The Fixed Heart and Personal Freedom

By Jeffrey A. Ziegler

While my various missives generally deal in national-political reforms promoting greater liberty; the base understanding is that personal liberty and Godly freedom is enjoyed as a foundational element of national being!

Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon the earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth forever. Unto the upright there ariseth light in darkness: he is gracious, full of compassion and righteous. A good man showith favor and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely he shall not be moved forever; the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies. (Psalm 112:1-8)

These verses taken together depict the man of God delighting himself in the commands of Holy Writ. Proceeding from this gladdened condition, his heart becomes fixed, established, and trusting in the Lord. Such a man is not moved to the left or right. He does not give into or act upon fear. He exhibits discretion, and self-control along with a godly stamina, and endurance. To this man great spiritual and temporal blessings are accrued.

This delight in the law is based on two major factors which deal with the heart. First, a fear and love of God, which trusts that His Word is true, that it exists for our benefit, and that God is able and willing to perform it. Secondly, that we are unable of our own accord to love His ways unless Christ gives the grace and mercy to control the heart and its affections. Clearly, the heart is often swayed by sin, and thus, instead of viewing the Word as a refuge and safety, the too frequently held as a burden. That is, instead of seeing God as protector, and provider, men wrongly see God as the cruel task-master who takes away. To such, the notion of delighting in God’s commands seems hopeless. Even grudging outward obedience can sometimes seem impossible. Yet, even a cursory glance at the Psalms, reveals that David also struggled with this glorious view of the Word, and often wondered if God had abandoned him as he wallowed in his own sorrow.

Enter the Sermon on the Mount or the Beatitudes. This gospel narrative of Christ expounding on the Law cuts directly to the heart. Here is not a “new and higher law” for to suggest such would mean that God is in ethical transition. Instead, the law is depicted as more than an outward concern but something that must harness the heart, its affections and intentions. What believer has not been convicted by this sermon? How often has it seemed so impossible to live according to this ideal? Well, that’s the point is it not? No man can of his own accord deal with his heart. Hence, the need of a Savior, an Advocate, an Intercessor! Only Christ can dispense the grace to delight and trust in His ways when every fiber of our being is struck by grief, fear, and unbelief.

Now outward obedience to the Word is a great thing! Because of this, there exists a social peace, familial continuity, and greater negative sanctions are avoided. Still, these actions can be done while becoming bitter against God. Only if the heart is harnessed can there be “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Only Christ and His divine almighty power made effective on our behalf can accomplish this end. Only from His hand can come the peace, satisfaction, love, mercy, and grace that will make us whole and fully functional in Godliness. Then our hearts too will be “fixed trusting in the Lord.”

As more know the freedom of being self-governed and free in Christ; less civil government and intrusion is needed. Therefore; the notion of Christ or Caesar is more than a cultural question, it also reveals the individual heart and where your foundation for government lay! That is more than any ballot box can fix!

Christianity and A Revived American Culture

By Jeffrey A. Ziegler

Christianity is roundly ridiculed and feared by secularists in our day. Yet, Christianity as an idea and social force not only helped to shape and mold the culture of the West, but was decisive in the formation of the American Republic. The impact of Christianity on culture is a notion not customarily deliberated in our day. Prevalent debates over the Faith revolve around its redemptive or salvific components, My intent in this treatment, is not to ignore nor diminish the core theological aspects of the Faith, but instead, make deductions and observations about Christianity as an idea and as a social force which helped to shape and mold the culture of the West and specifically America.

Isolating the two dominating cultural effects of Christendom, concentration must be placed on 1) The emphasis on the transcendent nature of God, as well as 2) The idea of covenant as the means by which the transcendent God rules and governs history. Or, God as the ruler of nations establishes a visible covenant, replete with concrete sanctions, both blessings and curses for obedience or disobedience to the Word of God. Hence, the covenant becomes the tangible evidence of God working in history, with righteousness blessing the nations and wickedness bringing them to ruin.

A Christian worldview emphasizing God’s transcendence and covenantal dealings with man is comprised of a number of presuppositions, here summarized in four overarching tenets. First, is the recognition that the transcendent-creator God made all things visible and invisible. Life is a gift from God. He alone is the Lord and giver of life. That life is physical, intellectual, and spiritual. Hence, it is God who sustains body, soul, senses, and reasoning faculties. Secondly, God gave man responsibility to preserve, develop and rule the creation. Third, God granted man faculties, gifts, and the possession of earthly resources in order to realize godly prosperity and increase. Finally, God gave his Word and covenant to protect and prosper godly social order. God’s law limits liberty to prevent anarchy and confines governmental power to inhibit tyranny. This is the precise formula for The American Republic. Concisely, God has given man life, liberty under his Law, and the earth or personal property to work and be productive according to His covenant in order to subdue the earth, every part of it, to His crown. This is the vision of Godly social order which Christianity promotes.

The effects of Christian thought on the culture of the West are nothing short of astounding! In economics, the Faith helped fuel the destruction of Feudalism, and gave rise to various expressions of “free enterprise.”

Regarding government, even a cursory glance at Holland or Switzerland found governments and political social theories which existed primarily to protect life, liberty and property. Accordingly, where Orthodox Christianity reigned supreme, government was limited, non-oppressive with the state being felt only by the invaluable blessings of safety provided by this concept of government. This would later be seen in England and more perfectly in America. Under such conditions, family life instead of being a Feudal factor of production or a servant of the state was free in its devotion to God and His covenant, working and being productive and so fulfilling the Great Commission. Such intense-in-depth doctrinal understanding produced powerful culture altering visions of reality. Chiefly, that all things and all institutions were under the cope and rule of heaven, that all of life no matter how mundane was controlled by Providence, and a generalized futuristic optimism characterized by the belief “that it was to a world made righteous that Christ would return.” was dominant.

Time, prohibits the exploration of Christianity on all societal structures. Still, one can see why secularists, humanists, and all other statist, collectivist-societal engineers hate Christianity and its current resurgence for the two worldviews are wholly incompatible and hostile one to the other. America must return to the “Faith of our Fathers” before the destructive influences of statism are repulsed from the civil realm. Then and only then will she again enjoy the full freedom, prosperity and optimism our founding fathers fought to establish.

Thinking Christian

 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which as once delivered unto the saints. Jude:3.

With heroic, unbending determination, the epistle of Jude stands as a clarion witness to all generations of the Church, exhorting her to engage in the systematic argument and proclamation of the truth of Christianity as the supreme and absolute religion over all opposition.

This “contending” is not a polite debate society where all facts, opinions and positions from all religions or philosophies are put forward on equal terms with Christianity. Christianity is not interested in an egalitarian “exchange of ideas” with corrupt alien worldviews. The Christian position holds that all true knowledge has its genesis in Scripture alone and that Scripture is the final authority on every subject of which it speaks. Christianity then, rests not external evidence, nor upon how well reasoned our argument may be, but upon Scripture. Accordingly, as those who proclaim and live the Truth, the saints of God enter the arena of life to prove and workout the Faith with a view of ethical dominion through desperate conflict.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. II Corinthians 10:4,5.

The Culture War

As previously stated, the scriptural pattern for the working out of our faith is always in juxtaposition to error. This pattern of dynamic tension is true when dealing with doctrinal issues within the Church and is applicable when combating alien philosophies outside of the Church.

The Nature of the Kingdom

Christian presuppositions agree with the nature of the Kingdom of God in that neutrality does not exist in any area of life. The primary notion being that all knowledge has its genesis and application in Scripture alone and that any other man centered idea, philosophy, political social theory, economics, educational theories, indeed man’s civilization itself is at war with God. The Kingdom of God agrees with the Biblical ideal or the sum of God’s will which requires the absolute removal of sin and evil in the individual and society. Scripture clearly depicts the Kingdom of God as God’s authorized and judicially required civilization which subjugates all competing kingdoms. See Psalm 2:1-12; 103:19; 110:1-3; Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20; Ephesians 1:17-23; I John 3:8. Thus, the Kingdom of God is not static or passively ethereal, but, is active and conquering all before it. The Christian faith sees the Kingdom of God, Christ’s Crown and Covenant disinheriting all interests of unregenerate man and his kingdoms. Ergo, humanistic constructs and the Kingdom of God are locked in mortal combat and the righteous are divinely guaranteed absolute and comprehensive victory!

Conclusion

Only a robust and well articulated Christianity has the message, vision, historic viability, and vitality to challenge the modern and cowardly, defeatist, effeminate American culture. Ask a liberal who they fear most, and their retort is always a resurgent Christianity and its application in the American tradition. They know quite well that the American fight for independence was dubbed by the English Parliament “The Presbyterian Revolt” and that the social applications of today’s “New Puritan” means the death of their egalitarian, statist, Obamanation. All other proposed solutions to the culture war, are at best, half‑way covenants that will be doomed to collapse beneath the jackbooted thugs of statism.

Sacramental Necessity 2012!

For True National Reform 

The undercurrents of American exceptionalism concurrent with the renascence of Christian Orthodoxy are now revealing a historic emphasis on covenant-thinking. In short; covenant-thinking heralds that the God who created the universe, reveals himself in history by laying down fixed laws or Covenant. God then brings predictable measurable historic results both blessings and negative sanctions in terms of these laws. The ultimate result in relation to “covenant” being the exaltation and increase of God’s people and the disinheritance of the wicked who seek their own autonomous rule apart from or against God. God dictates the terms of reconciliation and relationship in concrete terms which can be understood, are not shrouded in mystery, and that gives a positive vision of the future or national purpose and destiny under God.

It is critical to note that all covenants have external signs which ratify, seal, and bring into force the elements which are held within the covenant agreement. These holy signs and seals are the oath bearing instruments which make the covenant visible, concrete, and binding. Another term for the notion of an oath is that of sacrament.

The Sacraments purpose then is to:

1. Represent and Demonstrate The God of the covenant and his promises
2. Confirm our fidelity to Him
3. Place a visible difference and barrier between the Church and the World
4. Consecrate and mark us for service as Christ’s image-bearers.

Sacrament shows the real spiritual relation between the sign and that thing which is represented. Hence there exists a sacramental union between God, what He has promised in Word, and the one who partakes of the sacrament.

The most familiar sacrament is noted in the Passover and carried forward in history to Holy Communion.

Exodus 12:7-14. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’s Passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever.

First notice the sacramental union. The blood was the blood of a lamb. Yet it represented faith and obedience and the death angel passed over.

Secondly a visible difference is placed between God’s people of faith and obedience and the rebels against God or the Egyptians. Consequently we see in Exodus 12:29-36, the inheritance and disinheritance dynamic. 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, we be all dead men. And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders. And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

This same covenant-sacramental dynamic is brought forward in the New Testament through Christ our “Passover” through Holy Communion; I Corinthians 11:23-30 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

In these verses we see Christ’s life imparted to the faithful as the NEW TESTAMENT or covenant! Yet those who are not of faith eat and drink damnation to themselves. Again; those of faith receive and exemplify the vitality of the covenant through Christ in the oath instrument or the sacrament! The anti-covenantal are diminished even to death. The faithful over time are increased! As a national force nothing is more critical than American covenant renewal ratified in the Body and Blood of Christ or the sacramental union.

Founders Thinking

George Washington:

“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor…. Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the twenty-sixth day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these United States… that we then may all unite unto him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed…. And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions…to promote the knowledge and practice of the true religion and virtue…. Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3rd of October, A.D. 1789″

Notice the covenant language of Washington’s proclamation

Patrick Henry

: “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.”

On November 20, 1798, in his Last Will and Testament, Henry wrote:
“This is all the inheritance I give to my dear family. The religion of Christ will give them one which will make them rich indeed.”

Again in leaving an “inheritance” Henry exhibits covenantal thinking and the perpetuation of the vision!

Thomas Jefferson

:“God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever. The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not … It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world … and I sincerely believe, with you, that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies; and that the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.”

See here the covenant thinking in terms of the relationship between ethics and economic prosperity!

Yet, without Eucharistic blessing such thinking falls short of Divine ratification. A ratification America desperately needs so as to bless the people of God and to rescue this nation from those who count the blood of Christ unholy and seek the destruction of our great land. A national Holy Communion rightly discerned will do more for our sickened country than any quick political scheme!

ELECTION 2012

What Will You Do?

The lack of a bold, explicitly Christian political social theory, as a base for conservative activism, has confined conservatives to the roll of mere reactionaries. So-called conservatives within the Republican Party have failed to sanction renegades within their own ranks for their support of abortion. They have failed to overthrow special rights for homosexuals. They’ve continued funding for the unconstitutional and lurid National Endowment for the Arts. They support so-called campaign finance reform which is an attempt to muzzle the voice of Orthodoxy. And most importantly, they continue to roll over for the destabilizing socialism, China-accommodating, and treasonous wretch, Barack Obama in order to accommodate some mythical notion of courting “independents.”

There is nothing new with this predictable conservative slide to perdition. The conservative “bark” is always bigger than its “bite.” Looking at the past thirty years of conservatism we find a movement which never conserves anything. Rather, its history has been to demur to each aggression of humanistic liberalism after a respectable amount of growling. Hence, despite rabid rhetoric, conservatives acquiesce to the latest innovation of liberal radicalism no matter how extreme.

Abortion, homosexual rights, animal rights, socialistic wealth redistribution, values clarification, gun control, environmental earth worship, social thought police, destruction of health care and the politicization of the military have all been resisted by conservatives. Yet such resistance has produced little toward victorious results. In fact, the resisted novelty of yesterday is today one of the accepted principles of conservatism. Symbolically, conservatism meekly follows in the shadow of liberalism. Conservatives merely react to the liberal’s comprehensive, man-centered world view and political social theory. They do not have an immutable base of ethics from which to advance their own views. Ergo, they are always on the defensive, unable, even when stopping a liberal advance, to reverse direction and take back the ground lost.

DeTocqueville predicted the inability of conservative politicos to stop radicalism over a century ago because of “the selfish timidity of her public men. They’ve become a brood of narrow, cowardly worshipers of present expediency.” Today, conservatives opt for “Republican consensus” rather than justice for the innocent. They are even unwilling to sanction those within their own party who support state sanctioned, state sponsored murder in the form of abortion. With such compromised half way measures the “take no prisoner” liberal utopians will win every time! Babies will be slaughtered, families decimated, homosexuality codified, private wealth will be continually eroded and confiscated and the nation brought to ruination.

Until conservatives eschew the inane dribble of personality cults in favor of the immutable ethics of God’s Word, no great national reform will be advanced, and America will suffer the dire consequences of paganism run amok. It’s not about Mitt, Newt, Paul, Rick and Rick! It is about Christ as Lord giving life and vigor to American exceptionalism, or allowing the anti-American Obama define the rules of the game. 2012 is the year! What will you do?

Perfect Candidate, Perfect Electorate

Despite all the heated rhetoric; the fact remains that the perfect candidate does not exist. Moreover; the American electorate is far from any standard of Christian Orthodoxy or Constitutional integrity. Still; this nation has not faced so urgent a threat to its very existence since the late 1970’s. Obama has undermined national security, thrown down moral cultural restraint, upbraided notions of free-enterprise, and wealth creation, destroyed health care, and seeks to subjugate our national being to internationalist cabals of socialists. The peril is real! The ignorance of the populace is real! The response must be cogent, mature, and robust! The election of 2012 must be decisive at the Federal level, at the state level, and throughout counties, cities, towns and hamlets. The priority is first the nation’s survival and then its reformation. That means once the elections are over; the same kind of vigor and devotion to educate, inform, and pressure elected officials must be demonstrated as in the elections! That is more than protesting what is wrong; but proclaiming what is right! It means thinking through real solutions! It means real work! So while 2012 is the year to save the republic; it also signals the pressing need for the renovation of the republic in subsequent years.

Again: what will you do?

POWER POLITICS ACTS STYLE!

A Different View of Christmas 2011

ACTS 7:51-60

7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord; lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

While not an overlooked passage over the centuries; the Church has generally focused on the lessons of Stephen’s martyrdom as opposed to the actual exhibition which was taking place! Fundamentally; a shift in power and authority! Depicted in these passages is Christ: not as a babe in the manger, not as a crucified visage, but alive as the ascended, glorified One with rightful authority over every area of life! This lesson was not lost on the Jerusalem elders, scribes, and the high priest. For Stephen declared and exhibited a new authority which eclipsed their old paradigm of relgio/political power. Read the entirety of Acts chapter 7 and you will notice that no charge, no accusation of Stephen arouses the leaders until they are shown to be obsolete! What is the corporate crowd reaction to Stephen’s actions? Kill the testimony! Remove that which demonstrates Christ’s authority here! Preserve their old earthly political base and obliterate that which exposes their inherent weaknesses. This pattern is repeated over again throughout history, whether in political contexts, Church life, or personal applications, the Lordship of Christ is ignored, spiritualized, or cast off into a future manifestation. Again; in the perspective of our theme verses; all is essentially tolerated until Stephen declares Christ at the Right hand of God (the epicenter of plenipotentiary rule) basically forcing the hackneyed politicos to cast him out of their plane of authority (Jerusalem) and kill him lest he continue to expose their lack of credibility and authority by virtue of the power of the ascended Lord of Glory! Generally; men will conditionally accept the notion of the incarnation, a babe in a manger; they will even accept a crucified Christ on death’s tree. Both visions are at least tolerated as long as they remain static and that the present tense authority of Jesus Christ remains hidden.

THE CHURCH WORLD

For the Church; the issue of Christ as glorified, Christ’s work as finished, and Christ at the right hand of God in a present tense; has been nearly as controversial as the response of earthly governmental realms. Granted the Church’s reaction has not had the antithetical hostility as depicted in Acts chapter 7; yet through subtlety, subterfuge, and theological denial has nevertheless been just as injurious as outside persecutions to the people of God. While there are whole listings of theological speed-bumps that could be explored; for this article and the sake of brevity I’ll generalize these negative trends to one general area.

1)    Systemized Unbelief and Denial -   Essentially “theological” constructs and cultural traditions that tend to segregate Christ’s rule to yesterday or tomorrow but never accept the same for today. Inherent in these foolish time-wrestling exhibitions are strident displays of “dualism” which confine Christ’s domain to the spiritual or unseen; yet deny the same in the material, demonstrable, measurable world. Whole denominations, seminaries, and cultures are steeped in this deity-denying practical atheism. Any; like Stephen that see the reality of Christ’s present-tense claim are essentially “cast” out of the confines of the comfort religion!

THE GOVERNMENT WORLD

As 2012 is a “Presidential Election” year in America; there will be heated debates between Republicans and Democrats, Conservatives and Liberals, Constitutionalists and Progressives over a myriad of domestic, economic, and foreign policy issues. Yet; most office-holders and those who seek elected office will have their minds focused on their own public-retirement-accounts and personal ego rumblings rooted in the current political context of “power-base”. Any transcendent foundational issues that point the way to the authority of the ascended Christ will be systematically extirpated in favor of what is known. Unfortunately, there will be all too many within the Church World that will ally with, appease, and give succor to these political rationalists.

1)    Hence; the earthly political world is at all times about the business of throwing the Stephens out of the seat of power lest they are eclipsed and found wanting. We see this in the Christmas story with Herod’s holocaust against the children in an attempt to maintain power; this anthem is repeated by Pilate and the crucifixion of Christ, and again with the killing of Stephen. That the practical atheists within the Church world are in league with such machinations should come as no surprise for they too are being eclipsed!

THE NEW REALITY!

As this is the season wherein the Incarnation is celebrated; we must remember that Incarnation, Resurrection and Ascension/Glorification are linked and related events. It is a tragedy that the Herod-Pontius Pilate-Obama paradigm understands the consequences of Christmas more than the average priest/pastor. Still; others ignorance is no excuse for the rest of us to live disconnected from Christ at the Right hand of God! The question remains DO YOU SEE CHRIST WHERE HE IS?? His position demands comportment of your actions to the reality of his RIGHTFUL and PRESENT tense rule! If you’re waiting for something else you’re in league with those who killed Stephen!

OPERATION WHITECOAT

Doctors United for Free Markets and Patient-Physician Driven Solutions for American Healthcare 2011-2012

Help us today to overturn “Obamacare”, to free healthcare initiative, and provide concrete answers to American health.

OPERATION WHITECOAT will have boots on the ground in Washington DC meeting with Senators, Congressmen, and professional staff from major programs like Medicare, Tri-Care, and The VA.

SEE OUR NEW WEBSITE AND VIDEO at:

www.operationwhitecoat.org

VIDEO! Republic Restored – Faith, Fidelity, and Action X

PRAY ON TO VICTORY!

E.M. Bounds

“Successful prayer is answered prayer! To say prayers in a decent, delicate way is not heavy work. But to pray really, to pray till hell feels the ponderous stroke, to pray till the iron gates of difficulty are opened, till the mountains of obstacles are removed, till the mists are exhaled and the clouds are lifted, and the sunshine of a cloudless day brightens-this is hard work, but it is God’s work, and man’s best labor.” – EM BOUNDS

“Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations. GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON (250,000 prayer cards were distributed with this prayer to the men of III Army during the Battle of the Bulge to clear the weather) 1 day after distribution – the weather cleared.

Patton: “Chaplain, I am a strong believer in Prayer. There are three ways that men get what they want; by planning, by working, and by Praying. Any great military operation takes careful planning, or thinking. Then you must have well-trained troops to carry it out: that’s working. But between the plan and the operation there is always an unknown. That unknown spells defeat or victory, success or failure. It is the reaction of the actors to the ordeal when it comes. Some people call that getting the breaks; I call it God. God has His part, or margin in everything, that’s where prayer comes in. Up to now, in the Third Army, God has been very good to us. We have never retreated; we have suffered no defeats, no famine, no epidemics. This is because a lot of people back home are praying for us. We were lucky in Africa, in Sicily, and in Italy. Simply because people prayed. But we have to pray for ourselves, too. A good soldier is not made merely by making him think and work. There is something in every soldier that goes deeper than thinking or working–it’s his “guts.” It is something that he has built in there: it is a world of truth and power that is higher than himself. Great living is not all output of thought and work. A man has to have intake as well. From God. Those who pray do more for the world than those who fight; and if the world goes from bad to worse, it is because there are more battles than prayers. ‘Hands lifted up,’ said Bosuet, ‘smash more battalions than hands that strike.’ Gideon of Bible fame was least in his father’s house. He came from Israel’s smallest tribe. But he was a mighty man of valor. His strength lay not in his military might, but in his recognition of God’s proper claims upon his life. He reduced his Army from thirty-two thousand to three hundred men lest the people of Israel would think that their valor had saved them. We have no intention to reduce our vast striking force. But we must urge, instruct, and indoctrinate every fighting man to pray as well as fight. In Gideon’s day, and in our own, spiritually alert minorities carry the burdens and bring the victories. Chaplain: Urge all of your men to pray, not alone in church, but everywhere. Pray when driving. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others. Pray by night and pray by day. Pray for the cessation of immoderate rains, for good weather for Battle. Pray for the defeat of our wicked enemy whose banner is injustice and whose good is oppression. Pray for victory. Pray for our Army, and Pray for Peace.We must march together, all out for God. The soldier who ‘cracks up’ does not need sympathy or comfort as much as he needs strength. We are not trying to make the best of these days. It is our job to make the them the most. Now is not the time to follow God from ‘afar off.’ This Army needs the assurance and the faith that God is with us. With prayer, we cannot fail.”

Be assured that this message on prayer has the approval, the encouragement, and the enthusiastic support of the Third United States Army Commander.

PRAYER FOR THE NATION! 

By Jeff Ziegler President SGI

Almighty Triune God, in the name of Christ we approach your eternal throne. Our Father, we acknowledge your providence and transcendence, as the one who upholds all things by the word of his power, who is before all things and by whom all things consist. Lord Jesus Christ, we submit ourselves to your benevolent rule, for the earth is yours and the fullness thereof and your name is above all names. Thou art Lord of the nations.

We humbly entreat thy goodness on behalf of these United States of America. May your Crown and Covenant, your Law, govern our affairs with righteousness and equity. Establish us with pure and undefiled faith and may the everlasting gospel diffuse its heavenly light and spread Christian brotherhood, liberty, and peace from sea to shining sea. We pray for our national and state governments, that all branches and departments may be constantly filled with the wisest and best men. Men who fear God and tremble at your Word. For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. May all legislative assemblies be granted thine assistance to reward and advance righteousness, even while abhorring and restraining wickedness. May the administration of justice be in the hands of men well qualified for their offices, not given to bribery or perverse judgments, which would throw down the bridle and sanction of law. Lord, may our civil magistrates with one voice, establish and defend our Constitution, that we the people may know the blessings of good governance. Lord Christ be in our midst, direct and assist us, impressing our hearts with your fear that we may know your present and future blessings in reward for fidelity to your inscripturated will.

We repent for the myriad of sins which our Republic and our states have committed against your ways. We repent for the great holocaust of abortion wherein the voice of innocence has been so cruelly dashed by the hardness of our own hearts. We repent for the grievous burdens placed upon our people and injury inflicted to the family by excessive-tyrannical taxation. We repent for governments’ appetite for living beyond its means and jurisdiction, thus mortgaging our children and our children’s-children’s future. God grant us forgiveness and grace to act in accordance with your will. May we be resolute and undaunted to establish uncorrupted morality, and justice for all men. Grant us the vigor to protect and defend life, the voice to herald liberty and the spirit of enterprise in the pursuit happiness. Finally, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our founding fathers and declare that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God. For such liberties we pledge our lives, our treasures and our honor, to preserve and defend the altar of Liberty. SO HELP US GOD!

Now to Him who rules all things according to his own pleasure and wisdom be praise, honor, glory, and dominion forever and ever, through Christ Our Lord AMEN.

MONTHLY SUPPORT!

We are encouraging and asking for your participation and support of the ministry efforts of SGI in our nation’s Capitol! Your prayers and financial commitment enable the continued training of Congressional and Senate staff in Biblical Worldview and applied policy, advanced technological breakthroughs in national defense and energy concepts, and provide educational material to elected officials.We need you today! There are two ways to support! Any “one-time” gift amount to assist our cause or a monthly $50.00 SGI Membership donation! Both are needed and appreciated! All checks should be made to: SGI/Jeff Ziegler 3946 Charles Way Perry Ohio 44081.

Thank You!!!

Jeff Ziegler

440-413-1264

Operation Potomac

SGI TEAMS IN WASHINGTON DC JUNE 29, 2011

For the first time since 2009; SGI teams led by Jeff Ziegler will visit Washington DC and the US House and Senate! Four teams of two each will meet 50 congressmen, senators, staffers, and think-tank personnel with a contemporaneous “prophetic” message of truth. Every team will be hand-delivering proclamations and Jeff Ziegler’s book REPUBLIC RESTORED to each office.

WHEN: June 29th 2011

WHERE: Washington DC US House and Senate

OBJECTIVE: Pro-Life Proclamation to Congress and Delivery of book REPUBLIC RESTORED

NEED: Must raise $23,750.00 before 6/7 to assist in paying for all the team expenses, purchase of enough books (150), and electronic media (TV and Radio).

MAKE CHECKS TO: SGI Jeff Ziegler PO Box 787 Madison Ohio 44057 – In memo write “Potomac Glory”

Questions and Answers for May 2011

With Jeffrey A. Ziegler

Q: Why don’t you say anything about end of time scenarios and events?

A: I don’t argue or comment on subjective schemes. At 50 years old I’ve seen more than a few! But to the point: the theological term for what you describe is “eschatology.” In that context, there are a number of orthodox views termed “Amillennialism, historic Premillennialism, and Postmillennialism” together with a very popular Americanized, though heterodox view called Dispensational- Premillennialism. One could have unending debates on all the above. However, at issue is not the supremacy of one view above the other! At issue is the finished work of Christ and the world-life-view that stems from the same! In other words you are either both driven and motivated by calendars and events (calendrics), or Christology. If it is the calendar, your life revolves around endless speculations about “when” Christ will return. If it is Christology, then one is concerned not about “when” but “what” Christ is returning for. In other words the MISSION of the resurrected Christ and the comprehensive expansiveness of The Great Commission! See Matthew 28:18-20.

Q: You have mentioned having a “brain hemorrhage.” What happened?

A: I had a hemorrhage December 3rd 2009. This was caused by cranial damage suffered as a youth. No aneurisms existed then or now. To the point: the attending physicians gave my wife my wedding ring and said I was dead or if there could be a recovery, I’d be in a wheel chair and in a “vegetative state.” Long story short, I’m not dead – God healed – also not confined to a wheel chair and I do run 3 miles a week. So Christ healed, I’m not done, and I have a mission to accomplish! Christ be praised! Thanks for asking.

Q: Is there hope for the elections of 2012?

A: By that I take it to mean the defeat of Barack Obama! Of course there is hope! Who the candidate will be is not yet clear. However, my life has spanned Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and now the Pretender and Chief “Obama.” The point here is that no “one” election will necessarily determine the “fate” of the Republic. Nor will there be a “magic” candidate! In my life, only one man of the above list provided me an opportunity for hope when hope seemed forlorn, and that was Reagan. That does not happen every election cycle! Yet we must work for and toward the restoration of the republic. This task demands our vigilance, best efforts, and ageless courage!

Q: With all of the things you are involved in, your visibility, and some of the controversial subjects you address, aren’t you worried about your Christian testimony?

A: In a word no! First, the issue of testimony is in God’s hands. In other words the reputation/narrative of a life belongs to God! Including the truth, error, rumors, and everything in between! The vast majority of “Christians” are so concerned with this idea that they justify inaction in any endeavor or circumstance that can be “misunderstood.” An added wrinkle: many saints are under the “delusion” that their “testimony’ saves them or makes them fit for heaven. I’ve heard many a saint ask, “Is your testimony up-to-date?” Yet for these, there is no liberty, nor confidence in Christ being the One who justifies the sinner. No human testimony can save anyone! Religionists capitalize on such misunderstandings with legalisms, subjectivisms, and will-worshipping constructs that keep the sincere “believer” in a stasis of mediocrity. In such contexts, self-justification impulses become an obnoxious habit.

General Douglas MacArthur

From a practical perspective: the greater the visibility and effect of a life, the greater the number of “testimonies” that exist. I have people I have never met crafting all manner of scenarios for my past life, both pro and con. The impossibility to respond to it all leaves only two options: 1) Go forward and trust God. 2) Withdrawal and hide. Now which option do you think the Enemy desires? I conclude with a small quotation from General Douglas MacArthur: “Duty, Honor, Country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They give you a temperate will, a quality of imagination, a vigor of the emotions, a freshness of the deep springs of life, a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, an appetite for adventure over love of ease.” May 12, 1962.

Q: What do you think of the notion of many who state that The President of The United States is the “Covenant Head” of the nation and therefore the country either receives blessing or cursing from God according to the President’s behavior or policies?

A: First, the notion of “covenant” as the means by which God deals with nations is both Biblical and has historic American foundations evidenced by the writings and rhetoric of our founding Fathers. Second, my book “Republic Restored” deals with this issue in detail. However, it is a fundamental misunderstanding of civil polity to equate any President in the same fashion as a King. Remember we have THREE equal departments of government and surely God has and will hold us as accountable accordingly. The reason the Presidency is often viewed with a sense of the Imperial, is the post-WWII motif that gives the president sole authority to launch nuclear war. Prior to WWII, such thoughts were absurd. Hence, NO president can be viewed as the “Covenant Head”, but rather the whole of the Federal branches and the authority of individual states can be viewed in this fashion.

Q: There is a lot of radio and TV video promotion of the idea “end of America.” Do you believe such notions?

A: There are aspects of what is touted in such videos that have financial merit. For example: the idea that the U.S. dollar will at sometime cease to be the world’s reserve currency is in most respects a mathematical conclusion and a historic reality. However, the same has been said since I was in High School in the 1970s. It is a historic reality that empires wane. With respect to many of my Jeffersonian semi-agrarian, return to nativism neo-constitutionalists, the FACT is that since 1946 The United States has been an empire economically, militarily, and in a relational sense internationally. This is not a question of what “should be” but what has been since the end of WWII. So when empires constrict, there are global consequences. The dollar while weakened and being weakened by Obamanation, is still ensconced as the “currency” of the world. One day it will not be. When that day comes, it may be the end of empire-like domination of markets, but it will not be the end of America as such. So until then – serve God, become an answer for the country, and stop spreading calamity-suicide-scenarios. There are many who want to die because they have not the courage to live! Don’t let the “doomers” pollute your calling and mission in life.