Category Archives: Author

The War Prayer

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It was a time of great and exalting excitement. The country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism; the drums were beating, the bands playing, the toy pistols popping, the bunched firecrackers hissing and spluttering; on every hand and far down the receding and fading spread of roofs and balconies a fluttering wilderness of flags flashed in the sun; daily the young volunteers marched down the wide avenue gay and fine in their new uniforms, the proud fathers and mothers and sisters and sweethearts cheering them with voices choked with happy emotion as they swung by; nightly the packed mass meetings listened, panting, to patriot oratory which stirred the deepest deeps of their hearts, and which they interrupted at briefest intervals with cyclones of applause, the tears running down their cheeks the while; in the churches the pastors preached devotion to flag and country, and invoked the God of Battles beseeching His aid in our good cause in outpourings of fervid eloquence which moved every listener. It was indeed a glad and gracious time, and the half dozen rash spirits that ventured to disapprove of the war and cast a doubt upon its righteousness straightway got such a stern and angry warning that for their personal safety’s sake they quickly shrank out of sight and offended no more in that way.

Sunday morning came — next day the battalions would leave for the front; the church was filled; the volunteers were there, their young faces alight with martial dreams — visions of the stern advance, the gathering momentum, the rushing charge, the flashing sabers, the flight of the foe, the tumult, the enveloping smoke, the fierce pursuit, the surrender! Then home from the war, bronzed heroes, welcomed, adored, submerged in golden seas of glory! With the volunteers sat their dear ones, proud, happy, and envied by the neighbors and friends who had no sons and brothers to send forth to the field of honor, there to win for the flag, or, failing, die the noblest of noble deaths. The service proceeded; a war chapter from the Old Testament was read; the first prayer was said; it was followed by an organ burst that shook the building, and with one impulse the house rose, with glowing eyes and beating hearts, and poured out that tremendous invocation

*God the all-terrible! Thou who ordainest! Thunder thy clarion and lightning thy sword!*

Then came the “long” prayer. None could remember the like of it for passionate pleading and moving and beautiful language. The burden of its supplication was, that an ever-merciful and benignant Father of us all would watch over our noble young soldiers, and aid, comfort, and encourage them in their patriotic work; bless them, shield them in the day of battle and the hour of peril, bear them in His mighty hand, make them strong and confident, invincible in the bloody onset; help them to crush the foe, grant to them and to their flag and country imperishable honor and glory —

An aged stranger entered and moved with slow and noiseless step up the main aisle, his eyes fixed upon the minister, his long body clothed in a robe that reached to his feet, his head bare, his white hair descending in a frothy cataract to his shoulders, his seamy face unnaturally pale, pale even to ghastliness. With all eyes following him and wondering, he made his silent way; without pausing, he ascended to the preacher’s side and stood there waiting. With shut lids the preacher, unconscious of his presence, continued with his moving prayer, and at last finished it with the words, uttered in fervent appeal, “Bless our arms, grant us the victory, O Lord our God, Father and Protector of our land and flag!”

The stranger touched his arm, motioned him to step aside — which the startled minister did — and took his place. During some moments he surveyed the spellbound audience with solemn eyes, in which burned an uncanny light; then in a deep voice he said:

“I come from the Throne — bearing a message from Almighty God!” The words smote the house with a shock; if the stranger perceived it he gave no attention. “He has heard the prayer of His servant your shepherd, and will grant it if such shall be your desire after I, His messenger, shall have explained to you its import — that is to say, its full import. For it is like unto many of the prayers of men, in that it asks for more than he who utters it is aware of — except he pause and think.

“God’s servant and yours has prayed his prayer. Has he paused and taken thought? Is it one prayer? No, it is two — one uttered, the other not. Both have reached the ear of Him Who heareth all supplications, the spoken and the unspoken. Ponder this — keep it in mind. If you would beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! lest without intent you invoke a curse upon a neighbor at the same time. If you pray for the blessing of rain upon your crop which needs it, by that act you are possibly praying for a curse upon some neighbor’s crop which may not need rain and can be injured by it.

“You have heard your servant’s prayer — the uttered part of it. I am commissioned of God to put into words the other part of it — that part which the pastor — and also you in your hearts — fervently prayed silently. And ignorantly and unthinkingly? God grant that it was so! You heard these words: ‘Grant us the victory, O Lord our God!’ That is sufficient. the *whole* of the uttered prayer is compact into those pregnant words. Elaborations were not necessary. When you have prayed for victory you have prayed for many unmentioned results which follow victory–*must* follow it, cannot help but follow it. Upon the listening spirit of God fell also the unspoken part of the prayer. He commandeth me to put it into words. Listen!

“O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle — be Thou near them! With them — in spirit — we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it — for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.

(*After a pause.*) “Ye have prayed it; if ye still desire it, speak! The messenger of the Most High waits!”

It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said.

A Religious Experience

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Recently I was given the opportunity to go shooting with an author who’s work I’ve enjoyed much over the years. This was quite an experience for me. He and his wife took me into their home as I was traveling through the area and made me feel at home. Browsing through his collection of books, gun leather, mounted trophies and guns was very enjoyable, but when he took me out to his local shooting range the REAL fun began.

He took along a collection of Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers in .45 Colt and .44 Special calibers. I had along my Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt. We set up targets at the 25 yard line and the festivities commenced. After trying out my new Vaquero with “Cowboy” loads and some hot Buffalo Bore ammo, he asked if I’d like to try any of his collection. After reminding me to not try any of the Buffalo Bore ammo in his Colts I tried a couple of them out. Then he offered me what he called a “Religious Experience”, to shoot his pre-war “long action” .44 Spl. I took it and a fixed sighted model to the bench with some cast semi wadcutter loads, but somehow it wasn’t the same as he’d described it to me. For me, the real religious experience was in handling the Colt “sixguns” in that most famous caliber, .45 Colt. That’s when I felt how a perfectly tuned sixgun rolls gently in your hand as the hammer falls and got lost in the moment, forgetting to count the shots and seeing the hammer fall on an empty chamber with no perceivable flinch at all. The smell of fresh coffee blended with the odor of bacon frying and the remuda’s smell as the herd was brought up the trail. The fresh smell of sage after a rain blended with the acrid smell of blackpowder and I could hear the bawling of calves at roundup time… yes, I felt transported to another time and another place by simply holding and firing these wonderful pieces of history.

After we finished our shooting, had breakfast and said “Goodbye”, I drove off on my continuing journey. As I drove down the highway, surrounded with fond memories of an enjoyable time, I reflected on the difference between his “religious experience” and mine. As I thought about it, I was reminded of the passage in Hebrews 5 that says:

 

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Hebrews 5: 12-14

 

You see, my author friend has been shooting since I was “but a sparkle in my daddy’s eye”, and although the shooting sports are high on my “favorite things to do” list, the truth of the matter is that only rarely am I able to indulge my passion for “things that go ‘bang'”. So the analogy carries over. At my age many men have had the chance to learn to shoot and have indulged themselves in the sport, developing a feeling for “the deeper issues”. But through my inexperience and lack of practice in the matter I have yet much to learn. Elmer Keith began his carreer with black powder and later with the .45 Colt. As he learned he progressed to the .44 special and later to the .44 Magnum, only rarely returning to the “first principles” of the sport.

So, what does this have to do with us as christians? Many are to christianity like I am to the shooting sports. Wildly enthusiastic, but with little real experience. Endlessly curious, but with a small store of personally acquired knowledge. Yes, for me to handle a genuine Colt revolver in .45 Colt caliber was a real thrill. But the joys of the .44 special are still under appreciated by me. As the years pass and my experience in the shooting sports grows, perhaps my appreciation for the .44 will grow too. Yet my true desire is to see christians learn to discern the differance between good and evil as they exercise their faith.

Yes, shooting the old guns was akin to a “religious experience”, but more important yet is seeing my brothers and sisters grow in their faith towards God and in their understanding of His will. If you too wish to grow in Him, you won’t ever be able to do so by sitting there with your Bible closed. Get into His word and learn to know what His will is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Real Men ….. Defined

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I have thought long and hard about the definition of a “real man”….realizing too well that many things could fill that definition…so I have elected to state some of the things “I” think a real man is.

Real Men love Jesus!

Real Men are a “father” to their children

Real Men are “husbands” to their wives

Real Men cry when their children hurt and when they are happy

Real Men make mistakes….then admit them without hesitation

Real Men never dye their hair or paint their nails

Real Men are never afraid to ask for directions

Real Men never get lost….see above

Real Men wear footwear of all types….most Real Men wear boots…of the western variety

Real Men carry more than one gun…and always more than one knife

Real Men will eat any wild game cooked…even if they can’t pronounce it

Real Men can say they are sorry…please forgive me

Real Men are everywhere….sometimes you just have to look real hard for them

Real Men like rifles that kick hard…even if they don’t …they say they do

Real Men wear Cowboy hats….even if they don’t look good in them

Real Men clean their fingernails with a knife….even if it hurts

Real Men can do laundry, dishes, cook, school homework, sew, change diapers, you get the idea

Real Men ain’t afraid to say I Love You…to whomever

Real Men have a lot of tools….mostly for looks

Real Men don’t mind watering their wives plants…well they do…but they don’t say anything

Real Men know when not to say anything….especially to their wives

Real Men don’t mind going to the grocery store…especially if they are hungry

Real Men refuse to go to Wal-Mart on Saturday afternoon

Real Men buy .22 bullets every time they go to Wal-Mart

Real Men are always on time….their wives make them late

Real Men are in great demand….especially today

Real Men love and respect their parents

Real Men ain’t afraid of the dentist….most don’t go

Real Men belong to the NRA….regardless of the insurance

Real Men think other Real Men are cool

Real Men can live anywhere….most are found in the south….north, east, and west!

Real Men are mentors and teachers and role models…without making millions of dollars a year

Real Men stand strong in the face of adversity….but are made weak by the grace of God

Real Men wear the same belt everyday….well they try to anyway

Real Men are a blessing….thank God for them all!

Prison And The Law

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If you do a quick study of, say, Leviticus, with an eye toward how the Jewish theocratic system of justice differed from our own, you find a number of interesting points:

1. Offenders were never allowed to be a burden on society. Penalties included restitution and corporal punishment even up to death, but never incarceration.

2. Justice was swift and local. Whether an offense called for the payment of a few coppers or a stoning, the local judge heard the dispute, made a ruling, and declared the sentence. Two weeks from crime to punishment was probably common.

3. Everybody knew the whole of the Law. The Pentateuch makes a smallish book, but it contains all of the Mosaic law with many repetitions, along with much history. Everyone could memorize the criminal code by their teenage years, and everyone was trained to do so. (This was part of what we call “education.”)

4. The Law was never distinguished from morality. The Israelites never had “victimless crimes.” Every offense was an offense against God for starters, and possibly others besides. This is important because the Law was never arbitrary, and so never engendered contempt.

These are traits I’d like to see brought back to our own laws, but I tell you the truth…I’m not holding my breath.

-AaronB  

Praising God Seven Times

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Psalms 119 vs 164: “Seven times a day do I praise thee because of they righteous judgements” Today I want to praise the Lord seven times.
No. 1 Genesis 1 vs 1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and earth.” I praise Him today for my eyesight that I might behold His marvelous creation and with my eyes I can read the Word of God.
No. 2 Matthew 1 vs 21: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.” I praise God for the gift of His Son and my Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ.
No. 3 1st Corinthians 1 vs 4 & 5: “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in everything ye are enriched by Him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge.” I praise God today for the knowledge of His saving grace, knowing there is a way unto salvation and the way is Jesus Christ.
No. 4 Romans 12 vs 3: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man a measure of faith.” I praise God for that measure of faith for with it I can believe unto salvation.
No. 5 Philippians 2 vs 8: “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” I praise God for the cross and all it means. The cross was the symbol of death, but once the Son of God was hung there it became the symbol of life everlasting. Thank you dear Jesus for my salvation.
No. 6 Hebrews 9 vs 22: “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” I praise God for the blood. It’s with this blood that my salvation is bought.
No. 7 1st Corinthians 6 vs 19: “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not yor own.” I praise God today for the Holy Spirit that dwells in me. The Holy Ghost guides and directs my life. The more I yield to the Spirit the more I grow in faith and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

These are the seven praises I give to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Holy One of Israel, our heavenly Father and the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Meth Epidemic In Oklahoma

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Meth…also known as ‘CRANK’. It is an extremely potent form of ‘SPEED’ as it was known in the 60’s & 70s. Speed of course being amphetamines.

I live in an area of Oklahoma where Meth lab busts are common on a weekly basis. A few years back, my county ranked as number 2 in the Nation for Meth lab busts. Two to three every week. We’ve had houses blow up right here in town…in nice neighborhoods as well as the bad ones, when something went wrong in the lab.

I have watched this drug over the years go through various stages of how users obtain it. At one time, it was a very secretive and dangerous business for all involved. Many drug related murders directly connected to meth have been committed in my county. In the early stages of the beginning of its wide spread use here, there were only a very few ‘select’ dealers. The labs were the most elusive of all things to find and bust. Usually tucked away in some far away farm house out in the boonies. The hardest main ingredient at one time to come by was…’The Cook’. Often cooks where brought in from out of the area, the lab was set up and waiting. The cook would do his job for 3 or 4 days then take his cut in cash and split. It was nothing to hear of a cook making $50,000 off of one large batch. Then the ‘recipe’ got out via the internet and users. ‘Kitchen labs’ are abundant in the area now. Some for private use, others for ‘production’.

Another street name for Meth is ‘Crank’. Along with this slang term was born the term ‘Crankster Gangster’. A ruthless, dangerous individual with no morals, no thought of bloodshed over a nickel’s worth of this horrible drug.

Spotting a Meth user: Its often hard to see it at first. They appear to be healthy for all intent and purpose. The one sure sign I am aware of, is a person who seems extremely hyper active. One very obvious and odd trait is that the user will display, is the gnashing of teeth. The lower jaw working side to side. This is often referred to as ‘Tweaking’ by the users. Tweaking is when the drug is at its most potent level in the users body. If you should ever see it once first hand, you’ll know it again immediately when you see it.

As the addiction progresses, the user will begin to stay up for days on end. Paranoia and hallucinations set in and at this stage, the user can be very dangerous. Damned dangerous if I may say so.

Then the drug begins to take it’s effect on the body. Major weight loss being the first sign. Secondly, something about the drug causes the loss of enamel from the users teeth. Blackened teeth begin to show. This comes after being addicted to the drug for a good length of time.

What can we do about it? If you suspect any of the signs others have posted about things you may find, Mr. Coffee filters ‘usually having a red stain to them’, and other items. Back off…call law enforcement.

Protecting kids? Meth is no different than any other illegal substance abuse our youth at sometime in life will be confronted with. Peer pressure being the major influence for most part.

What to do if you discover a friend, family member or loved one is a user? Family intervention is a good start. Followed with a lot of prayer! Try your best to get the person to seek counseling. Try and find a local chapter of Narcotics Anonymous. You may do this by doing an online search for meetings in your area. Should the afflicted party begin making an honest attempt at quitting, support them as strongly as you can. Learn what ‘tough love’ means. You’ll in all likelihood have to make use of it before the person recovers. Addicts and alcoholics are some of the most accomplished liars on Gods green earth. Trust me on this.

I learned all of this the hard way. I have been a recovering alcoholic/addict for 17 years now. Yes…the leopard can change his spots. But only with a daily walk and belief in a loving God of his understanding, and a desire to stay clean and sober that never ends. In the past 17 years living my life alcohol and drug free, I’ve often been called on to be a pallbearer. None of them died from old age. NOTHING is a stronger reminder to me of what lies ahead if I ever take another drink or use another drug in this life, as to when I stand…walk to the casket…grasp the handle, and once again carry someone gone home early to their final resting place.

And finally, my most often quoted line to a young addict or alcoholic is simple.

~Kid, buy yourself one…maybe two good suits. You’re gonna need em’.  One…for the funerals you will be going to, the second…they’ll need one to bury you in.~

God Bless,

Marc R. Murphy

 

~But for the Grace Of GOD…there go I~

It’s The Heart That Counts

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It was a pleasant September day, the kind of day meant to be spent in the company of friends. Several of us had been invited to spend the day at Rob Applegate’s place. Rob and Marilyn opened their home to us and we spent an enjoyable time looking over Rob’s collection of guns and his shop until the ladies called us in for a snack. After having eaten into Rob’s private store of Colby cheese and washing it down with cold beverages the men took off to Rob’s private shooting spot while the ladies went in search of antiques. It promised to be an enjoyable afternoon.

Everyone brought a reasonable collection of guns and copious amounts of ammunition. It was a real pleasure to share this time with fellow shooters. Everyone made me feel welcome and let me try their various pet guns. There were Linebaugh built Rugers, Gary Reeder built Rugers, Smith and Wesson’s and assorted long arms. Rob had a gong set up around 200 yards and one set up at around 25 or 30 yards (if memory serves me) The farther gong soon became the target of choice as we took turns terrorizing it with all manner of calibers and weapons.

In the middle of all the fun and camaraderie I kept ribbing Gary about his “tupperware” gun that he was packing on his hip. Amongst all the custom revolvers, old Smiths, old Rurgers and such, his G-g-g (I can’t even get myself to type the name!) plastic gun seemed out of place. Being a fine Christian gentleman he took the kidding as long as he could, then he did the unthinkable, he made me shoot it! He handed me the pistol with a clip full of nondescript hardball ammo and told me to give it a try. I aimed at the 200 yard gong, squeezed the horrid trigger…..and rang the gong! That didn’t seem right. The horrible trigger, the ugly gun, the cheap ammo, and yet I hit the gong! In fact, as I worked my way through the clip full, I hit the gong more often than I did with any other gun! Life’s not fair!

Later, as I reflected on the experience, I got to thinking about how that g-g-g-gl-glock was a lot like some people. It had nothing attractive at all about it. It was soul less plastic poured into an ugly square mold, and yet it did a fine job of what it was to do. If given the pick of the tailgate of all the guns brought to that shoot, I’d probably never have picked out the g-g-g-gl-glock. In stead my eye would have been attracted to any one of the various “sexy” guns that had been brought along. The Smith 29 with the 10+ inch barrel, the Gary Reeder .475, the Linebaugh .45, the Old Model .357 Ruger – they each had some aesthetic appeal that would have taken my fancy. But the fact remains, the g-g-g-gl-glock shot better for me at that distance than any of the rest.

You see, we as humans, tend to judge things by their outward appearance. Our eyes often deceive us, because we believe that whatever pleases the eye must be good. But God looks upon us differently. When the profet Samuel was searching for a man to replace Saul on the throne of Israel, he went to the house of Jesse like the Lord had told him to. Jesse called his sons before Samuel and Samuel looked on them with human eyes. Here’s what the Bible tells us about what happened that day.


And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’S anointed is before him. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. I Samuel 16:6-7
The King James Version

We, too, must learn to discern and to seek the heart, not the appearance. Although I hate to admit it, that Glock of Gary’s is a fine shooting gun. It has a lousy trigger, but despite that, it gets the job done and that’s what counts. May I do the same for my Lord.

A Christian Responds to Brokeback Mountain

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A recent discussion about “Brokeback Mountain” on the Sixshooter Community Forum got me thinking and a dangerous thing it is indeed.

The release of and hoopla surrounding “Brokeback Mountain” are indeed disturbing things and signs of how our fallen world continues to sink in its sinfulness and rebellion towards God. However, the thing that disturbs me most about all of it is the predictable response so many Christians have given.

I am an ultra-conservative, Evangelical Christian, but I refuse to lower myself to the name-calling and self-righteous behavior that so many of my brothers and sisters have resorted to in this instance. Whether genetic (which I doubt), environmental (very likely) or a personal choice (definitely the case in a lot of instances), homosexual behavior is a sin and is condemned by God. However, we Christians seem to place it in its own special category, as if it is worse to God than any other sin out there. I would submit to you that homosexuality isn’t any more reprehensible in God’s eyes than heterosexuals having sex outside of marriage, looking at heterosexual pornography, or lusting after a neighbor’s wife. How many of us are guilty of at least one of those sins? I know I am.

God created sex to bond a man and a woman in holy marriage in a relationship that helps us understand His nature. When God created man and woman in His image, He split His attributes between them. By joining two different people of two different genders with two different personalities into one, He gives us a glimpse of who He is and helps us become more like Him. Sexual sin of any flavor perverts this beautiful act that He has given us out of His love and mercy. It does not matter whether that sexual sin is with someone of the same or different gender, it serves to break down the marital union, causing a wedge between us and our spouses and between us and God.

Additionally, the sexual union between a husband and wife is supposed to enhance the loving environment of the home. It is meant to strengthen the family unit so that children are brought up in an environment that points them to their true Father in Heaven. Sexual sin destroys this environment, whether that sin is between people of the same or different genders. The result is what we see all around us today – broken families, broken homes, broken lives, all of which perpetuate themselves.

I get very frustrated when Christians get on their high horse about how bad homosexuals are, with all the inevitable name calling, and then wink at those around them who are sexually sinning with those of the opposite gender. Sin is sin in both cases and destroys that which God created to be good.

I ask you, whom would you rather have walk in your church this Sunday – a homosexual couple or a man and a woman who are living together but are not married? My answer? BOTH! Both couples NEED to know that God loves them, that Jesus died for their sins, and that He can and WILL give them the power to overcome their sinful lives, including the sexual sin in which they are living. Be honest with yourself – would you embrace the heterosexual couple and shun the homosexual couple? Many people and many churches would do just that.

I do not mean to cast judgment upon anyone here, but I do ask that you consider your attitude towards homosexuals. Jesus died for them too and there, but for HIS grace, could go any one of us.

I challenge you, next time you hear about a movie like “Brokeback Mountain”, see a homosexual couple at the grocery store, or meet a new homosexual co-worker, please pray for him/her/them. Pray that God will deliver them from the lies Satan has used to deceive them. Pray that God will wrap his loving arms around them so that they can know true freedom in Christ Jesus. And, pray that God will use YOU in a personal way to make these things happen. In so doing, you will truly walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

9-11 A Christian Response

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Hi Everybody – Just a note! We need to be careful of what we pass on to others. While I in no way agree with or am sympathetic with the happenings of Sept 11th, we must be careful that we do NOT become a part of promoting hatred. This is not only in direct contradiction of Christ’s teachings; it is contrary to human psychology. We will be come like that which we hate. The terrorists want us to hate them because then we become like them. You cannot fight hatred with hatred! Isn’t this at least part of the reason we are told to “Love our enemies.”? And “Pray for those who despitefully use you.” Those hated and their actions surely fit these two sayings. They used our planes and fuel to cause billions of dollars of destruction to our buildings and snuff out almost 3,000 of our lives. (When the Gospel was first proclaimed 3000 received Eternal life.)

They “hate” because they do not know “Love.” ” God is Love.” They do not know God and His love for them. They must try to appease god by their selfless actions; yes, even the maximum, giving their own life for his purposes – not in gaining converts, but in killing those who don’t (won’t) convert. They gave their lives to gain access to “heaven”. They don’t know that God loved them so much that HE gave His Son, who gave His life for them. The price has been paid already by Jesus Christ! – But they don’t know it.

Pray for their salvation, that they will hear the “Good News”, believe it, accept it and obey it. Did you know that there are already more Moslems in the USA than there are members of the Assembly of God churches? Just who is working and who is falling behind? WE also need to pray the their plans for evil will be thwarted, their lines of communication (Chain of command) will be confused and their plans will not be able to be carried out.

And pray for all those affected by what happened one year ago, that the God of all Consolation will touch hearts and bring healing, forgiveness and peace. May the grace of God and His peace be with all who read this. May He console you and may you feel His arms of love around you giving you the comfort that you need.

Blessed to Be a Blessing,
Jim Hosken
(Tampico, Tams., Mexico)

4 July 2001 – 225 Years Of Freedom

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Independence day! Oh what a sound those words have! They carry the ring of Freedom and Liberty! Crowds gather to celebrate little realizing that instead of possessing freedom and liberty they are slaves to sin and serfs under the cruel dominion of satan.

What is true “freedom”? Where is freedom to be found? We find in John 8:32 these words: “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Today, if you would celebrate freedom, turn to the Author of Life and seek the freedom that He offers through knowledge of His word.

The principles on which the United States of America were founded are mostly unknown to people today. When the records are examined, the words of the founding fathers ring with the sound of true freedom. These were men who knew what they were doing and knew that they were seeking to establish a country in which the right of the people to serve the True God would be upheld. Let’s take a look at some of their writings.

“When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. … We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…. We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States…. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” –A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America in General Congress Assembled July 4, 1776

“We have this day restored the Sovereign to whom alone men ought to be obedient.” —Samuel Adams

“Yesterday, the greatest Question was decided, which ever was debated in America, and a greater perhaps, never was nor will be decided among Men. A Resolution was passed without one dissenting Colony, ‘that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, and as such they have, and of Right ought to have, full power to make War, conclude Peace, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which other States may rightfully do.” — John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776

“May it [the Declaration of Independence] be to the world what I believe will be (to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all), the signal of arousing man to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition has persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessings of security and self-government.” —Thomas Jefferson

If we wish to be free; if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending; if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained–we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms, and to the God of hosts, is all that is left us. —Patrick Henry, 1775

“We now have a National character to establish, and it is of the utmost importance to stamp favorable impressions upon it; let justice be then one of its characteristics, and gratitude another.” —George Washington

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it. —Thomas Paine

“Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.” —Samuel Adams

“People and nations are forged in the fires of adversity.” — John Adams

“Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered. Yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” —Thomas Paine

“There is an option still left to the United States of America, that it is in their choice and depends upon their conduct, whether they will be respectable and prosperous or contemptible and miserable as a Nation.” — George Washington

That last one strikes home through the centuries. What will we as a people choose? Will we turn from “the God of our fathers” to follow the modern call to dependance on the schemes and ideas of men? Will we turn our backs on the examples of those who pledged “our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” and on the God who saw them through the conflict?

What direction will we as a nation now take? Will we turn back to God and take back the “land of the Free and home of the Brave” from the hands of godless men who seek to destroy that which was established 225 years ago? Will we as a nation (in the words of George Washington) “be respectable and prosperous or contemptible and miserable as a Nation.”?

Is it to late? In Romans chapter one we read:

“18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shown it unto them. 20For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21Because that, when they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, neither were they thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. 24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: 25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

This is a picture of the once great nation of the United States of America. For too long good men and women have stood aside allowing perverse people to set the laws and customs. We have refused to stand up for what is right and so our land has slid into disrespect towards our Creator. Marriage is no longer honored nor respected in our land. We have allowed the concept of family to be brought into disrespect by allowing those who live in sodomy to be considered “a family”. God’s laws are clear on these and many other subjects, and yet we stand by and say nothing while our land is brought lower and lower away from the paths set by God.

Let us not forget the judgements handed down by God to the nations of Judah and Israel. Because they did not walk in the way that God had set for them, because they turned aside to follow the wicked kings and to serve other gods, they were removed from their land. Their nation was destroyed. Let us not allow that to happen to the United States.

Today, July 4, 2001, is a good day to begin to take back our nation and to proclaim the Glories of Him who allowed us to become the greatest nation on earth.

… in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever. I Chronicles 28:8b