It was one of those teenage weddings.
​
When they got the part of the ceremony where the boy repeats after the minister, "With all my goods, I thee endow," the mother turned to the father and whispered, "There goes his bicycle."

​​A Tribute to Rubén Pérez Castañeda

Rubén Pérez Castañeda
November 16, 1937 - July 18, 2020

Rubén Pérez was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, forming part of a Christian family with profound values of love, honesty, and fidelity.

Early in life, he discovered an attraction to plastic arts. He decided to master and work as a creative artist for publicity companies in Monterrey.

In 1964, he married Irma Rodríguez, and they were blessed by three children: Rubén, Haydeé, and Adalberto. Seven years later, a great trial came on the scene when his wife passed away, leaving him with three little ones. But he was faithful to God, even with this great loss.

On July 23, 1977, after five years of being a widower, he married missionary, Judith Firebaugh, with whom he shared ministry, teaching at Emmanuel Bible School, counseling, and of course, creating the official logo and other publicity items for Emmanuel.

Over the years, Rubén and Judith were able to itinerate in the USA, informing of God´s work in México and, in particular, raising funds for Emmanuel.

In 2002, they suffered the loss of Rubén, Jr., but even so, his faith did not falter, and he was a testimony to many people.

After retiring from secular work, he accepted the pastorate of a church, and together Rubén and Judith served for five years.

Rubén was a loving husband, grandfather, and a living testimony of God´s grace and blessing in his life. The last great test was of him having to submit to hemodialysis for the last five years of his life. However, he never lost his great sense of humor - sharing smiles and interesting stories to the doctors and nurses. He took advantage of each moment to share his faith in Jesus Christ to other patients.

On July 18, God decided to call him to His presence, receiving a firm and faithful servant.

He left behind his wife, Judith, who took care of him with profound love until the last moment; his children: Haydeé and her husband, Miguel, and Adalberto and his wife, Sabdi; two sisters; and his grandchildren, Xanat, Míkel, Rubén Elías, and Valeria.

His family recognizes him as the man who is described in Psalm 1. He was blessed because he did not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor did he sit in the seat of the scornful, but his delight was in the law of the Lord, and in this law, he meditated day and night. He was like a tree planted by the rivers of water which brought forth fruit in his season. His leaf did not wither and everything which he did was prospered by the Lord.

Rubén Pérez fought a good fight; he finished the course; he kept the faith, and he has received a crown of justice.

​Dr. James Dobson: 'The Wrong Decision in This Election Could Be Catastrophic'

Author: Dr. James Dobson

Voters across this nation are only a few short months away from the next general election. What an ominous time this is for our 244-year-old republic. Its future hangs in the balance. The choices we make on Nov. 3 will send this nation down one of two dramatically different paths. The wrong decision will be catastrophic.

I agree with former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who said recently that the next election will be "the most important since 1860." He also warned that if we appease or ignore the violence and anarchy occurring in the streets, it might be the end of civilization as we have known it. Those are sobering words coming from a man who has stood at the pinnacle of national power.

Gingrich referred to the significance of 1860 because that was the year Abraham Lincoln was elected president. I'm sure the speaker would agree that the following election of 1864 was also critical to the future of the nation. Lincoln and his opponent, Maj. George McClellan, were in a hotly contested campaign for the White House that could have gone either way. The "War Between the States," as it was called, had been raging for three ghastly years, and the entire nation was staggered by reports from the bloody battlefield.

Lincoln was running for a second term, and he campaigned on the promise of finishing the war and preserving the Union. These were momentous times for the young nation. During the first week of January 1863, the president signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves.

Democrats and their presidential candidate, Gen. McClellan, initially campaigned on a "peace platform," pledging to end the war and send soldiers home. As the election approached, McLellan talked more about negotiating to let the South establish a separate government whose cornerstone would be slavery. If McClellan had been elected, there would have been no foreseeable end to the inherent evil of buying and selling human beings and treating them like cattle. Thus, the Civil War was a struggle for the soul of America.

The summer before the election, the war was going badly for the Union. Lincoln, in fact, was convinced he was going to lose the election. He wrote the following memorandum on Aug. 23, 1864, asking his Cabinet to accept the grim prospects for his reelection. These are his words:

"This morning, as for some days past, it seems exceedingly probable that this Administration will not be re-elected. Then it will be my duty to so cooperate with the President-elect as to save the Union between the election and the inauguration; as he will have secured his election on such grounds that I cannot possibly save it afterwards."

No wonder Lincoln dealt at times with depression. Clearly, the Union was a hair's breadth away from losing the war. But then, the tide began to turn. One historian wrote, "The political landscape shifted dramatically when Gen. William T. Sherman took Atlanta in early September. This major military shift, coupled with the severe internal strife within the Democratic Party, solidified Lincoln's chance at victory."

As you know, Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans won the election of 1864 in a landslide. McClellan was defeated by more than 500,000 popular votes and 191 electoral votes. An estimated 78% of Union soldiers cast their ballots in favor of Lincoln. McClellan took just three states: Kentucky, Delaware and his home state of New Jersey. Less than two months after Lincoln's inauguration, he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. He is said to have been the "last casualty" of the Civil War.

Why have I recounted our Civil War history and the election of 1864 at this time in our history? It is for two reasons. The first is to consider some striking similarities between then and now. Our nation is divided like no time since the Civil War. Lawlessness and anarchy stalk the cities as angry mobs riot, burn, loot, rob and kill innocent bystanders. Cultural monuments are being destroyed. Scores of people have been shot. Our courageous police officers are being brutally attacked by the same people they have vowed to protect. A man and his son stopped to ask for directions, and he was gunned down on the spot. A 1-year-old baby was shot in the stomach while he sat in his stroller. The child died at the hospital.

What began as a justified and lawful protest in response to George Floyd's senseless murder by a rogue police officer has morphed into violence for the sake of violence. Hatred flows in the streets, including vitriol directed at the president of the United States or anyone who dares to support him or his policies. Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and religious liberty are being trampled. There is also widespread belief that violence and anarchy are being organized and funded by powerful forces that are maneuvering America toward a socialist dictatorship. There is always a kingmaker behind such lawlessness. Most disturbing is open talk of another civil war. It is troubling to even utter those words. The last time Americans faced off against each other, 600,000 soldiers died. May God forbid it from happening again.

During the revolution of the 1960s, I recall a ubiquitous bumper sticker that read, "What if they gave a war and nobody came?" It was a catchy phrase that made sense to those who opposed the Vietnam War. But my reaction to it then and now is "What if they gave a war and only one side came?" That question keeps me awake at night. There are multiple millions of passive Americans out there today, many of them Christians, who are clueless about what is happening to their homeland. They are losing something precious and irreplaceable. Do they not understand that their children and those who are yet to be born will live in tyranny if we fail them on our watch? Countless young men and women have laid down their lives on battlefields around the world to protect liberty and our way of life. Now, what they purchased for us with their blood is slipping away. Disengaged people won't lift a finger to preserve this great land. They won't take even a few minutes to go to their polling places to vote. There are also thousands of pastors who won't allow voting registration tables in the lobbies of their churches. Don't they know or care that America is on the ropes? Hordes of angry anarchists are salivating over the next election, hoping to push America over a cliff. If they succeed, as Newt Gingrich said, Western civilization will never recover.

Is there anyone left who believes some things are worth dying for? Aren't there patriots out there such as Patrick Henry who said in defiance of British tyranny, "Give me liberty or give me death?" That was the spirit during his day. The Declaration of Independence closed with these words endorsed by the signers, "We pledged to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor." They knew they would be hanged if they lost the war. Why did they do it? Because they loved their country enough to die for it.

How I pray for the emergence of silent, intimidated Americans who will come out of their hiding places to let their voices be heard on Election Day 2020. There must be tens of thousands of ministers in our midst who, like the Black Robe Regiment of the Revolutionary War, will strip off their clerical garb and fight valiantly for religious liberty. If these men and women of faith and conviction don't come to the rescue of their country, it is doomed.

During the Civil War, untold soldiers gave their lives to preserve the integrity of the United States of America and to end the tragedy of slavery. Here is the question of the hour: Are you and our brothers and sisters willing to carry the bloodstained banner around which our predecessors rallied? We will know the answer on Nov. 3.

That brings us to the second reason I have addressed the Civil War and the election of 1864. It is to remind us that voting matters. Each presidential campaign has been important, but some have had jaw-dropping and nation-shaping consequences. I believe we are at such a pivotal moment now. You can be certain that America will be forever changed by the political party that gets its supporters to the polls. They will win the day—and the future.

Unfortunately, the majority of Christians have a record of not showing up on Election Day. It is unbelievably sad. As many as 75% of them sit on their hands, apparently assuming that their votes don't matter. They are wrong. Voting always matters. George W. Bush won the presidency in 2000 by 536 votes in a nation of 130 million registered voters. Many down-ballot contests have been won or lost by a single vote.

I plead with you to register and vote in this presidential election. I won't try to tell you who to vote for because you can figure it out for yourselves. But I will suggest how you might evaluate the situation we face. I'll close with seven critical issues that have stunning significance for the nation. Please think hard about them, and then go to the polls.

The next generation. There is a fierce battle being waged now in the nation's classrooms for the hearts and souls of our children and grandchildren. Those of us who are passionately committed to the Judeo-Christian system of beliefs are losing our kids right before our eyes. They are being force-fed a radical curriculum that is godless, anti-American and sexually perverse. Make no mistake, the Left and secular culture are manipulating the minds of your sons and daughters every day of the year. I urge you to be extremely careful about those whom you set in power over your children. Protect them with your very lives.

The sanctity of human life. All life is sacred and is a gift from Almighty God. But as you know, America has the blood of innocents on its hands. Since 1973, more than 60 million babies have been murdered through abortion, and countless lives have ended by euthanasia. This is the most tragic holocaust in the history of the world! Some states have even passed laws allowing wounded and suffering infants to lie alone on porcelain trays after somehow surviving unsuccessful abortions. They will die without the comfort of their mothers' breasts.

If that doesn't touch your heart, you are without compassion. I hope you will not cast a single vote for any politician who supports such wickedness.

Marriage and family. The family is God's original building block for society. Marriage continues to serve as the foundation for every dimension of human life. Everything of value rests on it, including procreation and the care and training of children. If that ground floor is weakened or undermined, the entire superstructure of civil society will come crashing down. But listen carefully: powerful and highly funded forces, including LGBTQ and other leftist entities, are determined to destroy the family as an institution. It is already on its knees, and its future is grim. Before you vote, find out what position the candidates have taken on this issue. Then vote accordingly.

Religious liberty. The first item listed in the Bill of Rights addresses the issue of religious liberty. All the other enumerated rights flow from that fundamental freedom. That is why it is alarming to recognize that this right to worship and honor God as we choose is under vicious attack today. The courts have done the greatest damage, but now an entire subculture is trying to bring down the Christian faith. Whether it has invaded your private world or not, it is at your front door. It was this primary concern that led to the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War in 1776. We can't compromise one jot or tittle within that fundamental right. Fight for it with every ounce of your strength and determination. Don't let the government close the doors of your church or tell you when you can sing praises to the Lord Almighty. Government has a devious agenda, and it is dangerous. Be ready to go to the mat in defense of what you believe. And let this passion influence how you cast your ballot in November. Here I stand.

Will you join me?

Capitalism v. socialism. It is difficult to believe that for the first time in American history, our nation appears to be thinking about trading our democratic way of life for the tyranny of socialism. I can hardly catch my breath. Could we really consider abandoning the beloved system of government that was designed to be of the people, by the people and for the people? Is it true that up to 40% of Millennials and others are prepared to surrender their liberties in exchange for the absolute authority of the state? Democracy and capitalism have made ours the most powerful and successful nation in the history of the world. Are we really considering scuttling the system that has served us for 244 years in exchange for what some people call "free stuff?" I pray not! But that option awaits you in the polling booth.

The judicial system. Given recent rulings, we know that judicial overreach has almost ruined this great nation. Justices and judges are constitutionally charged to interpret the law, not make law. But again and again, they have overstepped their authority and brought us atrocities such as abortion on demand, same-sex marriage and the so-called "separation of church and state," which doesn't appear in the Constitution. Most recently, the Supreme Court handed down one of its most egregious rulings since Roe v. Wade. It is the case of Bostock v. Clayton County. This decision was not based on constitutional law but on the whims of six justices. It created a new legal definition of sex out of thin air. Lawyers tell us that this ruling will affect every dimension of culture and haunt the nation as long as it endures. Please don't vote for politicians who will expand, rather than limit, the power of judiciary.

The nation of Israel. Scripture tells that those who bless Israel will be blessed (Gen. 12:3). Our prayer is that the next chief executive officer of the U.S. will continue to promote and cultivate a vibrant bond of friendship with the nation of Israel, which is our only ally in the Middle East. Anti-Semitism and all forms of racial discrimination are inherently evil, and we condemn them categorically. We are a nation that is dedicated to "freedom and justice for all" (The U.S. Pledge of Allegiance).

I could list dozens of other issues that should be considered as we vote on Nov. 3.

I will end with this final statement from Abraham Lincoln. He said: "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have."

Let us come boldly before the throne of grace and ask God for His mercy on America.

Sincerely,

James C. Dobson, Ph.D

Founder and President
James Dobson Family Institute

P.S. This just came to my attention. Would you like to see where America may be headed if it abandons the sanctity of human life? New Zealand recently passed legislation that allows abortion up to the moment of birth, for any reason. That means a baby can be killed for sex-selection purposes or for the presence of disabilities, such as a cleft palate, Down syndrome or yes, being born alive after a botched abortion.

Do you shudder at those grotesque words? Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had promised, if elected, not to allow any kind of deadly discrimination, but she broke her word. We can anticipate something similar happening in America if anti-life factions prevail.

Harvest Giving Time
I have always loved “Harvest Time.” I love to plant seeds and watch the miracle happen as the corn brings forth sometimes a hundred-fold.

Well, it is Harvest Time now in Oklahoma and Evelyn and I traveled a few miles south from our home in Yukon to Rush Springs, the Water Mellon Capital of the world to buy a 50 pounder, the best and sweetest you ever put in your mouth.

Now, all you who read Hugh’s News know my dear friend Hugh loves to plant seeds and watch them grow, and he has been doing this for all these years faithfully as he “Sow Seeds” of faith, hope, and encouragement into our hearts and minds most every day.

​Let me encourage each of you to join me in providing a little “Seed for the Sower” in a Harvest Time offering to help Hugh keep the News flowing to those who look forward to receiving the seeds of blessings, information, and encouragement each day. Harvest Time blessings to all.

[Here's how you can contribute to Hugh's News and Commentary: You may Click Here on this hyperlink to make a contribution by a credit card or send a check in the mail. 

​It will be helpful if you would include your email address so Hugh Morgan can immediately respond to your gift to this ministry. Please make out your checks to Hugh's News, Inc., not to Hugh Morgan. Thank you kindly.]

​[Leroy Baker is known as Mr. Camp Meeting Preacher. He is a former president of Southwestern College, now Southwestern Christian University. He and Evelyn reside in Yukon, OK in a new subdivision. He is the author of the popular Gospel Song, "God's Got an Army." Leroy has been my friend since 1974. He has often refreshed my spirit and stood shoulder to shoulder with me through some tough times. I love Leroy and his family. I am grateful for this tribute to Hugh's News, entitled, "Harvest Giving Time."]

​Walking in the Hall of Faith of Fame Series #14

Author: James O. Davis

Dear Visionary Leader:

We are living in a time of plagues and promises. In Hebrews 11:27-29, we read:

"By faith, Moses, when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the red sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned." 

Life is short.  Death is sure. Sin is the cause. Christ is the cure. We need to understand that the malady of this world is indeed sin. We are by nature, by birth and by practice all sinners. We may be rich sinners or poor sinners; we may be educated sinners, ignorant sinners; we may be religious sinners or irreligious sinners; we may be baptized sinners or not baptized sinners, but by birth, by nature, and by choice, we are sinners and need to be saved from sin.

America needs more than a war on poverty and more than a war on coronavirus. She needs a war on sin. Did you know that the costliest thing around is sin?  It brings poverty. Now, I wouldn't expect anybody to stand up in Congress and say, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the problem is sin." I wouldn't expect anybody to stand up in the Pentagon and say, "Our enemy is sin." I wouldn't expect anybody to stand up in one of the great laboratories in one of our universities and say that it is the sin factor that has caused so much pain, moan, groan, woe, and heartache in the world today. Yet, we never ever deal with the problem because we never ever make the right diagnosis. I'm talking about mankind in general. We spend all of the time sweeping down cobwebs rather than killing spiders. We need to understand that the cobweb is the result of the sin.

Where is the answer going to come from? It's going to come from truth first taught thousands of years ago. 

Faith That Leads To A Definite Decision

In Hebrews 11: 27, we read, "By faith, he," that is Moses, "forsook Egypt." Egypt in the Bible is symbolic of sin. And the king of Egypt who was Pharaoh is symbolic of Satan. And when Moses forsook Egypt it symbolizes Moses forsaking sin. Egypt is a picture of the bondage of sin and Pharaoh illustrates Satan. 

Pharaoh did not want them to go. Satan never gives up anybody, anything without a fuss, without a fight, or without a struggle. 

In Exodus 8, I want you to notice some clever compromises that Pharaoh, who represents the devil, offered to Moses to keep Moses out of the promise land. In verse twenty-five, Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, "go sacrifice to your God in the land." This is the compromise of salvation.

Pharaoh meant that there was no need to make or break with Egypt. If you want to be religious, Moses, go right ahead. If you want to worship your God Moses, go right ahead; but Moses, do it right here in Egypt. What he was saying to them is the same things the devil going to say to some of you. If you want to be religious, that's quite all right. Just tack your religion on to your old sinful life. Just add a little religion in there and it will be quite alright. 

The devil tries to get us to be religious, but lost. The devil had rather you substitute education for regeneration. He doesn't mind it if we have culture rather than Calvary. The devil had just as soon send you to hell from this pew as he had the gutter. He doesn't mind if you're religious, so long, as you stay in Egypt. 

However, Moses said, "Pharaoh, we're not going to stay here in this place. We are coming out of the land of bondage." 

In verse twenty-eight, Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away." If the devil cannot convince us to compromise in our salvation, he will tempt us to compromise our separation. God had not called them to the wilderness. God had called them to the promise land. God had not called them to a rocks and sand and rattle-snakes, God had called them to milk, honey, pomegranates, grapes, hills and valleys, waterfalls and rivers. However, Pharaoh says "All right, if you're going, just don't go very far."

If the devil cannot keep you from going, he'll try to keep you from going all the way. He'll try to make you a wilderness Christian. He'll try to make you a carnal Christian. God wants us to be different. The Bible says they were to go all the way. 

In Exodus 11:27, we learn that God makes a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. God makes a difference. We ought to be different. A Christian ought to stand out in this world like a gardenia in a garbage can. 

We ought to be different. We ought not to be the same. The Bible says in Second Corinthians "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord." Are you separate? Are you different, or have you taken the devil's compromise? Can those people who look at you tell the difference between you and a real child of God?

Moses said look, Mr. Pharaoh, we're going and we're going all the way. Well, he doesn't give up yet.

In Exodus 10:8, we read, "And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh and he said unto them, go serve the Lord your God, but who are they that shall go? And Moses said, we will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herd will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the Lord. And he said unto them let the Lord be so with you, and I will let you go and your little ones, look to it, for evil is before you, not so, go now ye that are men and serve the Lord, for that ye did desire."

What was Pharaoh saying? Pharaoh said Moses, if you're going and you're going all the way, tell me who is going? Moses said, we're all going. Pharaoh said, now wait a minute, don't take your families with you, just leave your children behind. It might be dangerous out there. Leave your wives behind. If the devil cannot convince us to compromise our salvation or separation, he will tempt us compromise our soul-winning. 

Moses said look, we're going, we're going all the way and all of us are going. The devil hates family religion. Yet, the Bible teaches family religion. I don't know how anyone could be content to go to heaven and leave their loved ones behind to go to hell. Now, I know somehow God's going to make it alright, but I don't understand how I could be in heaven and my children go to hell. 

I cannot understand how anybody in this world could be content to go to heaven and leave their loved ones behind. Moses told Pharaoh, "We're going and we're all going. We're not going to leave our children behind." The Bible teaches family religion. 

Nevertheless, devil doesn't give up yet. Here comes the fourth compromise. In Exodus 10:24, we read: 

"And Pharaoh called unto Moses and said go ye serve the Lord, only let your flocks and your herds be stayed, let your little ones also go with you." Alright, if you're going to take the children, go ahead and take them, but now, you just leave your flocks, leave your cows and your sheep and so forth behind. Moses said, you must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings that we may sacrifice unto the Lord our God. We are not going to go out there without a sacrifice to give to God. We love our God and when we go, we're going to worship Him with these things, our flocks, our herds, they're going to be the means of our worship to God.

Moses is emphatic when he says, "There shall not be a hoof left behind." If the devil could not get them on the salvation compromise, on the separation compromise, on the soul-winning compromise, he tried to get them on the stewardship compromise. 

Some of us are going to heaven, but the devil has our businesses. You have never taken your substance, you have never taken your business and dedicated it to Jesus Christ. Therefore, there is a dimension in your worship that is failing because Moses said look, we need these things to serve God, to sacrifice to God. Our pocketbook belongs to the Lord Jesus. Our bank account belongs to the Lord Jesus. 

Moses made a decision. He forsook Egypt. Moses said, "Mr. Pharaoh, I want you to know, we're going. I want you to know we're going all the way. I want you to know we're all going and I want you to know we're going with all we have. We are taking our flocks with us and not a hide, not a hair, not a hoof, not a horn is going to be left behind. If we are going to get ready for the Passover, we need to understand there is a decision that needs to be made.

Faith That Leads To A Divine Deliverance

In Hebrews 11:28, we read, "Through faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them." 

It wasn't enough just simply for Moses to decide that he's going to forsake Egypt. If that's all Moses had done, he would have done like so many of us and just simply turned over a new leaf.

Moses determined to be and do better. With the decision there must be a dynamic. What is the dynamic that delivers us from the power of Egypt? It's one thing for us to repent, but the Bible teaches repentance towards God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. What kind of faith? Faith in his shed blood as is exemplified by the Passover.

When God led the children of Israel out He taught them to slay a Passover lamb. That Passover lamb was a picture, a prophesy of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the Bible tells us in the New Testament that Christ, our Passover is sacrificed for us. That Old Testament lamb represented God's lamb. 

In Exodus 12:1, we read:

"And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying, this month shall be unto you the beginning of months, it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto the congregation of Israel saying, and the tenth day of this month they shall take every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers a lamb for an house, and if the household be too-little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb." 

Notice, "Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year ye shall take it out from the sheep or from the goats and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month." This lamb was to be a sacred lamb. Take a male of the firstlings, a lamb without blemish that is, a pure, a spotless, an unblemished lamb. This lamb pictures the Lord Jesus Christ.

They were to keep it up for three days. They were inspecting that lamb. They would look at every bit of that lamb. If they found one blemish, that lamb was disqualified. Why? The Old Testament rabbis would even examine the eyelids of that little lamb. One blemish and it was disqualified. Had Jesus Christ not been the perfect Lamb of God, absolutely sinlessly perfect, He would have been disqualified.

The rabbis started raising lambs out in the fields of Bethlehem, the fields of Boaz. They were special Passover lambs. They were raised only for the Passover. When Passover is getting ready on a special day, the shepherds take those lambs and they bring them into the city of Jerusalem by the sheep gate. On the same day that those lambs were coming into the city of Jerusalem in Jesus time, on that same day that they were coming in there to be examined, Jesus Christ, God's lamb was also coming into the city of Jerusalem on that same day, what we call His triumphal entry. 

Even Pilate said, "I find no fault in Him."

Jesus could look at them and say which of you convict me of sin. The Sadducees examined Him. The Pharisees examined Him. The priests examined Him, Pilate and the civil leaders examined Him. However, all of them in their heart of hearts knew that there was not one sin against God's sinless Lamb. The Lord Jesus was a special Lamb.

In verse six, not only was He a sacred Lamb, He was a slain Lamb. We read, "you shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it until the evening." 

There was a special time when this lamb was to be slain. There was a special time for the son of God to be slain. He came in the fullness of time. He was God's slain Lamb. On the fourteenth day of April, that's the Jewish month that's spoken of here. 

It is our April, the father would take the little lamb, that spotless lamb in his house and he would pull the chin of that lamb up and take that keen razor sharp knife to cut throat of that spotless lamb. The little lamb would not even make a murmur, as his blood was gather in a basin. 

Imagine the scene of the Lord Jesus Christ at his crucifixion. Bethlehem's lambs are coming into the city and Bethlehem's Lamb, the Lord Jesus, was coming into the city. Those little lambs were examined and the Lord Jesus was examined. Then, on Mount Moriah, where Abraham was about to offer Isaac, he saw a ram caught in the thicket. The Bible says Abraham saw Jesus and was glad. 

What was so significant about that ram that Abraham saw caught in the thicket? When Isaac and Abraham were getting ready to go up that mountain, Isaac was supposed to have been the sacrifice. Isaac, asked where is the lamb? Do you remember what Abraham said? The Lord will provide Himself a Lamb. Notice carefully: Not the Lord will provide a lamb for himself; the Lord will provide Himself as a Lamb. Jesus was the Lord providing Himself. The Lord says I will be that Lamb. When John the Baptist saw, Jesus coming there by Jordan, John the Baptist said, Behold the Lamb of God."

And as those Levites were there pulling back the throats of those little lambs there on that Passover day and were slitting those throats, Jesus was on that cross dying in agony and blood. God's Lamb was dying and He bowed His head and he said, "It is finished."

Faith That Leads To A Declared Demonstration 

The Lamb was a slain Lamb and became a saving Lamb. 

In Exodus 12:7, we read, "And they shall take of the blood and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door posts of the houses wherein they shall eat it." 

In verse thirteen, "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon your houses where you are and when I see the blood I will pass over you." Judgment was deserved, but God says, when I see the blood, I will Passover you. 

They were to take the blood and strike on the two side posts. Can you see the father as he dips his cup in the blood, that basin of blood? Can you see him as he strikes it, not just rubs it, strikes it on his doorposts? Then he takes it and strikes it on the lintel of the door. 

Do you see it? Do you see the cross? Do you see the cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as that blood drips from that lintel there upon the threshold?  God says, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. This pictures the blood of Jesus Christ, for the Bible says the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us, from all sin.

Can you imagine a little Hebrew boy back in the time of the Exodus? The boys, says "Dad, Moses says we're to get a lamb and we're to kill it and we're to put the blood on the doorpost of our house and if we don't do it the first born in the family going to die. Dad since I happen to be the first born, do you mind if we check it out one more time?"

And so, he says "Dad, have we done it according to the Word of God?" "Yes, son," says his Dad.

"Dad was our Lamb without spot, without blemish?"

The Dad says, "Yes, son." 

"Father, did we put the blood upon the side post and the lintel of our house?"

"Yes son, we've done everything we supposed to do," says Dad.

"Thank you, dad, good night dad." the son says. 

He goes to bed and he sleeps so soundly that night because he's just trusting the Word of God and the work of God. 

Now, there's another little Jewish boy. And he also has a fine dad. He says Dad, "You know, I'm the first born in our home. So, I just want to check things out Dad, I want to ask you a question dad, did we get us a spotless lamb?" 

"Yes son, we did," says the Dad.  

"Did we kill it as God said?" "Yes, we did?" Dad says.

"Did we apply the blood specifically as God told us to apply it?"

"Yes son, we did?"

"Well, Dad, all of this sounds good, but I'll tell you, if you don't mind I'm just going to sit up and pray all night. I, I don't think I can sleep a wink tonight."

The death angel comes and he passes over the first house and he comes to that second house and he passes over that one too. That poor little boy worried all night for nothing. 

Some people are going to heaven first class and some people are going to heaven second class. The blood makes us safe and the Word makes us sure. When you take the Word of God, you rest in what God says and God cannot lie and, and so you might as well rest in the finished work of the Lord Jesus! 

Let us imagine a third boy. This is Pharaoh's little boy and Pharaoh's little boy says, "Dad, you know this guy, Moses. He is making all kinds of predictions and they're coming true. They're all kinds of plagues and now he's saying that the plague of all plagues is coming. Why, he's saying that if we do not place the blood of a lamb upon the doorposts of our house a death angel's going to come in and destroy the first born. I am the firstborn."

Pharaoh says, "Son, don't worry about it. Listen son, I'm Pharaoh and we've got many religions here in Egypt and they're good religions. We've got the best priest money can buy."

His son responds, "Dad, but we've got lots of lambs."

Pharaoh, says, "Don't worry about it. Moses is a religious fanatic; don't worry about that blood of the lamb stuff. Go to sleep son. Daddy loves you."

However, at midnight there's a flash and a gasp and a scream and Pharaoh's son is cold and dead, for the death angel has come. 

God said, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you." Had they taken a live lamb and tied it to the door it would have done no good. Salvation does not come by learning lessons from the life of Christ, but by receiving life from the death of Christ. Had they taken rubies and diamonds and gold and silver and poetry and adorned those lintels it would have done no good. God said, "when I see the blood I will pass over you."

In Hebrews 9:22, we read, "Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin."

This lamb was a special lamb. This lamb was not only a saving lamb; this lamb was a shared lamb. The Old Testament predicted the coming of the Messiah.  Jesus was an Old Testament shadow. Jesus Christ is our Passover; He sacrificed for us.

In verses eight and nine, we read that they ate the flesh in that night, that is, the flesh of the lamb, roasted with fire and unleavened bread and with bitter herbs.

Can you imagine? Can you imagine what thought must have gone up over Egypt when they are quarter of a million lambs are being barbequed in one night. I mean, there it is. Can you imagine the aroma that must have filled the air as they are roasting these lambs and these people are feeding upon these lambs? 

Do you know what was happening then? A group of slaves were becoming a nation and a bunch of sinners had begun to fellowship with God and one another over a lamb. Not only was it the lamb that was delivering them, but it was the lamb that was energizing them. For Jesus Christ gave Himself for us that He might give Himself to us. The Bible speaks of Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The next morning, each family left Egypt by walking under the blood with a lamb on the inside!  How do we get to heaven?  We go to heaven from this earth, under the blood with the Lamb of God on the inside. 

When a person sinned in Genesis, it was one lamb per person. In Exodus, it was one lamb per family. In Canaan, it was one lamb per nation each year. When John the Baptist came preaching, he said, "Here comes the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!"

Until The Last Person Has Heard,
 
Dr. James. O. Davis
Founder/President
Global Church Network
Cochair / Global Networking

​Radical Love

Author: Anne Graham Lotz

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13, NIV).

​We love others

who meet our needs,

whom we get along with,

who make us feel good,

who do things for us,

whom we like.

In essence, our first concern is for our own well-being and having our own needs met, and we love others in proportion to the extent they fulfill those purposes. Our second concern is that others respond positively to our overtures; if they don’t, we refuse to continue to love them. But Jesus outlined a radically different kind of love – a love that puts the needs and well-being of others before our own to the extent we would sacrifice our time, our energy, our money, and our thoughts in order to demonstrate it. We are to demonstrate it to others whom we may not like or with whom we may be incompatible or who respond negatively or who may never do anything for us in return! Now that’s radical!

Blessings,

Anne Graham Lotz

Copyright © 2014 Anne Graham Lotz (AnGeL Ministries) Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved www.annegrahamlotz.org.                                                                                             

Ephesians 5:1-2  Let us walk in love
 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 
NKJV

A man, his wife, and mother-in-law went on vacation to the Holy Land.

While they were there the mother-in-law passed away.

The undertaker told them, “You can have her shipped home for $ 5,000.00, or you can bury her here in the Holy Land for $150.00.”

The man thought about it and told him he would have her shipped home.

The undertaker asked, “Why? Why would you spend $ 5,000.00 to ship your mother-in-law home, when it would be wonderful to spend only $150.00?”

The man said, A Man died here 2,000 years ago, He was buried here and three days later He rose from the dead. I just can’t take that chance.”

[This joke was sent to me by my first cousin, Howard Shropshire. He is Melvine's blood kin cousin, and my cousin by marriage. He and his wife Barbara reside in Richmond, VA. Howard's father was a first class tailor and made men's suits. He was also a minister of the Gospel. Melvine's mother, Frances Shropshire Stewart and Bill Shropshire were sister and brother. Howard has a twin brother, Hubert. We love this family.]

​Harvest Giving Time

Author: Bishop Leroy Baker

​I have always loved “Harvest Time.” I love to plant seeds and watch the miracle happen as the corn brings forth sometimes a hundred-fold. Well, it is Harvest Time now in Oklahoma and Evelyn and I traveled a few miles south from our home in Yukon to Rush Springs, the Water Mellon Capital of the world to buy a 50 pounder, the best and sweetest you ever put in your mouth.

Now, all you who read Hugh’s News know my dear friend Hugh loves to plant seeds and watch them grow, and he has been doing this for all these years faithfully as he “Sows Seeds” of faith, hope, and encouragement into our hearts and minds most every day.

Let me encourage each of you to join me in providing a little “Seed for the Sower” in a Harvest Time offering to help Hugh keep the News flowing to those who look forward to receiving the seeds of blessings, information, and encouragement each day.

​Harvest Time blessings to all.

[Leroy Baker is known as Mr. Camp Meeting Preacher. He is a former president of Southwestern College, now Southwestern Christian University. He and Evelyn reside in Yukon, OK in a new subdivision. He is the author of the popular Gospel Song, "God's Got an Army." Leroy has been my friend since 1974. He has often refreshed my spirit and stood shoulder to shoulder with me through some tough times. I love Leroy and his family. I am grateful for this tribute to Hugh's News, entitled, "Harvest Time."]

Let's Lift the Hands of President Chris Thompson
 
Exodus 17:12-13  We can join together to help President Chris Thompson to win the victory for new students 

12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up — one on one side, one on the other — so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. 
NIV

Let's Recruit Students for Holmes Bible College
 
You and I are key persons who can lift up President Chris Thompson's hands by recruiting new students for Holmes Bible College. We believe that parents, grandparents, family members, friends, and church leaders can help tell the story of Holmes Bible College.

Students have the option to take classes online or in residence. Let us help President Chris Thompson to have 100 students for the fall. With God's help and yours it can be done. When God gives a vision, He also gives the provision. He has promised to meet or supply all our need according to His riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

President Chris Thompson has commissioned a new video to be made to promote Holmes Bible College which is located in Greenville, SC, one of the most beautiful cities in the South.

This video below is awesome. You will be thrilled to see it. Please click on the video arrow below to view this video of Holmes Bible College.

You may call today at 864-246-3566, or go to our website: www.holmes.edu

Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Closed on Friday.

​The Edge of Time 

​Author: Ronald Gadberry 

Some argue forcefully we share some billion years
Evolving slowly over time and now the end is near
Grasping fleeting moments holding out for just one more
Perching on the edge of time while squeezing through the door 

Time is more than fleeting, juxtaposed to life and death
And mankind holds the secret having breathed in God’s own breath
Seeking life eternal knowing time belongs to man
He rushes frantically through life while reaching for His hand 

The ages are for God alone, and time is His to share
The seconds, minutes, hours, days are also in His care
A lifetime stretched across the years are just begun then gone
A fraction in the scope of time, more fleeting than a song 

To balance is precarious the edge is razor thin
The reaper has begun his march his purpose fierce and grim
But light from time immortal shining bright across the way
Is guiding all who follow on to that eternal day 

Time at best is fleeting but eternity endures
And as the east is from the west, forever is assured
And as the final curtain falls on man’s short time on earth
​Time will cease but life increase in heaven’s bright new birth 

A Communion Message by Bishop Leroy Baker

​Title: Heavenly Bread (Jesus said I am the Bread of Life)

Text: John 6:47-50/ Exodus 16:4-5 / Rev. 2:17

Introduction: This lesson is on the “What is it” or Heavenly Bread, Manna, Living Bread, Daily Bread, Hidden Bread and The Bread of Life.

We know that Jesus said Himself “That man shall not live by Bread only but by every Word that proceeds from the Mouth of God” (Matthew 4:1).

This is a lesson on Faith and Obedience. We must have faith to understand the meaning of the Lord’s Supper or the Communion. Jesus taught us “What is it” and instructed us to receive this communion as a reminder of Him and what He has done for us. We will take it with Him again at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Heaven (Matt. 26:29/Rev. 19:9).

I- Heavenly Bread “Manna” (Exodus 16:4,5)
A- Some want to debate the event and the why without understanding the Hidden meaning (Revelation 2:17).
B- Like the Wine at Cana of Galilee, John 2:1-12 some want to debate if the wine was alcohol or just juice. This was not about the Wine but about Jesus and His power to change.
C- In the public ministry of Jesus He fed more than 15,000 people fish and bread from five loaves and two small fish. Jesus fed them all without even knowing or asking who they were. This was not about having lunch but rather about the power of Jesus to Change a little into enough (Matthew 14:17).

II- Hidden Bread Revelation 2:17
A- Receiving the understanding of Jesus the Word “Overcomers”.
B- Receiving a new name and the White Stone.
C- The blessings that come through obedience.

III- Holy Bread and the Characteristics of the Manna (Exodus 16:31)
1. It was small a seed. The seed of the woman the baby Jesus (Coriander) (Exodus 16:31)
2. It was Round like a ring, Grace, Eternality of Jesus the beginning and Ending.
3. It was White like the Holiness and Purity of Jesus (Revelation 1:14)
4. It was Sweet like Honey, Jesus the Honey in the Rock (Psalm 34:8)
5. It was Misunderstood. “What is it” Manna. What manner of Man (Matthew 8:27)
6. It was Daily Bread must gather each day. Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11)
7. It could not be gathered on the Sabbath day. Christ in the grave on this day (Luke 23:54)

Close: Communion time: Reading I Corinthians 11:23-46

Volkswagen designed and built a sure enough car of the future.

It is a flying, 2-seat, car that will get you where you need to be. 

It took me a while to figure out how to make you a hyperlink so you can see it for yourself.

It appears to be a smooth running machine and flies just a foot or so off the ground.

You may Click Here on this hyperlink to see this flying auto built by VW.

​Enjoy seeing this flying machine.

Take Up Your Cross

Author: Anne Graham Lotz

"God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14, NKJV). 
​
The cross is not just a symbol of love or a fashion statement. The cross is your daily decision to deny yourself,

your rights,

your wants,

your dreams,

your plans,

your goals,

and deliberately, wholeheartedly, unreservedly live out your commitment to His will and His way and His Word and His wisdom. The cross is your decision to live for Jesus. Period. No “ifs,” “ands,” “buts,” or “maybes.”

Would you take up your cross . . . every day . . . and follow Him?

Blessings,

Anne Graham Lotz

Copyright © 2014 Anne Graham Lotz (AnGeL Ministries) Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved www.annegrahamlotz.org.

​Getting Quiet

Author: Bob Shafer

Today’s Scripture

"Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10, NKJV).

So many people today find themselves caught up in the day-to-day busyness of life, driven to do more in less time. It seems people constantly strive to find ways to cram more into their already overcrowded schedules. But at the same time, God is constantly inviting us to step away from the hectic pace of life and come to Him to find rest for our souls. He invites us to be still before Him, to get quiet so we can hear His voice and set our hearts and minds at peace.

Every day, you should take time to read the Scripture and meditate on God’s promises. Every time you’re in the car, put on some good praise music. Make it a point to spend time with God throughout the day. When you get quiet, say, “God, I love You today. Lord, thank You for my life, my family, my dreams.” That’s what is going to keep you strong. That’s what’s going to keep you moving forward in the right direction.

Today, make it a point to be still before God. Quiet your mind of all the things on your agenda and just focus on Him. Let Him love you, let Him speak to your heart, and let Him fill you with peace and strength each and every day.

A Prayer for Today
Father, thank You for Your love and grace that are upon me. Right now, I let go of all the distractions of life and focus on You. I choose to be still, to get quiet before You, and listen to You. Restore me and help me to hear Your voice with clarity. I receive Your peace and strength for today in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Wake-Up Thought
The Scripture says that in God’s presence there is fullness of joy, fullness of peace, fullness of victory. That’s where you’re refreshed and restored. Take time at the beginning of each day to sit quietly in His presence, pray, and read your Bible. When you get alone with God and put Him first, the rest of your day will go much better. You will reap rich rewards and live the abundant life He has for you. 

Declaration of God's Word to help defeat the strongholds of the mind

I am attaining by faith to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.                                                   

Ephesians 4:13-14
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
NKJV

Dr. James Dobson: 'The Wrong Decision in This Election Could Be Catastrophic'

Author: Dr. James Dobson

Voters across this nation are only a few short months away from the next general election. What an ominous time this is for our 244-year-old republic. Its future hangs in the balance. The choices we make on Nov. 3 will send this nation down one of two dramatically different paths. The wrong decision will be catastrophic.

I agree with former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who said recently that the next election will be "the most important since 1860." He also warned that if we appease or ignore the violence and anarchy occurring in the streets, it might be the end of civilization as we have known it. Those are sobering words coming from a man who has stood at the pinnacle of national power.

Gingrich referred to the significance of 1860 because that was the year Abraham Lincoln was elected president. I'm sure the speaker would agree that the following election of 1864 was also critical to the future of the nation. Lincoln and his opponent, Maj. George McClellan, were in a hotly contested campaign for the White House that could have gone either way. The "War Between the States," as it was called, had been raging for three ghastly years, and the entire nation was staggered by reports from the bloody battlefield.

Lincoln was running for a second term, and he campaigned on the promise of finishing the war and preserving the Union. These were momentous times for the young nation. During the first week of January 1863, the president signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves.

Democrats and their presidential candidate, Gen. McClellan, initially campaigned on a "peace platform," pledging to end the war and send soldiers home. As the election approached, McLellan talked more about negotiating to let the South establish a separate government whose cornerstone would be slavery. If McClellan had been elected, there would have been no foreseeable end to the inherent evil of buying and selling human beings and treating them like cattle. Thus, the Civil War was a struggle for the soul of America.

The summer before the election, the war was going badly for the Union. Lincoln, in fact, was convinced he was going to lose the election. He wrote the following memorandum on Aug. 23, 1864, asking his Cabinet to accept the grim prospects for his reelection. These are his words:

"This morning, as for some days past, it seems exceedingly probable that this Administration will not be re-elected. Then it will be my duty to so cooperate with the President-elect as to save the Union between the election and the inauguration; as he will have secured his election on such grounds that I cannot possibly save it afterwards."

No wonder Lincoln dealt at times with depression. Clearly, the Union was a hair's breadth away from losing the war. But then, the tide began to turn. One historian wrote, "The political landscape shifted dramatically when Gen. William T. Sherman took Atlanta in early September. This major military shift, coupled with the severe internal strife within the Democratic Party, solidified Lincoln's chance at victory."

As you know, Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans won the election of 1864 in a landslide. McClellan was defeated by more than 500,000 popular votes and 191 electoral votes. An estimated 78% of Union soldiers cast their ballots in favor of Lincoln. McClellan took just three states: Kentucky, Delaware and his home state of New Jersey. Less than two months after Lincoln's inauguration, he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. He is said to have been the "last casualty" of the Civil War.

Why have I recounted our Civil War history and the election of 1864 at this time in our history? It is for two reasons. The first is to consider some striking similarities between then and now. Our nation is divided like no time since the Civil War. Lawlessness and anarchy stalk the cities as angry mobs riot, burn, loot, rob and kill innocent bystanders. Cultural monuments are being destroyed. Scores of people have been shot. Our courageous police officers are being brutally attacked by the same people they have vowed to protect. A man and his son stopped to ask for directions, and he was gunned down on the spot. A 1-year-old baby was shot in the stomach while he sat in his stroller. The child died at the hospital.

What began as a justified and lawful protest in response to George Floyd's senseless murder by a rogue police officer has morphed into violence for the sake of violence. Hatred flows in the streets, including vitriol directed at the president of the United States or anyone who dares to support him or his policies. Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and religious liberty are being trampled. There is also widespread belief that violence and anarchy are being organized and funded by powerful forces that are maneuvering America toward a socialist dictatorship. There is always a kingmaker behind such lawlessness. Most disturbing is open talk of another civil war. It is troubling to even utter those words. The last time Americans faced off against each other, 600,000 soldiers died. May God forbid it from happening again.

During the revolution of the 1960s, I recall a ubiquitous bumper sticker that read, "What if they gave a war and nobody came?" It was a catchy phrase that made sense to those who opposed the Vietnam War. But my reaction to it then and now is "What if they gave a war and only one side came?" That question keeps me awake at night. There are multiple millions of passive Americans out there today, many of them Christians, who are clueless about what is happening to their homeland. They are losing something precious and irreplaceable. Do they not understand that their children and those who are yet to be born will live in tyranny if we fail them on our watch? Countless young men and women have laid down their lives on battlefields around the world to protect liberty and our way of life. Now, what they purchased for us with their blood is slipping away. Disengaged people won't lift a finger to preserve this great land. They won't take even a few minutes to go to their polling places to vote. There are also thousands of pastors who won't allow voting registration tables in the lobbies of their churches. Don't they know or care that America is on the ropes? Hordes of angry anarchists are salivating over the next election, hoping to push America over a cliff. If they succeed, as Newt Gingrich said, Western civilization will never recover.

Is there anyone left who believes some things are worth dying for? Aren't there patriots out there such as Patrick Henry who said in defiance of British tyranny, "Give me liberty or give me death?" That was the spirit during his day. The Declaration of Independence closed with these words endorsed by the signers, "We pledged to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor." They knew they would be hanged if they lost the war. Why did they do it? Because they loved their country enough to die for it.

How I pray for the emergence of silent, intimidated Americans who will come out of their hiding places to let their voices be heard on Election Day 2020. There must be tens of thousands of ministers in our midst who, like the Black Robe Regiment of the Revolutionary War, will strip off their clerical garb and fight valiantly for religious liberty. If these men and women of faith and conviction don't come to the rescue of their country, it is doomed.

During the Civil War, untold soldiers gave their lives to preserve the integrity of the United States of America and to end the tragedy of slavery. Here is the question of the hour: Are you and our brothers and sisters willing to carry the bloodstained banner around which our predecessors rallied? We will know the answer on Nov. 3.

That brings us to the second reason I have addressed the Civil War and the election of 1864. It is to remind us that voting matters. Each presidential campaign has been important, but some have had jaw-dropping and nation-shaping consequences. I believe we are at such a pivotal moment now. You can be certain that America will be forever changed by the political party that gets its supporters to the polls. They will win the day—and the future.

Unfortunately, the majority of Christians have a record of not showing up on Election Day. It is unbelievably sad. As many as 75% of them sit on their hands, apparently assuming that their votes don't matter. They are wrong. Voting always matters. George W. Bush won the presidency in 2000 by 536 votes in a nation of 130 million registered voters. Many down-ballot contests have been won or lost by a single vote.

I plead with you to register and vote in this presidential election. I won't try to tell you who to vote for because you can figure it out for yourselves. But I will suggest how you might evaluate the situation we face. I'll close with seven critical issues that have stunning significance for the nation. Please think hard about them, and then go to the polls.

The next generation. There is a fierce battle being waged now in the nation's classrooms for the hearts and souls of our children and grandchildren. Those of us who are passionately committed to the Judeo-Christian system of beliefs are losing our kids right before our eyes. They are being force-fed a radical curriculum that is godless, anti-American and sexually perverse. Make no mistake, the Left and secular culture are manipulating the minds of your sons and daughters every day of the year. I urge you to be extremely careful about those whom you set in power over your children. Protect them with your very lives.

The sanctity of human life. All life is sacred and is a gift from Almighty God. But as you know, America has the blood of innocents on its hands. Since 1973, more than 60 million babies have been murdered through abortion, and countless lives have ended by euthanasia. This is the most tragic holocaust in the history of the world! Some states have even passed laws allowing wounded and suffering infants to lie alone on porcelain trays after somehow surviving unsuccessful abortions. They will die without the comfort of their mothers' breasts.

If that doesn't touch your heart, you are without compassion. I hope you will not cast a single vote for any politician who supports such wickedness.

Marriage and family. The family is God's original building block for society. Marriage continues to serve as the foundation for every dimension of human life. Everything of value rests on it, including procreation and the care and training of children. If that ground floor is weakened or undermined, the entire superstructure of civil society will come crashing down. But listen carefully: powerful and highly funded forces, including LGBTQ and other leftist entities, are determined to destroy the family as an institution. It is already on its knees, and its future is grim. Before you vote, find out what position the candidates have taken on this issue. Then vote accordingly.

Religious liberty. The first item listed in the Bill of Rights addresses the issue of religious liberty. All the other enumerated rights flow from that fundamental freedom. That is why it is alarming to recognize that this right to worship and honor God as we choose is under vicious attack today. The courts have done the greatest damage, but now an entire subculture is trying to bring down the Christian faith. Whether it has invaded your private world or not, it is at your front door. It was this primary concern that led to the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War in 1776. We can't compromise one jot or tittle within that fundamental right. Fight for it with every ounce of your strength and determination. Don't let the government close the doors of your church or tell you when you can sing praises to the Lord Almighty. Government has a devious agenda, and it is dangerous. Be ready to go to the mat in defense of what you believe. And let this passion influence how you cast your ballot in November. Here I stand.

Will you join me?

Capitalism v. socialism. It is difficult to believe that for the first time in American history, our nation appears to be thinking about trading our democratic way of life for the tyranny of socialism. I can hardly catch my breath. Could we really consider abandoning the beloved system of government that was designed to be of the people, by the people and for the people? Is it true that up to 40% of Millennials and others are prepared to surrender their liberties in exchange for the absolute authority of the state? Democracy and capitalism have made ours the most powerful and successful nation in the history of the world. Are we really considering scuttling the system that has served us for 244 years in exchange for what some people call "free stuff?" I pray not! But that option awaits you in the polling booth.

The judicial system. Given recent rulings, we know that judicial overreach has almost ruined this great nation. Justices and judges are constitutionally charged to interpret the law, not make law. But again and again, they have overstepped their authority and brought us atrocities such as abortion on demand, same-sex marriage and the so-called "separation of church and state," which doesn't appear in the Constitution. Most recently, the Supreme Court handed down one of its most egregious rulings since Roe v. Wade. It is the case of Bostock v. Clayton County. This decision was not based on constitutional law but on the whims of six justices. It created a new legal definition of sex out of thin air. Lawyers tell us that this ruling will affect every dimension of culture and haunt the nation as long as it endures. Please don't vote for politicians who will expand, rather than limit, the power of judiciary.

The nation of Israel. Scripture tells that those who bless Israel will be blessed (Gen. 12:3). Our prayer is that the next chief executive officer of the U.S. will continue to promote and cultivate a vibrant bond of friendship with the nation of Israel, which is our only ally in the Middle East. Anti-Semitism and all forms of racial discrimination are inherently evil, and we condemn them categorically. We are a nation that is dedicated to "freedom and justice for all" (The U.S. Pledge of Allegiance).

I could list dozens of other issues that should be considered as we vote on Nov. 3.

I will end with this final statement from Abraham Lincoln. He said: "I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have."

Let us come boldly before the throne of grace and ask God for His mercy on America.

Sincerely,

James C. Dobson, Ph.D
Founder and President
James Dobson Family Institute

P.S. This just came to my attention. Would you like to see where America may be headed if it abandons the sanctity of human life? New Zealand recently passed legislation that allows abortion up to the moment of birth, for any reason. That means a baby can be killed for sex-selection purposes or for the presence of disabilities, such as a cleft palate, Down syndrome or yes, being born alive after a botched abortion.

Do you shudder at those grotesque words? Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had promised, if elected, not to allow any kind of deadly discrimination, but she broke her word. We can anticipate something similar happening in America if anti-life factions prevail. 

​"The Rest of the Story"

Author: Rod Callahan

Most of us remember the story of David and Bethsheba but do we remember "The Rest of the Story"?

King David saw Bethsheba on her roof top taking a bath. He sent for her and she came to his palace.

They had sexual relations and she became pregnant. When David learned this he had her husband, Uriah, brought in from the battlefield. He refused to sleep with his wife and spent the night outside. David heard about this and sent orders to his commander to place him in the heat of the battle and he was killed.

Fast forward to 2 Samuel 12. Nathan the prophet has a meeting with King David. He told him the story of a rich man who had many sheep.  A traveler came and he killed his neighbor's only sheep to prepare him a meal. Nathan asked what should be done to this man. David said that this man should be killed. Nathan said, "You are the man." You commited adultery and had Uriah killed. 

We feel awful when we are confronted of sin in our lives. God allows this confrontation to happen because He loves us so much.
       
​Many consider Psalm 51 as the account of David's reaction to his encounter with Nathan. Now, "The Rest of the Story."

This Psalm gives the steps in David's being restored to a right relationship with God.

First, David cried for mercy. "Have mercy on me, O God" (Psalm 51:1-2). When we sin and repent our first response is to ask for God's mercy as David did.  Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Second, David confessed his sin. "For I acknowledge my transgression" (Verses 3-6). In the 12 Steps of the AA program the person has to confess that he/she is an alcoholic. We need to confess our specific sin to God.

Thirdly, David plead for cleansing, "Purge me...cleanse me" (Verses 7-12). There is a great joy when we feel the cleansing power from sin by the Holy Spirit. Our water baptism is a good reminder of our being cleansed from sin.

Fourthly, David makes a vow of consecration in verses 13-17.  He said, "Then will I teach."  This response indicates He has had a change of heart and wants to tell others about it. When we hear and accept the Good News of the Gospel it is natural to want to share it with others.

Finally, David had a prayer of restoration in verses 18-19. He said that he would do good and help build the walls of Jerusalem.  When the process of repentance is complete, there will be evidence of change in our life and we will want to do the right thing.

Now, you know "The Rest of the Story."

[Rodney Callahan is a retired Army Reserve chaplain with the rank of Colonel. He has a D. Min. degree, and served with honor and distinction as a Hospice chaplain in the State of Georgia Pastoral Counseling Services. He is an ordained minister in the the Georgia Conference, now named LifePoint Ministries. He served for several years as a member of the Chaplains Ministries IPHC Board. His many contributions to that board were commendable.]

Let's Lift the Hands of President Chris Thompson for such a time as this . . .
 
Exodus 17:12-13  We can join together to help President Chris Thompson to win the victory for new students . . . No less than 100 students for fall semester

12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up — one on one side, one on the other — so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. 
NIV

Let's Recruit Students for Holmes Bible College
 
You and I are key persons who can lift up President Chris Thompson's hands by recruiting new students for Holmes Bible College. We believe that parents, grandparents, family members, friends, and church leaders can help tell the story of Holmes Bible College.

Students have the option to take classes online or in residence. Let us help President Chris Thompson to have 100 students for the fall. With God's help and yours it can be done. When God gives a vision, He also gives the provision. He has promised to meet or supply all our need according to His riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

President Chris Thompson has commissioned a new video to be made to promote Holmes Bible College which is located in Greenville, SC, one of the most beautiful cities in the South.

This video below is awesome. You will be thrilled to see it. Please click on the video arrow below to view this video of Holmes Bible College.

You may call today at 864-246-3566, or go to our website: www.holmes.edu

Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Closed on Friday.