ACH Study Groups
Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders
7659 Gingerblossom Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com
www.ACHStudyGroups.com
May 28, 2019

This is a letter to our friends –

* – because we want to.

I believe we sin because we want to.

Sin is not something you can put into a laboratory test tube. Sin is a choice. A choice cannot be compelled. We cannot be forced to make a choice. Thus – Every choice is our very own creation. Once created it becomes part of history – forever! Each of us are answerable for our choices.

I have heard it said, “Sin is doing something legal in an illegal or excessive way.” What is “legal” or “illegal”? It is illegal to violate the “laws of nature”. (The “laws of nature” are the will of the creator God.) It is illegal to violate the Revealed Law. (Found only in the Holy Scriptures.)

Some believe it is easy to sin. Think about it – How many “Warning”, ‘STOP”, “Caution”, signs and barriers must we jump over to make a sinful choice! With practice we become good obstacle course athletes!

On the other hand, choosing to repent, confess, and ask forgiveness leads to peace and growth. Christ paid the penalty for your illegal choices. It is through Him you receive forgiveness. He said your main job is to learn to love God and one another. To “love” is to unselfishly want the very best for the loved one.

Every person we meet will be either, “careless”, “convicted”, or “converted”.

* The “careless” need our concern.
* The “convicted” need our challenge.
* The “converted” need our encouragement.

These columns are archived since 12/10/09
See www.ACHStudyGroups.com
“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups
Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders
7659 Gingerblossom Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com
www.ACHStudyGroups.com
May 21, 2019

This is a letter to our friends –

To Pictures of Hope

ACH Study Groups used to host “American History and Government Study Seminars”. We were targeting world changers. (Who else would want to attend an event with a name like that!)
They were scheduled Wednesday – Saturday (4 days) by 12 hours a day! We arranged Christian hospitality (gratis) for out of town students. James Rose lead the faculty. Beth Ballenger and I completed the list.

The events ended with a Commissioning Banquet when each faculty member had a “last word”. We held several of these events in Columbus, Georgia. My closing statement from the 1996 event recently came across my desk.

It is not long. As you listen it is obvious I was using a world map and concepts with which the students were familiar. I believe the message remains timely.

To Listen Click The Play Button:

These columns are archived since 12/10/09
See www.ACHStudyGroups.com
“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups
Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders
7659 Gingerblossom Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com
www.ACHStudyGroups.com
May 13, 2019

This is a letter to our friends –

There are no Baptists in Heaven

There are no Baptists in Heaven, nor are there any Methodists, Presbyterians, or Roman Catholics. The denominational label will either fall off or burn off! Christ did not come to save groups of believers. He came to save individual believers.

“[I]f thou shalt confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, Whosoever believes in him shall not be ashamed.” [Romans 10:9-11]

Fellowship with fellow believers is important. It helps you learn and grow closer to the Lord, – but – your life adventure here and throughout eternity does not depend upon a group membership, or something your dear grandmother taught you!

You must come to grips with the fact that there is a creator God (intelligent design), and that He is doing everything He can to help you learn to love Him and to love others! No one can think that through for you. Once you understand that, you must confess your sorry state of selfishness and pride and submit your will to His.

No – He is not likely to send you off to Africa! Rather, He will open the doorway to an adventure that will surprise and thrill you. A fulfilling and exciting adventure that never ends!

This creative God, to whom you have submitted, never stops creating. Your pathway may be different than another’s. Human nature tempts us to say, “Because theirs is different than what God has shown me, theirs must be wrong.” Be careful not to put your suit on the other guy and criticize him because it wrinkles!

Once your personal relationship is established and settled, please don’t miss out on the excitement. Dig down into what you can learn and experience with Him. Learn to laugh, love teach, pray, dream, prophesy, speak in other tongues, serve, heal, …, …, … . As long as your heart is truly right with Him (and only you can know that!), you can trust His guidance.

This December, Fran and I will have been married 66 years. Or marriage has been a “threesome”, Fran, Christ, and me. As we have each grown closer to Christ, we have grown closer to one another!

I have taken Proverbs 16:3 as my life verse: “Commit your works unto the Lord, and your thoughts shall be established.” I have learned to trust that – and – it works!!!

These columns are archived since 12/10/09
See www.ACHStudyGroups.com
“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups
Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders
7659 Gingerblossom Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com
www.ACHStudyGroups.com
May 11, 2019

This is a letter to our friends –

The Bible & common sense
For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.
[Isaiah 33:22]

Your day begins. You decide what you are to do [legislate]. You do those things [execute]. You look back over the day and evaluate the events [judge].

These three things are functions we use all the time without much thought. They are just part of the life adventure. A law of nature – common sense.

Our Constitution creates three governmental departments, “Legislative” (The House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate), “Executive” (The President of the States), “Judicial” (The Supreme Court).

Each department is designed to be independent of the others. (“separation of powers”). Each is expected to be jealous of its responsibilities and to defend its “turf’ (“checks & balances”).

All that to say this. This is important! Please pause and take the time to think it through. – –

Please draw an equilateral triangle, but do not join the corners. Label the legs: “L” for legislator / lawmaker; “E” or executive / president; “J” for judge / judicial.

Now suppose the “L” (lawmaker) and the “E” (president) are the same person. Anything the president wanted to do, he could make a law that made it legal and the “J” (judge) had no say in it!

Think it through – any two of the legs in the same hands neuter the third leg.

If you are watching the news today regarding the Congress and the President, you will recognize that President Trump is defending the Constitutional and Biblical principle of “separation of powers”.

These columns are archived since 12/10/09
See www.ACHStudyGroups.com
“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups
Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders
7659 Gingerblossom Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com
www.ACHStudyGroups.com
April 24, 2019

This is a letter to our friends –

From the archives

Query from an ACH alumni January, 2013.

Hi Ben,

I’ve been thinking about asking if you would – or had ever and I missed it – share some background about the history of restoring America’s Christian His-story!! I am always trying to share some of this history with people so any information from someone who was earlier in the chain than myself is much appreciated that I can share/forward to interested people!

Have you ever written down your entire story and all your memories of how God put the interest in your heart and crossed your path with Verna Hall and others and all your related reminisces?

Love,
Nancy [Leach]

My response

Nancy –

Indeed you have recognized your place in the chain – “of Christianity moving westward”. I am working on a book based upon the PAG classes.

My personal history with “restoration” – a part of my life adventure. Miss Hall often remarked that history draws you deeper into origins – ultimately to God as “First Cause”.

“Conscience of A Conservative” (Goldwater) was the first touch of “civics” that caught my attention. At the time (1962), I thought I was a Christian (I went to church on most Sundays and was American!). I purchased a case of books and gave them out to the neighbors on our street in Connecticut. That led to a Goldwater club in every town in Connecticut and me as grass roots organizer for Connecticut, when there weren’t mass mailings and grass roots.

Along the way, I learned practices from Strom Thurman, the JBS, and other trail-blazers. It wasn’t until moving to California in mid ’64 that we attended a “Conservative Baptist Church” and I realized I was a shining example of God’s grace and patience! I got saved and suddenly the Bible was “alive”. “Events” (actually the hand of God) moved us to Upland, CA (just east of LA) as new Christians.

It was there I met the “World’s most internationally unknown evangelist” – Winkie Pratney. He taught me to use my intellect outside the box. About that time the “Jesus Movement” hit southern CA and we were on the front row to watch it blossom. In the process I discovered YWAM & Teen Challenge.

When our Lord had taught me what I needed there, it was back to Morgan Hill where I was invited to write a weekly column (for pay!!!). By then I was excited about Christian missions and politics. They were combined into my newspaper columns. YWAM leadership heard there were two ladies in SF they needed to meet. I was asked by leadership to meet their flight and drive them to FACE HQ. Since I was the driver, I got included at the table.

As I observed and listened to the ladies, it became obvious to me they had something valuable. I had become active in a “theological-political” way. The ladies were approaching the same targets in a “socio-political” way. Each approach was based upon sound fundamentals. I believe it was around 1973 that we invited Miss Hall & Slater to a parlor meeting in our home. It was “providential” – they never did such meetings!

You have heard my story about their speaking to the YWAM group in San Diego, preparing the cross-country mule-drawn wagon train in 1976. I was impressed. We visited their HQ again. Miss Slater encouraged us to homeschool. Fran joined FACE volunteer staff. We sat under many hours of “class time” with the ladies. We met others with similar stories of their influence, Jim & Barbara Rose, Kathy Dang, Beth Ballenger, Ruth Smith, Marshall Foster, Charles Wolf, Russ Walton, Paul Jehle, Steven McDowell, David Barton, Dennis Petersen, Desta Garrett, Jerry Nordskog and on and on.

Fran and I founded ACH Study Groups – teaching a combination of what we had learned from our 5 years around-the-world travels with YWAM and from our association with FACE, The rest is, as they say – “is history”.

These columns are archived since 12/10/09
See www.ACHStudyGroups.com
“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups
Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders
7659 Gingerblossom Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com
www.ACHStudyGroups.com
April 8, 2019

This is a letter to our friends –

Hell-fire & brimstone

Believe it! The God of creation exists! For decades our society has attempted to relegate God to the sidelines. I settle the issue with just two words – Intelligent Design.

Everything will reveal attributes of its producer. Nothing exists without set of laws to govern it. A law is a rule of action prescribed by a superior, and which an inferior is obliged to obey. “If you ride in our carpool you don’t smoke.” “If you live in our house you obey the house-rules.”

The obligation to obey is greater or less according to the dependency upon the superior. That is – You can smoke, but not in our carpool. — Our house-rules don’t apply to you if you live somewhere else.

Since you and I are completely dependent upon our Creator (The God of creation) for everything (!) we are completely obliged to obey His laws. That obligation is universal. It is not subject to debate or choice.

The difference between a law and advice – Law comes with a penalty. You smoke in our carpool – you don’t ride with us. You break our house-rules – you move out. The God of creation sets the penalties for breaking His laws.

Since society has “sidelined God” – we have little concern about ignoring His laws. We tend to take the penalties in stride – until – reality hits us in the nose! A marriage breaks up, or a child commits suicide.

Think about it – How serious is it to ignore the Being upon whom we depend for our next breath. The Being who continually demonstrates His love and care for us in so many ways. Then consider that all those laws of nature and of nature’s God work to support and protect our life, your liberty, and our possessions! In that light, the slightest transgression looks very serious!

We enjoy learning, now and then, abut His loving personality and the fact that He has created a path for us to be forgiven for our transgressions and to spend eternity in a place far, far beyond our fondest imaginations.

But our society ignores the ultimate penalty a truly just God of creation must impose upon the unrepentant transgressors who have chosen to rebel against His laws. Hell, the counter-concept of Heaven truly does exist! Whether we choose to believe it or not does not change the fact!

These columns are archived since 12/10/09
See www.ACHStudyGroups.com
“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups
Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders
7659 Gingerblossom Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com
www.ACHStudyGroups.com
March 24, 2019

This is a letter to our friends –

Odds and ends

A dear friend called this morning, “We haven’t received any of your blogs in a while. Are you all right?” The people on my blog mailing list are folks with whom I want to stay in touch. I haven’t the time to write that many personal letters, so I use this method.

A number of random thoughts are bubbling up. Thus, “Odds and ends.”

Praise the Lord! Our grandson, Brendan, is finished with his chemotherapy. We are looking forward to a good report. Now Susan and Bryan are beginning to gather the bills. Susan asked me to express their gratitude to all our friends who contributed to those expenses.

Regarding our American society: PLEASE remember the enemy will never stop trying to discourage you. He is a liar. He will always try to focus on what is wrong. When sharing thoughts with people remember truth is always fighting for the surface. All men are sinners. Give Satan a chance and he will maneuver you into defending your man’s sin. Just take the subject back to principle.

Speaking of “principle” – For the last four decades I have been thrilled with teaching what the Lord has given me on the subject. I have developed Parkinson’s disease symptoms (shaky hand and blurred speech). Many have asked me to “document” what I have been teaching. Typing with claw-like shaky fingers is very slow. I’ve been working on the “Principles of American Government” book for over a year. (Thus, fewer than normal blog posts.) I finished the manuscript draft today!

I am concerned about the 2020 house and senate races as well as the down-ticket races. All eyes will be watching the Presidential race. The opposition is experienced in lies, cheats and theft. Our side is mostly inexperienced, infiltrated, and sometimes indifferent. Our advantage is truth fighting to surface, righteousness, and an army of intercessors praying for the Lord strong arm. Without it the Presidency will likely be saved, but the rest of the races will likely be swept by a lying, cheating, thieving opponent that overwhelms the justice system.

God said He “would heal our land” if we would “turn from our wicked ways”. Our land has not been healed. What does that tell us? America needs His grace! Each of us must ask, “Is it me Lord?”

On that happy note, I wish you all a good night.

These columns are archived since 12/10/09
See www.ACHStudyGroups.com
“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups
Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders
7659 Gingerblossom Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com
www.ACHStudyGroups.com
February 21, 2019

This is a letter to our friends –

Immigration & Boders

The article below is among the best I have read. Enjoy!

[Please cut and paste the URL below into your browaer.]

https://townhall.com/columnists/samrohrer/2019/02/21/gods-word-holds-all-the -answers-on-immigration-and-borders-n2541978?utm_source=thdaily&utm_medium=e mail&utm_campaign=nl&newsletterad=02/21/2019&bcid=d1f6a2b5532493ba1573d54681 68551f&recip=24275091

These columns are archived since 12/10/09
See www.ACHStudyGroups.com
“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups
Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders
7659 Gingerblossom Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com
www.ACHStudyGroups.com
February 16, 2019

This is a letter to our friends –
Political Mechanics

Imagine how you would react if the government said the Christian faith you had believed and fought for all your life was wrong – even evil! Dedicated liberal activists have made a “religion” out of their beliefs. Those beliefs are being challenged. “Abortion” and “gun control” are like “communion” and “baptism” to them.

Since liberal doctrine is contrary to both the laws of nature (common sense) and “Revealed Law” (Bible) the challenge is overwhelming. The only defense for the liberal is anger and hate.

It all started when Satan wanted to be equal with God. Satan wanted power and authority. Liberals want power and authority. It is their “god”. They are free to lie, cheat and steal to get and defend it.

On the other hand, we are obliged to stay within the “laws of Nature and of Nature’s God”. Our advantage is truth and reason which is always fighting to the surface, and the ultimate authority of God.

In the coming months the liberal forces will be fighting tooth and nail to defeat President Trump’s bid for a 2nd term. I believe the liberal insiders recognize they are likely to lose that battle. Their goal in fighting it is to keep our focus on the Presidential race while they systematically steal every possible district race in the country.

Orange county in southern California was long among the most conservative counties in America. In the last election the county went strong for the Republican candidate for Governor, yet every Republican congressional candidate lost! As far as I have heard, no one put up a significant challenge to the apparent local district voter fraud.

Recall the national spotlight on the recent efforts to misdirect votes in Florida. Only that spotlight appears to have saved the Senate and Governor’s race. When you consider the hundreds of such local races coming up in 2020, protecting the honest vote becomes an overwhelming task. What is to be done?

Each state legislature plays a major part in its own vote integrity. If you have a good one you are fortunate. If not, it will help to educate your friends and family on the mechanics of stealing local elections.

Remember, liberals will lie cheat and steal. Satan is the father of lies! There is a sure litmus test for candidates. If s/he is willing to take a public stand on abortion, homosex, and guns support his campaign every way you can. If not, it becomes a numbers game, vote for the best Republican alternative. (The more Republican wins, the more strength behind the good ones.)

If you have the interest and means, consider filing as a candidate. Many races go without a Republican candidate. Many races have no filing fee. Often you can win a primary race by default. Then, if you lose in the November election, you may still accrue party position and appointment authority.

Vote fraud opportunities are endless. Democrats have long used changing demographics. In the name of helping the poor (i.e. Democrat voters) they create housing projects in Republican states and districts. They change voting laws to favor Democrats. In the last Senate race in California there was no Republican candidate on the ballot!

Close elections are most often subject to recounts. Democrats win most of them in suspicious ways. Thus, Republicans that win, must win big! That is still possible! There will be armies of energetic high-school and college kids working the effort to inform and get out the vote (gotv).

The real battle is a Spiritual one. It will be won or lost by the intercessors (Those who pray that God will move minds and hearts in behalf of His plan for America.) Such prayers will release hands, feet, minds, and hearts to do the work.

My prayer has long been that the intercessors will grow in numbers and not be discouraged by current events. God is still in charge!

These columns are archived since 12/10/09
See www.ACHStudyGroups.com
“Ben’s Blog”

ACH Study Groups
Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders
7659 Gingerblossom Drive
Citrus Heights, CA 95621
916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com
www.ACHStudyGroups.com
February 13, 2019

This is a letter to our friends –

Jim Rose Memorial

Those of you who knew Jim may be interested in the live stream of his Celebration of Life. – – go to https://www.graceredding.org/livestream2/
Click “Menu” (upper left of picture), select 2/9/2019.

For decades, Jim Rose led the faculty of ACH “American History and Government Study Seminars”. Several of them were held in Columbus Georgia. They featured a Commissioning Banquet that highlighted testimonies of the students. Jim would close with his words of wisdom.

Here is a link to his 1989 closing remarks.
https://www.facebook.com/uhland.roberts/videos/10156555804949807?sfns=mo

Some are Motivational Speakers. Some are remembered as Great Orators. Master Teachers like Jim Rose are recognized for planting seeds of understanding that will grow and bear fruit for generations.

We will miss you Jim.

These columns are archived since 12/10/09
See www.ACHStudyGroups.com
“Ben’s Blog”