Darold Edwards

TAKING GOD SERIOUSLY

KJV

BY Darold Edwards                                                                 9/06/11

Taking God seriously in your life: this must be the absolute #1 priority of being! Everything else, to be successful in our life depends of this one absolute, and it’s being established in our heart, soul, and mind, consuming our being, and bringing prosperity to our souls, [Acts 17:28]. This is completely covered in the one [Matthew 5:19] “least commandment”: [Matthew 6: 33], “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things [that ye have need of, vs. 32] shall be added unto you”. “The things referred to here that you have need of” are not necessarily the things you want, unless you are intelligent enough to discern the difference between “needs and wants” and pursue the “things” you need for successful life and living and realizing that many of our wants, when pursued, are counterproductive to practical and successful, Biblical mandated life and living. Time and age are not necessarily effective in preventing this, however, the application of Biblical taught and applied wisdom will do wonders for us in this as well as all other areas, [Proverbs 4: 7], “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding”.

Your pursuits will be directed toward the things you set your affections on, the things wherein you place value, be they good or evil. Now your mentality becomes a concern, [Colossians 3:2]. Once again, a “least commandment” [Matthew 5: 19] comes into view. According to Dake’s Bible, there are 1050 of these least commandments in the New Testament. In view of the fact most professing Christians, or serious church attendees, can’t even quote “The Ten Commandments”, this would pose a new challenge to us all. However, our lack of concern for the first “Ten” would put us out of the running for the New Testament 1050 so far as learning them or for living them. This should make us extremely thankful for God’s Amazing Grace that picks us up, dusts us off, and gets us going again, and hoping we have learned, at least, something along the way to assist us in our daily forward progression along life’s trail; even if it’s just being grateful, depending on our repentant spirit, for God’s abundance of forgiveness, and help through our troubles, trials, and tribulations, which are generally, not always, brought on by our own stupidities: yes, “that is plural”. Disobedience always fits into this category.

All this is based on taking God seriously when he, through his word, advocates, teaches, and commands repentance from sin, being saved and born again by the Holy Spirit into his kingdom, The Kingdom of God, the redeemed community of Christ, [Mark 1: 15], “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel”. [John 3: 6, 7] ”Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Marvel not that I said unto you, Ye must be born again”. All this is covered under an accumulation of “least commandments” that we learn to abide by and live over a rather extended period of time in our life; or throughout our whole life span, provided we would live long enough. It develops into a “lifestyle” of “pursuing the things that make for peace wherewith we “add to” one another the Biblical mandated things of peace, encouraging, strengthening, etc, for the edifying and building up of one another, [Romans 14:19]. Somehow I have to believe that our educational learning time is going to continue in heaven, at least to some degree.

It would be to our advantage, temporal as well as eternal, if we would take God as serious as we do many of the lesser important things of our life, some of them not being important all, except in our manner of thinking; things we want versus the things we need, like for instance a “born again relationship with God through Jesus Christ, [Matthew 6: 33], “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things [that ye have need of, vs. 32] shall be added unto you”. [Matthew 17:5], “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and a voice out of the cloud, which said, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; HEAR YE HIM. To those who didn’t pick up on it, obedience is directly commanded in this “least commandment”, HEAR YE HIM, [John 15:3], “Now ye are clean through the [applied, James 1:22] word which I have spoken unto you”. Once again, it depends on whether or not we are intelligent enough to place our values on the God provided, divine nature, priorities of life and living rather than on mundane worldly nonsense that rather than adding; subtracts from you the needed things of character building and stature, [Colossians 3: 2], “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth”. It all begins with [John 3:16]. Have a nice future.

ADULT CONVERSATION

KJV

By; Darold Edwards                                                                          7/15/11

Several weeks ago, in the political circles of our illustrious leaders, there arose the brief usage of the term “adult conversation”, this in lieu of the constant unproductive babbling we have been fed on our news channels. It was used in expressing the need for “an adult conversation” among these said leaders concerning the problems our nation is and has been experiencing for quite an extended period of time that has escalated dramatically in the past few years; one of which is our national economic condition. There are many others that also need attention. The use of this term at this juncture in time seems to imply a concept that has been lacking concerning the necessary wisdom that we would consider to be a natural part of “an adult conversation”, a part that would be lacking in children’s thought and thinking conversations.

It somewhat expressed, quite unintentionally of course, a rather back door admission, that these “political” figures didn’t really know what they were doing in their efforts in fulfilling their governing responsibilities, duties, and obligations as to lead, guide, rule, and reign over America and guarantee her prosperity; which would naturally have to begin and be based on a correct spiritual foundation. May I suggest the Bible with its Godly counsel for both correction and direction? So far as the economy is concerned, there are some very basic rules of the road that would help considerably. I remember a pastor of a church in Sacramento, Calif. expressing one of them quite accurately. “If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep is your downfall”. This all of course feeds back to our way of thinking which depends a lot on our pre-conditioning up to this time. Credit and Debt go hand in hand and are now as “American as hot dogs, Chevrolet, and apple pie”. There is however, some Biblical scripture available to us for some guidance, wisdom, and restraint in this area, which may even lead to prosperity, most of which I never learned, or was aware of until later in life when necessity required that I apply this concept with some wisdom and intelligence in this area. [Proverbs 22:7] gives us quite an introduction to these, an introduction that the majority of American’s have had some graphic experience with and are still being plagued by, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender”. Been there, done that, don’t care to go back. Unfortunately the preceding, verse 6, had not been a sufficient part of my past life and learning experience, nor, as a consequence, had I taught them to my children.

Another scripture pertinent to the situation is, [Hebrews 13:5], “Let  your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he [God] saith, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”. Being content with what we need, and consider less in comparison to what want, and can sign our life away to get on credit just isn’t part of American life anymore, including the whole of the American political system. It is ironic that mighty, noble America with all her power, wealth, and might, are now deeply in debt to China, a communist nation that was at one time because of her communist beliefs and practices considered one of our enemies, and because of Americas foolishness concerning financial responsibility along with a few other essential things as per Biblical guidance and wisdom, our leaders have been now outwitted by some very clever opponents exhibiting “sleight and cunning craftiness”. However, this sleight and cunning craftiness is not the reason for our problems nearly as much as our own foolishness and stupidity.

This is usually the case, even with sin; our real difficulty being our own foolishness and stupidity of indulgence and becoming involved with it. This all poses quite an interesting situation that our noble elected leaders don’t seem to understand nor grasp the seriousness of. But then, neither does the general public; Christians included. But then, not learning God’s given life’s lessons in order to escape penalties for even simple violations of them doesn’t seem to be humanities thing. Mankind just refuses to get on the same page that God is on. Thank God for the exceptions. America is no exception to this along with other nations experiencing the results of their own violations even today as I write. There are many other scriptures available for education and guidance for us to “keep our fat out of the fire” concerning any area of life to be considered, which we will and do experience from time to time.         

However, to return to the concept of “adult conversation”, this brings to mind some Biblical thoughts and counsel we can quite accurately apply to this situation: for instance; [1 Corinthians 13:11], “….: but when I became a man [an adult; supposedly], I put away childish things”, such as childish thoughts and thinking which led to childish ways, conversation, and behavior. This leads to other scriptures that are quite applicable here as examples concerning the lack of men that are Biblically qualified to lead as God intended; [Isaiah 3:8-15]. Though this was originally and directly applied to the Jews for counsel and guidance; the application and the results applies to all humanity, [1 Corinthians 10:5-11]. It does seem that the wisdom and intelligence we need to apply the provided examples given has eluded us, and our leaders are clueless and without the wherewithal to lead, guide, and provide the protection that this great nation needs to prosper as God intended it should, and [Isaiah 5:20,24] is our lot, in leaders and led alike. We all, to some degree, have to share the guilt of our nation’s demise. God’s principles and counsel, His Word, must rule and prevail. Adult conversation, thinking, thoughts, and ways must be built on, rooted in, grounded and anchored in this, [Psalms 127: 1], “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain”. [1 Corinthians 3:9-11] applies directly to this.

“Adult conversation” by this world’s wisdom, in rejection of God and his wisdom and counsel [Psalms 1:1-3], has taken a whole different turn and is the reason why America is in the trouble she is now experiencing. This has appeared in all segments of American life, from the individual, to marriages, families, all organizations large and small including Christian areas, and, as apparent; our democratic governmental system. What a shame there is such a lack of Godly wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, with intelligence and common sense included for deliverance from our many woes that plague us, and would have prevented most of them to begin with. You would think that those who desire and attain to governmental positions would have also attained these necessities of leadership, but here we are in our modern informational system, still struggling under a “trial and error system” with Godly attributes for guidance and direction for spiritual and moral wellbeing unrecognized, unconsidered, and as a result, sadly in short supply.

 Please don’t misunderstand me; I love America, this is my homeland and I write as I do in a desperate attempt to contribute to at least some sort of a  solution to her many problems, which solution can only be provided through the administration of the whole of God’s counsel and direction; His Word, His Principles of life for any and all people. This solution must start in the individuals, especially leaders as examples by way of [Mark 1: 15], “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel”. We can only hope and pray that the need for this will arise in the hearts and minds of our leaders of sufficient influence and desire to show it to others who are not so inclined. May this one scripture take hold of our hearts for the survival and life of America; [Matthew 6: 33], “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things [that ye have need of, vs. 32] shall be added unto you. May God bless you richly in your endeavors to accomplish this within and among you for his glory and pleasure. God gives us ample introduction into this process through his introduction of Jesus to humanity in [Matthew 17:5], “…….This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, HEAR YE HIM”. The command to hear him and apply what he says is not merely a suggestion: your life, temporal and eternal depends on it. You can have religion without repentance; but you can’t have an intimate soul saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ without it. [John 3: 16], “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”.

Being an infant among nations, time-wise, why has America, after rising to the top so rapidly in Biblical spirituality, strength, wealth, character, etc, has just a rapidly suffered demise, shame, and reproach? It was due to God’s blessings because of her Biblical pursuits and spirituality based on the foundation spoken of in [1 Corinthians 3:10-11], “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ”. This is the reason why America came to be, and why she grew and advanced so rapidly on the world stage. America was founded on, built on, and anchored in Biblical teaching, direction, and counsel. Our forefathers, no doubt selected and appointed by God himself, educated, developed, and led by divine appointments to do what they accomplished to establish this great nation did just what Benjamin Franklin told a lady who posed the question to him at the Constitutional Convention; well Mr. Franklin, what have you done for us? His reply, “Madam, we have given you a republic, if you can keep it”. Indeed they had; and indeed, we have not.

Scarcely 350-400 years later we have virtually lost what was built on the foundation of Biblical principles, and handed to us by our Founding Fathers. The church world that originally settled this land, except for the native Americans who preceded us, has ignorantly capitulated and inadvertently abdicated her authority and dominion power to the enemies of the cross of Christ. They now have taken over control of our America and have proceeded to form their own Godless government in opposition to God’s divine directives for operation, management, and prosperity of our “land of the free and the home of the brave”. It grieves my heart to think of the great multitudes who have sacrificed, even to the ultimate, to bring America to the land of freedom and greatness she once enjoyed only to see her dashed on the rocks of disaster by the incompetents who have done so, not being qualified or able to steer our nation on the course God had set for her. [Hosea 4: 6-7], “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law “Word” of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame”.

There are those who did not take heed how they built on that initial foundation, and others who cast that foundation aside and cut America loose from her God ordained moorings of Biblical strength, stability, and righteousness, [Isaiah 5: 24], “Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root [man made foundation] shall be as rottenness, and their blossom [their children]shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel”. These four verses of scripture should give us a good idea of why America’s youth are having such a difficult journey in life; we parents have not done well in keeping the nations foundation secure. We have let the enemy take over our educational means of teaching our young the essentials of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, based on a Biblical perspective. Consequently they have not learned the proper essentials provided by God himself, but the mundane, quite often character destroying nonsense that has been substituted for God’s truth and absolutes.

So we are witnessing the fall of the mighty by deception, deceit, and outright stupidity and ignorance. We have failed to heed God’s simplest of instructions in righteousness, [Proverbs 4: 7], “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding”. [Proverbs 1: 7], “The fear of the Lord is the beginning [of fear, reverence] and of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction”. [John 3:16] is probably the best known and most memorized verse in the Bible, and its truth stands just as strong today as when it was first inspired given, and recorded for mans benefit, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. The rejection and neglect of this great and basic verse for the salvation of humanity is the reason so many nations have fallen, [John 3: 6, 7], ”Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Marvel not that I said unto you, Ye must be born again”.

This is just a very brief summary of what has happened to our great nation, aided and abetted by the rejection of a history that for its Biblical content has been discontinued due to the erroneous idiocy of the separation of church nonsense that has robbed our nation of leadership that would encourage such Biblical encouragement and direction. [Amos 8: 11], “Behold the days come, saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord”.

 For a much more complete and interesting accounting of America’s history, a history which is no longer taught in our schools contact: www.wallbuilders.com or phone 1-800-873-2845 for additional information and a catalog of their many educational aids. May I suggest “The American Heritage Series, DVD and their book, “Original Intent”. There are other good sources of this information available. Get these in your homes and churches to acquaint yourselves with America’s Biblical history content and opposition to it in many areas of human insidious deception and deceit that has brought America to today’s shame and disgrace. Thank God for the few exceptions that have provided at least some stability, strength, and direction for America through Biblical application and counsel. These few of [Matthew 7: 13-14] by their “reasonable service” [Hebrews 12:1],  are to be commended for their stand in the face of all the adversity that is protected, thus promoted and encouraged, by governmental decree as well as the many in the exercising of their “rights??”.    

GOD’S CONSTITUTION

KJV

What is a “constitution”? Given the consideration of the construction, management, operation, and development of a nation, or any element of man’s involvement and endeavors within that nation; you would no doubt get many and varied opinions on this question. To help clarify this we will enlist the assistance of a Webster’s Dictionary in our search for a viable definition. Roget’s University Thesaurus will also contribute much in this search for knowledge and understanding, if you are so inclined; the multitudes are not. [Hosea 4: 6-7], “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law “Word” of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame”.

Taken from “Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary” one attempted explanation of a definition is: “the fundamental principles of a nation, state, or body politic that determine the powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people and that together constitute the organic law of the land: a written instrument embodying such rules”. A basic knowledge and understanding about what constitutes the “organic law of the land” may help with this. Here again many opinions will undoubtedly be forthcoming. All of this is, however, immaterial if the ruling entities do not operate under and according to the intention of the fundamental principles given and the source that provided these principles. That “source” being understood and accepted as the God of the Holy Bible, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of Israel; not some fictitious entity drummed up in the feeble, wayward, mind of man.

Our “founding fathers”, regardless of their frailties and failings as human beings, went to great lengths and through much hardship to establish a viable and workable constitution based on these fundamental, God given, Biblical principles for the well being, development, strength, and prosperity of America. Knowing that the infallibility of these unchanging principles, being of Godly origin and construction, could be depended on to provide the direction, counsel, and stability essential for a successful enterprise such as the establishment of a nation and every smaller enterprise within it, contributing to its whole, they set themselves to establish a “constitution”. The particulars and problems they faced and experienced along with the contributing factors of their success in the “building of this house”, America [Psalms 127:1], can be found and studied in David Barton’s books published through the Wallbuilders Press of Aledo, Texas. I must commend David Barton in his research in the formation of these most interesting books, research that we can now benefit from and enjoy. Unfortunately, our constitution has been, by man’s deviousness, twisted out of shape, misused, abused, and misinterpreted in the last 80-90 years, and we have not had the leadership with the wherewithal capable of preventing it, or correcting it.   

Two of those books than I presently have read, studied, and keep handy for additional reference and study are: The Myth of Separation and a later edition; Original Intent. There are no doubt others, but these two will give much enlightenment to the students of the structure, troubles, tribulations, and trials experienced in the forming and establishing of our nation, its guiding constitution and, in later years the devious attempts, with some success, of the wretches that have twisted this constitution out of its original form for their own purposes. This has resulted in forces exterior and contrary to America and her foundational beliefs to enter in and become entrenched in our nation with concepts and ideologies that are damaging to our American structure. They have misused and abused our constitution in its original purpose and intent for national guidance, prosperity, protection, and overall wellbeing. An accounting of this political deceitfulness and treachery is also found within David Barton’s books. They have, once again with some success by considerable insidiousness, nearly destroyed our nation’s foundation, and attempted to thwart the Biblical spiritual guidance and deliverance from man’s sin and abomination that God provided us through Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.

Thus they have caused much confusion in our nation and brought about its demise, and have caused the replacing of her glory with shame and disgrace; this all being contributed to heavily through the “separation of church and state” idiocy which has led to the separation of God and people through “political correctness” by governmental decree. We did not need their help in the degrading of America as we seem to be quite successful in this area on our own. Once again for emphasis sake; [Hosea 4: 6-7], “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law “Word” of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame”.

So here we are today in 2010, now today, 03/31/11, faced with three constitutions; one our founding fathers have provided with considerable providential guidance and assistance, and another, somewhat mangled and twisted out of shape, misused, and abused by others of another generation who arose after our founding fathers passing: generations of those who knew not the Lord, nor yet the works that he had done for America; those who are spoken of in [Judges 2:10]. They rejected God’s Constitution, the first and greatest of the three, his word, his own set of rules and regulations for the construction and nurturing of his creation, including the man creature he placed within it to carry out his instructions for such care and maintenance. History indeed, repeats itself. Subversive elements have been at work every since Adam abdicated his God given authority to Satan in the Garden of Eden, Genesis 2:1-20, and many of these elements of “our own countrymen” [2 Corinthians 11:26; 1Thessaloinians 2:14] are still at work.

Adam got the ball of rebellion and disobedience going, and his descendents have kept it rolling every since, and with increasing intensity I might add. [Genesis 6: 5], “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually”. William Shakespeare’s historical comment of “What fools ye mortal be” seems to be more realistic and accurate as time goes by with a continuation of [Hosea 4:6-7], becoming more apparent each day throughout the world; America included. We see graphic results of this continuing abomination spelled out for us in several verses in [Isaiah 5]. There are many others throughout God’s word that also give us accountings of mans dilemmas and chaos resulting from his stupidity of rebellion and disobedience against our God. [Deuteronomy 10: 12-13], ”And now, Israel, America, your name, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear [reverence] the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which he has commanded us this day for our good”. Isn’t it amazing, man isn’t even able to come up with enough intelligence and common sense to realize that adopting, embracing, and living according to God’s provision of goodness, righteousness, holiness, etc, would enrich and reward his life beyond his greatest imagination, [Colossians 3: 2], “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth”.

Certain provisions within our constitution have been perverted and cleverly used by devious minds to enslave America within her own borders, and we do not seem to have the leadership with sufficient intelligence and courage to put an end to such infringements on our national sovereignty and security. The basic religion of Christianity with its God given principles, on which our nation was formed and based, is now under threat of anti-God elements within from contrary religions that have “constitutionally” been given precedence through “political correctness” over Christianity by the insidious governmental impositions of tolerance and diversity based on the fallacy of  “the separation of church and state”. This was only intended to keep the government from allowing or appointing any one denomination within the framework of the Christian religion preference over another.

It is amazing how many Christians have been conned into accepting this abomination. God’s constitution has been, cast away, [Isaiah 5:24; and our blossom, our children are paying a hellacious price for our stupidity.  And America’s constitution has been twisted and mangled by our inept national leadership to force sinful abominations and transgressions on our nation that God’s constitution, his word, absolutely forbids. A pretty thorough list of these things is found in [Romans 1:8-32]. The majority of these things are now considered constitutionally “legal” under additionally imposed “freedom of expression, or rights” by whoever wishes to express them. God, however, gives us his attitude about these things and their wages in verse 32 concerning his judgment on “such things”.

God’s constitution is set in place for now and all eternity: live by it or die by it, the choice is yours; live by obedience to it or die by disobedience to it; the choice is still yours. God’s constitution, his word is immutable and unchangeable; [Matthew 24: 35; Mark 13: 31; Luke 21: 33], “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words, [my constitution, my established principles of righteousness, decency and order], shall not pass away”. Man may curse it, reject it, attempt to cast it away, rebel and disobey it, or whatever his evil mind conjures up against it: it remains the inviolable constitution of the ages throughout eternity. Man’s devised and formed constitutions of the nations, even America’s, pale in comparison to it, and man, with his claimed intelligence, still refuses to recognize its eternal value. [Deuteronomy 30: 19-20], “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, [by my constitutional directives, counsel, and word] that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice and that thou mayest cleave unto him, for he is thy life and the length of thy days”. He is; your eternity.

 Any way you consider it, whether in obedience, or in rebellion and disobedience, you are going to be affected by God’s agenda for his creation; this world’s people are going to be judged by their attitude toward it, whether it be an attitude of love and acceptance, or an attitude of hatred, contempt, and rejection. [Isaiah 5: 13-16], “Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honorable men are famished, and their multitudes are dried up with thirst. Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: BUT the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness”.

[Isaiah 5: 20-21], “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight”!

[Isaiah 5: 24], “Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel”.

God’s constitution directs and makes provision for the most important of all mans endeavors. These are explicit in the N. T. gospel through Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, all having to do with the reconciliation of man back into a pre-sin relationship with God, being therefore justified by faith in Jesus Christ as redeemer and Lord; he who sacrificed his own life so we could live eternally.

Man’s constitution only vaguely alludes to this and has been twisted around to outright reject such provision and makes the teaching of it unconstitutional, politically incorrect, and in some cases downright illegal by law, rules, regulations etc, passed and imposed with that very intent by devious men in leadership positions wielding a “pseudo authority”. It is supported by other anti-God, anti-Bible elements within our American society, “men of mine own countrymen”, who by their actions and [false] ways have become anti-American, set for the subversive destruction of our home-land. It is amazing how this has happened under the watchful eye of our “leaders”, who many of themselves are a part of this skullduggery. Somehow, this has a direct connection to “to the blind leading the blind” both with blind eyes. These are spoken of in [Ephesians 4:14] who lead and voice false winds of doctrine, causing massive confusion and chaos among the people by their cunning craftiness and deceiving the  nation with such things as “imposed political correctness”, corrupted constitutionality, and wrongfully imposed and protected rights to carry out such abominations. Thus has America been led astray from that which God intended for her, a nation of honor, integrity, and righteousness. And the message of repentance of sin; salvation of the lost, and redemption through the shed blood of Jesus; has been lost in the dust of neglect and worldly distractions.

God is constantly telling us that: His counsel, his word, his constitution of life liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is the only one available to us that will condition the heart, mind, and soul unto attainment, and is always within our reach, just a choice and prayer away; [Matthew 24: 35; Mark 13: 31; Luke 21: 33], “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away”.

 [John 3: 16], “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”.

[2 Corinthians 3:17], “Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”, and it all starts with [Mark 1:15; John 3:5-7].  

Hate is not a dirty four letter word as some would lead you to believe. It is a condition of the mind, which if focused in the right direction, [ie] toward evil, abominations, detestable things, evil and wicked things and ways that God himself hates, it is a healthy state of mind. Humanities problem is they have lost just the common sense to discern between evil and good, [Isaiah 5: 20-21], “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight”!

In today’s world of “relativity” where there is such an attempt to blend good with evil, it all has become a muddy mess of confusion where nothing in this world makes much sense anymore. This of course is all designed so the proponents of the “relativity” concept can involve and indulge themselves in their “if it feels good, do it” lifestyles without feeling any sense of responsibility or accountability to the society they live in.

I have just finished reading an article by a well known Christian writer that comes down real hard on hate, so he probably wouldn’t agree with me, but he owes the readers more of an explanation of hatred and its various applications and why these applications are to be made. It is a Biblically presented and taught concept to hate the things that God hates; but to be caught up in the idea of love, love, love, and allow the feelings and emotions of that love to bleed over into the areas of the tolerance and partaking of sin and iniquity to point of desiring those things is in itself abomination and direct disobedience and rebellion against God. This becomes a “wicked and false way” which God hates, and if you expect God to apply his grace and forgiveness without your sincere repentance of such idiocy, you’ve got your saddle on the wrong horse.

The writer mentioned above referred to a scripture in Ecclesiastes that gave a depressing outlook on life, it is found in chapter 3:8. He did seem to be referring to people; not things such as attitudes, thoughts, thinking,   circumstances, or situations that we find ourselves involved in from time to time if we blunder through life without the Romans 12:2 renewed mind and the diligently kept heart, kept and nurtured within Biblical taught boundaries to provide the right substance needed for life and living as God intended. Unfortunately these adverse situations and circumstances are generally, many specifically, caused by wickedness housed in the mind and heart, the innermost being, [Isaiah 55:7], Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. The message here is to repent and turn away from unrighteousness and wickedness, false ways that God himself hates, [Psalms 119:104, 128; Proverbs 8:13]. There are additional scriptures that apply.

Perspective is the whole difference and our opinions must be based on God’s opinions, God’s perspectives, God’s word and counsel, never on our own. God’s instructions to Jeremiah: [Jeremiah 1:13], “See I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and destroy, and to throw down, to build and to plant.

[2 Corinthians 10: 4-6], “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled”.

This was basically Jeremiah’s instructions, [4:3-4] to “break up the fallow ground, and sow not among thorns of evil, wickedness and abomination; destroy from among the nations and kingdoms the evil of their hearts and minds”. Destroy and pull down the evil things that I hate, prepare the way for the establishing of my kingdom, my holiness, and my righteousness, [Matthew 6:33], and those whose ways I love. This is something we all must do in our own lives that we may “live and move and have our being in our Lord, [Acts 17:28].

The chorus of this song was written by a member of “The Howard Miller Family”, missionaries to Manzini, Swaziland, South Africa. It originated out of [1 Thessalonians 4:11-12] N.I.V. As near as I can remember the chorus was all that was written at that time, I may be wrong about this, and was given to me  several years ago to see if I could write some verses to it. It is done to the tune of the “Wabash Canon Ball”. If anyone happens to know the whereabouts of this family please let me know: Darold Edwards; Ph 1 [541] 9288042; Address; 4720 Knox Butte Rd.   Albany, Oregon.  If you happen to know them, please give them this information. Thank you!

                                  God’s Advice

He was born of the virgin Mary on a clear and starry night

His birth was told to the shepherds, they were led by a star so bright

To this babe a laying in a manger who would be a king to you

Teaching God’s own word, telling what to do

Chorus:

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life 

Tend to your own business, following God’s advice

Be a servant-leader, working with your hands

Then you’ll be respected by the folks in other lands

He would live to show this world a love so pure and kind

A love that gives men freedom and calms the troubled mind

This love gives you the power to make God your own choice

And giving you desire to obey his voice

Chorus:

This child’s name was Jesus the Saviour of all mankind

Who died for us on calvary, now I’m His and He is mine

Now He’s gone back to heaven, but He’s coming back again                                                        

He tells us in His word, how to live [un]til then

Chorus:

How important is it to learn to be a self-feeder of God’s Word? This would certainly challenge and require a person to involve themselves in a diligent pursuit, study, and meditation of the content of the Bible; which anyone so disposed would find to be a magnificent undertaking for personal character development as well as assisting others in such a like pursuit.

In a recent discussion with an acquaintance, we were discussing the burdens many parishioners place on the pastors due to the lack of knowledge of Biblical content for counsel and direction among the people of the general congregations. So they run to the pastors with ever little problem when some simple appropriate Bible application would solve the whole mess. Neglecting to study and meditate on God’s word robs them of the Biblical substance and content that would allow them to solve their own dilemmas. In fact such diligent study and meditation would have a strong tendency to alleviate a major portion of the troubles that arise due to the lack of study and meditation; thus knowledge. [Hosea 4:6], “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law “Word” of thy God, I will also forget thy children”.

Habitual neglect of what once should have been studied and learned as a self-feeder will eventually have the same effect as initial rejection to begin with; But God. At least it was important to have studied it for this is what the Holy Spirit can use to remind us of the essentials of life, provided we [Psalms 1: 2-3], Delight in the law of the Lord; and in his law we meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; and his leaf shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper”. As important and essential as God’s word is, it is imperative that it be at the forefront of our thoughts for guidance and instruction on an hourly and daily basis, “lest we give the devil advantage”, [2 Corinthians 2:11]. This happens often, simply because we are ignorant of his devices through neglect of being “self-feeders”.  

[John 14: 26], “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you”. The Holy Spirit can teach us through our times of study and meditation to add to this Bible content that is so much needed by us all; beginners as well as old timers. Due to the great amount there is to learn in all areas of life and living, we are all students with Christ being the foundation this life and the length of our days, [Deuteronomy 30: 19-20], “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice and that thou mayest cleave unto him, for he is thy life and the length of thy days”.

Therefore, [Job 22:21-22], “Acquaint now thyself with God, and be at peace: thereby good shall come to thee. Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart”. Switching churches just because “I’m just not getting fed there” is not an excuse when you’ve got the Bible; whole counsel of God at your fingertips. It’s up to you to, [2 Timothy 2: 15], “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. Neither  the pastor, nor a Sunday school teacher, or anyone else, can do your listening, studying, learning, or applying for you. The Holy Spirit may well use these people as instruments of “teaching you all things” but it’s still up to you to do your own learning. The more value you assign to the word of God, the more you will apply yourself to it. You will only pursue what you see value in. Unfortunately, this is usually controlled more by emotions and feelings than it is by sound reasoning, intelligent thought and common sense. This is why so many people find themselves in such deep trouble. [Proverbs 1: 7], “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction”. Ve grow to soon old, un to late schmart. [Psalms 119:9], “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word”.

We are living in a world that has gone completely berserk, and though our leaders; politicians, judges, or whatever title the various leadership positions may fall under, give us all sorts of answers for the reasons, which usually is the fault of the other political party, none of them seem to know or have the courage to address the cause of all humanities calamities, or able to give the solution to all this chaos and misery. Without beating around the bush about it, I’ll directly address the problem which basically is “sin” in all its many manifestations throughout our world, America included. However sin is not the whole reason for our many problems. We must accept responsibility for our own embracing it and indulgence in it which gives it life and strength unto our own destruction, [James 1:14-16], “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren”. [Romans 6: 23], “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord”. This is not limited to the individual, but expands to include any and all groups including nations. None are exempt from this truth. Israel, even as God’s chosen people, suffered much because of the transgressions of the individuals who made up the multitudes, and thus, the nation. We all have to share the blame in some way for America’s problems, however some much more than others. Some who, as leaders, have ignorantly caused the problems and others who just as ignorantly stood by and watched it all take place without offering any opposition.    

Having been informed by God’s word concerning sin, it consequences, results, wages, etc, call them what you will; and experiencing some of these in a mild way, yet viewing these horrible consequences in a lost and dying world in rebellion against God and his solution, Jesus Christ: as the eternal sacrifice for our deliverance from these sins, I have decided that to indulge in them would be the height of stupidity, idiocy, and ignorance. However, this present attitude was not as cut and dried in my younger years, and as a result I experienced a few of the retributions that sin carries with it: which tends to reinforce my present attitude about sin, as well as does the witnessing of the results of it in others and what it is doing to my homeland as well a the rest of the world. Based on God’s word of counsel and deliverance from sin through the shed blood of Jesus, I can no longer view sin as something beyond my control to which I am bound without hope of being free from it. I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour, that sin hath no more dominion over me, I have however, been given dominion over it, which works quite well for me with God’s amazing grace picking up the slack for my occasional failures along the way, which failures are not as serious, and fewer than they used to be, as I slowly learn some lessons along the path of life, and with some difficulty, apply them.  

This is not to say I will not suffer because of an occasional transgression, or from the transgressions of others, [Matthew 10:36], “And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household”. It would be quite accurate to say that every family in our great nation bear the marks of sin and iniquity somewhere within their family, in lives of those whom they love dearly whose rejection, rebellion, or just plain neglect of God and his message of salvation causes considerable concern, heartache, and pain to be endured while prayer and hope are offered up on their behalf. Families are broken up, some destroyed; some individual’s are even incarcerated because of the stupidity of indulgence in sinful pursuits. Because of a nation’s transgressions and idiocy in rebellion against God, there is never ending warfare, [James 4:1-2]; local, national, and international, where multitudes are killed while involved in senseless wars that prove nothing and accomplish less, contributing nothing but a dubious method of population control while it bleeds the nation dry of its resources in both human life and materials, including its wealth. And the people continue to suffer; and if the thought of “a man’s household” is expanded to include his neighborhood, his homeland, and “his own countrymen”; then the idea of “his foes being of his own household” is expanded with it.

[Psalms 127: 1], “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain”. If our “house” is our own home, or “homeland; in our case America”, we have labored in vain to build it beyond its foundation as God is being increasingly rejected and neglected after being cast out by governmental decree through the separation of church and state idiocy, and he has not been continually consulted in its construction processes and even less in its maintenance and management programs and procedures. [Hosea 4: 6-7], “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law “Word” of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame”.

In an effort to escape God’s requirements of thought and ways, people have historically tried to make him irrelevant as America has done: this in an effort to make their own rules for conduct and behavior. This has failed in every nation since the beginning of creation, and America is no exception. Today America is wallowing in the pit of her own rebellion against God. Every part and facet of our once great nation is contaminated and corrupted with the insidious leaven of sinfulness and abomination. It has even invaded many of our churches causing devastation and destruction in hearts and lives of many congregations. The reason for this is attributable to many causes among the people, many of whom were commissioned, called, or ordained, and even elected, for the protection and growth of these churches. There could be much discussion on this, with no doubt many disagreements, arguments, and differences of opinions during those lengthy discussions. But the final outcome depends solely on God’s opinion, his word, wherein he has given us his specific requirements for righteousness, peace and holiness, “without which no man shall see the Lord” [Hebrews 12:14]; “what thus saith the Lord”.  [Matthew 24: 35; Mark 13: 31; Luke 21: 33], “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away”.

Mans opinions, thoughts, ideas, and concepts, formed without Godly counsel and input, are not worth the breath it takes to voice them, and will invariably lead to great difficulties, failure and lifestyles spent and wasted “laboring in vain”, [Psalms 127:1]. Thought man has and undoubtedly will continue to accomplish great, grand, and noble exploits because of God’s designing him in his own image and likeness, enabling him to do these things, yet because of his despising and disregard for God’s counsel for righteousness and holiness; in the final analysis it is all for nothing, [Jeremiah 26: 3] “If so be they will hearken, and turn every man [we all fit in this category] from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to do unto them because of their evil doings”. [2 Chronicles 7:14] comes to mind to reinforce this.

Many of my own Christian countrymen will disagree with me here saying that this is a message to the Jews, which is true; but the subject of the message is what must be considered which is the subject of their evil and wickedness which is common among all men, in all places, at all times that   must be dealt with according to God’s methods, beginning with profound repentance. It may have been given the Jews then but certainly includes us Gentiles today, [2 Timothy 3: 16], “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works”. God’s attitude toward the annihilation of sin and iniquity and his hatred for it has not changed nor diminished over the centuries past, and is an attitude, as the followers of   Jesus Christ, that we would do well to adopt, embrace, and practice, destroying it through the declaring and proclaiming of the Gospel of God and exalting of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ unto redemption and reconciliation to the Father, [2 Corinthians 5: 17-18], “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new”. And all “these new” things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation”.

There is no specific list here of the “good works” referred to in [Ephesians 2:10]. We will have to search the word to find and determine what they are for ourselves, which would prove a good exercise for us all. Being good works, they would have to be “things” that naturally contribute to the proper conditioning of the Biblical orientated heart. These “things” would only benefit when and if they are applied.  These “diligently kept” hearts are essential to the establishment and advancement of a well ordered society and culture which seems to be somewhat lacking, with a few exceptions, in modern America, and begin with the individual. We are living in a world and nation that is terribly affected by hearts that have not been and are not “diligently kept” within God ordained boundaries of holiness and righteousness. Thus we continue to have wars, rumors of wars, violence, contentions, animosity, strife, etc, etc. It makes no difference if this is localized or expanded to a national or worldwide basis. Evil, iniquity, wickedness, are all contained in what the Bible terms as “false ways” [Psalms 119:104, 128; Romans 12:9], which God hates; and as his people we should hate and abhor them as well, otherwise though we may not approve of them, we may find ourselves compromising with them in “business as usual”. The devil is extremely subtle in his insidious deceptions concerning these things.  If we profess to be followers of Jesus Christ, but don’t desire and strive for his “divine nature”, “hungering and thirsting after his righteousness”, [Matthew 5:6], “we lie and the truth is not in us” [1 John 1:6].

The use and terminology of “the whole heart” is to place emphasis on the importance of the consecration of the whole being in serving God in all areas of our life, [Acts 17:28; Psalms 9:1; 111:1; 119:2, 10]: there are many more scriptures that can be used to verify and emphasize this, but this should suffice as an introduction to the required condition of “the whole heart”; which is to be “kept with all diligence” within Biblical parameters [Proverbs 4:23] for the purpose of “the issues of life”.    

We can consider the whole heart as being the “inner or spiritual man”, [Ephesians 3:16], having its origin in [Genesis 2:7] after the body was “formed of the dust of the ground” and dwelling in this earthly temple, or house of clay, [Job 4:19]. Unfortunately, that which we can see, touch, or feel, the visible, fleshly body, is what is usually considered as the person; but this is merely the temporary dwelling place of the eternal being within, the real person, the soul, mind, and spirit, the total heart of the being. However this earthy temple has its own value as alluded to in [1 Corinthians 3:16] in which the Spirit of God also dwells. It would a thing of wisdom and intelligence to take God’s admonition to care for it according to his wishes, and take these suggestions seriously. Verse 17 drives home the seriousness of being obedient to his will and desires. In theses two verses the body, the temple of clay, is considered as worthy enough to be considered with the soul and spirit as being included in the whole being.

It would be well for us to understand and conduct ourselves in accordance to what defiles or does not defile our temple, whichever the case may be, which ultimately belongs to God. Consider [1 Corinthians 6:13-20; Romans 8:1-13, 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Galatians 5:24-24] for some additional insight into this. [Romans 1:18-32] provides us a thorough list of things that must be considered as “false ways, evil, all of which God hates” and for which man will be severely judged and punished. Man must realize that humanities acceptance of these things does not constitute God’s acceptance of them. The flip side of the [Acts 10:35] coin is that those who do not fear God and work righteousness will not be accepted with him but be rejected by him. This will be an eternal and exceedingly uncomfortable position to be in.

This is totally unnecessary and idiotic due to the provision God has made for us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, to prevent such a disaster for humanity, [John 3:16; Mark 1:15. Yet due to the adverse non-biblical condition of their hearts, the vast majority of mankind refuses to avail themselves of this eternal provision. With this provision of salvation so available, free, and encouraged, but instead met with hardness of heart in rejection, the intelligence of man is in serious doubt. Thank God for the few exceptions, [Matthew 7:13-14]. [Hebrews 13:20-21], “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.

Certainly two essentials of knowledge are presented in [Amos 5:14-15] in the preceding paragraph, but these have to be acknowledged, studied, and meditated on to get the substance of them anchored and grounded in our sensibilities, awareness, and consciousness. There are large amounts of scripture dealing with God’s attitude and response to mans sinful atrocities of evil and detestable abominations and spelling out the results of such evils and wicked ways. We are directly counseled and commanded to repent, turn from, and cast these things away from us in [Mark 1: 15], “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel”. We find the recipe, or directions for repentance provided in [2 Chronicles 7: 14], “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; THEN will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land”. It would seem as though God has placed some conditions on his “hearing from heaven, forgiving their sin, and healing their land”. It also appears that, though God’s love may be unconditional, there are conditions placed on our receiving his approval and blessings. For instance: in [Acts 10:35], “fearing” or reverencing God and “the working of righteousness” are prerequisites to being accepted by him, [Acts 10: 34-35], “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, AND WORKETH RIGHTEOUSNESS, is accepted with him”.

There are some things, classified as “good works”, [Ephesians 2:10], that we must, as professing Christians, learn, embrace and do, [James 1:22-25], to grow and advance as “practicing Christians”, then advancing on to being mature, meat eating Christians, [Hebrews 5:14], “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even to those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil”. This is all part of the “conditioning and diligently keeping of our heart” so it has the Biblical, God ordained abundance to “issue forth life”, [Proverbs 4: 23], “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”. This is in conjunction with [Romans 12: 1-2], “I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God”. The “renewing of the mind” is essential to “diligently keeping the heart” enabling and assisting us in “presenting our bodies as living sacrifices unto God” in the manner he prescribes, “Holy and acceptable, which is our reasonable service”.