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1). Understand that while we need to talk about this, we don't want to divide ourselves about minutia. In another church I went to a few years ago there was a huge rift about pre-tibulation and post-tribulation rapture for example. Not good. Remember the real earthly enemy is not a brother believer.

2). The point to remember is this. John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Everything else, as interesting as it may be, is minutia.

3). It is not constructive to say another's belief in end times prophesies to be "tin foil" stuff. We may disagree, but if one reads Revelations, we are probably closer than you think.

OK....now having said that I will continue.
I believe in an old earth. I do not believe the earth is only 6000 years old. The problem with literalism is that one needs to read in context, and several times, to see what is illustrative and what is literal.

The english language is truly a caveman language slightly above grunts and groans when compared to Hebrew or Greek. How an ancient people could have had such a developed language is fascinating. We have only one word for "love" for example. The Greeks had, what...ten? So any translation into english is going to miss some of the "flavor" of the original language.

Consider the comparison of teaching a 10 year old about the mechanics of how a motor vehicle works. You would not get into metallurgy, or the mechanics of combustion. Neither would you delve into the manner in which the gasoline is burned nor about gears. You would tell him that gas goes in this hole, and the machine makes the car go if they push down on a pedal. I just recently taught my junior staff to drive, and that is the sort of discussion we had. Anything else would have been wasted.

Consider too that the education of a ten year old in 2008 America is far more along than that of a shepherd in 1000 B.C. To try to explain "the how" would be a waste of time. Some need only the IS and the WHY.

Another issue is the use of "phrases" and "jargon". For example today we might say, "I am so hungry, I could eat a horse". Isn't this similar in context to David's comments here -

Psalm 6:6 "I am weary in my groaning; all the night I make my bed swim; I melt my couch with my tears."

To take this literally is foolish and out of context isn't it? How about this one?

Revelations 9:7 "And the shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for battle. And on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men".

How would a First Century man have described a combat helicopter? Then again, I could be totally wrong, and they could in fact be giant locusts. Either way, the contextual message of the section, and of the Bible is not changed is it?

But on to the concept of "DAY"

The 24 hour day was not widely instituted until the advent of mechanical clocks. The concept of "hours" began with the Sumerians, but hours did not have a fixed length until the Greeks decided they needed such a system for theoretical calculations.

Hipparchus proposed dividing the day equally into 24 hours which came to be known as equinoctial hours (because they are based on 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness on the days of the Equinoxes). Ordinary people continued to use seasonally varying hours for a long time. Only with the advent of mechanical clocks in Europe in the 14th Century, did the system we use today become common place.

Some references to time - one from the OT and one from the NT

Psalm 90:4 For a thousand years in Your sight are as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, let not this one thing be hidden from you, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

So must science be at odds with God? I say it does not. But I aslo say that for a 21st century man, with the availability of knowledge we have today, to sneer at the four thousand year old works of a man trying to write down things that God showed him, in a way he can understand, is the height of arrogance. Science should help us to better understand God's Creation, not seek to challenge it.

A point of fact on many scientific theories. They are taken on faith just as we take the Word on faith. No one was there for the Big Bang, nor for the Creation of the earth, so whose word do we take? And to muddy it up even more...what if God's chosen method was a big explosion?

Did God create the world in six 24 hour periods, or in six different periods of time? I think that last one fits into the category of minutia. We can ask Him when we see Him. I also plan to ask Him why he loved the sissy-man Jacob more than the he-man Esau.
]]> General http://christianwarriorministries.com/index.php?itemid=22 Sun, 4 Jan 2009 15:17:34 -0600 http://christianwarriorministries.com/index.php?itemid=21
�The first part if to Speak The Word Of God verbally, through direct or indirect teaching as well as be a living example to any and all who cross your path.

�The second part of that is to fight and resist evil where ever you find it so that you, and others around you, will be able to accomplish the first part.

The first part�speaking the word, may be done on a global scale like the Billy Grahams and Greg Lauries do. It may also be done by living as an example.

Listen folks�once you accept this commission, everyone will be looking at you. Not only to see if you fail�because the soulless busybodies whose lives are spent delighting in the misery of others expect you to fail�.but because when non-believers look into the eyes of a Christian, they see a light there that they want. And they will ask you.

The second part is by being a Bold Christian. Not the passive quiet types who are so fearful of offending anyone, listing niceness over being godly, who look at their shoes when questioned, hiding their bibles and crosses.

COWARDS!! Let that never be said of us.Being a bold Christian means, as much as you are able, defending the faith, standing up for Christ, challenging false teachers, using the tools of this earth to defend the faith and promote the spread of the Gospel.

It is the cowardly and fearful passivity of the Church that has allowed God to be expelled from school, Abortion to become an accepted act, and the myriad of other abominations to become common in every walk of life from pre-school classrooms to the very presidential elections!!

We all need to do our part folks!!

We are going to talk more about SPIRITUAL WARFARE today. The term spiritual warfare is never used in the Bible, but the concept is.

Look at it there in

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though walking about in flesh, we do not war according to flesh.
For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ;

Now�as we discussed on Wednesday, there are in fact times when the warfare will be �according to the flesh�. If a bad guy walked in here this morning to kill as many Christians as possible, like happened in Colorado Springs not long ago, that guy has to be taken out with a Glock, not a prayer.

So please understand, this is not a calling to be ONLY spiritual and ignore the requirements of the earth. But the context here is SPIRITUAL.

In an earthly battle fought with flesh-killing weapons, the enemy wants to take out as many of the other sides� fighters as possible. Do you think you are immune from that on the spiritual level?? No.

The enemy is seeking to make you give up � to quit. He wants docile, passive, quiet Christians afraid to do anything at all. If he can force you to do that, he can also force you to listen to his lies, and make you sin.

There was a Chinese General named Sun Tzu who lived about the time of Christ that wrote a book called the Art Of War. It is very famous and is read by Generals as well as by Corporate Leaders. There is a passage in the book which is very applicable to our study today. In short, Sun Tzu says, If you know yourself and you know the enemy, there is no danger in any battle.

The inference there is that if any uncertainty exists, or any lack of intelligence on the enemy, you are in danger. One thing we should never have as Christians in Uncertainty. Remember � WE WIN!

Do we know our God? Yes�He loves us, supports us, gives us strength, and the weapons with which to prevail in our struggle.

Do we know the enemy? Many times the answer is no for a Christian. We need to know how the enemy attacks us to be able to fortify those weaknesses.

Now�we understand how an enemy might want to kill you physically. He can shoot you, stab you, blow you up, etc., etc. We need to know how the spiritual enemy operates. He attacks spiritually in one of three ways.

Deception
Temptation
Accusation

The objective is initially to cause you to quit the fight, secondly to sin, and in extreme cases, to deny God. The way these tools work is they play upon the very root of all sin � selfishness.

Deception � That is basically a lie. Just as we must be able to recognize false teachers�lying teachers, we need to recognize an attack by the enemy formed as a lie.

How do we do this? Simple. We know the word of God and the truth of His promise. Anything counter to that is a lie. The lie must be recognized because it is the first step of a major offensive. The lie, if accepted will lead to a temptation of some sort. The lie gives the enemy a foothold. Deny him that, and you ward off the attack.

How do you do that? The same way OUR EXAMPLE did it in the desert, with the Word of God. Defeat the lie with truth. The problem is that the evil one is really good at lying and you may not recognize the lie until you find yourself in agreement with it. Usually, you recognize it when you are being tempted.

Temptation

Listen�.we all have weaknesses in the armor don�t we? Its your job as a warrior in God�s army, and with His help, to eliminate as many of those as possible. But YOU have to take steps.

I recall one study we did on SW where the speaker illustrated the typical Modern Christian engaged in SW was like an alcoholic who buys a quart of Jack Daniels, puts in the cupboard and then pray that God will not let him drink it.

That strategy is a losing strategy folks. As much as depends on you, do not allow yourself to be led into places or situations where you will face temptation.

If you struggle with alcoholism, don�t walk into the liquor store to buy a pack of gum! There are plenty of other places�don�t be an idiot.

If you struggle with anger, be alert to those situations that may spark your temper, and either avoid them, or make a concerted effort to keep your buttons from being pushed.

If you struggle with sexual sin, don�t go places where the devil is waiting in ambush. Be constantly alert gentlemen.

1Peter 5:8 Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour;

You know, its not a sin to glance at a pretty girl, it is very normal for us guys. In fact, if you didn�t�I might worry about you a little bit. But leering at her with your tongue hanging on the floor dripping saliva is not something a Christian Man needs to be doing. A Christian man�s eye should bounce off an alluring image.

Accusation

Who among us has not sinned? Who among us, is worthy, due to our own works, or general coolness, to claim the kingdom of God?

None of us?

Exactly right. So we understand that, and we accept that truth. We also know that God has washed us clean with the Blood Of Jesus Christ, so NOTHING we have done, will count against us ever again. Christ�s mission was accomplished fully.

Still�.humans can�t grasp that type of gift or that type of generosity because we are NOT LIKE GOD. So we seem to want to try to qualify the gift. Look at certain sects of Christianity that think a soul must undergo some sort of purification in Purgatory before being admitted to Heaven. That is a form of a lie, but it is an accusation � an attack - launched at you by the enemy.

�You are not worthy. You evil filthy stinking pig. How can God ever love such a piece of trash as you�

Or something to that effect. When you hear that � guys � you have to recognize that is not of God. Would your God ever say that to you � His son or His daughter? And if it is not of Him, you know where its from.

Countermeasures

In combat, for every measure that is taken by the enemy, there is a countermeasure. Bullet Proof vests are made to thwart bullets. Night vision devices are made to thwart the use of darkness, and so on and so forth.

Well, we have countermeasures as well. They are issued to you at no cost when you join the ranks with the Living God. Look at it there in

Ephesians 6:10- 18 Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Therefore take to yourselves the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Lets look at this:

�Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

And this -

�Therefore take to yourselves the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We can be STRONG IN THE LORD. AND With the Armor of God, WE CAN WITHSTAND in the evil day

Let�s go on -

�Therefore stand, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

Truth of the Gospel and the Righteousness it gives us with � what a weapon!! Our sins are gone, paid for by Christ, and when God looks at us He sees only good.

But wait�there is more �

�Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
�And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

You must believe this�it is not just enough to know the passage. You must breathe it and know it and feel it. Faith is your shield of protection against accusations. Salvation is your guarantee.

And the sword�.yes�I like the sword. With it you can destroy any attack against you as Christ did in the desert. The Word of God. But you need to know how to use it. You must read and you must pray.

These are the very weapons used by Christ in the desert, and we have them too. Make no mistake my friends, we have a great responsibility and are facing an evil force that wants us to fail. But there is yet a far greater force on our side. When attacked all we need to do is call Him for reinforcements and He will send angels to help us.

Prayer is the Bomb for us.

All we have to do is to take the necessary steps, and then use the weapons that God has given us. Watch the evil one fleee.

God commanded us in Joshua 1:9 � to be strong and courageous. To do our part, and that He would be with us wherever we go. Trust that, rely on that truth, Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
]]> General http://christianwarriorministries.com/index.php?itemid=21 Sun, 9 Nov 2008 14:29:24 -0600 http://christianwarriorministries.com/index.php?itemid=19
WHO ARE YOU?
WHY ARE YOU HERE??
To answer "I'm Bob, or Bill....or Gabe" for that matter seems silly. Who are you really...and by extension...Why are you really here? A modern domesticated picnic basket-carrying "nice guy" might answer, "I'm Phil and I'm here because my wife tells me to go". Sound familiar? No I say!!

When asked WHO ARE YOU??, A Christian Warrior would answer - I Am A Mighty Man Of God and I Am Here To Fight And Resist Evil Wherever I Find It.

What a difference!!! It is a simple matter of clarity of mission and purity of focus. You need not go hunt for a job....God will bring one to you. And once you have been given your orders by the General of Generals...the Lord God of Hosts, you pick up your cross and move out.

This may be as simple and safe as teaching young kids about true Christianity on Sunday, or running your business as an uncompromising Christian leader. It may deal with teaching those whom God has called to the sword how to use it, or it may involve other things. Then again, God may make it far simpler and place you at ground zero of the next Virginia Tech shooting....or the next Flight 93. Be alert....and ready!

To serve with distinction, you must serve with your heart and your mind....all of it.

The next question may be WHAT DO YOU WANT?

A common secular man may ask for a Plasma TV, or to be liked by his shallow, spiritless, and undeserving co-workers. Not the Christian Warrior. His calling is higher than the approval of others. A Christian Warrior wants FREEDOM FOR HIS PEOPLE. The freedom provided by the gift of the Warrior Of Warriors, the Lord Jesus Christ. FREEDOM!!

I might add that we are also to emulate the Lord Jesus. Quite true! He is the Lamb, but He is also the Lion. We have been "lambized" so much we seem to have forgotten the ferocity of the lion. To many, the Lamb is comfortable, and safe, and cuddly, while the Lion is wild and unpredictable. Don't forget the Lion. We were born for battle....the greatest battle history has ever known. The battle between good and evil. The enemy wants us passive, secular pumpkin boys who are nice and sedate and who afraid of the fierce lion God has placed in our hearts, and convinces us to suppress it daily.

Do not fall to the lie brothers...embrace the Lion's ferocity. And if you are skilled and you are strong, never forget that it is by His hand that you are these things. Being proud of what God has called you to do is one thing...being arrogant is quite another.

Blessed be the Lord my rock
Who trains my hands for war
And my fingers for battle.

Psalm 144;1

And finally, WHERE ARE YOU GOING? That should be an easy one. I am going to join the army of the Lord in Revelations 19:11. I am going to Heaven with my God. That is the ultimate destination of my journey, and yours!

Those are the answers of a clear mind, a clear mission and a pure focus. Far too many of our brothers live by accident and have no real objectives in their lives. If that is you wake up! Snap out of the egalitarian opiate of the modern age and awake to your Christian Warrior heritage.

You have your orders, and God is watching..
]]> General http://christianwarriorministries.com/index.php?itemid=19 Sun, 9 Nov 2008 14:22:55 -0600 http://christianwarriorministries.com/index.php?itemid=16
The Rabbi asked the Pastor - "Do you think that will help?"
The Pastor replied, "Not one bit�the man can�t box�.

2 Thessalonians 3-10
For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:

Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. Sometimes we run into the Christian attitude where a believer has no interest at all in anything but supposedly spiritual issues. They seem to think that as long as they have their salvation�nothing on this earth matters at all.

Say to them - We have terrorists running around killing people. They will say � Oh�just be nice to them and love them and they will become Christians and we will all live happily ever after. Or something like � Oh�its OK, God will protect us.

Say to them � Man�your family is starving and your house is falling down. They will grudgingly look up from their bible and say � God will take care of it�God will feed us.

They are so focused on lofty and uber spiritualism that they will not lift a finger or squeeze out one drop of sweat to do anything but turn a page. They are of no use to anyone�.believer, seeker, or unbeliever. They are willing to allow the world we have been entrusted to � to fall into the hands of the forces of evil.

MATTHEW 25:19-29
After a long time the lord of those servants came and took account with them.
And so he who had received five talents came and brought another five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered five talents to me. Behold, I have gained five talents above them.

His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.

He also who had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered two talents to me. Behold, I have gained two other talents above them.
His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.

And he who had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew that you were a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter.
And I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the earth. Lo, you have yours.
His lord answered and said to him, Evil and slothful servant! You knew that I reaped where I did not sow, and gathered where I did not scatter, then you should have put my money to the exchangers, and coming I would have received my own with interest.

Therefore take the talent from him and give it to him who has ten talents.
For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will abound. But from him who has not, even that which he has shall be taken away from him.

Now listen � I am not going to tell you that God doesn�t care what we do here, and that he will not provide. He does and he will, but He is not the God of Laziness. He does not expect us to sit around open-mouthed like baby birds waiting for an air mail delivery of our daily bread.

Yes He wants us to pray to Him for blessings, for help, and for the desires of our hearts. But He also wants us to get up � if we can � and to do something about it. Faith has Feet�or so the saying goes.

But won�t God just do it for us if we pray hard enough? That is usually a question we get from folks who think it is unfaithful to act and not simply wait around for God to get tired of us asking.
The Hebrews in the OT fought horrible battles against incredible odds in the days of Joshua and David. Even in Jericho, the novice Hebrew army had to at the very least march around the city. Couldn�t God have just snapped His fingers and made Jericho disappear? Sure�.but the Hebrews needed to put some action into the soup along with the faith.

We mentioned David. He went up against a battle-hardened Phillistine Special Forces Commando giant that the rest of the Hebrews were terrified of. And he killed him deader than $1 gallon of gas. And not finished, he chopped the giant head off and raised it high as if to say � LOOK WHAT GOD CAN DO!!

Why didn�t God just vanish Goliath and save the Hebrews the need to fight? God knows more than we do. He knows we need the battle. We need the struggle. The Hebrews in general and David in poarticular needed the battle, the risk of the fight, and the ensuing victory.

The battle�the struggle, cements our faith. We fight because we believe. The lofty never do that. The ensuing victory makes your faith real and adds value to it.

Otherwise, without that, what is your faith really worth? What value does the faith of those who never risk anything have?

Today my friends we have many battles before us. The moment you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and God, you enlisted in the Army of the Most High God, and joined a world at war. Pick a battle and attack boldly. Once you have Goliath�s head, go get another one. Don�t worry�you won�t run out of Goliaths. If you do...remember the God who provides...He will kindly bring you another Goliath to behead.

Were to begin? Begin at home.

1Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his family, he has denied the faith and is worse than a hethen.

This means it is YOUR job�.your MISSION to FEED, TEACH, PROTECT, and LEAD your family. This means spiritually, emotionally, economically, AND physically. Men�.it is YOUR job. Your wife is your right hand second in command. This is your cross�your mission. Your orders from the Most High God are to pick it up and move out.

Is it hard? Yes it is. So what�.toughen up. Christians need to stop whining and crying about things. They need to do as Christ did � Cowboy up and get it done.

God didn�t make you to be a weak fearful pumpkin boy whose eyes well up with crocodile tears at the first sign of difficulty. Not at all. He made us all of sound mind and a strong spirit. He made us for combat against evil and the sons of evil. Look what He tells Joshua�one of my favorite scriptures .

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; be not frightened, neither be dismayed; for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Commanded�.not suggested.

So pray that the Lord God of Hosts will make you strong to prevail in those battles, not that we will keep battles from you.

Now this is important. Providing for those entrusted to you means your family�but in some case it may mean those outside your family whom the Lord has put under your hand or leadership. Providing means the necessities of food. Any Christian leader feeds thoe entrusted to him before he himself takes a bite.

Providing also means protecting. This could be spiritual or physical. Listen�if this nation keeps on its current path, one day what we are doing will be against the law. Or physically persecuted by evil men with evil intentions. What will you do then? What would be your first reaction if someone came in here like they did at the New Life Church in Colorado, to kill a bunch of Christians?

What will you do Oh lofty and spiritual Christian?

Your mission has not changed, but it has gotten harder. Will you deny your God to get along in society? Or will you pray for divine strength and holy ferocity to give your account in the fight. And arm yourself spiritually as well as physically to say a strong NO to those who would have you say no to God? Doing what we can physically but trusting the outcome to God.

How about your little ones....those entrusted to you? Have you educated them about the world? That is part of your job as well since you will not always be there. Protecting them is so much easier if they have been educated about the dangers. Make certain they are prepared and wise as serpents. Your little ones need to know there is evil in the world and they need to recognize it. Ignoring reality will not change it. It didn�t work for the ostrich and it won�t work for you.

Providing also means leadership. Do you tell your family to live a godly life and then not follow your own advice? Lead from the front�lead by example.

Want a good example? Look at Christ. The real Christ not the sedate, sissy boy Christ of modern mega-churches. The Lion of Judah who tells us to be strong at the same time you are kind and to be courageous at the same time you are loving. THAT Christ. Be like Him and see how it changes your family.

When you look beyond your own house�providing, and specially leading, may entail defending the faith. This may not only mean physically defending the faith as we discussed earlier, that part is easy. It may mean defending the faith against government intrusions, false teachers, you name it.

How will you deal with a deceiver � a false teacher? The lofty will quietly go home and pray, never wanting to offend or make waves. You know what those empty souls are praying for? For a real Christian like you to jump into the scene and put the false teacher in his place with our God smiling in the background.

How did Christ deal with false teachers and deceivers? Did He just ignore them? Did He watch His words lest their self-esteem be shattered? No. He called them out. He got in their face. I recall reading references to Him calling them hypocrites, blasphemers, brood of vipers, right there in front of everyone.

Do you realize that under the standards of many churches today, Christ would be judged as insensitive and mean spirited? He even called Herrod a �fox�. In those days it was the equivalent of calling someone a lotiony-handed metro-sexual (and I am being kind in the translation)!

Today the sons and daughters of the Most High God will look at their shoes and keep quiet lest they say something that might offend, and apologize for their faith through mumbled lips as they scurry off to their prayer closet. NO�BY GOD!

When faced with one of these magicians of false religion challenge him. Train yourself in the word like a soldier trains with a rifle so you can fight and destroy him. Think of how many will likely be saved from the wrong path when you prevail, and how many may be lost if you turn into a chicken boy. Stop thinking you need to be politically correct so you do not devolve into worthlessness. Christ was not that way. You should not either.

Listen�there is a reason why God put you there in front of the false teacher. That is your cross. Pick it up and fight with it.

Here is a good one�one that is avoided in most church discussions.

How will you vote?

Will you vote with the mindless masses as they jump in one suicidal leap into the abyss of godless liberalism �

Or will you vote for those who are also Christians, who most think like we do, who will do all they can to defend the faith in their assigned offices, who are in the same army of God as you are?

What sort of a nation would we have if Christians did these things? How many of us are out there? We would change families, cities, states and even the country itself!!

Think of your little ones, entrusted to you by God. If we don�t fight for the faith today�.for their future faith, what sort of world will they inherit? And what of their kids? You don�t want them growing up wearing a burka and praying to some wannabe pseudo-god from Arabia do you? So fight the good fight while you are here.

Do your part � now here on earth. And not just evangelizing, but defending and promoting the faith with your words, your example, your actions, your vote, and even maybe your blood.

Nehemiah 4:14
And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people.

Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your homes.

We are at war in this world. Pray that God makes you equal to the task, and then take your place in the battle.

]]> General http://christianwarriorministries.com/index.php?itemid=16 Sun, 9 Nov 2008 14:11:44 -0600 http://christianwarriorministries.com/index.php?itemid=9
Lets look at this. Submission to authority is in effect, a contract. Think of our submission to God. We submit because He is God. He will never lie to us, deceive us, nor go back on His word. Thus we should submit to God with no reservations.

Next is the contract between man and wife. The wife does not submit unconditionally. She submits as long as the husband is seeking Christ as an example and loving her as Christ loves the church. If the husband pushes her around and demands she do something evil, she is not to submit any longer. This submission is conditional because while God is perfect, husbands are not.

The contract between family and church is the same. If a pastor brings in some Imam to teach Sunday worship, the families of that church should boot the pastor in the a** so hard he can taste Vibram on his lips. Submission to church is also conditional.Government is no different. A government that stands against God directly, against His people or their way of life is NOT to be submitted to in any way shape or form. To do so places worship of law and worship of government above worship of God.

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the powers that be are ordained of God.

Leaders and higher authorities are allowed by God to protect and promote the good (God's law). When they cease to do this, they are no longer of God.

God may allow an evil ruler, but that does not mean we must submit ti him. Witness what a proper Christian response would have been to Hitler, Stalin, Mugabe, et al. Certainly NOT simply going along with evil plans. The resistance fighter is far more godly than the collaborator!

Where there is conflict, we stand on God's word as the basis of our beliefs and are no longer subject morally or ethically to do what the government says. God is the ultimate authority, and whatever we do must be in line with His will. As long as His will and the governments is the same, no problem. But when there is a difference, we ALWAYS stand on the word of God even if that means actively moving against established authorities. God is sovereign and omnipotent and rules all.

The Bible is full of examples where good people of God directly disobeyed the orders of their ungodly kings.

Examples include the Hebrew midwives who disobeyed Pharaoh's order to kill babies in Exodus 1:16-17, the flight of Moses from Egypt after killing the Egyptian in combat, Rahab lying to the king in Joshua 2:4, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego disobeying the king in Daniel 3:13-20, and Daniel disobeying the king in Daniel 6:10. And lets not forget Joseph fleeing to Egypt with Mary and Jesus in direct disobedience to Herrod in Matthew 2:14. And our Lord Jesus was certainly not an unconditional submissive when He challenged the Pharisees, cleansed the Temple, and taught His people.

Did you know the laws of our own civil government adopt this view? According to the Declaration of Independence, the "laws of nature and of nature's God" are laws higher than the laws of England (and, by implication, higher than the laws of any human civil government). The laws of nature are God's moral law written on the heart as the conscience, and the laws of nature's God are the laws of God revealed in the scripture.
The Declaration of Independence also says that it is not merely our right, but also our duty, to throw off a civil government when that civil government, �by a long train of abuses and usurpations, shows that its goal is to reduce the people under absolute despotism."�

Unconditional submission to anything or anyone except God Himself, amounts to idolatry. This includes good things as well as bad ones. Remember Peter's bold answer to the ruling Council:

Acts 5:29 And Peter and the apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Seems very clear to me. So why do so many churches and so many pastors ignore this? One reason...it is easy. It is easy to simply go along. It is easy to not make waves. It is easy to simply bow the head and do as you are told. It is far easier to pray in tears, than to throw a grenade.

The time will come soon when lines must be drawn and this ill-conceived and misinterpreted doctrine purged from the minds of believers. Under normal circumstances we should submit to just and necessary laws and rules, but when those same rules become ungodly and unjust, we must make a choice.
]]> General http://christianwarriorministries.com/index.php?itemid=9 Fri, 7 Nov 2008 18:33:53 -0600 http://christianwarriorministries.com/index.php?itemid=3 THE HISTORICAL VIEW

As we whistle through the first decade of the New millennium, we find ourselves embroiled in conflict with a new enemy. The previous century saw conflicts between city-states, between small states, large nations and even between regions. We saw a �cold war� between political ideologies. This new war is much more than that and before the final shot is fired, we will see its zones of conflict will span and traverse all boundaries whether political, social, or of faiths. Truly it is a struggle of faiths. Colored otherwise as it may be by politician and media pundit alike, it is clear that this is a struggle between Islam (the so-called religion of peace), and the Christian-based nations of the Western world, with its focal point being, as it has been for decades, the tiny nation of Israel.

So it is with this backdrop that I want to examine the Christian Doctrine of Pacifism. I and may of my colleagues do not believe such a doctrine is biblically correct. My objective then is to find whence it came into acceptance, who brought it, and possibly determine why. Knowing this we can make rational decisions about whether such a perspective truly is of God�or not.

I want to point out that I am a born again Christian. Yet, although I prefer living in peace, I am no pacifist. When I became a Christian, I was prepared to sell all my guns and knives and adopt whatever life the Lord put in front of me. But the spirit did not lead me to cast away my sword, only to put it in its correct place�specifically as a tool of justice. THE HISTORICAL VIEW

As we whistle through the first decade of the New millennium, we find ourselves embroiled in conflict with a new enemy. The previous century saw conflicts between city-states, between small states, large nations and even between regions. We saw a �cold war� between political ideologies. This new war is much more than that and before the final shot is fired, we will see its zones of conflict will span and traverse all boundaries whether political, social, or of faiths. Truly it is a struggle of faiths. Colored otherwise as it may be by politician and media pundit alike, it is clear that this is a struggle between Islam (the so-called religion of peace), and the Christian-based nations of the Western world, with its focal point being, as it has been for decades, the tiny nation of Israel.

So it is with this backdrop that I want to examine the Christian Doctrine of Pacifism. I and may of my colleagues do not believe such a doctrine is biblically correct. My objective then is to find whence it came into acceptance, who brought it, and possibly determine why. Knowing this we can make rational decisions about whether such a perspective truly is of God�or not.

I want to point out that I am a born again Christian. Yet, although I prefer living in peace, I am no pacifist. When I became a Christian, I was prepared to sell all my guns and knives and adopt whatever life the Lord put in front of me. But the spirit did not lead me to cast away my sword, only to put it in its correct place�specifically as a tool of justice.

I�ve killed men in combat and do not regret it for a moment. Moreover, if God puts me in the place of battle again facing men of evil, I will do so again without hesitation. I firmly believe that Jesus does not teach pacifism, but rather He teaches us to seek peace. There is a difference there. True Pacifism (peace at any price) and Seeking Peace (but not at any price) are separated by a wide gulf.

As much as depends on us, we are to try to live in peace with all men. But often, such things do not depend on us. We are entrusted with the world by God. Although we are to have a light touch on the things of this world while earnestly seeking Him, we are not called to ignore the world with an excessively lofty spiritual view of things. Rather good stewardship demands that we act well with those things (people) entrusted to us�just like the parable of the talents.

We are to provide for those entrusted to us (family, church, etc.). To deny this cross is to deny the faith and be worse than an unbeliever. Provision includes food, shelter, spiritual guidance AND safety. Some may say that that is why they pay taxes�so the government will protect them. Sorry, that won�t do it completely. Just as we would not expect the United States Government (and would in fact resist it if it tried) to provide us with food, housing, and religious teaching, neither can we abrogate the right and duty to provide for our own protection, and that of our families. To cause others to deny their cross this way (via incorrect teachings) is even worse, and the future of such are filled with waiting millstones.

We are all magistrates of God�s word and kingdom. Just as we would not allow unchallenged teachings of blasphemy and immorality to our churches and children, so must we resist (in love) unsound teachings. And similarly must we resist violent crimes, and terrorism as much as we are physically (and spiritually) able. Where the spoken word of prayer may be enough in one case, the threat of violent physical action via the readiness of the sword (or in our day the availability of the loaded pistol) will suffice.

We can make a good case, based on scripture, that peace at any price (Pacifism) is not sound doctrine. We did that very thing in this essay titled The Foolishness Of Christian Pacifism.

I will seek to find the first instances of pacifism in the writings of early church leaders. We will examine the social issues of the day as well as the dynamics of the Christian in society to see why such a stance may have been taken.

First I want to be clear about the definitions. A pacifist is a person who refuses to act in violence in any way, for any reason, or at any time. Such a person will die, and watch others die, before ever resorting to violent means to save himself or others. In contrast, one can love peace and seek it, but not at any price. A man can desire peace with a gun in his hand.

One thing I immediately noticed in my research was that the arguments for pacifism revolved around the propriety of Christian service in the Roman military. Nothing was written until much later about the physical resistance of brigands by individual citizens. Since almost every sin was elaborated on in the early writings, some that we had never even heard of, it is curious that individual violence in self-defense was conspicuously missing�.perhaps in their minds one had nothing to do with the other. Perhaps it was due to the oath required for military service.

THE ROMAN MILITARY OATH

The First century world of the Christian church was ruled by the iron fist of Rome. Although the Gospel was being spread daily, paganism and idolatry were still very prevalent. In the roman army, they were the order of the day.

Whether Christian or pagan, inductees into the Roman Army were required to swear the oath of the Roman military. The roman soldier had to pledge allegiance in a sacred oath, known as the Sacramentum. This pledge included the idea that a position in the Roman military was of sacred importance. The oath was recited on enlistment, on the third of January, and on the anniversary of the current emperor's reign. One of the main points of the oath is to whom the soldier pledged his loyalty: in the Republic, the commander of the unit received the pledge; while in the Empire, the emperor received the pledge. This change was enacted under Augustus, who believed the oath could be used by generals to place the power of the emperor over the soldiers.

Here is one version of it:

�I swear by Jupiter Optimus Maximus and by any other god I may hold in my heart to be holy, and by the majesty of the Imperator and by the Senate of Rome, which next to our gods should be loved and worshipped by the human race. I, swear to perform with enthusiasm whatever the Imperator and my Legion commander should command, follow all laws set forth by the Senate of Rome, never to desert, and not to shrink from death on behalf of the Roman State.�

I can see several points that any Christian, specially a 1st Century one, would find objectionable. Add to this the fact that Caesar used the army to persecute and kill Christians, often sacrificing them to their gods, and you get a picture where it becomes untenable for a true Christian to be involved with them. Compare this to a modern illustration: A Christian being conscripted into the German SS during WW2, knowing they must deny God and serve Hitler, as well as knowing they will be ordered to commit atrocities. What kind of Christian would go along with that? A similar set of circumstances was taking place for the early Christians.

One of the early apologists was Justin of Caesarea, often referred to as Justin Martyr. He wrote in 140 A.D. � 160 A.D. His assertion was that the prophesies in Isaiah 2:4 with regards to the New Kingdom, were already here.

Isaiah 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Isaiah was prophesying about the New Kingdom, not the kingdom still on earth. As we know, to this day, nations are still killing each other and the Lord has not yet come to institute His reign. Much less in Justin�s day. Great Christian apologist or not, he a man, and was wrong with his interpretation and timing.

Apologists who followed Justin Martyr, such as Irenaeus, Clement, Origin, and others prior to the Council of Nicea also referred to the Isaiah argument as their biblical justification against military service in the Roman army for Christians.

Tertullian was another apologist who wrote between 160 � 220 A.D. in North Africa. He noted, �There is no agreement between the Divine (sacrament) and the human sacrament (Roman Oath)�.

Furthermore, Tertullian writes, �Shall it be held awful to make an occupation of the sword, when the Lord preaches that he who uses the sword shall perish by the sword? And shall the son of peace take part in the battle when it does not become him even to sue at law?�

Tertullian makes quite a leap here. First of all, Christ did not eschew the sword. Rather he taught the sword in its proper place, and that those whose only resource was violence would inevitably perish by it. In Luke 22:36-38 Christ admonishes us to be prepared to provide for our own security vis a vis the sword.

Luke 22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

Luke 22:37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

Luke 22:38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

We can argue about the meaning of this Scripture, but the fact remains that Christ told His men to arm themselves. When they returned to him with two swords, he did not correct them as He did at other times when they mistook His teachings, but rather told them that two was enough.
The sword was meant for physical protection against evil men in a fallen world. It was not to be relied upon exclusively, but rather kept in its proper place and for its proper use.

John 18:10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

John 18:11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

Luke 22:50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

Luke 22:51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

Moreover, Christ did in fact tell Peter the Swordsman that those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. But in what context?

Matthew 26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

Matthew 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Matthew 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

Matthew 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

Consider the context. Christ was being arrested and surrounded. It was His mission to give himself up and be sacrificed. If His men stood and fought at that moment they would have been killed. Those who took up the sword at that particular time would have certainly been killed by the swords of the enemy.

Christ would not tell His men to arm themselves and later contradict His teachings.

Tertulians reference to suing refers to Matthew 5:25.

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Matthew 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Matthew 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Matthew 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

Matthew 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Specifically this refers to suing a brother, or being in agreement with a brother (a fellow believer). Many of the courtesies described in Scripture refer to daily dealings between fellow believers. Thus we should seek remedies without resorting to suing and fighting between members of the Church.

In reading the context of Tertullian I see that he was trying to convince Christians to not serve in the military and was seeking scriptures to support that stance. In other words, if suing a brother was not becoming, how then could one persecute and murder a brother, even if ordered to do so by a military commander.

Cyprian, a disciple of Tertullian wrote, � It is hypocrisy to proclaim a hero and valiant, the person who will destroy and devastate the life and property of innocent people in organized warfare when if the same occurs in peacetime, it is considered a crime�. The key words are �innocent people�, as distinguished from evil aggressors. One can hardly disagree with such a point.

The last Pre-Constantine apologist was Lactantius. He wrote a mammoth treatise named the Divine Institutes on or about 300 A.D. This is what he said, � For when God forbids us to kill, He not only prohibits us from open violence, which is not even allowed by public laws, but He warns us against the commission of those things which are esteemed lawful among men�.
Although, like the others, Lactantius was no doubt well-meaning, his grasp of the scriptures was incomplete. God does not forbid killing (in fact He often requires it), but rather He forbids murder. The gulf between the two is wide and deep. And although defining and describing what each one is would be easy, it would take space which this essay does not have in surplus. In short killing is an act that can be justified or condemned based in the intent of the actor. Killing may be justified, murder is never justified.

Exodus 20:13 You shall not murder.

Without the biblical prohibition against killing, Lactantius� argument falls apart.

So we can summarize that Pre-Constantine apologists had objections to Christians serving in the Roman Army in particular, and because of that objected to all martial pursuits. They based their objections because of the demands of the Roman military oath that went in conflict with God�s law, and because of the military activity in the persecution of Christians in particular. Moreover, they based their �swords into plowshares� argument on the belief that the New Kingdom spoken about by Isaiah was here and now, and not in the future. Likewise a confused understanding of the difference between killing and murder supported a pacifistic view.

CONSTANTINE�S CONVERSION

Many years later, in 312 A.D., Constantine stood near a bridge in Italy preparing to battle Licinius for the city of Rome. There he had a vision. In the vision he saw the shape of a cross with the words, �Conquer By This�.

Constantine fashioned a cross of two spears and marched it at the front of his army, routing the enemy and capturing Rome.

In 313 A.D. Constantine granted freedom of religion to all and ended the persecution of Christians. It is argued by some that Constantine was never a Christian and that he was a pagan to his dying day. Nevertheless, the effects he had on the church were profound.

Since Christians would not be required to swear by an oath not acceptable to them, and since sacrifice and persecution of Christians was no longer required, Christians now saw themselves free to serve in the army of Rome, and the distinction between secular and spiritual virtually disappeared.

In 314 A.D. at a council in Arles, church leaders announced, �They who throw away their weapons in time of peace shall be excommunicated�. Excommunication was by far a fate worse than death to early Christians and usually reserved for the worst of the worst. Thus to cast away one�s weapons in time of peace was held right up there with witchcraft, sodomy, heresy, and all the other 4th Century major crimes.

Athanasius and Ambrose, two Post-Nicene church leaders promoted the necessity of Christians to support the secular government via military service, and pronounced it as service to God.

Athanasius is one of the writers of catholic doctrine. On or about 350 A.D., he wrote, �Murder is not permitted, but to kill one�s adversary in war is both lawful and praiseworthy�.

Well!

Ambrose was more specific. He did not distinguish between a soldier in war or a citizen in peace. In 375 A.D. he wrote, �And that courage which either protects the homeland against barbarians in war, or defends the weak at home, or saves one�s comrades from brigands, is full of righteousness�.

Well! Well!

Ambrose is noteworthy in that he is the first of the early writer I am aware of that lists �soldier defending nation, policeman defending the weak, and armed citizen defending against brigands� in the same context of courage and righteousness.

Augustine was there in 409 A.D. when the Goths sacked Rome. He came to see the church as having the responsibility to provide for the welfare of the nation�specifically in the context of security.

Remember this scripture - 1Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.

It was Augustine who formulated the concept of the just war. A just war would be approved by God if the following conditions were met:

1). War is declared by the sovereign of state.

2). War is to be declared only after all peaceful means of accomplishing resolution have been exhausted. Inner love must be the motivation.

3). The objective must be the punishment or prevention of evil, injustice, or atrocity.

4). It must be directed to enemy forces, not to innocents.

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274 A.D.) a definer of Catholic theology confirmed Augustine�s Just War Concept, as did Martin Luther, and John Calvin.

I believe that the early apologists advocated pacifism because of the odious requirements of Roman military service. And that once those specific requirements were no longer an issue, military service was not only acceptable, but desirable. Further, that the use of arms in personal defense was common in those days and differentiated from military service as always acceptable even when military service might not be.

Today, there are some who still believe that to be a Christian is to be a pacifist. I will submit that such a doctrine is not only ungodly, but may be immoral and sinful in many cases, if not simply cowardly. Some who advocate pacifism have, like the servant in the parable, buried their talent in the dirt rather than put it to good use. They believe that what takes place here on earth is not �of no consequence�. To the contrary, we are entrusted with this world and must show we have used our �talents� well.

Pacifism is immoral because the pacifist enjoys the security provided by the warrior without paying for it either physically or spiritually. He won�t die to protect his children, but expects you to do so in his stead. In essence, the pacifist is a coward hiding his cowardice in spiritualism.

It is clear that the argument over pacifism in the early church was predicated on the excesses of the roman military service, and the Military Oath in particular. Once such requirements ended, the pacifistic doctrine changed. I submit that there is no scripture in The Old Testament or New Testament that advocates a �peace at any price� teaching, and that teaching such a doctrine is not only selfish to the utmost, but as mentioned in Timothy � denies the faith.

As I concluded this study, I believe fully that the Gospel has never taught us to be pacifists, but rather that we are to, as much as we are able, to seek peace. But the context is clear. Not at any price.

This is reality, and to ignore it is both na�ve and irresponsible, and smacks of an excessively lofty and spiritual view of things. There is a point where we must pick up the sword, so that we can continue to live in peace. Clearly, to have peace, one must often be willing to fight, to kill, and to die for it. To have peace, we must often enforce such a peace with the readiness to do sudden battle anywhere, anytime, and with complete disregard for our own safety. Whether in an airplane facing terrorists or in a dark parking lot facing muggers, it is the holy duty (and the cross put in front of us) of any able-bodied Christian man of God to stand strong with courage and righteousness and execute wrath on those who would do us evil.

Christ does not want a bunch of glad-handing, always-submissive, no-load-nice-at-all-costs pumpkin boys to lead His church. Let's gather around our Lord as the Gadites gathered around David!!

Exodus 15:3 Jehova is a warrior - Jehova is His name

Jesus is a warrior - Jesus is His name]]> General http://christianwarriorministries.com/index.php?itemid=3 Mon, 1 Sep 2008 11:15:41 -0500