“The prerequisite to peace is victory.”
. —–Rush Limbaugh (about 4 years ago)
BUILD A BETTER MOUSETRAP
November 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Try to picture this description of a political cartoon, in two frames:
A small hand reaches through a hole in the wall, offering a piece of cheese to a large mouse on the other side.
In small letters the hand is labeled “gov’t.”
In large letters the mouse is labeled “AMERICAN.”
The second frame shows the mouse (now very small) and the cheese both in the closed fist of the hand (now very large).
Now in very large letters the hand is labeled “GOVERNMENT.”
Now in very small letters the mouse is labeled “amer. . . ” (not legible)
So much for “free” government handouts.
THIS MEANS WAR
November 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment
A quote from Ravi Zacharias yesterday on American Family Radio:
“The difference between warfare in the world and the spiritual warfare of Christians is this:
The purpose of warfare in the world is to destroy the enemy.
The purpose of the spiritual warfare of Christians is to win the enemy over. This is much harder.”
PRODIGAL SON(S)
November 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment
(deeper spiritual lesson here—perhaps for limited audience—but open invitation to all)
I would draw attention to the (s).
There are rightly two prodigal sons in the story.
There is one that gets the attention—but gets right when he gets on the road for home, before he gets the attention.
The other does not get right—even though he has been faithfully working “at home” all the time, he cannot enter his father’s house in response to his father’s pleading invitation.
How about you?
Are you a son or daughter of the Father? Have you accepted Jesus as your King and surrendered everything?
Then what?
Decide which path of the two prodigal sons you will take.
As I said a few days ago (11-16-12 “THE REMNANT REVOLTS”), God’s true followers wander and need to return.
Some of us have wandered into “far countries” and done it all, and gotten broken, and come to our senses, and returned home.
Some of us have been “so good” working outside the house, and think we deserve something for it, and miss the invitation to the party. We think we’re better than the “other”.
The older son had his reasons, and so do we.
Please, don’t miss the party.
VOTING CHANGES . . . ? ? ?
November 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Does voting change . . . ?
or
Does voting reflect . . . ?
This time it reflects . . .
It reflects the pervasive influence of evil in America.
It reflects the pervasive influence of evil in the media.
It reflects the spiritual void without Christian influence, that is now filled with unthinkable abominations of killing babies and killing families and killing capitalism.
Culture may influence change in voting.
Voting may influence change in policy.
But nothing changes God’s truths and God’s plans.
America today reflects what our forefathers said was impossible—to rightly govern without God and the Bible.
! ! ! GAME DAY ! ! !
November 18, 2012 By 2 Comments
CHRISTIANS—IT’S GAME DAY!
WAKE UP!
RISE AND SHINE!
This is the day you’ve been training for.
This is the day you’ve been waiting for.
This is not the day to stay home and study the playbook.
This is not the day to show up for practice.
This is not the day to show up in street clothes (camouflage).
This is the day to get your uniforms on and be identified.
This is the real thing.
This is the first real game for most of you (in America).
Don’t get me wrong—you will need your playbook.
This is the day it sure would help if you had your playbook memorized.
This is the day the Coach will not be pushing you through tough drills.
This is the day you will be tested by the opposing team.
This is the day you signed up for.
This is the game day the Coach scheduled.
This is the opponent the Coach arranged.
This is “the game,” and it will get ugly, bloody, and desperate.
This is the day you find out if you’re on the team, or just thought so.
This is the day many will look for another team.
This is the day you find out how much you need the Coach on the field.
Don’t quit.
COMING OUT OF THE SANCTUARY
November 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment
U.S. Senator Jim DeMint said, “American pastors, you must open your mouths and speak out, or we will lose this country.”
If people who sit in your sanctuary and listen to you for spiritual direction for their life—if they go home and listen to the mainstream media and entertainment for secular direction for the rest of their life, how are they going to vote?
We will all be 100% involved in the consequences of evil leaders.
“Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress, into a broad place where there is no restraint; and what is set on your table would be full of richness. But you are filled with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice take hold of you.”
Why should we not be involved in the promotion of righteousness and righteous leaders and the exposure and defeat of evil leaders?
Preachers of America, come out of the sanctuary in your sermons. Show your people what the Bible says about all the stuff they deal with every day.
It’s time to expose the unconstitutional “separation of church and state” that has perpetrated “separation of pulpit and pew” and “separation of faith and politics.”
Preachers’ silence on any current issue simply confirms everything the audience hears from the anti-God Downstream Media. You can’t assume that preaching salvation (and stopping there) will see the hearer arrive at the right answers to the culture.
PRIORITIES IN TOUGH TIMES – – – REALLY TOUGH TIMES
November 16, 2012 By 2 Comments
In tough times you start checking off what you will stop buying.
Make a list now of everything you get with money.
Number the items in order—things you might do without buying.
Add to your list, and change numbers, as you think about your priorities.
You can also mark items from the other end—things you can’t do without buying.
How many items are on your bottom line list, that you must buy?
May I suggest there are only two items that you must buy, in good times and bad—FOOD and CLOTHES.
“Having food and clothes—be content with that.” —–His Book
You buy food—you buy clothes—you choose contentment, which you can’t buy.
Your treasure determines where your heart is.
Your heart determines your contentment.
THE REMNANT REVOLTS – – –
November 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
What is “The Remnant”?
(a few thoughts before I answer the question)
Sometimes the remnant is in the majority—
. —then the remnant falls asleep.
Sometimes the remnant is persecuted—
. —then the remnant strengthens.
Sometimes the remnant wins—
. —then the remnant relaxes.
Sometimes the remnant loses—
. —then the remnant wanders.
Sometimes the remnant is focused—
. —then the remnant is powerful.
Sometimes the remnant loses its focus—
. —then the remnant searches its soul.
Sometimes the remnant tries harder to fit in—
. —then the remnant loses its identity.
Sometimes the remnant identifies with a political party—
. —then the remnant loses its message.
Sometimes the remnant is afraid to speak out—
. —then the remnant becomes weak.
Sometimes the remnant is divided—
. —then the remnant loses its influence.
Sometimes the remnant thinks it is losing—
. —then the remnant becomes discouraged.
Sometimes the remnant thinks it doesn’t count—
. —then the remnant thinks it is too small.
Sometimes the remnant is hit with “divide and conquer”—
. —then the remnant individuals say, “I’m the only one left.”
On that note I shift from singular to plural.
Sometimes the remnant forget who they are—
Sometimes the remnant forget whose they are—
Sometimes the remnant forget why they are—
Sometimes the remnant forget how to revive—
Sometimes the remnant forget how to recover their influence—
So, now we have three questions:
What is “The Remnant”? (actually, What are “The Remnant”?)
How do they revive?
How do they recover their influence?
N0w, here is where I’ll lose some of you to “ho-hum” or “defensive.”
The Remnant exist continuously through all history, and today.
The Remnant are usually a minority, with potential influence far beyond their numbers.
The Remnant go through all the phases listed above, and more.
The Remnant are often invisible, with usual mistaken identity.
The Remnant are always on the winning side in the end.
(please re-read all the above after you read what follows—and think)
What are “The Remnant”?
The Remnant are those people who surrender everything to Jesus, and who live that way no matter what the cost or consequences. The Bible is their guide for everything in life, and it works just as it is written.
How do they revive?
The hard fact is that God’s people, His true followers, wander and lose their focus on Him and His Word. They fall under the world’s influence, and God has to bring them back—with whatever it takes. Sometimes “the goodness of God leads to repentance,” sometimes the warning of God leads to repentance, and sometimes the judgment of God leads to repentance. The longer the frog stays in the heating water, the harder it is to get out, and some don’t make it. So the remnant get refined before they get revived. Refined means everything not pure is gone.
How do they recover their influence?
Business as usual does not restore the remnant’s influence.
Trying harder with some of the world and some of God doesn’t work.
The rightful influence of the remnant on the culture is automatically restored when supernatural changes happen inside individuals—seeking God over deep, convicting sorrow for sin. When everything lukewarm and double-minded gets purged from a person, that person will pray like never before, read the Bible like never before, and the fire inside will make a difference to others.
And back to the title of this piece:
When The Remnant restore their identity with God, revive their intimacy with God, and recover their influence from God, their revolutionary impact on the world, will follow. Then, . . .
. . . read the postings on
3-7-12 USA—AT THE CROSSROADS
9-11-12 REVIVAL ?
10-17-12 ELECTION CORRECTION—SOLUTION OR DREAM
BEFORE – – -TECHNOLOGY – – – AFTER
November 15, 2012 By 2 Comments
Before technology, did we know we were worse off?
Were we worse then?
or
Worry worse now?
(good one to say aloud, and then explain if they don’t get it)