United States Now Safer and More Secure? Not Even By the Length of a Gnat's Eyelash!

"It is a good day for America" -- "the nation and the world are now safer" -- "we mean what we say" are some of the expressions in the rhetoric employed by the president and others on the occasion of the killing of Osama bin Laden. --- a hoard of news sources have been addicted to reporting these things on a repetitive basis 24/7

There is no limit when it comes to how easily people can be deceived, especially when it comes to safety and security. By implication in remarks made by President Obama with assistance by other high profile persons of influence plus the added spin of the media circus, we are now much better off with Osama bin Laden's body submerged somewhere in the deep waters of the North Arabian Sea.

One has to wonder whether those persons in high and powerful places really believe our republic is now safer or whether they believe that Islam is a "peaceful" religion and Muslims will all unanimously agree with our president's assessment that everything is OK now or do they erroneously believe that the God of Christianity will protect us from any future threats that may arise?

Islam in its purest expression is not peaceful -- the Quran teaches that all who do not accept and believe in Allah are regarded as infidels, and that includes Jews and Christians. The ultimate goal is a world where Islam rules and controls the total world and infidels exist no more! Granted there are those Muslims who have compromised their faith and are "good and friendly" neighbors here in the United States. And just as they have compromised their faith in regard to the "infidels" so have too many professing Christians compromised their faith, allowing that those of other religions such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and others have a faith that is just as legitimate as the Christian faith and the "playing field" of religion is level for any expression of faith whatsoever!

But Christianity in its purest expression is also very radical but not violent in its treatment of non-believers. At the heart of Christianity is a love for all persons and the Christian witness is simply this: God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus Christ) that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. No gun is held to a person's head threatening to kill unless he or she believes -- the message is shared in love and the choice is strictly up to the one with whom it was shared. The basic Christian message as based on God's revelation is that salvation from sin and forgiveness are possible only through Jesus Christ and in no other way. Any religion that does not have Jesus Christ at its center, acknowledging Him as Savior and Lord, is a false religion!

The violent death of Osama bin Laden has been highly publicized and wide coverage given to the "celebrations" that have gone on endlessly accompanied by much flag waving as "patriots" took to the streets in the good old U.S.A. and expressed their great delight that this #1 terrorist was now dead.

Really now, are we safer due to this sudden and unexpected event? Most will play the ostrich role and say "Yes, we are." Those few who are realistic will recognize quickly that dedicated Muslims will not sit back and do nothing. There will be responses in times to come. Remember it was an "infidel" nation that ended the life of Osama bin Laden. Do you understand how infidels are to be treated in light of the teachings of the Quran?

There will be those who vainly insist that we are a "Christian" nation and God will protect us. This is another grand deception. The phrase, "... one nation, under God..." is absolutely meaningless in these times when the prevailing mood and spirit of our nation is to give God the all too familiar obscene gesture, and then we set about to do things as we so determine -- God is not honored nor respected and there is certainly no desire to express regret over our flagrant rebellion. Seeking His will for everyday living is the most distant thing from the minds of our leaders as well as the majority of our citizens!

There is one thing that is absolutely guaranteed -- there will be Muslim responses in regard to the U.S.A. killing of Osama bin Laden and the deadly mistake of the widespread celebrations of his death throughout the nation with extensive coverage by the media circus performers! It is simply a matter of time as they make their plans and how those plans will be implemented.

The bragging that was all too obvious in presidential remarks and those of other elected officials within the government as well as high profile media personalities will simply fuel the fire all the more -- we have more than proven that we are indeed the "Big Satan" as seen and regarded by many in the world of Islam! Jesus' statement in John 16 takes on new meaning in light of what has been happening in recent years -- "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me." (John 16:1-3).

Many recognize, of course, that the president is going to exploit the O.B.L. murder with "tough talk" and a flood of photo-ops in his 1 billion dollar (or likely a great excess of 1 billion dollars) reelection bid in 2012.

When the crises come and the appeal to God for His help goes forth, what will His response be? Read carefully the statement below and then begin to make proper preparations. Note also what He specifically told Jeremiah in regard to answering prayer in Jeremiah 7, 11, and 14. Since I am in a very good mood at the moment, I will allow you the honor of taking your Bible and locating those 3 chapters!

"As the thief is ashamed when he is found out, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they and their kings and their princes, and their priests and their prophets, Saying to a tree, 'You are my father,' and to a stone, 'You gave birth to me.' For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they will say, 'Arise and save us.' But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah. Why will you plead with Me? You all have transgressed against Me," says the LORD. --- Jeremiah 2:26-29

Past Celebrations That Ended in Disaster!

Celebrations That Ended in Disaster in the Past

A great spirit of "celebration" dominates the republic of the United States over the death of Osama bin Laden, who was considered "Public Enemy #1" throughout much of the world. --- media sources are full and overflowing with written and broadcast reports accompanied by a myriad of photos detailing the great "celebration."

On Monday, May 2nd, I posted a blog that suggested a celebration of the death of Osama bin Laden is not good and cited reasons for that position. But who would pay any attention to a country boy farmer whom Jesus Christ redeemed from sin and then called to preach and teach His Word? But for any who have not read it and might consider doing so, it is at Osama bin Laden Dead? Don't Dance in the Streets and Celebrate Just Yet!

But now consider some celebrations in the past that ended in disaster:

1: Hurricane Camille. Camille was a category 5 storm which hit near the mouth of the Mississippi River on the night of August 14, 1969. Sustained winds were at or above 190 MPH! At least 259 people lost their lives. One reported incident reminds us that we need to be careful of what and where we celebrate. A group of younger aged people made a big joke out of the fact that the police urged them to leave the area because of the severity of the hurricane about to strike. No, they refused to leave and were greatly amused when the police took down their names and addresses. They had a big party going in an upper floor apartment -- they called it a "hurricane party" and the celebration moved into high gear. But then Camille came in with devastating power. The apartment building where the big celebration was taking place was totally destroyed and all persons in the building lost their lives. Ah yes, it is wise to be careful what and where you celebrate, is it not?

2: The Great Depression of 1929. There was a very great "party spirit" existing as people were making money by the bushels and the stock market was booming. It was the time of prohibition but alcohol was still flowing like water and often law enforcement simply looked the other way while pocketing bribe money in many instances. Once in a while there might be a "raid" and the party was broken up, but those were more the exception rather than the rule. But just as the "celebration" was in full swing, it happened -- the stock market crashed. People who had gained wealth found themselves wiped out and penniless! The parties and the celebrations were now over for a long, long time. Suicide rates increased dramatically as many could not face the reality of what had happened! Be careful of what and where you celebrate!

3: RMS Titanic. Some referred to it as a ship that was unsinkable. With a lot of hoopla, RMS Titanic set sail on her maiden voyage in April of 1912 from Southhampton, England to New York. Very powerful and very wealthy people were on board who occupied the first class cabins which were very luxurious to say the least. But there was a "party spirit" which was very obvious and is accurately reflected in movies made about the ship and its first voyage to America. It is speculated that the captain, Edward J. Smith, wanted to set a new record for reaching New York in the shortest time yet. The ship was moving along at a good clip in spite of warnings of ice bergs having been sighted. Then it happened -- a collision with a giant berg which tore a deadly gash in the side of the ship. One movie shows a scene of young men frolicking on the deck amidst the ice thrown on to the deck as a result of the collision. Remains of the Titanic now lie at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean along with whatever is left of the remains of 1,517 passengers who lost their lives. Be careful of what and where you celebrate!

4: A Rich Fool. A man owned land and farmed it. He became very prosperous as his crops produced most abundantly. Then a problem confronted him. The crops were so prosperous that he did not have sufficient room to store them all. A decision was made as he engaged in a personal conversation with himself. This is what he said: "What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?" So he said, "I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 'And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.'" Reason to celebrate, right? Wrong -- God interrupted him in the midst of his intended celebration with these words, But God said to him, "You fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?" We know the answer to that, do we not? The money would buy him a fancy casket in which to be buried and the kids would fight over what was left! Jesus told that story in Luke 12:13-21 as a reminder to be careful of what and where you celebrate!

5: The Execution of John the Baptist. He was considered a religious fanatic, but there were those who had listened to him and made a positive response when he called them to repent of their sins and be baptized as a public witness that they had done exactly that. He even rebuked political people for immorality. One of these never forgot that, and likely vowed that she would get him some day in the future. The day came when Herodius' husband, Herod, was throwing a party and the big-wigs were there celebrating his birthday with him. Herodius' daughter did a dance that pleased and excited the crowd immensely. Herod, in the spirit of celebrating, offered his step-daughter anything even up to the half of his kingdom. Instructed by her mother, the daughter asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. The execution was carried out and the head of John was delivered to Herodius who very likely had a great celebration over the death of one she vowed "to get!" Comments on this event are found at Staring at a Severed Head Forever! Details of this incident can be found at Mark 6:21-28. We need to always be careful of what and where we celebrate!

6: Belshazzar's Celebration. Beshazzar was a ruler, second in rank to his father, in the mighty kingdom of ancient Babylon. One night he threw a party and in the midst of the revelry he remembered the vessels from the Jewish temple that had been taken when the Babylonians had invaded and destroyed Jerusalem many years before. So the excitement accelerated in the celebration as they drank out of the golden vessels and praised the heathen gods. Suddenly the image of a man's hand appeared and fingers began to write on the palace wall. Belshazzar was so shook up that it is recorded that his knees began to knock together. Eventually the prophet Daniel was called in to interpret the writings. In summary this ruler learned that God was going to put an end to his kingdom and that he, Belshazzar had been weighed in the balances and found wanting. That very night of the celebration his life was taken as the Medes and Persians invaded the city. Details are given in Daniel 5. Belshazzar and his fellow party people found out that you need to be careful of what and where one celebrates!

Many other happenings in regard to celebrations ending in disaster could be noted here. But the foregoing should be enough to remind us that sometimes a celebration is not a smart thing in which to be involved. Such is the lunacy going on at present in the United States and in some other parts of the world -- the festive spirit and ongoing "celebration" of the death of Osama bin Laden. As I heard the "news" about this, I was reminded that here was a man for whom Jesus died on a Roman cross, as He did for me and for you so that our sins could be forgiven. Unfortunately, Osama bin Laden made some very wrong choices including the rejection of God's mercy as shown in His Son, Jesus Christ, and the choice to follow a false religion and become involved in violent acts which he believed would help purge the world of "infidels." Muslims who are true to their faith and the teachings of the Quran view all non-Muslims as infidels and are specifically instructed not to take Jews nor Christians for their friends!

Somewhere down the road in the future we in the republic of the United States will realize that it was very foolish and deadly to have celebrated the death of Osama bin Laden. Almighty God has indicated that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. So then, who are we that we feel we have the "right" and should do otherwise?

"Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'" --- Ezekiel 33:11

Osama bin Laden Dead? Don't Dance in the Streets and Celebrate Just Yet!

Osama bin Laden Killed by U. S. Forces --- one of many headlines flooding the media outlets on Monday, May 2, 2011

It's a day that many longed for with great anticipation -- the death of one considered by huge numbers of people, including some government leaders, to be the Number 1 enemy in the world, Osama bin Laden.

Interesting quotes from various sources:

Al-Qaida leader killed in operation led by Navy SEALs, CIA forces

President Barack Obama declared Monday that the U.S. had "kept its commitment to justice," saying the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was "a good day for America."

Obama: Bin Laden's death means world is a safer place

DNA evidence: 100 percent certain it was bin Laden

A word of caution here though very few have considered the possibilities of what can happen in the future so far as the United States is concerned. It is no time to dance in the streets and celebrate in the same spirit as you would if your favorite team has just won the Super Bowl!

Consider why we should refrain from expressing a spirit of joy and gladness in the death of Osama bin Laden:

First, this is just one man with a lot of connections who is a hero and a noble example to those who engage in terrorists' activities, with the United States prominently on the list of targeted nations. What do you suppose is going to be the reaction of highly trained terrorist groups as leaders in the United States strut about boasting of this great "accomplishment?" At least a few of us take the position that these people will not sit down and twiddle their thumbs for months or years before they begin to embark on a campaign of revenge! The best approach would have been to keep the whole operation a secret and not let it be known that the man had been killed, but our deceptive pride would never permit that to take place!

Second, the blessing of God is no longer upon us as in times long since past. We are a nation steeped in defiance and stubbornness when it comes to taking God and His holy standards seriously for establishing a sane, sensible, serene, sober, secure, and stable republic. Leading the way as a special "invitation" for God to pour out His wrath on us is the fact that we intentionally destroy 25,000 unborn children every week. And this is done with the express approval of our president and a large number of the members of the U.S. Congress! Other issues that also place us in the precarious position of being harshly judged by Almighty God are discussed at "Driving the Final Nails". So it is not wise to celebrate the death of one considered to be a great enemy to our nation and to the world at large! We have a heap of work to do in getting our own house in order ethically, morally, and spiritually.

Third, God's standard in regard to the defeat and/or death of those considered to be enemies is quite different than the usual human approach. In His Word God reveals this:

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him. --- Proverbs 24:17,18

But of course, to make reference to such a statement as the preceding from God's Word, is to simply confirm the fact that we as a nation do not want God meddling in our affairs, especially when we are so used to living in a proud and self-serving fashion. Who in the world wants to listen to God -- He's too unreasonable in His demands, so we'll just do things our way!

The day will come when the celebration in the streets will be turned into intense mourning and maybe, just maybe, someone will say, "We need to pray and call on God!" And His response may well be a repeat of what He said a long time ago when a people turned to Him in a crisis. I will not quote that here, but if you dare, turn to Jeremiah 2 in the Old Testament of the Bible and see the details. Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

In spite of the growing intensity of calamities striking our republic as time goes on, there is no real serious call that we need to repent and turn to God as a nation. Those in elected leadership refuse to seriously take God at His Word and those in church leadership don't seem all that concerned either as to the fact that we may well have crossed over the line of God's offer of grace and mercy on condition of repentance and now it is a matter of time until He brings judgment!!

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. "Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. --- Romans 12:19-21