***PASTOR JACK SPARROW@WARRIORS FOR CHRIST***
*May the eyes of your heart be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of his inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe.*Eph 1:18-19* *When I do not know what pray, I thank You, Father, that the (Holy) Spirit comes to my aid and bears me up in my behalf He, the Holy Spirit, goes to plead in my behalf. He intercedes in my behalf in harmony with God's will.*
****JESUS PAID IT ALL***
Sunday, February 20, 2022
Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Saturday, October 30, 2021
Sunday, September 5, 2021
Sunday, August 8, 2021
Friday, December 11, 2020
Sunday, November 1, 2020
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Prayer For Christians to Vote
Prayer For Christians To Vote, Scripture Tells us To Chose our Leaders Amen
LANGSTROTHS MADE SIMPLE, WITH FREE PLANS ON 8 FRAME AND 10 FRAMES.
Begin your beekeeping dreams with your very own Langstroth beehive. How to build a beehive, that’s easy to make (no box joints or complicated cuts) and has a minimum start-up cost. This video will show you techniques to make your own boxes complete with proper sizes. Also covered in the video are detailed examples of building techniques that are easy to learn so you can focus on tending to bees rather than making the beehive.
The FREE plans are saved throughout the article along with a write-up on how to.
This beehive is designed around the standard Langstroth 8 frame. In the links, I also provide plans for a 10 frame beehive, as well as lids and plywood sheet cut lists.
If you wish to review or re-watch the videos here are the links to YouTube where I cut and build them.
Latest video and using the same techniques 5 frame Nuc, to do splits, shaking packages or mating.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhpDs_BdEWM
FOR THE VISUAL, I HAVE VIDEOS:
Here are the two links to videos where I build the beehives.
If you missed it the first time, here’s a link to the bottoms and lids of your beehive.
I plan on doing CADs in metric, I’ll post a link once they're finished here. In the meantime, I did some quick converting.
3/8″ = 9.5mm
5/8″ = 16mm
3/4″ = 19mm
7/8″ = 22mm
1-1/2″ = 38mm
9-5/8 = 244mm
6-5/8 = 168mm
19-7/8″ = 505mm
12-1/2″ = 317mm
14″ = 355mm
4′ x 8′ = 1219mm x 2438mm
1″x6″ = 25mm x 152mm
BREAKING DOWN THE SHEET GOODS.
I use 3/4 plywood, exterior grade. Approx. cost is $36.00 (2017) this will give me about 5 – 6 deeps and 1 medium with the final cut. What I do is build them 15 boxes at a time. 3 sheets are cut to 9-5/8’s. 2 are turned into lengths of 19-7/8 and 1 is cut to 12-1/2″. This gives me 15 deeps and 3 mediums. The picture below is if you intend on using only one sheet because you're making a single beehive.
I begin by breaking them down on a table saw or with a rip fence on a circular saw. Once the sheets are broken down into 9-5/8s x 8′ long I switch to my miter saw (or cross-cut jig) and break them down into lengths of 19-7/8 and 12-1/2″ (12-1/2 will give extra room at the sides but increases the chances the bees will build burr comb during the flow.
I use 12-1/2 to help the water and frost escape inside the beehive during a 5-month winter at -30C. If you don’t need to worry about a long winter I recommend using the common 12-1/4″).
Before you change your table saw to a dado blade I recommend sawing 1×6-10 lumber into 2 lengths of 1-1/2″ x 10′ lengths. Save the undersized strip to be cut into a 3/4 x 3/4 x 10′ length to be used for the bottoms and entrance reducers.
The frame rests inside the 12-1/2 can be cut in a number of ways, a circular saw with dado jig. hand saw with careful sawing or a table saw using either a dado blade or multiple cuts. The size is 5/8 deep and 3/8 wide.
Deeps:
Mediums:
ASSEMBLING THE BOXES.
Once the fronts and sizes are cut you can begin assembling.
I set up a square on the corner of my workbench using 3/4 plywood strips. The raised 90-degree corner acts like a jig and allows me to use it as a square to butt joint the corners. The 12-1/2 front and back is placed between the two 19-7/8 sides. Use exterior waterproof wood glue on the joints and connect using 2″ – 3″ screws, staples, or nails. I use staples and at the top and bottom, I “X” nail the corners to provide strength and resist separation. For added strength, you can “X” nail the entire side.
With the boxes assembled I cut the 1-1/2″ pieces into 14″ lengths, 2 per box, and 2 per lid you plan on making.
Use a combination square or measuring tape to measure 1-1/2″ from the top of the box and use this line to line up the top of the cleat. If you plan on using 2″ lids then mark a line at 2″.
Glue and nail the cleats to the 14″ side angling the nail, staple, or screw upwards to the top. A nail angled down may pull out and result in dropping the whole box while carrying 80 lbs of honey and frames. I also use this width to help tie the two 19-7/8 pieces to one another.
TIME TO BUILD YOUR LIDS, BOTTOM BOARDS, AND HANDLES.
For the bottoms and tops, I use 5/8 plywood cut into 14″ x 8′ lengths. (I’ve found 1/2 to be too unstable and tend to warp for the tops unless they're built with telescoping lids).
The lengths are then cut to 14″ x 21-5/8″ and used for both the lids and bottoms.
NOTE: If the 10 frame boxes are being used, you will need to cut the tops and bottoms to a width of 16 1/2″
For the tops, glue and nail the two pieces of 1×6 (1-1/2 x 14″) to the sides. This will give your lid 1/8″ wiggle room. I found placing two 2×4 scraps under the plywood and nailing down onto the lid makes the construction easier.
For the bottom board, I cut the 3/4″ x 3/4″ length into (2) 19-7/8″ (1) 12-1/2″ and (1) 12-7/16″ (Cut these last or you may mix them up with your 12-1/2″
Glue and nail the pieces in place as shown in the drawings and video.
10 FRAME BROOD BOXES AND MEDIUMS.
For those of you who wish to use the 10 fame beehive, here are the plans for the boxes.
Deep 10 Frame:
Medium 10 Frame:
I have designed these plans to provide the greatest number of boxes in the least amount of time for the least amount of cost.
They will suffice until you have grown large enough to buy manufactured boxes or improved your woodworking skills to the level of box joints and pine woodenware. Using exterior grade plywood with exterior latex paint or latex deck stain the boxes will last you for at least five years. If you're in a dry climate then they will last even longer, plenty of time to improve your woodworking skill, financial situation or perhaps find a great deal on used woodenware.
If you liked this build or know someone who wants to try beekeeping but doesn’t know where to begin, share the video or comment below. Good luck everyone with your beekeeping.
Happy Beekeeping and remember to have fun, its a great little hobby.
Jason Kish.
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Catching Swarms-Time for Swarm Boxes
In this video it is time for me to get swarm boxes set out. I like to get them out every February so that the early scouts have the chance to check them out. Earlier the better so that I catch those primary feral swarms. Join me in my 2020 beekeeping season as I share how I maintain my beehives from winter through the following fall. My videos are not meant to be 'How To' videos, but simply me sharing my experiences in beekeeping as I learned it from my mentors, teachers, and studies.
FaceBook: Barry's Best Honey @barrysbesthoney
Sunday, February 16, 2020
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Thursday, March 21, 2019
The 7 places and meanings of Jesus Blood that was shed
1. Jesus sweat blood in the garden of Gethsame - Luke 22:43-46
Jesus Won Back Our Willpower
Leviticus 16:14,29 - Before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.......
Then he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, cleanse it, and consecrate it.
Luke 22:43-46 - Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like GREAT DROPS OF BLOOD falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation".
Medical doctors confirm that at times of intense fear of agony, a person's blood vessels can literally break beneath the skin, and blood will begin to come out of their pores like sweat.
The willpower we lost in the Garden of Eden was won back in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus said, "Not My will, but Thy will be done." (Matthew 26:39)
When you CHOOSE to break the curses on your life, the power of the blood of Jesus will strengthen you, and you will no longer be bound. You will be set free to do God's good work.
Revelation 12:10,11 - "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. AND THEY OVERCAME HIM BY THE BOOD OF THE LAMB."
Affirmations
I UNDERSTAND THAT THE BLOOD OF JESUS BREAKS THE YOKES OF BONDAGE OF MY FATHER'S SINS AND MY SINS.
I CLAIM THE BLOOD OF JESUS FOR MY FREEDOM FROM ____________.
THROUGH HIS BLOOD I AM NO LONGER BOUND AND AM SET FREE.
Cross Be blessed
Last update on April 4, 8:11 am
Mal 3:16-18 ------- John 15:16 ------- 1 Pet 3:9 ------- Rev 2:3-5
2. Jesus shed his Blood when He was lashed. Mat 27.26 also John 19.1
The Stripes on Jesus' Back Won Back Our Health.
Leviticus 16:14,19 - "Before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.....
Then he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, cleanse it, and consecrate it."
The second place, Jesus shed His blood was at the whipping post. It is believed that Jesus was scourged, or flogged thirty-nine times. (Matthew 27:26)
Isaiah 53:5 - But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes, we are healed.
In First Peter 2:24, the apostle Peter quoted Isaiah 53:5. He told his readers, "...By whose stripes ye were healed." The word "stripes" used in this verse is "molopsi", which describes a full-body bruise. It refers to a terrible lashing that draws blood and that produces discoloration and swelling of the entire body.
After graphically reminding us of the breathing, bleeding, and bruising that Jesus endured, Peter declared that it was by these same stripes that we are "healed." The word "healed" is the Greek word "iaomai"--a word that clearly refers to physical healing, as it is a word borrowed from the medical term to describe the physical healing or curing of the human body.
For those who think this promise refers to spiritual healing only, the Greek word emphatically speaks of the healing of a physical condition. This is a real promise of bodily healing that belongs to all who have been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ.
Jesus' broken body was the payment God demanded to guarantee our physical healing! Just as Jesus willfully took our sins and died on the Cross in our place, He also wilfully took our sicknesses and pains on Himself when they tied Him to the scourging post and laid those lashes across His body. That horrific scourging paid for our healing!
James 1:6,7 - "Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let, not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.
To come boldly and confidently to God for healing is the opposite of saying, "If it be Thy will." If we question God's will for us when we ask Him for something, we are double-minded, cannot ask in faith, and He cannot heal us.
My Confession
I BOLDLY CONFESS THAT I AM HEALED BY THE STRIPES OF JESUS CHRIST. THE AGONY HE ENDURED WAS FOR ME AND MY HEALTH. I DON'T HAVE TO BE SICK; I DON'T HAVE TO BE WEAK, AND I DON'T HAVE TO LIVE AT THE MERCY OF AFFLICTION ANYMORE. THE STRIPES ON JESUS' BODY WERE FOR ME, SO TODAY I RELEASE MY FAITH AND COMMIT THAT I WILL NOT BE SATISFIED WITH ANYTHING LESS THAN GOD'S BEST -- DIVINE HEALING AND HEALTH EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE!
Cross Be blessed
Last update on April 4, 8:10 am Mal 3:16-18 ------- John 15:16 ------- 1 Pet 3:9 ------- Rev 2:3-5
3. Jesus Blood was shed with the crown of thorns. Mat 27.29 also Mark 15.17
The third-place Jesus shed His blood broke the curse of poverty.
Genesis 3:17-19 - "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying 'You shall not eat of it': Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil, you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both THORNS and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread till you return to the ground."
Thousands of years after Adam sinned, Jesus Christ, the second Adam, was taken before the religious and political authorities to stand trial as a fraud and a heretic. On the way to Pilate, as they were mocking Jesus, "All hail, King of the Jews," they saw a THORN bush --the symbol of the curse of poverty on the land. They took some of the THORN branches, wove them into a crown, and placed them on the brow of Jesus until the blood flowed from His head. The symbol of poverty was placed on the brow of Jesus, the second Adam. When those
THORNS pierced His brow, He shed His blood for our redemption from poverty.
We were cursed with poverty by the sweat of Adam's brow, but we were redeemed from the curse of poverty by the blood on Jesus' brow.
Now, by the power of the blood of Jesus, not only is the curse of poverty broken, but those who take the name of Jesus and claim His blood are anointed to prosper.
2 Corinthians 8:9 - "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich."
Jesus never was poor. When the Bible says, Jesus became poor, it means He was poor in comparison to what He had in His heavenly home.
Before Mary and Joseph went to the barn, they first went to the inn to get a room. Mary and Joseph had plenty of money to get a room at the inn. The problem was, the inn had no room for the savior.
Yes, Jesus was born in a manger, but not to teach us poverty. He was showing us that we were not making room for the Savior to be born in our lives.
Affirmations
I MAKE ROOM FOR JESUS EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE.
THROUGH THE BLOOD THAT THE LORD JESUS SHED FOR ME, I AM ABUNDANCE.
Cross Be blessed
Mal 3:16-18 ------- John 15:16 ------- 1 Pet 3:9 ------- Rev 2:3-5
4. Blood was shed by the nails through the hands of Jesus.
Leviticus 16:14,19 - Before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger SEVEN times.....Then he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger SEVEN times, cleanse it, and consecrate it.
The fourth place Jesus' blood was shed was from His hands, where the soldiers pounded spikes to nail Him to the cross.
Genesis 1:26 - Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion of the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
God place all authority in the hands of Adam and Eve, but when Adam disobeyed God, that authority was taken from us and Satan became the god of this world.
When Jesus bled from His hands, dominion was returned to God's children. That means that whatever evil we encounter, we have the authority in Jesus' name to render it harmless.
Mark 16:18 - "They will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Our authority has been redeemed. OUR DOMINION has been redeemed. We need to take our hands, lay them on everything, and claim the blessings of God with authority, by the blood and in the name of Jesus.
Job 1:10 - "Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land."
As God built a hedge around Job, which limited Satan, so today He will do the same for any child of God who applies the blood to a given situation. The blood is the hedge that stops the Destroyer.
Revelation 12:11 - And they overcame him by the BLOOD of the Lamb and by the WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Exodus 12:7,13 - "And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses...And the blood shall be to you and for a token upon the houses where you 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."
Confessions
THERE IS POWER IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS TO SET EVERYTHING RIGHT, SATAN. I DECLARE TO YOU THAT HIS ATONING BLOOD WORKS NOW TO MINISTER DEFEAT TO EVERY EVIL WORK OF YOURS AND TO BRING IT DOWN TO NOTHING.
I OVERCOME ALL FEAR, DEPRESSION, UNBELIEF, WAVERING AND HALFHEARTEDNESS, DISCOURAGEMENT, TEMPTATION, AND SICKNESS BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS AND THE WORD OF MY TESTIMONY.
MY SOUL IS FILLED WITH LOVE AS I GAZE ON JESUS' PRECIOUS BLOOD.
BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF THE BLOOD IN MY HEART, I APPLY THE BLOOD WITH MY MOUTH OVER THE DOORPOSTS OF MY LIFE.
Prayers
PRAISE THE LORD! THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR YOUR GREAT PLAN OF REDEMPTION! THANK YOU FOR THE BLOOD OF JESUS! I PLACE THE TOKEN OF THE BLOOD BETWEEN ME AND MINE AND ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY.
THANK YOU, LORD, FOR THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. IN THE NAME OF JESUS I DRAW A BLOODLINE AROUND MY PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS.
Cross Be blessed
Mal 3:16-18 ------- John 15:16 ------- 1 Pet 3:9 ------- Rev 2:3-5
5. Blood was shed by the nails through the feet of Jesus.
Jesus' Pierced Feet Won Back Dominion Over The Places We Walk
The fifth place where Jesus shed His blood was where they drove the spikes through His feet, nailing Him to the cross. The bloodshed from His feet also redeemed us from our loss of DOMINION AND AUTHORITY.
Ephesians 6:10 - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might."
The Greek word "Kratos," relates to God's manifested dominion and therefore our outer strength. Kratos speaks of DOMINION, power, and strength.
Acts 19:20 - "So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing."
The scripture tells us that in the days of the early church, "the word of the Lord grew mightily (Kratos) and prevailed."
When Adam disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, he lost the spiritual dominion and authority given to him in Genesis 1:26, and at that moment, Satan became the god of this world. But through Jesus' shed blood, we don't have to be trampled by Satan. God said to Joshua "Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you," (Joshua 1:3). There is something about taking ground in the spirit--there is something about taking the land.
How do we prophesy over others:
We speak the Blood of Jesus over their lives
We speak health over their lives
We speak DESTINY over their lives
We have been commanded to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15). Wherever we go, we're to tell people "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15). This would be impossible unless we had the authority to take DOMINION over Satan's earthly kingdom. DOMINION over this earth is ours again because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and wherever we are, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
As believers, we have the authority to walk around our neighborhood and say, "I bind the devil in my neighborhood. I bind the drug addicts and the dope dealers." We can walk through schools and say, "I bind violence, I bind perversion, and I bind New Age teaching." Because every place where you set your foot will be yours (Deuteronomy 11:24)
When we bind the devil, our next step is to lose the peace of Jesus in our streets -- lose the righteousness of Jesus in our cities.
Matthew 18:18 - "Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven".
Questions to Ask Myself
How am I creating an opportunity for God to act through my faith?
What incredible acts of faith am I capable of?
Affirmations
I arise and walk in dominion power, and lay a hold of the promises of God.
God is calling for me to arise and take a strong stand against the works of darkness. I am to take the land. (Jude 1-4)
I have a burning desire to disciple others into a higher knowledge of Christ (Matthew 29:19)
Truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord! (Micah 3:8)
As a believer, I enter into and possess a dimension of the Kingdom that has never been displayed on the earth.
Cross Be blessed
Mal 3:16-18 ------- John 15:16 ------- 1 Pet 3:9 ------- Rev 2:3-5
6. Blood was shed when the spear pierced the side of Jesus. John 19.34
The sixth-place Jesus shed His blood was where a soldier shoved a spear into His side and blood and water poured out. Jesus died from a broken heart -- from the weight of our sin. It is a physical phenomenon that when a person's heart bursts, the water, and blood of his body flow together.
When Jesus announced His ministry in the synagogue, He read from the scroll:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed." (Luke 4:18)
Jesus was anointed with the power to heal the brokenhearted because God desires for His people to live in joy. When we are filled with joy, we have the strength to fight the good fight of faith.
Nehemiah 8:10 - "The joy of the Lord is your strength."
His heart was broken so our hearts could be made whole. We overcome the wounds of broken hearts by the blood of the Lamb. Jesus became our sin so we wouldn't have to sin. He became our sickness so we wouldn't have to be sick. He became our broken heart so we wouldn't have to have a broken heart. Jesus came to restore our joy
Psalm 138:8; 147:3 - "The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your loving kindness, O Lord, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Affirmation
TODAY I ALLOW THE HEALING POWER OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS TO DELIVER ME FROM ALL PAIN, SORROW, AND GRIEF. I LET HIM FILL ME WITH THE JOY OF THE LORD AND LET THAT JOY BECOME MY STRENGTH, NOT JUST FOR TODAY, BUT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I want to consecrate myself to you all over again. I confess my sins to you now. I ask for the blood of Jesus to cleanse me from every sin.
God, I want more of the anointing, whatever the cost. Spirit of the Lord I want you to come mightily upon my life; stir my heart with a desire to walk in humility and compassion. Please come upon me mightily like you came upon Jesus when He said that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the oppressed, and to recover the sight of the blind.
I love Jesus and I want to be like Him. God, please anoint me! I want to fulfill the vision that you have given me to accomplish. Thank you, dear Heavenly Father, for imparting to me the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen.
Cross Be blessed
Mal 3:16-18 ------- John 15:16 ------- 1 Pet 3:9 ------- Rev 2:3-5
7. Blood was shed through the bruises that Jesus received. Isa 53.5
The seventh-place Jesus shed his blood was in His bruises; He was bruised for our iniquities.
"Iniquity" means a spirit that tries to break us down. It is a spiritual force on the inside that pressures us to bow or bend under its destructive nature.
Exodus 34:6,7 - "The Lord passed before him, and proclaimed, "The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgressions and sin."
We can plead the blood of Jesus to wipe away our sin and to set us free from the iniquity that drives us to do the very thing we do not want to do. The key to receiving the blessing of God is not just getting saved, but getting changed -- transferred from the old creature to the new!
2 Corinthians 5:15,17 - "And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him, who died for them and rose again. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
Jesus shed His blood on the inside as well as on the outside. He was bruised inside to change the person on the inside, to change the nature that causes them to hurt or suffering. Through His shed blood, we are not just free; we are free indeed!
2 Corinthians 5:21 - "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
Affirmations
I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.
SPIRITUAL FORCES ON THE INSIDE OF ME THAT HAVE BROKEN ME DOWN IN THE PAST NO LONGER HAVE POWER OVER ME AS I PLEAD THE BLOOD OF JESUS OVER MY TRANSGRESSIONS AND INIQUITIES.
Cross Be blessed
Last update on April 4, 2:33
Mal 3:16-18 ------- John 15:16 ------- 1 Pet 3:9 ------- Rev 2:3-5
How to Maintain Our Peace in the Midst of Spiritual Warfare
How to Maintain Our Peace in the Midst of Spiritual Warfare
"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" - (Romans 12:16-18).
Dear intercessors,
Spiritual warfare is part of the Christian life. Psalm 144:1 says, "Praise be to the Lord, my Rock. Who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle." Exodus 15:3 says, "The Lord is a mighty warrior; the Lord is his name." We are living on earth in enemy territory, and, therefore, we experience spiritual warfare. We must always be on the alert. The enemy comes in like a flood, trying to fill us with doubt, fear, and discouragement. He tries to bring division in our relationships. But our God always has victory when we trust in Him and walk in His peace.
If we want to be healers and helpers in battle, we must be clad in His armor. We must have a strategy to rescue those taken hostage or left wounded on the battlefield. We must understand the seriousness of war.
Spiritual warfare is part of the Christian life. Psalm 144:1 says, "Praise be to the Lord, my Rock. Who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle." Exodus 15:3 says, "The Lord is a mighty warrior; the Lord is his name." We are living on earth in enemy territory, and, therefore, we experience spiritual warfare. We must always be on the alert. The enemy comes in like a flood, trying to fill us with doubt, fear, and discouragement. He tries to bring division in our relationships. But our God always has victory when we trust in Him and walk in His peace.
If we want to be healers and helpers in battle, we must be clad in His armor. We must have a strategy to rescue those taken hostage or left wounded on the battlefield. We must understand the seriousness of war.
How can we walk in victory and maintain peace right in the midst of personal, and sometimes unrelenting, spiritual warfare? How can we be joyful in war?
Ways to Maintain Peace in Spiritual Warfare
"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness" - (James 3:17-18).
It is possible to walk in a level of joy and peace even when things on earth seem to be getting worse. We can bring peace wherever we go. Here are some ways:
It is possible to walk in a level of joy and peace even when things on earth seem to be getting worse. We can bring peace wherever we go. Here are some ways:
We must be a lover of God first and then a warrior- Jesus must be our all in all. We must concentrate on our relationship with Him, and abide in that intimacy always. The busier we are, the more we must cultivate our relationship with Him. Many unintentionally lose their intimate relationship with God. It happens little by little if we are not alert to the enemy's devices. The enemy is crafty, and he knows where your power lies.
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5).
We must develop a life of praise and worship - Worship is powerful warfare. When I go to the nations, I bring my worship music. I play it and pray it over countries. I find that this to be of my greatest strategies in seeing a breakthrough in the nations. Prayer and worship open the way for everything else. God opens the door for His grace to come pouring into the nations.
We must develop a life of praise and worship - Worship is powerful warfare. When I go to the nations, I bring my worship music. I play it and pray it over countries. I find that this to be of my greatest strategies in seeing a breakthrough in the nations. Prayer and worship open the way for everything else. God opens the door for His grace to come pouring into the nations.
"The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior" (Psalm 18:46).
We must persevere and resist the devil - The enemy is intent to stop us as we move forward. We need perseverance. Nothing good happens without it. We are all living in enemy territory. We are called to destroy the works of the devil. Jesus destroyed the works of the devil at the cross (1 John 3:8). To take our stand against the enemy means that we refuse to give him ground and that we will not retreat. We settle that in our hearts. We resist the enemy and draw near to God.
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you" (James 4:7-8).
We are not going to retreat or depart because of enemy pressure, but we are going to go on from glory to glory to victory! God's grace is sufficient. We resist the enemy, stand firm in the Lord, and do not give way. We carefully maintain peace in our relationships. We worship and praise God right in the middle of the difficulty. Satan will not give us territory without a fight. We are taking ground in heavenly places, even if we do not see it. We must not relax our vigilance. It doesn't mean that we are frantic, nervous and anxious. We walk in that supernatural peace and joy that is possible only as we abide in Him.
This is the amazing truth of the Christian life as we enter into the harvest in the nations. We are living a life that is not of our own strength. Let's get comfortable with a life of dependence on God; loving Him totally, standing firmly on His Word, and walking in His peace.
Times of Testing in Warfare
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 6:10-13).
When we were going through months of endurance and spiritual warfare on our missionary ship where the trials seemed endless and without any let-up, I would go out on deck during a voyage (feeling seasick and tired), put on my headphones, and worship God for a period of time. We are now visiting Virginia Beach, the city where we previously lived. I would do the same thing here. Before long, the clouds in my own mind and heart would clear, I would see light on the horizon, and my perspective would change.
You may be in a time of testing. The devil will always try to steal your hope. But God gives us hope when we spend time with Him. He would give me hope again and again at sea; hope that He would finally break through, hope that the seas would one day be calm again, and hope that God would turn my very trial into something supernatural and good.
When we are in the midst of difficulty, we can handle it God's way and with His peace. The enemy brings in discouraging thoughts, false reasoning, doubts, and disappointments. He tries to steal our peace. But if we choose to worship Him and grow intimate with Jesus, then the clouds will begin to lift as we persevere. The perseverance is all part of the testing time. We are being stretched. It's part of the package of how God plans to train and work through us, bringing maturity and victory.
Let's thank God for every day that He has to stretch us. He is developing spiritual muscles that we would never have had before, and it is so worth it. It is all part of love even when we don't feel it at the time. God loves you. This is why He is permitting whatever trial you may be facing. It is for your good (Romans 8:28). He is making you a worker of great stature and purpose, and you shall not be disappointed. See your circumstances from His perspective, and let His peace rule in your heart. It will all be worth it!
Let's thank God for every day that He has to stretch us. He is developing spiritual muscles that we would never have had before, and it is so worth it. It is all part of love even when we don't feel it at the time. God loves you. This is why He is permitting whatever trial you may be facing. It is for your good (Romans 8:28). He is making you a worker of great stature and purpose, and you shall not be disappointed. See your circumstances from His perspective, and let His peace rule in your heart. It will all be worth it!
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful" (Colossians 3:15).
May your days be blessed, filled with His love, His compassion, His comfort His Joy, His healing and His Holy Spirit.♦
~"The Lord watches over you--the Lord is your shade at your right hand."~Psalm 121:5 ~
☎May the Lord bless you and keep you!
May the Lord deal kindly and graciously with you!
May the Lord bestow His favor upon you and grant you His friendship!
May the Lord deal kindly and graciously with you!
May the Lord bestow His favor upon you and grant you His friendship!
May the Lord bless you, Yes, may it be His will. May He be gracious to you. May the Lord's face shine upon you, Yes, may it be His will. May His peace come and rest upon you, yes, may it be His will for you. May the LORD lift up His face and shine upon you, Yes, may it be His will.☎
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Friday, March 8, 2019
Friday, March 1, 2019
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
The Birth of Christ
~Luke 2:7~And she brought forth her Firstborn Son-[this is meant to
emphasize the fact that there were no other children up to this time;
as well it refutes the error of the Catholic Church, which claims that
Mary, thereafter, had no other children, and remained A Virgin
throughout her life, actually, Jesus'/Yeshua' had four brothers,
"James, Joseph, Simon, and Jude," as well as two or three sisters
[Matthew 13:55-56], and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid,
Him in a manger [spoke of a feeding place for animals]; because there
was no room for them in the inn [the Inn of Bethlehem was of ancient
duration, being mentioned in Jer, 41:17; this type of "Inn" was for the
poorest of the poor, and offered little more than the shelter of its walls
and roof].
No room in the inn… and she laid Him in a manger. Away in a manger, but
not a stable? We know the Christmas story so well. Mary and Joseph
traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem and were turned away from the village
inn by the innkeeper. They took refuge in a barn, where baby Jesus was
born and laid in a manger. A very early church tradition says the site of the
nativity was a cave near Bethlehem.
The Biblical story of the birth of Jesus is found primarily in Luke 2. Dr. Luke
neither quotes nor mentions an innkeeper. We suggest the story does not refer
to an inn, a cave or even a barn, but rather a house!
The text of Luke 2 notes there was no room for Mary and Joseph in the “inn.” Un-
fortunately, the Greek term translated inn (kataluma) had multiple
fortunately, the Greek term translated inn (kataluma) had multiple
meanings, among them inn or caravansary. Used only one other time in
the New Testament (Luke 22:11 and the parallel passage, Mark 14:14), it was
the place where Jesus observed the Last Supper with His disciples. Here, Dr.
Luke gave additional information about the kataluma. He said it was a
furnished large upper story room within a private Jerusalem house. The
kataluma of the last night of Jesus’ Earthly ministry was the “upper room.”
We suggest the kataluma of Jesus’ first night was a similar room in Bethlehem.
Mary and Joseph came into town with Mary ready to deliver. Arriving at
Joseph’s ancestral home, they found it already full of other family members
who had arrived earlier. While the exact reason space was not made for a
pregnant woman is unknown, it probably indicates the house was full of elder
members of Joseph’s family, who had priority.
So that is when Mary and Joseph went to the barn, right? Not exactly. The
Biblical account mentions neither barn nor cave—it is assumed because of
the manger. Mangers are animal feeding troughs, and barns are where one
would expect to find them.
But in the ancient world, as well as in primitive modern cultures, mangers
are also found within the house itself. Animals are regularly kept in homes
at night. A small number of flock animals were housed, not in attached
exterior sheds, but inside the house in one of the ground floor rooms. Here,
animals, tools and agricultural produce were stored. Here, too, food was
prepared and possibly consumed.
Family sleeping quarters were on the second floor (an upper room). By
being inside, the animals were protected from the elements and theft. In
addition, their presence provided body heat for cool nights, access to milk
for the daily meal and dung as a critical fuel source. Excavations in Israel
have uncovered numerous installations within domestic structures which
probably represent ancient mangers. Some are carved, but most are stone
built.
Wooden mangers, of course, have not survived in the archaeological record.
Consequently, Mary and Joseph did not find space in the living quarters of
the ancestral family home. Instead, they stayed downstairs in the domestic
stable, still within the ancestral home, where a manger or two was located.
Here they were visited by the shepherds, and maybe the wise men some time
later.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life
(John 3:16).
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Prayer For Christians To Vote, Scripture Tells us To Chose our Leaders Amen
Dear Heavenly Father, I do not take lightly what You have done in our nation. I appreciate not only the right but the privilege I have to Vote. I pray that i, as well as others, will use that privilege wisely, seeking Your will as we consider the qualifications of those for whom we are to Vote.
I pray for my Christian family [the body of Christ] that they would see the right to vote as a gift from Your hand and avail themselves of this opportunity.
May there arise such a force of righteousness in our electoral system that it would affect every realm and level of government in our nation.
I pray in Jesus'/Yeshua' Name that the powers that be would gain a profound respect not only for the political strength of the Christian community but for our spiritual influence in our nation as well.
Scripture References:
~Luke 6:13~And when it was day,.... Or morning; having spent the whole night in prayer to God, no doubt for his disciples, whom he was about to send forth as his apostles, to preach his Gospel, and work miracles, and for their success therein:
he called unto him his disciples; the whole company of them, as in Luk_6:17 all that were his followers, and professed to believe in him, or as many as he pleased; see Mar_3:13.
And of them he chose twelve; and ordained them, and sent them out to preach, heal sicknesses, and cast out devils:
whom he also named apostles; or "messengers", from their being sent by him on such important business; and their names are as follow.
~Acts 6:1~Acts 6:1
And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied,.... From an hundred and twenty to three thousand more, from thence to five thousand more, and after that a multitude of men and women were added, and still they were increasing; see Act_1:15 Act_2:41. This increase of the disciples agrees with what Maimonides says (z), before observed, that
"in the days of Gamaliel, רבו מינים, "the heretics were multiplied in Israel".''
The word "disciples" was a common name to all Christians, to all that believed in Christ, and was the name they went by, before they were called Christians, Act_11:26
there arose a murmuring of the Grecians, or Hellenists, against the Hebrews; by the Hebrews are meant the Jews that dwelt in Judea, and were the inhabitants of that country, and chiefly of Jerusalem, who spoke the Hebrew, or rather the Syriac language; and by the Grecians, or Hellenists, are meant, not the Greeks that were proselyted to the Jewish religion, though there might be some few among them; but Jews who were born, and had dwelt, in some parts of Greece, and spoke the Greek language, and used the Septuagint version of the Bible; between these two a murmuring arose, a complaint was made by one against the other: so that, as it appears from the instance of Ananias and Sapphira, that this first and pure Gospel church was not free from hypocrites; it is also manifest, that though they were at first so united and harmonious in their affections and judgments, yet they were not always clear of feuds, animosities, and contentions; Satan bestirred himself, and got footing among them, as he commonly does where the Gospel is preached, and there is an increase of it: the reason of this uneasiness was,
because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration; that is, they had not that distributed which was necessary for them, nor so much as the Hebrew widows; they complained of partiality, as if because the Hebrew widows were the natives of the country, and might be nearly related to many of the community, that therefore they were more regarded and better supplied every day, than their widows were, whose husbands had dwelt in foreign lands, and were not so well known, and had fewer acquaintance and relations; for it seems the ministration or distribution was made every day: and such a practice obtained among the Jews in common, who used to collect every day for the poor, and give it daily to them. Maimonides (a) speaks of it in this manner;
"they appoint collectors, who receive "every day", from every court, a piece of bread, or any sort of food, or fruit, or money, from whomsoever that offers freely for the time; and they divide that which is collected, "in the evening", among the poor, and they give to every poor person of it "his daily sustenance"; and this is called תמחוי, "Tamchui", or "the alms dish".''
And from hence the apostles might take up this custom, and follow it. The Ethiopic version renders it, "because they saw their widows minister", or "employed daily"; as if the complaint was, that their widows were too much made use of, and obliged to more frequent and to harder service in taking care of the poor, the sick, and helpless, than the other widows were, who had not their share of labour with them, but lived more at ease. Though others rather think the murmur was, because the Grecian widows were not taken into the number, and employed in taking care of the poor, as the Hebrew widows were; but the sense first given, of not having so good a share in the distribution, seems to be the best.
(z) Hilchot Tephilla, c. 2. sect. 1. (a) Hilchot Mattanot Annayim, c. 9. sect.
~Act 6:3~"So, brothers and sisters, choose seven men whom the people know are spiritually wise. We will put them in charge of this problem."~
~Act 6:4~However, we will devote ourselves to praying and to serving in ways that are related to the word."
~Act 6:5~"The suggestion pleased the whole group. So they chose Stephen, who was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and they chose Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, who had converted to Judaism in the city of Antioch".~
~Act 6:6~"The disciples had these men stand in front of the apostles, who prayed and placed their hands on these seven men".~
~Act 6:7~"The word of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem grew very large. A large number of priests accepted the faith".~
~Act 6:8~"Stephen was a man filled with God's favor and power. He did amazing things and performed miracles".~
~Act 6:9~"One day some men from the cities of Cyrene and Alexandria and the provinces of Cilicia and Asia started an argument with Stephen. They belonged to a synagogue called Freedmen's Synagogue".~
~Act 6:10~"They couldn't argue with Stephen because he spoke with the wisdom that the Spirit had given him".~
~Act 6:11~"Then they bribed some men to lie. These men said, "We heard him slander Moses and God."~
~Act 6:12~"The liars stirred up trouble among the people, the leaders, and the scribes. So they went to Stephen, took him by force, and brought him in front of the Jewish council".~
~Act 6:13~"Some witnesses stood up and lied about Stephen. They said, "This man never stops saying bad things about the holy place and Moses' Teachings".~
~Act 6:14~"We heard him say that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy the temple and change the customs that Moses gave us."~
Sunday, January 10, 2016
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND FAITH
Never in the history of the world has it been more important for the Christian Warriors to know the truth of the Word of God & the authority we possess in Jesus Christ.
"My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge."
[ Hosea 4:6]
Luke 10:19-"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents & scorpions, & over all the power of the enemy, & nothing shall by any means hurt you.
[ Luke 10:19]
Mark 16:17 & 18-"And these signs will follow those who believe; In My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18."They will take up serpents; & if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, & they will recover."
[ Mark 16:17 & 18 ]
(Matthew 12:28)
If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
(Matthew 12:36 & 37)
I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. 37. For by your words you will be acquitted, & by your words you will be condemned."
Biblical Truth
A church is to be a community of caring Christians.
Matthew 18:18-20
I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, & whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven. 19. Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, I am there among them."
John 14:12-14-"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; & greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."
13. "And whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
14,"If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it."[John 14:12-14]
"My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge."
[ Hosea 4:6]
Luke 10:19-"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents & scorpions, & over all the power of the enemy, & nothing shall by any means hurt you.
[ Luke 10:19]
Mark 16:17 & 18-"And these signs will follow those who believe; In My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18."They will take up serpents; & if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, & they will recover."
[ Mark 16:17 & 18 ]
(Matthew 12:28)
If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
(Matthew 12:36 & 37)
I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. 37. For by your words you will be acquitted, & by your words you will be condemned."
Biblical Truth
A church is to be a community of caring Christians.
Matthew 18:18-20
I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, & whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven. 19. Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, I am there among them."
John 14:12-14-"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; & greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."
13. "And whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
14,"If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it."[John 14:12-14]
Islamization of America
by Daniel Pipes ( New York Post)
Prominent U.S. Muslims speak in support of the Islamization of America. The killing of 5,000 Americans requires that it be noted and seriously worried about.
"Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country," said President Bush shortly after Sept. 11, noting that they are "doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads." He later added that "there are millions of good Americans who practice the Muslim faith who love their country as much as I love the country, who salute the flag as strongly as I salute the flag."
These soothing words were clearly appropriate for a moment of tension and mounting bias against Muslims living in the United States. And it is absolutely true that the number of militant Islamic operatives with plans to carry out terrorist attacks on the United States is a tiny proportion of the Muslim population as a whole.
Both despise the United States and ultimately wish to transform it into a Muslim country. But the situation is more complex than the president would have it. The Muslim population is not like any other, for it harbors a substantial body -- one many times larger than the agents of Osama bin Laden -- who have worrisome aspirations for the United States.
Although not responsible for the atrocities in September, these people share important goals with the suicide hijackers: Both despise the United States and ultimately wish to transform it into a Muslim country.
However bizarre this goal, the killing of 5,000 Americans requires that it be noted and seriously worried about.
ISLAMIZATION AGENDA
The ambition to take over the United States is hardly a new one. The first Islamic missionaries from abroad arrived in the 1920s and unblushingly declared, "Our plan is, we are going to conquer America." Such hopes have become commonplace in recent years.
Some examples:
Omar Abdel Rahman -- the blind sheikh later convicted of planning a "day of rage" by blowing up New York buildings and architecture -- in 1991 called on Muslims to "conquer the land of the infidels."
A native-born American who converted to Islam and helped fight the Soviets in Afghanistan, then proclaimed that "it is the duty of all Muslims to complete the march of jihad [holy war] until we reach America and liberate her."
Isma'il Al-Faruqi, the first academic theorist of a United States-made-fundamentalist-Muslim, argued in 1983 that "Nothing could be greater than this youthful, vigorous, and rich continent [of North America] turning away from its past evil and marching forward under the banner of Allahu Akbar [God is great]."
Siraj Wahaj, the first imam to deliver a Muslim prayer for the U.S. House of Representatives, holds that if Muslims unite, they could elect their own leader as president; "take my word, if 6-8 million Muslims unite in America, the country will come to us."
Zaid Shakir, formerly the Muslim chaplain at Yale University, believes the Koran "pushes us in the exact opposite direction as the forces at work in the American political spectrum," and from this argues that Muslims cannot accept the legitimacy of the existing order.
Masudul Alam Choudhury, a Canadian professor of business, matter-of-factly advocates the "Islamization agenda in North America."
Ahmad Nawfal, a Jordanian who spoke often at American rallies a few years ago, says that if fundamentalist Muslims stand up, "it will be very easy for us to preside over this world once again."
The existing order -- religious freedom, democracy, women's rights -- can no longer be taken for granted.
Shamim A. Siddiqi wrote a book on establishing "Islamic rule" in the United States, with the goal of Muslims creating "a strong lobby in Washington for the promotion of Islam in this country as well as elsewhere in the world." Some organizations also express a hope that one day Muslims will take over in the United States. The International Institute of Islamic Thought in Herndon, Virginia, aims for nothing less than "the Islamization of the humanities and the social sciences."
Just one month after the Sept. 11 atrocities, a delegate at the American Muslim Alliance convention, held in San Jose, announced: "By the year 2020, we should have an American Muslim president of the United States."
While there is no reason to suppose that the aspiration to replace the Constitution with Islamic law will succeed, the fact that this represents a not-insignificant body of opinion has major implications.
It means that the existing order -- religious freedom, democracy, women's rights -- can no longer be taken for granted. It now needs to be fought for.
by Daniel Pipes ( New York Post)
Prominent U.S. Muslims speak in support of the Islamization of America. The killing of 5,000 Americans requires that it be noted and seriously worried about.
"Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country," said President Bush shortly after Sept. 11, noting that they are "doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads." He later added that "there are millions of good Americans who practice the Muslim faith who love their country as much as I love the country, who salute the flag as strongly as I salute the flag."
These soothing words were clearly appropriate for a moment of tension and mounting bias against Muslims living in the United States. And it is absolutely true that the number of militant Islamic operatives with plans to carry out terrorist attacks on the United States is a tiny proportion of the Muslim population as a whole.
Both despise the United States and ultimately wish to transform it into a Muslim country. But the situation is more complex than the president would have it. The Muslim population is not like any other, for it harbors a substantial body -- one many times larger than the agents of Osama bin Laden -- who have worrisome aspirations for the United States.
Although not responsible for the atrocities in September, these people share important goals with the suicide hijackers: Both despise the United States and ultimately wish to transform it into a Muslim country.
However bizarre this goal, the killing of 5,000 Americans requires that it be noted and seriously worried about.
ISLAMIZATION AGENDA
The ambition to take over the United States is hardly a new one. The first Islamic missionaries from abroad arrived in the 1920s and unblushingly declared, "Our plan is, we are going to conquer America." Such hopes have become commonplace in recent years.
Some examples:
Omar Abdel Rahman -- the blind sheikh later convicted of planning a "day of rage" by blowing up New York buildings and architecture -- in 1991 called on Muslims to "conquer the land of the infidels."
A native-born American who converted to Islam and helped fight the Soviets in Afghanistan, then proclaimed that "it is the duty of all Muslims to complete the march of jihad [holy war] until we reach America and liberate her."
Isma'il Al-Faruqi, the first academic theorist of a United States-made-fundamentalist-Muslim, argued in 1983 that "Nothing could be greater than this youthful, vigorous, and rich continent [of North America] turning away from its past evil and marching forward under the banner of Allahu Akbar [God is great]."
Siraj Wahaj, the first imam to deliver a Muslim prayer for the U.S. House of Representatives, holds that if Muslims unite, they could elect their own leader as president; "take my word, if 6-8 million Muslims unite in America, the country will come to us."
Zaid Shakir, formerly the Muslim chaplain at Yale University, believes the Koran "pushes us in the exact opposite direction as the forces at work in the American political spectrum," and from this argues that Muslims cannot accept the legitimacy of the existing order.
Masudul Alam Choudhury, a Canadian professor of business, matter-of-factly advocates the "Islamization agenda in North America."
Ahmad Nawfal, a Jordanian who spoke often at American rallies a few years ago, says that if fundamentalist Muslims stand up, "it will be very easy for us to preside over this world once again."
The existing order -- religious freedom, democracy, women's rights -- can no longer be taken for granted.
Shamim A. Siddiqi wrote a book on establishing "Islamic rule" in the United States, with the goal of Muslims creating "a strong lobby in Washington for the promotion of Islam in this country as well as elsewhere in the world." Some organizations also express a hope that one day Muslims will take over in the United States. The International Institute of Islamic Thought in Herndon, Virginia, aims for nothing less than "the Islamization of the humanities and the social sciences."
Just one month after the Sept. 11 atrocities, a delegate at the American Muslim Alliance convention, held in San Jose, announced: "By the year 2020, we should have an American Muslim president of the United States."
While there is no reason to suppose that the aspiration to replace the Constitution with Islamic law will succeed, the fact that this represents a not-insignificant body of opinion has major implications.
It means that the existing order -- religious freedom, democracy, women's rights -- can no longer be taken for granted. It now needs to be fought for.
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