The Jews: Targeted Again

     When will the world admit that European Jews are the object of extermination?  Again, within a month, Islamic terrorism has claimed the lives of innocent Jews; this time in Denmark at a cafe and outside a synagogue in Copenhagen.  And it's beginning to sound like a lame excuse to lay the blame on "lone wolf" jihadists.  What is Europe's fear in being honest about the widespread ideology that has targeted those of Jewish descent across the continent?  By ignoring the blatant hatred of the Jewish people, do heads of state think they can mollify the terrorists and diminish the number of attacks?  And how long is the world going to tolerate such an inaccurate theory?  The fact is, anti-semitism is on the rise and it is no longer limited to just words against the Jews.
     Would it surprise you to know that rather than face terrorism charges, Danish jihadis who return to the European country from Syria are offered rehabilitation?  And would you find it astonishing to know that more Danes travelled to Syria last year, per head of population, than any other European country except from Belgium?

Flowers line the street outside the Copenhagen synagogue.

     Do you agree that these are random attacks, and it is merely coincidental that Jews are the victims?  Or do you agree with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, who says, "Again, Jews were murdered on European soil just because they were Jews?"
     So, let's say we agree with the less offensive first assumption -- that it's all just a sad coincidence; that Jews are dead due to the "random" and irrational attacks of a few lone gunmen.  What is Europe doing to make sure another Jew does not become another arbitrary statistic?
     I will admit that Europe has a checkered past in regards to their estimation of the Jews over the last 100-plus years.  For instance, from the beginning of the Twentieth Century, Europe has been suspicious of the dominance in the world economic (or banking) system of Jews like the Rothschild family.  There have long been implications of the control of worldwide financial activity, fanning the flames of World Wars, and an agenda to destroy the power and influence of the Christian Church -- all for the sake of world dominance.  These theories are not without substantial merit.  But is this reason enough to warrant a century of suspicion and hatred of ALL Jews?  Satan has been successful in infiltrating the Jewish line, but as the Bible tells us, God always retains a faithful remnant unto Himself.
     Thus, the 20th Century saw the deaths of millions of innocent Jews in the pogroms (massacres) of Russia and the Holocaust in Nazi Germany.  Now, in the 21st Century, instead of being embraced as part of the European trend towards multi-ethnic and multi-faith communities, the Jews are isolated and segregated, just as they were prior to WWII.
     The truth is, the establishment of their own nation in their historic homeland -- to which millions of Jews have returned since the Holocaust -- did nothing to assuage the hatred or the hostility towards the Jewish people.  If anything, it intensified the enmity.  The creation of the nation of Israel somehow gave cause to label all European Jews as "Zionist Imperialists".  The continued economic crises in 21st Century Europe have given rise to the old associations of Jews and financial control/exploitation; the same bias that ignited Nazi Germany.  Together, with the rise of the Muslim population in Europe, who view the Jews from the 21st Century perspective of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, you have a two-pronged attack against European Jews.  It becomes apparent that both anti-semitism and anti-Zionism fuel the perception of Jews in modern Europe.
     So will Europe be able to stem the tide of Jewish murders and persecution?  Or is this just a precursor to Isaiah's 2700-year-old prophecy that God would draw His people back to their homeland from the north, south, east and west.  Jesus, Himself, in speaking to the Jews, promises wars and rumors of wars; and that "you will be hated (despised) by everyone because [you bear] My name and for its sake."  Remember, that Jesus was a descendant of the tribe of Judah by his lineage, and He very clearly states in this passage that Jews will be persecuted and despised.  But Jesus also gives a quick little prophecy about a fig tree that "puts forth its buds and comes out in leaf".  Is He prophesying the re-emergence of the nation of Israel?  Is this a reconstitution of ancient Israel, growing and putting out shoots after a period of dormancy?
      And what does the Lord's statement mean in the following verse, when He says that when you see this happening, know that the Kingdom of God is at hand?  Could it be that this is just a Cosmic Chess Match, as submitted by author L.A. Marzulli, and the persecution of the Jews today is just an ongoing effort by Satan to try to stay one move ahead of God's plan to redeem the world through His Son, the Jewish Messiah?  If so, the words of Prime Minister Netanyahu would seem prophetic in themselves:  "This wave of attacks is expected to continue, as well as murderous anti-Semitic attacks. Jews deserve security in every country, but we say to our Jewish brothers and sisters, Israel is your home."
     At this time, Denmark and Europe seem to want to categorize the latest murders as an attack on the freedom of expression and free speech.  Satan has been clever in deceiving the world into falling for a false narrative.  But those of us who see clearly know that we are edging closer to the precipice.  The chess match is coming to a close, and neither player is willing to resign from the game or allow it to conclude with a draw.  But here's the deal:  we know Who the winner is; we know which King will run out of plays and be captured and thrown into the abyss.  You see, a Kingdom is the place where the King resides, and the Prince of this world will soon abdicate his position of power and the Kingdom of God will truly reign on the earth!  And the world will despair of how they treated the House of Judah.  Europe and the world ... take notice!

Click here for a report on the Copenhagen, Denmark shootings as reported by the U.K.'s Daily Mail.

Luke 21:28-32     "Now when these things begin to occur, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption (deliverance) is drawing near. And He told them a parable: Look at the fig tree and all the trees; When they put forth their buds and come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and perceive and know that summer is already near.  Even so, when you see these things taking place, understand and know that the kingdom of God is at hand.  Truly I tell you, this generation those living at that definite period of time) will not perish and pass away until all has taken place."

1 Samuel 28:14

He said to her [the witch of Endor], "In what form is he?" 

And she said, "An old man comes up, covered with a mantle".  And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground and made obeisance.

     The purpose of today's post is a little different than in past Sundays; I want to show you how we in the Western world can sometimes miss the meaning of Scipture ... but first a little background. Saul has lost his favor with God, and is desperately trying to cling to his throne as King of Israel.  He has chased after David in hopes of defeating and killing his rival.  In the meantime, the prophet Samuel has died, and along with him Saul's connection to the Lord.  The fading king attempts to seek the Lord's direction, but God no longer answers him, "neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets" (1 Samuel 28:4).

     The mention of Urim, refers us to the elements on the breastplate of judgment worn by Aaron, as Chief Priest (Exodus 28).  Urim was the Light of God, and Thummin was the Perfection of God.  Together they evoked the Divine Counsel of God.  When Aaron consulted God about a matter before the people, God would make Himself known to Aaron.  As 1 Samuel 28:4 tells us, God did not extend advice to Saul because he no longer had the Light (Urim) of God shining on him and could not call upon the Divine Counsel of God.  

     Saul is deprived of God's counsel and that of Samuel, the prophet.  So, what does he do?  He asks his servants to find him the Witch of Endor, a medium who could summon spirits.  He disguises himself and goes to see her.  And who does he want her to call up? Samuel, his trusted prophet and advisor.  The witch calls up the spirit, and she apparently recognizes Samuel, and then realizes that it is King Saul who has deceived her; the very king who had "cut off" the mediums and wizards from the land.  She fears for her life, but Saul assures her she will not be punished, and then asks the witch to describe Samuel.  We have now arrived at our selected verse and the object of this post.

     What are we to make of this verse and those that surround it in Scripture?  Could it really be Samuel, God's prophet that has "come up"; that has appeared as a "ghost" or "spirit"?  For hundreds of years many in the Christian Church have understood this passage to indicate that it was not Samuel who actually appeared, but a demonic spirit.  This is due to our Western mindset and our interpretation of the Bible from a Western context. 

     In that vein, here is how the Modern Church interprets this series of events in 1 Samuel, Chapter 28 .... God permitted the devil to put on the shape of Samuel.  Saul, who no longer received the love of God's Truth, was given up to a strong delusion and a lie.  The Church will say, "Why did he not realize that Samuel, a man of God, would not have come up out of the earth, but would rather have come down from heaven?  Therefore this has to be an evil spirit!  But instead of humbling himself and repenting before God, Saul seeks the spirits of the dead and the devil; so God gave him over to deception.  The spirit also reveals that because the Lord has departed from Saul, God will hand him over to death the next day at the hand of the Philistines.  

     Now, I would like to offer another interpretation of this event.  For the last few years, I have grown into a different understanding of the Bible than that of the mainstream Church.  Our Bible speaks to all believers and followers of Jesus Christ, but God breathed the inspiration for His Book into the minds and hearts of Hebrew and Greek men.  The Bible must be interpreted from a Middle Eastern viewpoint... it is a Middle Eastern book.  Therefore, we have to look through Hebrew eyes to gain clear understanding of God's intentions.

     So, here is how the nation of Israel and Hebrews would interpret this Scripture .... The spirit who appears to Saul is actually the real Samuel, who has been residing down in Sheol since his death.  This is where all the dead resided at that time because, remember, Jesus has not yet come, been crucified, and descended into Sheoul to take the captives with Him to heaven (See Ephesians 4:8-10, and Psalm 68:18).  Before Christ's ascension, the spirits of all the dead were waiting in Abraham's bosom (Sheol) to be redeemed.  Christ did that as explained in 1 Peter 3:18-20.

     Furthermore, when the spirit of Samuel predicts Saul's death the next day, the Hebrew mind discerns that the spirit could only have known that information if God had sent him.  God would not send an evil spirit with His information; therefore this spirit who claims to be Samuel is actually God's prophet.  Also, the Hebrew mind knows that this could not be an evil spirit sent by the devil, because Satan does not have access to God's plans.  He is limited in his knowledge of God's strategy, and would not be able to correctly predict Saul's death.  

     But the Western Church was too uncomfortable with the idea of Sheol, or the underworld of the dead, and they had to explain this appearance of Samuel as an act of an evil spirit.  But if you let Scripture say what it really says, you can see the Truth right there on the page. 

     I can't tell you how blessed I have been to re-read my Bible from the context of a Hebraic and Middle Eastern context.  It has opened up my understanding to new heights.  Passages that have been confusing and cloudy, and didn't make sense to my Western mind, suddenly come alive in the light of a Hebrew perception.  Praise God, for His unceasing revelation of Himself through His Word!

Warning: Your Child's Education Is Under Attack!

     I have been shouting from the rooftops for nearly two years now that there is a threat to our national education system in the form of academic standards known as Common Core.  I know that the difficult economic issues in our country have us all scrambling to make ends meet, but I implore parents to take the time and pay attention to the homework being foisted upon your children.

     One father in Seminole County, Florida, was dismayed to find a text message on his 10th-grade son's phone from his History teacher, in which the teacher sent "a reminder to complete his prayer rug assignment and study an assigned packet on Islam."  Now, this assignment was part of a class on World History, so you might think that it is appropriate to present information on Islam, the world's second largest religion with a following of over one billion people—one-fifth of humanity.
      But how do you feel when you discover that the pages in that same history book that provided instruction on Christianity and Judaism had been removed?  How do you feel about the fact that the study of the Five Pillars of Islam was mandatory in that class?  The father also claimed that students were told to “recite this prayer as the first Pillar of Islam, off of the board at the teacher’s instruction.”
     I do not have a problem with students in high school studying the impact of different religions on the events in world history.  After all, religion has played a huge part in all the major wars throughout time.  But when it becomes part of a high school curriculum to involve the students in the practices of one religion and in reciting the tenets of one religion -- to the exclusion of other major religions -- then that becomes a matter of indoctrination, in my book.
     However, if parents are unaware of what's being included in their children's assignments -- and what is being ignored or purposely excluded -- that indoctrination and propagandizing is tantamount to re-education of our children.  But that's not how the Executive Director of Seminole County High School Administration, Dr. Michael Blasewitz, sees it:  "... the Pillars of Islam are benchmarks (a standard, criteria) in the state curriculum", and "If anything, [the curriculum] is a little imbalanced toward Christianity and Judaism."

     If that statement doesn't show you the direction in which our kids' education is going, consider this statement by the Florida branch of the Council on American-Islamic Affairs (CAIR):  "In a diverse society, young people should be taught about a wide variety of beliefs, cultures and faiths, and particularly about a faith practiced by millions of Americans and more than one fifth of the world's population.  Denying all students access to vital information based on the biased political or religious agenda of Islam phobic groups or a handful of misinformed parents does a disservice to our school system, our state and our nation. History is not kind to those who censor information or ban books."
     So, where's the "wide variety", when entire sections on Christianity and Judaism are removed from school textbooks?  Why don't they talk about the Christian-phobic groups?  And I don't know if that last statement was a veiled threat or not, but suffice it to say that they have set their sights on changing our education system and influencing our kids -- and much of their activity is done through the auspices of Common Core, and without parents' knowledge or consent.  You must get involved in your children's education!
     And lest you think that there is not a war on Christianity in our nation's schools, a high school in Nassau County, Florida (Florida seems to be ground zero for the attack on our schools) was warned about a student who, selected to read the morning announcements over the loudspeaker system, chose to end his recitation with "God bless America, keep us safe."
     This time it is a Humanist/Atheist organization that is complaining "that allowing the statement favors 'God-belief' and 'validates a theistic worldview' that alienates atheists and non-believers."  Why aren't they complaining about the "theistic worldview" being presented in 10th-grade World History classes in Seminole County?  Does anybody else see a glaring bias against the Christian faith?
     I can't help but believe that both the atheists and CAIR do not want students in World History classes -- or any classes -- to understand that the United States was founded by Christian believers, and became a haven for religious freedom for all faiths... that would not suit either of their agendas.  Dr. Blazewitz may promote Islam as a benchmark of his curriculum, but I will declare Christianity as the bedrock of this nation.  And, parents, if you want your children to have any chance of enjoying the America you grew up in, you better start getting yourself elected to school boards and supervising your child's education.
      I will leave you with these thoughts from Benjamin Rush, known as SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE; SURGEON GENERAL OF THE CONTINENTAL ARMY; RATIFIER OF THE U. S. CONSTITUTION; “FATHER OF AMERICAN MEDICINE”; TREASURER OF THE U. S. MINT; “FATHER OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION”: "The great enemy of the salvation of man, in my opinion, never invented a more effective means of limiting Christianity from the world than by persuading mankind that it was improper to read the Bible at schools."

Click here for WFTV's report on the Seminole County, Florida Common Core curriculum. 

Click here for interview with concerned father of Florida student.  

Click here for story on atheist's protest over "God Bless America".

2 Timothy 3:16-17   "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."

What Happened To America's Pride?

     The word "PRIDE" is defined as "a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated, or from qualities or possessions that are widely admired; the consciousness of one's own dignity."  In this sense, "pride" is a good thing; it insinuates a common theme of respect, esteem, and worthiness.

     Do you remember when our country and countrymen used to be proud of who we were; that our traditions and institutions were worthy of honor and respect?  When what we stood for, and our appearance, mattered?
     Maybe I'm just too old, but I remember store owners sweeping out front of their entrances; streets and roadways clean of litter; and community parks and byways mowed and manicured.  I remember when it was a matter of pride to be selected to raise and lower the flag in the school courtyard; when people dressed up to worship in God's House; and when immorality was not tolerated in our public officials.
     I don't know about where you live, but gang graffiti is written across every bridge overpass and on the sides of every train car.  Unsightly litter is strewn everywhere; the streets of my little rural town have potholes you could swim in; and the right-of-ways have weeds and grass growing to your knees.
     Even big metropolitan cities are pictures of "urban decay"... both spiritual and physical.  Flags in front of Federal buildings are often faded, tattered and torn.  The trendy, popular mega-churches are filled with worshippers dressed in t-shirts and flip-flops; or they look as if they just threw on last night's party clothes.  And the immorality that is tolerated!  It seems that moral standards and principles of behavior no longer apply --- from the pastors of our Churches; to the administrators of our Schools; to the bureaucrats elected to represent us and oversee justice in the land.
     I know that there are those who would say those are old-fashioned and intolerant opinions.  That we have "progressed" to a more open and permissive society; one that allows for "relativity" and "diversity" in our shared communities.  They would tell us that we have evolved from a White, Protestant culture to a multi-colored, multi-cultured society; therefore, there is no longer a set of absolute standards or the need (or desire) for a universal pattern to follow.  
     I agree that we have been enriched from the ever-changing dynamics of the American population.  I believe that God designed this nation to be the melting pot of all those He created; that the blessings of this nation have grown as we adopted the noble and worthy attributes of all those who found their way to our shores.  I believe all that ... as long as we continue to build on, and maintain, the original foundation of this national venture; to take pride in mutual ownership, so to speak.

     It seems that "America", itself,  has gotten lost in the national dialogue.  Those who celebrate the idea of a "Progressive America" are so consumed with allowing for our cultural differences, that the common denominator of who and where we have fallen on the timeline of history is no longer on our national conscience.  Pride has taken a back seat to affirmation... every cultural nuance must be given equal status and support, with no consideration to what binds us together.  Where are the "widely admired qualities" of what it means to live in America?  Or, in other words, do we even possess a common standard in which we can view each other as fellow Americans?  Are we invested in our joint occupation of this blessed land?
     I'm afraid I don't see it anymore.  Faith has become a lightening rod.  We can't even agree on the definition of Marriage or Family.  The Constitution used to guarantee us certain freedoms and rights, but even that venerable document has become a wedge between us.
     The way I see it, throughout our history Pride has been the glue in the fabric of this nation's consciousness.  Each new cultural group, through struggle and perseverance, melded into the formation that is America.  They brought the best of their values and principles to the composition of this nation, and the fabric was made stronger in a renewed covenant as Americans.  But with the deterioration of Pride in identifying oneself as American, the fabric has begun to fray and disintegrate.
      I began this post talking about how the outward appearance of Pride in America is disappearing.  However, I think that is just a manifestation of the lack of internal pride in who we are as a nation and a people.  "Relative standards" cannot bind a people together; they can only serve to separate and divide.

1 Corinthians 1:10    "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment."
   

First, The Bees. Now, the Butterflies!

     

     In the past, you might have read my post on the disappearance of Bees and the effect it will have on our ecosystem.  Now, it seems that the Monarch Butterfly is also in danger of becoming a victim of our old friend, Monsanto and its product, Roundup.  

     I will confess that we here in Texas have suffered from the massive swarms of Monarchs as they migrate to Mexico each winter.  We would literally drive into what seemed like walls of Monarchs that not only impaired your vision, but left your vehicle covered in hundreds of dead butterflies.  Not so much, anymore.  The last couple of winters have seen a significant decline in the migration, and the beautiful butterflies are becoming a rarity in these parts.

     In fact, in an article by The Washington Post, it is reported that "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service summed it up in just one grim statistic: Since 1990, about 970 million [Monarch butterflies] have vanished."  The cause?  It can be traced to the eradication of milkweed, their primary food source and habitat.  This plant is the only upon which they lay eggs and their larvae feed.  Why is the milkweed being destroyed?  According to PNAS, (the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences), "In the US Corn Belt, a recent doubling in commodity prices has created incentives for landowners to convert grassland to corn and soybean cropping."   

     As Newsweek Magazine was careful to point out, "the cultivation of 1 million new acres of land in recent years -- driven by higher corn and soybean prices -- has destroyed milkweed crops, and greatly hurt monarchs."  Add to this, "the introduction of genetically-modified crops like Roundup-ready corn and soybeans that are resistant to traditional herbicides, [which means] farmers have begun to spray more and more Roundup—the Monsanto-made chemical—over wider and wider areas", further destroying the natural habitat of Monarchs ... the milkweed plant.

     Oh, what a wicked web that Monsanto is weaving!  By developing food products that are unnatural (GMOs), and spraying them with poisonous herbicides (containing Glyphosate), they are destroying anything natural and organic, including various species of insects and their habitats.

     But it is not just the push for more and more GMO food products that have endangered the Monarch population.  The Clean Energy Act of 2007, frequently referred to as the ethanol mandate, changed how we fueled our cars and it became evident that there would be an increase in the demand for, and price of corn.  That, along with the over-development of our cities and municipalities, has nearly guaranteed the destruction of the Monarch's natural habitat.

     So, why should we care about the possible extinction of the Monarch butterfly?  Butterfly-Conservation.org will give you a long list of reasons that these beautifies are important to save; including their aesthetic value, their educational value, and their scientific value.  I prefer to consider them as a creation of God, which means they play a part in the interwoven pattern of life that He constructed on this planet.  Besides the fact that they, along with their cousins the moth, are an important element of the food chain and are prey for birds, bats and other insectivorous animals, they provide a touch of delicate beauty in this ugly world.  For that alone they are worthy of being conserved.

     But let's not forget the bigger picture ... elements of our existence are being modified, destroyed and poisoned before our very eyes.  How natural is it for bees and butterflies to disappear?  And what makes us think that the Elite will find us indispensable or necessary to the cycle of life on this planet?  It seems to me that no regard is being given to the natural order of things or to God's creation.  Our food supply is being manipulated and controlled, while our ability to adapt to (or deflect) orchestrated change to our own life cycle is lessened.   How long, like the butterflies and the bees, until our numbers start to decline?

 Psalm 24:1    "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;"

     

The Grammy's: Was Anybody Fooled?

     I recorded the annual Grammy extravaganza, honoring (supposedly) the best in the music industry.  I was well aware of the satanic symbology in past years and wanted to see how far they were willing to go this time to influence the culture and our youth.  I was only able to stomach the presentation because we must be knowledgeable of how cunning the Enemy is, if we are going to defeat him.
     The music industry is a multi-billion dollar enterprise, and wields extreme influence over the youth of our nation.  Do you pay attention to the music that your children listen to?  You should.  It has been a very lucrative and fertile ground in which Satan has been able to place his emissaries.  And prime time spectaculars like the Grammys give him an opportunity to showcase his satanic message to millions of vulnerable minds.
     I have to say the 2015 Grammys was a strange mix of "in your face" and "false piety".  I'll save you the need to watch it for yourselves, and give you the highlights, so you will be enlightened as to the tactics of the Luciferian occult.  The two-hour production began with a performance by the aging hard rock band AC/DC singing their hit "Highway to Hell" -- complete with a backdrop of burning flames and audience members sporting illuminated devil horns.  I'd say that accomplished exactly what the occultists behind this awards show intended.

     Also singing during the curious mix of old and new, was the band ELO, singing "Evil Woman", which was quite apropos, with respect to the much anticipated appearance of the (also) aging Madonna.  Just in case you missed the hidden occultic theme, Madonna made sure you couldn't avoid who was really being celebrated on the stage.  She surrounded herself with a cast of male dancers, all displaying Baphomet horns and bejeweled masks, as they danced around their priestess.  Madonna made sure that the goat-god, who is the symbol of the Church of Satan was impressed upon our minds -- down to the point that they offer her up to their Master and she ascends into the sky.
     So, I figured this was how it was going to play out ... an entire night of blatantly and aggressively saluting the devil.  But then the show seemed to shift gears, as if making the statement, "We've showed you who we bow down to; now we want you to know that we worship just like you... we're not all that different."

     Both Beyoncé and Katy Perry, the princesses of the Illuminati, appeared in virginal white gowns, on all white stage sets.  Beyoncé sang "Precious Lord, Take My Hand", dressed as a bride with an all-male choir behind her in a robotic posture, hands raised.  Katy Perry, appeared in a demure, high-necked outfit and sang "By the Grace of God".  For a moment, one might wonder if these women raised in God's Church have returned to their pre-Illuminati Christian roots.  But don't be fooled! Whether their performances were meant as a mockery of the True Faith, or to deceive the shallow into believing they honored YHWH -- remember it was a production!
     Billy Hallowell, the Faith Editor of The Blaze, reports that "Perry, who was once a Christian singer and whose parents are pastors, publicly renounced her faith, telling Marie Claire in a 2013 interview that she’s no longer Christian and doesn’t believe in heaven, hell or “an old man sitting on a throne.” Perry did say that she believes in a higher power — a paradigm that holds her accountable."
     Based on her earlier confession that she "sold her soul to the devil" to make it in the Music Industry -- and her 2015 Super Bowl performance, in which she took the stage riding on a robotic beast -- we can guess what higher power she pays allegiance to.
      Marie Claire also reported that Perry gets her connection to spirituality through the writings of Eckhart Tolle, an author known for his popular books about metaphysics and spirituality. She also practices transcendental meditation, a form of mantra meditation.  In case you are unfamiliar with who Eckhart Tolle is, he was made famous as Oprah Winfrey's guru-like spiritualist, who makes such narcissistic statements as this:  "To know yourself as the Being underneath the thinker, the stillness underneath the mental noise, the love and joy underneath the pain, is freedom, salvation, enlightenment."  In other words he spreads a false gospel of self-worship.  Unfortunately talented artists in the music industry have traded any real chance at salvation for the lure of fame, wealth and power that the Illuminati promises in exchange for worshipping their Master and god of sin.
     But any Christ-centered observer wasn't fooled by the veil of piety that attempted to deceive the audience into a benign judgment of the show.  The more obvious performances left no doubt who was being worshipped, while singing old Christian hymns or new homages to the grace of God doesn't mean YHWH is their God.  There are others who are far more educated than I about the symbology that was beamed into millions of homes across our country.  I simply want to warn you not to dismiss the tremendous impact that music today has upon our younger generations, and guard against the blatant blasphemy that is being presented to them in the name of popular music.
   
1 Timothy 6:9-10    "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

The Reason We Might Be Left Behind

     I cannot lay claim to this concept.  It was suggested to me by PLW, who heard it on a podcast by Daniel Duval, a righteous man who teaches the Truth through his radio program.   It makes a lot of sense to me, and I thought I would pass it on to you for your consideration.
     It seems to me that much of the Church is awakening to the thought that the Pre-Tribulation Rapture doctrine might not be in God's playbook.  I confess to a non-denominational approach to the Bible, so I'm not sure which branches of the Christian Church have, or have not, adopted this teaching, and it doesn't really matter -- the point of this essay is not to criticize, but to examine the reasonableness of this argument.
     DISCLAIMER:  I do not claim to be an expert on this subject, or to know God's thoughts, or to be privy to His counsel.  I don't believe anyone can say for certainty, based on Scripture, when this event will happen.  In fact, I have been part of various Bible study groups where Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, Pre-Wrath, and Post-Trib Rapture positions have each been successfully defended using Scripture.  Only God Knows!
     So I am not going to present a detailed thesis on the emotional and historical reasons for holding the Pre-Tribulation position.  I have done that in a post titled, The Tribulation: A Sensitive Subject.  This time, I want to approach the subject from a different perspective; taking all emotion out of it.
     For starters, I would suggest that all Believers would prefer to be taken out of this world before the Great Tribulation descends upon mankind; before the earth and all its inhabitants become the recipient of God's wrath.  That's a very rational desire.
     But try to look at the timing of the Rapture from God's perspective.  The one thing we can all agree upon, and which is verified without a doubt in Scripture, is that there will be a time of great distress, tribulation, and persecution on the earth before Jesus returns, right?  And we know that God desires that "none should perish", correct?  The final part of this equation is the fact that "the saints" will be raptured -- whenever that event might occur.  So who and what constitutes "a saint"?
     The word “saint” comes from the Greek word hagios, which means “consecrated to God, holy, sacred, pious."  According to Ephesians 4:12, the ministry, or work, of the saints is to "build up the body of Christ", which I take to mean encourage, grow, or strengthen.  So, can we agree that those raptured will be God's "A-Team", so to speak?  Those who have lived a life in service to Him and His Son.
     Now, let me see if I can paint a picture of the End Times scenario .... the world has become increasingly wicked, and the influence of the Devil has grown to great proportions.  Satan has his counterfeit political system (embodied by the Anti-Christ and his Beast administration); his substitute economic system (Mark of the Beast); and his false religious system (run by the False Prophet).  All of these systems will be persecuting everyone who does not bow down to the false god, Satan himself.
     But, let's go back to one of the foundational principles of God's character ... he desires that none should perish.  Why would he take his A-Team out of the game, just as the competition for souls is at a fever pitch?
      And you need to understand this VERY IMPORTANT POINT:  I do not believe that the Western Church today is aware that we are in a Spiritual War.  We look at the horrific actions of ISIS, the conflict in the Middle East, and our own national crises, and we think we are fighting against evil men of the world.  But we are fighting a SPIRITUAL WAR, and when we are faced with the Tribulation, God's "A-Team" will be trained in spiritual warfare.  They will know how to rebuke a demon; they will know how to stand against the powers of the air; they will understand the Enemy in all his facets.
     If they are taken out of this world at the beginning of the Tribulation, how do those left behind have any chance of resisting the Anti-Christ?  With a lack of God's saints and representatives, wouldn't all men perish?  Doesn't it seem more logical that God would want his "A-Team" to be in the thick of the spiritual battle -- in full "ministry mode" to help plant the seeds of salvation for every one of His creations?
     Doesn't it make sense that we will be at our most valuable to God's Kingdom during that time of Tribulation?  Won't our willingness to endure and to suffer for Christ, if necessary, be the greatest testimony to convince an unbeliever to resist the devil and accept God's gracious gift of salvation?
     As I said at the beginning of this post, I do not proclaim to know the time of the Rapture, but I feel safe in asserting that our service to God, His Church, and His Kingdom will never be more valuable than during the Tribulation.  God wants as many to accept Salvation as will.  At what point He will achieve His "full number of Gentiles", I cannot say.  But whenever that happens, He will pull His people out of the earth, because "we are not appointed to suffer wrath" (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
     So, in conclusion, let me say this ... no man knows God's timetable or His strategy.  Is it a specific number of saved that must be reached?  Will it coincide with one of the Lord's Feast days?  No man can tell; certainly not me.  But this I do know ... It will be a joyous day; a day that will be the culmination of living a faithful and obedient life unto the Lord; the first day of all eternal days, in which we will live with the Lord.  Any suffering, persecution, or tribulation will be worth it!

1 Thessalonians 1:10   "when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed."

The Vaccine Debate and The Hegelian Dialectic

     It seems that the Vaccine Debate has become the next Hegelian Dialectic being forced upon us.  I have talked about this "Marxist process of change" before, but in case you are not familiar with this term, let me explain it.  Let's say those in power want to accomplish some goal; we'll call it A, but they know that the populace would never go for it.  So they create scenario B that drives the public into a panic.  They then have solution C (which is actually A) waiting in the wings to help solve B.  But what the populace doesn't realize is this: they've been played.  The whole sequence of events was staged and planned to achieve the original goal.
     Confused?  Let me give you a little demonstration of this theory ... say some malevolent government wanted to institute martial law, but the people of the nation are generally lovers of freedom, and the officials know the people will not easily surrender their rights.  So agents within the government create a situation (say something like Ferguson, Missouri), that spills over into nationwide violence and chaos.  Widespread looting occurs, cities burn, innocent citizens are targeted by angry mobs, and the nation's economy becomes seriously affected.  Those same freedom-loving citizens start to think that perhaps a temporary period of martial law is needed to get things back to normal.  They beg the government to do something, anything, to solve the problem... and guess what?  The original goal is achieved; but it ain't temporary!

     Now carry that premise over into the curiously revived debate on Vaccines.  I say "curiously" because, doesn't it seem like this issue came out of nowhere?  Like overnight?  There has been an ongoing discussion and controversy over vaccines for quite some time.  Frankly, it is my impression that doctors are divided over the necessity of so many vaccines on the market today.  Plus I am not convinced that there is not a link between childhood vaccines and autism.
     According to the Autism Science Foundation,  "In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network reported that approximately 1 in 68 children in the United States has an Autism Spectrum Disorder. This new estimate is roughly 30 percent higher than previous estimates reported in 2012, of 1 in 88 children. In the 1980’s autism prevalence was reported as 1 in 10,000. In the nineties, prevalence was 1 in 2500 and later 1 in 1000."  Now this organization is careful to say that a decade ago, research seemed to show that vaccines were a likely cause of autism, but they have changed their stance to reflect that recent research has discounted that theory.
     Then there is The Autism Society, which says "There is no known single cause for autism spectrum disorder, but it is generally accepted that it is caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function... Research indicates other factors besides the genetic component are contributing to the rise in increasing occurrence of autism – for example, environmental toxins (e.g., heavy metals such as mercury), which are more prevalent than in the past."
     Now, I am not a doctor nor a scientist; and I have no way to prove which of the above theories is the correct one.  But I cannot dismiss the countless stories of normal, healthy infants suddenly developing autism after receiving a conglomeration of vaccines during a well-child checkup.  I have heard too many stories like this one:  My neighbor, and good friend, experienced a frightening situation when her infant son went into a seizure-like state after receiving a vaccine shot.  I can understand why she, like many mothers I know, do not get their children vaccinated.  And there lies "the rub" for our government, and why there is a need for the latest Hegelian strategy.
     You see, I don't want to engage in a conversation about the pros and cons of vaccinations -- although that is a worthy discussion to have.  (Please read this well-documented report on measles in the pre-vaccination era versus today.)  No, I'm more concerned in what that discussion seems to be leading towards.  There is a near hysteria over the recent measles outbreak in California, with parents concerned that unvaccinated children who get the measles could spread the virus exponentially, causing an epidemic of children who might "suffer the serious complications of measles, such as deafness and brain damage or even death" (as one CNN news report disclosed).
      As the alarm over the 155 cases of measles in 16 states (which started at Disneyland in December) is trending as a major "measles outbreak", I am more alarmed over what I see as a collaboration between the media and government to hint at "forced" vaccinations.  When you have Megan Kelly, one of the out-front news anchors of Fox News saying she "is not opposed to Big Brother getting involved when it comes to child vaccinations", I think that is a deliberate and planned warning to the American people.
     First of all, explain to me why 155 cases in about 2 months is cause for such hand-wringing?  The Center for Disease Control, itself, reported 27,672 measles cases reported in 1990, and 75,290 reported cases in 1971.  True, they acknowledged that failure to vaccinate children at the appropriate age was the major factor in these numbers; but they also related that there was an increase of measles in Central and South American countries, and that black and Hispanic children are less likely to be age-appropriately vaccinated than are white children.
     So, it seems to me that it's not really the number of measles cases that is the cause for all the hysteria; could perhaps the recent measles cases just be a convenient excuse to push the vaccine agenda?  Let's see, what recent events have occurred in our country that would have introduced a large population of unvaccinated children of Hispanic origin into the midst of our otherwise healthy population?  Could there be any connection between our open, porous borders and the sudden push for vaccinations for all children?
     And if you want to follow that trail down the rabbit hole, you better screw on your tin foil hat ... because I have some very important questions that everyone must answer for themselves.  Do you trust the CDC and do you trust all the additives in today's vaccines?  Do you believe that the Elite of the world are interested in population control?  If so, why, and how could they implement a widespread reduction of the world's population?  Is there any connection between the growing GMO food supply and the combinations of vaccines that children now receive?  And, finally, do you think the U.S. government should mandate vaccinations for all children?  Consider Megan Kelly's response (whom I would certainly include in the ranks of the Elite) when asked if she opposed mandatory vaccinations for children.  She clearly stated her objective:  "No".
     Now, let's go back to the question I asked at the beginning of this essay ... Doesn't it seem like the heated debate on this issue came out of nowhere?  Is it possible that mandatory vaccinations (for whatever reason -- good or bad) are the goal?  And in order to sell the American people on yet another loss of the freedom to live their lives as they choose, a "false measles epidemic" is incited to cause widespread panic and a demand from frantic parents to protect their children from those immoral parents who choose not to vaccinate?
     I know it all sounds crazy and Machiavellian; and it is difficult to think that anyone could engineer such devious plans for the world's population.  But the Haves will use any means necessary to retain control over the Have Nots.  It's just too bad that we have to question the motives behind everything these days.

Galatians 4:17:   "They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them."

Judges 6:24

So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, 

and called it Jehovah-Shalom.  

To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

     This simple verse is an excellent example of the richness of the Bible.  There is so much information to be gained from digging deep into the significance of this brief verse, yet how many of us have read over it without giving it any further thought?  It is incumbent upon each of us to build an understanding of the Bible -- line upon line, and precept upon precept.  That is why it is important to know the history of Gideon up to this point, why it was important to him to build an altar to the Lord, and why he named it as he did. 

      I love the history of the Bible!  The story of Gideon is one of God using the least prominent among us to accomplish great things for His kingdom.  At this point in the story, we need to understand that Israel is under judgment by God for "doing evil in His sight" (Judges 6:1), and were "delivered into the hand of Midian seven years".  (Israel had a history of worshipping the false idols of surrounding pagan cultures.)  For seven years they suffered under the Midianite oppression; their crops destroyed, they were "greatly impoverished" (Judges 6:6)

      The story of Gideon begins in verse 11, and if we read forward to our selected verse , we get the "big picture" of why Gideon is led to build the altar we see here. (Judges 6:11-14).

      Gideon was "the least in his father's house" and a "thresher of wheat" when he was called by God to lead Israel in the battle against the formidable Midianites.  It is not hard to understand why Gideon challenged the "angel of the Lord" to give him a sign -- after all, he was not a warrior or trained in battle.  (It is paramount that we recognize this angel as not a created angel, but the Son of God himself, the eternal Word, the Lord of the angels.)

    But then Gideon asks the angel to tarry while he brings him some refreshment under the oak tree ... the meat of a kid, unleavened bread, and broth.  But instead of eating it, the angel tells Gideon to place the meat and unleavened bread upon a rock, and to pour the broth over it.  He then touches the end of his staff to the items on the rock, bringing fire out of the rock and consuming them as a sacrifice.  As the well-respected theologian Matthew Henry expounds, "[the angel] turned the meat into an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto himself, showing hereby that he was not a man who needed meat, but the Son of God who was to be served and honoured by sacrifice, and who in the fulness of time was to make himself a sacrifice."

      Then, as verse 21, tells us, the angel of the Lord immediately vanishes.  Gideon is then consumed with fright, crying out "O Lord GOD!" because he realizes he has seen God face-to-face, and "no man can see him face-to-face and live" (Exodus 33:20).  But the Lord calms him and sends Gideon His peace, as He assures him that he will not die.  And in remembrance of this vision that would set him on his path to becoming a Hero of Faith, Gideon builds an altar to the Lord, naming it after Him, Jehovah-Shalom ... The Lord is peace.  He builds it in Ophrah of the Abiezrites (a city of Manasseh; Abiezer being a descendant of Manasseh).   It might also interest you to know that Oprah is the place of Gideon's birth, his home after his ascension to power, and the place of his burial in the family sepulchre).  

     But there is another reason that I believe Gideon builds the altar in Ophrah.  In Judges 6:25, the very next verse after the one featured today, we see that Gideon is instructed to destroy the altar of Baal that resides in his father's house.  Joash, Gideon's father -- an Israelite -- is worshipping Baal!!!  He symbolizes the very reason that Israel has been under God's judgment.  Gideon is faithful and destroys the altar, showing Israel that their God is superior over all other gods.  He has purified his fathers house and is ready to go on and lead the Israelites in battle against their opponent, Midian.

      Gideon's subsequent experience at being called out of obscurity to lead the Israelite army against the Midianites is a clear example to us -- it shows that when the situation is desperate, we will most likely encounter fear, and long for the peace of God.  Gideon experienced that peace from God's Son, Himself, and to honor Him, builds an altar and names it after Him.  In this single act, Gideon is worshipping God in total submission, dependance and reliance.  You can imagine that he has no idea how he is to defeat the Midianite army, but he has just encountered the "Peace of God" who has assured him of victory.

     Because Gideon relied on the Lord to lead him into battle, and remained faithful all his days, becoming a righteous judge over Israel (Judges 6:23), he has the distinguished honor of being listed in Hebrews, Chapter 11, among the Hall of Fame of Faith.  

     Oh, how I pray that when the desperate times come in our future, that I will have the faith to rely on Jehovah-Shalom ... that I will submit to Him in total dependence and reliance, knowing that my victory abides in Him.  In the midst of fear, chaos, and attacks by the Enemy, I will know that the Lord, who is Peace, will be with me.

     

Words Don't Lie

   

     I cannot let the President's remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast go unanswered.  But before I give you my own assessment, I would like you to read the following comments by some of the more celebrated of our Presidents in the last three-quarters of a century (during their Prayer Breakfast addresses):

President Dwight D. Eisenhower (The first President to speak at the newly inaugurated National Prayer Breakfast):  First, there is a need we all have in these days and times for some help which comes from outside ourselves as we face the multitude of problems that are part of this confusing situation. I do not mean merely help for your leaders or the people in Congress, in the Cabinet and others in authority, because these problems are part of all of us. They face each one of us because we are a free country ... Once in a while it might be a good thing for us to turn back to history. Let us study a little bit of what happened at the founding of this Nation ... We have begun in our grasp of that basis of understanding, which is that all free government is firmly founded in a deeply-felt religious faith ... (Read full speech here.)

President John F. Kennedy:  You and I are charged with obligations to serve the Great Republic in years of great crisis. The problems we face are complex; the pressures are immense, and both the perils and the opportunities are greater than any nation ever faced. In such a time, the limits of mere human endeavor become more apparent than ever. We cannot depend solely on our material wealth, on our military might, or on our intellectual skill or physical courage to see us safely through the seas that we must sail in the months and years to come.
     Along with all of these we need faith. We need the faith with which our first settlers crossed the sea to carve out a state in the wilderness, a mission they said in the Pilgrims' Compact, the Mayflower Compact, undertaken for the glory of God. We need the faith with which our Founding Fathers proudly proclaimed the independence of this country to what seemed at that time an almost hopeless struggle, pledging their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence. We need the faith which has sustained and guided this Nation for 175 long and short years. We are all builders of the future, and whether we build as public servants or private citizens, whether we build at the national or the local level, whether we build in foreign or domestic affairs, we know the truth of the ancient Psalm, "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it."  (Read full speech here).

President Ronald Reagan:  We all in this room, I know, and we know many millions more everywhere, turn to God in prayer, believe in the power and the spirit of prayer. And yet so often, we direct our prayers to those problems that are immediate to us, knowing that He has promised His help to us when we turn to Him. And yet in a world today that is so torn with strife where the divisions seem to be increasing, not people coming together, within countries, divisions within the people, themselves and all, I wonder if we have ever thought about the greatest tool that we have—that power of prayer and God's help.
     This power of prayer can be illustrated by a story that goes back to the fourth century. The Asian monk living in a little remote village, spending most of his time in prayer or tending the garden from which he obtained his sustenance—I hesitate to say the name because I'm not sure I know the pronunciation, but let me take a chance. It was Telemacmus, back in the fourth century. And then one day, he thought he heard the voice of God telling him to go to Rome. And believing that he had heard, he set out. And weeks and weeks later, he arrived there, having traveled most of the way on foot.
     And it was at a time of a festival in Rome. They were celebrating a triumph over the Goths. And he followed a crowd into the Colosseum, and then there in the midst of this great crowd, he saw the gladiators come forth, stand before the Emperor, and say, "We who are about to die salute you." And he realized they were going to fight to the death for the entertainment of the crowds. And he cried out, "In the name of Christ, stop!" And his voice was lost in the tumult there in the great Colosseum.
     And as the games began, he made his way down through the crowd and climbed over the wall and dropped to the floor of the arena. Suddenly the crowds saw this scrawny little figure making his way out to the gladiators and saying, over and over again, "In the name of Christ, stop." And they thought it was part of the entertainment, and at first they were amused. But then, when they realized it wasn't, they grew belligerent and angry. And as he was pleading with the gladiators, "In the name of Christ, stop," one of them plunged his sword into his body. And as he fell to the sand of the arena in death, his last words were, "In the name of Christ, stop."
     And suddenly, a strange thing happened. The gladiators stood looking at this tiny form lying in the sand. A silence fell over the Colosseum. And then, someplace up in the upper tiers, an individual made his way to an exit and left, and others began to follow. And in the dead silence, everyone left the Colosseum. That was the last battle to the death between gladiators in the Roman Colosseum. Never again did anyone kill or did men kill each other for the entertainment of the crowd.
     One tiny voice that could hardly be heard above the tumult. "In the name of Christ, stop." It is something we could be saying to each other throughout the world today.
     And then President Reagan quoted the farewell message of the Ambassador from the Philippines, General Romulo, as he returned to his home after 17 years in diplomatic service: "Never forget, Americans, that yours is a spiritual country. Yes, I know you're a practical people. Like others, I've marveled at your factories, your skyscrapers, and your arsenals. But underlying everything else is the fact that America began as a God-loving, God-fearing, God-worshiping people, knowing that there is a spark of the divine in each one of us. It is this respect for the dignity of the human spirit which keeps America invincible.  May you always endure and, as I say again in parting, thank you, America, and farewell. May God keep you always, and may you always keep God."
      President Reagan informed the Congressional crowd at the National Prayer Breakfast, that this farewell address was a tribute, as well as a warning. (Read full speech here).

President William J. Clinton:  I helped to start the first Governor's prayer breakfast in my State ... And every year I had the pleasure of delegating two Arkansans, one a clergyman or -woman and one a citizen, to come to this wonderful event.
     I thought about the first time I ever saw Billy Graham—appropriate to mention now. He came in the 1950's, in the heat of all our racial trouble, to Arkansas to have a crusade. And the white citizens council tried to get him, because of the tensions of the moment, to agree to segregate his crusade in the fifties in the South. And he said, "If I have to do that, I'm not coming." And I remember I got a Sunday school teacher in my church—and I was about 11 years old—to take me 50 miles to Little Rock so I could hear a man preach who was trying to live by what he said. And then I remember, for a good while thereafter, trying to send a little bit of my allowance to the Billy Graham crusade because of the impression he made on me then.
     I am honored that all of you are here not for a political purpose. We come here to seek the help and guidance of our Lord, putting aside our differences, as men and women who freely acknowledge that we don't have all the answers. And we come here seeking to restore and renew and strengthen our faith.
     I have always been touched by the living example of Jesus Christ and moved particularly by all the religious leaders of His day who were suspicious of Him and always trying to trap Him because He was so at ease with the hurting and the hungry and the lonely and, yes, the sinners. And in one of those marvelous attempts to trick Christ, He was asked, "What is the greatest Commandment?" And He answered, quoting Moses, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." And then He added, as we should add, "This is the great and foremost Commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Read full speech here).

President George W. Bush: We are a nation of prayer; America prays. Each day, millions of our citizens bow their heads in silence and solitude, or they offer up prayers in fellowship with others. They pray for themselves; they pray for their families; they pray for their neighbors and their communities. In many congregations and homes across this great land, people also set a time—set aside time to pray for our Nation and those entrusted with authority, including our elected leaders...
     The greatest gift a citizen of this country can give those of us entrusted with political office is to pray for us. And I thank those in our Nation who lift all of us up in prayer...
     Many in our country know the power of prayer. Prayer changes hearts, prayer changes lives, and prayer makes us a more compassionate and giving people. When we pray, we surrender our will to the Almighty and open ourselves up to His priorities and His touch. His call to love our neighbors as we would like to be loved ourselves is something that we hear when we pray. And we answer that call by reaching out to feed the hungry and clothe the poor and aid the widow and the orphan. By helping our brothers and sisters in need, we find our own faith strengthened and we receive the grace to lead lives of dignity and purpose...
      In the quiet of prayer, we leave behind our own cares, and we take up the cares of the Almighty. And in answering His call to service, we find that, in the words of Isaiah: "We will gain new strength. We will run and not get tired. We will walk and not become weary."  (Read full speech here).

President Barack Obama (Let me say that it was more difficult to extract the essence of this President's speech than it was the other Presidents.  His speech was three or four times longer, and seemed to be crafted to present an underlying message.  Read it in its entirety yourself, to get the full impression; but here are the highlights that jumped out at me):  
     Now, over the last few months, we’ve seen a number of challenges -- certainly over the last six years.  But part of what I want to touch on today is the degree to which we've seen professions of faith used both as an instrument of great good, but also twisted and misused in the name of evil...
     So how do we, as people of faith, reconcile these realities -- the profound good, the strength, the tenacity, the compassion and love that can flow from all of our faiths, operating alongside those who seek to hijack religious for their own murderous ends?
     Humanity has been grappling with these questions throughout human history.  And lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ.  In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ.  Michelle and I returned from India -- an incredible, beautiful country, full of magnificent diversity -- but a place where, in past years, religious faiths of all types have, on occasion, been targeted by other peoples of faith, simply due to their heritage and their beliefs -- acts of intolerance that would have shocked Gandhiji, the person who helped to liberate that nation...
     Our job is not to ask that God respond to our notion of truth -- our job is to be true to Him, His word, and His commandments.  And we should assume humbly that we’re confused and don’t always know what we’re doing and we’re staggering and stumbling towards Him, and have some humility in that process.  And that means we have to speak up against those who would misuse His name to justify oppression, or violence, or hatred with that fierce certainty.  No God condones terror.  No grievance justifies the taking of innocent lives, or the oppression of those who are weaker or fewer in number...
     There’s wisdom in our founders writing in those documents that help found this nation the notion of freedom of religion, because they understood the need for humility.  They also understood the need to uphold freedom of speech, that there was a connection between freedom of speech and freedom of religion.  For to infringe on one right under the pretext of protecting another is a betrayal of both...
     But part of humility is also recognizing in modern, complicated, diverse societies, the functioning of these rights, the concern for the protection of these rights calls for each of us to exercise civility and restraint and judgment.  And if, in fact, we defend the legal right of a person to insult another’s religion, we’re equally obligated to use our free speech to condemn such insults -- (applause) -- and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with religious communities, particularly religious minorities who are the targets of such attacks.  Just because you have the right to say something doesn’t mean the rest of us shouldn’t question those who would insult others in the name of free speech.  Because we know that our nations are stronger when people of all faiths feel that they are welcome, that they, too, are full and equal members of our countries...
     Humility; a suspicion of government getting between us and our faiths, or trying to dictate our faiths, or elevate one faith over another.  And, finally, let’s remember that if there is one law that we can all be most certain of that seems to bind people of all faiths, and people who are still finding their way towards faith but have a sense of ethics and morality in them -- that one law, that Golden Rule that we should treat one another as we wish to be treated.  The Torah says “Love thy neighbor as yourself.”  In Islam, there is a Hadith that states: "None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”  The Holy Bible tells us to “put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”  Put on love.
     As children of God, let’s work to end injustice -- injustice of poverty and hunger.  No one should ever suffer from such want amidst such plenty.  As children of God, let’s work to eliminate the scourge of homelessness, because, as Sister Mary says, “None of us are home until all of us are home.”  None of us are home until all of us are home.
     As children of God, let’s stand up for the dignity and value of every woman, and man, and child, because we are all equal in His eyes, and work to send the scourge and the sin of modern-day slavery and human trafficking, and “set the oppressed free.”  (Applause.)
     If we are properly humble, if we drop to our knees on occasion, we will acknowledge that we never fully know God’s purpose.  We can never fully fathom His amazing grace.  “We see through a glass, darkly” -- grappling with the expanse of His awesome love.  But even with our limits, we can heed that which is required:  To do justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.

     MY FINAL THOUGHTS:  If you have taken the time to read my selected highlights, or waded through the speeches in their entirety, I think you get a sense of those who were genuinely expressing faith, and those who saw it as a somewhat political function of the Office.  There were a couple of glaringly obvious aspects of the speeches that I would like to point out.
     First, to a man, each President introduced the historical significance that faith has played in either his life or the history of our nation.  All of the Presidents, except one, lauded the great lengths to which the Christian faith had positively influenced the world and/or the founding of this great nation.
     Most of the Presidents refrained from bringing their political agendas into a speech whose purpose is to acknowledge the importance of prayer in our national dialogue and administration of government.  However, the Presidents who have held office since 9/11 inserted both their personal and political agendas into the conversation.
     All the Presidents, save one, painted positive pictures of our national history.  All the Presidents, save one, shed the spotlight on Christianity alone, which is the historical bedrock of this nation.  Only one President attempted to equalize other religions with our Christian faith, and then point out that, historically, "evil deeds were done in the name of Christ".  Instead of pointing out that evil deeds have been done by men throughout history in the name of religion, this is a duplicitous tactic to smear  the name of Christ.
     Our national history and that of the world is not perfect.  On that, we can all agree.  But to insinuate that the Crusades had anything to do with the teachings of Christ is a gross misinterpretation of the political and unholy wars fought by both Christians and Muslims.  Furthermore, to connect slavery and Jim Crow laws to the "injustice" of Christianity is ludicrous.  It was the Christian faith that led the way to the repudiation of slavery.  The obvious attempt to equivocate recent Muslim atrocities had no place at an annual U.S. Prayer breakfast.
     Of course, there will be a momentary uproar among the talking heads of the media circus; ironically, it is obvious that many of them are speaking from a position of unbelief.  And I can sum up the lack of true concern with this statement by Lynn Sweet, of The Chicago Sun-Times:  "Did [the President's remarks] merit being mentioned on the nightly news?  I don't think so.  There's a lot going on in the world."
     That's right.  The focus of most people is on the world.  Perhaps we should re-focus on the original intent of the National Prayer Breakfast --- our need for national prayer to our God.  I would suggest we do more than "drop to our knees on occasion" as was suggested in the latest Prayer Breakfast address.  I would also disagree with the statement that "we [will] acknowledge that we never fully know God’s purpose".  The One True God's purpose is clear if you read the Bible --- not the Koran, nor the Hindu Vedas, or the Buddhist Tipitaka.  His purpose is to reconcile His creation with Himself through our acceptance of His son, Jesus Christ, and His sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins.
     It is all so sad to me.  What was once an occasion for the Leader of our country to give thanks to the providence of God, and to exhort the nation to pray for His continued guidance and protection, has turned into a self-serving excuse to promote personal ideologies and insult YHWH.  Now, more than ever, we need to heed the warning of the Philippine Ambassador:  May God keep you always, and may you always keep God.

Psalm 2:1-4    "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision."