The Manhattan Declaration: A Call of Christian Conscience has been signed and released to the public. This document declares that the Christian community will no longer tolerate social and lifestyle behavior that is anti Judeo - Christian; including gay marriage and infidelity, abortion, and the right to publicly display and choose your own religion without any government interference.
While this decralation acknowledges Christian shortcomings over its 2000 year history, the usual opponents are spitting out their usual venom, condemning Christianity over these same topics. We must stand up to these people; First, because this is a spiritual war we are fighting (and yes, the victory is the Lord's).
Click on the link above. Check this document out. I believe it may be the best document written since the Decralation of Independance. If you agree with it, sign your name on the signature page. Over 105,000 signatures have been collected over the last five days. If you disagree with it, let me know. You are free to comment below, or on the website itself.
It's time that Christians push sin back into the closet, if not the dumpster; and state what we not only believe, but what we know about God and Jesus. Put on the full armor of God. Politics and this evil culture have been invading our faith far too long. We need to drive it back out if America is to survive.
November 24, 2009
November 20, 2009
Have You Prayed for your Country Today? 5
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19; New King James
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Amendment 1, US Constitution.
Perhaps the two greatest sentences written by God and man. One commanding us to spread God’s word to the world, the other commanding one nation (ours) not to silence or control the actions of any religion (or anyone for that matter). We cannot proclaim the good news of Jesus if the government outlaws it…unless we violate the laws of Man in order to honor the command of God
Unfortunately, the world that hates Jesus first has convinced our government God’s’ words must be silenced or confined to places of worship only, and public displays of religion must be taken down. The 10 commandments and nativity scenes at Christmas time are being protested more and more, by anti religious organizations that support not just a secular/ progressive view, they support the elimination of all displays of faith in a Creator in public places. And municipalities are cowering in fear from the well funded legal staff of these organizations.
But Americans are fighting back. With assistance from the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), and the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), these municipalities are fighting back - and winning! The standards our founding fathers had when they prayed over and drafted this constitution (53 of the 55 founders were believers in God, and 24 of them had bible or seminary degrees) are finally being defended.
The right to choose which God you will serve (or no God at all) can be traced back to Joshua 24:16. But no individual, politician, bureaucrat or government has the right to control what God you or I will worship or how we will worship, or that you cannot publicly worship any God at all. We need to encorage other Christians in their walk with God, encourage those who are not followers of Jesus to join us, and accept the decisions some will make who simply choose not to follow our God.
But their choice is not our choice, and they most not be allowed to force their choice upon us. This is where politics is invading Christianity, and politics will win if Christianity does not fight back.
Pray for these Christian organizations above in their fight for our religious freedom in America. Consider giving to these organizations. Pray that our judges do not use their bench to outlaw this basic right. Finally, pray that you will have the emotional and spiritual strength to proclaim these basic rights in public, and encourage those who are already proclaiming these rights, doing all you can to support them. Let’s show these atheists our God is real!
© 2009 David Etenburn.
It's God's Money - 3
Enjoy prosperity while you can. But when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. That way you will realize that nothing is certain in this life. Ecclesiastes 7:14, New Living Translation
In the middle of what will be the worst economic time the United States of America will ever face, a time that will probably signal the beginning of the end for America, it becomes more and more important to remember all of this is the will of our Lord.
As Americans, we have been truly blessed. In our lifetime, we have lived in the greatest nation ever conceived, under the premise “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. We have seen this great nation deteriorate over the last 50 years, yet we have also seen the hand of God work in those of us who honor and worship God, while this same hand of God is being removed from the face of this earth.
Our founding fathers created a nation that put God first. They understood the importance of being all inclusive when it came to faith, and while 90% of all Americans throughout American history claimed a Judeo-Christian faith, the law of the land was not to discriminate against anyone based on their faith (of lack thereof).
And America prospered. Greatly. No other nation achieved the greatness America became, and no other will again. We created more, we produced more, we gave more to those less fortunate, including to our enemies. And we did all of this to the glory of God.
But this prosperity has also been our demise, for we started to believe we could do all these wonderful things without God. We kicked God out of our schools, then our courthouses, then our parks and our libraries. We “don’t need God”, we now have government programs that can support the poor and the needy; we can guarantee retirement income, and disability income; and now, healthcare for all. In addition, our government now subsidizes companies they deem too big to fail, while allowing “expendable” small businesses to be taxed into non existence.
All of this while creating $114,000,000,000,000 in debt (that’s 114 trillion dollars!), including unfunded future obligations. America’s wealth is long gone, and we are now a lukewarm nation, full of wretched, poor, pitiful, blind and naked souls (Revelation 3:17) Silly humans!
So, as we remember the greatness America once was, let’s pray God will be with us and protect us through the upcoming hard times. Let’s remember the best of times to the glory of our Lord and God, Jesus Christ. This is His will.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus
©2009 David Etenburn
In the middle of what will be the worst economic time the United States of America will ever face, a time that will probably signal the beginning of the end for America, it becomes more and more important to remember all of this is the will of our Lord.
As Americans, we have been truly blessed. In our lifetime, we have lived in the greatest nation ever conceived, under the premise “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. We have seen this great nation deteriorate over the last 50 years, yet we have also seen the hand of God work in those of us who honor and worship God, while this same hand of God is being removed from the face of this earth.
Our founding fathers created a nation that put God first. They understood the importance of being all inclusive when it came to faith, and while 90% of all Americans throughout American history claimed a Judeo-Christian faith, the law of the land was not to discriminate against anyone based on their faith (of lack thereof).
And America prospered. Greatly. No other nation achieved the greatness America became, and no other will again. We created more, we produced more, we gave more to those less fortunate, including to our enemies. And we did all of this to the glory of God.
But this prosperity has also been our demise, for we started to believe we could do all these wonderful things without God. We kicked God out of our schools, then our courthouses, then our parks and our libraries. We “don’t need God”, we now have government programs that can support the poor and the needy; we can guarantee retirement income, and disability income; and now, healthcare for all. In addition, our government now subsidizes companies they deem too big to fail, while allowing “expendable” small businesses to be taxed into non existence.
All of this while creating $114,000,000,000,000 in debt (that’s 114 trillion dollars!), including unfunded future obligations. America’s wealth is long gone, and we are now a lukewarm nation, full of wretched, poor, pitiful, blind and naked souls (Revelation 3:17) Silly humans!
So, as we remember the greatness America once was, let’s pray God will be with us and protect us through the upcoming hard times. Let’s remember the best of times to the glory of our Lord and God, Jesus Christ. This is His will.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus
©2009 David Etenburn
November 16, 2009
Separation of Church and State is Unconstitutional
In the name of the First Amendment, the Courts of the United States in the early 1960s, removed all prayer from public schools. While many of us may agree that public schools are not an appropriate place for prayer to God, this decision turned the courts into lawmakers (a violation of Article 3, US Constitution), and has since encouraged the removal of all references to God in all public places.
Nativity scenes are contested in public places, as are Menorahs. Crosses and Stars of David are told they are not permitted in public workplaces. However, the Islamic call to prayer seems to be tolerated more by our government and the courts, and Moslems are allowed to keep their public demonstrations of faith.
So what is our government saying? Is The Judeo-Christian God evil, and is Allah Great? Doesn’t our Constitution say Government must not say anything about any religion?
The First Amendment states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The very discouragement of any public profession of faith is a clear violation of that “prohibiting the free exercise thereof phrase”. Congress makes law, the courts do not (Article 1, Section 8, US Constitution). Congress cannot tell any individual corporation or institution they cannot display their faith, whether we agree with that faith or not. yet the "separation of Church and State" policy dictates such.
The use of the phrase, “Separation of Church and State” was used by our founding fathers. James Madison said, “The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries”. The purpose behind the use of the phrase was not to discourage public displays of worship, but to encourage such displays as an individual sees fit. Not as an arm of government, as found in many European countries, but as a completely separated entity that is not under the control of government.
Most famous is the letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802 to answer a letter from them written in October, 1801. The Danbury Baptists were a religious minority in Connecticut, and they complained that in their state, the religious liberties they enjoyed were not seen as rights, but as "favors granted." Jefferson's reply contains the phrase "wall of separation between church and state", not intended to keep any religion out of society, instead, to treat all of them with equal respect, yet sponsor none of them. The state, in effect, was required to keep silent on the issue. In either case, religious worship was never discouraged, yet encouraged without any fear of retaliation from any government.
Contrast that with Vladimir Lenin. In regards to “Separation of Church and State” Lenin wrote in the paper Novaya Zhizn in 1905 that the “Russian Revolution must put this demand into effect! Complete separation of Church and State is what the socialist proletariat demands of the modern state and the modern church.” Interestingly, to the Western sympathizers that follow his writings, Lenin referred to them as “useful idiots”.
To this day, Lenin is compared to Thomas Jefferson in this regard, though one was clearly a tyrant, the other, a true libertarian. One was an atheist who saw religion as an obstacle, the other, an agnostic who respected the Church yet understood it’s value in society.
As a result, thanks to Lenin and the twisted words of Thomas Jefferson, we are told our religion should be a private matter, although Jesus Christ commanded us to promote and spread the gospel; and that “religious societies must have no connection with governmental authority”, when our entire legal system can trace its roots back to the Hebrew Mosaic Law. Our faith teaches everything is absolute, Marx and Lenin proclaimed, “There are no absolutes”. Communists and the secular humanists accuse Christians of killing over 100 million people over the past 2000 years (a claim never proved), while Communism is directly responsible for killing over 100 million people in the 20th Century alone. (See the above link for more details)
When our faith is in conflict with our government, we must choose who we will obey. Most of us, out of fear of punishment, will probably choose to go into the closet with our faith, and permit the immoral behavior of others to come out of the closet. Jesus challenges us to be the light of the world, to speak boldly of our faith, and to teach the good news of Jesus to the world. For these reasons, we must proclaim Christ’s message to the world, as well as to our neighbors. If you are not a Christian, I hope this will help answer questions you may have about Christianity, and perhaps ask several more. The words of Thomas Jefferson must be unspun if the first amendment is to survive intact. The adversary, disguised as a secular/ progressive, communist, socialist, atheist or anarchist, is slowly eroding our religious freedoms, and much more.
(Much of the information in this blog came from the following site: http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/view/2711/1/51 )
© 2009 David Etenburn.
Nativity scenes are contested in public places, as are Menorahs. Crosses and Stars of David are told they are not permitted in public workplaces. However, the Islamic call to prayer seems to be tolerated more by our government and the courts, and Moslems are allowed to keep their public demonstrations of faith.
So what is our government saying? Is The Judeo-Christian God evil, and is Allah Great? Doesn’t our Constitution say Government must not say anything about any religion?
The First Amendment states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The very discouragement of any public profession of faith is a clear violation of that “prohibiting the free exercise thereof phrase”. Congress makes law, the courts do not (Article 1, Section 8, US Constitution). Congress cannot tell any individual corporation or institution they cannot display their faith, whether we agree with that faith or not. yet the "separation of Church and State" policy dictates such.
The use of the phrase, “Separation of Church and State” was used by our founding fathers. James Madison said, “The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries”. The purpose behind the use of the phrase was not to discourage public displays of worship, but to encourage such displays as an individual sees fit. Not as an arm of government, as found in many European countries, but as a completely separated entity that is not under the control of government.
Most famous is the letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802 to answer a letter from them written in October, 1801. The Danbury Baptists were a religious minority in Connecticut, and they complained that in their state, the religious liberties they enjoyed were not seen as rights, but as "favors granted." Jefferson's reply contains the phrase "wall of separation between church and state", not intended to keep any religion out of society, instead, to treat all of them with equal respect, yet sponsor none of them. The state, in effect, was required to keep silent on the issue. In either case, religious worship was never discouraged, yet encouraged without any fear of retaliation from any government.
Contrast that with Vladimir Lenin. In regards to “Separation of Church and State” Lenin wrote in the paper Novaya Zhizn in 1905 that the “Russian Revolution must put this demand into effect! Complete separation of Church and State is what the socialist proletariat demands of the modern state and the modern church.” Interestingly, to the Western sympathizers that follow his writings, Lenin referred to them as “useful idiots”.
To this day, Lenin is compared to Thomas Jefferson in this regard, though one was clearly a tyrant, the other, a true libertarian. One was an atheist who saw religion as an obstacle, the other, an agnostic who respected the Church yet understood it’s value in society.
As a result, thanks to Lenin and the twisted words of Thomas Jefferson, we are told our religion should be a private matter, although Jesus Christ commanded us to promote and spread the gospel; and that “religious societies must have no connection with governmental authority”, when our entire legal system can trace its roots back to the Hebrew Mosaic Law. Our faith teaches everything is absolute, Marx and Lenin proclaimed, “There are no absolutes”. Communists and the secular humanists accuse Christians of killing over 100 million people over the past 2000 years (a claim never proved), while Communism is directly responsible for killing over 100 million people in the 20th Century alone. (See the above link for more details)
When our faith is in conflict with our government, we must choose who we will obey. Most of us, out of fear of punishment, will probably choose to go into the closet with our faith, and permit the immoral behavior of others to come out of the closet. Jesus challenges us to be the light of the world, to speak boldly of our faith, and to teach the good news of Jesus to the world. For these reasons, we must proclaim Christ’s message to the world, as well as to our neighbors. If you are not a Christian, I hope this will help answer questions you may have about Christianity, and perhaps ask several more. The words of Thomas Jefferson must be unspun if the first amendment is to survive intact. The adversary, disguised as a secular/ progressive, communist, socialist, atheist or anarchist, is slowly eroding our religious freedoms, and much more.
(Much of the information in this blog came from the following site: http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/view/2711/1/51 )
© 2009 David Etenburn.
Have You Prayed for your Country Today? 4
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. Romans 3:1-2; New King James
This is why we must pray for Barak Obama. And why we must pray for all those who rule over us. As we approach the end of days, and the rule of law gets more distorted and twisted, our prayers will hold back our spiritual enemies, soften the hearts of those with evil intent, and perhaps even delay the inevitable described in Revelation. It also allows our spirit to bear the fruit Jesus seeks in all of us.
Jesus taught to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44). While our leaders may not be enemies, and most do not persecute us, if we are to love our actual enemies and pray for those who persecute, how much more than should we pray for those who simply don’t see the world as we do, through the eyes of a loving Father in Heaven?
Pray for your leaders, especially Barak Obama, that they may turn from their wrongful ways and seek the Lord with all their heart. Pray that the Lord has mercy on all His people, that they may prosper and succeed through these difficult times. Finally, pray for forgiveness, for none of us can keep and maintain the loving, merciful heart required full time, as we all think or say things we shouldn’t when our leaders try to exclude our Lord in all that goes on in America.
© 2009 David Etenburn.
It’s God’s Money – 2
You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a heavy and a light. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. Deuteronomy 25: 13-15; New King James
Is it just me, or are Americans getting stronger? As a child, I remember my mother and I requiring three trips each from the car to haul in $20 worth of groceries. Today, the average six year old can do the same task in one trip…with one hand!
God warned us about cheating on weights and measures. Today, we can not only cheat by making a pound of beef weigh only 15 ounces, or a gallon of oil equal to 3.9 quarts, but we can have a dollar worth less and less, by printing more and more of them without having anything of value backing it up.
Governments have seriously cheated on their weights and measures, by weakening the dollar (or their respective currencies) since the beginning of time. The ancient Greeks and Romans would cut off and remove edges of coins, or remake coins with less and less gold and silver until none of the precious metals would remain in them. The Weimar Republic in Germany during the 1910s and 1920s using the printing press saw a trillion fold decline in the Deutschemark, and it was this inflation that opened the door for a tyrant named Adolf Hitler to take control.
This further dilution and weakening of the dollar has been accelerated over the past year, as the money supply has grown by an unprecedented 15% in just the past year alone.(http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/H6/HIST/h6hist4.pdf ) This is 2½ times faster than the growth rate of the money supply of the late 1970s, resulting in the greatest simultaneous inflation and unemployment rates in our country’s history. Imagine having a printing press that can produce all the money you need, and you could not be arrested for counterfeiting. This is what the Federal Reserve Bank in the United States has been doing, with the blessings of presidents Bush and Obama, not to mention every president since its creation in 1914 under Woodrow Wilson.
Your solutions? Keep your savings in Gold or Silver. Gold and silver is God’s money. While gold is a bit overpriced at $1150 per ounce in November, 2009, when you look at gold being valued at $2100 per ounce in 2-3 years, and as much as $5000 - $8,000 in 5 - 10 years, this will keep your savings from being diluted. Silver prices should increase by 3-10 times its current price in the same time frames. These metals are highly liquid, and in hyperinflationary periods, businesses may prefer payment in gold or silver.
Invest in Real Estate, but not overly leveraged. Invest in real estate investment trusts (REIT), which are traded like stocks (my favorite is Equity Residential, NASDAQ symbol EQR), or if you own the real estate, make sure it provides positive cash flow if it’s income property, or that you own it outright if it is raw land. Warning: As inflation sets in, interest rates will rise, causing property values to fall. Cash flow is critical if you invest in real estate, and it will be very difficult to sell, unless it is publicly traded like a REIT
Invest in stocks and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) based on commodities, such as oil, metals and mining. Stay away from financial related stocks, such as banks. These have huge amounts of debt, and have the greatest risk of collapsing.
Finally, talk to God. Keep yourselves in constant prayer. Pray for your deliverance (and all of Christianity) from the troubled times we face. Pray for His hand in all your savings, investing and preparation you do for these times, and that he makes your paths straight. After all, regardless of what happens, God is in control, and it’s His will that will be done, not ours.
©2009 David Etenburn
November 15, 2009
Have You Prayed for your Country Today? 3
But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. The LORD will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me. Deuteronomy 28:15-20 New King James Version.
The curse list here has been condensed from 54 verses of curses. It follows 14 verses of blessings onto those who follow the Lord’s Commandments. It represents a balanced combination or reward or punishments, and gives the reader a choice.
Yes we are not under the law, we are under grace (Romans 6:14). But if the 613 laws in the Old Testament can be condensed into these two; love the Lord with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself; where has America gone wrong? And why are most of the curses listed here, originally focused on the ancient Israelites, befalling America?
First, our love for one another has grown cold, just as it was prophesied by Jesus regarding end times (Matt. 24:12). In addition, many have fallen from the faith, as evidenced by many Christians converting to other religions, or walking away altogether. Finally, we have tolerated the hedonistic lifestyles of sinners. It is one thing to love the sinner and hate the sin, it’s another to tell them, “It’s all right, Jesus will forgive you”. Sinners need to be encouraged to repent. They will usually rebel when threatened.
We need to return to our first love. We need to return to Jesus as individuals first, then as a nation. We need to lead weak believers and non believers alike to the cross. God does love the sinner, but He will not tolerate the sinner who continues to sin and sin willingly, and openly. (I Cor. 6:9,10)
Pray for the sinners who surround you in your life: at work, in your family and circle of friends, in your business. Pray they repent and that God can use you to encourage them. Pray that our leaders repent and seek the Lord with all their heart in these end times.
© 2009 David Etenburn
It’s God’s Money - 1
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24
Where are your priorities? Up until two years ago, I was pursuing the almighty dollar, instead of God Almighty. A business failure and subsequent bankruptcy shook my wife and myself to our core and subsequently shook up our values.
But during these times, God got our attention. Jesus showed us how messed up our priorities were. Finally, we humbled ourselves, filed bankruptcy, and turned to God, completely and fully. Our debts were forgiven. Furthermore, we have learned to work with half of the income we had.
My past will be the future for many in America who have invested themselves way too much in their pursuit of the dollar. They may have the nice house, the two cars, with toys and goodies galore. They also have a mountain of debt they cannot keep up with, with usurious interest rates of 30% or more. And when their business slows down, or they lose their jobs, they too, will see no way out. But God will show you that way out.
There are financial planners that have been saying you can negotiate with your lenders for a reduced interest rate or negotiate reduced settlement amounts, but if you fail to readjust your priorities first, and put God first in all you do, including your finances, you will get sucked back into the same trap you got yourself into. If you put your finances in front of your God, your finances will keep you separated from God. Remember, God is bigger than the dollar.
Are you serving God, or money? Which would you rather serve? What do you need to do to reverse your priorities?
©2009 David Etenburn
November 14, 2009
Have You Prayed for your Country Today? 2
Keep your eyes open for spiritual danger; stand true to the Lord; act like men; be strong; and whatever you do, do it with kindness and love. I Corinthians 16:13-14, the Living Bible
Yes, the United States of America is under siege. The secular/ progressive movement has shouted those of faith down; calling them crazy, racist, homophobic hate mongers, and more. While the gay community has “come out of the closet” in the name of tolerance, Jews and Christians alike are being shoved into the very same closet, all in the name of “separation of church and state”. This kind of talk is designed to do one thing: divide and destroy the United States. This must not be permitted. Not on our watch, anyway.
Jesus told us these things would happen, and that we are to remember the world that hates us, hated Jesus first. We were told the right will be considered evil, and evil will be considered right (Isaiah 5:20). But that does not mean we are to put up with all of this nonsense, shut up and crawl into some bunker somewhere. While we are told that the “prince of darkness” must prevail for a brief period, this we are not to silently allow it to happen.
We are to boldly stand up for Jesus. We are to stand up and speak to those that want us silenced; calmly, with passion and compassion. This is the time to market and promote Jesus: at work, at the grocery store, on the street corner. Jesus will be the only true light during this dark period. We will be the only ones shining that light.
Pray that Jesus gives you direction and courage in this matter. Some are senders, others are doers: all are important. Let the Holy Spirit guide you as to what you are to do. Pray that the enemies of God repent, and seek Jesus.
Pray that America will be restored to that great, one nation under God that the world looks to; but also, that not our will, His will be done.
Pray for God’s kingdom to come, and that His will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Pray for Christians and Jews around the world as all of us face more and more persecution. Pray we do these things in a Christ like manner: not judgmental, but with grace and love.
Pray that America will be restored to that great, one nation under God that the world looks to; but also, that not our will, His will be done.
Pray for God’s kingdom to come, and that His will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Pray for Christians and Jews around the world as all of us face more and more persecution. Pray we do these things in a Christ like manner: not judgmental, but with grace and love.
© 2009 David Etenburn. Non - commercial reproduction permitted.
November 13, 2009
Have You Prayed for your Country Today?
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2Chronicles 7:14
Prayer for the United States
The Lord is slow to anger, and abundant in mercy. (Psalms 103:8). He is not a punishing god, ready to inflict suffering on those who violate His laws or reject Him. He is like love itself: patient, kind, selfless, and unconditional.
Pray for the United States of America United States
Finally, pray that the Lord will help all of us show unconditional love to all; especially non believers, while encouraging one another to turn from their sins and follow God.
November 12, 2009
The recession/ depression and what's ahead
I imagine there are plenty of people suffering a terrible financial fate right now. I see them on street corners, at rescue missions and in churches. Many seem to have given up, but plenty are still fighting the good fight. If you are not one of them, I’m sure you know of at least one family who is struggling. This blog of encouragement is for them. Forward this to anyone who could use these words.
Fifteen years ago, I faced the most difficult time in my life. A failed business, debts of more than $20,000, no job, and no one wanting to hire me, not just because of my financial situation, but because I was labeled an “independent, not a team player”, due to my entrepreneurial mindset. So, living out of my car, a health club membership (for showers, etc.), and a cell phone (at almost $1.00 a minute!), I took any and every job I could imagine doing. I stacked lumber in a lumber mill. I cleaned barns and stables. I delivered phone books. It kept me alive, and showed others I had a good work ethic. Within 16 months, I found permanent work, and paid off the debts.
Today, I am not only a homeowner, but a landlord, and the same fate is hitting me again. Another successful business that went bad, I find myself doing day labor, preparing income taxes, bookkeeping, anything. And my past experiences are being put to use. My strength from God is holding me upright and while I am bending, I am not afraid of breaking, for my Lord and my God is right here with me.
Sound familiar?
My financial services background gives me some good insights on the current economy. This current recession is going to get ugly. Very ugly. Contrary to what the media is reporting, this is far from over. I’m reading reports it could last longer and be deeper than the great depression. During the great depression, like today, people lived in their cars or tents, while foreclosed homes were boarded up. This time, it looks like more people will be able to keep their homes, and the government will create more money to stimulate the economy. This action will probably backfire and cause a hyperinflation, every bit as disastrous as a depression. Darned if you do, darned if you don’t.
But charity in 1933 was more prevalent than today. God was in more American’s lives. Everybody helped everybody else. We took family members in, when we could, and sometimes even total strangers. So, aside from the occasional John Dillinger, or Bonnie and Clyde, law and order was the law of the land. Today, with more people turning away from God, we have government bailouts of banks, corporate and individual welfare so we don’t have to pay for the consequences of our bad choices, and the law of the land appears to be “every man for himself”. I fear wars, riots, plagues and a famine/ hyperinflation are just ahead, result in a day’s wages to buy a day’s supply of food. (Rev. 6:6) Fortunately, the Bible warns us about these times, and we can take comfort that knowing and seeking God and His righteousness, all the things we need on earth will be provided.
Some things I have learned from my struggles:
Suffering is good for you. It strengthens you. In fact, we should “rejoice in our sufferings, because suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character, and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3, 4) Difficulties refine us and strengthen us. Fifteen years ago, I was torn down by God so He can rebuild me into a person more like Him. I am eternally grateful for the experience.
Suffering increases dependency on one another. They help us rely on one another, which makes us stronger. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecc. 4:9-12) My wife and I are able to comfort each other and encourage one another, as well as our friends. And Christ is there with us, making an impossible “cord of three strands” to break.
Suffering reminds you God is there, with you. When all is well, we have a tendency to neglect God, and take Him for granted. It’s only when we get into trouble do we call on His name. Fortunately, God still hears us and is merciful. But imagine how many more blessings we will receive when we call out to God, in our triumphs as well as in our tragedies?
Remember, you are not alone. But your struggles are temporary. Hold your head up, and don’t feel sorry for yourself. Ask for help as you need it, it gives others joy to be helping you, while it gives you the humility we all need.
If you are blessed with good employment and are able to save money, save. Invest in companies that are financially strong and produce dividends, otherwise, save your money. This is a time to save. Retire as much debt as you can. Keep 6-12 months spending money at the ready: in cash, gold or silver, and/ or non perishable food. Most important, invest in God, in tithes and offerings, who is able to “open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing you will not have enough room for it” (Malachi 3:10)
If you are blessed with a large house, be ready to share it with others. Our house is now a duplex, and the tenants provide us with additional cash flow, and they get to rent a place below market value, what they can afford. Our plans are to split it again, converting it into a triplex, and rent more rooms out. We win because our tenants help pay the mortgage, our tenants win by receiving below market rents, with utilities included.
Most of us believe the rapture will come before things get too terrible on earth. We need to be out of the way for the anti-christ. But we have no real idea when the rapture will take place; now, or 20 years from now. So we should live our lives as normal; work, save and share; and wait for our Lord to take us away. Although the world may end tomorrow, we still must plant a tree today.
©2008 David Etenburn; Revised Aug. 2009. Non commercial reproduction permitted, provided author and source are credited.
Jesus is a Choice
Your choice. No one, including God, will make you choose one way or the other. You have your entire life to make that choice. You even get to change your mind at the last minute!
Numerous criminals, including death row inmates, have chosen Jesus in their final days on earth. It makes little difference whether you choose Jesus as a six year old child or a 106 year old on your deathbed. Choosing Jesus is choosing eternal life, life where there is no more fear, pain, suffering, sorrow, hate, disease, or death; no more bad stuff. No evil.
The Bible teaches us that eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil gave us just that: knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 3:17) The ground was cursed “for our benefit”, that we know both good and evil. God allows these evil things to occur to teach us what is good, and what is evil. And that there is both, good and evil, not only in the world, but in the entire universe. And we get to learn this, first hand.
The choice Adam and Eve made subjected the human race to this fate. The good news is, Jesus (God) chose to come down to earth, live a perfect, sinless life, then he chose to die for us and our sins. And as God (in heaven) resurrected Jesus from this death, he too will resurrect us, in His time. Jesus, as a result of His sacrifice, gave us this choice.
God is doing this because He loves us. God chooses to love you, but you don’t have to love Him back. You can choose to reject Him, and His Son, Jesus. God will permit that, and allow you to spend eternity apart from Him, if you choose. You may not like the choice you make, but you get to make it!
Being a good person on earth will not get you anywhere with God. God does not measure earthly works. He only measures your heart and your spirit. He doesn’t want a bunch of humans in heaven gloating over those who “didn’t make it” (we would probably do that, too!). He wants your loyalty, your respect, your love; unconditionally, like His love is for you. God cannot make you love Him; you have to choose to love Him. The death of Jesus is, was and will be God’s gift to the human race, that all sins, violations, trespasses, and criminal acts any of us have committed, past, present and future, will not be counted against those who choose Jesus. A free gift, at no cost to anyone. A gift so great you cannot buy it.
But it is too late to choose Jesus after you die. That is why you should choose Jesus today. Death can strike you in the next minute, the next day, or in 100 years, no one knows. Death with Jesus will mean eternal life with Jesus; death without Jesus will mean a second, permanent death, separated from God and Jesus, without end. Choose Jesus.
To choose Jesus, pray the following:
Call out to God,
Acknowledge that God is the Creator of the entire universe.
Thank Him for your life, and for Jesus.
Thank Jesus for dying for your sins and for everyone’s sins, from the beginning to the end of time. Thank Jesus for the free gift of eternal life He has provided you.
Pray for forgiveness. We all have wronged others, and we all have wronged God. Pray that you can learn to forgive others, just as Jesus has forgiven you.
Pray in the name of Jesus.
Once finished, contact other Christians you know, or send me an e-mail. I can refer you to others in your area.
©2008 David Etenburn
©2008 David Etenburn
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