The year’s coming to a close and finally, just for a few days, maybe even just a few hours, it’s quiet around here. There are some staff still here, and will be working through Christmas, and through New Year’s Eve. Others are wrapping up and preparing to leave for the holidays. Some have already gone. This is good. They work exhausting hours and they need this time off, especially those with families. My office door’s closed; email’s shut down; the phones are off. There are no copywriters, no editors for this letter.

I am thinking about our consequential times. We are at a seriously critical and equally dangerous moment. Next year we will vote as a nation to embrace socialism, or to reject it. I take comfort in the confidence I (still) have that America will reject socialism if presented with a referendum on that form of governance. But if the forces of the Left are successful in muddying the waters, as they were in 2008, the transformational moment that was promised will be reached. And if these Leftists are given another four years with the keys to the kingdom, surely the kingdom will fail.

How many Americans see this? Not enough, unfortunately. It’s never enough. It’s always in the hands of the few to lead the rest.

Last Sunday President Obama was making his umpteenth visit to “CBS 60 Minutes,” that program that regularly unleashes pure vitriol on conservatives, then rolls out the red carpet for the left. It was a typical love-fest, but this time Obama made what is probably the most outrageous statement of his entire presidency.

Obama declared his socialist administration to be at least the fourth greatest presidency in history.

“I would put our legislative and foreign policy accomplishments in our first two years against any president — with the possible exceptions of Johnson, F.D.R., and Lincoln —in terms of what we’ve gotten done.”

Obama is more accomplished than… George Washington? Thomas Jefferson? John Adams? Teddy Roosevelt? Ronald Reagan? Obama is greater than all of them? What sheer arrogance! This is a man blinded by power. But here is what should really frighten us: He is destroying the America we know – there is no question of that — and that is an accomplishment in his eyes, so great an accomplishment that he sees himself as at least the fourth-greatest president in history for doing so.

This is a dangerous man.

How many Americans see this? In the case of the “60 Minutes” audience – not a one. CBS purposely edited out that sentence. The single most striking moment in the interview – and CBS deliberately took it out.

The leftists in the “news” media will say and do everything, including spiking the news, to promote this man’s re-election. By the same token, they will say and do everything, including acts of character assassination, against anyone who dares challenge his rule.

This is what we’re up against. Next year will be the most important election since 1860, and the second most important in our history, and the national “news” media are absolutely committed to getting Barack Obama re-elected so he can complete the transformation of America.

​1. Flywheel

​2. Facing The Giants

​3. Fireproof

​4. Courageous

​I love his work and can't wait to see his next production

​Jim Eckland

Subject: Newt Gingrich Is A Closet Marxist/Communist Monster !!!!!!!!


 

 

       God save us from this evil smarmey snake! He is no friend of  

  limited government under The Constitution. In 1979 he voted to create  

  the Dept Of Education and designate 68 million acres of mineral rich  

  land in Alaska as a Federally protected wilderness. NOTHING in OUR  

  Constitution Authorizes ANY of this. 

   

       Gingrich was aware of a book written by the communist William Z.  

  Foster called "Toward Soviet America". In it he calls for a Dept. Of  

  Education and for studies to be Revolutionized. He wanted them cleansed  

  of God and Patriotism. He wanted studies taught on basis of Marxism,  

  dialectical materialism, Internationalism and general new ethics of a  

  "New Socialist Society. 

   

        Well, ever since the creation of The Dept Of Education, standards  

  have plummeted. Gingrich voted for something OUR CONSTITUTION DOESN'T  

  PERMIT and the Communists and Jimmy Carter wanted. 

   

        The Constitution contains NO authorization for land control yet  

  Newt Gingrich voted for it. Land Control is called for in THE COMMUNIST  

  MANIFESTO. Marx and Engals called for abolition of property and land  

  and application of all rents and land to public purposes. The way our  

  Nation is being run, all land will soon be owned or controlled by the  

  Federal Govt. The Federal Land grab should have been stopped long ago  

  but wasn't. The Feds own MASSIVE AMOUNTS of OUR LAND. Marx wanted: Land  

  Control - Progressive Income Tax - to Terminate inheritances - a  

  Central Bank i.e. Federal Reserve and control of Education. He made  

  explicit attacks on Private Property, Family, Marriage, and Home  

  Schooling. 

   

        In 1980 Newt Gingrich voted to give China "Most Favored Nation"  

  status. They are the MOST MURDEROUS REGIME the World has ever seen.  

  Since then we have been flooded with slave labor toxic goods, they have  

  stolen American jobs and built up their Treasury to be a Military  

  Threat. 

   

        Gingrich voted: Funds for trade with Russia - to transfer 2.2  

  million acres in Idaho to Federal Wilderness - to Federally fund loan  

  guarantees to facilitate greater trade with Red China - to make tax  

  payer funds available to Foreign Govts. thru import/export banks - to  

  grant amnesty to ILLEGAL Immigrants and continue the Monstrosity known  

  as Foreign Aid. 

   

       Newt Gingrich Is A NON CONSTITUTIONALIST!!!!! 

  He voted FOR: Funding for The National Endowment For The Arts, an EXTRA  

  1.2 Billion for U.N. Peacekeeping, 13 Billion for Foreign Aid (keep in  

  mind the time period he was doing this) and 166 million more for the  

  IRS. In 1995 he voted for 31.8 Billion in foreign Aid and voted AGAINST  

  cutting it by even 1%. 

   

        Newt accepted student deferment rather than face the Draft and go  

  to Viet Nam. He had a Hawkish Foreign Policy stance. He campaigned for  

  Nelson Rockefeller of New York in 1968 and NO campaigner for  

  Rockefellor could ever seriously be characterized as a Conservative.  

  Newt recommended the book Future Shock & The 3rd Wave written by Alvin  

  Toffler which said we need a New System Of Govt. because The Old Way  

  Cannot Work Any more. He said it must be radically changed because it  

  is obsolete, that it must die and be replaced. Obviously Newt agreed.  

  Gingrich wrote that he, himself was a "Conservative Futurist" and that  

  he and his wife are VERY GOOD FRIENDS OF Toffler and his wife. Newt  

  Gingrich swore an Oath every two years to uphold the Constitution but  

  yet he feels it is obsolete, must die and be replaced. 

   

        Newt wrote a book called "To Renew America". In it he mentions The  

  Constitution only once and that was to acknowledge it's existence. IN  

  "The Hard Road To World Order" (Which is An American Quarterly Review),  

  Richard W Gardner wrote that Newt called for an end run around National  

  Sovereignty - eroding it piece by piece. In 1974 he recommended:  

  Disarmament Programs, U. N Military Forces, Additional Authority for  

  World Banks and International Monetary Fund, new and broader  

  Enforcement Powers to go along with Membership in GATT (General  

  Agreement Tariffs Trade). The overall goal is he wants to push The  

  United States into World Govt.. Newt Gingrich has been a Member of The  

  Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) since 1990. CFR was Founded in 1921  

  FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING A WORLD GOVERNMENT. 

   

        When Newt Gingrich was in line to become Speaker Of The House he  

  used his muscle during a Lame Duck Session to have Congress PASS AN  

  IMPORTANT MEASURE LEADING TO THE DEMISE OF THIS COUNTRY'S SOVEREIGNTY  

  AND DEEPEN INVOLVEMENT IN GATT. Remember; The overall Goal of GATT is  

  to push us into WORLD GOVT and Abolish U.S. Independence. Note: Bill  

  Clinton, Ruth Ginsberg and Henry Kissenger are also members. 

   

        In 1994 Newt testified before The House Ways and Means Committee.  

  He said "We need to be honest about the fact that we are transferring  

   from The United States.... Significant Authority to a new Organization.  

  This is a Transformational Moment.......This is Not just another Trade  

  Agreement. This is a Transfer of Power". GATT has established a Giant  

  Bureaucracy called "World Trade Organization" (WTO) which has Life and  

  Death Authority over American Economic Interests and is The Sole  

  Interpreter of 20 thousand Trade regulations for 120 Nations. 

   

        BUT THE CONSTITUTION GRANTS POWER TO CONGRESS AND CONGRESS ALONE  

  TO REGULATE COMMERCE WITH FOREIGN NATIONS. CONGRESS HAS NO AUTHORITY TO  

  DELEGATE IT'S POWER TO ANY OTHER BODY. But with NEWT GINGRICH LEADING   

  THE WAY, GATT and it's World Trade Organization HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS  

  POWER. GATT has even reduced how much money Americans can save for  

  Pensions. 

   

        In a 1995 speech Gingrich praised himself for his role in getting  

  GATT and NAFTA thru Congress. He said The U.S. must lead all over the  

  world. He was called an "Internationalist". He's NOT supposed to be an  

  "Internationalist". He's supposed to be a defender of "THE Constitution  

  of The United States" . Gingrich shares membership in the CFR (  

  Committee of Foreign  Relations) with Bill Clinton, ex Secretary of  

  State, Christopher Warren and over 500 other govt. officials that share  

  seat of Internationalist Establishment Powers. 

   

        In 1975 The New York Times called Gingrich a "Foreign Policy  

  Novice" and said his favorite mentor was Henry Kissinger. They said  

  Kissinger was doing a good job of schooling The Speaker. Well Kissinger  

  was the architect of much of America's dissastorous Foreign Policy. He  

  promotes both NAFTA and GATT as does Gingrich. 

   

        In 1995 Gingrich said in a speech that " The American challenge in  

  leading the World is compounded by our Constitution. He also said he  

  believes in a very strong Central govt. "you can have a very strong but  

  limited federal govt.. NO YOU CAN'T. The Founders wanted the Central  

  govt. weak, not strong. It was to be tied down PROTECTING RIGHTS. 

   

        Concerning a 1996 budget, Bill Clinton praised Gingrich and Doyle  

  for backing down and not scrapping  an array of govt programs which  

  should have been scrapped and adopting recommendations for more. These  

  included: Oppressive Environmental Laws - National Service Programs -  

  United Nations Goals 2000 for schools - Federal Financing of Local  

  Police and U.N. Peacekeeping missions for our Nations Military. 

   

        It was Summarized:  Gingrich has achieved something almost  

  unthinkable. He has kept Republican Freshmen from being Conservative  

  and yet set them up for possible defeat in Nov. for being too  

  Conservative. That takes Brilliance. Not only did Gingrich use his  

  brilliance to keep Republican Freshmen from being Conservative, in 1996  

  he did EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO KEEP RON PAUL FROM RETURNING TO  

  WASHINGTON. He got 50 Members of Congress to endorse his opponent in  

  the Texas Primary (including George Bush). Why would Gingrich want to  

  keep Ron Paul away from D.C.? Maybe because he is a Stalwart Defender  

  Of The Constitution? 

   

        Gingrich has been called on the carpet for disloyalty to the Party  

  but never disloyalty to the Constitution. Gingrich and Kissinger call  

  themselves Conservatives. What do you think? 

   

        McManus, who I gleaned this information from, says he could  

  balance the budget in two easy steps: 

   

  1. Terminate all foreign Aid and Bailouts. It is completely  

  UNCONSTITUTIONAL and ridiculous for us to give away money. 

   

  2. Bring The Troops home. Why should we be absorbing the defense budget  

  for Japan, S. Korea, Germany, Italy and so many other Countrys. Bring  

  the troops home and restate that their sole mission is the protection  

  of the Life, Liberty and Property of the American People. 

   

        McManus also said that Americans are being persuaded to follow  

  FALSE LEADERS and to put confidence in men who don't deserve your  

  confidence. UNDERSTANDING THE REAL NEWT GINGRICH AND OTHERS LIKE HIM IS  

  ESSENTIAL!!!! 

   

        Gingrich is positioning and The Establishment Media is suggesting  

  him as the Leader of This Resistance. Americans should know more about  

  this man and others like him (McCain, Leiberman, Scott Brown )to avoid  

  being duped by false Leaders who MASQUERADE AS FRIENDS OF FREEDOM ---  

  WHEN IN FACT --- THEY ARE INTERNATIONALISTS AND CLOSET ADVOCATES OF BIG  

  GOVT. 

   

    BTW, McManus is President of The John Birch Society.    He gave the  

  speech "The Real Newt Gingrich" which you can google on youtube.com. I  

  just broke it down so I could reread it and absorb it more thuroughly.  

  We just can't let this Hideous Monster Gingrich be POTUS !!!!!!!!!!!! 

   

        Please Pass it on to everyone you know and blog it, facebook it  

  and spread it far and wide. We don't have much time to keep him from  

  getting the Nomination !!!!!!!! 

    Copyright © 2011 Vanguard of Freedom

Obama Had Mouse In Pocket

President Obama supporters paid $5000 per ticket at a fund raising event in San Francisco to hear him tell them that they have no ambition, no imagination, and no willingness.

"We have lost our ambition, our imagination, and our willingness to do the things that built the Golden Gate Bridge," he told his audience.  

see VIDEO HERE

No self respecting, proud, productive, Patriot would have been able to sit through that, without at least quipping: "What do you mean, "We?"

Separation

[While this topic will be my own work, I would commend to you the following:

“Be ye holy” - The Call to Christian Separation by Dr. Fred Moritz, Bob Jones University Press, Greenville, N.C., 1994]

Romans 1:1

Paul, a servant/bond slave of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

The following is drawn from the “Christian Life Study Outlines” from the Bible Student Edition, the Holy Bible with Personal Study Guide by W. S. McBirnie, 1975

The Abundant Life (Joh. 10:10) is accessible only through faith in Christ as personal Savior (Joh. 3:15) and in yielding completely to the in-dwelling Holy Spirit. Only this life leads to victory in Christ! Paul, in the “Christian Constitution”, his letter to the Christians at Rome, delineates the dual aspects of Separation, the one Positive and the other Negative. To be “separated to the gospel of God” (Rms. 1:1) you must be separated from “anything contrary to the perfect/complete will of God. ”

(2 Cor. 6:17)

In separation (sanctification/setting apart) for salvation and service, the Christian need look only to his Word of God, his Bible. This “sword of the Spirit” is able to separate the believer from sin (Joh. 17:17) [the negative aspect] and God the Heavenly Father is able to separate the believer unto “the coming of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. ” (1 Thes. 5:23) [the positive aspect] 

Ephesians 5:24-27 details how God the Son is able to separate the believer unto righteousness, “not having spot or wrinkle”[the 'Holy transfer transaction'] . 2 Thes. 2:13 notes God the Holy Spirit having the power to separate the believer unto salvation and service.

The following has been noted elsewhere; it's import marks it critical to reiterate:

“Without being separated, you can have relationship with God, but you cannot have fellowship with Him. You may be united to Him in Calvary, but separated from Him in sin (Isa. 59:1,2). Without separation, you can have influence without power, movement without achievement, you may try, but not trust; serve,but not succeed; war, but not win. Without separation unto God from sin,your whole Christian life will be “wood, hay, stubble. ”

The abundant life is made possible by the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and made a reality by being separated unto Him.

The concept of separation originates in Genesis chapter three with the “fall of man” simultaneous with the initiation of mankind with the “wiles of that old serpent, the Devil. “

Gen. 3:1 - “Yea, hath God said...?”

Created man was initially “sinless”, innocent because he knew no sin and there was no “target” to miss, no law he had to keep. Further, his “fellowship” with God had been unbroken, his motives had been to please his Creator who made him in His image (Gen. 1:27) consisting of body, soul and spirit.

The above four words, “Yea, hath God said” introduces the first, the primary “innocuous” strategy of Satan, that of questioning, not to clarify or make certain what God really said but with the motive of causing doubt and therefore separation in the mind of Eve.

Gen. 3:4 - “Ye shall not surely die. ”

The second strategy of Satan is the lie; contradiction of what God said salved over with “a good reason” - “...your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (v.5)

The lie is further put over on Eve when, at least physically to her discovery, she “didn't die!” Moreover, she ate and gave to Adam and, lo and behold, he also ate and “didn't die! With both of them having known the Will of God, to keep the first “law of God” which was “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it:for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen. 2:17) and having “transgressed/passed over and gone beyond” this first law, the separation had gone from motive to actuality; spiritual death had occurred and God had to deal with the issue.

With “the knowledge of good and evil” present in Adam and Eve comes the next concept of Sin, that of “buck-passing” or blame shifting. Adam blames his wife, Eve, and indirectly God (“...whom thou gavest to be with me...”) (vs 12), Eve blames the serpent, and indirectly God (“...the serpent beguiled me...”) (vs 13) who could have prevented it, and vs. 14 – 19 God presents “the Curse” upon the serpent, (v.14,15) upon the woman, (v.16) and upon Adam (v.17 – 19).

The consequences of Sin and Depravity resulting from Adam's Sin (he was “...put in the Garden...to dress/cultivate and keep/guard it... (Gen. 2:15) are:

1. the ground is cursed producing thorns and thistles (v18)

2. sorrow and regret shall be a part of living off the land (v17)

3. sweat and toil shall be a part of consuming the products of the land (v19)

4. being “spiritually dead”, Adam returns to the ground being dust originating and returning to dust (v19)

5. God “mercifully” expels Adam from the Garden “lest he put forth his hand...take also of the tree of life, ...eat, and live forever.” [spiritually dead!!] (v22)

In Paul's second letter to the Christians living in Corinth, chapter 6 and verses 14 through 18 the Holy Author has his amanuensis write:

v14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what

fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what

communion hath light with darkness?

V15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that

believeth with an infidel?

V16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are

the temple of the living God; as God hath said,

I will dwell in them, and walk in them: and I will be their God,

and they shall be my people.

V17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye

separate. Saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean

thing: and I will receive you.

V18 and I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons

and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Chapter 7:1

Having therefore these promises dearly beloved, let us cleanse

ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness

in the fear of God.

How is this “holiness” possible, the “cleansing from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit”? What is entailed in believers being “yoked together”, “fellowshipping” together, communing together, having concord/agreement together? In short, how do we go from the spiritual, and therefore physical separation of God and man in Genesis chapter two to this high and lofty requirement of God written to the Corinthian Christians by the apostle Paul of “cleansing” and “perfecting/completing holiness in the fear of God?”

This is the great “New Deal”, the cry of Ecumenicalism; as Rodney King cried “Why can't we all just get along?!” Even now such as Glenn Beck and countless others are striving to incorporate “the Church” into the fray of the “NWO”, the “New World Order” realizing that man is after all, a “tripartite” being of body, soul and spirit. What God “mercifully” accomplished in Genesis chapter two man is attempting to “undo!!”

Countless hundreds of professing Christians have “climbed over the wall rather than entering through the gate” as noted in Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress'. Known only to God are those who “playing the Christian game” find themselves repeatedly rebuffed, carried about by ever wind of doctrine (Eph.4:14) coming to “the head, even Christ” (v15b) to find the rest and peace no amount of hand holding and singing “Kumbiya” can bring.

Christ, the Savior says:

“Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest -

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and

ye shall find rest upon your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Mat. 11:28-30

Separation and Reunification comes down to the basics:

1. Man sins because he's a sinner (Rms. 3:9 – 20)

2. God is Holy (Isa. 43)

3. God the Son (Jehovah saves) (the Messiah, the Anointed One) – Jesus, the Christ , born of a Virgin (Luk. 2) was “born to die” (v29-32).

4. Christ's cry “It is finished” on the cross (Joh. 19:30) completed all that needed and could be done for God's perfect Work of Salvation

5. Man's surrender, repentance, confession and acceptance of this precious substitutionary “Gift of Blood” ends his separation from the thrice Holy God

6. This Reunion makes possible 2 Cor. 6:14-2. Cor. 7:1!

7. Continual confession of sin of the Christian permits forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness (1 Joh. 1:9)

The key question for us then is as was asked by Christ himself:

“Whom say ye that I am?”

Christ declared “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh to the Father but by me!”

The Antichrist is one who opposes Jesus Christ or one who puts himself in the place of Jesus Christ. 2 John 7 notes:

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.

Denying this “Only Way”, whether out of pride, fear, indecision, denial or rejection relegates you to proceed on your natural path to the Way of Destruction.

SURRENDER!! The freedom so many have known can be yours!! End the separation between yourself and a loving, heavenly Father before it's eternally too late!

HELL

Many of us “seniors” can well remember the “Hell-fire and Brimstone” Preachers; those typified in the film “Pollyanna” ringing the rafters in every country church making young and old quiver and quake with their graphic description of a place all too missing in many of today’s denominations. One of the more famous would be the message by Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”.

As in the above noted film, in many cases people went away acutely aware of the dilemma and totally ignorant of the antidote. Do we in the 21^st Century need an accurate picture of our current morass, Yes in every way!! Are we today in danger of missing the Messiah; has Satan further complicated, obfuscated, muddied the waters, and in many cases totally denied the “Way, Truth and the Life”? Sadly, the answer must by said – YES!!

As we are further afield and adrift from solid Biblical Truth entering the morass of “Seeker/Consumer Friendly”, Politically Correct prevarication overlain with the “isms” of Humanism, Socialism, Atheism and Agnosticism, Satanism more critical than ever are “Biblical Basics” devoid of theological gymnastics and isms disguising “Works” religions.

Appropriate to the introduction of a consideration of Hell is the Parable of “The Rich Man and Lazarus” (Luk. 16: 19 – 31)

[Jesus Christ is addressing his followers, publicans and sinners, as well as the Pharisees and scribes]

v. 19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

v. 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

v. 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

v. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died and was buried;

v. 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

v. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

v. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

v. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

v. 27 Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

v 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come in to this place of torment.

v. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

v. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

v. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

In this parable Christ presents a graphic juxtaposition of a nameless rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. The rich man lives “sumptuously” in purple and fine linen, fine food and the best available every day; Lazarus, full of sores, is laid at his gate that he might have some of the morsels falling from the rich man's table. His only solace, the neighborhood dogs coming and licking his sores.

Both pass from this life to the next; Lazarus finds his soul being carried by angels to Abraham's bosom, his body more than likely being dumped on the perpetual trash heap to be burned, eaten by rats, etc. The rich man no doubt had a grand procession with professional mourners, family and relatives, hangers-on, and others who had benefited from his life and was buried in the finest fashion and sepulcher his money could provide.

Quite the opposite is found “on the other side”; the rich man lifts his eyes being in torment and sees father Abraham a far distance away with Lazarus in his presence. He begs that Lazarus might “dip the tip of his finger in water and come and cool his tongue, being tormented in flame.” Abraham reminds him of his earthly existence, his lavish lifestyle and the tormented lifestyle of the beggar Lazarus. He notes additionally that “there is a great fixed gulf” between where he is and where Lazarus is, that no one can pass from one to the other (v. 26).

The flame tormented former rich man “prays” that Lazarus might “go to my father's house to testify to my five brethren lest they also come to this place of torment.” This request  is denied; “they have Moses and the prophets, let them believe them.” The final request, that “one from the dead” be sent that they might repent, is also denied; the reason, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rise from the dead.”

Hell is described as:

1. an “everlasting fire” - Mat. 25:41

2. a place of “eternal punishment” - Mat. 25:46

3. a place of “outer darkness” - Mat. 8:12

4. a place of “everlasting destruction” - 2 Thess. 1:9

5. a “Lake of Fire” - Rev. 19:20

Who was this “place of everlasting fire, eternal punishment, outer darkness, everlasting destruction; this “Lake of Fire” prepared for?

1. That “old dragon the Devil”, Satan and his angels – Mat. 25:41

2. The “Wicked” (“the fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, whoremongers/masters of prostitutes, sorcerers/those using magic aided by evil spirits, idolaters/those whose religion is worshiping idols, and all liars) – Rev. 21:8

3. The Disobedient(“the contentious, those not obeying the truth but obeying unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish”) - Rom. 2:8,9

4. The “Fallen Angels” (those accompanying Satan, the Devil) – 2 Pet. 2:4

5. The Beast and the false prophet – Rev. 19:20

6. Those worshiping the Beast – Rev. 14:11

7. Those “rejecting the Gospel” - Mat. 10:15

Is Hell as Billy Graham says, “just the absence of God”? The Biblical description of Hell's Punishment is:

1. Mat. 5:29.30 describe it as “bodily” noting the “casting of your eye or your hand” rather than your entire body into Hell.

2. Christ says it includes both body and “the soul” - Mat. 10:28

3. Jesus notes further that it will be a matter of different degrees - Mat. 23:14

4.  Dr. Luke, in the above narrative, notes “it's unchanging” - Luk. 16:22-31

Contrary to the beliefs of some, we find that those inhabiting Hell will have:

1. Memories – the rich man remembered his and Lazarus' former life, that he had five brothers who would more than likely follow him

2. They will cry for release “eternally” being in eternal/everlasting punishment possessing, as those in Heaven, eternal bodies and souls.

3. Psalm 139:8 tells us that whether we make our abode in Heaven or “our bed in Hell”, God, the Lord, will be there. (see also Prov. 15:11, Job 26:6)

Given what we now know of Hell, that it is real, eternal, a place of everlasting “fire and brimstone” (Rev. 21:8)...and “entirely avoidable!” , what ought we to do?!

1. Go and tell – the unbelieving, the fearful, doubters, the double-minded, etc.

2. Live what we say we believe – consistently, ardently, passionately, with conviction.

3. Pray – continually, Biblically, alone and corporately, in word and in deed.

4. Work to be “salt and light” - individually, as a family, a church, politically, socially.

Total Depravity

The American Heritage Dictionary defines “depravity” as '1) moral corruption 2) A wicked or perverse act. '

The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Christians at Rome, notes in chapter 3: 9- 20 :

v 9. What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

v 10. As it is written,There is none righteous, no, not one:

v 11. there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

v 12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no not one.

v 13. Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

v 14. whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

v 15. their feet are swift to shed innocent blood;

v 16. destruction and misery are in their ways:

v 17. and the way of peace have they not known:

v 18. there is no fear of God before their eyes.

v 19. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

v 20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Not only is this concept of Sin and Depravity universal (Gen. 6:5), it's complete (the imagination of man's heart was/is evil continually). Jeremiah 17 and verse 9 says “the heart of man is 1) deceitful above all things and 2) desperately wicked; the only question to ask is asked here - “Who can know it?”

The diametric opposition of God's view of Sin and Man's view of Sin is seen in the latter making so little of it while the former makes so much of it!   Man's view trivializes sin, it's an illusion, a sickness or illness, something to be explained away or denied as not being my or anyone's fault.   We talk of “the divine spark”, letting your conscience be your guide, looking within your self and being true to your self, considering that we're all basically good “at heart” as though being better than someone else puts us in a better light and more likely to go to heaven than “that person!”

God's view of Sin is dealt with quite differently; as a “Child of Adam, the first Sinner”, we are all born in Sin and Depravity.   Apart from “the Cuteness Factor” babies and children are really quite selfish, demanding, inconsiderate, and totally self-focused.   Some enter the world “with their dukes up”, red-faced, their little fists flying, ready to take on the world from birth. Others are remarkably compliant, “sneaky”, and well able to get their way with their wiles of good looks, smiles, grins, and all the manipulations of a temptress.

Sin is defined as “missing the mark” (the analogy of an archer shooting at a target), transgressing (going beyond or passing over) the law, the commission or omission of a thought or act (doing or not doing that which is undesirable or desirable).   Paul notes, (Rms. 14:23) ...whatsoever is not of faith is sin with reference to those who are not fully convinced of what they are doing whether from indecision (voting “present”) or from not being “...fully persuaded in his own mind. ” (Rms 14:5b)

Matthew chapter five and verses 17 through 48 recounts “The Sermon on the Mount” and its consequences, Jesus' polemic on the Jewish legal system. He compares anger with murder (v. 21,22), lust for a woman with adultery (v. 27,28), the putting away of a wife for anything versus only for fornication (v. 31,32) and the swearing of oaths and loving your enemies. The difference, those “in Christ” were held to a naturally “impossible” standard, requiring the acceptance of Christ's substitutionary death on the cross, entailed by “being born again”!

Proverbs 22: 6 notes “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. ” 22:15 notes “Foolishness (rebellion) is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. ” These and other verses subsumed in “The Ten Commandments” merely brought the individual to the Standard of Perfection and declared him “Guilty!” Galatians chapter three deals with the limits of the Law, verse 24 notes “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ” We (as they) become “children of God” through faith in Christ Jesus (v. 26)

The above is sufficient to conclude:

1. Man is universally condemned being born of the first Adam (Gen. 6:5)

2. God and his eternal power are clearly shown and understood by his creation so that man is “without excuse” (Rms. 1:20)

3. But One ever did or could “keep the Ten Commandments” and that One was “the God-man”. (Heb. 9:28, 2 Cor. 5:21)

4. As long as we are in this flesh, we will sin (Rms. 7:13-25)

Some will talk and make doctrine about the idea of “Complete Sanctification”, the idea that we can attain a level of “sinless perfection”, truly a laudable goal. The reality of their lives belies this idea. While we may not reach this level, we can strive for the goal of “sinning less” (Romans 12: 1,2) as the apostle Paul did (Rms. 7:25) Christians are called to walk “after the Spirit” (Rms 8:1) and “not after the flesh” (v. 4).

The “revolutionary” step of Salvation is followed by a process of Sanctification (separation and purification from sin). Paul addresses the concept of “separation from unbelievers” in 2 Cor. 5:11-18. Many take this separation to be principally in the bonds of marriage; the issues of being “yoked”, fellowship, communion, agreement may well extend beyond to any level of “unity”. We would like to “separate” a person's belief system from their position of employment; their “worldview” from their occupation; rarely if ever can one honestly and truly “objective” their behavior. More and more, the verdict is precursor to the thesis, antithesis and process of research; we decide in favor of the end result (as in “global warming”, civil unions, government, etc) and proceed with the experiment as though deciding one has no bearing on the other!

The “Author and Finisher” of the Christian Faith said “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. ” (2 Tim. 3:12) Being “in Christ Jesus” means He will go with/carry us through persecution; not “be our 'Bridge over troubled waters. ”

Bottom Line: we, even the best of us, will always be “a needy people”; praise God, his Strength is made perfect/complete in our weakness, for when we are weak, in him we can be strong”.

Possible OK Congressional Candidate Jim Brindenstine

 To Be Interviewed Tonight On America's Summit

Please Join Our Conversation at:

http://www.aipnews.com/talk/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=7216&posts=9&start=1

           
The Jim Bridenstine Congressional Exploratory Committee is a diverse group of everyday citizens who believe it is time for Oklahoma's First District to have serious, responsible, conservative leadership.  As someone who has served our community and country, we believe that Jim Bridenstine has the intellect, values, discipline, and unwavering courage to be our candidate and stand up to Washington D.C.  Please join us as we explore a Jim Bridenstine candidacy.  
http://www.jimbridenstine.com/services.html
 

                        Part 3 – The Foundation Strengthened

I mention several quotes from our Founding Fathers because there are those who have tried to deceive the younger generations to believe that our Founding Fathers were not practicing Christians and that the United States was NOT founded as a Christian nation.  Our Founders believed in the power of the Word of God and they lived their lives accordingly.  Using their own words is the best way to understand their belief. 

We have seen this nation turn against its founding principles to the point where once the Bible was the only book used in school to just recently a child was ARRESTED for reading their Bible during study hall.  Christmas plays can’t have Christmas carols or even the mention of Christmas because it is a religious holiday and we must maintain the so-called “separation of church and state”.

Halloween is accepted and celebrated in our schools.  Even though Satanism is recognized as a religion, there is no demand to stop this celebration.  What we are seeing is an outright attack only on Christianity and Judaism.  Islam is being taught in some California schools and in some Michigan schools.  They are even having them pray to Allah in these schools, but you can’t have a picture of Jesus hanging in a public school.  Revisionist historians refuse to write what the contemporaries said about our Founders because it conflicts with what they want you to believe.  We have at least two generations of children that have been refused the truth about the role of Christianity in the building of our nation and our government.

We must learn again the role of the church in our government and our daily affairs.  Paul gives us instructions on the matter in 1 Timothy 2:1 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

(2) For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

(3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior”.  It is foolishness to elect ungodly people and then pray that they act godly.  To think that the church/Christians/ should not be involved in the political arena is not even a Biblical viewpoint.  When I was growing up I was taught that a Christian doesn’t get involved in politics because it is so corrupt.  But that is the very reason Christians SHOULD be in politics, to bring respect to that office.  We have had a recent president bring disgrace to the office of the president and he was followed by a president who brought respect and dignity back to the office of the president. Romans 13:3 “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:”

It is the duty of the church to see to it that godly men and women govern this nation.  John Adams states this about our government:  "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. . . .  Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

Today’s historians are more revisionists that true historians and they claim that most of the Founding Fathers were atheists, agnostics, and deists.  They claim that none were Christians and that none of our Founding Documents had any religious references.  One Supreme Court justice has even stated that Thomas Jefferson wrote the First Amendment to keep religion out of government.  The biggest problem with that statement is that Thomas Jefferson was in France when the First Amendment was written and he never even saw it until after it was ratified.  Fisher Ames was the author of the First Amendment.  Congressional records show that on September 17, 1787 the wording for the First Amendment was agreed upon and that Ames was the author.  Another problem with that statement is it was not written to keep religion out of government but to keep government out of religion.  If Jefferson really did believe that religion and government required an “impregnable” wall of separation, as the Supreme Court stated, then why, when he was President, were ALL government buildings in Washington open for the purpose of holding church services in them and the military band was made available for praise and worship?  One has to wonder why when the 10 Commandments are carved into the stone walls of the Supreme Court that the same Court has declared that displays of the 10 Commandments are unconstitutional in other courthouses.

The history of America that has been taught to the last 2-3 generations is more lie than truth.  The history that they are teaching did NOT occur, for the most part, and the real history is not allowed to be told.  I want to establish with you the true beliefs of our Founding Fathers and not my opinion or someone else’s opinion, but their own words concerning what they believed.

Zephaniah Swift was an American jurist in Connecticut and served in the House of Representatives.  He was also the first Chief Justice of Connecticut’s Supreme Court and declared that Christianity was THE guiding influence on everyday living in his day:  “Indeed moral virtue is substantially and essentially enforced by the precepts of Christianity and may be considered the basis of it.  But in addition to moral principles the Christian doctrines inculcate a purity of heart and holiness of life that constitutes its chief glory.  When we contemplate it in this light, we have a most striking evidence of its superiority over all the systems of pagan philosophy, which were promulgated by the wisest men of ancient times.”

When looking at the reasons for the establishment of each of our colonies it becomes very clear that the establishing of Christianity and evangelizing the region teaching the natives about Christianity was the purpose of the colony.  All 13 colonies were established for this purpose.  In 1606 the charter for the colony of Virginia stated, “To make habitations and to deduce a colony of sundry of our people into that part of American commonly called Virginia in propagating the Christian religion to such people as yet live in darkness.”

William Bradford who helped compose the Mayflower Compact, stated the purpose of why the Pilgrims had come to the New World: “. . . a great hope and inward zeal they had of laying some good foundation, or at least to make some way thereunto, for the propagating and advancing the Gospel of the kingdom of Christ in those remote parts of the world.”

A decade later the Puritans began to arrive and one of their great leaders John Winthrop, warned them of the consequences of forgetting their goal:  “We are a company professing ourselves fellow-members of Christ . . . knit together by this bond of love . . .  We are entered into a covenant with Him for this work. . . For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; so that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, well shall be made a story and a byword through the world.”  Does this sound like the policy of a secularist nation?  The Foundation is strengthened.

                                          Part 2 – The Foundation

The 1^st Amendment states: “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”  The church’s responsibility is to inform the public as to the qualifications required of our leaders.  In Exodus 18:21, God spoke to Moses through the wise counsel of his father-in-law, Jethro, saying, “Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:”.  These “rulers” were to settle minor disputes themselves, but would bring major issues to Moses for final judgment.  Those men became the government of the nation of Israel.

Until 1954 we could “name names” and compare candidates or office holders to each other and to Biblical standards.  Now we can only generalize.  The changes to the IRS tax codes that Congress passed in 1954 prohibited the church from informing the people of the character of a political candidate.  That change to tax laws prohibited the free exercise of religion and directly violates the 1^st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.   Public schools were originally established and funded by tax dollars so that the people would be taught to read and understand the Word of God with the Bible being its main source for information.  If government tried to pass legislation that was contrary to God’s Word the people would know it and then take action to stop it.  We have allowed our government to redefine our Constitution and read things into it that our Founding Fathers would never have allowed.  We have allowed activist judges to read into our Constitution the “right to privacy” by which a woman can obtain an abortion at any time for any reason. 

To fully understand just what the role of the church is supposed to be in this nation we have to look at the role of the church before our independence, during our fight for independence and up until 1954 when the church was taken out of the political arena.  Many of you will be surprised to learn how deeply involved the church and the Word of God was in the drafting of our Declaration of Independence, our Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.  I know that there will be many pastors that will be shocked at the church’s involvement in the development of our government.  Too many pastors believe that the church shouldn’t be involved in politics at all.  What this book will reveal will be unfamiliar to many pulpits.  Revisionist historians have taught what THEY want you to believe instead of what the real history actually is.

There was a book printed that contained the writings of George Washington on four different areas of life.  The original book contained comments by his contemporaries.  The book is now being printed again.  However, the comments are now by revisionists and they have left out almost all of the religious references from the original book and all of the commentaries of his contemporaries and refer to him as a deist.  How you can print a book that is full of outright lies and call it historically accurate is beyond me.

Our Founding Fathers took their faith very seriously but many today would like you to believe differently.  When the Massachusetts Bay colony was established in 1620, the “pilgrims” established why they were there before they got off of the boat.  They wrote the Mayflower Compact.

“In the Name of God, Amen.  We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, or England, France and Ireland, King defender of the Faith,

Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid;” 

The “Ends aforesaid” was the advancement of the Christian faith.  Our Founding Fathers lived their faith.  Most churches today have a 30 minute message ending with “Call our office Monday-Friday between 9-5 if you want to get saved.” Most modern Americans couldn’t handle the church services in those days.  They usually lasted from 4-6 hours and most of the town would attend.  It was a firm belief of our Founding Fathers that to serve in public office you had to be a Christian.

We generally understand and agree that the primary purpose and function of the United States Supreme Court is to decide if the laws that are passed by Congress fall within the parameters set out by the Constitution.  John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court stated,  “Providence has given our people the choice of their rulers.  It is the duty as well as the privilege and the interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians as their rulers.”

Another of our Founding Fathers was Patrick Henry.  His most famous (shortened) statement was  ”Give me liberty or give me death.” This is not being taught in schools any more.  It promotes patriotism and self-worth and that causes problems with dictating what some people want you to believe.  Another statement he made which I assure you will never be taught in public schools is this one: “It can’t be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded NOT by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion but on the gospel of Jesus Christ.”  The revisionist historians want you to believe that Patrick Henry was a deist.  (A deist generally believes a supreme being created the universe and that this truth can be known without either faith or organized religion.  In most cases, a deist also rejects the idea that God intervenes in human affairs.)  The revisionists want you to believe that most of the Founding Fathers were deists, even though ALL evidence proves otherwise.  People simply don’t research anything out for themselves.  There were 55 signers of the Constitution- 29 were Episcopalians, several were Methodist, and some were Baptist.  There was only one alleged deist and that was Ben Franklin, but even he had enough sense to know that Providence should be called upon at times.  Members of the Constitutional Convention had spent weeks debating key provisions of the Constitution without making any progress.  During that time of intense debate, Franklin addressed the Convention on June 28, 1787.  A part of that speech reads, “All of us who were engaged in this struggle must have observed frequent instances of superintending Providence in our favor.”  So, that statement by Ben Franklin effectively destroys the revisionist’s theory about him.  The next few sentences of his speech “seals the deal” on refuting his so-called deism:

“To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting, in peace, on the means of establishing our future national felicity.  And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend, or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance?  I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live the more convincing proofs I see this truth, that God governs the affairs of men.  And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?” 

Following that speech, our Founding Fathers spent four hours in prayer.  In a public facility, our government officials had prayer and then followed that with preaching - the message was so moving that John Adams wrote to his wife about how important it was.  From that moment on the Constitution began to come together with surprising ease.

Thirteen years earlier, Samuel Adams, a signer of the Declaration of Independence who would become the governor of Massachusetts, wrote; “We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom all men ought to be obedient, He reigns in heaven from the rising to the setting of the sun.  Let His kingdom come.”  He also made this statement: “Pray that the light of the gospel and the right of conscience may be continued to the people of the United America and that His Holy Word may be improved by them so that the Name of God will be exalted and their liberty and happiness be secure. That He would be pleased to bless our federal government.”  The Foundation is laid.

The following chart and text examine the verses in Luke 17:24-36 which are entirely about the day Jesus returns like lightning. I start with Matt. 24 to show the timing of the verses in Luke 17:24-36.

Point 3 on the chart is Matt. 24:21, the Great Tribulation, and then after the tribulation …

Point 5 (Matt. 24:27, 30) says that Jesus will appear like lightning - Luke 17:24 is the parallel verse.

Now let's follow the verses in Luke 17 which describe Jesus' return AFTER the Great Tribulation.

Points 6 and 7 (Luke 17:26-29) describe the sudden destruction of sinners in the days of Noah and Lot then …

Point 8 (Luke 17:30) says that it (the destruction) will be just the same when Jesus returns. Also …

Point 9 (Luke 17:31-33) says that “ON THAT DAY” no one should look to earthly things but to remember Lot's

wife because …

Points 10 and 11 (Luke 17:34-35) say that “one will be taken and the other left” and this is the Rapture.

So, AFTER the Great Tribulation, Jesus will return like lightning to rapture believers and to destroy sinners.

This chart shows the flow of events as:

1) The Antichrist ………………………………… at Point 1.

2) The Great Tribulation ………………………… at Point 3.

3) Jesus appears like lightening …………………. at Point 5.

4) The Rapture and the Day Of The Lord ……….. at Points 8 to 11.

Rescuing the righteous and then destroying the sinners was the pattern in the days of Noah and Lot and Jesus said, in Luke 17:30, that it would be the same when He returns.

Mick Alexander

leeandmick@gmail.com

www.ChristianIssues.biz

by Mick Alexander

I don't have an amazing conversion story but since I got saved I have had a strong sense of the presence of the Lord. The changes the Lord has brought about in my life are a great testimony to His love and His power to change the life of anyone who willingly submits to Him.

I was saved in 1994 at the age of 46. My wife brought a book home from church that I ignored for some time but I finally made the effort and read it. It was called Return From Tomorrow, by George Ritchie, and the writer told about how he was clinically dead for a few minutes and during that time Jesus showed him some of heaven and hell. My heart was pounding in my chest as I read about Jesus and I quickly read the book twice more. I couldn't wait to get to the part about Jesus. At the time, I didn't believe I was a sinner nor that I needed a Saviour but I sure did believe that Jesus was real so I went to a local church to get a Bible and it soon convinced me that I was a sinner and in great need of a Saviour. I was totally possessed by thoughts of God and after four years I quit my job and joined a missionary group in South Africa, with my wife and younger daughter, where I did the campsite maintenance for three years on their missionary training base. After that, I returned to Australia and worked for another missionary group doing building work and it was during that time that I lost all interest in practical work and the Lord laid evangelism on my heart. I was a shy person but I made a tract and walked the streets handing them out and talking to people about Jesus. After 3-4 years, the Lord made it clear that I was to stay at home and I had no idea why but I soon found myself making the web site you are now reading.

That is basically my conversion story but now I would now like to talk about the enormous changes Jesus has made in my life since then and, most importantly, how and why these changes came about. After I got saved I had a deep hunger to get close to the Lord but I didn't know how to do it and no one could tell me. It took about twelve years for me to find the secret in a book called The Calvary Road which is free to download from the link at the end of this article. I had read many, many books about walking with Jesus but none made it as simple and clear as this book. I can assure anyone that if they want a close walk with the Lord then read the book or follow the simple guidelines in my little article called The Way Of Peace (on my web site) which is basically a very short version of The Calvary Road.

The first amazing change that God made in my life was to deliver me from smoking and drinking. This occurred well before I knew how to walk closely with Jesus but, even though I didn't know it at the time, the change occurred exactly as outlined in The Calvary Road. As a matter of fact, all the changes the Lord makes in us follow the same pattern. Rather than write it all here, I have it on my web site in an article called The Power Of Sin and there you can read how the Lord eventually (and very painfully) delivered me from smoking and drinking. The two things I learned from this experience were

1) The Lord will only cleanse those who are truly repentant over their sin.

2) It is the Lord's power, and His power alone, that delivers and keeps us from sin.

The second outstanding change the Lord made in me was regarding my attitude toward a Christian lady whom I found hard to like. For quite some time I used to avoid her but one day I really lost my peace when the Lord heavily convicted me of this ongoing sin so I said something like, “Lord, it's wrong that I dislike my sister. Please help me to love her”. After this I went to visit her and as soon as I began speaking to her the Lord changed my heart. To my surprise, we became friends and I was at peace with her and with God. I know that I shouldn't have been surprised because God can do anything but it was very special to have God cleanse me of this sin and change my unloving, hard heart. This experience also occurred before I really knew how to walk with the Lord but when I finally got to understand how to listen to and follow Jesus, my mind went back to these experiences and they confirmed the way God works within us to lead us to repentance in order to be cleansed of sin (see Phil 2:12-13 and 1 John 1:9).

As well as smoking, drinking and an unloving attitude, the Lord has also delivered me from swearing, lying, stealing, jealousy, gossip and other sins that I won't mention but being delivered from shyness was a truly wonderful thing. I was so shy that I could hardly talk at Bible studies and I would not go to prayer meetings as I got a headache just thinking about it. I also used to get sick before mixing with people and was ashamed of the gospel but one day I got on my knees and, in tears, I said something like, “Christians are meant to live a victorious life but I am a defeated coward. If you want me to change then you will have to do it”. I felt no change but next day I met a friend in the city who was preaching on the footpath. When he finished, he asked me if I wanted a turn and with my Bible in one hand and a tract in the other I preached in the street and was as calm and confident as anyone could be – now THAT is the power of the Holy Spirit. I was set free and as John 8:36 says, “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”.

Since quitting work in 1998, my wife and I have remained in the Lord's service. In Nov. 2010 I went to Malawi to work with a Pastor whom I had met through my web site and I hope to be able to continue visiting and working with those godly people for many more years.

My hope is that this short testimony makes it very clear that whenever we have no peace there is something wrong between us and God. The key to a close walk with the Lord is to let the Peace of God be our guide. If we aren't at peace then we should turn to God and ask why - He will soon tell us - and then we can repent of whatever it is and He will return our peace. As I have already mentioned, this is explained very simply in my little article called The Way Of Peace.

I am not being humble in the least, but entirely truthful, when I say that I am far from perfect but I have learned to look to God as soon as I am aware of any lack of peace. He has been absolutely faithful in telling me why He has taken my peace away and He is equally faithful in returning my peace when I repent. My wife will be the first to tell you that there are still some changes needed but she has no need to say anything really because the Lord is already telling me. On the other hand, she can also testify to the enormous changes that have occurred in my life and it has all been through the power of the Holy Spirit as we are told in 2 Pet. 1:3-4.

May the Lord bless you as you walk with Him.

The Calvary Road can be downloaded from http://www.christianissues.biz/revival.html

The Way Of Peace is at http://www.christianissues.biz/thewayofpeace.html

The Power Of Sin is at http://www.christianissues.biz/thepowerofsin.html

Mick Alexander

leeandmick@gmail.com

http://www.ChristianIssues.biz/

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thess. 4:16-17).

When will this happen?

There is so much happening in the world today that most people believe Jesus will return soon. In Matthew 24, Jesus gives us an overall picture of the worldwide events which will occur before He returns. In Matt. 24:1-5, when Jesus was asked about the sign of His coming and the end of the age, the first thing He said was, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many”. This warning is of such great importance that Jesus repeated it twice more in Matt. 24:11,24 and, after speaking about false Christs, false prophets and the Great Tribulation, He said in Matt. 24:25, “See, I have told you ahead of time”. In these verses, Jesus has given us a very serious warning to be prepared for the possibility of facing the horrors of the Great Tribulation. So, let's look at the rest of Matt. 24.

Matt. 24:6-7 say that there will be wars, famines and earthquakes (the word earthquake also means storms). These worldwide tragedies are occurring one on top of the other and many barely even make the newspapers. Disasters that are fresh in our minds are soon blotted out by new ones.

Matt. 24:8 then says that these things are the “beginning of birth pains” so this means that greater pain will follow. If the 2011 Japanese tsunami is just the beginning of birth pains then what horror is yet to come?

Next, Matt. 24:9-13 speak of Christian persecution, death, hatred, apostasy, betrayal and the deception of false prophets. During this time, evil will be so great that “the love of most will grow cold” (Matt. 24:12) and this is why Matt. 24:13 warns us to remain in Christ. It says, “but he who stands firm to the end will be saved”.

Next, Matt. 24:15-22 again speak of the persecution and tell the Jews in Judea to flee when the Antichrist appears in the temple in Jerusalem because his appearance will be the beginning of great distress like never before seen in the world (this is called the Great Tribulation). Matt. 24:22 says that it will be so bad that, for the sake of Christians, those days will be cut short.

Then Matt. 24:23-24 once again warn about false Christs and false prophets who will perform such great signs and miracles that even the elect may be deceived.

In Matt. 24:25, Jesus warns us, “SEE, I HAVE TOLD YOU AHEAD OF TIME”.

Then, in Matt. 24:26-29, after warning about false Christs again, Jesus says that His return will be seen by everyone, just like lightening is seen from the East to the West. He said not to believe people when they say that Christ was here or there but to look for the special sign of His coming. That sign is given in Matt. 24:29 which says, “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” and only AFTER this sign will the Lord return.

So far, Matt. 24 has told us:

There will be wars, famines and earthquakes

then

The Antichrist will reveal himself in the Temple

then

Christians and Jews will be severely persecuted

and

False Christs and false prophets will deceive many

then

There will be a sign in the sun, moon and stars

and then Matt. 24:30-31 tell us that, AFTER that sign appears in the sky, Jesus will be seen coming on the clouds and the nations will mourn because they know that they are about to be destroyed. Matt. 24:31 tells us that, at that time, Jesus will send His angels with a loud trumpet call to gather (rapture) the elect to be safe with Him while God's wrath is being poured out on the earth, ending with the war of Armageddon.

So, it is quite clear that the church will see the Antichrist and go through great tribulation until Jesus returns to rapture believers and to destroy sinners.

2 Thess. 2:1-3

2 Thess. 2:1-3 also show that the Rapture won't occur until after the Antichrist appears. In part, these verses say, “Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him [the Rapture] … Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness [the Antichrist] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction”. These verses clearly say that Christians will not be gathered to the Lord until AFTER the revealing of the Antichrist and that is exactly what Matt. 24 says.

1 Thess. 4:13-5:11

Many Christians believe that 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11 is talking about another gathering to the Lord. They believe that these verses say that Jesus will rapture the church before the Antichrist appears. However, Chart 1, below, compares 1 Thess. 4-5 to Matt. 24-25 and shows so many common points that it is clear that they are both talking about the same event.

The many similarities between 1 Thess. 4 -5 and Matt. 24-25 make it very clear that they are describing the same event. There is only one return of Jesus and it is after the Antichrist appears and persecutes Israel and the church. When Jesus returns, He will first rapture His elect and then God’s wrath will be poured out on the earth.

Rev. 6-8

Further proof that Matt 24. gives the sequence of events leading to Jesus' return can be found in Chart 2 below. This chart compares Matt. 24 with Rev. 6-8 and a clear parallel can be seen between these two passages.

Jesus Himself has given us both Matt. 24 and Rev. 6-8 and the obvious parallel is further proof that Matt. 24 is the sequence of events leading to Jesus’ single return.

Other passages, like Luke 17:22-35 and 2 Thess. 1:6-11, show that on the day that the Lord returns He will first rapture His people and then punish sinners who are left on the earth. There is not one verse which says that the Rapture will occur before the Antichrist appears.

The Antichrist

The Antichrist is a man who will be fully possessed by the devil. In effect, he will be the devil in the flesh. Through the Antichrist, the Devil will try to destroy Israel and the church in order to stop God's plan for mankind because he know that, after God's plan is fulfilled, he will be tossed into the lake of fire forever and ever (Rev. 20:10).

We are told that the Devil will give the Antichrist his power. In Rev. 12:7-17 it says that there will be war in heaven and Michael will hurl the Dragon (the Devil) to the earth. Then the Devil will be filled with fury and will persecute Israel (v.13) and Christians (v.17). He will do this through the Antichrist. In Rev. 13:1-2 the Antichrist is called the “beast coming out of the sea” and we are told that “the dragon [the Devil] gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority” and Rev. 13:7 says that “he was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation”, so the Antichrist will have the Devil's great power and authority to persecute and to deceive many.

2 Thess. 2:3-4 tell us a little more about the Antichrist. These verses say that “the man of lawlessness [the Antichrist] ... sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God”. Then, in 2 Thess. 2:9-10, we are told that “the coming of the lawless one [the Antichrist] will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved”.

So, we can see that the Devil will give his power to the Antichrist so that he can persecute God's people and do false miracles, signs and wonders to deceive people into believing that he is God. Because of the Antichrists' great power to do miracles, signs and wonders, Jesus warns Christians time and again not to be deceived but to stand firm to the end and wait for His return which will be like lightening and will be AFTER the sign in the sun, moon and stars.

Why should Christians face persecution?

Many people say that God would not allow His people to suffer the Antichrists' persecution but, besides the many examples of persecution in the Bible, Phil. 1:29 tells us that “it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him” and Rom 8:17 says, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory”. And Jesus said in John 15:20, “No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also” so it is not right to say that God would not allow His people to suffer. But why will God allow it when He could easily prevent it?

Well, in Heb. 2:10 we are told that Jesus was made perfect through suffering and 1 Pet. 1:6-7 tell us that, through suffering, our faith is proved genuine and refined just like gold is refined by fire so suffering perfects us in the same way it perfected Jesus. Rom. 5:3-5 tell us that we should rejoice in our sufferings as “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us”. In 2 Corinthians, Paul talked about suffering several times and in 2 Cor. 7:4 he said, “in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds” and, in Matt. 5:11-12, Jesus said, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you”.

So, God uses suffering to prove our faith, to perfect us and to lead us to a great reward in heaven and it is God's promise that He will always be with us to carry us through hard times. In Rom. 8:35-39 Paul said that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus and in 2 Tim. 1:11-12 he spoke of his suffering and trust in Jesus to keep him - “And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day”. Throughout the ages, many Christians have suffered and even been martyred for their faith and Jesus was always with them so we can be sure that He will also be with us in our trials.

If we are to endure severe persecution, such as during the Great Tribulation, then we will have a very great need of the Lord's presence because He warns us that “at that time many will turn away from the faith” and that only “he who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matt. 24:10,13). So, let us all heed the Lord's warnings and learn how to walk very closely with Him. An article on hearing and following Jesus’ voice is at - http://www.christianissues.biz/thewayofpeace.html

Finally, Jude 1:24 comforts us in saying, “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy”.

May we all say, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped” (Psa 28:7).

A PDF of this can be downloaded from

http://www.christianissues.biz/pdf-bin/endtimes/thereturnofjesus.pdf