual experience, not only for the teenagers and adolescents that would be making their first mission trip, but for the people they would meet on the other end.

     This verse particularly struck me .... but the laborers are few.  That was certainly true for our little group, who were small in number; only about 9 or 10 youth from our small church, and a handful of adults, including the Pastor and Youth Ministers.  But what is small in man's eye, Jehovah God can use to move mountains.

     This little group of God's disciples had high hopes of reaching the reservation after a long 14-hour drive; enough time to get a few hours of sleep before enjoying a special tribal celebration the next morning.  They were going to be "roughing" it, sleeping on the floor of the reservation church for 7 nights and working through the days, doing much-needed repairs on the reservation.  But they would also be conducting a Vacation Bible School program for the children of the tribe, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and what He accomplished on the cross for each of us.  

     It didn't take long for Satan to try to destroy their mission and their joy at having the opportunity to serve others.  Just a few hours from home, there was a problem with the axle on the trailer that carried their food, supplies and tools.  I received a text that they were waiting for a wrecker to come and assess the damage.  They would get back to us as soon as they knew the damage.  I texted back that God would use this somehow for His glory, and I could tell from the response that Satan was not going to win this round;  their spirits were high and they were not about to be discouraged.

     In fact, within a couple of hours they were back on the road, and they reported that they had been given the opportunity to share their message with four different people while they were stranded; a couple waiting to attend an AA meeting, a "really cool" welder at the repair shop, and the owner of the business who needed prayer for a bad case of the shingles.  Satan's plan to dishearten them was turned into a Godly delay for His purpose.  Isn't our God awesome?  The harvest had begun!

     Which should make each of us stop and think about how we are laboring for God's harvest.  The Spirit is telling me that the time to gather the Harvest is getting short; that we need to be about our labor for the Father.  I think it is safe to say that Christians in America have been negligent in doing our part in bringing in the Harvest.  Do you ever feel a nudge to speak to someone about Jesus, but stop yourself out of fear of how it will be received?  Do you think, "I'm not good at this?"  If we would just realize that another person's eternal life is at stake, how could we not take the chance of being rebuffed or embarrassing ourselves?  It is not about us, but glorifying God, and the salvation of our fellow man!  I am thrilled that our little band of harvesters have answered the call, and I pray that their efforts will yield souls for Christ.  Father, protect them and fill them with your Spirit, so that all may see your Glory!

What Has Happened To Dignity?

     The official definition of Dignity is as follows:  the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect; a sense of pride in oneself; self-respect; a high or honorable rank or position.  Twice this week, I was astonished at the lack of dignity exhibited in our society.
    The first instance occurred at the revelation that Jasmine Rand, the attorney for Trayvon Martin's family, feels she has "a greater duty beyond being an attorney, and that’s to be a social engineer.”  So let me ask this question .... what has happened to the dignity of the Court?  Do we no longer hold the Court in a position of honor?  Do we no longer have to respect a jury's decision just because we don't agree with it?

     Listen to Ms. Rand's argument for her position:  "When the law doesn’t get it right, I believe that we have the right to peacefully, and morally, conscientiously object to the decision of the jury.”  Once again, I posit .... if you don't like the decision, then you can simply say the jury is wrong?  Where is the justice in that?!?  Didn't both sides present their case before a jury of their peers (that they selected!) and agree to abide by that jury's decision?  So if you don't get the answer you want, you should now be allowed to say, "that didn't count?"
     Where is the respect for the judicial system?  Is it perfect?  Absolutely not!  But there has to be a set of rules that we all agree to, or we will be reduced to our primal instincts:  punishment based on emotions, rather than reason; judgments based on bias, rather than impartiality.
     And finally, Ms. Rand feels that sometimes "society needs a little push", and that her role as social engineer/attorney is to apparently provide that force when she arbitrarily decides it is needed.... all for the cause of "civil rights".  Once again, that reasoning seems to declare its own moral basis; and not necessarily to be imputed to the masses.  When an attorney uses personal discretion to overrule the Court, then there is no respect for the process.

     The second display of lack of dignity was portrayed on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.  There was a time when journalism was a meaningful, respected profession; a critically important one in which we could discern the state of our culture.  And I'm afraid that Rolling Stone's decision to portray Boston Marathon terrorist suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on its cover, is an indictment as to how far the profession will go to sacrifice dignity for dollars.
     As far as I am concerned, there is no reasonable excuse for depicting Tsarnaev as worthy as any "rock star" the magazine has featured in its long and illustrious past.  They can deny that this is what they've done, all they want, but it is clear that he is pictured in the same light as John Lennon or Bruce Springsteen ever was.  To give this suspected bomber a place of honor on their cover is to spit in the faces of the people he allegedly killed, and the over 300 who suffered heinous injuries.  And that is exactly what a cover photo is designed to do .... to honor the image presented on it.
     Since when does terror, murder and hate for America deserve to be recognized and celebrated?  This modern form of journalism is responsible for the fan clubs for this evil person among the impressionable youth of our nation.  How disgusting!  Rolling Stone should be ashamed of this blatant grab for notoriety and profit.  The lack of respect for the victim's families shows that this rag mag no longer deserves a place in the notable ranks of journalistic expression.

Psalm 1:1-2     "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. "

Putin and the Church in Russia

     At first glance the two terms seem incompatible and at odds with each other.  But according to a report on Fox News, they have formed at least a cautious alliance.
     Unlike America, which goes to great lengths to keep religion and politics separate, President Vladimir Putin has given his blessing to Spas TV.  "Spas", which means "Savior" is a satellite television channel affiliated with the increasingly powerful Russian Orthodox Church.  The station recently filed with the government ministry to take their transmission to the national level.
     Launched in 2005, Spas TV claims to have an audience of about 10 million households in Russia. Funded with donations from Orthodox businessmen, it features talk shows and educational programs that have criticized evolution and railed against such Western ideas as liberal democracy, feminism and gay marriage.

     So why would a former KGB agent in the godless Soviet Union now embrace a political partnership with the Church?  When you look at the numbers, it makes perfect sense.  According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 101.1 million people identified as Orthodox Christians in Russia, making up 71 percent of the population.  Compare that to the American Religious Identification Survey, in which 73-76% of Americans claimed to be Christian.  But that seems to be where the comparison stops.
     Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian Orthodox Church has been completely revamped after being virtually nonexistent under decades of communist rule.  It has gone from an underground vestige of the era of czars to a galvanizing political force.   “The rebuilding of the Russian Orthodox Church has been massive,” Paul Valliere, a Butler University professor of religion told FoxNews.com. “It is like a completely different country than it used to be because the church, it is back. The church has a role of visibility in almost every sector of life.”  We, in the United States, seem to be doing everything we can to diminish the effectiveness of the Church.
     The history of the Russian Orthodox Church is fascinating.  Traditionally, it is said to have been founded by the Apostle Andrew, who is thought to have visited Scythia and Greek colonies along the northern coast of the Black Sea. According to one of the legends, St. Andrew reached the future location of Kiev and foretold the foundation of a great Christian city.
     The Church survived two centuries of Mongol rule in the 13th-15th centuries, and an internal fracture in the 17th century.  For the next two hundred years, it expanded and grew until it found itself in the middle of the Russian Revolution and a Communist takeover, which led to a marked decline in the power and influence of the Church.  Those were the dark days.
     Now it seems as if the Church has returned to its historic place in relation to the State.  Although the State takes precedence, the Church has prominent second billing and acts as a balance to the State, while remaining subordinate.  While one might be suspicious of Putin's faith life, the Church's doctrine of repentance plays heavily into their willingness to accept his belief as genuine.  It is also pointed out that he has long had a soft spot for the Church; even wearing a cross while he was a KGB officer (given to him by his mother), and he has been seen often in church since the end of the USSR.
     I think we can all agree that the thought of repentance is hopeful thinking, and wearing a cross and church attendance do not guarantee a saved soul.  But nevertheless, I find it interesting that while our country seems to be drifting away from its Christian roots, that Russia is once again embracing its heritage of Christian faith.  It goes without saying, that the Devil is in these details!  And anyone who has read Ezekiel, Chapters 38 and 39, knows the historic role that Russian plays in eschatology.  It will be interesting to see how Putin plays out his new role of "religious leader".  God's plan is never boring!

Matthew 7:15     "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves."
   

Spiritual Prepping

     I sometimes have to laugh.  My husband, Peace-Loving Warrior, or myself, will get a phone call from a friend who considers themself to be up-to-date on current events and the state of the world.  They make the effort to listen to alternative newsites and read a variety of op-eds; they do not fall prey to the "official" propaganda of the MSM.

     They usually have food stored, are able to defend their family, and have educated themselves on the inevitable worldwide economic collapse, breakdown of our Constitutional rights, and threats of foreign governments and/or terrorists.  In other words, they don't have their heads in the sand, and are not ignorant of the clock on the wall.  Yet they just can't quite go all the way.
     By that, I mean that while they are pro-active in preparing for any number of crisis scenarios, and they have spent considerable time studying what the economic gurus suggest to protect their nest eggs, they still ask the question, "What else can I do?  There's got to be one more thing that will see us through these calamities."  They are still hoping for that secret antidote that will cure what ails us.
     No matter how many times they ask, our answer is always the same.... "You must get right with God."  Now I know that sounds like a stale and overworked solution.  But it is the only way out of this mess for any of us.  You see, I think that so many people profess a reliance on God, but in order to do that, you have to be willing to lose all that has come to define you.  And that means houses, cars, boats, planes, bank accounts, precious metals, means of defense, authority, prestige, titles, those we love ... everything ... up to, and including, our lives.
     And there's no doubt about it; that thought sucks!  After all, we have worked so hard to achieve things and status; and we have just reached what should be the "payoff period" for all our efforts.  We should be experiencing the best time of our lives!  There's got to be some miracle formula that we haven't thought of, right?

     Now I can excuse non-believers for reaching for that mysterious way out, but if you call yourself a Christian, then shame on you!  I'm not saying that you shouldn't take precautions and prepare yourself as best you can, but they are not enough!  You should realize that all those safeguards are merely temporal; they will only serve to protect you from worldly affairs, never spiritual.  And by the way, as a self-professing Christian, have you taken the time to read our manual?  It's called the Bible.  Going to church, getting baptized, and observing all the rituals is not enough!  Because if you will devote the time to getting to know the God you proclaim as your hope ... and I mean really getting to know Him ... then you will discover that what faces us is nothing new.
     From that first temptation in the Garden of Eden, man has sought to control his own destiny.  Adam and Eve were convinced they could manage their own fate; God lost his primary position in their lives. And so it is with us today.  We think that we're smart enough, successful enough, or creative enough to work our way out of this downward spiral.  If we just get the right elected officials in office ... or if we throw enough money at living off-grid .... or if we just try to be a good person, then God will recognize our efforts and we can buy some more time.
     Then there are those who always seem to skate through the tumultuous times with nary a scratch.  Sure, they may be cashing in on the new oil boom, and real estate is still a hot commodity.  So while they are laying up earthly rewards, they feel inoculated against spiritual judgment.  I know it sounds so trite, but really, people --- do you honestly think that the few years you occupy space on this planet is all there is to your existence?  Are you so caught up in all your "stuff" that you've never given a thought to what happens the exact moment after you die?  Just being a good person does not guarantee a spot in Heaven.
      Oh, we've got our image of God in our back pocket and we pull Him out whenever we get in over our heads, or things are particularly scary.  But folks, God cannot be confined, and neither can He be summoned at our convenience.  We need to face the reality of our situation:  our future looks dark.  We cannot solve political and social problems without a spiritual reawakening.  I have a pretty good idea that most people who are reading this post have accomplished as much preparation as is humanly possible.  Now the real work begins ... you can concentrate on spending the same amount of time in your Bible, getting to know your God and discovering His promises to you, if you will put Him first.  That, my friend, is real preparation, real security and real hope!

1 Corinthians 2:12     "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God."

What Am I To Do?

     I really struggled with what to write about today.  To be honest, I am tired of looking at the headlines and listening to the news reports of world events.  Whether it is the politics of racism, or mistrust in my government, or the threats of war and terrorism --- I feel helpless to change the course of events.  There is truly a sense of a "top down, bottom up" manipulation that is going to trap us all in a non-negotiable position.  So how am I supposed to live my life?
     I have come to realize that I have been lucky to have lived in the time span I've occupied.  I have been able to experience freedom and liberty, and enjoy the fruits of those precious gifts like no other generation before me ... and sadly, I'm afraid, like no other generation to come after me.

     So while I am not exactly happy about the direction the world is taking, I can still rejoice in where I've been and what I still have.  I've been able to grow up during a time when our history was admired and respected; when heroes were men and women of personal courage; people who were willing to sacrifice for others and who accomplished great feats that benefitted all mankind --- not some 15-minute celebrity who is elevated to superstar status for embarrassing themselves on a TV reality show.
     And our national leaders were proud of our country and believed in the goodness of our people.  America is not perfect; but there was a time that we bowed to no one, and led the world as a role model.  I got to witness America when no one dared apologize for our benevolence; when our charity, goodwill and humanitarianism were welcomed and recognized as coming from our innate compassion.
     I had the opportunity to pursue an education that was affordable, and in which there was the free exchange of ideas.  I did not have to suffer through biased teaching or restricted dialogue.  And I didn't finish my higher education with insurmountable debt and no job prospects.
     I had the luxury of worshipping God without being ridiculed.  My faith was not mandatory; one was free to believe or not.  But I was able to follow my faith, as were others of different ideologies, in peace and respect.  My beliefs were not questioned or mocked, and there were no attempts to ban the practice of my faith, or keep me from publicly declaring it.  And there was certainly no effort to legislate it!  That was when I was a young child.  It has also been my regrettable privilege to see my faith be criticized in the public square; to see it diminished and diluted.  I have seen the elevated position of my Holy God brought low by skepticism, unbelief, intolerance, and lies.  Perhaps most tragic of all, the Church in America did not defend Him.
     But I will never abandon nor relinquish Him for some false promise.  I am who I am because of what God has done in my life, and I am thankful for all the good I have experienced, as well as the challenges of the past, and the trials to come.  You see, I have a foundation that will sustain me; a fundamental core that I'm not sure this latest generation can understand.  Things haven't ever come easily for me, and I've never been a conformist.... it's amazing how adversity and marching to a different drummer can make you stronger.  I know I'm going to sound old-fashioned, but when I look at  our youth today, I fear for them because I don't see many who want to stand above the crowd or take a risk.  They just want to do whatever takes the least amount of effort and have someone else make it happen for them.  I need to believe that there's time to instill that drive in them.
     I admit that I don't have a clue what lies ahead of us in the foreseeable future.  It certainly doesn't look promising or liberating.  But I know that my God is bigger than whatever I will face.  He has given me an incredible ride so far -- far more breath-taking than I ever could have imagined, or done on my own.  So I will rely on Him, first and foremost, and then use the lessons I've learned, the knowledge of who I am, and the examples of past heroes to forge my way.  There's still a lot of living to do, and no limit to the blessings awaiting us!

Philippians 4:12-13    "I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Be Aware Of Your Past

     Have you ever done something stupid in your past?  Especially those teen and college years?  Think that it can't come back to haunt you 40 years later and cause you to lose your Second Amendment rights?  Well, that's Ron Kelly's story.
     Kelly is a retired Army veteran, having given 20 years of service to his country.  Yet, when he tried to buy a .22-cal rifle at a Wal-Mart in Tomball, Texas, the computerized background check flagged him for a 42-year-old misdemeanor charge involving marijuana.  The violation occurred while he was in high school, and resulted in a night spent in jail, and one year's probation.  Little did he know, that over 40 years later, the incident would strip him of his Second Amendment rights.

     The irony of the situation, is that Kelly had a long career of firing tanks, machine guns and an array of other weapons in the Army.  Now he is being denied the right that he served to defend.
     According to the FBI, which runs the background checks known as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, the law states that a person can be prevented from owning a gun if they are convicted of a misdemeanor in which they could spend more than two years behind bars.  The fact that Kelly was sentenced probation back in 1971, doesn't matter.... He could have received a sentence of two years or more.
     I want to make it perfectly clear that I do not endorse drug use, or excuse him for breaking the law.  This is not about letting anyone have a gun who wants one.  I just find it ironic that the government had no problem with training him to use firearms during his military service; nor did they apparently think his "criminal" background was cause to exempt him from exposure to firearms.  Granted, they may not have been aware of his misdemeanor charge, but shouldn't 20 years of exemplary service in the military count for something? And isn't it possible that if he goes to court and gets this old record expunged, that his rights could be restored?
     Kelly wanted the gun to keep around the house for self-protection, and considering that he fired perhaps 100,000 rounds of government ammo over his 20 years of service, it's a pretty safe bet that he knows how to handle the weapon.
     As for checking his record back in North Carolina, where he was born and raised, arrested and later joined the service – his conviction is so old that officials there can’t readily find the record.  And as the reporter for the Houston Chronicle, who covered his story asks, "If they can’t find the conviction, how did the FBI?"
     Does anyone else besides me find this incident preposterous?  And for me, it raises many more questions ... Is he being singled out because he is a military veteran?  Is he being profiled?  A misdemeanor charge does not necessarily exclude you from jury service, yet your Second Amendment right can be violated?  Surely, he can't be the only citizen with decades old misdemeanor charges applying for gun ownership.  Was his application just the luck of the draw?
     I find it hard to believe that this decision will stand.  Perhaps Mr. Kelly's Congressman can go to bat for him, or the Federal Government will take a new look at this application, consider it on an individual basis, and find a more reasonable solution.  This man has served his country well and apparently been a model citizen.  He went about the purchase of a firearm in a legal manner and is now being punished for what serves as a minor infraction in today's world.  Apparently, "tolerance" is today's mantra, and applies to everything but the Second Amendment.

Matthew 6:12     "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."

The Aftermath

     Our country has been embroiled for nearly one-and-a-half years in the prosecution of George Zimmerman for the death of Trayvon Martin .... both in a court of law and in the court of public opinion.  This weekend, the verdict was reached, and George Zimmerman was found not guilty of second-degree murder and the jury declined to convict him on a lesser charge of manslaughter.  Whether or not you agree with the verdict, we are faced with some very tough questions about the state of our society.
     And so that we clearly understand the charge to the jury, for a finding of second-degree murder, the jurors would have had to believe that Martin's unlawful killing was "done from ill will, hatred, spite or an evil intent" and would be "of such a nature that the act itself indicates an indifference to human life."
     To convict Zimmerman of manslaughter, the jurors would have had to believe he "intentionally committed an act or acts that caused the death of Trayvon Martin." That charge could have carried a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, though the jury was not told of that possible sentence.

     So according to the rule of law, (and I would like to think that we still abide by that in this country), we in the United States are guaranteed, under Article Three of the Constitution, as well as the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments, to a jury by trial of our peers.  Furthermore, we agree to abide by the ruling of that jury.   Both the prosecution and defense counsels presented their cases and evidence.  A qualified and approved jury listened to all the testimony and came to their decision.  But it seems that there are many who are unwilling to accept the verdict.
     Now, the "rule of law" generally refers to the "authority and influence of law in society," especially as a constraint upon behavior.  And that, I fear, is where our society is breaking down.  Let me explain.
     The effects of the NOT GUILTY verdict in the Zimmerman trial will be felt for a considerable time to come.  But we are already seeing that the influence of our Constitutional laws upon society are waning.  Many among the media, as well as celebrities and politicians seem to feel that our rules of law account for nothing.  They dismiss the jury's decision, in favor of what they deem as "justice".
     I find it disgraceful that a paid athlete of the highest order thinks it is OK to broadcast a threatening tweet against the life of the defendant.  (Where are the critics who were so willing to castigate Paula Deen for her 30-year-old remark?)  And what about the celebrities who act as judge and jury in front of thousands of fans when they proclaim that this verdict was a miscarriage of justice.  Unless you were sitting in that jury box, I don't believe you are qualified to make a judgment on whether justice was done or not.  Then there are no repercussions when the Black Panther Party offers a  $10,000 reward for whomever can capture George Zimmerman?!  Add to that the Federal Government, who is considering overlooking the not guilty verdict in order to exact some form of punishment on a man that was legally judged innocent.   Are we a nation of laws, or aren't we? 
    I worry that this case will set a dangerous precedent; that every time a legal decision doesn't go our way, we can simply ignore the judgment and exact our own sense of justice.  So what is the point of law?  Won't we simply descend into mob rule and civil disorder?
     Just yesterday, we had a sitting Senator, Harry Reid, ask for the Justice Department to prosecute George Zimmerman. “I think the Justice Department is going to take a look at this,” Reid told NBC’s Meet the Press. “This isn’t over with and I think that’s good. That’s our system, it’s gotten better, not worse.”  Umm, excuse me, Mr. Senator, but I thought he had been prosecuted, and found INNOCENT!  And if it is our system, why aren't you willing to abide by it?  It seems that you want what you want, not what our system has decided is just.
     And of course, the politicians are never going to let this "crisis go to waste."  So how convenient is it to bring in gun control in the aftermath of this verdict?  I can hear them in late night caucuses, "We can still salvage a victory out of this mess yet!  Passions are high and we can combine racism and gun control into one issue and it will make a perfect vehicle for our agenda."
     I am praying that the foundation of our Constitution can hold up under this onslaught.  I feel that it is only hanging by a thread and the scales of justice are about to be overwhelmed.  Consider the hallowed words of the Preamble of our Constitution:

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

     Now ask yourself this question .... in the wake of this prominent trial in Florida, are we still concerned with "establishing justice and insuring domestic tranquility"?  Or are we more inclined to throw justice to the wind in favor of personal biases, influence, and partisanships?  Is the purpose of justice to serve the common good and truth, or is it to further personal agendas?  It is a sad and tragic fact that Trayvon Martin was killed.  I cannot imagine that anyone celebrates what happened on that night.  But humanity has attempted justice in the best way we know how, and whether we like the outcome or not, our laws have been followed.  The threat of chaos and lawlessness will only serve to rip apart the fabric of our fragile society.
     Dear God in Heaven, I have always believed that this nation was set apart by your Divine plan, but I am beginning to see only the Devil's hand in the midst of this tragedy.  Do not forsake us; return us to your precepts and your model of behavior and thought.  Heal our land!

Zechariah 7:9       This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another."  
   
     
   

James 4:8

Because I am a Christian, I choose to dedicate my Sunday posts to the worship of my God.  I love to explore the Bible and listen to what God is trying to tell me about how to live this earthly life.  I hope you can glean some Truth from my words and apply it to your own life.  Blessings!

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. 

Cleanse your hands, you sinners; 

and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

     I am currently involved in a twelve-week Bible study that is designed to help me "rethink God Biblically".  The study is entitled Behold Your God, and I would encourage you to check it out for yourself.  I don't usually recommend specific studies, but this one has literally rocked my understanding of my relationship with the God of the Bible, and we are only in week two!

     Which brings me back to this week's Scripture.  Draw near .... I always supposed that I knew how to do that, or that at the very least, I was actively in pursuit of an intimate relationship with God.  But my study this week has revealed that I know less about how that relationship is to be conducted than I thought.  And it's because, while I may acknowledge that God is the focus and center of my life, my actions may reveal that I do not really draw near to Him, and therefore I must ask this question ....  Do I really KNOW my God?  Knowing God is not some superficial capacity to quote Scripture or rattle off all the character attributes of God.  Truly knowing Him means that I must seek out the sin areas of my life that keep Him at a distance. 

     These could be Pride, Deceit or Fear -- all of which I keep hidden from His light, and which keep me from humbling myself and submitting my lowly, sinful nature for His inspection and saving grace.  It is the hardest thing to do, to ask, "Lord, show me myself."  Yet, we must face ourselves with honesty if we are truly to draw near to Him.  We must ask ourselves, Who rules over our lives?  And that means every aspect of our lives ... who rules over my time, my money, how I spend my down time, what TV shows or music I listen to, who my friends are?  If we find satisfaction in any area of our lives that caters to our desires, instead of God's, then we do not know Him, and it will be impossible to draw near to Him.  

     Perhaps the most illuminating thing I learned this week in my study, was that there are fruit sins that result from root sins.  The fruit sins are the outward expressions of our rebellion against God, such as anger, envy, greed or lying, to same just a few.  The root sins are what is hidden in our sinful nature and produces the fruit ... such as pride, unbelief and selfishness.  They must be cleaned out and our hearts purified, as the Scripture says, if we are to know God and draw near to Him.  Most of the time, I am asking for forgiveness for those fruits of my sins (angry words, for instance), without ever digging deeper to eradicate the roots of my transgressions.

     Pride will tell us that we, not God, are the most significant being in all the universe.  Our desires, not God's, become the focus of our everyday life.  Unbelief is the result of doubting that what God has told us about Himself in the Bible is actually true.  It convinces us that our sin is not really as bad as God says it is, and when coupled with Pride, persuades us that the lies we tell ourselves are more trustworthy than the principles spoken by our God, who cannot lie.  How foolish of us to ignore that sin  always lies.  Then there is Selfishness, which whispers that we won't be truly happy if we don't get our way; if we forsake our sins and follow God's ways.  What we want comes before any other, especially our God.  

     So what do we do?  We reconstruct the God we say we know into someone that better suits our sin nature.  Now that's a God we can say we "know", right?  If He is modeled after my desires, my ideas of what sin is, and who He needs to be to make me happy with myself, then I've created a false idol and a God of my own creation.  He is not the God of the Bible! 

     So what do I need to do to make sure I am on the right path to drawing near to my God; to truly knowing Him?  Because as the above Scripture states, until I draw near to Him, He will not draw near to me.  And that is my utmost desire!  This is what I've learned:  First, I must earnestly seek out the truth about God.  And by that, I mean the truth that the Bible tells me about God; not my own "convenient" image of Him.  Secondly, what I discover about God will help me to be honest with myself and uncover the root sins I have been hiding from His light.  That, in turn, will redefine what I think about all sin and how I am to cleanse and purify myself.  I must discover these truths in this order, and ultimately, I will realize how big God is and how small am I.  

     When I endeavor to understand who God really is, and how that knowledge can alter who I am, and affect how I deal with my sins, then I will be able to see my salvation in a new light.  It is not about me!  It is about honoring God and glorifying Him for rescuing me.  That results in a true recognition of who God is and a heartfelt desire to draw near to that pure love.  What a blessing it becomes when He draws near to us!  That's the kind of Christian I want to be!

The Mystery Of TWA Flight 800

     Like many of you, I am always intrigued by a good mystery; especially when it involves real-life scenarios.  Such is the case of TWA Flight 800.  As you will recall, TWA 800, a Boeing 747, was a scheduled international passenger flight from New York City to Rome, Italy, with a stopover in Paris, France. At about 8:31 PM, on July 17, 1996, nearly 12 minutes after takeoff from John F. Kennedy International Airport, TWA 800 exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York.  Of the 230 passengers and crew on board, no survivors were found, making TWA 800 the second deadliest aircraft accident in the United States at that time.
     From the beginning, the cause of the crash was swirling in controversy.  But from the first, there were many witnesses to the accident who claimed they had seen a "streak of light" that was usually described as ascending, moving to a point where a large fireball appeared.  As one might suspect, there was intense public interest in these witness reports and much speculation that the reported streak of light was a missile that had struck TWA 800, causing the airplane to explode.
     Combine these on-site witnesses with the testimony of several commercial airline pilots, who being in the vicinity of JFK International Airport, reported that they saw a missile strike the plane.  (I personally have a friend who is a retired airline pilot, whose colleagues were in the air over New York City that day, and corroborate this theory).

   
Now we must take into account that the thought of terrorist attacks was far removed from the American consciousness at this point in our history.  It was 1996, and the bombings of the World Trade Towers was still five years away, and the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 was eight years in the past and took place over foreign soil.  We Americans, if we are nothing else, are quick to forget and slow to ponder.  So it is easy to surmise that we would not want to consider the possibility that a terrorist attack could happen in our homeland.  And let's not forget that we had a Presidential election coming up.  Wouldn't want anything to put a damper on that, would we?
     But at the time, there was enough interest paid to the eyewitness testimony that the FBI initiated a parallel criminal investigation alongside the NTSB's accident investigation.  The search and recovery effort was long and extensive.  Pieces of the airplane wreckage were discovered floating on and beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean about 8 miles south of East Moriches, New York.  The main wreckage was found scattered on the ocean floor in an area about 4 miles long by 3 1/2 miles wide.  In the end, over 95% of the airplane wreckage was eventually recovered.  It was then transported by boat to shore and then by truck to leased hangar space at the former Grumman Aircraft facility in Calverton, New York, for storage, examination, and reconstruction.
     It wasn't long before the public began receiving the picture of the crash as formulated by NTSB investigators.  They postulated that residue found on the wreckage indicated that the probable cause of the crash of TWA 800 was an explosion of flammable fuel/air vapors in a fuel tank, most likely from a short-circuit.   Never mind the fact that the FBI viewed test results of the residue as possibly indicative of a criminal act.  And there were the other less-publicized theories of an accidental "friendly fire" missile from the U.S. Navy, a terrorist missile strike or an on-board bomb.
     What is even less known is the theory that TWA 800 was blown up by a bomb intended to disrupt the trial of terrorist Ramzi Yousef, the nephew of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and planner of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.  One of the most significant revelations by Yousef, documented in a series of FBI memos, obtained by author Peter Lance, for his book Cover Up: What the Government Is Still Hiding About the War on Terror, was a threat Yousef had made to put a bomb on a U.S. airliner during his trial so that he would get a mistrial.  And guess what?  The crash of TWA Flight 800 occurred on the eve of the most damning evidence against Yousef being admitted at trial; and the very day after the crash Yousef, who was representing himself in federal court asked the Judge for a mistrial.    Have you ever heard of that connection?
     Ultimately the NTSB was unable to determine the exact source of explosive residues found on the wreckage.  Some of the possibilities considered were contamination from the aircraft's use in 1991 as it transported troops during the Gulf War, or its use in a dog-training explosive detection exercise about one month before the accident.   But when you can't make a definite determination, what is the best way to deflect from your lack of competence?  Why, state what it "was not", of course.  So the final NTSB Report states that with the lack of any other corroborating evidence associated with a high-energy explosion, their investigative team concluded that "the in-flight breakup of TWA flight 800 was not initiated by a bomb or missile strike."
     So now, here we are in 2013, nearly 17 years to the date of this fateful crash.  Last month, six members of the original investigation team, now retired, filed a petition to reopen the probe.  As Fox News has reported, the group is comprised of people who worked for the National Transportation Safety Board, TWA and the Airline Pilots Association, all of whom have since retired. All six say that the evidence shows the plane was brought down by a projectile traveling at a high speed.  They also say there was an active effort within the federal government to make the crash look like an accident despite evidence of an external explosion.
     Hank Hughes, a retired senior accident investigator for NTSB, said probers were not allowed to seek answers once the FBI took over the crime scene. "We just want to see the truth come out," Hughes said. "We don't have hidden agendas. The only thing we are looking for is the truth.  It was either a terrorist attack, that they wanted to ignore, or an accident as a result of a military operation that went wrong."
     Hughes has reportedly been trying for years to get his theory wider attention and says that while it's hard to imagine the government would be capable of such a cover up, he told ABC News, "governments are capable of doing some terrible things."  (Admit it.  you're thinking Benghazi, right?)
     Jim Speer, an accident investigator for the Airline Pilots Association, said “It’s obvious that the truth was not allowed to be pursued.  A majority of people working in that hanger did not feel as if the evidence was being properly handled.”
     So now the question remains ... will we get the truth this time?  Do we have any more evidence that the authorities are interested in seeking the truth?  If you are as fascinated as I am about this mystery, you might want to watch the trailer for a new documentary on TWA Flight 800 and its alleged coverup.  After all, there's nothing like a good mystery is there?  

Exodus 23:7    "Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked."