The Hoffmann REPORT

The Call

2009-10-04T20:46:00.005-05:00

“Behold, the day of the LORD cometh” -Isaiah 13:9

"Prepare to meet thy God" -Amos 4:12

"...it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" -Hebrews 9:27

"As it is written, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE. ...for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" -Romans 3:10, 23

"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law" -I John 3:4

"How can ye escape the damnation of hell?" -asks Jesus Christ (see Matthew 23:33)

"Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." -Isaiah 55:6, 7

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." -says Jesus Christ (see Mark 1:15)

"And *He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written, THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HATH ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HATH SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKEN-HEARTED, TO PREACH DELIVERANCE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERING OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THEM THAT ARE BRUISED, TO PREACH THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." ---* The Lord Jesus Christ (see Luke 4:16-19)

"...Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures..." -I Corinthians 15:3-4

"Salvation is of the LORD." -Jonah 2:9c

"...except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." -says the Lord Jesus (see Luke 13:3)

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” -I Timothy 1:15

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." -Acts 4:12

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." -Ephesians 2:8-9

"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." -John 1:12-13

The Lord Jesus Christ is "the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him." -see Hebrews 5:9

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: His understanding is infinite. The LORD lifteth up the meek: He casteth the wicked down to the ground. ...He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: He taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy.” -Psalm 147:3-6 & 10-11

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ...He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." -John 3:16 & 36

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." -Psalm 118:8

Governor Among the Nations

2007-09-15T15:55:00.000-05:00

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." The epistle of Paul the apostle to the Philippians ch.2, vss.5-11 [KJV]

"Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees: say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; He will come and save you." The book of Isaiah ch.35, vss.3-4 [KJV]

NOTE: A serious "Head's-Up" to all Civil Magistrates & Ecclesiastical leaders is enclosed in the following article. Also, it should prove to be a joyful reminder and great comfort unto God's faithful and called-out saints. This article originally appeared in the Vol.1, No.21, July 1, 1868 A.D. issue of The Christian Statesman.

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Governor Among the Nations

by Samuel Carlisle

The book of Psalms is full of Christ. It everywhere exhibits the Redeemer in the dignity of his person, and the excellency of his work. Remarkable, however, even among the Psalms known as Messianic, is the twenty-second, in which the title at the head of this article is applied to Christ. As we read this Psalm, the incidents of our Lord's humiliation, and his subsequent exaltation pass in clear perspective before us. We see many bulls compassing him, strong bulls of Bashan surrounding him, piercing his hands and his feet. We see his garments parted, and lots cast upon his vesture. We hear him exclaim, in the depth of his terrible agony, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" We see him emerge from the darkness. The triumphs of his gospel are celebrated. The kindreds of the nations worship before him, and amidst subjects gathered from all the ends of the world, and bowing in adoration before his throne, he is proclaimed "Governor among the nations." There can be no doubt that this title is applicable to Jesus as the exalted Mediator. In other passages of Scripture he is similarly designated--"The first born, higher than the kings of the earth"; "King of nations"; "Prince of the kings of the earth"; "King of kings, and Lord of lords." And eminently is he fitted for this honorable position. The nations cannot have a Governor more suitable.

1. Intellectual and moral qualifications are essential to official position and authority among men. Social peace and prosperity are dependent, to a great extent, upon these qualifications in the ruler. "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn." "Thou shalt provide out of all the people," says Jethro to Moses, "able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness, and place such over them to be rulers." And the counsel of Moses to the Israelites was: "Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you."

These important qualifications are found in their highest degree of perfection in the "Governor among the nations." He is God's "well beloved Son"; "the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person." "His understanding is infinite." He knows every subject of his extensive empire; he fully understands the law which is to be administered--the principles upon which the government is to be conducted; he sees what is best to be done in every possible contingency, and commands the means by which everything is to be effected. No injustice can characterize his reign, for "He is without sin," "just in all his ways, and holy in all his works." The scepter of his kingdom, by which he subdues and protects his people, and overcomes their enemies, is "a right scepter." The law which he administers is perfect, adapted to men in every age, every land, every stage of civilization, never requiring revision nor amendment--like himself, it is immutable. The highest interests of the subjects will never be disregarded in this kingdom, for he who sits upon the throne is the same tender and compassionate One that wept at the grave of Lazarus, and in prospect of the terrible judgments which were to be inflicted upon Jerusalem.

2. Legal qualifications are as essential to a ruler as personal fitness. Whatever his personal fitness, the man who occupies official position should be elected to it in a constitutional manner.

Such fitness also has the "Governor among the nations." True, the nations have not chosen him to be their ruler. On the contrary, "the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his Anointed." Nevertheless, the "Governor among the nations" "is seated upon a throne, the foundation of which is justice and judgment." God the Father has anointed him as King, and has committed all judgment unto him, "that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father." The Psalmist in another Psalm describes his investiture with authority in this sublime language: "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even the thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive"; and again, "The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."

The apostle John, caught up in the spirit to the door opened in heaven, was revealed the following significant vision: "Behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper, and a sardine stone." The occupant of the throne, God the Father himself, characterized by the description as a being of infinite purity and justice, held in his right hand a book "sealed with seven seals." A strong angel proclaims with a loud voice the challenge, "Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?" And John wept much, because no man was found worthy. But his tears are soon stayed, for lo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Lamb slain, "came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne." How full of meaning is the whole scene! The book sealed with seven seals symbolizes the sovereign and mysterious purposes of God in their completeness. The Father's act, putting the book into the hands of the Lamb, exhibits Christ as divinely authorized to administer the government in the operations of which these purposes are wrought out. The taking of the book, and the opening of the seals by the Lamb, signifies the Redeemer's voluntary assumption and execution of the Mediatorial office and work. What wonder, then, that the four living creatures, and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, and "sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof."

3. The honor of authoritative place and ruling power is frequently the reward among men for eminent services. Thus was Joseph honored in Egypt, and Daniel at the court of Babylon.

But noble and meritorious as services performed by patriots and philanthropists may have been, none are worthy to be compared, whether we consider the person, the motive, the work itself, or the glorious blessings resulting from its accomplishment, with those which Christ rendered when he obeyed the law, and endured its penalty, by one offering perfecting forever them that are sanctified. The Redeemer's unparalleled services in behalf of man give him a claim to Mediatorial dominion over the nations which no generous mind can dispute. "Thou art worthy," say the living creatures and elders in humble and adoring acknowledgment of the right as well as the fitness of the Lamb to administer the government, "for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us unto God." "He humbled himself, and became obedient to death--even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."

May our nation soon bend her knee in subjection to this "Governor among the nations" and his righteous law; and may her confession of her sovereign Lord, solemnly recorded where men go to learn a nation's character, in the Constitution, be publicly known and read of all nations of the earth. Neglect is attended with danger. Social peace and prosperity are promoted by obedience. "Blessed is that people whose God is the Lord."

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"We have staked the future...upon the capacity of each and all of us, to govern ourselves, to sustain ourselves, according to the Ten Commandments of God." --- James Madison, 1788

"By giving the government unlimited powers, the most arbitrary rule can be made legal; and in this way a democracy may set up the most complete despotism imaginable." --- F. A. Hayek

"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: It connected in one, indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity." --- John Q. Adams

"A legislature must not obstruct our obedience to Him from whose punishment they cannot protect us. All human laws which contradict His laws we are in conscience bound to disobey." --- George Mason

The LORD JESUS CHRIST be magnified (not mere men)!

"God is angry with the wicked every day."

2007-07-08T01:41:00.000-05:00

PSYOPS, Treachery and Deception:
The Visible Church upon the Earth

FOCUS: Exactly WHO is it that Almighty God considers His primary enemy upon the face of the earth?

"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banners openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their garments, and he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of a city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to be feared." Marcus Tullius Cicero, Statesman & orator of ancient Rome, approx. 45 B.C.

NOTE: Let the gentle, God-fearing reader consider that Cicero's comment should not be restricted to the sphere of Civil Authority: I contend that his statement can also be applied to the Ecclesiastical Body that professes heavenly authority upon the earth; remember the Words of Christ Jesus, when He said, “Take heed lest any man deceive you.”(see Matthew 24:4-5). Consider the smallest nation upon the face of the earth, with kings, princes, Prime Ministers and Presidents that bow down and show veneration to the head of this abomination and amalgamation of 'Church/State'. Truth is stranger than fiction...

REUTERS News Service: Pope Benedict XVI pays his respect to the victims of the former Birkenau Nazi death camp in Oswiecim, southern Poland May 28, 2006. Calling himself 'a son of Germany,' Pope Benedict prayed at the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz on Sunday and asked why God was silent when 1.5 million victims, mostly Jews, died in this 'valley of darkness.' Damir Sagolj

Greetings, fellow truth seekers,

This is outrageous. Like his father, the dragon [Satan], the Antichrist is an expert at covering up whatever may cast a negative light upon his illicit, temporal reign, for that he,

1. Admits nothing

2. Denies everything

3. Makes counter-accusations

The British paper, The Guardian quotes that son of perdition, "To speak in this place of horror, in this place where unprecedented mass crimes were committed against God and man, is almost impossible, and particularly difficult for a Christian, for a pope from Germany," he told camp survivors and religious leaders. "In a place like this, words fail. There is only a stupefied silence and a cry to God."

Well now, as Satan is so too does Antichrist, that is, he counts on peoples stupidity. He remains relaxed enough to lie to the world. He considers that because of our dumbed-down education ["stupefied silence"], that none of us will know the truth of what happened so many years ago.

In Edmond Paris' book, The Secret History of the Jesuits, in Section V, chapter 2 (The Preparations For The Second World War), there are many things brought to the light that show how Roman Catholic clergy [both Jesuit and otherwise] openly supported fascism before Hitler's rise to popularity and power by supporting Italy's madman, Benito Mussolini. An example, "On the 16th of November 1922, Parliament elected Mussolini by 306 votes against 116, and, in that meeting, one saw the Catholic group of don Sturzo, supposedly Christian-Democrat, voting unanimously for the first fascist government."

Edmond Paris also states that ten years later, the same manoeuvre brought about a similar result in Germany. The Catholic "Sentrum" of Monsignor Kass assured, by its massive vote, the dictatorship of Nazism.

To help paint the picture of why Antichrist and his army of Jesuit operatives and clerical locusts would do such a thing, the LORD God gives us a simple yet powerful reason, which is found in Revelation 13:7,

"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations."

There are many other underlying reasons why the Pope of Rome would want to subjugate other nations yet the fact that only names such as Hitler and Mussolini are despised today (but not the Pope!) is a marvel in itself. It is part of the Mystery of Iniquity for that Man of Sin (as history records) was the same wicked man that raised up such evil dictators to do his dirty deeds. Yet when it is all over, the Pope appears at Auschwitz some sixty years later, dressed in lily white garments and redirects the blame by asking aloud (in essence), "Why God?"

Pope Pius XI described Mussolini as "..the man whom Providence allowed us to meet". M. Francois Charles-Roux, a French ambassador to the Vatican said, "The Pope seemed to identify himself too much with the dictators."

Edmond Paris continues: “Mussolini, the prototype, was the inaugurator of that series of "providential" men, these sword-bearers who would prepare the revenge for 1918. From Italy, where it prospered so well under the care of the Jesuit 'Father' Tacchi Venturi and his acolytes, Fascism was soon to be exported to Germany. "Hitler receives his impetus from Mussolini; the ideal of the Nazis is the same as in Italy... Since Mussolini is at the head, all the sympathies are for Berlin... In 1923, his Fascism merges with National Socialism; he becomes friends with Hitler to whom he supplies arms and money."

In 1924, the Holy See signs a Concordat with Bavaria. In 1927, we can read in Cologne's Gazette: "Pius XI is certainly the most German pope who ever sat on the throne of St. Peter". His successor, Pius XII, will rob him of this palm. But, for the time being, he pursues his diplomatic career - rather his political career - in this Germany for which, as he later told Ribbentrop, "..he would always have a special affection." Promoted nuncio in Berlin, he works, with Franz von Papen, at destroying the Weimar Republic (the legitimate German Government at the time). On 20 July 1932, a state of siege is proclaimed in Berlin and the government ministers are expelled. These are the first steps towards Hitlerian dictatorship.

Afterwards the German Catholics were told that Pope Pius XI was in favor of Hitler and that they should not be surprised that he was sympathetic to Hitler.

Hitler came to power on the 30th of January 1933. "German political Catholicism, instead of becoming Christian Democrat, was eventually made to confer full powers on Hitler, on the 26th of March 1933... To vote in favour of full powers, a two-thirds majority was necessary and the votes of the 'Zentrum' were indispensable to obtain it." Also, "In the correspondence and declarations of ecclesiastical dignitaries, we will always find, under the Nazi regime, the fervent approval of the Bishops."

Yet the British Guardian reports the Antichrist saying at Birkenau, Poland, "Our people were used and abused as a tool of their [the Nazis'] mania for destruction and domination...".

Edmond Paris continues: "While the cross of Christ and the Swastika were co-operating in Germany, Benito Mussolini set forth on the easy conquest of Ethiopia, with the 'Holy Father's' blessing. "...The Sovereign Pontiff had not condemned Mussolini's politics and had left the Italian clergy fully free to co-operate with the Fascist government... The ecclesiastics, from the priests of humble parishes to the Cardinals, spoke in favor of the war. One of the most striking examples came from the Cardinal-Archbishop of Milan, Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster (Jesuit), who went as far as calling this campaign "a Catholic crusade".

The Antichrist's campaign of subjugation of Europe extended into the United States with the so-called 'Christian Front', a Roman Catholic movement that was opposed to the U.S. intervention of Nazi Germany and was directed by Jesuit 'Father' Coughlin, a notorious pro-Hitlerite. Edmond Paris writes, "This pious organization lacked nothing and received, from Berlin, a plentiful supply of propaganda material prepared by Goebbel's office. Through his publication "Social Justice" and radio broadcasts, the Jesuit Coughlin, Apostle of the Swastika, reached a vast public. He also looked after secret "commando cells" in the main urban centres, led according to the sons of Loyola's methods and trained by Nazi agents."

There is much more to be said of the Antichrist who denies any involvement with lesser evil forces, but truly the Pope of Rome 'takes the cake'. Why, he seems so very vexed at the death camp to utter such pious and condemning words against those bad Nazi's, yet you'll not ever hear him confess to the murders of some one hundred million (100,000,000) Christian, bible believing men, women and children over hundreds and hundreds of years of religious pogroms, Crusades and Inquisitions. This post within The Hoffmann REPORT is but a feeble attempt at setting the record straight.

Until the Lord Jesus Christ returns in glory and might, the Antichrist and his false-church (Mystery Babylon) will continue to make war against the saints and against heathen nations too. For those of you who fear God and hope in His mercy, remember that it is written,

"...yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service." the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Gospel according to the Apostle John, ch.16, vs.2b [King James Version]

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SUMMARY: Who are YOU going to trust, the God of heaven or mere man? See the middle verse of the Holy Bible and read for yourself: Psalm 118:8! Are you going to trust fallen men and their un-scriptural Traditions to save you from Hell-fire? Salvation cometh only by the Lord Jesus Christ - by His sovereign grace alone, through faith alone, in Him alone and NOT by any deeds, works, sacraments or vain repetitious utterances (i.e., the Rosary) that we babble out. Nor is there any other Mediator before the Most High GOD save Jesus Christ alone! Seek ye the Word of the LORD and read, for we are not long in this 'Land of the Living'. Do right and risk the consequences!

Resistance to Wicked Magistrates & Ecclesiastical Authorities

2007-06-27T03:01:00.000-05:00

The Most High God is sovereign over
the affairs of mere flesh-and-blood men!

1.) "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Jesus Christ the Lord, The Gospel according to Matthew 28:18-20

2.) "...Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are His: and He changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him." Daniel 2:20-22

3.) "For the kingdom is the LORD's: and He is the governor among the nations." Psalm 22:28

4.) "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." Isaiah 33:22

5.) "...Which in His times He shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords" First Epistle of Paul to Timothy 6:15

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Resistance To Unjust Civil Magistrates
And Wicked Ecclesiastical Authorities
Is Obedience to the LORD God, Who alone is mighty to save!

"We ought to obey God rather than men."
--Peter and other apostles, The Acts of the Apostles 5:29 [read Acts 5:24-33]

"But hereof be assured, that all is not lawful nor just that is statute by civil laws; neither yet is everything sin before God, which ungodly persons allege to be treason." --preacher John Knox

"Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand. And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage." Micah 2:1-2

“The Pope’s authority is unlimited, incalculable; it can strike, as Innocent III says, wherever sin is; it can punish every one; it allows no appeal and is itself Sovereign Caprice; for the Pope carries, according to the expression of Boniface VIII, all rights in the Shrine of his breast. As he has now become infallible, he can by the use of the little word, “orbi,” (which means that he turns himself round to the whole Church) make every rule, every doctrine, every demand, into a certain and incontestable article of Faith. No right can stand against him, no personal or corporate liberty; or as the [Roman Catholic] Canonists put it “The tribunal of God and of the pope is one and the same.” -Ignaz von Dollinger, “A Letter Addressed to the Archbishop of Munich” 1871; as quoted in MacDougall, The Acton Newman Relations (Fordham University Press) pp. 119,120.

"Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. *Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." Psalm 2:10-12 [*An act of public homage and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ alone by all those in positions of leadership and authority]

"It (the state) may not require anything forbidden by Christianity, but it may forbear to enact many things which Christianity requires." Blackstone's Commentaries, Book I, p. 441, n. 3.

Mr. Raywood Frazier, in the booklet Catholic Words and Actions, presents documentary proof of the intensive persecution of Protestants and non-Catholics in Columbia, South America, between 1949 and 1953. The Catholic Church had the support of the Columbian government in the destruction of many churches, and the liquidation of more than 1,000 documented cases -- some of whom were shot, drowned, or emasculated. He says there is evidence of over 60,000 killed. Pope Pius XII awarded the President of Columbia with one of the highest awards which the Church bestows, and praised Columbia for its example of the Catholic faith." (Pp. 59,60)

"And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked." --Elijah the Tishbite (a man of God publicly mocking the evil king's false-religion), I Kings 18:27 [read 18:15-40]

"Let a thing here be noted, that the prophet of God sometimes may teach treason against kings, and yet neither he nor such as obey the word, spoken in the Lord’s name by him, offend God." -preacher John Knox

"Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; to turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!" Holy Bible, Isaiah 10:1-2

"For earthly princes lay aside their power when they rise up against God, and are unworthy to be reckoned among the number of mankind. We ought, rather, to spit upon their heads than to obey them." --preacher John Calvin (Commentary on Daniel, Lecture XXX Daniel 6:22)

"That the Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind, will be questioned by no Protestant who has a competent knowledge of history . . . It is impossible to form a complete conception of the multitude of her victims, and it is quite certain that no powers of imagination can adequately realize their sufferings." --W. E. H. Lecky, History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, vol. 2, p. 32, 1910 edition. (For more details see The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 12, p. 266.)

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes." Psalm 118:8-9 [vs. 8 is the middle verse of the Holy Bible]

"In 1773 a sermon was preached by Charles Turner from Romans, XIII. 4, in which he meets the objections that ministers should not meddle in politics, and while he concedes its force in mere local matters, he boldly asserts that it is their duty to interfere where the liberties of the land are assailed, not only for the sake of their own posterity as well as that of others, but because, 'when the civil rights of a country receive a shock, it may justly render the ministers of God deeply thoughtful for the safety of sacred privileges - for religious liberty is so blended with civil, that if one falls it is not to be expected that the other will continue.'" preacher C. Turner, 1773

"If they (government authorities) command anything against Him (God), let it go un-esteemed. And here let us not be concerned about all the dignity which the magistrates possess." --preacher John Calvin (The Institution of the Christian Religion, written in 1536 A.D.)

"You ask if he (the Roman Catholic) were lord in the land, and you were in a minority, if not in numbers yet in power, what would he do to you? That, we say, would entirely depend upon circumstances. If it would benefit the cause of Catholicism, he would tolerate you: If expedient, he would imprison you, banish you, fine you; possibly, he might even hang you. But be assured of one thing: He would never tolerate you for the sake of 'the glorious principles of civil and religious liberty' . . . Catholicism is the most intolerant of creeds. It is intolerance itself, for it is truth itself."--"Civil and Religious Liberty," in The Rambler, 8, Sept, 1851, pp. 174, 178. ["The Rambler" was an English Roman Catholic journal published from 1848 to 1862].

"You're free. And freedom is beautiful. And, you know, it'll take time to restore chaos and order ..order out of chaos. But we will." -The Smirking Chimp (George W. Bush), Washington, D.C., April 13, 2003

"And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them." -- God-fearing women that refused to obey the king's wicked decrees to murder children, Exodus 1:19 [see Exodus 1:8-21 for the complete picture]

"If their princes exceed their bounds, Madam, it is no doubt that they may be resisted even by power." -- preacher John Knox (while being questioned by Queen Mary about his views which legitimized subjects resisting their princes)

"Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them; remember the LORD, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, yours sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses." Nehemiah encouraging his neighbors in the midst of violent threats by Sanballat and other civil officials [read Nehemiah ch. 4]

"There is ever, and in all places, a mutual and reciprocal obligation between the people and the prince...If the prince fail in his promise, the people are exempt from obedience, the contract is made void, the rights of obligation of no force." -- Vindiciae Contra Tyrannos written in 1579 A.D., author unknown

"The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. That's not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace. These terrorists don't represent peace. They represent evil and war. When we think of Islam we think of a faith that brings comfort to a billion people around the world. Billions of people find comfort and solace and peace. And that's made brothers and sisters out of every race -- out of every race." The Current U.S. President (a professing Christian): while on his watch "evil and war" continues unabated (Abortion) upon defenseless unborn children in "The Land of the Free" and "The Home of the Brave". His ludicrous statement was released via the White House Office of the Press Secretary, September 17, 2001

"The [Roman] church may by divine right confiscate the property of heretics, imprison their person, and condemn them to flames. In our age, the right to inflict the severest penalties, even death, belongs to the church. There is no graver offense than heresy, therefore it must be rooted out." - Public Ecclesiastical, Vol. 2, p.142.

"...We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God." --Wicked government officials conspiring against a man of God, Daniel 6:5

"Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." --Daniel 6:10 [see Daniel ch. 6]

"I have but one Law-Book that I shall pretend to recommend to your careful perusal, and that is the Holy Bible, which contains the Laws, Statutes, and Judgments, the Reports and Records of the King of Heaven: There you will find that GOD has given us, as we are told, right Judgments, and true laws, good Statutes & Commandments. (Neh. 9:13) O then, Let all your private Counsel and all your publick Pleas, be such as agree with these Divine statutes." Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States (Joseph Story), p. 718, Sec. 1016.

"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." --Solomon (preacher & king) , Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

An Urgent Plea To Roman Catholics

2007-06-16T15:56:00.001-05:00

"Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision." Joel 3:14

"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Hebrews 10:10-14

Good afternoon neighbors,

It is my sincere hope and prayer before the Living God that any Roman Catholic reading the enclosed essay will be greatly encouraged to believe the gospel and soon cry out to the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy and deliverance. Only He can wash our sins away by His one-time sacrifice upon the cross at Calvary two thousand years ago. Only His finished work (death, burial & resurrection) can save us from Hell-fire. It is Jesus Christ alone that can deliver us from "dead works", from unbiblical traditions and false doctrine.

As a former-Catholic, I have compassion upon the lay-people within this religious organization. It was not until I departed the R.C.C. that I was blessed of God to finally understand a liberating and wonderful truth about Him. I found this truth in the holy bible; in the New Testament book of Ephesians ch.2, vss. 8-10, where I learned that a man is saved only by the "grace" of God (His unmerited favor bestowed upon His elect saints) through "faith" - both of which are GIFTS from God Himself!

The gentleman that wrote this essay is Mr. Ralph Ovadal of Wisconsin. I hope that this will prove to be one of the greatest blessings in your life. Above all else, May the LORD JESUS CHRIST be magnified (not mere men)!

With care,
Billy

P.S. Please note that all scripture given is from the old King James bible (aka, the Authorized Version), and I encourage you folks to run out and get one soon. You'll be glad ya' did so!

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"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." Proverbs 30:5-6

An Urgent Plea to Roman Catholics

"For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."I Peter 1:24-25

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The religious-political system known as the Roman Catholic Church began to take shape in the Fourth Century. As the years rolled by, the Roman church increasingly exercised power which was not delegated to her by God; and she increasingly promulgated unbiblical doctrine even as she persecuted those who obediently clung to the Word of God. Plainly stated, the pope and his underlings have been adversaries of God's revealed Word, the Bible. The Word of God and the word of the Roman church led by the pope are at direct odds with each other on many foundational issues, including, most critically, how one receives forgiveness of sin and salvation from God. It is impossible for one to be obedient to both the Roman church and the Bible, just as it is impossible to follow both the pope and Jesus. In the short space allowed by this tract, I would like to point out a few dogmas of the Roman Catholic Church which are in direct conflict with God's Word (Mat. 15:8-9). Due to space constraints, I will not directly quote the RCC documents which contain the doctrines I am dealing with, and I will simply reference Bible passages. I assume Roman Catholics will know where their church's teachings are found, or they will contact me for documentation. I pray that they read the Scripture verses referenced, which are representative of many more verses in each case.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the pope is Christ's vicar (representative, voice) on earth, the "Holy Father", and head of Christ's Church, infallible in matters of faith and morals when speaking officially in that office. Peter is held to be the first pope.

Roman Catholic claims concerning the papacy and Peter are soundly refuted by God's Word. The Holy Spirit, not the pope, is the voice of God to men's consciences, convicting of sin and confirming the Word of God (Jn. 14:26, 16:7-14; Eph. 6:17). The Bible nowhere sets up one man as the head of the Church but instead clearly states that Christ is the Head of His Church (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22-23, 5:23).

Peter never led others to believe that he was the head of the Church, but instead referred to himself as "an elder" (1 Pet. 5:1-3). Peter is never portrayed in Scripture as being the head apostle or "pope"; in fact, at key times during the apostolic era, other apostles seem to be in charge in a given situation (Acts 15:1-30). Further, if Peter was acting as the "Holy Father" in Rome, then a reading of Paul's letter to the Romans would seem to imply that Paul did not have much respect for Peter as the infallible head of the Church (Rom. 1:11-15; Gal. 2:11-16)! By the way, God's Word clearly commands Christians not to address anyone in a spiritual or religious sense as "father," let alone "Holy Father" (Mat. 23:9). In light of the Roman Catholic claims about their first pope, it seems more than a little strange that only James and Jude wrote less of the New Testament than Peter wrote. There is a plethora of other biblical evidences which make it obvious that the Roman church is dead wrong when it comes to its claims about the papacy.

Surely, the bloody and sordid history of the papacy is also proof that the pope is not the infallible, holy vicar of Christ. Some popes have been fornicators, homosexuals, and murderers as even Roman Catholic historians admit. Popes have anathematized their predecessors and wielded ungodly power over civil rulers while ordering brutal persecutions, including the mass murder of Bible-believing Christians such as the Waldenses. How could such men be the "vicar of Christ"?

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the bread and the wine of the Eucharist are Christ's literal body and blood.

This doctrine is wrongly based on a figure of speech Jesus used to show the Jews that He came down from heaven to provide eternal life for their souls as contrasted to the manna their fathers ate in the wilderness (Jn. 6:48-64). Jesus Christ is the staff of life essential to the sinner's salvation. By His death, the giving of His body and shedding of His blood, Christ purchased eternal life for sinners who repent and trust only in Him for the salvation of their souls. When Christ spoke of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, He was speaking in a spiritual sense, as He says in John 6:63. Surely those who are in Christ also receive all spiritual nourishment and grace by and through Him. Christ Jesus is the bread of life for His people.

Jesus also said that He is "the door" (Jn. 10:9) and "a light" (Jn. 12:46). The Bible identifies Jesus as a "Lamb" (Jn. 1:29) and as a "Rock" (1 Cor. 10:4). There are times when God's Word uses figures of speech to stress an eternal truth. Those instances are always obvious, but apparently not to the pope, his bishops, and his priests.

Jesus Christ, "the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:18), for our sake possesses a resurrected, glorified body (Phil. 2:5-11; Jn. 20:26-27) just as His followers will one day possess (1 Cor. 15:35-58). He sits at the right hand of God the Father (Rom. 8:34). Christ's body cannot be and is not split up thousands of ways every day by Roman priests all over the world in the mass. Further, if Christ meant for us to literally eat His flesh and drink His blood, He would have been commanding us to commit cannibalism. During the Last Supper with His disciples, Jesus was physically present when He handed out the wine and bread, saying, "This is my body . . . my blood . . ." (Lk. 22:17-20). The Lord's Table is an ordinance of His true Church which is done solely "in remembrance" of Christ's vicarious sacrifice on the cross (Lk. 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:23-26). Through the mass, the Roman church teaches its members to literally worship a wafer of bread, and her priests claim to have the power to turn physical elements into the Son of God and then "immolate" Him on their altars. By this ritual, they profess to repeatedly sacrifice Christ for the remission of sin! The Scriptures make it clear that Jesus' death on the cross was fully sufficient and completely efficacious for the salvation of all who repent and believe the gospel (Heb. 7:27, 9:12, 9:26-28, 10:10; 1 Pet. 3:18). What Jesus Christ has commanded His followers to do as a "remembrance" of His death and their inheritance of eternal life through faith in Him (Lk. 22:19-20), the Roman church has turned into a blasphemous ritual which misleads millions, separated from Christ and salvation. No true Christian can have any part of it (1 Cor. 10:20-22).

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that, for salvation to be gained, one must do certain works and sacraments ordained by the church.

The gospel of Jesus Christ proclaims salvation by God's grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. This is the truth everywhere proclaimed in the Word of God and affirmed by the Spirit of truth in the hearts of all true followers of Christ. To insist that salvation is obtained by works of the law or any combination of works plus grace is to teach that God owes sinners salvation rather than it being a free gift of God (Rom. 4:1-8, 6:23, 5:15-19)! Salvation is all of God and none of man. Salvation is all of grace and none of works. "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work" (Rom. 11:6). "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost" (Titus 3:5).

The Roman church teaches salvation is made possible only by a life of sacramental works and the assistance of her priests. This is a blasphemous lie which mocks the efficacy, sufficiency, and omnipotent power of the life, death, resurrection, and priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ who is "able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25). The pope and his priests, in order to keep sinners in bondage and in their kingdom rather than in Christ's kingdom, "wrest" the Scriptures "unto their own destruction" to justify their false grace plus works gospel (2 Pet. 3:16). For instance, they cite James chapter two and say it proves Abraham was justified by faith and works. But Scripture is interpreted by Scripture, and the rest of the Scriptures testify that Abraham was justified by faith alone! Besides, justification is clearly being used in a different sense by James in that instance. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, James is simply showing that a faith without works is a dead faith and no true faith at all. Abraham's works after being saved justified, or showed, his faith to be true. Although the Scriptures teach over and over that all men are commanded to obey God's holy law and live holy lives, it is impossible to be justified and saved through the law or by any work of obedience but only by grace through faith (Rom. 3:20-28; Gal. 2:16, 3:11; Eph. 2:8-9). While true salvation will result in righteous works, salvation does not in any way result from righteous works. Those who teach that man must do certain works to secure salvation - or for that matter, keep it - substitute the unrighteous works of corrupt, spiritually dead men for the precious blood of Christ and His spotless righteousness. The Roman Catholic Church cannot be the true Church since it teaches a false gospel. And how can the pope, an "accursed" false teacher, be Christ's vicar (Gal. 1:8-9)?

The Roman Catholic Church insists that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was conceived sinless, lived a sinless life on this earth, was a perpetual virgin, and was assumed into heaven.

The Roman Catholic Church contradicts the Bible with these claims and many others that they make about the mother of Jesus. Mary was a young woman whom God sovereignly chose to bear the Messiah. She was a virgin until after His birth, and then Joseph "knew" her (Mat. 1:25). In other words, their marriage was physically consummated after Jesus was born. To say otherwise is to indulge in the same flight of fantasy as the homosexuals who claim that the sodomites who wanted to "know" Lot's two guests merely wanted to become acquainted with them (Gen. 19:5)! It is also to ignore the unimpeachable biblical evidence that Jesus had natural brothers and sisters, some of whom are even named in the Scriptures (Mat. 13:53-56; Mk. 6:1-3). Mary was a pure, godly woman, no doubt; but she was not sinless any more than she was a perpetual virgin. Mary spoke of "God my Saviour" (Lk. 1:47). Mary, like every human being, belonged to Adam's fallen race and needed a Savior! The Scriptures tell us, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Nowhere does the Bible tell us that Mary was an exception to that rule just as it nowhere tells us that she was assumed into heaven.

There is also no biblical justification - quite the contrary - for praying to Mary as the Roman Catholic Catechism encourages. And to hear the prayers of millions of Roman Catholics all over the world, Mary would have to be omnipresent just as is God! Tragically, the Roman Catholic Church has turned that humble Jewish woman into their goddess, even bestowing such blasphemous titles on her as "Queen of Heaven" and "co-mediatrix."

These are a few of many instances where the Roman Catholic Church's doctrines are in direct contradiction to God's Word. Roman Catholics can believe the pope or believe the Word of God. Roman Catholic reader, please consider all the fundamental ways in which your church is in serious conflict with the Word of God. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot serve both the pope and Jesus.

To be forgiven of your sins, born again, and filled with the blessed assurance of salvation (Rom. 8:16), believe the Word of God instead of the pope. Confess your sins to God rather than to a priest. Call upon the name of the Lord for salvation instead of praying to Mary and "the saints" and relying on pagan rituals. Then follow Jesus and live your life according to God's Holy Word instead of the corrupt decrees of Rome.

Pastor Ralph Ovadal
Pilgrims Covenant Church (non-incorporated)
http://www.pccmonroe.org/index.htm

2007-06-10T16:47:00.002-05:00

Faith Without Works Is DEAD!

2007-04-06T22:07:00.002-05:00

April 5th, 2007 A.D.

To: First Lieutenant XXXXX XXXXXXX, Officer-in-Charge

Michigan STATE POLICE Post #XX, XXXXXXXXXXXX County

From: B. Hoffmann

Subj: MINISTERIAL OUTREACH (Re: Civil Magistracy)

Warm greetings, 1^st Lt. XXXXXXX. It was a pleasure to have met you recently. I thank you for taking the time to speak with me in the midst of your active schedule.

In speaking with you the first time, and of my offer to prepare a paper for your serious consideration, it occurred to me just how difficult of a task that I've taken on. I'm not an educated man, 1^st Lt.; I'm no pastor nor theologian, in fact, I never so much as graduated from High School. However, I do have many fine examples from greater men than myself, of long ago, who have adequately preached on this needful topic pertaining to the upright duties of a Civil Magistrate. This term would include all men in positions of leadership and authority. Specifically sir, you being the O.I.C. of a State Police unit who carries the sword not in vain (Romans 13:4): this term, and thus your ordained responsibilities are clearly annotated by our Creator, the God of heaven and earth (Jesus Christ the Lord, alone).

What brings joy and hope to me is that men such as yourself, once they fully grasp their responsibilities as defined by the LORD God, can make righteous, positive and effective changes in our sin-sick society. I need not clarify all the aspects of just how wicked men are today, for in doing so it would be an insult to your intelligence, sir. You already know full well just how evil and violent men can be from your own experiences in life and now as a senior law enforcement official. After fasting and calling upon my God, it has occurred to me to utilize but one “sin” as a perfect example to which I may hopefully help to shed light upon and which may someday bring much fruit.

The example that I would now bring to your attention is of Abortion, otherwise also known as Infanticide. In the eyes of God this wholesale slaughter of the innocents is described by Him throughout the holy scriptures as “the slaughter of the innocents,” and, of which He Himself refers to as an “abomination” in His sight. Since the unlawful passing of “Roe v. Wade” in the early '70's, our nation has murdered tens of millions of our most defenseless and innocent citizens, and this within their own mother's wombs! At this point it is needful to consider a pertinent scripture to help understand the situation, which is from the book of Exodus, where the LORD is speaking of laws pertaining to acts of violence :

a. “If men strive (fight), and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life...” ch.xxi, vss.22-23

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In this illustration of God's law, we see that the fruit of a woman's womb is clearly defined as a “child”, and that should the child be harmed – even though it be accidental – the men causing the untimely death of the child were to be judged accordingly. If the child's death was “by mischief”, meaning intentional, then whosoever caused the death were to be judged in like manner.

Please note, 1^st Lt., just how far we as a nation have fallen in 231 years, that for (in the vast majority of cases) the sake of “convenience” we have slain some 50,000,000 babies, of which their blood continues to cry out from the earth unto a just and holy GOD. One former Abortionist, a repentant man, has come forward to declare that for every abortion “on the books”, there is another one that goes unreported to the Internal Revenue Service. The implication of this is horrifying, sir, for if what this man is saying is accurate, then it stands to reason that Doctors are earning tax-free monies “under the table” for their satanic blood-lust, and, it would in fact double the number as to how many have been slain. In consideration of God's Law, we have here in our country today an evil 180 degree turn-around, where we as a nation think that we know best. Collectively, we do mock the God of heaven while disdaining His upright decrees.

We are not without an example of what happens to a country that practices such rebellion to GOD. In the following scripture we have God's own people (at the time, the Jew's) who practiced Infanticide, though not for convenience sake like unto us but for the express purpose of worshiping false gods. What happened to the nation is frightening, for that not only were the leaders fiercely judged but also the citizenry as well:

a. “And the LORD sent against him bands (troops) of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the Word of the LORD, which He spake by His servants the prophets. Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of His sight, for the sins of (king) Manasseh, according to all that he did; and also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.” II Kings 24:2-4

The ramifications of the historical record when held up to the light of that which our nation is currently practicing is nothing short of stunning: you see, 1^st Lt., while the Living GOD grants mercy unto individual sinners (by His sovereign grace through Jesus Christ alone), when a nation commits wholesale slaughter of the innocents, that country has “crossed the line of departure” and Almighty God will in fact violently judge the entire bloody land with great calamity. As a “watchman-on-the-wall” I be sounding the trumpet the best I can muster and in summary, it is my express prayer and hope before the LORD that He will work through such men as yourself to one day soon have a practical and righteous input that will assist in an outright ban of all infanticide in the State of Michigan, that, Lord willing, our state will be spared from the brunt of that which is to come in due time. We would have to be quite dull and listless not to see that Michigan is already being hammered, that is, Is not our health, welfare and economy in tatters already, sir? Perhaps you see my point, 1^st Lt. XXXXXXX. At this time, I would like to bring to your attention other scriptures of interest as well as quotations that serve to educate the discerning man.

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“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” King Solomon (Ecclesiastes 8:11)

“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” Proverbs of Solomon 14:34

“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offenses! For it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!” The Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 18:6-7)

“...who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” Epistle of Paul to the Romans 1:32

“If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it? And He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it? And shall not He render to every man according to his works?” Proverbs of Solomon 24:10-12

“...He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.” King David (II Samuel 23:3b)

“Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: and let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be that ever great matter they shall bring unto thee, but ever small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.” Exodus 18:21-23

"We do not believe any group of men adequate enough or wise enough to operate without scrutiny or without criticism. We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it, that the only way to detect it is to be free to inquire. We know that in secrecy error undetected will flourish and subvert." J. Robert Oppenheimer, 1904-67, American physicist

"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human liberty; it is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." William Pitt, British House of Commons

"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws." Gaius Cornelius Tacitus, Roman orator, lawyer, and senator, considered to be one of antiquity's greatest historians.

"There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpation" James Madison

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"We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force." Ayn Rand, The Nature of Government

"A mind conscious of truth cannot always endure the obstinate and willfully blind enemies of truth." Martin Luther, German Protestant Reformer of the 16^th century

"Notable among these new threats is the prospect of an attack on U.S. cities by independent or state-sponsored terrorists using weapons of mass destruction...we may not easily recognize many of the threats in our future... They may consist...of unannounced attacks by subnational groups using genetically engineered pathogens against American cities." New World Coming: American Security in the 21st Century: Phase 1 Report on the Emerging Global Security Environment, 15 September, 1999, pp. 1-2

"The bureaucracy takes itself to be the ultimate purpose of the state." Karl Marx, Contribution to the Critique Of Hegel's Philosophy of Right

"Politics is a pendulum whose swings between anarchy and tyranny are fueled by perpetually rejuvenated illusions" Albert Einstein

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana

"In our book, Should The Baby Live?, my colleague Helga Kuhse and I suggested that a period of twenty-eight days after birth might be allowed before an infant is accepted as having the same right to life as others. This is clearly well before the infant could have a sense of its own existence over time, and would allow a couple that it is better not to continue with a life that has begun very badly." Princeton University Professor Peter Singer in his 1993 book Practical Ethics, Second Edition, pg. 395

"After an abortion, the doctor must inspect these remains to make sure that all the fetal parts and placenta have been removed. Any tissue left inside the uterus can start an infection. Dr. Bours squeezed the contents of the sock into a shallow dish and poked around with his finger. "You can see a teeny-tiny hand.", he said." Abortion Clinic Worker quoted in Is The Fetus Human? and in Dudley Clendinen, The Abortion Conflict: What It Does To One Doctor, New York Times Magazine, 11 August 1985, pg. 26

"I am deeply troubled by my own increasing certainty that I have in fact presided over 60,000 deaths. There is no longer serious doubt in my mind that human life exists from the very onset of pregnancy." Dr. Bernard Nathanson, Deeper Into Abortion, New England Journal of Medicine, November of 1974, pg. 1189

"God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserveth wrath for His enemies. The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked..." Nahum 1:2-3a

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"And it seems to me perfectly in the cards that there will be within the next generation or so a pharmacological method of making people love their servitude, and producing...a kind of painless concentration camp for entire societies, so that people will in fact have their liberties taken away from them but will rather enjoy it, because they will be distracted from any desire to rebel by propaganda, brainwashing, or brainwashing enhanced by pharmacological methods." Aldous Huxley, 1959

"Through clever and constant application of propaganda people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way around, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise." Adolph Hitler, Mein Kampf, 1923

"It is natural for man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it." Patrick Henry

"It's a great responsibility," said Eugene Lawson, "to hold the decision of life or death over thousands of people and to sacrifice them when necessary, but we must have the courage to do it. In time of national peril, it is your duty to serve, suffer and work for the salvation of the country! You have to make certain sacrifices to the public welfare!" (pp. 870, 902) "For instance, in view of the desperate shortage of food, it has been suggested that it might become necessary to issue a directive ordering that every third one of all children under the age of ten and all adults over the age of sixty be put to death, to secure the survival of the rest..." (p. 1024) Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

"Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, that frameth mischief by a law? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood." Psalm 94:20, 21

"The truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history is that, Those nations can only be blessed whose God is the Lord." Abraham Lincoln

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes." Psalm 118:8, 9 [vs.8 is the middle verse of the holy bible]

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The Ten Commandments represent God's Government over man. God commands us for our own good to give up wrongs and not rights. His system always results in liberty and freedom. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are built on this foundation, which provides for punitive justice. It is not until one damages another's person or property that he can be punished. The Marxist system leads to bondage and God's system leads to liberty.

I Thou shalt have no other gods before Me

II Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image

III Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain

IV Remember the sabbath to keep it holy

V Honor thy father and mother

VI Thou shalt not kill [i.e., “murder”]

VII Thou shalt not commit adultery

VIII Thou shalt not steal

IX Thou shalt not bear false witness

X Thou shalt not covet

1^st Lt. XXXXX XXXXXXX: thank you kindly for allowing me the opportunity to minister (serve) you in such a fashion. You have my express written permission to share this memorandum with whomever you are led to. Please feel free to contact me at any time. If I can be of any assistance then I will be pleased to render it, for my Master, Jesus Christ the Lord, would have me to do good unto all men, especially those within the Body of Christ (His true Church).

“These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.” Zechariah 8:16-17

Very respectfully,

B. Hoffmann

2007-03-17T01:18:00.001-05:00

2007-02-28T07:30:00.001-05:00

2007-02-26T23:23:00.001-05:00

2007-02-03T18:31:00.001-05:00

2007-01-19T01:29:00.001-05:00

The Decline of a Nation

2007-01-07T22:13:00.000-05:00

Greetings,

The following article, The Decline of a Nation, written by a Mr. Kirby Anderson, will help to illustrate the stage at which we perceive the United States to be in; this pertaining to the previously discussed topic of JUDGMENT at the hand of Almighty God. The prophet Jeremiah warned his fellow countrymen for many, many years before the LORD God sent judgment upon Israel; God used a pagan nation, with a mighty army, to punish the Jewish people of that era and who steadfastly refused to repent and turn from their wicked ways.

While the LORD exercises great forbearance and long-suffering before punishing a country, at one point in time, according to His will, the 'last straw' will occur and then there is NO stopping the calamity to come. I share this with you to shed more light upon my previous claims and ideas from the last two posts. I hope you'll gain much understanding from this excellent essay.

Respectfully,
Billy

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Introduction

Doomsayers for many years have been predicting the decline and fall of this country. And while many of these short-term predictions have proved inaccurate, there is some truth to the prevailing belief that this nation will fall like every great nation before it. Apart from revival and reformation, this nation is destined to decline.

The problem with many of these doomsayers is that while their prognosis is right, their diagnosis is wrong. Yes, the future is bleak. But our problem is not ultimately political, economic, or social, as these doomsayers would have us believe. The decline of this nation (just as the decline of every other nation) is due to spiritual factors. The political, economic, and social problems we encounter are the symptoms of the spiritual deterioration of a nation.

Just as there are spiritual principles that influence the life of an individual, so there are political-spiritual principles that govern the life of a nation. And though we may feel that these are obscure and difficult to discern, in reality they are visible to anyone willing to look at the record of history.

Our problem is that we don't really learn from history. George Santayana said that "those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it." The philosopher Hegel said, "What experience and history teach us is this: that people and government never have learned anything from history or acted on principles deduced from it." Or as Winston Churchill said, "The one thing we have learned from history is that we don't learn from history."

The refrains that are often heard are: "It can't happen here," or "Our country is different." But the reality is that nations are born and die just like individuals. Their longevity may exceed the average person's lifespan. But the reality is that nations also die.

History has shown that the average age of the great civilizations is around two hundred years. Countries like Great Britain exceed the average while other countries like the United States are just now reaching the average age.

Each of the great civilizations in the world passed through a series of stages from their birth to their decline to their death. Historians have listed these in ten stages.

The first stage moves from bondage to spiritual faith. The second from spiritual faith to great courage. The third stage moves from great courage to liberty. The fourth stage moves from liberty to abundance. The fifth stage moves from abundance to selfishness. The sixth stage moves from selfishness to complacency. The seventh stage moves from complacency to apathy. The eighth stage moves from apathy to moral decay. The ninth stage moves from moral decay to dependence. And the tenth and last stage moves from dependence to bondage.

These are the ten stages through which the great civilizations have gone. Notice the progression from bondage to liberty back to bondage. The first generation throws off the shackles of bondage only to have a later generation through apathy and indifference allow itself to once again be enslaved.

This is the direction this and every other country is headed. The book of Judges shows that the nation of Israel passed through these same stages. And this country will do the same unless revival and reformation break out and reverse the inexorable decline of this nation.

The Cycle of Nations

In his book The End of Christendom, Malcolm Muggeridge makes this powerful observation. He says:

I conclude that civilizations, like every other human creation, wax and wane. By the nature of the case there can never be a lasting civilization anymore than there can be a lasting spring or lasting happiness in an individual life or a lasting stability in a society. It's in the nature of man and of all that he constructs to perish, and it must ever be so. The world is full of the debris of past civilizations and others are known to have existed which have not left any debris behind them but have just disappeared.

He goes on to say that

...whatever their ideology may be, from the Garden of Eden onwards such dreams of lasting felicity have cropped up and no doubt always will. But the realization is impossible for the simple reason that a fallen creature like man though capable of conceiving perfection and aspiring after it, is in himself and in his works forever imperfect. Thus he is fated to exist in the no man's land between the perfection he can conceive and the imperfection that characterizes his own nature and everything he does.

Nations rise and nations fall. Every nation has followed this progression from bondage to bondage. The nations of this century will be no different. But let us not accept the Marxist notion that these are fixed and intractable laws of history. Christians can point to unusual times when revival has redirected the inexorable decline of a civilization. In the Old Testament, Jonah saw revival postpone God's judgment of Nineveh. In the sixteenth century, Martin Luther and John Calvin saw a Protestant Reformation transform Europe. And even in the history of the United States the First and Second Great Awakenings changed individuals and our society.

But apart from God's intervention, nations will decline and eventually pass off the scene. Much of the Old Testament records the history of the nation of Israel. It passed through these same stages and so will every country in the world.

As Christians we must recognize that nations will rise and fall just as individuals will be born and die. Our civilization will not last indefinitely, but will eventually pass off the scene. Only God's Word endures forever. We should not put our trust in the things of this world for they are destined for destruction. Instead, we should put our faith in God and His word.

The Decline of the Family

Nations most often fall from within, and this fall is usually due to a decline in the moral and spiritual values in the family. As families go, so goes a nation.

This has been the main premise of thinkers from British historian J. D. Unwin to Russian sociologist Pitirim Sorokin who have studied civilizations that have collapsed. In his book Our Dance Has Turned to Death, Carl Wilson identifies the common pattern of family decline in ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Notice how these seven stages parallel what is happening in our nation today. In the first stage, men ceased to lead their families in worship. Spiritual and moral development became secondary. Their view of God became naturalistic, mathematical, and mechanical.

In the second stage, men selfishly neglected care of their wives and children to pursue material wealth, political and military power, and cultural development. Material values began to dominate thought, and the man began to exalt his own role as an individual. The third stage involved a change in men's sexual values. Men who were preoccupied with business or war either neglected their wives sexually or became involved with lower-class women or with homosexuality. Ultimately, a double standard of morality developed. The fourth stage affected women. The role of women at home and with children lost value and status. Women were neglected and their roles devalued. Soon they revolted to gain access to material wealth and also freedom for sex outside marriage. Women also began to minimize having sex relations to conceive children, and the emphasis became sex for pleasure. Marriage laws were changed to make divorce easy.

In the fifth stage, husbands and wives competed against each other for money, home leadership, and the affection of their children. This resulted in hostility and frustration and possible homosexuality in the children. Many marriages ended in separation and divorce.

Many children were unwanted, aborted, abandoned, molested, and undisciplined. The more undisciplined children became, the more social pressure there was not to have children. The breakdown of the home produced anarchy.

In the sixth stage, selfish individualism grew and carried over into society, fragmenting it into smaller and smaller group loyalties. The nation was thus weakened by internal conflict. The decrease in the birthrate produced an older population that had less ability to defend itself and less will to do so, making the nation more vulnerable to its enemies.

Finally, unbelief in God became more complete, parental authority diminished, and ethical and moral principles disappeared, affecting the economy and government. Thus, by internal weakness and fragmentation the societies came apart. There was no way to save them except by a dictator who arose from within or by barbarians who invaded from without.

Although this is an ancient pattern of decline found in Greece and Rome, it is relevant today. Families are the foundation of a nation. When the family crumbles, the nation falls because nations are built upon family units. They are the true driving social force. A nation will not be strong unless the family is strong. That was true in the ancient world and it is true today.

Social commentator Michael Novak, writing on the importance of the family, said:

One unforgettable law has been learned through all the disasters and injustices of the last thousand years: If things go well with the family, life is worth living; when the family falters, life falls apart.

The Decline of Values

There are many factors in the decline of a nation. Certainly a major one is the breakdown of the family. But another potent but less perceptible force is the power of ideas.

False ideas are bringing about the decline of western culture. Carl F. H. Henry, in his book Twilight of a Great Civilization, says:

There is a new barbarism. This barbarism has embraced a new pagan mentality . . . not simply rejecting the legacy of the West, but embracing a new pagan mentality where there is no fixed truth.

Today we live in a world where biblical absolutes are ignored, and unless we return to these biblical truths, our nation will continue to decline.

To understand how we have arrived at this appalling situation, we need to go back a century and look at the influence of five intellectual leaders who still profoundly affect the modern world. The first person is Charles Darwin (1809-1882). In 1859 he published The Origin of Species and later published The Descent of Man. His writings blurred the distinction between humans and animals since he taught that we are merely part of an evolutionary progression from lower forms of life. Darwinism, as it came to be called, not only affected the field of biology, but became the foundation for the fields of anthropology, sociology, and psychology.

The second person is Karl Marx (1818-1883). He and Friedrich Engels published the Communist Manifesto around 1850, and Marx devoted his life to writing about the demise of capitalism and coming of communism. He understood the importance of ideas. Marx once wrote: "Give me twenty-six lead soldiers and I will conquer the world." The twenty-six lead soldiers are the keys on a typewriter. The pervasive influence of communism in the world today is testimony to the truthfulness of his statement.

The third person is Julius Wellhausen (1844-1918). Although he may not be as well known as the other two men mentioned, his influence was just as profound. He was a German Bible scholar whose theory on the dating of the Pentateuch completely transformed Old Testament studies.

Wellhausen argued that the early books of the Bible were not put together by Moses but were gathered together many centuries later by several different men called redactors who wove various strands together. He and his disciples established an anti-supernatural approach to the scriptures which is influential in most denominational seminaries today.

The fourth person is Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). He merely took the logical implications of what Darwin was doing in biology and applied them to what today is known as psychology and psychiatry. Freud argued that humans are basically autonomous and therefore do not need to know God. Instead, we need to know and understand ourselves since our problems stem from those secret things that have evolved in our lives from our past.

A fifth person is John Dewey (1859-1952). He is the founder of modern education and published his first work, The School and Society, in 1899. John Dewey was also one of the co-signers of the Humanist Manifesto in 1933.

Dewey, like Darwin and Freud, believed that humans are autonomous. They don't need to have an authority above them but can evolve their our own system of education. Thus the very foundation of modern education is anti-supernatural.

Ideas have consequences, and false ideas can bring down a nation. The theories of these five men are having devastating consequences in our nation and world. Unless we return to biblical absolutes, our nation will continue its decline.

Spiritual Decline

The decline and fall of nations is usually due to internal factors rather than external threats. Even though some may have fallen to barbarians, their demise ultimately came because of moral and spiritual weakness which manifested itself as military weakness. Historians have listed the stages in the decline of a nation. These should not be too surprising to any student of the Old Testament. The stages of decline parallel the stages through which the nation of Israel passed.

But neither should they surprise a student of the New Testament. In the opening chapter of the Apostle Paul's letter to the church in Rome, he traces a similar progression. In fact, Romans 1 shows the decline of a civilization from a societal perspective. Looking at the Hellenistic world of his time, he reflects on the progression of sin in a nation.

The first stage is when people turn from God to idolatry. Although God has revealed Himself in nature to all men so that they are without excuse, they nevertheless worship the creation instead of the Creator. This is idolatry. In the past, this took the form of actual idol worship. In our day, it takes the form of the worship of money or the worship of self. In either case, it is idolatry. A further example of this is a general lack of thankfulness. Although they have been prospered by God, they are ungrateful. And when they are no longer looking to God for wisdom and guidance, they become vain and futile and empty in their imaginations. They no longer honor God, so their foolish hearts become darkened. In professing to be wise, they have become fools.

The second stage is when men and women exchange their natural use of sex for unnatural uses. Here the Apostle Paul says those four sobering words, "God gave them over." In a society where lust- driven sensuality and sexual perversion dominate, God gives them over to their degrading passions and unnatural desires. The third stage is anarchy. Once a society has rejected God's revelation, it is on its own. Moral and social anarchy is the natural result. At this point God has given the sinners over to a depraved mind and so they do things which are not proper. This results in a society which is without understanding,untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful.

The final stage is judgment. God's judgment rightly falls upon those who practice idolatry and immorality. Certainly an eternal judgment awaits those who are guilty, but a social judgment occurs when God gives a nation over to its sinful practices.

Notice that this progression is not unique to the Hellenistic world the Apostle Paul was living in. The progression from idolatry to sexual perversion to anarchy to judgment is found throughout history.

In the times of Noah and Lot, there was the idolatry of greed, there was sexual perversion and promiscuity, there was anarchy and violence, and finally there was judgment. Throughout the history of the nation of Israel there was idolatry, sexual perversion, anarchy (in which each person did what was right in his own eyes), and finally judgment.

This progression happened throughout the Bible and to Greece, to Persia, to Babylon, and to Rome. And if it happened to these nations, then it can happen today. Unless we return to God's principles, decline and destruction are inevitable.

2007-01-04T22:09:00.001-05:00

2007-01-03T19:47:00.001-05:00

2006-12-23T00:07:00.002-05:00

2006-12-22T21:00:00.001-05:00

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