A Right End From A Right Means

So says [Yahweh], Keep judgment and do justice; for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed.  Isaiah 56:1  NKJV

 

Do justice. In order to do justice one must know what justice means. Justice can be defined as ”ensuring that persons receive earned rewards and punishments fairly and squarely based on their behavior–with no favoritism.”

You will notice that justice has no room for compassion. The pragmatic liberal concoction known as “Social Justice” is based on a false definition of justice distorted by a faux compassion which robs justice of its just-ness (righteousness).  God forbids this!

Note: For compassion to be enacted, Justice & Mercy must Kiss and find a way to cover for the wrong done. If this was not the case, Jesus would not have died on the cross. His flesh pleaded for another way to satisfy the Justice of God, but there was no other way, so He yielded to only way and died for us because He loves us.

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.  Proverbs 21:3  NKJV

We’ll look at a few more “justice and righteousness” scriptures later in this blog, but it seems clear that Yahweh demands righteous justice. So how does God’s demand for righteous justice fit in current thought and practice among liberals and conservatives? 

The left pragmatically demands just outcomes.  Liberals promote unequal, even unfair, treatment enforced by government to get what they see as “fair” results. Liberals believe it is acceptable to unjustly take wealth (jobs, property, benefits) from some and give it to others.

The right stresses just laws and procedures. Conservatives insist that individuals be allowed to own, use, and dispose of personal property as they see fit. Their property  should be safe from seizure by neighbors or by government. Conservatives allow for  unequal, and possibly unfair results if they are based on just treatment.

Scripture reveals God’s view of justice and that view is promoted by Conservatives who believe the Bible reveals God’s will to man for our good. The Conservative view has been the foundation of Western civilization for millennia but it is being undermined today by Liberals who distort and/or dismiss God’s Word.

Deuteronomy 16:20 says, “Justice, justice, shall you pursue.” 

When a word is repeated in scripture, there is a reason. Let’s look at it. The Hebrew word repeated in this passage is “Tzedek.” It translates as ”justice” and “righteousness.”

One could therefore have translated the verse as “Righteous justice shall you pursue.”  Or “Just righteousness shall you pursue.”

Either way, the command is given by God that justice must be accomplished in the right way or it is not, in fact,  justice.  A pragmatic person or governmental policy is without a moral foundation when attempting to accomplish a “right thing” in a “wrong way.” If a desired outcome is obtained through illegitimate means, the outcome as well as the means is illegitimate. Someone was robbed of justice to help someone else receive an unjust benefit. Two wrongs– not right!

To be more precise, the Bible condemns the social engineering methods used by the Liberals and Progressives today. The Bible forbids meeting the needs of the poor by confiscating the wealth of those who inherited, created or earned it. To achieve a righteous end you must employ only righteous means.

The Deuteronomy passage is not isolated. Leviticus 19:15 says, ”You shall not commit a perversion of justice; you shall not favor the poor and you shall not honor the great; with righteousness (Tzedek) shall you judge your fellow.”

This passage covers both our natural temptation to favor the underdog, which feels like compassion, and our temptation to kowtow to the wealthy. Both are strictly forbidden as perversions of justice!

While the Bible in both Testaments demands that compassionate acts are required in dealing with widows, orphans and the poor; those acts are to be freely carried out by individuals and are never to be the result of coercion. Charity is to be freely given. Just justice is to be enforced by the courts. The courts may not enforce charity and deny justice to satisfy anyone’s faux compassion. The compassionate should show compassion from their own personal possessions and/or by their own personal labors. 

Since this is the clear teaching of scripture, why are so many divinity schools and pulpits filled with dogmatic liberal clergy who twist and contradict the Bible? This state of affairs is based on the anti-literalist interpretation of scripture in these institutions. They think that much of scripture is outdated and irrelevant and therefore does not speak to issues today; so, they alter, misinterpret or dismiss its teachings altogether.

This anti-literalism has led to pragmatism among liberals. And this pragmatism makes ”unjust justice” (legal favoritism) perfectly acceptable to them. In fact, they demand it and accuse conservatives of lacking compassion because conservatives believe in and practice ”just justice” and individual charity based on a literal interpretation of God’s Word.

In this era of Liberal Political Correctness, such topics are rarely discussed with openness and clarity. I trust this article will shed some light on the subject and God will open eyes to the truth that is clearly revealed in His Word for those whose eyes can see.

Let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. Amos 5:24 NKJV

…for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed.  Isaiah 56:1  NKJV

Obama’s Audacious Peace Speech: The Land of Israel or of Arab Refugees?

I don’t often engage in discussing current political events but President Obama’s anti-Israel stance in his recent speech requires Israel’s supporters to speak out. I hope there are many blogs on this topic and Americans strongly express their outrage at Obama attemptimg to force the State of Israel to give up more land for their dream of peace.

The speech was too lengthy to respond to every remark so I’ve noted specific excerpts that concern me and responded to them.

Obama Speech: “For decades, the conflict between Israelis and Arabs has cast a shadow over the region.”

A more truthful statement would be, “For decades the assault on Israel by the Arab nations and Arab refugees within or near Israel’s borders has cast a shadow over the region.

Obama speech: “For Palestinians, it has meant suffering the humiliation of occupation, and never living in a nation of their own.”

For the Arab refugees in Israel, it has meant suffering the humiliation of being used as a pawn by the Arab nations to keep a thorn in Israel’s side and deny them the peace they should have been afforded when returning to their ancient homeland in 1948 with the consent of the world community after suffering the atrocities of the Holocaust in Europe.

Obama Speech: “Israeli settlement activity continues. Palestinians have walked away from talks.”

Attempting to reprove both sides in the conflict, Obama chides Israel for building homes in her own homeland, which effectively justifies the poor Arab refugees who have merely waked away from the talks.

Obama Speech: “Palestinians will never realize their independence by denying the right of Israel to exist.”

Now, that is a true statement (other than the misnomer); however, it will not stop the Arabs from hating Israel and plotting her complete destruction.

Obama Speech: “Israel too must act boldly to advance a lasting peace.”

Israel acts boldly everyday of her life in hopes of advancing a lasting peace. Everyday of her existence as a modern state surrounded by hostile Arab nations has required utmost courage and strength. To call upon her to surrender land (won in an unprovoked war in 1967) which has greatly enhanced her ability to survive as a nation, is not asking her to act boldly, but foolishly. It would be assisting one’s would be assassins. Land will not buy peace when given to a sworn enemy who has no change of heart.

Obama speech: “The international community is tired of an endless process that never produces an outcome.”

This is a shameful statement made by someone who has not felt the heat of the fire of living daily in the midst of mortal enemies.

No one could be more weary of this endless process than Israel. She has put up with endless insults and assaults from Arabs, trying to avoid contention and conflict.

One cannot visit Israel and endure the daily calls for prayer from Muslim minarets in Jerusalem which blare out into all public spaces and hinder normal conversations for people of other faiths– just to appease Muslims– without beholding the patience of Israel.

Consider that Muslims, who have their Holy Sites in Mecca and Medina and elsewhere, have control over the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Israel’s only Holy Site. It’s the only legimate site for them to rebuild God’s Holy Temple. Behold the patience of Israel.    

Jews can’t visit Bethlehem or Jericho or Hebron. Muslims have possession of Abraham’s burial cave and Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem– which they have looted and defaced. Muslim authorities deny Israel the right to excavate in the Temple Mount area and deliberately conceal or destroy evidence of Israel’s past on theTemple Mount when they find it.

I could go on. It’s disturbing and indefensible. But, the media doesn’t even want to tell you about it.

Obama speech: “The dream of a Jewish and democratic state cannot be fulfilled with permanent occupation.”

This statement is so twisted, it defies logic. The Jews don’t have to dream of having their own democratic Jewish State, it’s been a reality since 1948!

They are not occupying someone else’s homeland, they are denied peace in their own homeland because of bogus claims about the Arab refugees. According to Joan Peters in her detailed and highly documented book called From Time Immemorial,  “68% of the Arab refugees left (Israel) on their own (during the 1948 Arab war against the newly created State of Israel). They were not expelled.”

The Arab refugees left Israel because “Arabs in neighboring countries encouraged” them  "to leave ‘Palestine’ until the Jews were purged from the land.” Then when Israel won the war against the Arabs the “refugees” status became confused. Some Arab leaders demanded that Israel let the so-called “expelled” refugees return to their homes. While Arab leaders sought to prevent their ”return” because they did not want to recognize Israel’s existence.

Since Israel became a modern nation in 1948, Jewish refugees have poured into Israel from throughout the Middle Eastern Arab countries (as well as from around the world).

“more than half of the people in Israel today are Jews or offspring of Jews who lived in Arab countries and have fled Arab brutality; Israel’s present population consists mainly of refugees and their descendants from two oppressions, European-Nazi and Arab.”  pg 79 of From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters

Israel welcomes all Jewish refugees. And many of those Jewish refugees were forced to abandon lands, homes and possessions in Arab countries.

“The Jews who fled Arab countries (Morroco, Yemen, Tunisia, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt) left assets behind in the Arab world greater than those the Arabs left in Israel.”  pg 25 of From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters

With Israel’s abandoned assets, those Arab countries could easily have absorbed and blessed the Arab refugees displaced by their unprovoked wars against Israel, if the Arab nations loved their own people more than they hate Israel. But, unfortunately, that is not the case. It is the Arab nations who have treated the Arab refugees shamefully, not Israel, as was admitted by King Hussein of Jordan in 1960.

“Since 1948 Arab leaders have approached the Palestinian problem in an irresponsible manner…They have used the Palestinian people for selfish political purposes. This is ridiculous and, I could say, even criminal.” pg 23 of From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters

If the world really wants to solve the Arab refugee problem they should put pressure on the Arab nations to welcome their brethren to settle in Arab nations. Their actual roots are there, not in Israel. Jordan is the true Palestinian state. It, by law, allows any Palestinian to immigrate and obtain Jordanian citizenship if they  surrender their Palestinian citizenship. Approximately half of Jordan's population claims Palestinian roots.

Obama’s chide against Israel in this remark is despicable and deceptive.

Obama speech: “But what America and the international community can do is state frankly what everyone knows: a lasting peace will involve two states for two peoples. Israel as a Jewish state and the homeland for the Jewish people, and the state of Palestine as the homeland for the Palestinian people; each state enjoying self-determination, mutual recognition, and peace.”

This is not the belief of America or the international community. It’s the opinion of an Arab-biased speech writer which the president of the United States had the audacity to articulate. It is stated as if two new states are soon to be created from land that both parties have a co-equal claim to. It assumes that this division of land will bring peace to the Middle East! Land is not the problem or the solution. As long as the Arabs want to annihilate Israel, there will be no peace. So, this claim is a deception, no matter whose silver pen or tongue it flows from.

The land of Israel is the Jewish homeland from time immemorial. God gave them their land and it's already small. Reducing the size of their homeland is not a legitimate goal or option!

Obama speech: “The United States believes that negotiations should result in two states, with permanent Palestinian borders with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, and permanent Israeli borders with Palestine. The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states.”

Again, a speech writer’s opinion expressed as accepted wisdom when the outcome of such a move would be disastrous for Israel. Israel would have to give up Judea, Samaria, the Golan Heights, the Sinai Peninsula, and East Jerusalem, which includes the Temple Mount itself.  This land loss would make her remaining territory essentially indefensible. And over 300,000 Israelis now living in those areas would become refugees.

Also, if a Palestinian State is created, no one would want Israel to expel the 1.2 million Arabs currently peacefully integrated into the Jewish State of Israel. Some of them serve in the Knesset (Jewish Parliament). Can you imagine Jews being allowed such liberties in a Palestinian State?

Obama speech: “Israel must be able to defend itself – by itself – against any threat.”

In other portions of the speech, Obama expressed commitment to the security of Israel. This statement is enigmatic. Why must Israel be able to defend herself– by herself– if we truly stand with her? Is this a veiled threat of some kind? 

Obama speech: “…how can one negotiate with a party that has shown itself unwilling to recognize your right to exist. In the weeks and months to come, Palestinian leaders will have to provide a credible answer to that question.”

This is a good question and there is no good answer. Arab leaders consistently refuse to accept Israel’s right to exist and support her annihilation. Just because a speech writer says Arab leaders “will have to provide a credible answer,” it doesn’t ensure they will. And, are their words reliable? Obama’s aren’t. During the campaign he said he would stand by Israel and Jerusalem would never be divided. So much for campaign promises. Can he change? Yes, he can.

I was thrilled to see Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, stand up to Obama in the Oval Office meeting Friday. He clearly rejected a return to pre-1967 borders and explained why that is an impossible prelude to a peace agreement.  Hopefully, Obama gained a little better understanding of history through the exchange.

If you want a better understanding of the so called “Palestinian refugee” problem, I would recommend you read From Time Immemorial by Joan Peters. It is an excellent expose’ of the facts about the birth of the modern nation of Israel and their relationship with their Arab population and the surrounding nations.

By siding with the "Arab refugees" in the Gaza Strip, the Obama Administration shows it is out of step with the American people.  I stand with Israel and hope you will show you do too by helping this administration out the door during our next election.

Rightly Dividing God's Word

One cannot hope to discuss honest questions about the Bible until one is open to the possibility that the Bible is God’s Word and Truth is to be found therein. Why? Because that is the claim the Bible makes for itself. If it is not what it claims to be, it is entirely worthless.  

Also, one cannot find the Truth in the Bible until one is willing to study it as a whole, reading all passages in their original context, and comparing them to the entire Word of God for confirmation and clarity. That is what "rightly dividing the Word of Truth" is all about.

For those liberals and atheists who cherry pick every "problem" passage in the Bible and pull it out of context to demean and belittle scripture as a whole and deny that it is the inspired Word of God, the problem is not with the Bible but with their methodology. No book could be properly understood using that approach to its contents. 

I have been "discussing" Biblical truth with a self-described "progressive Christian" who challenges my use of quoted scripture in discussions because he feels they can too easily be pulled out of context. 

My question is,"How then can we use scripture in a discussion at all?" It is obvious that one cannot quote the entire Bible or even quote a book or a chapter to discuss each point made due to time constraints.

The honest use of scripture involves quoting it in a sense that is true to its context and allowing others to check it out if they need to verify its use. 

To abandon scripture and simply discuss men's ideas leads to a mental morass. The quicksand would soon swallow us all. There would be no standard. No Rock.

The progressive says, "...although some parts of the Bible are clearly inspired, other parts are just as clearly based on superstition and represent undesirable ways of dealing with others."

This statement clearly contradicts God's Word. It says: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 2 Tim 3:16

I believe God's Word is true even though I don't understand everything revealed therein. The progressive rejects some of the message so he also rejects the inspiration. He said,
"Raping virgins, or stoning people to death for minor transgressions of outdated customs, or wiping out those of non Judaic descent on Gods command does not fit with my views, but if you honestly believe that is the word of God, or even was ever the word of God, I doubt if I could persuade you otherwise."

I responded. "I’m very aware of the two main passages you refer to about raping virgins. That would be Lot’s daughters (which Lot offered to the men of Sodom to protect his male visitors who turned out to be angels–- and ended up protecting the daughters so that they were not raped).

You are offended that Lot offered them and so am I. It was outrageous! The Bible reports what Lot said and did, but does not approve of it. The fact that the angels intervened to save them shows they disapproved of his intention.

The other incident is in the book of Judges. A Levite is traveling with his concubine and ends up in Gibeah of Israel at dusk.   An elderly man offers hospitality to them but the wicked men of the town surround the house and demand the man be given to them to sexually abuse. The old man offers them his virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine– considering the rape of women to be less heinous than homosexual rape. The men persist in their demands until the Levite shoves his concubine out the door. The depraved men use and abuse her so badly she dies. This leads to a war and further undesirable behavior to save the tribe of Benjamin from extinction.

Where you and I differ is in perception of the Word of God concerning these issues. The Bible reports the wicked activities of men without approving of them. The Book of Judges clearly states that the Israelites (as a whole) were not following Yahweh at that time but were “doing what was right in their own eyes”. The entire book of Judges is about the cycle of sin leading to bondage leading to repentance and then deliverance over and over again. It teaches how quickly societies become depraved when they refuse to live by God’s laws. And it is a historical background for how Israel changed from a Theocracy ruled by Judges to a Kingdom ruled by an earthly King.

The only way the Bible could be an accurate history of the world without discussing the sinfulness of mankind would be to leave us out of it altogether– and that would annul its purpose since Jesus came to save us from our sins.

I could discuss the other things you mentioned as well with the understanding of how they fit into God’s Word and do not disqualify the Bible, as a whole, from being God inspired, but it would be very lengthy.

My point is, pulling scriptures out of context and making sweeping negative statements about them without looking into the actual setting and purpose of those scriptures is very misleading." It leads one into slandering God, His law, the nation of Israel and even Christianity.

To believe and receive Jesus Christ into one’s life is the best decision one can make. Offering this opportunity to all mankind is clearly the purpose of the Bible. All our questions may not be answered in this life, but salvation can be received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. And, that is the most important truth to be found by "rightly dividing" God's Word to gain a correct understanding the Bible.

Hide God's Word In Your Heart

Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you.

I have recently been exposed to the thinking of some of those who would belittle God's Word and question its value. This got me to thinking about how important it has been in my life and how much we personally need the Word to survive in this heathen world we live in.

Our society has deteriorated rapidly and drastically since the Ten Commandments and prayer were removed from schools. But, this would not have happened if the Word had been honored and preserved in our homes and our lives. It has obviously been neglected to our personal and national peril and destruction.

Below I have listed a smattering of the scriptures hidden in my heart that minister to me and even preserve me in various life situations. There are many more. With all the new versions of scripture available, it is sometimes hard to keep all the wording precise but I believe it is the message (the wisdom) contained in the Bible that keeps us. 

So, even if you aren't good at remembering the location, don't let that keep you from learning the message. 

Each scripture, when meditated upon, is a sermon about the important issues of life. The more we know and live, the better our lives and influence.  That is true wisdom!

Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that doesn't need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

The Word of God is quick and powerful sharper than any two-edged sword... revealing the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, Oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer.

The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul. The testimonies of the Lord are pure making wise the simple. More to be desired are they then gold, yea than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world.

By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

We know that we have passed from death unto life if we have love for the brethren.

This is the greatest commandment. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and your neighbor as yourself.

Love not in word but in deed.

If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all men liberally... and it shall be given unto him. But let him ask in faith, not wavering. Let not him who doubts think that he shall receive anything from the Lord for a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

No man is tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil, neither does He tempt any man. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. Lust when it has conceived brings forth sin and sin when it is finished brings forth death.

There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can handle but will, with the temptation, also provide a way of escape that you may be able to stand it.

All things are lawful unto me but all things are not expedient.
All things are lawful unto me but all things edify not.

Anyone who thinks he knows anything, knows nothing yet as he ought to know.

If everything you have, you received, why then do you boast?

Measuring themselves among themselves, they are not wise.

Love is patient, love is kind...it envies not, is not puffed up, is not easily provoked, keeps no record of wrongs, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails. 

...three remain, faith, hope and charity, but the greatest of these is love.

Have you got faith? Have it unto yourself before God.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restore my soul.
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His names sake.
Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
For You are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. 
You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths..

Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

"Yea, I have loved you with an everlasting love."

The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God."

It is not God's will that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.

He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not. But to as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to become the sons of God, even to as many as believe on His name.

He has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Jesus said, "You must be born again."

Jesus said, "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life."

Jesus said, "No man comes...unless the Spirit draws Him. And He who comes to me I will in no wise cast out."

Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you and when I come again, I will receive you unto Myself, that where I am you may be also."

For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.

Jesus said, "Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest."

Have you hidden God's Word in your heart? The time may come when it is the only place you will be able to find it. And, if that time comes,  you will need it more than you need anything else.

I encourage you to be diligent and to hide God's Word in your heart!



Happy Mother’s Day

For all the love you give,

For all the patience you share,

For all the ways you show others

How much you really care,

We Thank You!

For all the "mothering" we've received,

For all the gentleness you exude,

For taking time to meet our needs,

We express our gratitude,

We Thank You!

For being all that you are,

For doing all that you do,

On this special day of the year

We have the chance to say to you,

We Thank You!

Cherel Justice

My Mother's Place

There is no one who can

Take the place of Mother.

I long to hear her voice

And see her one more time.

I'd like to share with her

About so many special things.

Hear her talk about her children,

Show her mine.

She never even lived

To see her children grown.

She never got to see

One grandchild's face.

In all the years I live,

Her loss, I'll ever know.

Because there's no one who can

Take my Mother's place.

Cherel Justice

Mother

Why did your life pass so quickly?
Why did the years hasten by?
If only I could have known then
At thirty eight years you would die.
To you, I’d have given more comfort.
Your desire’d have been my delight.
Nothing for you would have troubled…
Ease your mind, give you rest, with my might.

I was blessed beyond measure to have you
For the short eighteen years you were near.
And, could I roll back the time, gently,
I’d hold you much closer, my dear.
Why is it we always see clearly
Those things that we just didn’t do,
When the time has passed for the doing
And darkness covers the blue?

If I could, I’d have changed your life,
Given you health and more time.
But God had heavenly plans for you
When He took you away in your prime.
I’m sure that you’re happy in life now,
So, regrets for me are but a few.
I wish I’d have shown you much more,
Mother, dear, of my love for you so true.

A Tribute To My Mother

Charlotte Earlene Ridenour

Cherel Justice