by Terry Laughlin | May 23, 2021 | Veteran's Day
1 Samuel 12:23, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord for failing to pray for you.” Samuel was married and had a family. (1 Samuel 12:2) He had served as priest (1 Samuel 7) and Judge (1 Samuel 7:16; Acts 13:20) and he was a prophet. (Acts 3:24) He also got involved in directly praying for military situations, in calling a nation to repentance and in giving them directions on how to live.
Jesus said, there will be war until the end of time. (Matthew 24:16; Mark 13:7) The Lord, through our government (Romans 13:1) has set days and times throughout the year to recognize and appreciate our service men and women. God, in His Word has given us a powerful ministry, praying for our Armed Forces!
How should we pray for our service men and woman?
- Pray that the families, relatives and friends of our military members may be strengthened in this time of concern and anxiety.
- Pray that the Lord may help families with men and women in the armed forces to cope with daily challenges in the absence of their loved ones.
- Pray for our brothers and sisters as they go forth with courage and determination to face the forces of violence, weapons of destruction and hearts filled with hate.
- Pray that in the midst of destruction, the Lord will guide our service men and women, that they may be reunited with families.
- Pray for faith, hope, and comfort for all who are waiting for their soldiers to come home.
- Pray that departing soldiers will come to Christ and that they may be faithful, daily as they trust Him in the land of danger.
- Pray that those who are married will seek the Lord for strength to be faithful to each other in this time of separation.
- Pray that the Lord will reveal His companionship, strength and wisdom to all serving our country.
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 14, 2021 | Second Amendment
Jesus Gives Instructions
Timothy wrote to tell us in the last days just how bad it is going to get (1 Timothy 3:1) and Jesus gives instructions on how to be ready. What our Lord taught His disciples is passed on to us in Luke 22:36 holding a truth which prepares us for these present days, “…But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one” (Luke 22:36, New International Version). For those who believe that the English Standard Bible is the most accurate modern-day translation, “He said to them, ‘But now let the one who has a money bag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.”
This passage of Scripture is found in the conversation of Jesus with His disciples during the Last Supper. He is about to be taken from them (Luke 22:37) and He is giving them instructions so they can carry on the work of the Lord.
Let’s make it clear, A “sword” (μάχαιρα máchaira), originally a large knife for killing…was a curved weapon for close combat. (Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament; Theological Dictionary of the New Testament; Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains) The sword in Luke 22:36 is not for a vigilante style of justice, but for provision and protection in this life. In contemporary society, a “sword” can relate to owning a gun or another similar weapon, to use for provision and protection of life.
On his teaching of Luke 22:36, Preacher/Teacher James Vernon McGee wrote, “…You had better be prepared to protect yourself and your love ones. We are living in difficult days. The King James Bible records Jesus’ words, “He hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.” Why? For protection, of course. They were living in days that required a sword. We need to recognize that fact also.” (Thru The Bible Commentary, Page 347, paragraph 2 and 3 Copyright 1983) Jamieson, Fausset and Brown wrote, “[you] will now need support, provision and the usual means of defense.” We live in days that require a “sword” [a gun, or something] for protection.
As long as there are places and venues which can be perceived as “soft-targets,” assailants who are intent on killing as many people as possible will continue to attack such places. Obedient Christians and responsible people strive to gain finances, work for provisions, and purchase what is needed for protection. Now is not the time to reject the teachings of Jesus Christ and put trust in the conjecture of mankind. Scripture is clear on this topic may you seek the Holy Spirit for illumination and guidance.
by Terry Laughlin | Jan 17, 2021 | Patriotism
Get a proper Diagnoses
The United States of America is making a transition from one leadership to another and Americans need to get a proper diagnose of the spiritual cancer which has been cursing our nation for decades.
When my late wife, Bonnie K Laughlin was diagnosed with astrocytoma, a type of brain cancer, we were told by a doctor in a near by town that it would be an easy fix with surgery. Our hometown doctor, (Dr. Roy Hartley) told us he did not agree with that diagnoses – so he made arrangements for us to go to Mayo Clinic. A specialist on astrocytoma at Mayo Clinic told us that surgery would be of no use and would cause her to become paralyzed right away, way sooner than the cancer would at its present growing rate. Their proper diagnoses of treatment extended her life, instead of the short life span she would have had if we had followed the wrong diagnoses of treatment.
For the last several elections Christians have been praying for leadership, whom would have a heart for the God’s truth for leading this country. Why, because the Bible says, “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as His heritage! The Lord looks down from heaven; He sees all the children of man; from where He sits enthroned, He looks out on the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love, that He may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in Him because we trust in His Holy Name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord be upon us, even as we hope in you.” (Psalm 33:10-22 ESV)
Sadly, Christians have had to live with huge disappointment, still waiting on God to raise up that person to lead America, one who would be like Hezekiah, King of Juda. The Bible says, “He did was right in the eyes of the Lord.” (2 Kings 18:3) In this long period of waiting for a leader who would be like our nation’s founding fathers, ministers of churches are encouraging their congregations with the faith Scriptures. Telling them to keep praying, keep the faith. Too often, pew warmers have allowed themselves to believe they can seek God’s blessings without repentance. Often, they pray asking God to bless this country while missing the need of repentance first. Thus, missing the proper diagnoses of treatment for this nation to get right with God. During the reign of most presidency of this country, the Biblical proclamation is, “They did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” (Judges 3:12; 2 Chronicles 36:9) Instead of enjoying the blessings promised to a nation for obedience, Americans are having to live in the collateral damage of cruses for disobedience. (Deuteronomy 28)
An honest look at the past twenty years of American leadership should bring us to consider just how much wickedness has taken place.
Proper exegeses of God’s Word, especially 1 and 2 Kings is motivating born again theologians to proclaim a New Testament truth found under the preoccupy Warnings from Israel’s History. In 1 Corinthians chapter 10, there is truth which is very applicable for a nation which was raised up by God and has the revelation of Christ Americans have been given for hundreds of years. The Bible says, “…God was not pleased with most of them… Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. They were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.” (1 Corinthians 10:5-6)
It is time to seek out Bible teachers who can teach accurately what God’s Word says about national leadership. Teachers who can share why we are experiencing the chastisements we have today.
In setting down truths for government of a nation who wants God’s intervention and protection – the book of Deuteronomy teaches about blessings for obedience and cruses for disobedience. The current events here in America place our thoughts on the chastisement of God. One of the cruses is “confusion.” The Complete Word Study of the Bible, the Strong’s Lexicon and the Dictionary of Biblical Languages teach us the Hebrew word for “confusion” (מְהוּמָה mehûmāh) can be translated as panic, disturbance, turmoil, trouble or vexation. What better words describe what our nation is being chastised with today.
One has to ask, “How much louder does God need to speak? Americans need true preachers to do what preachers are called to do. Proclaim the truths of God’s Word, giving the proper diagnoses of treatment so God may convict our nation of her sins.
by Terry Laughlin | Nov 27, 2020 | Columbus Day
Christopher Columbus Attacked
Addressing The Accusations Made Against Him, Then and Today
When examining the lives of those whom God had used to lay the foundation of this nation, we must remember, the Bible is clear, “All have sinned and is short of the Glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) No matter who God has used in the raising up of the United States of America, there is a sad truth, there are character traits which people had not surrendered over to the Lordship of Christ. It is no different in the life of Christopher Columbus. Understanding that a child of God may have faults and weaknesses, does not mean we disregard all their work for the Lord, nor do we allow the enemies of God to miss-lead others, even if they have misread what our founding Fathers have written.
In a letter written to Ferdinand and Isabela around 1500 by Columbus, we read a prophetic sentence which even affects today’s culture. Christopher wrote, “I have now reached that point, that there is no man so vile but thinks it is his right to insult me. The day will come when the world will reckon it a virtue to him who not given his consent to their abuse.” (Christopher Columbus, “Letter of the Admiral to the (quondam) nurse of the Prince John, written near the end of the year 1500,” Select Letters of Christopher Columbus (London: Hakluyt Society, 1870), p.153-154.) Meaning, there are people who consider it their duty to bring into question the value of Christopher’s work, even if it means discrediting his character through false accusations.
The legacy of Columbus finds itself being attacked every Columbus Day where supposed experts, who disregard facts and truth’s, bring up old allegations and present them as new revelations to breed distrust in Christopher’s call, mission and success. The most common one being brought up is sex trafficking of native women, even girls as young as nine to ten years old. Well known sources like Wikipedia, Snopes and The Huffington Post make claims of Christopher Columbus selling native girls into sex slavery. One source claimed, “[Columbus] makes a modern villain like Saddam Hussein look like a pale codfish.” (History of Sexual Slavery in the United States, Wikipedia (accessed October 8, 2018), at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_sexual_slavery_in_the_United_States; Did Christopher Columbus Seize, Sell, and Export Sex Slaves?” Snopes (accessed October 8, 2018), at: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/columbus-sex-slaves/; Eric Kasum, “Columbus Day? True Legacy: Cruelty and Slavery,” Huffington Post (October 10, 2010), at: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-kasum/columbus-day-a-bad-idea_b_742708.html)
Sources like the three mentioned base their claim and charges against Christopher Columbus on a sentence he wrote which they quote out of context, then push their misreading as fact. Miss-understanding sources quote Columbus as condoning and participating in sex slavery. They quote Christopher, “For one woman they give a hundred Castellanos, as for a farm; and this sort of trading is very common, and there are already great number of merchants who go in search of girls; there are at this moment from [the age] of nine [through] ten on sale; they fetch a good price, let their age be what it will.” (Eric Kasum, “Columbus Day? True Legacy: Cruelty and Slavery,” Huffington Post (October 10, 2010), at: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-kasum/columbus-day-a-bad-idea_b_742708.html)
The fact is, when we continue to read the rest of the paragraph Christopher wrote we read that in no way he was saying this was a good thing. According to an article found on Wall-builders, America’s history, in the letter being quoted out of context, Christopher has a list of atrocities mankind was committing. At the close of the paragraph Columbus wrote with a broken heart, “I declare solemnly that a great number of men have been to the Indies, who did not deserve baptism in the eyes of God or men..” (Christopher Columbus, “Letter of the Admiral to the (quondam) nurse of the Prince John, written near the end of the year 1500,” Select Letters of Christopher Columbus (London: Hakluyt Society, 1870), p.165.; https://wallbuilders.com/columbus-and-sex-slavery/). Contemporary historian Carol Delaney noted, “many of Columbus writings indicate that Christopher strictly told the crew with him not to harm or disrespect the natives. When bad things were done to the natives, Columbus was quick to punish those under his command who committed unjust acts against the local population.” (The Right Scoop, Why Did Christopher Columbus “Sail the Ocean Blue” in 1942? It’s Not What You Think!)
The rewrite of America’s history is a common attack today. Knowing that people will not, nor do they have the resources to check accusations out, God enemies go unchecked and they boldly tear at the truths found in the writings of our founding fathers. People walking on the side of attacking and misrepresenting historical writings try to shame those who hold to traditional truths.
In this case of the accusation made against Christopher Columbus, the King and Queen investigated the allegations, they listened to Columbus’ defense. When the investigation was complete, the allegations were proved not creditable and false, thus all charges against Columbus were dropped and Christopher Columbus was restored. (https://wallbuilders.com/columbus-and-sex-slavery/)
We are called to be a people of noble Godly character, make time to check out what is being taught before you believe accusations which attack the servants of the Lord, especially if those attacks come from a worldly view point. As soon as the Sovereigns of Columbus’ time heard the allegations against Christopher, they intervened. Christians know and have heard of the attacks of Christopher Columbus’ work, it would wise for the Church to do her job, get the truth out and defend what the Lord did in the life of and trough Christopher Columbus.
Romans 13:7 says, “we are to give honor to [all who] is owed honor.” What will the churches do for Christopher Columbus? The Holy Spirit call is to love truth and make sure the whole truth is made known, so those being led astray may have the opportunity to make the right judgement. The question is, will the church intervene and intercede in defense of the Lord’s work through Christopher Columbus. Will they publicly address the issue or be like Adam and the poor priest, Eli?
by Terry Laughlin | Nov 9, 2020 | Thanksgiving
First Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
On Thanksgiving Day, families gather around their televisions to watch football games after devouring a large feast. Some have even salted a bit of sentimental religious feelings into the day by saying grace before the main meal.
In contrast to this, the apostle Paul advises us to show gratitude to God no matter what our circumstances are. Our forebears, the Pilgrims, knew that Paul was right for in the midst of want they met to express gratitude. Abraham Lincoln also knew that, in spite of the circumstances (the Civil War, “a war of extreme severity”), expressing gratitude to God the Father affirms faith and issued a proclamation for a Day of Thanksgiving to be celebrated the last Thursday of November 1863.
Three things happen personally as you express gratitude:
(1.) Gratitude Mutes Arrogance. When things are going well, it is easy to believe the myth about our own independence. Steady employment, good health and fine education contribute to our idea that everything we possess comes from our own brilliance and hard work. Self-sufficiency is part of the modern mindset tilting our thinking away from true humility and reliance upon a holy God.
Gratitude mutes this arrogance as the Holy Spirit reminds us that all success and achievement comes only because of God’s grace and His enabling power. Without Him, we truly can do nothing!
(2.) Gratitude Motivates Action. Paul puts gratitude and living thankfully together–“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17). To Paul, thanksgiving, words, and deeds all impact each other.
Each God-given ability has some useful expression in the life of another. Every Christian has a unique circle of friends and acquaintances that God has placed them among and to whom they can show the love of Christ. We say thanks to God by using these abilities for His glory.
(3.) Gratitude Multiplies Adoration: The cornerstone of worship is this: “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift” (2 Cor. 9:15). The gift of grace found in Jesus Christ is the starting point of our gratitude. Reasons for gratitude should not only be for the blessings God has given, but for His Son Jesus who bore your disgrace and sin. He defeated death by rising from the grave and lives in Christians now through the Holy Spirit—the One who enables them to live victoriously over the sin that desires to destroy them and their relationship with God. Adoration of the Lord will increase as you measure what you were without Christ to what you are now as you surrender to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Gratitude. Thanksgiving. What noble emotions! They express appreciation to God for talents, abilities and gifts which enable people to fulfill what He has called them to do. Gratitude motivates you to action. Obedient Christians express gratitude by dedicating their time, talents, effort and finances to lift up Christ in their communities. Gratitude multiplies adoration for Jesus who died for the sins of everyone who will receive Him.
How will you express gratitude to God with your life?
Recent Comments