Posted on 05/16/2013 4:59:37 PM PDT by kindred
My dear friends, I know I'm going to get it for this post but in love I must say it (2 Cor. 12:15). Someone has to and it might as well be me. For the past 5 years I have been feeling the spiritual temperature at Free Republic and other conservative forums and have found that moral and biblical relativism, biblical ignorance, conservative optimism, Christian ecumenicalism and the outright rejection of the TRUE Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12, Rom. 10:2-4, 1 Cor. 15:1-4, Eph. 2:8-9) nearly dominate this and other conservative forums. Thank God for Free Republic, they do a great job, are sincere and mean well and are a great group of people who truly love America and conservatism as I do, but... that in itself is not enough to aid us in this dire hour. An individual today has to see the complete ETERNAL picture and that includes biblical REALITY and the reception of it. Conservatism without a saving relationship to Jesus Christ as the Holy Scriptures clearly teach is ETERNALLY bankrupt.
American conservatives of today are no different from the Pharisees of Jesus day. These were conservative, moral, go to "church" to put it in our day language and were quite familiar with the Old Testament, but when push came to shove they outright rejected Almighty God's righteousness and saving solution for their souls in SPIRIT and TRUTH and held their traditions and conservatism above the Word of Almighty God.
Thank God for some God fearing, Bible believing, evangelical presence at Free Republic, who help point America's conservatives to the Gospel, the REALITY of the hour and Almighty God's biblical perspective, but sadly these are usually scoffed at and laughed to scorn by American conservatives who are lost and without a saving relationship to Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel (Isa. 53, Matt. 7:21-32, Rom. 10:2-4, 1 Cor. 2:14). Tragically the dominant spirit there is one of unbelief, subjective conservative optimism, spiritual delusion and ETERNAL blindness (Rom. 10:2-4). The temperature and pulse of American conservatives who actually believe the Bible and its saving message is near dead and ice cold. That is a heart breaking reality that God the Father has had to show me these last five years and with tears in my eyes I wish I could change that but I cannot choose for an individual to receive the Savior. American conservatives of today are no different from the Pharisees of Jesus day. These were conservative, moral, go to "church" to put it in our day language and were quite familiar with the Old Testament but when push came to shove they outright rejected Almighty God's righteousness and saving solution for their souls in SPIRIT and TRUTH (John 4:24) and held their traditions and conservatism above the Word of Almighty God (Matt. 15:1-20, Rom.10:1-4).
The temperature and climate of American conservatives who actually believe the Bible and its saving message is dead and ice cold and that is a heart breaking reality that God the Father has had to show me.
My dear friends, oh how we need Divine REALITY today and not delusional optimism and worldly solutions for our EXPONENTIAL global crises. Almighty God cries out to you all day long but will YOU receive Him and His ETERNAL solutions for your life? That is the biggest question ALL must ask themselves in these last days. All these current events and crises of our global community are self induced by the lawless and godless works of fallen man and are driving this world straight into the Day of the Lord (Rom. 1:18-32, Gal. 6:7, Rev. 6-19). These products or fruits of evil men and their consequences are left in place to bring us to the brink of our delusions so that we may come out of our subjective selves and show us our desperate need for the Savior, His pardon, and His RIGHTEOUSNESS.
My dear friends, WHAT WILL YOU DO? Will you continue to look for worldly solutions and conservative human saviors or will you finally come to the end of yourself and receive the KING of kings and LORD of lords who is the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR and PRINCE of PEACE.
My dear friends, WHAT WILL YOU DO? Will you continue to look for worldly solutions and conservative human saviors or will you finally come to the end of yourself and receive the KING of kings and LORD of lords who is the WONDERFUL COUNSELOR and PRINCE of PEACE (Isa. 9:6-7, Rev. 19:11-16). All ETERNITY is before us and our brief existence in this fallen world is about gone. See the ETERNAL, see the Savior, see the REALITY and you will find the liberation and peace of Almighty God that will calm your hearts in America's last hours.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved!" (Acts 16:29)!
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!
Many children are led to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, either in a vacation Bible school or neighborhood Bible Time, often on a Sunday school bus ride . . . and then later on in life through bad associations, physical weakness and doubts, or rebellion towards biblical principles reject their walk with God.
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I grew up with a Mother that was the Daughter of a Minister and a Father that was a hard core Roman Catholic. I attended Sunday School and church regularly. Both of my parents maintained their faith, however I was NEVER preached to, or expected to be a Christian growing up.
They let me find Christ on my own.
I found Christ as the result of a very long journey.
I see soo many kids, young kids that can recite the word because they have learned what their parents have expected from them, but they don’t really understand what the words mean.
These kids seem to rebel as they are exposed to the world around them with the social pressures and a natural desire for exploration. These kids grow up and become vocal critics of Christianity.
I don’t believe salvation rests on going through the motions or being indoctrinated as a matter of circumstance.
It seems to me salvation must entail the proactive, conscience and thoughtful acceptance.
Without that, we might as well be Jewish.
Ain't gonna kneel down and pray that the bad guys knock it off being bad guys.
I'll stand up and whack those bastards a bit harder than they try to whack me.
Might pray about it after.
The essence of the correct approach!
CA....
I walk in no other man’s shoes, (I’m a MRSA carrier), evoke no one else’s liturgy (I am an American, I refuse), follow no one else’s path (the ugly wreaking aroma of the herd-followers’ droppings on either side is reason enough), so what will -I- do? Thomas Jefferson said to question your faith boldly. So, there is no question, nor answer that I solicit from you.
I watched that already.
Very cool.
These are my efforts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXjMgokqHxE
The contrast of the Lyrics and the speech and the music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KYk7N86iVw
And finally, this piece that expresses the sad, but an inevitable expression of the next war.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYn9JF0TSgw
YES and in hope can be turned around!
Thanks!
So, there is no question, nor answer that I solicit from you.
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Fair enough.
Just curious, do the questions you have ever get answered ?
Do they lead to more questions ?
Do you think your questions CAN be answered ?
“The less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine.”
Indigo Girls - Closer To Fine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUgwM1Ky228
Just BELIEVE!
Just BELIEVE!
The scandals of this week prove we are in trouble.
Oh boy is right. This is gonna be good.
I think the Ignorant Fisherman is right on. But I would say this (and I’m sure he’d agree) the scripture says that judgement must begin at the house of the Lord and in another place Paul says that it is through many tribulations and trials that we enter the Kingdom of God. The real repentance must begin with the Christians. It is we that need to be the first to step out and deny self, show humility and love and bear the yoke of training - take out the log from your eye so you can see the splinter in your brother’s eye. This is impossible apart from the work of God’s Holy Spirit. By going through difficulties we get our rough edges rounded off a little, become less argumentative and better listeners and less self-righteous and more like our Savior. Loving people that have gone through the fires of trials are quick to hear, slow to speak and even slower to judge. We have to strike a balance between truth and grace. God’s truth is settled and we dare not compromise it - but we shouldn’t beat them over the head with it either. Grace is important too because ALL of us need(ed) it and none of us deserve it. But grace apart from truth will never confront sin in our own lives or in the lives of others. Only the Holy Spirit working in the heart of an obedient believer can strike the necessary balance between these two truths.
Our problems in America are almost all problems of the heart - morality - but no one wants to go there or really deal with it. The Ignorant Fisherman is correct - there is no political or economic solution. We need those but they are not the first things. There may be nothing that turns our nation around. We probably will go from bad to worse. It seems we have gone beyond the tipping point. It’s very possible that sever persecution is coming to Christians. Look what has been happening in other nations to believers. I’m reminded of the hymn “Am I a Soldier of the Cross” where it says, “Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas?” When all the do do starts happening and Christians are seen as people that go out of their way to help and love others at great cost to themselves as the world dumps their hatred upon us, the lost of this world will notice. Not all of them - but some will and maybe in the process some will come to love Christ because they see Him in us. Isn’t that better than all the scripture throwing, hand wringing and self righteousness attitudes that characterize so much of modern American Christianity? I’m not accusing anyone here but I’ve heard so many times from people that aren’t Christians that this is what turns many of them off. And really, there are a lot of people - and I’m talking Christians or so called Christians - that want America to be “saved” so they can go on with their “lifestyle” and pursue their selfish goals only throwing a bone in God’s direction once in awhile. All that has to end and hard times are often a good way to accomplish it. I don’t want to suffer anymore than anyone else but if it is what it takes to be that living sacrifice…
The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
By the way here’s a great video - especially if you’re Jewish but it’s good for everybody as well. It’s in Hebrew with English subtitles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UedSobu_HF8
Amen!
“I think I understand what you mean. I would agree that unless a faith/religion actively campaigns, it will not expand, and might disappear.”
You do not understand what I mean if you speak of my intentions as merely a “campaign” to extend a movement. I do not even hold that if man fails, that God will fail. It is God, after all, who is in charge.
This is about the salvation of souls by the unmerited grace of God, available for all those who confess the Lord Jesus Christ. This is about a spiritual regeneration, a new life, which no one can truly understand until God has done it in them.
“I think what I was trying to say is that in order to be successful at telling others what to do, ONE MUST MASTER HIMSELF.”
Paul, who described himself as a wicked man, was quite pleased whenever the Gospel of Christ was preached at all:
Php 1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
Not that he wasn’t concerned about poor ministers, of course... but, nevertheless, if perfection is required before preaching, then no one would ever preach at all.
Rom_3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Your position simply does not exist in the scripture. To attempt to dissuade Gospel preaching is, rather, a great crime against man and rebellion against God.
“The only guy I know who mastered himself, was this one.”
And He is the one who commanded us fallible folks to preach the Gospel. Try again.
“I am sick and tired of people telling me that their faith is superior to my reason. “
From the Biblical perspective, only Christians have any reason at all. The world is totally mad.
“What we need is fewer people telling us all what we need.”
I think we need more of them:
Rom_10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
“How are you any different than a “progressive”.”
Progressives agree with you and want us gone.
“If your kind ever get into power you will be no better.”
That’s what the progressives say. Just google site:Moveon.org Theocracy and give it a read.
“How about believing in Liberty and individualism.”
We already do. We believe that the man in his sin is the slave of sin, and that freedom is effected by Jesus Christ.
“That is what this country was founded on.”
Our Founders, like Samuel Adams or George Washington, would assert we were founded by God.
“I’ll tell you this, if this country falls to a dictatorship it won’t be of the progressive kind. Those ideas have so thoroughly failed, as we are all about to witness. No it will be the hatred of the mind and reason that will open the door for the next dictator to take control and it will be people like you who will be the first to agree.”
Great, you just told half the website they’re something like fascists in waiting.
I kinda understand the point about being more spiritual, but someone like me would be a hypocrite for flashing the Bible in other people’s faces. The religion thing is a delicate issue for all of us. I’m not big on preaching to the world and telling others they should too, but if somebody asks about my faith I will say I go to Mass every Sunday and leave it at that. It reminds me of a story. A few years ago, I knew an atheist who always joked to me and his friends about me going to Church. Then a year later, I saw him at Mass. I asked him why and he said, “if an SOB like you can go to Mass then I guess these Church doors are open for people like me too.”
Zeneta wrote:
“Just curious, do the questions you have ever get answered ?
Do they lead to more questions ?
Do you think your questions CAN be answered ?”
1. Yes, they do, from the most unlikely of sources, as long as I can keep my mouth shut, my eyes open, my monkey mind (Buddhist term I borrowed) froma a thousand ‘what if’s’, and accept the answer, as it is, instead of, “Nah! That CAN”T be!”
2. My mind is not “why, why, why WHY?” I operate in the more logical, “If it is x, then it is ‘yes’. If it is not x, then it is ‘no’.” Anything outside of these parameters, for what ever reason, I just smile, and say ‘ok’, and go on.
3. Yes, I do. It is harder for someone to sit there, and tell me that Deity will not provide a means to seeking what I inquire about, then for someone, anyone or me to approach Deity boldly, and seek answers of things I know not.
All of my questions are ‘how’. The why’s come in that moment of forehead slap, or that moment of clarity that becomes ‘yes’. The when’s I don’t ask, I’m 60, so why mess up the happiness I have in being 60? I never expected to live past 21! The who’s don’t get asked, because it is up to me for the who part. The what’s are among the watch and see department. The where’s get the watchful eyes. too.
I believe that this will answer your questions. I was schooled by a Yiddish friend, when the time was right. I was mentored by a lay Messianic minister, another time, when I needed to learn a few more things. I am a card-carrying ordained priest through the Universal Life Church. Does that mean that I’ve stopped learning? NOPE!!!
Very well put.
GOD bless.
Thank you for the post and GOD bless you and keep you safe.
LLS
“22 Seems to say to have God in your heart and do not condemn another for his beliefs.”
Try to find that statement in islam... anywhere but in the practice of Taqiyya.
LLS
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