As a nation, being the United States of America, do we really think that we can fix our problems apart from following Jesus Christ? Can we deny God's word on every hand and create a society that can co- exist with people that refuse to obey any law? Any law in any country is based on God's Holy Word, if not tell me where it comes from? Let's say there is a country that we see as doing things against us and disobeying every law that God set up for the world to live by. The question is what do they expect from their own people, they have laws, based on God's word such as THOU SHALT NOT STEAL. If their people steal they will pay the price. The nation might not acknowledge God in any way but they do in the law they place upon their people. Even a person in this country that does not believe God is real does not want anyone to break in their house or kill them. In this they are stating theit belief in the laws God sets in place.

We, as a nation, think we can make a certain people abide in perfection as they do their job, such as policeman but right on the other hand will allow other people to be far less than any standard that we might set. What kind of law is that?

The ruls of law no longer exists in our country, if you have enough money or know the right people or hold the right office you can do anything you please and it will be covered up or simply never mentioned or dwelt with. Al of our laws are subject to what a judge somewhere deems it is a a specific time with specific people. What kind of law is that?

Who's side are you on? There was a story once about a woman and a fruit tree. God said thou shalt not eat of the fruit of this tree, in the day that you do, you will surely die.

Another man said, did God say?   He caused the woman to question God. She did not die a physical death that day but you can count on the fact that she did die spiritually, just as our nation is spiritually dead as long as we side with those that question God.

This same man questioned Jesus Christ, He took Him to a high place and said, cast yourself down, the angels will bare you up. Jesus answered, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

He also told Him to turn the stone to bread, Jesus said, Man shall not live by bread alone.

He also told Him to follow him and he would make Him rich and famous, Jesus told him, love the Lord thy God and Him only shall thou serve.

We, as a nation have bowed to the god of material and riches and it's not working for us, in our laws, finances, moral fiber or any other aspect of our lives.

We live in a country that have at least three generation that do not know God for who He truly is, our god is money and education, even behind our pulpits. Our children are decieved by a false understanding of who Jesus Christ really is and what He desires of them. all this because we tbe people chose to follow the wrong god.

TO WHOM DO YOU FOLLOW? Maybe we need to drop to our knees and pray. LORD TEACH ME TO FOLLOW THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD, He is still real and able to transform you and your family, even a nation that has forgotten Him. It must start with me..

We live in a world that today is void of both justice and truth. If we seek justice, we are seeking it concerning someone else because we would rather not have anyone to truly see what we really are. The truth is that we might not mind being judged by man if we are seeking justice or even if we are seeking truth. God the Father on the other hand is put on the back burner when we start looking for justice. In every case we had better be seeking mercy rather than justice, we all stand before Him , guilty as charged. That means that my children and I are guilty in the eyes of God the Father.

Therefore, when I look at my children I have to realize that within their failures, I can see myself because I know we are capable of doing wrong.

It's easy to blame someone else for our failures. To see wrong in other people and to not stand up and take the responsibility for our own failures. The world will, in most cases back us because in their hearts they know their failures are on display as well as what you are trying to conceal about your own self.

It takes a real man to stand in the face of the whole world and to speak truth and admit that me or my children are wrong. To say one person is wrong and not the other is never truth.

There was a case in my home town once where a man I knew beat his wife to death because she was committing adultery. They put him in jail and he went to trail. The day of his trail as he sit and looked at all his family and her family in the court room he sak the judge if he could speak, he said yes. As he looked at the court room he told the judge he was pleading guilty, he knew he was wrong and that he did not want to put neither family through the turmoil of a trail. He would face whatsoever judgement was given him.

Sometimes parents have to do that kind of thing for their children or children have to do things like this for their parents.

Admitting the truth will establish peace in any community or household. Trying to place blame somewhere else will always bring discord and trouble.

I had a pastor tell me once that ( TWO WRONGS WILL NEVER MAKE ONE RIGHT) That was 45 years ago and it is still truth today.

Jesus Christ stood on a ship one day and looked out over a troubled sea and said( PEACE, BE STILL) and the  wind ceased, the sea was calm. The sea here is a type of a troubled world that he has the ability to calm. we can be calmed by Him as well if we would only listen.

As individuals, we can have the same effect if we will just admit truth and act on what is right. we can calm a troubled situation just by what we might say or do. We can also bring discord. It's our choice.

MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS......

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Pilate looked at Jesus Christ just before He was handed over to a mob to be crucified and ask Him, WHAT IS TRUTH? Jesus had already said all that He was going to say on the matter. Pilate then went out to the people and declared, I FIND NO FAULT IN HIM.. That didn't matter the crowd, they still cried, CRUCIFY HIM, CRUCIFY HIM. and that is exactly what they done.

When the question is ask today, what is truth, do we have a standard to go by to decide what truth is or is it just in the minds of a person that declares something to be true? Are we lead by the same mob rule today and  there are truly no guide post in our country to establish what truth is?

Have we become a country that is willing to have (mob rule) void of truth in any situation? If that is the case, where does it stop?

Pilate turned Jesus over the crowd to appease the crowd. they said, His blood be on us, and our children.(Matthew 27:25) and they got what they ask for..

When a mob is allowed to rule in any situation then a country is out of control and void of wise leadership. The political system in Pilate's day was corrupt,.he would do anything to please the people.

Truth is still as powerful as it ever was, We that believe in the rule of law must stand for it at all cost. if not the unspoken truth is that the blood of the innocent will be on our hands and the hands of our children.

TIME IS A PROPHET THAT HAS NEVER TOLD A LIE.  The future will show us for what we are.

It doesn't matter if it's a white policeman in a little town or any other person that is just trying to do their job, if we refuse to establish the rule of law and stand on the principles of truth and righteousness then we are no better than the mobs of any nation or third world country.

Do we think we can just call this a God fearing nation and therefore that's what it is?

Has believing in God become a group of words that we use just because it sounds good for a nation to say?

We talk about God and have a church on every corner in our nation. We, all across this nation speak of being a Christian nation with great pride but in our actions as a people we do not even know the true God of this universe, but yet expect Him to bless our nation just as He has in the decades and centuries past.

Today is independence day. We celebrate this day just as we always do. It's just a natural thing to do. The point is, where is the independence we celebrate. It's just as the God we serve or speak of when we speak. It's a past tense reality. A time that use to be but we have not come to grips with the fact that it's not what it use to be. We, as a nation have lost it in everything but our minds.

God, the Father of Jesus Christ is bust the same as He has always been. He never changes and stands at the door of this nation and knocks. He is telling us that if we will open He will come in and sup with us and He with us.

We have locked Him outside and given our liberties all to a false God the we have created that better suits our lifestyle.

It's easy to see that there are still American people that truly believe in Jesus Christ and live their lives as He would have them to. We are a nation filled with those people but that mindset is not one that directs our country nor is He recognize in most of the Churches that we see on the corners of our nation. In most cases even the people that truly follow Him can see things in their own Church that He is not pleased with.

Our Churches, just as our nation have very little time to seek His will or even teach their people to seek His will.

Yea, the leadership speak and say words that are about Jesus Christ, it all sounds good but the actions that are taken are not what He is saying, it represents the God of our minds and man's creation.

Sometime as individuals we need to step outside of a picture or situation to really see what is happening.

Just as there are people in Washington that can't see outside of Washington, there are people in Churches that cannot see reality around them spiritually.

Helen Keller was once ask, What could be worse than being totally blind? To this question see replied; Having 20/20 vision and not being able to see.

God, through His Son Jesus Christ desires to fellowship with you. His will is to talk to you as an individual, apart from any Church or other man or woman. Hear Him, as you sit stand or even lie in your bed, hear Him. Apart from any preacher, Sunday School teacher, hear Him. Even husbands, wives or children, hear Him. He desires to speak to your heart and direct you as a person. He speaks as oft as you will listen and open your heart to Him.

Just as our government has been over run by humanistic thinking people, our Churches have been overtaken by people that preach a social gospel and not the gospel proclaimed by the Holy Spirit.

There are two things that are more powerful than the government, a Truly Godly family and a Truly Spiritually filled Church. Just as those two things are torn down line by line, concept by concept, both can be rebuilt the same way. The hard thing is to start the process.

How do you get people that think they are doing right to (see) or (hear) something different?

The Apostle Paul was killing people or at least putting them in prison that believed in Jesus Christ. This happened until his spiritual eyes and ears were opened. It took a man with the willingness to speak truth to him, even in the sight of his own death to open his eyes. Stephen was the man that was willing to do this . He was stoned to death for what he said. You can find this in the book of Acts.

In our Churches today we have pastors that love the big crowds. They preach soft messages that never get to the root problem in ours hearts because of the fear of being rejected or cast out. Our people are starving for truth and in most cases don't even realize it.

There are people that are carriers of tuberculosis. they make other people sick and, they themselves don't even realize it. They wouldn't hurt anybody on purpose but are doing damage and can't even see it.

Our churches are the same way to some degree. It takes the Holy Spirit of God to change a person to make them what God wants them to be. In our minds we are doing that but what if we ask God what He thinks about what we and see what He thinks, even to the people standing behind the pulpit.

If we desire our country back as it was there is a price to be paid. Am( I )willing to pay that price? We have been living off the fat of the land and not seeing or hearing the tale- tale signs of our own demise.  It's been said that if you, as an individual ever get right where God desires for you to be, then( most of the people that you think are spiritual will not like you or hear what you have to say.)

Open your eyes, see the spiritual decay in our country and know that we are a part of it.

Listen and hear what is being said as relates to truth, even from our pulpits.

Drop to your knees and pray, Lord it's me, I need your guidance and direction to change a nation. Let it start with me , even if it means my death for my children's sake to the glory of God. You Lord, show me truth, not my pastor, not my wife, not my husband or any other man or person, you Lord teach me and help me to change what and who I am that I might change my nation and turn her head back to you.

My nephew and I were talking yesterday about finding help that is dependable and committed to the job that they are offered.. We all know that it takes money to live and therefore people have to be paid for their services. The thing is, it takes more than just money and we are losing that in our country, maybe we even gave it away.

I came up on a farm in North Carolina. We never had a lot and basically every member in my family had to work each day and even had certain jobs that were our responsibility. The house we lived in had a hallway between my three sisters room and mine. Mom would come and call us to get up in the morning, sometime as many as three times. We might continue to lay there but if we heard dad coming to get us, well the sound of his feet made us jump up and almost be dressed by the time he arrived at the hallway. 

Now I am 63 years old. That sense of urgency is still in me. When I am told to do a job I feel I needed to be finished 15 minutes ago. I realize it's more to it than that but the point is we, as parents don't put any urgency in our children anymore.

.I never served in any branch of the military. But the sense of urgency is taught there the same way. We you commander speaks it's time to move. I thank God for those that have served and those that are serving. They are a true blessing to this nation. If we can't afford to give them a raise we should cut our elected officials salary by at least two thirds and give it to them. Maybe our elected officials would learn a little urgency.

One of our biggest problems is the lack of need. If our children or in some cases, all of us, if we want , not need but want something we will borrow the money and get it  We don't even know how to need. 

Let's take education. Today we force our children to go to school, starting at five years old. Can you force a person to learn? Years ago children craved with great desire to be educated. Just to learn or be taught to read. Somebody, because of a burning desire, without even considering money would take on the job of teaching. the classroom would be full and if the children could not come to school they would be upset because of their desire to learn, a great willingness to learn.

Anyone can buy an education, but you can't buy experience. If a man is hungry, he will work. We use to have a lot of work and not much money. Today we have a lot of money and not much work. The problem is that the money is not real.

One day every person will see that. Let's just say you have a thousand dollars in your pocket. At the same time I am broke but I have enough food to last me for a good while. You can't you can get more money, but right now I can't get anymore food. How much is your money worth? Do you think I would see you any of my food at any price?

Every person on the face of this earth is a conservative. All it takes is the right circumstances. If you don't believe it just cut the money flow off and you will see. The liberal mindset only works if you are spending some other person's money or when it's not really effecting you. The liberal mindset has weakened this nation and its people.

You take any family of  six, a man, his wife and four children. You place them on a small farm and give them enough money to start a year. Let them know that they are own their own. Just watch the conservatism grow. Well, we can start with the family in the White House.

If we are truly delirious of correcting to course of this nation, I can tell you how to do it. All you have to do is go to all fifty states, find two small farmers from each state and tell them to run this country like they run their families and farm. By the way you might need a small army to control the spoiled brats that will be crying and fussing about the work they have to do.

Time is a prophet that has never told a lie. We will see as time passes what is real and what is not!   

As an American, born and raised in these United States, a Patriot and someone that loves my country I desire to see things done once again in a constitutional way. I desire to have my country back and to be a country that is looked up to by the world, not because we are better than anyone else but because we stand for something other than just ourselves and the love of money.

There is however, something the each of us as individuals must realize, We speak of grass roots and how much power it is in our communities and those people working to bring about change. In my mind there must be something in common as we speak of those communities. We can say that we all want freedom of speech, to bare arms or freedom of worship which is all good and we all can agree on those things.

Well, let's say we can accomplish those things. Let's say we, as a generation come together and by some miraculous turn of events we leave the next generation, our children and grandchildren debt free as a nation. Let's say that when we are gone from this earth one of the last things we leave our children is the most powerful nation on earth, If we do all these things, which are all things that I, myself would like to see, Is that the most important thing we can leave behind as a generation?

While all these things are great things to leave to our children there is a still greater and much more valuable asset that we must not leave our children or future generations with out. Sometimes the greatest blessings come from a price we do not want to pay, We find that once the price is paid that the lesson learned will take us much farther in life and into eternity than riches or power ever will.

Every person that is living today has an appointment with eternity. Each year you live you pass right by the very second that you ,as a person will step out into eternity. Sometime we get so caught up in what we think is important about right now that we forget to prepare for that time. We do all we can to see to it that our children are left with all they need as far as this country is concerned but neglect to teach them. by our own lives about eternity.                                                                                                                                                                                    WILL THE REAL JESUS CHRIST PLEASE STAND UP!

Who is Jesus Christ to you? Who do you teach your children He is?

As we look over this vast nation we live in and call home just think of all the different possibilities that can call into play. Who do we listen to? Can you listen to me? The answer to that is probably not. You see, it's not me I desire for you to hear or believe. One of the greatest problems we have in our country is that it's so many people saying so many things that it becomes very confusing. All I might do is add to that confusion.

Have you ever laid in your bed at night when all was quit and just allowed the Spirit of God to speak to you? You see, He desires to do that. It's not me that truth comes from or that can straighten out the mess we are in. I might be able to say a few thins to help but, hey you don't even know me. Jesus Christ wants you to really get to know Him on a personal basis. He desires to direct your path, even when it looks like all hope is lost. He desires to help you direct your children. even if everything in this country falls apart.

We must win this victory. It will not come from a politician, a preacher or in some cases even your parents or people you think you can trust. It's not in any educational system or any professor or teacher but this victory can become yours. Each individual can have a peace that surpasses all understanding.

One of the best places  to start this learning process is down on your knees, humbly admitting that we are helpless and we need to be taught by Him. There is a book that is written of Him, pick it up and ask Him to help you. Not me, not any man but seek His face. the victory will be yours. Try it and see.

We must win this victory and know Him.

FIRST AND FOREMOST AS INDIVIDUALS

AND SAVE A NATION!

How does one become a (Christian?) How would you answer this question? Can we just pause a minute and really think about the answer? There was once a preacher that had a children's home in Corpus Christi, Texas. His wife wrote a book about his life and something she wrote has always set my mind and heart to a different level.

She told a story about he and his family going top revival at there home Church one night and a man in the congregation being saved. At the end of the service all the people went up to shake his hand. Lester Roloff was young  a young boy at the time and went with his dad down to shake the man's hand. as they went home that night his dad told him the next time someone in that Church went down to get saved that he was not to go and shake his hand. When Lester ask why? His dad told him that he had unclean hands. That meant he was not saved.

This story, while true might seem a bit harsh to most people but it is told to make the point of how far we have come from what we, as a nation use to expect from people that called themselves Christians.

Not only have we redefined the word Christian but we have redefined almost every word that sets any kind of standard to live by. Most of the people born in this country in the last thirty years have no idea what truth and reality is all about. The worst part is if the truth is revealed to most they close their minds and will not hear it.

If someone made a statement like ( I'M NOT A CHRISTIAN, I'M BORN-AGAIN) WOULD YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY MEANT?) Are those two terms relative to one another? We have allowed the world to redefine and set the precedence in our Churches and make the rules by which she is governed. In most cases what can and cannot be said behind our pulpits.

If this country is ever to be what it once was it must start at the house of God. The Bible says in Revelation 3 ( I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK, IF ANY MAN WILL OPEN UNTO ME I WILL COME IN AND SUP WITH HIM AND HE WITH ME. Although we us that verse for a salvation verse the truth is that Jesus is speaking to the seven Churches  mentioned in that chapter. We today are, to some degree a part of all of those Churches. In most cases we have shut Jesus Christ outside of our Churches. He is there knocking on the door but we will not let Him in. We have created our own style of Christianity and formed a Christ that better satisfies our desires instead of conforming to His likeness. We make a Christ that conforms to our desires and we make it simple for anyone to call themselves (a Christian).

It's time to make straight the old paths. Every man that stands behind a pulpit should write out his resignation and lay it on the communion table, stand fast on the word of God and preach with great passion, a dying man to a dying world, preach like every man in his congregation is going to hell and do it until they except truth or take his resignation,

People, please understand. I can tell you I'm a brain surgeon. I might even fool you for a while. but once I start to preform you will see that I'm a fake. It's exactly the same with our Lord. As he sees us, as individuals or as a nation, He knows what is real and what is not. He even knows your heart right now.

Are you born-again or just call yourself a Christian?

By the way. The God we serve. as a nation. is blessing us. When we make up our minds that we desire the God of the universe to bless us again, those blessing will flow through His son Jesus Christ to us as we acknowledge Him and lift His name high.

Christianity has been redefined by this nation, Let's work to unredefine it as a nation. Some of His most powerful words say that ( HE WILL BLESS THEM THAT BLESS HIM, OR,  CURSE THEM THAT CURSE HIM.

If you read the book of( Joshua 5: 13-15 ) The was a man that Joshua seen standing I  the mist. Joshua ask him, are you for us or for our adversary? The man stated, I CAME IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, We must get back to the place that we can call on Him because we know who He is.

There's a saying that I use often that will sum up the message I want to relay. I tell people that if a man curses me out or metaphorically stabs me in the back and in turn I do the same as he, then that makes me as sorry as he is or just as he is.

I realized yesterday that the battle we fight is not with flesh and blood. The battle is a Satanic one. We,  as a nation have a spiritual problem. Because we have turned our back on God. That's not to say that every person that lives here is guilty. But the blessings that use to be ours are no longer here because, as a nation, we have missed the mark. Our mindset and thoughts are cankered and rotten to the core with a desire to follow our own desires rather than seeking the mindset of God the Father and His son Jesus Christ.

The Bible says the (YE ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH: BUT IF THE SALT HATH LOST ITS SAVOR , WHEREWITH SHALL IT BE SALTED? IT IS HE THENCEFORTH GOOD FOR NOTHING, BUT TO BE CAST OUT, AND TO BE TRODDEN UNDER THE FOOT OF MEN.(MATTHEW 5:13).

Although all of our fore fathers we not necessarily believers in what was just said this country was founded on the principles laid out in the Word of God. The salt of His word was sprinkled across the nation and it flavored the whole nation until it transformed, we as a people, to a place of prominence in this world. We were admired by every nation. It was so strong that even people that did not believe in Jesus Christ still prayed in His name.

Matthew was written to the Jewish Nation. But that concept works for the whole world.

I realize that I do not have all the answers for our nation. I know that on the political field I am a no body and that within myself I am very weak. There is therefore one thing I can do. I can, as a nobody seek through prayer a Man that can change the course of a nation. When enough nobodies began to pray and seek His face then we will be a powerful nation again.

My weapon is not like their weapons but has a power that transforms the thought of men

I'm not much of a conspiracy guy. I will say that I have seen times when I thought that we were being given a couple of candidates to run for the presidency of our country that, in reality it didn't matter with the inner circle who might win because they would have control either.

In other words, the American people were left out in the cold and we were not going to win but instead just have to put up with whatsoever decision the inner circle decided.

Now I see something totally different. It really became obvious with this last deal about exchanging prisoners. I'll be the first to admit when it comes to politics I'm not the sharpest knife in the draw but I not stupid either.

Over the last six years we have seen the man in the White House technically push aside every other branch of our government. The whole time without any anybody doing more than slapping his hand.

Am I right that when Mr. Obama took office he had a blackberry that he wanted to keep and it was something about that that was different than any other president had ever done for security reasons? Didn't they have to make some changes in some way for him to keep it? Who is he talking to? Is The NSA is monitoring all kinds of things, how about his blackberry?

If our leader is not asking our elected people in Washington for answers or help to whom is he listening and what will happen if he doesn't listen to those people. It seems that the closer we get to the end of his term the more brazen he gets.

Try this on for size, there is a American soldier that walked of from his own platoon and we say he was captured by our enemy, maybe not his. All things point to the fact that he, himself is a Muslim, we don't know. Can I go as far as to say that to those people basically all people are extinguishable, especially the people on the lower tiers, such as children ,women and most men.

If this man is a Muslim then we just freed on of their own for five of their own by a man that seems to sympathize with them.

So I ask again, to whom is he speaking? Do you remember after 9-11 how we talked so much about sleeper cells right here in the US. well, are they still here and are they still being used, Is this something we can't talk about?  I never here about it anymore.

There is an elephant in the room and it's stepping on all of us a little at a time.   

We seem, as a nation to just forget about history. One of the problems is that we don't teach any real history anymore, The men and women that founded or country were people that desired to allow  Jesus Christ to have a great part in everything they did. Prayer was important in each decision that was made. While all of those involved did not see eye to eye on every detail about their spiritual  lives they did at least recognize the existence and power of an almighty God, This country was, in our way of speaking, peppered with word of God, It was the salt of the earth, That salt today has lost it's savor and our strength has been diminished because of that great loss. In those days even those people that did not acknowledge Jesus Christ still reverenced his authority and basic involvement in day to day activities.

Even if they completely denied Him they did not stop the people that did believe from worshiping Him in open assembly.

We have lost that concept in our nation we are dearly paying a price for it. Our Churches have created a jesus christ that is closer to what they think he should be like , rather than just trusting the one we see in the word of God. We call that Christianity and you do not have to be born- again to be a member of it

Most of the real men that use to stand behind our pulpits has sold out for the love of money and that is their basic god. The problem is most of them don't even know it. They still think that have the power of God but because of the religious dogma in most churches God, like Elvis has left the building.

He standing outside knocking at the door and saying ( IF ANY MAN WILL ANSWER I WILL COME IN  AND SUP WITH HIM AND HE WITH ME,) but most churches won't let Him in.

It's awfully bad to be deceived by a friend, a parent, a spouse or anyone we might think of but we get to the place that we are deceiving ourselves, now that really bad, When we will not look at ourselves and see truth about ourselves we are in real trouble. It's always easy to see what somebody else needs to do to make things better but what do (I) need to do.

Our churches are full of people but we can't get one person to run on a platform that if he is elected one of the first things he will do is say (LET US PRAY TO AND END IT IN JESUS NAME) You might say that against the law, so you mean to tell me you are going to Washington and not change any of the laws? My point is folks we must open our eyes to what is really needed in our country and it is not more laws. Do you remember a man called the Apostle Paul, a man that stood against a whole world of religious people and still, basically all by himself preached Jesus Christ and Him crucified? Do you remember him?

We have Christian universities all across this country. Where are the men and women that graduate from them each year.? What has happen to us as a nation? Who are we? Nehemiah went back to Jerusalem and viewed the destruction and dropped to his knees and prayed( my God) and went about even to the place of holding a weapon in one hand and working with the other, We have become our own worst enemies and the majority of the worst of us is sitting on a church pew every Sunday morning. Our sons are drunks ,our daughters are whores or worse an we act like we are God's gift to humanity. If our spirituality was dynamite. we wouldn't have enough to blow the fuss of a peanut.

People we live in a world of our own. We think we can close our eyes to truth, vote some man or woman into office and fix our problems but we are the problem. Each one of us have a responsibility and are part of what has happen to our nation because we have forgotten God Almighty and have set back on our stool of do nothing and lost a nation. We are so lazy  and irresponsible that we expect our children to pay for our pleasures and let us just ride into eternity on a gravy train. Guess what. we can do that but even in eternity we will be held accountable. Our children will be slaves to someone and their children will as well but we will pay for our transgressions even if it's in eternity, you just wait and see.

What if we like it or not, when we call ourselves (Christians) we are the ones that have dropped the ball. Our pastors, deacon, bishops and any church leader you can think of are responsible the  fall of a nation. We have been very comfortable just allowing ourselves to be religious in our own eyes and never even ask God or His Son Jesus Christ what he thought about what we were doing. It's a tough pill to swallow but until we open our spiritual eyes and ears as believers we will continue to slid down the slope of destruction.

SELAH-- MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS

There's a story told in the word of God that shares a striking resemblance to our nation and where we are. It's found in (EZRA) ,. The last part of chapter two is where we will be looking but It might be helpful to read the whole book.

In the short of it the nation of Israel had been in captivity for some years. While being among other people they started to take up the ways of those people even to the point of being married and excepting their religions.

As time marched on another king arose and allowed them to go back to their homeland and rebuild it. As this process began many of the people that had basically lived just as they pleased apart from God's direction wanted to be recognized and numbered with the other people that had stayed God's course through all those years.

It says in verse 63 of chapter 2 that the  (TIRSHATHA ) which means (THE FEARED) spoke to the people. In essence he told them that certain things could not be done until a priest stoop up with (URIM) and (THUMMIM) could be found or stood up to make these decisions.

One of the first things one might say is that (we as a nation) have not been in slavery like That nation was. No other country has conquered this country and placed us in slavery. That might be true but we have become slaves in a far greater way the nation of Israel ever did. We misunderstand is that a nation living under grace, with the liberty that God grants all people without restrictions are far more accountable that a country that has given guideline to go by. For example, when a law tells us not to commit adultery  so therefore, we don't, then no wrong has been done. If we do commit adultery then we will be killed. If on the other hand, we are told  that we will be forgiven even if we do commit adultery because grace will cover a multitude of sins, then we are left to live righteously because it is our choice to do so.

The Bible says in (1 CORINTHIANS 6:12) ALLTHINGS ARE LAWFULL UNTO ME, BUT ALL THINGS ARE NOT EXPEDIENT: ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL FOR ME, BUT  I WILL NOT BE BROUGHT UNDER THE POWER OF ANY. 

The American people, and all peoples, are blessed to serve a God that  tells us that He will love us no matter what we do and He will save us even if we fall short. We took this to mean that we can live any way we choose and everything will be alright but that's not what God wanted. His desire is to have a people that although His love for us is so great that it will never stop, we, as His people would realize that love and in return live a life that is pleasing to Him.

As  nation we took all of God's goodness and ravished ourselves with whatsoever sin we called our personal pleasure. We enslaved ourselves to what ever it took to satisfy our flesh and are still doing it today.

The (TIRSHATHA) one to be feared. Who would that be in our country? Could it be that our enslavement to our sinful ways is just the beginning of a true slavery?

Who would be our ( URIM AND THUMMIM )? Even if there is such a person in our country, could we unite around what that person said and follow in unity?

The nation of Israel is still waiting for that man to stand up, and He will. Our country had better unite around that man. We can spiritually, if we fail to we will one day stand before Him physically.

SELAH-- MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS !!!! 

Today in our country there are people that do everything they can to keep any part of Jesus Christ from being seen. Basically you can worship anything else that can be mentioned and seemingly it will be well advertised by the media and even excepted by those that are in authority.

Praying at our town council meetings all the way up to the white house is expressly prohibited and if it is done it cannot be in Jesus name. Why is this?

In(Acts 5: 34-39 we hear from a man called Gamaliel. He is a man of the law and had a reputation of all the people. What he told them is that if what was be done was of man it would come to naught, but if be of God they could not stop it anyway.

People that are born-again are on the winning side. The victory has already been won, we just have to fight the battles and stand for what is truth even if the world thinks they are winning. The reason we have to fight the battles is to help our enemies to see what we have already seen. They are blind to the truth and can't see that the very prayers that they block is a gift from us to them. Any time truth is put forth or righteousness is sought for a battle will come and the more it is put forth , the stronger the battles.

Common sense would say to allow every one or anyone that wanted to pray, to pray. Just lay out a schedule and allow one person each meeting to pray in any bodies name they choose, even born-again believers, in Jesus Name. Why not? If it is nothing to Him what harm can it do? We could even go so far as to mandate the President start the State of the Union address of with a word of Prayer and pray that prayer to any god he chooses. If we allow that we might even find out what god he truly worships. Hum! Now that's an idea! Do you think we could trust our leadership to be honest about that? The answer to that is no, our leaders know that if they allow that they have to tell the truth. Their constituents who they are and therefore they can't lie and if they have to reveal their true heart in a spiritual sense other won't like them so to them it's better to stay quiet about it. If the Tea Party ever becomes a political party that has a platform we should make prayer and who any person worships a part of that platform. This would not be to decide or force any one to believe like any of us do  but to know the inner being of who we will be voting. For instance, we could ask a man or woman straight, do you believe in Jesus Christ and accept Him as your personal. if his or her answer then we can expect that person to pray in His name. If he says he is an atheist then we will not expect that person to pray at all although we might like what he stands for on all other things and could follow his leadership as long as he allowed each of us to worship as we please.

The reason that most of our leaders want to stay away from Jesus Christ and prayer of any kind is because they know just how much power the Holy Spirit has. They don't want to open the door for anyone because if they do that door might be opened to the Spirit of God as well. That power has the  ability to change the world if born-again believers ever put it to work, believe it or not.

To make to point we could do an experiment. We could put five differ religions on a stage and show them to all this country, only one of them being a born-again believer that is filled with God's Spirit. Each person has five minutes to speak and say anything they choose about the god they worship. When the born-again believer speaks under the inspiration of God's Spirit, in Jesus Name the confident level and the power of that Spirit will change hearts, even if it's not known until eternity and that's really all that matters.

Common sense and wisdom has been hid for way to long. It's probably in abundant supply, just not in the right places. One thing for sure, you can't educate it into any person or spend enough money to buy it. An smart man once said, and I quote( you can buy and education, but you can't buy experience.) You forget about the educated, that is the ones with no common sense and wisdom, just look and find someone that has been to the school of hard knocks, and those that knows what it is to have to humble themselves and ask for help with things that can't handle, sometimes even down on their knees. That will be where you find true leaders that will put this country back on the right foundation.

Maybe we need to be the first ones to get down on our knees and pray, we could start by saying, Lord we can't fix this, it's out of our hand, please, you lead us and guide us, show us the way.

The next thing to do is listen, when He speaks to your heart, MOVE IN THE DIRECTION HE LEADS...... 

A child is created, more in lust and not in love,

But they are just like the Savior, that came down from above.

For the purpose of doing,  God's perfect will,

and not for a parent , to give up and kill.

        For the cry from within, from the child that knows no sin.

        From the one that pays the price, for someone's selfish life.

        For the cry from within, to the one whom he depends,

        Is mother, don't do this awful sin.

A child is a blessing, God sends from up above,

For a mother to hold, to cherish and love,

That  the world can continue, and be able to see,

God's perfect plan, for you and for me.

        For the cry from deep within, from the child that knows no sin.

        From the that pays the price, for a mother's selfish life.

        For the cry from deep within, to the one whom he depends,

        Is mother, please mother, just hear the cry from deep within.

                                                                                                            Marshall Clayton

Mankind have the distinct ability of becoming their own worst enemy. We allow ourselves to be hypnotized and slowly put to sleep or become lazy in the act of making sure that things are defined just as they are suppose to be and not changed by the people that could be our enemies.

One of the things we have closed our eyes to is what it takes to truly be on of God's children. This one think is the root of most, if not all of the problems we have in our country.

Even as far back as Adam and Eve the true values of God was tested. Satan ask a simple question.(Did God Say). Although this question is somewhat paraphrased , you can see what I mean.

There is a true story about a Christian college student that was the student body president years ago. He was sitting in on a meeting of the board that was looking for someone to speak at graduation that year. One of the members of the board suggested that they call the president of the United States and ask if he could come and speak that year. The student body president  stood and ask, has the president of our country been born again? Does he know Jesus Christ as his savior?  Sad to say that this young man ask to resign his leadership role because of that one question he ask. This happened in  a college that taught Christianity

Christianity is not a religion although we have created a religion called Christianity in this country. It's possible that this religion has always been and we just let it in but the fact is it is here.

Before we go any farther let's just ask a question. Do you the reader of this article know Jesus Christ as your Savior? When you listen to your heart. not this writer , but the Spirit of God that speaks to your heart. What does he say to you when that question id presented to you?

You see, the personal relationship that takes place when any person realizes that they are a sinner and they see that Jesus Christ done all He did to pay for our sin debt and any person that ask Him to come into their heart and become their Savior is what it takes to be born into the family of God. You become a part of a family. The Spirit of the Father of that family lives in you own heart and directs your paths. He even chastises you when you are doing wrong.

In the world we live in you can join any Church you choose to, any denomination that satisfies you belief we call it. The act they you join or that you are even baptized will never make you a part of God's family. You must be born into His Family, there is no other way to get in.

We join clubs and religions alike, we even abide by the rules they set forth and may even be highly esteemed as a member but that is all the reward you will ever have

The Jews are God's chosen people. That might not be popular to say today but it is still true. You can go and join a Jewish synagogue if you like but just joining does not make you a Jew. You have to be born a Jew.

In closing I would like all the readers to know, I love you, I love this country, but it has very little to do with me. I say again I have no desire for you to hear me but rather the voice that speaks to your heart. If I die today you will lose absolutely nothing. But friend if God speaks to your heart and you do not hear Him, you will lose it all.

I try not to uses many (I's) when I write because it's not me I desire you to hear or see but please hear him.

This country needs Him now living in our hearts now more than ever. He desires to lead us back to righteousness but to hear Him you must be born into His family.

Are you just a Christian , or have you truly been born again? 

When my daughter first married  remember her complaining and saying, I can't do this. She was referring to working a full time job, cleaning house, preparing meals when she got off work and so on.

As I listened to her I chuckled and she ask me why. I told her about my mom that is now in the nursing home with Alzheimer's. I'm 62 now and therefore you can guess how old my mom is.

She use to get up before anyone else in the house to prepare our breakfast. Once the dishes were washes and put away she went out to milk two cows, then she would come bake to the house and put it away and start the noon meal foe use to eat at lunch, make up the beds and then come to the barn to string tobacco that we had sent to the barn, She stayed at the barn until just before lunch and then she went to the house to put warn the food and set the table to feed every person that worked for us.

After we finished eating the men would lay down and rest a while before resuming the afternoon but not mom, dishes had to be washes and put away and now supper had to be thought about. When the men went back to work she was there at the barn to string tobacco that afternoon and to help put it in the barn at the end of the day.

Now she has to milk those same two cows this afternoon and then prepare supper, wash dishes when we finished.

I can remember while we played in the afternoon or early evening she would be in the garden picking string beans butter beans or tomatoes, what ever was ready to pick and be sitting in the swing preparing them to freeze or can before she went to bed

Did I mention washing clothes, ironing and sowing, helping with home work moping and sweeping.

My sisters finally grew up and started sharing with some of this but my mom always fascinated me with her working ability. I didn't even mention churning the buttermilk and no telling what else I missed.

In all of this I never once heard my mom complain or say a curse word, still to this day.

I can appreciate women's rights but maybe they are selling their selves way too short. I think they should be asking for more than the average  wage of their husbands or other men because they definitely have to work more hours if they are anything like my mom.

I will say that neither one of my daughters have ever work like my mom  but probably would ask for more. Is this a sign of our times or what?

If the men and women in this country worked and accomplished what the men and women did in my parents generation , this country would have enough food to feel the would and there would be no such thing as any kind of welfare, obesity would be a thing of the past and character would be instilled in every person by default.

By the way, I didn't get in much trouble when I was growing up because even I was too tired at night to do anything but go to bed.

SELAH--MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS

Am I just expecting to much or am I the ignorant one? I thought the state of the union was all about explaining (the state of the union. Did I miss something? Although I already basically know  what the state is it seems to me it has become something less that explaining to congress or the American people where we stand as a country. If any president wants to inspire the people with things he will try to do to better our country or praise the people for a job well done then so be it, but at least tell me what state we are in.

I gather from the speech that all is well. We really don't need to change much is to give everybody  a raise and everything will be ok.

By the way, do we still owe any money or did we take care of that?

Please, from a everyday common working man, someone that admits that he knows very little about politics and what it takes to fix things. I would just like to see a real leader stand up and lead. to lead in truth and honesty with the interest of the people in mind, the betterment of this country at heart, and be willing to die if necessary to do what is right. I believe the word honesty has been removed from our dictionary. Maybe it's like so many other words we use, it's not removed but just been redefined to make it easier to call one honest without a true standard being set.

When I say this, it does not mean that the betterment of this country has to be just as I define it, although the way I define it would not be bad. Having the backbone to speak truth, lifting a standard that will make other people have to lift theirs and stand on their own two feet, be debt free and live within my means. If we could just get back to the foundations that forged this country with the pride of being part of something bigger than one's self and each person, even if they have very little being willing to give all they had to create a strong nation and doing this from our hearts rather than being forced at every hand to.

Constitution, I have one. I'm not forced by myself to keep it. If I fall short of it, I am  bothered by my inability to live up to my own standards, but it also strengthens me with a will to not fall short in that way again.

Do you realize that I, like most Americans don't know all the constitutions of my own country? I know some of it but probably would not have it all in order. At the same time I'd be willing to bet you I live by it closer than some people that know it well. Most of it is a natural thing if anyone desires to do what id right. To go against it is a sign of weakness in one's own character, and also the self-designed constitution they have set for themselves. You mean to tell me that it takes a constitution to tell me that all men are created equal or that what you have is yours and I can't have it? What a shame if we have come to this.

Anyway, I didn't hear the state of the union although I listened. This could be very revealing.

Lord, I realize I'm just a man. I Can do very little in the big scheme of this nation and all the problems we have. I do however, see a group of people that have a heart and mind to change the course of this nation. I see a people that have Godly ideas and a will to see that nation placed on a course that will better work for our children and future generations. The passion I read and the spirit that is revealed in the things they write inspires me. I pray Lord that you will strengthen each man and woman that works so hard to bring good things to pass and those that work endlessly to bring this nation back to a moral standard and a place of security with a platform that is worthy to be called  our home. Lord I pray that a leader will stand up among these people that will set a course with words and wisdom that wins the heart of a nation. An ability to lead that causes other people to step up to a place they never dreamed they could be.

Lord you caused things that your enemies thought to be bad to turn to your glory. I pray that as the people that want to cause hurt to this nation goes about to do damage that you will use their very efforts to their demise and bring unity to this nation when they want division.

I realize that I'm not a person that can bring great advice to the table or give vast amounts of resources. I realize that I'm not equipped to lead this nation back to where it needs to be , but I can pray for those that can and Lord I can be a support to those who can. I can pray and ask you to place around each of them as the do their work each day. I can call on the one that has all power in His hand and the wisdom to pour out on the leaders of this group we call the Tea Party.

Thank you Lord for each of them from the one that gives money to the people that make great speeches, even the ones that just clap and show their support. Help us to stand united and fight for truth and what is right and moral in your eyes. Help us to work while we can and each of us do our part for your glory and for a nation honor the saying ONE NATION UNDER GOD WE STAND.

And every member of the Tea Party said-- AMEN AND AMEN  

Most of the things that I might write on this site will be spiritual in nature. Some times it might even be a prayer that I just want to post just speaking to my Lord as I type the words.

Although I try my best to leave the (I) out of all that I write I am using (I) as I write this. I believe that when too many I's get in the way then too many mindsets make things confusing. I'm a simple man and realize that there are many people that have far better ways of saying things than I do, are far better educated than I am and can say far more profound things than I can. I am however, an American and desire to see this country just as sound as it was,  on days gone by. A country where my children and grandchildren can  enjoy the freedoms I remember as a boy.

I believe that the closer we get as people to being on the same mindset with God the Father, one Spirit, one faith, all following the same guide lines as we rebuild a nation the better. There are no great and small at the foot of the cross. We are all on equal ground.

I heard one time that if we all are willing to become zero's and admit that God is 0ne. The it becomes simple mathematics. You see if you put the zero's first, then one gets smaller and smaller each time you add a zero. For instance, (.0000000000001 but if always remember to put the one first then the zero's just keep making the one bigger and bigger. For instance, ( 1,ooo,ooo,ooo,ooo

I know my I have opinions just like everyone else, but the secret of unity is not in our opinions but in our ability to find an answer to our problems that work for all's best interest.

I understand that the day before D-day Dwight D. Eisenhower stood before his Generals and laid out the pro's and con's of  following through with the plan the next day. He ask each one of them their opinion about way course to take. The decision was split to some degree about which course to take. After listen to each opinion General Eisenhower ponder for a while , walking back and forth in front of the rest of the men and then stopped before them and said {we are going}. When that decision was made, every man stood up and applauded, all being on the same page.

Each one of these men had the nation's best interest in mind, I will say, that my desire is, in my simple mind is to always make wise decisions in my life and for this country because I do have very great passion about things but I also realize that at some point real tough choices have to be made

What I'm looking for Is not for someone to always be right in their choices but rather someone that is at least seeking to make wise decisions and leaders that put the best interest of this country before their own group of people even.

I hear a lot about polling today. I suppose that's a usable to for our country. I really can't say that it is for lack of the knowledge of how it's carried out. I will say this, leadership is not pleasing the masses or being popular with even the people that voted you in office. Leadership is doing what needs to be done even if it cost you everything, even your life.

We live in a republic, in that republic I vote for a man or woman that will speak and make wise decisions for my country even if I don't agree with that choice or the outcome.

I'm not educated, my boss told me many years ago that I could buy an education but I would never be able to buy experience. He's right, we are led by people that have been educated to the max but if you don't have  simple experience to us the knowledge you have what good is it as far as leadership.

When our country was founded it already had a mindset that created an atmosphere of Godly living. Our forefathers made it very clear that any people would be free to have any mindset that they choose but  within that mindset the governing power would be based on the Word of God and the guidelines laid out therein. That mindset with the spirit it had filled the air like an aroma of sweet savor and the influence spread to every person to the point that the people that lived in this country lived like they knew Christ even it they didn't believe in Him. That mindset of freedom was so power that the foundation of this country grew to one of the most powerful countries that has ever existed on this planet. The freedom of people to be themselves and do develop their dreams with the respect of each citizens beliefs made for a strong community of individuals that joined hands to become the force that had the will of God as their foundation to build on.

Each individual had the right to share and even try to convince their friends and neighbors to share their beliefs. The friends and neighbors could do the same but all agree to work together and agree to disagree.

God's will has always been for men to have freewill and on their own, decide to walk in His footsteps. This country was filled with a mindset that, without having to speak a word made people knew their place and responsibility. Men and women walked in discipline and expected other people to do the same, knowing that their would be consequences if they walked in any other way. The laws were always built around Spiritual guidelines with the same sweet odor as the one that could be sensed in this countries everyday citizen. This place was filled with the air of God almighty, the God of Heaven.

In the 1960's we, as a country, started a campaign to do our own will even to the point of our government passing laws to protect our ability to live as we pleased without any consequences. We started to create a void around us. A void that would ultimately push God and His Spirit completely out of our land. This void might work to some degree if it is possible to maintain that void. The problem is if that void is ever pierced you never know what it might be filled with. When men choose to live a life void of the Spirit of God the only thing left is selfishness, greed and a desire for power. When that void is filled with those things then there is no common ground in which to base the control of power. Who power is in control? Without a guide line to work from to what are we founded on? Our forefathers, although they never forced their beliefs on anyone that still based their beliefs on a firm foundation, the Word of God.

Although we have fallen into deep, deep trouble there is still hope if we are willing to stand. The hope is not in our government nor has it ever been. The hope still lies within the hearts of those that believe in the  principles of God's word even if they don't necessity walk with him. That hope lies within the heart of men and we must allow it to come out as we stand and proclaim it without fear  of men. Stand and speak our hearts even when we are not liked and restore the mindset of our forefathers. Be willing to die to restore our nation to a place that our children can find secure. We must realize that there is something bigger than even the life we have. When we are gone the foundation of this land needs to be one of the same ingredients for our children that our forefathers left their children.

As we start to rebuild this foundation it must be centered on Jesus Christ and His Spirit must be the Spirit that guides our words and actions. The power we can generate through unleashing His Spirit as we speak is without end. It already exists within each believer but must be revealed in our speeches as we rebuild. If one man will stand and proclaim with authority that he will not be denied then others will follow.

The next man that wants to be president of this nation should make as part of his platform that if he is elected as president he will let the first words out of his acceptance speech to be ,{LET US PRAY.} and the end of that prayer will be,{IN JESUS NAME I PRAY.} Stand, and above all stand. If we ever elect a person that serves another God other than Jesus Christ then he has a right to pray like he chooses but don't forbid us from praying to our god anywhere we please.

Faith is a very powerful weapon when it is placed in front of us and reveals our trust in God. Fear to show faith will destroy a nation, one person at a time.