Another day, another shooting in Knoxville. Another school shooting. Another person dead -- this time a 16 year old kid who will never get the chance to do and be so many things in life. We didn't have this kind of problem when I was growing up in the 60's and 70's. What is going on here? Sure, Israel and other countries have had to deal with this kind of violence on a daily basis for a long time. They seem to have come to terms with it and accepted it. Is that what we want our country to be about? Why is this happening? Is the Holy Spirit being taken out of the world? (See: Is Holy Spirit Being Taken Out? )
Who can we point the finger of guilt at? Is it bad parenting? Perhaps. Is it the liberal media, that glamorizes violence and a disregard for human life, and teaches our kids a "relative morality," rather than the one taught in the Bible? Almost assuredly. Is it the liberal-run public school system? Well, they ARE teaching a "relative morality" to our kids, aren't they? When they told God He was no longer welcome in the classroom, what did they expect? (See: Should Christians Remove Kids From Public School? )
Instead of parents teaching their kids Godly concepts of respect and conflict resolution, too many of us are asleep at the wheel, letting Hollywood and the music industry show our kids how to deal with anger, lust and other weaknesses of the flesh. Have you ever read the lyrics to some of the music (especially hip hop, rap, and metal) many kids listen to and emulate? You should. Do you monitor what your kids watch on TV and at the movies, or better yet, watch it with them? You better.
So many things we need to teach our kids, so many things to try and protect them from. God is our best ally in this endeavor. Who do you think Satan's allies are? (see preceding 2 paragraphs). It is becoming more and more obvious that our generation (as parents) was the last one to know a relative safety and innocence as we went about the day-to-day business of being a child...and that brings a tear. Another day, another shooting in Knoxville. It's almost no longer a shock. This is getting old.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Christian Parents Could Have Kids Taken Away
Whatever happened to American families being able to raise their children any way they see fit, within legal limits of course? Notice I said the "American" family, because the article I reference (CHRISTIAN PARENTS BEWARE -- YOU COULD LOSE CUSTODY OF YOUR CHILDREN!!) sounds like something that would happen in a Marxist state! Apparently the public school system is not content to merely deny our children the right to pray or even mention God for 6+ hours a day. Obviously they're not satisfied with cramming the completely unproven and outdated theory of evolution down their throats -- they're now looking for legal ways to remove children from homes that are "indoctrinating" them with a Christian upbringing...I kid you not.
In the twisted, morally bankrupt, New World Order mentality of the Liberal Left, the Christian family is seen as a threat. All fascist, Marxist states have realized that the public school system is a vital tool in the indoctrination of a nation -- steal a generation and you have stolen a way of life. The Christian family is the last hurdle they have to clear before implementing their one-world agenda. You can rest assured that they aren't going after Muslim families this way, but folks, let's face it -- it's open season on Christians.
So far, these outrageous attempts have not filtered down to the hills of East Tennessee where I raise my kids in the fear and admonition of the Lord, as the Bible instructs us to do. I guess there's something good after all about being 3-5 years behind the more "progressive" areas of our country as Tennessee is often said to be. At least we can see this kind of sewage coming down the pipe, after it has already polluted the rest of the country, and be prepared to meet these Godless marauders head-on when they come for our kids. In fact, I can't wait until they come to my neck of the woods -- people here don't take kindly to being told how to raise their children, and I can guarantee a "religious experience" for anyone who tries. Read the article linked above for yourself, and let me know what YOU think...
In the twisted, morally bankrupt, New World Order mentality of the Liberal Left, the Christian family is seen as a threat. All fascist, Marxist states have realized that the public school system is a vital tool in the indoctrination of a nation -- steal a generation and you have stolen a way of life. The Christian family is the last hurdle they have to clear before implementing their one-world agenda. You can rest assured that they aren't going after Muslim families this way, but folks, let's face it -- it's open season on Christians.
So far, these outrageous attempts have not filtered down to the hills of East Tennessee where I raise my kids in the fear and admonition of the Lord, as the Bible instructs us to do. I guess there's something good after all about being 3-5 years behind the more "progressive" areas of our country as Tennessee is often said to be. At least we can see this kind of sewage coming down the pipe, after it has already polluted the rest of the country, and be prepared to meet these Godless marauders head-on when they come for our kids. In fact, I can't wait until they come to my neck of the woods -- people here don't take kindly to being told how to raise their children, and I can guarantee a "religious experience" for anyone who tries. Read the article linked above for yourself, and let me know what YOU think...
Monday, July 28, 2008
Gunman Opens Fire on Knoxville Congregation
Most of you are, by now, familiar with the events that occurred yesterday at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church here in Knoxville, Tennessee; that's why you found your way to this posting. But for those who may need to be brought up to date: a lone gunman entered the church shortly before 11 a.m. yesterday morning armed with a shotgun. The children of the church were staging a production of the musical, "Annie," with some 200 people in attendance. The gunman, 58-year-old Jim David Adkisson, a Knoxvillian, opened fire on
the shocked and defenseless congregation, killing two and seriously injuring six more, several of whom are currently fighting for their lives at area hospitals.
The man apparently had no connection to the church and no one present during the massacre remembers ever seeing him before. A few of the killer's neighbors have come forward to describe him as a "quiet man," a man always willing to help a neighbor in need, but a loner -- the standard description commonly attributed to someone whose wiring suddenly one day, for no apparent reason, short-circuits and causes him to extinguish the lives of several of his fellow human beings. Oh, and at least one neighbor remembers the killer as proclaiming on at least one occasion that "everything in the Bible was a contradiction."
Let me first say this: This is not an attack against Christianity -- this church does not even profess to believe that Christianity is the only path to God. They accept all faiths and believe that all paths are valid that lead to light, love and respect for all. This is an attack against humanity. And once again, the perpetrator is Satan, our ancient enemy who prowls the earth like a lion, seeking whom he may devour. The Bible says he comes to steal, kill and destroy.
That pretty well sums up the events of the last 24 hours here in Knoxville, Tennessee.
My heart breaks for the congregation of Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, especially the children, some of whom were spattered with blood, who had to watch helplessly as a stranger entered the back of their sanctuary and unloaded his shotgun on their family members, who were there to see them shine like stars as they displayed their God-given talents on stage -- a day that should have been logged forever in their memories as one of their best days ever. Instead their memories and their dreams are now polluted forever with a vision of
hell come to earth in a place where they should have been allowed to feel safe.
So then, if I don't believe that the murderer had a vendetta against Christians, why am I using this particular forum to write this article? Because of the likelihood that the opposite perception will be formed and cultivated by those quick to blame Christians for anything negative that has a thread of association, however loose, with the Bible or Christianity in general. Because I fear that this man will quickly be stereotyped as "another one of those wild-eyed Christian fanatics" who stand ready to mow down those who disagree with their narrow-minded dogma.
Sure, he finds the Bible confusing at times...join the club! Is that any reason to use an entire church congregation for target practice? I'm a Christian and I have questions about what God's word is saying sometimes. (See God Sized Questions ) But I don't take my frustrations out by slaughtering other human beings! God says to work out our salvation with "fear and trembling," not with a 12-guage shotgun. Identifying this man as a Christian because he found the Bible confusing is like calling me the CEO of Exxon because I spend half my income at the gas pump. This was not the act of a short-fused Christian -- this was the act of a very disturbed individual, one who was very likely being led not by the Holy Spirit, but by the darkest of spirits...our ancient enemy Satan, who, if one had thought to look upward shortly after the deed had been done, would have been seen spreading his wings and flying off in a gale of laughter, thinking of all the misery that had been wrought on this day, and in the days to come, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
the shocked and defenseless congregation, killing two and seriously injuring six more, several of whom are currently fighting for their lives at area hospitals.
The man apparently had no connection to the church and no one present during the massacre remembers ever seeing him before. A few of the killer's neighbors have come forward to describe him as a "quiet man," a man always willing to help a neighbor in need, but a loner -- the standard description commonly attributed to someone whose wiring suddenly one day, for no apparent reason, short-circuits and causes him to extinguish the lives of several of his fellow human beings. Oh, and at least one neighbor remembers the killer as proclaiming on at least one occasion that "everything in the Bible was a contradiction."
Let me first say this: This is not an attack against Christianity -- this church does not even profess to believe that Christianity is the only path to God. They accept all faiths and believe that all paths are valid that lead to light, love and respect for all. This is an attack against humanity. And once again, the perpetrator is Satan, our ancient enemy who prowls the earth like a lion, seeking whom he may devour. The Bible says he comes to steal, kill and destroy.
That pretty well sums up the events of the last 24 hours here in Knoxville, Tennessee.
My heart breaks for the congregation of Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, especially the children, some of whom were spattered with blood, who had to watch helplessly as a stranger entered the back of their sanctuary and unloaded his shotgun on their family members, who were there to see them shine like stars as they displayed their God-given talents on stage -- a day that should have been logged forever in their memories as one of their best days ever. Instead their memories and their dreams are now polluted forever with a vision of
hell come to earth in a place where they should have been allowed to feel safe.
So then, if I don't believe that the murderer had a vendetta against Christians, why am I using this particular forum to write this article? Because of the likelihood that the opposite perception will be formed and cultivated by those quick to blame Christians for anything negative that has a thread of association, however loose, with the Bible or Christianity in general. Because I fear that this man will quickly be stereotyped as "another one of those wild-eyed Christian fanatics" who stand ready to mow down those who disagree with their narrow-minded dogma.
Sure, he finds the Bible confusing at times...join the club! Is that any reason to use an entire church congregation for target practice? I'm a Christian and I have questions about what God's word is saying sometimes. (See God Sized Questions ) But I don't take my frustrations out by slaughtering other human beings! God says to work out our salvation with "fear and trembling," not with a 12-guage shotgun. Identifying this man as a Christian because he found the Bible confusing is like calling me the CEO of Exxon because I spend half my income at the gas pump. This was not the act of a short-fused Christian -- this was the act of a very disturbed individual, one who was very likely being led not by the Holy Spirit, but by the darkest of spirits...our ancient enemy Satan, who, if one had thought to look upward shortly after the deed had been done, would have been seen spreading his wings and flying off in a gale of laughter, thinking of all the misery that had been wrought on this day, and in the days to come, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Monday, July 14, 2008
HOMOSEXUAL SUES THE BIBLE!!!
A man who chooses to have sex with other men is suing two Christian publishers, claiming the Bible passages that refer to homosexuality as a sin violate his constitutional rights and have caused him emotional pain and mental instability. It is obviously getting to the point now that anything associated with the Christian faith is being openly challenged with the ultimate goal of outlawing it. I have no doubt whatsoever that this is what Jesus saw in our futures when He said, "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other." (Matthew 24:8-10) If we as Christians don't stand up for ourselves and our faith, then this type of persecution and prejudice will surely follow. Since Jesus predicted it, then it must eventually come to pass. But can we not stand up now and slow its approach? If a few righteous men and women raise up spiritual arms and enjoin the enemy, can not one or more revivals be set in motion before the end? And what would be the soul-saving, eternal significance of that? The thought that we could have done something and didn't is staggering...
For more info:
We now have a vehicle to make our voice heard. Please, sign up today for the Jonah Project and help lead this nation back to God! The time to act is now!!!! www.liveprayer.com/jonah
For more info:
We now have a vehicle to make our voice heard. Please, sign up today for the Jonah Project and help lead this nation back to God! The time to act is now!!!! www.liveprayer.com/jonah
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Holy Spirit Taken Out?
In trying to make sense of the horrible tragedy at Virginia Tech, I have been revisiting a theory of mine that is, admittedly, still “under construction.” When viewing this event as just another feature (albeit, a prominent one) in the current moral landscape of our world, it would be hard for anyone to disagree that something is unraveling the fabric of our society, eating away in fact at our very psyches. One might argue that these events are merely blips on history's radar, more visible and detailed due to the increase in media coverage and technology. Using this reasoning, one might assert that the world is not significantly more depraved than it was forty years ago, yet how many parents feel comfortable letting their children walk unaccompanied to the park or sending their kids out in the morning to roam the neighborhood at will, reporting back home only for meals? Forty years ago, this was commonplace – now, virtually unthinkable.
The world is coming apart at its moral seams, and we know the enemy who is relentlessly ripping away the threads. However, the Bible teaches that Satan is not omnipotent; he can only do what God allows him to do. “And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.” (2 Thessalonians 2:6 NIV) The Holy Spirit restrains evil in the world with the authority of God Almighty, and yet evil is on the increase. Given this state of things, I assert that the Holy Spirit is essentially being removed from the hearts of more and more people. I believe that God wishes everyone to come to Him, but that his patience is finite. After trying “x” number of times to get an unsaved person’s attention through the convicting efforts of the Holy Spirit, I believe that God eventually gives a person over to their own wickedness. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice.” (Romans 1:21, 28-29 NIV) I believe this is why we’re seeing the tremendous increase of evil in the world around us: God is escalating things as we near the end times by removing the Holy Spirit’s influence over an increasing number of individuals – people who have refused his repeated calls to repentance and have instead pursued darkness.
It would be tempting to extrapolate this “spiritual receding” to include all of America in its scope; this would explain why our country is suffering under its current plague of immorality. I personally do not subscribe to this. While the entire world, Christian and non-Christian, is affected by the consequences of the advancing tide of evil, I feel confident that the Holy Spirit is still working vigorously in the world. In fact, these efforts are also being increased exponentially -- God knows that time is short! "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.’” (Acts 2: 17 NIV) I feel sure that the Holy Spirit will indeed be busy right up to the moment that He is completely removed, possibly at the beginning of the Tribulation. "For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.“ (2 Thessalonians 2:7 NIV)
Yes, I feel certain that God, through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, is still quite hard at work calling all people to Himself…but I believe His patience has a limit.
The world is coming apart at its moral seams, and we know the enemy who is relentlessly ripping away the threads. However, the Bible teaches that Satan is not omnipotent; he can only do what God allows him to do. “And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.” (2 Thessalonians 2:6 NIV) The Holy Spirit restrains evil in the world with the authority of God Almighty, and yet evil is on the increase. Given this state of things, I assert that the Holy Spirit is essentially being removed from the hearts of more and more people. I believe that God wishes everyone to come to Him, but that his patience is finite. After trying “x” number of times to get an unsaved person’s attention through the convicting efforts of the Holy Spirit, I believe that God eventually gives a person over to their own wickedness. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice.” (Romans 1:21, 28-29 NIV) I believe this is why we’re seeing the tremendous increase of evil in the world around us: God is escalating things as we near the end times by removing the Holy Spirit’s influence over an increasing number of individuals – people who have refused his repeated calls to repentance and have instead pursued darkness.
It would be tempting to extrapolate this “spiritual receding” to include all of America in its scope; this would explain why our country is suffering under its current plague of immorality. I personally do not subscribe to this. While the entire world, Christian and non-Christian, is affected by the consequences of the advancing tide of evil, I feel confident that the Holy Spirit is still working vigorously in the world. In fact, these efforts are also being increased exponentially -- God knows that time is short! "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.’” (Acts 2: 17 NIV) I feel sure that the Holy Spirit will indeed be busy right up to the moment that He is completely removed, possibly at the beginning of the Tribulation. "For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.“ (2 Thessalonians 2:7 NIV)
Yes, I feel certain that God, through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, is still quite hard at work calling all people to Himself…but I believe His patience has a limit.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Wake up O Sleeper!
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:3). I feel strongly that now is the time for Christians to stand up for what we believe in...to fight back against the rising tide of discrimination and the forces at work trying to divide and conquer our families and our hearts.
In this blog, I intend to expose and draw attention to the efforts of those who would, having already succeeded in removing God from our schools and most public places, now delete Him from our vocabularies and even our minds, substituting instead a counterfeit doctrine of political correctness. I also hope to somehow mobilize efforts to confront the forces aligned against us whenever and however possible. I hope that you will join me in these efforts through meaningful dialogue, your own examples of Christianity under siege, and suggestions as to how we can fight back against those who expect and count on our apathy and inaction.
Make no mistake--we battle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers that hail from a dimension of evil. Therefore these battles we will here identify and enjoin require more than mere words on a web page to win the day; our struggles are in vain unless they are fueled by the supernatural energy of corporate prayer and the power of an invincible, risen savior -- a savior who has been suffering on the sidelines too long, seeing His children hurt, having His holy name smeared, and feeling again the agony of each hammered spike as He waits for us to wake up and join together, calling on the power of His blood to cleanse our nations, our families and our hearts of this oppression.
This Easter season, as we consider the tremendous sacrifice that was made for us 2000 years ago, let us not again allow Christ be crucified, along with our faith. Enough is enough! Muslim extremists are willing to die for a false god; are we willing to live for the real One?
"But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: 'Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. " Ephesians chapter 5:13-16
Bill Edwards
In this blog, I intend to expose and draw attention to the efforts of those who would, having already succeeded in removing God from our schools and most public places, now delete Him from our vocabularies and even our minds, substituting instead a counterfeit doctrine of political correctness. I also hope to somehow mobilize efforts to confront the forces aligned against us whenever and however possible. I hope that you will join me in these efforts through meaningful dialogue, your own examples of Christianity under siege, and suggestions as to how we can fight back against those who expect and count on our apathy and inaction.
Make no mistake--we battle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers that hail from a dimension of evil. Therefore these battles we will here identify and enjoin require more than mere words on a web page to win the day; our struggles are in vain unless they are fueled by the supernatural energy of corporate prayer and the power of an invincible, risen savior -- a savior who has been suffering on the sidelines too long, seeing His children hurt, having His holy name smeared, and feeling again the agony of each hammered spike as He waits for us to wake up and join together, calling on the power of His blood to cleanse our nations, our families and our hearts of this oppression.
This Easter season, as we consider the tremendous sacrifice that was made for us 2000 years ago, let us not again allow Christ be crucified, along with our faith. Enough is enough! Muslim extremists are willing to die for a false god; are we willing to live for the real One?
"But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: 'Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. " Ephesians chapter 5:13-16
Bill Edwards
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