Once Upon A Time

Long, long ago and far, far away ------wait a moment; it wasn’t all that long ago nor for that matter, all that far away. Millions upon millions of American citizens like me were trained by our government to hurt people and break things in order to defend and protect the constitution of our country from its enemies both foreign and domestic. We took an oath to that effect when we went into the service of our country and I don’t remember our being absolved of that oath when we were mustered out of the service. The key word to concentrate on now would be domestic. Over and above any threats from the outside world, there are dangerous things going on within our boarders. Right now, today, as somewhat to a lesser extent in the past there are forces at work in this country diligently striving to dismantle all of the values we hold dear. Have you ever observed vultures tearing apart a dead carcass? That is a good analogy as to what those currently in power are attempting to do to our constitution. You may not agree with me but surely you will agree with what you see. We have to keep in mind though, that there are those that are so blinded in their hearts that they will not see.

What are the weapons that we have at our disposal today in order to keep the oath we took? We can vote, we can pray, we can assemble, we can demonstrate, and we can insist that our elected officials live up to the oaths that they took. We can fight with all legal means and diligence at our disposal, given to us by our constitution. Our founding documents state that God grants our rights and liberties, and that no men or governmental decree can take them away. Our constitution, as it was originally written, created our country unique in it’s sovereignty. It does not need tuning up or being overridden by international law. Our country was created to be unique and exceptional as it would be One Nation Under God.

“Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country”. It’s time for the silent majority to raise our ugly heads and make our voices heard. I started this off sounding like a fairy tale because that’s what we’re being fed by those presently in power…fairy tale after fairy tale. Ever heard of bate and switch? How about misdirection? How about “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore”. What we are up against is people who harbor disdain for anyone who disagrees with their efforts to redesign our country. They are so self absorbed that they can’t believe that anyone could see things differently than they do and still be considered sane.

Keeping in mind that while we normally think in terms of liberal and conservative, democrat or republican, globalists are a different category altogether. They are so far left that the real liberals don’t recognize them. They have a plan that would interfere with their own rights as much as ours. They have a problem seeing the forest for the trees. Their emotions get in the way of reason. Perhaps I shouldn’t lump all liberals into this same category because just as there are moderate conservatives {traditionalists} such as myself, there are moderate liberals. They are not all socialists and Marxists. Those far left globalists however seem to be very adept at pulling the wool over the eyes of a great many of those who are less left. I have even heard praise recently, by these people, for the National Socialist Party and their success in overcoming an economic crisis in a European country in the nineteen thirties. They either don’t know history, or choose to ignore it, the same way they ignore the truth. Facts don’t seem to mean very much to these people, which could be the reason they don’t mind bending the truth. Does Zig Heil mean anything to anyone?

I have been told that it’s all about the money; that it’s not ideology behind what is going on but rather greed. I know that the love of money is the root of all evil, but I have a hard time believing that there are those that would destroy the greatest nation in the history of the earth simply to enrich themselves. I would not judge some one as a traitor who was being lead by their belief system, no matter how different than mine. However, one who was inspired simply by filthy lucre would engender a somewhat stronger reaction. Our forefathers paid too high a price, and our heroes since have paid too dearly for us to let our freedoms be squandered. “The essential principles of our Government... form the bright constellation which has gone before us and guided our steps through an age of revolution and reformation. The wisdom of our sages and blood of our heroes have been devoted to their attainment. They should be the creed of our political faith, the text of civic instruction, the touchstone by which to try the services of those we trust; and should we wander from them in moments of error or of alarm, let us hasten to retrace our steps and to regain the road which alone leads to peace, liberty and safety." {Thomas Jefferson}

There is a vast difference between righteous indignation and unreasoned anger. It is my opinion that those presently in power are trying to make us ‘street rat crazy’ so that we may be easily dismissed. We must think like Jesus, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. when confronted by people like these. Acorn, the unions and other groups are out there with the express purpose of inciting us to riot. If we do – they win.

Things we should remember when inserting our selves into the public discourse.

{1} If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. {2}. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. {3} It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,…... {4} Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. {5} It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. {6} Love never fails., {7} When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. {Some quotes from 1 Corinthians 13 NIV.}

I once had life explained to me by a professor of psychology. He said all things could be explained by thinking in terms of little children arguing and fighting on the playground. Let us put away our childish ways and stand like adults against the tyranny we face. "If we ever forget that we're One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." {Ronald Reagan} "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." {Thomas Jefferson}

If I remember right, Readers Digest used to be written on a sixth grade level so that most people could cope with reading it. The congressional bills are written in such legalese and mumbo jumbo that they are almost impossible to understand. Think there might be a reason for this? If we can’t get those whom we pay to know what is in the bills to read them, where do we go from here? How dare they vote on something they haven’t read and therefore don’t know what it contains. Chimpanzees can do that and they are a lot cheaper to maintain. “In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence. Therefore: 1. In time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out its duties. 2. Work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence.”

{The Peter Principle} Isn’t number one what we have in congress today?

“If you, Mr. President, Congressmen and Senators, knuckle under on this and refuse to do something meaningful it means that you care nothing for the kind of country your children and grand-children will inherit. But I guess that doesn't matter as long as you get re-elected.
Shame on you.

One of the big problems in America today is that if you have the nerve to say anything derogatory about any group of people {except Christians} you are going to be screamed at by the media and called a racist, a bigot and anything else they can think of to call you.

Well I've been pounded by the media before and I'm still rockin' and rollin' and when it comes to speaking the truth I fear not. And the truth is that the gutless, gonad less, milksop politicians are just about to sell out the United States of America because they don't have the intestinal fortitude to stand up to face reality.” {Charlie Daniels}

"To secure these [inalienable] rights [to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness], governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed... Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness." {Thomas Jefferson}

Remember that from the heart the mouth speaks. We must keep our hearts in the love mode and our fists open. The same God that created you created the ones that are responsible for what is happening today. A civil discourse on our part will let the Lord work on their hearts. At the same time, they should know we are coming. You that would overturn our nation, we are coming for you.

“In God We Trust" is our national motto. This is not some right wing, Christian, afterthought. We declare this because Christians founded this nation, on Judeo Christian principles and this is clearly documented. “The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time.” {Thomas Jefferson}

Rick Rahn

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Ole Tommy Jefferson

There seems to be some controversy over the separation of church and state issue... Old Tommy Jefferson seems to be the brunt of most of the misconceptions about it. IT IS NOWHERE IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATED OF AMERICA. IT NEVER WAS INTENDED TO BE. In 1802 Tommy wrote a letter to some Baptists who were worried about the government establishing an official state church like there was in England. Tommy explained that it could not be done because the constitution restricted the government from establishing a church of any kind, or in any way restricting the practices of churches in the US, so the Baptists were safe. Tommy held church services in government buildings, at government expense, and used the military band for music in those services. Several of the founding fathers thought that being a Christian should be a prerequisite to holding office.

Now when I say I love my wife - that doesn't mean I love all women in that way, although I do love all women in Christ. This does not mean that I am "interested" in other women. If, however, I was to write this fact to a Baptist church - I AM SURE that in 100 years or so the ACLU would take it to the Supreme Court and convince them that I was a “womanizer” in the same way they used old Tommy's letter to the Baptists. GET IT? Tommy never meant to take God out of the government- just to keep the government out of God's business.

In 1878, the Supreme Court in a case about polygamy used the phrase. The big disaster came in 1948 when the ACLU presented a friend of the court brief giving false info on the separation thing and a liberal judge put it in the record. The case was about the Klu Klux Klan being against the bussing of catholic students at the expense of the city. As you can see, once these sneaky folks get a toehold, its Katey bar the door. The bible warns us against being deceived by ourselves, others and the devil. I think that revisionist history qualifies as deception.

What got me into this was my son's reply to my "Traditional Americans" rant. He googled Thomas Jefferson on Wikipedia and found false information about what Jefferson meant by the separation thing. When I checked it out, I didn't see a direct lie, however, like most liberals* they lead you in a false direction on purpose - hoping you don't realize that they are just being them selves. They can't help it. Most of these people think with their emotions and facts mean little if any thing to them. Just a suggestion - get your information from the horses mouth, not the other end. There are plenty of writings available from the founding fathers. “He cut and pasted pieces of the New Testament together to compose a version that excluded any miracles by Jesus, thereby focusing on "the pure principles which he taught" and which has since been published as the "Jefferson Bible".” (Wikipedia) What Tommy really did was to cut and paste the New Testament to use as a book to teach the "Indians" good moral principals to live by. I sure hope that Tommy's burial vault has plenty of room for spinning.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Jefferson

* All liberals are not bad people, although, due to the way they have lumped all conservatives in the same nasty ways, it serves some of them right. It’s the ultra lefties that are the problem, in the same way as the ultra rightists.

Rick Rahn

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Traditional America

Traditional Americans like my self are at a distinct disadvantage when dealing with today’s crop of politicians. Our basic outlook is that most people, regardless of political affiliation, are decent, honest and trustworthy. That outlook causes us to turn a blind eye to those who would purposely hurt our country, because we can’t believe that anyone would be that rotten. It’s time for us to wake up and smell the coffee. I recently heard the Democratic Party described as a criminal organization posing as a political party. I personally don’t lump all democrats into that group and additionally would say that many republicans could be classified in the same manor. We seem to be overwhelmed these days with rhetoric from both sides that is guiding us in the same direction. The “Political Class” seems to have taken off in a direction diametrically opposed to what the majority of Americans want and believe. You would think that over time, the election process would weed out these scoundrels. I’m not big on conspiracy theories; however, our election process does seem to be controlled by someone or something that will only let certain people run for office. Ever feel like you voted for the lesser of two evils? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a candidate that you would really like to vote for; and you really knew who they were and what they really believed?

What politicians say during the elections used to be known in religious circles as “evangelistically speaking”(a lie to make your story better). Wrong then and wrong now. Politicians these days seem to be more interested in maintaining their power base than serving the people. They forget that we don’t work for them; they work for us.

Our founding fathers never thought that elected office would be a career track, but rather a short-term way of being of service to the country. What ever happened to the cry for term limits? The current crop of those in power such as President Obama and his group of Chicago thugs, Nancy Pelosi and her gang, along with Harry Reed’s bunch seem to finally have their way. They apparently want to remake the country into a third world nation, dependent on our international “friends” for our well being. Here come the Republicans, up the backstretch, with the very same outlook as the Democrats.

At this point I don’t know if, after this presidency is over, their will be enough left of the real United States to salvage. The time has come for a second American revolution. Hopefully this can be done through the election process. The first revolution, conducted by the founding fathers, cost a lot in lives and treasure*. Perhaps we can coerce those in power to do the will of the people. Perhaps it’s time for a real third party movement. We can’t win through and armed insurrection as the government controls the weaponry. You can’t win a fight against a bomber or a tank when all you have is a 22 rifle.

Perhaps it’s time to bring God back into things. If the politicians knew they were going to hell for what they are doing, they might change their ways.

If the end of the world, as we know it, is going to happen, as many believe on December 21, 2012, what our government is doing to us now won’t matter very much anyway. End of the world, rapture, or whatever happens, I want to be on the right side. I, personally, am going to stay far away from “hand baskets” while the rest of the country is going to hell in one.

The insidious movement to the left started long ago in the Wilson administration, although some of the roots go back to Teddy Roosevelt. These people with their extreme leftist outlook have worked their way into the educational system to the point that most young people have no idea what this country is supposed to be. One example of this is that many people believe the lie of “separation of church and state”. A lot of people think that it’s in the constitution. Ask most young people if this is a Christian nation and they will answer no, despite the fact that we were set up as a Christian nation, which was confirmed by the Supreme Court.

How do we find out who and what the people and organizations are who are responsible for what has happened to our country? There must be some on-going group directing things, or it couldn’t have been such an effective and organized effort over so long a period of time. As we all know, there are only two forces at work in the world – that of good and evil. Since we also know who is in charge of each of these forces we can see why things have developed the way that they did. Over the years a concentrated effort has been made to take God out of almost every aspect of our lives. So far, little step by little step, God has been removed from our schools, church has been separated from the state and attitudes toward Christian’s and their way of life are ridiculed in the arts and the media. Guess what? This all had to happen before the Lord could return. Have no doubt, He is coming back. Elect Christian’s to political office (like the founding fathers said to do), put God back in the schools (where the founding fathers put Him) and in your everyday life. Maybe then we won’t be ashamed when the time comes to look into the eyes of our redeemer. What’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong. The choice is for life or death – chose life.

The politicians work for us, not the other way around. The buffoon we have for a vice president once said that he wasn’t elected to do the will of the people, but rather to use his own good judgment. Apparently most of our politicians now harbor this same opinion. How dare they? They treat us like we are sheep being led to the slaughter. They treat our country like security doesn’t matter. They won’t secure our borders. They spend money and take on debt that our grandchildren won’t be able to repay. They live in more luxurious circumstances than the vast majority of our citizens and have a package of perks that awe industry leaders. On top of that we pay them for the rest of their lives. Surely there must be a system of checks and balances in place that assures that these excesses are punished, and the will of the people will prevail. Can anyone give me an example of one campaign promise the President Obama has kept? He ran on hope and change. So far all I can see is change that has destroyed hope.

If you think I’m right, then God bless you. If you think I’m off my rocker, that’s all right too. I’m open to discussion with both sides.

Rick Rahn

*I received the following in an e-mail.

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.
Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his Ships swept from the seas by the British Navy.
He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't.

Remember: freedom is never free!

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Who Is On the Throne In My Life?

These are perilous days and the time is growing short. The world seems to be turned upside down where wrong is right, and right is wrong. More and more, man is leaning to his own understanding where there are no absolutes, no right and wrong, but only what is perceived by the changing nature of mankind to be relevant to his own way of thinking. All too often, we have chosen to cast God’s ways aside and lean unto our own way of thinking. This path can only lead to eternal death. God has sent us a way of escape from eternal condemnation through His Son, Jesus, as revealed to us in His Word by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I know that what I have to say may offend some of you, and may even set myself up to be mocked or ridiculed. Even so, I would rather take that risk in hope that perhaps somehow I may be used in the service of my Lord to draw even one person to come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. I could not bare the shame of saying to my Lord that I stood silent and never tried to tell others of the joy of receiving and knowing His Son, Jesus, as the one and only personal Lord and Savior. With that in mind, I pray that the Lord will prepare your heart and use this message as He alone sees fit. I do not send this as a perfect follower of Christ, but as one who is seeking daily to die to myself that Christ might live in and through me more completely each day.

I was recently led to contemplate upon my own perspective of the importance of man living a life based upon his own ability to reason, or choosing to yield to the higher power of God’s ways and thoughts. In so doing, I had to discern just what level of importance human reason was to be held in my own life. In today’s world it is not politically correct to subjugate man’s ways and thoughts to an inferior position from those of God. In the present atmosphere of political correctness, to even suggest that God’s ways are higher than man’s is looked upon as ignorant and often foolish. On every side, God is being ridiculed, mocked, and crucified all over again and man is placing himself on the throne.

Recently, Miss California was asked a question about marriage. She based her answer upon the Word of God and her belief therefore that marriage was to be between a man and woman. Apparently, this was offensive and perhaps belittling to the thoughts and ways of man. In reflecting upon this, I was seeking to understand why viewing the opinions of humanity, as being inferior to those of God’s, should be offensive at all. I endeavor to base my understanding upon the teaching of our Lord as revealed to us in His Word. Realizing this perspective in itself is not politically correct; I understand that it will be deemed as foolishness in the minds of many who view the Word from the standpoint that it is merely a bunch of myths and nice little stories written by man. Without the understanding and faith that the Word is the inspired word of God as revealed to man by His Holy Spirit, mankind will often choose to relegate God’s Word to an inferior position of importance in their lives. This attitude in itself denies the power of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide man into all truth. In addition, man’s ability to reason is then elevated to be equal to, or superior to God’s thoughts and ways. I believe this is the root of the arrogance and rebellion that must have caused Satan and his followers, demons, to be ejected from their position in Heaven. They began to think of themselves as knowing as much as God; therefore, based upon their own opinion and ability to think and reason, they no longer had a need for God. When mankind begins to elevate the human ability to think and reason as superior to that of God, the door has been opened for the spirit of antichrist to come into our hearts and begin to take root.

In today’s world of political correctness it is offensive, and even viewed as self-righteousness, when a person makes a statement that says, “That is only the opinion of man. Only God knows what truth is really.” God’s ways do not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He and His ways never change, but “Man’s ways are right in His own mind.” What does that mean? It means that man’s ways, without the anchor of God and His Word, are forever changing and relevant only to what is the acceptable way of thinking and believing as perceived by man for the time being. Man’s ways are constantly evolving from one standard to another depending upon the direction from which the wind blows in the present wave of politically correct thought for that time and place.

When man does not base his faith on the Word of God, he becomes double minded, and a house divided cannot stand. If I do not stand upon His Word, I fall for anything and everything. I know that deception is a mighty tool of the devil and he is out to seek to deceive and destroy us in any way he can. This is evident in man as he seeks for truth in every possible direction except The Truth, The Way, and The Life of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit warns us against the spirit of anti-Christ, which is already prevalent even in this country of America that has been so blessed because we were founded upon Judeo-Christian beliefs. However, it is no longer politically correct to take a stand upon His Word. God is NOT tolerant or subject to the change of man’s ideas or ways. He said, “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart.” He does not tolerate us having idols in our lives.

God is not a tyrant. He does not force anyone to believe in Him. We are given the choice to believe in Him and willingly serve Him as Lord and Savior, or reject Him and His gift of salvation. We determine our on eternal destination by the choices we make. When we place our own ability to reason, that is our opinions, to a higher position than His ways, then we have replaced “God our Father” with “god, ourselves” on the throne in our hearts. It is not sufficient to simply acknowledge the reality of Christ for even Satan and His demons do that. They know who He is and they tremble and flee at the name of Jesus. Yes, they “believe”, but they do not obey.

It is amazing to me, as I read the Bible, how clearly God sees us for what we are, and knows every thought within us. Because we choose not to endeavor to hide and keep His word in our hearts, and persevere to be doers of the Word, and not just hearers, He has said, (Rev. 3:15-22) “I know thy works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spew (to put it more vividly - vomit) you out of my mouth. Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy, and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, and white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne. Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches (Believers, the Body of Christ on Earth).”

If we are rich in earthly goods, but poor in the spirit, we are destitute and the most pitiful of beings. If we are to enter into the Kingdom of God we must be doers of the Word, and not just hearers. Listen to the warning as given by Jesus:

Matthew 7: 21-24. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.”

The question then to each of us is, “Am I going to choose to think politically correct thoughts and place myself on the throne within my heart?” Or “Am I going to seek the Kingdom of God and place Him on the throne of my heart, and trust in Him to lead me and guide me into all truth that I might endure to the end of my time on Earth, and receive the cloak of righteousness provided by the blood of Jesus, and thereby enter into eternity with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit?

True faith is based on the Holy Scriptures that are inspired by the Holy Spirit and given to us to lead and guide us into true knowledge. How can we profess to be followers of the Lord if we do not study the scriptures and allow Him to speak to us through His Word? Are we not told in His Word to study His Word that we may be a workman that need not be ashamed? If we are of the opinion that His Word is merely man’s writings, and not the truth given to man by the Holy Spirit, then we are surely lost for the Word says that “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”

If we base our faith on anything but the Word of God, we have deceived ourselves and there is no truth within us. (Proverbs 3:1-7) “My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the tables of thine heart. So shall thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thy own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” If we do not base our faith on the Word of God and the solid rock of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we build our house on sinking sand. The Word of God is true; all else is foolishness. If we stand not for the Lord and His Word, we will fall for anything and the spirit of the anti- Christ is within us. I for one do not wish to take the chance of doubting the Word of the Lord, or refusing the gift of salvation through faith in His Son Jesus.

Thy word oh Lord is Truth. He has given us His Word that we may not be led as sheep to be slaughtered, but that we might be saved through grace. If we do not seek to learn from His word, we are lost and ignorant, without wisdom or true knowledge. His Word reveals The Truth, The Way, and The Life in which we are to walk.

Jesus says, in John 17:17:

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."

Jesus is telling us that the Word of God is Truth. The pagans teach that there is no absolute truth, but that we each "create our own reality". But the Bible teaches that there is an absolute standard of Truth: God's Word.

Paul, the Apostle, wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17:

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good
works."

"The man of God": that's you and me if we are trusting in the real Jesus in terms of the real Gospel. We can trust that God's Word is Truth and that it is our standard for how to come to God on his terms and walk with him.

Peter, the Apostle, wrote in 2 Peter 1:20-21,

"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

Peter teaches that we are not to just make up our own private interpretation and make the scriptures say what ever we want to suit our own purposes. We are not to go to the Bible with a predetermined agenda to find scriptures that "prove" our views. Rather we are to go to the Bible trusting that the Lord will speak through his Word to us. Let the Word speak for itself.

Luke says in Acts 17:10-11,

"And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
Luke commends the Bereans because they were not going to just blindly trust the "private interpretation" of a guru! They searched the scriptures THEMSELVES to see if what Paul said was true! Paul an Apostle! And the Bible commended them for it.

Jesus says that we are not to go to men to be our "teacher" or "master", because the Lord Jesus himself is our teacher, through the Holy Spirit. He does encourage us to be a part of the body of Christ, to come together to worship the Lord and not forsake being with and a part of other believers, and in so doing help and uplift one another.

Jesus says in John 16:13:

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."

Jesus was talking to followers of Jesus, to you and me. The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth.
It is crucial that we realize that God holds each of us personally accountable for how we respond to his Word as individuals. We can't blame any misunderstanding on a clergyman or hierarchy or a religious system. God expects us to examine his Word and trust and obey him... like the Bereans in Acts 17.

God assures each and every one of us that He does not wish for any of us to perish, but rather that all would be saved through faith in Jesus Christ, His Son. Remember the thief on the Cross next to Jesus, realizing and believing in the Lord Jesus asked to be remembered, and Jesus told him that He would that day be present with Him in paradise. This is my prayer for each of us, and if the Lord has touched your heart, I ask that you personalize this prayer to ask Him to come into your heart today.

Lord, I praise you and thank you. You have given me the promise of eternal life through faith in you, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. I thank you for giving me your Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Oh Lord, cause me to hunger and thirst after you and to live by every precious word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Let this be my heart’s desire- to know you, love you, and serve you all the days of my life. Give me ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart of flesh (not a hardened heart as that of Pharaoh in the days of Moses) to receive you as Lord and Savior on the throne of my heart. “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way. (Psalm 139: 23, 24). Forgive my sins oh Lord, and let thy will be done in my life. Oh Lord, I know that none of us is guaranteed a tomorrow. I pray that you would teach me to live by your Word that I might glorify you in thought, word, and deed. Let me eat of the Bread of Life that I might begin my eternal life here and now. Grant me wisdom and discernment. Let me not be deceived by myself, others, or Satan who seeks to devour and destroy whom he may. The Lord is able to keep me, and perfects me day by day. Oh Lord, I humble myself before your throne of grace and seek Your face. Come Lord Jesus and rule in my heart this day and forever. I confess before others that you are Lord of all, you are my God and I am your child. Praise your Holy name. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

One day, we must all stand before the Lord. What will your answer be when he asks,
“What have you done with my Son? Did you believe, and did you obey? Did you truly receive the gift of salvation that I sent to you? How did you respond to my Word and the Holy Spirit that I sent to lead you and guide you into all truth?” What will your answer be?


** I have included the song below, which says it all to my heart. Perhaps it will speak to your heart also.

More Precious Than Silver

Words and Music by Lynn Deshazo
© 1982 Integrity's Hosanna! Music

Lord, You are more precious than silver.
Lord, You are more costly than gold.
Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds,
And nothing I desire compares to You.
Lord, Your Love is higher than mountains.
Lord, Your Love is deeper than seas.
Lord, Your Love encompasses the nations,
And yet, You live right here inside of me!
Who can weigh the value of knowing You?
Who can judge the worth of who You are?
Who can count the blessings of loving You?
Who can say just how great You are?
Lord, You are more precious than silver.
Lord, You are more costly than gold.
Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds,
And nothing I desire compares to You.
**And nothing I desire compares to You.

Virginia (Ginnybug) Rahn

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The Love Of God

I have recently been attending a church that reminds me of the Jesus movement in the late sixties and early seventies. In those days we were centered on the love of God, both from Him and toward Him. Even in those days (and I suspect even today), many denominational churches when confronted with a longhaired, sandal footed, hippie looking dude, would not let him enter, even if His name was Jesus. Jesus’ message is that God loves you and wants you in the family. Many denominational churches today have lost the love factor. Thus, many people have been hurt by church dogma. A pastor’s wife once told me that a denomination is nothing but a monument to a dead saint. The early church, I believe, was much like the Jesus movement I mentioned above. You could feel the Lord’s love and presence in the meetings. These Jesus freaks, as I remember, looked like hippies as well as housewives, businessmen and soldiers. What they had in common was that they all had the love of God inside of them.

There is no perfect church. There are no perfect Christians. Your walk with the Lord doesn’t have to be, nor should it be, the same as anyone else’s. None is perfect, no not one (Romans 3:10 ). Judge not, lest you be judged (Matt.7:1 ). The kingdom of God is here, but it is not easily recognized by most people (Mark 1:15). The kingdom of God is on the inside. Jesus said that the kingdom of God was near ( Matt.4:17 ). When his work was finished (He said on the cross that it was), the Holy Spirit was sent to us as promised. The Holy Spirit represents the kingdom of God here on the earth. His job is to guide us to the Father through Jesus. When the Father is assured that we truly accept the gift of sacrifice that Jesus gave for us, the Holy Spirit will come to dwell within us. This is what Jesus meant when he said that He would never leave us of forsake us (John 14:15-21, 25-27 ). Where the Father is, so are the Spirit and Jesus. Where Jesus is, so are the Father and the Spirit. Where the Spirit is, so are the Father and Jesus. The Spirit is within me; therefore, the love of God is also there. I know it’s hard to understand that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one and the same, even though we can grasp that water, ice and steam are the same substance.

The Love of God is a wonderful and glorious thing. God wants us to share His love with others, not just love Him as He loves us. Love your wife, love your kids, and love your neighbor (Mark 12:30-31). A Presbyterian minister once said that the love of God is like a garden hose. You wouldn’t try to push the water back up into the hose; you would spread it around so that things can grow. The flow won’t stop unless you turn off the spigot. Can you feel the overflowing Love of God in your church, or have time and man brought in things that pinch off the flow? It’s not that God wants to love you – He does love you. All you have to do is realize it. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you (Matt. 6:33).

The pastor of a church I was attending was at a pastors’ meeting when one of the other attendees referred to our church as an “introductory church”. This apparently meant that our church had not yet matured. Could it be that this person had lost his initial love and been overcome by churchliness? There is a song that says “bring back the new again, I want to see Jesus”. All churches should be introductory churches. Their job is to present the Gospel in a way that makes people want what the Lord has for them, not bog people down in man made rules and regulations. There is enough of that in everyday life.

Each person has a different personality. Each person walks through life at a different pace. Each Christian has a different personality and pace. God does not make cookie cutter Christians, and He doesn’t want you to act that way. A person’s walk with the Lord and growth in the Christian life may be far different from yours. Therefore, let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you my know how you should answer each one (Col. 4:6 ) Christians are to be the salt of the earth. Let the world savor life through us, not be judged by us.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans15:13)

Rick Rahn

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Who Says Jesus Is Lord?

The angels do. The devil and all of his minions do. The Bible says unequivocally that Jesus is Lord. Everyone who has passed on to a place other than heaven now knows. Everyone who has passed on and gone to heaven knows. Even our Father who art in heaven does (this is my son in whom I am well pleased). The Holy Spirit is witness to this fact. I do and I know many born again folks that do. Where do you stand?

It’s easy to become born again into the kingdom of heaven. All you have to do is believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and has risen from the dead for the coverage of your wrongdoings and then tell some other folks that you do believe (Romans 10:9-13) and your are covered. The trick here is the believing in your heart part. Only the Holy Spirit can lead you to this understanding. Seek the Lord with all your heart and soul and he will reveal Himself to you. You can come to this realization either by the sky opening up with thunder and lightning and great revelation or very matter of factly as I did by the yet quiet voice of the Holy Spirit.

Before I got married, my father in law, in essence, told me that I would be responsible for my wife’s well being for the rest of her life. This is similar to Jesus for once we are grafted into the family of God, He is held responsible for each of us for the rest of our lives. The Father can only see us, from that point on, through a veil of blood, which covers the wrongdoing, which we have done and will continue to do throughout our lives. Becoming a Christian doesn’t by any means make us perfect, just forgiven. There are good Christians, not so good Christians, hypocritical Christians and those who profess to be Christians that haven’t the faintest idea of what it means to be a Christian.

To look all around and see all that God has created and believe that it is the result of random luck or evolution is brain damage plain and simple. You wonder why the church (the body of Christ) doesn’t seem relevant in your life – it’s because you are withdrawn from it. The bible says that if we fail to, the rocks will cry out the divinity of Christ. Do you suppose that there are those out there that are dumber than a box of rocks?

In Genesis 22:15 Abraham didn’t withhold his son, and the Lord provided the sacrifice. In the same way, through the line of Abraham, the Lord did not withhold His Son and approved of His Son’s sacrifice to make it possible for us to obtain salvation through grace. Or would you rather work for it? Just remember in your efforts that the Bible says; all have come short of the Glory of God. None of us are perfect. We even make mistakes in our everyday business and family lives. (Do you suppose that God is a Presbyterian? They believe that all things are predestined and things cannot be changed by man. God does know the beginning and the end you know. He even knows what your final decision is going to be.)

Ever wonder where the bible came from? Yes it was written by men over the centuries. It first started as the passing down, generation to generation, by word of mouth in the same way all of history was passed down. After that it was converted to the written word. Since then it is somewhat easy to see that the writings have not changed for at least thousands of years. How is this possible? That also is easy to see. Since the bible was written by holy men under the influence of the Holy Spirit one could say that as in the writing of the Ten Commandments, it was written by the finger of God. Over these many years there have been many men who tried their best to prove the bible was wrong or at least incorrect. Thus far the score is them none and the bible 100%. Can any other writings in the history of the world meet this challenge? As I see it, if you can’t put your trust in the bible, what in the world is there to trust in?


Rick Rahn

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Study The Word Of God That His Story May Be Rewritten In Us

Do we really want to be led by the Holy Spirit? If so, the only way is to open our eyes, ears, and hearts to see God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the love letter, known as the Word of God, that the Lord has given to us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. For faith comes by hearing the Word of God. It is the manna, spiritual food, which is provided to nourish our souls. It is through His Word that we are guided and led into all truth. It is the lamp unto our feet by which He leads us upon the right path. It is His Word that keeps us from veering to the right or the left, our very present strength in resisting the temptations of this world. Otherwise, we may become easily seduced by any and every false teaching sent to lure us onto wrong paths in life.

We are to read and hide his Word in our hearts that we might be forewarned, forearmed and protected from the fiery darts of the devil, from our own deceitful nature, or our “old man”, that is our natural self before we became a new creation in Him. God is our fortress, our shield and buckler, protecting us from Satan who would seek to devour and destroy us. The more we study His word, the better equipped we become to discern the difference between good and evil, and become empowered to choose to be more Christ-like, that we may truly glorify God in all our ways.

His Word is one of the tools that He uses to melt and mold us more into His image. If we neglect so great a gift, or look upon it as just a collection of nice little stories written by mere men, then we have rejected the strength and guidance upon which we are to build our faith. To be rooted and grounded in His Word, is to have that rudder that keeps us steered in the right direction, just as a rudder of a ship keeps it heading toward its correct destination. For us, Believers and those who are seeking Him, He has provided His Word that we may be raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. He has said that His Word, inspired by His Holy Spirit, is for the express purpose of providing instruction, correction, and enlightenment for our eternal lives.

Our eternal life begins here on Earth, and leads either to our home in heaven, which He has prepared for us, or to an eternity in perpetual darkness and separation from Him forever. Neglecting the study of the Bible is as foolish as a carpenter going out to work with some of his most important tools missing from his tool belt. How can he expect to complete the job successfully without the proper equipment? If we are not rooted and grounded in His Word, our faith is merely built on the sinking sand of our own opinions, rather than the solid rock of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we do not study and hide His Word in our hearts, we will be led astray like lost sheep by any false gospel, prophet, or gods that arise on the scene of life.

Man does not live by bread alone but by every word from the mouth of God. He draws us closer to Him when we seek to communicate with Him through His Word. How can we hear from Him if we never listen? How can He direct, guide, strengthen, and help us through the storms of life if we never open His Word and yield ourselves to instructions? How can we place our trust in Him if we never seek His assurance and advice? Let us not choose to pattern our lives in the image of man, but in the image of God the Father as He reveals Himself to us by the power of His Holy Spirit through His written Word, the Bible, and through His Living Word, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

The Bible is a difficult book to read because it came from the one true God whose wisdom and knowledge is infinite. If man could read and understand the Bible as he does other books, then the Bible would just be another “natural” book, and could not be the Word of God. Since the Bible is from God, and therefore spiritual, before reading it one must first be born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. Without His guidance we can not understand the wisdom, or knowledge, of God. (I Cor. 2)

We are encouraged to let the “mind of Christ” dwell in us richly. We are also instructed to renew our minds by the “washing of the water of the Word.” How can we expect to truly learn day by day to be more like Christ if we do not trust in His Word to teach us to do so? Jesus is the Living Word and is revealed to us by His written Word. To let His will be done in our lives, we must allow the Holy Spirit to rewrite His story within us that our story will be a reflection of His story. Only then can His story be seen in our lives that we may help to draw others to Him. For it is when others can see Jesus in us that they are then drawn to have what we have- the Living Christ that draws all men unto Him that they too may have the peace that passes understanding and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. Oh that all would know, as the song says,

“He touched me, Oh He touched me,
And oh the joy that floods my soul!
Something happened and now I know
He touched me and made me whole.”

If God is for us, who can be against us? Nothing can separate us from the love of God. He never leaves us or forsakes us. It is not He that walks away from our side, but we who walk away from His side. By our own choice, we are either drawing closer to Him each day, or we are walking away from Him either by commission or omission. We are either hungering or thirsting to be filled daily by His Spirit and Word, or we are dining at the trough of the ways of the world that will never be able to quench our hunger or thirst.

When we are tempted to feel like “Where are you Lord and, if you are truly in control, why do you allow bad things to happen in my life?”, our first response should be to turn to Him in prayer and turn to His Word for assurance, peace, and direction. He knows the beginning from the end, while we just happen to be in the middle and can’t see the whole picture of our lives as He does. You know His Word tells us that there will be trials and tribulations in our lives, but He will always be with us and help us to get through them. He did not say that we would be spared any pain or suffering in this life. Look at Jesus. Was He not the Son of God? Yet He was not spared from enduring the ultimate pain of separation from His Father, and received the punishment for all of our sins when He died upon the Cross.

Yes, He set the ultimate example of what it means to yield to the will of the Father. He asked His Father, if possible, could He be spared this cup, but then He said “not my will be done, but yours Father.” If we trust in Him, we can be assured that He can take even those negative things in our lives to work out for the good, not to glorify ourselves, but to the glory of God Almighty. Our God reigns. We must choose to let Him reign in our lives and stop trying to put ourselves on the throne. A right relationship to and fellowship with the Lord should be our ultimate goal. May His Word live in us richly for it is far more precious than any silver or gold.

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The Government Is Not The United States - The People Are

Here I am again, “a voice crying in the wilderness”. At least that’s what it feels like. None is “so blind as he who will not see”. The roots of our countries problems started long ago and insidiously worked their way to the present dangers we face. Yes, a lot depends on whose ox is being gored.

In the beginning there were dissenters, and over the years these dissenters have presented many faces. A percentage of our citizens wanted to remain English. Today these dissenters have gained the upper hand and their intention is to rebuild our country in their image rather than abide by the dictates of our founding fathers.

As they’ve gained control of the ebb and flow of the world’s money, controlling industry with scare tactics such as global warming, and slowly chipping away at our individual freedoms, we are loosing ground. There is already talk of a multinational banking authority. The seeds of international law superceding our own laws are being planted. Global warming (although caused by fluctuations in solar radiation) is said to be caused by man. While only a handful of scientists still espouse this belief, unscrupulous politicians are using it in an attempt to control various industries. God forbid that we should listen to the thousands of scientists around the world who say that man made global warming is simply not true. The planet has actually been getting cooler since 1998.

The new stance of the United States is no longer “walk softly and carry a big stick” but rather to walk softly and when confronted – shrink into your sneakers.

Remember, “It rains on the just and the unjust all the same”. This could be said to mean that what is imposed by the few covers us all. In other words we are all subject to each other’s stupidity. Now we need to know the difference between ignorance and stupidity. Ignorance is a lack of knowledge. Stupidity is the lack of the ability to use knowledge.

Thomas Jefferson said, in essence, that if the people with little to loose ever found out how to vote themselves that which belongs to others would cause the foundations on which this country is based to shrivel and fall. This in my opinion was why this country was set up as a republic rather then a democracy. We, for instance, are not guaranteed happiness, but rather the pursuit of happiness. We are not guaranteed success in business, life or love, but rather have the right to try. In our country, stupid politicians and other career government officials apparently have decided that the pursuit of their happiness takes preeminence over the welfare of our country, our citizens and our constitution. Many of these people have never had a real job or have spent very little time in providing for themselves and their families. Those who have been nurturing at the fount of government plenty have, in their infinite wisdom, decided that they know better than we how we should live our lives. This has been referred to as big brother. As I have said in the past, our country was founded on Judeo-Christian principals and removal of these principals destroys the country.

I can’t imagine what life will be like in our country in twenty years or so. I probably won’t see all that much of what I fear come to pass as in all probability I will be dead by then. I really feel sorry for my children and grandchildren who will see the changes and won’t live in the wonderful country in which I grew up. I know I sound pessimistic about the future, but I judge what I see happening based on the changes I have already seen. Changes in the past have been slow and insidious; whereas changes in the past ten to fifteen years have been occurring exponentially. I, for example, was born during World War II when we were truly “one nation under God”. Since the forties, and perhaps before, there has been a concerted effort to remove all vestiges of the Christian God from our consciousness. I lived in Baltimore and was attending a public school when Madeline Murray O’Hare brought suit on behalf of her son to have prayer removed from the schools. The Lord got even however, by allowing her son (the object of her suit) to be born again and become a Christian minister.

PETA is a good example of the evil, which is rampant in today’s world. This group values animal life more than human life. Does this remind you of the Bible reference to those who worship the creation rather than the creator? The ACLU, under the guise of fighting for civil rights, has fought long and hard to undermine the ideals of our country.

Those of us who have studied history as well as His story realize that the Bible is in essence a textbook on life. On what do groups like the ACLU and PETA base their moral judgments and reasons for being alive? Karl Marx said he was right, and he is dead. Hitler said he was right, and he is dead. Stalin said he was right, and he is dead. Mohamed said he was right, and he is dead. Buddha said he was right, and he is dead. Jesus said he was right and therein I rest my case. You can base your life on the one true and living God, or some dead guy, or even something you make up yourself. Therein lies the rub. The choice is up to you. Base your life on fact or fable; there are consequences either way. The choice is life or death – choose life.

My wife has greater wisdom than I do. When I get all upset about what I see happening, she reminds me that these things must take place before the Lord can return. Isn’t it amazing how the Lord provides for us in our hours of need? We don’t like to see what is happening all around us, and yet it may all be part of the plan. I can’t see where the United States is mentioned in the end time writings of the Bible. Perhaps what we now see happening will continue, and diminish us to a point of insignificance in those times. If that is what must be –so be it.

Is it wrong of me to refer to those on the far left as bastards just because they have no founding fathers? Apparently they have no moral fiber as well. On April fifteenth of this year there were about 750 gatherings across the nation to protest our out of control government. They called them tea parties in remembrance of the Boston tea party just before our revolution. Reaction from the far left was that they were right wing radical, racists, bigots, disgusting, out of control, stupid, ignorant, sexually deviant and sponsored by wealthy corporations. Wow! The left is really scared! What are they afraid of? These gatherings were just plain Americans who are upset with the government being out of control and non responsive to the wishes of the people. What the left is really scared of is the truth. It is truly amazing when you realize the disgust and contempt that the far left has for the American people. Some would try to relegate all our present problems to the battle between Democrats and Republicans, right wing and left wing. This point of view however, is merely a smoke screen to distract us from of the reality that there really is a right and wrong in life.

Because I believe in God, our Constitution and other founding papers love my country, served in the military, own a gun, think that abortion is wrong under most circumstances, think that marriage is between one man and one woman; I am now considered by some to be a right wing extremist. Who is it that thinks that is what I am? There are those who are so far left, and right, in their thinking that that they hate anyone not also on the far fringes. The category I really qualify for is center right. If you doubt this fact, you need to reevaluate your own positions. The vitriol in current political discourse is something that has to be addressed. We can have different views and we may not even understand the other’s position, but we don’t need to hate each other.

In essence, what is happening in our country at the present time is the silent majority is not being silent anymore. This worries both, those on the far right, and the far left. This momentum of the people may not succeed in producing anything that will save our nation, but by God, I’m willing to help in the attempt.

If you don’t get any thing else from this – at least go to the following web sites –

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm

Rick Rahn

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Random Bible Questions/Insights

1. Why refrain from debate of the Word with unbelievers especially?

The Word tells us it is fruitless and only leads to strife because the unbeliever has no correct basis of thinking because their minds are “beclouded” by a lack of knowledge. All “right” thinking must be based upon faith in the wisdom of the Lord, not on man’s opinion. Right thinking is based upon faith in God, His Word, and the resurrection power of Christ.

Titus 3: 9 “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and striving about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.”

I Timothy 6: 3, 4, 5 “ If any man teach otherwise (than God and His doctrines), and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud (a fool), knowing nothing, but doting (being fond of) about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings. Perverse disputings of men of corrupt mind, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

I Timothy 1: 4 “Not to be teaching otherwise (against the doctrine of Jesus Christ), nor yet to be giving heed to stories and endless genealogies, the which bring arguings, rather than the stewardship of God which is in “faith.”

The following translation provides an even more complete understanding of the dilemma.
I Timothy 6: 4 “He (the unbeliever) is beclouded, knowing {nothing} rightly, But is diseased about questionings and word-battles out of which spring envy, strife, defamations, wicked surmisings, incessant quarrelings of men wholly corrupt in their mind and bereft of the truth- Supposing godliness to be {a means of gain}.

Furthermore, lest the reader think that I am being judgmental or arrogant in stating that an unbeliever has no “right thinking” within him, please consider the following scripture:

I Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
Remember that is not my personal statement, but rather from the Lord God Almighty. So if there is a disagreement, it must be with God, not me.

II Timothy 3: 16, 17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Each Christian is responsible for renewing his own mind by the “washing of the water of the word.” As a baby grows in knowledge in little daily steps, so does the Christian grow in his ability to gain “right thinking.” That growth to “think rightly” depends, to a great degree, upon our willingness to learn and receive instruction from the word of God. We are exhorted to study the word that we may be a “workman that need not be ashamed.”

2. The Balm of Gilead: balm is a medicinal gum. It is a sap that is obtained from certain trees and made into a suave or cream that relieves pain. Jesus

Christ is the Great Physician and is the true Balm of Gilead. Through His death and resurrection, He has provided the balm that cleanses and heals us from the pain of our sins. He has removed the “sting of death” from the believer.

In a recent prayer time for a loved one, the Holy Spirit spoke forth this proclamation. We were lifting the loved one up to the Lord. We looked upon Jesus, the Great Physician, holding this person in the peace of His loving arms, while the Holy Spirit covered the person with the Balm of Gilead providing soothing and calming power.

Later, I was led to search for the scriptures about the balm of Gilead. I have copied two of those scriptures below:

Jer. 8: 22 “Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?” (This is not a real question, but rather an expression of wonderment as to why those things had not been sought out, and provided for the recovery of the person in need.)

Jer. 51: 8 “…take balm for her pain, if so she may be healed.”

3.Why we are to refrain from letting persons, not even family and other loved ones, cause us to compromise on our stand upon the word of the Lord?

The following story is relayed in the book Fresh Wind Fresh Fire, pgs.157-163.

II Chronicles 14 and 15: tells of the story of Asa, the grandson of Solomon. He was not brought up to be a God fearing man, but at some point in his life he chose to truly seek the Lord and follow Him and Him alone. He ordered all symbols of foreign gods to be removed. Yet later he discovered that his own grandmother, Maacah, still had such a repulsive “ Asherah pole.” Not only did he cut down the pole, going even further, he deposed the woman from her throne as queen mother. One can only imagine the pressure that must have come against him. Can you hear the voices around him demanding that he consider the happiness and “feelings” of his very own Grandmother? “After all,” they might say, “doesn’t she deserve to have this last little bit of solace in her later years? What harm can a little pole do? How can you possibly even think of dethroning her? If you really love her, why not do all that you can to make her last years happy? Why not just let her have her way, and give her your undying support?” Yet when we do choose to be a respecter of man’s “feelings,” we are oblivious to the greater danger and harm that we are doing to that very person that we say we love so very much. For in so doing, we are supporting them in their sin, rather than letting them suffer the consequences of their behavior, in hopes that they may possibly come to see the error of their ways, repent, and be restored to a right standing with the Lord, and bask in His blessings.

As Christians today, we are constantly bombarded with social issues that are intended to influence us to compromise the word of God and our allegiance to Him. Can we not hear the voices of our fellow man luring us to “have compassion and tolerance?” Yet what is more important- considering the feelings of others, or standing strong for the advancement of the Kingdom of God? As Jim Cymbala
stated in his book, “Whatever God approves of comes first. Whatever grieves Him has to go.”

4. The gift of rebuke from a righteous man.

Related to the previous topic is a scripture that really jumped out and went to the core of me. None of us enjoys discipline at the time. However, it is part of the protection against the fiery darts of the powers and principalities of the darkness of this world. How many times have I been able to look back upon this scripture in thanksgiving to the Lord? It reminds me NOT to have “itchy ears” that would seek to only listen to words that I may want to hear that soothe my “feelings,” or agree with my “opinions,” but rather seek the words and ways of the Lord which may be hard for me to hear, but serve to refine me in His fire and mold me into His image.
Psalm 141: 5 “Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head:…”

I can only think of the many times that I have had to undergo suffering, because I would not learn a lesson the first time. If we don’t learn a lesson, then we are doomed to suffer again and again the same agony until we finally yield to Him, shunning our rebellious nature and seeking to let Christ live within us. I also ask the Lord to forgive me for being an enabler to others, helping sin become more entrenched in their lives.

5. How do we renew our minds that we may be able to think rightly?

The Bible warns us to become properly equipped in the wisdom of the Word that we will not be easily seduced by the darkness and hypocrisy of this world. II Timothy 3: 2-7 “ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

The Word tells us that the natural man without the “mind of Christ” is devoid of understanding and right thinking. We, who are made a new creation in Christ Jesus, are to submit ourselves to the daily infilling of the Holy Spirit that He may renew us daily in thought, word, and deed. Being a new creation in Christ does not mean that we are instantly grown in maturity, but that we are to seek His face daily that we may be made more and more into His image. Ephesians 4: 11- 15 And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets, and some, evangelists, and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting (equipping) of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying (building up) of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect (mature) man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight (tricks) of men, and cunning craftiness(cleverness), whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.

We are to guard against thinking and behaving as our old man (natural corruptible nature), which was our previous practice before we were made a new creation in Christ. Ephesians 4: 17, 18 “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity (emptiness) of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” We are reminded that our daily walk with the Lord is a process that is strengthened only in the relationship to the process whereby we seek to put off the old man (our old nature). Ephesians 4: 21- 24 “If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation (life) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts: and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness (holiness of truth).

6. Can we out-give the Lord? And does He invite us to let Him show forth just how much He wants to bless us?

Psalm 34. It includes the phrase "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good." Then the other scripture we had mentioned that goes along with the latter one in many ways is in Luke 6:38. The idea is not that we give to get, but rather that the Lord is so good to us if we but trust in Him in all things. "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete (use in measuring anything) withal it shall be measured to you again." Then Malachi 3:10,11 " Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." We can never out give the Lord as His crucifixion proved that He was will to leave the glory of heaven to give His very life for us that we may be saved by grace through faith in Him as our Savior and Lord. Isn't that a wonderful invitation that He has given us? If we will only turn to Him and give Him the chance to prove to us just how very much He does love us. Again, " Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good." No matter what trials and tribulations we may go through here on earth, thank the Lord that He has promised to be with us always to give us His peace that passes understanding and provide oil that turns any of our mourning into joy.

7. Where and what is true liberty?

II Corinthians 3: 17. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
The Lords not only gives liberty or freedom to do but freedom from-such as freedom from sin and freedom that gives us access to the things of the spirit as only the Lord’s Spirit can provide. Within the realm of freedom, it is God that gives man inalienable rights. Rights that are given by God are secure. Rights given by the state are never secure for they can be taken away from us at the whim of the state.

Liberty from the Spirit of the Lord is more than just human rights. True liberty deals with the freedom of choice. God grants us freedom, or free will, to choose to receive or reject Him as Lord and Savior. We have the liberty to choose to belong to ourselves or belong to Him. Man’s ways are right in his own eyes. What does that mean?

It means that there are no absolutes of right and wrong, for left to his own devices, man’s opinion of what is right and wrong is forever changing from day to day based upon what might seem acceptable at any time or place. Man, without God, just makes things up as He goes along; whereas, God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. When man chooses to belong to God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ, then His Spirit comes to live within us and thus redeems us from the enslavement to our fleshly lusts and desires and bestows upon us liberty to become more Christ-like as we yield our free will to Him. Liberty in the Lord grants us the spiritual liberty to receive all the promises of God granted to us within His Word, which includes the cloak of righteousness of Jesus Christ which was bestowed upon us when He took our sins upon Himself.

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The Oil Of Joy For Mourning

A prayer for strength in a time of trouble

At this point in time, Eddie, my nephew and son of Gail and Phil, has been told that the cancer has spread. He is preparing for an appointment with the oncologist this afternoon. I awoke this morning with each of them on my mind. Gail, my sister, and Phil demonstrated a commitment to be there in service to their son and his family in a manner that was inspirational to all from the very outset of an ordeal that was to last over the next three years. From birth, Eddie’s life had always been one of suffering through many trials and tribulations. At birth he had a condition that caused him to have a complete transfusion of blood. While an infant, it was made clear that he also had epilepsy that would play a major part in making him the kind of person that he was an over-comer, not a victim, of circumstances in life. Eddie’s last three years of life would be a testimony to all of the love of our Lord who provides strength, comfort, and courage to endure to the end. Anyone who knew this entire family could not help but be touched, and their own lives affected as they were blessed to observe and play a small part in the unfolding of their story. It is one thing to observe strength of an individual, but far greater is the opportunity to see the strength and love of God as He carries each person through an ordeal that displays the strength of God in the midst of human weakness.

Last night, the Lord impressed upon me a part of scripture concerning the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Whether we are enduring sickness, or just the trials and tribulations of daily life, we are drawn to remember that our God cares for us. Daily commitment to a time of prayer and communion with the Lord is a necessity if we are going to grow stronger in our faith in the Lord. Our prayer time is not meant to tell God what we need, for He already knows our needs even before we ask. Instead, our prayer time is meant to draw us closer to Him that we would be constantly reminded of the importance of trusting and depending upon Him every moment of our lives. How can we keep our relationship with one another or God strong and close if we do not seek to communicate with one another? God never stops listening and caring for us. It is we who often act as though He is not relevant in our lives. As I was thinking about Gail, Phil, Eddie and the situation for the whole family, I felt so at a loss. I wanted so very much to be there for them in their time of need, yet I felt empty and void of any word or action that could possibly be of help. I sought the Lord, to somehow give me a “word in season,” for our words are powerless, but His Word is strong and true.

The oil of joy kept repeating itself, yet I did not know exactly where the specific passage was. So this morning, I went to the computer and typing it in, I was led to Isaiah 61:1-3 and a commentary on its true significance and meaning. The passage gave me a mental image of how we can choose to sit in the ashes and rubble of our lives and be held in bondage to the despair of those ashes. Satan is given place in our lives when we let him keep us focused on our troubles and disappointments, rather than keeping our eyes on God who always takes us past the rubble and ashes of our lives and gives us the true hope of life through Jesus Christ.

All praise and glory be to the one true living God who never leaves or forsakes us. Thanks be to God who has given us His Word which is sharper than a two edged sword and does not go out an return void but accomplishes that which it was sent to do. We are carved in the palms of His hands. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God and is forever interceding for us.

Gail called before their meeting with the oncologist today. She asked for a time of prayer, so we joined together as prayer warriors now equipped for the battle by the Spirit and the Word. I was turning to Isaiah 61, but then the Lord led me first to Isaiah 50. We began in the unity of the Spirit for where two or more are gathered there also is the Spirit of the Lord. In our weakness He is made strong. Thank God for our Redeemer. And so we began:

Isaiah 50: 4-11 “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. I (Jesus) gave my back to the smitters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” (This is a partial picture of what Jesus suffered for us. He left His home in glory. He has felt all, and more, that we have felt, and endured all that we have endured. There is nothing that we can experience that He has not already suffered before us. As we face our trials and tribulations, we know that we have a Comforter who does not just imagine, but has known our entire sorrows a thousand fold.) “For the Lord God will help me; therefore, shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? Let us stand together: who is mine adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.” Isaiah 51: 1 “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Isaiah 61: 1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me: because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God: to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.”

None of us is guaranteed a tomorrow on this earth. We must remember that our time on earth is merely a short journey during which time we are given the opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life in Heaven through Jesus, or to reject Jesus and thus choose eternal life in Hell. We are given temporary “Earth suits” while we are walking towards our true home in Glory. Jesus has removed the sting of death for all who choose to believe on Him as Lord and Savior. We must not look upon the end of this mortal life as an end, but merely as the beginning of the rest and best of our lives in our true home. Jesus said that there were many mansions in heaven and He was going before us to prepare a place that where He was, we may be also. Thank you Lord that the good work that you have begun in us you will continue until we meet face to face in Glory Land. Praise you Lord that we are healed, either here or in Heaven, by His stripes.

Praise you Father, though there may be tears and sorrow in the here and now, you will wipe them all away. Though we may grieve for a period, you replace it with the Joy of the Lord to be our strength and the peace that passes all understanding. So we will continue to stand strong like a flint knowing that your grace is sufficient and that, having done all to stand, we shall continue to stand like a flint without wavering through Christ our Lord.

We know not why some are taken so young. But we do know from your word, some are taken from the evil to come. Your ways and thought are higher than ours. Most of all, we pray that thy will be done in our lives and on earth as it is in Heaven. Lord, we just thank you for the care and comfort that you give us and for the blessing of believing brothers and sisters. As you are forever interceding for us, help us to stand in the gap and intercede for one another also. Praise you Father that in our weakness you are made strong. By the power of your Holy Spirit within us, we choose not to wallow in the ashes of troubles of life but to rise above and go beyond by faith, cloaked in the garment of praise, into hope that you have provided. Because of you, we can know that when our life on Earth is ended we are dancing as King David danced, held in the loving arms of our Redeemer.

Grief and sorrow may come for a period, but He turns our sadness into joy everlasting.
Psalms 30: 3, 4, 10-12 “O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.” Earth has no sorrow that Jesus cannot heal.

Psalms 48: 14 “For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death.”

Psalms 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. “

Psalms 47 “Clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.”
Praise Him, Praise Him, Shout unto God with the voice of Praise!

Thank you Lord, the garment of praise lifts and overcomes the spirit of heaviness. We trust in thee, O Lord. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

Ginger Rahn

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