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Only Jesus Can Cancel the Debt that Saves Your Life!

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Biden has created quite an uproar, and rightly so, by claiming he has the power to cancel college loan debts to the tune of 500 billion dollars by charging taxpayers, many who either have paid off their own college loans or never accrued them. He’s not even going full socialist by taking from the rich to give to the poor; he’s going true communist by taking from everyday Americans and in some cases giving to the rich who could pay off their own loans.

The timing is obvious as his poll approval is in the tank and this is a last-ditch effort to buy votes before the November elections. But so many people are enraged at this political ploy, that I’m sure it will backfire with lost votes because it doesn’t matter what political party you support, the 89,000 armed new IRS agents are coming for you and your money. It’s estimated this college loan forgiveness sham will cost every American family $2000. I wonder if that includes the students receiving the loan payoff since they’re taxpayers too!

I had already decided to write on a similar topic, when Biden just confirmed I was on the track God wanted me on.

Originally, I was going to write on cancel culture and how God isn’t worried about it because He was the originator of cancel when He sent His Son Jesus Christ to the Cross to cancel our sin debt. But there’s one important stipulation—you must believe that Jesus not only died on the Cross, He also arose three days later and returned to Heaven to prepare a place for all who would believe and follow Him.

There is no charge to you.

There is no charge to anyone else.

There is no price you must pay for forgiveness of your sin debt.

Your slate is wiped clean! You’re free to live a life honoring Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Such a hard concept for many to grasp and yet so many need to hear this Good News.

For those who are foolishly comparing corrupt Biden unjustly wiping away college debt to Jesus Christ being nailed to a cross in a bloody gruesome death to justly wipe away our sin, I say blasphemy. Anyone who would even try to compare the two is not a Christian and knows nothing about becoming a Christian, but this is certainly an opportunity to inform them of the biblical facts of salvation.

Going to college and incurring enormous loan debt is a choice. It was not forced or imposed on students. It was a life choice, a commitment, and a responsibility they accepted and willingly agreed to pay back.

Jesus went to the cross willingly to offer everyone the choice of accepting Him as their Lord and Savior without imposition or coercion. It’s a choice with no payback. You cannot pay for or earn salvation by good works or effort. You simply trade in your sin-filled life by surrendering your heart to Christ to receive the gift of eternal salvation and eternal life. It’s a commitment. It’s free. It’s available to everyone!

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 6:23 ESV

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Eph. 2:8-9 ESV

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Rom 10:9 ESV

For those who make the life-saving, life-changing choice, Jesus has already paid the price. No one can make the choice for you or wipe away your sin debt, only Jesus.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Is. 1:18

Why Has College Become So Expensive in the First Place?

One of the things I’ve said about this ridiculous and unrighteous attempt to make innocent people pay for the college debts of others is that the Biden Administration loves to talk about getting to the “root cause” of issues like the outrageous onslaught of people flooding over our borders from other countries. The obvious root cause: Biden is inviting them here!

Why don’t the liberals investigate the root cause of exorbitant fees to attend colleges? Why don’t they investigate the tuitions that require college loans? Many colleges are already receiving federal subsidies. Who holds them accountable for what they’re charging students? These same over-priced institutions are the beneficiaries of all this government bailout and will only be encouraged to raise the tuitions even higher. The root cause: College administrators are also usually large Democrat donors with a huge liberal lobby.

The Biden Administration thinks they’ll win favor with the public by just throwing money at the problem and appeasing their donors and college lobbyists. Sad that college has now become a political tool and students and their families the political football. And we the taxpayers are being tackled and squeezed to pay for debts we didn’t incur.

What Are Others Saying?

I was interested to read what Christian financial expert Dave Ramsey had to say about this latest maneuver from the White House. Here are some of his comments.

“This is so intellectually dishonest.”

He added, “If [student loans] are so bad that you have to cancel them, then why are you continuing to make them? You should at least stop making them before we start forgiving them,” he added of student debt arrangements.

“It’s an obvious political ploy.”

He called the student loan industry “predatory.”

“If you are a $10,000 student loan person and you make less than $125,000, and [your loan] is getting ready to be forgiven — we’re happy for you. We want good things for you,” he said, referencing the notion of getting out of debt as quickly as possible. However, he said, “we’re also simultaneously angry on behalf of the people who paid off their loans and feel screwed — and you know why they feel screwed? Because they got screwed. That’s why.”

So, everyone out there “just paid off all of these other people’s student loan debt, and your grandkids paid them off.”

“This slide toward socialism … is out of control. This is a failed presidency,” he said.

Ramsey also said of the student loan handout, “What about the guy who takes out a student loan next week? What [is Washington] going to do to help him?”

Dave Ramsey reacts to Biden’s student loan handout: ‘Obvious political ploy’ | Fox Business

Former Secretary of Education William Bennet told FOX Business host Maria Bartiromo . . .

“This is a terrible, terrible, idiotic idea.”

“College charges and university charges have gone up so much higher than the rate of inflation — and we will see another increase now by the people who run these institutions.”

Bennett added, “We just keep chasing our tail. Keep increasing the grants, the loans — and they will keep increasing the charges. As soon as the money’s there, they will find a way to charge you for it.”

“The people who paid down their debt — they get nothing out of this. The people who never had debt — they get nothing out of this. The welders, the hairdressers, so many others — they get nothing.”

“So here you are, making a move that’s very bad for the economy, in terms of inflation,” said Bennett. 

“You’re favoring an already advantaged class over others,” he said. 

“You’re violating a basic contract agreement and obligation — when you take on debt, you should pay it back. You signed the paper — you took it on. And you’re not helping people who did the honorable thing.”

The “moral hazard here is pretty obvious,”

And “the only reason we can think that a person would advance this,” Bennett said, “would be for political purposes. They’re hoping that the people who get this [loan handout] will vote for Biden. That’s the only conclusion you can draw.” William Bennett on Biden’s student loan handout plan: ‘Terrible, idiotic idea’ | Fox News

Susan Rice’s response to those who have paid off their debt: “Yes, those who have paid their loans back deserve to be credited, that’s fantastic. That’s to their credit.” What a tone-deaf statement. Is she talking about crediting them back all the money they paid to fulfill their contract? No, I didn’t think so!

While Pelosi admits their going to selectively “relieve people of their obligation.”

How Will God Use This for Good?

The Democrat party has become godless and evil. But let me encourage you that God is bigger than all of this! He sees everything.

Biden doesn’t have the authority to cancel college debt with the stroke of a pen on an executive order. He’s not a king. He’s a President that must follow the Constitution and present this proposal to Congress, which he’s choosing to bypass. So far, they’re letting him, but we can only hope there are soon legal challenges to this obvious pay-for-votes bribery scheme. The Bible warns . . .

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. Pr. 22:7

Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings does have authority to cancel our sin debt and just like I did in this article, the discussion about this unjust extortion by the Biden Administration opens the door for us to discuss the free salvation available through a relationship with Jesus.

We simply turn the conversation to sharing our testimony and the Gospel with those who haven’t yet asked Jesus to forgive their sin debt.

We present the living Word, Jesus Christ, to a dying world.

“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Rom. 10:13

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August 28, 2022
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Are They Coming for You Next?

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When I was writing last week’s blog regarding the left labeling Conservative Patriotic Christians as “Christian Nationalists,” They Called Jesus and His Followers Names Too, the thought entered my mind that this was a setup to dissuade and intimidate support of President Trump should he plan on running again in 2024 or frankly any Republican candidate. I didn’t include that thought in the post to not politicize it and I know there are probably readers who don’t favor President Trump. But the unprecedented raid on his home by the Justice Department and FBI, confirmed my assertions.

Whatever you think of President Trump, like him or not, the invasive raid, never before assailed against a former President in history, raises many questions about the overreach and politicization of the Justice Department and the FBI. These are not unfounded concerns with what we saw take place with the FBI and DOJ lying and falsifying documents in Russiagate along with the theatrical raids on Trump’s associates. Even the head of Project Veritas, journalist James O’Keefe, was unjustly raided by the FBI looking for the Biden family’s lost diary!

In case you didn’t know, James O’Keefe established Project Veritas in 2011 as a non-profit journalism enterprise to continue his undercover reporting work. Today, Project Veritas investigates and exposes corruption, dishonesty, self-dealing, waste, fraud, and other misconduct in both public and private institutions to achieve a more ethical and transparent society. Overview | Project Veritas

Then last Friday, House Democrats passed an Orwellian $739 billion climate change, tax hike, and healthcare bill. A bill that will fund the IRS with 80 billion more taxpayer dollars and double the agency by adding 87,000 new IRS armed and willing to use lethal force agents!! Under the Obama Administration, the IRS was caught targeting Conservatives and nonprofits. What will happen this time and why do they need an arsenal of guns and agents willing to use them against taxpayers?

Democrats claim that by investing in the Internal Revenue Service they can save an additional $124 billion. Where do you think they’re going to get that money? From hardworking American citizens. They’ve made no excuses that their plan to fund this bill and raise the additional $124 million is with higher taxes and finding something you overlooked in filing your taxes. As some have joked: They’ll look for the change in your couch! But it’s not funny.

Of that $750 billion, $369 billion is slated to go to climate change subsidies to try to help reach Biden’s goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030. A further $64 billion will go to expanding ObamaCare subsidies. The rest of the new revenue, more than $300 billion, they claim will go to paying down the deficit they’ve inflated.

So whether or not you agree with their Green New Deal, you’re going to pay for it by force.

We Are A Nation in Trouble!

People need to know the Lord. Many are afraid and justly concerned that the safe and secure America we’ve enjoyed in the past is systematically being destroyed. Now, more than ever, we need to remember and share with everyone we know that our hope and security comes from Jesus Christ not politicians or the government that’s currently shredding our Constitution.

Even though they can make our earthly life miserable, God is still who we trust with our eternal life.

 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Gen. 50:20 NKJV

My husband heard that the Rev. Franklin Graham, the president of Samaritan’s Purse, was on Eric Bolling’s Newsmax show on Thursday, August 11 and I’m so glad we watched it. Franklin admitted that he too is fearful of what this nefarious government is capable of doing to anyone who disagrees with them, just like in Communist countries. But praise God Christians know the Lord as our Savior and He will use all of this for good. And yes, He will use us to do His good work.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Eph. 2:10 NLT

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil. 1:6

I noticed that Rev. Graham, who usually appears in interviews smiling and relaxed, this time was unusually serious and somber as he told Bolling that after recent events the United States is entering a “very frightening time” and needs to find God again.

By recent events, Graham was referring to the FBI raid on President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence and the then proposed congressional Democrats doubling the IRS’ staff. Graham shared his organization’s experience with the Obama Administration IRS.

”During the Obama administration, because I was not supportive of their policies, we got audited at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association … the next day Samaritan’s Purse was notified, and we were audited.”

”We have nothing to hide but they will use the IRS to go after people that don’t support their agenda,” he continued. ”And I think you see when they’re going to be armed and things like this. This is very frightening — and we’re really going to turn into what we saw in Communist countries. Very Very frightening!”

That was hard to hear and a bit shocking that Franklin Graham was fearful watching this administration using Communist-style tactics against their political enemies and the very people they are charged to govern fairly regardless of party affiliation.

Next, Graham did what he always takes the opportunity to do; he turned the conversation to God. “Our only hope for this nation is God, and we as a nation we’ve turned our back on God. We’ve left Him behind. We support abortion and same sex marriage. These are things that are against God’s standards and God’s laws. We celebrate sin instead of being ashamed of sin . . . our politicians are celebrating sin.”

Then he shared with the viewers the saving grace of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. His solutions to solving the current crises are for Americans to stop celebrating sins such as abortion and same-sex marriage and turn back to God so as not to be under God’s judgment.

“We need to be repentant and turn from those sins and ask for God’s forgiveness and put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, His Son who died for our sins on the cross and God raised to life. And if we’re willing to repent from our sins and put our faith in Jesus Christ, God will forgive our sins,” he proclaimed.

”But we as a nation are in trouble, and we’re getting probably what we deserve.” Rev. Graham to Newsmax: US in Trouble After Trump Search, Proposed IRS Growth | Newsmax.com

God Is Our Only Hope and Refuge and He’s Coming for You!

I find it interesting that Biden put out a statement Saturday after the brutal stabbing of author Salman Rushdie: “Salman Rushdie—with his insight into humanity with his unmatched sense for story, with his refusal to be intimidated or silenced—stands for essential, universal ideals. Truth. Courage. Resilience. The ability to share ideas without fear. These are the building blocks of any free and open society. And today, we reaffirm our commitment to those deeply American values in solidarity with Rushdie and all those who stand for freedom of expression,” he added.

It’s hard to read those words attributed to Biden and believe him. The hypocrisy of that statement is deafening! Yes, that is what America used to stand for, yet Biden’s administration has already tried to enforce a federal Ministry of Truth, with a Truth Czar who would determine misinformation and squelch freedom of expression. Censor what the government didn’t consider “truth,” which Twitter and Facebook already does. They’ve created a culture where people are canceled, fired, or kicked out of school if they don’t agree with the woke trajectory that’s sending America into the abyss.

 A deep, spiritual sickness is strangling the soul of our nation. Our culture, and far too many of our institutions, have not only turned away from God like Franklin Graham lamented, but they’re becoming actively hostile to Him.

Lt. Col. Allen West wrote: “The Founders of this nation didn’t just create America because they thought it would be cool. Most believed they were fulfilling their duty to God, and that America was in many ways the result of the intervention of Divine Providence. We must continue that fight today, because if we allow America’s light to go out the entire world will be swallowed up by evil.”

Don’t let Ezekial 22:30 be true of us: “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.”

Let God find us faithfully standing in the gap through prayer, petition, action, and our voice.

We soon will have an opportunity to change the direction of our country with our vote, but only God can spiritually deliver people with eyes that refuse to see and ears that refuse to hear. So, we pray for those blinded by the evil one, whose ears are tickled by lies. When we look at our own testimonies, and that of the apostle Paul who was killing Christians before his encounter with God, we know that God can and will change lives, even the life of a country.

As much as we should encourage people to get out and vote this November, we need to remember that our focus as Christians is to draw others to Christ in all circumstances. I always appreciate that Franklin Graham, like his father Rev. Billy Graham, never misses an opportunity to share the Gospel, because regardless of the curse our nation is bringing on itself, our job is to be sure that everyone we know is saved.

At any moment, God could say enough chances. There are many who feel God’s not done with America yet, but we should still feel urgency to be sure our family and friends know Jesus as their personal Savior.

You and I are going to encounter people who are fearful of what’s happening to our nation. Maybe that’s you. Fear seems to have been the dominating emotion since Covid and political corruption has touched every life. But God wants Jesus to touch every life, even those politicians who seem to be going against everything godly!

None of us can predict the future for America, or how this will personally affect us, but if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you know who holds your future. He’s got it all figured out and we’re each part of His plan to draw others to the hope found in a relationship with Jesus, while there’s still time.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer. 29:11 NKJV

It’s God who’s coming for you and me! As Jesus told his disciples and He says to His disciples today . . .

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Amen!

You might enjoy reading my recent Crosswalk article. What Is the Truth Behind Biblical Gender Roles?

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No blog next Monday, 8/22 but I should be back on 8/29, the Lord willing. Also, we’ve been having trouble with the email distribution which is why you’ve seen the past few weeks the blog coming maybe on a different day or time, but it’s always on my website by 4:00 AM, MT on Monday morning. I appreciate all you faithful readers!

August 15, 2022
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The 4th of July Is for Americans Who Love Their Country!

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Did you ever think we would be living in a time when love of country, respect for the American Flag, and standing for the National Anthem would become controversial? Patriotism booed and considered deplorable? Some schools not allowing children to wear patriotic clothing or even starting their school day with the Pledge of Allegiance? Athletes representing the USA abroad disgracing our country and disgracing themselves? Patriots even being labeled as terrorists by the White House?

How did we become a country of ungrateful, unpatriotic citizens? Or are these just the people who yell the loudest and the media covers incessantly with glee?!

How did government officials who seem to hate America and want to destroy our Republic ever get elected?

One of my favorite songs is “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood. I sing along whenever I hear it, especially the lines, “I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free!” Yet we just lived through several years where our freedoms were denied and we’re watching the left in power now trying to remove more of our freedoms.

I am proud to be an American, but not proud of all Americans.

It’s strange to hear some saying don’t make the 4th of July political when Independence Day marked the initiation of politics!

Have you watched shows where they do a man-on-the-street interview and ask people if they know facts about our country’s history? I wonder how many could answer questions about the 4th of July and why it’s a national holiday. Here’s a fun quiz.

“What does July 4th stand for?

  • From what country did America fight to win their freedom?
  • Why is July 4th Independence Day?
  • What year was the Declaration of Independence signed and adopted?
  • What is the significance of 13 stripes and 50 stars?
  • Why are our patriotic colors red, white, and blue?
  • What does a national flag represent?
  • Why are caskets of fallen soldiers wrapped in the American flag?
  • Why do we have fireworks on the 4th of July?

How about asking these questions and offering a prize to the one who knows the most answers at your 4th of July gathering.

So many more historical facts are lost in a culture that has forgotten our roots or is trying to rewrite our history. Liberal politicians want to erase our heritage as if it never happened and turn a Country of Freedoms into a country of government socialistic control of the citizens.

Many politicians and legislatures are old enough to remember national history classes. But in their zeal to make America a progressive socialist country, they make it seem like the freedom of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness isn’t as valuable as the carrots they dangle of free healthcare, free college, free immigration free… free…which the naïve lap up without realizing nothing is free. They will pay the price with the loss of sovereignty and personal freedoms that so many brave soldiers gave their life to grant each of us. It will also cost us dearly in taxes, independence, and quality of life.

For example, under socialism people would soon discover that “free” healthcare doesn’t mean the best medical treatment you need when you need it. The government decides who, when, and to what extent you’re worthy of the healthcare they deem you can have or even whether they’ll let you have tests to receive a diagnosis. You won’t just pick up the phone and make a doctor’s appointment. You’ll go through legal red tape, waiting lines, and a faceless worker in Washington deciding whether your life is worth healing or saving.

There will always be a cost. For those politicians saying Medicare-for-all, Medicare is not free. There’s a monthly premium, and everyone pays another premium for a supplement plan to pick up what Medicare doesn’t pay. And many of us have a prescription plan we pay extra for, but still have copays for prescriptions. Bernie Sanders admits there will be a 70% increase in taxes, even to the middle class, while he tries to convince you that you’ll have no out-of-pocket. Lies! Lies! Lies!

Since the majority of Democrat run states plan to give illegal immigrants free healthcare, they’ll need to increase state taxes to pay for it at a time when inflation and the price of gas is stressing everyone’s budget. And how good do you think that healthcare is going to be when it’s stretched to the limits with no money to back it and millions of extra people getting it for “free.” That’s why none of the politicians have given specifics how they would achieve this. They’re just pandering with what they think people want to hear and no one is pressing them on details, or they won’t give interviews to those who will.

Some Democrat politicians have said we’re the only major country without socialized healthcare. What Americans need to remember is that the entire point of July 4th is that we didn’t want to be like other nations. We wanted independence! Other nations come to America for medical treatment. People are not migrating to other countries; they want to come to America because we aren’t like other nations. They come to America for a better life.

No other country was founded on Judeo Christian values, where our Presidents still say “God Bless America” in their speeches, although I haven’t heard Biden say that lately. And as hard as the liberal left is trying to move our country away from God, we need to stand in the gap and keep America a blessed nation under God. Where our currency still says, “In God We Trust” not “In the government we trust.”

The 4th of July celebrates the fight for freedom to be different from other countries. A Republic of the people, by the people, and for the people.

As you plan your festivities—parades, BBQs, fireworks, pool parties, trips to the beach, lake, or river—how about starting those events with the Pledge of Allegiance, singing the National Anthem, and a prayer to God who has allowed us to live in this great country. Remind the children at the gatherings why you’re celebrating this holiday. Our generation must pass down to the next generation our country’s history and why we don’t want to repeat past mistakes.

One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4

If anyone who refuses to stand for the National Anthem, say the Pledge of Allegiance, respectfully represent the USA abroad and at home, dares to celebrate the 4th of July . . . might I say they’re hypocrites who either have no idea what July 4th represents, or they have no idea what they’re even protesting.

God has allowed each of us to live in the greatest nation in the world. Have you ever woken up in the morning and said thank you God I’m an American? If we take God, freedom, and patriotism out of America, we won’t be able to say that anymore.

Have you noticed how both sides of the political arena are always saying, “The American people want to know.” “The American people deserve to know.” I don’t know about you, but they didn’t ask me.

Let’s tell them what the American people really want and deserve. A country that honors God, honors our flag, honors those who have gone before us and fought for our freedoms, and honors the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America and then we will be blessed!

 You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God:

3 Your towns and your fields
    will be blessed.
4 Your children and your crops
    will be blessed.
The offspring of your herds and flocks
    will be blessed.
5 Your fruit baskets and breadboards
    will be blessed.
6 Wherever you go and whatever you do,
    you will be blessed. Deut. 28:2-6 NLT

Have a blessed Independence Day and stay safe!

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July 4, 2022
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“God Made the Decision!”

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14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. 1 John 5:14-15

Each Monday morning in early June, I anxiously searched to see if this would be the Monday SCOTUS released their decision on the Mississippi Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that could overturn Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. But even after the unprecedented leak of Justice Alito’s preliminary opinion leading to the illegal intimidation and protesting at the personal homes of the Constitutionalist Justices, they stayed silent on their final decision. The Democrats in their now typical two-sided justice refused to call out the violence against churches, prolife and pregnancy centers, and even the attempted assassination of Justice Kavanaugh. The biased Attorney General did nothing to stop the illegal invasion of the SCOTUS’ neighborhoods. Yet still SCOTUS did not reveal their decision.

Thursday night, June 23, our church Couples Small Group met at our home for a time of food, fellowship, and prayer. As we prayed, one of our sweet ladies asked me to pray for the upcoming abortion ruling. As I prayed, I felt the Holy Spirit taking over and the words weren’t my words but His. I prayed for God’s will to be done on earth and especially for protection for the justices and their families, but also for them to do their job boldly, bravely, legally. Not to be intimidated or influenced to vote any differently than their conscience and the Constitution guided them.

Then, Friday morning, June 24th it felt like Christmas when I saw the news flash that the Supreme Court had ruled to remove abortion as a federal issue, in essence nullifying and reversing Roe v. Wade which had justified the killing of over 63 million babies for 49 years! Many of us wondered if we would ever see our prayers answered in our lifetime, and yet here it was happening. Just as I had prayed the previous night, Justice Alito wrote,

“We do not pretend to know how our political system or society will respond to today’s decision overruling Roe and Casey. And even if we could foresee what will happen, we would have no authority to let that knowledge influence our decision. We can only do our job, which is to interpret the law, apply longstanding principles of stare decisis, and decide this case accordingly. We therefore hold that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. Roe and Casey must be overruled, and the authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives.”

Which means, now the battle for the lives of innocent precious babies will be fought in each of the 50 states. Thirteen states already have trigger laws just waiting for this decision to ban abortion and other states are also working on variations of banning, but blue states are digging in with even more liberal abortion rights laws with California becoming a “sanctuary abortion” state for death to unwanted or inconvenient souls!

I hope you’ll take time to read the 10 Key Quotes From Justice Alito’s Opinion Overturning Roe v. Wade!

We all know that this long-awaited decision and righting of a horrific wrong, was the result of Donald J. Trump choosing three Justices that believe in adhering to the Constitution, which sadly seems to only be a conservative position as the liberal dissenting Justices want to bypass the Constitution, ignore it, or make their own rules.

The majority Justices were clear that their decision was not motivated by politics but instead adherence to our ruling document the Constitution. As Justice Alito said, “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”

“Our opinion is not based on any view about if and when prenatal life is entitled to any of the rights enjoyed after birth. The dissent, by contrast, would impose on the people a particular theory about when the rights of personhood begin. According to the dissent, the Constitution requires the States to regard a fetus as lacking even the most basic human right—to live—at least until an arbitrary point in a pregnancy has passed. Nothing in the Constitution or in our Nation’s legal traditions authorizes the Court to adopt that ‘theory of life.'”

“Roe found that the Constitution implicitly conferred a right to obtain an abortion, but it failed to ground its decision in text, history, or precedent. It relied on an erroneous historical narrative; it devoted great attention to and presumably relied on matters that have no bearing on the meaning of the Constitution; it disregarded the fundamental difference between the precedents on which it relied and the question before the Court; it concocted an elaborate set of rules, with different restrictions for each trimester of pregnancy, but it did not explain how this veritable code could be teased out of anything in the Constitution, the history of abortion laws, prior precedent, or any other cited source; and its most important rule (that States cannot protect fetal life prior to ‘viability’) was never raised by any Opinion of the Court party and has never been plausibly explained.”

“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision,” Alito wrote.

In other words, there is NOTHING written or implied in the Constitution that gives anyone the “right” to abort or kill their unborn child. Killing babies should never be considered a “right,” morally or legally, but that’s what pro-death advocates are demanding, and it will now become their mantra as abortion is decided by the states.

Let’s be clear: overturning Roe saves the lives of human beings! Democrat and Republican babies, liberal and conservative babies, white black brown ALL babies!! This should not be a political issue. It’s actually not even simply a spiritual or strictly “Christian” issue as so many try to label it. It is a fundamental, biological, proven scientific fact that sex between a man and woman is how babies are created and we can now watch and hear them develop.

“Choice” begins with the choice to have sex. Sexual freedom to create life shouldn’t mean legal freedom to kill that inconvenient or unwanted life! Period. Looking at an ultrasound of a squirmy baby forming in the womb, how could anyone vote to approve the barbaric poisoning or dismembering of that child?

The history of the demented shooter in the horrific murder of those precious children in Uvalde was that he carried around bags of dead animals he killed, and that was a clue to his mental instability. Yet abortion clinics can have trash bags outside their clinics of dead human babies they kill and that’s considered normal!

This demonic demented torturous slaughter of children, even up to and after birth, is what the pro-abortion pro-death abortion-on-demand politicians, advocates, activists, and extremists are screaming should be legal. Demented people who intentionally kill pregnant animals can be prosecuted, but many feel that humans should be able to legally kill their own children in their mother’s bellies with no consequences?!

Demonic, deceived, evil is what I see in the face of a President and House Speaker who profess to be “very Catholic,” whatever that means, but vow to find a way to continue infanticide. It’s a sick disease of the soul. They’ve sold their soul for political power, and like everyone, they’ll answer to God for their choices.

I always hope a reporter will ask Pelosi which one of her children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren she wishes she didn’t have when she gives her ludicrous speeches about women needing to eliminate their own children. She often mentions she should know how they feel because she had five children in six years. So is she saying she wishes she could’ve aborted one or more? Instead of using her platform to encourage women that you can still fulfill your dreams, as she did even as a mother of five, she maintains that women must have the “right” to kill their children. Yes, that’s demonic and deranged.

Whether you love or hate President Trump, when asked if he played a role in the SCOTUS decision, he responded, “God made the decision!” I would add that God made the decision to let him be President #45 at a very decisive time in the history of our country. And God made a decision to let the world see the evil festering in the Democrat party when He let Biden steal the election. The country had to see what the left does when they don’t get their evil way and I pray that Christian Conservative Republican candidates will run the board red in November. Elections have consequences and we’re watching the results right now.

Let’s stop complaining and start campaigning for the next generation of Conservative politicians to take back our country for God, family, and patriotism. The  SCOTUS ruling has showed us it can be done! Even if you’re in a so-called “blue state” don’t give up. The battle has just taken on a new dimension.

I share with you parts of a commentary from Dr. Robert Jeffress. Please go to the link at the end to read in its entirety.
“It is a resounding victory for millions of yet-to-be-born children who will now get to live out their God-ordained lives… Those who value life cannot afford to become weary in well-doing. The overturn of Roe is also an affirmation of the right and responsibility of Christians to get involved in the political process. There is only one reason Roe was overturned: in 2016, conservative Christians worked together to elect Donald Trump, and President Trump kept his promise to appoint pro-life justices to the Supreme Court. Had Hillary Clinton been elected—as some Christians hoped would happen—Roe would still be the law of the land today.

“This week’s historic ruling is a reminder that elections have consequences. Elected leaders determine policies that can influence the moral and spiritual direction of a country. In the 1940s, German Christians (with only a few exceptions) remained silent as Adolf Hitler rose to power and murdered six million Jewish people. Thankfully, Christians in our country have refused to remain silent about the holocaust of unborn children. Together, they effected a leadership change that in turn resulted in a policy change that will save millions of lives.” Commentary on Dobbs Supreme Court Ruling from Dr. Robert Jeffress – Pathway to Victory (ptv.org)

My Faith Votes reminds us that when a pregnant woman visits a Pregnancy Resource Center, she’s often given a gift of baby items. A simple pack of diapers can humanize the fact that a baby is growing in her womb. Imagine if we each took action in our community with this one simple step! Please join us by pledging, right now, to show care and compassion to these mothers in need…we’ll even help you find the Pregnancy Resource Center closest to you.

Our Family Choice for Life Story

Lest you think I’m writing on this topic without knowing personally the difference the life and death of an unborn baby can make to a family, let me bring home to you how giving life to a child influences generations to come in a family.

I have the blessing of almost thirty years married to my godly husband Dave because his mother Barbara’s birthmother chose life for her, and she was adopted. Barbara married Al and my husband Dave was born and he fathered three children, who gave birth to eight grandchildren because their grandmother Barbara was given life.

My daughter Kim’s grandmother, Jean, on her dad’s side was adopted, and because Jean’s birthmother chose to give her life, Jean gave birth to Kim’s dad, my first husband, and we had my precious daughter Kim.

Kim and her husband have three children. They adopted their first child Brandon at two weeks. His Hispanic birthmother was only 15 and Brandon was her second child she bravely chose to carry. Because of her choice to give Brandon life, we have a handsome 17-year-old grandson who has worked since he was 15, while remaining a straight A brilliant student in school and just bought his first car. Brandon is who I thought about as tears flowed reading the SCOTUS decision honoring the sanctity of life. I can’t imagine our family without him. He is such a blessing and loved so dearly.

How many other Barbara’s, Jean’s, and Brandon’s  didn’t get the opportunity to experience life and be a part of a family generational tree because their birthmothers walked into a Planned Parenthood clinic? Thank you Jesus that more of the children You create in their mother’s womb will now have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” Psalm 139:13-14 

PS You can read more of our family’s adoption story in Dear God, Why Can’t I Have a Baby? A Companion Guide for Couples on the Infertility Journey.

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June 27, 2022
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They’re Coming for Our Children!

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We all have children in our life! Whether our own children, grand or great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friend’s kids or neighborhood children, they all matter to God and they must matter to each of us! I hope you’ll continue to read even if you don’t have children in your life right now, because the fate of our future country will soon be in their hands.

Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. Matt. 19:13-15

We know that God loves the little children and His design and desire is that they’re raised in a godly home with parents who teach them right from wrong and how to grow up into upright citizens who will be an asset to those around them and our country. Not every child has that blessing and that’s where the church can step in and embrace these children in the community and schools.

Sadly, we’ve let mentioning Jesus or God be completely removed from conversation in schools, and yet, evil practices like Marxist Critical Race Theory, Black Lives Matter, and gender disunity or “fluidity” are embraced and encouraged. Is it any wonder we have generations of children growing up with drug and alcohol addictions, cutting and eating disorders, anxiety, and tragically suicide is at an all-time high among children. Even those raised in good Christian homes can suffer from these afflictions because they spend the majority of their life in school and not in their home.

That’s an alarming thought, but it’s true.

I’ve said many times before that Satan focuses on disrupting the family and capturing the minds of our children. He doesn’t want generations of Christians growing up in the world; he wants generations of confused radicalized children indoctrinated with his evil ways. That’s exactly what we’re watching as Critical Race Theory is infused into not only curriculum, but the minds of teachers and teaching methods.

Even when racism isn’t directly infiltrated into schoolbooks, it’s become a method of teaching where children are separated by race and every subject is taught through the lens of racism, diversity, and equity. You can watch at this link an interview with three mothers and a school administrator explaining how CRT seeps into curriculum.

Wokeness is a disease spreading through every area of life but especially worrisome is how it’s infecting the vulnerable minds and spirits of our children. It’s a worldview founded in the basic principles of Marxism. Many teachers today are indoctrinated into this radicalized ideology and so it comes naturally for them to teach from that perspective.

We read every day about the firing of conservative teachers who rebel against teaching liberal woke principles! Fired for trying to bring patriotism, sanity, honesty, and clarity into the classroom. We need to pray for good teachers refusing to do the wrong thing!

When teachers were silenced from saying the name of Jesus in schools, I often wondered how Christian teachers coped. As Christians, Jesus is the center of our life. Everything we do and say reflects the perspective of Jesus. Our identity is in Jesus. I know many teachers adjusted by letting Jesus shine brightly through their actions, countenance, and the way they dealt with issues. But how difficult it must be to keep Jesus under wraps in your workplace!

I loved when Tucker Carlson asked Glenn Youngkin, the Christian Republican who just won Governor of Virginia, what Youngkin’s advisors thought when he was so open during his campaign about being a Christian. Youngkin responded that he would never ask them. Being a Christian is who he is and not something he’s ashamed of or could ever hide. He didn’t have to attack Critical Race Theory because he based his campaign on the scriptural and constitutional antithesis that all men are created equal!

Parents Have a Sacred Duty and We Need to Support Them!

We often profess that God can, and will, bring good out of troubling times. Nowhere is this more evident than when the pandemic required kids to participate in school from home via zoom. We started hearing of parents’ alarm at what they heard teachers saying and doing. Many teachers were trying to ban parents from listening in on school sessions, but parents were listening and they heard the woke, racist, gender confusion curriculum their children were learning and often the biases of liberal teachers infused into lectures and behavior.

This wasn’t true of all teachers, but even one bad teacher can harm a child for life!

Today, parents are fighting back! You know school boards are trying to hide their guilt when they take steps to silence the truth from being revealed by alert mama bear and papa bear parents confronting them. So alarmed are school boards that they asked the DOJ to label any parent who questioned them as “domestic terrorists!” And the DOJ did!!!

During the 2016 campaign, Franklin Graham did a prayer tour to all 50 Capitols. My daughter, grandkids, Dave, and I all went to see him on the steps of the Boise Capitol. I remember Franklin saying then that Christians needed to run for local office if we wanted fair and just laws governing us, and he specifically mentioned school boards! It almost seems today like he was a prophet as we watch the damage liberal school boards are doing to our children. But praise God, conservatives ran in recent elections in many states, including in my daughter’s school district, and won!

I heard one parent recently warn parents to stay vigilant. If you don’t fight for the children, no one else will. Pay attention and don’t let your guard down even if you have a conservative school board, know what the individual teachers are teaching.

I’m not insinuating that all teachers are liberal and woke but when a five-year old comes home and asks her mother if she’s evil because she was born white, you know there’s a big problem.

Don’t Let Schools and Government Replace Parents

I would advise parents to get to know your kids’ teachers no matter what the age of your children. I remember my mother going to back-to-school night and knowing my high school teachers. I also remember being moved out of a class because my mom didn’t like how a teacher handled her classes or relating to me. I’m glad my mom cared enough to get involved.

I’ve read many disturbing stories of school counselors encouraging gender fluidity in children and discussing gender change options without ever including the parents! That’s wrong!

Then there’s the promiscuous sex education trying to normalize the gay agenda and gender confusion. I hate to even give these terms and concepts validity because they’re manmade excuses for giving credence to Satan’s attempts to distort God’s creation. What God calls sinful, depraved, and wicked sex practices, the LGBQT agenda receives credibility for and it’s allowed to seep into school curriculum as accepted lifestyles. Children are even encouraged to experiment sexually. Again, it’s evil (Romans 1:18-29) and has no role in public education. Parents need to stand up and take back their rightful place in their children’s social and sexual education. The schools have definitely taken too much liberty.

Here are a few warning quotes from Mark Levin’s book American Marxism.
“Especially pernicious is the American Marxist’s control over our public school and college classrooms, with the full support and active role of the two national teachers’ unions—the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)—where your children and grandchildren are being taught to hate our country and are brainwashed with racist propaganda… As the Heritage Foundation reports: “The dissemination of curricular content and instruction based on CRT in K-12 schools is second only in scope to the presence of CRT in post-secondary instruction, where CRT originated.”

“Without your knowledge, let alone consent ‘districts around the country have integrated CRT into school curricula. Both of the nation’s largest teacher unions support the Back Lives Matter organization, with the National Education Association specifically calling for the use of Black Lives Matter curricular materials in K-12 schools. The curriculum is ‘committed’ to ideas such as a ‘queer-affirming network,’ which have nothing to do with rigorous instructional content, and promotes racially charged essays such as ‘Open Secrets in First-Grade Math: Teaching about White Supremacy on American Currency.’”

I also want to warn you about children potentially being asked in school if they want the COVID vaccine without obtaining parents’ permission and/or making it mandatory for attending school. I am not an anti-vaxxer, but please please do your research before you let children be subjected to a vaccine where there is no long-term data. We know that even though children seem to be getting the new Delta Variant easier than the original COVID, the majority of them are not seriously ill and recover quickly. It is not a deadly illness for children but the vaccine could have lasting consequences, which even the FDA admits they’ll only know by giving it to kids now. Don’t let your children be part of this experiment unless you have peace with it.

Raise Your Children in a Godly Home!

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. Pr. 22:6

As a kid, I remember always being taught to respect authority, especially teachers and police. I think it’s important today that while we teach our children and grandchildren to be respectful, we now need to teach them to recognize red flags of a teacher or someone in authority that is not teaching them what they’ve learned at home to be right, moral, and the way God wants us to live.

Keep communication open so children feel comfortable coming to you when they hear something at school that doesn’t jive with what you’ve taught them as a parent or grandparent. Parents more than ever need to be sure values instilled in your children come from you!

When my daughter was in high school, she came home saying she was going to believe in both Creationism and Darwinism. She had learned at church that God created the earth, but was taught differently in school. I was surprised, but glad she told me so we could have a discussion and I could help lead her in the direction of truth.

More than ever parents need to ask their children what they’re being taught and help them know how to navigate a world that thinks differently than they do. If children have a firm biblical foundation, they won’t tend to be influenced by an alternate worldview.

Help your children feel safe talking to you and look for signs of confusion. Ask specific questions beyond, “How was your day?” Especially from a boy, you’re just going to get “fine.” Know the classes their taking and conversationally engage them in discussing what they like about their classes and a few “what are your learning?” type questions. Not as an interrogation, but sincere interest.

Pray for all schoolchildren, especially those close to you. Dave and I pray every night for our grandchildren and I pray for them in the morning.

I’ll close with another quote from Mark Levin’s last chapter “We Choose Liberty!” in American Marxism.
“I am often asked on radio what are ‘we’ going to do about recovering our country. Too often, what is meant is—what is someone else going to do to save America. That mind-set is simply unacceptable. If we are to rally to the defense of our own liberty and unalienable rights, then each of us, in our own roles and ways, must become personally and directly involved as citizen activists, in our own fate and the fate of our country.”

I would add that each parent and grandparent must have a mind-set to take a role in not only saving our country for the sake of our children, but saving our children for their own sake!

Note: I had no idea what to write about this week. My mind was blank but God woke me up Friday night and this blog topic kept me awake for several hours. I knew what the Lord wanted me to share. I hope to write some thoughts on the climate-control hoax soon, but nothing is more important right now than the fate and future of our children, the next generation.

Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. Pr. 17:6

One generation commends your works to another;
    they tell of your mighty acts.
5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[a]
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—
    and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness
    and joyfully sing of your righteousness. Psalm 145:4-7

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November 8, 2021
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Take the Spiritual Battle Seriously Don’t Become a Casualty!

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When my prayer warrior hubby, Dave, hears about a Christian going through a tough time, he always asks, “I wonder if they’re prayerfully putting on the armor of God everyday?”

Anyone who knows us well knows that Dave and I have prayed the armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-18 daily since the beginning of our twenty-eight years of marriage. We know that spiritual warfare is real; it’s not a myth! It’s a reality that the Lord speaks of clearly and often in the Bible. Yet, many Christians don’t realize that not only is this spiritual battle going on in our world, it’s also going on in our personal lives. It’s the battle between good and evil, Jesus and Satan, which will continue until the time of Jesus’ return.

When we take that first step of faith as believers, we automatically enter into the battle raging in the heavenlies and become Satan’s target. Satan hates Christians and the influence we can have on the culture so he does everything in his power to neutralize our influence and the role we allow God to play in our lives.

I’ve said many times that Satan wants our children and grandchildren, and we’re watching how openly and aggressively he’s going after them in the schools today. He knows his time is short, but he can do a lot of damage during whatever time he has left if we don’t stand in his way!

We shouldn’t let him intimidate us. Don’t succumb to his crafty wiles. Never give up or give in! Instead we take up the spiritual weapons our Great God has provided and implores us to use in victory over the enemy. Yes, you and I have assignments in God’s battle plan!

Praying the Armor of God

In Ephesians 6:10-18, the apostle Paul penned a prayer of protection known as the armor of God. Dave and I pray these verses every morning, which by now we have memorized, because we know that as Christians the enemy is going to put obstacles in our way and try to take us down. You’ve surely experienced some of those obstacles yourself, but verses ten to eleven encourage us to “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” (NLT)

Ephesians 6:12 reminds us of something we often forget: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (NLT)

The good news for every believer is that we have access to a hedge of protection against Satan’s schemes, “Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Verse 17 NLT)

God assures us that we can trust him to fight the spiritual battle for and with us, we just need to engage and do our part and not be passive bystanders or victims.

Rather than trying to solve problems ourselves or find ways to combat what we might be experiencing in the earthly realm, our role is to call on God. “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Verse 18 NLT)

When we’re feeling fearful, worried, threatened, or stressed, we can prayerfully search the Scriptures to discover that God has already provided a safety hedge or shield of protection around those who trust and believe in him. It doesn’t mean the enemy won’t try to weasel into our life, but we know how to prevent his feeble attempts from penetrating our mind, heart, and soul.

Imagine yourself with a hedge of spiritual swords pointed up and surrounding you against any attempts of the enemy as you open your Bible to read God’s Word and pray each day.

Here are four hedge-of-protection prayers and sword-of-the-Spirit Scriptures to fend off and shield us from Satan’s schemes. Remember that verse 18 instructs us to “pray for all believers everywhere,” not just for ourselves.

1. A Prayer for a Hedge of Protection around Your Thoughts

Lord, you know how my mind wanders with what-ifs and should-ofs. These nagging thoughts keep me awake at night worrying and wondering about circumstances over which I have no control. I’m often angry and frustrated with world events and find myself brooding or depressed.

Father, please help me to focus on things that are lovely and beautiful. Let me see the good in people and not corrupt my mind with the discourse and divisive voices on social media or the news. Guard me against spiraling into the abyss of sinful harmful thoughts.

In your name, Lord Jesus, I prayerfully secure over my mind the “helmet of salvation” from Ephesians 6:17 and claim a hedge of protection against any lies, thoughts, and/or emotions inserted in me by Satan or his followers. Let me be exclusively open to your voice and available to do your will alone.

Guide me in seeking the mental hedge of protection from the Holy Spirit as he fills my mind with peace, joy, righteousness, compassion, and love. Amen

When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. Psalm 94:19 NLT

Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:12

2. A Prayer for a Hedge of Protection around Your Actions

Oh Lord, I want my actions to be pleasing to you. My desire is to reflect the Holy Spirit residing in my heart. But I regret to admit that I don’t always think clearly and rationally before I act. When I rethink what I’ve done rashly, impetuously, or selfishly, I want a redo, but it’s too late. I can’t rewind or erase my actions.

I admit that my wrong actions are actually a sin against you Lord. I pray you will have mercy on me as you did on King David and teach me to walk in your ways so that I can say of you as David did in Psalm 62:6 (NLT), “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.”

Lord, I pray that I would consider how my actions appear to others, especially the ones who look to me for direction and wisdom. Do they see you in me or is my pride and self-absorption more evident? I desperately want your light to shine through me. So Lord when I’m about to act in a way that is not loving or respectful, I beg you to give me a check in my spirit.

Protect me Father from temptation and falling into old patterns of behavior. Surround me with a hedge of caring people who will lovingly point out when I’m acting in a way unbecoming a Christian. Remind me that I am a new creation in Christ and place barriers to prohibit me from acting in a way that would grieve you. Amen

Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Psalm 119:5 NLT

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. Psalm 121:5 NLT

3. A Prayer for a Hedge of Protection around Your Speech

Father, I want my words always to be pleasing to you, but I know when I speak impetuously or sharply you are not pleased. Oh, Lord, I need you to guard my tongue, even though James 3:8 (NLT) warns, “No one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.”

I know what James says is true Father. I often seem to lack control over what comes out of my mouth. Only you can place a sentinel around my tongue to guard what I say and when I say it.

Lord, you gave me the gift of speech, which I watch brighten a face when I choose my words wisely, but I also see it bruise an unsuspecting victim when it cuts like a knife.

Your Word says that what comes out of my mouth, forms first in my heart so I need a hedge of protection to filter what’s allowed to take residence in my heart. Give me patience not to speak impetuously and wisdom to speak appropriately.

Weed out of my vocabulary ungodly words filled with poisonous vengeance, anger, meanness, harm, or pride. Fill me with grace, kindness, compassion, understanding, and love. Help me choose words and intonation worthy of being a Jesus-follower. Amen

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Proverbs 4:23-24 NLT

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Psalm 5:11

4. A Prayer for a Hedge of Protection around Your Circumstances

Father, our universe is changing rapidly. Everyday circumstances subject us to what feels like an unstable insecure environment. We deal with issues we could’ve never imagined even six months ago. It seems like the world, and thus my life, is spiraling completely out of control. Each morning presents new calls for restrictions that would separate us from each other and the stability and freedoms we once knew.

Lord of Creation, I want to be brave and courageous, especially for those who depend on me to be strong and dependable, but I admit that I am fearful watching the norms I once took for granted crumble into chaos.

Help me find solace in turning each new day over to you. Remind me that nothing catches you by surprise. Just as your eye is on the sparrow, you watch over my loved ones and me. I know that you might not remove me from uncomfortable circumstances, but you will go through them with me. You promise to always be holding onto me with your righteous right hand and shielding me. Even as I walk through the darkest valley, your rod and your staff will protect and comfort me.

How fortunate I am to have a God who loves me beyond my expectations and imagination. Open my eyes Lord to visualize your spiritual hedge of protection like a solid wall surrounding me that Satan cannot penetrate or destroy in any situation or circumstance.

With you at my side and on my side, what can man do to me? Why should I fear? Thank you Lord for being my Rock, my Shield, my Refuge, my Hiding Place, my Fortress, my Protector, my Savior! Amen

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. Psalm 121:5 NLT

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Psalm 18:2 NLT

Be Not Afraid

God stands ready to protect us against what the Bible calls the world: a culture, way of thinking, and world system controlled by Satan. Since we must live in this world, we continually ask God to protect us from the way the world thinks, speaks, acts, and the ensuing circumstances of an evil culture.

It’s a continual process of separating God’s ways from the world’s way. We can never let down our guard or spiritual hedge, but when we trust omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent almighty God, he will lead, guide, and direct us. God stands ready with a spiritual hedge of protection to shield us from the world and to keep us from letting the world seep into our life.

How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. Psalm 31:19 NLT

“May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” Numbers 6:24–26 NLT

For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us. Is. 33:22 NLT

Note: Dr. Charles Stanley wrote a daily prayer, Dressing in Your Spiritual Armor, you might want to print out and incorporate into your daily quiet time.

Portions of this blog appear in a Crosswalk.com article I wrote August 5, 2020 4 Powerful Ways to Pray for a Hedge of Protection

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August 9, 2021
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Never Poke A Mama Bear

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I’m sure by now you’ve seen the video clips that went viral of moms and dads confronting local school boards protesting the mandatory teaching in schools of Marxist critical race theory where children are taught to judge each other by the color of their skin. If your skin is dark, you’re oppressed and if your skin is white, you’re the oppressor.

You can’t get more racist or Communist than to teach these radical untruths to children in school and foster their mistrust and animosity toward each other at an early age. This is the exact opposite of what our Constitution and God affirms that all men are created equal regardless of race, color, or creed.

So I say bravo to those brave and concerned parents, like my daughter Kim in the opening picture, who are not going to allow their children to be indoctrinated in Marxist/Communist theology and ideology.

The parents speaking up at these school council meetings are black, white, brown and some had escaped Communist and oppressive countries and were not about to let their children be raised in a country where the leadership and school boards are quickly shifting their values to resemble the countries they fled.

When an interviewer asked one of the mothers at a school board meeting, who just happened to be black, why she was speaking up against critical race theory she responded, “Never poke this mama bear.” I think every mother knows exactly what she meant. When you start messing with our kids, moms are always going to rise up to protect them. Or at least they should.

An article titled “Largest teachers union says critical race theory is ‘reasonable and appropriate’ for kids, outlines what these parents are up against. Here’s an excerpt:


The National Education Association has approved a plan to “publicize” critical race theory and dedicate a “team of staffers” to assist union members looking to “fight back against anti-CRT rhetoric.”

New Business Item 39 also declares that the union opposes bans on critical race theory and the New York Times’ controversial 1619 Project – which roughly half the U.S. states have already implemented.

Additionally, the resolution calls for the union to “join with Black Lives Matter at School and the Zinn Education Project to call for a rally this year on Oct. 14 — George Floyd’s birthday — as a national day of action to teach lessons about structural racism and oppression.”

Get Involved!

Do you remember during the 2016 election when Franklin Graham went to the Capitol in every state pleading with people to vote their values? My daughter and I took the three grandkids to hear him as he stood on the Boise Capitol steps and one of the points he made was for Christians to get involved with the governing of their cities and states. Run for office. Make sure Christian and Conservative values are represented and heard in local government and decision making issues. He specifically mentioned running for school boards because there’s nothing more important than guarding the education and minds of our children.

It almost seems like Franklin was prophetic as we watch the lunacy of liberal school boards. Not just in wanting to teach Communist indoctrination, but also in the pornographic immoral way many are presenting “sex education” starting in Kindergarten. Teaching gay and transgender lifestyles as normal options for children. Fostering gender confusion.

I heard former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany say in an interview that she’s only going to send her little girl, who is now a toddler, to parochial schools because she knows she won’t have to worry about what her daughter is being taught. This mama bear is protecting her cub from danger.

The Devil always goes after the children because they’re the next generation who will influence the world for either good or evil. We’re watching the fallout of teachers who have gone through the liberal progressive school system themselves and are onboard with biased teaching. Any teachers who speak up or refuse to teach what they know is wrong are often fired.

No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. 1 John 3:9-11

But parents and grandparents, you can’t be fired! You can protest and refuse to let your sweet innocent children be taught what you know is wrong.

You have a voice. You have a vote. You have a choice.

Masks and Vaccinations for Children

Another area you’re going to face in the fall as schools open up is school districts who want to enforce mandatory masks and vaccinations for your children to attend school. There are numerous studies showing how unsafe both of these practices can be for children.

Do your own investigation. Be informed. Pray about it. Make an educated decision and then take a firm vocal stand for what you know is right for your child!

In Communist countries, the government has more control over children than the parents do. Don’t let this happen in America. Don’t surrender your rights as a parent.

You might think I’m being a bit dramatic, but the way Satan gets a foothold is to subtly and slyly slither into normal life and before you know it, evil has become the norm.

I’ll be writing next week about the War On Women! One of the liberal’s sly strategies is to devalue and demean the role of mothers by referring to them as merely “birthing people.” Cancel motherhood! We can laugh at how ridiculous this is but the Democrats actually wrote that insidious term into the infrastructure bill so they weren’t laughing. They were serious.

Black Lives Matter’s manifesto is to eliminate the nuclear family and have BLM take over that role. As BLM infiltrates Democrat government and teachers unions, we’re seeing their influence and ideologies seep into language and legislature.

One of the first things the Democrat house majority ruled in January 2021 was to eliminate the use of gender identity including mother, father, husband, and wife. As reported in the Washington Examiner . . .
“The proposed rule package seeks to “honor all gender identities” by striking words including “seaman,” “chairman,” “father,” “mother,” “sister,” “husband,” and “wife” from use and replacing them with gender-neutral terms including “seafarer,” “chair,” “parent,” “child,” and “sibling.”

“Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi praised the “visionary rules package,” saying in a statement the package “reflects the views and values of the full range of our historically diverse House Democratic Majority.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy mocked the proposed changes, calling them “stupid,” while Representative-elect Marjorie Taylor Green called the measures a “blatant denial of truth” and an “attack on families.”

Why would Nancy Pelosi, a wife, mother, and grandmother, now praise eliminating those endearing ageless family terms? Since she admits that this “reflects the views and values of the full range of our historically diverse House Democratic Majority,” you know the left’s views and values have become sinister and dangerous.

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Is. 5:20

So Mama Bears, you’re being poked from all directions.

Pick your battles.

Pray for guidance.

Protect your children and family.

Publically make a difference.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

The father of a righteous child has great joy;
    a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
25 May your father and mother rejoice;
    may she who gave you birth be joyful. Pr. 23:24-26

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Political cartoon is by editorial cartoonist A.F.Branco A.F. Branco Cartoon – You Know, the Thing – Comically Incorrect.

Picture of the parents is from the article cited in the blog.
Opening picture is my daughter Kim Mancini taken on Mother’s Day!

July 5, 2021
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The 4th of July Has New Significance This Year!

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Did you ever think we would be living in a time when love of country, respect for the American Flag, and standing for the National Anthem would become controversial? Patriotism booed and considered deplorable. Athletes representing the USA abroad disgracing our country and themselves. Our government attempting to divide Americans into identity groups and pit them against each other. Children taught in school to judge each other by the color of their skin.

Have we become a country of race-baiting, ungrateful, unpatriotic citizens? Or are these just the people who yell the loudest and the media covers incessantly with glee.

I love the song “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood, and I sing along with him, especially the lines, “I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.”

I am proud to be an American, but I’m not proud of all Americans.

It appears that the Administration in the White House and the Democrat party is not proud to be American! They continually denounce us as a racist country and claim half the population, at least those who are conservative, white, drive pickups, and wave American flags, are a threat to our country?!

The current Administration is trying to see how far to the Socialist, Communist, Marxist, tribal, racist, liberal left they can take America. They’re turning us into a country our forefathers would never recognize as the free country so many of all colors gave their lives to defend.

If you’re saying don’t make the 4th of July political—Independence Day marked the initiation of politics!

A 4th of July Pop Quiz

Have you watched a man-on-the-street interview asking people if they know facts about our country’s history? It’s embarrassing. I wonder how many could answer questions about the 4th of July and why it’s a National holiday?

“What does July 4th stand for?”

  • From what country did America fight to win their freedom?
  • Why is July 4th Independence Day?
  • What year was the Declaration of Independence signed and adopted?
  • What is the significance of 13 stripes and 50 stars?
  • Why are our patriotic colors red, white, and blue?
  • What does a national flag represent?
  • Why are caskets of fallen soldiers wrapped in the American flag?
  • Why do we have fireworks on the 4th of July?

How about asking these questions and offering a prize to the one who knows the most answers at your 4th of July gathering. Here’s a website with a succinct overview: History of the Fourth of July – Brief History & Early Celebrations – HISTORY

So many more facts are lost in a culture that has forgotten our roots and trying to rewrite our history.

Liberal left politicians want to erase our heritage as if it never happened and turn a Democracy of freedoms into a country of government Socialistic/Marxist control of the people. They make it sound like the freedom of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness isn’t as valuable as the carrots they dangle of free healthcare, free college, free immigration free… free…which the naïve lap up without realizing nothing is free. Americans will pay the price with the loss of sovereignty and personal freedoms that so many brave soldiers gave their life to grant each of us. It will cost us dearly in taxes, independence, and quality of life.

For example, under socialism people will soon discover that “free” healthcare doesn’t mean the best medical treatment you need when you need it. The government will decide who, when, and to what extent you’re worthy of the healthcare they deem you can have or even whether they’ll let you have tests to receive a diagnosis. They’re even suggesting that the color of your skin or your heritage will determine who gets treatment first.

You won’t just call and make a doctor’s appointment. You’ll go through legal red tape, waiting lines, and a faceless worker in Washington deciding whether your life is worth healing or saving.

Since Biden wants to give illegal immigrants free Medicaid health insurance, he’ll need to put more than a 70% increase on our taxes to pay for it. And how good do you think that healthcare is going to be when it’s stretched to the limits with no money to back it and millions of extra people getting it for “free.” That’s why he hasn’t given specifics of how he would achieve this.

Some “progressive” politicians have argued that we’re the only major country without socialized healthcare. What Americans need to remember is that the entire point of July 4th is that we didn’t want to be like other nations. Other nations come to America for medical treatment. People are not migrating to other countries; they want to come to America because we aren’t like other nations. They come to America for a better life. And Biden/Harris have put out the welcome mat for illegal immigration at the expense and threat to American citizens.

No other country was founded on Judeo Christian values, where our Presidents end their speeches with “God Bless America,” or at least they use too. I haven’t heard that from Biden or Harris recently.

As hard as the liberal left is trying to move our country away from God, Christians need to stand in the gap and keep America a blessed nation under God. Where our currency still says “In God We Trust” not “In the government we trust.”

The 4th of July celebrates winning the battle for freedom to be different from other countries. A Democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people. Where the government works for us NOT controls us.

As you plan your festivities—parades, BBQs, fireworks, pool parties, trips to the beach—how about starting those events with the Pledge of Allegiance, singing the National Anthem, and a prayer to God who has allowed us to live in this great country.

Remind the children at the gatherings why you’re celebrating this holiday. Our generation must pass down to the next generation our country’s history and why we don’t want to repeat past mistakes.

If anyone who refuses to stand for the National Anthem, say the Pledge of Allegiance, respectfully represent the USA abroad and at home, dares to celebrate the 4th of July . . . might I say they are hypocrites who either have no idea what July 4th represents or they have no idea what they’re even protesting.

God has allowed each American to live in the greatest nation in the world. Have you ever opened your eyes in the morning and said thank you God I’m an American? If we allow them to take God and patriotism out of America, we won’t be able to say that anymore.

Have you noticed how both sides of the political arena are always saying, “The American people want to know.” “The American people deserve to know.”

Let’s show them what the American people really want and deserve:

A country that honors God, honors our flag, honors those who have gone before us and fought for our freedoms, and honors the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution of the United States of America!

May God bless America and may America be worthy of His blessing!

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June 28, 2021
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What Can the Church Learn from Rush Limbaugh?

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Last week, America lost an iconic grass-roots, conservative, bold, and brave patriotic voice. As I listened to the glowing tributes for Rush Limbaugh, I learned many things about him I didn’t know, even though he and I were in the same generation. Hubby and I play Christian music in the car, and I need quiet to write, so I don’t listen to talk radio. I wasn’t a Rush follower, but I wish now that I had been.

I didn’t realize that he helped save AM radio with his widely successful talk-radio program that reached 20 million weekday listeners for over thirty years! People listened for three hours a day to Rush in their cars, work place, and homes.

His open and popular discussion of conservatism helped launch the concept of conservative TV news programs, which like Rush provided conservatives a recourse as mainstream media became increasingly liberal and partisan left leaning.

Rush was definitely controversial and sometimes brash and sarcastic and said some things he later needed to apologize for, but haven’t we all. In his later years, especially after his cancer diagnosis, he spoke more openly about his faith, attributed his gifts and talents to a “loan from God,” and thanked God for the blessings in his life: “God is a profound factor; Jesus Christ a profound factor. I have a personal relationship. I’ve not talked about it much publicly because I don’t proselytize these things,” he said.

Best-selling author and Evangelical leader Joel C. Rosenberg worked for Rush at one time and knew him personally. Rosenberg wrote a heartfelt tribute, “Rush Limbaugh gave his life to Jesus Christ a few years ago and it gave him tremendous hope as he faced his toughest fight.”

I haven’t read or listened to any of the vicious liberal attacks on Rush, but you know they’re always going to throw out “racist,” so I appreciated this article, “Bo Snerdley recalls Rush Limbaugh as a ‘second-generation Founding Father’ who ‘returned his talent to God.’” Bo’s real name is James Golden. He was the long-time friend and producer for the Rush Limbaugh Show, and just happens to be black. Bo said on the Hannity show, which I heard, “It burns me to my soul when people sully his reputation with falsehoods, calling him a racist. This man was just an incredible phenomenon — and we love you, Rush.”

“Rush Babies”

Whether or not you agreed with Rush Limbaugh or even liked him, as I listened to the tributes I noticed how Rush spoke to the generations like we strive so hard to do in the church. Limbaugh referred to his younger followers as “Rush Babies.” I was curious how he managed to bridge across the generations.

Several years ago, I noticed my daughter was becoming increasingly conservative in her opinions and conversation and to my surprise, she often quoted Rush Limbaugh. Kim has a Sign Making and Sign Party business and she spends a great deal of time working in her “She Shop.” While cutting wood, painting, and stenciling, she listens to talk radio programs and Rush was a daily favorite, especially this past year.

With Covid and the election, she wanted to keep informed and she found Rush a “very caring voice who loves the country and talked through the questions of the day.” When she listened to Rush on the radio in the car, her sixteen-year-old son asked, “Who is this? I like him and the way he talks.” Her fifteen-year-old daughter listened too.

And that’s how millions of “Rush Babies” came about! Parents played Rush’s radio program in the house or in the car while taking the kids to soccer practice, vacations, running errands, road trips. Thirty-four-year old Benny Johnson said on his NEWSMAX show The Benny Report that he was a Rush Baby as he interviewed his parents, avid Rush fans. Benny concluded, “Rush raised my generation. Maybe you were one he raised too!”

Thirty-seven-year old Rob Schmitt recalled on his NEWSMAX program, “As a kid, I remember riding around in the car listening to Rush with my dad. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I liked his voice and listening to him.”

Schmitt had country music star John Rich (47) as a guest who talked about also riding in the car with his dad and asked what a bumper sticker “Rush is Right” meant. Rich’s dad replied, “A lot of stuff he says is right on the money.”

The headline that really got my attention was from thirty-two year old Kayleigh McEnany: Rush Limbaugh inspired a generation of young conservatives! It was an article by President Trump’s former White House Press Secretary. Here are a few quotes:

“My journey to becoming White House press secretary began in a pickup truck, alongside my Dad, who played Rush Limbaugh religiously. Though I was in elementary school, there was something magnetic, alluring and just so passionate about the conservative radio host who had such conviction and assuredness. 

My rides in my dad’s trucks through Plant City, Fla., later turned into drives in my own car to my all-girls Catholic high school. My friends knew if they chose to ride with me, they would be listening to “Maha Rushie,” as he affectionately dubbed himself. 

Rush was a giant in the conservative movement for a reason: he exhibited unrelenting boldness for the truth. He never backed down. You knew where he stood. And he was never, ever afraid to speak truth to power and challenge the mainstream media. 

Rush had a word for people like me: a “Rush Baby.” 

You see, Rush inspired tens of thousands of young men and women all across the conservative movement. Though Rush has departed this life for the next, he leaves behind a generation that will catapult forward the movement he created.” 

Kayleigh’s dad said Rush was the best friend he never met.

Rush was a mentor to all ages of listeners he might never meet. But some he did meet like Charlie Kirk the founder of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organization that educates students about the importance of conservative values: fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government. Charlie started listening to Rush in high school and was introduced to him several years ago. Rush took the time to befriend and mentor young Charlie (now 28) and spoke several times at Turning Point conferences. Charlie says of Rush, “He was a great mentor focused on building up the next generation of conservatives.”

I began to see a theme: Rush influenced conservative values and ideals to his generation who passed that down to their children who undoubtedly will pass it on to their children, and like my daughter, he was still reaching new audiences! Isn’t that what we want to do in the Church with Christianity?!

What Can the Church Learn from Rush?

1. Like Rush, The Church Should Never Back Down to Cultural Pressure or Ignore the Issues of the Day!

Too many churches today are more concerned with being culturally correct or canceled than with sharing the unabashed Truth of God’s Word to the culture. They’re letting Christ be canceled!

2021 years ago, the culture tried to silence and cancel Jesus, but we know how that turned out. Jesus arose from the grave so that He could live within the heart of every man and woman who believed in Him at any age.

Yes, the culture has been trying to cancel Jesus since before the Cross, but His influence only grows wider and stronger. Jesus passed the torch to His 12 disciples and that torch of truth will continue to pass on until His return as long as believers like you and me continue to carry His torch of light and Truth.

In the Woman to Woman Mentor Handbook, I challenge mentors: What if you mentored 12 women in your lifetime just as Jesus mentored 12 men? Then those 12 women mentor 12 more women. That would be 144 women in mentoring relationships If you take that out five more levels, do you have any idea what the number of women in mentoring relationships would be just from you starting it out? 2,985,984! You have no idea how many other lives will be touched besides those of you and your mentee.

The Church is about saving lives, not saving face.

2. Like Rush, The Church Should not become a Relic but Remain Relevant!

The Bible is timeless and doesn’t change with the changing world; it brings peace, hope, and calm in the midst of the change. Its purpose is to be the consistent guide for people’s lives. Believers can count on it. A pastor’s message should help people respond to the challenges they’re facing by familiarizing them with the Book and the One with all the answers.

Sermons are not motivational speeches based on the latest trend; they’re motivational Truths to live a life ready for the Lord’s return at any moment. Urgent. Bold. Real. Challenging.

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 1 Thess. 5:1-2

3. The Church Could Learn How and Why Rush Reached the Generations!

Someone is always watching how the church responds to the times. Children are watching their parents. The next generation wants to see us live out what we say we believe without reservation. They don’t want us to waver. They need us to share the Truth with passion, caring, and love for Jesus and love for them.

A 70 year-old man still could capture and influence the audience of younger generations. He created a bond of trust. He was still relevant. He had no biological children, but he passed on a legacy to generations of patriots to pick up the torch and carry on.

I sign every Woman to Woman Training Leader’s Guide, “Teach what you’ve been taught.” So those they teach will go on and teach what you taught them. “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” Heb. 13:7

Like Rush had “Rush Babies,” we want to have Jesus Babies. Followers of Jesus long after we’re gone who go on to share Jesus with others because we shared Jesus with them.

Our charge is to pass on the Torch of Truth of Jesus Christ to all generations! How focused is your church on reaching all generations?

Parents, teachers, mentors, the church, or anyone with a platform, must boldly, bravely, and with conviction speak up and stand up for living a life pleasing to Jesus and explaining what that means today. Never back down but always defend good vs evil, right vs wrong, moral vs immoral, even when it’s uncomfortable or inconvenient or unpopular.

Live your faith. Share your faith.

If your listeners choose to ignore you, that’s their fault. If you never tell them, that’s your fault!

15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way.[a] Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 1 Peter 3:15-16 NLT

Picture used by permission Legal Insurrection at https://legalinsurrection.com/2021/02/branco-cartoon-on-loan-from-god/

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February 22, 2021
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Maybe the Election Was a Missed Promised Land Opportunity, Not a Red Sea Rescue

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If you follow my blogs, you know that I’m a Bible-believing Christian and politically and socially conservative. I believe that in the womb God creates every human being equal with the opportunity for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. He also instills in us the right to make choices and those choices influence the trajectory of our life.

As a Christian, I believe that God should guide our choices and actions through prayer, wise council, and studying His timeless Words to us in the Bible. I also believe that we make mistakes. Praise God, the foundation of the Gospel is the belief in Jesus Christ and His forgiveness of our sins when we ask, repent, and go and sin no more.

“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.” Acts 17:30 NLT

We shouldn’t base our actions and beliefs on the secular world’s latest whim or philosophy but on how God directs and leads us to live in His kingdom culture.

I know that many of you feel the same way. Some would call that “traditional” but I just call it being a Christian. “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” (Acts 11:26)

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 1 John 2:15

There is rhetoric today about uniting our terribly divided country under a new President’s regime, but it’s clear that the unity they refer to is compliance with the secular liberal progressive left socialist agenda. Any decent is threatened with censor and silencing.

That’s not unity. It’s conformity.

Sadly, “the church” is fragmented as some churches and Christians think the Bible should be interpreted according to the “progressive liberal culture’s” beliefs, terms, and ways, which are in stark contrast to the Lord’s beliefs, terms, and ways.

For example, a headline last week read, “Progressive Christian author trips over herself to apologize for inaugural prayer thanking God for ‘giving us this,’ land.” Hatmaker retracted her prayer saying, “He didn’t give us this land. We took this land by force and trauma,” as she goes on to add by “white supremacy!”

Silvester Beaman of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Delaware ended his inauguration benediction, “In the strong name of our collective faith, amen.” Many pastors pointed out that there is only one name above all names, Jesus Christ, not ‘collective faith.’

A prayer in Congress ended with “Amen and awomen!”

The new Senator from Georgia who pastors a church claims the Bible justifies abortion.

The New York Times said, “President Biden is perhaps the most religiously observant commander in chief in half a century. A different, more liberal Christianity grounds his life and his policies.”

Many “Christians” and Catholics like Biden and Pelosi have determined it’s less controversial, more expedient, and politically advantageous to create as the NYT explains “a different, more liberal Christianity,” that conforms with the world’s ways and values.

I’ve been shocked and disappointed myself to watch pastors and ministry leaders who I once admired, even followed, sounding more like the woke culture than the biblical Christian church.

There is no liberal, progressive, or conservative Christianity. There are no gradations of the absolute truth presented in the gospels. There is God’s word, period. Jesus didn’t tell us there were various political or social ways to reach the same truth, there is only one way.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6

We Weren’t Ready for a Red Sea Rescue!

Whatever you may think of President Trump’s past life or his tweets or demeanor, in his four years in office he fought tirelessly for patriotic values particularly love of country, prolife, and religious freedom. I’ve often said I’ve never heard a President speak more about the gospel or reverently uplift the name of Jesus in their speeches than President Trump.

He persevered for everyday Americans, even against untold opposition, and for that reason many prophets and laymen were sure that God was going to perform an election miracle at the last minute just like He did with Moses at the Red Sea. American patriots would have another four years of reprieve.

I too wanted to believe that might be God’s plan, but we know now that it wasn’t. And why wasn’t it?

While listening to a Lance Wallnau Facebook Live commentary, I had one of those ‘aha’ moments I often speak about. I began to see clearly the Red Sea/Promised Land theory he discussed so I give Lance full credit for the concept I’m developing next. It makes so much sense to me. Following are my thoughts about it.

The church wasn’t ready to be rescued.

We weren’t united but the other side stood fiercely united. Almost every Democrat liberal left leader and constituent, as well as “progressive liberal Christians,” were against President Trump even if they weren’t for Biden. It was enough for them to get rid of Trump. When I asked several what they didn’t like about Trump’s policies, they could only resort to personal attacks on him.

Numerous liberal-leaning preachers, leaders, and evangelicals were so against Trump that they were willing to throw us to the evils of socialism. When we were so close to saving more babies lives, one Republican Trump-hater politician said we must set the abortion issue aside for the greater good. What? Set aside genocide?

By no means am I saying we should idolize Trump or overlook his faults, but I challenge anyone to find fault with what he was able to accomplish, even under constant duress, for patriotism, the Constitution, and the American way of life we cherish for our children and grandchildren.

We weren’t hearing about Christian bakers, florists, and photographers being sued or run out of business for sticking by their beliefs.

We didn’t fear ISIS.

Everyone was joyfully saying Merry Christmas again.

Women weren’t fearful of a man lurking in the women’s bathroom, changing or locker room.

Christians had an ally in the White House!

And that brings me to Wallnau’s Promised Land analogy!

Remember when Moses sent Caleb and Joshua along with ten other men to investigate the Promised Land to see if the Israelites should enter. Caleb and Joshua came back with a glowing report but the other men told of scary giants. The people argued amongst themselves and couldn’t agree to cross over into the land God had promised them. And we know the rest of the story. They wandered in the desert for 40 years and the skeptic generation never experienced the Promised Land.

They were not united. (Numbers 13-14)

Sounds a lot like the church today! Christians couldn’t agree that four more years of a conservative platform was better than a liberal/socialist platform that wants to “deprogram conservatives” and might now accomplish their goal to “change our country forever.”

Maybe we even could have overturned Roe vs Wade. Continued to honor women by preventing gender-confused men from competing in women’s sports and keep men out of women’s dressing rooms and locker rooms. Stop young children from gender mutilation. Stand firm for God’s creation of only two sexes: male and female. Pastors could continue preaching biblical truths about sin.

All those reversed with the flick of Biden’s pen on his first day in office!

We couldn’t stand united as one church against evil or even the definition of evil.

People were looking for a miracle; God was looking for unity among His people!

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household [or God’s house] divided against itself will not stand. Matt 12:25

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Eph. 4:3

In my January About His Work Ministries newsletter, my opening article is “Only God’s Truth Will Unify! I’m linking it here if you haven’t read it yet.

PS I’m also now on MeWe! If you’re on MeWe too please join me there.

January 25, 2021
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