Courage, Dear Heart

Do you find yourself in the need of courage lately? Do you shrink back as you read the daily news? Do you fear for the future of your children? Are you feeling like hope has sailed to a distant shore, eluding your grasp and dulling your heart?

If we were to take all we are seeing around us at face value, we may feel the very things I’ve mentioned above. But, when we have a biblical perspective we can take what we are seeing and view it through the lens of Christ. This will give us the vision we need to understand and most importantly, to ACT.

“I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else,
 nor share my praise with carved idols.  Everything I prophesied has come true,  and now I will prophesy again. I will tell you the future before it happens,” Isaiah 42:8,9.

If we are in Christ we have something the rest of the world doesn’t have. In the year 2020, we have the 20/20 vision of the Creator. We have the WORD OF GOD which tells us the future before it happens.

No we are not fortune tellers. We certainly do not know how each hour will unfold exactly. But, we do know the end game. The Bible gives us the playbook as well as the players. It’s our job to know the Bible and be on board with God’s strategies for winning. He will win regardless, but since we are part of his kingdom, we should be more than willing and ready to engage in the battle.

Perhaps you’ve already been in the battle. Speaking for myself, I’m already sporting some injuries. What about you? I imagine you have a scratch or two, maybe even a broken bone. Well get ready because more is coming. I don’t say this to scare you, but to prepare you. This is why I titled the blog, “Courage dear heart!”. This quote is from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis.

The context of this quote is important in order to understand its full meaning. One of the main characters, Lucy, is on a ship and heading into dark, treacherous waters. She is frightened and unsure about the voyage. She begins doubting what Aslan has told her.

If you aren’t familiar with the story you may not know who Aslan is, or who he represents. Aslan is a beautiful, brave and kind lion who guides the characters of the story in their journeys, and helps them face and defeat evil along the way. The author, C.S. Lewis, uses Aslan as an archetype for Christ, who guides all christians as they journey through the perils of life.

Lucy feels fear and doubt as she faces an unknown journey. At some point in the journey she says, “Aslan, Aslan, if you ever loved us at all, send us help now.”

The response is this:

“The darkness did not grow any less, but she began to feel a little- a very, very little- better.”

After this, Lucy hears a whisper as an albatross circles the ship…….

“But no one except Lucy knew that as it circled the mast it had whispered to her, “Courage, dear heart,” and the voice, she felt sure, was Aslan’s, and with the voice a delicious smell breathed in her face.”

Have you heard the whisper of Jesus telling you to have courage?

Like Lucy, we are headed into dangerous waters. We are sailing on the Titanic wondering when we will hit the next iceberg. We feel unsettled and perhaps frightened as we watch our nation slip in and out of turmoil. A Presidential election nears and tension soars. Neighbors battle neighbors in wars of words on social media, neighborhood posts and even in the streets. The sight of citizens in masks reminds us of a mandate that keeps us in submission under the guise of safety.

COURAGE DEAR HEART………

You do not need to fear the battle when you have the General of Heaven leading you. He will not fail you. You can do what needs to be done. You can prevail under his leadership.

THE AGENDA BEHIND THE BATTLE

Let’s look behind the scenes and see what’s really going on. If we know what’s hidden, we can act on the truth. We can pray against the lies and evil surrounding our ship. We can turn the tide of evil into a crashing wave of victory.

As Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a pastor who rescued Jews during World War 2 once said:

“He who fears the face of God does not fear the face of man. He who fears the face of man does not fear the face of God.”

Right now you cannot fear what man will think of you. Only be concerned about what God thinks and wants you to do!

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding,” Proverbs 9:10.

I would be more concerned about following God’s laws than following what the media is saying. I wouldn’t be putting faith and stock into the social justice movements and ideologies circulating right now. None of these things are coming from the mouth of God. They are an agenda from the enemy’s playbook.

Lawlessness abounds in our nation right now. There are those who are determined to overthrow and corrupt our election. The Left threatens and tells us ahead of time what they are planning. Their goal is to take the White House with whatever means is necessary, even if it’s illegal. It’s reminiscent of the days of Benedict Arnold. In fact, I feel it’s imperative to tell you the history of this treachery if you are to understand what’s going on in our nation today. As you read the history, see if you can spot the parallels we see in the Leftist agenda.

Benedict Arnold: The Traitor of all Traitors

Benedict Arnold is known as America’s traitor, but many do not realize he was once a hero. He was regarded as a brilliant general and ingenious field commander. Before the Revolutionary War, he was instrumental in the capture of Ft. Ticonderoga in 1775. The following year his leadership held off a British Invasion at the Battle of Lake Champlain in New York. He also led a daring campaign through Maine in hopes of capturing Quebec. Perhaps his most impressive heroic contribution came at the Battle of Saratoga where his actions and leadership brought about the surrender of the British in the battle that became known as “the turning point of the war.” Benedict Arnold was hailed as “the most enterprising and dangerous” of all the American generals.”

After such loyal service, no one would expect Arnold to turn on his own nation. But that’s exactly what he did.

Benedict Arnold: From hero to traitor

What caused such treachery? What caused this man to turn his back on his fellow countrymen and instead align himself with the enemy?

The answer to this question is something hauntingly familiar. In fact, it echoes of 2020, even though its roots go back to 1780. It’s been 240 years since Benedict Arnold committed his treachery, but his ghost lives among us. It took 2 hours and 40 minutes for Titanic to sink and you can see these numbers within those 240 years of time that’s passed since Arnold’s disloyal deed. The question is, does America see it?

Let’s dig into what caused Benedict Arnold to make a deal with the devil. By looking through his eyes perhaps we can get a glimpse into the psyche of those who want to take America down.

Historians have many theories about why Arnold betrayed his own country. Many say it was greed. In December of 1776, Colonel John Brown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts made a statement that shocked many. He printed and distributed an advertisement that said, “Money is this man’s God, and to get enough of it he would sacrifice his own country.”

Being that Arnold was a well-known hero, most people dismissed this claim. But, time would show there was truth in this warning.

There were other reasons that contributed to Arnold’s treacherous decision. He had accumulated a large amount of debt. He lived beyond his means, preferring a lavish lifestyle that he could not support on his salary. He loved high society and strived to accumulate wealth to continue living like the cream of the crop. He simply did not have the funds to finance his lifestyle.

Another reason that contributed to Arnold’s decision to betray his nation came from his own pride. Though hailed a hero, Arnold felt he did not receive the accolades and recognition he deserved. He was passed over for promotions he thought should have been his. He never took into consideration that he was often seen as haughty, argumentative and difficult to work with. He rubbed many people the wrong way in both the military and in government. Military genius or not, his bedside manner could use some work. Nonetheless, he did not think he bore any responsibility for how he was treated. He felt jaded and unappreciated. This led to bitterness, which eventually led to hate for his own country.

The seed had been planted and it grew into a tree of treason.

George Washington was one of the few who gave Arnold a chance, even after others pushed him aside. In 1777, after Congress had promoted five junior officers instead of Arnold, Washington gave him the benefit of the doubt. Arnold had all but decided to resign from the Army when Washington encouraged him to stay and fight.

The Treachery Begins…..

Arnold would continue on, but the seed of treason had taken root. In May of 1779 Arnold made a bold move that would alter the trajectory of his life.

Arnold began meeting with British General Henry Clinton. His allegiance no longer belonged to the Patriots. He hatched a plan to give secret information to the British. General Clinton was more than happy to take on this traitor at a price. Arnold demanded 20,000 British pounds for his secret services. In return he would provide information on troop movements and supplies.

Turning traitor wasn’t as hard as you might think for Arnold. He had given up on his country a long time ago. His wife was a staunch Loyalist who widely influenced her husband. Arnold saw his debt as the result of him being denied promotions. In his greedy eyes, the country owed him substantial wealth. After all, he had sustained multiple war injuries. He had led Americans to victory in battles on numerous occasions. How ungrateful could a nation be?

Below is a quote from Arnold, which comes from a letter he wrote to George Washington:

“Having made every sacrifice of fortune and blood, and become a cripple in the service of my country, I little expected to meet the ungrateful returns I have received from my countrymen; but as Congress have stamped ingratitude as a current coin, I must take it.”

Arnold secretly worked with Clinton and dug his hole deeper. All the while, his countrymen were none the wiser. The ultimate betrayal came when Arnold agreed to give up West Point to the British. George Washington had given control of West Point to Arnold, and this was all he needed to move his plan forward. From that moment he conspired to hand the fort at West Point over to the British, and plotted to weaken its defenses.

Arnold thought his plan was foolproof. He didn’t count on getting caught. But that’s exactly what happened.

The Plot Thickens……..

Arnold communicated with a British spy by the name of John André to plot and finalize his plans of treason. Andre traveled up the Hudson River on the British ship called the Vulture on September 20, 1780.

On September 22, Major Andre rowed ashore near Havershaw, New York. This location was less than 20 miles from West Point. Arnold and Andre discussed the plans for taking over West Point. It was in the middle of the night so the darkness would conceal their meeting. General Clinton told Andre he needed to confirm with Arnold all the details of how he would surrender himself, the fort and the troops. Some historians believe there was another plot discussed as well. This plot may have involved the capture of George Washington.

When Andre and Arnold finished meeting, the plan was for Andre to escape via the Vulture. This part of the plan fell apart when the Vulture was fired upon. Thus, the ship retreated and left Andre without a way to escape via ship. This would force him to return to New York by land. Arnold tried to remedy the situation by writing passes for Andre so he could pass through enemy lines without suspicion. Arnold also gave Andre detailed plans for West Point. All of these things were written in Arnold’s own handwriting. This would be Arnold’s downfall.

Arnold never dreamed Andre would be captured, questioned and the papers discovered. But this is exactly what happened. On September 23, 1780, three soldiers (militiamen) captured Andre and found the papers. The smoking gun pointed right at Arnold.

Arnold was preparing to have breakfast with George Washington, who was not yet aware of Arnold’s nefarious plans. When Arnold learned of Andre’s capture, he knew it wouldn’t be long before his treachery was revealed. He very quickly high tailed it out of there and made a slippery escape. He was able to avoid capture by the Americans, and given safe haven with the British. John Andre wasn’t so fortunate. He was hanged for his part in the plot.

Washington had always praised Arnold and given him the benefit of the doubt, even though others had warned of his unscrupulous behavior. When he heard of Arnold’s treason, he responded with a letter. Here is an excerpt from the letter:

“Treason of the blackest dye was yesterday discovered! General Arnold who commanded at Westpoint, lost to every sentiment of honor—of public and private obligation—was about to deliver up that important Post into the hands of the enemy. Such an event must have given the American cause a deadly wound if not a fatal stab. Happily the treason has been timely discovered to prevent the fatal misfortune. The providential train of circumstances which led to it affords the most convincing proof that the Liberties of America are the object of divine Protection.”

Here is a copy of the letter if you want to read all of it.

George Washington said something quite profound in his letter. He said, “THE PROVIDENTIAL TRAIN OF CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH LED TO IT AFFORDS THE MOST CONVINCING PROOF THAT THE LIBERTIES OF AMERICA ARE THE OBJECT OF DIVINE PROTECTION.”

If Benedict Arnold’s plot had not been discovered, America might not exist. West Point was an important stronghold for the colonies and its loss could have produced circumstances which led to the downfall of what would become the United States of America.

Benedict Arnold met with John Andre to solidify his treacherous plans on September 22, 1780. The meeting began on September 21, but ended into the early hours of September 22. Arnold even wrote the pass that was given to Andre on September 22. This pass would allow Andre to move freely among American lines. This September 22 betrayal was meant to interfere and stop the colonies from breaking free from England and achieving true liberty. Here is a link that will show you the pass Arnold wrote.

There’s another date that lines up with September 22 and it goes back to the days of the Civil War. On September 22, 1862, President Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. This happened while the Civil War raged. This proclamation stated that if the South did not join the Union and end the fighting, then all slaves in those states would be declared free.

What does this have to do with Benedict Arnold? What does this have to do with America?

The story of Benedict Arnold has more to do with America right now than it ever has in our history. Our nation stands on the cusp of a Civil War. Freedom hangs in the balance. There are those in America who call for its downfall. They carefully choose their words by calling it “a transformation”. Their goal is to transform America from a free nation under God to a communist nation under atheism, or a watered-down Jezebel form of Christianity. The Emancipation Proclamation set out to free slaves. In contrast, people like Benedict Arnold sought to remove freedom.

Are there traitors in America? Oh yes- our nation is full of them. By the way, did you catch the name of the General who Benedict Arnold conspired with? General CLINTON. Chew on that one for a while.

Speaking of the name Clinton, have you ever seen so much deception and lying in your life? Sadly, the Clintons seem to get away with all their treacherous schemes. Like Benedict Arnold, money is their prize and there’s no price they won’t pay for it, even if it leads to our nation’s demise.

Hillary Clinton is also a champion for abortion. She doesn’t care what lines she has to cross to push this agenda. She doesn’t see this issue as treasonous, but how do you think God sees it? God says life begins in the womb and all life is created by him. Clinton’s cause continues to be championed by those like Kamala Harris. Her ideals run through the veins of powerful Democratic leaders. She may not be President, but her influence lives on.

Benedict Arnold met with Andre to discuss his treasonous plans on September 22. Oddly enough, Norma McCorvey, better known as JANE ROE was born on September 22 in 1947. She became the champion for the legal right to have an abortion in 1973. This was touted as freedom for women, or their emancipation. Hillary Clinton touts the same slogan- Freedom for women. This does not bring freedom, but instead brings the judgment of God. The killing of the innocent can never be seen as a measure of freedom. Even Norma McCorvey realized this and eventually denounced her stance on abortion. She repented and became a pro-life advocate. She aligned herself with God’s principles instead of the murder of innocent babies.

There are those in government who are more interested in building a name for themselves than actually helping this country. Like Benedict Arnold, they must build an empire for themselves at the cost of everyone else. People like George Soros come to mind. His ego is so big and his horde of money so large that he is able to bribe and influence many leaders and organizations. He believes he is the one who will save mankind. He is a godless billionaire with an inflated sense of self. I’m sure he and Benedict Arnold would have much to chat about. Here is a link to articles about George Soros from Intercessors for America. It will open your eyes to his treacherous plans.

Greed abounds in leaders who form alliances with corrupt governments. Even though the truth is in black and white about Joe and Hunter Biden, the media completely ignores it. Like the smoking gun papers that were found on Benedict Arnold, the smoking gun laptop of Hunter Biden will tell the details of the plot. Unfortunately, the media’s allegiance is no longer to the United States of America. Their allegiance lies with Benedict Arnold. The fact that many Americans do not see this reminds me that a blindness has blanketed this nation. Only prayer can remove this blindness.

There are people in our nation who are ready to completely sell out our country to the enemy. Rumors of election fraud abound and threats of removing the President from the White House are heard and seen. Unlike Benedict Arnold, who hid his dark schemes, the plans of the enemy are being voiced right out in the open. The plan is being shouted through megaphones by powerful leaders in the Democratic Party.

Who is the real enemy here? It isn’t the average American who just wants to earn a decent living. It isn’t your average family who wants to live a comfortable life in suburbia.

It’s none other than the ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT. It’s all the elite players of this world who want a ONE WORLD SYSTEM. Just browse through the website of the World Economic Forum and you’ll start to get a sense of their goals. They don’t like America because this nation stands out as a beacon of freedom and capitalism. It is still a nation under God with citizens who believe in the rights of the unborn and the values of the traditional family.

Be sure to listen to these eye-opening broadcasts from Olive Tree Ministries. This one talks about election fraud. This one talks about election fraud as well, but it is part 2 of the series. This one talks about how the One World Government is setting the stage. Here is a video from Rock Harbor Ministries as well.

America is not a beacon of globalism. But there are those who would like to topple this nation so globalism can take hold. The Democratic Party may or may not realize this, but they are just a pawn in the One World Government’s game. They are a means to an end. In order for globalism to flourish, capitalism must end and the economy must fall. Why do you think this nation’s economy was shut down so quickly and easily? The excuse of a pandemic was used, but something much more sinister is going on. Virus or no virus, our economy is under attack. President Trump has worked hard to build our economy and then in a matter of months it’s crushed under the weight of the “China virus”.

The United States is a nation that has a history of following God. But, following God stands in the way of this new world system as well. This is why we are seeing religious freedom being stripped away. President Trump has gone out of his way to protect these freedoms. The globalists are not happy with this so they fight it tooth and nail and launch attack after attack. They conspire behind closed doors, trying to perpetrate the next wave of lies.

Globalism cannot flourish under traditional christian values. This is why they want the biblical idea of family to be erased. To them, anything goes and all things are equal. Their real goal is to reduce the population, control society and make everyone equally poor.

But there are still those who will defend America. There are those who sound the alarm like a town crier. They sound the alarm against globalism and tyranny. They are the Paul Reveres of our day!

THE MAY 10 CONNECTION

On May 10, 1818 a true American Patriot died. His name was Paul Revere. I’m sure you know who he is. He is famously known for warning Americans, “The British are coming.” Actually, he said, “The Regulars are coming.” Revere learned that British soldiers (regulars) were about to attack Patriots at Lexington and Concord Massachusetts. He knew if he did not warn the Patriots they would be unprepared and the weapons they stowed would be seized. So, off he went on his midnight ride. Thanks to Paul Revere the Patriots were alert and ready to fight. The shot heard round the world was fired, officially setting off America’s race for freedom.

This May 10 date is tied to another event that has likely escaped the attention of most Americans, but it is symbolic nonetheless. On May 10, 2013, the spire was installed on One World Trade Center. This would officially bring the building to the height of 1776 feet. This number represents the year of our Declaration of Independence. This tower, however, represented something much more sinister. This is the tower that rose from the ashes of the original Twin Towers, which collapsed in 2001. The new tower was not built in humility, but in defiance. The spirit of the tower echoed the nefarious plans of the One World Government.

Even more curious is what happened on May 10, 1779. A letter was written by Major John Andre with instructions on the terms of Benedict Arnold’s treason. This occurred a year before the instructions were carried out. You can view the letter here.

So, we have a Patriot named Paul Revere who sounded the alarm and helped lead Americans to freedom and a new nation. But you also have a treasonous plot written out on paper that goes against this freedom. Also, we have a tower that rises in defiance from the site of our nation’s first capital- New York City. By the way, the original name of this tower was Freedom Tower. It is no longer known as that, but is instead known as One World Trade Center.

What else happened on May 10 you ask? Well, get ready to make some connections…..

On May 10, 1933 a bonfire of books took place in Nazi Germany. Over 25,000 books were burned in an effort to censor anything that didn’t go along with the Nazi agenda.

Sound familiar? We may not be burning books, but social media continues to censor christian conservative views. Anyone who goes against the narrative of Covid-19, the democratic agenda and the social justice movements is censored. Big tech and the media is the fire that mimics this event in 1933. Read more about this event here.

Here’s a connection to the May 10 date that will cause you to do a double take. Are you ready? Here it goes. On MAY 10, 1838 a notorious murderer was born. This murderer shot Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865. Any guesses who it is?

It is the birthday of none other than John Wilkes Booth. This traitor of our nation shot President Lincoln in cold blood. The date he shot Lincoln just happened to be the same date Titanic hit an iceberg in 1912. What an iceberg Lincoln’s death was for our nation.

Pray for President Trump

I say daily prayers for the protection of President Trump, his family and his administration. Booth shot Lincoln because he was so enraged by the fact that Lincoln called for the emancipation of slaves. He was deeply entrenched in his love for what he called the “good life” in the South. He had no care for the lives of slaves. His hatred drove him to murder and treason.

Interestingly enough, something quite amazing happened exactly 74 years after John Wilkes Booth was born. A woman by the name of Mary Anne McLeod Trump was born. She is none other than the mother of Donald Trump! She was born on May 10, 1912, exactly a month after Titanic set sail. Her son Donald Trump would become the 45th President of the United States. He would become the most pro-life, pro-Israel president in our nation’s history. He would become associated with the Patriots of America who stand for freedom of speech, religion and the American way. Like Lincoln, he would have strong supporters and strong “haters”. His presidency would mirror Lincoln’s as he faced the daily sparks of civil war.

Are all these connections coincidence? Perhaps, but I see a message in all this. We are standing against a grave conspiracy in our nation. A socialist movement has risen and threatens our republic. The Paul Reveres of our nation are riding their horses and sounding the alarm. Free speech is being censored, but Patriots are fighting back. Plots are surely being discussed in dark places. The Benedict Arnolds are gritting their teeth as the election draws near.

November 3 is nearing- Election Day 2020. We are on the brink. Recently I was reading about the history of One World Trade Center and noticed something eerie. This infamous tower opened for business on November 3 in 2014. There’s more behind that tower than steel. This tower was built on top of the same area where the Ground Zero Cross was found in 2001 after the Twin Towers collapsed. An evil system known as the One World Government wants to replace our foundation and steal this election, but there is hope. The November 3 dates coinciding are a reminder to pray, pray, pray!!!

More May 10 connections……

On May 10, 1940 Winston Churchill became the Prime Minister of England. He had a lot of similarities to Trump. He was loud, opinionated and he stood up to bullies! He stood up to Hitler and would not give in to his demands even when other European countries had caved. Sound familiar? Not everyone liked his demeanor. Those who hated him tried to have him removed. But guess what? He got the job done and England did not succumb to the Nazis! Churchill prevailed!

When it comes to leaders we must not vote for a personality- we must vote for a platform. Leaders like Churchill and Trump may sometimes rub people the wrong way, but their policies are what we must focus on. Here is a great sermon about why it’s important to vote according to biblical principles. All Americans should watch this.

I don’t know how this is all going to play out. But I do know one thing- our nation needs serious prayer! The demonic warfare is insane. But, the power of God trumps all evil. I have confidence in knowing God is in control. Regardless of what I see going on, I am committed to standing with with truth. I am committed to being a Paul Revere and maybe even a Winston Churchill.

The prophet Isaiah reminds us of something we must hold fast to:

He says, “Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear and do not dread it. The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread.”

What does this mean exactly? It means we know there are conspiracies out there. There are traitors plotting. But guess what? We should not fear it. We should pray, fast and fight for what’s right. The only thing we should fear is the Lord. I don’t mean God is scary. I mean that we should worry more about standing up for his laws and his ways than anything else. In the end, he is in control. No matter what happens, we rely on him. We don’t worry about what man says. We fear the Lord.

As great American Patriot John Adams said, “Power always thinks it is doing God’s service when it is violating all his laws.”

We must be careful that our spirit of defiance is against tyranny and not God. The American Revolution defied the British, but pastors and christians stood on the principles of God. It’s a lie to think that pastors and christians have to stay out of politics these days. In the days of the American Revolution, it was the pastors and christians who were knee deep in the fight! There were sermons being preached and congregants taking action. It’s a lie of the devil that we must stay out of politics.

We must stay true to God’s laws. Courage dear heart…………Courage!

There are some other dates I want to bring to your attention. Their connection is quite interesting.

On December 6, 2017 President Trump did something no other President dared to do. He recognized Jerusalem as being the eternal capital of Israel. This was historic and publicly showed that America supports Israel’s biblical connection to the land. In addition, Jerusalem is where Jesus will return to rule and reign one day.

Going back 152 years, we have December 6, 1865. This is the date the 13th amendment was ratified. This would abolish slavery in the United States. Slaves were finally given the freedom they deserved.

It’s interesting these two dates line up. Donald Trump recognizes Israel’s eternal tie to the land God gave them and the freedom to live in this land. Other nations around Israel do not recognize this freedom and have always threatened the United States about taking such a stance. But Donald Trump sounded the trump on this day and declared this as their land. When the 13th amendment was ratified, there were many who opposed it and made their threats known. But, the spirit of freedom was too strong and freedom was declared with the stroke of a pen.

In the Bible, trumpets are used to sound the alarm. They are used to make announcements and to declare the truth. They are also sounded in the year of Jubilee. This word Jubilee comes from the Hebrew word jobel which means ram’s horn. This was the year when all slaves were set free. To me, it’s interesting that we have a President whose name is TRUMP. Our President is navigating through some of the most treacherous waters in our nation’s history. There are all sorts of false movements that claim they want more freedom for our nation, but their goal is the opposite. If we really want freedom to remain in our nation, we must stand with biblical principles and steer far away from Leftist socialist ideologies.

Our nation’s liberty bell has a phrase on it that comes from the Bible:

“Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof”.

This message comes from the Bible: Leviticus 25:10 which refers to the Jubilee year. As I wrote above, in the Jubilee year, slaves were to be released.

This message would go on to inspire Americans for many years, especially during the time of the Civil War.

The bell of course has a crack. No one knows exactly when or why the Liberty bell cracked. The most accepted explanation is that a small split began to develop in the early 1840’s. In 1846 the crack was widened to prevent the crack from spreading. In this case, creating a bigger crack was supposed to help the bell. Of course, this technique did not work. Instead another small crack developed. This one ran all way from the word Philadelphia to the word Liberty. After this, the bell no longer rang. No one has heard its sound since. Here is an article about the Liberty Bell.

Our nation has some cracks. The cracks are large and daunting. But, God can fix cracks. He is the only one who can fix these kinds of cracks. It’s interesting to me that the second crack in the Liberty Bell went from the word Philadelphia to the word Liberty. Below is the full inscription of what’s on the bell:

Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof Lev. XXV X
By Order of the ASSEMBLY of the Province of PENSYLVANIA [sic] for the State House in Philada

Philada means Philadelphia- also the spelling of Pennsylvania with one N was considered acceptable at the time

The crack’s location ran from Philadelphia to Liberty. This makes me think of the Church of Philadelphia, who Christ addresses in the Book of Revelation. It is one of only two spiritual churches that is given commendations. The other 5 churches are given rebukes. But Philadelphia means brotherly love. This is the spiritual church Christ loves. Below is a verse from Revelation where Jesus is speaking to this church he loves:

“Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth,” Revelation 3:10.

This verse reminds us that those who truly love Christ will be spared the coming Tribulation when the One World Government takes control of the earth-(the spiritual church of Philadelphia is made up of all those who love and truly follow Christ– it’s not a church building or denomination, but rather all believers who have truly received Jesus as their Savior and follow him).

The Church of Philadelphia has true liberty in Christ. Even though there are cracks in our nation’s foundation, we can still hear the bell ringing. Like Paul Revere, we still sound the alarm. The bell may be dead to those who are sleeping, but those alive in Christ are wide awake! We will proclaim freedom to the captives! We will share the gospel of Jesus with all those who are lost. We stand on biblical foundations and with our President, and keep the trump sounding.

Here’s one more December 6 date we need to look at and this one goes all the way back to the founding of our nation.

On December 6, 1606, three ships began their journey to what we now call America. The Susan Constant, the Godspeed and the Discovery left England with 104 men and boys. They ended up settling in Jamestown, Virginia, naming it after King James of England. Their settlement would be established on May 14, 1607. This would become the first successful permanent English settlement in what would later become America. First, it would be part of the 13 colonies, and then later the United States.

Now get ready for your mind to be blown.

We know Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem on December 6, 2017. But 411 years earlier, on December 6, 1606, three ships left England to establish the settlement of Jamestown. The actual date Jamestown was established is May 14, 1607. Well, guess what? Israel became a nation once again on …………..wait for it……….May 14, 1948, exactly 341 years later.

Jerusalem is of course the capital of Israel. So we have a President that recognizes the capital of Israel’s land on the same date that the voyage to establish America’s first successful settlement begins. The 411 years that took place between the voyage and Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem gives us all the information we need to know- by the way, did you notice that 411 is the number you call when you need information? Even the founding dates of both Israel and Jamestown (May 14) are tied together. Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem, which is the connection between the two. God ordained the founding of our nation, and it is tied to the reformation of the modern nation of Israel- both countries were founded on the principles of God.

You may not like Trump’s personality, but guess what? God is looking for someone who will do his will- not someone who will perform a song and dance routine to the tune of the One World Government.

Trump stands up for the rights of the unborn. He stands with the nuclear family. He stands up for businesses and promotes a strong economy. He stands against terrorist nations and leaders of the One World Government. He fights for religious freedom and thanks Jesus in pubic. He also stands with Israel.

He’s not perfect, but who is? Whether you like it or not, God uses whoever he chooses. He has sovereignty over rulers, nations and historical events.

“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD,
Like the rivers of water; 
He turns it wherever He wishes,” Proverbs 21:1

It is the same with my word.
    I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
    and it will prosper everywhere I send it,” Isaiah 55:11, NLT

“The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
    he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
 the purposes of his heart through all generations,” Psalm 33:10,11

For some reason God gave me the unusual gift of putting dates together. What I’ve noticed by being able to tie dates together is that God ordains the timing of all events. He is the author of history, science, math and everything in creation. Oftentimes he can make a point just in the timing of an event. This doesn’t mean we predict by dates, but it does mean we can see His sovereignty in those dates.

When Pilate was questioning Jesus, he had this to say:

“Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

Jesus’ answer says it all:

“Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.’”

Jesus always has the best answers!!!! He has power over everything, especially rulers.

I’ve always loved the scene in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe where Aslan the lion puts the White Witch in her place. Below is the conversation between them:

The White Witch says to Aslan:

“Have you forgotten the laws on which Narnia was built?”

Aslan answers with a roar and says, “Do not cite the deep magic to me Witch. I was there when it was written.”

Next the White Witch says, “Then you’ll remember well that every traitor belongs to me. His blood is my property.”

What the White Witch didn’t count on was that Aslan had a plan that was established at the foundation of Narnia. She didn’t know Aslan would sacrifice himself for the greater good of Narnia in order to save all the lives of those who live there.

The “deep magic” Aslan spoke of was alluding to the sacrifice he would make on the stone table. He would die, but then rise again.

C.S. Lewis was showing us the sacrifice of Jesus through the characters of Aslan and the people and creatures of Narnia.

Below is a quote from the book that summarizes the point:

“It means,” said Aslan, “that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward.”

Yes, there’s a “White Witch” out there America. But we have JESUS! He knew the end from the very beginning. He died for us so that we can live with him! Let’s trust him and his plan. JESUS HAS ALL THE POWER so we need not fear anything else.

Courage Dear Heart! Courage!