IS THERE NOT A CAUSE?

I Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

The following things concern us for various and yet SIGNIFICANT reasons.

1. A lot of our president’s appointed officials. Take for example, the Secretary of the Treasury Department, Timothy Geithner. The character of some of his elected officials is questionable to say the least. And take for example, the head of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, what she said. Yes, according to an official document of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, many of us are now right-wing extremists and a potential threat to our government.

2. A lot of things other things our president has said concern us. i.e. We are not a Christian nation. Citizen link has a lot to say about what has been taking place in this culture war.

3. We are also concerned about laws that hang in the balance that would greatly inhibit our freedom of speech!

4. We could say so much more. We are concerned about the interpretation or even disregard for the Constitution and the move for one world government, religion, government spending, abortion, the slumber of the Church, etc., etc.

BY THE WAY- This is not meant to be anti-President Obama or anti-government. We believe we were founded as a Christian nation, though a lot of greed and sin were definitely apart of our beginnings. We believe that our Forefathers had the divine wisdom to write the Constitution and set checks and balances in our government. We believe that they saw the wisdom in small government and the dangers of tyranny and big government oppression. We believe the majority of our current Congress, our President, and even several Justices of the Supreme Court desire to strip our country completely of religious freedoms and entitlements. We believe that when you strip religious freedom and personal freedom (right to bear arms, right to speech, right to have own healthcare) that you open up a PANDORA BOX to a world we have not known, do not know, and NEVER want to know. These are historically the first steps of Socialism. Religious institutions are a buffer between (any) government and personal rights.

We believe that the majority of our government WANTS us to look to them and not to our God. The two can definitely oppose one another. And, we don’t believe in conspiracies. We believe 9/11 happened. We believe that terrorists (extremists, not all Muslims) are our ENEMIES. We believe the Devil wants us to continue the way we are headed as a nation and God does not. We believe the Church makes the difference and the Church alone (not our President, not our Congress, and not our media)! We believe the Church seriously doubts this!

We believe that if we truly believed our nation hangs in the balance that we, God’s people, would examine ourselves. We would stop playing church, stop hiding behind excuses, stop being afraid of what’s going to happen, stop loving our lives and pleasure more than God, stop living primarily for ourselves, and stop weighing our personal costs. We would decide to live for Christ, through Christ, and by Christ! We would start praying, start allowing God to reveal our wicked ways, start turning towards God in our weaknesses and sin. We would start praying as if it all depends on God and start working as if it all depends on God.

If we really believed the danger of the hour we would act NOW! We would stay informed and pray without ceasing. We would speak and not be silent. We would help those who suffer for speaking! We would put much, much more energy into the saving of our free, democratic nation! We would pray like never before that it remains UNDER GOD! We would pray for our President--- that he would encounter Jesus Christ. We would pray for the fear of God upon our officials and the mercies of God upon our lives. We would pray for safety! We would preach from the pulpit what is happening. We would go to church and want to hear the truth. We would learn what is happening and how to give an answer. We would dialogue with those who disagree. We would ask God for compassion and tears and insight. We would teach our children how to follow God and truths about our nation’s history. We would not quit and we would not give up now. We would have hope in Christ alone (not our President, not our Congress, and not even ourselves)!

You may not agree with all our “issues” or why we even mentioned something. Hopefully, however, you will see the dangers of restricted freedoms and larger government. Hopefully, you will agree that we have One Savior, Jesus Christ (and not our government). Hopefully, you will agree that there needs to be much, much more accountability and integrity in our Church and then, in our government. Hopefully, you will agree that we are in serious danger of losing freedoms we take for granted and that being a Christian could get much, much harder and costly here in our country. If you disagree at all, please let‘s dialogue!

And, now for some things that encourage us.
It’s not over yet. A LOT OF PEOPLE are praying, believing, and acting. A lot of people want to see the change God desires. And, in hardship the Bible prepares us for times such as these. It is in these times that those who sit on the fence of Christianity must decide. They must count the cost, because there will be a growing cost. It makes our faith purer, truer, more real, and more effective.

Praise came from several men who were beaten, prisoned, and even martyred for their faith. The Bible came through these men. They saw beyond themselves to a risen Christ. They saw multitudes that needed Christ and His Salvation. When forced with a decision, do I obey government or God, they obeyed God. They did not compromise praying. They did not compromise sharing. They did not compromise living, as a Christian. And, some faced lions, others fire, others prison, and many death. How could they do it? How could they stand to lose everything here? How could they lay down their lives? How could they continue faithful to the end? No doubt through Him and in Him and by Him they overcame.
Romans 11:36 and I Timothy 3 and 4

This is our hope, that no matter the journey, no matter the road, WE CAN remain faithful to Christ, our source, our Savior! May the Church reflect the Risen King and may many come to His light.

ALWAYS WITH US

If ever I have been tempted to be shaken, it has been within the last year. In my family, there are a lot of transitions. We will probably move, my husband is changing careers, and I have two ever-growing little people to care for and love. Most of all, I see what is happening in our nation and wonder if the country we love will exist for my children's children one day. I can only pray that it will and that we the people of God will resist the enemy, submit to God, and pray for freedom and truth in Christ to exalt us as a nation again. Today I simply want to say that no matter what God brings you and me through, nothing will separate us from His love. My comfort, my joy, and my strength come from His constant, unchanging presence. God bless you today with an unshakeable faith!

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37,38 Laurie