December 7, 1941 “a date which will live in infamy”

"No man can tame a tiger into a kitten by stroking it. There can be no appeasement with ruthlessness. There can be no reasoning with an incendiary bomb. We know now that a nation can have peace with the Nazis only at the price of total surrender." – FDR 12/29/1940

And even that was not enough; ask the survivors and the children of the concentration camps where over 6 million Jews were murdered along with hundreds of thousands of others who were chosen for death by the Nazi regime.

"Yesterday, December 7, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan." - FDR 12/08/1941

Over two thousand men and women were murdered on December 7, 1941, may we remember the survivors and the family of all involved in that attack.

May we never forget that we are vulnerable to attack and need to be vigilant – our enemy is out there, we know who they are.

America is at war.

May we never forget that no matter how much we try to isolate ourselves from the evils of this world; no matter how we try to minimize the danger of attacks on this country and the principles for which we stand; no matter how much citizens try to say that this is not a ‘religious’ war we are in – and then blame the Christians for saying it is and for calling for our country to quit denying the existence, power and authority of God; we are at war.

Currently, it is not a war that is to be fought as prior earthly wars have been fought where armies battled armies; where countries were attacked outright and had to defend themselves against an army that was identifiable by its uniforms and equipment.  Although, there are those nations that might very well attack as we become more and more vulnerable.

In World War II men and women in England, the last stronghold of sanity in a war torn Europe, stood up and defended themselves.

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." – Winston Churchill August 1940

That statement can also apply to us, we owe England.

If England had fallen, it would not have been long before America would have been attacked on its mainland and caught between the Japanese on one side and the Germans on the other, would have had to defend ourselves as all the countries that had been attacked before.  Many of our civilians would have died on our own ground.  

The world would look far different today if that had happened.

"Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you." – General Eisenhower June 6, 1944

It took a while, but America finally saw the handwriting on the wall and took action.

Today, far too Americans are trying to pet a tiger, and make it a kitten - it won't work. 

Today, as in those days, the handwriting is on the wall.

Daniel 5:6-7 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

⁶ Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

We too should be shaking in our boots, not to flee from the evil that besets us but to turn to God and allow His resources to strengthen us. 

But, first Christians have to realize we are in a war.  And we are required to do our part to do battle against it.

Ephesians 6:11-13  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Before America can actually succeed in today’s battles, Christians must prepare ourselves and take up the weaponry of God.  Our acts are the only ones that will truly overcome the evils of our time.

Vs 14-18 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

I accept the fact that some Christians are not willing to take up an earthly weapon and fire upon the enemy.  I respect their beliefs.

But in this spiritual war, far too many of our brethren have chosen to be passive, have chosen to surrender the Word of God for societal values; rather than standing for God they have capitulated and have given up ground.

The countries in Europe tried to capitulation to the demands of Hitler and Germany, hoping that by giving up some countries to Hitler that it would appease him and he would leave them alone – it didn’t work then, it will not work now.

There are those that point to the Amish and other Christians that refuse weapons and go about their business and they live a life of calm.  Again, I have no problem with their beliefs – however, Jews maintained that same attitude in Europe and in the 1930’s and 1940’s they were slaughtered by not only Germany but many other countries as they hunted down, captured and turned their Jews over to the Nazis for extermination.

We have the danger we see; but it is perpetrated by the enemy that attacks the heart.  Both dangers must be defeated.

We are going to have to do battle with the enemy that is now in our country and using different tactics than prior wars.  But that war is just as deadly and will continue to be as long as America continues to turn our backs on God and compromise our principles in hopes that satan will leave us alone.

He has only just begun.  He has escalated the war in the past few decades and America is poorer because of it. 

The battle has been raging since Adam, it has always been here in America; but now he has been given new strength and power by those that want to make everything, except God, okay – persecuting and prosecuting those that disagree.

Like Belshazzar, the king, our nation has instigated many sins against God and we, like him, should be quaking in our boots.

But we have recourse and it comes through a turning away from the sins of this nation and asking God for forgiveness.

Only Christians have the weapons to engage the enemy described in Ephesians For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places

We have too many passive Christians who are unwilling to go into battle, but once a sizeable amount do, we will see a real difference in our nation.

As a police officer I knew who the real enemy was; but I also knew that we had to protect those that were victims of his minions and to do so meant being will to stand in front of the weak and, if need be, do physical battle so they would be safe.

We need to take up the spiritual weapons to defeat the enemy and be ready to take up the physical weapons – when necessary – to defeat his minions.

The warning to Belshazzar was too late, he was killed the very night that Daniel told him what the writing said – we still have time.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again
Dad :-) to some, Art to the rest of ya!
Art :-) and Carla Labrousse
The Dalles, OR USA
http://www.fromcrg.com/index.html