Living in a Romans 1 World
My heart is still broken over the election results in our little corner of the world. Barely a Christian conservative won a seat (congrats to Ross Spano who did). Amendments stopping Obamacare and taxpayer-funded abortions were defeated.
Our solid red county is now a deep shade of socialistic, socially-liberal blue. We don’t want responsibility, we expect handouts. We don’t want to live by the biblical laws of our Creator, we want grey and compromise and fit within today’s declining culture.
And on a national level, traditional marriage went down in a blazing inferno in Maine, Maryland, Washington as those states now welcome, embrace, and celebrate the abnormality called “homosexual marriage.” If my heart is broken, I can only imagine how our Father must be feeling.
I can only think of two reasons America is now at this tragic place of demise ...
1) We are now suffering the consequences of disobedience and unbelief
Romans 1:28-32 “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”
2) The prince of the air is running out of time
We are living in the age of deception and confusion, both orchestrated by the Enemy. We need look no further than the past election to see how very deceived and confused professing “evangelical Christians” were and are.
False teaching (heresy) is the new norm from far-too-many pulpits ... trading truth for the lie that “grace covers all sin,” allowing people to live carnal lives and supporting those things Yehoveh Himself calls an abomination. Satan is alive and well and wreaking great havoc in America’s churches. And the masses are buying his lies hook, line, and sinker.
My guess is ... both reasons are true. I believe He’s spoken. You’ve made your bed, now lie in it.
Do not expect things to go well in this country. In fact, I would say the looming “fiscal cliff” will be mild in comparison to what awaits us ... but it will set off the unstoppable domino effect. Those who choose to keep their heads in the sand; give in to compromise; embrace political correctness; and pervert the Word of Yehoveh will pay a horrible, eternal price.
Lest you think I exaggerate, read the book of Revelation (there is a promised blessing when we do) and then, turn to 2 Kings 6 beginning in verse 24 and read what resulted from one great famine, which will be mild in comparison to the famine -and depravity- which is coming.
dianne
7:34 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
thank you so much for having the grace in courage to speak God's Word. as Christians we are now second class citizen and need to be fully aware of what is coming. we need to be on our knees day and night.
Jery Elliott
4:06 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
You are only 'second class citizens" in your own minds. The problem with so many "christians" is that you seem to believe you are being persecuted for your beliefs. No ... you are not. What you are being persecuted for is your inability to SHUT UP about your beliefs and the seeming fact that you think everyone should believe the exact same as you.
Rosa N Clark
8:29 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Amen! Amen! Amen! Thank you so much for putting Truth out there! It's a sad & scary world we live in, especially for our children & what's ahead! God is still in control, & His Word is Truth/Fact. Sad for those who do not believe & don't accept Him before His return.
Cindy Kraft
8:29 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Thank you for your kind and supportive words, sweet Sister. You are right about being in prayer day and night ... may our great God give us strength to endure to the end.
Cindy Kraft
8:30 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
True that, Rosa! We need to keep our biblical world view glasses firmly in place and our eyes on the eastern skies. For it is not what we see, but what we know that keeps us strong. Blessings sweet Sister!
Jeff Lukens
10:26 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Good message, Cindy. Thanks for sharing with the community. You are a voice in the wilderness, but there are those of us who hear you.
Cindy Kraft
2:26 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Thanks Jeff!
Justin
11:54 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Cindy, you are entitled to your beliefs, but you have forgotten or choose to ignore the fact that the United States was NOT founded as a Christian nation. There are references to religion in the Declaration of Independence, but that document in no way influences our laws regarding the Constitution.
“Congress shall make NO law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” – The Constitution
"no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." (Article 6, section 3) – The Constitution
"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries." – Treaty of Tripoli
These are just a few examples of the fact that citizenship of the US guarantees not only freedom OF religion, but also freedom FROM religion as well.
Cindy Kraft
2:34 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
This country was founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs, Justin. You might try reading some actual source documents rather than relying on historical revisionism that is so prevalent in our liberal public schools.
Here's a good place to begin. http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBHistoricalWritings.asp
Jery Elliott
4:00 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Good posting Justin. Please keep G-d out of OUR Constitution.
Justin
11:54 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
You talk about the following God’s law and such, but fail to mention that you were in support of a man who doesn’t follow the Bible, he follows the book of Mormon. You also fail to mention that Mormonism is not recognized by the Vatican as a Christian faith. The hypocrisy of this article is part of the problem we have in America. You pick and choose what you follow and don’t follow from the Bible. You assume, arrogantly, that you know the will of your God. You assume that we’ll be punished for abortion and gay rights, yet don’t believe we should be punished for the rape, pillaging and murder that took place to own this chunk of the planet.
Cindy Kraft
2:28 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
You shouldn't make assumptions about which you know nothing, Justin, since you apparently don't know who got my vote.
Justin
2:31 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Fair enough, but that doesn't change the fact that you're force feeding your beliefs in a public forum... It doesn't change the fact that the US was not founded as a Christian nation and any legislation that points otherwise would be unconstitutional...
Cindy Kraft
2:38 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Force feeding? That's hilarious, Justin. Who is MAKING you read my posts?
<<It doesn't change the fact that the US was not founded as a Christian nation and any legislation that points otherwise would be unconstitutional...>> Your belief does not nullify existing documents that prove you wrong.
Justin
2:39 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Where is the word God or religion mentioned in the Constitution?
Dave Loebig
12:37 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Our country is going to be fine, just fine.
Traditional America through history has included a progression of freedoms for minorities and the non-mainstream torn from "the way we've always done things". From our pre-1776 history, to our founding revolution, to emancipation, to women's suffrage, to civil rights, to interracial marriage, to women's rights and the glass ceilings, to new immigrants gaining influence throughout our history.
This progression is embedded in history and American tradition. It's a wonderful part of our American Tradition.
It's also part of American tradition that there are always people who protest and resist every step in this progression. They have always been there crying havok, raising a hue and cry over a contrived threat to our existence as we know it, often blaming God for their stances. They have been on the back side of history. Cindy, you are playing that part quite well.
We've survived and thrived through it all for centuries. We'll be fine. Our country is going to be just fine.
Cindy Kraft
2:31 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Dave, your liberalism is showing.
You are right that I will stand firm for biblical beliefs and Godly principles and if that means you view that as "protesting and resisting" ... so be it. Blaming God? Not sure where you pulled that from in my article. In fact, I would say that our country DESERVES the punishment that is coming.
You might try reading the Bible rather than books containing historical revisionism, Dave. Just a suggestion.
Let's talk again in a couple of years and if I'm wrong, I'll gladly admit it.
Dave Loebig
11:00 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Your reply opens with fallacy: Slinging of the term "liberalism" as a pejorative is an ad hominem attack; mundane fair as fallacies go, but fallacy nonetheless. It's a seemingly fixed action pattern of the right. Even without the pejorative sense, the statement is ad hominem in nature. A fallacy.
I did not and do not take any position on how you stand on "biblical beliefs and Godly principles". Any suggestion that I did is false.
You very directly imply that I read "books containing historical revisionism". I challenge you to make a case for your implication. Please list the books I have read that you say contain historical revisionism. I'm quite certain you know practically nothing of my reading. To make that direct implication without a valid, solid case to back it up, without direct knowledge of my readings, is to bear false witness.
To quote you, Cindy, "You shouldn't make assumptions about which you know nothing."
Cindy Kraft
7:47 am on Friday, November 16, 2012
While I appreciate passion, why such venom, Dave. Why are you so angry? It's a rhetorical question - no answer asked, demanded, or required.
Your world view ... It's also part of American tradition that there are always people who protest and resist every step in this progression. They have always been there crying havok, raising a hue and cry over a contrived threat to our existence as we know it, often blaming God for their stances. They have been on the back side of history ... would suggest a liberal and revisionist perspective. My apologies if I was incorrect.
Let's talk in a couple of years and we'll see how well our country is faring. And between now and then ... blessings.
Dave Loebig
11:57 am on Friday, November 16, 2012
Venom?...no. You read too much tone into my writings. (Then again, it's writing, and tone doesn't come across directly.)
Direct and to the point…yes. I think it's an appropriate way to call out careless pejoratives and baseless implications.
Back up one step and the worthy questions are:
• Why pejoratives?
• Why fallacy?
• Why baseless implications?
• Why ad hominem?
What you characterize as "world view" is a fairly fact based summation of truth. For each example of historic changes I cited, there have been those who resisted and protested; it's fact. Many of them claimed our society's existence was at stake with those changes. They are on the other (backward) side of history from that moment of change. It's the way it was.
Accurate? Yes.
Written to make a point? Yes.
Revisionist? No. Not even suggestive.
Cindy Kraft
12:05 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
One of the great things about America is the freedom to see history through the lens of our respective biblical or world view ... and differ. Agreeing to disagree, in a civil manner, seems to be a thing of the past with folks who share different viewpoints.
Shalom.
Dave Loebig
11:20 am on Saturday, November 17, 2012
Regarding the line, "Agreeing to disagree, in a civil manner, seems to be a thing of the past with folks who share different viewpoints."
This line strikes me as a general, unclear implication. Please respond to clarify explicitly and specifically so I may respond explicitly and specifically.
Justin
2:37 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Cindy, why now? Why were we not punished for killing blacks during slavery? Why were we not punished for the Roe v Wade decision 40 years ago? Why were we not punished for killing thousands of native americans on our trek west? Why are we not punished for killing babies in the middle east with our war mongering?
We didn't deserve it then? You're beliefs are based on mythology and THAT threatens society as we know it. Not a couple of guys who love eachother getting married.
Cindy Kraft
2:42 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Why not indeed? Perhaps because we have a loving and long-suffering Father who wants none to perish. However, that patience on His part is not endless.
Why do you bother to read what I write if you think it's "mythology that threatens society"?
<<Not a couple of guys who love eachother getting married.>> Is this your issue? Are you talking about yourself, Justin? The bottom-line is it doesn't matter what YOU think or what I think ... it only matters what Yehoveh says. Your dismissal of His Word and your rejection of Him have eternal consequences, Justin. Scoff if you will, but one day you will know the Truth ... and at that point it will be too late my friend.
Justin
2:47 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
I'm happily engaged to a woman, but I was also brought up to love everyone. Not just those who believe exactly as I do. We are a melting pot society, always have been. And the idea of vicarious atonement for sins is a cop out. Take responsibility for yourself instead of relying on a white guy on a cloud who watches your every move. And if this God of yours is all loving and all understand, he'll understand that I'm an honest skeptic and if not, the idea of being created by a being just so that being can be loved is narcissistic and outrageous. Shame on you for being a slave.
Cindy Kraft
2:54 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
I'll pray for you, Justin.
Jery Elliott
4:04 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Congratulations Justin ... you just won the argument. When a fundamentalist comes to the realization that they just might be mistaken but are unable come to terms with what that might mean ... they curl up like a armadillo just before it gets hit by a truck and say they will "pray" for you. I can only imagine what they are REALLY saying under their breath.
Justin
2:56 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Asking a diety to stop the laws of physics for someone who is admittedly unworthy? I appreciate the sentiment, but I'll pass...
Cindy Kraft
2:58 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
See Justin, here's the thing. It's not your call. And, its too late ... you've already been prayed for. Have a blessed day!
Justin
3:03 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
There should be a law against spiritual rape. People like you and your unwanted "prayers" and mormons with their posthumous baptisms... Forcing is forcing...
Cindy Kraft
3:13 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Being ugly does nothing to further your cause, Justin. It just makes you look bad.
There is a BIG difference between intercessory prayer - which is biblical - and posthumous baptisms - which clearly are not. Do you have a copy of the Bible? It's worth reading.
Justin
3:33 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
I've read the Bible, I was raised Catholic. Then I was allowed to think for myself. Anybody or anything who needs me to kill a family member to prove faith can go to hell as far as I'm concerned. As in the Abraham/Isaac fiasco. And yes, God "spared" Isaac, but do you not think the child was traumatized? Your God is admittedly jealous and spiteful. I'm all set.
Cindy Kraft
3:47 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Isaac wasn't a child. He was a young man, 30ish, who WILLINGLY yielded because He believed the promises of Yehoveh. You might want to read Genesis 22 again now that you've been given a "true" perspective.
The sacrifice of Isaac was Abraham's 10th faith test and he passed because he knew God's promises to be true. A life of faith is a life of testing. The "Akeda" or the "binding" was a prophetic prefiguring of the Messiah ... Yehoveh provided the Sacrifice.
I'm not sure what "God" you think is "admittedly jealous and spiteful," but it sure isn't the One I love and worship, Justin. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is loving, compassionate, merciful, and thankfully ... long-suffering.
Justin
3:56 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:4-5).
And so assuming you have children, would you shoot them dead if God spoke to you and told you to prove your faith?
And again, vicarious atonement makes no sense. It's a way out of my sins without taking personal responsibility.
You supposed to prove your faith in God, but God has no faith in you?
Why are we being punished for Adam's sin? After all, he ate the forbidden fruit, we didn’t. It’s his problem not ours – especially in light of Deut. 24;16 which says that children shall not be punished for the sins of their fathers. Are we not ancestors of Adam and Eve?
Way too many contradiction and inconsistancies in the Bible.
Cindy Kraft
4:41 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
You are ranting and grasping at straws now, Justin. This is my last explanation to you.
Jealous as used in Exodus 20:4-5 has a meaning that I believe you did not intend in your previous post. It is the Hebrew word "qanna" and means to be jealous or zealous. It is used to describe one aspect of His character and his attitude toward the worship of false gods.
There are ZERO inconsistencies and contradictions in the Bible. You, apparently, just haven't studied it correctly.
Justin
4:50 pm on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Haha... okay Cindy... You cherry pick which questions you answer and which you don't and I'm not going to convince you the cavemen didn't ride dinosaurs... You have blinders on and are going to, albiet futiley, try to explain away obvious inconsistancies... Well god didnt mean it that way... then why was it translated that way? Have at it.. Good chat...