Culture of Hatred and Violence

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God.

NKJV

One of the names of Jesus in scripture is Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).  In Matthew 5:9 Jesus is in essence inviting those interested in making peace to join him in being called sons of God.  Our world unfortunately is a world of violence that began when Cain killed Abel (Genesis 4:8).  Since then violence and hatred have escalated to where today it seems to dominate our culture.  In fact, three examples of the culture of hatred and violence have dominated this week's news. 

1)      Hamas v. Jews in Israel – Even though Palestinian factions agreed to a cease-fire, hostilities continue between the Jews and Hamas in Israel.  (1)  I was at a retreat this weekend and one of my friends asked why Hamas hates the Jews so much.  I tried my best to answer the question by trying to explain that the culture of radical Islam is a culture of hatred towards anyone not choosing to believe in Allah.  As a Christian who has chosen to believe in Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, as my Lord it makes no sense to believe that someone’s religion would teach murder is okay.  After all, one of the 10 commandments is thou shalt not kill or murder.  However, Islam is not a religion of peace like Christianity or Judaism and calls for the elimination of the infidel.  Those choosing to adopt the radical or fundamentalist interpretation of the Koran believe this is a call to kill all the infidels.  Their belief is so extreme that they believe death by a suicide bomb that kills infidels is a death with honor.  Generations of individuals raised in this culture have no desire for peace until the elimination of all the infidels.

2)      ISIS v. Christians in Iraq – The same level of hatred directed at Jews by Hamas is what is driving the Christian Holocaust currently occurring in Iraq.  (2)  Radical Islamists see no difference between Jews and Christians and view both in infidels.  Now that our troops have left Iraq, they are emboldened, believing they will face little resistance as they attempt to establish a radical Islamist state in Iraq.  I believe the government of the United States that abandoned the people of Iraq by leaving before the job was completed, have a duty to assist the Christians facing martyrdom by doing everything that is necessary to destroy ISIS and remove them from power in Iraq. 

3)      Riots in Ferguson MO – Once again the tragic shooting of a young African-American has escalated into riots and as usual, the racial ambulance chasers have come on the scene.  (3)  These race hustlers seek opportunities to stir up violence by finding issues or events that offend people and exploit these issues.  In addition to stirring up violence and hatred by using the tragic shooting of an African-American young man, they also exploit issues like the name of the Washington Redskins as a means of raising funds, much of which most likely ends up lining their own pockets.  (4)  The most dangerous contribution to our culture by race hustlers is that they have created a culture among minorities where they believe they are victims of racial discrimination and cannot succeed without the assistance of men such as Al Sharpton or Jessie Jackson.  If the late Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. were alive today, he would be at odds with these race hustlers for his vision was of a nation where people judged others on the merits of their own labors and abilities and not the color of their skin.  His vision was not the creation of a culture of victims through which he could profit but a culture of opportunity where anyone of any race could succeed.  The culture of victims created by the race hustlers has created a culture of hatred and violence.  A culture that seems to erupt any time a shooting of a minority occurs. 

Proverbs 22:6 tells us “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”  (NKJV)  I grew up in a Christian home where my parents taught me to pray and seek peaceful solutions to problems.  My parents taught me to be a peacemaker and not someone stirring up hatred and violence like the radical Islamists and race hustlers of our world. 

The culture of hatred and violence has been with us since the fall of man in the Garden.  The only solution is for men and women to follow the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ.  This is just one more example showing that what our world needs to end the culture of violence and hatred is a revival.  Our world definitely needs a revival where people give their lives to Jesus and make him Lord of their lives.  This is the only thing that brings the peace of the Prince of Peace into the hearts of men and women and removes the heart of violence and hatred. 

Every believer in Jesus Christ has the privilege and duty to share the Gospel with those God has placed into our lives.  I urge every Christian reading this to join me and begin sharing their faith with those around them and begin ridding our world of the culture of hatred and violence and bring in the peace that comes from the Prince of Peace.  To empower my fellow Christians in sharing their faith, My new book “Empowered Evangelism” will soon be available and I will be providing a link to purchase it on this blog so I encourage everyone to return to this blog in a couple of weeks for more details.

May God Bless you all. 

1. Calamur, Dana Farrington and Drishnadev. Amid Reports Of Cease-Fire Extension, Hostilities Continue. www.npr.org. [Online] National Public Radio, August 13, 2014. [Cited: August 14, 2014.] http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/08/13/340077172/palestinians-consider-egyptian-proposal-as-cease-fires-end-looms.

2. Blair, Leonardo. ISIS 'Systematically Beheading Children' in Iraq; They Are 'Killing Every Christian They See,' Says Chaldean Leader. www.christianpost.com. [Online] The Christian Post, August 10, 2014. [Cited: August 14, 2014.] http://www.christianpost.com/news/isis-systematically-beheading-children-in-iraq-they-are-killing-every-christian-they-see-says-chaldean-leader-124594/.

3. Chandler, D.L. Rev. Al Sharpton Calls For St. Louis Police Restraint In Ferguson. newsone.com. [Online] Newsone, August 14, 2014. [Cited: August 14, 2014.] http://newsone.com/3044479/al-sharpton-ferguson-protests/.

4. Sowell, Thomas. The Business of Being Offended: The race-hustling industry exploits the “Redskins” issue. www.freerepublic.com. [Online] Free Republic, October 23, 2013. [Cited: August 14, 2014.] http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3082501/posts.

The Power of The Love of God

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Romans 8:35-36

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

"For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."  

NKJV

We must not forget those around the world that suffer persecution and risk their lives for expressing their faith in The Lord Jesus Christ.  This is especially true for those ISIS is slaughtering in Iraq.  (1) (2)  Jewish people are also suffering persecution at the hands of Hamas who have as their expressed goal the total elimination of the Jews.  (3)

However, even in the middle of great tribulation, persecution, and risk of live, God’s people have the assurance of Romans 8:35 promising that these horrific things will not separate us from the love of Christ.  Even in death, we have the assurance that we will be in the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).  Even Stephen, the very first Christian martyred for his faith said, "Look!  I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"  (Acts 7:56, NKJV). 

Citizens of the United States have escaped physical persecution and risk of loss of life because the Constitution protects religious liberty in the First Amendment.  However, even though citizens of the United States do not risk loss of life for their faith, they do suffer persecution in the form of the risk of losing friends, alienation by family members, of having to go to court to be able to waive government mandates that violate someone’s faith as Hobby Lobby recently had to do.  Even though these forms of persecution do not cause one to risk their lives, they do cause mental, emotional, or financial risk. 

However, whether our persecution comes in the form of physical, mental, emotional, or financial risk or loss, it will not separate us from the love of Christ.  Because of the love of Christ we have,

1)      Eternal Life (John 3:16) – Every person has an eternal destiny, with Satan in hell or in the presence of God.  God, in his infinite love for mankind, sent his only son to die for all mankind however, God honors our right to choose.  We therefore must choose God’s gift of eternal life by believing in God’s son Jesus Christ in order to enjoy eternity in the presence of God. 

2)      A ticket out of the Great Tribulation coming upon this world (1 Corinthians 15:50-58) – The world has always suffered tribulation of some form.  However, there is a time of Great Tribulation coming upon the world.  This is the period of time spoken of in the Book of Revelation.  This will be a time of great famine, pestilence, earthquakes etc.  However, those choosing to believe in God’s son will be among those spoken of in 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 that will be changed and caught up or raptured at the sound of the last trumpet. 

3)      Peace and confidence even during these chaotic times (John 16:33) – Once again in John 16:33 Jesus reminds us that tribulation is a part of life in this world but Jesus also reminds us that He has overcome the world.  The greatest threat to anyone’s life is death but when Jesus rose from the grave, he overcame death and with His resurrection, every potential obstacle that could stand in the way of mankind has been overcome.  We can therefore enjoy peace and confidence knowing that our current tribulations and persecutions are temporary and will end when Jesus returns and establishes his kingdom on earth. 

I urge everyone reading this to pray for those suffering persecution in places like Iraq where being a Christian means risking one’s life.  We also must continue to petition our government leaders in the United States to do whatever is necessary to stop the murdering of these people.  After all, our government abandoned them by pulling out of Iraq before the job was completed. 

We also must pray for peace for the Jews, Gods chosen people, for God has plans for them in his kingdom as well.  We also must pray that mental, emotional, or even financial persecution and tribulation does not slow or stop the spread of the Gospel.  In our chaotic world, the only stability is a relationship with Jesus Christ and it is our duty to share the Gospel with everyone so everyone has an opportunity to have that stability in his or her life. 

Persecution and tribulation are a part of this fallen world we live in but Jesus has called us to come out from the world and be different (2 Corinthians 6:17).  In doing so, we become a light in this dark world, a light that exposes their sins and points them to the source of eternal life and stability on their lives, Jesus Christ.  When we find ourselves suffering any form of tribulation or persecution, remember that no matter how bad it gets, even if it means death, abandonment, or financial bankruptcy, it cannot separate us from the love of God. 

May God bless you all.

1. Wilde, Robert. SEBASTIAN GORKA: CHRISTIAN HOLOCAUST UNDERWAY IN IRAQ, USA AND WORLD LOOK ON. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, July 19, 2014. [Cited: August 12, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/07/19/Christian-Holocaust-Underway-in-Iraq-as-USA-and-World-Looks-On.

2. Shapiro, Ben. OBAMA'S ISLAMIST SPRING LEADS TO CHRISTIAN WINTER IN THE MIDDLE EAST. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, July 22, 2014. [Cited: August 12, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/07/22/OBAMAS-ISLAMIST-SPRING-LEADS-TO-CHRISTIAN-WINTER-IN-MIDDLE-EAST.

3. Information Division, Israel Foreign Ministry - Jerusalem. THE COVENANT OF THE HAMAS - MAIN POINTS. fas.org. [Online] Israel foreign Ministry - Jerusalem. [Cited: August 12, 2014.] http://fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/880818a.htm.

God’s not Dead, He’s Alive and Working Miracles:

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Matthew 28:5-7

But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."

NKJV

During Jesus ministry on earth, he performed many miracles.  As he told Johns disciples in Matthew 11:4-5, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:  5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.  (NKJV)  However, the greatest miracle in the ministry of Jesus was when he arose from the grave.  Jesus resurrection demonstrates His victory over death and gives everyone the opportunity to have eternal life but does God work miracles today. 

This week, we witnessed two examples of the miracle working power of God that serve as a reminder that God does indeed still perform miracles.

1)      Concern over two doctors that contracted the Ebola virus while treating patients in Africa has turned into a miracle, a miracle that may lead to a cure for this deadly disease.  (1)  I understand that atheists will claim that this is not a miracle from God for the serum was developed by medical science but I believe that God directed the scientists to discover this and many other miracles of medical science that allow us to cure once deadly diseases and live longer, higher quality lives.  This Ebola miracle also demonstrates the Godly principle of God turning something intended to destroy people into something beneficial. 

2)      A missile getting through the Iron Dome miraculously diverts into the Mediterranean Sea.  (2)   The Iron Dome defense system in Israel is a miracle in itself and has no doubt prevented the death of potentially thousands of innocent Israeli civilians.  However, the system is not perfect and sometimes a missile gets through.  This was the case last week when the Iron Dome failed to intercept an incoming missile.  The projected trajectory of the missile placed it on a path to hit the Azrieli Towers, the Kirya (Israel’s equivalent of the Pentagon) or a central Tel Aviv railway station.  (2)  If this missile were to hit any of these targets, potentially hundreds could have died.  However, God was not going to allow that to occur.  Part of the Iron Dome technology involves calculating wind speeds.  The wind speeds at the time of this attack show a major wind gust coming from the east that was strong enough to change the trajectory of the missile and send it harmlessly into the sea.  During the ministry of Jesus, he was able to calm a storm on the Sea of Galilee and I guess God is still able to control the forces of nature, which in this case involved calling up a wind gust instead of calming a storm. 

God’s miracles however are not limited to major things like Ebola or missile attacks in Israel.  The greatest miracle of God is still that Jesus died on a cross.  That he was in the grave for three days, and that he arose from the dead.  This is the greatest miracle for it has the potential to save anyone that is willing to believe (John 3:16).  If you have not already done so, I strongly recommend asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins and make Him Lord of your life. 

For those of us who have made Jesus Lord of our lives and are currently struggling I want to encourage you.  If you are sick, the Bible tells us that by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24).  If you are struggling financially, God wants to meet your needs (Matthew 6:33, Luke 6:38).  If you are lonely, Jesus has promised never to leave you (Hebrews 13:5). 

God still works miracles and this week chose to demonstrate his miracle working power to the world.  I believe God is reminding us that in these trying and chaotic times, we must turn to God and learn to rely on his miracle working power. 

1. Sarah Knapton, Peter Foster. Hope for Ebola miracle as serum 'reverses' disease. www.nzherald.co.nz. [Online] The New Zealand Herald, August 5, 2014. [Cited: August 7, 2014.] http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11304326.

2. Kovacs, Joe. Hand of God Sent Missile Into Sea . www.wnd.com. [Online] WND faith, August 5, 2014. [Cited: August 7, 2014.] http://www.wnd.com/2014/08/hand-of-god-sent-missile-into-sea/#pDLczhqM5hweyvT4.03.

Lessons from the Sabbath

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Exodus 20:10

but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

NKJV

In last Wednesday’s posting, we looked at what the Bible has to say about foreigners entering the land or Israel.  We learned that the Israelites were to treat foreigners in their land humanely but that there were also five requirements these foreigners were to follow.  Over the next five Wednesdays we will be looking at each of these requirements and see how they apply to our society today.  The first of these is the requirement to observe the Sabbath or Shabbat as it is called in Hebrew. 

The Sabbath is an important part of Jewish tradition.  Its observance is so important that everyone in the family, the servants, the animals, and even strangers living in the city are forbidden from doing any work.  This is a principle going back to the creation where God rested from His work on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2).  So let us take a moment to look at why the Sabbath is so important in Jewish law and tradition and what that means for our nation today. 

God understood the need to take one day in the week and rest.  Not that God needs to rest for he is, God, but God understood man and woman would need a day of rest each week in order to maintain their physical, mental, and spiritual health.  He also knew that His people would face numerous challenges as they entered the Promised Land and needed to be strong and healthy. 

However, perhaps the main reason for the Sabbath is that it demonstrates obedience to God.  It would be tempting to believe that the extra day of work each week would mean they could make more income or have larger crops.  Honoring the Sabbath is a way of saying “I am going to sacrifice any extra income I could produce by working on the Sabbath and trust God to take care of me.” 

The reason foreigners and strangers were required to honor the Sabbath is to demonstrate obedience to the God of the Israelites.  Failure of a requirement for strangers to observe the Sabbath would have tempted the Israelites to begin working on the Sabbath believing the foreigners might gain an economic advantage.  This would have led to disobedience of other parts of God’s law and eventually to the breakdown of Jewish society, something that actually did occur as Israel began worshiping the gods of their neighbors. 

In Israel, they still observe the Sabbath today.  I remember the first Sabbath on our visit to Israel in 2008.  We were driving through Nazareth at sundown on Friday evening and observed that all the businesses in town were closing.  This is because the Sabbath goes from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.  In the Hotel they had one elevator that was designated the Shabbat elevator.  This elevator stopped at every floor so you would not have to press the button for your floor as orthodox Jews consider that work. 

Christians today are not under a legal requirement to observe the Sabbath for Christians find their rest in the Lord Jesus Christ and his finished work on the Cross.  However, there are still benefits to taking one day each week to rest and recharge.  Even though we are not under any legal requirement to observe the Sabbath, the Sabbath still provides lessons that can help preserve our society today. 

The Sabbath demonstrated obedience to God, which was, and still is, critical to the preservation of the Jewish society.  Likewise, the United States has a rule of law outlined in the Constitution and statutes passed by Congress throughout the history of our nation.  This rule of law has allowed the United States to maintain a civil and prosperous society throughout its history.  Adherence to the Constitution and rule of law are critical to the future preservation and prosperity of our society. 

However, our open southern border currently threatens our rule of law for it is allowing people to break our immigration laws, illegally entering our country.  Since we do not bother to check the background or health of these people, we cannot insure the security of our nation and we may be allowing felons, people with deadly contagious diseases, and even terrorists into our nation.  We are leaving ourselves open to lawlessness, terrorism, or some deadly disease outbreak if we continue to leave our border open. 

Just as Israel was required to observe the Sabbath to demonstrate obedience to God and preservation of their society, we too must return to our constitutional principles and rule of law.  We must secure the border and only allow people to enter our nation that choose to obey our immigration laws.  Failure to do so will result in a spike in criminal activity, acts of terrorism, or even some deadly pandemic in our nation, endangering the citizens of our nation. 

Our Constitution and rule of law are our nation’s version of the Sabbath and it is critical for everyone in our nation to observe them.  Just as Israel began to slip from its adherence to God’s laws leading to the exile of its people in Babylon, our nation risks losing its civility if it throws out its rule of law.  Our nation may not physically go into exile as Israel did, but we risk losing our position of power and prosperity in the world.  I for one am not willing to surrender our nations position of leadership and economic strength in the world and thus, am going to fight for border security in order to preserve our nation.  The question is how many of you are with me in this belief.  

To Impeach or not to Impeach, That is the Question

By Dale Weckbacher:

Proverbs 19:5

A false witness will not go unpunished,

And he who speaks lies will not escape.

NKJV

Leaders may believe they can use the power of the state to cover their lies and deceit but this scripture reminds us that we cannot escape our lies and we will suffer consequences for them.  Jesus put it this way in Mark 4:22, “For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.”  (NKJV)  God knows all and sees all so anyone believing they can get away with lies and deceit is only fooling themselves, their sins will become known.

I am no Shakespeare but perhaps that is how he would title this post.  Understanding that there may come a time in our nation’s history when the people would elect a president who would not follow the Constitution and lie to the American people, the founders provided a means of removing a president from office.  That means is impeachment.  However, many today do not understand why impeachment is in the constitution and its importance in maintaining checks in balances in our republic.  Impeachment has also become a political tool instead of a method of preserving the integrity of the republic.

Impeachment is constitutional and is outlined in article 1 of the Constitution which states,

The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.  (1)

In section four, the Constitution outlines the grounds of impeachment,

Section 4.  The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.  (1)

In the recent discussions regarding impeachment, questions have arisen as to what constitutes a high crime or misdemeanor.  In order to do this, we must look at what the original authors of the Constitution believed constituted a high crime or misdemeanor, which differs from what we define it as today.  For most of us, we think of a high crime as something criminal like murder, robbery, assault, etc.  However, the founders meant violation of the constitution and defined high crimes and misdemeanors as an abuse of power or a serious breach of trust.  (2) 

Contrary to media hype, the grounds for the impeachment of President Bill Clinton had little to do with sex and everything to do with abuse of power.  Members of the media attempted to downplay Clinton’s impeachment accusing Republicans of broadening the definition of high crimes and misdemeanors to fit their agenda.  (3)  However, lying to a grand jury about an affair he was having with an intern constitutes an abuse of power and thus, is an impeachable offence when we apply the originalist definition for we see it as an egregious breach of trust.  (4)  If a leader can lie about an affair, the public has reason to believe he or she can lie about anything.  

This leads to President Obama and the question of whether he has committed an impeachable offense.  If one applies the popular belief that a high crime or misdemeanor is a crime such as murder, robbery, or assault, President Obama has not committed such a crime and thus has done nothing worthy of impeachment.  However, when he took office he swore to uphold the Constitution, the authors of which held to a definition of high crimes and misdemeanors as an abuse of power or breach of trust.  Based on this definition, President Obama has committed numerous impeachable offences, such as,

1)      Threatening to act as a legislator instead of the nation’s executive (5)  – Article 2 of the Constitution outlines the duties of the President, the Nation’s chief executive.  (1)  In no portion of this article does it say that the President can enact legislation in the event Congress fails to do so. 

2)      Changing legislation already enacted by Congress (6) (7) – When Congress enacts legislation and it is signed by the President, it is the duty of that president and all future presidents to enforce that legislation.  By choosing to change Obamacare, a piece of legislation passed, and even upheld by the Supreme Court, President Obama is in essence acting as a judge and not an executive.  Interestingly, Obama is changing a piece of legislation he supported and actually signed.  Apparently, he had to sign the legislation before he could know what was in it.

3)      Using the IRS to attack political opponents (8) – Part of the impeachment proceedings that Congress intended to bring against President Nixon was his intention to use the IRS against political enemies.  (9)  Nixon only intended to abuse his executive power by using the IRS, it appears Obama may have actually done it. 

4)      His failure to protect our people in Benghazi – As commander and chief, the president has a duty to protect this country and those who swear to protect our country through their service.  President Obama’s failure to provide the additional protection requested by embassy personnel in Benghazi, plus his failure to respond during the attack on the embassy is a breach of trust. 

I am sure there are other instances of abuses of power and breaches of trust we could bring up, but the four listed above are ample evidence that Obama has committed impeachable offences.  Therefore, Congress would be right in bringing up articles of impeachment.  However, I believe that right now is not the time to do it. 

We currently do not have the numbers in Congress or control of the Senate in order to bring impeachment, and conviction of the President.  However, there is an election this November.  We therefore need to focus on gaining a greater conservative majority in the House and a new conservative speaker.  We also need to win a Republican majority in the Senate and relegate Harry Reid to just one vote out of 100 in the Senate. 

Once accomplishing this, we can begin the impeachment proceedings and put the Obama Administration on defense.  This will prohibit him from enacting executive orders out of fear of angering members of the House and Senate during the impeachment proceedings. 

In answer to the question to impeach or not to impeach, I believe the answer is yes but wait until the timing is better, after the election. 

1. Hillsdale College. The Constitution of the United States of America. [book auth.] Hillsdale College. The U.S. Constitution: A Reader. Hillsdale MI : Hillsdale College Press, 2012.

2. Holly on the Hill. High Crimes and Misdemeanors. hollyonthehill.com. [Online] [Cited: August 1, 2014.] http://hollyonthehill.com/high-crimes-and-misdemeanors/.

3. Katyal, Neal K. Impeachment as Congressional Constitutional Interpretation. scholarship.law.georgetown.edu. [Online] Georgetown University Law Center, January 2010. [Cited: August 1, 2014.] http://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1121&context=facpub.

4. Nelson, Sara. Monica Lewinsky: Bill Clinton lied under oath about our relationship. www.dailymail.co.uk. [Online] Mailonline, December 18, 2009. [Cited: August 1, 2014.] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1236938/Monica-Lewinsky-Bill-Clinton-lied-oath-relationship.html.

5. Logiurato, Brett. OBAMA ANNOUNCES HE'S BYPASSING CONGRESS ON IMMIGRATION REFORM. ww.businessinsider.com. [Online] Business Insider, June 30, 2014. [Cited: August 1, 2014.] http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-statement-immigration-reform-executive-action-2014-6.

6. Adler, Jonathan H. Another day, another illegal Obamacare delay. www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, February 11, 2014. [Cited: August 1, 2014.] http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/02/11/another-day-another-illegal-obamacare-delay/.

7. Tyler Hartsfield, Grace-Marie Turner. 42 Changes to Obamacare...So Far. www.galen.org. [Online] Galen Institute, July 18, 2014. [Cited: August 1, 2014.] http://www.galen.org/newsletters/changes-to-obamacare-so-far/.

8. (R-KY), Sen. Mitch McConnell. EXCLUSIVE—MITCH MCCONNELL: OBAMA, IRS FIGHT TO KEEP CONSERVATIVE NONPROFITS FROM FORMING. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, January 30, 2014. [Cited: August 1, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/01/30/Exclusive-Mitch-McConnell-Obama-Attempts-to-Prevent-Conservative-Nonprofits-from-Forming.

9. Krauthammer, Charles. Krauthammer: Second Article of Impeachment Against Nixon Was For Abusing The IRS. www.realclearpolitics.com. [Online] Real Clear Politics, June 16, 2014. [Cited: August 1, 2014.] http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2014/06/16/krauthammer_second_article_of_impeachment_against_nixon_was_for_abusing_the_irs.html.

The Biblical Balance of Border Security and Treatment of Immigrants.

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Exodus 22:21

"You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

NKJV

I came across the above scripture in my personal Bible study recently.  With all that is going on regarding illegal immigration and the incursion of masses of people from South America at our nation’s southern border, I found this scripture somewhat disturbing.  If we look solely at this scripture, we might arrive at the conclusion that the Christian thing for our nation to do is invite these people in and give them whatever they need.  Politicians like former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi who equated the children coming across our southern border with the baby Jesus support this belief.  (1)  Potential Presidential candidate Jeb Bush also recently said that illegally crossing our border is an act of love.  (2)  However, before we jump to the conclusion that Nancy Pelosi and Jeb Bush are totally correct theologically, we  must look at the context of this scripture and the totality of scripture.  When we do we will see that God is not instructing Israel to just open up their borders to everyone but wants his people to treat others humanely while insuring the security of their nation. 

This command from God occurs when the nation of Israel is encamped at the foot of Mount Saini.  God has just miraculously delivered them from 400 years of Egyptian slavery.  The slavery of the Israelites was brutal and God does not want his people to become like their Egyptian slaveholders and instead wants them to treat strangers humanely. 

In this time in history, there were also many Bedouin tribes in the area and it was common for them to wonder through the country.  God knew that there would be a temptation to enslave these people when they wondered into the country and did not want his people known as brutal slaveholders.  Instead, God wanted his people to stand out as people who treated strangers in their land with compassion, something uncommon in the ancient world. 

Perhaps another reason  God did not want his people to enslave these strangers is that in doing so, they would be making them permanent residents in the land and could be tempted to adopt the culture and practices of these people.   To become a permanent resident in Israel, one was required to:

1)      Keep the Sabbath (Exodus 20:10)

2)      Observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Deuteronomy 16:14)

3)      Bring the appropriate sacrifice for sins of ignorance (Numbers 15:27-29)

4)      Observe the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29)

5)      Observe the commandments, statures, and judgments of God’s Law (Exodus 12:49)  (3)

Unfortunately, Israel did not follow the instructions of God regarding strangers in their land and adopted the gods of the nations that surrounded them.  This resulted in a division in the kingdom (1 Kings 12:1-17) and the eventual exile of the people of Israel and Judah (2 Kings 24:13-16, 25:1-21).  . 

When we look at the totality of scripture, we can discern a balance.  God’s people are to treat strangers humanely but that does not mean they are to incorporate them into their society.  This biblical balance is the basis of the immigration laws in the United States.  People are welcome to come to the United States and the citizens of the United States for the most part treat them humanely.  However, we have to expect them to follow the laws and customs of our nation. 

Unfortunately, those currently entering our nation begin by breaking the laws of our nation and expect the citizens of our country to cater to their needs and even their customs by not requiring them to learn our language.  We feed the minors currently crossing our southern border, give them shelter, and even health care so we are treating them humanely.  However, they did not choose to enter our country according to our immigration laws so we must send them back to their parents where they belong. 

Granted, the nations they are coming from have serious problems with drug cartels, human trafficking, and poverty but it is not the responsibility of the United States to solve their problems by supporting them.  Instead, the citizens of these countries must rise up and change their government just as we did in our country when we won our freedom from the British Empire and when we fought to end slavery in our nation during the Civil War. 

Prior to passing any immigration reform, we must beef up border security to insure our nation remains secure.  This can be accomplished using technology and increased border personnel.  We can also use technology to increase the efficiency and lower the cost of legally entering this country so more will be encouraged to come to our country legally.  Lastly, anyone entering our country must obey the laws of our nation or face immediate deportation. 

The current invasion of our southern border represents a serious security risk to our nation for we do not know exactly who is crossing and what their intentions are.  There is also the threat of serious disease including the possibility of Ebola, for which there is currently an outbreak, sneaking across the border.  (4)  Unfortunately, our leaders are more interested in potential political gains instead of the security of the citizens and voters of the nation. 

We must do as Jeff Sessions recently suggested and continue flooding the phone lines and emails of Congress and the White House expressing our desire for a secure border and the enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws for failure to do this, I believe, will result in the eventual loss of our American lifestyle. 

1. Weber, Katherine. Nancy Pelosi Says Immigrant Children Should Be Treated Like Baby Jesus. www.christianpost.com. [Online] Christian Post Reporter, July 24, 2014. [Cited: July 29, 2014.] http://www.christianpost.com/news/nancy-pelosi-says-immigrant-children-should-be-treated-like-baby-jesus-123768/.

2. Breitbart TV. JEB BUSH: CROSSING THE BORDER ILLEGALLY AN 'ACT OF LOVE'. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, April 6, 2014. [Cited: June 24, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2014/04/06/Jeb-Bush-Crossing-The-Border-Illegally-Is-An-Act-Of-Love.

3. The Bible Study Site. What does the Bible say about illegal aliens. www.biblestudy.org. [Online] The Bible Study Site. [Cited: July 29, 2014.] http://www.biblestudy.org/question/what-does-bible-say-about-aliens.html.

4. Zahn, Drew. Could Ebola Sneak Across the U.S. Border. www.wnd.com. [Online] WND, July 28, 2014. [Cited: July 29, 2014.] http://www.wnd.com/2014/07/could-ebola-sneak-across-u-s-border/.

Truth, The Cure For Lies and Deception

By:  Dale Weckbacher

John 8:32

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

NKJV

The Greek word translated free in John 8:32 is the word eleutheroo, which means, “to make free, set at liberty from the dominion of sin.”  (1)  As we discovered in last Saturday’s posting, Genesis 3 in the Bible reveals a pattern of lies and deception that began in the Garden of Eden.  When Adam and Eve gave in to this pattern of lies and deception, mankind came under the dominion of sin.  However, as we can see from this verse, the truth sets us free from the dominion of sin. 

If truth is indeed the cure for lies and deception, we must discover its source and tap into it in order to immunize ourselves against the plethora of lies and deception currently gripping our world.  According to Scripture, we find truth in,

1)      Jesus – In John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me. (NKJV) In fact, Pilate asked Jesus what is truth.  (John 18:28) Pilate’s question was in response to Jesus answer to his question asking what he had done to warrant calls for his crucifixion by his Jewish peers.  Jesus reply to Pilate’s question was that he came to bear witness to the truth.  (John 18:37).  Pilate was in essence asking the source of truth what truth was but did not stick around to hear the answer from Jesus and instead went out to the people declaring he found no fault in Jesus.  Jesus also spoke of the Spirit of Truth that one can only receive by having The Holy Spirit in them (John 14:17).  The only way for one to have the Holy Spirit in them is to have their sins forgiven by confessing Jesus as Lord of their lives (John 7:38-39).  When Jesus said he was the way, the truth, and the life, he was telling us he is the gateway to truth.  To find the source of truth we must first enter the door by accepting Jesus as our Lord.

2)      The Word of God – This past Sunday my pastor provided an excellent analogy illustrating what the Word of God is in our lives.  In the sanctuary of our church, we have speakers hanging from the ceiling.  However, we do not see the actual woofer that produces the sound for it is covered by a screen.  The pages of the Bible are similar to the screen on a speaker for they are just words on a page but backing up those words on the page is the voice of God that inspires those words.  The Words of the Bible are actually God declaring His truth to mankind.  These words also provide encouragement and are the only offensive weapon in the arsenal of the spiritual soldier (Ephesians 6:10-17).  I encourage everyone reading this to begin a daily study of the Word of God and allow it to immunize you against the lies and deceit that dominate our world. 

3)      History – When I was attending school, I, like many of my peers, did not believe history was important.  I mean, why would we need to study the past?  The past is done and there is nothing we can do about it, so why bother studying it?  However, as I have grown older I realize that history provides lessons from the past that teach what to do and what not to do.  Once again, the Bible is a great source of such lessons for it is full of historical accounts of men and women some of which did great things and others who blew it.  I once heard it said that experience is the best teacher, but it is less painful to learn from the experiences of others. 

In this time of chaos, our world exposes us to many lies and deceptions as people attempt to use crisis to advance their agenda.  We also live in a world dominated by the philosophy of post-modernism, which relegates truth into something molded to fit ones agenda instead of the standard we should use to mold our lives.  (2)  I believe that truth, especially the truth contained in the Bible, is absolute and what guides my life.  I encourage everyone reading this to join me in allowing truth to guide your life as well. 

I want to close with some encouraging words that my pastor shared this past week in his daily email devotion.  My hope is that these words of truth will encourage you as they did me. 

"...Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4, NASB).

"Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand" (Isaiah 41:10).

"No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you" (Joshua 1:5).

"When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them" (Psalm 91:15).

"Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means 'God is with us' " (Matthew 1:23).

"But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength…" (2 Timothy 4:17a).  (3)

1. BibleStudyTools.com. Eleutheroo. www.biblestudytools.com. [Online] [Cited: July 25, 2014.] http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/eleutheroo.html.

2. PhD., Louis Hoffman. Premodernism, Modernism, & Postmodernism:. www.postmodernpsychology.com. [Online] [Cited: September 7, 2013.] http://www.postmodernpsychology.com/Philosophical_Systems/Overview.htm.

3. Martin, Mark. Grace Mail from July 25, 2014. [Email] Phoenix : Calvary Community Church, 2014.