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Cross-examine Your Faith

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One of the Glenn Beck TV shows featured an hour long discussion about faith in God. It featured three nationally known authorities – a Rabbi; a Mormon; and an Atheist.

I found the discussion interesting. Each was an accomplished “defender” of his position, and understanding of the God of the Bible, or the “myth” of the Bible (the atheist view). It is important to have these discussions on national TV (Channel #212, if you subscribe to Dish Network).

I was disappointed. I felt that each position broke down under the others’ cross-examination. That prompts my thoughts on the subject. Will my faith in God stand up to a similar test?

Without a move of God, our nation, and the whole world, appear headed into a darkness that will make the holocaust look like a grade B movie! Your relation with, and understanding of, the God of the Bible is about to be severely tested. Will your faith withstand cross-examination?

Is God the uncreated creator?

The question has been around a long time. Roman Governor, Pontius Pilot, asked, “What is truth?” [around 33 A.D.] “They who assert that a blind fatality (i.e. evolution) produced the various effects we behold in this world talk very absurdly; for can anything be more unreasonable than to pretend that a blind fatality (i.e. random events) could be productive of intelligent beings?” [Charles Montesquieu around 1750 A.D.]

John Locke wrote, “Reason is a gift to humans from God.” [around 1690 A.D.] It was God Himself who said, “Come now, and let us reason together.” [Isaiah 1:18]

Thus – The God, which the Bible states is the uncreated creator, is reported to have encouraged, and apparently given us the ability to, reason about him. Why should anyone accept, “God said it. I believe it. That settles it!” Where is the reasoning to support that? Why should anyone hear that and believe?

The product demands a producer. The existence of intelligent design demands an intelligent first cause. We may study any product and discover attributes of the producer.

Wholesome means of fulfillment. We are provided a wholesome means of fulfilling every need. That is an indication of the concern of this uncreated creator. Consider the alternative!

Love God and love your neighbor. To “love” is to unselfishly will the very best for the loved one. I know of no better standard by which to evaluate my choices.

The problem is that pride and selfishness encourage us to resist our consciences and push aside truth. “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them (men holding under truth); for God hath shown it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”

Think about it. –If one will only stop and consider the evidence – God is doing every thing He can to teach us about Himself and how to get along. In our hearts, we know that is true. We can choose to accept it and seek His will, or we can, “pretend that a blind fatality” is in charge and “hold under the truth.”

Until the existence of The Uncreated Creater is discovered – Nothing else matters. Man becomes the ultimate authority. Unless there is a “Law of Nature and of Nature’s God” to govern our will and appetite we will be lost in a sea of chaos!

On the other hand – If we submit our individual will and appetite to that “Law of Liberty” we will discover peace and security in the midst of chaos.

Among those discoveries, I submit – Will be the divinity of Jesus Christ, the “Prince of Peace.”

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The Price of Ignorance

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(View online at: http://patriotpost.us/fqd/17089)

“But while property is considered as the basis of the freedom of the American yeomanry, there are other auxiliary supports; among which is the information of the people. In no country, is education so general — in no country, have the body of the people such a knowledge of the rights of men and the principles of government. This knowledge, joined with a keen sense of liberty and a watchful jealousy, will guard our constitutions and awaken the people to an instantaneous resistance of encroachments.”

–Noah Webster, On Education of Youth in America, 1790

Noah Webster, nicknamed “America’s Schoolmaster”. In 1790, fourteen years after we declared our belief in the “Laws of Nature, and of Nature’s God”, which included eight years of war, on our soil, to defend that belief, Webster pointed out, “In no country, is education so general — in no country, have the body of the people such a knowledge of the rights of men and the principles of government.”

That was then – This is now!

Citizen friend of mine – Men of whom the world was not worthy, suffered, bled and died to leave that heritage to you and your decedents. For decades “We the people” have tacitly taken the easy way rather than, “guard our constitutions and awaken the people to an instantaneous resistance of encroachments.”

The very same forces our nation was formed to protect against, have been nibbling at our belief in individual liberty for decades. We have become a collective flock of tacit “sheeple”. What is more, we are actively choosing to remain so.

The fruit of an evening of passion involves accepting responsibility for raising up a child in the way that he should go. Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary states, “EDUCATION … … To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.”

For generations American society has been dumbed down. Just compare last century’s text books with today’s socialistic garbage! [Were it not for politically correct restrictions I would tell you what I really think!] The reason many, perhaps most, parents leave “religious education” to others – They do not feel qualified. It is easier to leave it to someone else because their own was left to someone else.

The early American parents and their children understood “natural state of nature.” They understood God-given rights to life, the liberty to gather necessities to sustain it, and the requirement to possess those necessities as private property before they could be of any use to them. (Life, Liberty, Pursuit of happiness [Property]). They were aware of the liberty they had just won and they respected it – for a time.

Then the nibbling began. Slowly, we exchanged our birth-right for a mess of pottage.

On June 1st and September 9th we will begin our next “Principles of American Government” 3-month online courses. Adults and teens need to take this course. Homeschool parents – This is “the place to start”. We need to go back to First Cause and reset our foundations.

Call me and discuss it.

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Govt 101 – Exceptionalism

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How do you answer, when someone asks, “What is so exceptional about America?”

For several generations the answer has not been taught. Today, few can give a sound answer. Rather, we have emphasized that America is just another nation in the family of nations.

My previous three posts to this column have presented “Separation of Powers”, “Democracy” (should have been named “Representation”), “Federalism”. None of those forms of government are unique to America. Each had been tried before with varying results.

Our founding fathers exhibited astounding wisdom and creativity by incorporating the advantages of each – while seeking to impede the defects of each. Amont the most unique attributes of American government –

For the first time in human history –

· Separation of Powers

· Representation

· Federalism

Were incorporated into a single governmental structure.

Our Constitution creates three Departments, Executive, Legislative, Judicial. Each is intended to be independent of the other two. Separation of Powers.

Our Constitution specifically requires that National and State governments must be “republics” i.e. by representation (as opposed to “majority rule” i.e. “democracy”.) Representation.

Our Constitution creates a vertical (national) and horizontal (state) relationship among our citizens. Federalism.

Our founders understood that there will always be a conflict between individual will (I want my space – back off) and corporate will (We have to go along to get along). “Internal vs. External.” “A conflict within and without.” [Neander – 1852]

The positive results of that combination of principles speaks for itself. The exponential shift away from those results is attributable to our failure to understand what our founders understood. We have permitted the external forces for ever more centralized power to overcome individual internal liberty.

Government created by “We the People” for the purpose of protecting our individual internal and external liberty is now challenging it!

By the way – Beside being sound history and reason, these principles are also Biblical!

The bottom line –

“Liberty is as evangelical as it is political!!!”

[Rosalie Slater – Co-founder,

Foundation for American Christian Education (FACE)]

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Govt 101 – Federalism

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Definitions –

GOVERNMENT … – direction …, regulation …, control …, restraint ….

[Webster 1828 (my paraphrase)]

FEDERAL, a. […]

1. Pertaining to a league or contract; derived from an agreement or covenant between parties, particularly between nations.

The Romans, contrary to federal right, compelled them to part with Sardinia. Grew.

2. Consisting in a compact between parties, particularly and chiefly between states or nations; founded on alliance by contract or mutual agreement; as a federal government, such as that of the United States.

3. Friendly to the constitution of the United States. [See the Noun.]

FEDERAL, FEDERALIST, n. An appellation in America, given to the friends of the constitution of the United States, at its formation and adoption, and to the political party which favored the administration of President Washington.

FEDERARY, FEDARY, n. A partner; a confederate; an accomplice. [Not used.] Shakespeare.

FEDERATE, a. […] Leagued; united by compact, as sovereignties, states or nations; joined in confederacy; as federate nations or powers.

FEDERATION, n. The act of uniting in a league.

2. A league; a confederacy.

[Webster 1828]

Back to basics –

1. A guy and a gal get together and make a baby. That is a “family”, the “building block” of every society.

2. Several families federate to share the tasks of life. That is a tribe. Ultimately the tribe grows to become a society.

3. Every society develops a dominant concept of a higher power (a god, or God).

4. That vertical concept will always determine the horizontal concept of relations with other families and societies.

· The vertical relationship between families and God is called “church”.

· The horizontal relationship between families and families is called “state”.

· It is a Law of Nature all through human history – A society’s corporate concept of the vertical relationship will ALWAYS determine its concept of horizontal relationship. NEVER the other way around!

Our founding fathers were wary of an all-powerful central government. The recognized and honored the individuality of America’s various societies. They chose a federal system of government. It is difficult to be a citizen of the “United States of America” without ALSO being a citizen of one of the states. We have a vertical relationship, together with our fellow citizens, to the USA. At the same time, we have a horizontal relationship with citizens of the other states.

“Master, which is the great commandment in the law?”

Jesus said unto him, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. [vertical] This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it – Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. [horizontal] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

[Matthew 22:36-40]

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Washington – The Indispensable Man

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These posts to our ACH blog over the years, have served to draw each of you, dear reader, in my concepts, closer to me. It is, to me, as if I were writing to each of you individually.

This morning, before Church, I opened an e-mail with the following URL attachment –

http://www.newsmax.com/live/Gingrich-Lecture/?s=al&promo_code=128ED-1

I opened it to view Newt Gingrich in Mount Vernon lecturing on George Washington.

WOW! Every American MUST be encouraged to view this lecture! (Including the very practical Q&A at the end.) It is an hour-long video. Set it, please, as a priority.

I chose to skip church this morning to finish viewing it and send this encouragement to you. It will serve to put our discouragements and problems today, into a providential context.

Should the URL above not open, I am sure it can be found by googling the title on your web browser.

Please enjoy it and share it broadly!

For His-story and Government,

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Ben Gilmore 1929-2023

On March 30, 2023 Ben Gilmore, the co-founder of ACHStudyGroups (co-founded with his wife Fran), went to be with the Lord in Glory.

A Memorial: https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/BenGilmore/