Common Sense Commentary: Common sense shows up most often in simple, common places not Kingdoms, Palaces, Hollywood, Las Vegas, Politicians' Habitats or Power Centers but down home and on the farm among common people.
Sweetwater, Texas, my boyhood hometown, will never be quite as sweet ever again. We buried Ruth today. Ruth was the precious wife of my Mother's first cousin, Adrian Barton who was, himself, a favorite relative of our entire clan. Aunt Nettie, an angel too, and Uncle Steve raised three boys .... Adrian, the oldest held out the longest. I think it was his love for Ruth, who lingered eight years in a nursing home, that resurrected him every morning to go see about "Ruthie". He was 91 when we buried him about 18 months ago in the family plot at old Nolan Cemetery, south of Sweetwater. His "Ruthie" was 86 when we gently placed her next to her beloved Adrian today, in the hallowed ground where so many of our relatives are buried.
In Ruth's memorial service, this morning, I compared her and Adrian to Ruth and Boaz in the Bible and his mom, Aunt Nettie, to that first Ruth's mother-in-law, Naomi. That Bible, human love story is, to me, unequaled in all of history. The Bible Ruth was found by her mother-in-law, Naomi, on the southeastern shore of the Great Salt Sea (Dead Sea) in the land of Moab. Adrian found his Ruth in Salt Lake City on the southeastern shore of the Great salt Lake which state also has a Moab. The Bible Ruth was loved and taken by her mother-in-law, Naomi back to Bethlehem where God had Boaz, who was older than Ruth, but single and waiting on God's leadership in taking a wife.
Our Ruth was found by Adrian during WWII. They were married and he went to the Pacific war and Ruth went to another foreign land, Sweetwater, West Texas to meet her "Naomi", Aunt Nettie. When she arrived by train in Sweetwater, she was worn out from a long, tiresome journey from Utah. Her new mother-in-law, Nettie, and Uncle Steve met her and started back to their home on a farm. Aunt Nettie could see that Ruthie was tired and scared so she told Ruth to "lay your head in my lap and I'll sing to you." Well, that bonded them together for life. Ruth felt like she was in a foreign land in West Texas, but she became one of the finest, sweetest, most unassuming, humble Christians in our family. She's back with Adrian now, basking in the light and glory of our Lord's presence.
Since Ruth and Boaz are listed in the genealogies of both Mary and Joseph, we know that God's holy plan for the virgin birth of Jesus had to include them 'before the foundation of the world." An ironic, but revealing thing about our God is that He chose the Bible Ruth, who was not even a Jew but a moabitish girl who lived in a pagan land with false gods .... Moab, on the shores of the Salt Sea, to be the wife of Boaz who lived way up in Bethlehem, and to be the great grandmother of King David whose sons were King Solomon and Nathan.
I mention these two sons of King David because the virgin Mary's genealogy, listed in Luke 3, goes back to King David through his son Nathan which is the NATURAL BIOLOGICAL LINEAGE beginning with Jesus and running back through Heli, Mary's father, to Nathan and his father King David to Boaz and Ruth. Then it continues through Boaz back to Adam and ends with God. If we designate God as Number 1, Adam as number 2, then Jesus is Number 77 (perfection) in Mary's genealogy. In her genealogy, Mary's husband, Joseph, is said to be "the son of Heli" but "son of" is italicized which means it was added by the translators to give clarity but it gives confusion. Heli was Mary's father. Joseph's father was named Jacob but under Jewish law, the woman's property and rights passed through her husband. So it should be listed as, "Joseph was OF Heli". He was actually Heli's son-in-law.
Joseph's genealogy is the one recorded in Matt. 1. Unlike Mary's genealogy, which began with Jesus and worked all the way back to Adam and then God, Joseph's genealogy runs the opposite direction. It begins with Abraham, father of the Jews, and runs through King David and his son King Solomon rather than Nathan, right up to Jacob and his son Joseph. "And Jacob BEGAT Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called CHRIST." Mt.1:16. Abraham is number 1 and Jesus is Number 40 (number of testing) in Joseph's genealogy. In Joseph's genealogy, there are 39 "begats" and 1 virgin birth. They all say, "begat" (physical birth) except for Jesus. It does not say Joseph begat Jesus. Joseph's genealogy in Matt.1, beginning with Abraham and running through the kings to "Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus..." is the LEGAL, JEWISH, KINGLY LINEAGE. Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus but he was the Legal Jewish adoptive step father of Jesus and as such, both Joseph and Jesus were Legal Jewish Heirs to the throne of King David.
Mary's genealogy gives Jesus the prophetic right and title of Saviour (Jesus) and CHRIST/MESSIAH as promised in God's Word..... "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son , and thou shalt call his name JESUS (Saviour): for he shall save his people from their sins. Now this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the LORD by the prophet (Is.7:14) saying, BEHOLD, A VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BRING FORTH A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US. Mt.12:18-23. Now THAT is the greatest love story of all time in all the universe.
Pass it on. RB
Mar 29, 2011
Mar 24, 2011
"Christians Are Coming Out Of The Woodwork"
Common Sense Commentary: It takes more blind faith to believe the world and universe got here by accident and by itself than to believe it took an all powerful, genius Creator to do it . Though this may be humanly unimaginable, the first option is absolutely impossible.
My wife, Bettie, walks in the park behind our house every day with our poodle, Shadow. Almost every day she comes in to tell me about another Christian lady she had met while walking. Invariably, they talk of Christ and their faith and of the anti Christian spirit among so many of our political leaders and government in general.They also discuss the unbelievable things happening in our country and the world. She is always blessed and refreshed to be able to witness to others passing by. Last week, on her way to see her mother in an assisted living facility, she was passing through the lobby when she saw a group of elderly Christian women gathered there talking openly about Jesus and the awful mess the world and especially our country is in. They were unashamedly discussing spiritual things publicly for all to hear. Bettie joined in and felt a spiritual exhilaration to witness this open expression of faith in a secular setting.
Today, I went to the VA Hospital to see a doctor. He has always been thoughtful and efficient but today his Christian faith was overflowing his heart. Though I am sure it must be forbidden by the political powers that be, it bothered him not that passers by heard our conversation of faith in Christ and of the inept, corrupt and anti Christian policies of our government. He then sent me to another specialist who began almost immediately telling me of his faith, testimony and that he had just read a news article about a "One World Government" being planned by George Soros that fit Bible prophecy precisely. I had read the same article not two hours previously and as we discussed it, people were passing by his office and listening in. About that time, a bearded young vet who looked like a 1960's hippy came in and said, "I heard your conversation from the waiting area and just had to be a part of it. With the door wide open, he grabbed our hands and began to pray "in Jesus blessed name." I thought, "where am I, in church, the twilight zone or in a government building?" When I left there my other doctor stopped me in the hall, with another patient, and we again talked of our Lord and His Word. Then, as I was leaving, I stopped off at the restroom and another veteran was in there passing out gospel tracts. An old vet .... looking at the tract given him said, "Christians are coming our of the woodwork." He sounded a bit frustrated but, the fact is, I think he was right but maybe not in the way he meant it.
If Christians are finally beginning to come out of the woodwork, it is the "DOOR" framework not the baseboards. Jesus said "I am the door of the sheep." Jn.10:7. also, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in,he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." Jn.10:9. Jesus is "the door of the sheep." When Christians openly witness and talk of Christ and Scripture, they do indeed go in and out that "Door and find pasture". It is what we were born again to do. Worship, praise, prayer and preaching in the sheep-fold (church) is simply preparation and power generation to do the main work of the Christian .... witnessing to the world of the gospel of God's grace and love in sending Jesus to die for our sins. Mt.16:15.
It was persecution which drove those early, Jerusalem Christians out of their Holy City comfort zone and unto the ends of the known earth of that time. They scattered in all directions and carried the gospel of our Lord Christ/Messiah to multiplied thousands in other places and planted churches wherever they went. Mt.26:31, Acts8:1-4 & 11:19. Please read these verses.
So too, where ease, comfort and prosperity failed to motivate Christians in America to openly witness of Christ, in gratitude , maybe tribulation, discomfort and persecution will succeed. We are about to find out.
Pass it on. RB
My wife, Bettie, walks in the park behind our house every day with our poodle, Shadow. Almost every day she comes in to tell me about another Christian lady she had met while walking. Invariably, they talk of Christ and their faith and of the anti Christian spirit among so many of our political leaders and government in general.They also discuss the unbelievable things happening in our country and the world. She is always blessed and refreshed to be able to witness to others passing by. Last week, on her way to see her mother in an assisted living facility, she was passing through the lobby when she saw a group of elderly Christian women gathered there talking openly about Jesus and the awful mess the world and especially our country is in. They were unashamedly discussing spiritual things publicly for all to hear. Bettie joined in and felt a spiritual exhilaration to witness this open expression of faith in a secular setting.
Today, I went to the VA Hospital to see a doctor. He has always been thoughtful and efficient but today his Christian faith was overflowing his heart. Though I am sure it must be forbidden by the political powers that be, it bothered him not that passers by heard our conversation of faith in Christ and of the inept, corrupt and anti Christian policies of our government. He then sent me to another specialist who began almost immediately telling me of his faith, testimony and that he had just read a news article about a "One World Government" being planned by George Soros that fit Bible prophecy precisely. I had read the same article not two hours previously and as we discussed it, people were passing by his office and listening in. About that time, a bearded young vet who looked like a 1960's hippy came in and said, "I heard your conversation from the waiting area and just had to be a part of it. With the door wide open, he grabbed our hands and began to pray "in Jesus blessed name." I thought, "where am I, in church, the twilight zone or in a government building?" When I left there my other doctor stopped me in the hall, with another patient, and we again talked of our Lord and His Word. Then, as I was leaving, I stopped off at the restroom and another veteran was in there passing out gospel tracts. An old vet .... looking at the tract given him said, "Christians are coming our of the woodwork." He sounded a bit frustrated but, the fact is, I think he was right but maybe not in the way he meant it.
If Christians are finally beginning to come out of the woodwork, it is the "DOOR" framework not the baseboards. Jesus said "I am the door of the sheep." Jn.10:7. also, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in,he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." Jn.10:9. Jesus is "the door of the sheep." When Christians openly witness and talk of Christ and Scripture, they do indeed go in and out that "Door and find pasture". It is what we were born again to do. Worship, praise, prayer and preaching in the sheep-fold (church) is simply preparation and power generation to do the main work of the Christian .... witnessing to the world of the gospel of God's grace and love in sending Jesus to die for our sins. Mt.16:15.
It was persecution which drove those early, Jerusalem Christians out of their Holy City comfort zone and unto the ends of the known earth of that time. They scattered in all directions and carried the gospel of our Lord Christ/Messiah to multiplied thousands in other places and planted churches wherever they went. Mt.26:31, Acts8:1-4 & 11:19. Please read these verses.
So too, where ease, comfort and prosperity failed to motivate Christians in America to openly witness of Christ, in gratitude , maybe tribulation, discomfort and persecution will succeed. We are about to find out.
Pass it on. RB
Origin Of New World Order ? Satan not Soros !
Common Sense Commentary: Men can be brilliantly evil, but we sometimes give too much credit or blame to men like Hitler, Mussolini, Hirohito, Marx, Lenin, Stalin, Castro, Meo Zedong and the Charles Mansons of the world. Both Jehovah and Satan use human instrumentality in this world ... since the dawning of creation. It all depends on to whom one yields their life ... to God for His purposes or to Satan for his.
The "New World Order", like a virus to a weak immune system, is spreading ever faster now that the whole world is weakened by moral, civil and economic bankruptcy. It is an unseen evil presence infecting all who are not made immune by God's injection of His Holy Spirit's presence and power to protect His people from the devil's delusion of worldly security.
Strangely, one crisis after another has struck nations and continents in a deadly series of events just since 2008. I have never found a justifiable use of the term, "Perfect Storm" until now. What is happening in this world is like some all enveloping, evil miracle or contageous plague.
The extent and degree of moral, civil and economic structural destruction of nations has not been fully realized by ninety percent of earth's people even yet. It's dimensions are so all inclusive and extensive that it cannot be coincidental. It reflects such perfect order and plan that it is beyond the power and intelligence of men. It is, in fact, diabolical; but the devil uses both wicked and uninformed men as his means to the evil end of the age... all foretold in Scripture as the Antichrist's One World Government.
The following article concerning billionaire, Liberal George Soros, foreshadows the coming "One World Government" that the Prophets and the book of the Revelation prophesied. And it will all sound so reasonable and "just what the world needs" to the average person. Above comments by Rayburn Blair
Unreported Soros Event Aims to Remake Entire Global Economy
Left-wing billionaire's own experts dominate quiet push for 'a grand bargain that rearranges the entire financial order.'
•By Dan Gainor
•Wednesday, March 23, 2011 4:48 PM EDT
Two years ago, George Soros said he wanted to reorganize the entire global economic system. In two short weeks, he is going to start - and no one seems to have noticed.
On April 8, a group he's funded with $50 million is holding a major economic conference and Soros's goal for such an event is to "establish new international rules" and "reform the currency system." It's all according to a plan laid out in a Nov. 4, 2009, Soros op-ed calling for "a grand bargain that rearranges the entire financial order."
The event is bringing together "more than 200 academic, business and government policy thought leaders' to repeat the famed 1944 Bretton Woods gathering that helped create the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Soros wants a new 'multilateral system," or an economic system where America isn't so dominant.
More than two-thirds of the slated speakers have direct ties to Soros. The billionaire who thinks "the main enemy of the open society, I believe, is no longer the communist but the capitalist threat" is taking no chances.
Thus far, this global gathering has generated less publicity than a spelling bee. And that's with at least four journalists on the speakers list, including a managing editor for the Financial Times and editors for both Reuters and The Times. Given Soros's warnings of what might happen without an agreement, this should be a big deal. But it's not.
What is a big deal is that Soros is doing exactly what he wanted to do. His 2009 commentary pushed for "a new Bretton Woods conference, like the one that established the post-WWII international financial architecture." And he had already set the wheels in motion.
Just a week before that op-ed was published, Soros had founded the New York City-based Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET), the group hosting the conference set at the Mount Washington Resort, the very same hotel that hosted the first gathering. The most recent INET conference was held at Central European University, in Budapest. CEU received $206 million from Soros in 2005 and has $880 million in its endowment now, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.
This, too, is a gathering of Soros supporters. INET is bringing together prominent people like former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker and Soros, to produce "a lot of high-quality, breakthrough thinking."
While INET claims more than 200 will attend, only 79 speakers are listed on its site - and it already looks like a Soros convention. Twenty-two are on Soros-funded INET's board and three more are INET grantees. Nineteen are listed as contributors for another Soros operation - Project Syndicate, which calls itself "the world's pre-eminent source of original op-ed commentaries" reaching "456 leading newspapers in 150 countries." It's financed by Soros's Open Society Institute. That's just the beginning.
The speakers include:
•Volcker is chairman of President Obama's Economic Advisory Board. He wrote the forward for Soros's best-known book, 'The Alchemy of Finance' and praised Soros as "an enormously successful speculator" who wrote "with insight and passion" about the problems of globalization.
•Economist Jeffrey Sachs, director of The Earth Institute and longtime recipient of Soros charity cash. Sachs received $50 million from Soros for the U.N. Millennium Project, which he also directs. Sachs is world-renown for his liberal economics. In 2009, for example, he complained about low U.S. taxes, saying the "U.S. will have to raise taxes in order to pay for new spending initiatives, especially in the areas of sustainable energy, climate change, education, and relief for the poor."
•Soros friend Joseph E. Stiglitz, a former senior vice president and chief economist for the World Bank and Nobel Prize winner in Economics. Stiglitz shares similar views to Soros and has criticized free-market economists whom he calls "free market fundamentalists." Naturally, he's on the INET board and is a contributor to Project Syndicate.
•INET Executive Director Rob Johnson, a former managing director at Soros Fund Management, who is on the Board of Directors for the Soros-funded Economic Policy Institute. Johnson has complained that government intervention in the fiscal crisis hasn't been enough and wanted "restructuring," including asking "for letters of resignation from the top executives of all the major banks."
Have no doubt about it: This is a Soros event from top to bottom. Even Soros admits his ties to INET are a problem, saying, "there is a conflict there which I fully recognize." He claims he stays out of operations. That's impossible. The whole event is his operation.
INET isn't subtle about its aims for the conference. Johnson interviewed fellow INET board member Robert Skidelsky about "The Need for a New Bretton Woods" in a recent video. The introductory slide to the video is subtitled: "How currency issues and tension between the US and China are renewing calls for a global financial overhaul." Skidelsky called for a new agreement and said in the video that the conflict between the United States and China was "at the center of any monetary deal that may be struck, that needs to be struck."
Soros described in the 2009 op-ed that U.S.-China conflict as "another stark choice between two fundamentally different forms of organization: international capitalism and state capitalism." He concluded that "a new multilateral system based on sounder principles must be invented." As he explained it in 2010, "we need a global sheriff."
In the 2000 version of his book "Open Society: Reforming Global Capitalism," Soros wrote how the Bretton Woods institutions "failed spectacularly" during the economic crisis of the late 1990s. When he called for a new Bretton Woods in 2009, he wanted it to "reconstitute the International Monetary Fund," and while he's at it, restructure the United Nations, too, boosting China and other countries at our expense.
Reorganizing the world order will need to extend beyond the financial system and involve the United Nations, especially membership of the Security Council,' he wrote. 'That process needs to be initiated by the US, but China and other developing countries ought to participate as equals."
Soros emphasized that point, that this needs to be a global solution, making America one among many. "The rising powers must be present at the creation of this new system in order to ensure that they will be active supporters."
And that's exactly the kind of event INET is delivering, with the event website emphasizing "today's reconstruction must engage the larger European Union, as well as the emerging economies of Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia." China figures prominently, including a senior economist for the World Bank in Beijing, the director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the chief adviser for the China Banking Regulatory Commission and the Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations.
This is all easy to do when you have the reach of George Soros who funds more than 1,200 organizations. Except, any one of those 1,200 would shout such an event from the highest mountain. Groups like MoveOn.org or the Center for American Progress didn't make their names being quiet. The same holds true globally, where Soros has given more than $7 billion to Open Society Foundations - including many media-savvy organizations just a phone call away. Why hasn't the Soros network spread the word?
Especially since Soros warns, all this needs to happen because "the alternative is frightening." The Bush-hating billionaire says America is scary "because a declining superpower losing both political and economic dominance but still preserving military supremacy is a dangerous mix."
The Soros empire is silent about this new Bretton Woods conference because it isn't just designed to change global economic rules. It also is designed to put America in its place - part of a multilateral world the way Soros wants it. He wrote that the U.S. "could lead a cooperative effort to involve both the developed and the developing world, thereby reestablishing American leadership in an acceptable form."
That's what this conference is all about - changing the global economy and the United States to make them "acceptable" to George Soros.
Iris Somberg contributed to this commentary
Dan Gainor is the Boone Pickens Fellow and the Media Research Center's Vice President for Business and Culture. His column appears each week on The Fox Forum. He can also be contacted on FaceBook and Twitter as dangainor.
My next Blog will be a follow up on the above, entitled, "Christians Are Coming Out Of The Woodwork ". RB
The "New World Order", like a virus to a weak immune system, is spreading ever faster now that the whole world is weakened by moral, civil and economic bankruptcy. It is an unseen evil presence infecting all who are not made immune by God's injection of His Holy Spirit's presence and power to protect His people from the devil's delusion of worldly security.
Strangely, one crisis after another has struck nations and continents in a deadly series of events just since 2008. I have never found a justifiable use of the term, "Perfect Storm" until now. What is happening in this world is like some all enveloping, evil miracle or contageous plague.
The extent and degree of moral, civil and economic structural destruction of nations has not been fully realized by ninety percent of earth's people even yet. It's dimensions are so all inclusive and extensive that it cannot be coincidental. It reflects such perfect order and plan that it is beyond the power and intelligence of men. It is, in fact, diabolical; but the devil uses both wicked and uninformed men as his means to the evil end of the age... all foretold in Scripture as the Antichrist's One World Government.
The following article concerning billionaire, Liberal George Soros, foreshadows the coming "One World Government" that the Prophets and the book of the Revelation prophesied. And it will all sound so reasonable and "just what the world needs" to the average person. Above comments by Rayburn Blair
Unreported Soros Event Aims to Remake Entire Global Economy
Left-wing billionaire's own experts dominate quiet push for 'a grand bargain that rearranges the entire financial order.'
•By Dan Gainor
•Wednesday, March 23, 2011 4:48 PM EDT
Two years ago, George Soros said he wanted to reorganize the entire global economic system. In two short weeks, he is going to start - and no one seems to have noticed.
On April 8, a group he's funded with $50 million is holding a major economic conference and Soros's goal for such an event is to "establish new international rules" and "reform the currency system." It's all according to a plan laid out in a Nov. 4, 2009, Soros op-ed calling for "a grand bargain that rearranges the entire financial order."
The event is bringing together "more than 200 academic, business and government policy thought leaders' to repeat the famed 1944 Bretton Woods gathering that helped create the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Soros wants a new 'multilateral system," or an economic system where America isn't so dominant.
More than two-thirds of the slated speakers have direct ties to Soros. The billionaire who thinks "the main enemy of the open society, I believe, is no longer the communist but the capitalist threat" is taking no chances.
Thus far, this global gathering has generated less publicity than a spelling bee. And that's with at least four journalists on the speakers list, including a managing editor for the Financial Times and editors for both Reuters and The Times. Given Soros's warnings of what might happen without an agreement, this should be a big deal. But it's not.
What is a big deal is that Soros is doing exactly what he wanted to do. His 2009 commentary pushed for "a new Bretton Woods conference, like the one that established the post-WWII international financial architecture." And he had already set the wheels in motion.
Just a week before that op-ed was published, Soros had founded the New York City-based Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET), the group hosting the conference set at the Mount Washington Resort, the very same hotel that hosted the first gathering. The most recent INET conference was held at Central European University, in Budapest. CEU received $206 million from Soros in 2005 and has $880 million in its endowment now, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.
This, too, is a gathering of Soros supporters. INET is bringing together prominent people like former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker and Soros, to produce "a lot of high-quality, breakthrough thinking."
While INET claims more than 200 will attend, only 79 speakers are listed on its site - and it already looks like a Soros convention. Twenty-two are on Soros-funded INET's board and three more are INET grantees. Nineteen are listed as contributors for another Soros operation - Project Syndicate, which calls itself "the world's pre-eminent source of original op-ed commentaries" reaching "456 leading newspapers in 150 countries." It's financed by Soros's Open Society Institute. That's just the beginning.
The speakers include:
•Volcker is chairman of President Obama's Economic Advisory Board. He wrote the forward for Soros's best-known book, 'The Alchemy of Finance' and praised Soros as "an enormously successful speculator" who wrote "with insight and passion" about the problems of globalization.
•Economist Jeffrey Sachs, director of The Earth Institute and longtime recipient of Soros charity cash. Sachs received $50 million from Soros for the U.N. Millennium Project, which he also directs. Sachs is world-renown for his liberal economics. In 2009, for example, he complained about low U.S. taxes, saying the "U.S. will have to raise taxes in order to pay for new spending initiatives, especially in the areas of sustainable energy, climate change, education, and relief for the poor."
•Soros friend Joseph E. Stiglitz, a former senior vice president and chief economist for the World Bank and Nobel Prize winner in Economics. Stiglitz shares similar views to Soros and has criticized free-market economists whom he calls "free market fundamentalists." Naturally, he's on the INET board and is a contributor to Project Syndicate.
•INET Executive Director Rob Johnson, a former managing director at Soros Fund Management, who is on the Board of Directors for the Soros-funded Economic Policy Institute. Johnson has complained that government intervention in the fiscal crisis hasn't been enough and wanted "restructuring," including asking "for letters of resignation from the top executives of all the major banks."
Have no doubt about it: This is a Soros event from top to bottom. Even Soros admits his ties to INET are a problem, saying, "there is a conflict there which I fully recognize." He claims he stays out of operations. That's impossible. The whole event is his operation.
INET isn't subtle about its aims for the conference. Johnson interviewed fellow INET board member Robert Skidelsky about "The Need for a New Bretton Woods" in a recent video. The introductory slide to the video is subtitled: "How currency issues and tension between the US and China are renewing calls for a global financial overhaul." Skidelsky called for a new agreement and said in the video that the conflict between the United States and China was "at the center of any monetary deal that may be struck, that needs to be struck."
Soros described in the 2009 op-ed that U.S.-China conflict as "another stark choice between two fundamentally different forms of organization: international capitalism and state capitalism." He concluded that "a new multilateral system based on sounder principles must be invented." As he explained it in 2010, "we need a global sheriff."
In the 2000 version of his book "Open Society: Reforming Global Capitalism," Soros wrote how the Bretton Woods institutions "failed spectacularly" during the economic crisis of the late 1990s. When he called for a new Bretton Woods in 2009, he wanted it to "reconstitute the International Monetary Fund," and while he's at it, restructure the United Nations, too, boosting China and other countries at our expense.
Reorganizing the world order will need to extend beyond the financial system and involve the United Nations, especially membership of the Security Council,' he wrote. 'That process needs to be initiated by the US, but China and other developing countries ought to participate as equals."
Soros emphasized that point, that this needs to be a global solution, making America one among many. "The rising powers must be present at the creation of this new system in order to ensure that they will be active supporters."
And that's exactly the kind of event INET is delivering, with the event website emphasizing "today's reconstruction must engage the larger European Union, as well as the emerging economies of Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia." China figures prominently, including a senior economist for the World Bank in Beijing, the director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the chief adviser for the China Banking Regulatory Commission and the Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations.
This is all easy to do when you have the reach of George Soros who funds more than 1,200 organizations. Except, any one of those 1,200 would shout such an event from the highest mountain. Groups like MoveOn.org or the Center for American Progress didn't make their names being quiet. The same holds true globally, where Soros has given more than $7 billion to Open Society Foundations - including many media-savvy organizations just a phone call away. Why hasn't the Soros network spread the word?
Especially since Soros warns, all this needs to happen because "the alternative is frightening." The Bush-hating billionaire says America is scary "because a declining superpower losing both political and economic dominance but still preserving military supremacy is a dangerous mix."
The Soros empire is silent about this new Bretton Woods conference because it isn't just designed to change global economic rules. It also is designed to put America in its place - part of a multilateral world the way Soros wants it. He wrote that the U.S. "could lead a cooperative effort to involve both the developed and the developing world, thereby reestablishing American leadership in an acceptable form."
That's what this conference is all about - changing the global economy and the United States to make them "acceptable" to George Soros.
Iris Somberg contributed to this commentary
Dan Gainor is the Boone Pickens Fellow and the Media Research Center's Vice President for Business and Culture. His column appears each week on The Fox Forum. He can also be contacted on FaceBook and Twitter as dangainor.
My next Blog will be a follow up on the above, entitled, "Christians Are Coming Out Of The Woodwork ". RB
Pass it on. RB
Mar 19, 2011
Most Beautiful: Desert Flower and Sidewalk Survivor
Common Sense Commentary: There is far more to be said for the "Widow's Mite" level of giving than meets the eye. Similarly, there is far more to true beauty than can be seen on the surface. The same is true of success. The pastor of a large flourishing church .... inherited from his departed father, said to my friend, Wayne Davis, who pastored a small church in West Texas, "Wayne, you haven't come very far in the ministry, what are your plans?" Wayne who grew up tough, poor and lean, had been a roughneck on oil derricks and a rodeo, bull riding champion, answered, "You don't know where I started." An awful lot depends on where you started before determining your success.
The most beautiful flower in this world is not a jungle orchid or a hot house rose but a desert flower. Desert flowers have blossomed and flourished in dry, rocky, parched sand surrounded by the deserts' unrelenting hot breath, thorns, scorpions, snakes and loneliness. Their very existence in such a clime is as miraculous as their contrasting beauty in the midst of such contradiction. In the desert, the fleeting rain shower is more blessed than oceans of water elsewhere. It awakens and nourishes the desert flower to its created purpose to glorify God.
The most beautiful flower in any city is not in its gardens or florist shops but thrives under another kind of destructive assault. Look closely to the cracks in the city sidewalks where stampedes of rushing feet wear the concrete smooth. The poor soil there is thin, dry and mostly carbon and dust. Even so, there grows the tiniest of flowers thriving on a bit of nothing and each looking up to its Creator in glorious, minute color. These tiniest of flowers know not fear, deprivation, inferiority or insecurity. They do know their calling ... to glorify God.
Apply this to the people you know.
Pass it on. RB
The most beautiful flower in this world is not a jungle orchid or a hot house rose but a desert flower. Desert flowers have blossomed and flourished in dry, rocky, parched sand surrounded by the deserts' unrelenting hot breath, thorns, scorpions, snakes and loneliness. Their very existence in such a clime is as miraculous as their contrasting beauty in the midst of such contradiction. In the desert, the fleeting rain shower is more blessed than oceans of water elsewhere. It awakens and nourishes the desert flower to its created purpose to glorify God.
The most beautiful flower in any city is not in its gardens or florist shops but thrives under another kind of destructive assault. Look closely to the cracks in the city sidewalks where stampedes of rushing feet wear the concrete smooth. The poor soil there is thin, dry and mostly carbon and dust. Even so, there grows the tiniest of flowers thriving on a bit of nothing and each looking up to its Creator in glorious, minute color. These tiniest of flowers know not fear, deprivation, inferiority or insecurity. They do know their calling ... to glorify God.
Apply this to the people you know.
Pass it on. RB
Mar 17, 2011
Our Only HOPE In This Troubled World Is ....
Common Sense Commentary: It is inconceivable that God would create us and leave us with no HOPE.
Temporal, searching, earthly hope reaches out to an unknown God ... but only FAITH takes God's hand and is reborn into a new life of confidence, promise and the "Blessed Hope" of eternal Holiness in Christ Jesus.
So how does a weak, temporal, searching hope become FAITH to take God's hand? It simply BELIEVES God's holy offer and thereby takes His hand of Promise .... forgiveness in Christ, cleansing redemption and "Blessed Hope" for eternity. Temporal hope looks up for help, reaches out to the God he doesn't know but who knows him and is already reaching out to him. When he takes God's hand of promise, faith is born and made an eternal reality in Christ. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb.11:1.
David prayed, "Oh Lord, you are my ONLY HOPE and I know you WILL (faith) hear me because I accept you as my God." Paraphrase of Psm.38:15. Then, later, David was talking to himself and asked himself, "Why are you so discouraged? Rest your HOPE for deliverance in our God. He is our health and our God. Stop worrying David." Paraphrase of Psm.42:11.
Anyone can have a temporal "hope so" that things will get better and "maybe there is a god out there somewhere" kind of hope, but without Saving Faith. But no one can have true Saving Faith without also having the Blessed Hope ... a born again, living and eternal kind of HOPE.
I think maybe there are four kinds of hope: Religious hope in an illusory little false god, Hypocrite's hope, Sincere Searching hope for the true God, and Righteous Hope/Blessed Hope.
I. Religious Hope: There are hundreds of different Religions, false gods and objects of worship. I could not name them all if I tried so I won't name any of them. That is not my purpose here today but never forget, "There is NONE other name (but Jesus) under heaven given among men, whereby we MUST be saved." Acts 4:12.
II. Hypocrite's Hope: The hypocrite's hope is in his own imagined religion based on his goodness, works, church membership or appearances. The word "hypocrite" strongly implies religious fakery as is a church entrance door, which has no hinges, standing there with gleaming brass knob, pretending to offer access but it doesn't do anybody any good, causes confusion and serves no holy purpose. "The hypocrite's hope shall perish." Job.8:13
III. Sincere Searching Hope: This is the good, pre-salvation hope that drives the sincere sinner to find the one, true, but unknown God .... whoever or wherever He might be.... "and when I find Him I will accept Him as my God and serve Him." The sincere sinner has this promise from that one true God, "...You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart." Jer.29:13. The Apostle Paul, in Athens, was passing by a group of seekers of the one true God. He spoke to them, "I... saw your devotions" ...and "an altar
with this inscription, 'TO THE UNKNOWN GOD'. Whom therefore you ignorantly worship, Him I declare unto you." Acts.17:23. Then, of course he preached unto them Jesus.
IV. Righteous Hope/Blessed Hope: (1) "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, ALL ye that HOPE in the LORD. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity ...."Psm.31:24-32:1. (2) "The HOPE of the RIGHTeous shall be gladness: but the expectation (false hope) of the wicked shall perish." Prov.10:28. (3) "We through the Spirit wait (patient endurance) for the Hope of RIGHTEOUSNESS by FAITH." Gal.5:5. (4) Abraham's FAITH produced RIGHTeous HOPE = "Abraham against HOPE ... Believed in HOPE, that he might become the father of many nations ACCORDING to (the word of God which promised it)." Rom.4:18. (5) Righteous Hope "rejoices in its hope, and "glories in tribulation" because it "knows that tribulation produces patience (endurance), and endurance produces experience (proof), and proof produces HOPE, and HOPE produces boldness (unashamed to walk the Christian life openly). And the crowning glory of all those blessings of spiritual growth is, "because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts...." Mostly paraphrasing Rom 5:1-5.
(6) "And now abideth (remains & continues) faith, hope, charity (agape love), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (agape love). FAITH attends our Royal birthing through Christ into the Heavenly family.
FAITH'S HOPE is our promised, eternal, holy destiny in the Kingdom of our Father, God. Charity (agape love) is our Coronation and Crowning Glory of Christian growth, faithfulness and service.
(7) We Christians are now, "...Looking for that Blessed Hope and glorious appearing of our great God and our Savior Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13.
My faith rests in that hope. Acts 2:26
Pass it on. RB
Temporal, searching, earthly hope reaches out to an unknown God ... but only FAITH takes God's hand and is reborn into a new life of confidence, promise and the "Blessed Hope" of eternal Holiness in Christ Jesus.
So how does a weak, temporal, searching hope become FAITH to take God's hand? It simply BELIEVES God's holy offer and thereby takes His hand of Promise .... forgiveness in Christ, cleansing redemption and "Blessed Hope" for eternity. Temporal hope looks up for help, reaches out to the God he doesn't know but who knows him and is already reaching out to him. When he takes God's hand of promise, faith is born and made an eternal reality in Christ. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb.11:1.
David prayed, "Oh Lord, you are my ONLY HOPE and I know you WILL (faith) hear me because I accept you as my God." Paraphrase of Psm.38:15. Then, later, David was talking to himself and asked himself, "Why are you so discouraged? Rest your HOPE for deliverance in our God. He is our health and our God. Stop worrying David." Paraphrase of Psm.42:11.
Anyone can have a temporal "hope so" that things will get better and "maybe there is a god out there somewhere" kind of hope, but without Saving Faith. But no one can have true Saving Faith without also having the Blessed Hope ... a born again, living and eternal kind of HOPE.
I think maybe there are four kinds of hope: Religious hope in an illusory little false god, Hypocrite's hope, Sincere Searching hope for the true God, and Righteous Hope/Blessed Hope.
I. Religious Hope: There are hundreds of different Religions, false gods and objects of worship. I could not name them all if I tried so I won't name any of them. That is not my purpose here today but never forget, "There is NONE other name (but Jesus) under heaven given among men, whereby we MUST be saved." Acts 4:12.
II. Hypocrite's Hope: The hypocrite's hope is in his own imagined religion based on his goodness, works, church membership or appearances. The word "hypocrite" strongly implies religious fakery as is a church entrance door, which has no hinges, standing there with gleaming brass knob, pretending to offer access but it doesn't do anybody any good, causes confusion and serves no holy purpose. "The hypocrite's hope shall perish." Job.8:13
III. Sincere Searching Hope: This is the good, pre-salvation hope that drives the sincere sinner to find the one, true, but unknown God .... whoever or wherever He might be.... "and when I find Him I will accept Him as my God and serve Him." The sincere sinner has this promise from that one true God, "...You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart." Jer.29:13. The Apostle Paul, in Athens, was passing by a group of seekers of the one true God. He spoke to them, "I... saw your devotions" ...and "an altar
with this inscription, 'TO THE UNKNOWN GOD'. Whom therefore you ignorantly worship, Him I declare unto you." Acts.17:23. Then, of course he preached unto them Jesus.
IV. Righteous Hope/Blessed Hope: (1) "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, ALL ye that HOPE in the LORD. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity ...."Psm.31:24-32:1. (2) "The HOPE of the RIGHTeous shall be gladness: but the expectation (false hope) of the wicked shall perish." Prov.10:28. (3) "We through the Spirit wait (patient endurance) for the Hope of RIGHTEOUSNESS by FAITH." Gal.5:5. (4) Abraham's FAITH produced RIGHTeous HOPE = "Abraham against HOPE ... Believed in HOPE, that he might become the father of many nations ACCORDING to (the word of God which promised it)." Rom.4:18. (5) Righteous Hope "rejoices in its hope, and "glories in tribulation" because it "knows that tribulation produces patience (endurance), and endurance produces experience (proof), and proof produces HOPE, and HOPE produces boldness (unashamed to walk the Christian life openly). And the crowning glory of all those blessings of spiritual growth is, "because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts...." Mostly paraphrasing Rom 5:1-5.
(6) "And now abideth (remains & continues) faith, hope, charity (agape love), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (agape love). FAITH attends our Royal birthing through Christ into the Heavenly family.
FAITH'S HOPE is our promised, eternal, holy destiny in the Kingdom of our Father, God. Charity (agape love) is our Coronation and Crowning Glory of Christian growth, faithfulness and service.
(7) We Christians are now, "...Looking for that Blessed Hope and glorious appearing of our great God and our Savior Jesus Christ." Titus 2:13.
My faith rests in that hope. Acts 2:26
Pass it on. RB
Mar 16, 2011
All together Now ...Everybody Panic ...EEEEEEEK
Common Sense Commentary: Things are seldom what they appear to be .... sometimes better, sometimes worse. In the case of the world situation, I believe it is much worse than governments are willing to admit for obvious reasons. So .... All together now ... everybody panic .... EEEEEEEEKKK ....
Wait a minute, Wait a minute .... everybody is off key except Maude and she's singing a different tune .... Ok, Ok, let's do it again .... In unison this time .... here we go ....one, two three, panic ... EEEEE .... STOP... STOP . Who's doin the cussin??
All kidding aslide, there's got to be a better, more beneficial way to face the world's all time record number of HORRIBLE, UNPRECEDENTED, SCARED TO DEATH, UNBELIEVABLE CATASTROPHES. It seems like, since 2008, the whole world is turned upside down, spinning around and around off it's axis.... now... scientists say. A guy I know said last week, "What the devil is going on". I told him that's exactly what's going on.... the devil is turned loose as he was on Job, in the Bible. Well, Job weathered his perfect storm and so can we. The Devil is laying the ground work for the coming reign of Antichrist, but Our Lord is undoubtedly working on our "Patience, Character and Faith" as he was with Job. God's Word says, "Tribulation worketh patience (endurance)" and, "Behold, we count them HAPPY which ENDURE. Ye have heard of the PATIENCE of Job and have seen the end (results) of the Lord; the Lord is very full of pity and of tender mercy." Jm.5:11. I think God put Job's experience in the Bible that Christians might learn that God always has a good purpose for every tribulation He allows to happen. God didn't send Job's tribulations but allowed the Devil to do it ... or it couldn't have happened. The end result was all to the glory of God. Job's wife failed the test ..."Job, curse God and die " she said. Job's three friends failed the test ... They withdrew from him into their self-righteous criticisms. But Job said, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" and God restored double all Job had lost during all those trials and tribulations ... including his health. Oh, there will be casualties .... as there are in every war, hurricane, flood, earthquake, tsunami and sickness. But "Tribulation worketh ..." and our God will bring good out of it for His children though not for the world, in general, except for those who turn to God for rescue and relief through faith in Christ which the nation of Israel shall do. The worst that can happen to us Christians is that we die ... but, then, we wake up in Heaven and that's the best thing that can happen. Anything less that death can be survived to a better life, faith, and endurance as it was with our friend Job.
Jesus said it :
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28.
Pass it on. RB
Wait a minute, Wait a minute .... everybody is off key except Maude and she's singing a different tune .... Ok, Ok, let's do it again .... In unison this time .... here we go ....one, two three, panic ... EEEEE .... STOP... STOP . Who's doin the cussin??
All kidding aslide, there's got to be a better, more beneficial way to face the world's all time record number of HORRIBLE, UNPRECEDENTED, SCARED TO DEATH, UNBELIEVABLE CATASTROPHES. It seems like, since 2008, the whole world is turned upside down, spinning around and around off it's axis.... now... scientists say. A guy I know said last week, "What the devil is going on". I told him that's exactly what's going on.... the devil is turned loose as he was on Job, in the Bible. Well, Job weathered his perfect storm and so can we. The Devil is laying the ground work for the coming reign of Antichrist, but Our Lord is undoubtedly working on our "Patience, Character and Faith" as he was with Job. God's Word says, "Tribulation worketh patience (endurance)" and, "Behold, we count them HAPPY which ENDURE. Ye have heard of the PATIENCE of Job and have seen the end (results) of the Lord; the Lord is very full of pity and of tender mercy." Jm.5:11. I think God put Job's experience in the Bible that Christians might learn that God always has a good purpose for every tribulation He allows to happen. God didn't send Job's tribulations but allowed the Devil to do it ... or it couldn't have happened. The end result was all to the glory of God. Job's wife failed the test ..."Job, curse God and die " she said. Job's three friends failed the test ... They withdrew from him into their self-righteous criticisms. But Job said, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" and God restored double all Job had lost during all those trials and tribulations ... including his health. Oh, there will be casualties .... as there are in every war, hurricane, flood, earthquake, tsunami and sickness. But "Tribulation worketh ..." and our God will bring good out of it for His children though not for the world, in general, except for those who turn to God for rescue and relief through faith in Christ which the nation of Israel shall do. The worst that can happen to us Christians is that we die ... but, then, we wake up in Heaven and that's the best thing that can happen. Anything less that death can be survived to a better life, faith, and endurance as it was with our friend Job.
Jesus said it :
"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28.
Pass it on. RB
Mar 14, 2011
Is The Muslim Quran/Sharea Law "Peace Loving" ?
Common Sense Commentary:How should we judge a faith ? Not just by its words, creeds or doctrines but by its works. James 2:20 "... Faith without works is dead ...." "EVERY good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit ". Matt.7:17. "...Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith BY my WORKS ." Jm.2:18. Are their words, creeds, doctrine and WORKS in harmony with God's Holy Word, the Christian Bible? If not, that "faith" is counterfeit.
Like a mirror image reflects an exact opposite of the real thing, Islam (Mohammedanism) is an illegitimate imitation of the church of Jesus Christ. Mohammad was born in Mecca, Arabia in 570 A.D. (anno Domini ="The Year Of Our Lord"). He was driven from Mecca in 622 A.D. which is now considered the beginning of the Muhammadan Era. So Christ's Church preceded Mohammedanism by about 600 years.
It was not coincidental therefore that Mohammedanism (Islam) is patterned after Christ and His Church. The Mohammedans have a counterfeit Messiah (Mahdi), a counterfeit Prophet (Mohammad), a counterfeit bible (Ouran/Koran), a counterfeit holy birth city, (Mecca), counterfeit "Apostles", counterfeit churches (Mosques) a counterfeit assention (on a donkey from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem), a counterfeit Law (Sharia), a counterfeit tithe (Jizya)a counterfeit salvation (acceptance of Islam), and a counterfeit "coming to earth of their Messiah (Mahdi). Wickipedia: "Islam .... is a set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only a religion but also a political system".
Islam had its great growth by conquering people and forcing them to accept it as their religion. Sharia Law is still politically enforced in every Muslim nation to a great extent up to 100%. The people of Muslim nations now simply take Islam and Sharia Law for granted as their religion or suffer the consequences.
As a counterfeit of Christianity and of Christ, Mohammedanism/Islam is an "unfruitful work of darkness". Eph.5:11 "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them". "For we wrestle .... against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph.6:12. Islam will no doubt play a leading roll in the Kingdom of Anti-Christ counterfeit.
Muslims also have a back handed missionary program. They are all proselytizers in the countries they have "immigrated" to. They seek to win people over primarily by their humility, kindness, commitment to Islam, and appearance of assimilation. But here is what their religion believes and their bible, the Quran, says:
It is composed of 114 chapters (suras) and 6000 verses which deal equally with faith, Sharia Law and politics.
Examples:
"Fight and slay the unbelievers wherever ye find them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem of war..." Sura 9, verse 5. "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Apostles, nor acknowledge the religion of truth... until they pay the jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." Sura 9:29. "Oh ye who believe ! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors; they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them for friendship is of them. Allah guideth not the unjust". Sura 5:51. The proper way to deal with Christians and Jews is defined in the doctrine of taqiyya, which holds that Muslims should not be friends with the infidel "except as deception", always with the end goal of converting, subduing, or destroying him. cf. Sura 3:28.
A Muslim document dealing with "North American Affairs" by the Muslim Brotherhood, approved by the Shura Council and by the Organizational Conference in 1987, includes the following: "Enablement of Islam in North America, meaning: establishing an effective and a stable Islamic Movement led by the Muslim Brotherhood which adopts Muslims' causes domestically and globally, and which works to expand the observant Muslim base, aims at unifying and directing Muslims' efforts, presents Islam as a civilization alternative, and supports the global Islamic State wherever it is." It continues: "The process of settlement is a 'Civilization-jihadist Process' with all the means. The Muslim Brotherhood must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and 'sabotaging' its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and Allah's religion is made victorious over all other religions. Without this level of understanding, we are not up to this challenge and have not prepared ourselves for jihad yet. It is a Muslim's destiny to perform jihad and work wherever he is and wherever he lands until the final hour comes ...." (Jihad is a personal spiritual struggle or a holy war by Muslims against all infidels.)
President Obama, in his Cairo, Egypt speech two years ago, stated that there were seven million Muslims in our country. A 2007 Pew Research Center poll of American Muslims revealed that Fifteen percent of 18-29 year olds believed that suicide bombing in the name of Islam can be justified and 60 % of them said they were Muslim first and Americans second.
In the massacre at Fort Hood; Major Nidal Malik Hasan said he believed he did it as a devout Muslim. He also believed he was obeying a religious command to war against his fellow soldiers.
I took some of the information here, relating to Muslims, from a speech by Brian Kennedy, President of Claremont Institute.
Pass it on. RB
Like a mirror image reflects an exact opposite of the real thing, Islam (Mohammedanism) is an illegitimate imitation of the church of Jesus Christ. Mohammad was born in Mecca, Arabia in 570 A.D. (anno Domini ="The Year Of Our Lord"). He was driven from Mecca in 622 A.D. which is now considered the beginning of the Muhammadan Era. So Christ's Church preceded Mohammedanism by about 600 years.
It was not coincidental therefore that Mohammedanism (Islam) is patterned after Christ and His Church. The Mohammedans have a counterfeit Messiah (Mahdi), a counterfeit Prophet (Mohammad), a counterfeit bible (Ouran/Koran), a counterfeit holy birth city, (Mecca), counterfeit "Apostles", counterfeit churches (Mosques) a counterfeit assention (on a donkey from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem), a counterfeit Law (Sharia), a counterfeit tithe (Jizya)a counterfeit salvation (acceptance of Islam), and a counterfeit "coming to earth of their Messiah (Mahdi). Wickipedia: "Islam .... is a set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only a religion but also a political system".
Islam had its great growth by conquering people and forcing them to accept it as their religion. Sharia Law is still politically enforced in every Muslim nation to a great extent up to 100%. The people of Muslim nations now simply take Islam and Sharia Law for granted as their religion or suffer the consequences.
As a counterfeit of Christianity and of Christ, Mohammedanism/Islam is an "unfruitful work of darkness". Eph.5:11 "Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them". "For we wrestle .... against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Eph.6:12. Islam will no doubt play a leading roll in the Kingdom of Anti-Christ counterfeit.
Muslims also have a back handed missionary program. They are all proselytizers in the countries they have "immigrated" to. They seek to win people over primarily by their humility, kindness, commitment to Islam, and appearance of assimilation. But here is what their religion believes and their bible, the Quran, says:
It is composed of 114 chapters (suras) and 6000 verses which deal equally with faith, Sharia Law and politics.
Examples:
"Fight and slay the unbelievers wherever ye find them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem of war..." Sura 9, verse 5. "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Apostles, nor acknowledge the religion of truth... until they pay the jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." Sura 9:29. "Oh ye who believe ! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors; they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them for friendship is of them. Allah guideth not the unjust". Sura 5:51. The proper way to deal with Christians and Jews is defined in the doctrine of taqiyya, which holds that Muslims should not be friends with the infidel "except as deception", always with the end goal of converting, subduing, or destroying him. cf. Sura 3:28.
A Muslim document dealing with "North American Affairs" by the Muslim Brotherhood, approved by the Shura Council and by the Organizational Conference in 1987, includes the following: "Enablement of Islam in North America, meaning: establishing an effective and a stable Islamic Movement led by the Muslim Brotherhood which adopts Muslims' causes domestically and globally, and which works to expand the observant Muslim base, aims at unifying and directing Muslims' efforts, presents Islam as a civilization alternative, and supports the global Islamic State wherever it is." It continues: "The process of settlement is a 'Civilization-jihadist Process' with all the means. The Muslim Brotherhood must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and 'sabotaging' its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and Allah's religion is made victorious over all other religions. Without this level of understanding, we are not up to this challenge and have not prepared ourselves for jihad yet. It is a Muslim's destiny to perform jihad and work wherever he is and wherever he lands until the final hour comes ...." (Jihad is a personal spiritual struggle or a holy war by Muslims against all infidels.)
President Obama, in his Cairo, Egypt speech two years ago, stated that there were seven million Muslims in our country. A 2007 Pew Research Center poll of American Muslims revealed that Fifteen percent of 18-29 year olds believed that suicide bombing in the name of Islam can be justified and 60 % of them said they were Muslim first and Americans second.
In the massacre at Fort Hood; Major Nidal Malik Hasan said he believed he did it as a devout Muslim. He also believed he was obeying a religious command to war against his fellow soldiers.
I took some of the information here, relating to Muslims, from a speech by Brian Kennedy, President of Claremont Institute.
Pass it on. RB
Mar 8, 2011
Prayer Conversation With My Son, Rex
Common Sense Commentary: An e-mail came today from my son, Rex. He teaches a Couples Sunday School Class in Oklahoma. He wanted my opinion on a prayer question he had. Rex is also a veteran of the Marines during the Viet Nam war and has a son, R.J. who graduated from West Point, Harvard and Iraq. He returned to West Point where he taught Physics for two or three years. He is now at a High Tech Weapeons Lab or something like that. I can't get it out of him what he is doing there. Here's Rex's e-mail and our exchange back and forth.
Question:
From:
"Rex Blair"
To:
"Rayburn Blair"
I was trying to describe to our SS class members how important it is for us to pray for each other and I used this analogy:
I told them that I believe the Holy Spirit is everywhere and that as Christians, I believe we are in a way connected.
In other words if I’m praying for you, no matter how far away you are, it’s as if you are standing right beside me and we’re praying together.
As I’m praying, the same Holy Spirit that indwells me is also the same Holy Spirit that indwells you.
I spent many hours praying for RJ when he was in Iraq . Because we are both Christians I knew the prayer I prayed was instantly heard by the Holy Spirit in RJ. (RJ and I might as well have been holding hands praying together). To me that was a great comfort.
One of my Christian class members came up and asked me if her son, who was a non Christian, would also be in the same category if she was praying for him.
I told her no, the Holy Spirit only indwells us as Christians. At the same time, the Holy Spirit does hear her prayer and could protect her son as an answer to her prayer.
Dad, I'm not sure if I answered correctly. I would think the only prayer God would hear from a non Christian would be the prayer for salvation?
I would love to read your thoughts.
From:
"Rayburn Blair"
To:
"Rex Blair"
I have never studied out the idea of the closness of two distant Christians in prayer with the mutual presence of the Holy Spirit but it seems to me there has to be some truth there. I can't think of a Scripture right now but I have felt a similar thing as you. You are, of course, absolutely right about the lost son not being in the spiritual loop. I know it was hard to tell her the son couldn't be in the prayer circle to sense her or the Holy Spirit in prayer. However,as you said, when Mom prays for him, the Holy Spirit could very well stir his need for Christ and protect him as a special dispensation because of his mother's prayers.... Which you already knew. Wisdom for answers to such questions has always been a prayer of mine. A few words at such a time could have huge impact on a mother and her son's life. Love you my Son, Dad
From:"Rex Blair"
To:
"Rayburn Blair"
I remember you telling the story of your Mom asking prayer for you at a Wednesday night prayer service while you were in Korea . With thousands of miles separating you physically the same Holy Spirit in that church that night indwelling the believers was also with you. Amazing.
From:Rayburn Blair
To: "Rex Blair"
That reminds me of another story I heard in Korea. This Marine platoon was surrounded by thousands of ChiComs all attacking their platoon which was in a rough circle, hungry, thirsty, dirty, sleep deprived, and freezing to death. Their buddies were dying all around them and they knew their time was up and they would all die that day.Their platoon officer was doing all in his power to keep every Marine in place, supplied with ammo, and getting the wounded tended to. He kept seeing one of his men stand up and wave his hand in the air every few minutes. The war toughened officer was on the combat radio, with his company commander, demanding ammo and reinforcements, but seeing that young man stand up again and wave his hand, shouted out, "Shultz, keep your #%&*@ *#%& down or you'll be next to die." Reinforcements arrived and finally the enemy, badly mauled, retreated. This platoon leader approached the young man who had dangerously exposed himself standing up and waving his hand toward heaven. "Shultz, what the devil were you doing waving your hand in the air with bullets flying everwhichway?" The young Marine said, "Sir, my momma told me, when I left to go to fight this war, that when I was in real danger, and surrounded by the enemy, to raise my hand to heaven and she would be praying for me at that moment ...Looks like it worked, Sir." That wasn't me but I sure thought it. You were near being born about that time. Love, Dad
From: "Rex Blair"
To:"Rayburn Blair"
Thanks Dad
The Lord knew all the times we would fail Him and yet he still allowed me to be born and you to come back home.
God is so good.
Amen,Pass it on. RB
Question:
From:
"Rex Blair"
To:
"Rayburn Blair"
I was trying to describe to our SS class members how important it is for us to pray for each other and I used this analogy:
I told them that I believe the Holy Spirit is everywhere and that as Christians, I believe we are in a way connected.
In other words if I’m praying for you, no matter how far away you are, it’s as if you are standing right beside me and we’re praying together.
As I’m praying, the same Holy Spirit that indwells me is also the same Holy Spirit that indwells you.
I spent many hours praying for RJ when he was in Iraq . Because we are both Christians I knew the prayer I prayed was instantly heard by the Holy Spirit in RJ. (RJ and I might as well have been holding hands praying together). To me that was a great comfort.
One of my Christian class members came up and asked me if her son, who was a non Christian, would also be in the same category if she was praying for him.
I told her no, the Holy Spirit only indwells us as Christians. At the same time, the Holy Spirit does hear her prayer and could protect her son as an answer to her prayer.
Dad, I'm not sure if I answered correctly. I would think the only prayer God would hear from a non Christian would be the prayer for salvation?
I would love to read your thoughts.
From:
"Rayburn Blair"
To:
"Rex Blair"
I have never studied out the idea of the closness of two distant Christians in prayer with the mutual presence of the Holy Spirit but it seems to me there has to be some truth there. I can't think of a Scripture right now but I have felt a similar thing as you. You are, of course, absolutely right about the lost son not being in the spiritual loop. I know it was hard to tell her the son couldn't be in the prayer circle to sense her or the Holy Spirit in prayer. However,as you said, when Mom prays for him, the Holy Spirit could very well stir his need for Christ and protect him as a special dispensation because of his mother's prayers.... Which you already knew. Wisdom for answers to such questions has always been a prayer of mine. A few words at such a time could have huge impact on a mother and her son's life. Love you my Son, Dad
From:"Rex Blair"
To:
"Rayburn Blair"
I remember you telling the story of your Mom asking prayer for you at a Wednesday night prayer service while you were in Korea . With thousands of miles separating you physically the same Holy Spirit in that church that night indwelling the believers was also with you. Amazing.
From:Rayburn Blair
To: "Rex Blair"
That reminds me of another story I heard in Korea. This Marine platoon was surrounded by thousands of ChiComs all attacking their platoon which was in a rough circle, hungry, thirsty, dirty, sleep deprived, and freezing to death. Their buddies were dying all around them and they knew their time was up and they would all die that day.Their platoon officer was doing all in his power to keep every Marine in place, supplied with ammo, and getting the wounded tended to. He kept seeing one of his men stand up and wave his hand in the air every few minutes. The war toughened officer was on the combat radio, with his company commander, demanding ammo and reinforcements, but seeing that young man stand up again and wave his hand, shouted out, "Shultz, keep your #%&*@ *#%& down or you'll be next to die." Reinforcements arrived and finally the enemy, badly mauled, retreated. This platoon leader approached the young man who had dangerously exposed himself standing up and waving his hand toward heaven. "Shultz, what the devil were you doing waving your hand in the air with bullets flying everwhichway?" The young Marine said, "Sir, my momma told me, when I left to go to fight this war, that when I was in real danger, and surrounded by the enemy, to raise my hand to heaven and she would be praying for me at that moment ...Looks like it worked, Sir." That wasn't me but I sure thought it. You were near being born about that time. Love, Dad
From: "Rex Blair"
To:"Rayburn Blair"
Thanks Dad
The Lord knew all the times we would fail Him and yet he still allowed me to be born and you to come back home.
God is so good.
Amen,Pass it on. RB
My Avatar: I'm Really Quite A Sight
Common Sense Commentary:
A couple of my blog readers, whom I have never seen, have asked me to put my avatar or picture on this blog. Since an avatar, in computer language, is a graphic representation of the users image of himself and a picture requires a copier, with intelligence to use it, I am handicapped in both arenas. Therefore, I will verbally describe my old self as follows:
..............I'm Really Quite A Sight..................
..............Well .... I still have hair....................
..............But Its the only one there................
..............Except in my ears............................
..............And neither one hears......................
..............And out of my snout.........................
..............Where my hair hangs out..................
..............Hey ....I still have sight.....................
..............When the light is just right.................
..............And I still have my teeth...................
..............Both above and beneith.....................
..............But they ALL got there.......................
..............In a dentist's chair..............................
..............I won't mention the rest......................
..............From my toes to my chest...................
..............But at eighty years old.........................
..............It need not be told...............................
..............That nothing works right......................
..............And I'm really quite a sight...................
..........Yep, that's me ... Rayburn Blair.................
A couple of my blog readers, whom I have never seen, have asked me to put my avatar or picture on this blog. Since an avatar, in computer language, is a graphic representation of the users image of himself and a picture requires a copier, with intelligence to use it, I am handicapped in both arenas. Therefore, I will verbally describe my old self as follows:
..............I'm Really Quite A Sight..................
..............Well .... I still have hair....................
..............But Its the only one there................
..............Except in my ears............................
..............And neither one hears......................
..............And out of my snout.........................
..............Where my hair hangs out..................
..............Hey ....I still have sight.....................
..............When the light is just right.................
..............And I still have my teeth...................
..............Both above and beneith.....................
..............But they ALL got there.......................
..............In a dentist's chair..............................
..............I won't mention the rest......................
..............From my toes to my chest...................
..............But at eighty years old.........................
..............It need not be told...............................
..............That nothing works right......................
..............And I'm really quite a sight...................
..........Yep, that's me ... Rayburn Blair.................
Mar 4, 2011
Long Suffering With Perseverance Builds Endurance
Common Sense Commentary: My youngest son Robert Paul sent the following e-mail which inspired me to write this New Testament study of "Patience" (endurance/long suffering/perseverance). Suffering long with perseverance and "patience" IS ENDURANCE.
Robert wrote: Hi Dad, I love you and thoroughly enjoy the insights God has given you and appreciate that you share them through your blogs. Recently I was reading Luke 21 and verse 19 stood out, prompting a word study on "patience". I would love to get your insights on this. I believe the Greek word that Jesus used for patience (hupomone) in Luke 21:19 is the highest form of long suffering as agape love is the highest form of love. Hupomone patience is the highest form of endurance and long suffering (a fruit of the Spirit and comes only from faith, trials, experience .... Hupomone is not something you force yourself to have ... this patience is performed by God in our souls when we trust him completely ... when we have come to the end of ourselves in a trial and rest in Him ... when He finally answers a prayer and we realize we should have trusted Him all along (experience)... when we are at the end of our lives and hupomone (patience, endurance ... that only comes from God) carries us through the dark valley of the shadow of death. "In your patience (God given hupomone) possess ye your souls". It's what carries those through the devastation talked about there in Luke 21.
In this study I will use the Greek meaning of the word "patience" (hupomone) which is "Endurance" in place of the word "patience" itself. Many Old English words have changed meanings, somewhat, over the years. Many Greek words have no exact English counterpart ... sometimes requiring several English words to reflect one Greek word.
The first appearance in the New Testament where Jesus teaches us the meaning of "patience" is Luke 8:15=
(The seed planted) "on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience (endurance)." The planting of all seed, including God's Word and human life, requires honest "labor, heart and long endurance to finally see the "fruit" which often arrives years later.
Luke 21:19= "In your endurance (patience) possess ye your souls." Endurance produces self control.
Rom.5:3-5= "...We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh endurance...." Tribulation ...is not as difficult and painful when we know that it is the only way to spiritual strength and endurance. Tribulation works ! It builds endurance which builds experience (Gk. dokime=proof) which builds HOPE ...which builds courage (unashamed) to witness because NOW "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts". (paraphrased in part).
Rom.8:25= "But if we hope for that which we see not then do we with endurance wait for it." Heb.11:1 says,..."Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen."
Rom.15:4 = "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through endurance and comfort of the scriptures might have HOPE." Read again Heb.11:1 just above .
Rom.15:5 = "Now the God of endurance and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus." Ours is THE GOD of endurance and the consolation which goes with it every time.
2Cor.6:4 = "But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses..." Christian, prove yourself by "enduring tribulations " such as these.
2Cor.12:12 = "Truly the signs of an APOSTLE were wrought among you in all endurance , in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds." Patience (endurance) is one of the "signs of an Apostle" we can all participate in.
Col.1:11 = "Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all endurance and long suffering with joyfulness." By the omniPOTENT , "glorious power" of Jesus, a Christian can be "strengthened with all power unto endurance ... long suffering and joyfulness." It really depends on what you want in this life.
2Thess.1:4= The Apostle said, "We glory in you in the churches of God for your endurance ...and faith in all your tribulations which ye endure." Paul encouraged the Thessalonian Christians that they were a huge blessing to all other Christians because of their "endurance ...and faith " in facing much persecution there.
2Thess.3:5 = "And the Lord direct your hearts ... into the patient waiting for Christ." Be patient, persevere, ENDURE .... Christ WILL return and take us home.
2Thess.6:11 = "But thou O man of God .... follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, meekness." Walk the righteous, Christlike path of endurance, with Jesus, throughout the rest of your life.
Titus 2:2 = "That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in endurance...."
Old age is no excuse for complaining, bitterness and self pity. The faith, love, gratitude and endurance of an aged Christian should be writ large upon their faces, words and attitudes. That and prayer is their ministry and testimony. They have nothing else left with which to serve God. I am only eighty so I have a lot to learn.
Heb.6:12 = "Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and endurance inherit the promises."
Associate yourself with mature and faithful Christians who walk with Jesus and thereby you will enjoy the benefits of His promises too..... "For you have need of endurance, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promises." Heb.10:36. How important it is for Christians to walk with the faithful, enduring Christians and with Jesus in the way He trod, that we might endure and grow in His grace.
Heb.12:1 = Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Let us forsake every weight and besetting sin which hinders our Christian walk with Jesus that we might run with endurance the life long calling and ministry assigned us.
James 1:3-4="Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh endurance." Tribulation will certainly try your "faith" ... but it also builds up your patience, perseverance, endurance that you might run faster, farther and longer for Jesus and finish your course. "But let patience (endurance)have her perfect work, that you may be perfect (mature) and entire ..." Yield your all to God's divine method of perfecting His will for your life through tribulation which results in endurance .... if you and I yield our will to His will.
James 5:11= "We count them happy which endure. You have heard of the endurance of Job...." Walking this tribulation path and enduring it to its end is actually the "happiest", most satisfying and rewarding life possible on this earth .... Consider Job's loss, pain, sickness and frustration. He endured it until God delivered him and restored his health and gave him double his lose.
2Peter1:3-8 = "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature .... giving all diligence, add to your (salvation) faith, virtue; and to virtue knowledge (Bible knowledge) . And to knowledge temperance (self control); and to temperance endurance; and to endurance godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity
(agape love). Outlined here is the spiritual progression of a Christian from initial, saving faith step by step up to the crowning glory of agape Love which is Christlikeness. "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you ....that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pass it on. RB
Robert wrote: Hi Dad, I love you and thoroughly enjoy the insights God has given you and appreciate that you share them through your blogs. Recently I was reading Luke 21 and verse 19 stood out, prompting a word study on "patience". I would love to get your insights on this. I believe the Greek word that Jesus used for patience (hupomone) in Luke 21:19 is the highest form of long suffering as agape love is the highest form of love. Hupomone patience is the highest form of endurance and long suffering (a fruit of the Spirit and comes only from faith, trials, experience .... Hupomone is not something you force yourself to have ... this patience is performed by God in our souls when we trust him completely ... when we have come to the end of ourselves in a trial and rest in Him ... when He finally answers a prayer and we realize we should have trusted Him all along (experience)... when we are at the end of our lives and hupomone (patience, endurance ... that only comes from God) carries us through the dark valley of the shadow of death. "In your patience (God given hupomone) possess ye your souls". It's what carries those through the devastation talked about there in Luke 21.
In this study I will use the Greek meaning of the word "patience" (hupomone) which is "Endurance" in place of the word "patience" itself. Many Old English words have changed meanings, somewhat, over the years. Many Greek words have no exact English counterpart ... sometimes requiring several English words to reflect one Greek word.
The first appearance in the New Testament where Jesus teaches us the meaning of "patience" is Luke 8:15=
(The seed planted) "on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience (endurance)." The planting of all seed, including God's Word and human life, requires honest "labor, heart and long endurance to finally see the "fruit" which often arrives years later.
Luke 21:19= "In your endurance (patience) possess ye your souls." Endurance produces self control.
Rom.5:3-5= "...We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh endurance...." Tribulation ...is not as difficult and painful when we know that it is the only way to spiritual strength and endurance. Tribulation works ! It builds endurance which builds experience (Gk. dokime=proof) which builds HOPE ...which builds courage (unashamed) to witness because NOW "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts". (paraphrased in part).
Rom.8:25= "But if we hope for that which we see not then do we with endurance wait for it." Heb.11:1 says,..."Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen."
Rom.15:4 = "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through endurance and comfort of the scriptures might have HOPE." Read again Heb.11:1 just above .
Rom.15:5 = "Now the God of endurance and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus." Ours is THE GOD of endurance and the consolation which goes with it every time.
2Cor.6:4 = "But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses..." Christian, prove yourself by "enduring tribulations " such as these.
2Cor.12:12 = "Truly the signs of an APOSTLE were wrought among you in all endurance , in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds." Patience (endurance) is one of the "signs of an Apostle" we can all participate in.
Col.1:11 = "Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all endurance and long suffering with joyfulness." By the omniPOTENT , "glorious power" of Jesus, a Christian can be "strengthened with all power unto endurance ... long suffering and joyfulness." It really depends on what you want in this life.
2Thess.1:4= The Apostle said, "We glory in you in the churches of God for your endurance ...and faith in all your tribulations which ye endure." Paul encouraged the Thessalonian Christians that they were a huge blessing to all other Christians because of their "endurance ...and faith " in facing much persecution there.
2Thess.3:5 = "And the Lord direct your hearts ... into the patient waiting for Christ." Be patient, persevere, ENDURE .... Christ WILL return and take us home.
2Thess.6:11 = "But thou O man of God .... follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, meekness." Walk the righteous, Christlike path of endurance, with Jesus, throughout the rest of your life.
Titus 2:2 = "That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in endurance...."
Old age is no excuse for complaining, bitterness and self pity. The faith, love, gratitude and endurance of an aged Christian should be writ large upon their faces, words and attitudes. That and prayer is their ministry and testimony. They have nothing else left with which to serve God. I am only eighty so I have a lot to learn.
Heb.6:12 = "Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and endurance inherit the promises."
Associate yourself with mature and faithful Christians who walk with Jesus and thereby you will enjoy the benefits of His promises too..... "For you have need of endurance, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promises." Heb.10:36. How important it is for Christians to walk with the faithful, enduring Christians and with Jesus in the way He trod, that we might endure and grow in His grace.
Heb.12:1 = Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Let us forsake every weight and besetting sin which hinders our Christian walk with Jesus that we might run with endurance the life long calling and ministry assigned us.
James 1:3-4="Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh endurance." Tribulation will certainly try your "faith" ... but it also builds up your patience, perseverance, endurance that you might run faster, farther and longer for Jesus and finish your course. "But let patience (endurance)have her perfect work, that you may be perfect (mature) and entire ..." Yield your all to God's divine method of perfecting His will for your life through tribulation which results in endurance .... if you and I yield our will to His will.
James 5:11= "We count them happy which endure. You have heard of the endurance of Job...." Walking this tribulation path and enduring it to its end is actually the "happiest", most satisfying and rewarding life possible on this earth .... Consider Job's loss, pain, sickness and frustration. He endured it until God delivered him and restored his health and gave him double his lose.
2Peter1:3-8 = "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature .... giving all diligence, add to your (salvation) faith, virtue; and to virtue knowledge (Bible knowledge) . And to knowledge temperance (self control); and to temperance endurance; and to endurance godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity
(agape love). Outlined here is the spiritual progression of a Christian from initial, saving faith step by step up to the crowning glory of agape Love which is Christlikeness. "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you ....that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pass it on. RB
Mar 2, 2011
Political Correctness Is A Coward's Mask
Common Sense Commentary: Better to die for truth and freedom than to live a coward.
Political Correctness is a form of insanity or worse, plain old, diabolical wickedness. To HELL, where it belongs, with Political Correctness, Political Intimidation, and Political Corruption and Cowardice. Stand UP America, speak out, and vote out the conniving corrupters and thieves of our Liberty. Confront the left wing Liberals who put them there. Tell them where to get off, as Jesus told the same types, in His day, when he "cast" the money changers out of the Temple. Did He care for their evil souls? Of course, but that didn't stop Him from throwing them out of the Temple. They were more likely to repent of their evil, and believe in Him then, than if He had spoken to them sweetly and begged them to stop corrupting Holy things. Even if none of them were repentant, Jesus also spoke to such a case in Mt.7:6, "Give not that which is holy unto dogs, Neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under feet, and turn again and rend you."
There are "professing" Christians who disagree with Jesus using violence and speaking harshly to those greedy, spiritually dead, violators of Holy Ground, but Jesus cares not what hypocrites think. I'm sure the "Chief Priests" and rulers of the Temple, who allowed such wickedness in the House Of God, also disagreed with Jesus. He didn't care what they thought either."And Jesus went into the Temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the Temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers .... And said unto them, it is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the Temple; and He healed them .... and the chief priests and scribes were sore displeased." Mt.21:12-14. Strange how supposedly religious people can condone unholy acts and be "displeased with holy ones".
It is religious Liberals and Legalists who have hurt the cause of Christ, not the truly born again Christians. Jesus did not hesitate to speak out against the political and religious leaders during His time on earth and neither did His disciples. They spoke and preached against the evils of their day even though they were not, themselves, without fault. No one is. Every Christian has faults and even low grade sins, it doesn't disqualify them from taking a firm stand and speaking out against evil and error. I refuse to be intimidated or feel guilty because I see nothing wrong with profiling, patriotism, high moral standards, virginity, loyalty to an employer, kids who show respect to elders, witnessing and dressing as well for God as for a funeral, wedding or job interview. Neither will I be intimidated or feel guilty for believing some things are sin ...living with a mate unmarried, homosexuality, foul language, abortion, drunkenness, welfare cheats and Islamists who won't speak out against Islamic terrorism. If you disagree with me ... fine. You have that right. We will all answer to God for ourselves not someone else. "So then everyone of us shall give account of himself to God." Rom.14:12. You do what you think is right and let me do what I think is right.
This is my announcement to all my friends, enemies, bureaucrats and the world that I will be me whether anyone likes it or not. I will not be "Politically Correct" or otherwise conform to Liberal, Legalistic or Religious expectations or demands. If I can't be your friend without agreeing with everything you believe ... forget it. I can survive and live happily without you. What America needs is for honest, patriotic Christians to stop conforming to the world's standards and follow Jesus and God's Word openly. Let the world see a strong Christ in you not a weak, fearful, contradiction and Christian impersonator. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck .... it could be a chicken in duckie drag if it doesn't walk like what it is and not like a "chicken". God help us all to cast away the filthy rags of conformity and STAND UP FOR JESUS !
Now listen to the Christian Commander of Black Hawk Down speaking out on the reason the Fort Hood Officer, Counselor, Muslim Assassin was not dealt with prior to killing our soldiers .... POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
WHICH IS COWARDICE !!!!
Cut and Paste:
Http://downloads.cbn.com/cbnnewsplayer/cbnPlayer.swf?aid=11991
Pass it on .... I'm not afraid of our Government, Muslims or the Devil ... but, yes, of God. RB
Political Correctness is a form of insanity or worse, plain old, diabolical wickedness. To HELL, where it belongs, with Political Correctness, Political Intimidation, and Political Corruption and Cowardice. Stand UP America, speak out, and vote out the conniving corrupters and thieves of our Liberty. Confront the left wing Liberals who put them there. Tell them where to get off, as Jesus told the same types, in His day, when he "cast" the money changers out of the Temple. Did He care for their evil souls? Of course, but that didn't stop Him from throwing them out of the Temple. They were more likely to repent of their evil, and believe in Him then, than if He had spoken to them sweetly and begged them to stop corrupting Holy things. Even if none of them were repentant, Jesus also spoke to such a case in Mt.7:6, "Give not that which is holy unto dogs, Neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under feet, and turn again and rend you."
There are "professing" Christians who disagree with Jesus using violence and speaking harshly to those greedy, spiritually dead, violators of Holy Ground, but Jesus cares not what hypocrites think. I'm sure the "Chief Priests" and rulers of the Temple, who allowed such wickedness in the House Of God, also disagreed with Jesus. He didn't care what they thought either."And Jesus went into the Temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the Temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers .... And said unto them, it is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the Temple; and He healed them .... and the chief priests and scribes were sore displeased." Mt.21:12-14. Strange how supposedly religious people can condone unholy acts and be "displeased with holy ones".
It is religious Liberals and Legalists who have hurt the cause of Christ, not the truly born again Christians. Jesus did not hesitate to speak out against the political and religious leaders during His time on earth and neither did His disciples. They spoke and preached against the evils of their day even though they were not, themselves, without fault. No one is. Every Christian has faults and even low grade sins, it doesn't disqualify them from taking a firm stand and speaking out against evil and error. I refuse to be intimidated or feel guilty because I see nothing wrong with profiling, patriotism, high moral standards, virginity, loyalty to an employer, kids who show respect to elders, witnessing and dressing as well for God as for a funeral, wedding or job interview. Neither will I be intimidated or feel guilty for believing some things are sin ...living with a mate unmarried, homosexuality, foul language, abortion, drunkenness, welfare cheats and Islamists who won't speak out against Islamic terrorism. If you disagree with me ... fine. You have that right. We will all answer to God for ourselves not someone else. "So then everyone of us shall give account of himself to God." Rom.14:12. You do what you think is right and let me do what I think is right.
This is my announcement to all my friends, enemies, bureaucrats and the world that I will be me whether anyone likes it or not. I will not be "Politically Correct" or otherwise conform to Liberal, Legalistic or Religious expectations or demands. If I can't be your friend without agreeing with everything you believe ... forget it. I can survive and live happily without you. What America needs is for honest, patriotic Christians to stop conforming to the world's standards and follow Jesus and God's Word openly. Let the world see a strong Christ in you not a weak, fearful, contradiction and Christian impersonator. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck .... it could be a chicken in duckie drag if it doesn't walk like what it is and not like a "chicken". God help us all to cast away the filthy rags of conformity and STAND UP FOR JESUS !
Now listen to the Christian Commander of Black Hawk Down speaking out on the reason the Fort Hood Officer, Counselor, Muslim Assassin was not dealt with prior to killing our soldiers .... POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
WHICH IS COWARDICE !!!!
Cut and Paste:
Http://downloads.cbn.com/cbnnewsplayer/cbnPlayer.swf?aid=11991
Pass it on .... I'm not afraid of our Government, Muslims or the Devil ... but, yes, of God. RB
Mar 1, 2011
Self Defence...Bearing Arms...Capital Punishment
Common Sense Commentary: God created Civil Law for one reason... the freedom, peace and safety of each individual person and society in general.
It cannot be denied, God, Guns and Patriots have kept America free. If we have not always been safe and at peace, it is because of a lack of enforcement of Civil Law based upon God's clear commands in the Holy Scriptures. Some Liberal "professing" Christian will say, "God doesn't need guns and Patriots to save a nation from evil men, He can do it Himself." Of course He can, but he didn't do it for Germans or Italians or Japanese before WWII. He didn't do it for the Chinese or Russians, or all of Eastern Europe after WWII. He didn't do it for the Cubans or Venezuelans and hundreds of other countries. Why ? He expects us to use our heads to make most of our decisions and take action. If you don't get a job, don't expect God to feed you. Many a Christian has been mugged, robbed, raped and murdered. Where was God then ? He was right there ... but we have responsibility for ourselves. Why do we vote? God could put the best person in office... but He won't, if we do not do our part. God only does for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
The uniqueness of America ... the USA, as opposed to other nations, is first and primarily the Divine foundation, laid by our forefathers in the Constitution Of The United States, recognizing our Creator
God and honoring Him in the text of that holy document. Because of that basic Law Of The Land, the United States has, indeed been exceptional from its inception until very recent years. At this point in our history, it is no longer so. God hasn't changed His standards, His laws, His promises; it is we who have changed ours.
Patriots, from our founding fathers to our present day military, law enforcement and those who support them are the primary instruments God has used to keep us free. It has not been an easy or simple job. They have fought many battles, routed many enemies of freedom and decency to preserve our freedoms. They have sacrificed themselves, built and rebuilt the walls which protect us and died in the process, taking our enemies with them. And they used fire arms and weapons of war to do it ... without which it would not have been possible. Without Patriots, Arms and Armour, we would be slaves today. How could we otherwise have dealt with the the Nazis, Fascists, Communists, Criminals, and Terrorists ???? Yes, my friends, it is God, Guns, and Patriots NOT Politicians, cowards, or the News Media that has preserved our freedoms and kept us relatively safe.
The second Amendment to our Constitution guarantees our right to "Keep and Bear" Firearms:
"A well-regulated militia being necessary to the SECURITY of a FREE state, the RIGHT of the PEOPLE to KEEP and BEAR ARMS shall NOT be infringed." Here is a clear distinction between two "rights" as citizens of the U.S.A. One is to "keep" firearms and the second it to "bear" or carry firearms. These are the rights of "the People". If you don't believe our founding fathers meant exactly that, ask President George Washington .... who later said, "A free people OUGHT to be ARMED". Boston Independent Chronicle Jan.14, 1790.
But Preacher, what does God think about it ? Let's ask Him.
He says there is a time for war ... Ecc.3:8.
Jesus says, An armed citizen keeps his home and property safe and at peace ... Lk.11:21
Jesus told His disciples to ARM themselves ... Lk.22:36.
Two of those Apostles were already ARMED ... Lk.22:38
The Apostle Paul elaborated on the need and purpose of ARMED Law Enforcement Officers... Rom.13:1-7.
The very first Law of God was to "obey" Him. Gen.2:16-17 "Thou shalt not...."
The second Law of God was Capital Punishment. Gen.9:5-6
The Ten Law Commands of God were based on those first two Laws.
Civil Law world-wide has historically been based on God's Laws.
Pass it on. RB
It cannot be denied, God, Guns and Patriots have kept America free. If we have not always been safe and at peace, it is because of a lack of enforcement of Civil Law based upon God's clear commands in the Holy Scriptures. Some Liberal "professing" Christian will say, "God doesn't need guns and Patriots to save a nation from evil men, He can do it Himself." Of course He can, but he didn't do it for Germans or Italians or Japanese before WWII. He didn't do it for the Chinese or Russians, or all of Eastern Europe after WWII. He didn't do it for the Cubans or Venezuelans and hundreds of other countries. Why ? He expects us to use our heads to make most of our decisions and take action. If you don't get a job, don't expect God to feed you. Many a Christian has been mugged, robbed, raped and murdered. Where was God then ? He was right there ... but we have responsibility for ourselves. Why do we vote? God could put the best person in office... but He won't, if we do not do our part. God only does for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
The uniqueness of America ... the USA, as opposed to other nations, is first and primarily the Divine foundation, laid by our forefathers in the Constitution Of The United States, recognizing our Creator
God and honoring Him in the text of that holy document. Because of that basic Law Of The Land, the United States has, indeed been exceptional from its inception until very recent years. At this point in our history, it is no longer so. God hasn't changed His standards, His laws, His promises; it is we who have changed ours.
Patriots, from our founding fathers to our present day military, law enforcement and those who support them are the primary instruments God has used to keep us free. It has not been an easy or simple job. They have fought many battles, routed many enemies of freedom and decency to preserve our freedoms. They have sacrificed themselves, built and rebuilt the walls which protect us and died in the process, taking our enemies with them. And they used fire arms and weapons of war to do it ... without which it would not have been possible. Without Patriots, Arms and Armour, we would be slaves today. How could we otherwise have dealt with the the Nazis, Fascists, Communists, Criminals, and Terrorists ???? Yes, my friends, it is God, Guns, and Patriots NOT Politicians, cowards, or the News Media that has preserved our freedoms and kept us relatively safe.
The second Amendment to our Constitution guarantees our right to "Keep and Bear" Firearms:
"A well-regulated militia being necessary to the SECURITY of a FREE state, the RIGHT of the PEOPLE to KEEP and BEAR ARMS shall NOT be infringed." Here is a clear distinction between two "rights" as citizens of the U.S.A. One is to "keep" firearms and the second it to "bear" or carry firearms. These are the rights of "the People". If you don't believe our founding fathers meant exactly that, ask President George Washington .... who later said, "A free people OUGHT to be ARMED". Boston Independent Chronicle Jan.14, 1790.
But Preacher, what does God think about it ? Let's ask Him.
He says there is a time for war ... Ecc.3:8.
Jesus says, An armed citizen keeps his home and property safe and at peace ... Lk.11:21
Jesus told His disciples to ARM themselves ... Lk.22:36.
Two of those Apostles were already ARMED ... Lk.22:38
The Apostle Paul elaborated on the need and purpose of ARMED Law Enforcement Officers... Rom.13:1-7.
The very first Law of God was to "obey" Him. Gen.2:16-17 "Thou shalt not...."
The second Law of God was Capital Punishment. Gen.9:5-6
The Ten Law Commands of God were based on those first two Laws.
Civil Law world-wide has historically been based on God's Laws.
Pass it on. RB
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