Tread Cautiously

We are standing on holy ground.  For I know that there are angels all around.

 ~Lyrics by Bill Gaither

 Today on September 29^th, the Western Christian calendar will note the day as “Michaelmas” also known as “The Feast of Angels”.  This Festival of Angels celebrates the angels of the Bible: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.  Here’s a piece of esoteric trivia:  Raphael is found only in the Book of Tobit, which just Catholics and Anglican Christians consider to be scriptural canon.  However, while all three are often venerated as “archangels”, Michael was really the only angel in the Bible actually described as such, or as “The Chief of Angels”.  Legend has it that when Satan had the audacity to suggest that he could be “like the Most High”, Michael spoke up and objected by saying “Who is like God?”—The correct answer?  No one.  Thus, he received his name:  Mi (who) Ke (as or like) El (God).  In artistic depictions Michael is depicted with his foot on Satan’s neck and the Sword (the Word of God) raised to defeat him. 

Today, angels are portrayed with a distorted Hollywood image.  They are either depicted “fairy-like” as a baby-faced cherub or somewhat like the kindly old gentleman in “It’s a Wonderful Life”.  Neither of these is an accurate Biblical portrayal.  Angels in the Bible were mighty, strong, large and terrifying.  The occasional times that they visited mankind throughout the Bible, they were a frightful vision.  “Fear Not” was almost always the first thing they needed to say to the trembling lump of humanity huddling on the floor.  Angels, as God’s holy messengers, evoked respect, reverence and awe.  Many Old Testament angel visitations are widely interpreted to have been Christ himself.  

Unfortunately, our current worldview seems completely lacking in reverence and awe of Almighty God.  According to modern urban-speak, we have T-shirts that now claim “Jesus is my Homeboy”.  The recent spectacle at the Democratic National Convention commenced with the “booing” of God three times.  In 1882, the German philosopher Nietzche, often associated with Nazism and nihilism, declared “God is Dead”.  Now with the advent of the emboldened “New Atheism”, they don’t even bother to say He has died—they deny is very existence altogether. Utter dismissal and disrespect.

 

Christians are not immune to this impertinence. Our presumptuous bumper stickers claim “God is my Co-Pilot”.  The truth is that we are not piloting our own ship with God sitting passively beside us.  God is the “Pilot-in-Command”.  We are more like a squished bug on the windshield holding on for dear life. 

When God appeared to Moses through the Burning bush, Moses was commanded to take off his shoes.

God called to him from within the bush, “Moses, Moses!” and Moses said “Here I am.”  “Do not come any closer”, God said.  “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground”.

~Exodus 3:4-5

Shoe removal was a sign of deep respect, similar to the removal of a hat that we see in cultures today.  Shoes off, hat in hand, head bowed we should gingerly approach the Great I AM. 

Remember the infamous shoe-throwing incident involving President Bush?  When he was at a 2008 press conference in Baghdad, one radical Islamic journalist stood up and threw both his shoes at the Presidents face.  Apparently, even today, shoes remain as a symbolic image of great disrespect to authority.  It is one of the highest insults in Islamic culture to wipe your shoes on something.  Thus we see the frenzied crowds stomping on top of the U.S. and Israeli flags almost daily in the news. 

We need to be in a time of serious reflection and soul searching as a nation.  Unfortunately, this usually only occurs after a major national tragedy.  When people called out to God after 9/11 there was a temporary boom in church attendance and mentions of God in public.  Who can forget the members of Congress singing “God Bless America” on the steps of the Capitol immediately following this national tragedy?  This quickly dissipated back to “business as usual” instead of resulting in the much needed wake up call to repentance.  God’s “wake up calls” tend to get louder and more significant with each passing event if repentance is not the net result.  The Hebrew root word meaning of repentance signifies “turning back” or “returning to God”.  We MUST turn around as a nation.

In Revelation, we see a pattern:  First there are major warnings (like 9/11) or also identified as  “Trumpet calls”,  then a brief period of Contemplation—signified by the symbolic half hour of silence in Revelation.  Perhaps, God is giving us a chance to think about it…then… Judgement.   

The trumpet calls in the Revelation seem to increase in intensity as the people continue to blindly stumble forward unrepentant.  This next scripture always shocks me. It is almost beyond comprehension that after the six horrific tragedies (trumpet calls) described in Revelation, the public would not repent. Yet isn’t this exactly what we are seeing today in America as we hurtle forward towards economic and moral collapse?

But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to turn from their evil deeds.

~Revelation 9:20   

I have some advice for America.  If we don’t want to get burned, we need to “take off our shoes” before they are forcibly removed from us.  Based on the stiff-necked response in the U.S. today, let’s pray that Yahweh does not have to use a “Scorched Earth” policy in order to achieve this objective. 

Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am--so much greater that I'm not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.

~Mark 1:7

If men were angels, no government would be necessary.

~James Madison

Interested in National Repentance?

Go to the Congressional Prayer Caucus Website:

http://www.prayercaucus.org/

Annual National Day of Repentance: www.dayofrepentance.org
2013 Date: Yom Kippur September 13th (Sunset) through September 14th (Nightfall)

Feel free to join any number of events calling for National Prayer and Repentance as we lead up to the November 6th elections.

Gatherings:

• America for Jesus - A National Solemn Assembly:  A solemn assembly in Philadelphia on September 28-29 where tens of thousands of Christians will be gathering in focused prayer and fasting for our nation.  
• The Summons - A Solemn Assembly in Washington, D.C.: An event with hundreds of leaders and citizens in our nation's capital on October 3 -7. This is a moment in time for God's people to stand in the gap on behalf of all Americans.  This special prayer gathering will focus on all institutions of government within Washington, D.C. with prayer at the Capitol Building, the White House, the Supreme Court, the Pentagon and the Washington Monument.  
• David's Tent Washington DC: (24/7 Worship of Jesus Christ on White House Ellipse)

http://dchop.org/?doing_wp_cron=1348948399.4002270698547363281250

Prayer Initiatives:

• 40 Days to Save America
• 40 Days of Prayer
• The American Prayer Initiative
• 40 Days of Worship
• If My People Pray
• Pray 31
• Cry Out America
• 50 Days of Decision 

"Peace" de Resistance

Does anyone even remember or still talk about the fact that President Obama actually received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009?  In light of recent events, this is almost comical—if it wasn’t so seriously sad.  The very policies of this administration have seemed to bring about anything BUT peace.  The truth is that the more our leaders have tried to appease and apologize, the more aggressive our enemies have become.  Just the fact that the administration is even DISCUSSING the release of Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, the “spiritual advisor” to the 1993 World Trade Center bombers, indicates how seriously off track we have become.  The clear message sent would be: “Please continue to attack and kill our Embassy leaders and you will get more U.S. capitulations.”  This strange foreign policy posture actually INCITES aggression.  It seems so obvious to most clear thinking Americans, yet the Obama Administration is almost perverse in moving in the opposite direction.  Thus, we have more “wars and rumors of wars”.    

So what should we do?  Let’s go to the ultimate source:  What does the Bible have to say about addressing evil? 

“Resist the Devil and he will flee from you”.

~James 4:7

Resist…not ignore…don’t just go with the flow.  Don’t apologize to evil.  Here’s the dictionary definition of “resist”:

 To strive to fend off or offset the actions, effects, or force of.

Apathy, apology or inactivity is not an option. Consider this quote from Author Joel C. Rosenberg, a Messianic Jew some consider to be prophetic:

“To misunderstand the nature and threat of evil is to risk being blindsided by it”.

During WWII, there was a colorful and diverse “Resistance Movement” that spanned every one of the countries under occupation by the German Nazis.  The movement was too individual and varied to go into much detail here, but suffice it to say—only a small remnant of the large population under oppression actually “resisted”.  While many people refused to actively participate in the genocide and societal madness of the Nazi regime, the effect of their silence and passivity was, indeed, tantamount to tacit approval.   There’s a famous quote directly attributable to one of the German Resistance fighters, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Pastor who was eventually executed by the Nazis:

  

“Silence in the face of evil is evil itself: God will not hold us guiltless.  Not to speak is to speak.  Not to act is to act.”    

Bonhoeffer knew that there was no peace in non-resistance.  True peace was only attainable in pushing back against the advancing darkness. 

Interestingly, a Polish Catholic Resistance fighter, Irena Sendler was nominated as a potential candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize also. She risked her life to valiantly rescue over 2500 Jewish children from certain death in the Holocaust.  She was captured and tortured by the Nazis for her bravery but somehow managed to survive the war. However, unlike President Obama, she did not receive the Peace award. Go figure. 

She was one of many “resistors”.  From the Dutch Netherlands to the Hills of Normandy, individual vanguards of freedom fighters fanned the flames of the Resistance fire.  All put their lives on the line for their acts of courage.  Many, like Bonhoeffer, gave the ultimate sacrifice for their fellow man.  Much like the brave souls that assisted fleeing runaway slaves during the Civil War, these resistance fighters answered to a higher trumpet call than the prevailing “wisdom” of the day. 

There is a common French phrase “Pièce de résistance” from which I obviously derived the title of this blog.  Here’s a direct quote from Wikipedia explaining the shades of meaning in this phrase:

“referring to the best part or feature of something, a showpiece, or highlight.  It can be thought of as the portion of a creation which defies (ie: “resists”) orthodox or common conventions and practices, thereby making the whole of the creation unique and special”. (emphasis mine).

Wow…that quote is the “Pièce de résistance” of this entire discussion.  No further elaboration is necessary.

Join the resistance and make the whole of God’s creation unique and special.

“They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious.  ‘Peace, peace’, they say when there is no peace. ~Jeremiah 6:14

"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains or slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take but as for me; give me liberty or give me death!"

~Patrick Henry

“The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality.”

~Dante (The Divine Comedy)

Please join us in the Grassroots movement National Day of Repentance:

www.dayofrepentance.org

 
In honor of our Judeo-Christian heritage, Americans will pray and fast from Sunset on 9/25/12 through Nightfall on 9/26/12.

 This will also kick off 40 days of prayer until the 11/6/2012 election:
40 Days to Save America
http://www.visionamericaaction.us/

Sheep to the Slaughter

  I hear the train a comin’, it’s rollin’ round the bend”—Johnny Cash (Folsom Prison Blues)

     If you put your ear to the ground…It’s almost like you can hear it coming…The ever growing ominous rumblings of something sinister on its way.  This week, at last count, there were uprisings in 27 different nations each with various versions chanting “Death to America” while burning our flag.  An Iranian spokesperson claimed “Jerusalem will be an Israeli graveyard”.  Just how do they plan to do this if they don’t have any nukes?—Something to think about.

     According to Muslim rage, America is “The Great Satan”, Israel is “The Little Satan” and we must both be destroyed.  Jihad is their openly stated and highest goal.  Whether the U.S. currently knows it or likes it—we are inextricably linked with Israel.    

     As our country continues lurching forward with its wheels off the rails, we are beginning to see major storm clouds forming.  We are hurtling towards moral and fiscal bankruptcy at breathtaking speeds with the momentum seemingly on the side of a stupendous lack of concern.  Everyone in Congress agrees that on January 2^nd we will hit a nightmarish scenario known as “the fiscal cliff”—but this hasn’t stopped them from plodding along mindlessly.  Another 1.047 trillion pumped into the unstable government just this past week to avoid a complete shutdown.  No major protests in the media over this—just business as usual.  Imagine…this astronomical amount of money is only enough to keep the government running for another SIX MONTHS!  We all know the definition of “Insanity”:  doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  If this is the definition, our Congress is rapidly headed for the nearest psychiatric ward.

     On January 22^nd, 2013 we will hit an even more stupendous “moral cliff”--the 40 year anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.  Some may scoff and deny that this is even a real “road bump” to be concerned about.  Contrary to popular belief, I believe this is the more serious of the two pushing our country towards a major train wreck of exponential proportions.   

     Some days these concerns feel like a surreal bad nightmare.  There are moments that I want to believe it is just a temporary political or cultural ailment.  But the next day, the news gets darker and more foreboding.  Is this what the citizens felt like in pre-WWII Germany?  One day, life is pleasant and orderly--The next moment you are living in a cracked fun-house mirror of societal madness. 

     Just this week, I noticed four seemingly innocuous, unrelated pieces of information in the mail and news.  The first one offered a governmental sponsored program to reduce the interest rate on my home loan.  The next letter said that, due to Obama”care” provisions, a refund from our health insurer was possible.  Shortly afterwards, a news article reported that some homeowners were getting automatic interest rate adjustments as a settlement of the “robo-signing” mortgage scandal.  Last, but certainly not least, it seems that the Federal Reserve was about to do some more “Quantitative Easing” (doesn’t this sound so nice and pleasant?).  This is to help “ease” the weakening economy.  Translation in plain English:  the government is printing some more money.  Aahhhh…you can almost feel it hitting the U.S. vein as it destroys our moral and economic health. This is your beloved country…this is your beloved country on crack.  Any questions?

As we jettison two centuries of governmental and moral values with scarcely a backward glance, the hypnotized masses chant “Four more years, Four more years.”  We are lulled into complacency by the nonstop intravenous flow of free junk--trading our “Freedom for Freebies” and our birthright for a food stamps bowl of porridge.

Make no mistake…this is an orchestrated pounding of the American senses and sensibilities.  The current government wants to become your pimp and your drug pusher.  Just remember after the party, comes the hangover.  Based on the unrestrained licentiousness—It’s should be a doozy.

Suddenly the rhythmic click, click, click of the train wheels will cease and the doors will open.  The sign at the station may say “Jedem das Seine” or “to each his own”.  It was a statement used by the German Nazi’s to be propaganda for their Socialist agenda.  Just like America, they were selling their version of government snares, today more commonly known with the code words of “fair share” and “safety nets”. Unfortunately, if we don’t stop the runaway train in November, this Socialist philosophy may forever become part of American History. 

By the way, this phrase translated idiomatically means:

“Everyone gets what they deserve”.

Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

~ Romans 16: 17-18

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them"

~Thomas Jefferson

Please join us in the Grassroots movement National Day of Repentance:

www.dayofrepentance.org

We have already begun "10 days of awe" from 9/16/12-9/25/12--a season of "affliction of soul" to prepare for the upcoming Day of Repentance. 
In honor of our Judeo-Christian heritage, Americans will pray and fast from Sunset on 9/25/12 through Nightfall on 9/26/12.

 This will also kick off 40 days of prayer until the 11/6/2012 election:
40 Days to Save America
http://www.visionamericaaction.us/

Lucky Dogs

If an alien from Outer Space dropped in to eavesdrop on our electoral process, he may return to his planet with the report that DOGS are of great political importance on Earth.  Based on our Twitter conversations, one political faction believes in torturing them on top of moving vehicles while the other wants them served marinated with a side of fava beans.  Believe it or not, this silly controversy has yet to die out.

Now I have to admit, I love my Twitter habit.  It’s a witty and lively diversion while I try to break my other habit and “detox from Fox”.  At least it’s more participatory.  But my favorite pastime lately is studying the amazing relevance that the Bible has to current events.  Of course, for giggles I Googled “dogs in the Bible” the other day. 

I was shocked to find there were 40 references to dogs in the Bible!  When reading through them, I saw a common theme or thread.  Dogs are typically mentioned as a lowly beast, something to be sneered at or condescended to.  The number 40 also has loads of significance, but that would take up another whole blog.  For today, let’s just concentrate on the dog story of the Gentile woman who approached Jesus for assistance.  This story is found two times in the New Testament in both Matthew and Mark.  Here’s the version from Matthew:

The Faith of a Canaanite Woman

²¹ Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
²³ Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
²⁵ The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
²⁶ He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
²⁷ “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
²⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

Why is this passage so significant and relevant for today?  It’s because in Christian circles today there is a false doctrine known as “Replacement Theology”.  In a nutshell, it falsely states that since the Jews rejected Jesus, God cast them aside and REPLACED them with the Gentiles.  However, I can see NO evidence for this in the Bible.  Instead, I see verses like this:

Isaiah 49:14-16

¹⁴ But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me,
    the Lord has forgotten me.”

¹⁵ “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
    and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
    I will not forget you!
¹⁶ See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are ever before me.

As Christians, we always like to fantasize about what it would have been like to be living during Jesus’ time on earth.  Well, here we have a classic example.  When the Gentile woman approached Jesus for help he admonished her that he had only come at that time for the Jewish people.  Did Jesus think we (Gentiles) are DOGS???  Much to my chagrin, Jesus did not say some politically correct answer to the Canaanite woman like “Oh no, you are not a dog” and then give her a pep talk about having more self esteem.  He told the woman that because of her correct attitude, she would get His help.  I’m sure that most modern day Christians would get their theological knickers in a twist if they were personally witnessing this event.  I believe that Jesus was acknowledging the correct theological position that Non-Jews/Gentiles should have towards Jews.  We should be expressing supreme relief and gratitude that we are invited to share the covenantal blessings of Israel.  Lucky Dogs!!!  We should have the enthusiasm of DOGS that are now fed filet mignon at the table with the masters.  I think the superiority attitude that many Christians have today regarding Jews is downright displeasing to the Lord, un-Biblical and is a stumbling block to offering the sweet aroma of Christ’s sacrifice as the Messiah to the Jewish people.

I humbly submit that the correct view that Christians should hold of Jews is:  They are our Covenantal brothers and sisters.  THEY are the original, true-born—blood connected (Jesus from the branch of David) children of God (literally).  We are the ADOPTED children of God.  Just as in a family that contains both natural born and adopted children—The natural born children should not feel superior to the adopted children.  They should consider the adopted children as their brothers and sisters.  The adopted children should not feel superior to the natural born children.  They did not “replace” (replacement theology) the natural children.  They have the same legal rights as the natural children and they are loved the same (in a healthy family).  So…we enjoy the covenantal blessings of God through Abraham’s promises by being “grafted” or “adopted” children of God. 

The Palestinian Question:  Now, on to modern day issues and problems.  Before I get into this section, I want to unequivocally state that God loves ALL people and offers his plan of salvation to ALL people on the planet.  While the Jewish people are his covenantal people in the Bible—God freely extends his grace to any who will come.  As a Gentile, I most certainly can relate to the necessity of this position and feel deeply for other Non-Jewish peoples that wish to be on right terms with Yahweh. 

However, when Israel is attacked or hurt: What should our position be?  We should be UPSET!  They are our brothers and sisters.  We shouldn’t say—well, they deserve what they are getting because they haven’t accepted Jesus as the Messiah.  We should be very distressed and supportive. 

Jesus LAMENTED over Jerusalem.  He said he felt like a mother hen yearning to put her wings over her chicks (that is how Jesus expressed his feelings about Jews and Jerusalem).

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.  You will not see me again until you say “Baruch Haba Bashem Adonai” (Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord).

~Matthew 23:37 & 39

Here’s where we (Gentile Christians) have to be extremely careful.  We simply CANNOT support any position that requires Israel to deny it’s historical past and its right to the lands the God Almighty gave them.  That does NOT mean, that every single action that Israel takes is holy and right.  Just like every single action that the United States takes is not always holy and right.  We need to study the scriptural promises YAHWEH made to the Jewish people.  If there is any religious, political or secular push to OPPOSE those promises—we cannot support them.  However, there is no problem in calling out both Israel and the United States when they go “off the reservation” when it comes to God’s Words.

For instance, I am vehemently Pro-Life.  Unfortunately, I currently reside in a nation that sanctions infanticide—much to my total dismay.  While I am on this Earth, I will give ZERO support to any doctrine, politician, or organization that supports or celebrates DEATH.  I will also not support any radical craziness such as shooting abortion doctors in the name of God.  That also violates my beliefs of “Thou Shalt Not Murder”.  However…if you put a 12 gauge shotgun to my head, and tell me that I personally must assist in an abortion (like nurses, insurance providers, and employers are being asked today with the HHS mandate), I simply will NOT do it.  The same way the small remnant of German Christians refused to assist the Nazis in their extermination of the Jews, Christians MUST NOT assist in the extermination of innocent life.  There are some times in life, when compromise is not an option.  If we are persecuted, jailed, or arrested for refusing to take part in murder—so be it.  However, we cannot call on God to save us if we are hurling Maletov cocktails at abortion clinics.  We need to be actively involved in supporting legitimate Pro-Life organizations and actively involved in opposing (in a lawful and Godly manner) any Pro-Death policies. 

Now, back to the dog analogy:  In my household, we lavish attention on our pets.  We have always had a dog as part of our family.  The short times that we have had between the deaths of our beloved 4-legged companions made the house just seem empty.  Several times we have said “Let’s wait to get another dog—it’s just too much trouble and pain”.  Nevertheless, a few months later we would invariably find ourselves at the pound or the pet store.  

My husband, in particular, would like to scoop our dogs up in his arms like a baby and pour love on them.  Invariably, every time he would do this, our kids would come running from all over the house.  Daddy did not seem very interesting until he began lavishing his attention on another.  We would ultimately end up doing some sort of family group hug to accommodate everyone!--The dog in the middle lapping it all up.  This is the picture I have in my head of Jesus.  He has scooped us up (Gentiles).  If we can remain with a tail wagging good attitude towards the “children” (Jews) they will eventually come running to Him.  We should be a family picture of spiritual group hugs. 

 

In conclusion…American Christians have to stop “rolling over” to popular Replacement Theology falsehoods.  We need to support Pro-Israel policies in our American leaders and elections.  As dogs elevated to the “Master’s Table”, we need to “stop”, “sit” and extend a friendly “paw” to our covenantal Jewish brothers and sisters. 

If we don’t do this, America may soon find itself in the doghouse. 

It has pleased the Providence of the ‘first Cause,’ the Universal Cause, that Abraham should give Religion, not only to the Hebrews but to Christians and…, the greatest Part of the Modern civilized World."

~John Adams (2^nd President of the United States of America)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

~Romans 1:16

Yahshua HaMashiach—Jesus our Messiah

   

Please join us in the Grassroots movement National Day of Repentance:

www.dayofrepentance.org

We have already begun "10 days of awe" from 9/16/12-9/25/12--a season of "affliction of soul" to prepare for the upcoming Day of Repentance. 
In honor of our Judeo-Christian heritage, Americans will pray and fast from Sunset on 9/25/12 through Nightfall on 9/26/12.

 This will also kick off 40 days of prayer until the 11/6/2012 election:
40 Days to Save America
http://www.visionamericaaction.us/

Back to Egypt

“Hell has been described as a pocket edition of Chicago”.

Ashley Montagu "The American Way Of Life," 1967

With the advent of the Chicago teacher’s strike this week, I got to wondering…Does anything good ever come out of Chicago?  This is the land of Al Capone…where the term “Chicago Politics” is synonymous with sleazy and corrupt.  It is also now the reigning murder capital of the world with an average of more than one murder per day (433 in 2011 to be exact).  August was the deadliest month of 2012 with 55 homicides.  Fatal stabbings were up 78% over 2011.  Remember Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s recent statement? “Chik-Fil-A values are not Chicago values”.  Interestingly, that was one of the few times he actually spoke the truth.    

If Gordon Gekko, the fictional character who epitomized the phrase “Greed is Good”, was handing out awards--then surely Chicago teachers would be top contenders.  These teachers earn an average pay of $76,000 in a city where the average citizen earns approximately $45,000 a year.  These highly paid employees only work 9 months a year and the Chicago student drop out/failure rate is 40%-50%.  So much for performance based employment.  When offered a $400 million dollar deal with a 16% pay raise to go back to work—they refused.  Of course, Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s own children currently attend an expensive private school--the same school once attended by Sasha & Malia Obama.  One might wonder how the beleaguered Chicago populace can tolerate such duplicity from their leaders.  They talk out of both sides of their mouth—propping up the failing public school system, but only for YOUR kids.  THEIR kids will attend someplace else, of course.  But for Chicago, this is just another typical Thursday in “The Windy City”—a town with more than just weather related bluster.

(Bloggers Note:  As of this blog date, the city and the teachers union have supposedly reached “an agreement in principle” which is almost too funny for words.  Chicago politics juxtaposed against “principles” is an oxymoron.  It will be interesting to see how it plays out.)

Now, out of sheer curiosity, I decided to study the origin of the name “Chicago”.  After all, it’s a strange word for a strange town.  What I uncovered actually rocked me back on my heels.     

Chicago is named after the American Indian word “Shikaakwa” or “Checagou” or “Checaguar” which in the language of the native Pottawatomi Indians means “wild leek” or “wild onion” or “wild garlic”.  It also has a secondary meaning of “striped skunk”.  The area, therefore, got its name due to the intense smell of rotting marshland onions which were just below the surface of the undeveloped land way back when.  Truly, (to paraphrase Shakespeare’s Hamlet) “something is rotten in Chicago.” 
 

This information alone may give you reason to pause and reflect.  Of course, we are all well aware that our current President emanated from the cauldron of Chicago Politics.  But…as with everything lately…I like to check with “The Ultimate Wikipedia”—The Holy Bible.

Now…you might not expect me to find anything.  I certainly didn’t really expect to find anything either.  However, I got a truly shocking, jaw-dropping correlation when I input a Google search for “onions, garlic and leeks” and “striped skunk” in the Bible.  Now what are the chances of that happening?  Who would seriously believe that these two oddities would pop up as Biblical references?   

Here’s the really strange thing:  onions, garlic and leeks didn’t come up in SEPARATE places throughout the Bible…I guess that could be possible but peculiar, as one might imagine.  They came up in ONE SPECIFIC Bible verse!  The verse refers to a statement made by the children of Israel.  Pharaoh had released them from bondage and they were in the desert on their way to The Promised Land.  Apparently, the joy of freedom began to wear off and they began complaining to Moses that they wanted to go back to Egypt.  Here’s what they said:

We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost--also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.

~Numbers 11:5

Wow--Sounds an awful lot like the whiny American public, wouldn’t you say?  GIVE US THE FREE STUFF.  We want to trade our “Freedom for Freebies”.   Never mind the chains and slavery.  We want to go back to bondage!  We want tyranny!  

I bet I could stop here and you might be pretty astonished.  However, we are not finished with our scripture lesson for the day--Back to the “striped skunk”.  The striped skunk used to be called “Enfant du Diable” by French Canadian trappers or “Child of the Devil”.  When searching the Bible for a “striped skunk” reference, two Hebrew words were referenced: “tzebua” and “zevoa”.  Neither of them really has a great English translation.  From my research, the closest explanation would be a “howling creature” or “hyena” or “jackal”.  Some sort of feral animal that smells, and prowls at night preying on the weak, lame and aging population of the animal kingdom.  Lovely.  “So far--no good” from Chicago.  

Finally, the Pottowatomi Indians (the Indian language where the name Chicago is derived from), are the SAME people who were indigenous to the Kansas town where the terrorist organization known as “The Weather Underground” was formed.  Remember Obama pal Bill Ayers, the terrorist bomber? This is also the very same region where Obama’s grandparents and mother came from before they moved to Hawaii. 

The Weather Underground’s terrorist manifesto slogan was “a little spark can start a prairie fire”. Their “little spark” was in reference to the terrorist bombs they utilized to incite Marxism.    

One last thing—I looked up the meaning of Pottowatomi. 

Translation: “People of the place of the Fire” or

—Hell on Earth.

Creepy…Just sayin’. 

Jesus said:  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives”.

~Luke 4:18

“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude, than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen!"

~Samuel Adams (American Founding Father)

Please join us in the Grassroots movement National Day of Repentance:

www.dayofrepentance.org
In honor of our Judeo-Christian heritage, Americans will pray and fast from Sunset on 9/25/12 through Nightfall on 9/26/12. This will also kick off 40 days of prayer until the 11/6/2012 election:
40 Days to Save America
http://www.visionamericaaction.us/

Your Days are Numbered

Lately, Atheism has been on the rise in the United States.  Statistics and polls show that the number of people claiming to be non-believers keeps increasing each year.  Recent books written on this topic have become best-sellers.  Now, I’ve always had a difficult time understanding Atheism.  Even if you are not very spiritually minded, it takes a huge amount of Faith to look at the precision orderliness of the universe and make the mental leap to a conclusion of random development.  It’s sort of like throwing a handful of metals and materials against the wall and then expecting to create a precision Swiss watch.  I don’t care how many trillions of times you do it--plain common sense says it just won’t happen.  Maybe that’s why the Bible wastes precious little breath on Atheists.  In fact, there is only ONE statement in the Bible to address this idiocy: 

The fool hath said in his heart, “There is no God”.

Apparently, it’s such a ludicrous position, that nothing further needs to be said on the matter.  Go back to your random development of the Swiss precision watch.  See you in Infinity.

I think at the root of an Atheist’s angst lies a deep anguish over the fact that, sooner or later, despite their “superior intellect”, they too must face Death.  They are not going “gently into that good night” but instead “rage, rage against the dying of the light” kicking and screaming the whole way.

Here’s the first stanza of that famous poem by Dylan Thomas:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Interestingly, one of the most well known Atheists, Christopher Hitchens, wrote obsessively about poet Dylan Thomas.  Apparently, Hitchens also experienced this “raging against the dying of the light”.  He ultimately got esophageal cancer, lost his voice and died a premature death in 2011.  He wrote a book entitled “Mortality” which documented his cancer struggle.  It is interesting that his own mortality was the most important topic foremost on his mind at the end of his life.  Why, as an Atheist, would he even care about his mortality or think others would bother to read about it?  Based on his own philosophy, Death should have been a welcome and pleasant respite for him.  It’s something to think about.   

Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences.

~Hebrews 9:27

You see, Death is the great equalizer and at the core of an Atheist’s soul (although they don’t believe that they actually have one), they truly think that they are smarter and better than everyone else.  The new Atheistic movement even arrogantly calls its members the “Brights!"  Since, they believe they are smarter than others, it PAINS them deeply that their own doctrine requires that they will ultimately cease to exist.  This, in their thought process, is simply NOT FAIR.  Even their clouded minds recognize that “ceasing to exist” is not a natural state for mankind.  Only when you understand that we are spiritual beings, do you recognize this normal longing for significance and meaning.  Animals don’t wake up every morning wondering if their life will make an impact on the world or where they end up in the afterlife.  There is only ONE common thread found in EVERY culture ever studied through archeology, anthropology, cave drawings, manuscripts, art, etc. and that is:

Belief in a Higher Power

It’s simply pre-programmed into our DNA.    

One of the tenets of Atheism is Earth worship, or as I like to ironically point out: “Creation Worship”.  According to many Atheists, “Surplus” people are wasting precious resources from their Mother Earth.  Look no further than PETA or the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) to see an ugly close up of this unfettered anger.  They save chickens and hug trees with aggressive activism, yet the slaughter of millions of humans doesn’t rate a blip on their radar screen.  In fact, they welcome it.  Scratch the surface of every Atheistic society and you will always find mass genocide.  This position is actually a logical result of Atheism.  It makes perfect humanistic sense if you believe there is no God or afterlife.   Since this temporal life is all that they have to look forward to, any desecration of the planet or animal kingdom causes uncontrolled FURY:

FOR GOD’S SAKE (oops, they mean for PETE’S SAKE)…

THIS IS THEIR ONLY HOME SO DON’T MESS WITH IT.

Despite all their talk about wanting an organized and polite society outside of God’s Laws, Atheists promote that we are no different morally than creatures in the animal kingdom.  But the one major rule of the animal kingdom is—“Kill or be Killed”.  In that respect, the animal kingdom is actually more honest than an Atheist’s supposed utopian God-less fantasy.  Animals openly structure their lives around territorial prowess, limited resources, random mating and survival of the fittest. 

Which…come to think of it…sounds pretty much like the God-denying Democratic Party Platform.  

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

~Psalm 90:12

The Almighty hath implanted in us these unextinguishable feelings for good and wise purposes. They are the guardians of his image in our hearts. They distinguish us from the herd of common animals.

~Thomas Paine (quote from “Common Sense” written in 1776)

Please join us in the Grassroots movement National Day of Repentance:

www.dayofrepentance.org
In honor of our Judeo-Christian heritage, Americans will pray and fast from Sunset on 9/25/12 through Nightfall on 9/26/12. This will also kick off 40 days of prayer until the 11/6/2012 election:
40 Days to Save America
http://www.visionamericaaction.us/

Heading Into The Fall

September is definitely my favorite month.  For some reason, this month always felt more like the start of a New Year to me than January.  Growing up as somewhat of a nerdy kid, I have always awaited the beginning of school with eager anticipation.  While most children were bemoaning the traditional Labor Day end to summer fun, I looked forward to the commencement of classes.  Strange—I know.  Some things never change—I’m still a bit eccentric. 

Apparently, God Himself also felt as if this season was the appropriate time of year to celebrate a “New Year”.  In the Old Testament, God commanded the Jewish people to blow a trumpet to announce the beginning of each New Year around the end of Summer or beginning of Fall. A ram’s horn known as the “shofar” (perhaps the ancient forerunner of the New Years Eve noisemaker?) was sounded with several loud blasts.  This year, the Jewish New Year celebration (Rosh Hashanah) begins at sundown on September 16^th, 2012 and lasts through nightfall of September 18^th, 2012.  For those of you who, like me, enjoy historical details--the date will be Tishrei 1, 5773 in the Hebrew calendar. 

While I don’t consider myself to be a very “ritualistic” type person, lately I am beginning to recognize the importance of having certain repeated remembrances in worship.  Clearly, they are mentioned as appropriate in both the Old and New Testaments:   

In the Old Testament, God said:

 “These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of God which you are to decree as sacred assemblies”

~Leviticus 23:1-2

In the New Testament, Jesus said:

“Do this in remembrance of me”

~Luke 22:19

Evidently actions, along with words, have great meaning and future significance.

Just this past week at the Democratic National Convention, the Democrats revealed that their platform had removed any mention of God or Jerusalem as Israel’s capital from their party planks.  The DNC “spinmasters” tried to downplay the significance of this move, but, needless to say, nothing this spiritually momentous has ever been done before in the history of our Judeo-Christian country.  In fact, American Atheists were initially delighted with the cuts and very annoyed at the subsequent reversal.

Due to the resulting outrage and frenetic news coverage of the change, the Democrats hastily convened to vote on a motion for reinsertion of God into their platform.  When the motion was announced from the podium, the delegate reactions were very ambiguous.  The moderator had to ask THREE TIMES (very significant in the Bible as Peter denied Christ three times), to make sure they were really, really, really sure they had the correct majority of “Ayes” to “Nays”.  To my ear—it sounded about 50/50.  At least I could not determine an audible majority from the news video.   Here’s the sad part:  When the moderator declared that the “motion had carried” (even though the approval was very ambivalent)—a large portion of the audience loudly BOOED the re-inclusion of the Almighty back into the party planks.  I do not think I have ever witnessed such a revolting public display of disrespect for God in American politics. 

Regardless of the hasty wording reinsertion, the Democrats clearly have let their “true colors” become known.  They quickly realized they overplayed their political hand in letting the “mask slip” just a tad too early.  It is painfully obvious that the Democratic plank deeply believes in: unrestricted abortion (including the outright infanticide of partial birth abortion), same-sex marriage, betrayal of Jerusalem and, yes—even the complete “removal” of Almighty God. 

If this doesn’t cause you to tremble in your tracks, then perhaps this information will: 

A top-selling book by author John McTernan titled “As America has done to Israel”, links recent U.S. natural disasters to our political disrespect for God’s covenant with Israel.  The book shows that our top ten natural disasters, as figured by relief costs on FEMA’s webpage, all happened within a short time frame after a U.S. anti-Israel statement or position (some as quickly as 24 hours others within a week).  Now I’m sure many people will write off all 10 incidents to “coincidence”.  However, God was abundantly clear regarding Israel:

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse

~Genesis 12:3

Pretty cut and dry.  Not much room for interpretation there.  Yet in keeping with the arrogance of the DNC, America just keeps sailing along like a “Ship of Fools”.  Just ONE natural disaster, Hurricane Katrina, cost us $81 billion and 1,836 lives.  Hurricane Katrina came just a week after the U.S. supported forced withdrawals from Gaza. 

Perhaps we shouldn’t be so quick to throw Israel or God under the bus?  Just sayin’.    

Back to the Old Testament.  After the commencement of the New Year (Tishrei 1), God then commanded the 10^th day to be set aside as “The Day of Atonement” (Tishrei 10).  It is also known as “The Day of Reckoning”.  Sometime in the future, Tishrei 10 will be our Earthly final accounting.  The heavenly books will be settled and closed. 

As with most prophecies in the Bible, this can either be a day of great anticipation or great fear and trembling.  Let me explain:

If you are to go before a judge—convinced you are innocent—you will eagerly await your “day in court”.  However, if you are guilty, fully aware of your crimes—then you may tremble in fear at this approaching date.

Make no mistake, unless we dramatically change course, America’s “Day of Reckoning” is imminent.  Whether it is coming in the New Year of 2013, or sometime in the near future:  we will have to face the inevitable “court date” with the Supreme Judge.   

Heading into “The Fall”—

I pray America is not about to “get schooled” by the Almighty.      

"But I assure you of this: If you ever forget the LORD your God...you will certainly be destroyed".

~Deuteronomy 8:19

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion…"

~John Adams

Please join us in the Grassroots movement National Day of Repentance:

www.dayofrepentance.org
In honor of our Judeo-Christian heritage, Americans will pray and fast from Sunset on 9/25/12 through Nightfall on 9/26/12 (Tishrei 10!). This will also kick off 40 days of prayer until the 11/6/2012 election:
40 Days to Save America
http://www.visionamericaaction.us/