Where Is Our Common Sense?

     First of all, what is common sense?  We hear it talked about from the political stage quite often ... "common sense gun control", for instance.  How do those two terms even exist in the same sentence?
     And where is the common sense in the claim that Dalia Mogahed, formerly Barack Obama’s adviser on Muslim affairs, made on The Daily Show, that wearing the hijab represented nothing more or less than the “privatization of women’s sexuality”.  She insinuated that anyone who objected to this external symbolism of the Islamic faith are "those who want to objectify women as sexual commodities".
     And where is the common sense in Planned Parenthood's lawsuit against the Center for Medical Progress's (CMP) videos exposing their selling aborted baby body parts for profit?  If the allegations are false, why not sue for slander or libel?  Why is the lawsuit based on claiming that the recordings were obtained in violation of applicable State and Federal privacy laws?  Does that sound like common sense to you?

     But, again, I need to define what "common sense" means to me.  On a simple basis, I suppose I would define it as "a good or obvious cause to do something"; a logical, or practical reason to believe something or to act on something.  But perhaps the best definition comes from Harriett Beecher Stowe, the American abolitionist and author:  "Common sense is seeing things as they are; and doing things as they ought to be."  Easier said than done in this society, where there appears to be no absolute truth -- we just manipulate and control matters to fit our own personal prejudices, and that's "our truth".
     Take for instance, the gun control issue.  Does it make sense to call for more background checks or a ban on large magazines and the politically counterfeit term "assault" weapons ... when none of those laws have, or ever will, keep the bad guys from committing crimes or acts of terror?  And there is no sense in the argument that “How can you say you’re pro-life and then own guns or join the NRA?” As Timothy Buchanan, wrote on Barbwire.com, "It’s quite simple. Because Christians realize that God makes a clear distinction between the spilling of innocent blood and killing in defense of one’s own life. Therefore, it is precisely because we value life that we are willing to take lawful and responsible steps to defend it."
     And here is where Buchanan, a former member of the U.S. Navy, applied his common sense ... While working for the Virginia State Police, he saw that campus police and troopers were powerless to stop the Virginia Tech murders because the shooter had chained and locked the doors to the building he was in from the inside. Even if they could have gotten the doors open a few inches, most police officers do not carry bolt-cutters with them, and the hinges of the doors are also on the inside. But what shocked him was that when the shooter was reloading one of his guns, the students simply cowered in a corner waiting to die. Unlike the heroic men on the plane that was heading toward Washington on September 11, 2001, no one stood up and said, “Let’s roll,” and tried to rush the shooter.  They just cowered in a corner and waited to be killed.  
     So, I ask, is there any good, or logical, or practical reason to limit the ability for any one of those victims to defend themselves in that scenario?  Does more gun control make common sense now?  And the same scrutiny can be applied to the common sense arguments for the wearing of the hijab and the Planned Parenthood lawsuit.  There can be no basis to the argument that Westerners are insensitive to the Islamic tradition of the hijab because of their overt sexualization of women, while there is a refusal to shine a light on the persecution and death to women in the Middle East who refuse to wear the headscarf.  Jihad Watch reports that as far back as 2007, jihadists killed 40 women in Iraq for “un-Islamic behavior" (translation: they were not wearing the hijab).  And there are more cases of such murder and mistreatment of women that are never talked about.  And yet we are expected to agree that it makes sense that Westerners just want to "objectify" women?
     And it's supposed to seem logical and make sense to us that Planned Parenthood should sue CMP not because they deny that they sold (and continue to sell) baby parts, but because PP just objects to how CMP went about proving that fact.  So, therefore, they have a right to sue for damages.  Never mind the fact that they are scared to death they will be defunded by Congress, and their donations are drying up, and they need to win this lawsuit to refill their coffers.  Never mind all that --- this is just the logical next step and makes perfect sense.
     Bottom line... I'm afraid that we might have lost our ability to reason and see through the false arguments and the subterfuge and the distractions in order to clearly see the truth of any matter.  Do we really spend time doing our own critical thinking?  Or do we simply embrace whatever persuasive argument that appeals to our emotions, or is represented by a cultural icon or celebrity?  Whose standard do we apply to determine our position on any given topic?  Are there incontrovertible principles by which we judge another's argument or reasoning?   Have you developed your own standards; or do you follow whatever is popular in the culture that day?
     Let's face it.  As we have abandoned God's principles to listen to the lies of Satan, we have suffered a decline in every aspect of our lives.  Our moral base has disintegrated; and we have lost our common sense.  Our ability to reason according to God's guidelines has been replaced with whatever furthers our personal agenda... whether it be gun control, sharia law, or abortion.  So what is your common sense telling you right now?  Mine says there is no safe haven but God.  He is the only standard by which I want to live my life, and I must abide in Him to stand against the threats headed my way.  Anything else is false and destructive.

1 John 5:20    "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life."
   

Recommended: 13 Hours, The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

The real heroes and survivors of Benghazi

     I never would have thought that "the righteous acts of men" could be uttered in the same breath as "war".  Yet that is exactly what I saw in the movie, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.  Granted, the American public has been divided over this event since September 11, 2012, and the subject has become highly politicized... after all someone running to be the next Commander-in-Chief is being heavily scrutinized over her connection to the deaths of four Americans that night.  That alone makes this movie important to me.
     It's not because I want to slam one politician, or support one political party over another.  It's because I want to hear the truth from the men who lived the battle that night -- not the State Department's version, or the carefully-crafted script that plays out on the media outlets.  That is all for them to carry out their own agendas.
     No, I want to hear the human story of bravery and heroism; the kind that none of us are capable of; the kind that is willing to face death to try to save the life of a fellow human being; the kind that does the right thing, no matter the personal cost.  And that has nothing in common with presidential campaigns, political pundits, or congressional committees.
     And so I watched 13 Hours with a sense of awe and profound respect, mixed with an emotional anger that Ambassador Chris Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty, and Tyrone Woods had to die that night.  And this is the story of the men that were there that night.  It does not mention any of the big names in Washington.  It is the story of their personal struggles to stay alive during an assault by an enemy determined to kill them, while wondering why the military support that was readily available did not arrive.   Sadly, the deaths of those four men could have been avoided, but it was not the focus of the movie to lay blame for the disgraceful decision(s).
     Instead it was to focus on the incredible professionalism and dedication of the men who never gave up on each other.  Heroes is too common a word for them.  Yes, they found themselves in the middle of a war that they didn't want to fight, but they never wavered in the face of overwhelming odds or certain death.  They never put themselves first, before those they were there to protect.  And, even in the midst of such hell on earth, they never let go of family and God.  It is a story as told by the survivors, and it is their story, no matter how much the narrative doesn't fit someone's political ideology.
     For me, it is sad that this movie fell below expectations at the box office.  It just shows me that people in this nation just want to focus on the politics, and to debate on what went wrong and who is responsible.  What about those brave men?  Have we forgotten them?  I know that it is a cliché to talk about the cost of freedom.  But these men have paid it for us.  Shouldn't we at least honor them by focusing on what they endured that night?  Can we focus on the response of the security teams when Tyrone Woods gives them the assessment of the situation Ambassador Stevens and those were under at the diplomatic outpost, "None of you have to go, but we’re the only hope they have.”  And they went!
     Perhaps one of the saddest moments for me was the moment that Tyrone Woods and fellow Contractor and former SEAL, Jack Silva, discussed the seriousness of the battle in which they were engaged, and the possibility that help would not arrive.  Woods says, "What used to make this worth doin’ is gone."  When our patriotic military men recognize that what this country used to be and what it used to stand for is gone, yet they still answer the call, then I know that they are distinctly superior to any one of us... and I mourn them.  I mourn that their deaths can be so casually ignored by a portion of Americans who live safely and securely in America, precisely because there are men such as they.  I mourn because so many will never know them beyond their connection with an unpleasant moment in history.  And I mourn that both grief and anger will forever be associated with this event; that their heroism is overshadowed by the shameful actions of our government.  Please... see this movie, if for no other reason than they deserve to have you feel the last gut-wrenching hours of that September 11th night, and for the loss of their friends; and for you to experience what it looks like for one man to lay down his life for his fellow man.  And because ... it does make a difference!

Romans 12:10   "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor."

     
     

John 9:35-38

Jesus heard that they had put him out (of the synagogue),

 and meeting him He said, Do you believe in and adhere to 

the Son of Man or the Son of God?

He answered, Who is He, Sir? 

Tell me, that I may believe in and adhere to Him.

 Jesus said to him, You have seen Him; 

[in fact] He is talking to you right now.

He called out, Lord, I believe! [I rely on, I trust, I cleave to You!] And he worshiped Him.

     This particular Chapter in the Book of John fascinates me.  And it particularly speaks to me in light of where God is taking me and my husband, and the ministry He is drawing us to.   And here is why ... in this Chapter, Jesus has cured a man born blind since birth, and the man has proclaimed to all who were amazed by this miracle, "The Man called Jesus made mud and smeared it on my eyes and said to me, Go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and I obtained my sight!"

     Naturally, the Pharisees would have heard of this miracle attributed to Jesus and the man was brought before them, that they might enquire of him how he had received his sight.  Again, he gave credit to the man, Jesus.  Because Jesus had done this act on the Sabbath, some of the Pharisees proclaimed him a sinner, and asked of the blind man, who did he say Jesus was.  The man said, "He must be a prophet."  But there was disagreement among the Pharisees on how to consider Jesus ... a prophet, a sinner, or the Son of God ... so they brought the blind man before them a second time and told him to "give God the glory (praise). This Fellow we know is only a sinner (a wicked person)."  

     The man could not or would not declare Jesus a sinner, and the Pharisees threw him out of the synagogue, and that is the starting point of our Scripture today.  Which brings me to the point that I would like to make.  Various commentaries have disagreed whether the man knew who Jesus was when He approached him at this point in the story; which brings into question whether this man was saved, and if Jesus is willing to heal both the saved and unsaved.

     As the Lord has brought my husband and myself into further understanding regarding his desire to "set the captives free", we know without a doubt that He is directing us to minister to people like this blind man.  That is to say, people who have heard of Jesus, who want to know Him, but are not part of the Church.  They have been wounded deeply and are in great need of the healing by Jesus through the Holy Spirit, but because of their skepticism of organized religion, or their fear of judgment by the Church, or their discomfort with the hypocrisy of some Christians, they will never approach the Church for help or healing.  But it is my firm belief that Jesus wants to heal them as much as He wants to heal the professed believer inside the Church building.  

     That is why He is using those like my husband and myself, who have been moved to work outside the church; to draw those people to us, so that they are comfortable enough to seek Jesus, (without embarrassment or self-consciousness) and can receive the healing, in His Name, and through the Holy Spirit (that they so desperately need), and be free to progress towards their salvation.  

     For those in the Church who hesitate, like the Pharisees did, to offer this spiritual and physical healing to anyone who is not a professed Believer, I would like to suggest that they consider this .... Jesus desires that no man perish.  And what better glory can be given to Him and the Father than a person who was once blind (to their sin) -- but knows of Jesus -- to be healed in His Name, and by the Spirit, and then to come to Jesus in full acknowledgement that it was His power and saving grace that changed his life?  That person, who once would never have darkened the door of a church can be set free to join the Body of Christ, and with a powerful testimony.  

     I just do not believe that we are to keep this freedom to ourselves inside the Church walls.  The Scripture says, He came to set the captives free!  To me, that implies ALL captives... both saved and unsaved.  And by healing them and setting them free, in the Name of Jesus, we just might help another person take those first steps towards entering the Kingdom of God.  Isn't that our purpose?

     

     

"Freedom From The Dark Side"

     There are times we have great reason to celebrate that Freedom still resonates within the crumbling facade of America; that people can still champion righteous causes in the Name of God and Freedom.  Today, I want to introduce you to some of those champions.   
     But first, let me give you a little background ... There has been a faithful remnant within our nation that recognizes that our culture has changed, and not for the better.
     We recognize that over the past several decades, that our foundational Constitutional roots and freedoms have been unraveling and disappearing.  We recognize that there needs to be a new dawning of those rights; a re-establishment of God at the center of this nation and its government.  

     When the Constitutional Convention came to an impasse in Philadelphia in June of 1787, Benjamin Franklin proclaimed, “We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that ‘except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it’”. The impasse was broken by prayer, and the Constitution was completed.
     On that basis, a group of faithful women met in Washington, D.C., in 2012, to strategize a way to change the culture, which resulted in the American Prayer Initiative, designed to help draw "we the people" of this nation back to the One upon whom she was founded ~ asking for His aid in the re-building of our land on the Biblically-based principles established by our Founders.  
     The first of our champions is the organization that resulted from those strategy sessions, The American Prayer Initiative, a call for this nation to join together to pray, specifically, each day for the needs of this nation.  The second of our champions, is the publication, The Washington Times, for printing a special feature in their newspaper on the power of prayer.  The following article was  written by David Kupelian, managing editor of World Net Daily, and it appeared in that Washington Times section, and I would like to share it with you, in its entirety:

     There’s no greater or more famous prayer than the Lord’s Prayer. Ironically, theaters throughout Britain recently banned an “advert” featuring the Lord’s Prayer, intended to run just before the new “Star Wars” movie. Apparently it’s politically correct for a fantasy “force” to be “with us” – but not the Real One.
     In any event, even though most readers have probably recited it thousands of times, let’s look at the “Lord’s Prayer” with fresh eyes.
     Jesus, when he taught this prayer 2,000 years ago, first laid down a couple of ground rules: “Use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” Besides, he added, “your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” That said, Jesus gifted to mankind this short (only 66 words) -- but perfect -- way to commune with the Creator of the universe:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV)
     So let’s look at it: First, Jesus exhorts us to honor God and humble our will before His, and to seek His continued sustenance. (No problem, we think.)
     Later we’re told to ask for God’s protection as we acknowledge His supremacy in all things. (Great, that makes perfect sense too, we think.)
     But in between those two parts comes one line that delivers an essential, life-changing commandment, the beating heart of the Lord’s Prayer, and the fulcrum of change in our lives, the place where miraculous things happen to us – or don’t, if we don’t heed it:  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
     So crucial is this line that, immediately following the prayer, Jesus reinforces the forgiveness requirement in the starkest terms imaginable, to make sure nobody misses it:  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; But if ye forgive not men their tres- passes, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15 KJV).  Now that gets my attention.
     Forgiveness requires that we let go of resentment and bitterness at injustices, disappointments and betrayals, and even, as Christ said, that we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. The big problem we have with this is that anger – whether subtle irritation or full-blown, out-of-control rage – is what sustains our prideful, sinful nature, which literally feeds on resentment and hostility while providing us an illusion of righteousness. Thus, fasting from the “meal” of resentment and truly forgiving those who have “trespassed against us” requires repentance on our part.
     And where is repentance to be found? I love this short but transcendently meaningful explanation by John the Apostle: “Here is the message we heard from him [Jesus] and pass on to you: that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to be sharing in His life while we walk in the dark, our words and our lives are a lie; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, then we share together a common life, and we are being cleansed from every sin by the blood of Jesus his Son.” (1 John 1:5-7 NEB)
     John mentions here no complicated dogma, no required religious observances, rituals, pilgrimages, or special diet. Just a sincere appreciation of God’s forgiveness and this glistening instruction: If we “walk in the light, as He Himself is in the light” – that is, if we calmly and humbly welcome God’s light of understanding to shine in our minds and souls, by which light we will observe our dark, angry, sinful nature – He will grace us with repentance. And “then,” assures John, “we share together a common life, and we are being cleansed from every sin by the blood of Jesus, His Son.”
     Again, living “in the light” – not losing ourselves in worry over the past, or anxiety and fear over the future, but staying faithful in the present moment, in the presence of God – involves facing our own vexing imperfections and faults, without condemning ourselves, or covering up the sin, or struggling with it to fix it, but just patiently waiting on God for help. When we do that, we are, in that very moment, being transformed, redeemed, graced to “share together a common life” with God.
 
     As you can see, Freedom comes in more than one package... there is the freedom guaranteed by our Constitution, and the freedom we receive from forgiveness.  The legal and moral freedoms of this nation just happen to be intertwined with the freedoms provided by our God.  If we would live out the Lord's Prayer, we could change the culture in this country; we could truly live "in the land of the free", and enjoy the nation that God built.  Until then we "labor in vain".  

Acts 17:30    "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,"

It's A Great Time To Pray!

     I feel like we are sitting on a big bubble that's about to pop.  And I'm not talking about any financial bubble -- even though the world economy is hanging on by a thread, and there seems to be no end in sight of the crippling debt; both for individuals and nations.
     No, I'm talking about the escalating situations swirling around Iran.  It is not enough that they capture two Navy ships, detain our sailors, and broadcast a propaganda apology that highlights the failure of our government to maintain control of the situation (let alone save face).  In addition, the alleged cooperation between Iran and North Korea in constructing a nuclear warhead cannot be ignored.
     The Washington Free Beacon reports that it believes that Iran is housing some of its key nuclear weapons-related technology in North Korea in order to avoid detection by international inspectors.  In fact, just a week ago North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a miniaturized hydrogen bomb, giving credence to lawmakers and regional experts who are warning that Pyongyang and Tehran are continuing an illicit clandestine partnership enabling the rogue nations to master nuclear technology.

     North Korea's boldness in executing the test has only served to encourage the recalcitrant Iranians.    One expert on the inner workings of the Iranian regime stated, "The entire world may well consider North Korea a failed state, but from the view point of the [Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps], North Korea is a success story and a role model: A state which remains true to its revolutionary beliefs and defies the Global Arrogance."  Our sailors on their knees with their hands behind their heads is a pretty darn arrogant illustration of them thumbing their noses at us, don't you think?
     So now you have Iran, fresh from humiliating the United States, being sneaky with their nuclear bomb activity, and the U.S. just days and hours from lifting the sanctions off the rebellious nation.  And then we hear the reasonable voice of retired Lt. General William "Jerry" Boykin, who tells us, "Whether you believe in prayer or not, could I suggest that this is a great time to pray for America and ‪Israel‬? Frankly, it is the only real hope that we have."  Is it really all that bad?  I'm afraid it is.
     Because the sanctions have cost Iran more than $160 billion in oil revenue since 2012 alone, they are expected to resume selling oil on international markets and using the global financial system for trade.  Iran has the fourth largest oil reserves in the world and the energy industry is braced for lower prices, which will directly impact our economy, and not in a good way.  In addition, Iran will also be able to access more than $100 billion in frozen overseas assets.
     But here's why General Boykin says that this Iran deal is so dangerous:  First of all, the U.S. and Iran cannot even agree what is in the deal.  The U.S. claims that Iran is in violation of the deal after recently firing two ballistic missiles.  Iran says the testing is not specifically mentioned in the deal, and therefore, they've violated nothing.  Secondly, Iran has never signed the deal.  So, seems to me that if a contract has not been signed, then neither party owes any accountability to the other.  And although Congress will vote in a week or so on imposing new sanctions, that's most likely a dead-end street, too, with a President who is quick to remind everyone that he has the power of the pen.
     As if this is not enough, we need to recognize that Iran is a dangerous detriment to world peace.  Iran has rejected any international inspection of military sites that are thought to be developing nuclear technology (threatening war if any attempt is made), giving them free reign to proceed with their nuclear projects.  Add to that, their consistent shouts of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" does not speak to a desire for peaceful relations; nor does their reception of Russian S-300 missiles.  And if anyone in the world is naive enough to think that the money they will receive from the U.S. will go to economic relief, rather than to support Iran's ongoing affiliations with terror groups throughout the Middle East, then General Boykin is right --- we don't stand a chance without prayer.
     So, at this late date, it certainly appears that Iran will proceed with its nuclear program with no regard for any "deal" with the United States.  And they have made their hatred for us and Israel quite well known over the  last few years.  They have vast influence over the sectarian strife throughout the Middle East, and in just a few days, we will be handing over $150 billion of our money to help them further all their causes.  Does that sum it up for you?
     Where this all leads, I simply do not know.  But it sure seems to me that Iran is running headlong towards their apocalyptic goal, unabated and uninhibited.  But for now, I suggest that we all follow General Boykin's advice and PRAY!  After all, he is one of the original members of the US Army’s Delta Force; the former Commander of the Army’s Green Berets, as well as the Special Warfare Center and School; and the former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence -- all prestigious military titles that speak to his understanding and comprehension of these times in which we live.
     But he is also an ordained minister, and it is his command and grasp of that job position that qualifies him to tell us that prayer is the only real hope we have.... I suggest that we follow his orders, and hit our knees!

Psalm 145:18-19   "The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him; He also hears their cry and saves them."
   
   

Like Lambs To The Slaughter...

     You know how you sometimes have that nagging thought at the back of your mind, but then you think perhaps you are reaching a bit --- until someone else proposes the same thought with equal passion, and you know it is an affirmation from God?  That's what happened to me this morning.
     As usual, I start my day off with personal time in my Bible as I commune with God, trying to gain a bigger, and more intimate, knowledge of Him.  I was reading the Book of Proverbs, specifically Chapter 7, and I was instantly impacted by the vision the Scripture presented.  On the surface, the text was describing the advice that a loving father was giving to his son... to keep and treasure the commandments of the father; to cling to wisdom and understanding and insight, in order to avoid the enticement of "the loose woman", who was not only a "fallen woman", but sly and cunning of heart; turbulent and willful.

     This "harlot" was seen as bold and adventurous, blatantly tempting the son, and impudently offering herself to him without hesitation.   She lures him to come home with her and make love on her luxurious couch and cushions of tapestry, with striped sheets of fine linen of Egypt.  She teases his senses with the suggestion of a bed perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.  She assures him that the good man of the house is not at home; that he has gone on a long journey and taken his treasure with him, only to return home at the appointed time.
     Then Proverbs tell us that "with a justifying and enticing argument she persuades him, with the allurements of her lips she leads him [to overcome his conscience and his fears] and forces him along into her house.  Suddenly he [yields and] follows her reluctantly like an ox moving to the slaughter, like one in shackles going to the correction [to be given] to a fool, or like a dog enticed by food to the muzzle, until an arrow [of passion] pierces and inflames his vitals; then like a bird fluttering straight into the net [he hastens], not knowing that it will cost him his life."
     I knew, with a sinking heart, that this was an accurate analogy for the path our country has taken; and sadly, the experience of too many Christians who have been enticed to abandon the commands of God in order to follow the harlot and what the world has to offer.  I know I am not the only one who sees it.  And sometimes I think that my justification for this opinion falls on deaf ears.
     But then someone else speaks up with a voice much louder than mine.  Today it is Naghmeh Abedini, the wife of imprisoned Pastor Saeed Abedini.  She says God has shown her how Satan is lulling the Body of Christ to sleep; that many Christians are befriending the world, seeking fame and popularity before all else.  
     Naghmeh is in the midst of a three-week fast to refocus her relationship on God.  "A main theme during my time of prayer and fasting seems to be becoming aware of our (my) friendship with the world as followers of Christ," Naghmeh writes. "I am being made more and more aware of how we (including me) are allowing its subtle ways get to us and it is putting the body of Christ to sleep."

     And she has seen a much broader view of the world than I have; traveling around the world in recent years, campaigning for the release of her husband, Saeed, who is imprisoned in Iran.   "My travels over the last 3 years have opened my eyes to the condition that the Body of Christ is in. Pursuing fame, wealth and 'followers/numbers' has become normal in the Christian world. We are becoming like the world and we are totally Ok with that. Yet the Scripture has serious warnings, even calling us ENEMIES OF GOD."
     Whether, we see ourselves as the foolish and tempted son of a faithful and sovereign father [in Proverbs 7], or as the Body of Christ being lulled to sleep in Naghmeh's vision of the Church, the message is the same ... we are ignoring the teachings and commands of our God, and have strayed onto the path that the harlot has so cleverly offered us.  As in the Proverb, she has offered to let us share with her the feast from her "peace offering".  But if we Christians understood what this offering symbolized, we would know that it is to be dedicated to God in full; that we must not think we are worthy or equal to share in what is the Lord's.  The peace offering is to be an acknowledgment of being made whole through the peace of knowing and experiencing God's forgiveness, and it signifies the peace that Jesus's sacrifice brings us -- we have no right to "share", or take credit for that offering.  But, just as the harlot deliberately sought the son, so has the Enemy ensnared us to share in his blasphemous feast.
     I guess the thing that is most clear to me is that we, who can see, are seeing clearly and with great spiritual discernment.  We are solemnly aware that the harlot -- this shiny, tempting, alluring world -- has led us down her path, and her victims are countless.  For me, the sad climax to this analogy from Scripture, is that just like the wayward son, and Naghmeh Abedini's sleeping Body of Christ, the harlot's house "is the way to Sheol (Hades, the place of the dead), going down to the chambers of death" ... and how many do not know that following her will cost them their [eternal] lives?

Thank you to Charisma News for the report on Naghmeh Abedini.

Proverbs 7:6-8     "For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice.  And among the simple (empty-headed and emptyhearted) ones, I perceived among the youths a young man void of good sense, Sauntering through the street near the [loose woman’s] corner; and he went the way to her house."

Nothing Ever Really Changes

     As if we need more evidence that man's love of idolatry and false gods has always been present, news comes that a group of of European architects has proposed to build a 21st-century version of the Colossus of Rhodes, the ancient Greek statue erected on the island of Rhodes in the 3rd century B.C. The original ancient statue was of the Greek titan-god of the sun Helios, erected in the city of Rhodes, on the Greek island of the same name.
     One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it was constructed to celebrate Rhodes' victory over the ruler of Cyprus, Antigonus I Monophthalmus, whose son unsuccessfully besieged Rhodes in 305 BC. Before its destruction in the earthquake of 226 BC, the Colossus of Rhodes stood over 30 metres (98 feet) high, making it one of the tallest statues of the ancient world.

The new proposed statue of Helios, sun god

     But the new version would stand 500-feet tall (five times larger than the original) and serve as a cultural center, as a library, an exhibition hall and a lighthouse on Rhodes, the largest of Greece’s Dodecanese islands.  This island is known for its beach resorts, ancient ruins and structural remnants of its crusades-era occupation.  I find the estimated cost of the statue ($283 million) to not only be offensive in light of the decimated Greek economy, but just another monument to man's obsession with pagan gods and his rebellion against the One True God.
     The fact that the statue honors the god Helios is just a perpetuation of sun god worship that has existed since the beginning of civilizations.   The imagery of the sun as the ruler of both the upper and the lower worlds that he majestically visited on his daily round is prominent among all the ancient cultures.  Even The Encyclopedia Britannica gives credence to sun worship:  "The sun is the bestower of light and life to the totality of the cosmos; with his unblinking, all-seeing eye, he is the stern guarantor of justice; with the almost universal connection of light with enlightenment or illumination, the sun is the source of wisdom."  I found it extremely sad and disturbing to read this once venerated source of knowledge equating and venerating all the ancient religions as equal to Christianity.  Here are some of the points they made about sun worship:
•  These qualities—sovereignty, power of beneficence, justice, and wisdom—are central to any elite religious group, and it is within these contexts that a highly developed solar ideology is found. Kings ruled by the power of the sun and claimed descent from the sun. Solar deities, gods personifying the sun, are sovereign and all-seeing. The sun is often a prime attribute of or is identified with the Supreme Deity.
•  In ancient Egypt the sun god Re was the dominant figure among the high gods and retained this position from early in that civilization’s history ...  Surya is glorified in the Vedas of ancient India as an all-seeing god who observes both good and evil actions ... In medieval Iran, sun festivals were celebrated as a heritage from pre-Islamic times ...
•  During the later periods of Roman history, sun worship gained in importance and ultimately led to what has been called a “solar monotheism.” Nearly all the gods of the period were possessed of solar qualities, and both Christ and Mithra acquired the traits of solar deities. The feast of Sol Invictus (Unconquered Sun) on December 25 was celebrated with great joy, and eventually this date was taken over by the Christians as Christmas, the birthday of Christ.  (The obvious attempt to equalize our Savior with other gods, and with sun worship is unmistakable).

Ancient Colossus of Rhodes

     I will grant you that the Greek Mythology gives us a fascinating picture into man's attempts to create his own gods.  The island of Rhodes derives its name from the nymph Rhodos, who bore seven sons to the sun god Helios, the patron of the island. Three grandsons of these offspring were the heroes of the three principal cities on the island: Camirus, Ialysus, and Lindus, which were named after them. In honour of Helios, Panhellenic games, the Halieia, were held on the island every five years, and each year a chariot and four horses (quadriga) were thrown into the sea as an offering to the god (who was believed to ride such a chariot across the sky each day).  It is almost funny to discern that this was all the result of man's attempt to explain God's creation of the sun -- except that we know it is the result of the Enemy's lies; his never-ending attempt to blind us to the true knowledge of our Creator.
     Other mythological associations with the islands include the belief that the Telchines had a workshop on the island. They were believed to be an ancient semi-divine race that invented, and were particularly skilled at, metalwork. Hercules was also worshipped on the island as the founder of the first settlement. Other important cults were dedicated to Apollo, Zeus, Athena, and Dionysos, and during the Hellenistic period the island adopted several Egyptian cults such as those of Sarapis and Isis ... and it all leads back to Nimrod and rebellion towards God.
     But knowing that Helios was not only the Titan god (translate as part god (fallen angel)/part human) of the sun, but he was also the guardian of oaths and the god of gift of sight.  His description shows just how far the devil was trying to go to equate him with Jesus, the Son of God:  "[Helios the Sun] rides his chariot, he shines upon men and deathless gods, and piercingly he gazes with his eyes from his golden helmet. Bright rays beam dazzlingly from him, and his bright locks streaming from the temples of his head gracefully enclose his far-seen face: a rich, fine-spun garment glows upon his body and flutters in the wind, and stallions carry him. Then, when he has stayed his golden-yoked chariot and horses, he rests there upon the highest point of heaven, until he marvellously drives them down again through heaven...".
     So, nothing has really changed.  Man is still trying to bow down to an image of a god he has created.  The new statue of Helios will be bigger and grander and more shiny than the original; just a bigger false idol than the first, and a sign of how obsessed we are to worship anyone or anything other than the True Light of the World.  The Colossus of Rhodes was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC.  I shudder to think of the destruction that is coming upon the newest version of this pagan god.  Will we never learn?

Deuteronomy 12:30    "Be watchful that you are not ensnared into following them after they have been destroyed before you and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? We will do likewise."

Where Are The Feminists?

     In our current political season, a favorite rallying cry is that there is "a war on women".  It is usually lodged against the Republican Party to describe their policies and legislation as a wide-scale effort to restrict women's rights, especially reproductive rights.  As unmerited as this charge is, I realize that the so-called Feminists in our nation love to play the victim card, and are always on the look-out for causes or women who have been wronged.
     So, why are they so silent about the abuse being heaped upon the women of Europe by the Middle Eastern refugees?  They love to throw the word "misogynist" around, and what could be more representative of hatred or disrespect towards women than headlines like this at The Daily Mail:  "Migrant rape fears spread across Europe: Women told not to go out at night alone after assaults carried out in Sweden, Finland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland amid warnings gangs are co-ordinating attacks."
     I mean, Donald Trump is loudly and vociferously castigated across the airwaves for his admittedly crude remarks, while not one of those feminist political strategists makes a peep about young women being fondled, raped, and being subjected to all manner of physical violations by gangs of Muslim men.
     The warnings in Europe come as reports emerged that Austrian and German police tried to cover-up the issue over fears of reprisal attacks on asylum seekers and damage to the countries' tourist trade.  Where is the uproar over the last part of that statement?  Putting money ahead of the safety of their young women?  Where are all those radical feminists who scream about gender equality, racial justice, the silencing of women?
     Where is the outrage over the chilling police report (about the attacks in Cologne, Germany) which describes women being forced to run through a 'gauntlet' of drunken men while officers themselves were mobbed by victims claiming they had been sexually assaulted.  Where are the champions of a woman named Jenny, who suffered serious burns when a firework was shoved into the hood she was wearing? "I heard a sizzling sound in my hood," she said. "I somehow tried to get the firecracker out of the hood. Then it fell into my jacket and burned everything. The scars will be permanent. I was lucky that it didn't explode."
     In Sweden, a gang formed a ring around girls and started molesting them. A police spokesman said, "They grabbed their breasts and genitals. In some cases they tried to drag girls into a waiting car, but those girls escaped, luckily."
     Perhaps the most chilling report is that which comes from German police, who have confirmed what they found on one man they have arrested from the gang of Arab and North African men who attacked women in Cologne.  Written on pieces of paper, police discovered lurid phrases in Arabic translated into German for him to use against women victims.
     Among the threatening messages was: "I'll kill you."  The notes also had the phrase for "nice breasts" and "I want to have sex with you."  The suspects arrested from the Cologne sex attacks reportedly included 9 Algerians, 8 Moroccans, 4 Syrians, 5 Iranians, 2 Germans and one each from Iraq, Serbia and the USA.
     So, once again, I ask, Where is the outcry by American feminists?  Why are they not marching in the streets, as are the German protestors who question just how their government is prepared to react to this outrage, and frankly, the danger it presents their women?  Is it that they fear it will contribute to another of their cause célébres, "Islamophobia"?  It is true that the people of Europe are trying to determine how the flood of refugees is going to affect their countries.  And after the New Year's Eve attacks in Cologne, it has inflamed a debate over Germany's ability to integrate the 1.1 million asylum seekers it took in last year alone.
     The facts remain... there is a clash between cultures.  Middle Eastern refugees see Western women in skimpy clothing and hugging and kissing in public.  In their culture, that equates to prostitution.  Does that necessarily lead to the flagrant rape and molestation that Europe is experiencing?  Or is there something more sinister at foot?  Regardless, there is a cancer spreading in Europe, and the growing crimes against women threaten to release an explosive reaction upon an already nervous and anxious European population.
     So, are we prepared to deal with similar ramifications from our own refugee policies?  Will the feminist politicians speak out for the potential victims, or will they remain silent, so as not to offend those of a different religion?  Do not think that we will remain unscathed in this nation.  I pray that our communities and cities, and those who are elected to protect us, become aware of this potential problem before it happens here, and prevent the horrendous experience of European women.  American feminists, this is your challenge.  What are you going to do about it?

2 Corinthians 5:11    "Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience."

What Is REAL Courage?

     You know, with all the alerts from around the world warning us that evil is encroaching upon our security, it would be easy to give in to the unsettling fear and worry.  I'm afraid that, as a culture, we have lost the sense of self-preservation and the responsibility to protect ourselves that was a hallmark of our ancestors.  Are courage and heroism no longer desired traits?

     We seem to have exchanged our instincts to defend and safeguard ourselves and our families for the idea that others will do it for us (like the government) -- or even more ridiculously, that it will never reach our shores.  Then again, we have become a society that puts more stock in the perceptions and interpretations we see on our TV and movie screens than we do in our own lives.  We sit back and watch celebrities play real-life characters in movies like American Sniper and the upcoming 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, and look upon those actors as heroes, relegating the stories of the actual men to two-and-a-half hours of whatever the screenwriter chooses to highlight.  So, we are able to transfer those acts of courage onto a movie star, and give no further thought to the real struggles that those real-life heroes face -- or, even more importantly, how we might be called upon to respond in kind.

Bradley Cooper, as Chris Kyle

     That's why it sickens me when I see and hear the accolades heaped upon actors like Bradley Cooper, Liam Neeson, and Edward Norton (and the additional 97 celebrities who joined them) for signing a letter to the President in support of gun control.  What are we to think of them?  If they truly believe that "guns [are] far too easily available to people intent on doing harm", are we to assume that they lack a moral compass or conscience because they have no problem making millions of dollars playing characters who use guns to defend themselves, the weak, and the defenseless?

     Don't be mistaken -- I'm not looking to turn this into a gun control argument, although I do find their argument for enhanced background checks without logic -- as Breitbart.com states, "It is hard to figure out which is most embarrassing, the fact they cite a shooting where the gunman and gunwoman passed a background check for their handguns–San Bernardino–or the fact that they cite Sandy Hook, where Adam Lanza went around background checks altogether by stealing his guns."  But, back to my real point -- It is that they don't deserve to be compared to the flesh-and-blood heroes they portray; nor do I think they comprehend what lies at the foundation of real courage. 

     Let them spend one day, even one hour, in the shoes of men like Chris Kyle, or Glen Doherty, or Tyrone Woods, and maybe... just maybe... I would listen to what they have to say.  Instead, let them visit with Jeff Struecker, a real-life survivor of another blockbuster movie, Blackhawk Down.  Maybe it is easy for actors, once the cameras stop rolling, to discard the persona of the dead men they are playing.  But let them hear Jeff Struecker tell his story of what it was like those fateful hours in Mogadishu, as the Army Rangers/Delta Force attempted to secure the area after a UN peacekeeping mission went awry in the middle of Somalia's civil war.  Let them hear, first-hand, how Ranger PFC Todd Blackburn failed his fast-rope drop-in and fell 70 feet to the ground headfirst.  Let them experience the horrors that surrounded the Rangers and Delta Force operators, as they secured the perimeter, and how the subsequent efforts to rescue the fallen ranger led to two helicopters being shot down and 18 deaths.  

     Let Struecker relate how he rescued Blackburn, who was unconscious and bleeding through his nose and mouth, and stretchered him to a Humvee that would drive him to the base; how he drove carefully through the alleys of Mogadishu, so as not to jar the injured soldier.  And then, let them try to imagine what it was like as Struecker paints them the following picture:  "Turning a corner, the entire city erupted with gunfire.  We were being shot at from a 100 different directions, it seemed like—from rooftops, from alleyways and from doorways and windows. There were rocket propelled grenades and automatic gunfire from AK-47s from 20, 30 feet away."  

     Rear gunner Sgt. Dominick Pilla was killed by a militiaman waiting in ambush. "When I turned and looked over my shoulder, it looked like the whole back of my vehicle had been painted red with Dominick Pilla's blood," says Struecker. "I thought I was going to die in the next moments, but then I remembered I was in charge and I needed to get myself under control if I was going to get my men out of there."  It is one thing to play those emotions as an actor; it's quite another to actually live them.

     But here is the part of the story that I'm fairly certain these actors cannot understand, and where the heart of what courage really is comes into play ... The column of Humvees managed to escape the hostilities in the city and return to the base. Medics and surgeons ran to stretcher in Blackburn. Meanwhile Struecker thanked God that he had gotten out alive.  At that moment, the platoon leader informed Struecker that a Black Hawk helicopter had been shot down, and that the pilot needed Humvees to go rescue him. A special operator counseled him to wash the blood off the Humvee first so as to not terrify the new crew.

     As he washed the Humvee, he experienced convulsions of fear like he had never felt before. "I was totally and completely certain that I was going to die," he said. "And every fiber of my being was saying, 'No, Jeff, don't do this. This is crazy. It's suicide. You're going to get yourself killed if you go back out there.'  But then he remembered he was a Ranger, whose creed is to never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy. As a Christian, he started to pray.  

     "God I'm in big trouble right now, and I need your help because I'm certain that I'm going to die tonight," he said.  The Lord brought to his mind the recent Bible devotional about Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. There, Jesus said, "Not my will, but yours be done... Jesus, the perfect sinless Son of God, walked into the hands of the enemy and He willingly, freely gave His life up so that your sin and my sin could be dealt with once and for all," Struecker relates. "At the back of that Humvee, I prayed, not my will. From that moment on, God once and for all dealt with that fear. I had no worries about what was going to happen to me that night."

Jeff Struecker

     I'm pretty sure that no Academy-award winning actor could accurately portray how that changed Jeff Struecker.  "I realized if I go home to my family in Georgia or go home to my Father in heaven, in either case, I cannot lose because of what my Savior Jesus Christ had done for me.  That alone gave me the peace to go back and forth into the streets repeatedly for the rest of the night."  And that he did, miraculously avoiding death as an RPG bounced off the hood of his Humvee, and gunmen opened fire on him with AK-47s from point blank range.

     Note that it was the peace of God that gave Jeff Struecker his courage.  That kind of courage doesn't come from the efforts of a man, and that is something these actors may never realize.  But Struecker's fellow soldiers saw it, and wanted to know how he did it.  They approached him, "Jeff, there was something different about you last night, and I want to know what it was,'" Struecker says.  "For the next 24 hours, I had guys lined up to ask me about Jesus Christ because they could see the difference that He makes when you're getting shot at and when the bullets are flying." 

     "Before that night, I thought you could transform the world through military prowess and national power," Struecker said. "But I realized something in Mogadishu, Somalia: There is only one force great enough to transform the world, and it is the Holy Spirit of the Living God through His Son Jesus Christ."  And that's why, after counseling a large number of comrades shaken by death, Struecker realized God had something greater for him than "kicking in doors and slinging lead at the enemies of our country," he said.  He became a Chaplain for his same Ranger regiment.

     And that is my definition of a hero.  You see, Jeff Struecker learned what real courage was that night, and how to deal with his fears, as he experienced the tragedy that was Mogadishu.  In the Bible, courage is the opposite of fear. When Struecker prayed for God's will, and not his own, we can see God working in each incident in those dark alleyways of Somalia.  It was not natural for Jeff Struecker to be brave and courageous, but with God protecting and guiding him, he could have courage because he was confident in Him.

     That is something that only comes from knowing God.  That is what allows a man to be called a hero.  It will never come from "playing" a hero.  What Jeff Struecker learned that night in Mogadishu is what each one of us needs to learn as we face the uncertain future and our own fears.  We need to stop play-acting, and relying on our roles as Americans, or successful businessmen, or church leaders, or whatever part we're playing in our life's story.  We need to allow God to replace that fear, and come to the understanding of His sovereignty, and that His plans and purposes cannot be stopped; that every circumstance of life is subservient to His will.

     I began this post by saying that it would be easy to give into our unsettling fears and worries, and that we have lost the sense to defend ourselves.  But we must realize, as I believe our ancestors did, that God is our defense and our shield; that He is the one who makes it possible for us to do acts of courage because He takes away our fear and replaces it with confidence in His will and purpose for our lives.  Real men, like Jeff Struecker, have experienced fear and overcome it with their trust in the will of God.  May each of us experience that same Godly courage in the days to come.

Joshua 1:9    Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Psalm 136:1

Give thanks unto the LORD for He is good:

 for His mercy endures forever."

     His mercy endures forever ... that is a familiar and comforting refrain for us Christians.  And it is a repetitive honor sung throughout Psalm 136 to the glory of our Lord... twenty-six times to be exact.  And perhaps it is repeated so often in the Psalm because Israel knows, from their history, that God takes great pleasure in being recognized for his continual love and mercy.

     They can recall the Temple being filled with the presence of the Lord in a cloud, when the trumpeters and singers joined in unison, accompanied by cymbals and other instruments, and as with one voice, gave praise and thanks to the LORD, raising their voices in praise to Him and singing: "He is good; his love endures forever" (2 Chronicles 5:13).  Or perhaps they remember, in Jehoshaphat's time, when God gave them victory over the invading armies of Ammon and Moab after Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of their army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." (2 Chronicles 20:21-22).

     Notice that the entire Psalm gives a very convincing picture of who our LORD is, and why we should not only give Him thanks, but recognize that "His mercy endures forever".  We thank Him because He is great and good in Himself (verses 1-3); He is the Creator of the world (verses 5-9); He is Israel's God and Savior (verses 10-22); He is our Redeemer (verses 23-24); He is our Provider and the God of Heaven... and His mercy endures forever (verses 25-26).  

      Obviously, this mercy is to be acknowledged and praised.  But what exactly is "mercy"?  The Hebrew word is cheçed, and suggests God's strength, steadfastness and love; His generosity and loyalty.  God remains committed to His promises and Covenant, but retains His freedom toward the manner in which He will extend those promises (through both discipline and redemption).  But it endures forever!  His mercy is permanent, and it is reliable.  

     It has been clear that God responded to the praise and honor given to Him in the Old Testament.  The Chronicles of the Bible record not only His appearance, but the victories that are possible when His people raise their voices in praise, and remember His faithfulness and perpetual mercy.  For us, in the 21st Century, the final implementation of God's mercy is eschatological -- it is the goal and end of all salvation and history!  Because of His enduring mercy our hearts will be full as we enter into His Heavenly presence, and His mercy will be the subject of our praise for all eternity.  I can hardly wait!