I became aware of this national petition concerning Darfur from anti-genocide activist Jeanine. Her blog is simply entitled Jeanine's Blog. If you want to be inspired to at the very least to be a voice against Sudanese dictator Omar Hassan al-Bashir, visit her blog and spread the word about the No Fly Zone Petition she is involved with.

A long time ago I went to a Bible School with the name RHEMA Bible Training Center. When I attended the two year program then, I had only been a Christian a couple of years. I would even say that I was so green as a Christian that many acquaintances I had in the old man's worldly life may not have known the difference.

Before I chose the Christ path for my life I was truly a pleasure seeking reprobate with an easy going mind-set of a new age hippie. ("Hippie," Is that word considered archaic today?) If your youth was in the ‘60's and early ‘70's, you know what I am talking about. I was committed to know ideology or faith. If anything I was I Left leaning agnostic always on the look out for a good time.

Fortunately I grew up in what was then a small college town divided nearly in half by outsider college students and the home town crowd. (Imagine the politics: the college was for active in city government thus the city council was often at odds between liberals and conservatives. It was nearly a type of American politics of polarization that exists today.) There was alcohol and drugs (mostly alcohol), but nothing on the scale of abuse that exists in this day and age. In my day it was the "make love not war" crowd. Rebellion in the school system was breaking the dress code and letting spit wads fly. The teachers still had the upper hand in the discipline realm and were not afraid to straiten a student out - even High School.

Ah yes, the reminiscence of the good ol' bad days.

Somewhere in there at the age of twenty I grew weary of basing my life on seeking pleasure. I began to seek out philosophical, ideological, mystical and religious foundations to re-tool the direction of my life. At nineteen I began to lean toward the Carlos Castaneda way of thinking, a mystical Brujo that could take drug related experiences to find spiritual refreshment in a higher plain that existed in my mind.

Then I found a girl friend that I was intense to be with for the first time in my life. I married her. She laid out some ground rules in the courtship though: I had to become a Christian.

Being the semi-agnostic that I was that viewed Christianity as a set of constricting rules that enriched the lives of preachers for speaking in front of a podium or a television microphone; I was not to hip with the idea of embracing Christianity. Thus I made a proposition to her: If I could prove to her that the Bible was a worthless set of rules written by men with good intentions in the past that is not relevant to the modern world, she could join my path. If not, I would her path.

To make a valiant attempt to cut this riveting time of sharing short, I began with the New Testament and could not get past Matthew. Actually I could not get past Matthew chapters four, five, six and seven. It was as if Christ Himself reached through the words on the pages and revealed Himself as peace in the midst of anarchy and a refreshing in a time of dryness. I gave my life to Christ and followed my wife's path.

The more I read the Bible the more fanatical and dedicated I became to the Word of God, even though to be honest I was having a difficult time connecting the dots. The truth of the matter that by just reading the Word over and over again was like an ecstatic experience of union with Christ - a spiritual experience I could never attain with drugs. It was like - WOW!

My Mother-in-Law began to mentor me with books by individuals with insight into the Word of God. Primarily I was drawn to Kenneth E. Hagin, Charles Capps and Kenneth Copeland. (Okay there is no need to get in a hissy. I know many mainstream Christians consider these guys off to out right heretics; nonetheless it was through these fellas and many of those that learned from them that I began to go beyond an ecstatic experience to a modicum of an understanding to go with it.)

I have taken you on this brief self-journey to get to this: I read a devotional today that was written by Kenneth Copeland.

Copeland's question in the devotional was this: "Do you ever have trouble believing the Word of God?"

My mental answer was "yes" and "no." I totally believe the Word of God is the Truth or as Jesus spoke of Himself (Jesus = Word), "I am the way, truth and the life". I know and believe that, the difficulty I have had over the years is ACTING on that knowing.

Examine the Kenneth Copeland Devotional:

JRH

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Meditate on the Word

Kenneth Copeland

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Devotional Email: August 11, 2007

"And [God] brought [Abram] forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness."
(Genesis 15:5-6)

Do you ever have trouble believing the Word of God? Not just agreeing with it mentally, but really believing that what it says will work for you?

I do. There are times when the promises in the Word stagger my mind. There have been times when I've felt so defeated and the circumstances around me looked so bad that it was tough for me to believe I was "more than a conqueror" even though I knew God said I was.

What do you do when your mind staggers like that at the promise of God? You meditate on that promise.

Scriptural meditation simply means thinking about and reflecting on the Word of God. It means pondering a particular scripture and mentally applying it to your own circumstances again and again until that scripture permanently marks your consciousness.

That kind of meditation can affect your life in a way that almost nothing else can. It can, quite literally, alter your mind. That's what happened to Abram.

When God first told him that he was going to father a nation, he was an old man. His wife, Sara, was also old. What's more, she had been barren all her life. How could an aging, childless couple have even one child--much less a nation full of them? Abram couldn't even imagine such a thing. It contradicted his entire mind-set.

But God knew the mental struggle Abram would have, so He didn't just make him a verbal promise and leave it at that. He gave Abram a picture of that promise to meditate on. He took him out into the starry night, turned his eyes to the sky and said, "So shall thy seed be."

Can't you just see Abram staring out at the stars, trying to count them? Filling the eyes of his heart with the promise of God?

That's what meditation is all about. Taking time to envision the promise of God until it becomes a reality inside you. It's tremendously powerful, and by focusing on the scriptural promises God has given you, you can put it to work in your life just as Abram put it to work in his.

Don't just read the Word. Meditate on it today.

Scripture Study:  Romans 4:13-25

Ok I have more prophetic words from Kim Clement. I am also including the introduction by Mr. Elijah List - Steve Shultz. Brother Shultz often precedes some words of explanation to Kim Clement's prophetic words. The reason is too often the average Joe Christian reads the prophetic and sees an interpretation that has the appearance of the obvious. That is not always the case with how the Holy Spirit works through Kim Clement.

Though I have to say as a Christian Right person in my politics, the obvious interpretation would be extremely gratifying if the obvious pans out. That is all I will say about politics at this website, but I had to sneak it in.

JRH 8/12/07

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"Three Earthquakes in This Nation" and "Even Ireland Shall Change!"

From the Desk of Steve Shultz

August 10, 2007

Elijah List

Never before have I personally seen, nor have I heard so many prophecies about the long-expected signs and wonders that were to come upon the earth. God is not mad at the earth or His people. Instead, rather than be mad, He died, so as many as possible would come to Him. Yet, HE does allow certain things to happen as symbolic signs to point us in the direction HE is taking the earth. We must never forget that God is not willing that ANY should perish (though He gives us a choice to receive Him or not). I believe this is why the Lord allows the elements to cry out, because Jesus Himself said that if He didn't speak, even the rocks would cry out.

I believe we are seeing rocks cry out. This is only because so many are very dull of hearing His Voice at this time. It's not that they don't hear. It's that their hearing is dull. So God is turning up the volume for all to both see and hear--so that more and more people will come into HIS Kingdom.

Blessings to you and blessings to the Nations of the world,

Steve Shultz
Founder, ElijahList and ElijahRain magazine
http://elijahlist.com/

_______________________________

KIM CLEMENT:

July 28, 2007--Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

"In this Nation, yes, there shall be three earthquakes," says the Lord. "Not earthquakes of judgment, but a sign in the earth. The wind has brought the rain. Signs from above. Fires have come on top of the land. Signs on top of the land. Fire consuming religion, consuming witchcraft and consuming control, and the synagogues of satan shall be invaded by the forces of righteousness," says the Lord of hosts.

"No more reasoning. No more debating. Go and show. Don't go and tell, go and show. For now you have embarked upon a period of manifestation," says the Lord. "Now there must be a sign underneath the earth. And surely, your earth shall shake, saying to you, 'Three times,' and showing you three arenas:

The Heavens--where the wind came and the rain came to America.

On the earth--the fires that came in the middle of this nation and shall continue in the west.

And then underneath the earth--the shaking."

And God says, "You know why? Because the demonic powers that have held tight are now being released and being taken care of and being completely annihilated," says the Spirit of the Lord. "They will never be above you; they will always be beneath you," says the Spirit of the God.

FOX NEWS: 4.5-Magnitude Quake Rattles Los Angeles- August 9, 2007

July 27, 2007--Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

The Spirit of God said,"Have I not shown unto you that I use the elements as signs in the hemisphere and in the atmosphere? Disruptions--this Nation having weather like it never had before, Great Britain having weather like it never had before--why? Why," says the Lord. "Because I linked up the Lion and I linked up the lion-hearted."

"You say, 'What about the disruption, what about the fires in the middle of the Nation, what about the storms and the floods in the South, and the winds that shall come to the East?'" God said, "These are signs my people; signs just for you that the disruption in this nation is being transformed unto a spiritual breakthrough as it has never experienced."

"Before your President leaves, there shall be great honor and respect; not because of a war, but because I will take out of the hills and the caves of Pakistan those who have shouted and made mention of a god that does not exist; of a god that they claim would give them the power to kill human beings. Enough." God said, "This Nation must take the honor that it deserves before the end of this Presidency."

God said, "Look to Pakistan, and look to China, and let Me tell you tonight, look at your weather patterns through these summer months. Even now, the great disruptions that I have made possible is a sign to My people that I, the Lord God, have My hand on this Nation and upon Great Britain."

"Even Ireland shall change, and there shall be a great breakthrough in Ireland." And God said, "Even the Irish," and the Lord said, "you watch Me how I link up together." And God said, "It shall come to pass that I will take a man of Irish descent again, and place him in the White House. This is years to come." But God said, "A John F. Kennedy that once was to be great," but God said, "now another as a John F. Kennedy, but with uprightness, with morality and with great strength of leadership, and they shall say, 'it is JFK reincarnated.'"

And God said, "I will laugh at your psychics, for the prophet spoke in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, long before it happened, that this shall be a sign to this Nation, that what took place in the sixties and what was supposed to take place, will take place in the teens of the 2000's--of 2015 and 2016."

Rejoice please, for God said, "You shall see fires through this Nation, but holy fires. You will see an intervention and Me going into the media, and taking the streets of this Nation. Why?" God said, "You have prophesied the wind, and now you shall reap great, great, great rain," says the Lord. "You will reap great whirlwinds and they will come."

One more thing, the Spirit of God said, "Rejoice in this that you hear tonight. For even as you understand that the fires I speak about will burn out dross and put into the White House a man who will then be transformed into a righteous believer." God said, "Do not fear, for I will not allow this Nation to fall on its knees in unnecessary humility, but in humbleness of mind. And I will take the fire and destroy your enemies. Your time of peace has come, but more than this, your time of prosperity has come, America," says the Spirit of the Living God!

Kim Clement
Prophetic Image Expressions
Email: hope@kimclement.com

___________________________

Permission is granted (and you are also encouraged) to reprint these articles in hard copy form, as well as sending them to your own email lists and posting them on your own websites. We ask only that you keep ElijahList website, email contact info, and author contact information intact.

ElijahList Publications
310 2nd Ave SE,
Albany, OR 97321
http://www.elijahlist.com/ 
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250

This Keith Miller devotional focuses on the Greek word "kratos" which is often translated power. Miller relates kratos to inner power for the inner man (redeemed man/woman) that flows from God with the Holy Spirit as the conduit.

I enjoyed this devotional the essence of this devotional is union with God Almighty. It is awesome!

JRH 8/16/07

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KRATOS POWER! THE HOLY SPIRIT STRENGTHENS US TO OVERCOME RATHER THAN 'BE' OVERCOME

Keith Miller

Elijah List

August 12, 2007

"We cannot walk in the fullness of our destiny or calling until we know the strength of God and live daily by the strength of who He is in our inner man."

It's an incredible thing to walk in the strength of the Holy Spirit! It's a place where we live as overcomers and not as the overcome. It's a place where we operate in supernatural ability, not the natural, and where the enemy has no place! The sevenfold expressions of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2, Revelation 4:5), empower us to live daily in the fullness of the Lord so that Jesus will receive glory and honor through His great power working in and through us. We can walk empowered and strengthened when the of (sic) the Spirit of the Lord is upon us.

As I grow and walk in my own knowledge and revelation of God's strength and fullness, sometimes I feel fifty-feet tall. Why? It's because I'm walking in a realm of authority where the strength and might of God isn't just upon, but also in me. I tell you the truth--I will not be tossed to and fro!

"For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in Heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened [kratos] with might [dunamis] through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen" (Ephesians 3:14-21).

Live in the Place of "I Can Do"

Imagine awakening every morning with the confidence of God's strength in you, being able to do all things through Christ who gives you strength (Philippians 4:13). And, this strength in you, is according to His wealth, according to the riches of His glory and according to who He is! "All" means everything. It means everything that He has purposed for you--the above and beyond what you can think or imagine, according to the greatness of His power that works within--that Christ Jesus may receive ALL of the glory in the Church and for the ages to come.

We're living in a time where God is doing and will do, exceedingly abundantly above and beyond what we can ask or think, and He wants to do these things through us! His thoughts are far above ours. In fact, His thoughts and ways are so high that He wants to blow the lid off limitation in our life and release us into an entirely different and higher level of our destiny in Him. God wants you to believe for your family, your neighborhood, your city and nation! By the power of the Holy Spirit and His incredible fullness, you can think big! God renews the mind by stretching it like an elastic band beyond a normal pattern or realm of thinking or understanding. Sometimes it stretches to the limit, way out of our comfort zones, but just when we think we're going to snap, "whoosh," it all makes sense--things connect in our inner man, and suddenly, we know that we're able to do the above and beyond Paul tells us about.

An Abundance of God's Wealth

Is your mind stretched a little? Good. Ponder now, "the riches of His glory." According to Paul, God bestows to us strength and power according to the riches of His glory. His glory is abundant, it's bountiful and it's endless. We can never ask for too much strength and power, because it's available to us in the same measure as He is glorious--unfathomable abundant measures! His abundance is the weightiness of who He is--His character, His nature, His strength and His power, and He gives/imparts/bestows that in His children according to the call and mandate He has on our lives. The greater the call, mandate or authority He gives us, the more we have of Him--His power and the strength He bestows.

We cannot walk in the fullness of our destiny or calling until we know the strength of God and live daily by the strength of who He is in our inner man. We do not gain this strength in any other way than by the power of the Holy Spirit.

His Strength (Kratos)

The word Paul used for "strengthened," in the Ephesians 3 letter, derives from the Greek root word kratos for "power," and in Biblical context means: dominion, strength, manifested power. God wants us to live by the strength of who He is in our inner man. Kratos especially signifies "exerted (applied) strength, power shown effectively in a reigning authority." More specifically, it primarily refers to God's Kingdom authority, dominion and majesty through the outward manifestation of His power. Kratos is used in God's dominion context also in Paul's letter to Timothy (I Timothy 6:13-16).

Kingdom Dominion in Your Inner Man

The world or natural realm won't rule and reign in your life if you operate out of the realm of being strengthened by kratos, that is, by being strengthened by Kingdom dominion in your inner man. Kratos applied gives you the strength to do what you couldn't do before Jesus came into your life. God's Kingdom authority, dominion and majesty should reign in every believer's inner man, for we must walk steadfast in the things of the Lord. We cannot waver if we want to ascend into the incredible levels that God wants to release right now.

When kratos dominates your inner man, the enemy's lies won't hurt you, invade your thought process or hinder you. Jesus gave me a wonderful revelation about kratos. When the multitudes, that is, the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews came for Him in the garden and asked for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus answered, "I AM He." Such was His strength and His confidence that "...they drew back and fell to the ground" (John 18:4-8). That, my friends, was the manifestation of Kingdom dominion! Kratos....

Paul prayed for us to be strengthened (kratos) with "might." This word in the Greek is dunamis, (from which we derive words like dynamic, dynamo and dynamite), signifying the inherent power of God. The Lord showed me a vision of dunamis. It was like swallowing a Holy Ghost hand-grenade and it exploding in our inner man. Wow! God bestowed this power according to what? According to the unlimited riches of His glory! This dynamite explosive power reigns and rules by the strength of the Holy Spirit in our inner man. This is what He granted to us! It's ours. We can stand firm, Hallelujah.

How to Live by the Strength of Who He Is

1. Become deeply rooted

We're encouraged to be strong in the Lord and His kratos power (Ephesians 6:10). Read the Word and discover the fullness of this strength, power and love for you. Develop intimacy and friendship with the Lord--spend time in the Secret Place of His Presence. Seek and come to know Him more than you have before. Those who abide in Jesus will know the anointing and will flow in it (John 15). When your roots grow deep, you'll flourish (Psalm 92:13), and the Spirit of the Lord will be upon you in strength!

2. Acquaint yourself with what God would have you do, pray for wisdom

Paul prayed that the saints at Colosse might be fully acquainted with what God would have them do in all wisdom and spiritual understanding (Colossians 1:9-10). He offered a similar prayer on behalf of the Ephesians (Ephesians 1:17-19).

Wisdom and spiritual understanding awaken you to the reality of God's strength and power in you, working through you and flowing from you.

3. Plug into fresh oil daily

"But my horn you have exalted like a wild ox, I have been anointed with fresh oil" (Psalm 92:10). To be exalted as a wild ox, is to be strengthened. Oxen are strong and powerful. It takes a lot to knock an ox down. Fresh oil releases the strength of the Lord in the inner man.

It is only by His Spirit (Zechariah 4:6) that you are able to accomplish the mighty and impossible and take pleasure in infirmities, in reproach, in persecution, in distress, for Christ's sake. For when you are weak, then you are strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). So become as strong as an ox by tapping into the precious oil of the Spirit everyday.

4. Trust in the Lord

As I've said above, we cannot walk in the fullness of our destiny or calling until we know and trust the strength of God, and live daily by the strength of who He is in our inner man. We do not gain this strength in any other way than by the power of the Holy Spirit. King David trusted God even though hunted and persecuted. He said he wasn't plucked up or destroyed, but flourished like a green olive tree in the house of the Lord (Psalm 52:8).

5. Rejoice for Christ and His Mighty Strength in You

Rejoice that you can rule and reign in this life with boldness, confidence, strength, zeal and vigor, with Christ the High Priest going before you. That you can walk in the fullness of your inheritance with every manifestation of His power available to you, including kratos power. Rejoice around the Throne and sing a new song of victory, for Christ is in you--His mighty strength in your inner man!

"Blessing and honor and glory and power [kratos] be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever, and ever!" (Revelation 5:13b).

Keith Miller
Stand Firm World Ministries
Email: info@sfwm.org

_____________________________

Permission is granted (and you are also encouraged) to reprint these articles in hard copy form, as well as sending them to your own email lists and posting them on your own websites. We ask only that you keep ElijahList website, email contact info, and author contact information intact.

ElijahList Publications
310 2nd Ave SE,
Albany, OR 97321
http://www.elijahlist.com/   
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250

I do not agree with everything Kenneth Copeland ministers about; however I would say 90% of his teaching is accurate and 100% of his Christ-Heart is valid.

Two of the biggest elements of what the Copeland Ministry is about are that "words" have power in one's life that demonstrating the "Love of God" is more effective personally for one's peace and neutralizing the animosity of another person.

(Brother Copeland's most noted ministry is the prosperity message. At on point I was 100% behind it, yet now I am about 50% behind the prosperity message. I think Brother Copeland unwittingly encourages Christians to seek materialism above the face of God and I think that is off. The parts I agree with are another blog.)

In this year's August 20 devotional Brother Copeland demonstrates a Word based way to respond to an offense or to one that is so filled with animosity to you, he might be considered an enemy.

At the end of the devotional Brother Copeland gives a Scripture to meditate on in relation to the Word ministered. I sense it should be read before the Copeland devotional.

Matthew 6: 6 - 15 (NKJV):

6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.^[b] 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 "Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

      Our Father in heaven,
      Hallowed be Your name.
       10 Your kingdom come.
      Your will be done
      On earth as it is in heaven.
       11 Give us this day our daily bread.
       12 And forgive us our debts,
      As we forgive our debtors.
       13 And do not lead us into temptation,
      But deliver us from the evil one.
      For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.^[c]

14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Here is Brother Copeland's Devotional via an email list I am on:

JRH 8/20/07

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Aug 20 - When Somebody Does You Wrong

Kenneth Copeland

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you."
(Luke 10:19)

Somebody's done you wrong! Sooner or later it happens to all of us. Somewhere along the way, we all get hurt or cheated or lied to or abused.

It's as predictable as it is painful. Yet when it happens most of us find ourselves strangely unprepared. In our outrage, we often cry out to God against the one who wronged us. We ask for justice, or even vengeance, and end up making things tougher on everyone involved--including ourselves.

If that's been true of you, it's time you found out how you can put the power of God to work for you the next time somebody does you wrong.

Step one: Identify the enemy! Right here's where the majority of us make our biggest blunder. We mistakenly identify our enemy as the person who hurts us. Don't waste your energy ranting and raving or plotting and scheming against people who cause you pain. They're simply under the devil's influence. Aim your spiritual ammunition at the right target. It's the devil who's behind it all. Go after him!

Step two: Fire! Once you've pointed your spiritual guns in the right direction, fire! Hit the devil fast and furiously with the Word of God. Use the Name of Jesus and the power that's been given you as a believer and bind the devil from doing you any further harm in that area. Then move on to the next and most important part of this spiritual battle.

Step three: Pray the prayer of intercession. In Matthew 5:44-45, Jesus gives us these instructions: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven."

Crying out for the vengeance of God to strike like a lightning bolt when somebody does us wrong isn't acting like our Father. Remember God has great, great mercy. Not just for me and you, but for everyone!

The devil will probably think twice before he bothers you again. Next time someone causes you pain, put the power of God to work for you. Identify the real enemy. Hit him hard with the authority you've been given as a believer. Then pray the prayer of intercession.

Phil Magnan of the Biblical Family Advocates writes about the reasons the American cultural infrastructure is crumbling from within.

Evidently the article was written on August 22 and ChristianNewsWire.com picked up today on August 23, 2007. I received it from the Christian Newswire E-list.

Magna's essay is reminiscent of a Jeremiah message which if listened to could be transformative.

JRH 8/23/07

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'America's Worst Enemy, Itself'
The Speeding Train and the Foolish Driver

Phil Magnan
August 23, 2007
Christian Newswire E-list

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 23 /Christian Newswire/ -- It isn't as though we are unfamiliar with the concept of the speeding train and the foolish driver who believes that they can outrun that train across the tracks; only to be crushed beyond recognition. But when you look at America, some Americans are wondering if we are in a similar race for our very own existence. Of course any person can point out some of the top dangers to America, whether it's bio-terrorism, illegal immigration or nuclear war. But the maddening reality is that we do not understand that WE are our own worst enemies. Here are a few examples that should make us begin to wonder if we are the largest group of lemmings to commit collective suicide.

We want to protect ourselves from the onslaught of illegal immigrants and yet we have created the demand for cheap labor by having cheap abortion which kills millions of pre born Americans. Additionally, millions of Baby Boomers have looked forward to their retirement and yet they have promoted the aborting of millions of children who could have financially supported the now failing social security system. To add injury to insult, many children who did survive this abortion holocaust have been taught by their parents that it is acceptable to get rid of pre born babies if they are expensive and inconvenient. This widespread belief will make the case in the future, that Mom and Dad should also be euthanized if they are the same kind of burden to their children. In the interest of not offending anyone, the vast majority of Pastors will not speak on the issue of abortion from their pulpits. Yet these same Pastors will wonder why
their churches are not filled with the youthful voices of children, who might have brought the gospel to their community.

We have clearly patted ourselves on the back for being so tolerant of homosexuals, the cohabitation of heterosexuals and no fault divorce; when all the while destroying the very institution that is meant to keep our society stable; a godly marriage. But in typical hypocrisy we will continue to pity the broken home and the single parent family when we ourselves have encouraged it to continue by tolerating immoral relationships. Public schools are teaching promiscuity and homosexuality and are trying to figure out why so many young people have STD's and HIV. Even Police officers across the land will risk life and limb to protect children from harm and yet the very same officers will march in gay pride parades which encourage children to participate in the destructive lifestyle of homosexuality.

We are so rightfully concerned about the environment, when the environment of our soul is so stagnant with hedonism, pride and materialism. With this kind of spiritual wasteland, we simply cannot offer the spring water of Christ to those who need it. It also seems rather strange that most environmentalists are very silent about our waterways being filled with the waste water of chemical abortifacient drugs that are destroying the very sexual makeup of ponds and rivers. They also seem very silent on the environment of the womb being destroyed by abortion and multiple sex partners. When will they actually care about pre born children as much as they care about baby seals?

We invite people to come to our country to become citizens and yet we fall all over ourselves to accommodate their culture and their ways, instead of demanding that they become real Americans. We have somehow forgotten that they have come to our country because of the value of what we are as a nation. We should never replace that with the very culture that people flee. To make matters worse, we invite the people of Islam who are religiously bound to overthrow the countries they live in, whether by law or sword to come to our beloved country, living among us, giving sanctuary to those who want to destroy us.

Remarkably we go all over the world to teach countries about representative government and yet Americans are seldom represented by their elected officials. Their parties prop up people that do not represent our best and brightest, but rather many wealthy, power hungry elitists. Most parties play both sides of the political fence thus misrepresenting their own party platform. Many of us are still waiting for real statesmen who fear God and obey His Word. It would be refreshing to have leaders who are not afraid to utter the words, "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord" and "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord", and actually mean it.

We had such great disdain for being under the tyrants of Britain and were willing to pay the ultimate price to be free. But now we cower before the Federal government as though we no longer were a land 'for and by the people.' States have given up their constitutional sovereignty and instead wait in line to be blessed once again, by the kings of Washington DC. Our representatives are enamored with taxes and spending without restraint as they continue to create departments and programs outside of their God given authority and outside of the U.S. Constitution. Many times law enforcement, government leaders and judges punish the righteous, while funding and praising those who do evil.

The godly prophets are considered fools and yet the fools are proclaimed wise. The profane is now called holy and evil is called good. We are certainly in trouble. Though I am very worried about bioterrorism, illegal immigration and nuclear war; the most frightful and troubling thought is that we are not only driving that car in a race with the train, but most Americans seem indifferent to the real coming train wreck of America. It appears that few are trying to stop and consider whether it worth losing such a race; but then again, we might either offend someone or be accused of being hateful. But shouldn't we be recapturing what it means to really love God, our neighbor and even ourselves?

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Biblical Family Advocates is a Christian pro family organization protecting and promoting the moral and spiritual interests of millions of families and churches throughout the U.S. and around the world.

It is my belief that those who believe and trust in Risen Christ are already in Union with God. The journey of a Believer is to realize that Union. There are a couple of ways (maybe more that I don't know of) in which a Believer may experience greater Union: Consistent meditation on God's Word and fellowship via communication (i.e. prayer in its various operations) with the Holy Spirit that has made a Believer a new creation in Christ Jesus. This is the seeking the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness mode Jesus speaks of (Matthew 6: 33).

So if you are looking for direction on your journey search the Scriptures and fellowship/ask the Holy Spirit.

JRH 8/27/07

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Take the First Step

Gloria Copeland

Kenneth Copeland Ministries E-Devotional

August 26, 2007

"The steps of a [good] man are directed and established of the Lord, when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step]."
(Psalm 37:23)

God's will is to lead you on a day-by-day basis. He's given His Spirit to guide you every day.

Most believers don't know that. They expect God to reveal His complete will for their lives in one big revelation. Don't make that mistake. Don't just sit around waiting for God to show you whether or not He wants you to go to Africa for the rest of your life.

Let Him begin to lead you in little things first, to tell you what you need to do about this situation or that one. He'll show you what you need to change. And, as He does, you'll change one thing at a time.

The truth is, you probably already know one thing God wants you to do. You might not know why He wants you to do it. You may not know where it's leading, but you've heard His voice in your heart.

If you want to keep on hearing Him, you'll have to set aside your own ambitions and desires. Spend time in prayer and in the Word. Tune your ear to the voice of His Spirit.

Learn to trust Him. Remember that He's smarter than you are and be willing to do what He says whether you can understand it with your mind or not. Obey even His smallest instructions. If you do, He'll eventually change your whole life...one little step at a time.

Scripture Study:  Genesis 12:1-8