“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan” (Prov 29:2, NKJV).

Political correctness is the liberal buzz word of the day. It would appear we must be sensitive to every special interest group or ideology, no matter how that group or ideology might negatively impact our lives or violate ethical or moral laws; more importantly God‘s laws. When God created the earth, he did not care what people thought of his policies. His policy was THE way!

God laid down rules in the Garden of Eden for Adam and Eve to follow. As long as they followed these rules, they would reign over every living creature. These laws were representing the Creator in all aspects. God‘s government was being expressed through his Nature and Nature’s Laws. He was and is the ultimate righteous ruler.

In the founding of this great nation, our founding fathers recognized this divine rule of God when they penned these words:

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them,…

In addition these words have formed the foundation of our form of Government and recognized the importance of God-given rights to all individuals, the Declaration of Independence states

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men…

Our founders recognized God’s granted authority, and held to the position that it was God who granted freedom to all people and that government should defend those rights granted to the people by God, not pass laws that limit the freedom of the people. The Declaration of Independence then lists all the usurpations of the King over the free citizens of the not yet formed United States. It is this foundation that birthed the United States of America and later led to the writing of the Constitution. Until recently the Constitution was defended and upheld as the final authority and the supreme law of the land.

Obeying God’s laws blesses a nation since the intent of God’s laws was not to control people but, by their obedience to his laws his people would find personal freedom. The intent of our founding fathers was to defend God-given individual rights and freedoms and establish for us a government to secure these rights. This was a noble cause and one worth fighting to maintain. Our nation fought the tyrannical rule of King George to throw off his freedom-robbing laws and regulations, and restore the freedoms granted to the colonists by God himself. It was their insistence that God rules in the affairs of man who led them to make such a bold statement.

This is no small matter. This is not something that should be ignored. But in today’s climate of political correctness the foundations that made this country great are being undermined. The “progressive” ideology behind this political correct movement seeks to deem any reference to God unacceptable, and their ultimate aim is to remove any Christian influence from our institutions of government even though this very government was founded in recognition of God’s laws and His providence. Once again I refer to the founding document of these great United States of America:

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

A firm reliance upon the protection of Divine Providence. What a statement of faith in a Divine overseer keeping watch over the affairs of our state. Contrast that with the progressive’s agenda to remove any reliance upon God or the very mention of His name in the affairs of state. When a nation or a people seek to remove God’s influence (his laws) from their lives they forfeit the benefits afforded by those same laws. In Deuteronomy 28:13,14 we read:

“The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.”

This promise of being a leader among men will be withdrawn in the same proportion that God and his laws are removed from a nation or a people. It is because of our respect for God-given natural laws that America rose to world dominance. The removal of the same will lead to the downfall of America and our influence in the world. The further one gets from the foundations of God’s unchanging laws the lower their standard in life becomes. If you find yourself always brining up the rear perhaps you need to take a look at the principles that guide your life.

This is serious folks. What makes America exceptional is the acceptance of Divine authority and acknowledging that there is a Divine ruler who oversees all the affairs of man. Failure to recognize this truth will lead this nation into decline.

“I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 9:24

God’s desire in the garden was to extend his influence across the earth through Godly leaders who would represent and legislate his Kingdom in all spheres of life. God’s laws are good and right all the time, therefore when we follow those laws we will live right and do right, which in the end produces a harvest of righteousness. It is by God’s divine guidance, and adherence to His divine authority, and recognizing His divine nature that blesses America and has caused his grace to shine on thee.

America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea. Katherine Lee Bates

Our fathers’ God to Thee,
Author of Liberty,
To thee we sing,
Long may our land be bright
With Freedom‘s holy light,
Protect us by thy might
Great God, our King. Rev Samuel F. Smith

And that is this week’s tail feather

 

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. _{Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)}

Along for the journey

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Everyone who enters an athletic contest goes into strict training. They do it to win a temporary crown, but we do it to win one that will be permanent. 1 Cor 9:25 (GW)

Thursday September 9th was the kick-off of the 2010 NFL football season with the Saints and Vikings taking to the field. The Saints easily handed Brett Favre and company a 14-9 loss, as the Vikings showed a great deal of miscommunication on the field. There were many missed passing patterns, and mental errors leading to a number of penalties from which the Vikings could not recover. Favre looked rusty, or old depending on your perspective, as he labored behind center not able to connect with receivers. Play was lumbering and appeared un-rehearsed, which as it so happens was the case.

It’s hard not to think Favre’s late arrival is at least in part to blame for the Vikings’ stagnancy. And because he is nearly 41, it seems inevitable that it will take him more time to round into form. But after Thursday, it’s fair to wonder if Favre can get back to the form that generated perhaps his greatest season instead of regressing to the kinds of seasons that spelled his departure from Green Bay and the Jets after just one year.

During the off-season Favre was nursing the damaged ankle he sustained in the N.F.C. Championship game for which he has said he is receiving regular lubricating injections to get through the season. He missed all the off-season and training camp and barely appeared in the preseason, and it showed Thursday night. He was rusty and wildly off target, and if he didn’t go down as often as he did in the championship game, he also didn’t come up with as many of the jaw-dropping plays that keep Favre, and fans, coming back for

Favre finished 15 for 27 for 171 yards, with one interception and one touchdown. It wasn’t the way anyone imagined a rematch of last year’s high-flying National Football Conference championship game going. Some of Favre’s passes were so far from their intended targets that the incompletions could be chalked up only to a lack of practice, but the Saints entered the game with a simple plan: make Favre dink and dunk his way downfield, which broadens the opportunities for a mistake.

Success is more likely to arrive after intense preparation. When you have done all you can then it is time to enter the competition, not if you only half-heartedly participated in the practice drills.

The Saints on the other hand looked like a finely tuned automobile hitting on all cylinders and they ended up winning the game.

As Christians we are also engaged in a win or lose fight to the finish. Our adversary has played this game for a long time and is highly developed in his tactics and defenses. He is looking to exploit any weakness he sees in our game plan and will stop at nothing to end our lives not to mention our game. As a result we are instructed to be well prepared to enter the game of life with the full knowledge of what obstacles we must face and overcome. Unlike Brett Favre we are not left to our own limited abilities because we can call upon the strength of the Lord to come to our aid.

The lack of preparation showed up dramatically in the season opener rematch of the Vikings and the Saints. One side appeared to be well prepared while the other side struggled throughout the entire competition. Just because you have a superstar quarterback playing on your team does not mean a guaranteed win. A team is made up of many players and each must do their very best in order for the team to win. Proper preparation is required to play well on game day. An hour a week does not prepare a Saint to engage the enemy on the battlefield any better than an hour a week would prepare an NFL football team to play to victory.

The Saints did win and in the end the Saints of God win as well, but not without first putting up a fight to the finish. Since we know we are on the battlefield and there is a real opponent how important is it to you in your time of preparation? Do you start each day ready to meet the onslaughts of the enemy or do you simply rest on the talents and abilities of your quarterback to carry you through the day?

Granted, unlike Brett Favre, our quarterback has never been defeated and is always playing at his best, but that does not mean we are exempt from preparation. Think about it!

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 2 Tim 4:7-8 (NKJV)

And that is this week’s tail feather.

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)

Along for the journey

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Insight for your “Journey across the Sky”

Assume your own responsibility. Galatians 6:5

Be not tricked; God is not made sport of: for whatever seed a man puts in, that will he get back as grain. Galatians 6:7

Because he who puts in the seed of the flesh will of the flesh get the reward of death; but he who puts in the seed of the Spirit will of the Spirit get the reward of eternal life. Galatians 6:8

The laws of God is never thwarted. As hard as we try we are unable to escape the natural laws and the laws of nature’s God. When a farmer plants corn he expects to harvest corn. When planting a wheat field the wheat farmer does not expect to harvest barley or hay. A farmer plants what he expects to harvest, otherwise why bother planting if you never know what you are going to get?

The law of expected consequences is what drives a farmer to plant crops each year because he expects to gather in a harvest at the end of the growing season. There are exceptions to the growing cycle, such as in years of drought, but under normal conditions a seed goes in the ground to later produce a bountiful harvest. A farmer will usually harvest more than he plants but will harvest nothing he does not plant. Therefore a successful farmer makes sure to plant the best seed in order to get the best crop possible.

This law of expected consequences works the same way in the spiritual world as Paul’s letter to the Galatians indicates. We will reap according to what it is we plant into our lives. If we plant according to our fleshly wants and desires then from that seed we will reap destruction. If however we are more concerned about doing things rightly then we will plant according to God’s word and God’s Spirit in order to produce everlasting life, a life that will continue to be fruitful and fulfilling.

Why is it then that many Christians seem to think they can circumvent these laws of nature and nature’s God? Why is it when an individual makes bad choices they expect good results? Why is it when a person ruins their life by consistently rejecting God’s wisdom and guidance they expect positive results?

I am afraid that as a nation we have deviated so far from the correct course, and have been sowing “wild oats” for so long, the only crop we can expect to reap is that of destruction. There is no way we can reap any other result then the logical outcropping of our poor choices fiscally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Poor choices have led us to the place we are now, reaping the harvest of irresponsibility.

We have looked everywhere for reprieve from these poor choices, we have attempted to ignore the worthless weeds we have grown and yet our society has become overgrown. We have sown to the wind and have now reaped the whirlwind. Hosea 8:7

What am I saying? I am saying that many in our society never take responsibility for their actions. They expect their bad choices to be paid for by someone else. They want others to bail them out when they find themselves chin deep in worthless crops that they have sown. They want to harvest wheat and barley but continually plant thorns and thistles. They want sweet grapes and melons but refuse to sow the necessary seeds to produce such a crop. They want material gain while sitting around making excuses for not going to work. They justify their actions by thinking there are no adverse consequences to their choices. Others have always come to their aid.

He who is watching the wind will not get the seed planted, and he who is looking at the clouds will not get in the grain. Eccl 11:4 (BBE)

There is only one way to fix this problem and that is to plow under the field and plant new seed. We need to change our attitude and start to take responsibility for the harvest we have reaped. We need to repent of our continued requests for aid and assistance while refusing to plow and tend to our own fields to meet our own needs. We have been picking from the fields of those who have been diligently planting good seed and as a result have picked their fields bare and now there is not enough for anyone. Those who have had their fields plundered have stopped producing excess and have gone to great lengths to protect that which they have labored so hard for. There is a growing resentment building amongst the producers because more and more of their labor is being confiscated to continually prop up those who refuse to plant, let alone harvest.

Do not look to God for sympathy in your time of need if you refused to heed his warnings about reaping and sowing. You have no one but yourself to blame if you find yourself with a worthless harvest of empty promises and unmet needs.

Because we have planted so much worthless seeds as a nation we have reaped nothing but windswept barrenness. It is time to get back to the basics of life and learn the lesson of history. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord Psalm 33:12. Cursed is the nation who forgets God and turns after worthless idols, and gods made in the image of man.

This is what the Lord says: What did your ancestors find wrong with me that they went so far away from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. Jeremiah 2:5

I brought them into a fertile land to eat its fruit and its produce. They came and made my land unclean. They made my property disgusting. The priests didn’t ask, “Where is the Lord?” Those who deal with my teachings didn’t know me. The rulers rebelled against me. Jeremiah 2:7-8

“That is why I am bringing charges against you,” declares the Lord, “and I am bringing charges against your grandchildren. Jeremiah 2:9

You have brought this on yourself by abandoning the Lord your God when he led you on his way. Jeremiah 2:17

Your own wickedness will correct you, and your unfaithful ways will punish you. You should know and see how evil and bitter it is for you if you abandon the Lord your God and do not fear me,” declares the Almighty Lord of Armies. Jeremiah 2:19

Yes my friends our children and grandchildren are going to be paying for the seeds we have sown. We have brought about this destructive crop ourselves by refusing to sow good seed. We have accepted inferior products for decades, planted to our fleshly desires, disregarded our spiritual needs, and now we have reaped a harvest bereft of anything good.

The only remedy is to turn back to God, repent of our bad choices, choose instead to return to the God of our founding fathers, as imperfect as they were at least they acknowledged our need for his divine providence. Stop blaming others for the mess we find ourselves in and take responsibility for our own actions. It was what we desired that produced this crop of greed and waste. It was our choices that has led us to where we are. It is us we have to blame. And it is us who has to change, in order to start producing a good harvest.

However, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear {their prayer} from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country. _{2 Chronicles 7:14}

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. _{Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)}

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Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 1 John 3:4 (ESV)

Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 1 Tim 4:7-8 (ESV)

I live near a driver testing center and every weekend the lot around the licensing center is buzzing with potential drivers practicing their three-point turns and parallel parking techniques hoping to pass their upcoming driver’s test. I remember well those days of taking the family car out and driving around a parking lot until my parents felt comfortable actually letting me practice driving on the road.

Parallel parking was one of the toughest disciplines to master. Knowing just when to turn the wheel to get the backend of the car close enough to the curb without running over it or worse, wiping out the parked car in front of or in back of you. Some people never master this technique and just avoid going anywhere where parallel parking is required.

Over the years I have gotten pretty good at parallel parking. In fact it has become almost second nature to me. Like anything else if you practice something properly long enough you eventually get better at it. I am glad that there are requirements for operators of motor vehicles. Although all operators must be licensed does not mean that everyone behind the wheel of a vehicle is operating their vehicle in a safe way. It is comforting to know that all drivers are required to take an initial driver’s test before they can legally drive but as time goes on some of these drivers should probably go back for a refresher course.

There are many professions that require licensing to perform the duties of that profession. Lawyers must pass a bar exam to practice law in a community. Doctors and nurses are required to get a license to practice medicine. Financial advisors and insurance salesmen need special licensing to offer their financial advice. Realtors are required to be licensed to sell real estate. And the list goes on.

Although some occupations and activities are regulated by licensing and require testing to keep current with new laws and regulations many are not. Although couples need a license to marry they do not need a license to become a parent.

Politicians do not have to be licensed to pass laws that affect the entire population. I wish they would be held accountable for their wasteful spending and negligence. In fact the only requirement to be elected President of the United States is to be a natural-born citizen of at least the age of 35 and lived in the United States for at least 14 years. Wow doctors are required to have higher qualifications to operate on people but the person who can sign the laws regulating the medical profession could be a high school drop out.

There are no licenses required to affirm a person’s character, and no regulations requiring a person to act respectful either. There are no written tests to take to qualify as human beings perhaps that would explain the many mean people in the world.

Practice makes better they say, but if you do not practice properly you will only reinforce bad habits and never gain the skills needed to pass a test. Therefore it is important that you practice any skill properly to master that skill.

Habits and character are also shaped by repetition. If we practice lawlessness we become better at being lawless. If we practice immorality we become better at being immoral. If we practice stealing or lying we become better thieves and liars. If however we practice goodness, honesty, fidelity, and godliness we become better at each of these traits.

What character traits would you like to develop? If your desire is godliness then you need to practice godliness, otherwise you are perfecting godlessness. Godliness has great rewards both now and hereafter. This is a trait worth developing don’t you think?

And that is this weeks tail feather.

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. _{Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)}

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Everything written long ago was written to teach us so that we would have confidence through the endurance and encouragement which the Scriptures give us. Romans 15:4

The ignorant – for wisdom — The learned – for humility

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But as Scripture says: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Cor 2:9 (GW)

We may think we know what is best for us but I have learned to trust in the word of God as the guide-book to my life and it has proven to be the best guide-book of all. If you feel that you can not afford to take one day off to spend with the Lord then you can not afford not to.

And that is this weeks “word to the wise”

The wise of heart will heed commandments, but a prating fool will come to ruin. Prov 10:8 (RSV)

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; Psalms 19:7-8 (NKJV)

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For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 1 Cor 15:53-55 (NKJV)

In a remarkable series of trades, one 17 year old Californian. Steven Ortiz, was able barter a cell phone all the way up to a Porsche. Source: CNN News.

The cell phone was traded for an IPod Touch. The IPod begat a dirt bike. The dirt bike begat a laptop computer. The series of trades eventually led to a Toyota 4runner, a Ford Bronco SUV, and ultimately, the coveted Porsche. It’s all very impressive.

Taking something of lessor value and trading it up for something of a greater value is what the gospel of the Kingdom of God is all about. We trade our sin-filled life for a life of grace and mercy. We trade our mortal lives for that which is immortal, we trade our temporary home for one which is eternal. We trade death for life, and hell for heaven.

Now that’s a deal worth shouting about! Yes, Lord! You have to credit young Steven Ortiz for his savvy and persistence. How much more shall we give to God for His loving exchange of our depravity for his lavish grace!

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1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

During the 1990′s in an NCAA Division II national championship cross-country race in California, a bizarre twist of events took place. Mike Delcavo and 127 of the best runners in the country were battling for glory over the 10,000 meter course. About three miles into the race, Delvaco was somewhere in the middle of the pack, when he realized that the runners had made a wrong turn. So he yelled out, “You’re going the wrong way,” but they didn’t listen. Only 4 others followed Mike when he turned in the right direction… and suddenly, he found himself in the lead.

However that lasted only about a mile, since Mike and the runners who followed him soon reunited with the larger pack who, having gone the wrong way, actually shaved about a half a mile off the course, and were now in the lead again. The final blow came when, because so many of the runners had gone the wrong way, the officials changed the official course route to accommodate their error. So when Mike Delcavo finally crossed the finish line, he was number 103 overall.

At the end of the race, some of Delcavo’s competitors “thought it was funny that he went the right way.”

This article was sent via worthynews.com as part of their daily Worthy News email service, I would highly recommend you sign up for this mailing list. I have heard this story repeated several times over the years and find its application appropriate for the times in which we live.

America has taken a wrong turn, however it did not happen in 2008 but many years earlier with the introduction of Social Security and public welfare programs. These social programs took liberty and private property away from the American citizen and gave it to the federal government to redistribute as it deemed proper.

At the time FDR proposed his “new deal” there were many crying out loudly in opposition to the direction the country was headed, but those voices got drowned out and the courts ruled the misdirection was actually acceptable and the rest is history.

I am not going to take the time to recant the history of this misdirection again for I have alluded to it many times on this blog and there are other sources you can check to affirm the information if you really care to check it out but I am going to say that just because the officials declared the runners who ran off course where legal does not change the fact that they actually did not run the course that was originally laid out for them to run. In a just society the runners who ran the wrong course would have been eliminated from the race and those who ran the proper course would have been rewarded with the win. However because so many made the wrong turn they were able to force the judges to rule in their favor by indicating that the runners who ran the proper course were the ones who ran the wrong way.

As our country rushes full-speed ahead to financial and societal ruin, anyone who opposes the course, now sanctioned as official, are demonized and called illegitimate, although they are pointing out the proper course our country should take, the one laid out by our founders.

Because too many have run the race improperly it has become acceptable that the wrong course is now considered the right course, and the right course has been abandoned and ignored. Irregardless of what others may say I will continue to point out the error of our ways and even though I may be dismissed, ridiculed, or even ignored, I shall continue to declare the road we are taking is wrong and we need to make a course correction.

Just because the majority are running in a different direction does not mean that the direction in which they are all running is the right direction to go.

Go in by the narrow door; for wide is the door and open is the way which goes to destruction, and great numbers go in by it. For narrow is the door and hard the road to life, and only a small number make discovery of it. Matt 7:13-14 (BBE)

Following the crowd is usually not the best course to take when running the race of life. The Lord has set a course for us to follow and He does not reward those who run off in a different direction. Ignoring God’s provision in our life and the life of our country has set us on this wrong course and it will not end well. There is not going to be a judge standing at the finish line willing to bend the rules to accommodate our misguided choices nor will He ignore the fact that we strayed from the proper path to follow our own. There are consequences to making the wrong choice. Are you following after the crowd or the Lord? Are you willing to bet your life the path you have chosen is the right one? Is winning at all cost more important then running an ethical and honest race?

I am afraid ethics and honesty are virtues long ago lost in our ruling class. I pray it has not been lost in the private sector, but only time will tell the true tale.

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Random Ramblings from the Resident Raptor.

Insight for your “Journey across the Sky”

A View from the Nest www.eagleviews.org

Decent people will live in the land. People of integrity will remain in it. But wicked people will be cut off from the land and treacherous people will be torn from it. Prov 2:21-22 (GW)

Several centuries before Christ, Alexander the Great came out of Macedonia and Greece to conquer the Mediterranean world. On one of his campaigns, Alexander received a message that one of his soldiers had been continually, and seriously, misbehaving and thereby shedding a bad light on the character of all the Greek troops. And what made it even worse was that this soldier’s name was also Alexander. When the commander learned this, he sent word that he wanted to talk to the errant soldier in person. When the young man arrived at the tent of Alexander the Great, the commander asked him, “What is your name?” The reply came back, “Alexander, sir.” The commander looked him straight in the eye and said forcefully, “Soldier, either change your behavior or change your name.” This story has a lesson for each of us. When we call ourselves Americans, we are identifying with this nation and the principles upon which it was established. When we swear allegiance to the flag we stand with others to defend the Constitution of these United States of America. We are being . identified with the United States of America. Is your behavior compatible with that name and with the symbol that shows that you are an American?

Arizona is soon to enact what some say is an ill-conceived immigration enforcement act. This statute does not affect other states, nor is it enforceable across state lines. The law strictly forbids police officers to ask an individual for identification unless the officers encounter a suspect while in the course of enforcing another infraction of the state statutes. For an example; a person walking down the street of downtown Phoenix should not, and can not, be detained by police and questioned to produce identification unless that person has committed a crime. Seems to me the bill is reasonably restrictive.

Compare that to the law that requires identification when purchasing cough medicine at the local Target. Which seems to be more reasonable to you? To be asked to produce identification after being stopped for breaking a law or being asked to produce ID to buy over-the-counter cough medicine? If you answered the cough medicine then you must be a liberal democrat set on demonizing legitimate behavior in order to legitimize illegitimate behavior.

Another example would be the mandatory, random drug tests administered to commercial drivers. Isn’t this an invasion of one’s privacy also? Is there proof or suspicion that the person being tested is using an illegal substance? If there is no reasonable suspicion that they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol then why are they being required to submit to a random test? Shouldn’t people who show signs of the possibility of being under the influence have to take a random drug test? Why should someone who has never used drugs or alcohol have to be subjected to this form of interrogation? Why aren’t the picket sign carrying activists protesting this injustice? Or are only those who actually commit a crime entitled to political action?

Why must law-abiding citizens be treated like suspects when there is NO Reasonable suspicion that these citizens are doing anything illegal? Well that is the rationale being used to justify opposition to the Arizona immigration enforcement bill.

Constantly we hear the din of political activists demonizing the Arizona bill for profiling illegal aliens and yet everyday many law-abiding, natural-born, citizens are asked to produce their identification. If it is reasonable that I should have to show my photo ID to the cashier at Target to purchase over-the-counter cough medicine, then it is just as reasonable for a suspected immigrate to be asked to present ID to a police officer. I wonder what illegal aliens produce when they buy cough medicine at their local Target?

It would seem that those who oppose Arizona’s immigration enforcement policy want it both ways. They want to avoid producing any proof of ID to any local official and at the same time they want to be granted the rights of a legal citizen without having to prove they belong here. That to me sounds unreasonable, not the Arizona bill requiring someone show ID when asked by a law enforcement officer.

The cashier at Target is not a law enforcement officer but I had to present to her proof of my ID before I could buy cough medicine. Of course I could have refused to show her my ID but then I would not have been able to purchase the medicine. The illegals, however, would like to refuse to show ID and still buy the medicine, and cry discrimination if they were denied. Activists like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would stand shoulder to shoulder with them decrying America as a racist nation.

This is a capricious argument really. Why would decent law-abiding citizens want lying and devious people living in their neighborhoods? Make no mistake about it, if you entered this country illegally you are here illegally. There are many foreigners within our borders who have over stayed their visas as well. Once again the Government is not enforcing their own immigration laws thusly allowing for continued illegal activity within our borders. All anyone is asking reasonable people to do is act responsibly and enter our country properly and for the right reasons. If you are only coming here to steal from the rightful citizenry their jobs and property then perhaps a jail cell should be waiting for you not a red carpet, open door amnesty policy.

Because the federal government has been remiss in enforcing their own immigration laws they have forced states to either put up with illegal activity within their borders or figure out some way to deal with it. Because states are not permitted to legalize immigrants, nor are they, according to the federal government, permitted to deport those who have entered the country illegally, they have to put up with and absorb the costs of this illegal activity within their borders.

Finally enough decent people had enough and demanded that someone do something. So Arizona did and now many nefarious types are crying foul. There is a simple remedy to this problem. show your ID, if you do not have proper identification then I strongly suggest that you get some quick or start packing.

That is how it ought to be. Why should decent people be driven from their land because of the indecent and treacherous people who crash our borders every day? Even the bible supports Arizona’s position. Wisdom dictates the wicked and treacherous should be sent packing. And yet here we are arguing the merits of a local enforcement measure passed by Arizona to protect decent people.

If you are living here decently and with respect for other’s property and our laws then I would think you have absolutely nothing to fear. If however you happen to fall into the treacherous or wicked camp then yes indeed you should be fearing the Arizona law and you should be packing your bags to leave the same way you got here.

And that is just “A View from the Nest” what say you?

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. _{Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)}

Along for the journey

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“Proclaim Liberty throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof”

This inscription can be found engraved upon the Liberty Bell housed in Independence Square, Philadelphia, Pa. This bell formerly known as the “Province Bell” rang out on July 8th 1776 as the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence took place. This inscription was taken from Leviticus 25:10 proclaiming the year of jubilee for Israel.

Later in the book of Isaiah we read these words:

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3 (NKJV)

The liberty bell toiled good news that liberty was being proclaimed from Philadelphia, and Isaiah was prophesying of a time that was yet to come when liberty would again be proclaimed in Israel. That time came with the arrival of Christ. Luke chapter 4 verses 16-21 recounts the story of Jesus standing in the temple and reading from the 61st chapter of the book of Isaiah and then proclaiming on that day the scripture was fulfilled.

What better time to proclaim liberty throughout all the land then on independence day? The Declaration of Independence, signed in 1776 by men willing to give their lives for this great nation, established a national freedom to all citizens of these United States of America. Yet there is another declaration of liberty that was declared by Christ, signed with his blood, and enacted by his execution, that bought our spiritual freedom. Freedom comes with a heavy price. The signers of the “Declaration faced possible  charges of treason against the British crown. But sign they did. Christ signed our spiritual declaration of independence with his own blood.

It was for freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Gal 5:1 (RSV)

These words from Galatians ring as clear as the Liberty bell did in 1776 when liberty was proclaimed throughout the colonies. Today marked the 234th birthday of our nation and once again men need to stand up and proclaim liberty throughout the land. The tyrannical bonds of King George III needed to be severed in 1776, and today I am afraid we are seeing another tyrannical government arising to enslave the people of these great United States.

Let us first remember that our freedom comes from the Lord, and by remembering the heights from which we have fallen perhaps we can find our way back to the arms of a forgiving savior. Proclaim liberty to the captives. Proclaim a year of jubilee. Let us pray our debts to one another are forgiven as we forgive those who are indebted to us. This after all is what Christ came to do. He came to forgive our sin debt.

The Levitical law proclaimed all debts were to be forgiven once every 50 years in the year of jubilee. We are long overdue for a year of jubilee don’t you think? So let us once again with one accord proclaim liberty throughout the land.

“For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.” 2 Cor. 3:17

Along for the Journey

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