CSN Sunday - LightWing Messages for 3/27/2022
No Greater Love
“As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. This is My command to you: Love one another.” John 15:9-17 (Berean Study Bible)
In this terrible time of chaotic turbulence and tribulation, there are challenges on several levels for each of us and for several dimensions of human society. Such challenges have the capacity to neutralize our incredible potential within us and stifle our hopes for a better world for us and for our children. However, for many of faith who are capable of moving past the confusion, the despair, the fear, or the growing anger, there is the capability each of us have of inviting God to come inside of us. Sometimes great calamity, or seriously trying times, will force the best of us to our knees. Or, such difficulties should. It would do us great good to seek our Creator for deep clarity of mind and a sincere appraisal from the heart.
The question comes as to whether we seek God in times of relative peace or prosperity. If we do not seek His face, or His wisdom, or His love in such times of calm, is it that we only seek Him in times of trouble?
So now, we are blessed with such times of difficulty, as we are forced to our knees, which is where we should have been spending more time all along. A logical question follows: If we as a people had been more dutifully seeking God’s guidance, would we have dug ourselves into such devil-developed circumstances as we face today?
The American people have been conditioned by the political class over the past few decades to choose between the “lesser of two evils” in our elections. We were led to believe that those who were candidates were the best of the potential candidates running for one political office or for other positions of responsibility. “We the People” elected “leaders” to positions of power and supposed responsibility in the last 100 years and assumed that they had the same values from the founding of the nation, and they had the best interests of the people in mind as they ran for public office. Only recently, in the past couple of elections, have people discovered the error of such naive thought and complacent behavior.
A while ago, a wise man said that the price of Liberty is eternal vigilance. Americans after World Warm II forgot such wisdom, and the nation focused upon material prosperity for the most part. We have forgotten that freedom is not free, and now we see the possibility of World War III on the horizon. Today we are facing (through a blitz of deliberate propaganda) a choice to favor the lesser of two evils on the world stage as we watch absolute evil unleashed. There is an ominous cost for complacency and negligence.
Evil is evil, no matter from what source, but to examine closely the root of the current evil is very important. Evil is not just emanating from Eastern Europe, it has corrupted the very fabric of the Land of the Free. If ever there were a time in human history that the good people of faith in this world need to pray and repent and seek God’s guidance, it is now. We either learn to love God with all our hearts, our souls, and our minds, and to love one another as our brothers and sisters in such a time as this, or we lose the foundations of freedom that were paid for in blood.
Our primary message today is from Susan Schrier Clouse, a retired Methodist minister. It is a familiar message to Christians, but it is one easily misunderstood and easily ignored as we go about our daily lives. Jesus did not just spew out a bunch of delightful and wonderful truths for us to ignore him, anymore than God intended for Adam and Eve to ignore the commandment in the Garden. We are one human family. We need to discern, recognize, and expose evil, even as we love those whose errors we expose. Just as a loving parent would raise his children to grow into decent human beings, this kind of love is what is necessary in such a time as this.
A naive love, or permissive love, or a love tolerating evil is not Jesus’ message. Americans have been able to check all forms of evil in the world, but if we don’t check it within our own hearts first, it becomes much more difficult to establish a kingdom of good - the Kingdom of God.
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Something to Think About: Love Your Enemies
By Susan Schrier Clouse
3/8/22
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:27-28 NIV
Read the entire passage in Luke 6:27-36 and Jesus’ similar teaching in Matthew 5:38-48.
For the first time in my relatively long life, I am surrounded by enemies. It is no surprise Russia, China, and other nations consider me an enemy because I am an American. I can deal with that.
But now, people in my own government have determined I am a potential domestic terrorist because I question things like election integrity. Big Tech titans monitor my searches, clicks and posts. Big Business/Big Pharma board members ostracize me because I refuse their vaccine. Educational “experts” label me a racist because I’m white. Curators of culture consider me a bigot because I hold to the truth that God determines what is good and evil, not them. Their hatred of folks like me has turned from words into action. Peoples’ lives are being destroyed for holding “wrong” views or refusing to comply with things that really are wrong. Will I be next?
Jesus says that as His follower I must love my enemies. Seriously? It would be one thing if He simply told me not to hate them – but love them? Do you struggle with this like I do?
How am I to love these people who want to destroy all that I love?
Like Jesus did.
Jesus’ love is not about warm, fuzzy feelings. His love is not about being doormat and acquiescing to evil. His love is strong, powerful, and purposeful. His love is about giving all of yourself for the benefit of others, as He did.
Jesus said, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” (John 15:12-14 NIV)
Jesus showed His love by willingly sacrificing His life for the forgiveness of humanity’s sins. But that was not the end. Jesus then took up His life again so that we might have eternal life with Him and our Heavenly Father. I obey Him, not to earn His blessings, but out of love and gratitude for all that He has done.
Following Jesus’ example, I must be willing to die for others, and I am. But I also must be willing to serve others while I live. This means doing good – feeding the hungry, helping those in need, comforting the grieving, being a mentor, teaching the truth, and, as Jesus often did, calling out hypocrisy. It also means being good, especially in how we interact with each other.
The Apostle Paul (c. 5-67 AD) beautifully describes this type of love. Originally a persecutor of the early Christians, Paul became Jesus’ most influential follower. Paul’s letters to churches around the Mediterranean rim, which make up most of the New Testament, help explain and flesh out Jesus’ teaching for the new Christians learning to live in the day-to-day world. Questions like, what does this “love” Jesus talked about really mean?
You often hear these words from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians at weddings, but he was writing about much more than the love between a husband and wife. He describes how God expresses His love for us, and how we, in turn, should show love to each other. By substituting “God” for love in these sentences you get a sense of God’s nature. Read them again, substituting your name for “Love.” If you are like me, you’ll ask God to help you get better at learning to love this way, especially with your enemies! And on social media!
Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love is not envious.
Love is not boastful.
Love is not arrogant.
Love is not rude.
Love does not insist on its own way.
Love is not easily angered.
Love keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-6 NIV/NRSV)
And if your enemies are closer to home – an ex-spouse, a co-worker, a neighbor, as I have had in the past - all this still applies: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ” (Luke 6:27-28 NIV)
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have told me to pray for my enemies, but it’s hard. Help me to see them as You see them. Help me to love them as You do. Help me to do good to those who wish me harm. Help me to bless those who hate me with patience and kindness. Bless them Lord with the blessings you have shown to me. Help those who hate me know I don’t want to be their enemy. I hope, with Your help, that somehow, someway, someday there will be peace between us. God, help us all. Amen.
Susan Schrier Clouse is a retired Methodist minister, who served on our writing team during the Dr. Ben Carson campaign for POTUS and is a contributor to the Citizen Sentinels Network. Her messages occasionally appear in her own blog, “Preacher Girl Diaries” at https://preachergirldiaries.blogspot.com/2020/
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Onward and Upward!
From Libera Official: Libera in America - Joyful Joyful, We Adore Thee - 3/2/2015
From The Victory Channel - FlashPoint: God is Waking Us Up! Sarah Palin, Eric Metaxes - 3/25/22
From Audrey Assad: Be Thou My Vision by Audrey Assad — Official Music Video - 6/7/2016
From The Lance Wallnau Show: Lara Logan Stuns News Cast - 3/23/22 [watch also => From FlashPoint w/ Lance Wallnau: Wake Up! Interview Lara Logan - 2/25/22]
From Steeljaw Scribe - YouTube: “Once to Every Man and Nation” -5/24/2008
From TMK Inspiration: Mario Murillo (Mar 15, 2022) Will America see Disaster in April 2022 !!!
From Trump's Pre-Inauguration: The Battle Hymn Of The Republic - Trump's Pre-Inauguration Jan 19th 2017
From Dutch Sheets Ministries: First Things First | Give Him 15: Daily Prayer with Dutch | March 25, 2022
From Reba McEntire: Back To God by Reba McEntire - (Official Music Video) - 1/24/2017
From Dr. Samuel R. Patta Online: Thanking God Through Difficult Times | Power Of Thanksgiving by Pastor Samuel Patta - 3/19/22
From Anna Hawkins - O Come, O Come Emmanuel by Anna Hawkins - Filmed in Israel (Hebrew & English) - 11/30/2015
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Podcast - From PURSUIT of MEANING: OPEN Your Eyes | Jordan Peterson: "We're Facing Something Greater Than Ourselves" - 3/3/22
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American Minute by William J. Federer: American Minute for March 26 - Former slave, Richard Allen, founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He died on this day in 1831.
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Recommended Reading…
From The Christian Post: Nigeria: Fulani kidnap 46 Christians in ambush attack days after killing 32 civilians - 3/27/22
From Christianity Daily: Afghan Christian Explains Dire Situation Believers Face Under Unforgiving Taliban Rule - 3/25/22
From Ministry Watch: War in Ukraine May Leave Millions Hungry, Warns Eugene Cho of Bread for the World - 3/22/22
From Christianity Daily: North Korea Launches First Long-Range Missile Since 2017 - 3/25/22
From American Greatness: Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Classical Choices - 3/15/22
From New York Post: Hunter Biden helped secure funds for US biolab contractor in Ukraine: e-mails - 3/26/22
From New York Post: Two-thirds of Americans say Hunter Biden laptop 'important' story: poll - 3/25/22
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What affects one, can affect all!
* News From The Growing Free Union -
From Facts Matter with Roman Balmakov: BALLOT PRINTERS Ordered to Be Installed on All Voting Machines, Produce Paper Backup Trail: New Law – 3/26/22
From One News Page - People's Convoy news: Dr. Robert Malone and Dr. Paul Alexander Speak At the People's Convoy – 3/26/22
* News From Our Canadian Neighbors -
From Christianity Daily: Canadian Pastor Brings Christ To Inmates While In Jail For Nearly Six Weeks Now - 3/22/22
From True North - News by Candice Malcom: Trudeau gets what’s coming to him in Europe - 3/25/22
News From California -
From PACIFIC JUSTICE INSTITUTE (Press Release): Ninth Circuit Rules in Favor of Church - 3/22/22
News From Georgia -
From FOX News: Georgia school board shuts down mom reading explicit lines from school library's book - 3/26/22
News From New Hampshire -
From Ministry Watch: Former New Hampshire Pastor Still Living at Church While Facing Child Porn Charges – Ministry Watch - 3/21/22
News From Oklahoma -
From The Christian Post: Oklahoma megachurch leaves UMC over ‘irreconcilable’ theological differences; changes name - 3/27/22
News From Texas -
From American Action News: Conservative Attorney General Accused of ‘Hate Speech’ for Calling Biden Appointee Rachel Levine ‘A Man’ - 3/20/22
News From Washington state -
From New York Post: Police officer gunned down in Starbucks parking lot north of Seattle - 3/25/22
News From Wisconsin -
From Christianity Daily: Wisconsin Officials Accused Of Accepting Election Bribery Over 2020 Elections
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Recommended Resources - follow the links…
Excellent Election Education Resource: US 2020 Election Fraud at a Glance
Excellent Non-Partisan Election Resource: Election Integrity Project California
Excellent Citizen-Patriot News Resource: Steve Bannon's War Room
Excellent Citizen-Patriot News Resource: From Frank Speech - the Home of Free Speech
Excellent Citizen Comprehensive Resource: David Horowitz Freedom Center
Excellent Citizen Activist Resource: Precinct Strategy: Home
Excellent Christian Homeschool Resource:
https://ed-exit.com/
Excellent Guide to Protecting Families: A Guide to Protecting Your Family From the Coming Insurrection and Violence 1 ARE YOU SAFE?
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