Who Is Lying About Syria?

The more I investigate what is happening to Christians in Syria the more confused I become.  Accurate reporting about what is really happening in Syria is hard to find out.  It is not fake news that is the problem; it is lying news that is being reported in the American news media.  I just read an article about the young boy in the video showing children being gassed in Syria.  In an interview with the father and boy, they told a different story.  The boy said, he was lured into the hospital with cookies and then sprayed with water.  He was in the basement with his mother, who said they ran out of food when they heard some noise outside.  “Somebody was shouting that we had to go to the hospital, so we went there. When I came in, some people grabbed me and started pouring water over my head."

The father told a different story than the news media gave.  He said, “I went to the hospital, walked upstairs, and found my wife and children. I asked them what had happened, and they said people outside were shouting about some smell and told them to go to the hospital. At the hospital, they gave dates and cookies to the kids."

One of the medical workers, who was reportedly on shift at the time, said he was surprised by the sudden influx. “Some people came here and washed people. They said: ‘Chemical attack. Chemical attack.’ We didn’t see any chemical attack symptoms,” he added. He did, however, say that there were many people with respiratory problems because of dust from recent bombings in the city.

So now what am I to believe?  Unlike Iraq where the Syrian government has recovered territory, the Christians are returning, rebuilding, and trying to begin again.  This rebuilding cannot succeed as long as  the US government keeps bombing the country and supporting the rebels.  Is this latest bombing an attempt to allow the insurgents to escape as some Syrians believe.

Why am I so concerned about Syria?  The attitude toward Christians in the Middle-East has changed in the last few years.  Where Muslims, Jews, and Christians lived side-by-side, that is no longer the case.  There is a real hatred toward Christians that is being developed around the world.  My concern is how soon will it become the norm in this country to persecute Christians.

The attitude of our government in the Middle-East is not pro-Christian.  How soon will the same position become reality in America?

As an American Christian, we should not be comfortable with the US government invading countries all around the world.  We have not been given the real reason why we are in Syria.  I have heard many times we are fighting ISIS in the Middle-East so we will not be fighting them here in America.  I find it strange that that is the same reason Russia is giving.

You may have heard that Russian troops are in Syria to prop up a ruthless dictator, Bashar al Assad, who uses chemical weapons against his own people. But the reason Russian troops went into Syria was to fight ISIS (a.k.a. the Islamic State or the Caliphate). There were hundreds of thousands of ISIS fighters in Syria. Something like half of them were from Russia or from former Soviet republics, and the Russian language was as common within ISIS as Arabic. The Russians wisely decided that it was safer and cheaper to stamp out ISIS in Syria, rather than wait for it to spread to countries further north and closer to Russia. Saving Syria from destruction was a welcome side-effect, but the self-interested goal was to be proactive in protecting Russian lives.

Here again, who is tell the truth?

During the Iraq War, we heard the story of "Chemical Weapons" being used.  It may or may not have been true.  I rather think that it was true due to an article by Norm Dixon in 2004, where he wrote, On August 18, 2002, the New York Times carried a front-page story headlined, “Officers say U.S. aided Iraq despite the use of gas.” Quoting anonymous US “senior military officers,” the NYT “revealed” that in the 1980s, the administration of US President Ronald Reagan covertly provided “critical battle planning assistance at a time when American intelligence knew that Iraqi commanders would employ chemical weapons in waging the decisive battles of the Iran-Iraq war.” The story made a brief splash in the international media, then died.

While the August 18 NYT article added new details about the extent of US military collaboration with Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during Iraq’s 1980-88 war with Iran, it omitted the most outrageous aspect of the scandal: not only did Ronald Reagan’s Washington turn a blind-eye to the Hussein regime’s repeated use of chemical weapons against Iranian soldiers and Iraq’s Kurdish minority, but the US helped Iraq develop its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs.

We are now hearing the same story in Syria.  It seems that chemical weapons are only useful in incitement of a military response, to accuse one’s enemies of committing atrocities, to serve as a false flag.

The recent fake chemical attack in Syria’s Ghouta looks like someone wanted the bombing to resume.  Has the US government fallen prey to the propaganda of the ISIS rebels?  Just for asking these questions I open the door of being un-American and a supporter of Putin, but that is not the case.  When things start falling apart for those whose agenda has been questioned or disrupted, who has supported failed military actions, has put the country in economic crisis, and even claim the Russian's stole the election they need to find a scapegoat.  If the investigations that are going on now were carried out in the last administration, we may not even be in Syria today.  The Bengazi connection with the Syrian rebels would have been exposed, and our mission to stop ISIS would have taken a different direction. 

My concern is that in the weeks to come we will find that there was no chemical attacked and that President Trump actions were uncalled for and irrational.  President Trump will be made out to be a trigger happy, incompetent leader, who should not be in office.  I guess if I am having a hard time finding out what the actual truth is, maybe President Trump is having the same problem.

In the years to come we may find that like Iraq, the Syrian rebels were supplied chemical weapons by the US government to incite a war with Iran.

We need to get out of Syria while we can before it becomes another Afghanistan or Iraq.

May God protect our Christian brothers and sisters in Syria.

Is The US Government Gone Crazy?

I was watching the news this morning and was very disappointed in the Trump Administration and with President Trump.  I supported him because he was against being in Syria,   President Trump had campaigned on a vehement anti-war stance and was a fierce critic of intervention in Syria during Barack Obama's presidency. Last night he went back on his promise to get out of Syria. How can the US government justify killing innocent civilians?  At least two residential areas reportedly hit. At least 4 reported dead in one of the strikes.  Who were they planning on killing?

I listen to President Trump say today the mission was successful.  What does that even mean?  Did the kill the people who set off the gas?  Did they stop this from happening again?  What bothers me is ISIS is in Damascus, and Trump was going to pull out of Syria, so why would Assad do something stupid like gas his own people?  ISIS, on the other hand, has been working with the US, UK, and France to overthrow Assad. If the US pulls out, they will not have the ground support to fight Assad. Is the warmongers sure it was Assad and not ISIS?

I had hopes that President Trump would not listen to the psychopaths that are pushing us towards war.  When will our government stop trying to rule the world and take care of the problems here at home?  We have spent TRILLIONS of dollars on the War on Terror, and the world is in greater chaos.

Reportedly the attack involved 120 cruise missiles (twice as much as the 2017 attack) launched at three sites and is now over.  The cruise missile cost $1.78 million dollars each.  Last night cost the American taxpayer over $213 million dollars in cruise missiles along.  That does not include the aircraft to get the missile, the aircraft carrier, and the thousands of people involved.  This one night could end up costing several billions of dollars.  For what?

 Syrian Russian-made Pantsir-S1 air defenses firing back.  Russians and Syrians say many of the missiles were intercepted.  That may or may not be true.  The fact is we have no business being in Syria.  We are there fight a war for Israel, not America.

The people advising President Trump are more interested in protecting Israel than in protecting the United States.  Here is what is really upsetting.  While we are destroy the airport in  Damascus, and bombing residential areas, ISIS attempts another attack from their pocket in southern Damascus suburbs.  Here is a tweet from a person in Syria. The Syrian Army is now repelling an attack of ISIS around al-Yarmuk camp south of Damascus. What is the real objective of the US government towards Syria?  The US government along the UK and France have almost entirely destroyed one the oldest Christian communities in the world.  If this continue, there will be no Christians left in Syria.

I am distraught with our government and with the present administration for carrying on a war that is of no benefit for the American people.  The elections are coming, and I will not support someone who will continue to put American soldiers in harms way to protect the interest of countries that give nothing to America. I Stand With America.  Let Israel, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and any other surrounding nation take care of their own problems.  The US government needs to get out of the Middle East before we are destroyed as a nation.

Yes, I know that God is in control and that what is happening now is part of His higher plan.  But, it could be that He is giving us space to repent, and we cannot see His mercy being shown to us because we are ruled by evil men who disregard God.  I pray for the leaders of this country, our President, and world leaders as well that God grant them wisdom.  It doesn't seem to be working.  So maybe it is time to pray like the Old Testament saints.

I understand the frustration of David when he not only wanted is enemies destroyed but also the painful consequences brought on their families: “Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. Let his children wander about and beg, and let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes” (109 9-10)

This type of prayer is not limited to Psalm 109. Other Psalms contain similar prayers for the punishment of evildoers: “Do Thou add iniquity to their iniquity, and may they not come into Thy righteousness. May they be blotted out of the book of life, and may they not be recorded with the righteous” (Ps. 69:27-28).,

How are we to win the battle against evil when we cannot fight with physical weapons?  Is it wrong to pray, O that Thou wouldst slay the wicked, O God; depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. For they speak against Thee wickedly, and Thine enemies take Thy name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate Thee, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against Thee? I hate them with the utmost hatred; they have become my enemies (Ps. 139:19-22).

Prayers of imprecation for the destruction of the wicked are to be found throughout the entire Word of God. Moses (the “meekest man on the face of the earth,” Num. 12:3) prayed, “Rise up, O Lord! And let Thine enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Thee flee before Thee” (Num. 10:35).

The prophet Jeremiah spoke stinging words of imprecation which parallel the prayers of David and others in the psalms:

Do give heed to me, O Lord, and listen to what my opponents are saying! Should good be repaid with evil? For they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before Thee to speak good on their behalf, so as to turn away Thy wrath from them. Therefore, give their children over to famine, and deliver them up to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless and widowed. Let their men also be smitten to death; their young men struck down by the sword in battle. May an outcry be heard from their houses when Thou suddenly bringest raiders upon them; for they have dug a pit to capture me and hidden snares for my feet. Yet Thou, O Lord, knowest all their deadly designs against me; do not forgive their iniquity or blot out their sin from Thy sight. But may they be overthrown before Thee; deal with them in the time of Thine anger! (Jer. 18:19-23; cf. also 11:18ff.; 15:15ff.; 20:11ff.).

Yes, the martyrs of today are crying out for vengeance.  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

For those who are questioning my un-Quaker feelings, we are at war with evil and God is our only hope for victory.  We will not win this with guns and bombs.  The only recourse we have is that the LORD intervenes for us.

Christ Through the Bible- Song of Solomon

Text: ''I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine'' (Song 6:3).

The key word of the Song of Solomon is ''beloved.''

Several years ago, I did a study on the Song of Solomon and its spiritual application to the Church.  I would like to once again show the comparisons of this Love Poem to the Seven Churches found in the book of Revelation.  I am well aware that this is not the normal interpretation but as an allegory is can be open for interpretation.  If you do not agree with this approach that is fine, we will still see Christ in the Song of Solomon.

The book as we have noted has the interpretation of an allegory of God’s love for Israel, Christ’s love for the Church, and Christ’s love for the believer.  I am looking at this as the relationship of Christ and the Church.   Some people say that the Song of Solomon is just a love song and therefore has no place in the Bible. A superficial reading of the book might lead to this conclusion.  I like to look at the Song as the love between Christ and His Church. I believe that across every page of the Song of Solomon could be written these words of the apostle Paul: ''This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church'' (Eph 5:32).

Introduction

The Song of Songs, sometimes called the Song of Solomon, is one of two books in the Bible that do not mention God.  The other is the book of Esther. The Song of Solomon is the closing book of the poetical section of the Old Testament. It is probably censured more and read less than any other book. Critics have said it is indecent, and it may appear to be so to the unspiritual mind. Remember, however, that the Eastern people were a passionate people, both in love and hate.

At the first reading of the book, the plot is about the courtship and marriage of a maiden referred to as the Shulammite.  This would be the interpretation of the love of a man for his bride.  However, because of the passionate allusions in this poem, ancient interpreters insisted it contained a more profound, symbolic meaning, such as God's love for Old Testament Israel, Christ's love for the church or even Christ’s love for the individual believer.

THE BRIDES FIRST LOVE.

Let Him kiss me.  There is love between the Church and Christ.  The desire was for the affection of Christ. The passion which in the heart of the saint is for the manifestation of the love of the Lord Jesus, through the influences of the Holy Spirit; and this love is desired, because its effect is more reviving and exhilarating than any of the pleasures of sense, even of wine, the most refreshing of them all. Verse 2. This desire is not a blind faith or an emotional impulse but comes from an exceptional desire for the holiness of the nature of Christ, as surpassing everything known to man.  It is this desire that the pure in heart, and they only, love him, and they cannot do otherwise than love him. Ver. 3.

This love is a perfect regulator of the powers of the soul; and carrying with it true wisdom, gives us a correct knowledge of ourselves, as the offspring of the humility to which this divine love leads, and which consists in thinking of ourselves according to the whole truth, nothing more, nothing less.

The Church rejoiced when the Holy Spirit was given- your name is an oil poured out. That is why the maidens love you.  The day of Pentecost there were five thousand add to the Church. The King brought me into His rooms. The veil of the Temple was torn, and access to the Throne of Grace was made available.  The joy or salvation was more significant than wine.

THE BRIDE’S LOST FIRST LOVE

In the First Poem, something changes with the Church.

I am black.  This is the description the Church is giving of herself.  The reason was, My mother’s sons turned their anger on me.  The Judaizers created problems between the Law and Grace.  They pushed for the Law of Moses and denied the Law of Christ.  The result they lost their first love—Had I only looked after my own.

The Church ask the question, “Where will you lead your flock to graze?”

Christ answers, I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not, and hast found them, liars:  and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.  Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love.  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.  But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.  He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Rev. 2:2-7

THE BRIDE IS PERSECUTED

At the end of this poem, there is dialogue between Christ and the Church.  This is the Church that is suffering significant persecution.  Christ describes how he feels toward the Church at Smyrna.   I know thy works, and tribulation and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.  He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Rev. 2:9-11

The Church describes what is taking place currently.  While the King rest in His own room, my nards yields it perfume.  The perfume was myrrh.  Myrrh was used in the preparation of a body for burial.  The persecution at this time brought millions of Christians their death.

The poem ends with both Christ and the Church proclaiming their love for one another.

THE BRIDE SEPERATES

In the second poem, there is a separation of Christ and the Church.

After the persecution ended and Christianity became the state religion in 313 AD, there was a change in the relationship between Christ and His Church.  The LORD is excited that His Church came out of trials and tribulation with strength and power. He come leaping on the mountain, bound on the hills, only to find His Church hiding behind a wall.

 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

But I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.  Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna and will give him a white stone, and in the stone, a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Rev. 2:13-17

The Church is hiding behind the wall while Christ is peer in, calling to the Church to return to Him.  He says the “winter is past.”  The time of persecution is over.  The season for glad song has arrived.  The Church remains behind the wall.

Christ appeals to the Church at Thyatria, Come my love. He informs the Church that the “fig tree is forming its first figs.”  During this Church period, the Pope ordered the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem.  Christ is calling for the Church to come out of hiding.  It was during this period that the convents and monasteries were established. This is what Christ said about this Church.

I know thy works and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.   Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication, and she repented not.  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.  And I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.  And I will give him the morning star. Rev.2:19-29

The Church replies, On my bed, I sought Him whom my heart loves.  This was during the Dark Ages and the time of the Crusades.   The Church had lost its way, and there were those who were seeking the LORD.  They were asking the question, “Have you seen him whom my heart loves?”

The poem ends with the Church once again finding Christ (3:7).

THE BRIDE RETURNS

The third poem opens with the question, “What is this coming from the desert like a column of smoke breathing of myrrh and frankincense and every presume the merchants know?  The Church Sardis was the time of the Reformation. 

I know thy works that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

For several years the Church has been in a barren and wasted land.  As the Church merges from a period of being dead in spiritual life while holding the name of Christian they awaken to new life.  The Reformation period had a remnant of those who had not defiled themselves with the Roman church.  Many died for the cause of Christ.

Christ says of this Church, She, is a garden enclosed, a seal fountain.  During the Reformation, there was no evangelism taking place.  It is not until the end of this Church that the Church begins to stir from sleep.

THE BRIDE AWAKENS

Third poem that there was a move to begin to evangelize.  The Church is the fountain that makes the garden fertile, a well of living water.

It is during the Philadelphia Church that we see, Awake, north wind, come, wind of the south, breathe over my garden to spread its sweet smell around.  Let my beloved into his garden, let him taste the rarest fruits.

Christ says of this Church, These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

It is this Church that spreads the message of Jesus Christ all around the world.  It was a breeze that covered the north, south, east and west.  But it was not without martyrs; I gather my myrrh and balsam.

THE BRIDE SLEEPS

The last Church is represented in the last two poems.  The Fourth Poem open with the Church admitting to being asleep.

In chapter 5, the mood changes. The bridegroom still loves, but the bride is drowsy. ''I sleep, but my heart waketh. It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh'' (5:2). Her bridegroom has been out in the night, and his head is wet with dew. He has been gathering precious myrrh. He returns to find her drowsy, so he goes away. Notice the bride's strange condition-- she is half-asleep, half-awake. Neither is beneficial. This is a fore-runner of the complete sleep.

This is what Christ had to say about this Church; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him, and he with me.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

THE BRIDE'S AWAKENING

The bride finally realized that her lover was at the door, but she was too sleepy to open it. He had been diligently working in her behalf, yet she failed to respond to him. Today, Jesus Christ is at the throne of God. He neither slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:4). Night and day, He is our Advocate, warding off the accusations of Satan. Were, it not for Christ, where would we be? He says to the Father, ''I pray for them.'' And what does He desire of us? The same as He requested of His disciples: ''Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation...'' (Mark 14:38).

THE BRIDE'S EXCUSES

The bride was foolish to say, ''I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?''  A backslider usually doesn't need much of an excuse. A very weak alibi serves the purpose when a Christian is out of fellowship with God.

People who are captivated by the world, are often too preoccupied to serve the Lord effectively. The bride had put off her coat and washed her feet. She was concerned only for herself. Why should she be disturbed by a knock? The apostle Paul wrote of some Christians in his day, ''For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's'' (Philippians 2:21).

THE BRIDE'S DISCOVERY  

''I opened to my beloved'' (5:6). One version translates verse 4, ''Her head moved when she saw his hand put in by the hole of the door.'' But she did not move until ''her heart was moved'' (v.4). But when she went to open the door, he was already gone. Backsliding always begins with the heart. If there is even a pinhole of disobedience in the door, His searching hand will find it. When she finally responded, he had left. Christ sometimes withholds His blessing so that we will seek Him all the more. Christian, do not trifle with the things of God. ''Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man soweth, that shall he also reap'' (Galatians 6:7).

THE BRIDE'S REMORSE

''My soul failed when he spoke.'' We know that the bridegroom had spoken to her (v.2). But instead of obeying immediately, she began to make excuses. Now, like Peter would do centuries later [Mat 26:75], she mournfully remembered her guilt and failure. She knew exactly what the sin was; she had chosen selfish ease over obedience to him. What a miserable condition resulted! (v.6-8).

First, fellowship was broken. ''I sought him, but I could not find him'' (v.6). Sin always leads to separation. When the Spirit of God is grieved, our communion with Christ is interrupted.

Second, her prayer was unanswered. ''I called him, but he gave me no answer'' (v.6). Our Lord said, ''If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you'' (John 15:7). This requires obedience. No Christian can expect his prayers to be answered if there is disobedience in his life. A striking association is made in the book of James between answers to prayer and the presence of sin. The failure to repent and confess short-circuits the process (Jam 5:15,16).

Third, the bride lost her testimony. ''The watchmen that went about the city found me; they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me'' (v.7). The bride was so changed that the city watchmen did not recognize her. Both sorrow and shame came upon her.

THE BRIDE'S REPENTANCE (5:10-16)

With repentant heart, the bride describes her bridegroom. She is not reluctant to acknowledge him now. Following this, he returns, and their fellowship is restored. She increasingly experiences his deep and unchanging love.

The last Church is the age we live in today.  Christ is still waiting for the Church repent.  I believe there is a group of faithful believers who will change the heart of the LORD.  At the beginning the Church  could say with an abounding heart, ''My beloved is mine, and I am his'' (Song 2:16). But now, she can declare with complete trust: ''I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me'' (7:10). It will be at that point that Christ will come for His Bride.

Are you ready for that day to come?

My Russian Rant

I need to do some ranting.  Am I the only one who thinks we are heading down the road towards destruction?

Have you ever felt that the world leaders have become a group of psychopaths pushing us to the brink of a world war?  There was a time when leaders tried to avoid war.  Most of my life was shadowed by the Cold War.  Now we have moved in to a Warm War.  The rule of law has been thrown out the door and we are being led by a group of war hungry Neocons, Rinos, and Progressives who have taken some plays right out of Nazi Germany.

We have within our country both progressives and Necons who seem to have a hatred for what is right.  On the progressive side look at what happened during Trump’s speech to congress. Democrats sat, refusing to clap, as Trump spoke of a lobbying ban to fight against the power of money in politics. They sat as he criticized corporate corruption and offered tariffs to empower the working class. And they made faces like little children. Liberals should be standing and cheering any time someone talks of destroying corporate greed and corruption in the name of the working class, yet here they are sitting and making childish faces. Not because of the ideas, but because of the man speaking them.  The same with the Neocons and Rinos.

President Trump said, Our Steel and Aluminum industries (and many others) have been decimated by decades of unfair trade and bad policy with countries from around the world. We must not let our country, companies and workers be taken advantage of any longer. We want free, fair and SMART TRADE!

Utah Republican Senator, and frequent Trump critic, Mike Lee slammed the decision and said Trump’s tariffs would be a “huge job-killing tax hike” consumers. ( It might increase the cost of a can of beer according to MillerCoors.)

How different from what Russian President Vladimir Putin would do to help his nation.  In fact, Putin has drafted a bill that aims to eliminate the US dollar and the euro from trade between CIS countries. This means the creation of a single financial market between Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and other countries of the former Soviet Union.  This would help expand the use of national currencies in foreign trade payments and financial services and create preconditions for greater liquidity of domestic currency markets.  The bill would also help to facilitate trade in the region and help to achieve macro-economic stability.  Putin was only thinking of protecting his nation regardless of the impact on the US dollar.  This in no more than what Trumped wanted to do with an increase in tariffs.

When will these distractors, manipulators, and warmongers allow our President to do what will make America great again?  Rather than take away guns, and promote a socialist agenda, do what is best for America.

The attacks on the First and Second Amendments are dividing this country to the point that many could care less what is happening around the world.  Americans do not have the time to understand what is happening with the bigger picture with Russia, China, Iran, Syria, and Israel.  So they are content with their entertainment, acquiring more “stuff”, and what is the latest sex scandal in Hollywood and Washington D.C.

Our elected and appointed leaders are pushing our country towards war.  It will be a war we cannot win.  The last two World Wars did not come to the shore of America.  We did not experience the massive destructions of our cities and towns.  We did not experience the loss of civilian life or the atrocities of war crimes upon our women and children that countries in Europe experienced.  If our leaders push for war as it seems that is what they are determined to do, we will see the destruction of this nation just like Europe in the past two World Wars.

While we are debating the gun issue, and the increase in tariffs, Russia and China have been developing weapons to protect their country.  They have been preparing for war while we are concerned about how many bullets a gun can hold or how much more a can of beer will cost.  We should be moving towards arming every American rather than disarming America.  In past history of our so-called enemy Russia, they were not prepared for the invasions by Napoleon or Hitler.  That was in the past, that is not the case today.  Are we as a nation willing to go to war with a fully prepared nuclear Russia?

This is not a Cuban Missile Crisis where President John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev came to an agreement.  Publicly, the Soviets would dismantle their offensive weapons in Cuba and return them to the Soviet Union, subject to United Nations verification, in exchange for a U.S. public declaration and agreement to avoid invading Cuba again. The United States also agreed that it would dismantle all U.S.-built Jupiter MRBMs, which had been deployed in Turkey against the Soviet Union.  Regardless of the shoe pounding Khrushchev there were rational people who resolved this crisis.  Today there is not one single rational person in our government that is willing to de-escalate the war rhetoric. 

Recently, US ambassador to the UN, Nicki Haley speaking at Duke University in North Carolina on Friday, admitted that friendly relations with Russia is an unlikely prospect, adding that the Trump team has done more against Moscow than any other administration since Ronald Reagan’s tenure.

“Russia’s never going to be our friend,” Haley told students at a Q&A session, responding to a question about “holding Russia accountable” for alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election. The diplomat said Washington still works with Moscow “when we need to, and we slap them when we need to.”

She then raised the stakes further: “Everybody likes to listen to the words. I’m going to tell you – look at the actions.  We expelled 60 Russian diplomats/spies, we have armed Ukraine so that they can defend themselves,” Does this sound like we are trying to avoid war?  Right now, the warmongers are expelling Russian diplomats en masse and they are feeling unbeatable. Polish and Ukrainian politicians are depending on the US military to provide them protection.  The US military has stationed troops along the Russian border to protect against an invasion.  How would we feel if Russia were to put troops along the Mexico border?  What would happen if Mexico, like Poland and Ukraine asked Russia for protection against the US?  Yet, that is what has happened along the Russian border.

I really believe that the only clear thinking that is taking place is from Russia.  Since the Obama Administration there has been a build-up of military troops along the Russian border.  For several years now, Russia and NATO have prepared for war in Europe.  And Russia is ready.  NATO is not. If Russians go to war NATO will not on its own be able to withstand the onslaught.  It will be left to the USA to hold back Russia.  So, any conflict will go nuclear very fast.  And, for the first time in history, the USA will be hit very hard, not only in Europe, the Middle-East or Asia, but also on the continental US.  Is this what we want to happen to America?  Are we prepared for the destruction of our nation?

There are those who are working to destroy this nation men like George Soros who have no regards for the American way of life.  As America we are a divided nation, listening to children to tell us what we should be doing.  We can have thousands march in an anti-gun march, but no one seems to care that we are being pushed into a war were every American should be armed.  I hope I am not the only one who see the danger that is facing us as a nation.  Jesus told us there would be wars and rumors of war before the end of time, are we seeing the fulfillment of His prophecy?  Are we living in the generation where the destruction of America as a global power comes to an end?

I know I may seem paranoid but when the very thing you fear becomes a reality it is no longer paranoia.  I can hear people saying to me, “The LORD is in control and we have nothing to fear.”  I know the LORD is in control and that it has been prophesied that these things will come about.  However, I also believe that if we as a nation will humble ourselves and turn back to the LORD that we can change what is happening.  The problem is I fear we are past the point of no return.  As a nation we have forsaken the LORD, we have allowed those who are destroying this nation to go unchecked, because we feel it is not our problem.  We have put our hopes in the LORD coming and taking us our of this mess, not thinking that we will pay for the sins of this nation by suffering judgment just as other nations are suffering today.

It is time to wake-up and get our house in order.  The LORD is coming back.  The question is will we be ready for what is coming soon?  The direction we are heading is a direction of destruction and devastation. We have been warned by the prophets down through the ages that these days were coming.  Are you ready for what is coming?

Christ Through the Bible- Ecclesiastes

Text: The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun? ...

The book of Ecclesiastes provides a blunt example of how applicable the Old Testament can be in today's world. The title of the book comes from the Greek word for "preacher" or "teacher."

King Solomon goes through a list of things he tried in seeking fulfillment: career achievements, materialism, alcohol, pleasure, even wisdom. His conclusion? All of it is "meaningless." The King James Version of the Bible translates the word as "vanity," but the New International Version uses "meaningless," a concept most of us find easier to understand.

You will agree, this is a strange way to begin a book of the Bible: "Meaningless! Meaningless!... Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." Often, we think one of the chief purposes of the Bible to explain to us what the meaning of life is all about.  Here it says: "Everything is meaningless." To resolve this concept, we must learn the essential principle in Biblical interpretation: The writings of the Bible must be understood in the context in which they were intended.

Whenever you face a difficulty or apparent contradiction in the Bible, you must search out, investigate, and understand the context in which the passages are set. The framework for the Book of Ecclesiastes is explicitly stated in verse 13 of chapter 1: "I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is one under heaven." The Book of Ecclesiastes is the result of the author's studies, as he explored "by wisdom" (that is, by human wisdom), all that is done "under heaven" (that is, in the world, on earth). Ecclesiastes is a very comprehensive statement of human wisdom from a man on earth.

Ecclesiastes offers a unique perspective on human life — a view that is extremely relevant to the church today.  When we are focusing our attention on this life rather than the next, there is an imbalance in our life. The life of man is filled with seeking satisfaction in life.  Ecclesiastes is relevant primarily for our culture because it tackles many of the temptations posed by secularism. Ecclesiastes is the most contemporary book in the Bible. It is an attack on a materialistic society. It exposes the mad quest to find satisfaction in knowledge, wealth, pleasure, work, fame, and yes sex.
Even with many Christians, life is all too often presented as if it were more a matter of waiting for something than an issue of living. 

The Book of Ecclesiastes is one of the most critical assets of the Christian church since it compels us to continually evaluate and correct our understanding of God and our teaching about God in the light of the whole of biblical revelation.  The reflections of the Teacher in Ecclesiastes unveil the myth of human self-rule and self-sufficiency and steers us in all our weakness and failure to find meaning in a twisted world where the Creator-creature relationship should be the priority of our life.

Solomon began as a man poised for greatness. Both his wisdom and wealth were legendary in the ancient world. As the son of David and Israel's third king, he brought peace to the land and launched a massive building program. Sounds like he had it all together. However, when he took hundreds of foreign wives and concubines, he began to backslide. Solomon let their idolatry influence him as he slipped farther away from the True God.

With its dreadful warnings and record of vainness, Ecclesiastes could be a depressing book, except for its appeal that true happiness can be found only in God. Written ten centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ, the text of Ecclesiastes urges today's Christians to seek God first if they want to find purpose in their life.

Solomon captures the toil and joy, fleeting success and unanswered questions that we all experience in our work. Much of what the Teacher teaches is concise, practical and smart. Anyone who has ever worked on a team can appreciate the value of a maxim such as, "Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil" (Ecclesiastes 4:9). Most of us spend the largest portion of our waking lives working, and we find affirmation when the Teacher says, "I commend enjoyment, for there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat and drink, and enjoy themselves, for this, will go with them in their toil through the days of life that God gives them under the sun" (Eccl. 8:15).

The Teacher's picture of work is also deeply troubling. "I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after the wind" (Eccl. 2:11). Most of the negative observations about work threaten to discourage the reader. The Teacher opens with "vanity of vanities" (Eccl. 1:2) and ends with "all is vanity" (Eccl. 12:10). The words and phrases he repeats most often are "vanity," "chasing after wind," "not find out," and "can't find out." Ecclesiastes can be a very dreary book.

The task of making sense of the book is confusing. Does Ecclesiastes portray work as vanity, or does the Teacher sift through the many vain ways of working to find a core set of meaningful ones? Or, to the contrary, are the many positive maxims and observations negated by an overall assessment of work as "chasing after the wind"? The answer depends in large part on how we approach the book in our own lives.

One way to read Ecclesiastes is to take it as merely a tossed salad of observations about life, including work. Under this approach, the Teacher is primarily a realistic observer who reports the ups and downs of life as he encounters them. Each observation stands on its own as a bit of wisdom. If we draw useful advice from, say, "There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink and find enjoyment in their toil" (Eccl. 2:24), we need not be too concerned that it is followed shortly by, "This also is vanity and a chasing after wind" (Eccl. 2:26).

There is another term, "under the sun," which cannot escape our notice as we read Ecclesiastes. It occurs 29 times in the book, but nowhere else in the Bible. Why does the Teacher use this phrase so often? Does he mean to reinforce the futility of work by the example of the sun circling endlessly across the sky while nothing ever changes? Or does he imagine there might be a world beyond the Fall, not "under the sun," where work would not be in vain?

"Meaningless! Meaningless!... Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?"(vs. 2-3). Is this the important teaching for which the "Teacher" has assembled us? This is far from uplifting. This is downright depressing! With these statements, the "Teacher" states the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes, by use of a sweeping conclusion and a guiding question.  The sweeping conclusion: "Meaningless! Meaningless!" The guiding question: "What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?"  Most of the rest of the book consists of Solomon's search—by his wisdom, by human wisdom—for meaning.

As we shall see, rather than "meaning," Solomon finds "vanity" at every turn. This happens even though Solomon searches for meaning (seemingly) in all the right places. He searches for meaning through the pursuit of wisdom, through pleasure, through the undertaking of great projects, through hard work and achievement, through riches. Each of these things is pleasing to the eye, and a promising place to find meaning. I dare say that all of us desire more of each of these things in our lives. But Solomon, who had the power and the means to explore each of these things, far from finding his life enriched by these things, was left with a feeling of emptiness, a sense that he had been merely chasing after the wind.

As king, Solomon's studies in wisdom were undertaken with the goal of trying to improve life as the ruler of the nation.  The conclusion of these studies: "What a heavy burden God has laid on men!  I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them meaningless, a chasing after the wind.  What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted" (vs. 13–15).  Solomon realized that, despite all of his wisdom, and despite the power he had as king, he could not "straighten" what was "twisted", he could not supply what was "lacking."  The burden on a man alone, trying to lead a nation by his power, trying to "straighten" what is "twisted."  Jesus says, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28–30).  Jesus demonstrated His ability to "straighten" what is "twisted" when He straightened the crippled woman who had been bent over for 18 years (see Luke 13:11–17), and when He straightened the shriveled hand so that it was completely restored (see Matt. 12:10–13).  And Jesus has demonstrated that he can supply what is "lacking" through the lives of countless millions who have come to Him for fulfillment.  As He promised the woman at the well: "Everyone who drinks [the water of this world] will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst" (John 4:13–14).

Solomon thought that human wisdom could solve all problems, so he set out to become the wisest man in the world: "I thought to myself, ‘Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge'" (vs. 16).  But the more he understood wisdom, and the workings of the world, the more he understood the limits of human wisdom: "Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind" (vs. 17).  Not only did Solomon discover that human wisdom could not solve all problems, but he also learned that there were drawbacks to being wise: "For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief" (vs. 18).  As we study and become wiser in the ways of the world, we saw how truly dark and lost the world is: "With much wisdom comes much sorrow." As we learn history or read about current events in the newspaper, we learn of the misery of fallen man: "The more knowledge, the more grief." Undeniably, the benefits of human wisdom are limited.

 What Solomon did not immediately realize was that what is "twisted" in the world, and what is "lacking" in the world is due to the fall of man and the continuing sin of men.  No man can remedy this. As one writer stated, "The imperfection in the arrangements of the world is a result from the fall.  All attempts to rectify this imperfection without recognition of the fall of man are vain. The dislocated state of all creaturely things, subject as they are to vanity, is designed to bring us, in despair of bettering them, to take refuge in God".  Yes, "what a heavy burden God has laid on men!" But, Jesus invited: "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give rest.

Solomon warns against such fickleness regarding our relationship with God, as he speaks on the reverence due God.  Solomon starts with a warning against meaningless worship: "Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.  Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong" (vs. 1).

"Guard your steps when you go to the house of God." Do not go frivolously; make sure your heart is prepared.  Make sure you understand properly what the worship of God means:  Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools." An accurate understanding of the things of God is crucial for effectual worship.  Many remain unaffected at worship services because they do not truly understand the things of God and so, are unable to contemplate who God is and are unable to appreciate all that God has done for them.

"Go near to listen," so that you may hear of the righteousness and holiness of God.
"Go near to listen," so that you may hear of the power and majesty of God.
"Go near to listen," so that you may know and understand the love of God.  He has given His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins, so that we may dwell with Him. 

Oh, the love of God! Meditate upon His love, and your worship of Him will thrive. The songwriter understood the importance of the love of God when he wrote: 

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell
The guilty pair bowed down with care
God gave His Son to win
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin
Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Secondly, Solomon warns against carelessness while praying: "Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.  God is in heaven, and you are on earth, so let your words be few.  As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words" (vs. 2 –3).  When we pray, we must remember who we are praying to––the LORD of the Universe––and show Him the reverence He deserves.  As Jesus taught: "When you pray, do not keep babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words" (Matt. 6:7)

So is there any hope for man?
"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:  Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man" (vs. 13).  As Solomon discovered, human wisdom leads us nowhere but to "meaninglessness."  Many people ask, "How can I find happiness?" or "How can I find satisfaction in life?" or "How can I find meaning in life?"  The answer is given concisely here, by Solomon: "Fear God and keep His commandments." As Solomon notes: "This is the whole [duty] of man." He says, "This is the whole of man" (the word "duty" was added by translators).  To fear God, and keep His commandments, is the "whole of man." Human wisdom leads to meaninglessness and emptiness; fearing God leads to wholeness. To fear God means to realize that God is the Creator of all and that He is in control of everything that occurs in this life, as well as the life to come. One writer put it this way, "The remarkable thing about fearing God is that, when you fear God, you fear nothing else; whereas, if you do not fear God, you fear everything else" If one fears God, he will naturally seek to "keep His commandments." As John told us: "This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are not burdensome" (I John 5:3). Solomon concludes the book with an overriding reason for following his last piece of advice: "For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil" (vs. 14).  After we die, we will be judged.  There is no way around this.  Man is "destined to die once," and "after that, to face judgment" (Heb. 9:27).  We will be judged by God, through Jesus Christ.  Knowing this, it makes sense to "Fear God, and keep His commandments."
Jesus, The Great Teacher, sums up Solomon's quest this way:

  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore, I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore, take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, what shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Here is the key to finding satisfaction in life.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Are you looking for satisfaction in life?  Does your life feel meaningless?  There is one who can speak to your condition—Jesus Christ.  Turn your life over to Him and let Him put meaning in your life.

Who Keeps Pushing Us To War?

Have you ever wondered why the news media covers some events and ignores others?  For weeks now, the media has been focused on the Florida school shooting and the banning of guns.  The attention of the American people has been diverted from the fact that this country is engaged in a new Cold War.  The world is facing the escalation of a nuclear Armageddon, and we are concerned about a group of high school students who have become the pawns in the game of destroying this nation from within.

The corruption of our nation extends beyond the politicians, the neocons, and progressives.  It has invaded every aspect or our society and culture.  Much of our society is based on lies and indifference to death and suffering we are causing other people.  There is no end to the blame being placed on those who will not bow to the will of the US government.  The US destroyed Iran based on lies about Weapons of Mass Destruction.   The US is trying to destroy Syria based on lies about chemical weapons, by the way, this is the same lie used to attack Saddam Hussein who used chemical weapons supplied by the US government.  The US government destroyed Libya based on lies.  The history of the US government is to destroy those who act independently of Washington’s agenda.  The US government has brought the entire country of Venezuela to their knees because they would not bow to US pressure.

Back in 2013, I wrote an Open Letter to the Christians in Syria.  In this letter I stated,  In America among both liberals and conservatives there is the thought that the Syrian government must be replaced by a Sunni Muslim leadership to improve the human rights violations of the Assad leadership. This change in government is felt necessary, regardless of the hardship and death that many innocent Christians have experienced. My government and many of its leaders are anti-Christian and view the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood as a peaceful faction of Islam.  This is evident by President Obama’s appointment of Muslim Brotherhood members to high level government positions in the United States and his support of the Brotherhood around the world.  The Syrian people should understand our president is bent on the destruction of your present government regardless of the number of innocent people who will die.  

I understood that if the Islamic radicals come to power in Syria, like in Iraq, the first ones who would suffer would be the Christians.  This was true in Iraq where 85% of the Christians were either killed or driven out of the country.  Most fled to Syria where they were protected by the Assad government.

By 2014, it was clear that conflicts on the territory of Syria were being incited by radical forces supported by the US government.  In just a short period of time, these murdering terrorists begin liquidating the Christian presence in this country. That is why the Christians actively supported Assad and his government, because in the country a precise balance of forces was secured and that is very important. Christian felt they were being protected.  Why is it that in Iraq and Syria under Muslim rule Christians existed in relative peace?  However, when the US government became involved Christians were dying daily and begin run out of their own country.

America was a country that supported Christian principles.  The American Christian’s have sent missionaries all over the world spreading the gospel.  Many Americans were proud to be called a Christians nation. So, what happened to us?

I ran across an article by Michael Bateman, How the Russian Church Influenced Putin To Save Christians in Syria. In this article, the appeal was made to do something about the destruction of the Christians community in Syria.  In 2013, the heads of the Orthodox Church met with Vladimir Putin with a request that Russia take part in the defense of the Christians in the Near East.  Because of the participation of Russia, a genocide of Christians was averted.  However, over the course of the war, the number of Christians decreased by half as almost a million believers left the country or were murdered. And now, thanks to Russian military and diplomatic support, the bells are ringing in the monasteries once again. Orthodox and Catholic Christians once again attend services in the ancient city of Maaloula.

Let me ask, what is wrong with this picture?  Should it have been the US government supporting the Christians in Syria, offering them protection, rather than Russia? 

The US government gets way with lying to the people, and the news media supports the lies by repeating them over and over again.  Where are the actual Christians? Why are we not holding our government leaders accountable for the atrocities committed all around the world under the guise of democracy?  The only protesting going on in this country is from our brainwashed school children to ban the NRA and guns.

While our attention is being diverted by the protest of children, our government is rushing us towards World War Three, and we are doing nothing to stop them.  It is time at least for the American Christians to wake-up and see that there are those who would destroy not only other nations but our own nation.  We need to open our eyes to the evil that is going on under the guise of the US government.  It is time to stand up for our Christians brothers and sisters around the world that are suffering for the cause of Christ. The souls of those who have died for their Christian faith are crying out “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”   If you have failed to read the next verse, you are not aware that what is happening in Syria may soon happen here in America.  The answer to the question asked by those who died for the faith is until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been. 

It is time to stop being indifferent.  We need to vote out of office those who support going to war with Russian, China, Iran, Syria, Ukraine, or any other country.  We need to get our own house in order and stop acting like we control the world or we will find ourselves in a war we cannot win.