Saturday, November 14, 2015

My heart, as I am sure those of yours, is heavy this morning as we learn more and more about the terrorists’ attacks in Paris, France last night.
Hundreds of families have been impacted as well as the whole country as they come to terms with the deaths and maiming of innocent people.  AND the reality of men, women and children willing to kill themselves in order to kill others.
It isn’t as if the world has not been warned of the impending attacks on Christians and Christian nations.
Are all Muslims out to kill Christians?  No, but it doesn’t take all Muslims to perform these acts – and we should have learned from history that when we let our guard down bad things are going to happen - because there are those out there that hate us and will inspire others to commit criminal acts.
Hitler took over a country with a minority of followers.  He changed the world.
Small nations around the world have been victims of terrorist activities by the leadership of a few men who were allowed to practice their crafts.
In the 1980’s Wasco County learned that just a few people, under the color of ‘religion,’ can bring terror to small communities and leaders can inspire some of their followers to commit terrorist’s acts – taking over a small community, poisoning over 750 people we know of, threatening to control the ballot box and eventually threatening to control a whole county.
And we are told that small town Mayors are asking the government to give them more Muslims to help their financial situation – don’t look into their background, don’t insult them by saying there may be terrorists among them – just send them to us. 
Ask the citizens of Wasco County how that works out.
It is interesting that the first thing France did, after the initial shock of the attacks, was to close down its borders.
There is an old saying among country folk “Don’t close the barn door after the horse has run out.”
America has forgotten that adage.  I am not against immigration; my grandparents came from France and made a home for my Dad and Uncles, contributing to the community around them just as have millions before and after them.
However, America has opened up the gates, KNOWING, that among those coming in are those that wish to destroy this country and will do so with violence if need be – and doing nothing to insure those people are ‘vetted.’  We have cut back on the very protections we have against the terrorists and are burying our heads in the sand.
We haven’t learned.  We didn’t learn when we were attacked by terrorists on 9-11.  We haven’t learned as our soldiers are attacked by terrorists on our own soil.  It has hit American citizens and will continue to do so, getting worse as time goes on.
Under the color of ‘tolerance’ Americans have allowed the few to dictate terms that are coming back to haunt us.  We are seeing families destroyed and Christians coming under attack because they proclaim the Word of God. 
AND we think God doesn’t care.
Instead of turning from sin and looking to God, asking forgiveness for our nation, we have authorized sinful behavior by laws and the courts.  We think because we are so understanding and not calling sin for what it is that somehow things will get better.
How is that working out for America?
We have our leaders gleefully proclaiming that America is no longer a Christian nation – and while it never has been, it at least used to stand for the principles handed down by God – but in making these statements they have declared that we are now open for any and all thoughts no matter how detrimental to our nation and its people.
As the Jewish people were warned when they refused to follow God, so the world and America is being warned right now.
Did God cause the deaths of those people in Paris?
No He did not.  Neither has He caused the raising up of terrorists and their activities around the world, but He is allowing it.
He gave man free will.  Adam abused it in the Garden, as has mankind ever since – it is man’s will, man’s action that has caused the deaths of millions upon millions of people by violence in all its forms.
But as we pull farther away from God, His Hand pulls farther and farther away from us. 
History is repeating itself.  It started with Adam, and it has been documented by historians ever since.
We but have to read a few verses of Scriptures to understand God will punish, either overtly or by allowing the sin we so crave to become the punishment we so deserve.
Lamentations 3:39-42 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.
41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
42 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.
Lamentation 5:19-22 Thou, O Lord, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.
20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?
21 Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.
22 But thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us.

And for those that say we are in a new age, that God will not act as He did in the Old Testament read these verses from the NEW Testament.
Hebrews 10:28-31 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.  KJV from BibleGateway.com

We need to repent as individuals and we need to repent and return to God as a nation – failing that we will continue to spiral down into a hole that will surround us with the grief of our sins.
Later, Art
From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again

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