Let Us Make Us a Captain!

And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. --- Numbers 14:1-4 (KJV)

It was their greatest crisis since their liberation from bitter slavery which had extended over a few centuries in the land of ancient Egypt.

The Israelites were now in a state of panic upon hearing a negative majority report from ten of twelve men who had checked out the land which God had promised them -- a promise dating back to their ancestor, Abraham. The report which caused knees to knock and hearts to skip a beat was that the inhabitants of that land were like giants with walled and well defended cities, etc.

So a decision was made -- elect a "captain" to lead them back to Egypt! They never made it -- God's judgment in this case resulted in their wandering about in the wilderness for 40 years. Their daily "activity" primarily involved attending funerals until the whole adult generation died off with the exception of Joshua and Caleb -- the only two of the original twelve men who had given a positive report after the spy mission had been completed.

We in the United States are in the process of electing a "captain" to lead us over a period of four years.

There is no evidence that any of those persons who are seeking to be that "captain" takes even the basic commandments as given by our Creator seriously! It's much more about what "I" will do if "I" become your "captain" -- "I will (insert anything here -- the sky's the limit!) and we will reach our 'promised land!'"

UNLESS the next "captain" is resolved to personally set a God-fearing example and boldly exhort all of us citizens to set about seeking the will of Almighty God as the top priority, individually and collectively, then we can only expect to experience increased chaos and eventual collapse -- a wilderness disaster of our own making!

While the majority of U.S. citizens are indifferent to, if not adamantly opposed, to the standards established by God for a sane, sensible, peaceful, prospering and surviving culture, it is becoming more obvious as time passes that we are not exempt from those standards and laws. The eternal law of "sowing and reaping" still applies to individuals and nations!

So, to you who are seeking to be selected as our "captain" beginning on January 20, 2009, what do you say that we as a republic should do to insure future peace, tranquility and blessings from above? Our "captains" during the past decades have not been successful in helping to get us back on track and into an acceptable and favorable relationship with the Creator of this mighty universe!

If anything, the financial, ethical, moral and spiritual grave we have dug for ourselves is deeper than ever before in our history! Is there a truly God-fearing "captain" out there somewhere who will lead us out of this wretched "grave" in which we presently find ourselves rotting?

The way present "campaigning" (if it really qualifies for the term) is going, we are in about the same dilemma as were those Israelites many centuries ago who wanted a "captain" to lead them back to a life of bitter bondage!

"But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.' Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them. Yet they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. Therefore you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not obey you. You shall also call to them, but they will not answer you. So you shall say to them, 'This is a nation that does not obey the voice of the LORD their God nor receive correction. Truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth.'" --- Jeremiah 7:23-28

A Prophecy About January 20, 2009!

They make a rapid fire machine gun seem like an ancient musket used in the Revolution by comparison -- whom, you ask? Why those "news" people on TV and their mouths moving at a rate that far exceeds that 30 or 50 caliber automatic weapon!

Get them started on the present political mess taking place and they can go non-stop long after the cows have come home! If you really want some comedy in this, then hit the mute button and leave it on for a few minutes -- pleasant relief that beats anything you buy over the counter at your local drug store!

In the midst of all this is the attempt to speculate a bit as to who the occupant of the White House will be at the close of the day on January 20, 2009.

If you want to get ahead of the speculators a bit, then go to A Prophecy -- First Night in White House for New President - January 20, 2009! A link at the bottom of that area will bring you back to this place.

Then you can laugh at those talking-heads on the TV news channels -- you have been tipped off on something they know nothing about!

There Was a Time When....!

"I brought you into a bountiful country, to eat its fruit and its goodness. But when you entered, you defiled My land and made My heritage an abomination. The priests did not say, 'Where is the LORD?' And those who handle the law did not know Me; the rulers also transgressed against Me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit." --- Jeremiah 2:7,8

There was a time in this republic when a majority of persons had exposure to the holy Scriptures and the Lord's Prayer. All students as they attended public schools for an average of 12 years engaged in the spiritual exercise of beginning the day with some portion of Bible reading followed by a prayer which began, "Our Father, Who art in heaven..."

Major discipline problems during those years consisted of such things as chewing gum in class, running in the hallways, whispering in class, shooting rubber bands and/or spit balls, etc. You know, the kinds of things which so disrupt school operations that the school has to cease operations for 3 or 4 days until the "crisis" is resolved!

Then came what has to be a first and foremost imbecile quality decision by the United States Supreme Court in which the reading of Scripture and prayer were ruled to be illegal! A few years later the nation's highest court sank to an even lower level than that of an imbecile by ruling that it is a "constitutional right" to mutilate and murder unborn children in the womb!

So then, what great benefits has the republic reaped as a consequence of the actions of 9 black robed people who chose to completely abandon all common sense and wisdom by declaring the public educational system totally off limits to the mighty Creator of this universe? And further, that in thousands of cases each week His work of forming human beings in the womb must be terminated?

Here is how it is:

• We are raising a large segment of our population to be heathen -- even unchurched students used to be exposed to a few minutes of Bible revelation and prayer to God but that has been no longer the case for decades! These in turn passed on their heathen unbelieving ways to their children and these children did likewise -- heathenism is very easy to pass on to the young!
  
  
• Along with the initial 2 rulings on the part of the Supreme Court which have pushed us down the road to sure and certain disaster, in the name of "freedom of speech and expression" our young began to be exposed to increased vulgarity, sexual immorality and graphic violence through many avenues. High profile individuals idolized by the young brazenly displayed their immoral lifestyles. Entertainment sunk to new lows with gutter level language, increased violence and sexually explicit images which leave absolutely nothing to the imagination -- after all, if you see two naked people in bed together, what is there to imagine?
  
  
• And the young have been encouraged in various ways to indulge in use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs. "Parties" will feature the foregoing plus engaging in a variety of sexual activities. One mother was extremely upset when informed by school officials that her junior high daughter "competed" with another girl on the school bus as to which could give oral sex to the most boys before arriving at school! A relative of mine is a junior high principal and told me of a recent incident in his school -- some 8th graders were caught smoking pot in one of their classes! This, of course, all carries over into the college and university level in greater intensity.
  

• Problems in the public school system have escalated somewhat since the days of dealing with chewing gum, spitballs, etc. Now it's a matter of assaults -- students against other students and students against teachers -- stabbings and shootings -- the necessity of having police on the premises to try to keep order in a number of school systems!
  
  
• And don't forget -- things are by no means a rosy paradise at the college and university level -- you know, those campuses are supposed to be "gun free" zones, but we have had some very tragic incidents on a few in recent times -- ah, times of progress and advancement -- it is great, but we haven't arrived have we?
  

Yes indeed -- since we told God He is no longer welcome in public schools and that we have the right to terminate His work of forming human beings any time we want to, we've really made progress, have we not? Or is it more proper to say that we have regressed to lower levels of depravity than any society claiming to be civilized would ever want to admit?

What's the point? Simply this -- no one can say that we have made great advances ethically, morally and spiritually since those 2 Supreme Court decisions in particular -- the dates of those decisions hold more than equal weight with the one F.D.R. said would live in infamy -- December 7, 1941!

Yes, some of us do remember back to a time when.... a time much superior in ways that count most as compared to how it is now!

"Therefore I will yet bring charges against you," says the LORD, "And against your children's children I will bring charges.... Has a nation changed its gods, which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory for what does not profit. Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid; be very desolate," says the LORD. "For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns; broken cisterns that can hold no water." --- Jeremiah 2:9,11-13

Why Hammer McCain? They're All Being Held Hostage!

"...Mr. McCain helped found a nonprofit group to promote his personal battle for tighter campaign finance rules. But he later resigned as its chairman after news reports disclosed that the group was tapping the same kinds of unlimited corporate contributions he opposed, including those from companies seeking his favor. He has criticized the cozy ties between lawmakers and lobbyists, but is relying on corporate lobbyists to donate their time running his presidential race and recently hired a lobbyist to run his Senate office..." --- as published at the New York Times web site on Feb. 21, 2008

At times the media are as happy and contented as fat sows playing in the mud on a hot summer day! One of those times is now -- this juicy bit about John McCain and an alleged relationship with a rather attractive lobbyist.

In an election year the media people will do about anything and pay just about any price to dig up some kind of "dirt" on an aspiring candidate for political office -- and especially if that office is the presidency of the United States! Didn't you know? A "scoop" of that kind sells more papers, gets higher ratings for the network, and brings in more advertising revenue -- this means more money in the pockets of the people involved who have done the "scoop" thing!

But back to the McCain "scandal" and his alleged connection to a lobbyist -- why single him out -- the whole bunch is being held hostage and has been for a long, long time. Ever since someone in the past got an idea to pay money to people to put great pressure on political office holders to pass legislation that will favor certain groups or corporations.

Part of the strategy here is that by contributing generously to one's election in ways that are "above board" or "under the table" then the office holder is now under obligation to grant certain "favors" and "special consideration" to supporters. Again, as always -- greed being the unscrupulous commodity in our culture that it is, money is the dominant player in the game!

It means that the average citizen is no longer of primary concern -- it is now the groups -- the "special interest" crowd whether an organized group of old gray headed men and women, a powerful union group, a school teachers group with high handed political clout that is national in scope, an oil company, a mining outfit, or a bunch of little kids that wants to put a bed of daisies in the middle of a town somewhere!

What makes this thing even more vicious is the fact that a number of retired politicians and/or members of their families get into this lobbying game -- it's a big money thing and the pay off cannot be measured in terms of the benefits for the highly favored ones for whom the political "hostage" has gone to bat!

ALL lobbying at federal and state levels in particular should be outlawed -- totally -- no exceptions and contributions to the election of a candidate for political office should be limited to at least $50 per person per candidate! Corporate and special group contributions would be illegal -- violations would result in mandatory prison terms for persons involved!

The only acceptable lobbying (and legal) would be individual -- that you and I as private citizens could personally one-on-one appeal to our senators or representatives about issues over which we are concerned and that would be it!

Will it ever change? Not really. Things will continue as they are when it comes to the corrupting influence of lobbying -- private citizens will be thrown a few tid-bit morsels from time to time -- but the "special interest groups" and their paid professional lobbyists will get the lions' share of benefits out of the government "trough" as they continue to hold elected officials "hostage."

Come to think of it -- perhaps the above reference to the wallowing hogs in the slime is also an accurate picture of that lobbyist crowd and their "hostages!"

But hang on folks -- there's good news concerning the future -- it's not always going to be like that -- for a real picker-upper today, just go to Good News! A Day Coming in Which All Politicians Will Be Removed from Office! A link at the bottom of that area will bring you back to this place.

Of course, you realize, do you not, that this also means the absolute end of lobbying and all lobbyists will also be out of a job? Let's hope and pray that the day will come very soon!

Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, to the oppressing city! She has not obeyed His voice, she has not received correction; she has not trusted in the LORD, she has not drawn near to her God. Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave not a bone till morning. Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. --- Zephaniah 3:1-4

"....one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, except....!"

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." --- Pledge of Allegiance to the Republic of the United States of America

There are those who want to alter the Pledge of Allegiance which we citizens recite from time to time in public settings.

In recent years the controversy has focused on one tiny part of the pledge that contains the words, "under God." In the poverty stricken minds of some, the reference to God is highly offensive. Such reference breaks down the imagined "wall" which is supposed to exist between church and state.

Perhaps such a change should be made with God's name being removed and a few words added, but not because of the shallow "separation of church and state" issue, but for a much greater and extremely critical matter.

This change would then have the final statement of the Pledge of Allegiance saying, "...one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all citizens except for millions yet unborn whom we choose to execute!"

"Outrageous!" "Preposterous!" "Insane!" "How dare you even suggest such a thing!" "You are a candidate for a padded cell!"

Now, now -- let's be reasonable about this and think it through!

Would not such a change more accurately reflect what we as a republic have actually become? Certainly the evidence is overwhelming that we are no longer under the favor and blessing of Almighty God -- our idolatrous, immoral and defiant practices as a nation of 300 million clearly attest to that!

Further, the phrase would boldly advertise to the other nations of this chaotic world that we no longer are civilized but have regressed to a state of savage barbarism!

Yes, there was a time when it was considered a criminal act to destroy the life of an unborn American citizen, but that time ended over 35 years ago -- and we have explicitly established a record that makes the Nazi Holocaust appear as a child's Sunday School picnic by way of comparison! At this point in time the U.S. version of Holocaust outnumbers the Nazi version by more than three to one!

Want to write to your congressman or congresswoman and suggest that the Pledge of Allegiance be changed citing a rock solid reason why such a change should be made?

For an update, review the numbers at A Quick Look at the United States' Massacre Tally!

"And it shall be, when you show this people all these words, and they say to you, 'Why has the LORD pronounced all this great disaster against us? Or what is our iniquity? Or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?' "then you shall say to them, 'Because your fathers have forsaken Me,' says the LORD; 'they have walked after other gods and have served them and worshiped them, and have forsaken Me and not kept My law. And you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one walks according to the imagination of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me.'" --- Jeremiah 16:10-12

We're Doing Our Part to Stimulate the Economy and We Haven't Even Received Our Check from Bush Yet!

....Congress, Bush, the Federal Reserve and Wall Street are hoping the money will burn such a hole in people's pockets that they won't be able to resist spending it. And the spending is supposed to give an energizing jolt to a national economy that is in danger of toppling into a recession if it hasn't already.

Bush called the measure "a booster shot for our economy."....... --- Tidbit from Associated Press report on Valentine's Day, 2008

We're doing our part to stimulate the ailing economy of our republic and we haven't received that big check which Bush and Congress said we're going to get!

Here's how this past week went for me and the best wife I ever had -- don't laugh, because she has put up with me nearly 55 years and 57 years when you include the dating time! But, alas, again I digress -- here is the record starting on Monday, February 11:

• Monday - I put $25.00 worth of gas in the tank -- about 75 drops or so!
  
  
• Wednesday - Car inspection at a cost of $40.23 -- we're in an area where emission inspection has to be done, so that elevates the tariff a bit!
  
  
• Thursday - We had appointments at our dentist -- Jean had to have some extra work plus xrays -- $205.00 exit fee! Then Jean had an ear doctor's appointment at 5:30 pm and that was a $20.00 copay. A few days back 2 prescriptions for the ear problem cost $45.00. What a way to spend Valentine's Day -- you can't get much more romantic than that, can you?
  
  
• Saturday - A couple more prescriptions which cost $120.00 -- yes, it only hurts when I laugh! Now, remember, we got some groceries in addition to all this stuff -- unfortunately the store wasn't running any specials on cheap dog food!
  

Now, if my addition is right -- just the numbers mentioned come to about $410.23 -- won't Bush, Congress and Company be proud of us -- that money was really burning a hole in our pocket and we just had to get rid of it -- and you see in detail just how we did it -- really, folks it's not as hard to do as some people make out. Just have nimble fingers, a pen, and a checkbook handy!

Do you ever get the feeling that something is a bit amiss in the "land of the free and the home of the brave?" The government doesn't hesitate to pour billions of dollars into "wars," billions into so-called "space" programs, and without serious objection has permitted the outsourcing of a host of high paying jobs to foreign countries, but cuts back funding for helping those who are in need -- senior citizens and low income families.

But there is good news -- somewhere on the web site, Circuit Rider's Range, or in an area of this blog is a link to a piece titled, "Good News! A Day Coming in Which All Politicians Will Be Removed from Office!" If you go there by way of this link, use return feature on your browser to come back here. So, keep hanging on -- that wonderful day will come! At that time the Creator of this mighty universe will be completely in control! Take a walk through Philippians 2:5-13 in the New Testament for a "day brightener!"

"Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' when the LORD had not spoken. The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger." --- Ezekiel 22:27-29

Wanted: Prayer Warriors in the Battle for Life!

'Thus says the LORD: "Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place."' --- Jeremiah 22:3

This is an appeal to be involved in a nationwide effort now underway to save lives of persons scheduled for execution in the womb!

The "40 Days for Life" campaign is now underway and does not receive much national publicity since the majority of media people are inclined to be more in favor of murdering the unborn rather than saving and preserving them alive!

So if you have established a favorable relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, and are acccustomed to conversation with Him in prayer on a daily basis, then please consider waging battle against the United States' unique version of "Holocaust!"

The link giving details is at 40 Days for Life. Here you can sign up to receive daily updates and there is a devotional to read which is Scripture based.

Blessings are to be experienced as you read the testimonies of women who were planning to destroy their unborn children (at the able assistance of a well paid guy wearing a white coat with the initials "M.D." stitched behind his name) but changed their minds and have chosen to bear their children. And just who among us knows how God will work in the lives of each of these persons (mothers and children) and what great things will happen for them in the future?

So, will you be among the "enlistees" today and join in the battle for life? The "recruiting office" is at 40 Days for Life!

"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." --- Jeremiah 33:3

Should the President Tear His Clothes?

Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it before the king. Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes. Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, "Go, inquire of the LORD for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us." --- 2 Kings 22:10-13

It happened a long time ago and the vast majority of U.S. citizens would say quickly that this incident has absolutely no meaning for us today -- it is ancient history and we should let it rest in the dust of antiquity!

For any who are at least a bit curious, here is what was going on -- the ancient Israelite kingdom of Judah had been ruled for a long time by a king who had influenced the people to engage in a lot of wicked activity -- all the way from sacrificing their young children to heathen idols to the practicing of witchcraft and other ungodly practices! For some strange reason his young son, Josiah, did not follow in his footsteps. It is said that young Josiah wanted to serve God and be obedient in all aspects of his life. The center of worship of the true God had fallen into a state of disrepair due to widespread acceptance of the worship of false gods over the years in which Josiah's father, Manasseh, had ruled.

In the process of repairing the temple the book of the Law of God was discovered. Upon examination it was determined that the king should be informed As it was read the young king tore his royal robes as a sign of grief and remorse. As you read about his reaction above, it did not take long for him to come to an accurate assessment of their situation -- they were in big trouble due to massive disobedience to God and were on the brink of experiencing the outpouring of His wrath in judgment!

Should the president of the United States tear his expensive suit as a visible sign of sorrow as did a king centuries ago? To say the least, it would be interesting to see how the media folks would handle that!

But he would never do it, much less admit as did young Josiah that we are in a heap of trouble regarding our relationship to the God Who in mercy raised this nation up beginning two and one third centuries ago!

Reasons why he and a majority of this country's citizens (including elected officials, church leaders, and other powerful people in high places) would never react as did king Josiah many centuries ago:

• no serious time or thought is given to the issue -- one just doesn't think about how God is viewing this nation and world -- main reference to God is quite limited to an expression, "God Bless America!" So long as we say that from time to time, we continue in a deceived state of mind believing that all is well within the boundaries of the 50 states that make up this republic!
  
  
• we must maintain a kind of silence when it comes to mentioning anything related to God in the public arena, because there are many differing beliefs plus the skeptics and the atheists and we should not "offend" them by talking about God!
  
  
• we don't talk about such things because in government circles, God is considered to be a "trespasser" due to a deadly and mistaken concept of "separation of church and state!"
  
  
• or we have bought into a highly unbalanced concept of God -- God is a God of love and He would never do anything nasty to anybody at any time!
  

Will there ever come a concern about what is happening to the extent that God may be mentioned, and that He may be using events and circumstances as a type of "wake-up call" -- that powerful and influential people considered to be "movers and shakers" in our culture will actually confess that God is doing some things that demand our repentance, individually and collectively, and the need to seek His mercy and forgiveness as a nation?

It is highly unlikely -- if anything is said, it will be in the form of a question -- "Why is God doing these terrible things to us?" This, by the way, was the topic of a post a bit earlier -- you can view it at "How Long Before The Big Question Is Asked?"

In the meantime a very small number will be seeking to be among those who "stand in the gap" as mentioned in Ezekiel 22!

So, don't listen for the sound of fabric ripping at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC any time soon! And it is highly unlikely that the new occupant of the Oval Office come January 2009 will engage in such action either, whoever he or she may be! The prevailing attitude will continue as it has for a long time -- just pass legislation, stimulate the economy, fight wars, dig the hole deeper in terms of public debt, murder over a million unborn children each year, and we'll still come OK! Yea, sure!!!

"I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, 'I will not hear.' This has been your manner from your youth, that you did not obey My voice." --- Jeremiah 22:21

Dam Beavers! Only in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania!

"It has come to the attention of the Department of Environmental Quality that there has been recent unauthorized activity on the above referenced parcel of property. You have been certified as the legal landowner and/or contractor who did the following unauthorized activity...." Opening statement in certified letter to a property owner from a distinguished (or should it be extinguished?) department of the government of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania!

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is establishing a rather notorious reputation for itself over time. One reason is that it has a very top heavy legislature which should be reduced by at least 50 per cent or preferably by 66 per cent, cutting it down to 1/3 its present size! It has one of the largest legislatures of all the states of our republic! But of course we all know it will never happen -- with politicians always scratching one another's backs, who is going to make a move to change things so that some of them no longer have a "job!"

And we have a Game Commission that seems to spend a lot of time dreaming new ways to increase revenue and place added burdens on hunters -- an outfit resembling "politicians" in uniform and always looking for more money! One might ask if the air around Harrisburg PA has some kind of virus in it and everyone connected somehow with the capitol begins to think in terms of money -- how to get more out of the citizens and how to get more into their own pockets!

A major part of the chaos in Pennsylvania comes from having certain agencies that are good at harassing citizens but not good at taking time to do some things which would prevent the harassment from happening in the first place! But again, as these various "agencies" do their "job" it usually results in the citizen paying money to the Commonwealth!

So, if you go to the following location which is an area at my web site, you will learn first hand what we Pennsylvanians have to endure from time to time. Theo, my assistant at Circuit Rider's Range, will give you some introduction. Just go to Dam Beavers! Only in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania! A link at the bottom will bring you back here to this place.

"Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain." --- Ezekiel 22:27

How Long Before the BIG QUESTION Is Asked?

"And it will be when you say, 'Why does the LORD our God do all these things to us?' then you shall answer them, 'Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.' Declare this in the house of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah, saying, 'Hear this now, O foolish people, without understanding, who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not: do you not fear Me?' says the LORD. 'Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it. But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; they have revolted and departed. They do not say in their heart, 'Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.' Your iniquities have turned these things away, and your sins have withheld good things from you." --- Jeremiah 5:19-25

A gigantic host of questions has been asked over the centuries as human history has run its course. These have come from persons of all ages and involve many subjects under a wide range of circumstances. Today is no different than a hundred or a thousand years ago -- questions in one form or another continue to be asked of someone somewhere in this world of despair.

For us in a republic known as the United States the time has not yet arrived when the BIG QUESTION will be asked -- but rest assured, there is a time coming when it will be asked and that time may be much closer than any of us would want to admit!

Oh, you are wondering what the BIG QUESTION is, that a huge majority will be asking? Well, it will be worded something like this:

"Why is God doing all these things to us?"

There may be a slight variation in the way it is worded, but it will be in reference to the same concern -- God is doing some most unpleasant things and people from all walks of life -- powerful politicians -- prestigious church leaders -- high and mighty persons of wealth and far reaching influence -- and a multitude in what is considered the insignificant and lower class of persons. All in a frantic chorus of high pitched voices calling out, "Why is God doing these things to us?"

It's not the first time it has happened -- centuries ago it happened in what is known as the ancient Israelite kingdom of Judah. After years and years of appeal to repent, turn from their idolatrous and immoral ways, and come back to God the response of the vast majority was one of rejection coupled with very negative reaction to the few issuing that call to return to God!

And so, after a series of chastising actions inflicted on the kingdom in an effort to wake it up to its perilous condition and the people crying out and asking the BIG QUESTION of their day (while refusing to repent), God brought a devastating judgment upon them -- it was total destruction and the end of the kingdom! The people were in such a hopeless condition spiritually and blind to truth that they no longer saw sin for the horrible and deadly thing it is! In a previous post I cited a reference to 2 Chronicles 36 -- I refer to it again and urge all who read this to take time to go to the Old Testament of the Bible and slowly read this account -- it summarizes in a very few words the basic formula as to how a culture comes to a devastating end and the clear reason for such an end!

Now then, since the nation of the United States is presently walking down the same road as did the ancient Israelite kingdom of Judah, and since we have always had access to God's special revelation of light and truth as did they, and since we insist on living our lives in constant defiance against God as did they, then we can expect a similar outcome, can we not? The big difference between us and those people of centuries ago is the fact that we have the total revelation which they did not at the time. So we, in a sense, are in far bigger trouble because of having that total revelation God has made available through His Spirit!

But even as the frantic question was asked, God was looking for a few persons who were sensitive to what was really happening and willing to "stand in the gap" -- read of His search and what He found in the latter part of Ezekiel 22. Are you willing to be one of the kind for which God was searching, or will you be among the BIG CROWD asking the BIG QUESTION at some point in the future?

By the way, just how long do YOU think it will be before that B. Q. is asked?

And if you say in your heart, "Why have these things come upon me?" For the greatness of your iniquity your skirts have been uncovered, your heels made bare. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. "Therefore I will scatter them like stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness. This is your lot, the portion of your measures from Me," says the LORD, "Because you have forgotten Me and trusted in falsehood." --- Jeremiah 13:22-25

The One Statement Most Avoided in Any Man's Language!

I listened and heard, but they do not speak aright. No man repented of his wickedness, saying, 'What have I done?' Everyone turned to his own course, as the horse rushes into the battle. Even the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times; and the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the LORD. How can you say, 'We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us'? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD; so what wisdom do they have? --- Jeremiah 8:6-9

There is a statement which a majority of persons in all walks of life adamantly refuse to say. The whole world is in chaos because of such refusal to say just a few words and really mean what is said! This refusal not only impacts individual lives but families, communities, cities, and entire nations.

And just what is that statement which has such far reaching influence, you may ask?

Here it is -- read slowly and carefully:

"I/We have sinned against Almighty God!"

What is behind the refusal to say those words with meaning? There are a number of possibilities -- here are some:

• just plain old pride -- we refuse to admit we are guilty before God, and usually we are quick to look around and point to someone who has done worse things than we have done!
  
  
• self-righteousness by which we make the stupid claim that we haven't really done any "sinning" -- we have a "clean slate" so we don't have to admit to any wrong doing!
  
  
• there is no such thing as right or wrong, so we just do what we think is the best thing for us and that settles it!
  
  
• there is no God and therefore there is no accountability -- the damnable doctrine and misleading teaching of evolutionary theory suggests to our young folk that there is no God, so therefore the statement "I/We have sinned against Almighty God" is totally irrelevant and without meaning whatsoever!
  
  
• it's a religious issue and we ought not to air our "dirty linen" in public -- keep it private and out of public scrutiny!
  
  
• sin has become so common place and so accepted as well as widely practiced that it is the "norm" by which people live, therefore the word itself simply doesn't register as something offensive to a holy God!
  

There was a culture many centuries ago in which the people claimed they were God's people, but they had drifted off course over time and through compromise came to the place where God's Word was no longer a priority matter in their daily lives and in all relationships. When a few "radicals" drew attention to this and said there was a need to repent of all sins, individually and collectively, the response was, "What have we done?" It is noted that no one was really willing to repent of sin and get things squared away in relationship to the God in Whom they professed to have faith! That culture eventually collapsed and the city which was the capitol and the center of worship was totally destroyed -- all because they would not say, "I/We have sinned against Almighty God" and then follow through by turning from all that was detestable in the sight of this God! (Read 2 Chronicles 36 in the Bible for testimony of this event).

How often throughout the United States do you hear the above statement about sinning being made? And to what extent is there evidence being produced that the statement is being made individually and collectively with a desire to abandon sinful conduct, manner of speech, lifestyles and desires? And that is followed by a fervent desire to seek holiness of heart, obey God, and honor His Son, Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord and our soon returning King?

We all know the answer to that, do we not?

Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain. You have had a harlot's forehead; you refuse to be ashamed. --- Jeremiah 3:3

Skateboarding, Snowboarding, and Pet Boarding, But Waterboarding?

In a news release earlier today it was reported that the Bush Administration attempted to defend the use of an interrogation technique known as "waterboarding" with the claim that it is "legal" rather than "torture" as some persons have claimed, and that by employing this method American lives have been saved! In testimony before Congress, CIA Director Michael Hayden stated that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Abu Zubaydah and Abdal-Rahim al-Nashiri were waterboarded in 2002 and 2003. --- Information contained in a news release - Feb. 6, 2008

Well now -- what have we here? As mentioned in the title, certain types of "boarding" are quite OK and in some cases most pleasant and enjoyable to experience, but "waterboarding?"

Some may not be familiar with what goes on when a person is "waterboarded" -- definitely it stands in sharp contrast to being on a skateboard or a snowboard!

OK, are you ready? First, you strap the victim down so that he or she is unable to move in such a manner as to remove the cloth which is placed over the face. Now don't jump to conclusions at this point and say, "Well, that doesn't sound too bad -- I can still breathe if I have a cloth over my face!" Wait -- here's the good part as practiced by some U.S. government "interrogators" -- the next step is pouring water over the cloth and getting it well saturated so that the victim goes through the agonizing experience of feeling as though he is drowning and struggling to get his next breath!

The history of this goes back over the centuries to the Spanish Inquisition and is presently condemned by most nations around the world.

Since Bush and his supporters insist that this isn't "torture," why not have them go through the "procedure" and see what their conclusions are afterward -- about 2 or 3 days of this prolonged "treatment" should do it, wouldn't you think? After all the gagging and choking has subsided may we expect each one of them, president included, to say, "No, that's not torture at all!"

Will it be stopped? Not likely and we don't know the whole story as to how suspects have been or are presently being treated. Some would argue that since they do horrible things to us, we should retaliate in kind -- treat them as they would treat us, etc. That might fly a little bit if we were a nation that makes no claim to being civilized or that we have "In God We Trust" stamped on coins and currency, or that we place hand over heart and in final words of our Pledge of Allegiance, we say "...one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all."

But then again, since we have pretty well regressed to being a rather violent heathen style of culture, the practice of waterboarding is no more offensive -- in fact, less so, than our national practice of brutally mutilating and murdering thousands of unborn children in the womb each week, is it not? Toll so far in the "land of the free and the home of brave" is over 48 million victims!

Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Do not trust in these lying words, saying, 'The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are these.' For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered to do all these abominations?'" --- Jeremiah 7:3-10

Not One Candidate Is Honest Enough to Face Reality!

Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow come before them. --- Isaiah 1:23

For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and those who are led by them are destroyed. --- Isaiah 9:16

Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. --- Ezekiel 22:27

Today is known as "Super Tuesday" with a number of states holding primary elections and aspiring presidential candidates scurrying about like a bunch of ants when their anthill has been demolished!

In spite of professed differences, there is one thing which lumps all of the 2008 candidates together into the same mold -- not a single one is honest enough to face hard reality in this country which she or he desires to lead as president come January 2009! Not one has seriously addressed the ethical, moral and spiritual corruption that is massively destroying this country just as a raging melonoma destroys and brings about certain death to the human body!

Anyone with even a sprinkling of sensitivity to God's special revelation and His spiritual standards by which humans are expected to live can only conclude that as a nation we are on a path to unprecedented disaster -- one of such magnitude that the human mind cannot possibly begin to comprehend it!

It's pretty well documented that some candidates are on record as favoring the continuation of a gross practice that will invoke the wrath of God more quickly than any other national transgression -- the practice of destroying over 100,000 unborn children each month on average!

The major problems are not:

• foreign policy and spending billions upon billions of dollars fighting conflicts in such places as Iraq, Afghanistan, and wherever else we believe we need to do some shootouts at the O.K. Corral locations!
  
  
• economic and how to stimulate the economy of a nation that is hopelessly trillions of dollars in debt!
  
  
• health care and how to establish a guarantee that everyone is covered by insurance in a health care industry that is badly infected with a virus called greed!
  
  
• employment and how to create more jobs (a long time favorite song & dance routine of every politician)!
  
  
• education and how to improve it when we have already knocked the foundation out from under our young by telling them their "roots" go back to a pool of slime containing some wriggling organisms millions of years ago!
  
  
• social with millions of illegal aliens who believe the U.S. laws on immigration in no way apply to them whatsover!
  
  
• technological involving the exploration of outer space, inner space, miniature space, urban space, rural space, wilderness space, jungle space, desert space, oceanic space, center of the earth space, or _________ (insert your own choice in the blank) space!
  

No, the major problem is our relationship with Almighty God Who not only holds each of us as individuals accountable to Him, but whole nations as well. The issue is one as to whether we intentionally choose to obey, serve and honor Him as God, Who gives us life and Who has provided redemption from sin and destruction through His Son, Jesus Christ.

But since the republic of the U.S.A. has chosen to hand down such insane decisions as declaring public schools off limits to God and the sanctioned destruction of humans for which He has definite plans, then all we can expect sometime in the future is a response from the Creator of the heavens and the earth. That response will be most unpleasant to experience, to say the least! Our massive idolatry, trashing of the day of worship, pandemic sexual immorality and lukewarm "church-ianity" simply add further to the growing list of charges against us -- and all the while we, politicians included, make the claim of being a "nation under God." This has got to be a qualifier in the Guiness Book of Records as being one the most hypocritical claims ever made in human history!

Now here's a thought to consider -- why don't we elect the little mouse which you saw at the beginning as our next president? He'll do a better job than any of those competing for that office at the present time!

Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, 'listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen.' Therefore hear, you nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not heeded My words, nor My law, but rejected it." --- Jeremiah 6:16-19