The Secret to Our Strength

After Samson told Delilah the secret to his strength, she conspired against him and had his hair cut off during his sleep. When he woke up, he went out as before to free himself from the Philistines who had bound him. The Bible says, “But he did not know that the Lord had left him.” His strength was gone.

In our sleep, our own government has conspired to take away our strength. For the last 50 years or so, it has clipped away the morality which God, through his church, has established in our great nation. Samson’s strength was lost with each clip; one and then another until it was all gone. Likewise with us; take prayer out of schools (one clip), legalize abortion (another clip), push for the acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle (another clip); and before you know it, we’re waking up and realizing our strength is gone.

Samson’s strength came back. It didn’t happen immediately when he realized the mistake he had made. He didn’t get to say “Sorry God” and then be as he was before. His strength returned at the incredibly slow rate of hair growth. Over time, the damage done, clip by clip, was reversed as his hair grew back.

Likewise our strength will not return, just because we wake up and say “Sorry God”. It will return as, clip by clip, we restore the morals that our government has cut.

Resisting Harassment – Part 2

In 1774, England declared war against the town of Boston. They sealed off the city and harbor with the intent of starving the inhabitants into submission. In retaliation to the blockade, Bostonians boarded 3 of the British ships and dumped their cargo into the water – 342 chests of tea.

Parliament countered by extending the Canadian border to the Ohio River in what was called the Quebec Act. It resulted in the confiscation of tens of thousands of privately owned acres – some of which belonged to George Washington.

Two years away from the Declaration of Independence, this undoubtedly fueled the fire for it. Delegates met in Philadelphia and after 2 months of debating, urged the colonies to withhold taxes from the royal government.

Our own government is doing the same thing to us today – confiscating privately owned land through regulatory agencies. And I wonder . . . are our Delegates meeting and debating to determine a proper response?

Full Court Press

It is getting to be more than can be kept up with. The Federal government is in full court press.

They press against our preferences by secretly letting refugees in and threaten to cut of funding to the states if they do not comply.

They are pressing to release Guantanamo detainees to US soil against the clear will of Congress and the American people.

The Bureau of Land Management, together with the Environmental Protection Agency, is pressing to confiscate more of our privately owned land.

They are pressing to give voting rights to non citizens while at the same time press to bring more and more non citizens into our country.

They press to protect a tadpole that will one day turn into a frog, while at the same time press to kill a fetus that will one day turn into a baby.

They press to grow themselves – to fund themselves – both beyond a manageable state.

They press to restrict the rights of those for whom they were founded to protect while at the same time press to protect those for whom they were founded to restrict.

Where are the other branches of our government? When one is so out of line, why will the others not stand up to stop it. When the President wants to release Guantanamo detainees to US soil, and Congress has made it clear that he can’t, where does Earnest think he is coming from when he puts the offense on Congress instead of the President? The President is violating their ruling and somehow they are the ones at fault? Stand up Congress. Slap him down.

Where are the people? Millions post their outrage on Facebook. What do you think might happen if that same outrage was posted it in our governments email, snail mail and phone system?

I have given much thought to how we, who are spread out all over our country, could be united. And it dawned on me; the means is already in place: email, snail mail and the telephone. That is all that is needed for us to do our part. Stand up America.

 

Harassed and Helpless

Matthew 9:36 says, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” This was a major problem in Jesus’ day. Those in authority were heaping more on the people than the people could bear. Their actions were burdening; and as a result of the harassing, the people felt helpless.

Though Deuteronomy 8:1 does say, “Be careful to follow every command that I am giving you today”, the problem was, those in authority kept adding commands. Thinking they were clarifying, they instead were making it so difficult, nobody could measure up.

Though it is true that the framer of this great nation of Israel wanted them to follow His commands, He also had mercy on them when they didn’t. The current leaders had missed that part. Jesus let them know it.

Our rulers today are doing the same thing to us. By focusing on a phrase or two in the Constitution, they squeeze out meanings that our framers clearly did not intend. They create more and more laws, more and more regulations; the result of which is this same burden. To the point of harassment, it is becoming more than we can bear.

Our government is out of line. They do more to protect a tadpole that will one day turn into a frog than they do to protect a fetus that will one day turn into a baby. The list could go on.

 

 

The Reasons We Declared Independence

If I counted right, 57 men from all 13 states, put their name on the document that declared our independence from the motherland in 1776. A big part of the declaration was a list of the causes which impelled them to the separation. Some of the causes are especially worth mentioning.

“Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers form the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.”

“Experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations evinces a design to reduce them, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such a Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

A list of specific accusations was listed to support the previous points. Again, a few of those points are worth mentioning.

“He (the King of Great Britian) has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.”

The King was responsible, “For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us and for protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these States.”

“He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.”

“In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury,”

To be clear, I am in no way suggesting the means which our nation used to establish its independence. Though it was necessary for them to pick up arms and “mutually pledge their Lives, their Fortunes, and their sacred Honor”, all we have to do is pick up the Constitution which they subsequently gave us to help us keep what they had to fight for.

It is not about overthrowing our government, it is about altering it. Its long train of abuses has a design of reducing the very people they were designed to protect. I believe it is our right and duty to alter these abuses. The guards for our future security are already in place. The Constitution has been there all along. It is time we stand and demand adherence.

 

For Our Kids

Between the time the first shots were fired at Lexington and Concord on April 19,1775 and the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, there were differing opinions as to whether or not the nation should separate itself from the motherland.

It was during this in-between period that Thomas Paine penned Common Sense in an attempt to persuade the colonists to see the need of separation. I like one of the points he makes as a reminder of the reason they left the motherland to begin with.

“This new World hath been the asylum for the persecuted lovers of civil and religious liberty for EVERY PART of Europe. Hither have they fled, not from the tender embraces of the mother, but from the cruelty of the monster; and it is so far true of England, that the same tyranny which drove the first emigrants from home, pursues their descendants still.”

Though I am not the suggesting the means in these next points, I do believe the sentiment. “Let’s not leave the next generation to be cutting throats.” And, “Let us not leave the sword to our children, and shrinking back at a time, when, a little more, a little farther, would have rendered this continent the glory of the earth.”

Our own government has become a comparable tyrant. “In order to discover the line of our duty rightly, we should take our children in our hand, and fix our station a few years farther into life.”

 

We Are Parents of Teenagers

I have heard that some teenagers have parties while their parents are out of town. Their return, whether expected or not, brings the partying to an end.

Our government is like the partying teenager; unrestrained by the responsible adult. It’s time to return home. Raise your voice. Fly off the handle. Show a little outrage. DO SOMETHING to let our government know THEY ARE UNDER OUR ROOF.

Land Grabbing

Though I only know in part, I will not let that fact keep me from making known that part, of which, I think I know. J Without a doubt, our government is on a ruthless ‘land grab’ campaign. By hook, crook or both, it is taking land. In many cases, it is done in the name of our environment. According to our government, or should I say according to the International Land Coalition which is part of the world wide Agenda 21 initiative, “a product of the Earth Summit (UN Conference on Environment & Development) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992” – which our government is on board with – the environment is the priority.

A global alliance exists, that “recognizes a growing international consensus on land governance”. The effort is to “insure compliance with human rights and environmental obligations”. This group has a plan and it is all in the name of what is best for “environmental stewardship”. “Our land and resources are becoming increasingly scarce and under threat; and climate change is among the reasons.” ‘Sustainable Development’ is the guide.

One not too distant past example of how this works took place in California. The California Fish and Game, in order to protect a 2” minnow, shut down the right to farm land that affected the welfare of that minnow. According to the source, a total of 60,000 people were adversely affected by that decision.

A current similar effort is going on in the states of Missouri and Arkansas in what is called the White River National Blueway Designation. The article says that it is an “end run around Constitutional Law” and in the name of the environment, landowners, if the effort is not stopped, will lose their land.

One other tactic is going on in Texas. The Bureau of Land Management is challenging deeds that landowners have held uncontested for 50 or more years. The BLM is claiming Texas had no right to issue these deeds, but as of yet, has offered no legal basis for these claims. The titles, now in limbo, are preventing owners from borrowing against or selling their land.

Our government, without a doubt, is more interested in keeping in step with this new world order than in keeping our own, long standing, Constitution. In the eyes of some, the Constitution now is an obstacle, around which this new order must maneuver. The Constitution is for our good. But to see that good, we who it is for, must stand up to those who it is against.

 

Executive Order 13603 – Part 2

I read a story recently about a group of federal militia training in Texas last summer. In it, there was an overall fear expressed by some, of the President planning to incite a showdown. Texas was not the only state where these trainings were being conducted, which added to the fear. Texas called in the Texas Guard to make sure there was no threat to the general safety and welfare of their people.  Add to that, all the posts lately on military equipment buildup, many are, without a doubt, nervous.

In the story, there was reference to Executive Order 13603, which seemed to suggest it was a part of all that was going on. In addition, I saw a post that said this order would authorize the government to put people to work without compensation. So, I decided I would research this executive order to see for myself if it contained anything that would support the fears that many are expressing. It appeared there was much that didn’t look good.

Executive Order 13603 is an actual executive order. It was issued by Barack Obama March 16, 2012. The order is all about the government’s ability to use all resources (civil transportation, energy, farm equipment, fertilizer, food resources, health sources, materials, water, labor) for the purpose of ‘national security’. I have to admit, when I first read it, I could not believe how invasive it was. It gives the government the authority to take just about anything it needs when our ‘national security’ is involved. And yes, it does actually say, “to employ persons of outstanding experience and ability without compensation”.

The order lists, as part of its authority, the Defense Production Act of 1950. I looked at it and noticed right off that it was passed by congress. We had started the war in Korea on June 25, 1950. A little over 2 months later, congress passed this bill to give our then president, Harry Truman, the resources he needed to defend our nation. My first thought was that here was another case where Obama was bypassing congress to do it on his own. And at the end of the order, he even revoked two previous executive orders. I was getting worked up.

I decided to print and read the two orders he revoked. One was Reagan’s Executive Order 12656 and the other was Bill Clinton’s Executive Order 12919.

I’m glad I kept digging. The language in the two revoked orders, were very similar to Obama’s. Clinton’s had the same ‘employment without compensation’ line. His order “superseded or revoked” 11 previous orders from 1951 to 1991. Evidently, many Presidents customized their order to the times. One phrase in Obama’s order that I didn’t see in the others, put ‘civil defense’ on the same level as ‘national defense’. That could be significant.

This order, though not originating in Obama’s mind as the heavy handed means by which he will subdue our nation, in the hands of the wrong person, it could be used that way. It’s not really all that hard to imagine. His heavy hand has been pretty active. The more I see, the more I think he would not mind a showdown. And if it’s big enough, every bit of this order will be at the government’s disposal, in the name of ‘civil defense’.

While it makes sense that each president would be interested in this order, as our ‘national defense’ is their primary responsibility; the only thing with this president that does not add up, is why would he be one of the presidents to revise this order and revoke the ones prior, when he has displayed such defiant resolve along the way to not take this role of ‘national security’ seriously. He has been very reluctant to declare war on ISIS, very willing to fund Iran’s goal to destroy us, and in general, very focused on antagonizing the American people.

So what could be his motivation? If he can push the American people beyond the ability to tolerate an out of control government, he, with this one additional clause regarding ‘civil defense’, could put himself in the position of being just that ‘wrong person’. In my opinion, after all my reading, there is at least some support for the fears.

Time to Turn Up theVolume

As late as 1881, during the presidency of James Garfield, 100’s of people, daily, waited in line in front of our capitol with intentions and hopes of ‘petitioning’ their government. Whether to express a grievance, ask a favor, or share an idea; they were there and it was the norm.

We’ve surrendered our voices to the lobbyists. They now do this petitioning. The first amendment gives us, as individuals, the right to communicate withour government officials. I think it is time we, once again, exercise that right.

Continue to exercise your right to post on facebook, but don’t let it take the place of expressing your thoughts about our government to our government.

Every official, from local all the way to federal, can be googled and contacted. We are the ones they need to hear from. They, more than our facebook friends, need to hear what we have to say.

Even the Bible supports this principle. “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault.” Not as much to suggest that our government officials are sinning against us (though in some cases they may be) but whatever we have, good or bad, they are the ones that need to hear it.

Right now, our voices are not being heard. Let’s turn up the volume.