Freshwater Speaks Tonight

By way of background and for those unfamiliar with the John Freshwater story, I will briefly recap it and provide you a few resources to further your knowledge. John Freshwater is a middle school science teacher who dared to bring his faith into the classroom. He dared to have a Judeo-Christian Bible visible on top of his desk in his classroom. Mark it now, this is not the Soviet Union, Red China or Saudi Arabia where it was or still is illegal to possess a Bible, it is rural small-town Mount Vernon, Ohio.

FRESHWATER IN HOT WATER

His refusal to acquiesce his first amendment rights landed Freshwater in hot water. After 20 years of teaching in an excellent fashion in that school district he is facing termination of his teaching contract.

“Did Christian Teacher “Brand” His Students?” is an excellent article written by Lee Duigon last month for Calcedon Foundation. The article brings us up-to-date on the events related to the John Freshwater controversy. We have also written a series of articles about Mr. Freshwater, which you can review here.

FRESHWATER GETS HIS DAY AT IN “COURT”

Tonight, Monday, August 4, at 7:30 P.M. at the Mount Vernon City Schools Board Meeting, which by the way is the last one before John Freshwater’s termination appeal hearing on August 26, Mr. Freshwater will be making a public statement. Don Matolyak (www.BibleOnTheDesk.com), John Freshwater’s Pastor, has urged all Bible-believing Christians in Mount Vernon and surrounding areas to attend this important board meeting and to show support for Mr. Freshwater. The school board meeting will be held in the Middle School Library.

At the July 7, 2008 School Board meeting six people spoke in support of Mr. Freshwater. One person spoke against him. In his comments, Sam Barone thanked the Board for firing John and said that there were thousands in Mt. Vernon who supported this action. However, there were only a half-dozen supporters of the school board’s action in attendance, while supporters of John Freshwater numbered 90.

Mr. Barone wishfully implied that support for Freshwater is waning. Pastor Matolyak put it this way, “I believe Mr. Barone put out a challenge for Evangelical, Bible-believing Christians to come and support a wonderful and an excellent teacher in his quest to keep his job teaching Eighth Grade Science and his Bible on his desk. Because John is intending to make a public statement, I am sure there will be a number of the media in attendance.”

WATCH THE MEDIA'S COVERAGE

Just a note, the media, especially the Columbus Dispatch, coverage has been grossly slanted in favor of the termination and condemnation of John Freshwater. It was the Dispatch that published the results of the investigator's report even before it was discussed by the school board or provided to Mr. Freshwater. Their coverage of the trial emphasized only those areas that present Freshwater in a negative light. For example, a large rally and follow-up prayer gathering were ignored, even though the press received notice of the events. I am sure the press will be there tonight and spin their account in anyway but positive or balanced.

Billy Graham's Prayer For America

Revive Us Again

T.D., a friend of this blog, sent us this powerful prayer that apparently has been circulating through cyberspace. We reprint it here without editorial comment because it speaks for itself. The prayer also compliments fellow blogger Sam's recent article, "To Create a Clean Heart."

“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

· We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

· We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

· We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

· We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

· We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.

· We have abused power and called it politics.

· We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.

· We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

· We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Amen!”

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, 'The Rest of the Story,' and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God.'”

Shining God’s Light on the Koran

Sam continues his on-going series which contrasts the Judeo-Christian Bible with the Islamic Koran on a variety of topics. He aims the beam of the Biblical laser on the Koran to expose, to reveal what it really says. See his previous articles here.

.

God Speaks and it is Done

According to the Koran all the god of Islam needs to do is speak and what ever he says comes into being. He had the angels worship Adam by prostrating themselves before Adam upon his creation. This knowledge will help deceive the Muslims into following the Antichrist when the time comes for him to be revealed to the world.

THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

God creates whom He will. When He decrees a thing He need only say: “B” and it is. (1)

Your Lord said to the angels: ‘I am creating man from dry clay, from black moulded loam. When I have fashioned him and breathed of My spirit into him, kneel down and prostate yourselves before him. (2)

I (god) shall strike terror into the hearts of the infidels. Strike off their heads, strike off the very tips of their fingers! (3)

COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT

The god of Islam created Adam by speaking the words and then breathing into him of his spirit. Then he called on the angels to worship him. Is it possible the god of Islam could create another image of a man, breath into him of his spirit and require the people of all the earth to worship him. I think it is very probable.

THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: (4)

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (5)

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast saying, who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. (6)

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth all the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causedth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six. (7)

COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT

This is prophecy of what will one day happen and has already happened concerning the angels. The red dragon is Satan the Devil. The stars which his tail threw to the earth are the angels of God who chose to follow Satan and are now fallen angels.

The first beast is known as the Antichrist. He is both posing as another Christ and someone who is against the true Christ. His power and authority come from the dragon who is Satan, the Devil. He and the Devil both receive worship from the people of the world.

The second beast is known as the False Prophet. He heads the world’s worship of the Antichrist and proposes a statue to the Antichrist. To this the False Prophet gives life and requires worship. Whoever would not worship the image of the Antichrist is put to death. Everyone in the world is required to take the mark of the Antichrist, which is 666, in order to buy or sell. The False Prophet runs both religion and commerce with enforcement authority and power.

Together they are able to deceive most everyone in the world and obtain/coerce their cooperation.

COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE

When the False Prophet gives life to the image of the Antichrist this will confirm to the Muslims that he is god for Adam was created in a similar way. The False Prophet can say “B” and it is. Putting to death unbelievers and idolaters is part of the Muslim way so there is nothing strange about killing those who do not worship the image of the Antichrist.

CONCLUSION

The reign of the Antichrist is not something you want to encounter. You can escape it through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for before the Antichrist’s reign Jesus will take His people out of the world. Scripture says that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. A sample prayer you can pray is: Lord Jesus Christ forgive me of my sin and come into my heart.

REFERENCES

1. The Koran Page 47 Paragraph 3:48
2. The Koran Page 185 Paragraph 15:28
3. The Koran Page 127 Paragraph 8:13
4. The Holy Bible Revelation 12:3,4a
5. The Holy Bible Revelation 12:7,8,9
6. The Holy Bible Revelation 13:1-5
7. The Holy Bible Revelation 13:11-18

Who is a Real Christian?

Is TV & Radio personality Glenn Beck a Mormon & a Christian?

I recall that on May 10, 2007 while listening to the Glenn Beck Radio Show. I heard Al Sharpton say that he thought Mr. Beck and the Mormons were Christians. I thought, “This is sad.” Al Sharpton had said, “…not to be concerned about Mitt Romney because God would support the real Christians.” To which I thought, “How sweet. That leaves out all those running for the office of President in the Democrat Party.” The only Democrat who might be a Christian is Gov. Richardson. I say this because I know nothing about the man. All the other Democrat candidates by their positions and actions present no evidence that they are true Christians.

Glenn got very angry with Al Sharpton because felt that “Rev.” Sharpton had implied Governor Mitt Romney and the Mormon Church are not Christians. How could anyone not believe Mormons are Christians? Ann Coulter is reported as saying Mitt Romney is as Christians as she is. I am sure that is true. More than likely neither of them are true Christian.

Mormons may proselytize a Christian, who does not know God’s Word (the Bible), and in that way have a confessing Mormon who is a Christian. However, Mormonism fundamentally is not Christian, nor do people become Christian by being Mormon. Glenn Beck told of a position he has in the Mormon Church which if he knew God’s Word he would know his position is bogus. Glen said that he is a priest after the order of Meklchizedek. This priestly position was conferred on him by the Mormon Church.

Melchizedek is a man like unto the Son of God who is without mother or father, without beginning of life or end of days. In order to be a priest after the order of Melchizedek one must have an endless life. What Glen and the Mormon Church contend is that Glenn Beck has an endless life without beginning of life or end of days. In other words, Glenn is God. Anyone knows that this is not true.

Jesus is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. He is so by means of an endless or eternal life having been so designated by God the Father. Jesus is God, creator of the universe. I doubt if Glenn has an endless life and will never die nor does God consider him a priest after the order of Melchizedek. This is only one of the false beliefs of the Mormon Church.

Mormons also teach that the family is forever. This is not true. “Family” exists only for as long as both man and woman shall live. Jesus says there is no marrying or giving in marriage for those who attain to the resurrection. A woman had married seven brothers one at a time in order to raise children to the oldest brother. Finally the woman died. The question asked of Jesus was, “Whose wife would she be in the resurrection?” Jesus said there is no marrying or giving in marriage in the resurrection. The family relationship ends and the people are as the angels in that they won’t marry or have children in resurrection of the righteous. Mormons teach that each family will be able to populate a whole world for themselves. This of course is not true.

Sadly, Mormons teach that one is made right with God by the works of righteousness done within the Mormon Church. Unfortunately this is not true and the Mormons are lost and not Christian. They are going to perdition (hell and the second death, the Lake of Fire.)

To determine who is truly a Christian one must look at the Word of God and see what it says and then look at a person’s life, conduct, and speech to see if they line up with the truth of God’s Word. Most conservative talk show hosts all claim to be Christians. At least those talk show hosts to whom I listen - Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Bill Bennett, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Laura Ingram and Michael Reagan - make that claim.

Of the conservative talk show host listed above only Michael Reagan appears to be a genuine Christian. Bill Bennett is close for I heard him say that one is not a Christian by their good works but by faith. This of course is correct as Martin Luther said, “Faith Alone.” I question whether Bill Bennett has applied this to himself by repenting of his sins and inviting Jesus into his heart. Rush Limbaugh is close for he said that the consensus of Christians is that by believing in Jesus one gets to heaven. Jesus said no one goes to God the Father but by me. He is the way, the truth, and the life. Whether Rush has appropriated this to himself by repenting of his sin and inviting Jesus into his heart I don’t know. The Sunday school class, which I once attended did not think so. Laura Ingram said of James Dobson that she wasn’t sure about those who determine the Christianity of others when Dobson said Fred Thompson wasn’t a Christian This shows she is not Christian. Sean Hannity seems to think that most everyone is a Christian. His criterion for who is a Christian does not seem to be Scripturally-based.

There is a God; He is self-existent, all-powerful, holy, just, faithful, loving, jealous, all-knowing, good, wise, and concerned about His creation. Not acquitting sinners, yet desiring that no one should perish. Every word He says is important for it is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” God is triune yet one. God is one spirit, which is capable of being everywhere at the same time and indwelling many individuals simultaneously. Those who obey God’s Word live and those who choose to disobey God’s Word die. Adam and Eve both chose to disobey God’s Word and died. Today we are all born dead, separated from God.

God promised Adam and Eve that someone would destroy Satan. That person was Jesus of Nazareth. God in His mercy sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to do for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. He lived a sinless life, fulfilled the law and took in His own body the sins of all mankind and received from God His wrath for all people. Then He said it is finished and gave up His spirit at the time of His choosing. Three days later He rose from the dead. For those who ask God’s forgiveness and repent of their sins in the name of Jesus, the Spirit of God comes into their heart (brain) and gives them eternal life.

It is the entering into ones heart by the Spirit of God in the name of Jesus that makes one a Christian. This is the born again experience which is also referred to as being saved. Paul writes that unless you have the Spirit of Christ you ado not belong to Christ. An example was the man who went into the temple and would not so much as look up into heaven but beat upon his chest and prayed, “Lord be merciful to me a sinner.” Jesus said this man went home justified.

How about you? Are you born again? Have you ever invited Jesus into your heart? A sample prayer is: “Lord Jesus Christ please forgive me of my wrongdoing, my evil, my proclivity to sin and please come onto my heart.” To find out more please click here.