Benjamin Netanyahu a “chicken****” Prime Minister?

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. [Genesis 12:1-3 (KJV)].

A few days ago it was reported that a top official (no identification) in the Obama administration referred to Benjamin Netanyahu as a “chicken**** prime minister!” NOTE: the “****” are used in place of the vulgar term that was actually used!

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu became aware of this and did respond. However at this point in time there has been nothing to indicate any kind of an attempt to apologize and this character’s boss who happens to be the present resident of the White House in Washington DC has not done anything by way of dismissal, suspension, or even so much as a mild reprimand!

For the present administration as it moves further and further towards a hostile anti-Israeli position and a very cozy relationship with many Arab nations, it is going to be “Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!” one of these days as Almighty God steps in and interrupts human history by the implementation and completion of His plan for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!

Consider just a few of the dramatic changes which will take place concerning Israel and its world famous city, Jerusalem:

1. God’s intervention – conflict and then His rule established over all the earth --- Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour. And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance. And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague. The remnant shall turn to the Lord. And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. [Zechariah 14:1-17 (KJV)].

2. God’s personal return and establishing Jerusalem as a “city of truth” --- Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain. [Zechariah 8:1-3 (KJV)].

3. Peace, because now the Lord Jesus Christ is in charge and implements of war are recycled into implements for peaceful purposes --- The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. [Isaiah 2:1-4 (KJV)].

4. Radical change in attitude toward the Israelite people! --- Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory. Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee. And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious. The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time. [Isaiah 60:1-22 (KJV)].

At the present time hatred against Israel is increasing with very negative remarks made about the country, its people and its leaders. Ignorant people in the federal government of the United States have demonstrated this most recently!

The covenant which God established with Abraham is still in place though even within the ranks of professing Christianity one can find persons who deny this. I would rather be in the group that is blessed because I take the position of being in agreement with our Creator and His special plan for a people identified as Israelites than to be in disagreement and in that group which will be cursed – read again what God said and promised to Abraham!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good. [Psalms 122:6-9 (KJV)].

On the Other Hand, the United States Deserves Such "Leadership!"

They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. --- Psalm 106:13-15

It is a lesson rarely ever learned -- what you earnestly desire may not be the best thing for you. In fact it may prove to be a disaster later on down the road. The ancient Israelites found out the hard way as they made their journey from Egypt to the land of promise in Canaan.

God had intervened through a series of miracles and set them free from centuries of slavery in Egypt. He had promised a land which was described as one flowing with "milk and honey!" It was a land where they would prosper, be wonderfully blessed, and be used to reveal to a heathen world Who God is, how he loves all people, and the fact that He has a wonderful plan for each person as they journey through life in this world.

But things did not go well at times on that journey from Egypt to the promised land. There were murmurings and frequent complaints in spite of the fact that God was providing daily food and drink for them. Their clothes were not wearing out from the wear and tear of daily traveling. They were not content with manna from heaven but wanted meat instead.

When God brought in a bunch of quail and the people hastily prepared and started to eat the meat, then they experienced God's wrath in judgment! But even worse, as Scripture reveals, God not only gave them their request for meat, but he sent leanness into their souls! There is nothing worse than to be poverty stricken in one's spirit -- in a strict sense, to be out of touch with God.

There has been a battle raging within the United States for decades. It intensified in the '50's and got worse as time moved on. Supreme Court decisions provided unmistakable evidence that the republic was on a path leading eventually to disaster and at some time in the future, ultimate collapse!

A first major decision, the results of which cannot be even a bit comprehended, was the banning of prayer and Bible reading in the public schools. It has been and continues to be hotly debated with even pastors and church leaders saying it was a good thing to ban such practices -- after all, we need to have "separation of church and state" you know! It is interesting to draw a comparison as to how it was in the schools before the decision and how it is now some time after such a decision in terms of behavior and relationships!

The second major disaster in terms of the Supreme Court causing our republic to revert to a heathen culture was the decision that it is a "constitutional right" for a female to choose to have her unborn child mutilated and murdered, even if that choice should be made just a few days before the scheduled birth is to take place!

Millions of unborn children have been destroyed since the infamous Roe v. Wade decision of 1973. God has not yet made His full response to this, but the series of calamities being visited upon our nation and the fact that intensity and frequency of the same are increasing indicate that the time may be much closer than any of us are willing to admit!

We are on the eve of an election as of the day of this posting (Nov 3, 2012) and an examination of values espoused by the candidates who want to be president starting at the third week of January 2013 would reveal a contrast in certain critical areas.

Due to the prevailing mood and dominant desires of the country at the present time, it would be fitting for the Obamas to continue in their present position which they have had for the past four years! The Obamas are vehemently supportive of the destruction of unborn children, always using a logic very similar to that of the Nazis of WW II era as to why some should live and others be exterminated before birth. That seems to be the preferred choice of a majority of U.S. citizens. Even professed "pro-life" members of Congress prefer to do nothing on this issue, showing no aggression whatsoever! And if Mitt Romney, who claims to be pro-life, should be elected, it is doubtful he will do much if anything about protecting the lives of the unborn -- it will likely be business as usual - the continued destruction of about 25,000 unborn children every week!

The Obamas are now very supportive of marriage between same-gender couples -- that is, they support sodomites marrying each other and lesbians marrying each other. In spite of God revealing clearly that marriage is a special convenant relationship between a male and a female, the Obamas have fully accepted the new "definition" of marriage that has been widely adopted throughout our culture in recent years! Mainstream media for the most part is quite positive on this issue. The entertainment industry is constantly throwing subject matter at us telling us what a good thing it is for people of the same gender to be married. And of course there is the growing practice of labeling anybody who does not accept this in the most negative terms possible, starting with them being "homophobic!" Pressure has been mounting for more states to permit persons of the same gender to legally marry.

The Obamas at best are quite indifferent to the church and its profession of faith that is centered in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and only attend a worship service on an extremely rare occasion. Less than half of the United States' population of over 300 million people is able to find its way to a worship service on Sunday. There may be a few more in attendance on Easter Sunday and on the Sunday preceding Christmas. For over half of our population Sunday should be renamed Funday because it is a day of pursuing amusements, sports events, entertainment, or just about anything that will not remind people that there is an Almighty God to Whom we will give an account as to what we have done with the lives He made possible and which the vast majority have utterly wasted!

Further, under Mr. Obama's "leadership" (term used carelessly) our national debt is now in excess of 16 trillion dollars with nearly 1/3 of that accumulated during his term in office. Since this nation insists on spending money it does not have, it is appropriate that Mr. Obama continue as president and be "in charge" when the country goes belly up financially!

In spite of the fact that God has been faithfully issuing the call for personal and collective repentance, the response has been negative -- some may even dare to suggest, "What have we done that is so wrong?" That in itself is an indication of the deplorable spiritual, moral and ethical condition of our republic!

It behooves those who know and practice the experience of daily prayer to adopt the prayer of Daniel in the 9th chapter of the book that bears his name. It is highly likely that in the not too distant future we shall know whether enough persons have prayed and mercy has been granted or we will experience judgment and devastation unlike anything this nation has ever experienced in its entire history!

But for the moment the prevailing spirit of this republic is saying, "Give us Obama!"

Remember at the beginning there was a quote that ended, "....He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul."

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He also did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel. Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. --- 2 Chronicles 36:11-19

"....if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. --- 2 Chronicles 7:14

To What Extent Will God Permit the Heathen to Attack Us?

"Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, to seize the spoil, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets." --- Isaiah 10:5,6

As the celebrations continue over the death of Osama bin Laden it is time to consider an issue which only a few are willing to think about and/or discuss with others. That issue is God's use of heathen peoples as instruments in His purposes to judge those who claim to be His people but at the same time they play the hypocrite by rejecting His standards and principles for a sane, sensible, serene, stable, and secure nation with a positive hope for the future! Corruption in political and religious leadership is a major contributing factor in such a circumstance.

A lot of history reveals that God in times past used heathen peoples to chastise and in some cases ultimately judge those who claimed to be His people. The ancient Israelites were a people to whom God had revealed Himself and then were chosen to represent Him as the true God in a world engulfed in ungodly practices, even to the point of human sacrifices in worship rituals.

There were times that the Israelites adopted the practices of their heathen neighbors. In the Old Testament book of Judges we observe a "roller coaster" experience. For a time the people were obedient and under the blessing of God. But then they abandoned the way of obedience and God would respond in a very negative way. Terms used to describe these experiences are: "forsook God", "did evil", etc. God's actions are described as: "delivered them into the hands of...", "sold them into the hand of...", etc.

And so it went for centuries as kings came and went. Some were good kings who truly feared God and sought to be obedient, but many others were not and succumbed to evil influences and the worship of false gods. Often a part of this again involved human sacrifice, such as throwing an infant or young child into a roaring fire as an act of worship. It is actually reported that some kings who are clearly identified engaged in this horrendous practice!

But the time comes when evil, like an out of control cancer, reaches a terminal state. God no longer raises up prophets with an appeal to repent and come back to Him for mercy and forgiveness. The message of the prophets changes dramatically and basically warns of impending judgment.

The ancient northern kingdom of Israel was invaded and destroyed by the Assyrians in about the year 721 BC. The southern kingdom of Judah hung on a bit longer, but eventually time ran out for it and the Babylonians totally destroyed the proud city of Jerusalem in about 586 BC. In both cases God reveals that it was persistent disobedience and refusal to repent that led to these disasters.

In both cases God's "instruments" of judgment were the Assyrians and the Babylonians -- both were about as heathen as it is possible to get. It later turned out that these heathen kingdoms were judged by God with a lot of detail given as to what would happen before their respective judgments actually took place.

Now consider this: God does not change in His way of dealing with members of the human race and the nations which they establish through time. The United States was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and the Bible was quite prominent in the experiences of the founding fathers as well as successors in decades to follow.

The nation was identified with the Christian faith -- that is, most of the citizens professed to be Christian in their faith. From time to time there were some significant "awakenings" in which people in rather large numbers actively sought God's mercy and forgiveness, with faith centered in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

But as the republic entered the 20th Century something not good was happening. The seeds of doubt and skepticism were being sown within the ranks of Christianity. This new "trend" was eventually referred to as "liberalism" -- a "pseudo-intellectual" view and interpretation of the Scriptures! It was the "in thing" to question the information reported in Scripture concerning the works of God, the miracles, and of course, the Person of Jesus Christ and everything related to His life here on earth, including His sacrifice for the sins of the human race and His literal resurrection from the dead following His crucifixion.

The rebel seed has taken root over time and is producing "fruit!" The United States has taken on the characteristics of the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The main difference is that we have technology that those people did not have and consequently we can sin quickly, massively, and in ways those people could not even have imagined! As a result we are ripe for judgment action on the part of the Creator of this mighty universe.

Could His instruments of judgment at a certain point involve heathen peoples set on revenge because of our involvement in, our bragging and our intense celebrating the death of one of their own who was world famous? Most will instantly reject this possibility and if for no other reason, in ignorance declare that God would never do such a thing or allow such a thing to happen to the United States. Oh, and on what basis does that bit of speculation rest -- any Biblical authority to confirm that as fact?

Almighty God has yet to make a full response to the ungodliness that permeates this nation from one end to the other. It will not be pleasant to be living within its borders when that response does come, and it may come sooner than any of us want to honestly recognize!

It remains a solid truth -- the only thing we learn from history is the fact that we fail to learn from history and as a result are doomed to repeat the tragedies of previous cultures whose ruins lie in the dust and rocks of the earth!

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He also did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel. Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. --- 2 Chronicles 36:11-19

Helen Thomas Telling the Israelis Where to Go!

On the May 27 video, Thomas says Israelis should "get the hell out of Palestine," suggesting they go to Germany, Poland or the U.S. --- statement in an internet news release on June 7, 2010

White House correspondent, Helen Thomas, is calling it quits after controversial comments about Israel became publicly known by means of a video which recorded the remarks on May 27th. Maybe some tolerance should be shown for an 89-year-old who is long overdue for retirement somewhere outside of the White House from which she did her "reporting" since 1960.

But on the other hand the remarks reflect the spirit of large numbers of people who aren't quite so bold as to state their feelings about Israel publicly. And this certainly is also true of the leadership of a number of nations in regard to true feelings about the Jewish people. It has certainly been revealed on a continual basis at the United Nations when the nation of Israel is the subject of "discussion," if it can be called that! Attitudes on the part of the U. S. government toward Israel have been obviously shifting in recent months with Israel expected to dance to the tune that is being played in the Oval Office of Washington DC.

For centuries the Israelite people have been despised and hated more than any other national identifiable group of people. Efforts to destroy them have failed again and again. For instance the Babylonians destroyed the ancient Israelite kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C. Can anyone identify a Babylonian in today's world? Yet the descendants of those Israelites are clearly identified today as being of the Hebrew race!

They live on a very small piece of real estate today with pressure being brought to bear upon them to give up even more land so "peace" in the Middle East can be achieved. Due to a very high level of ignorance on the part of world leaders and those who participate in the United Nations there is failure to realize that Almighty God has special plans for the Israelite people and a nation known as Israel. And in the future they will be occupying much more territory than what they have now! So what will actually happen is that there will be a lot of "giving up" of land, but it will not be on the part of the Israeli people!

A day is coming when the world will be made aware of those plans as God brings about fulfillment of His promises made many centuries ago concerning Israel. Jerusalem will be at the center of many of those promises and will be known as a city of truth with citizens of foreign nations seeking to go to Jerusalem to be instructed in the things in which God wants them to be educated. That certainly is not the desire of most people now -- to learn about God and His ways in Israel would be the very last thing the majority of people would want to do. But it will happen at a time determined by the mighty Creator of the heavens and the earth!

Obviously Helen was totally off base in her remarks and has apologized since for having made them. But she was "on base" by saying something that is in the minds of huge numbers, including a number of government leaders and participants in the United Nations, and reflects how they really feel about "those Jews" and their country!

And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are; northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you." --- Genesis 13:14-17

On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates; the Kenites, the Kenezzites, and the Kadmonites; the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the Rephaim; the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites." --- Genesis 15:18-21

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; he will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. --- Isaiah 2:1-4

A Murmuring Israelite in the Wilderness!

Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" So they said to one another, "Let us select a leader and return to Egypt." --- Numbers 14:1-4

This is a confession time -- yes, in the daily times of prayer God has a way of jolting my memory about some things which prove to be most embarrassing and humiliating!

I find it all too easy to murmur and complain -- I would be more than qualified to be an Israelite wondering about in the wilderness -- in fact, to stand at the head of the line of chronic grumblers! As you see above, this is one incident of many in which the Israelites lapsed into the murmuring mode.

Time after time, in spite of the witness they had of God's mighty miracles of deliverance and provision, they would forget and regress into what would be almost a "ritual" of complaining.

So I, too often, can quickly lapse into a pattern of complaining:

• the weather can be a frequent target -- too hot or too cold -- too much snow or ice -- and in connection with the winter, murmur about all that junk PennDOT throws on the road in winter time which results in the paint of my car getting chipped and the car often looks like it was in a hot tub of salt water -- you know, chalky white stuff all over the surface and the windows!
  
• driving -- someone is going too slow in front of me -- someone is tailgating me from behind -- someone pulls right out in front of me -- why don't people know how to drive????
  
• the deer and rabbits chew at some varieties of our flowers -- the buds on the rhododendrons are a target, so I do some grumbling about that as I try to take action to "head them off at the pass!"
  
• and on politics -- I will not even go into detail on that one, although there are comments on both the blog and the web site which relate to this subject.
  
• then there are those daily irritations, disruptions and the reality of what some describe as Murphy's Law -- lots of grist for one prone to complaining!
  

And so as I talk to the Lord on that morning walk, that's when He starts coming back at me about that grumbling pattern I get into -- He reminds me of others who have circumstances much worse to deal with than salt residue on a car in the winter time --

• there are brothers and sisters who are suffering violent persecution and even being put to death for their faith in some places in this world -- the Voice of the Martyrs is most helpful in providing information on this growing problem.
  
• there are brothers and sisters who are laboring under difficult circumstances to share the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ which I likely will never experience.
  
• there are brothers and sisters experiencing severe health problems which I have never as yet experienced -- I can still see and hear -- I can still walk -- and I have been blessed with a good measure of health.
  
• and God has provided Jean and me with a home that is mortgage free which sits on a 1.2 acre lot which He also provided shortly before retirement -- and no, it was not inherited!
  
• we have children, grandchildren and great grandchildren -- a family which God has been pleased to bless in numerous ways.
  

It often comes down to a matter of disciplining the memory -- of intentionally remembering past blessings and benefits -- sometimes when walking in the rain or when the snowflakes are falling, I attempt to remind myself that each raindrop or snowflake represents a blessing which God has mercifully granted to me and my family in times past! The reciting of the first few verses of Psalm 103 is a good cure-all for one when in the complaining mode!

Heavenly Father -- forgive me for falling into the trap of murmuring and complaining over the most trivial and petty things -- forgive my indifference to the plight of my brothers and sisters in the faith who are suffering in ways I cannot even imagine as they seek to bear witness for your Son Jesus as Savior and Lord. And forgive me for forgetting there are others who are going through trials and tribulations which I have never experienced. And forgive my failures in keeping silent when I should have spoken a word -- for inaction when there is something I was capable of doing but didn't for the advancement of your eternal Kingdom. Grant me grace and the empowerment of your Spirit to proclaim your Word faithfully and to invest my remaining time, abilities and resources wisely in the fulfillment of your call upon my life. And whatever measure of time I have left in this world -- a few minutes, hours, days, weeks, months or years -- or if you should spare my life until Jesus returns, may all that I say and do be to your honor and glory through Jesus, my Savior and my Lord. Amen!

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

Protest Posters to Greet Bush on Middle East Visit!

Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.".... Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are; northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you."
--- Genesis 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17

Things are heating up in certain areas of the Middle East as President Bush prepares to spend some time going from place to place.

A number of persons and groups are upset with Bush due to the push on his part to have a Palestinian "state" created. In Bush's mind, as well as in the minds of the members of his administration, this is the way to resolve the ongoing conflict and bring about peace. Even a number of high profile professed "evangelicals" have jumped on the band wagon and given their endorsement to this venture!

The poster above makes an appeal that Bush, who attempts to identify with "evangelicals," ought to read his Bible on this issue. The covenant which God made with Abraham makes reference to a land which Abraham's descendants are to be given -- a few of us still believe that God is the owner of everything and can choose what He wants to give and to whom it will be given at any time that He determines! The earlier statements as noted above do not mention any boundaries. That comes a bit later -- take a bit of time to ponder on the western and eastern boundaries as God most clearly defines them:

On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates; the Kenites, the Kenezzites, and the Kadmonites; the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the Rephaim; the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites." --- Genesis 15:18-21

Now there has been a lot of "song & dance" routines over the centuries about how that is to be interpreted and in most cases it seems that the covenant God made with Abraham and territory promised doesn't mean anything any longer. We are to focus on the "church" and matters related to it and quit discussing anything that pertains to the Jews, etc!

Another thing to bear in mind that the covenant was renewed with Isaac and later with Jacob. Abraham's son, Ishmael, who was born to the handmaid, Hagar, was also mentioned by God. Ishmael's descendants would become a great nation, but no territory is mentioned in connection with that promise as in the case of Abraham's son, Isaac! The Arab peoples are large in number today but actually have no claim to territory as do the descendants of Abraham through his son, Isaac. The Arabs presently occupy a large segment of land in the Middle East, but that will be changed one of these days -- Jesus Christ, the Son of God (and Messiah), will see to that at a time He has predetermined.

Jesus made some reference to this issue in a couple of statements such as:

"There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last." --- Luke 13:28-30

So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." --- Matthew 19:28

Israel has been pressured time and time again to give in and yield -- the Israelite people are hated and despised by many nations -- listen to the babbling that goes on in that hall of chaos known as the United Nations for graphic truth of this, especially when some issue that involves Israel comes up -- those people are always the bad guys!

And it appears that United States support is beginning to waver more and more -- listen to Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, expound on the issue!

Another poster will also greet President Bush as he makes his way through certain locations in the Middle East -- it has upset a lot of people, but is it really all that far off base?

Now is the time for Christians to be searching the promises that pertain to God's restoration of Israel, the humiliation of Gentile nations, the future glory of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. What has to be resolved is this -- does God really mean what He says, and does He keep all His promises?

And a prayer on this matter coming right out of the Bible is good to keep always in mind as well as practicing what is suggested:

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces." For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you." Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good. --- Psalm 122:6-9

And how about this promise -- or has God changed His mind, and we can just write this one off as being no longer in effect -- but then, if that is the case, can we really believe God for anything at all?

For Zion's sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns. The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD will name. You shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. --- Isaiah 62:1-7

By the way, for more details on what God has promised regarding Israel and Jerusalem, see O Jerusalem, What a Surpise Is in Store for You! A link at the bottom of that area will bring you back to this place.

The One Withdrawal Nobody Wants to Seriously Consider!

“Withdraw the troops from Iraq soon!” – varied quotes of this kind come from some politicians as well as other persons holding some type of position somewhere within the United States.

Yes, indeed – it is a very hot topic these days throughout the United States with politicians speaking out boldly – persons holding different positions in the mass media – celebrities, ever the self appointed authorities on human behavior, do not hesitate to tell us how it should be – a high pitched chorus that shouts out endlessly that we should withdraw our military people from Iraq!

But there is a far more serious issue on the subject of withdrawal and it doesn’t involve the U. S. military. And that is when God withdraws from a people due to massive rejection of His standards and laws by which a culture must live if it is to remain sane, serene, sensible, stable, and secure for the future.

The deadly assumption by the majority of persons in the United States is that we are under the blessing and special favor of Almighty God. Do you not hear the phrase, "God bless America!", repeated time after time, especially by politicians? Some persons go so far as to say, “We are a Christian nation!”

The Israelites of ancient history demonstrate the fallacy of assuming the nation is in good standing with God when in reality it is far, far from such favor and blessing. The adoption of false idols, child sacrifice, sexual immorality, profaning the day of worship and allowing a spirit of greed and selfishness to dominate their lives paved the way to national suicide!

God stated explicitly that He had withdrawn from them and would not hear their prayers when He brought judgment upon them as a consequence of their determined rebellion against Him in many forms of expression!

We are treading the same path and are guilty of our own brand of idolatry, the destruction of children, a potpourri of sexual immorality, the profaning of the day of worship (less than half our population is in a place of worship each Sunday morning) – and it is plain to see that greed and selfishness often play a major role in the way life is lived on both the personal and corporate levels in the “land of the free and the home of the brave!”

If you haven’t done so, take a look at how we are driving the nails into the coffin of a republic known as the United States of America – go to Driving the Final Nails! -- a link at the bottom of that area will bring you back here.

And if you have seen it before, maybe it would be well to review it again and then go out and sound the warning trumpet! (Isaiah 58:1).

What’s that -- a hammer in your hand?

With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the LORD, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn Himself from them. --- Hosea 5:6

Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. they trust in empty words and speak lies; they conceive evil and bring forth iniquity. They hatch vipers' eggs and weave the spider's web; he who eats of their eggs dies, and from that which is crushed a viper breaks out. Their webs will not become garments, nor will they cover themselves with their works; their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. --- Isaiah 59:1-7

"Therefore I also will act in fury. My eye will not spare nor will I have pity; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, I will not hear them." --- Ezekiel 8:18

Then they will cry to the LORD, but He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, because they have been evil in their deeds. --- Micah 3:4

Another Intentional Slap at Christianity -- But Then, What Else Is New?

Head honcho of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean, issued a press statement on March 30th which was titled, "DNC Offers Passover Greetings." The following was contained within the release:

"On Monday night, Jews around the world will begin celebrating Passover, a week-long holiday that commemorates the Israelites' freedom from persecution and slavery."

All well and good -- anyone familiar a bit with the history of the Jewish people from very ancient times knows it has not been an easy life for them much of the time through the centuries. Passover is a very special celebration dating back to the time this people was set free from their enslavement to the Egyptians through direct intervention by Almighty God in a series of miracles as He judged the Egyptians for their idolatry and holding the Israelites in bondage for a period of 400 years! The crowning work of His judgment was the slaying of the firstborn throughout Egypt and the sparing of the Israelites in every home where the blood of a sacrificed lamb had been applied to the doorposts and lintel of an Israelite residence. And later when Pharaoh and his troops tried to pursue the Israelites through the Red Sea which God had opened up for them, God then allowed the waters to return into that gap and all the Egyptians were drowned! When you don't listen to God and obey, you ALWAYS pay and the price is always high as the mighty Pharaoh and his people found out far too late!

Now come a few days later from March 30th to Easter on April 8th -- head honcho Dean on behalf of the Democratic National Committee issued another statement. You would think that this would make some mention of the significance of Easter as it pertains to Christians and their faith in celebrating the resurrection of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

But here is what was said:

"Easter Sunday is a joyful celebration. The holiday represents peace, redemption and renewal, a theme which brings hope to people of all faiths. During this time Christians are called to remember who they are as people of faith, and that even the greatest of evils will not have the last word..."

Dean is about as far off base as some pastors and theologians who profess Christianity but at the same time are skeptical or just plain come out and deny that Jesus was literally resurrected 3 days later after the crucifixion!

For one thing the "joyful celebration" as he puts it is strictly limited to those in the Christian faith and to no other faith beyond Christianity. You can play with your jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks all you want, and profess any one of a thousand religious "isms," but unless you have truly repented of your sins and have received Jesus Christ into your life as Savior and Lord, Easter is just another day with a few extra trappings!

Further, it is only through Jesus Christ that peace of lasting significance is experienced and the assurance of having been redeemed for time and eternity!

But the head honcho of the DNC made absolutely no mention of Jesus Christ and the reality of His resurrection which is at the very heart of the Easter celebration observed by Christians -- again, in effect by such statements God is given the obscene gesture and it is obvious that Mr. Dean couldn't care less!

Brace yourselves folks! Christians and their faith are going to come under attack more and more as time passes -- it's been predicted! And especially as God begins to deal with this country more and more for its massive shedding of innocent blood, idolatry, sexual immorality, false teaching of the young regarding the origin of life, and the cancer of greed! But the problem is, we don't want to believe it can really happen in this republic which makes a hypocritical claim of being "one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all!"

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me." --- Jesus speaking in John 15:18-21

PS: Don't try to say that I am a Republican because of the above remarks about the Democrats -- due to the condition of the Republican Party right now, the same statements could have come from some of their leadership as well! I am a non-affliated registered voter in Cambria County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with the confession that entering the voting booth is one of the most frustrating experiences I have to endure throughout the year.