Christian Times Magazine Issue 64

Charles

Editor In Chief

BY CHARLES LINGERFELT EDITOR, CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE

EDITOR'S NOTE

‘Feed My Sheep!’

Perhaps you have heard this phrase before: “Feed my sheep ” It is a phrase that I heard many years ago for the first time when I was 15 years of age. It is the story of when Jesus was speaking to Peter and said to him, “If you love me, feed my sheep “

Jesus gave to Peter a three fold command to “feed my sheep” in John 21:15 17. Each time Jesus said, “Feed my sheep,” it was in response to Peter’s three fold declaration of love for Jesus The setting was one of the last of Jesus’ post resurrection appearances to His disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had prepared a breakfast of fish and bread for them, and then commissioned Peter with the task of feeding His sheep and tending His lambs.

The three commands, although often translated the same way, are subtly different. The first time Jesus says it, the Greek means literally “pasture (tend) the lambs” (v 15) The Greek word for “pasture” is in the present tense, denoting a continual action of tending, feeding and caring for animals. Christian believers are referred to as sheep throughout Scripture “For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care” (Psalm 95:7). Jesus is both our Good Shepherd (John 10:11) and the Door of the sheepfold (John 10:9). By describing His people as lambs, He is emphasizing their nature as immature and vulnerable and in need of tending and care.

The second time, the literal meaning is “tend My sheep” (v. 16). In this exchange, Jesus was emphasizing tending the sheep in a supervisory capacity, not only feeding but ruling over them This expresses the full scope of pastoral oversight, both in Peter’s future and in all those who would follow him in pastoral ministry. Peter follows Jesus’ example and repeats this same Greek word poimaino in his first pastoral letter to the elders of the churches of Asia Minor: “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers” (1 Peter 5:2)

The third time, the literal translation is “pasture (tend) the sheep” (v 17) Here Jesus combines the different Greek words to make clear the job of the shepherd of the flock of God. They are to tend, care for, and provide spiritual food for God’s people, from the youngest lambs to the full grown sheep, in continual action to nourish and care for their souls, bringing them into the fullness of spiritual maturity. The totality of the task set before Peter, and all shepherds, is made clear by Jesus’ three fold command and the words He chooses

What is this food with which shepherds are to feed the flock of God? It can be no other than the Word of God Peter declares that Christians are to desire the pure spiritual ‘milk of the Word’ so that by it, we can mature in our salvation (1 Peter 2:2). As early as the book of Deuteronomy, we see the LORD God

describing His Word as “food for His people” who live not by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from His mouth (Deuteronomy 8:3) Jesus reiterates this thought in His temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:4). The importance of the Word of God as food for our souls cannot be over emphasized.

Clearly, the job of the shepherds of God’s people is to provide them with the pure milk of the Word of God so they can move on to the meat and solid food of the spiritually mature (Hebrews 5:12 14). Pastoral ministry should be primarily one of pastors feeding their people the Word of God Only then can pastors and Shepherds declare, as Peter did, their love for the Lord Jesus.

Here at CTM Magazine, we take it very seriously our responsibility in giving you the word of God and sharing with you ‘the Manna from heaven ’ We feel heavily that responsibility from month to month that we are to give to you the best that we can as we offer to you the word of God from our hearts as the Holy Spirit guides us

I want to say, Will you pray with me that you are blessed with the word of God that we share with you May God bless and keep you is our daily prayer.

Charles Lingerfelt Editor in Chief CTM Christian Times Magazine

‘The Most Christian Conservative Magazine in America!’

‘We Endorse Ken Paxton For Reelection!’

By Charles Lingerfelt

I have worked in the Texas grassroots since 1972; and I have spent much time with many campaigns and candidates throughout this timeframe. I’ve known them all personally; and I would not give you ‘the time of day’ for a candidate who cannot be trusted! If a candidate is going to win my trust and my vote, he first needs to be honest with me; and then he must reflect the most important characteristic of a candidate in my opinion: Integrity.

I’ve known Ken Paxton, our Texas Attorney General for almost 22 years; and the same for his wife Angela. I have always known them to reflect honesty and integrity since I have known them. I know them to be devout Christians and always honorable to the word of God and their experience with God. The children that they have raised are reflective of the Christian experience and principles which I’ve seen in Ken and Angela.

Here’s what it’s all about:

THE RADICAL LEFT IS TRYING TO DESTROY TEXAS AND TEAR UP THE CONSTITUTION.

THEY’RE GOING TO TAKE A KNIFE AND CARVE UP OUR LIBERTY IF THE DEMOCRATS TAKEOVER TEXAS AND WIN IN NOVEMBER!!!

WE HAVE TO STOP THEM!!! And We Will In November!

That’s WHY WE ARE ENDORSING KEN PAXTON For Texas Attorney General!

Charles Lingerfelt Editor, CTM Magazine

REFUSING TO SUPPORT THE CULTURE OF DEA

By Pastor Robert Summers

In my neighborhood occasionally I see a scruffy young man, driving around in a small car that is entirely wrapped in shrink wrap signage displaying dozens of skulls and cross bones. He is making a statement. He promotes the Halloween season. Whether he knows it or not, he is promoting more than costumes of goblins and witches. He is supporting a culture of death. He is participating in league with a spirit of death. Now, suppose our local town would tax everyone in our neighborhood to help pay this young man for his death tainted service. Imagine then if the law now demands we must all give our grocery money in order to help him foot the bill of driving his shrink wrapped message through our

town. “Cough it up,” says the tax collector. And to make matters worse, the big government has just added 87,000 new tax collectors to whom we must also render our earnings so that they can collect the money to pay their own salaries along with what we must pay out to the skull car and driver. “Horrors! Enough!” you cry. “Foul! We won’t do this!” Yet this simple analogy is a picture of the reality of what is happening on a federal level.

On the first day he took office, President Biden by Executive Order rescinded the Mexico City Policy. This policy, put in place first by the Reagan Administration, required government supported non government organizations to certify that they would not “perform or actively promote

….I have set before you life and therefore choose life that you and your Deuteronomy

abortions as a method of family planning.” This restriction was worldwide, not just applying to Mexico. It said in effect that the U.S. government cannot tax your money and then give it to Planned Parenthood to perform abortions in Nigeria or Bulgaria.

There is a deep held conviction of millions of American Christians that abortion releases a spirit of death and promotes the culture of death in our nation. All of this while the church is doing its all to speak life and future hope over our country. Our ER nurses are exhausted laboring to keep up with the suicide (attempts) epidemic in our nation’s youth. Our government needs to get out of the business of death! This November, with our votes we must say, “No, we will not ante up our hard earned money to promote death!” Furthermore, anyone who votes for such policy makers needs to repent. We are obligated to test the spirits. In John’s epistle we are commanded, “Beloved do not put faith in every spirit, but prove (test) the spirits to discover whether they proceed from God, for many false prophets have gone forth into the world. (I John 4:1 Amp)

Votes have consequences. And if you vote for those who promote death through taxation, don’t expect to reap a harvest of life and peace.

FINDING FRUIT

By J. K. Harrill

What is your favorite fruit?

More often than not, that is a much easier question to ask than to readily have an answer available upon request. I have always been partial to Red Delicious Apples, yet on a hot summer’s day, the sound of the snap heard when a big juicy ripe watermelon is cut most of the way thru then broke open, sliced up and passed out for immediate consumption, that brings back watery mouth memories. Of course, who doesn’t love the aroma and taste of a just right and ripe Peach. Fruits are marketed in many different ways; we even attach the taste and emotional value of fruits to geographic locations such as states. While a young lady from Georgia may be referred to as a Georgia Peach, in Atlanta each year one of the most popular events taking place has to do with when two teams earn the right to show up on the field of play, give everything they have for four quarters of managing competition and the clock, where in the end only one will know the sweet taste of success going away as Peach Bowl Champion. As Georgia’s fruit baring tree of choice is the Peach, the Orange is King or Queen depending on the audience in Florida, and like Georgia, Florida has the Orange Bowl, the Tangerine Bowl and an attempted generalization of Florida’s Favorite Fruits found in the Citrus Bowl All just one more reminder of our love of fruits.

For many of us as we make plans to travel to the grocery or farmers market or wherever you may go, Finding Fruit is more often than not on the list. Even in this time of unequalled availability of most everything, one must still consider the Season. Fruits for the most part are still a crop not always readily available due to the season. So, the purchase of a Fresh Fruit, the Fruit of our desire, the taste of which we are seeking, one must consider, is that Fruit “In or Out of Season?”

Now back to the original question, What is your favorite Fruit? Could your favorite Fruit be one which many times we forget the truth being it actually is a Fruit. What about Tomatoes, are any one of the hundred varieties of Tomatoes one of your favorite Fruits? If we went by sheer numbers of consumption, Tomatoes would surely be near the top of the favorite fruit list in the United States. Well, given the immediate availability of information why don’t I just look and see. Okay…. That certainly didn’t take but a moment, drum roll please And the answer is

The Most Popular Fruits in The World

Rank Fruit Million Metric Tons

182 3 115 74 103 97 86.14 79.19 75 54 55 38 39 38 34.49 27.92

Now, once you have decided which fruit is your favorite, where does it rank in the World of Fruit Consumption?

To me what is absolutely amazing, the Fruit most often overlooked and forgotten as even being a Fruit is the Number One Fruit Produced Worldwide! Number One in both categories, First In Consumption, and First In Being Overlooked. Isn’t that far too typical in life. We are so busy looking ahead when we should be more present in the moment, thus missing out on the blessings of the Fruits of Life. Fruits found in our labor, Fruits found in children who as was commonly stated in my youth, a child being the Apple of their, Fathers or Mothers, or Grandparent’s eye. Fruits of life, providing

the natural sweetener and sweetness in a World not always pleasant. As is written in God’s word about the Garden of Eden, it was a Fruit that God made off limits to Eve and Adam. The Fruit of all but that one Tree was theirs to enjoy and consume… just that one tree which could not have been confused with any other tree by Eve or Adam since God placed that tree, that one tree baring fruit in the middle of his and their Garden known as Eden. See that was really the first ever community garden, God’s and Eve’s and Adam’s Garden A place where God could, would and did come to talk with his creation, his fellow gardeners. The only catch was don’t eat the fruit of the tree right there in plain view. That one of the many trees which Adam and Eve knew of its planting, yet what they did not know, could not comprehend was there was another planting about to take place in that soon no longer to be perfect Garden of Eden. A planting not to be found in the soil of the garden or that may have been noticed to the naked eye yet planted just the same. Temptation was planted in that first season of what was to have been eternal life in that Garden of Gods creation Fruit It was the Fruit Satin offered up to Eve and Adam the Fruit from the Tree of Life, which once consumed came complete with a sentence of Death.

Galatians 5:22-23 provides us the definition of the 12 Fruits of the Spirit found in Christian Character,

“But the Fruit of the Spirit is Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, LongSuffering, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Modesty, Self-Control and Chastity”

Interesting to note, there are two different versions of the above Galatians 5:22 23 text. The one most commonly used by and found today in both Catholic and Protestant Bibles is a bit shorter version, only 9 fruits instead of the original 12 found in the Latin translation of the Bible known as the Vulgate, translated by Saint Jerome. The three Fruits left out, which I am sure was done in an effort to make the modern fruit basket more appealing and manageable in this modern world, are Modesty, Self Control and Chastity. I am sure all would agree, society today doesn’t need to be reminded about Modesty, Self Control, or Chastity!

Of the twelve fruits…. Which would you consider to be your favorite? Charity, most of us like to consider ourselves as giving people.

Joy, I suppose we all like having an abundance of Joy in our life. Peace, I see a lot of prayer request for Peace…. World Peace, Peace within the Family, so Peace is a pretty popular Fruit.

Patience, Oh My…. I don’t know about Patience; I see the Fruit of Patience gone bad on the Christian Vine a lot. At the Grocery, on the Hi way…. Lacking in the actions of parents and their children, (bring them up in the way they should go )

Kindness, we like Kindness…. we can get a bit prideful sometimes when we share about how Kind we are, were or can be Kind under the right circumstances. Long Suffering don’t know anyone excited about Finding Long Suffering Fruit. Long Suffering is kind of easy to overlook as being a Fruit. Goodness, Oh My we Christians are all about Goodness, we really like talking about our Goodness. Faithfulness, kind of like apples, we can get a little selective about the variety of Faithful Fruit we like Some Faithfulness Fruit is so much easier to consume than other Faithfulness. Gentleness, don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Gentleness Fruit, always goes down so easy and the only aftertaste is many times after receiving Gentleness Fruit, if we have to find some for someone else at a time that just isn’t convenient. Modesty, well since modesty and self control and chastity has all but been dropped as a Christian Fruit, I will let you decide what to do about them Fruit Our Finding Fruit, just like the fruits listed at the beginning of this article, some of the Fruits of the Spirit found in a Christians Character taste better than others. Some can be downright hard to swallow, yet God’s list of Fruits doesn’t come with a opt out option. Contrary to what evidently some church leaders have decided about the lack of importance found in Modesty, or Self Control or Chastity, God didn’t say “Pick Five or Six or Nine will do.” We are to begin and end each day Finding The Fruit within ourselves, our lives and be available to present it to others in the name of God I fail so much, I admit to you in the presence of God that I don’t even try sometimes when patience is required, or find long suffering as fruitful, let alone try hard enough to know their blessings. Yet I will close with this honest prayer that each of us will, you and I and others who may need to be reminded of the importance of Finding Fruit, will all try harder than ever to carry Gods Fruit Basket with us daily, not just the more manageable nine, all twelve.

God Bless and Keep You

Unanswered prayers ain’t so bad

By Zerna

Sometimes in our life we write letters to God , asking that he in his benevolent power grant to us the desires or our heart . We pour out heart and soul to him , our secret longings and wishes As we wait patiently for His answer he surprises us I remembered when I was a child my great grandmother who was a staunch catholic would always pray for the gift of vocation for the men in my family . She passed this on to my grandmother and her daughter in laws, and later to my mother who would pray fervently that our family be blessed with a priest . I recalled uncles going to seminary school and every year when they would accelerate to the next grade there was rejoicing , every generation there was that hope . Someday , one day . When my mother attended mass my brothers were always mentioned Grant unto them the gift of a spiritual and religious vocation But for four and now 5 generations we still have yet to have an ordained priest . A couple of years ago , I went home to my hometown in the Philippines and met cousins and their children uncles and their wives. All happily married and active in their own ministries and calling . None took holy orders . I laughed as they shared stories of how they would make their grand escapes at night to sneak out of the four walls of the seminary while the

priests were asleep . My own younger brother who ended up expelled since he would claim that latin would bring about excruciating headaches and when called upon to conjugate words in latin would instead create his own ancient language . You, see God has a plan for each of us . He knew that my brother was better off as a chef than a priest. Gods ways are not mans ways .

Dear God, Please! Please ! Save me from this place I want to eat fried chicken, cake, cookies on Fridays .

This was his prayer while everyone else prayed for his entry to the priesthood .

Now whose prayer got answered ?

PhotobyCANVAPRO

‘OLD FASHIONED WORDS!’

As I listen to the din of various news reports on radio and television I begin to yearn for old fashioned words and meanings, for example, the word “SCRUPULES”. Once upon a time long, long ago in America, a man’s word was his bond. Promises, deals, and guarantees were backed by a simple handshake. If a person gave you his solemn word then you could take it to the bank; if this word was broken then the word breaker would be shunned and never trusted again. Society looked upon liars and thieves as they would rapists and murderers and anyone who found themselves in this predicament would be ostrasized to the point of literally being “run out of town on a rail.” Tarring and feathering was another quaint way of letting the offender know that they were no longer welcome. The Bible speaks of people who lie and steal in many different verses in a most derogatory way.

ByMickeyNichols

They are placed in the same category as the most sinful and depraved people in the world. Then why, why, do we in the USA allow politicians to outright lie in the most egregious ways possible? Every single day the newscasts show one after another of our elected officials lining up to see who can tell the biggest whopper! And, for the most part, so called “journalists” accept this drivel as the gospel truth and even go so far as to help the lying perpetrator promote their falsehoods. Because this type of lying has become so commonplace the public simply yawns and carries on without giving the incident another thought. And, if an official happens to KEEP his or her word after election day they are all too often vilified for doing the right thing! And the liars and cheats then accuse the truthful person of doing the very things of which they themselves are guilty! Unfortunately, our “mainstream” media

is the main proponent of this tactic by beating the drum for and lauding the liars and accusing the truth tellers as either being terroristic, seditious, or dangerous to society. I wonder where we deviated from the old fashioned way of telling the truth? More importantly, what can we do to correct the situation? Simple: II Chronicles 7:14 says it best: “If my people who are called by MY name will humble themselves and pray, repent of their sins, and turn away from their wicked ways, THEN will I forgive their sins and heal their land.” America is sick. It is sin sick. Good is now called evil and evil is now called good. We have become so misled by so many that a brain dead misinformed Mom will willingly lead their six year old son to a perverted physician and insist that he be given a “sex change” operation because he (really, she!) wants to become a little girl. Think I’m exaggerating? Research for yourself. Another old word that we have forgotten today is “COURTESY.”

My mother taught me that a gentleman never wears a hat indoors. He always stands when a lady enters a room. He opens and holds doors for women. He says “Yes, mam” and “no, mam” when answering questions He refers to females as “Miss” when using their names. He tips his hat to ladies on the

ChristianTimesMagazineissue64|MonthlyMagazine page19 street. And, in the south, he or she always uses the expression “well, bless their heart” often! In conversations others were allowed to fully express opinions without being shouted down or talked over. Debates could be civil even though both sides held widely different opinions. Colleges were places where differing thoughts and opinions were offered that caused thoughtful varying beliefs to be shared that profited everyone by expanding their knowledge. Today, those types of learning experiences are not allowed to happen because of the demand that everyone agree with the loudest voice or else. Vitriolic expressions of hatred are used to demonize anyone who disagrees and those of different beliefs are often forced to relocate to another institution of higher learning that better suits their belief system. Old timey words such as “please” and “thank you” should be a routine part of our everyday vocabulary. Using these types of words to overworked servers or clerks often makes their day and helps them become better people themselves. Little niceties such as holding your spouse’s or partner’s hand while walking shows the world that you care (and it helps balance us older folks!). Paying attention to and remembering someone’s name when introduced is a most overlooked courtesy.

Social encounters are so much less awkward (and often surprising) when you greet someone with their name. Surprise someone that you don’t usually interact with at your place of worship this coming Sunday by calling their name and saying how good it is to see them! Yet another old fashioned and forgotten word is “COMMON SENSE”. Yes, I know that is actually two words but once upon a time everyone knew what it meant. If someone had it, he or she was admired and well regarded. If one didn’t have it, they were thought foolhardy or reckless In America today, all want to be seen as having it but no one ever seems to actually use it. All that matters is if an idea fits a particular narrative or not. If it does, then it is labeled good. If not, it is labeled dangerous or treasonous. This old fashioned idea of using our noodles to think through a problem or situation is tantamount to blasphemy! If some personal, corporate, or political gain is not involved then the idea is ditched. If it doesn’t advance your personal cause then it is not acceptable. A person is called slow witted if he or she pauses to ponder an answer to a question. They are considered intellectual lightweights if a ready, flippant response does not peal forth from their lips. Abe Lincoln said, “The Lord must love the common man because He made so many of us.” But to call someone “common” today is to denigrate them, to shame them. The “elite” in our society have taken it upon themselves to determine one’s status in life by where they matriculated, by the clothes they wear, by where they live or work, or by their belief system. All too often “common sense” doesn’t enter the picture. Someone once said, ”I’d rather be called a fool than open my mouth and remove all doubt ” My last old fashioned word is “FORGIVENESS ” Our heavenly Father designed a path for all humans to be with Him forever. It involves His forgiveness of our sins by our believing in and accepting His Son Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for our sins. Salvation is not automatic nor is it universal. One must ask to be forgiven and then turn his life around and go away from sin and towards the Savior. Simply believing that there is a God does not save us. The Bible teaches that Satan himself knows that there is God but has refused to accept Him. God has commanded those of us who are saved to live by certain rules and these “rules” are found in His word It is vital that born again Christians become involved with a local body of like believers who consistently study and learn God’s word. How else can we know the mind of God? My desire today is that anyone who is not saved or born again to seek God’s forgiveness immediately. Time on this old planet grows shorter each day and none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Come to the Lord through Jesus Christ today.

Electoral Algebra

By Chris Grahn Howard

The 2022 mid-term elections are soon upon us. While many expect a solid red wave, I would warn you that the Democrats will be motivated to slow that wave. To be honest, they have laid the groundwork to that end. If you are reading this and are hoping for that red wave…you have work to do. It is not just going to happen. Believe it or not, elections are a basic math equation. X is the number of votes you need to win or 50% +1. There are many parts to finding X. This will be the highlights for this point in the cycle, not a detailed examination of those factors. To make the red wave happen, to take both the House and the Senate, we need to make the turnout happen. Participate in the local GOTV or Get Out the Vote efforts.

Knowing some basics will help you help your candidate win I will end with some potential sobering predictions. Hint, it may not be good news. At this point, the yard signs are designed, the platform articulated, and the messaging is set. All you can do now is turn out the votes. Stay focused on the messaging, ensuring the signs are out, and talking to your friends. Much of the process has been decided. Now the plan has to play out. Unless you are directly involved in the campaign, your job is to reach voters and get them to show up. You have to hope that your chosen candidates have done the

research and know where to target, how many votes they need, what messaging point resonates, and have recruited volunteers to assist with yard signs, DtD efforts, calling voters, and other election day activities.

Know your district. Is your district competitive? How competitive? If your district is competitive, turnout is paramount. Breaking it down to the precinct level. Let us say your precinct is a 53% GOP district. This precinct usually wins for the GOP. However, the district is a 52% Dem seat. Winning your precinct by 55% is not enough. To cover the Dem advantage in the district, you will need a 65 70% GOP turnout in your precinct. Too often, these GOP precincts or townships claim victory because they won their township/precinct/whatever.

However, in order to win on the macro level, one must have higher margins than just a win; the goal isn’t just to win your precinct or township. “Touching” voters. Most political campaign consultants will tell you that to truly reach a voter and have them turn out. The candidate’s campaign must “touch” a voter three times. Touch is a call, door to door interaction, some sort of

personal interaction. A half touch is a mailing, call that left a message, or yard sign views. You get the idea. Nothing beats a personal interaction with the candidate or even a passionate supporter. Yard signs help because people pay attention to who has a yard sign in their neighborhood. It can be considered an endorsement to the neighbors. 72 hour programs The last 72 hours are critical to ensure your voters are turning out to vote. Life happens, and people get distracted easily. You must stay in contact as best you can to ensure your people show up at the polls. Many campaigns and state parties have apps for tech savvy phone users to assist in these efforts. Even if you are not an app user. You can still call and text your friends. Using your own social media platforms to promote your candidates is frequently as good as a yard sign. While we are about a month out from the election, the time is now to prepare for this election cycle’s last week. Contact the campaigns to see how you can help; there will always be something you can do. There is no sitting this one out. If you are concerned about the economy, our schools, more significant threats of

expansion of the war, and just holding the Dems in check, you must get engaged. Predictions While a massive red wave seemed inevitable four months ago. It is a bit less likely now. The US Senate was considered a sure pick up for the GOP Now some models have an 80% (various sources)chance of Democrats gaining seats and having a 54 seat majority.

The Dobbs/abortion decision has dramatically impacted this potential outcome. In some cases, we have

elected candidates that are too

conservative for the state they are running in. Please remember that in most elections, between 12 and 24% of the electorate decide the outcome. They are the moderates, independents, and undecided voters. Subscribe to continuously support the most conservative candidate that can win, which is very different than supporting the most conservative candidate.

Remember this, a moderate republican will still be better than a moderate democrat. Always. As conservatives, we need control of the Senate. Despite many gerrymandering efforts by democrats, there is an 80+% chance that republicans can take control of the House. This is in part to the number of

democrat potential incumbents that decided not to run for re-election. Part of this swing is due to the proximity to voters. House seats are more affected by the economy and local impacts of national policy. In these cases, the democrats have real issues The economy and inflation reign supreme. “It’s the economy stupid” remains true in many house races.

The simple truth is this. Nothing has been decided yet. You can make a difference. Find a way to get involved in a campaign or with your local party committee. We can take both the House and Senate; it can be done. We just need to be motivated to drive the votes, make the calls, send the texts, and give the money Put out the yard sign Talk with your friends. Do not get distracted from what matters most. We all have lives to lead, things to do, and families to care for. However, taking care to have a better chance at a better future requires your participation in this and every election. Please take the time and make it happen.

From Debt Traps to a Reset

By Katherine Daigle

Recently the whole world has been talking about “the new normal” things that might have seemed strange before the covid era but have become an integral part of our lives today whether we want it or not. The “new normal” takes different shapes: from positive and progressive trends like the development of teleworking and popularization of homeschooling, to restrictions of constitutional freedoms, which are now being served and digested easily under the sauce of the post “quarantine measures.” Post-plan-demic era is a great point to take pivots, try out new methods of recovery, and experiment. The faults in our sham economy have been exposed over the last two years when everything came to a standstill and our way of life has been changed permanently. Today is our chance to reflect and take stock and audit our way of life or do we...Do we decide that we should make it better and adapt keeping all possibilities of a halt in mind, or does America decide that we are not going to comply with the corruption and decay introduced by the rot from the global and national political swamp, do we have a choice? The most gruesome outcomes of the “new normal” may still seem outlandish in the twenty first century America. Still, they affect you no matter where you live and stand

on the past restrictions, limits to forced mandates on just about everything from what you can purchase and how much you are allowed to have on hand. This is a manufactured ruse by the left liberal tyrants, the deception of what we have as a free society has been ensnared in a diabolical political trap of “Build Back Bankrupt”.

"Americans are paying more to put food on the table, fill up their cars and heat their homes ALOT more. The surging cost of everyday necessities have

cost the typical household an extra $6,000 this year, with the ongoing toll of inflation. Inflationary pressures are not expected to slow this year, leaving the average family with an additional $500 in monthly costs for the same goods and services, Costlier food and energy, including gasoline and home heating, account for about $2,500 of that total. (“Everything your family bought last year now costs about $5,200 more”)

The manufactured, artificial hoax brought about during the Build Back Bankrupt administration slow drip into a full blown crisis. Biden’s “supply chain” disaster is getting worse every day, straining the finances of Americans who have already been forced to endure so much over the past two years. Biden's policies, and the globalists rhetoric have given us skyrocketing energy rates, empty promises and rising prices across the country in just about every category.

We are the United States, the greatest country today and in the history of mankind is of no doubt an indisputable fact. We are the sole superpower with the biggest economy, the most

desired currency and the mightiest military. (“Why America is the greatest country | Nation of Change”) Is this why we are being destroyed from within by our own government or has there been a coup while we were asleep by a foreign government working with the Biden

administration to destroy our free society under our coveted Constitution? We believed the past crisis has developed, would continue if the spineless politicians can keep the narrative going They like to blame other countries, wear out their climate change c “end of the world” talking points all while billionaires and politicians park their useless butts on acres of pristine beachfront property. All of this being done while screaming that the world’s oceans will rise because the worlds polar ice shelves are melting.

Globally the world is at the precipice of a dystopian society in which the oppressive societal influence, the illusion of a “perfect society” is maintained through a corporate, bureaucratic, technological, corrupt, democratic control. The political machine, Klaus Schwab and his World Economic Forum (WEF), George Soros, and their political progressive network perceives our world where freedom,

democracy, and human rights as a threat to their future; taxes, and financial crises the disintegration of the global economy markets; and the unsustainable inequalities of wealth of the commoners, and only the political authoritarian autocrat’s power across the globe should and will exist. King Charles and Klaus Schwab are working together to erase our carbon footprints, while the apocalypse looms above our heads like a thick dark storm cloud, these luciferian elites are eagerly planning for their A.I. controlled Smart Cities, and today Governor Gavin Newsom of California just signed into law new legislation allowing dead bodies throughout the state to be composted instead of buried or cremated. Up until now, the Golden State, like most states and the rest of the world, only allowed for the burial or burning of deceased human remains. Now, there is the option of turning dead people into fertilizer for soil. (Related: The state of Washington legalized human composting back in 2019.) Assembly Bill 351 explicitly allows for “natural organic reduction” (NOR), as they are calling it, beginning in 2027. (“Soylent Green: California legalizes composting of HUMANS”) Until then, dead bodies in California will still have to be either buried or cremated.

Soylent Green supply for the FEMA Camps, militarized robots to seek and destroy the opposition, a worldwide surveillance and biometric cashless society, and renewable clean energy to reduce our carbon footprint. It appears the Global Elite have been hinting at a new clean energy technology for decades in movies and predictive programming media, and it seems now is the opportune time to release it with the appearance of the Antichrist One World Order (Revelation 13). Once they collapse the oil industry, the supply chain, the food systems, the power grid, the global economy, and more, then they can appear as the false saviors with all the "right" solutions Problem, reaction, solution. The state of our global economy does not paint a happy picture for anyone. As much as any analyst would like to believe and project, this is not a result of the plan demic’s bottleneck pressure. It is a cumulative process that has left the world in tandem with its own consequential flight. There have been numerous economic blunders committed in the past two years which always got away when the big newsmakers in the business kept the mill running well the loopholes get covered this way and all seem happy. But, if we investigate the practical details of a crisis such as that of

Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Egypt, New Delhi, Pakistan they are currently facing its worst economic crisis and political instability But as we ponder Sri Lanka situation, we realize they are not alone in this crisis, economic conditions of most countries are not good. Countries not only have to pay off the debt, but also bring their economy back to pre Covid GDP growth levels. But with their appointed politicians doing the talking of “the sky is falling” this tale will never end. There are civil wars that have swept these countries billions of dollars away and destroyed roads, factories, and airports. We will be able to see the slow running manifestation of an utterly evil economic phenomenon known as the ‘debt trap,’ known to be much favored by the Chinese government. The people of Sri Lanka were suffering from a case of energy shortage and scarcity of basic amenities like even food, much like most countries. The rate of inflation has crossed the 50% mark. The scarcity of fuel is worrisome because this, in a chain like fashion, affects several other supplies. Gas and diesel have become unaffordable, enough for the government to ban their sale if the vehicles are non essential. This plays out on several levels since education and employment have been directly

affected i.e., schools were shuddered, and companies began unrolling the work from home policy all over again. The United States have similar policies in place for the workplace as well as schools. If we pay closer attention, we also note that a major chunk of the foreign debt that the country owes is to China (6.5 billion dollars to be precise). While the latter has been active in discussions about how these loans can be restructured, there is extraordinarily little that it is doing to re-evaluate its age old economic principle of pulling smaller countries into irretrievable debts. These of course, leave the small countries in positions where they must give in to demands raised by China China has furthered its economic control over trade and general exchanges in the region. A 100 year lease is not silly talk. This, in all truth, was carefully orchestrated so that China can have a stronger hand in South and Southeast Asia. Even today the United States owes China 1.6 trillion (“China's secret? It owes Americans nearly $1 trillion”) The Chinese government does not like to talk about it and the U.S. government does not want to raise it. But decades ago, Beijing defaulted on debt owed to Americans, as well as investors and governments around the world.

Sri Lanka’s economy really began to unravel a long time ago although their ridiculous reliance on foreign debt and reckless expenditure like corruption are all equally relevant one makes the mistake of overlooking the factors on the global world order front that are critical to this issue. If the global world order is turbulent now, it will be reflected in the smaller economic ruptures that we see. China spots opportunities and does not shy away from attacking. That is how it has been and that is how it continues to be. A global economic reset is, therefore, at best what suits the ailing nature of most countries’ economies Pooling in aid and grants simply would not be enough it would only regurgitate the overdependence that has now landed so many nations in the traps of debt. Klaus Schwab who has gained a significant space in economic discussions, especially with the likes of billionaire George Soros and his projects to battle the erosion of civil society in a world increasingly ruled by “would-be dictators.” They needed this plan demic to renew interest to their nefarious power grab along with the Schwab Foundation to have full control of America. Every country, from the United States to China, must participate, and every industry, from oil and gas to

technology, must be transformed. (“Who is Klaus Schwab, and Why Should You Care? Truth 2 Ponder”) Yes, the Great Reset is a challenging and extremely dangerous theory; it is not a sustainable recovery or a green solution as it is marketed by these chosen privileged. Global players in the oil and gas industry understand that governments’ political statements and public posturing can impact bottom lines. From shipping lanes to supply and demand, every aspect of the market relies on the relationships and trade agreements countries and allies fostered after the 2nd World War. There is no clear roadmap either with specific plans that can be rolled out immediately to the masses, the taxpayers who will be satisfying the “One World Order” appetite is secretly emerging into a totalitarian world government. Remember that the masses will be heavily taxed, and healthcare and food will be rationed, it has always been a competition for global leadership of the order, and it will be the countries that most effectively respond to the turning point of civilizations that will maintain their global leadership.

“ARE YOU BURNING?”

By Sandra Sommerfrucht

The Moravians of North Carolina (Moravian Falls) greeted each other with the question “Are you burning?” Since I recently learned about the Moravians and their inquiry about burning for the Lord, I have been hearing that question over and over in my mind and spirit. I have even been asking my family that question repeatedly because I believe it stirs up the fire inside of us, giving us a greater desire for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, our Father in Heaven, and the Holy Spirit After all, what is one of the most noteworthy questions that we can ask ourselves? In my own opinion, it is the same question that the Moravians asked each other “Are you burning?”

The Moravians prayed 24 hours, day and night, seven days a week, and it is said that a portal opened up on the property at Moravian Falls where angels descend and gather. Spiritual activity, such as prayer, invites the angels, those “ministering spirits sent out in the service of God for the assistance of those who are to inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14 amplified). I get very excited just thinking about praying in the area of Moravian Falls where there is so much peace and serenity, and I

have a great expectation about supernatural encounters. I feel like I am on fire and will soon see a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in a revival such as the world has never witnessed. Upon researching the Moravians, my husband and I listened to a well-known prophet whom the Lord told to go to Moravian Falls. On his deck close to the falls, he said he saw 14 or more angels dressed as Pilgrims. They asked him this question: “What took you so long?” He said they darted

to and FRO very quickly, so I imagine he had to look very intently at them. When he went inside to sit in front of the fireplace where the fire was blazing, he heard a very loud knock on the door, and it obviously frightened him because in a high tone of voice, he said, “Come in.” The voice at the door said, “You must come here,” so he opened the door to find Jesus, the Son of God, the Creator of the world, standing there. Jesus said the cabin must be christened, took out a bottle of anointing oil, and splashed it all over the wall of the bedroom. When He did, the prophet had a negative thought about the wall being made dirty. Jesus, knowing his thought, said that He had authority to do whatever He wished; then, the oil turned into a map of places where the prophet must go to speak the Gospel with a warning from Jesus if he should not go.

I am so intrigued, and because I love the things of the “other world” more than the things of this world, my husband and I have arrangements to visit Moravian Falls very soon. Our expectancy is heightened, and our hearts and spirits are crying out for more and more of the Lord. We do not want to be like the members of the Laodicean church, the church in Revelation 3 that the Lord

called lukewarm. He said because they were lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, He would spew them out of His mouth! He then added that they thought they were rich and in need of nothing, but they did not understand that they were wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:15 17).

God is calling us to turn up the fire and burn for Him! This morning in my prayer time, my eyes fell upon Matthew 16:25: “For whoever is bent on saving his temporal life (his comfort and security here) shall lose it (eternal life); and whoever loses his life (his comfort and security here) for My sake shall find it (life everlasting). For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life (his blessed life in the kingdom of God)? Or what would a man give as an exchange for his blessed life (in the kingdom of God)? (Matthew 16:26 amplified). I don’t want to lose my eternal life, so I commit myself to staying fired up, and what a pleasure it is! What keeps us burning for God? Certainly, it is reading His Word, praying His Word, assembling with brothers and sisters in the Lord, and working the works God has called us to do for Him.

Recently, God called my husband and me into a rather large assignment. We are having to lean upon Him heavily to find out all the details of the assignment so that we will accomplish what He has called “the last chapter of our books.” I can tell you that when you lean upon the Lord for help, you can catch on fire.

Jesus, in Matthew 24:44, says that we must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when we do not expect Him. Then, in Matthew 24: 45, He says, “Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household to give to the others the food and supplies at the proper time?” Finally, He adds the following comment: that servant is blessed whom, when his master comes, he will find so doing (Matthew 24:46). In summary, I believe that Jesus is warning that we must take care of our assignments as faithful, thoughtful, and wise servants and that we must endure to the end (Matthew 24:13).

Staying on fire for the Lord demands that we immerse ourselves in spiritual activities more than worldly activities; in addition, we might want to ask ourselves daily, “Am I burning?” It is a good way to assess our relationship with the Lord and stay ready for His return.

'The Prophecies of Joel’ - Part 3

By Charles Lingerfelt

And now, we come to Part 3 of my series: ‘The Prophecies of Joel.’

I first became interested in reading the book of Joel when I was a teenager at 15. A year earlier, I had given my heart and life to God, through repentance and confession of my sins; and the Lord Jesus Christ wonderfully saved me by His grace and mercy. I then began to feel that God had a calling upon my life and sure enough, when I was 15 years of age God called me to minister His word and be a part of propagating the Gospel around the world. In impressing ‘the call of God’ upon my life, God used the scriptural passages of the Great Commission to press upon my young mind the importance of why He wanted me to be obedient to the call and to His word: (Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15,16; Luke 24:46-49; John 20:20-22).

I began immediately to study the word of God: reading the books of Saint John, and then reading Matthew, Mark and Luke. After I finished reading those first four books of the New Testament, I purposed within my mind that I was going to read and study prophetic books in the Old and New Testaments. Among those prophetic books that I read and studied were Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah. I also purposed within my spirit that I was going to read and study the last book of the New Testament: The Revelation

As I read and studied the book of Joel and the Prophet himself, God made an impression upon my mind with certain parts of the book itself and some of the distinct elements of Joel’s prophecies. Though it is a small book and considered a minor prophet’s message in the Old Testament, God used the book and its messages to be clearly impressed upon my mind And to this day, it is one of my most favorite books of the Old Testament. Through the years I have keenly been interested in studying scriptures which relate to biblical prophecies. I have learned by

studying The Bible that there are over 300 prophecies in the Bible that speak of Jesus Christ. Specific details given by these prophecies include His tribe (Genesis 49:10), His birthplace (Micah 5:2), the dates of his birth and death (Daniel 9:25, 26), His forerunner John the Baptist (Malachi 3:1; 4:5; Matthew 11:10), His career and ministry (Isaiah 52:13 53:12), His crucifixion (Psalm 22:1 18), His resurrection (Psalm 16:8 11; Acts 2:25 28), His ascension into Heaven (Psalm 2; Acts 13:33), and His exaltation as Priest King (Psalm 110; Acts 2:34). The kingly magnificence of his second coming is also graphically portrayed. Psalm 2, 45 and 110 focus upon His conquest and dominion over the nations. His kingdom is characterized in Psalm 72. Events leading up to and including the first and second advent of Christ are described in the two burdens of the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 9 11, 12 14 ).

Many Bible scholars and believers in my lifetime have spoken upon biblical passages to support their belief in the national resurrection of Israel. Many of those prophecies have graphically portrayed Israel’s history (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27, 28; Amos 6 9). Her bounty as a nation is prophesied in

Deuteronomy 30 and Isaiah 35. Just as the nation had received a double punishment (Jeremiah 16:18), so also it would receive a “double blessing” (Isaiah 61:7). It has been prophesied that Temple worship would be restored (Ezekiel 40 48); Israel would be the center of world government (Zechariah 1 6; and the Davidic line would be set up as a permanent dynasty (2 Samuel 7:12 16; Luke 1: 32 33)

As a young man with a great desire to read and know the Bible and know more about God, I always had this fascination about Joel’s prophecy when he spoke about the outpouring of God‘s holy spirit in ‘the last days:’ “And it shall come to pass afterword, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, And pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord comes. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of

This prophetic endowment always gave me hope and inspiration when I read it and studied it. When I would be away from my Bible I always had this prophetic pronouncement on my heart and in my mind. I thought about it on a daily basis; and it always prompted me to pray in my own personal prayer life to God asking Him to allow me to be a part of “a mighty movement of His spirit in the last days “

One such movement of the Holy Spirit was back in the 1970s when my wife and I believed that God “opened a door unto us” to minister to young people involved in the Hippie movement, drugs and alcohol, and kids who were in trouble with ‘The Law.’ I won’t spend much time here telling about my involvement back in those days, because I’ve already written about it in my first book: the autobiography of my life, ‘Journey Into Faith and Patriotism.’ The book is available for purchase from amazon.com But I will tell you that God was gracious unto my wife, my family and me and gave to us the wonderful opportunity of opening a ‘Coffee House type ministry’ in central Texas and we ministered to these young people from all over Texas and many other states. The ministry was known

as, YOUTHARAMA of Texas, Inc. and it blessed thousands of young people, and many adults while it was open.

But even more so today, I believe there is more work to be done in spreading the Gospel around the world, so that every ear might hear the “good news” about Jesus Christ our savior.

Every time I have either read or studied the book of Joel and his prophecies, I have been amazed at how God used, ‘a Common and ordinary Man’ anointing him with the spirit of God and moving upon him with that same Holy Spirit to give forth his prophetic announcements of what was to come forth in the future.

The prophet Joel prophesied specifically of the three following predictions:

1.) The Blessings of the immediate future (Joel 2:18 27).

2.) The Blessings of the distant future (Joel 2:28 32)

3.) The Ultimate Destruction of All the enemies of God (Joel 3:1 21).

I wish that I had time herewith to go into detail and write about those three predictions which I have listed above; but time will not permit me to do so, nor will space. I do intend someday to write

a book, a small book on this subject matter, ‘The Prophecies of Joel,’ if God and His will for my life will permit me to do so.

I will now close this series of writings with the following:

There are some Bible scholars who have attempted to estimate the time of the writings of Joel as being around the eighth century, before Amos; and others have come to the believe that his writings were more closely related to the sixth and early fifth century BC, which was a time that the Temple was standing and the memories of the Babylonian exile were fresh in the minds of the people.

It is for that reason that I believe the words of the prophet Joel and his prophecies are entirely and completely relevant for us today. They were entirely given forth under the unction of the Holy Spirit: to God be the glory.

And therefore, I respond to them, even today, in a positive and spiritual way and I ask you to pray, read and study these prophecies and respond to God in the same manner.

May God bless and keep you and may God help us to prepare for the days that are just ahead of us.

In His name and by the power of The Holy Spirit, Charles Lingerfelt Editor-in-Chief CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE P. O. Box 360722 Dallas, TX 75336 USA