Hello Ravenloche,

Brother, it's great to see you back - WE MISSED YOU!

Back on topic:

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  Romans 5:1

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?  Romans 8:32

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.  Romans 10:4

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.  John 8:12.

Our liberty, peace, and salvation is IN THE LIGHT!

Love In Christ,
Tom

Hello Ivan,

Welcome to Christians Unite. In answering your question, I think that all Christian parents and grandparents are trying to make sure their children receive a Christian education.

Love In Christ,
Tom

WELCOME LearningChristian!

Love In Christ,
Tom

Oklahoma Howdy to Sister Reba,

From one PK to another PK, I'm baffled and befuzzled    by something in one of your posts, "Orthodox AofG". I've got a bunch of friends that attend several churches here, and I've never heard of or met an "Orthodox AofG". I'm not making fun, I just don't have a clue what that means. I guess that's one reason why I don't like man's labels and tags, as they usually mean so many things to different people. To me, Orthodox means Eastern Orthodox Christian, associated with tons of ceremonies, rituals, and objects. So, could you tell me what that means?

Of course, we're just now thinking about electricity and indoor plumbing in my neck of the woods. Billy Bob and Bubba Sue are agin' it, so it may be awhile.    In case you're wondering, "befuzzled" appears only in a Top Secret OKIE Dictionary, so I can't tell you about that.

Love In Christ,
Tom

[CHARGE!!!!!]

BEP we demand a pic of you in said professional looking uniform to see if you really did/do resemble a muppet      

Oklahoma Howdy to Shylynne,

     I'll have to work on that. I did lose some pictures when my old computer fried. For now, I'll tell you that I was lean and mean in that first uniform. I might have resembled that muppet just a little bit at the end of 25.  

Of course, nearly all of Teddy Roosevelt's surviving Rough Riders looked like muppets in 2001. There's one word that should never be said in their presence. The last time it was said, it caused a horrible mess:

CHARGE!!!!!

 

Went fishin' this weekend. Asked my wife to "hand be dabate", and she whonked me with the minner pail.

So I just slipped a Reese's cup on the hook and caught a 9 lb. hawg.

They sure luv choklit!

 

     Brother, it's time for you to check your tackle box for sharp objects. In terms of filleting your catch, just use your teeth.    

OH MY! - I was just thinking about trot-lines, crappie rigs, and treble hooks. It may be time for a net.  

(Note This Quote Below:  "We're going to let our political leaders know 'if you don't stand for God, we won't stand for you,'")
__________

Miss. Christians Rally After FMA Senate Setback

by Allie Martin and Jenni Parker
July 19, 2004

(AgapePress) - More than 6,000 people gathered at the BancorpSouth Center in Tupelo, Mississippi, last Sunday night (July 18) to support the biblical view of marriage as a union between one man and one woman. For that evening the center became a place of worship, as more than 70 area churches joined forces to host the rally for traditional marriage.

Less than a week after the U.S. senate voted to end debate on a constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage, Christians are mobilizing and preparing for the next phase in the ongoing fight to keep marriage from being redefined.

This past weekend's Rally for Traditional Marriage was broadcast by American Family Radio to audiences across 35 states. The Northeast Mississippi gathering featured rousing music and speeches from a number of pro-family leaders, including the state's First District representative, Congressman Roger Wicker, and Pastor Bill Owens, president of the Coalition of African American Pastors.

Leaders call on Christians to speak out, pray, and vote

Rally attendees watched a short video presentation of President George W. Bush's address to the recent national meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, during which he pledged to support the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment. In his own address, Congressman Wicker emphasized the importance of protecting marriage as a basic step to safeguard the health of the family.

The U.S. representative described "a mom and a dad involved in their family" as the best "program" in combating a number of social problems. He pointed out that re-defining marriage would result in cheapening the institution and lowering heterosexual marriage rates, thereby increasing the number of children living in single-parent homes.

Wicker also urged audience members to "vote prayerfully; vote carefully," since the next U.S. president will likely appoint several new justices to the Supreme Court.

Pastor Bill Owens, an African American community activist who marched for racial justice some 40 years ago, told the rally audience the homosexual activists of today have hijacked the civil rights cause. The minister also had a message for elected officials. "We're going to fight until we win," he said. "We're going to have crusades and rallies like this until we win. We're going to let our political leaders know 'if you don't stand for God, we won't stand for you,'" he says.

The battle for marriage will be long, Owens says, but he insists it is a fight that can be won with God's power.

Another rally speaker, Campaign for Working Families Chairman Gary Bauer, challenged believers in America to live, vote for, and defend Christian values without shame or embarrassment. He said Christians must stand up for traditional marriage, which is God's creation.


"Now, I don't know how to break this to folks on the other side," Bauer quipped, "but marriage wasn't dreamed up by the religious right. Marriage actually predates the Massachusetts Supreme Court. Marriage between a man and a woman was there long before San Francisco existed, and it was there before Ted Kennedy took his seat in the United States Senate."

Like Owens, Bauer decried efforts of homosexual activists to characterize traditional marriage defenders as intolerant bigots. "It is not bigotry to believe marriage is between a man and a woman," he said, and the rally audience responded with a burst of applause.

Protest and prayer

However, not everyone that turned out for the rally was in agreement with its purpose. According to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, a few protestors showed up to demonstrate outside the BancorpSouth Center, holding up signs that bore such messages as "Love makes a marriage, not gender" and "Hate is not a family value."

However, most Rally for Traditional Marriage attendees appeared to support its cause fully. Many declared that they had come to speak up in favor of a Federal Marriage Amendment and for American citizens' right to have the chance vote it up or down.

Nearly all of the main rally speakers cast the effort to defend the biblical view of marriage in terms of a nationwide battle, and Bauer himself said America was fighting "two wars" -- one against terror and another for traditional values. But amid all the martial rhetoric, Pastor Larry Hill of Tupelo's First United Pentecostal Church sounded a note of reconciliation.

Hill closed the rally with a unifying benediction in which he prayed for those who opposed the purpose of the gathering, asking God to "Let them know we love them."

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Fetching Hero Returns: Christian Filmmaker Brings Benji Back to the Big Screen

by Jenni Parker
July 19, 2004

(AgapePress) - An old friend of the family is returning to theaters next month. With the August 20 release of his new movie, Benji Off the Leash!, filmmaker Joe Camp is reminding audiences what family entertainment used to mean -- and hoping to prove to Hollywood that a heartwarming and wholesome story that teaches family values is just the breed of entertainment moviegoers of all ages will line up for.

Thirty years ago Camp's company, Mulberry Square Productions, introduced to the big screen the little dog that became the adorable, furry phenomenon called Benji. After his first eponymous movie in 1974 came the popular sequels For the Love of Benji (1977) and Benji the Hunted (1987), with Camp writing all three scripts. And now the filmmaker has done it again, bringing both a brand new Benji (the dog-star) and a brand new, tail-wagging tale of canine adventure to a new generation.

Family-friendly entertainment: Will audiences sit up and beg for more?

Camp says the Benji concept grew out of his long-time desire just to make movies that would "create value-based, good memories for people that would leave a residue and would change their lives." And toward that end, the Christian movie producer has once again penned a family-oriented script about a little dog's life and the many lives he touches.

Normally a slow writer, Camp points out that this time the words poured out of him with extraordinary ease and swiftness. "The story emanated from where the good ones come from," he says, "which is not from me and my brain, but clearly from God saying, 'Let me show you something.'" And Benji's director and "dad" says it was important to him that the movie contain that spiritual substance. "If a movie's not going to stand for something, if it's not going to mean something, there's no point. All of the Benji movies are about love and hope and persistence toward a goal -- about not giving up," he explains, "and that's where this one wound up as well."

Camp says Benji Off the Leash! is "not a Christian movie per se," but he says Christ has been involved in the project from the beginning, and the film embodies Christ's teachings about love, hope, and perseverance. "It teaches you to always think of somebody else's needs, and don't give up when you're trying to help someone," the filmmaker says, "and I think Benji was able to do that all through the story."

Of course Benji's screen story is fictional, but a real drama lies behind it, informing both the plot and his performance. Like his character in the film, the star of Benji is no stranger to abandonment. That is because, like the star of the original Benji film -- whose real name was actually Higgins and who was already a veteran TV actor when he assumed the movie role, having retired from a running part on a series called "Pettycoat Junction" -- the new star of Benji Off the Leash! was rescued from an animal shelter.

Camp was intentional about that. He searched shelters all over the U.S. to find a new Benji because the first Benji's origins in a shelter had inspired over a million pet adoptions around the country. "We felt this was the right thing to do," says the proud owner of the rescued canine and a few other dogs besides.

Camp originally intended to put the new dog, along with other candidates found in the talent search, in what he calls "Benji Boot Camp" and then to choose the lead dog afterward. However, he says he knew he had found his star almost immediately upon discovering the talented pup in the adoption center of a Gulfport, Mississippi Petsmart. "After 15 minutes we knew that this was going to be Benji," he says.

Teaching a new generation old values

Thirty years ago when the first Benji debuted on the big screen, the lovable little dog was an instant hit with parents and children across the nation. This reviewer recalls sitting in the theater as a youngster, thrilling to the adventures of a screen hero who exhibited the best of those traits that have earned a noble reputation for canine companions the world over: bravery, tenderness, intelligence, loyalty, and persistence.

No doubt about it -- back then, Benji "had me at hello," so to speak. But then, three decades later, I never would have thought writer-director-producer Joe Camp could bring forth a brand new Benji with an up-to-date storyline that would melt my jaded heart all over again in exactly the same way.

The film is neither saccharine nor stilted, but well-acted with an involving plot that often delves into humor but also deals poignantly with some serious themes, which is what prompts a PG rather than a G rating. The story touches on conservation and care for animals, blended family and broken family relationships, and even abandonment and abuse. But while wrestling with those harsh realities, it never becomes dark, thanks to winning moments of comic relief from the human cast and a shaggy co-star -- as well as a plucky protagonist who never stops seeking to make things better for those he loves.

 
Benji in a scene from Benji Off the Leash! (Copyright 2004 Mulberry Square Productions)
It is a story that spans generations, and that entertains while offering numerous teachable moments. At one point during the sneak preview I attended, the canine main character nudged a scrap of hard-won food toward his ailing mother, who due to her owner's neglect was too weak even to lift her head. At that moment in the story I heard a little girl in the row behind me whisper to her father, referring to Benji, "He's sweet." The adult murmured back to her, "Well, he's trying to take care of his mother."

That exchange drove home for me an added charm of the film -- its abundance of "teachable moments." What better tool is there to put into the hands of Christian parents than an engaging story about a lovable hero both they and their young children can relate to, whose kindness and character inspire instant admiration?

Responsible movie-maker refuses to roll over

Joe Camp has had to face his share of skeptics, from adults who thought such films must be, by definition, sappy or dull, to industry professionals who doubted audiences would be drawn to such gentle fare in the first place. But with all the past Benji movies, the producer-director has always been able to count on the audience to prove what he says he has always known, "that a good story, well-told, with strong emotional involvement will always entertain."

Money was scarce, so Camp tried negotiating with some of the major Hollywood studios to get backing for his picture. However, he insisted on maintaining creative control. "I could not allow them to take this away," he says. "If I had to go sell shoes, I was not going to sell my soul. I've seen what they do with so many other family movies that have come out -- lowered the bar one four-letter word at a time, one sexual innuendo at a time." But that would have been the tail wagging the dog -- and Camp was not about to stand for it. He struggled and scraped and somehow managed to finance the picture independently.

Now the director of Benji Off the Leash! is encouraging all who appreciate positive, family-friendly entertainment to go see the film the weekend of its August 20 opening. A strong premier will not only help ensure a lengthy and successful box-office run, he says, but it will also send a strong message to the entertainment industry. "We hope to prove that all of the industry is not out to lower the bar of responsibility and drop to the lowest common denominator in order to enhance the bottom line," he says.

Instead, the pro-family filmmaker wants to raise the bar, returning it to a former, much higher standard of decency and family values. "We have the opportunity to influence and affect millions of kids and to do it responsibly," Camp says. "The machine-gun fast pace, violence, and crude humor found in what kids are watching today is plainly not good for them. Add that to the desensitizing of kids to violence and respect for one another," he adds, "and I fail to see how anyone can call it good. It's just not necessary."

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Big Decision in Texas Could Affect Sex-Ed Texts Across Country

by Jim Brown
July 19, 2004

(AgapePress) - A pro-family group is haling new abstinence-only health textbooks for Texas public schools, the nation's second-largest buyer of textbooks.

The Texas State Board of Education held public hearings on the books last week in Austin and will once again in September. Opponents of the books -- among them Planned Parenthood of Texas and the Texas Freedom Network -- prefer a "comprehensive" sex-ed approach in the books.

But Cathie Adams with Texas Eagle Forum says the publishers consulted with the consumers of education -- parents and teachers.

"We are so happy that they did that consultation because those parents and those teachers said very clearly that we need to deliver to our children what we expect their behavior to be," Adams says, explaining that the expected behavior is clear: they should not be engaging in sexual activity until they are married.

Adams says students should not only be encouraged to live morally, but also taught how to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. There are obvious benefits, she says.

"There is a teaching process -- a very successful process in every study that has been accomplished -- showing that teaching children what expected behavior is, is very successful not only in preventing pregnancy but also in preventing sexually transmitted diseases and certainly in preventing broken hearts."

The 15-member board will vote in November whether to keep the abstinence-only health texts as is, or include detailed information on such things as condoms and birth control. The books would be used by 9th- and 10th-graders beginning next year. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the ultimate decision could have nationwide ramifications because publishers typically market their Texas books in other states.

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Romans 10:4 - Part Two

Sin no longer has dominion over men with Jesus Christ as their God, Lord and Saviour, as we live in and under God's Grace, not the Law. Luke 16:16 is a very large study, all by itself. Please see:

Matthew 11:9  But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
Matthew 11:10  For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Matthew 11:11  Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Matthew 11:12  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
Matthew 11:13  For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
Matthew 11:14  And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

The life of John the Baptist was fascinating. He was a humble messenger of Christ. He abased himself to glorify Christ. His example should also apply to us as what is fitting for a servant of Christ. John wanted all glory to be given to God. By all accounts, John was a very plain and humble man who didn't desire anything for himself except to glorify God.

Romans 10:4 actually speaks of a dramatic contrast between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith. Understanding this contrast must involve a knowledge of Christ, HIS purpose, and the real impact of the CROSS. The CROSS is the most precious event of human history. The preaching of the CROSS is all about God's Grace, Love, and GIFT - Jesus Christ,  our Lord and Saviour forever.
__________

2 Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

To many of the lost, the preaching of the CROSS is foolishness, and many may ask "Saved from what?" The lost know that they will die one day, but they don't understand their disobedience and sin will finally result in the eternal wrath of God. There is ONE who loved them enough to die in their place and SAVE them from eternal wrath and destruction. This ONE is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, VERY GOD,  who died on the CROSS in our place. HE has extended LOVE beyond measure to us, and HE wants to be our Lord and Saviour. HE wants us to return HIS Love, believe in HIM, have faith in HIS promises, and know that we are safe and secure in His Loving Hands. In short, HE wants to be our Saviour and rescue us from eternal wrath.

Romans 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:21  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

As a final note, the righteousness spoken of in Romans 5:21 and Romans 10:10 is the righteousness of Jesus Christ, not our righteousness or the righteousness of men. Our only righteousness is IN our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the only ONE we can boast of. Jesus Christ is our ALL, and we owe ALL to HIM.

Thanks be unto God for HIS unspeakable GIFT, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour forever.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Romans 10:4 - Part One

This is a little mini-study on Romans 10:4, but I wanted to put it in context to reveal more of the simple and blunt truth.

(KJV)

Romans 10:1  Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
Romans 10:2  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
Romans 10:3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Romans 10:4  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Romans 10:5  For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Romans 10:6  But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
Romans 10:7  Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
Romans 10:8  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

(AMP)

Romans 10:4  For Christ is the end of the Law [the limit at which it ceases to be, for the Law leads up to Him Who is the fulfillment of its types, and in Him the purpose which it was designed to accomplish is fulfilled. That is, the purpose of the Law is fulfilled in Him] as the means of righteousness (right relationship to God) for everyone who trusts in and adheres to and relies on Him.

First, please see the following comparisons:

Romans 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 9:31  But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

Ephesians 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Colossians 2:14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Luke 16:16  The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

Galatians 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Matthew 5:17  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Romans 13:10  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

1 Timothy 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

There are many ways of describing the Law, but I wish to keep it simple. The Law should make every man know that he or she is a sinner, is in violation, and is in desperate need of a Lord and Saviour. I like the beautiful description in Galatians 3:24, "the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ,".  Realistically, we should know that we can't keep and fulfil the law, but Jesus Christ did it for us with HIS shed blood on the CROSS.
___________

See Part Two

I join all of you in prayer every day. My son is regular enlisted Navy, and he just got back from the Gulf several months ago on a 10 month tour. Well, it appears they are going again.

I am so proud of our young men and women in the Armed Services. I didn't think that I could do it physically, but I did take a tour of his ship before the last tour and got to talk to a lot of his mates. The sailors in my son's group work up to 20 hours a day and maybe 7 days a week in 110+ degrees. To say they are lean and mean is an understatement. They work in the nuclear reactor area and feel embarrassed they don't contribute half of what the troops on the ground do.

All of the super sharp sailors I talked to felt the same way. They wanted to contribute as much as they could for their future children and children's children. Some of them already have children, and they don't want them to live like those do in Israel. Israel has a semblance of freedom, but they must pay for it daily in blood, on their own streets. Their enemies love to kill innocent women and children for maximum effect and grief. The same is true of our enemies.

If you haven't guessed, I strongly believe in what our young men and women are doing, and I'm certain that they do. I watched a news program the other night about Marines having to serve longer tours than they were told, and sometimes two tours at once. A question was asked about morale, and the answer was what I expected. The morale is at an all-time high, and there is a record of re-enlistments to go back and do it again. The job isn't done yet to their satisfaction.

They are preserving our freedom and way of life, much like many other brave young men and women who served before them. They should be given every respect and unquestioned support for whatever they need to win. If it ever comes down to every home in America having to ration food, fuel, and any other needed supply, our Armed Forces should be taken care of first. I honesty believe that some Americans have no clue what they are doing. 9-11 was just a wake-up call. We may yet have to fight on our own streets, pull our children from bombed schools, and live in a giant war zone. So far, the best and most dedicated military forces in the world have spoiled us with peace on our own soil. I don't hint to know what will happen on American soil, but there may come a time when we're all soldiers, especially the Christians.

I pray that Jesus will wrap His loving arms of protection around our young men and women who fight for us. Lord, if it is Your Will, let them win and come home. Lord, as a nation, we haven't given You the praise, worship, and obedience You deserve. For the sake of Your children, we ask for a peace and victory that only You can give. We ask these things in the precious name of Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.  Amen

Hey guys i didn't write the little books of John just  quoted em. sheeesh...

     Sister, it would have been nice for you to tell us this earlier.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Oklahoma Howdy to All,

This thread is very interesting, and I really appreciate your thoughts. I voted "Some of the Above". I usually don't like debate, but that may change with many of your proposals. My primary interest is peace, fellowship, and discussion of Christian topics.

In looking back, I probably made a fool out of myself in most of the debates I became involved in. Some of them were like waving a red flag at my "bull in the china closet" problem that I've prayed about for a long time. I think that much of it is how you define "Debate". I've seen quite a few excellent discussions of varying views where nothing got personal and nobody got angry or had hurt feelings. I do believe that everyone can learn something from an exchange of information like this. The topic may also have much to do with whether the discussion will be pleasant or the charge of two "Light Brigades".    For you young folks, the Light Brigade was one of the finest cavalry units to ever take the field of battle. By the way, horses - not Air Cav.  

Love In Christ,
Tom

Oklahoma Howdy to Sower and 2nd Timothy,

Thanks Brothers!

We can only imagine what that place of peace and beauty will be like. I enjoy thinking about it more and more. I'm looking forward to THE LIGHT.

Love In Christ,
Tom