Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time.
Deuteronomy 4:39-40

We do hereby dedicate this Land, and ourselves, to reach the People within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to raise up Godly generations after us, and with these generations take the Kingdom of God to all the earth.

May this Covenant of Dedication remain to all generations, as long as this earth remains, and may this Land, along with England, be Evangelist to the World.

May all who see this Cross, remember what we have done here, and may those who come here to inhabit join us in this Covenant and in this most noble work that the Holy Scriptures may be fulfilled.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Human beings may have had a brush with extinction 70,000 years ago, an extensive genetic study suggests.

The human population at that time was reduced to small isolated groups in Africa, apparently because of drought, according to an analysis released Thursday.

The report notes that a separate study by researchers at Stanford University estimated the number of early humans may have shrunk as low as 2,000 before numbers began to expand again in the early Stone Age...

Previous studies using mitochondrial DNA _ which is passed down through mothers _ have traced modern humans to a single "mitochondrial Eve," who lived in Africa about 200,000 years ago.

The migrations of humans out of Africa to populate the rest of the world appear to have begun about 60,000 years ago, but little has been known about humans between Eve and that dispersal.

Why does this sound familiar? Eve? A brush with extinction? Today's population growing from just a few? Oh, what is it about this that sounds familiar? Why do I feel like I've heard this before somewhere?

Dave Barry on the Economic Stimulus Payment:

"This year, taxpayers will receive an Economic Stimulus Payment. This is a very exciting new program that I will explain using the Q and A format:

"Q. What is an Economic Stimulus Payment?
"A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.

"Q. Where will the government get this money?
"A. From taxpayers.

"Q. So the government is giving me back my own money?
"A. Only a smidgen.

"Q. What is the purpose of this payment?
"A. The plan is that you will use the money to purchase a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.

"Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China?
"A. Shut up."

There is a tendency in family devotions, especially with small children, to primarily use Bible stories. So, the first half of the OT is usable and the Gospels and Acts are usable in the NT. But that's a lot of the Bible basically ignored.

Last night I wanted to teach my children from the Epistle of James. Normally, I like to use about half a chapter. That seems to work well for their attention spans. It also can add suspense to the stories. For example, we told the story of Lazarus across three nights. Each night was a cliffhanger: "Jesus walked up to the tomb where Lazarus had been buried -- okay, kids, come back tomorrow night to hear the rest."

But Epistles are far more dense than the stories. I decided to use only a paragraph. I chose James 1:12-15. In the end, we only made it through verse 13, but that was okay.

So, after everyone was on the couch and ready to listen, and we parsed our Greek verb for the night (just kidding), I told them a little about James. He was Jesus' brother. What did they think it would be like to grow up with Jesus as a brother? You'd never be able to blame anything you did wrong on Him, would you? Mom & dad would always know He was innocent.

Then I started reading the verse. "Blessed is the man." I told them that blessed meant happy. I asked them what they thought he would say would make them happy. Some said "following Jesus" (always a safe bet), "obeying your parents" (another safe bet). "Blessed is the man who endures temptation." What's temptation? I gave the example of seeing the lid off the cookie jar and wanting to take a cookie before supper. My two-year-old started chiming in "me want a cookie!" (Temptation 1, Test 0, if you're keeping score).

But they supplied many temptations that they face. It became apparent that they were well aware that their little lives were surrounded by temptations.

So we talked about where temptations come from. "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God.'" God does not tempt us to sin. And that was it for me. My job was done. The kids took over.

Anna Kate: "God wants you to obey!" She held out her little hand and made a cup. "God wants you in here, where it's safe. If you disobey you go outside where it's not safe!" (See Shepherding a Child's Heart if this doesn't sound familiar.)

Ethan: "God wants to test you to show that you'll obey and do the right thing!"

It became a chaotic yet beautiful euphony of my children trying to be the one to explain temptation to me. Then Ethan said a very beautiful thing:

"Dad, I'm tempted to cry. And I was thinking about it tonight. I think I know why I cry so much. I've don't want to cry, and I've been trying to stop it on my own. I ask God to help but I still try to do it myself. I need to let God do it for me."

Yowzah.

So, don't be afraid to use the Epistles in family devotions with young children. And don't feel like you must address every verse with them or cover a whole chapter. Let the Spirit direct. It's a beautiful thing.

I saw this story on Friday:

After nearly nine weeks of heated testimony and arguments by Queens prosecutors and the attorneys for Detectives Michael Oliver, Gescard Isnora and Marc Cooper, Queens Supreme Court Justice Arthur Cooperman acquitted the officers of all criminal charges in the [Nov. 25, 2006, shooting of Sean Bell.]...

Cooperman, who presided over the non-jury trial, agreed with the defense that the detectives were justified in firing 50 bullets at the unarmed men because the officers believed their lives were in danger outside a strip club in Jamaica...

Prosecutors argued that Oliver, who fired 31 times and reloaded; Isnora, who fired 11 times; and Cooper, who fired four times; were reckless and did not stop to assess the situation when they mistakenly thought Bell was shooting at them.

Then, this morning I read:

Hundreds of angry people marched through Harlem on Saturday after the Rev. Al Sharpton promised to 'close this city down' to protest the acquittals of three police detectives in the 50-shot barrage that killed a groom on his wedding day and wounded two friends.

"We strategically know how to stop the city so people stand still and realize that you do not have the right to shoot down unarmed, innocent civilians," Sharpton told an overflow crowd of several hundred people at his National Action Network office in the historically black Manhattan neighborhood. "This city is going to deal with the blood of Sean Bell."

I can't believe I'm saying this, but in this case I think I have to a-- that is, I believe I ag--, well, it does seem that I have to agree-with-Sharpton-okay-there-I-said-it... whew

From the Lew Rockwell blog:

The Constitution Party just overwhelmingly defeated the warmongering neocon Alan Keyes by nominating Chuck Baldwin, 383 to 125.

Last night, CP founder Howard Phillips strongly denounced Keyes as a warmonger, neocon, and egomanic. Phillips was subsequently attacked by Jim Clymer, the CP national chairman.

In spite of Keyes bringing in a lot of delegates, the CP remained true to their anti-interventionist views and rejected Keyes.

On April 7, Aron Heller reported in the AP:

JERUSALEM (AP) — American televangelist John Hagee led several hundred flag-waving followers across Jerusalem on Monday, a colorful display of the growing alliance between Christian evangelicals and Israel.

I found this quote of particular interest:

Indeed, many Israelis and Jews are troubled by what they suspect is the source of the unbridled support — a belief by some evangelical groups in an apocalyptic battle between good and evil in which Jesus returns and Jews either accept Christianity or perish.

If only American Evangelicals would wake up to what these Israelis and Jews have realized. Hagee believes Israel must be restored to bring about the Second Coming of Christ.
Have you ever stopped to consider the implications of this Zionist push? If you believe that 1/3 of the Jews will be slain in the "Tribulation" and you also want to push as many Jews as possible back into that area, then what are we to believe about you other than that you are pre-meditating mass murder?
Here's another perspective from Jews Against Zionism:

This militant Zionist position does unfortunately represent Modern Orthodoxy, a movement that is characterized by Jews bending Jewish law to fit their modern agenda. However, it is dishonest to say that it represents "world Jewry" as Rabbi Pesach Lerner claims. World Jewry includes hundreds of thousands of more traditionally Orthodox Jews who do not see any inherent value in Zionist sovereignty over Jerusalem or any other place. Most of these Jews, in fact, see the Zionist occupation of the Holy Land as a terrible sin and a disaster.

One has to wonder about the intelligence level of someone who utters such self-contradictory words: "Throughout our 2,000 years of exile, if any rabbi had ever hinted at giving up a part of the Land of Israel, he would have been out on the street in a minute." During exile, the Jewish people has no right to sovereignty over Jerusalem or any place; that is the very definition of exile. If any rabbi in past centuries had suggested that Jews during exile must have sovereignty over any part of the Land of Israel, he would have been out on the street in a minute. To Jews in the past, it was always self-evident that the exile was a Divine decree and that we have no right to emerge from it without a Divine decree. It is only due to the confusion of the Zionist era that this principle has been forgotten.

We hope and pray that these Modern Orthodox Jews, in the course of their studies of the Jewish texts concerning Jerusalem, come to understand the meaning of the verse in the Song of Songs (2:7), "I adjure you, daughters of Jerusalem, by the deer and hinds of the fields, not to arouse or awaken the love before it is desired." We Jews indeed originate from Jerusalem and are therefore poetically referred to as daughters of Jerusalem. But we are forbidden under oath to take action toward the redemption of our people before G-d desires it.

From the Boston Globe:

Last week, hard plastic baby and water bottles were not considered harmful.

Now, in the eyes of many users, they are toxic. Yesterday, CVS said it will join Wal-Mart, bottle-maker Nalgene, and other companies in pulling tens of thousands of the shatter-proof, transparent products off store shelves. Some parents are tossing hiking bottles into the trash, feeding their babies with glass containers, and searching for a safer alternative to see-through sippy cups.

So how dangerous are these bottles? And what should consumers do about the risk?

"The truthful answer is that nobody knows" their full health impact yet, said David Ozonoff, a professor of environmental health at the Boston University School of Public Health. "And because we don't know, it's prudent to avoid something that is avoidable."

Yale University has threatened to pull a senior student's controversial 'abortion art' project from an exhibition Tuesday unless she admits she lied about artificially inseminating herself and inducing miscarriages to produce the piece.

The Ivy League school stood by its claim Monday that Aliza Shvarts fabricated a shocking work of 'creative fiction' in detailing how she constructed her senior art project.

'In this case, we will not permit her to install the project unless she submits a clear and unambiguous written statement that her installation is a work of fiction: that she did not try to inseminate herself and induce miscarriages, and that no human blood will be physically displayed in her installation,' Yale College Dean Peter Salovey said in a statement released Monday.

Why does anyone question Total Depravity?

From the John Birch Society:

Solving the Illegal Immigration Crisis Requires Blocking the NAU and Repealing NAFTA

The American public must be prevented from being lulled to sleep by tough sounding, but ultimately ineffective, congressional legislation regarding border security and illegal immigration.

A new bill is receiving widespread support from anti-illegal immigration organizations. H.R. 4088, known as the Secure America Through Verification and Enforcement Act of 2007 (SAVE Act of 2007), was introduced by Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC) on November 6, 2007. Two companion bills were introduced in the Senate on November 15.

Although this bill sounds good by providing for additional Border Patrol agents, better surveillance technology, better employee verification, and better interior immigration enforcement, there has been harsh criticism from Tom DeWeese, president of the American Policy Center, regarding how this bill would implement the Real ID Act and a national ID database.

H.R. 4088 is based on tweaking our existing immigration laws in ways which make it appear that Congress is working hard to solve the illegal immigration problem. However, the real problem is that Congress has allowed the executive branch to refuse to enforce our existing immigration laws for the past two decades.

Oppose H.R. 5405 and a Social Security/National ID Card
An Alternative Plan for Implementing the Real ID Act

House bill H.R. 5405, short titled the "Social Security Identity Theft Prevention Act," was introduced Feb. 13, 2008 by Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL). The stated purpose of H.R. 5405 is to protect seniors from identity theft and to strengthen national security.

The bill calls for redesigning the Social Security card to include a photo, fingerprint, barcode, magnetic strip, and computer data chip. That would for all practical purposes transform the Social Security card into a National ID card administered by the Social Security Administration.

In 2005 the Real ID Act, which passed in the House but stalled in the Senate as stand alone bill H.R 418, was foisted on America by attaching it as a Trojan Horse rider to H.R. 1268, a must-pass bill. However, the plan to force state governments to make driver's licenses Real ID Act compliant is in jeopardy due to objections by a number of state governments and grassroots resistance.

H.R. 5405 appears to be an attempt to circumvent resistance at the state level by establishing a National ID card through a federally administered vehicle, the Social Security system.

Now enters Ronald Weinland. Heard of him? He's the pastor of the Church of God - PKG (that's Preparing for the Kingdom of God). According to the church's website, "Although the Church of God has not been accustomed to having a prophet for nearly 1900 years, God made him a prophet in 1997." That's nice.

The site goes on, "His first book, The Prophesied End-Time (published in mid-2004), is the product of what God has given him concerning prophetic end-time events that have already begun to be fulfilled, events that are occurring exactly as he has written in the book. His latest book, 2008-God's Final Witness, pinpoints the timing of these end-time events and adds additional information beyond what the first book covered."

Wait. Wait. It gets better, "2008-God's Final Witness reveals the Seven Thunders of the Book of Revelation, which the apostle John was not allowed to record!" Jinkies!

Better yet, in this book, Weinland explains that he himself is "the spokesman of His two end-time witnesses" (Revelation 11:3).

"Ronald Weinland says that 2008 will mark the beginning of the final events that will thrust the world into the great tribulation (last three and one-half years of the end-time), which will usher in World War III, the death of billions, and on the last day of this great tribulation, the return of Jesus Christ." Rock on. Actually, I had already considered that a McCain nomination would usher in World War III, but, whatever.

On his blog, this year, he wrote:

We are now feverishly trying to simply plan for the burst of activity that is coming our way over the next couple of months. We are there! As it was mentioned in this past Sabbath’s sermon, the final countdown has begun, as the 1335 days before the actual day Jesus Christ returns began on February 2, 2008.

Mark your calendars, because that sets the date of Christ's return as Thursday, September 29, 2011. If I might make my own prediction, I suggest, instead of packing your bags for that date, you pack your rocks (in the spirit of Deuteronomy 18:20-22).

Here's a question I have for Dispensationalists. I regularly hear Dispensationalist preachers say (from one side of their mouths) "All around us there are prophecies fulfilling!" Ol' Hal Lindsey is even featured on WorldNetDaily for just this task. Yet, I hear them say (out of the other side of their mouths) "There is no prophecy left to be fulfilled. Christ will return at any minute." Huh? Which is it? Are there prophecies being fulfilled or have they already been fulfilled? Can you really have it both ways?

According to the description of 2008 - God's Final Witness at the-end.com,

From now until the latter part of 2008, many prophecies are going to begin to be fulfilled, especially the Seven Thunders of the Book of Revelation, which the apostle John saw but was restricted from recording. Those thunders are revealed in this book, as well as detailed accounts of the final three and one-half years of man's self-rule on earth, which are recorded in the account of the Seventh Seal of Revelation.

Wow. Where to begin? Okay, the "Seven Thunders" in question are from Revelation 10:1-4

I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. Now when the seven thunders sounded their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them."

Hey, when you're studying your Bible and looking to observe, interpret and apply, and you come across a verse that says, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them," which verse should come to mind? Have you guessed it?
Deuteronomy 29:29:

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Why would God include a passage in Revelation about secret things? To remind us that there are some things which we are not supposed to know or need to know. What we do need to know, we know.

This passage actually reminds us of the scope of the book of Revelation. Consider this:

In Revelation 22:10, John is told, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand." We know that Revelation was written in the first century. John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, has told us that the events of the book were already at hand.

In Daniel 8:26, Daniel is told, "And the vision of the evenings and mornings Which was told is true; Therefore seal up the vision, For it refers to many days in the future." Those many days in the future were fulfilled about three hundred years later! John, however, was told to not seal the words of his prophecy for it was at hand. If three hundred years' future were sufficient many days to justify sealing the vision, then how can 2,000 years into the future (as futurists interpret Revelation) possibly be at hand and justify not sealing the prophecy? That's backwards!

From the opening verse, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place." However, whatever the seven thunders uttered regarded the distant future. John was told, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them." They did not fit the scope of the book.

Sound familiar? "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase" (Daniel 12:4).

Revelation is not about the future. It is not about the end. (There is certainly more to come, hence I am only a moderate or partial preterist.)

I think we should take two of the words which were told Daniel and apply them to Weinland: "Shut up!"

Gary DeMar titled his book well, Last Days Madness. That's exactly what the church, unfortunately, is witnessing today.

Have you seen John Hagee's latest?

Did you catch that? The Jews did not reject Jesus as Messiah? Jesus did not come to earth to be the Messiah?

Let's see, if I remember correctly, Jesus called the Jews of His generation, "O faithless and perverse generation" (Matthew 17:17). He said of this (according to Hagee) innocent generation, "I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,' that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation" (Luke 11:49-51).

Hagee says they did not reject Jesus as Messiah. But Jesus said, "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled" (Luke 21:20-22). What Hagee's eschatology also ignores is that Jesus said of this same generation, "This generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place" (Matthew 24:34).

Hagee says that this Jewish generation did not reject the Messiah and they did not deserve to be punished. Jesus said that they did. Who should you believe?

Hagee says that Jesus did not come to be the Messiah! Do I really need to answer this one? Well, I will anyway:

Matthew 1:1: "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham."

Matthew 1:16: "And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ."

John 1:41: "He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ)."

John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

John 4:25-26: "The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."

John 6:35: "And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."

John 14:6: "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Matthew 16:15-18: "He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

Matthew 20:28: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Matthew 26:28: "For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

Matthew 26:62-68: "And the high priest arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?" But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!" Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! What do you think?" They answered and said, "He is deserving of death." Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, "Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?"

1 Timothy 1:15: "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

John Hagee is clearly a false teacher and a false prophet. His Christology is so diminished, that I dare repeat 1 John 2:22: "Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?" Indeed, John said again in 1 John 4:3, "every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world." Has John Hagee searched so hard to find "the Antichrist" and missed that he has become one himself?

I'm glad someone had the backbone to say it.
Posted on Pro Libertate by William Grigg:

The Fundamentalist Latter-day Saints Church (FLDS) is, by any rational definition, a cult. Its adherents are the property of the church's ruling sacerdocracy, an all-powerful priestly caste headed -- until recently -- by Warren Jeffs, the hereditary 'prophet' of the sect.

The government of the State of Texas presides over an administrative unit of a Regime that is, by any definition, tyrannical and corrupt. That Regime, and all of its subsidiaries, implicitly claims ownership (including the power of discretionary killing) over every human being residing within our national borders, and any human being anywhere the Regime can project its power.

...It's really difficult to say which of these two cults -- the FLDS Church, or the Imperial Regime -- is worse, in principle. In practice, the Regime's evil easily outstrips that of the Mormon offshoot, since the latter is commendably disinclined to impose itself beyond its own ranks. The Regime, of course, eagerly inflicts its armed benevolence on distant lands with the slightest provocation, or none at all, when it can get away with doing so.

In case you haven't seen this chart yet, Jessica posted this at Indexed:

What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Reformed Evangelical You are a Reformed Evangelical. You take the Bible very seriously because it is God's Word. You most likely hold to TULIP and are sceptical about the possibilities of universal atonement or resistible grace. The most important thing the Church can do is make sure people hear how they can go to heaven when they die. Reformed Evangelical 96% Neo orthodox 82% Fundamentalist 79% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 68% Charismatic/Pentecostal 46% Roman Catholic 43% Emergent/Postmodern 39% Classical Liberal 21% Modern Liberal 18%

"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." (Ephesians 6:19-21)

IRAQ

Assyrian Orthodox Priest Killed - VOM Sources

On April 5, Father Youssef Adel (40), an Assyrian Orthodox priest, was shot dead by unknown assailants in the district of Karradah, Baghdad. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts, "At approximately 11:30 a.m., Adel was driving to a church when gunmen in another car sped past him and opened fire. Adel was the director of a high school that was attended by both Christians and Muslims. He had been the target of threats and intimidation intended to drive him away from his post." Pray that those who mourn for Father Adel will find strength, courage and peace in Christ. Pray that believers in Iraq will set Christ apart as Lord and not be controlled by fear despite severe persecution. Also pray Christians in Iraq will forgive their persecutors. 1 Peter 3:14-17


INDIA

Christians Attacked, Children Beaten for Distributing Bible Tracts - VOM Sources

On April 2, pastors and members of the Manna Ministry in Krishnapuram, Andhra Pradesh, were beaten by a group of 20 Hindu extremists. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts, "Believers were returning from an evangelistic outreach when their car was stopped by the attackers. One of the ministry's leaders, Pastor Gopal, sustained serious injuries. The militants also tore up the Christians' evangelistic tracts." Ask God to heal Pastor Gopal. Meanwhile, on March 17, school children from Toopran School in Telungana Village, Andhra Pradesh, were threatened and beaten by Hindu extremists while they were distributing Bible tracts in the school compound. VOM contacts report, "A group of Hindu extremists stopped the school children from further distribution of tracts. The extremists beat the children and threatened them." Pray believers in Telungana Village will be encouraged and protected. Pray that Indian Christians will continue to share the gospel with boldness despite increased persecution. Ask God to use their testimonies to draw nonbelievers into fellowship with Him. Acts 4:29-31


CHINA

UPDATE: Christian Bookstore Owner Released from Prison - China Aid Association

Praise God! On February 19, Zhou Heng, a well-known house church leader and manager of Yayi Christian Book Room in China was released from prison. According to China Aid Association, Heng was released after a court determined there was insufficient evidence to prosecute him. During his imprisonment, Heng was reportedly beaten severely by inmates and prison guards. He is now recuperating at home with his family. Thank the Lord for Heng's release. Pray for strength and healing for him. Pray that he will be emboldened by the fact that God commends those who suffer for doing good. 1 Peter 2:20-21


www.persecution.com

Doug Newman's latest commentary is available at The Price of Liberty:

While the Founders forbade a federal role in education, this republic was very young when enthusiasm for government schooling took hold. Traditional 'public education in the western world' has its roots in Prussia in the early 1800s after its defeat by Napoleon. The first compulsory attendance laws were in 1852 in -- surprise! -- Massachusetts. The first national compulsory attendance laws were enacted in 1918...

From Pastor Chuck Baldwin:

There it is: countless millions of professing Christians will eagerly abandon their commitment to constitutional government and Biblical principles in order to accommodate a Republican Presidential candidate. In the minds of many Christians, the Republican Party is more important than the U.S. Constitution. It is more important than conservative principles or even Biblical injunctions. In essence, the Republican Party has become an IDOL in the hearts and minds of many professing believers...

For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow His steps:

"Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth";

who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter 2:19-25

The word translated servants in verse 18 is oiketes, a household servant, not doulos, a slave. Many household servants were better off than the free peasants, though neither had much.

As William Wilberforce was still over 1700 years away and previous slave wars had failed, it was far more practical for Peter to encourage those in the system to live constructively as they await their freedom than to incite a doomed and bloody revolution. In Ephesians 6:9, Paul states, "And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him." If there is no partiality with God, then slavery is against God's will.

Some of these household servants were able to save enough money to purchase their freedom. This was not an option for most slaves. In some houses, household servants were treated as members of the family. But in some houses, they were cruelly abused. But they were almost all treated as inferior.

But there are always those who bring abuse on themselves. Whether by obnoxious attitudes or actions, they hardly suffer for righteousness' sake. Here Peter warns that you'll find no praise from God if you are punished for doing wrong. But when you are daily treated with indignity, and bear it patiently, look to God and find in Him praise.

As Jesus warned, don't do anything for the praise of men. But do all things for the glory of God. If you are a household servant, be a household servant to God. If you are wife, be submissive and obedient to God. If you are a civil magistrate, be a civil magistrate to God. Do all your duties as if to God, not to man. Whatever is done to God is rewarded by God. When you do your duty only to man, you only have man's reward.

I think there is another argument here in verse 21 in favor of the slave: Peter identifies Christ's suffering with the slave's suffering. But He is also an example to all of us: we should patiently suffer as He patiently suffered. If we are to follow Him, we are to walk, not on water, but humbly: "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29) As Paul said, "For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:29)

Who can claim the perfection of Christ. The only One who has ever truly suffered wrongfully was Him. Whenever we think we suffer wrongfully, we can always think of something - perhaps not the supposed thing for which we are suffering, but some other wrongdoing we have committed and supposedly gone unpunished - for which we should be suffering. But Christ was perfect in all His doings. If He could suffer patiently the supreme injustice, we can certainly exercise patience who deserve far worse than we receive.

We are to render good for evil. We must put away all thoughts of revenge as we bear patiently. God is your shield and avenger. He will protect you as you suffer and He will dispense justice Himself. Do you think you can devise a clever revenge for your oppressor? You can imagine clever things but most are not things you would or could carry out. Could you live with yourself if you did? But God is the just Judge. His thoughts are higher than your thoughts. As Paul said in Romans 12:19, "Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." Consider the instances of God's wrath in the Scriptures. Perhaps this is why we are encouraged to pray for our enemies. Certainly if God opens His full wrath on them, they will be in much need for our prayers. Your God will care for you. He will protect you and He will avenge you. Return good for evil. Leave the justice to God.

From the cross, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." (Luke 23:34) This is what is meant by committing your cause to God. You pray for the conversion of your enemies. You desire their forgiveness and restoration. But you acknowledge that God is the just Judge. If they will not repent, you know that God will do justice with them. So there is no room for vengeance in your heart.

(Hermeneutical tip: When you find the New Testament quoting the Old Testament, go back and read the Old Testament context.)

Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
And they made His grave with the wicked--
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.
Isaiah 53:4-9

Christ suffered the criminal's death of crucifixion, the death we deserved, in our place. The guilt and the punishment of our sins upon the guiltless, sinless Savior. Our burden was upon Him. Our shoulders are free to bear the burdens of others.

Paul develops this so fully in Romans 6:

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Praise God for those who have now returned to the Shepherd. But we should remember that all those who have not returned, in fact, every thought that has not been brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, (2 Corinthians 10:5) are sheep wandering astray. There is man's way and there is God's way. There are man's standards and there are God's standards. God's way is the way of blessing. Man's way is the way of condemnation.

"For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet." 1 Corinthians 15:25

So, bear patiently. Walk in the newness of life purchased by the blood of Christ.

The victory of the Kingdom of Christ is at hand.

More than 80 percent of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, the highest such number since the early 1990s, according to a new survey.

The CBS News-New York Times poll released Thursday showed 81 percent of respondents said they believed 'things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track.' That was up from 69 percent a year ago, and 35 percent in early 2002.

The survey comes as housing turmoil has rocked Wall Street amid an economic downturn. The economy has surpassed the war in Iraq as the dominating issue of the U.S. presidential race, and there is now nearly a national consensus that the United States faces significant problems, the poll found.

Just in case you in the 19%? Try this on for size:

Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released the 2008 Congressional Pig Book, the latest installment in an 18-year exposé of pork-barrel spending.

... In fiscal year 2008, Congress stuffed 11,610 projects (the second highest total ever) worth $17.2 billion into the 12 appropriations bills. That is a 337 percent increase over the 2,658 projects in fiscal year 2007, and a 30 percent increase over the $13.2 billion total in fiscal year 2007.

... For the first time, the names of members of Congress were added to the projects. The top three porkers were members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, beginning with Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) with $892 million; Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) with $469 million; and Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) with $465 million.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

A 12-year-old boy fatally slashed a man who was attacking his mother at the boarding house where they lived, authorities said.

Salomon Noubissie, 64, died at a hospital after he was slashed across the neck Monday night in the home in the Landover area.

Cpl. Diane Richardson, a spokeswoman for Prince George's County police, said Wednesday that authorities hadn't decided whether the boy would be charged with anything.

... 'In Maryland, there can be a legitimate defense of third parties in the event of a violent attack,' State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey told the newspaper. 'That is a possibility in this case.'"

Charge him? Give the boy a trophy! He just took another violent criminal off the streets, saved his mother's life, and saved tax payers thousands of dollars paying for this guy's cable TV in prison.

But at least there is some light:

People as young as 18 can now buy and own handguns in South Carolina. Governor Mark Sanford signed a bill into law Wednesday to lower the minimum age from 21.

'People who are old enough to fight and die in the military should be able to purchase handguns, and the bill will put our laws more in line with those of other states,' Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer said.

The law went into effect immediately.

South Carolina is one of 18 states -- and the only one in the South -- that had set 21 as the age for handgun ownership, according to the National Rifle Association. The group says Wyoming has no handgun age requirement. In Montana, it's set at 14; in Vermont, 16.

I've placed a link to the left (just under the Daily Bible Verse) to Today's Grace Gem.

Are you familiar with Grace Gems? If not, let me introduce you by sharing today's:

A mixture of clay, dirt, and corruption

(Thomas Vincent, "Love to the Unseen Christ")

"Yes! He is altogether lovely! This is my Beloved, this my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:16

Christ is the most lovely Person, and the most suitable Object for your love. There never was, nor will be found—any person so lovely, so beautiful, and so every way deserving of your love—as the Lord Jesus Christ. There is a matchless, transcendent, and incomparable beauty and excellency in Him!

How passionately are some foolish men in love with the external beauty which they see in some women! They love the exact symmetry of parts, and lovely proportion of the body, the amiable features and lovely mixtures of colors in the face, the beauty of the eyes and features, their graceful motions, and amorous glances. How does this ravish the hearts of some foolish men, although the most beautiful woman in the world is no better than a mixture of clay, dirt, and corruption enclosed in a lovely skin; which sickness will cause to look pale and ashen—and death will fully mar and spoil! But the amiableness and beauty of Christ is more transcendent and permanent, and therefore, a more fit object for your love. Christ is all fair—without any spot; altogether lovely—without any blemish or deformity!

Could we suppose all the loveliness that ever was seen or found in the most lovely people that ever lived, were to meet in one person—how lovely would that person be! Yet such, though ever so resplendent beauty—would be but a dark shadow compared with the brightness of our most beautiful Christ!

Can you love the imperfect beauty which you see in creatures, and will you not love the perfect beauty which there is in Christ! Can you love a fading beauty which soon withers like the flower—and will you not love Christ—whose beauty never decays—but always abides more fresh than beauty in the flower of youth! Can you be soon affected with beautiful objects which are before the eye of your sense—and will you not be affected with this far more beautiful object, the Lord Jesus Christ—who is so clearly discernible by the eye of faith?

If the eye of your faith was open and clear, to look upon the transcendent loveliness which is in Christ—you could not but love Him! Could you see the glances of His eye, and the sweet smiles of His lovely face—your hearts would be overcome and ravished with love, and filled with ecstasies of joy and ineffable delight!

"Yes! He is altogether lovely! This is my Beloved, this my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:16

From Doug's Blog:

Prayer #1: That the Lord would save the souls of all of our children early in life, and that none would be lost.

Prayer #2: That our children would be faithful covenant-keepers with the God of their fathers.

Prayer #3: That God would send blessed, well-suited, Christ-loving spouses to our progeny, and that there would be no divorce for 200 years.

Prayer #4: That our children would continue to home educate their own children, following the the Biblical/Hebrew model for discipleship.

Prayer #5: That God would bless the wombs of our daughters and daughters-in-law, with a multitude of covenant-keeping children, who will be mighty in the land.

Prayer #6: That God would bless and make fruitful the dominion labors of the family in all of its generations.

Prayer #7: That our children will honor their fathers and mothers, and be faithful to the godly and applicable visions their fathers give to them.

What happens when a group of students from UCLA calls Planned Parenthood, posing as donors wanting to specify abortions for black babies? See for yourself: