AWAKE AMERICA CRUSADE

The recent news of Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden stripping the Delaware County Sheriffs of their arrest powers should raise the ire of all Americans. Apparently Attorney General Biden is following in the pattern of his VP father in his own efforts to tear away at the U.S. Constitution and expand government rule over the populace.

As many have recently discovered, the County Sheriffs in this country are empowered to protect the citizenry in their jurisdictions, not only from criminals, but also to defend them against unconstitutional reaching by Federal and State powers. They are indeed the most powerful source of legal protection for citizens against such, and are so empowered by the U.S. Constitution.

With this in mind why is their power being gutted like this by a state attorney general? There is only one answer that is plausible: to break down the powers of local officials and overthrow those granted by the Constitution to protect citizens from government over-reach.

Recent efforts by Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County Arizona to challenge the birth certificate of Barack Obama and his eligibility as President may be stirring things up for sure. Former Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack’s current run for U.S. Congress may also be shaking up the ‘Powers That Be’ in Washington as there is a growing awareness of his efforts to enlighten County Sheriff’s across America to the real authority and duties that have been granted to them by the U.S. Constitution and the people by whom they were elected.

Sheriff Mack is no novice when it comes to standing up for his office against Federal intrusion. His successful Supreme Court win against the Federal Government’s attempt to enforce the Brady gun laws in his county prove that he is a man for the people and for the U.S. Constitution. This fact alone may make him an enemy to the current administration.

Ironically, every elected official in America takes an oath to ‘preserve, protect and defend’ the U.S. Constitution. How hard is it to understand the criminal violations of those who take that oath and then work to destroy its real purpose? Forest Gump could see that this is moral and legal failure. Even Joe and Beau Biden should be able to figure that out. It makes one wonder how they ever got elected. Maybe Vice President Biden’s mother once stood before the local school officials and argued on his behalf saying, “He’s not going to some special school to learn how to retread tires.” They figured that if he wasn’t going to do that he could take the next best thing available: a government job.

Nevertheless we are stuck for now with stooges like this running the show and they are dangerous. We must make every effort to end their reign in November, but also must do our best to hold state and local officials to the reality of what they are given when elected to office: they are given the power to do right for the people who elected them.

The battle is raging for our country and it is yet to be seen what the outcome might be. For those who believe God’s judgment is on America I say they may be right! But that doesn’t mean they should sit under the shade of a gourd quoting the prophet Jonah. We must stand where we can and pray for God’s mercy for America . In this case we must do what we can to encourage our local officials to stand for their oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. And if they won’t do that . . . get rid of them as soon as possible.

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Did you know that some schools in Great Britan have started policies of banning students from having best friends? Their justification is that in doing so they will soften the blow of loss when children split from their friends. For me this explains why Britain is having such a hard time correctly condemning Islamic ideals like Sharia Law and are allowing its’ practice in some courts. When you lose the concept of ‘best friend’ you also throw away the idea of ‘worst enemy’. I guess the Brits figure if you don’t choose you can’t lose.

Rick Santorum was recently criticized for comparing Mitt Romney to an etch a sketch toy. His repugnance of Romneys statement, “I’m going to run as a conservative”, shows that he understands the power of choice. What does Romney mean by saying he is going to “run as a conservative?” Could this mean that after the race is over he will go back to being a non-conservative? That’s what Santorum is asking and I think it’s a good question.

I have often wondered how many people go into the voting booth and just pull a party ticket? That’s not really voting in my book. In fact I believe that’s how we have gotten into this current mess that we are in. If people are afraid to differentiate they are putting their future in someone elses hands. That’s the real outcome of party politics.

We choose best friends based upon things we like or dislike in others. Common bonds are what make differences stand out. If I can’t choose who will be my friend then I can’t choose who will be my enemy. If we don’t have any enemies then everyone will get along, right? Not!!! Try telling that to the angels who decided not to vote for Lucifer in his attempt to overthrow God. Aren’t you glad that Michael and the others had enough sense to know the difference?

This is why too much tolerance is a bad thing. G.K. Chesterton says tolerance is the religion of someone who doesn’t know what they believe. I tend to agree. That doesn’t mean I should be intoerant of everyone who doesn’t agree with me. It just means that I am aware of the differences so I can know how to act in any given situation.

Choosing is natural to the human experience. It’s the root of the God given concept of ‘free will’. People who don’t understand choosing don’t know what real love is. Love is an act of the will. It is a choice not a feeling. It is how God will eventually separate the entire human race. He will choose between good and bad.

Sometimes choosing is painful. You can choose to live with cancer or suffer the pain of having it cut out. You can choose to live with unforgiveness or suffer the pain of repentance. You can choose to ignore the facts of a bad relationship or face them and break it off. Choosing is not without pain but in the end it can be a life saver.

In defense of the British I think they have come a long way since the days of Colonialism when they thought England was the model of humanity and should rule everyone. Yet I think their current posture of extreme tolerance doesn’t work.  You can’t solve every problem by ignoring it and just having a cup of tea. I can say that because my mothers is British and I have British roots. I can also say that because I have suffered the pain of ignoring a problem as if it wasn’t there.

In the voting booth each person gets a chance to have a shot at being god for a brief moment. But what kind of a god will you be? One who just goes along with what others are saying and doing so as not to be different or one who believes that they know what right and wrong is and will do what they believe is right? Votings is like choosing a best friend. It doesn’t always work out just as we thought it would but at least we had the right to choose.

Welcome to America. Make sure you do your research before picking your best friends this coming November. The way things are looking we may not have the choice much longer. Like the British schools the administrators may soon take the power of choice away. Of course we know they’re only doing that for our good so we don’t have to suffer the pain of losing a friend, right?

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The most wonderful of all things is love. Love is the bravest, the strongest, the most fearless, the most courageous, the most willing, the most daring, the most heartbreaking, the most lonely, the most ­­infectious, the most painful, the most enlightening, the most disheartening, the most sacrificial, the most giving, the most caring, the most sensitive, the most tear jerking, the most tragic, the most . . . on and on and on into infinity. Truly love was God’s greatest gift to his creation. God so loved his creation that He gave Jesus as a sacrificial offering to himself in order to redeem it back to relationship and to His heart. According to John the Apostle God is love.  (1 Jn 4:8)

Hatred is a terrible thing. Avoid it at all costs. Do not let your heart go there or your life will follow in its downward spiral toward hell. Hatred is the opposite of God. Hatred is despite for God. It is the evil that only God himself can hate safely. Even the Archangel Michael considered it something to be avoided and warned of its powerful force to consume. (2 Pet. 2:11-12 and Jude 1:9)

Today we are living in a contentious reality. We see what is happening all around us in the Church, the world, Islam, extreme racial supremacy groups, the government, the educational establishments and the media. Anti-Semitism is on the rise, as well as a sometimes unbalanced extreme pro-Semitism. People everywhere are trying to find their place to fit in and many are adhering to group think isolationism via one faction or another. We must avoid this and remember that God will reward every man according to [his own] works.

Paul tells us that we are to let the peace of God rule in [our] hearts. (Col. 3:15) It is the love of God that produces the peace of God. It is the love of God that is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. (Rom 5:5) It is the love of God that sent Jesus to the cross for our sins. (John 3:16)

Three years ago this month my wife Jolyn visited heaven for several days while her body was being kept alive by machines. When she suddenly awoke after five days she at first regretted coming back into her body. Although she thought she had only been gone for a matter of minutes, the overwhelming yearning in her heart for the bliss that she experienced in heaven was so powerful that it took nearly a year for her to completely return here in her heart. Her most vivid memory of heaven: God’s unconditional love. Her message to me: “If I ever go there again please don’t bring me back.”

I write this because I am certain that many are suffering from fear of the future. Many fear what may be coming due to the extreme changes that are rapidly taking place in our world and in our time. It is easy to fall into one camp or another to find answers to what lies ahead for us all and we certainly should put forth an effort to understand what we can. We need not fear if we have placed our faith in Christ. That does not mean that we will not suffer or go through great temptations and struggles that may come. If life teaches us anything it is that time and chance happens to every man. (Ecc. 9:11) I encourage you not to put any stock in those who say that all true believers will not have to suffer if they have a certain kind of faith. This is folly to anyone who views the human experience through the lens of time and scripture.

But this I know. God is love and He has called us to follow His Son Jesus in this way. It is through Gods love that we can understand and cope with the difficult experiences that test us and will challenge us in the days ahead. When we see what the cost of love was for God himself we understand that there may come a time of great sacrifice and struggle for all who follow in his footsteps. But Jesus said. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

So now comes the times when hating can be an easy step for the unprepared. Let us avoid this at all costs and let the love of God in us be our witness to the world. Christ in us is the hope of glory and also the shining light that can draw even the worst sinner from the fires of hell into Gods saving love.

One night in 1980 I had an experience that changed the way I look at spiritual things. As I was preparing to teach a series on the cults the Holy Spirit stopped me in my tracks with these words: “Don’t study the darkness. Study the light and you will know the darkness when you see it.” I got the message and discontinued my plan for that lesson series. It was an unforgettable experience that made a mark which I still heed.

Since then I have often noted how easy it is to be captivated by titillating doctrines that offer ‘special’ light. A brief stroll through the Christian channels on television can reveal how popular doctrines offering far fetched ideas have come to dominate modern western Christianity. It is quite understandable that in a time when ‘instant everything’ is the normal expectation we would see similar attitudes in the pursuit of spiritual matters.

On the other hand I was recently made aware of witnessing groups that frequent college and university campuses and condemn everyone to hell who doesn’t agree with their doctrine, often calling the female students whores and the men homos and drug addicts. These folks might want to do a character study on Jesus before they start judging and condemning everyone else.

Of course no such discussion would be complete without mentioning the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas where their primary ministry seems to be to condemn everyone else but themselves to hell and damnation. They protests military funerals of fallen soldiers, homosexuals and others and most recently they are making plans to protest at the funerals of victims of the recent Midwest tornadoes claiming they died from God’s judgment. I’ve seen a couple of the women leaders of that group and I wouldn’t want to run head on into them in a dark alley. Where’s Jack the Ripper when you need him?

Somewhere between ‘everyones going to hell’ and ‘no ones going to hell’ we are most likely to find the truth. If God sent his son not to condemn the world but to save it then it is not likely that He wants his followers to go around condemning the world on his behalf. Romans 10:6-7 reads “But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) “

As ambassadors for Christ we have been given the privilege to invite people to the party and give them distinct directions on how to get there but it is Jesus alone who makes up the guest list. Jesus said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37) Yes we are called to be God’s messengers but we are not His consultants. And that does not make me a Calvinist just someone who believes in the finished work of Christ.

If I have learned one thing in my years as a Christian it’s that I don’t know everything. Thank God I know someone who does and all those things that don’t makes sense to me will one day be crystal clear when I stand in his presence. My wife Jolyn was there once and all she could say was how she was covered and surrounded with God’s unconditional love. Sounds like the place where I want to be. How about you?

So how wide is the narrow road to eternity? The width, depth and height of one man, Jesus Christ. Put your trust truly in Him and do your best to obey Him and what He has given us in his Word. He’ll take care of the rest and I believe the road will open wide before you once you go through that Narrow Gate.

Politics has always been a game of compromise but rarely in a presidential election season has it been so clearly manipulated by party rhetoric and favoritism. The fact that so many republican leaders are endorsing Mitt Romney is quite astonishing to me. It would be even more so if they really thought that he would be the guy that was right for the job. But maybe they do feel that way . . . if we redefine what THE JOB is. To the Republican Party it seems the job is keeping the status quo and not endangering the sweet deal they already have going for themselves. In that case Mitt Romney is the perfect guy not to upset the Beltway applecart if he wins.

Everyone seems to be buying the idea that we have to do whatever we can to get Obama out, but can Romney beat Barack Obama? Once the liberal media starts slamming his Mormon faith ─ and they surely will once the field is clear for him ─ I expect Evangelical Christian voters to run from Mitt Romney like they were hiding from two wholesome looking boys on bicycles knocking on their door sporting LDS I.D. tags.

Whatever happened to voting your conscience? Are we afraid to do that for fear of failure? Since when has obeying ones conscience ever been a bad thing? (That is unless you have a seared one). With so much at stake for the future of America hinging on a return to Christian morality and Constitutional principles what makes us think that each individual taking a clear stand to obey his conscience is a bad thing? Isn’t that where moral values find their home in a person? In a nation?

To be honest I like Ron Paul. I have several reasons why:

Truth -  Ron Paul is a man who tells the truth and has not changed his mind on issues just to get elected. Isn’t that extremely important? Trut worked well for George Washington didn’t it?

Financial Strategy - If anyone has ideas concerning how to save America from financial ruin Ron Paul does. For him it’s simple:   

1. Quit spending money that we don’t have
2. Get America back to being a producing nation by supporting our own industry and ingenuity
3. Shut down the Central Banking System (The Fed)
4. Shut down the I.R.S. and get a better tax system
5. Quit financing every little pet project or ear mark just to help elected officials get re-elected.
6. Quit sending our finest young men and women to fight wars where we are not wanted and where our politicians have no clear plan for winning.
7. Get back to the Constitution

 Security – Some say Ron Paul is an isolationist when it comes to foreign wars but if that is true why do more military and ex-military support him than all other candidates combined? Don’t we know that they (soldiers on the ground) would have a better idea of what needs to be done militarily than a bunch of Washington bureaucrats who make decisions based upon campaign contributions often coming from companies seeking defense contracts?

Abortion – Why is his clear pro-life history being ignored by so many who say that legalized abortion is a major reason for God’s current apparent judgment on America?

Israel – Just because Ron Paul thinks Israel is able to handle their own business quite well doesn’t make him anti Semitic. Anyone following Israeli history as well as their recent dealings with Iran realizes that Israel is not afraid or incapable of handling its own self when protecting their people.

I recently spoke with a friend who was in a church service where a high ranking military officer was speaking. He had just returned from a long period of active duty in Iraq and he shared some amazing insights about the real problems there. He told how our servicemen there were struggling to get by with the equipment and security that was being provided by our government while executives with private contractors like Halliburton and others rode around in Cadillac Escalades with private security protection that would make Sylvestor Stallone’s Expendables look like schoolboys. Is this treatment worthy of our serving men and women who are risking their lives for America?

In truth we are so easily manipulated by media propaganda that if they say someone like Ron Paul can’t win we believe them. It’s too bad though. As long as we keep electing the same type of presidents as we have had over and over again, we can expect the same kind of government that we’ve had over and over again. Somehow that makes sense to my simple mind.

So I say . . . vote your conscience and don’t let them, me or anyone else tell you otherwise. But do your research first so your conscience has something to work with. Once that has been done you can live with yourself no matter what the outcome in November is.

I’ll trust truth, consistency, reasonable ideas and decency over business acumen and elitism any day of the week. I think we have a better chance of bringing our country back to a good path with those things than we do just trying to figure out how to get the current bad guy out just to make room for the next guy to have a shot at it.

May God bless America,

Craig Marlatt

To All Our Warriors

Veterans Day is here and we are again reminded of the cost and sacrifices of those who go to war to defend the freedoms we know as Americans and as human beings. Our youngest son Jonathon is still in the military and is scheduled to make his second deployment to Afghanistan next year.

Though I have never been in the military myself I have known the reality of war through the family and friends who have gone off to fight . . . some who never came back from the battle and others who did return, but brought back the scars and inner struggles that often come from war. In the end war changes everyone it touches and they are never the same again.

I hate war. It is the harshest of realities that reminds us of our fall from grace as a species created in the image of God. It was God’s adversary Lucifer who waged the first war in the heavens and he continues to do so even today by spreading his venomous poison into the hearts of men. Because of this, as long as Satan roams the earth there will be war, and men, women and children will die.

There are two realms where war is being fought today. One is here on the earth and the other is fought moment by moment against principalities and powers in the heavenly realms. Both wars are of vital importance; both have tremendous consequences; and both will cost us dearly of those we love. One is fought with armaments made of bullets and bombs, and one with the Word of God, the power of prayer, and the hand of mercy to those under attack of the enemy.

Though I have not fought in the physical wars of earth I have spent the past thirty-five years engaged in battle with the enemy of the souls of men. I’ve seen great battles fought on behalf of righteousness in this war and have also seen many casualties in the process. Some of our most notable soldiers have fallen, never to rise again, while others continue to stand against the enemy winning great victories and setting people free. I have fought alongside mighty warriors in the Spirit on several continents and have always been amazed by their willingness to sacrifice, and the courage they show in battle.

We don’t have to look far to see the ravages of war. They are all around us today as we see the battles raging, both spiritual and natural, being fought by men and women who refuse to give in to the enemy. In both cases they fight for freedom against an enemy who hates everything and everyone.

The battleground of Legalized Abortion knows no bounds to Satan’s hatred of the human race. His willing minions who serve in this evil practice seem blind to all righteousness as they sacrifice life after life on the altar of self indulgence. But the foot soldiers in this army are some of God’s mightiest warriors and there is recent hope that this war may soon be won in America.

Since the war in Vietnam it seems our government has lost its center in the area of right and wrong. They pass laws and fund evil regimes that fight against the very things that America stands for. While politician’s pockets swell with the rewards and profits of the industry of these wars, we are forced to wonder whose side they are really on. Our youngest and bravest are sent to fight and die in wars they are forbidden to win, in countries where they are not wanted. And here at home they continue to point their congressional weaponry at the citizens who do good, while defending and empowering those who do evil. How long can this go on before America loses heart or goes to war with itself again? Only God knows.

Today let us remember the veterans of both theatres of war. Wherever war is fought there will be those who pay the price and suffer for their dedication to freedom and righteousness.

May God bless all of our veterans and those still engaged in the battles of this life.

To All My Valued Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job.  As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges.  However, the good news is this: The economy doesn’t pose a threat to your job.

What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.  Of course, as your employer, I am forbidden to tell you whom to vote for – it is against the law to discriminate based on political affiliation, race, creed, religion, etc.

Please vote for who you think will serve your interests the best. However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interest.  First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story.

This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear.  Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside.  You saw my big home at last years Christmas party.  I’m sure all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.  However, what you don’t see is the back story.

I started this company 12 years ago.  At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years.  My entire living space was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company.  I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission.  I didn’t have time to date.  Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying.  In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs.  They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned.  They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes.  Instead of hitting Nordstrom’s for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn’t look like it was birthed in the 70′s.

My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury.  I, however, did not.  I put my time, my money, and my life into a business — with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9 am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5 pm, I don’t.  There is no “off” button for me.  When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself.  I unfortunately do not have the freedom.  I eat, ****, and breathe this company every minute of the day.  There is no rest.  There is no weekend.  There is no happy hour.  Every day this business is attached to me like a 1 day old baby.

You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden — the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations….  You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I’ve made.  Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail out all the people who didn’t.

The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for. Yes, business ownership has its benefits but the price I’ve paid is steep and not without wounds.  Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why: I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don’t pay enough. I have state taxes.  Federal taxes.  Property taxes.  Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes.  Workers compensation taxes.  Unemployment taxes.  Taxes on taxes.  I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what?  I have to pay taxes for employing him.  Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time.  On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes.  You know what my “stimulus” check was?  Zero.  Nada.  Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy?  Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business?  Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check?

Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.  The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you’d quit and you wouldn’t work here.  I mean, why should you?  That’s nuts.  Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work?  Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.

Here is what many of you don’t understand …  to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy.  Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn’t need to pay taxes, guess what?  Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth.  My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries.  But you can forget it now.

When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don’t defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you?  Or, do you defibrillate his heart?  Business is at the heart of America and always has been.  To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it.  Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the mud of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine.

Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.  So where am I going with all this?  It’s quite simple.  If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple.  I fire you.  I fire your co-workers.  You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child’s future.  Frankly, it isn’t my problem any more.  Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire.

You see, I’m done.  I’m done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive.  My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.

While tax cuts to 95% of America sounds great on paper, don’t forget the back story: If there is no job, there is no income to tax.  A tax cut on zero dollars is zero.  So, when you make decision to vote, ask yourself, who understands the economics of business ownership and who doesn’t?

Whose policies will endanger your job?  Answer those questions and you should know who might be the one capable of saving your job. While the media wants to tell you “It’s the economy Stupid” I’m telling you it isn’t.

If you lose your job, it won’t be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the Constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever.  If that happens, you can find me in the South Caribbean sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about.

Signed, Your boss,

Michael A.  Crowley,

PE Crowley, Crisp & Associates, Inc.
Professional Engineers
1906 South Main Street, Suite 122 Wake Forest, NC 27587

Phone: 919.562.8860 x22 Fax: 919.562.8872

Ever wonder if Big Brother really is watching you? No need to wonder any longer. With ‘Face Recognition Technology’ gaining the high ground in law enforcement, many are now waking up to the reality of how naked the general population is to the government eye. Once considered merely good content for spy movies, we now know for certain that no one can hide in the crowd any longer.

In Hebrews 4:13 we read, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” That’s fine for God, but who wants give the government, or anyone else for that matter, the same privilege?

If we go back to Genesis chapter 11 we find the story of the Tower of Babel. Here we can see in verse 6 what can happen when men put their heads together on an agreed purpose. “And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.”

Imagination is a powerful force and it seems that if someone can think it, someone else can make it happen. And just like the times of that famous tower, when men get their heads together in agreement what takes place is a power play for control. Oh to be sure they reasoned in their hearts what benefit a tower reaching God could have to the whole community, but as always is the case, beneficial advances in technology become tools of control for those who have the upper hand.

Today we have seen powerful advances in science and technology that promise enhanced freedom, prosperity and security to mankind, but can we trust those who have their hands on the controls to use them for that purpose. No . . . or should I say ‘Hell No!’

For this reason our Founding Fathers labored with such great energy and determination to give us the ‘U.S. Constitution’ and ‘The Bill of Rights’ so that the evil of those who seek power and control over others could be constrained and broken whenever it reared its ugly head. The principles found in these documents come straight from the Judeo Christian teachings of the Bible and from the hearts of men and women who, throughout history, fought for the rights and liberties of free men.

Today we see another tower being built up. Those who seek to build this new behemoth under the auspices of the ‘uniting of mankind’ are not looking to climb up and see God, they want rather to cast him down from the memory of men and obliterate any knowledge that God ever existed. To do this they must control the minds of men and the resources God gave to mankind for our common benefit.

If the American people are to escape the terrible plans which those now in power have for us we must return to the ideals and principles of those sacred documents which empowered us as a nation of free men. And we must return again unashamedly to the God who inspired those who labored so diligently to espouse the truths found therein.

God scattered the people to protect us from ourselves and those trying to unite us again as ‘One World’ might want to take a look at Psalm 2: “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.“

When the spy camera’s of Big brother look down on the American people let them see not just the crowds gathered in cities and parks crying for uniformity, but let them instead peer into the eyes of a determined people who refuse to become a part of the controlled masses; a people who recognize the values that made America an exceptional nation of exceptional people who will never give up the fight for “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. We must resist the temptation to give in and give up and find again, in our time, the strength to resist those who threaten to take away what God has given us and what those who came before us fought and died to preserve.

For a look at what modern technology has given to Big Brother visit this link:

http://www.gigapixel.com/image/gigapan-canucks-g7.html

In Isaiah 58 God calls Israel away from their practice of a self serving religion to devotion to a higher purpose. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? (verses 6-7)

Throughout history we see the massive damage that was done by Adams relinquishing of his kingdom to the adversary in the Garden of Eden. When given the opportunity to choose obedience over self desire he chose unwisely. In doing so he handed over all that which God had given him to the control of his enemy the serpent, the most cunning of all the beasts of the field. From that day the King of the earth to whom God had given all authority began to live a life of servitude. The very beast of the field to whom Adam himself had given the name ‘serpent’ had tricked him into a life where Adam now became the servant, eking out his life from the field.

In many ways America has been an example of a people called out to live the true faith of obedience to God, and much of our history reveals a core desire to do so. God’s hand of favor was evident here and we were known worldwide for our prosperity, generosity, mercy and strength. When enemies rose up against us or against other freedom loving peoples, we would defeat them and instead of taking the spoils for ourselves we would invest in the rebuilding of those nations toward a better future of liberty for their people. We were peacemakers and many saw us as a nation of the children of God. (Matt. 5:9)

Much like God’s chosen fast of breaking the yokes of bondage and setting the captives free, we were a God fearing people who were not ashamed to be known as a Christian nation. No matter what the atheists of today would infer, one need only visit the court houses and government buildings of our past, or read the speeches and prayers of our greatest leaders and they will see evidence of a belief in the God of the Bible in all of our written documents, our architecture, and in the motto’s and confessions of America’s national creeds. Daily battles our now raging in our courts to have these memorials of our Christian history torn away and it remains to be seen what the final outcome will be.

Though there are certainly many churches, spiritual leaders, organizations and individuals who have not forsaken these ideals of faith and spirituality, as a nation we have now become much like the Israel that Isaiah rebuked with this message from God. Much of what we see in the public forum of leadership and faith has become self seeking and self serving. If the current popular Christian message and media truly represent our impressions of God’s desire for his Church I believe we are a people headed for harsh correction from the Lord.

At such a time as this God’s messengers have one purpose! Cry aloud and spare not! If America is to survive and become again the bulwark of freedom and a voice of truth in the world it will take a hard word from those who are called to speak. It is time for a wake up call to a slumbering nation. We must choose again whether we will pick from the tree that is being offered by the serpent or reject his enticements and put his neck under our feet. Jesus, through his sacrifice on the cross, has again given us the power to choose between freedom or servitude, but what we will choose remains to be seen?

Isaiah not only calls us to a true faith but he also echo’s God’s promises for those who will hear his words and obey. “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. . . and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”

Let us pray that we can turn aside from our self seeking as individuals and as representatives of the Church in America before it is too late. Those of us who call ourselves by the worthy name of Christ must realize that we are blessed by God and that we too are called to the higher purposes found in Isaiah chapter 58. I would recommend that those who read this article will read that entire chapter and ask themselves where they stand in these things.

I believe that God’s promises cannot fail and though we may not see them now with our eyes we will one day see all that He has promised come to pass. Jesus said, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” If that is true than as his disciples neither is ours.

May God bless us again as a people and as a nation,

Craig Marlatt

Psalms 102

A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth. My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.

By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin. I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert. I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top. Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me. For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping, Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down. My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.

But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof. So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth; To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death; To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem; When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days. I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.

The growing economic crisis in America and Europe will likely bring with it a vast number of prophetic ministries showing how this is proof of an End Times scenario fulfilling many Bible prophecies. Truly in our time we have not faced anything so difficult as we are now with rising prices, falling employment, failing morality, falling spiritual leaders, fleeing confidence and fighting political parties. Add to that the mid-east hatred of Israel and you have a real soup of happenings that can make the day for professional predictors. Supposing it is indeed the ‘Beginning of Sorrows’ as stated in Matthew 24 verse 8 what should we as Christians be doing?

Though there are many predictions of what to expect in Matthew 24 in the way of suffering, anti-Christian persecution, imprisonment and death there is only one instruction of what to do during ‘The Beginning of Sorrows’ and it’s found in verse 13: “But he that shall endure unto the end shall be saved”. That’s good advice for every day at anytime in my book.

Though many today are pointing to the rise in recent earthquake activities, according o the US Geological Survey this is not really what is happening. According to their measuring there has been no significant rise in earthquake activities in this current century, and in fact activities have even decreased in recent years. (See link at end of this article.)

I think the better plan for believers is found in verse 42: “Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” In other words, we should be ready right now and always on our guard watching.

Contrary to popular heathen advice I don’t think if someone lives for the devil but cries out “Jesus save me” in the last minute of their life they will hear an conforting choir of angel voices from heaven. They might be better off telling their friends “Prop me up by the jukebox if I die”. There’s no promise from God concerning such a foolish approach to salvation. On the other hand those who claim to know Christ but keep living on the risky edge hoping for a last minute reprieve might want to reconsider their approach to faith too.

Truthfully we should always be ready to for the Lord’s return by living lives of trust, hope and outreach. If you live in such a way you need not worry about when He is coming for you, but it should ramp up your concern for those around you who don’t know Him.

If Christians truly are the ones with whom God has entrusted the medicine that can heal the sickness born from sin we have work to do. Day by day the disease of unbelief and paganism is spreading and we have the cure. “But what can I do?” some might ask. Put on your white robes and your white nursing shoes (Eph. 6:15) and start visiting patients. You might be surprised how miserable times like this can give those who were too busy to listen yesterday an open ear and a ready heart today.

Whether we are in the End Times or just in Hard Times, either way it can work for our advantage if we will see this as an opportunity rather than a curse. God once saw such times as an opportunity to save the world. (see Gal. 4:4-5)

Link to US Geological Survey results:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/faq/?faqID=11

It is getting harder lately to find anyone who really believes that America can survive the current turmoil and tumult in our economy, our morality and our political confusion. And who can blame them really? It isn’t easy to find any hope if one listens to the media, reads the papers, follows politics or even talks to his neighbors. If you have any background in economics you might feel better about the potential of a ‘Tiny Tim’s Greatest Hits CD’ release than about the chances for an economic turnaround in America.

Recently the numbers of those seen visiting the grave of Jack Kevorkian have gone up and a brief poll has discovered that 92% of them watch C-Span on a daily basis. As my British grandmother might have said, “This is one sticky wicket”.

In the book of Hebrews we read this statement, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen.” If ever there was a need for faith for America that time is now. Even the octogenarians have quit reminding us of their tough times with the old, “Why in my days” complaint. They’re too busy on eBay selling off the things they were planning to leave to their grand kids for fear that their Social Security checks may stop coming any day now.

Still (and a lunatic I may indeed be) I have hope for our country. Not so much because of what I see happening today in America (although I am impressed greatly by the grassroots Tea Party Movement) but because of the nature of God. We must always remember that hope is the foundation of faith, and faith in God reminds us that “With God all things are possible.” Let the Church say AMEN!

God, being a covenant keeper, is not unaccustomed to looking backwards to His former faithful servants to justify having mercy upon those of the current time. (You might want to consult Abraham and David about that.) Anyone who knows anything about America’s great history knows that there are plenty of reasons for God to spare her based solely upon those who came before us. One look back to our Puritan history and the Founding Fathers of our nation might be enough to still His hand. And the last two hundred plus years have yielded a host of great men and women of faith who have served this country and sacrificed in missions, service to those less fortunate, and in righteous wars against evil oppressors around the world. Surely their sacrifice, dedication and prayers have not escaped the notice of our Loving Heavenly Father.

As the Church in America wrestles with its current trend toward mediocrity, extreme tolerance and moral weakness, there are those among us who genuinely desire a return to the True Faith. After decades of scandal and ‘out of the box’ theology and practice, many are seeing the futility of such things and are genuinely desiring a new restoration of the Church in America and a return to Biblical faith and practice. This surely is reason for hope if you are one who has been disturbed and frustrated by these things.

Paul in his writing to the Christians in Rome wrote, For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:24-25)

So wait I will, but not with the twiddling of thumbs. My waiting must be that of one who hopes, knowing that faith is hope with legs. My faith for America ‘s survival as a free nation and return to her Christian roots is based upon my faith in the God of Covenants. And if I am found waiting in faith, no matter what happens, I know that it is better than just giving up to our enemies within, without and especially those from below.

Let us join together in prayer for this great nation. We may need to temporarily glance backwards for inspiration, but we gaze forward in the hope that God still hears the prayers of the faithful and that He sees value in a future America which has overcome the follies of our present time.

Most Americans are familiar with the famous line above from Paul Harvey’s daily radio program. But have you ever thought about this in reference to your life? Most of us spend way too much time thinking about the past and about the good or bad of it; the woulda, coulda, shoulda of our lives or of others we know. In fact one of the devil’s favorite pastimes is to point to all of the things that didn’t go so well and accuse us of our mistakes and failures. And when he sees that his work is being effective he brings in the underworld version of ‘Sing Along With Mitch’ to add to the chorus of our bad decisions. I’ve made my share so I get regular visits from ol’ slue foot and his traveling band.

That’s why the Apostle Paul wrote, “. . . but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. (Phil. 3:13,14) He was very familiar with the adversary’s methods and, having his own past to deal with he found a way to put it all behind him. He settled his debt with the Cross of Christ and moved on. (Gal. 2:20)

Every day we live is another chance to put the past behind us and go forward into a better future. I like what Jack Hayford once said: “Whenever the devil reminds me of my past, I remind him of his future.” That’s good advice for anyone looking to shake off the doldrums. Someone once asked me in one of my less upbeat moments, “With all the different things you’ve done in your life what has the Lord best prepared you to be?” My response at the time was, “A blues singer.” Anyone who knows me well also knows I can’t pass up an opportunity like that for a good one-liner but the real truth is just the opposite. What God has prepared me to be is a conqueror, and even MORE than a conqueror. Why more? Because as a Christian I get the benefit of Jesus’ victories. No matter what things I’ve managed to win, lose or draw in life, Christ won all of his battles and He gives me his victories in place of my failures. In other words, Jesus’ trophies are on my shelf. What a Team Captain He is.

If you woke up breathing today your future can still be bright. I like the speech from the movie Braveheart that William Wallace gave before the first great battle. “You’ve come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom?” That’s a good question for us today.

Anyone who doesn’t live on Denial River can see that both our nation and our world are in desperate straits right now. You couldn’t get more than a few pennies on eBay for the economy, morality or confidence that is on sale right now in the media. But those of us who know Christ have a different Source of information. In our Book we can see the end result before we reach the finish line, and guess what? We come out alright. In fact . . . we come out ON TOP. It doesn’t mean that we won’t go through a great battle . . . or that we won’t lose some along the way. But in the end WE WIN! You might want to keep that in mind in the days ahead. If you can’t remember that part of the story you might want to read the last couple chapters from The Book of the Revelation.

So what would you really do over if you had the chance? Would you tell someone how much you loved them? Would you ask someone for forgiveness or forgive someone who hurt you? Would you spend less time accumulating things and more time with God in the Bible and prayer? Would you finally go meet that neighbor who has lived next door or down the street and tell them about Christ?  Would you start praying regularly for family members and others? Would you cut the lawn of a senior citizen or disabled who lives down the street or go and pay them a visit? Would you sponsor that starving child you’ve been thinking about or send a check to those Christian workers you so admire? Would you write that song you’ve had in your heart all these years, or dance with someone you love? Would you quit thinking about your own problems for a while and look around you at those in need? Would you put away those golf clubs or video games for a while and volunteer with some of the extra time you have? Would you finally surrender your whole life to Christ and quit holding back?

Now’s the time! The future is all you have left and whether it be short or long it’s in your hands to do with as you see fit. It’s your time for “The rest of the story.” Why not make it something you will feel good about when you stand before the Lord? Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Go for it!

With the recent disturbing case of a Florida couple who sued and won a ‘wrongful birth’ lawsuit against both their birth doctor and an ultrasound technician we are now entering a new phase of litigation insanity in America. The $4.5 million award for this couple follows another such case in Gainesville from 2007 where a couple there won over $23 million because a USF geneticist failed to correctly diagnose the potential birth defects of the child the mother was carrying. In the case of the Gainesville couple the problems consisted of a cleft palate, an abnormally placed urethral opening, undecended testicles, and decreased amniotic fluid. Certainly nothing that would automatically condemn the child to a life of misery and uselessness. The more recent suit of $4.5 millions was awarded to the parents of a child who was born with no arms and only one leg. Though ‘wrongful death’ lawsuits are common, it wasn’t until recent years that we have seen lawsuits won against the medical community for the successful birth of a child.

For those of us who have children and are involved with the fight against abortion this picture is hard to grasp. Having been blessed to live long enough to see many miraculous things, I remember the day my family and I watched as Tony Melendez  stunned the audience of over 30,000 people at The Creation Festival in Pennsylvania while he played his guitar with his toes and shared his testimony though having been born with no arms. He had just returned from a performance at the Vatican where he played for Pope John Paul II and his courage and faith was a tremendous blessing to my family and to all those who saw him that day.

I remember another young man who used to volunteer at our coffeehouse ministry back in the 80′s. Jimmy was born after his mother took Thalidomide to ease her morning sickness during pregnancy. He had no legs or arms but had come to volunteer as a typist for our ministry; twice a week he would drive his van that was fitted with hand controls to the Good Samaritan Coffeehouse and then climb the hard concrete stairs to my upstairs office. He used a pencil, held between his two stubs where arms could have been, to type newsletter copy that went out to our supporters. The last time I saw Jimmy he was driving off to Virginia to share his testimony with a Church there and encourage people with his undaunted faith, in spite of the great trials that were a part of his daily life. I often used Jimmy’s testimony to motivate street people who came to the coffeehouse who had fallen into a useless lifestyle but still had all the necessary physical equipment to make a change and better themselves. It was hard to feel sorry for someone with two arms and legs after knowing Jimmy.

Even more recently is a young lady named Tanya whom I first met just over 10 years ago. She was born in Russia with extreme facial disorders and faced a life of unimaginable hardship and probable abuse in the natural. She had just been adopted at the time by friends of mine here in Orlando. When Tanya first arrived here to start her new life she shared in our Church about her goal to someday become a doctor and her desire to devote her life to helping others less fortunate then herself. Her faith was undaunted by the great trials that had heretofore been common to her everyday life. She saw herself and her life through the eyes of a loving heavenly Father who had gifted her with a chance to overcome all the obstacles that life could deliver. Tanya recently graduated with honors and is looking forward the future with unstoppable courage and a measure of faith that glorifies and honors God. Her adopting parents couldn’t be prouder.

I think of my paraplegic friend Jay Dyer who lives his life in a wheelchair and could easily have chosen to spend life watching ‘I Love Lucy’ reruns in a nursing home with others who have little or no hope in life. Instead Jay chose to face life with the full force and power of one who believes that God is able to use him to be a blessing to others. He is an ordained Deacon in his Church and has a ministry that delivers meals and other assistance to hundreds of people with disabilities who cannot fend for themselves. Having watched his life over the past decade I am always amazed at the confidence in God that I see dwelling in this man who, to my knowledge, has never known the pleasure of walking without crutches.

I myself contracted Polio of the spine when I was just 5 years old and was completely paralyzed from the neck down. I was kept in an iron lung in the hospital and there was a good chance that I would live a short life or at least one filled with hospitalization, braces and physical infirmities. For over a year my mother had to give me special massages per the doctor’s instructions and miraculously I survived somehow with no lasting physical effects. God had a plan for my life. I was blessed to have parents who love me.

Who knows what the ultimate value or purpose of any life really is? For those of us who believe that God is Sovereign, every life is a gift in which the Glory of our Creator can be seen. How many of us have so much to be thankful for yet we fail to see the possibilities and instead focus on the obstacles that we see as hindrances to what we want to be or do in this life. How many lives have been cut short because some doctor predicted they would have no value or the parents were not willing to pay the price of caring for such a child? Who knows what their future might have been or what contributions to the world they could have offered in spite of their disabilities.

There are no easy answers to some of life’s great questions. “Why does God allow people to be born with such hardships or apparently devastating struggles in life? If He loves us, how can this be so?” I don’t know all the answers, though I’ve offered my own views to those who have asked them. But I do know this: I serve the God from whom all Life comes. He knows the answers to those questions and someday those of us who believe in Him will also know. In the meantime He tells us to trust Him and all things will work together for our good if we do. Having been blessed to know some of his ‘special’ people during my own lifetime I can only say, “Amen!”

Ten years have now passed since the 9-11 attacks and America is at an economic, cultural and philosophical Crossroads from which we may never recover. This past Sunday Jolyn and I, with a group of family and friends, celebrated the future and honored those who died in 2001 by planting a new Church.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 reveals to us the root source of our ministry as individual Christians. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.”

All Christians have a ministry dwelling within. The Holy Spirit living in you will guide you into that for which God has called you so that you can produce fruit that is a sweet smelling fragrance to the Lord, and will bring Christ to the hurting world around you. The early Reformers understood this and held to a belief in what they called ‘The Priesthood of the Believer’. They knew that God had chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and that any believer who has the Word and the Holy Spirit dwelling within can be used as a vessel for God’s glory and the benefit of mankind.

In my over thirty-five years of ministry I have learned an oft forgotten truth about how God works; as He has ministered to me through His own sufferings by the sacrifice of His Only Son Jesus, when I fellowship in those sufferings he uses my own weaknesses, struggles and even my failures to minister to others. I have often found that the things most valuable in me are those things I have learned in the valley of trials and sufferings. How wonderful is the God we serve? The Apostle John understood this great truth when he wrote: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 Jn 4:10)

Though we are now in a great and growing trial of affliction in our country, we must resist the temptation to focus on the problem and instead focus on the Problem Solver. He promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us and He always keeps his Word. That does not mean that our path will be easy. It does mean though that when we are weak He is strong in us. In fact Paul tells us of his own battles saying, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Cor. 12:10) What an attitude for us to adopt.

I bless God for what lies ahead as I believe we will see many believers rising to the occasion and setting aside their own fears and self-reliance choosing instead to look to Christ. Our trials and tribulations are but for a short season in the scheme of things, and afterward we will dwell eternally in the blessed presence of our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ and all of those who have gone before us and will go with us into Glory. We will actually meet Noah, Abraham, Job, Ruth, Elijah, David, Isaiah, Daniel, Peter, John, Paul and the multitude of saints who make up that great cloud of witnesses in heaven. We will see the innumerable host of angels and the archangels Michael and Gabriel, as well as Cherubim and Seraphim and all those creatures that make up God’s heavenly abode. We will also witness our adversary Satan cast into eternal fire for the evil he has done.

Don’t let the trials and troubles of this life take all that away from you. Make sure you know Christ now and that you are living a life that pleases Him. The great Christian writer C.S. Lewis wrote the following in his book Mere Christianity: “God is going to invade this earth in force. But what’s the good of saying you’re on his side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else, something it never entered your head to conceive comes crashing in; something so beautiful to us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left. This time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love, or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to choose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down, when it’s become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing; it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realize it or not. Now, today, in this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever; we must take it or leave it.”

If you lift up Christ today He will not let you down.

For the past thirty-five years I have been privileged to be a part of the vast movement of God of our time known as the Evangelical and Charismatic awakening. God has restored many of the functions and gifting in the Western Church and this fresh wind brought new life to the old bones.

I remember when I first came to Christ and read books like ‘The Late Great Planet Earth’ or the various books identifying antichrist by using numerology to figure their names at 666. First there was the Pope, then Henry Kissinger and on up through other world leaders and now even Barack Obama. Don’t forget the big computer in Belgium called the Beast that was supposedly created to put us all in a database for world domination by antichrist. There were the rash of conspiracy theories about the Illuminati or the revised Babylonian religions and other devious organizations, and of course the book ’88 reasons Why The Rapture Will Be In 1988′ followed by ‘What Went Wrong In 1988 and Why’ by the same author. Most recently we’ve had the predictions of the April 21st rapture date from Harold Camping which came to naught.

We’ve had various movements like The Jesus Movement, The Shepherding Movement, The Hyper-Faith Movement, The Healing Movement, The Deliverance Movement, The Prosperity Movement, The Laughing Revivals, The Personal Prophecy Movement, The Gold Dust and Teeth Movement, The Neo-Apostolic Movement and on and on ad infinitum. All gathering vast followings and each adding to the mix of new revelations as well as book and CD sales in the billions. We’ve watched millions flock to revivals in Toronto, Kansas City, Pensacola and Lakeland seeking to get healed, delivered or refreshed and revived by the Lord.

To our dismay great ministries and leaders have risen and fallen, rocked by financial scandal or sexual indiscretion. Not to mention the revelations of the Catholic pedophilia scandals that left the world aghast and who knows how many lives broken and shattered? Let’s face it, religion can be dangerous business.

No doubt, there have been many side roads that we have gotten off on that have often led in the wrong direction. But God is still in control of the ship and as Captain He can get us to the right destination if we follow his lead.

Today we stand on the brink of a great worldwide leadership and financial crisis that is rocking the foundations of every nation on earth. The Church is not exempt from this as many Christians are facing tremendous financial struggle; some losing jobs, homes and businesses in the economic downturn. We also see natural disasters occurring at a rapid pace everywhere as the earth and heavens shake.

But what will happen next? many are asking. What lies ahead for us as believers? Here’s my take on it all. Schools out! With all of the learning, revelation and (hopefully) growth that has taken place through the new awakening of the past four decades it’s time to get to work. The Church is now faced with the greatest opportunity in our lifetimes for taking Christ to the world. Let’s get on with it.

If you have learned how to use your faith . . . now is the time to use it for the Kingdom. If you have learned how to heal . . . get to work, there are a lot of sick people who need you. If you’ve prospered financially by following the prosperity teachers . . . don’t keep it for yourself, sow it into the kingdom. If you can preach . . . preach now! If you can teach . . . teach now! Whatever you have gotten through all of this, it’s time to put it to work for the King of Kings. After all He owns you! “For you are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Cor. 6:20

If we are in the Last Days we can expect the Master of the House to return soon from his journey. If you have not been investing what He gave you, now is the time to start. While there is still time ‘let’s get crackin’! If my calculations are right I know exactly when Jesus will return: In an hour when we least expect him. (Matt. 24:44) That’s right, when we least expect the Lord He will appear.

How one views what’s happening in the world today is a matter of perspective. If your affections are set on the things above . . . great! If on things of the earth you may be in trouble. It’s really up to you and me. We have to SET our affections where we want them to be. After that fear can become faith, crisis can become opportunity and the end can really be the beginning.

Schools out! But it’s not time for summer break, it’s time to find a Kingdom job and get to work! God will take care of us if we will take care of that.

Introductory Note:  As part of my study on the infiltration of eastern religions into the Church I will be writing about the acceptance of Yoga exercises that has become a part of many Christian Church health and meditation programs. Realizing that this invasion of false spirits is much more serious than most think I wanted to send this article from a Hindu Yogi who operates out of Altamonte Springs , Florida . As I was preparing to leave for Tampa this morning to minister the Gospel in a Church there I wanted to send this article from Yogi Baba Prem to you as a pre curser to what will follow in Part 4 of  my ‘Hidden Threads of Deception’ series.

I pray that those who receive this will take the time to read it as I consider this series to be of utmost importance to what is happening in America and across the western world Church at this time.

Craig Marlatt

A Letter from Hindy Guru Yogi Baba Prem

                                                                                   There is no Christian Yoga.

By Yogi Baba Prem, Vedavisharada, CYI, C.ay, C.va

It was quite astonishing to see on the flyer “Christian Yoga! This Thursday night….”  I could feel the wheels spinning in my brain.  “Christian Yoga”, I thought.  Now while Christians can practice yoga, I am not aware of any Christian teachings about yoga.  Yoga is not a Judeo/Christian word!  It is not a part of the Roman Catholic teachings and certainly not a part of protestant teachings.  It is not found within the King James Version of the bible.  It is a Hindu word, or more correctly a Sanskrit word from the Vedic civilization.  So how did we get “Christian Yoga”?

From this I could conclude that “Christian Yoga” could only indicate one of two possibilities:

1)      Christianity is threatened by yoga and is attempting to take over this system that is expanding and successfully teaching spirituality to the masses.

2)      Christianity is subconsciously attempting to return to the spiritual roots of civilization—the Vedic civilization.

I thought to myself, “why would they want to take over yoga?”  Could it be due to the decline of members within the Christian church within the last 60 years?  Is this an extensive marketing plan cooked up in some New York marketing guru’s head?  Is it an attempt to water down the teachings of yoga and import their own teachings into the system?  Or is it that they cannot stand not to own everything spiritual?

I think the best reason might be that yoga, and eastern spirituality, offered answers to the spiritual questions that the spiritually hungry masses had.  It offered a practical, rational, logical, and truthful approach to spirituality.  It did not contain any form of  self-righteous condemnation, but offered love and acceptance to all.   It did not prey upon victims with terms such as “Sin” and “eternal damnation”.  But most importantly, it had answers!  It offered a practical approach to cultivating a relationship with divinity.  It offered a systematic approach and an abstract approach to meet the varying temperaments of the spirituality hungry.

The second possibility was that Christianity was itself looking for answers.  Possibly the fundamentalist view, inflexibility, and condemnation was no longer fulfilling the needs of the masses or the leaders of the church.  Offering yoga classes allowed the Christian to secretly practice Hinduism without having to renounce their Christian tradition.

Possibly by embracing the technology of yoga and meditation, the Christian church could finally return to the idea of love and acceptance that it believed it was founded upon.  It is ironic that one religion would need to look to another religion to teach them about love, peace, harmony, and forgiveness. If successful, it could embrace these ancient teachings and save itself from what has been a steady decline in church attendence of the past few decades.

But possibly in their wisdom, the current fathers of the church realized that their time as a dominte religion was coming to a close.  So within America they must absorb yoga before they are absorbed by it.  This is a common religious view that has appeared numerous times within world history.  Absorbing yoga would allow the church to  more quickly move their resources to India .  Taking over the country would allow them to own all the spirituality, and then ‘pick and chose’ which tasty spiritual treats they would share.  After all they have 2000 years practice with this.

Indian being a loving, peaceful people, openly embraced their brothers from the west.  They looked the other way as their temples were torn down.  They accepted it as karma as their families were torn apart over differing religious beliefs.  The Indians thought it was thoughtful of the missionaries to dress up just like swami’s, to be “just like them” and to share in their kindred spirit.

Modern day scholars from India frequently present the attitude of “let them have yoga, I am interested in protecting Hinduism.”  I have heard this sentiment on numerous occasions, but the reality is that yoga is a part of Hinduism.  Allowing one part to be taken from Hinduism opens a door for the distortion of the teachings.  We must remember that the roots to modern day yoga comes from Vedic Yoga.  The same Vedic Yoga that is the authority of Hinduism.   Allowing one branch to be severed from the tree of knowledge will not necessarily kill that tree, but it can produce strain and have an unbalancing effect upon the tree.

Hinduism should reclaim its full heritage and not allow other groups to rename its sacred teachings under their banner, especially when they have no history of those teaching within their own system.  If they wish to ‘borrow’ and say this comes from our brothers and sisters in Hinduism, then that is another thing.  But frequently groups attempt to privatize the information and present themselves as the original authority.  Hinduism should guard against its sacred traditions becoming distorted and taken away.

Scholars at universities should take the stand that yoga is part of Hinduism, though one is one required to be a Hindu to practice yoga. It is important to acknowledge the roots of the tradition; after all we are expected to give credit to the orginial sources within books and research papers, but yet Hindu scholars have ignored this fundamental western view when it comes to their own heritage.

One does need to be Hindu to practice yoga, but it is clear from historical evidence that Yoga comes from Hinduism.

Copyright 2005.  Ypgi Baba Prem All Rights Reserved.

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;”  2Ti 4:3

During the past several weeks I have received quite a number of responses concerning the articles I have written on The Hidden Threads of Deception. Some have suggested that my concern for Yoga in the Church is unfounded as it is really just a system of exercise and basically harmless. Others have agreed that it is a dangerous practice, including some who had quit practicing Yoga themselves recognizing the spiritual affect it was having on their faith. In response I might ask this simple question: “What communion hath light with darkness? And what agreement hath the Temple of God with idols?” (2 Cor. 6:14-16)

I am reminded of a time when our first child Daniel and I were taking a Karate class together. He was only seven and I thought it would be good to do something where we could spend father and son time together and besides, what kid doesn’t want to be the next Bruce Lee? We went to several classes and the leader of the dojo really like Daniel and said he had great potential. I felt a bit uneasy about some of the things they did and shared my uneasiness with one of the leaders. I was concerned that if I eventually stopped going and Daniel continued in karate it might introduce him to other religions that might weaken his Christian beliefs. To this the young devotee replied, “I used to believe that way and was going to Church all the time but I don’t feel the same way now. Learning karate has really opened my eyes to a deeper spirituality”. We never went back after that.

When Paul spoke about a believer being the Temple of the Holy Spirit he was not talking about physical fitness. Today we tend to use this passage to support our ideas concerning eating habits, health and fitness, but Paul is speaking about the defiling of our conscience. Our conscience is the means through which the Holy Spirit in us guides us into the things of God, warning us of the bad and confirming the good.

Participating in things practiced by those who worship idols or false religions can defile the conscience in the same way that knowingly eating meat offered to idols can. Just like the young karate instructor, he didn’t know exactly when he had changed, but he knew that he now thought differently then before. By practicing things connected to the forbidden, his conscience had lost its ability to be convicted by the Holy Spirit in this area. It all seemed innocent, but the effect was a genuine separation from his Christian beliefs into Eastern religion. He had forgotten who he was.

I realize that writing about such things can put me on the ‘Christian extremist’ lists of folks who think otherwise, but we are living in dangerous times and we can see the result of the influx of foreign belief systems into the Church in America and how it has weakened our National Conscience. Tolerance has become the religion of America and it is just this that we must stand against when it comes to our faith and the future of our nation. The great Christian thinker G.K. Chesterton once said, “Tolerance is the religion of someone who doesn’t know what they believe”. In the human community tolerance is necessary to live among others, but in matters of faith it can dilute our certainty until we are no longer sure of what we believe. Jesus said to the church of Laodicea, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15-16)

In truth, there is no such thing as a National Conscience; it is simply the compilation of the consciences of all the individuals that make up that nation. Ours has become polluted and now we are fighting for our survival. Why? We have forgotten who we are as Americans and as Christians. We have adopted some of the practices of those who worship foreign gods and the mixture has weakened the Church and thus weakened the nation. God hates mixture! He will not share his Glory with another.

When the Israelites were brought out of Egypt they were warned that as they began to take the promise land they were not to adopt any of the customs of the people; not to marry their wives nor practice their religious beliefs. In fact in most cases they were told to obliterate all of the peoples who inhabited those lands because of their false beliefs and practices. God did not want his ‘chosen people’ to become polluted with these things. Their disobedience to God’s commands cost them dearly and still today the Jewish people suffer for the sins of their forefathers.

God is serious about our sanctification and He is serious about Himself. So serious it took the sacrifice of his Son to clear the way for humanity to again know God.

We too must deem precious what He has given to us and protect our conscience and our faith by heeding His Word. Let us put away those things that have no place in Him or in the Christian life. We serve the only True God. As Christians we must be sure of this in our hearts. Christianity is not about peace and love; it is about God and his plan of redemption for mankind. It is just this simple. We should not be looking to justify those things that are not that bad, but instead we must practice those things that are definitely good. In doing this we will grow in God’s Grace and knowledge, and glorify Him with our lives.

If ever there was a group of intellectuals that needed psychiatric care it would be among those who practice psychiatry. B4U-Act is an organization whose ultimate goal is to remove pedophilia from the ‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ (DSM) and re-categorize it as ‘Minor Attraction’.

Established in 2003 as a 501 (c)(3) organization, B4U-Act focuses on removing the barriers between the general community of people and pedophiles. A coalition of working mental health professionals and self identified pedophiles, B4U-Act believes that pedophilia is something that people are usually born with and they have no responsibility for that any more than does a homosexual for their attractions to those of the same sex.

In their most recent conference held last week in Baltimore around 50 persons – a mixture of admitted pedophiles and mental health professionals – gathered to further the organizations agenda of normalizing pedophilia to the general public and removing it’s ‘stigma’ as a mental disorder requiring prosecution as a vice. Child advocates Matt Barber, Vice President of Liberty Counsel Action, and Dr. Judith Reisman, a visiting law professor at Liberty University School of Law, attended the conference and reported some of the highlights of this conference as follows:

• ·       Pedophiles are “unfairly stigmatized and demonized” by society.
• ·       There was concern about “vice-laden diagnostic criteria” and “cultural baggage of wrongfulness.”
• ·       “We are not required to interfere with or inhibit our child’s sexuality.”
• ·       “Children are not inherently unable to consent” to sex with an adult.
• ·       “In Western culture sex is taken too seriously.”
• ·       “Anglo-American standard on age of consent is new [and ‘Puritanical’]. In Europe it was always set at 10 or 12. Ages of consent beyond that are relatively new and very strange, especially for boys. They’ve always been able to have sex at any age.”
• ·       An adult’s desire to have sex with children is “normative.”
• ·       Our society should “maximize individual liberty. … We have a highly moralistic society that is not consistent with liberty.”
• ·       “Assuming children are unable to consent lends itself to criminalization and stigmatization.”
• ·       “These things are not black and white; there are various shades of gray.”
• ·       A consensus belief by both speakers and pedophiles in attendance was that, because it vilifies MAPs, pedophilia should be removed as a mental disorder from the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), in the same manner homosexuality was removed in 1973.

* It is my understanding that at this point Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel Action stood up and asked “what would be an acceptable age of consent for children?” To which no one replied, indicating their contention that any age is acceptable as long as they are molested in a “loving manner” (sic).

Dr. Fred Berlin, Founder of Johns Hopkins Sexual Disorder Clinic, acknowledged that it was political activism, similar to that witnessed at the conference, rather than scientific considerations that successfully led to the declassification of homosexuality as a mental disorder: The reason “homosexuality was taken out of DSM is that people didn’t want the government in the bedroom,” he said. Dr. Berlin appeared to endorse the politically maligned clinical practice of “reparative therapy” for homosexuals and pedophiles alike, saying, “If someone, for their own reasons, doesn’t want to live a homosexual lifestyle, I tell them that it’s hard but I’ll try to help them.”

“The DSM” (he said) “ignores that pedophiles “have feelings of love and romance for children” in the same way adult heterosexuals and homosexuals have romantic feelings for one another. “The majority of pedophiles are gentle and rational.” The DSM should “focus on the needs” of the pedophile, and should have “a minimal focus on social control,” rather than obsessing about the “need to protect children.”

Self-descried “gay activist” and speaker Jacob Breslow said that children can properly be “the object of our attraction.” He further objectified children, suggesting that pedophiles needn’t gain consent from a child to have sex with “it” any more than we need consent from a shoe to wear it. He then used graphic, slang language to favorably describe the act of climaxing (ejaculating) “on or with” a child. No one in attendance objected to this explicit depiction of child sexual assault.

Some of the more frightening conclusions of the conference speakers are found in their clear tendency to view Anglo-Americas culture as abnormal for their Puritanical approach to adult/child sex  with statements such as, “In Western culture sex is taken too seriously” and “An adults desire to have sex with children is ‘normative’.” Their conclusions that “Our society should maximize individual liberty” and that “We have a highly moralistic society that is not consistent with liberty” reveal one of the most dangerous realities of the growing trend toward open perversity in our ‘newly enlightened’ society. One wonders if the unspoken goals of those who agree with these conclusions are based upon their own sexual preferences and a desire to themselves practice such without prosecution.

Speakers in the conference related how many societies in Africa and in the Polynesian Islands were known to have had no barriers between adults and children when first discovered by western explorers, some even marrying off their young boys to older men for a period of time to establish their proper development through oral sex and sodomy with adult men as well as open sexual activity between adult males and infant children. The discussions in general dealing with this area are too horrific to put in this article but they demonstrate the ignorance that comes from a lack of understanding among those often distinguished as ‘intellectuals” in our modern society.

What they call ‘Puritanical’ is in fact a major part of what distinguishes Christian values from those accepted and often promoted by modern scientific and philosophical beliefs. Those who support such ideas fail to recognize that the greatest advancement in societal development stem from moral realizations and practices developed in relation to Biblical Revelation. B4U-Act is just another step backwards into darkness by those who fulfill John 3:19-20: “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”

Pedophilia is no more a normal behavior than is that of a child-sex serial killer. In fact the two are often linked. To hold a high level conference of professionals like this is similar to having a seminar where hungry wolves seek to justify their appetite for lamb to an audience of sheep. One need not wonder what is on the menu when they break for lunch. Obviously the attendance in the afternoon meetings would be severely reduced.

To me this is just more clear evidence of why we must take America back from the professional idiots who are now driving the machinery of this nation’s downfall. When men call good evil and evil good those who know the truth must step in and take their place on the scrimmage line. We must stop the advance of so called ‘progressive’ thinking that is clearly a direct 180 degree turn into darkness.

It is worth noting that this type of sexual orientation coincides with the ghastly and primitive practices of Islam, revealing the total absence of Light within both the mental health community and the pedophilia practices of adult Muslim men protected by Sharia Law. Western parents who accept the conclusions of ‘B4U-Act’ or Islamic Law concerning pedophilia might want to sell their children into sex slavery now before the laws change in America and make such behaviors inconsequential. At least they can pick up some money before the value of children is reduced to nothing.

“But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.” (Eze. 33:6)

These are precarious times in both the secular world and also the Church. We should not be surprised at either as we have had full warning, for many years, of the impending struggle that was coming in both the economic world and in the spiritual.

As a servant of Christ, is not easy to write about such things without those reading beginning to think that you are just a doomsday preacher. As for me, I am just the opposite. I believe we should look to the Lord with joy and faith at all times, while always watching for the enemies hand at work.

I have taken a brief pause from my series on ‘The Hidden Threads of Deception’ so as not to discourage the readers or create a sense of negativity in my writing. I will return to that subject next week for a couple of letters as I view it as something we all need to be aware of. I have learned over the years that wherever the Holy Spirit is working, the unholy spirit won’t be far away imitating that which is good. Whenever opportunity presents itself he will even be working in the next pew. If you want to know where the Burger King is just look for a McDonalds and there will be one nearby. The enemy works in the same fashion following on the heels of the Lord.

With the recent mysterious death of Orlando Pastor Zachery Tims in a New York hotel room, and the controversial ‘white powder’ that was allegedly found on his person, it is a reminder that the enemy never quits pursuing those who have set out to serve Christ. He rarely shows his face when a Christian leader first steps off the narrow path for even a brief visit to the darkness. Instead he waits until he has climbed up the ladder of success high enough so his fall can have maximum impact to discourage believers and encourage our enemies.

Though many have lauded the testimony and good work of Pastor Tims over the years, if the white powder turns out to be narcotics, it will be his improprieties that will take center stage and the enemy will begin the slow grinding away at the faith of those who believed in their pastor, his teachings and his God. Though I did not know Pastor Tims personally I have seen this process many times in over three decades of ministry. We may never know what private battles this pastor was fighting in his own life, nor will those not associated with him likely see the results on his family, friends and followers. Usually those who are most affected will quietly drift off into oblivion, not to be heard from unless someone seeks them out to help them. Many may walk away from the faith if they do not get the help they need.

The Bible warns us of the dangers of seeking fame and riches in our service to God. We live in a time when the Church has been battered with the teachings that God wants all Christians to be rich and famous. Jesus himself said the cares of this world and deceitfulness of riches “. . . choke the Word” (Matt. 13:22). Paul said those seeking these things ” . . . pierce themselves through with many sorrows”. (I Tim. 6:3-11) Not only are we warned of these dangers, we are told as believers to “withdraw” ourselves from such and as ministers to “flee these things.” Whom do you choose to believe?

We must never forget that our enemy hates us. There is no limit to what he will do to take one soul into the pit of hell or at least spread doubt upon those standing in the wings. I encourage everyone to pray for Pastor Tims’ four children. It will be a very difficult time for them for a long while I assure you. Satan is relentless and they will need your prayers. Pray for his congregation as well that God will protect them from condemnation and doubt and bring a mature leader to their church to help them through this difficult time and bring healing to the body.

May we wake up to the times we are living in and  return to God’s Word as the ‘Only’ source of Truth upon which we can totally rely.