Truth ? - I'm Afraid It's Been Left Behind

HT: The Tigress

Books and Film Can Have An Extremely Positive Effect On Christian Belief

How many people would argue that The Passion of the Christ didn't have a good influence on Christian belief? Perhaps a non-believer would but not the millions that have seen the film world-wide. The plethora of well written Christian books also play an important positive role.

Books and Film Can Also Have An Extremely Negative Effect On Christian Belief !

The Left Behind series has sold well over 40,000,000 copies! It has made co-authors Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye very wealthy. Tyndale publishing has made a killing on this "fictional" 12 book series. At least two feature length films have been produced as well. Although I think both men are very sincere Christians, their books are unfortunately and decidedly non-biblical!

The story revolves around the biblical end times. It presents a view which has become a mainstay teaching in many, many churches today; the concept of an invisible secret rapture, a 7 year tribulation afterwards, with Jesus' Second Coming at the end of the 7 years. This view is actually a mix of the teachings of John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) and Jesuit Priest Francisco Ribera (1537-1591) - not biblical text!

Darby is the creator of what's called dispensationalism; a rigidly applied literalism in the interpretation of Scripture, a compartmentalization of Scripture into "dispensations," and a dichotomy between Israel and the Church. Dispensationalists believe "this present world system . . . is now controlled by Satan" (not by God) and will end in failure and apostasy. Darby also taught something quite unique (at the time) in biblical eschatology - he taught that the Rapture was secret and silent, only noticed by Christians.

Ribera was a Jesuit; a member of that elite order created for one purpose - to combat the Protestant Reformation! In order to deflect the blow of the increasing awareness of the Papacy-Beast as described by the Prophet Daniel, Ribera created Futurism. Futurism takes Daniel's 70th week of prophecy (relating to the Messiah), assigns the prophetic message to a future antiChrist and moves that 70th week "willy-nilly" (2400 year gap) to the end times.

Both of these "teachings" are false and non-biblical yet they are taught as biblical truth in many churches, Catholic and Protestant, and are core to the plot of Left Behind. Incidentally, a third false teaching was also created by a Jesuit. His name was Luis De Alcazar (1554-1613). Alcazar taught that the anti-Christ was the Emperor Nero, again to deflect the awareness of the Papacy-Beast. This teaching has a popular modern book associated with it as well. It's called, The Last Disciple and is also published by Tyndale.

Whew! OK! That's the background! Now, to the Bible Scriptures. Please look them up! : )

First of all, good news, the Bible does teach that Christ will return for his people (John 14). It also teaches that Christians will be "raptured" (1 Thess 4:13). It also teaches a tribulation will occur! Nowhere does it say for 7 years. The 7 years is a fabrication of Ribera and later adopted by Darby.

Is the rapture silent?

Here is the "proof" used for the silent rapture.

1 Thessalonians 5
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

The "thief in the night" reference is said to be proof that, as a thief is quiet when entering a house to rob it, so shall the rapture be! But guess what! When you study the original words it really means "suddenly" as when a thief appears in your house suddenly and you discover him! How can I be sure of this? Because the rest of Scripture says very plainly that the "day of the Lord" will be loud and boisterous, not quiet!

1 Thessalonians 4
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Did you notice two other important things? The Dead In Christ shall rise first! So much for the pagan belief that we go immediately to heaven or hell upon death. Also, did you notice that those people "left behind" face SUDDEN DESTRUCTION (1 Thess. 5)! How can that be if they have a 7 year tribulation left to serve?

The answer is that ALL of us will serve through the great tribulation before the Rapture!

Just as Noah and his family served through the flood, just as Daniel served through the lion's den, just as his 3 friends served through the furnace, just as Moses and his people served through the plagues - we will serve through the great tribulation of UNKNOWN LENGTH!

Matthew 24:29 [ The Coming of the Son of Man ] “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Revelation 7:9 [ A Multitude from the Great Tribulation ] After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

Revelation 7:14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Another piece of scripture quoted by "Left Behinders" is this:

Matthew 24
[No One Knows the Day or Hour] 36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

They quote this but don't read other Scripture. One will be taken (in the rapture) and one will be left behind (for sudden destruction). Did you notice how the thief reference is used again? This time it's more clear that the meaning is that the event will be sudden and at an hour you do not expect.

Yes, books can have a wonderfully good influence on Christian teaching but they can also confuse and mislead generations! Don't be mislead - read your bible - do not follow the traditions of men - do not believe those fables that would try to deceive even the elect!

The Observer

The False Verses The True

Let's Play A Real Life Game of Jeopardy !

... don't forget to answer in the form of a question!

For $2000 Alex, this person has the following characteristics:


- he is the "Light of the World."

- he is "the image that shines on them"

- he "comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see him."

- he is from "the beginning and the end"

- he is their Lord which comes as a "Thief in the Night"

- he causes the end where "the elements will be dissolved with fire and the earth and everything done on it will be burned up."

- he has "eyes that are like fire"

- he is "a consuming fire"

- he "brings fire down from heaven"

- he is celebrated every year on Dec 25th !

- his special day of honor is Sunday

- his followers participate in full immersion baptism

- his believers had a "Lord's Supper"

- and last but not least, his symbol is a Cross!

Is your answer; Who is Jesus Christ? ... Alex?

Oh no! Sorry ....! Wrong answer!

Of course, the above characteristics can and do apply to Jesus Christ but they also apply to Helios, Apollo, Zeus, Horus, Baal, and Mithra(s). Another name for Mithras was Tammuz, usually depicted as a "golden" child - a child of the sun.

Satan is and was a liar from the beginning and his entire focus is on giving us a false god to serve. Satan's goal is to confuse the simple, loving worship of the Creator of All Things and substitute Him with something, anything else.

Mithraists were also taught they had immortal souls that went to a celestial heaven or an infernal hell at death.

Sunday, the 1st day of the week is the Venerable Day of the Sun. The sun's "followers" or "disciples" are the 12 months and the 12 signs of the Zodiac, through which the sun passes. The sun is "crucified," when it passes through the spring and fall equinoxes, the vernal equinox being Easter (another pagan god), at which time it is resurrected. The long stem cross represented the staff of Apollo.

The ULTIMATE name for this collection of false gods is: Sol Invictus Deo (the Invincible Sun god)

Although the Apostolic Church never associated December 25th with Christ and never worshipped on Sunday; later, the early Roman Church eagerly promoted Jesus-Helios-Sol sun symbolism to appease the Roman emperor Constantine who was the high priest of Sol Invictus all through his reign. The sun symbolism continues to the present day on robes, banners, icons, behind the cross in a ray of light, flames coming from the heart of Jesus, etc. Priests even bow and kiss a monstrance which is a gold statue of the sun on a pedestal during processions. This monstrance is taken directly from the worship of Sol Invictus.

The importance of study and discernment concerning pagan influences on Christianity cannot be overstated! We must return to the simple, loving worship of the true God. This "apostolic" first century style worship is the hallmark of the Remnant Church and will be active in the last days. And again, please understand I'm not picking on our Catholic friends. Members of the Remnant Church will indeed be Catholics along with all the others. Come out of her my friends. Ignore the calling of pagan myth and practice the true faith in Christ.

As my Blog page states; "Truth Can Be Brutal". The Prophet Daniel described the rise of "the Beast" and plainly laid it in Rome's lap! We all place ourselves in Jeopardy if we don't begin to understand this.

The Observer

Washington Times Editorial Cartoon

The Observer

Why Do Bible Versions Matter ?

Most Christians have their favorite version of the Bible. Some like the newer versions, some like the old. Regardless of the version you use, the Holy Bible is a book believed to be divinely inspired and guided. When we enter into a discussion of this topic we must understand and keep in mind certain things.

1. Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. By reading the "Word" our confidence grows in it. It builds our faith and provides a firm foundation.

2. 1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

3. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness ...

4. 1 Peter 1:23 ... having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, ... The Word of God has not been hidden away, but has been preserved in records and even the hearts and minds of men.

Just as we do not select and build a doctrine on one Bible verse alone, we also do not select and build Scripture on one manuscript alone. The various manuscripts have also been tested, reproved, corrected, and revised; within the various versions. Naturally, some manuscripts; Greek, Hebrew, Latin or otherwise have come up to the "top" just as cream rises in raw milk. One must also remember that the manuscripts come in bits and pieces at times and from differing historical figures; some trustworthy, some not so much. But "Tiger", you might say, "men have selected these manuscripts - men who sin like the rest of us!". Yes, that's right! But! They have been guided by the Holy Spirit! You either believe this or you don't.

Another thing to realize is that Chapters, Verse numbers, and all Punctuation DO NOT EXIST in the MANUSCRIPTS! We, man, added that and have caused some problems. Here is a classic example of what I mean (Jesus speaks to the thief on the cross):

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

... the manuscripts simply say;

Assuredly I say to you today you will be with Me in Paradise

Now, look at this:

Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise

or, is it;

Assuredly I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise

That one has created all sorts of consternation! When ALL of the Scripture is studied, you discover that Jesus states over and over that the dead are dead and that even He did not go to Paradise immediately after he died on the cross. Remember? ... do not touch me, I have not yet ascended to my Father ... ?

In the below blog entry, the "Teaser" example, the section of scripture that uses an older manuscript actually is the one that is less accurate! This is important to note, because, as stated above, doctrine should not be built just on one verse or one manuscript. Some churches baptize babies but "verified" Scripture says that one must be adult and aware enough to understand who Christ really was (is) before proceeding with such a serious action. It's no wonder so many different Sects are around with so many different ideas.

The study of all the various manuscripts and all the various academic arguments surrounding the "choices" made takes volumes of books, several panels of PhD's, and about 2000 + years! : ) So, we will have to be satisfied with a "Cliff Notes" version of the argument, if you will.

I have promised the Tigress I will take a week off from my all my activities and take some vacation time. In the meantime, I offer a wonderfully written "Cliff Notes" argument for the sake of this study.

It is located HERE and can be downloaded as a PDF or seen as an HTML document! I strongly recommend the PDF document as it is much more comprehensive!

Happy reading and I'll see you in 7 to 10 days. Feel free to leave comment.

Regards,
Tiger

The Observer

The - "Why Do Bible Versions Matter ?" - Teaser

Do Bible Versions Matter? - Teaser

Christ Is Preached to an Ethiopian - NKJV

Acts 8

34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.

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Christ Is Preached to an Ethiopian - NIV

Acts 8

34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

?

The Observer

The "Big 10" - No, Not The Football Conference

Are The 10 Commandments In Force Today?

Have The Commandments of God Been "Nailed To The Cross"?

Which "10" Do You Know?

Is It Proper For Man To Change Laws, Written In Stone By The Finger Of God?

Does "Law" and moral behavior come from man or God? In these "modern" times is a code of moral behavior passe and should we be able to do what we wish as long as it doesn't hurt anyone? Most people will acknowledge it's a good thing not to steal, lie, and murder; but the 10 Commandments of the Bible are much more than that!

The "Big 10" are enumerated twice in scripture; Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. Here's the Deuteronomy presentation (NKJV):

1 And Moses called all Israel, and said to them: “Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your hearing today, that you may learn them and be careful to observe them. 2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, those who are here today, all of us who are alive. 4 The LORD talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire. 5 I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up the mountain. He said:

6 [I] ‘I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 7 ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.

8 [II] ‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 9 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 10 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

11 [III] ‘You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

12 [IV] ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. 15 And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

16 [V] ‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

17 [VI] ‘You shall not murder.

18 [VII] ‘You shall not commit adultery.

19 [VIII] ‘You shall not steal.

20 [IX] ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

21 [X] ‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’

22 “These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.

Notice that they're longer and more descriptive than most of us remember. Also notice that the first 4 have everything to do with our relationship to God, while the last 6 concern our relationship with each other. Some will argue that Moses learned these laws from earlier Egyptian texts, but in Christianity this a false precept. In the Judeo-Christian world you are asked DIRECTLY to either believe in God (Christ) or believe in a falsehood created by man and/or Satan. God wrote these laws and gave them to Moses. Also, remember that the "Big 10", on tablets of stone, were kept in the Ark of the Covenant. This attaches supreme, undeniable importance to the Commandments.

The "Levitican" laws, or, the Laws of Moses, were written on parchment and kept in a side-pocket outside of the Ark. In other words, the "Levitican" laws are man-made and have less importance.

Our Catholic brothers and sisters may notice that the "Decalogue" they were taught is different than what scripture says. ... More on that later ...

Please pay particular attention to the 4th Commandment. It is significant that this law was established early and with "intended mention":

Genesis 2
1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

In fact, in the Exodus 20 iteration, the 4th Commandment starts like this:

8 “ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. ...

... otherwise, the Commandments are almost an exact duplicate in Deut. 5. There can be no misunderstanding! These LAWS ARE OF SUPREME IMPORTANCE - THEY ARE COMMANDMENTS FROM GOD!

... time to answer some questions!

Are The 10 Commandments In Force Today?

Have The Commandments of God Been "Nailed To The Cross"?

First, additional validation of the Law;

1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. (the "law" referred to here and below are, in context, the Big '10")

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (some use this verse to say, "look! the law has ended!"; but the context and the translation is simply saying Christ is the culmination of the law - keep reading!)

Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (this is Christ Himself saying the Law is still valid, valid until everything in scripture is completed! "fullfilled" in scripture literally means, "filled full"; completed)

Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. ("yea" can be correctly thought of as, "instead")

What was nailed to the cross?

Colossians 2

11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not[d] seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 20 Therefore,[e] if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Everything in that passage speaks of the laws of Moses, in context - those "Levitican" laws written on parchment and placed to the side of the Ark. The "sabbaths" mentioned are the ceremonial sabbaths celebrated throughout the year as part of the man-made rules of worship. It is clear that the Bible does not deny the 7th Day Sabbath.

Which "10" Do You Know?

It would be inappropriate to discuss the 10 Commandments without mentioning the "other" version, the man-made one that billions of good, decent Catholics know. The Catechism’s traditional presentation of the commandments for memorization are:

1. I am the Lord your God: You shall not have strange Gods before me.

2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

3. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.

4. Honor your father and mother.

5. You shall not kill.

6. You shall not commit adultery.

7. You shall not steal.

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

Please understand my disagreement is with the Roman Church, the "system", not Catholics. My wife grew up Catholic and she had to memorize the above version as a child. Here are my points:

1. Notice, number 1 has been altered to say "strange gods". Are Roman Pagan gods allowed for worship? If not, why change it?

2. Oops! the original number two has been completely removed! It makes sense because idol worship is taught within the Roman church.

3. The Lord's Day? Not the Sabbath?

Do you remember me pointing out that the first four Commandments deal with God's relationship to us? Does it appear to you that someone or something is trying to USURP God's position?

Yes, the Big "10" (ALL 10) are as valid today as they were from the beginning of time. They have not been "nailed to the cross", and they cannot be changed by man or his institutions.

... Whom do you follow? God or man?

The Observer

Washington Times Editorial Cartoon

The Observer

Should Christians Resist Tyranny ?

By Joseph Farah of WND

Mr. Farah makes some excellent points!

Whenever I question the timidity of today's church in America, I receive lectures accusing me of violating a biblical principle that supposedly provides a blanket condemnation of Christian resistance to tyranny. The contention that Christians should simply lay down and comply with even the most hideous requirements of government is an old argument. It was thoroughly debated by America's Christian founders when they took up arms to defend their declaration of independence in 1776 – and even before at Lexington and Concord when British troops tried to take away their arms. Many of the founders were biblical scholars – and well aware of Paul's warning in Romans 13:1-7, most often the text cited by the new defenders of the "divine right of kings":

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."

I believe we profoundly dishonor our heroic and inspired founders when we accuse them of disobeying Paul's admonition and an even graver disservice to the Word of God when we read too much into seven verses in one book of the Bible to the exclusion of the complete context of its 66 books.

Perhaps there is no better time than now to revisit this issue – as we approach America's Independence Day and our nation moves ever closer to tyranny, this time directed not from London but from our own nation's capital.

To me it is clear Paul was exhorting us not to overthrow government as an institution, because it was ordained by God. However, this passage in no wise suggests that believers are simply to submit to unjust laws. That the founders were not anarchists was demonstrated by the speed with which they acted to form a new government in the very act of declaring their independence from a foreign power that had refused to negotiate further with them on their legitimate grievances. They recognized government was, in a fallen world, a necessary evil.

But the Bible is also teeming with acts of civil disobedience and deliverance from tyranny – so much so that they inspired not just the founders but men like Martin Luther King Jr. I think of Pharaoh's daughter and Moses' mother in Exodus 2. I think of Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego in Daniel 3. I think of Moses himself in Exodus 2 when he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. I think of Daniel praying in defiance of the king in Daniel 6. How about Abraham, who mounted an army of several hundred men and took on four kings who had captured his nephew Lot. For laying waste to those kingdoms he was toasted by Melchizedek, king of Salem, in Genesis 14. I could go on and on, but let me give you one striking example of the way the Bible actually celebrates heroes of the faith who take extraordinary, even violent, actions to liberate themselves from ungodly rulers.

The Book of Judges recounts ancient Israel's frequent temptations to disobey God and pay the consequences and then to cry for a deliverer – with their prayers heard. Such was the case with Ehud, son of Gera, a left-handed Benjamite, who actually assassinated Eglon, the ruler of the Israelites' conquerors, the Moabites, in a story told in Judges 3. "And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years," we are told in Judges 3:28-30.

In Romans 13, Paul was not suggesting that any earthly kings or rulers have absolute authority and God's blessing to torment their subjects, oppress God's people, break covenants and, most importantly, ignore God's laws.

Our founders believed – and I think they were right – that when King George broke his own laws, he was acting without authority. The same principle applies today to our own leaders when they break trust with the Constitution and God's laws.

The Observer

The Beast Continues To Develop It's Muscle - And Sadly, These Folks Don't Even Know They're Supporting His Beastly Exercise

Associated Press Photo - The Rev. Larry Hollon, chief communications executive of the United Methodist Church, displays a large version of a print ad that is part of the denomination's $20 million marketing campaign aimed at attracting younger members.

The Poster reads, "What If Church Could Shape World Events?"

... Now, I'm sure these Methodists mean well. The article states, in part:

The United Methodist Church has just under 8 million members in the U.S., with about 3.5 million additional adherents overseas. The median age for a United Methodist is 57, according to the Rev. Larry Hollon, the denomination's chief communications executive.

The new ads highlight the opportunities for involvement within Methodist churches - from helping feed the poor to volunteering with youth basketball leagues in low-income neighborhoods, reflecting research that found that young people are especially interested in service projects.

"We need to refocus on young people and provide them an opportunity to be a part of the church," Mr. Hollon said. "What we're hearing is, they say, 'Belief connects to how I live my daily life.' If I say, 'I value people because I'm a religious person,' then I have to demonstrate that in concrete ways. It's walking the walk, not just talking the talk."

... However, Christians "shape" the world by being Christian (like Christ). "Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Christianity does the work of the Father by self-development through the Holy Spirit thereby being an example for others.

One day, some day; the Beast will directly begin to shape the world and Protestant sects along with their Catholic cohorts will gladly merge to form one "beastly" incarnation!

The Observer

Murder ! - From Either Side - Is Wrong !

Abortion Doctor Gunned Down at Kansas Church, Suspect in Custody

WICHITA, Kan. — Dr. George Tiller, who remained one of the nation's few providers of late-term abortions despite decades of protests and attacks, was shot and killed Sunday in a church where he was serving as an usher.

- Photo By AP -

The gunman fled, but a 51-year-old suspect was arrested some 170 miles away in suburban Kansas City three hours after the shooting, Wichita Deputy Police Chief Tom Stolz said.

... click Title Link for entire Story ...

Some will argue that Dr. Tiller was a mass murderer. And, from the definition of Abortion, they would be correct, he was a murderer! Some would say about Dr. Tiller, in the parlance of the old South and West, that "he needed killing". Perhaps this was true.

However, IT IS WRONG! We all know it's wrong. Dr. Tiller was operating his Abortion Clinic under the "laws of the land". We may not agree with the laws of the land but Murder is Not the Solution. To add insult and blasphemy to the situation the killer felt obliged to shoot him in Church!

This will simply escalate and exacerbate Anti-Christianity in America. And since self-defense is still legal in this country, you may now want to consider getting your concealed-carry permit and taking a gun to church!

The "Left" didn't care about all the babies Dr. Tiller murdered but they will care that Dr. Tiller has been murdered.

The Observer