Last Monday, April 19, was an anniversary of the burning to death of a group of Christians, men, women and children, near Waco, Texas in 1993. Later, it was debated whether the fire was an accident or on purpose, as our US Government arrogantly brought in Army tanks to use against this small group of Christians to end a stand off. These Christians may have broken some gun laws originally but the greater crime constantly referred to in the media at the time was they were a "sect", which is defined as "a dissenting subdivision of a larger religious group". Had this happened in a foreign country we didn't like, it might have been called religious persecution. It upset some citizens so much that they decided to teach our government a lesson and bombed a government building two years later in Oklahoma City, killing many more people. It did teach our government to make fortifications of other government buildings and brand those involved as terrorists, but it did not reduce our government's arrogance. Fifteen years later in 2008, different government people went after another "sect" based on what later was determined to be false allegations and took a large group of children, some shown on TV screaming and crying, away from their parents. This group didn't resist physically but went to court and subsequently their children were returned. One TV shot of these mothers going to court showed a group of women dressed in old fashion clothes and made fun of them because they made their own clothes and they looked like all the dresses "came from the same pattern". Religious persecution appears to be acceptable in our society, if they are Christians but are different than the majority, which means you can call them a "sect". Historically Christians have not been nice to other Christians who are different. Once there was a man who offended other Christians by translating the Latin bible into English. He avoided persecution and died a natural death. Later the people that didn't like him found where he was buried and dug up his bones and burned them.

Trying to change our Government by acts of violence doesn't work. To change our Government by democratic voting may appear to make improvements at time but over the years our government continues to decline morally. This may reflect that our country is declining morally. Currently we have a government that is more offensive to God than any in recent memory. They openly and unashamedly advocate killing babies by claiming they are not a person until they are born, which is contrary to what God says (Jeremiah 1:5; Isaiah 44:24). Our government promotes sexual perversion as if God created people that way, which is offensive to God and has caused God to punish the whole nations in the past (Leviticus 18:22-25). Both of these attitudes have been around for a while but are now being promoted more aggressively and arrogantly by our current Government.

Currently we have leadership that seems to be following the attitudes of their Mohammadanist forefathers and taking an adversarial approach toward God's chosen people in the nation of Israel, which is located on only part of the land God promised to Abraham. Throughout history God has dealt harshly with leaders and nations that have come against His people. Mistreating the children of Israel has resulted in God destroying leaders and destroying entire countries. For example God could reduce us to a third world country economically or God could allow us to be conquered by a foreign army or both. Politicians object to the way we are treating Israel because Israel is our friend, however the greater concern is we are offending God when we mistreat Israel. What can we do?

Better than protesting or any physical action including voting, is to pray. Pray that our Government will change its arrogant ways towards its people especially, small religious groups they call sects. Pray that our Government will be convicted of its sinful attitudes and turn back to God. Most of all pray that our Government will repent and be supportive of God's chosen people especially in Israel. Pray that the people of our country will be turned back to God and God will not punish our country for the actions of our elected officials.

To refresh what you have learned in our Workshop or entice you to experience our Workshop

Protect your relationship by anticipating problems. It is unrealistic to not expect some problems. Onetime I had a man that just insisted that they never had any problems and never had any disagreements in their marriage. As they practiced the Speaker Listener Technique together (I insisted) they discovered the reason he thought they never had any problems or disagreements was that he never let his wife talkJ. Once she was enabled to talk by using the SLT, he was actually happier. You can also protect your relationship by taking responsibility for your own behavior. Edit out negative responses. Jesus teaches us in Luke 6:31 (TLB) to "Treat others as you want them to treat you." This should definitely apply to your spouse. Because two become one, when you build up your spouse you are also building up your self and your marriage. In a cartoon a woman asked her husband, "what do you think about renewing our wedding vows?' He responded, "Let me think it over, when do they expire?" Your vows are for life. They never expire.

The Better Half "When your partner won't support your efforts to make your marriage better" Without your spouse's support to improve your marriage, you can still pray daily for God's will to be done in each of your lives and your marriage ("all things are possible with God", Mark 10:27 NIV). Much of what is mention above can still be done. You can take responsibility for your own behavior, anticipative problems, edit out negative responses and treat your spouse, the same way you would want them to treat you.

A Psalm for reflection "Yahweh declared to my Lord,'Take your seat at my right hand, till I have made your enemies your footstool.'" Psalm 110:1 (NJB)

Understanding the Teaching: What I share in the teaching is what I believe God wants me to share. All the direct quotes from God are highlighted in royal purple. Of course the words of Jesus are in red. Rather than follow some made up doctrine, remember that Jesus said that every thing He said (Jn 12:49) and everything He did (Jn 14:31) comes from God. All teachings and all opinions should be supported by what we learn from God or Jesus (see the scripture referred to in the footnote).

After being tempted by the devil because He was hungry, Jesus responded "…`Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God"1. A popular doctrine in many denominations, church groups and TV ministries in Christianity is to call the bible the "word of God". Jesus did not say, "every word in the bible". As a follower of Jesus we live by "every word that comes from the mouth of God".

Satan likes referring to the bible as the "word of God", as Satan's words are in the bible2. Satan also likes the confusion it creates when a preacher says "God said" and it very clearly written that it is words written by Paul or John, etc. It also creates confusion when the bible is called the "word of God" and we read, "Adam said"; "Sarai said"; "Abimelech said"; "Esau said"; "Rebekah said"; "Pharaoh said"; etc.5. This can cause a new Christian a lot of confusion. Some follow a translation of what Paul wrote and suggest that the bible is "given by inspiration of God"6. If you believe God inspired the writers of the bible, shouldn't you then believe it the way it is written?

How do we know what words come from the mouth of God? In the English translations of the bible that Jesus read and often quoted, it is written "God said" or "The LORD said" or "God the Lord says" or "the word of the Lord", etc. 3. Such statements give you a clue that these are words from the mouth of God (note: to save you some effort, the Rainbow bible has most of God's words underlined). Also, in the part of the bible written after Jesus rose from the dead, the words of Jesus (often printed in red letters) will communicate what came from the mouth of God, as Jesus said God told Him "what to say". Also, what ever the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit says, as Jesus tells us that the Spirit will "speak only what he hears"4. We should follow Jesus and live by "every word that comes from the mouth of God". Also remember that Jesus told Satan and it definitely applies to all followers of Jesus that "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve"7.

"Our heavenly Father, thank You for every word that comes from Your mouth. Help us to know what words come from your mouth and honor them. Thank You for helping us by communicating with us, in Jesus' name, amen."

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