Thursday, September 20, 2012

Support the Man who best serves Democracy and Freedom.- Mitt

Tom's Journal. http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/ tschuckman@aol.com

I really enjoyed this article that made all sorts of biblical sense and logic!!  I especially learned and was thrilled about the part of the 2nd Amendment, and the corresponding Scriptural proof of:  Luke 22:36 and verse 38,  "Then said he unto them, But now, he [Jesus] that hath a purse, let  him take it, and likewise his scrip:  and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.  [38].  And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords.  Ad he [Jesus] said unto them, It is enough."   So now days, it's not that far a stretch of the mind to say that modern day firearms are needed to protect heart and home... although I have 2 fine swords in the house where I live, and am also an instructor of 'edged weapons.'  However, the sword that I am best skilled with, is the KJV BIBLE!  See:  2nd Timothy 3:16. 

Please share at this year's most momentous event --BEFORE election day in America.... although God's Plan is firmly set in place.

Tom Schuckman



Thursday, September 20, 2012

How An Evangelical Christian Can Support a Mormon for President

Andy WoodsBy Dr. Andy Woods Sugar Land Bible Church

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I am a theology professor at a Bible College and a pastor. I am also a political conservative. I frequently write posts and articles promoting political conservatism. Recently, some of my students have politely inquired how I could publically criticize Mormon theology in the classroom and from behind the pulpit and yet privately promote the Presidential candidacy of Mitt Romney, who is a professing Mormon. Here is my basic response:
The last time I checked, Jesus is not on the 2012 presidential ballot. Therefore, I have to vote for which of the two existing candidates, I believe better reflects biblical values. Keep in mind that a president is not in power to promote theology. That is what pastors and theologians are for. Rather, a president is elected to politically and economically govern our country. Therefore, I pick a president not based on his personal theology but rather upon his philosophy of government. When you compare Romney's philosophy of government to Obama's philosophy of government, which philosophy better mirrors biblical values? This is a question that all Christians need to ask in this upcoming election. For me, the answer is a no-brainer. Romney's philosophy of government, while not perfect, is much closer to Scripture than Obama's.
Here are some issues that I look at to discern the biblical orientation of the governing philosophy of any politician. With each issue I have included some Bible verse references in order to demonstrate to the reader that these preferences are not uniquely mine but rather are derived from the pages of God's Word. These issues can be categorized under the following headings: economic issues, social issues, and foreign affairs matters.
Mitt Romney

Economic Matters

Because of biblical prohibitions against stealing and covetousness (Exod. 20:15, 17) as well as the scriptural promotion of economic self-sufficiency through labor (Gen. 3:17-19; 2 Thess. 3:10), I typically inquire whether the candidate will use the power of the state to take the income of the earner and redistribute it to the non-earner? Due to the fact that the Bible teaches differing God-given abilities among human beings (Matt. 25:15), will the candidate use the force of government to guarantee equality of opportunity for all and leave equality of result to individual initiative, drive, work ethic, and talent?
Because God has given the role of charity to the church (Jas. 1:27; 5:14) rather than the state (Gen. 9:6; Rom. 13:1-7), will the candidate ignore this boundary by imposing upon the state ever increasing charitable obligations thereby marginalizing the church's God-ordained role in this critical area?
Also, the Bible views the family as the essential building block towards a healthy society (Eph. 5:22–6:4). Since today's families are under tremendous stress, will the candidate increase this pressure through the added burden of further taxation? Will he advocate excessive government regulation, which has the net effect of spiking consumer prices? Will he place employers under greater taxation and burdensome regulation leading to inevitable downsizing, layoffs, and the re-location of factories beyond America's borders? All of these repercussions increase financial stress upon the family unit.
Moreover, because the Scripture advocates leaving one's wealth to one's descendants (Prov. 13:22; 1 Tim. 5:8), I am always curious about whether the candidate will hamper generational wealth transfer through onerous inheritance taxes, which force the deceased's relatives to visit the undertaker and the IRS agent on the same day.
Also, does the candidate understand that the earth experiences cyclical heating and cooling (Gen. 8:22)? For example, global warming transpired during the time of the Vikings, long before the advent of SUVs and modern industry. Does he instead attribute such cycles exclusively to human activity? If the latter, he will likely favor increased government control over economic behavior, which can cripple an economy and yet simultaneously have a negligible impact upon either global warming or cooling.
In addition, does the candidate through rejection of true worship of God instead embrace earth worship (Rom. 1:22-23), otherwise known as the Gaia Hypothesis? In other words, has common sense environmental stewardship given way to pantheism and environmental extremism? If so, he will likely impede domestic fossil fuel and oil production. Such domestic drilling has the benefit of reducing America's dependence upon foreign sources of oil that are often controlled by governments that do not have our nation's best interests at heart.
Furthermore, because the Bible warns against the bondage associated with excessive debt (Prov. 22:7) and also categorizes unpaid debts as theft (Ps. 37:21), will the candidate continue to add to our runaway national deficits and debt? Increasing our national debt not only steals from future generations, but it also compromises America's economic well-being.
In a similar vein, because respect for America's founding documents are the best insulation against runaway government spending and concentration of power into too few hands, will the candidate favor appointing individuals to the judicial branch of government who actually care about the original intent of our Constitution? If not, he may allow judges onto our courts who see our Constitution as merely a "living and breathing" amorphous document. Virtually anything can be read into such a meaningless document in order to socialize our country.

Social Matters

Since Scripture makes no distinction between the born and the unborn (Ps. 139:13; Jer. 1:5), does the candidate favor legal protection for the unborn?
Also, because God has established heterosexual monogamy as the pattern for marriage (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:18-25; Rom. 1:26-27), will the candidate promote this divine standard as the societal norm, or will he instead reduce this time-honored standard to simply one among many lifestyle alternatives?
Moreover, because God has given to the state the power to execute criminals in instances of murder (Gen. 9:6; Rom. 13:4), will the candidate seek to abolish or promote capital punishment?
In addition, because the Scripture routinely warns of the dangers of abusing alcohol (Lev. 10:9; Prov. 31:4-5; 1 Tim. 3:3), pornography (Matt. 5:27-28), and gambling (Prov. 13:11), will the candidate support the legal right of communities to restrict such deleterious influences and establishments from their neighborhoods, schools, children, homes, and churches?
Furthermore, because God has entrusted the task of rearing and teaching children to parents as opposed to government bureaucrats (Deut. 6:6-7; Josh. 4:20-23; Prov. 22:6; Eph. 6:4), does the educational philosophy of the candidate empower the parents or the government teachers' unions? The former can be empowered through educational choice, vouchers for private or parochial schools, and opt out alternatives for public school courses and presentations deemed offensive and harmful by parents.
Also, in view of the fact that the Scripture commands believers to preach the Gospel to every creature (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15), will the candidate use the force of government to restrict public expressions of Christianity in public places and schools as well as over the airwaves and on the internet? Interestingly, in Luke 22:36, as Christ was sending out His disciples into the hostile world from the Upper Room, He said, "and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one" (Luke 22:36). In so doing, Christ provided not only for the self defense of His disciples but also their right to defend themselves from aggression. Therefore, a good question for any candidate is whether he believes that individual and private citizens have a right to keep and bear arms? In other words, does he believe that the Second Amendment to the Constitution guarantees an individual right to bear arms or does he instead believe that the Second Amendment is some sort of nebulous collective right that has nothing to do with personal freedom to retain a firearm? Does the candidate instead support endless regulations and licensing requirements upon firearms thus paving the way toward their ultimate and total governmental confiscation?
Because the Bible teaches that all people have equal dignity and worth (Gen. 1:26-27; Gal. 3:28), will the candidate enforce all of our laws equally and fairly among all people regardless of gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic status (Deut 25:16; Prov. 20:23)? Discrimination against racial minorities should no more be tolerated than reverse discrimination against whites through quotas, timetables and set asides. White aggression against racial minorities should be punished to the full extent of the law and so should Black Panther voter intimidation against whites.
Mitt Romney and Benjamin Netanyahu

Foreign Affairs Matters

Because the concept of the individual nation state originated with God (Gen. 10:32; 11:1-9; Deut. 32:8; Acts 17:26), will the candidate favor submitting the political sovereignty of national governments to unaccountable trans-national political organizations all in the name of global governance? A related issue involves national borders. Since God has established national entities and their existing borders, will the candidate enforce our borders or will he leave America vulnerable to terrorist attacks through a porous border policy?
In addition, God has promised to bless the world through national Israel (Gen. 12:3b; Isa. 42:6; 49:6). Consequently, He promises to bless those who bless Israel and conversely vows to curse those who curse her (Gen. 12:3a; Joel 3:2b). Therefore, another important question entails whether the candidate favors reducing Israel's existing borders in exchange for the illusory promise of peace. Such a process makes Israel more vulnerable to aggression and attack by her surrounding hostile neighbors. After all, it is Satan's ambition to eradicate the Jewish people and state (Rev. 12:1, 13-17; Gen. 37:9-10). Thus, a candidate's view on Israel largely tells me whether He is cooperating with God's agenda or the devil's.
Moreover, due to the fact that many evil rulers and terrorists abroad will only be deterred from violent behavior through the counter threat of force (Gen. 8:21; Jer. 17:9), will the candidate pursue a foreign policy of peace through military strength? Without this perspective, the danger is that the candidate will naively and ineffectively seek to deter evil in the world through American military reduction and unpreparedness. Such a policy of appeasement will in turn lead to endless dialogue, treaty and peace agreements not too dissimilar from the pattern espoused by Neville Chamberlain, apology tours, and financial subsidies given to America's sworn enemies, thus endangering our own national security.

Conclusion

For me, the whole issue in selecting a political leader relates to his philosophy of government as opposed to his personal theology. As the old adage goes, "I would rather be governed by a competent Turk than an incompetent Christian." Jimmy Carter serves as a perfect example. While professing faith in Christ, he had a non-biblical philosophy of government. Consequently, he has gone down in history as one of our worst presidents. Besides, if we are going to vote based on a candidate's personal theology rather than his philosophy of government, I hardly see how Obama is much of an improvement over Romney. Obama attended a church for over 20 years that taught the non-biblical doctrine of Liberation Theology.
When all of the evidence is considered, Obama also seems quite sympathetic to the non-biblical Islamic religion. While I disagree with both men on personal theological issues, I will take Romney's philosophy of government over Obama's any day of the week. When it comes to governing philosophy, which is what really counts in a President, Romney is far closer to my understanding of scriptural truth than Obama.

The Coming Leader.

Tom's Journal. http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/ tschuckman@aol.com

Hi Friends,
It's true, stimulating articles like this one that stirs my blood, and takes my breath away!!  And as real bible loving Christian who read and study the Scriptures every day -- all the odds and ends are becoming more clear, more logical, so that the man [woman and child] of God can sound them down in their hearts of fire and SHARE these truths with all they come in contact with -- before the End. 

I feel so blessed to have finally found the Truth of my Dreams, and the fulfillment of my life long pondering and struggles.  There is a great camp of Believers that have assembled on the Web, via consortium's, blogs, groups, that still cling to their Bibles, and I love and respect them all, who really have the Truth firmly in their hands, hearts and mind!! 

For US [all Believers/ Christians] no matter what circumstances we had right now -- we still have the Joy, Comfort, and the 9 points that the Holy Spirit bestows upon us, mentioned @ Galatians 5:22.....  even though we must live in a hostile, murderous, unclean, world of hatred and pressure!  Better to be poor now -- and be joyful with plenty in Heaven later.  PTL. 
      My little world/ life is far from perfect, even with a pretty, find, new wife --Terri-- with me now.  The cost of living is shooting up to the sky and WE KNOW THAT THINGS WILL GET MUCH WORSE, although no matter who wins the election in November -- our real hope and trust lie with Jesus, the perfecter of our Faith and Love.  He alone Saves.  Period.
    So this means that we CAN and ought to be HAPPY and content -- with a little piece of Paradise right now, in the Church [that means the:   Congregation of real Christians world wide].  And our Faith in Christ is not just a mental exercise, but real love of each other means getting the most out of the book of James --'Doing the physical work and sharing what we have with other Christians who have slipped through the cracks into abstract poverty --through no fault of their own, and the pastors should know the congregation best to determine who is honestly needy to a serious way, who needs a ride to church, who needs special counseling, advice, help, encouragement, a fruit basket when they are sick and lonely, etc.  I try to help me friend too, buy my own family comes first, of course.  God knows our hearts.

It is getting very chilly U.P. here in Iron Mtn., MI., but these folks are very hearty and hard work keeps them warm, plus hugs and kisses!! 

Warm Regards,
Tom
     >>>  Tom's Tomahawks >>>




Note from Jan: Prophecy teacher Jack Kelley writes about a man who may be waiting in the wings: The Antichrist. The world longs for a leader. The world thought they had it in Barack Obama in 2008. Now they wonder again. As we see evil arise in a shocking manner in these "days of Noah," be encouraged that it is leading to a day when there will be a shout and the sound of a trumpet. And in the twinkling of an eye, we will leave this throbbing planet. I can almost hear the hoof beats of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Look over a ridge and you will see them on the way.
The Coming Leader
by Jack Kelley
September 19, 2012





The Bible has a lot to say about the person we call the antichrist.
When he first comes on the scene he'll quickly garner the world's attention. More than just being likable, he'll be seen as a man with a brilliant future ahead of him, a charismatic personality who will immediately attract and hold every one's interest. And when he takes center stage after the Battle of Ezekiel 38, many will believe he has the solution to all their problems. In a world reeling under the twin disasters of the mysterious disappearance of millions of Christians and the outbreak of nuclear war in the Middle East, he'll be a voice of calmness and reassurance. If it seems to them like he has an almost supernatural ability to get control of things and lead the way to peace, it will be because he does. He's Satan's man, masquerading as the savior of the world.
In an early success, he'll broker a treaty in the Middle East that will astound everyone (Daniel 9:27), causing the recently defeated Muslim nations to agree to the building of a Temple in Israel. Using Ezekiel 48 as his authority, he'll show everyone involved that the new Temple doesn't belong on the current Temple mount, but slightly more than 20 miles to the north in Shiloh. Sharing a space with the Dome of the Rock and the al Aksa mosque will not be required. After thousands of years of strife, it will appear that peace has finally come to that war torn part of the world.
Not everyone will immediately be convinced to line up behind him, and for those who aren't, conquest will be the answer. He'll justify the need for war by convincing them that a lasting peace depends on everyone submitting to the authority of a single government. Those who don't come willingly will have to be persuaded.
In the process there will be an assassination attempt that will leave him blinded in one eye and crippled in one arm (Rev. 13:3, Zech. 11:17). But once again he will astonish the world. They will have thought him to be dead, but suddenly he'll be, alive again. As a result, His power and influence will grow exponentially. And soon, although it will have required much bloodshed, the world will be forced to accept him as their leader and wear his mark as a sign of loyalty.
Because his goal is not to be just a world leader, but to be worshiped as their god, he will stand in the temple he helped to build and declare that he alone is God. Using Satan's power to deceive and the supernatural assistance of an apparition who calls herself Mary, he'll bring Islam, the Eastern religions, New Age paganism, and what will be left of Christianity together into one world wide religion with the sole purpose of worshiping him.
In Rev. 12:9 the dragon was identified as the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, and yet just one chapter later we learn that the people of Earth will worship him. How could the one who has traditionally been known as the very personification of evil suddenly become an object of worship? The answer comes in two parts.
Part One. The Luciferian Doctrine
Lucifer is a Latin word that means light bearer. It comes to us by way of the Hebrew phrase, heylel ben shachar, found in the Hebrew version of Isaiah 14:12, where it refers to Satan. Heylel means shining one, and was translated into Latin as Lucifer. Ben shachar means son of the dawn.
In 2 Cor. 11:14 Paul said that Satan masquerades as an angel of light. This tells us that in appearing as Lucifer, Satan is not revealing his true nature, but merely the counterfeit facade he uses to deceive mankind.
Experts say the Luciferian doctrine is a radical revaluation of humanity's ageless adversary, Satan, and have called it the ultimate inversion of good and evil. There are many variations of this doctrine, but they all boil down to the claim that Lucifer is actually the champion of mankind, desperately trying to bring mankind through his final phase of evolution, the spiritual one. This is when humans will become as gods, like the Serpent promised Adam and Eve, and will finally be able to live in peace and harmony in the utopian environment mankind has dreamed of since the fall.
But first man will have to win his freedom from the evil Adonai (Hebrew for Lord) who has been holding him back, and that's really what the end of the age is all about. Mankind is finally ready for an all out effort to defeat Adonai and wipe out His followers, and under Lucifer's direction and control, success is assured. In other words, it's not Jesus who came to be the Savior of mankind, it's Lucifer.
This is not a new idea. As we saw, it was first presented in the Garden. It's also the motivating force behind Psalm 2:1-3, which we've looked at before.
According to experts, the essence of the Luciferian Doctrine can be found in every religious system except Judaism and Christianity, and that's why both have to be destroyed. Even the anti-religions of Darwinian evolution, secular humanism, trans-humanism and others can be linked to the Luciferian Doctrine. This shared core belief is what will make it possible for all the religions of the world to unite behind the antichrist and worship Satan, while thinking they're in the right for doing so.
Part Two. The Powerful Delusion
When the Church leaves, the Age of Grace will end and those who have refused to believe the truth will be deceived by the miracles, signs, and wonders that Satan will display on Earth. These include the many appearances of the Marian apparition with her call to religious unity, often accompanied by supernatural healing and signs in the heavens, and the apparent, although imperfect, resurrection of the antichrist.
By the way 2 Thess. 2:10 is one of the Bible's strongest statements in support of our freedom to choose whether or not to allow the Lord's death to pay for our sins. How could Paul say unbelievers will perish because they refused to love the truth and be saved unless they could have chosen to accept it?
God has always allowed, and even helped mankind to take our desires to their ultimate conclusion. This is a great blessing for those who desire to spend eternity with Him, but a curse for those who want to be rid of Him for good. Never will this be more obvious than in the time of and just following the Rapture.
We who want more than anything to dwell in His presence forever will receive our heart's desire when in the twinkling of an eye we'll be whisked off the planet to begin our adventure in Eternity. But God will send those who have rejected His offer of pardon a powerful delusion that will make them certain that they made the right choice. This delusion will cause them to believe Satan's deceptions with such conviction that they'll follow him to an eternity of torment in the Lake of Fire.
Please note that I don't believe this delusion will apply to those who won't have made a firm decision either for or against God at the time of the rapture. According to Rev. 7:9 untold numbers of people from all over the world will come to faith following the seal judgments of Rev. 6 and be martyred for doing so. I think the Rapture will have been the final sign they needed to make up their minds and give their hearts to Jesus. They won't be part of the Church, but they will have avoided eternal punishment and will be with the Lord forever.
Throughout Daniel's 70th Week , even after numerous judgments that are obviously from God, most of the people of Earth will continue to reject Him. These examples tell the sad story.
They'll curse God and refuse to repent because their belief in Luciferian Doctrine will result in the greatest paradigm shift in the history of the world. Evil will be seen as good. Wrong will be seen as right. Darkness will be seen as light. One of the most telling signs of the End of the Age is the extent to which this is already happening in the world. But what we're seeing today is nothing compared to the way it will be when God causes His powerful delusion to descend upon the left behind people of Earth. It will elevate the Luciferian Doctrine to a fervently-held religious belief, with Satan as the object of their worship.
Psychiatrists define a delusion as a fixed false belief that is resistant to reason or confrontation with actual fact. We can't imagine anyone thinking they could defeat God, but this will quickly become the mindset of the world after the Church is gone. The delusion God sends will help the unbelieving world to take their desire to be rid of Him to its ultimate conclusion. It will allow them to believe they're justified in uniting against Him, and that they actually have the ability to defeat Him.
It's strange, isn't it, how the world thinks we're the odd ones? But while they're lining up like a bunch of lemmings ready to march off the cliff to their doom, we'll just be getting started on our adventures in Eternity. No longer conforming to the pattern of this world we've been made new in the attitude of our mind and have put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:24). Because we're in Christ we're a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17). And where our eternal destiny is concerned, that makes all the difference.
You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah.
(Here's the unedited version of this article.)
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