The Falling Fire

by Pastor Ed Evans

            A recent program by the Love Worth Finding ministry of Pastor Adrian Rogers broadcast a sermon titled "Let the Fire Fall."  Adrian Rogers was a three-time President of the Southern Baptist Convention, and passed away Nov. 15 of 2005.  Eight years after his death, his recorded ministry and the truth he taught continues.

            In this sermon, Rogers talks about the time of King Ahab and the prophet Elijah.  In this instance there had been no rain for three-and-a-half years.  The herds upon which they depended were starving.    So Ahab tells his man Obadiah, "You take half of the herds and go that way looking for grass, and I'll take the other half and go this way."

            Sounds like a plan, but very much like what is happening in America today, Ahab was avoiding the obvious.  There was no rain.  And there was no rain because God was punishing the kingdom.  Instead of charging all over looking for available grass, Ahab should have had his people praying for rain, and rain wasn't coming until they obeyed God.

            Just as with the Israelites then, there are those who don't want to hear that their nation is under judgment today, don't want to hear that what they are doing and saying and supporting is making them an enemy of God. 

            "But it feels so right," they will say.  "It's logical," they claim.  "You're not the boss of me," is the childish challenge.

            And yet, the record of God's actions show He is not making His decisions based on our feelings, on our version of logic, or whether or not we accept God as our "boss."

            Very much like the sin-filled situation the Prophet Elijah was facing, the people had not only turned their back on the Living God, but many had begun worshiping the idols Baal and Asherah.  Actually, there are many today who say the religion of Islam may trace back to the loveless, inanimate idol of Baal.  However, worshiping a dead idol is its own reward, but turning your back on the Living God incurs a price all its own.

            All across America concerned citizens are urging fellow citizens and those in power to look for grass, instead of praying for rain, instead of maintaining their faith in Almighty God, instead of obeying God.  What God asks of us is prayer, faith, and obedience.  Turning our back on Him and hoping, miraculously, that a way out of the hedonistic, greedy, immoral fog that America has wandered into is tantamount to expecting Satan to sit on the sidelines while we thumb our nose at God.  Won't happen.

            The title for Adrian Rogers' sermon, "Let the Fire Fall," comes from a defining incident during the foul reign of King Ahab.  Elijah had pointed out that he was only one prophet before God, but that those who worshiped Baal had 450 prophets, and then there were another 400 prophets of the idol Asherah.  So the people were very mixed up, ignoring what they knew of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Hence, God's punishment.

            In 1st Kings 18:21, we see that "Elijah came to all the people, and said, 'How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.' But the people answered him not a word.'"

            Elijah then challenged those of Baal with a contest where a blood sacrifice would be made, on a pile of wood, on an altar of stone, and the fire to consume it would come from the most powerful god.   Elijah poured a large amount of water over his sacrifice and asked God to reveal Himself by consuming the sacrifice. "Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench" (1st Kings 18:38).  And we read in 1st Kings 18:39, "And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, He is the God; the Lord, He is the God."  Lies, falseness, evil divides us, but what happens at the altar of God brings us together, unites His own.

            At this moment in time, there is no Elijah in America challenging the prophets of all the many false idols to a contest with the Living God.  But there are many ordinary Christians, as well as Pastors, Evangelists, and entire churches urging that Americans enter into prayer, strengthen their faith, and walk in obedience to the Living God.

            And yet, as if mere disobedience, lack of faith and prayer were not sordid enough, the American society is replete with false religions, atheists, anti-theists, agnostics, skeptics, freethinkers, humanists, and pantheists.  And even as I write this, secular humanists are coming up with more titles.  Even now a man from South America claims to be in the bloodline of Jesus Christ and heir to His holiness.  Others claim to have been given special prophecies, special powers, special abilities, and the enemy of God runs rampant with errant claims, fallacious promises, and duplicitous lies.  In this age, as in all others, those not grounded in Christ will believe any spiritual fantasy.  This year formally trained "reformers" are being sent out to churches to convince congregations that the Scriptures allow for homosexual activity.  But they are all still looking for the free grass, seeking miracles out of nowhere, running from repentance, instead of praying for rain; instead of praying, being and seeking to be faithful, and seeking obedience to the Living God.

            It seems our worst behavior shows up in politics and in our government systems.  When a person is elected to a political office they become victims of the three "P's"; power, pay and perks.  And however much they have promised to serve the people, they spend most of their effort in remaining in office to make the most of their power, pay and perks.  The more power, pay and perks they accrue the more willing they are to do anything to keep it, even selling themselves into evil for it.

            Our understood decency, as a nation, has fallen down around our ankles like a pair of dirty pants, embarrassing us in our human filthiness.  And yet all the while we pretend everything is okay.  But here's the strange part, something about us knows everything is not okay, and will not let us rest.  We have a God-shaped hole in our heart that only the Living God can fill.  And all of our worthless efforts to make all of life about us are just that, worthless.  We cannot change anything about yesterday and we can only marginally affect tomorrow until we get there.  And yet we serve a timeless God to whom time is a river, all power is His, and there is nothing about us or anything else that He doesn't know.  So who do we think we are?

            The exciting reality is, however, that whether those who are outside of Jesus Christ decide to obey God or not, the Living God is faithful to answer the prayers of His own, as we are told in 1st John 5:14-15, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And ... we know that we have what we asked of Him."  

            The fire will fall, just as it did for Elijah; fire in the form of revival in America.  Just as in the dark days of Elijah's Israel, days of apostasy, apathy, and horrible sin, those who are praying, faithful, obedient to God will see Him usher in a time of spiritual revival that will tear loose the roots of greed and excess, selfishness, abortion, avarice, debauchery, and bring men and women to see Godly wisdom, integrity, character, service and love to others. 

            It is time to stop believing the lie that you are a victim, that you are all alone in this life, that you don't need repentance, and know that you are a child of a loving, caring, forgiving God.  Cease looking for the grass you didn't plant, the fortune you didn't work for, and all that is outside of obedience to Almighty God.  Matthew 6:33 advises us, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

            As was the Prophet Elijah's experience, the fire of the Holy Spirit consumes, convicts and converts.  Pray hard because it is coming, and time is short.

Mistakes in the Middle East are only the Beginning

     Pres. Obama is about to step on a land-mine of his own making in our dealings with Egypt.        Worse than his international faux pas, he is utterly destroying the ethics, morality and dignity of the USA.  His second term in office is marked by his obvious and extremist support of the Muslim Brotherhood, pettiness driven by the refusal of freedom-loving people to knuckle under to what his agenda demands, appointment of people to high positions with even less commitment to American ethics and morals than himself, and a total lack of servanthood leadership that has achieved the high water mark in previous American Presidents.
     It appears there is a gulf of great disparity between the American people and this President. They want good, solid, forward-looking leadership.  Barack Hussein Obama wants a kingdom, or perhaps as some see in his Muslim educational background, a Caliphate.
     It should by now be obvious to everyone that these opposing forces are leading to a whimpering collision.  It will not be the violent collision the White House seems to seek which would justify martial law and an opportunity to "remold" and "remake" America.  Instead, through the wisdom of America's forefathers there are safeguards in place to prevent military and political coups.  Nevertheless, a collision comes, and it will be an Pyrrhic victory for America, taking us many years to climb out of the financial and moral abyss.
     So far, statesmanship, personal discipline and an adherence to the United States Constitutional government have kept this wavering ship of state upright.  I must believe that will continue, so long as love of country and love of Almighty God prevails.
     There are those on both side of the issues, aside from political partisanship, who would be quick to "pull a trigger".  No doubt.  But calmer heads and the built-in give-and-take of American justice will, I believe, continue to hold sway among men of conscience, if not men of power.
     Someone has said that all politics is local.  But it goes even deeper than that, for all commitment, both patriotic and religious, is more than local, it is individual.
     The continuation, the salvation, of America for tomorrow's generations lies in that individual commitment to God and to Country.  And its genus lies in the hearts of men.  So long as we, as individual persons, are faithful to our God and to our nation, we cannot be overturned.  The secret lies in our personal, individual relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; in our prayer life, in our sense of faith, and in our obedience.
     Those who will not talk to God don't have a prayer.  Pray hard.  Time is short.

Why Doesn't the Church.....?

by Pastor Ed Evans

In the opinion piece headlined "'Liberal' Kirsten Powers rightfully rips Churches" (http://shoebat.com/2013/09/28/liberal-kirsten-powers-speaks-persecuted-christians/) I must call that a shot and a miss.  The wrong target was addressed because the target addressed does not exist as an entity to be held responsible.  If there are individuals the church's critics believe in error, those individuals should be addressed specifically. 

Walid Shoebat I'm familiar with, but I couldn't tell you Kirsten Powers from Martha Stewart, or Ben Barrack from Ben Affleck.  As for Kermit Gosnell, as many media sources as I access, I know very little about that situation as well.  But then, there have been many incidents of bloody evil right here in this nation that our own news media have very nearly ignored, to the public's ignorance.    The old guest preacher was asked what he was going to speak on, he said "sin."  He was asked what he was going to say about it.  He said, "I'm ag'in it."  That's been God's point of view all along.

I can speak only for the church I attend here in Nashville, Tenn., and to my own posted sermons, and in that respect I am unaware "the church" per se is ignoring the persecution and slaughter of Christians.  Incidentally, there is a Facebook page titled "Voice of the Copts", with 2,887 members which continually details persecutions such as mentioned by Barrack and Powers.  Those 2,887 members, like myself, pick up that news and share it on our own sites, asking for prayer and fasting, sending notes to our legislators, doing what we can.

However, since "the church" is a living organism, Biblically consisting of individual worshipers worldwide, there can be no specific answering for those who hear their own voice over that of the Holy Spirit, nor for those who launch out on personal agendas, ignoring the Word of God.  To blame "the church" for ignoring evil is like blaming the medical profession for late appointments.

I would be remiss if I did not point out that Christ did not tell His church to "Go into all the world and take up arms against evil."  Even the notable Shakespeare seemed to be ambivalent about such action, whether it was better to simply accept such trouble and tough it out or take action.  He penned in Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1: "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the sling and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them?" 

Not that the church has stopped followers of Jesus Christ from taking arms against the enemies of God.  History is replete with such instances.

What has stopped Christians and others from "taking arms" is the current political regime in the White House which has placed known Muslims in sensitive political positions, sent FBI agents to places like Tennessee to lecture communities against their efforts to contain the growth and influence of Islam and Sharia Law within their neighborhoods and schools, neutered laws against arming terrorists so they could provide arms to Syrian rebels who have massacred entire villages of Christians.

Very recently a young pastor's wife who is personally known to me was arrested outside the White House grounds for falling on her knees to pray regarding President Obama's actions, as were two Catholic nuns who knelt with her to pray.  The Christian church worldwide, made up of individual worshipers, is well aware of Christians being martyred, but how they deal with that continuing fact may not be within the understanding of those outside of Christ.

When I was a senior enlisted Marine late in my military career, civilians, those outside the Marine Corps, would often take the opportunity to tell me what they thought the Marine Corps should be doing about this issue or that one.  But my orders, the impetus to my actions, did not come from what they thought.  It's been observed that outside the Marine Corps you cannot explain it, while inside, you don't need to.  The same might be said of the Christian church.  Its detractors and those outside of Christ seem quick to tell the followers of Jesus Christ what they should be doing.  But those who have an active relationship with the Living God are listening to the words of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, our Messiah, something not obvious to others.

When I pastored a church, I forever shook my head at the propensity of some people to assume everything within the church was the Pastor's responsibility.  "Pastor, someone spilled cookie crumbs in the foyer," or "Pastor, someone left the water running in the ladies' room," or "Pastor, there's a window open in the back classroom and the rain is coming in."  My answer was always the same, "Well, take care of it."

I appreciate being well-informed, but I don't have to join in every fight I'm invited to.  The Lord God sets my path and equips me for the encounters He purposes for me as a follower of Jesus Christ.  And those who follow Him most likely know why.

As for Kirsten Powers and Ben Barrack, I would suggest if they have a problem with evil in the world, that they do something about it, something more than point the finger at others to do something about it.  The followers of Jesus Christ have made their position about evil very clear.  They, we, are against it, and our marching orders are not set by critics and the news media.  My advice is to pray hard.  Time is short.

BETRAYAL: Federal Nail in a Military Coffin

By Ed Evans, USMC (Ret.)

   Back a month ago when federal planners first raised the ugly head of their plan for penalizing military retirees by refusing them a civilian retirement at the end of a second career, it just didn't seem to go anywhere.  But you know how it is, once you put something on the Internet, it takes on a life all its own and becomes eternal. 

   In other words, I keep seeing traces of this venomous idea here and there. 

   It's not dead, yet.                 

   You can read all about it here:  http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20130804/DEPARTMENTS01/308040009/An-end-civilian-pensions-military-retirees

   The lead paragraph and bridge read: "To address long-term sequester cuts, the Defense Department is mulling numerous reductions that will affect civilian employees, including doing away with civilian employee pensions for military retirees who go back to work for the government as civilian employees.

The savings could be almost $100 billion over 10 years when combined with a halt to commissary subsidies and restrictions on the availability of unemployment benefits, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters last week in summarizing the recommendations of the newly completed “Strategic Choices and Management Review.”

   However, if I were their PR adviser my advice would be that they not just walk away from it, but RUN!  This should be dialogue written for the Saturday Night Live comedy TV show, not a serious approach to building an effective government workforce and viable national budget.  Not to mention that, truthfully, you cannot pay men enough to risk their very lives in combat, but to then prevent them from earning a living and taking care of their families afterward, if they live through it, is surely the worst kind of national cowardice.  And never mind that the entire U.S. military, the most blooded and battle-tested military in the world right now, goes about its business on the individual level like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockers for reasons of upended ethical and moral guidelines of behavior, unsound battlefield rules of engagement, and social Generals who are administrators, not leaders.

   On the one hand this policy change in retirement rules will sow such divisiveness among the federal workforce, not to mention the career military, as to seriously affect efficiency, production and create infectious trust issues.

   On the other hand, I cannot imagine the hit the nation's federal workforce will take without the hand-in-glove synchronization of the disciplined experience that military members bring to the table, which work so effectively with civilian education and expertise.

   In fact, it is such a bad idea that if I believed even half of the conspiracy theories floating around the Internet, I would have to believe there would be no more certain way to pull the plug on American effectiveness in government, no better way to help America's enemies achieve this nation's downfall and freedom's dissolution.

   Bottom line, if for any reason those in the upper head shed want to start a revolution, want to create a cause to declare martial law as a pathway to ultimate control, this would be a good one.  However, anyone who would support such a cockamamie idea has no sense of the kind of fire they are playing with in a munitions bunker filled with volatile, sparking poverty, pain and class betrayal.  And those they are considering betraying are the ones with the guns.

What Is America's Problem?

What Is America's Problem?

by Pastor Ed Evans

Scripture:  Jeremiah 17:1-10

¹The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;

² Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.

³ O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin, throughout all thy borders.

⁴ And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn forever.

⁵ Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.

⁶ For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

⁷ Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

⁸ For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

¹⁰ I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

The philosopher Aristotle is quoted as saying, "Life is full of chances and changes, and the most prosperous of men may...meet with great misfortunes."

This nation has been through many changes, and faced great challenges over the years, including two world wars, a civil war that pitted neighbor against neighbor and brother against brother, foreign wars that robbed America's gene pool of who knows how many great leaders, inventors and families of the future. 

Now America faces even more dire problems, including deadly wars in foreign countries, economic threats to families and the nation, religious and political strife that again pit neighbor against neighbor, brother against brother.  It seems like one problem after another, one financial pitfall after another, one horrendous crime after another, one scandal after another.  Does it ever end?

Many blame the disintegration of ethics and moral leadership, many point their fingers at the church, at local, state and federal leadership.  What has become of the land of the free and the home of brave?  What is our problem?

America's problem is not a political problem, not a politician problem. 

It is a sin problem.

It isn't that we don't have the right man or woman in office, not the wrong leadership.  It isn't that we have the wrong friends or allies, not that they fail us.  Not that we have the wrong plans, the wrong machinery and weapons, not that our military has the wrong training.

It's not even that we have the wrong stuff.  Goodness knows America has the best "stuff" in the world, and more of it than anyone else.  Each one of us is probably wondering why we have so much "stuff".  But that's not the problem, either.

Our problem is not that we are polluting our environment, that some of us grow up in bad neighborhoods or in rich enclaves.  After all, Adam and Eve were living in the Garden of Eden when they sinned.

It isn't the color of our skin, it isn't the lost opportunities, it isn't the lack of wisdom or knowledge.

It is sin.  It is sin.

Now, if you will go along with me on that conclusion for a minute, let's take a look at that possibility.

If, indeed, the problem is sin, then there is only one book, one source that has the answer to our problem.  That book is the Bible; the inspired Word of God.

All of the other religions of the world, all the sects and groups and committed ways that man has come up with over the ages, over thousands of years on earth, they are all systems to punish you when you violate their rules.  They are legalistic traps

The Living God who created us is the only one who approaches the sin problem with love, and tells us He has solved our problem.  Because He knows us so well, as our Creator, He gave us opportunity after opportunity to use our God-given intellect and wisdom to find a way out of our problem.

Surely by now we have convinced ourselves that we do not have an answer to our sin problem.  But God does.

God has the answer.  He put that answer into play on a rude hill called Golgotha outside of Jerusalem.  Jesus Christ gave His life for ours, and God the Father accepted His Son's sacrifice in place of ours to solve the sin problem.

And to ensure that we understood, God instituted the ritual of blood sacrifice long before His Son became the lamb of sacrifice, for us.  He wanted us to know the importance and the impact of a blood sacrifice that covered our sins.  That final sacrifice has been made; the blood of THE lamb -- Jesus Christ, one sacrifice for all -- has been made.

Now God has told us that the emphasis is no longer on sacrifice but on obedience.  Early in His history with mankind, written into 1st Samuel 15:22, God told us "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice."  God prefers obedience to sacrifice.

Once God gave us time and history to understand that the problem is sin, He solved our problem.  Now we have the opportunity put His answer into play in our own individual lives through obedience to His Word.

Our problem is not our society, our environment, our background, our race.....none of the issues to which we point our fingers, for which we blame others, false flags we use to avoid the true problem.  None of those.  Our individual commitment to obedience will solve our individual and national problem; save our own soul, our family, friends, community, town, city, state, our region, our nation, and our world.

The problem is sin.

God solved that problem.

The answer lies in accepting the gift of forgiveness, the gift of life everlasting, through belief and obedience to Jesus Christ.  Notice I said belief AND obedience.  Belief is not enough.  James 2:19 reminds us, "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!"  Belief is no help to those who will not obey.

It was Jesus Himself who said, in Luke 6:46, " But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?"  It is about sin, and the answer lies in accepting Jesus Christ, and obedience

Pay attention.

There will not be a test, this is the test.

Amen.

Fear Not Men of Flesh, But the God of Spirit

by Pastor Ed Evans

Throughout our lives we will meet the bullies, people with small souls and great power, people who serve themselves and puff themselves up at the expense and hurt of others with less power.  And the more power they gain the worse they become, until they strike terror in the hearts men and women.

We encounter them today at all levels of life and business, so that those who take others into account with courtesy and kindness break forth upon us like rays of warm sunshine on a cold, cloudy day.  Such help take the edge off living and working among the spiritual heathen who, for all their learned wisdom, think nothing of running roughshod over lesser, gentler human beings.  Indeed, how a person deals with and treats those whom can do nothing for them becomes the measure of their own human stature.  So that it is painful and disturbing to witness those individuals raised up to positions of power by the voting multitudes using their positions serve themselves at the expense and loss of decent, hard-working men and women. 

But there is a verse in scripture, in Matthew 10:28, that acts as a balm for us, putting our fears and concerns in perspective, for the Almighty God knew, and knows, the pains and joys of our human hearts.  He tells us, "..... fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."  For on this earth we inhabit a body of flesh that will die and disappear one day no matter what we intend, or what we do.  But the God who loved us first has promised our souls, our spiritual souls from God that will last forever, will receive from Him a new body, a new name, and a new home with Him for the time past forever.

Since most of those in positions of power who would grind us down without a thought are not really concerned with whether or not there is a God, they cannot comprehend that the very worst of any existence is to be outside His love and His care, for eternal time and beyond time. So that regardless of the foulness of their evil deeds now, I expect we shall pity them for their inability to gain forgiveness and put an end to their eternal misery. For now we need only know that our bullying, aggravating, frustrating irritants, self-serving and self-concerned, ignorant of concern for all others, will one day be our footstool, or so scripture tells us.  For according to an ancient Greek saying, time heals all wounds, and wounds all heels.  And time is the one thing we who are children of the royal family of God have in vast abundance.

Biblical scripture tells us that once in heaven, we shall know even as we are known. I think we are going to be amazed at the depth and degree of evil surrounding us, from which we were protected. Our naive but self-centered national leadership doesn't even realize our real enemies are not flesh and blood, but spiritual, and that those who believe in The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit are protected by the Godly weapons of prayer, obedience and the "sharper than any two-edged sword" Word of God.

These are the weapons that will defeat the evil that permeate those who are careless about God, and those who are deliberate enemies of the creator God.  But God in His almighty wisdom, looking down the long corridors of time where only He can see, knew that even in our faith and commitment to His promises, our humanity would need something more.  And so in Ephesians His generous love for us explained what we were up against, and provided us not only with the proper weapons for spiritual warfare, but His own protection for us, a well.

So that in Ephesians 6:10-18 we find, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

"Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints..."

Whatever the level of evil, whatever the threat, we are to stand.  Stand for what is right.  For ours is a righteous cause.  We are surrounded by the love of the God of this universe.  We are to be clothed in the whole protective armor that emanates from God, and wielding the weapons of prayer, obedience and the sword of the Spirit, which is the alive and powerful Word of God.

Finally, if all that were not enough to empower the man or woman of God to take on all comers, yet in Romans 8:31 we have the iron-clad assurance inherent in this question: "If God be for us, who can be against us?"

Who, indeed?  For those outside of Christ, the world is a fearful, uncompromising roll of the dice.  As sons and daughters of the new creation, God is in control at every turn and we are reminded by Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

Our Heavenly Father is the source of all time, all events, all life, and all that is needed to remove all evil from the earth, for He has given the Son authority over all things.  Through His work on the cross at Calvary, Jesus has also taken all our sins away so that Satan no longer has any control over a believer.  And regardless of how Satan can influence those outside of Christ, believers have nothing to fear from those who must answer to the omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God.

Trust in God's mighty arm of protection, in His ability to keep you as He has promised.  There is a very pointed moment in Psalm 20:7 for the child of God, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God."

Prayer, obedience, and the Word of God are our most powerful weapons against the spiritual wickedness around us, protected by the full armor of God, and resting in His presence, for our God is still in charge.  Amen.

David and the Oligarch, by Pastor Ed Evans

Scripture: Colossians 2

¹ For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

² That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

³ In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

⁴ And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

⁵ For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

⁶ As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

⁷ Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

⁸ Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

⁹ For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

¹⁰ And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

¹¹ In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

¹² Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

¹³ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

¹⁴ Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

¹⁵ And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

¹⁶ Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

¹⁷ Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

¹⁸ Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

¹⁹ And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

²⁰ Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

²¹ (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

²² Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

²³ Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

There is within these verses a wealth of power and knowledge of which we as Christians should be aware, stand in confidence through, and wield as power and authority through the work of the Holy Spirit against the enemies of justice, righteousness and the mission of Jesus Christ on earth.

Toward that end, I want to begin by concentrating on verses two and three.  Paul's purpose, he writes, is "That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

There is power in that wisdom and knowledge for those who belong to Jesus Christ, and Paul is saying, "Use it!"

There are times, in the face of evil's triumph, beset by frustration and disappointment, when I must agree it looks like the world is slipping into bloody oblivion and surely Jesus Christ is on His way to claim His kingdom, putting Satan and his agenda in their place.

But I also wonder if all the crime and confusion, the murderous circus engulfing us is not of our own making, reaping that whirlwind we have created by ignoring the very wisdom and knowledge God has put in place for us.  For very often we have not met our responsibilities as good citizens.  We've not paid attention to what makes a decent society of mixed people; too busy entertaining ourselves and deigning to "let George do it"; shuffling what should be our decisions off on those we elect to office as our political representatives.

Along the way we have conveniently ignored the truth that those whom we have saddled with this burden of decision-making are not only humanly tempted, but that they may not at all share our sense of what is right and what is wrong; what is ethical, moral and Godly.  But they do have a nice face, a good TV presence, a friendly and persuasive nature, and who knew when we opened the door to the candy store that rather than manage the store for us they were going to eat themselves silly and ignore us.

Legislative advocacy groups have determined that during this fall recess, rather than seeking out public input members of Congress are holding fewer public meetings than in previous years.  This in the face of outrageous political scandals and budgetary hardships.  Apparently, they already know the will of the people and I would say, from their aberrant votes on The Hill that our wishes and our intentions don't match theirs.  That's especially true in regard to immigration, spending, medical care, taxes, national security and a host of others.  They don't want to hear from We the People.

It would appear they have come to the belief the candy store is theirs, and only they know what is best for its management.

They are wrong.

But then, oligarchs are often wrong.

You might ask, what is any oligarch?  One who represents an oligarchy: "A small group of people, the elite, having control of a country, organization, or institution."

The President of the United States, through actions such as Executive Orders that go around the peoples' elected representatives in the Senate and House of Representatives, is creating an oligarchy.  His political appointees and the additional government organizations he has created, such as the Department of Homeland Security -- which competes for authority and scarce dollars with the Department of Defense -- have become part of that oligarchy.  Decisions are made daily about money spent and programs enacted which not only do not represent the will of the people in this nation, but represent programs and policies the people of this nation do not want put into place.

The United States of America, one nation under God, was never intended to be ruled by an oligarchy, but of the people, by the people, for the people. 

Enter little David, stage right.  It's a simple fact of nature, I've observed, that wherever you find evil you will find good standing up to it.  It's just in our soul, in our genes as God-created people.  Wherever you find darkness, you will find light overcoming it.  Where you find anger, stubbornness, hardness of heart, you will find love still fights free. 

As I said previously, enter little David, stage right, just because the time is right.

If you remember your Bible, you will remember how the giant-size Goliath stood before the Army of the Lord and dared anyone to come against him.  He was backed by the dreaded Philistines, and Goliath was so huge, so powerful, so bold and frightening that among King Saul's soldiers their spines melted like on a hot day.  These were battle-hardened men who knew their swords and spears would not cut him down. 

But David had no sword, no spear, none of the battle weapons that wouldn't work.  What he did have was a sling and a smooth stone that he knew how to use and an experiential confidence that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was with him.  Young David was not concerned that this might be the end of the world, or even the end of his world.  He stood on the ground of faith that Almighty God would give him the victory, and that is always a good place to be.

Let me suggest to you that you believe whatever you wish about the nearness of "end times," for each person's last breath is always in their nostrils, and in that sense our own "end times" is always near.

But also take stock of David's knowledge that God is with you, that evil -- whether by ignorance, by mistake, or by a malevolent nature -- is always to be overcome by the power of Almighty God.

As a child of the King, you have that power.  What is that verses two and three say?  That in Christ we have "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."  

Is there evil and mischief afoot?  Are there families going without homes, without food, without jobs to support them?  Is government spending out of control?  While those here at home live in cardboard boxes and do without necessities, are millions and billions being given to the very enemies of our national security abroad?  Are free elections being contaminated by fraud here at home?  Do our own government officials lie to us and spy on us?  Is the U.S. Constitution being ignored to deny Americans the free exercise of their religious beliefs?  Do our own judges take into account foreign legal systems in order to mete out an altered justice outside of our own legal system?

Yes.  Yes to all of the above.

But has God said we should fear all of this, or has He given us the spirit of power, of love, and a sound mind?  Second Timothy, chapter one, verse seven said he has given us exactly that.

Matthew 28:18 tells us that Jesus Christ has been given authority, authority over absolutely everything!

Mark 9:17-29 shows us how faith allows us to access our authority; the authority of Jesus Christ for spiritual power.

No matter how strong a Christian you are,  if you chunk a rock at a hornet’s nest, you’re in big trouble.  And you can’t simply curse cancer and cause it to disappear.  Jesus said, "Peace, be still," and calmed a storm, but you and I don't have that power yet.  Our full inheritance is waiting until Jesus comes again.  When our Lord says He gives you authority, He’s talking about spiritual authority, and you have it. You have authority over Satan's influence over you.  But if someone tries to convince you that you have "full" authority, try ordering someone else's dog around.

Satan may try to corrupt and pervert your spiritual authority and want you to believe you have authority to make it rain, or that you can walk into a hospital room and empty it.  But no, you can’t. 

Your power, through the name of Christ, is in spiritual power, and that can save this nation.

God has an army of spiritual forces, an angelic host filled with power from on high.  It was God's power that defeated Satan on the Cross of Calvary, where we read in Colossians 2:15 and Hebrews 2 and John 12 how Jesus Christ bore our sins in a plan of redemption that set us free, free for Him to give us spiritual authority.  The machinations of evil and the befouled programs that work against the purposes of God are no match for our spiritual authority and the power of the mighty hand of God.

Prayer, in the spiritual authority of Christ, is the answer, and the boldness to speak against evil in the name of Almighty God.  Wherever evil, immorality, unethical behavior -- sin -- shows itself, speak out, speak up, in the name and authority of Jesus Christ.  Stand firmly, as David did against a "superior" enemy, in the confidant power of Almighty God.

Paul, writing to Timothy in his second letter, sets forth in verses six through ten: "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.  For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.  And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power..."

To repeat Paul, having received Christ, walk in Him, for in Jesus Christ is all the fullness of the Godhead.  In Jesus Christ we find the answers to a deteriorating society, the answer to godless forces that threaten  the fabric of the nation. 

Stand firmly in the spiritual authority you have from Jesus Christ, confidant in the power of Almighty God, and speak out, speak up, in the name and authority of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Is the Light in America Going Out? -- by Pastor Ed Evans

Scripture:  Matthew 5:13-16 -- “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

How many times have you heard people say, "God is too loving to send people to hell."  Or perhaps, "What you need is more of the love of Christ. If you had more love, you wouldn't speak against the beliefs of other people."  And then there are those who say that when you warn others about the danger of what holy scripture calls sin, you are guilty of "hate speech."

First, allow me to point out that such ideas are common in this age, but they would have been laughed at in ages past, when Christian men and women of conscience would not allow their Christian experience and their knowledge of holy scripture to be watered down, attacked, and misused.

Secondly, let me hasten to deal with the idea that God sends people to hell.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  A lady following some exotic philosophical religion once said to me, "I could never follow a god who sent people to hell."  Her lostness is in her own ignorance of God.  Those who end up separated from the love of God have constructed that separation themselves.  2nd Peter 3:9 makes that point: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."

Third, as for the lack of love being behind warning others of sin, we turn to Ezekiel 33:8, where God tells us, "When I say unto the wicked, 'O wicked man, thou shalt surely die;' if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand."  Our love of God and our Christian love of our brother and sister should compel us to speak truth in the presence of sin.

The whole idea of "hate speech", of course, is a stillborn idea without merit borne of the political correctness movement that has no justification in scripture, much less in real life.  Those who accuse others of hate speech are first, guilty of it themselves through their accusation, and second, they are apparently ignorant of Ecclesiastes 3:8, "There is a time to love and a time to hate, a time of war and a time of peace."

Much of this convoluted misunderstanding comes from those who know of the Christ, but do not know Jesus Christ; those who know of holy scripture, but do not know scripture.  Time and time again I must advise people, who are wielding a verse of scripture like a bludgeon, to go back and read the verses before their stated verse, and the verses afterward to gain context.  You cannot simply pluck a verse out of context and because by itself it suits your argument, win your argument with it when it doesn't mean at all what you are claiming.

They remind me of the story of the man was convinced he could receive divine guidance by simply opening the Bible each morning and reading the verse upon which his eyes first fell.  The first time he tried that method, he came to where the apostle Matthew wrote of Judas, "Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself" (Matthew 27:5).  Very disturbed by that reading, he tried it again, this time finding in Luke 10:37 where Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."

We must keep in mind, when studying scripture, to keep the words within their context. A good example is where the New Testament tells us to "work with your hands."  So, does that mean a man must literally work with his hands in his job, such as digging ditches, or engaging in such careers as woodworking, agriculture, metalwork?  What if a man is adept at being an accountant, or rises to be a bank president?  Is he sinning?

Well, of course the answer is no.  When you go back to the context of that information, you find a contrast is being made between stealing for a living and working for a living (Ephesians 4:28).  And to add to that, in 1st Thessalonians 4:11 and 12, Paul is telling men to stick to their own business, set a good example for others and be self-sufficient.  It is about being a good disciple of Jesus Christ, not setting aside jobs that are un-Christian.

As Americans, and even as claimed followers of Jesus Christ, we have strayed far afield from the scriptural characteristics of the Christian life we are to lead.  Many of our problems in this day and age, across our troubled nation, spring from a lack of spiritual commitment by men and women, even men and women of faith.  If we know what God says about our current problems, to often we are silent, and we avoid taking positions of moral leadership out misunderstood calls for humility, civility, and "understanding."

We don't understand scripture, and we stand in error because of that.

At a time when this nation desperately needs strong ethical and moral leadership, as found only in the Christian scriptures, even God's called Pastors, as well as Elders and Deacons of the Church worldwide hide their knowledge of God under a bushel and fail to advise others not to abandon God to go another direction, that the bridge to God is out that way.

Jesus Christ is the bridge to God.  And yes, He is a one-way Jesus.  He said Himself, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

Those who equivocate about whether Jesus is the only way to God stand in error.

You don't want to stand in error, because James 4:17 warns us, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."  Short version, you stand in error.  The danger here is what Jesus said in Matthew 10:32-33, speaking to His disciples, "Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.  But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven."

The characteristics of the life of those who claim to follow Jesus Christ is laid out very clearly in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

There is no use looking for figs on a lemon tree, or cherries on an apple tree.  And there is no use looking for these fruits outside the Holy Spirit.  Can men and women live decent, helpful lives without being Christians?  Of course they can.  Can men and women get to God without Jesus Christ?  No, and if you claim otherwise, you stand in error.

If men of good Christian character, believers in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, His death, burial and resurrection, would stand up in the face of evil and declare, "This is wrong!  Repent of your sins!", this nation would undergo a revival of faith, a reinstatement of ethics and morals such as we have never seen.

If you are not willing to do that, then yes, you stand in error.

Every individual, man, woman, and child, who has proclaimed a belief in Jesus Christ, should ask themselves, "After salvation, what?"

As an answer to that, Robert H. Kreger has written, in part, "God's purpose for the Christian calls for spiritual growth.  2nd Peter 3:18, "But grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ....." 

"2nd Timothy 2:15, "Study to show yourself approved of God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." The Christian is kept alive on earth to fulfill his destiny, which is to become a spiritually mature believer, a spiritual winner.  "...a mature person to the measure of the maturity which belongs to the fullness of Christ." (Eph 4:13-16).

"Each believer's life becomes a unique expression of the glory of God in both time and eternity (Romans 8:29-30; 9:23-24), but only the spiritually mature believer's life glorifies God by receiving the highest and best that God has prepared for him (Romans 6:1-2a; Ist John 1:5-2:6). Divine blessings that the Christian can understand and experience and the overt manifestations of the Christian way of life only come as a result of spiritual growth."

That spiritual maturity, that fullness of Christ, that growth should be manifesting itself in the American community every day of our life.  Our entire nation would be at peace with itself and with our neighbors if every decision, every action, every plan had at its base God's manifested purpose.

So what should we do, you ask.  Should we take the locks off of our doors, throw away all security measures of protection, trust that those outside of Christ will treat us with kindness and compassion?

No, because we are not there, yet.  Jesus warned His disciples in Matthew 10:16, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.  Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."  You and I live and work among two-legged animals who would do harm to us and those we love, given the opportunity.  Violence is rampant and very nearly out of control in this nation.  Even our police are ramping up to military levels of protection and control, to a disturbing level for a freedom-loving citizen. 

Data compiled by the FBI shows a 1.2% increase in violent crime.  Doesn't sound like much, but that's nationwide.  According to the FBI, violent crime includes murder, non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.  The following comes from the June 13th edition of the Wall St. Journal: "Three cities — Birmingham, St. Louis and Oakland — were among the 10 worst cities in the nation for both violent crime and property crime. In some of the most dangerous cities, specific types of property crime were especially common. Flint and Cleveland had among the highest burglary rates, while Oakland, Detroit and St. Louis had among the highest rates of vehicle theft."

The top ten most violent cities, from most to less violent, are Cleveland, Ohio; Baltimore, Md.; New Haven, Conn,;  Birmingham, Ala. ; Stockton, Calif.;  Memphis, Tenn.; St. Louis, Mo.; Oakland, Calif.; Detroit, Mich.; and Flint, Mich.  These represent a significant failure of the Christian influence in these violent cities.

Of them all, Detroit, Mich., with 54.2 murders for every 100,000 people reached the highest level in the past 40 years.  They have a 40.9% poverty rate, and their unemployment rate at 18.6% is much higher than the 8.1% national rate.

The city’s aggravated assault rate of 1,320.8 cases per 100,000 people was also the second highest in the U.S.  Those are people we are talking about, people murdered, maimed, hurt, families devastated by the lack of Christian ethics and morals throughout the community of Detroit.

Detroit seems to be one of the worst nationally acknowledged humanitarian disaster spots in America.  Block after block of deteriorating homes, empty and abandoned.  A city that has attempted to file for bankruptcy.  The soaring crime rate simply leads the list of many reasons not to move to Detroit.

To make matters worse, the huge Islamic presence in Detroit has become a growing problem for those who wish to worship in the name of Jesus Christ.  They have been arrested for praying in public.  They have been arrested for handing out Christian tracts.  They need your prayers around the clock.

Some people, in discussing the disaster of Detroit, have asked is Chicago next?  How about Chicago now?  They have serious crime problems in Chicago, much of it involving black on black crime.  Unfortunately, when I Googled "Black on Black Crime in Chicago," most of what I got were leftist blogs attempting to divert attention back to "white racists ignoring the problem."  I guess "black racists" can't accept any blame because so many people tell me that "black racists" don't exist.  I and my family members have the lumps and memories to effectively dispute that lie. 

The only media dealing factually with black on black crime in Chicago seem to be theguardian.com, thedailybeast.com, and thugreport.com.  Whites want to deal with it because they still live in Chicago, but black opinion leaders just want to blame "whitey" for it.  Makes no sense to me.  In Christ there is no difference, but many have abandoned the words and the cause of Christ.  Black young men and women are dying, black young men and women are going to prison for their crimes.  Why isn't black leadership dealing with this?  Why isn't Chicago's black Mayor dealing with this?  Why isn't America's first black President dealing with this?  I suggest it is because they stand in error.

Like Detroit, Chicago is replete with Islam representation, with mosques, Islamic centers, and web sites determining the seven times of prayer across the city.  Why can't they do better in the crime and home security arena?  Because they are in error. 

Some have suggested that God is punishing such cities, indeed, America, for turning their back on Him.  I suggest to you that God need not actively punish those in error, but He need simply remove His arm of protection. 

Deuteronomy 33:27 -- "The Eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." -- shows us that the arm of God symbolizes His protection.  And in Psalm 91:1-4 we read, ""He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.  Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.  He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler."

God is our refuge in times of trouble, and we naturally take shelter in His protective arms.  But we need to stay in communication with our God, through a strong prayer life and communion with Him.  God wants to protect His children, but if we refuse to be His children, we have lost that option.  Jesus said it plainly in Luke 6:46, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

Our verse for today, Matthew 5:13-16, speaks to what is wrong with this nation today.  “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

Is the light in America going out?  Has life lost its Christian savor in America?  You cannot speak for others, so speak only for yourself.  How far does your light reach?  Are those around you seeking the seasoning that makes your life what it is?

Light the light right where you are.  Share the salt.  Amen.