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