August/September

Dear ones,

Dr. David Weber, longtime voice of Southwest Radio Church, and a man I personally like and admire, began each broadcast with the words, "Radio friends, God is still on His throne, and prayer changes things." It is good to be reminded of this as we make our way through the increasingly ungodly times in which we live. Be encouraged, and read on...

THE FALL RETREAT

The Fall Believers' Retreat is set for 12-14 October at Kentucky Lake. Our special guests will be Steve and Pam English, missionaries to Guatemala. Steve is a native of Marion, Ky.; he and his wife Pam operate a unique ministry, in which they take homeless Guatemalan children into their home - literally. The chidren become a permanent part of Steve and Pam's family. Steve is also a gifted speaker, who weaves God's wonderful plan of salvation and discipleship into every message. If you don't have a reservation, call Marty at 270-965-2174, e-mail her at mmmck@apex.net, or call the office at 270-965-5060. For more information, check the registration form on page four.

A MISSIONARY HERO DIES

Rob Helmer was an optometrist and a missionary pilot. He founded Mission Air, a ministry which flies missionaries and supplies back and forth between Florida and Central America. He has been an important friend to my son's medical mission (Cornerstone) in Honduras. During the awful devastation of Hurricane Mitch, Rob was the first to fly into Honduras, and remained there, flying food and medicine in, and bringing casualties out. On 11 July, Rob was killed in a crash, avoiding houses after engine failure, his last act of heroism; he was alone. He leaves his wife, Sandy, and eight children; please pray for them.

GREAT NEWS: LITTLE ROCK DECISION REVERSED

As you probably know, the Clinton power structure brought a $16 million suit against Citizens for Honest Government (of which I was a director), its parent corporation, Jeremiah Films, and my good friend, Pat Matrisciana, its founder and president. The suit was brought through two deputy sheriffs, over the video documentary, "Obstruction of Justice." The Little Rock jury found for the plaintiffs in 1997. However, in July the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously reversed the Little Rock court. Although the ruinous expense of the dragged-out legal proceedings finished Citizens for Honest Government, and has threatened the end of Jeremiah Films, we are praising God that justice has prevailed in the end. If you would like a copy of the video that was the cause of all this ("Obstruction of Justice - the Mena Connection"), contact our office. I think it is the most powerful videodocumentary we ever made, surpassing even "Clinton Chronicles."

OUR WEB SITE DOWN, BUT NOT OUT

Due to a train fire in a Baltimore tunnel, our website was down in late July. The problem was caused by a burned cable in the tunnel - how fragile our information superhighway can be! But the cable was soon repaired, and our site back "up." It is still under construction, but growing. Check it at http:// www.wordsforlivingmin.org and give us your suggestions.

SUDDENLY, SIX NEW GRANDCHILDREN!

Our dear friends, Don and Carrie Thompson of New Windsor, Md, have six new grandchildren! Their daughter, Heather Dewan, gave birth to quadruplets on 8 June, and on 9 July their other daughter, Kim Fleming, gave birth to twins. There has been much excitement, including weekly televison coverage in Baltimore, since the discovery that Heather was carrying quads; soon after that discovery, Kim learned that she was carrying twins! Heather was urged to abort at least two of her quads, with the usual ("selective reduction") argument. She and David chose life and refused. The survival to live birth of all six of these babies is miraculous, and an answer to much prayer. For pictures and fascinating details, go to the Thompson web site, www.thequadsquad.org, or contact the dazzled grandparents at gransquadsquad@aol.com and they will connect you with all the information on this miracle.

THE CONFUSED MORALITY OF A MEDIA ICON

In an interview with Bill O'Reilly of Fox News TV ("The O'Reilly Factor, 15 May 01), Dan Rather, a liberal icon and a prime example of the media elite, gave us a clear look into his confused concepts of morality. The post-modern, post-Christian philosophy of the media elite is also the prevailing morality of the Northeastern cultural elite in general. In defending Bill Clinton as "an honest person," and "upright man," Rather told O'Reilly (and the World), "I think you can be an honest person and lie about any number of things." And believe me, folks, he meant exactly what he said.

AMERICA'S CHRISTIAN HERITAGE

Although contemporary humanistic, revisionist historians would like you and your children to believe that our nation has no Christian origins or heritage, consider the following fact. At the time of the writing of the Constitution and the other founding documents, the American population was 98 percent Protestant Christian, 1.8 percent Catholic Christian, and 0.2 percent Jewish. Yes, our founding population was 99.8 percent Christian, and two-tenths-of-one percent Jewish. (Dr. D.J. Kennedy, et al)

THE DEATH OF REASON

In order to protect "the emotional well-being" of children being reared in homosexual homes, a pricey private school in New York, the Rodeph Sholom Day School, will no longer celebrate either Mothers' Day or Fathers' Day. (NYP)

WHO'D HAVE THOUGHT IT? FROM ROCK 'N ROLL, TO ROCKET SCIENCE!

On a refreshing and positive note, in the '70s, Jeff ("Skunk") Baxter played guitar for the bands Steely Dan, and the Doobie Brothers. He still plays side for prominent musicians, including Julio Iglesias; but his passion is rocket science. Baxter, who dropped out of college after one year to pursue stardom, is a self-taught scientist who spends most of his time these days advising the Department of Defense on ballistic missile defense. One member of the DOD Ballistic Missile Defense Organization says, "Jeff is amazingly astute...He knows far more than I do, and I've been in the Air Force for 21 years." (Citizen Aug 2001)

A FORCED ABORTION IN FLORIDA

We thought forced abortions took place only in China and other totalitarian countries. Wrong. A Florida woman is suing an abortion clinic for not allowing her to leave after she changed her mind. Although she says that she told the staff that she no longer wanted the abortion and wanted to leave, she was held down on the surgical table while the abortion was performed. She is suing anonymously as "Jane Roe II." You will probably not hear about this in the establishment media. (PWB)

THE "TOLERANT" LIBERAL PRESS

A church in Georgia attempted to place an ad in the liberal Atlanta Journal-Constitution, seeking a youth pastor who is "an energetic and outspoken Christian leader" who demonstrates "a contagious faith in Jesus Christ." The ad was rejected as discriminatory. To test the newspaper's policy, the same church placed a fictitious ad, seeking a youth leader for a "well respected and growing secular humanist training institution"; the ad went on to specify its desire for a "youth leader experienced in refuting and debating traditional beliefs, especially Christian...Strong atheistic or agnostic convictions required." Within an hour of faxing the ad to the same newspaper office, the church received a response accepting the ad for the Sunday edition's classified section. So much for the "tolerance" and commitment to "diversity" in the liberal establishment media. (PWB)

"FREEDOM FROM RELIGION": A GLIMMER OF HOPE

In March, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Ohio's State Motto, "With God All Things Are Possible" is constitutional. Good news? Yes. A little bit of sanity, at last, in the judicial system? Yes. However, most important of all is the court's rationale: the justices noted the difference between establishment of religion, and public acknowledgement of religion. It is hoped that they will rule the same way in the case of liberal activist judge Jennifer Coffman's order to remove the Ten Commandments from public buildings in 3 Kentucky counties. (ANS)

FREEDOM ISN'T FREE (DID OUR "BEST AND BRIGHTEST" STAY HOME?)

It is the attitude of the anti-military elite of the Eastern Establishment (and their Arkansas proselytes) that the nation's "best and brightest" did not fight in Vietnam. The reason they think this is that they consider themselves to be the best and brightest, and they found ways to avoid it by staying in school, fleeing to Canada, etc. But my recollection is that those I knew who fought there were some of the best and brightest men I have known; and, so often, it was the best and brightest who died. Consider the following letter, written from Vietnam by Lance Corporal Thomas P. Noonan, Jr., USMC, to his sister-in-law on 17 Oct 1968; note carefully the intellectual brilliance, eloquence, incisive wit and the grace and good humor with which he took the miserable conditions and danger there. He wrote, "Please disregard any small note of flippancy that might reveal itself in this letter. I try to avoid it, but when one is having such a good time it is hard not to be cheerful. I've thrown off the shackles of silly society. I've cast out my razor, divorced my soap, buried my manners, signed my socks to a two-year contract, and proved that you don't have to come in out of the rain. I scale the mountains, swim the rivers, soar through the skies in magic carpet helicopters. My advent is attended by Death and I've got chewing gum stuck in my mustache. I beat the draft." Lance Corporal Noonan was killed 5 Feb 1969 and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

LIFE LESSONS

Sooner or later, usually sooner, most wives feel displaced by their husband's work, and thus betrayed by their husbands; and, sooner or later, usually later, most husbands feel displaced by their own children, and thus betrayed by their wives. This doesn't have to happen, and to be fore-warned is to be fore-armed.

THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Most of us assume that the Pledge of Allegiance (to the flag, and to the Republic) dates from American antiquity-probably from the pen of Jefferson or Madison. Not so. In fact, my maternal grandmother was 25 years old, and married with children when it first appeared. It was written (especially for children) in the Summer of 1892 to commemorate Columbus Day on the 400th anniversary of his arrival in the New World. It was first published on 8 Sept. 1892 in "The Youth's Companion," a publication for public schools, by Francis Bellamy, its Ass't. Editor. Intended as a one-time recitation for Columbus Day, its immediate popularity gave it a life of its own, and it quickly became a daily classroom ritual. Its original form was, "I pledge allegiance to my flag and the Republic for which it stands-one nation, indivisible-with liberty and justice for all." In 1923, the American Legion expanded the "flag" portion to, "the flag of the United States of America"; and in 1954, Pres. Eisenhower signed a bill adding the words, "under God," completing the pledge as it exists today. (Readers' Digest)

ENVIRONMENTALIST RADICALS AND THE ROMANS

One of the hallmarks of today's radical environmental movement, the "green extremes," is that human life is to them worth no more than the life of a subhuman animal; in fact, they increasingly see human life as worth less than the life of a deer (or a cockroach, for that matter); they see humans as the problem - a population to be restricted, reduced in numbers and controlled. Of course, these environmental extremists are either atheists or pagan worshippers of nature. They reject the true God and, of course, reject the Biblical value of human life. They believe that the Earth would be better if all humans were dead (except, of course, for their enlightened group). Radical? Yes. But not new. During the centuries of the slaughter of animals and people for the amusement of the pagan Roman people, they kept careful records of the types and numbers of animals killed. But they didn't bother to keep records of the numbers of people killed; they were considered less valuable and, thus, less important than the animals.(HC, et al)

DAY CARE AND BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS LINKED

A new study has found that pre-school children who spend most of their days in child care settings are three times as likely to have behavior problems in kindergarten as those cared for by their mothers. The study also found a direct correlation between time spent in day care and negative behaviors like aggression, disobedience, defiance and cruelty. This study, the largest long-term study of child care in the U.S., was reported in the New York Times (NOT a conservative publication). The central finding was that children suffer long-term injury when not kept by their mothers - even when the non-mother care giver is a family member (grandmother or father). (NYT/ANS)

THE IMPACT OF THE U.S. DEPTARTMENT OF EDUCATION

The U.S. Department of Education is an unconstitutional bureaucracy, created by Jimmy Carter to please the teachers' unions, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. The left wing, globalist change agents and tax-exempt foundations who control these organizations rejoiced; the rest of the country failed to notice. Ronald Reagan took office determined to abolish the Dept. of Education, and appointed Bill Bennett ("The Book of Virtues") Secretary of Education with the order to abolish the department. The power of these groups is such that Reagan and Bennett failed; interestingly, I have never heard Bill Bennett explain this failure, or discuss the matter publicly. Here are two relevant facts concerning the matter: (1) The Constitution allows the Federal Government NO power to be involved in education (Article 10 reserves this power "to the States and to the people."; (2) Since the day the Education Department was established, test scores of public school students have been in a nose dive, and have dropped to all-time lows. (AFRN, et al)

ENGLISH AS SHE IS SPOKE

Recently, I heard a Christian leader with an earned doctorate speak, on the radio, of having "a crises" in his life. Impossible! "Wait a minute," you may be thinking, "why can't he have a crises - I have them almost daily." Nope - it's impossible for him - or for you - to have "a crises"; it cannot happen. Why? because "crises" is a plural; the singular is "crisis." So, feel free to get busy and have a crisis; but neither you, nor that Christian Ph.D. on the radio can have a crises. And, incidentally, the same thing applies to "basis" (and other, similar, nouns ending in "is"). Check it out.

CULTURAL DECAY AND THE SENSE OF SHAME

Mark Twain once observed that man is the only animal that blushes - or has a reason to. One characteristic of a culture in an advanced state of decay is the loss of a sense of shame - one that no longer blushes. About 600 B.C. the prophet Zephaniah prophesied that Judah and Jerusalem (the southern kingdom) would be conquered and destroyed for its relentless wickedness (the northern kingdom, Israel, had already been carried off to Assyrian captivity for the same reason). One of the evidences of their depravity, pointed out by Zephaniah, was that the people knew no shame (Zeph 3:5). They did not repent, and about 15 years later Jerusalem was in ashes and the people were led off to Babylon as slaves. It should give us pause to see the extent to which our culture has lost its sense of shame; God is long-suffering, but He has his limits.

A POINT TO PONDER

"The Marxist vision of man without God must eventually be seen as an empty and false faith…(one) first proclaimed in the Garden of Eden with whispered words of temptation: "Ye shall be as gods." (Pres. Ronald Reagan, 20 Mar 1981)

THE PRIESTHOOD OF FATHERS, II

In the April/May issue I presented the case for the priestly responsibility of fathers in their own homes. In that article (ARE YOU FATHERS DOING YOUR JOB?), I explained the basic scriptural basis for this responsibility that God has given us fathers, and challenged fathers at least to pray for their families daily. The next step is for fathers to teach their children how to know God, and to live their lives before Him.

In liturgical churches (Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Episcopal, etc), everything the pastor does has a meaning. When he faces the altar, his back to the congregation, he is representing the people before God; this is comparable to a father's going before God daily to pray for his family. When the pastor faces the congregation, his back to the altar, to read from Scripture and preach, he is representing God before the people. This is what a father does when he is teaching his children the Word of God, how to know Him and live for Him.

So, fathers, are you taking your family before the throne of God in prayer, interceding for them, daily? If not, then why not? And, are you teaching them God's Word, training them up in the way that they should go? If not, get started. God gave this responsibility to you and me--not to your wife, or the Sunday School teacher. Be a leader, be a man. God requires this of you, and you will receive the greater blessing when you shoulder your priestly responsibility at home.

THE BATTLE TO SAVE THE UNBORN IN WICHITA

The 10th "Summer of Mercy" pro-life demonstrations in Wichita in July included another glimpse into the horrors of the abortion industry, and the compromised message of some pastors. The abortuary of Dr. George Tiller (notorious among right-to-life activists as "Tiller the Killer") was a focus of the demonstrators, for he specializes in late-term to full-term abortions. It was reported from Wichita by one of the demonstrators that he had very recently delivered twins, one week before their due date, alive and healthy, and then drowned them, a persistent story I have not been able to confirm. It was likewise reported by demonstrators who attended his church (Reformation Lutheran) on Sunday of that week, that his pastor appealed to the congregation to pray for Dr. & Mrs. Tiller, for the demonstrations were causing them stress. Apparently the pastor sees nothing wrong with what Tiller does to make himself rich. (ANS, AFR,et al)

MARTY'S CORNER

Although Keith Green and two of the Green's children died in a fatal plane crash in July 1982 (just short of his 29th birthday), his music and his message have lived on. Almost from the start of his ministry, his message was "get right with God," and it grew into a heart and vision for missions. I kept his final message, Why You Should Go To The Mission Field and recently reread it. His wife Melody wrote the introduction shortly after his death. In it she says, "I believe the vision for missions is a completion of Keith's message for Christians to be really right with God. The question is this - once you are right… then what?"

The word missionary means "one sent on a mission" so every Christian is sent into the world on a mission - next door or across the seas. The whole church is to take the whole gospel into the whole world.

On Being a Missionary by Dr. Thomas Hale states the fact that there are two billion people in the world who have not yet heard the gospel in a way that they can understand. What are we Christians doing about this? Consider the figures. Of every $100 given in our western culture churches, $1 is spent on missions and of that $1 spent on missions, less than 10 cents is spent to reach the two billion unreached. However, $99 are spent on Christians. It may be on our buildings, sound system, carpeting, kitchenware, administrative hierarchy (much of which in mainline denominational churches is anti-Christian) or any number of mundane things. We Christians tithe to ourselves. Is this acceptable to God?

CELINE DION OWES HER LIFE TO A PRIEST

Celine Dion is an exceptionally gifted and popular singer, a super star. She was her mother's 14th child. When her weary mother, already with 13 children, discovered she was to have another, she was so shattered that she considered abortion. Her pastor convinced her that she must not have her own baby killed, so she carried the baby to term and reared her like the older 13. Celine says, "....I owe my life to that priest." ("Hello" Mag/Larry Poland)

MILESTONES

Born
8 June - Colin David Dewan, Brianna Nicole Dewan, Kayla Brynn Dewan and Morgan Renae Dewan to David and Heather Dewan, in Baltimore.
28 June - Hannah Marie Cannon, to Regina and Walter Cannon, Whitesville, Tenn.
9 July - Joel David Fleming and Alison Dawn Fleming to Bruce and Kim Fleming, in Baltimore.

Died
11 July - Rob Helmer, Kissimee, Fla., missionary pilot, in a crash.
15 July - Kenneth Graham Tanner, father of Dr. James C. Tanner (Pass Christian, Miss.), in Mobile, Ala. Mr. Tanner was 93.

FINAL WORD

Treasure and use each day as if it were your last, and never give up hope; God has a limitless supply of new beginnings, and he makes beautiful things out of broken pieces.
You are precious,

(Sources: AFAJ-American Family Journal; AFRN-American Family Radio News; AP-Associated Press; BP-Break Point; C-Charisma; CBN-Christian Broadcasting Network; CO-Charlotte Observer; CR-Congressional Record; DR-Drudge Report; EP-Evangelical Press; Fox (Fox News); FRC-Family Research Council; GN-Good News Magazine; HC-History Channel; IFA-Intercessors for America; IMG-Israel My Glory Magazine; Ins-Insight Magazine; LAT-L.A. Times; Mil-Military Magazine; NR-National Review; NW-Newsweek; NYP-New York Post; NYT-New York Times; PHN-Paul Harvey News; PWB-Pastors' Weekly Briefing; RT-Religion Today; RTLB-Right to Life Education Foundation Bulletin; U.S.AT-U.S.A Today; U.S.NWR-U.S. News & World Report; VOM-Voice of Martyrs; W-World Magazine; WND-World Net Daily; WT-Washington Times); WW - Washington Watch.