Christian Times Magazine Issue 20 by Christian Times Magazine

CTM Christian Times Magazine ISSUE NO. 20 | JULY 2018

America's No.1 News Magazine

BIG OR SMALL LIES ARE LIES By Terry Cropper

By Christopher Grahn Howard

LOOKING TO MIDTERM ELECTIONS NOVEMBER 2018 AND BEYOND CAN WHITE CHRISTIANS VOTE FOR BLACK CHRISTIAN REPUBLICANS ? By George T Farrell

THE TRUTH ABOUT PALESTINE By Cheryl Rozema

CTM Issue 20

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DISCLAIMER Please be aware that all the articles published in Christian Times magazine are the personal views of writers / columnists and not necessarily the views of Christian Times Magazine, or CTM is not responsible to anything written by writers / columnists. Our views are expressed in our CTM Bylaws www.ctimesmag.com

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE

ISSUE

Contributors Christopher Grahn HowardÂ George T. Farrell Terry Cropper Cheryl Rozema David A. Colbert Paul McCabe Arthur L. Weathersby

Published in United States of America Copyright ÂŠ 2018 by Christian Times Magazine (CTM) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, For permission requests, ctmagazineofficial@gmail.com

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CTM ISSUE 20 | JULY 2018 CONTENTS 9

LOOKING TO MIDTERM ELECTIONS NOVEMBER 2018 AND BEYOND Christopher Grahn Howard

22 GERREN RUSH AN AMERICAN TEACHER, AUTHOR AND SPEAKER WITH A VISION FOR US AND OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE David A. Colbert

13 BIG OR SMALL LIES ARE LIES Terry Cropper

24 A DEMOCRAT'S LAMENT David A. Colbert

16 CAN WHITE CHRISTIANS VOTE FOR BLACK CHRISTIAN REPUBLICANS ? G e o r g e T F a r r e l l

18 THE TRUTH ABOUT PALESTINE C h e r y l R o z e m a

27 IN WHOM DO YOU TRUST: MAN OR GOD? P a s t o r E v a n g e l i s t A r t h u r L . We a t h e r s b y

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PAGE 9

By Christopher Grahn Howard

Looking To Midterm Elections November 2018 and Beyond

If you are a Republican, this is for you. While many grassroots Republicans are looking at the many successes of the president; better than expected poll numbers and some strong candidates, November looms large and not looking good. As one consultant said to me, “Chris, we are in the eye of a hurricane.” Despite the attacks on Trump and the news of a Supreme Court retiree; the press and the Democrats are lying in wait for after August to unleash a truly savage set of attacks on the GOP and the president. The reality is, Republicans may very well lose the House and may barely hold onto the Senate. Republicans losing the House will force Trump to move to the left or cause a gridlock, unlike anything the Republicans were ever able to muster against Obama. The Trump/republican agenda will die in its tracks. This is my midterm warning, WE MUST WIN! The states are just as high as they were in 2016. So, what can be done about it? First, the GOP must work on messaging. The greatest weakness is how the GOP is messaging, both in the wording and delivery. The GOP must find a way to paint a picture in such a way that people can visual understanding of the message. We must decide what the “shining city on the hill” will look like, how it will work, and if and how it can/not solve the people’s problems. President Obama destroyed McCain (less so Romney) in his ability to “paint that picture” of what his version of what the Shining City would look like. The best the GOP seemed to offer was “we do not like that picture”. The GOP offered no substantial alternative to the Obama message. Say what you will about President Obama, he was a strong and convincing communicator.

Modern political communication must tell the story, paint the picture of what the goals are and what the outcome will look like. People’s eyes gloss over at too many details. It is not that they are not smart enough, it is that they do not often times have the background or the historical perspective to fully comprehend. Not to mention they are trying to live their lives, without interference. The picture must tell a story of how our plan is more competent, effective and how it will benefit all the people. Our plan is better, more effective, will truly advance all people. Reagan was a master of Painting the Picture; he used stories and metaphors to get his point across. People could visualize his view of our Shining City. Even when they disagreed, they got it and he won over people because he had a vision. The great Presidents have this ability; Reagan and Kennedy come to mind. Not so great ones can have this as well, Obama comes to mind. In this, he was as good a communicator as Reagan.

Ronald Reagan eating jelly beans during a meeting. NBC/NBCU Photo Bank—Getty Images

www.ctimesmag.com In the course of my personal political involvement, I have heard hundreds of speeches some inspiring, some good, most just droll to say the least. We live in a complex world; complex ideas will be needed to fix the problems we face. While I know there are candidates and elected officials who do not give good speeches and yet have good ideas and are good operators; the Republican Party must find a way to communicate these complex issues and our solutions to the general public. We must avoid the either/or argument structure. Complex problems have more than two good solutions. How is it that smart men and women fall into the either/or argument scenario? There is always at least a third possibility and hundreds of hybrid variations possible. Set the standard, establish the vision, and paint the picture so that everyone can see it; the right candidates will clearly emerge. Rather than trying to fit presumptive candidates into the mold of whatever the latest poll suggests. We can do better than a GOP version of “Clintonian” poll based governance. Despite the accusations against Republicans and president Trump our policies and ideas are going to benefit all people in this country. Many minorities are going to be skeptical of our sincerity. We must make the tent bigger! Again, why are minorities not involved in this party! They are social conservatives and not all of them are “bought off” by big Government. We must go to them. They are not coming to us. Build the business by building relationships. That is the only way. Time has come to show some compassion and humility so we can build some bridges and build relationships. We must work to develop the few conservative minority groups that do exist. We must simply reach out, seek out those who are willing to talk with us and then we must make good on the promises we make. Not enough can be said of this needed effort. President Trump has made some efforts and must continue to do so. The Republican Party must message this better. Minorities are sensitive to language and as we

PAGE 10 message to them we must be also. The phrase "law and order" means something different to minorities than it does to me. It shouldn't but it does. We must work in the world as it is and not as we wish it was. This is too often the messaging mistake of both political parties. Extensive polling in St. Louis County shows some

interesting possibilities for Minority outreach. Polls show us that a statistically significant number are pro-life; they are sick of the genocide and early deaths in their communities. In addition, they are pro-traditional marriage. A strong family is important to them in building community. These are Republican issues! School choice and local control are of paramount concern. Education is a very large concern for the minority population. They know what we all know. A good education leads to a solid foundation for a future. Minorities are pro-small business. A well educated small business is a more successful one. A good education equals a good economic future which translates into economic liberty which is real freedom. Again, why are these people not Republicans? They are not because we have not built a relationship with them. The GOP spends a minimal amount of time lecturing these groups on why they should vote for the GOP and have built no trust or made an effort to serve them in any way. Second, the GOP must find a way to re-engage the grassroots of the party. This will prove difficult as the money being made by consultants often precludes this activity. Gone are the days when the grassroots would just show up to be worker bees for yard signs, door to door and phone calls. They

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want to be engaged in the higher level processes in an election. This is why more unknown candidates from both parties are winning primaries. More grassroots leaders are engaging on this level and saving candidates money. Good grassroots efforts start with the right people, the right attitude, and the right goals. The GOP must continue to empower and trust local, identified leaders who have credibility in local communities to build and sustain this effort. Communication must be consistent and often. Leadership at every level is needed and must be developed where needed. Local organizations must recruit and train the grassroots through the RLI program. If you don’t know what this is, ask your local Republican committee person or contact your state GOP. These new activists are the link for the party and the people. Their job in non-election years is to help make the party and elected officials more relevant to the average person. Grassroots organizations can make the party more responsive to the needs of the people we serve. Time to go old school with the help of new technology. Legislators need to be involved in these efforts. Legislators and other elected leaders are in the best position to support these efforts, efforts that will pay dividends. Previous lack of leadership from the party has allowed the grassroots to fracture and become a hundred different groups.

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Pulling any of them together may prove difficult. Working with the grassroots is tough. There are egos, pride, and some reality of the limits of what is possible. The irony here is that Republicans are independent-minded - a great trait. That’s what makes working for the common good – even when we agree - tough. We need a unified grassroots for our candidates to get voter turnout. Democrats do this masterfully, most of the time. Finally, the GOP must explore and message new ideas. We have a wonderful message and must strive to put that out there in the marketplace of ideas. My fear is that our own establishment is not willing to explore these ideas or simply does not understand them well enough to do so. Again, the march to November 2018 will be an uphill slog starting in August. Make no mistake, the Democrats have a strong plan for taking the House of Representatives and picking up even one Senate seat will kill the momentum of President Trump. You have been warned…engage…engage your friends or we could suffer the outcome.

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Photo Source: © Getty

Big or small lies are lies By Terry Cropper I would like to point out some more facts that the democrat leaders and the liberal news media will not dare tell you. You hear one side, of the story but you never hear the other side. Those who cross our border illegally, to just disappear in the United States are arrested and pay a fine and are released and sent home with their family. Immigrants who apply for asylum to delay possible deportation are held, and given clothes and food, and someone to represent them. Because of the great number of Immigrants awaiting a hearing to see an immigration judge it may take a month or six months or longer. By federal law children cannot be held any longer than 20 day. So by federal law not President Trump’s policy these children were separated from their parents. This is what the liberal democrat leaders and the liberal news media will never tell you. There are two

classes of Immigrants and not all Immigrants are separated from their children. It’s is the Immigrants who apply for asylum in the United States and are held for a hearing that are separated from their children because of federal law not President Trump’s policy. Those who cross our border illegally, to just disappear in the United States and don’t ask for asylum are arrested and pay a fine and are sent back home with their family. Another fact that the democrat leaders and the liberal news media dare not mention is thousands of migrant children are already separated from their families long before they reach the Southwest border. Hundreds of unaccompanied immigrant children are sent to the US alone on an extremely dangerous journey by their parents. Where is the

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outrage by the democrat and the liberal news media about parents in other countries sending their young children thousands of miles through the hot desert on an extremely dangerous journey unaccompanied? Where is the outcry about this child abuse? In recent years the number of unaccompanied immigrant children migrating to the United States has nearly tripled. You try sending your child thousands of miles through the hot desert unaccompanied and watch the outrage and what will happen to you. I guarantee you will be charged with child abuse and put in jail. Where is the outrage in the news media for such child abuse? Did you know young girls risk sexual violence and take contraceptive pills before traveling to avoid becoming pregnant? Where is the outrage by the liberal democrat leaders and liberal news media about the countries that are forcing these migrant children to risk sexual violence as they flee their home countries?

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paychecks. The traffickers used a combination of threats, humiliation, deprivation, financial coercion, debt manipulation, and monitoring to create a climate of fear and helplessness that would compel compliance. The traffickers obtained deeds to real property from the victims’ families to secure the victims’ smuggling debt and would retain the deeds to the properties if any part of the debt went unpaid. So where is the outrage in the news by the liberal news media about this kind of abuse? Child trafficking. “These kids, regardless of their immigration status, deserve to be treated properly, not abused or trafficked,” but you never hear anything by the liberal news media about any of this kind of abuse or lest do something about the countries that are forcing these migrant children to risk sexual violence and an extremely dangerous journey unaccompanied as they flee their home countries. No the democrat leaders and the liberal news media are too busy manufacturing false crisis hoping to brainwash people to vote for the democrat party. The next manufactured crisis by the democrat and the liberal news media will be it is cruel and inhumane to keep families in detention centers. Mark my words. What the democrats really want is to have the illegal Immigrants released in the United States so they can give them welfare and other government programs to get their votes. That is the hold idea behind the democrats wanting wide open borders.

Some of the unaccompanied migrant children arriving in the United States are being subjected to situations of human trafficking and exploitation. The traffickers lured the victims to travel to the United States on the promise that they would be able to attend school once they arrived. The minor victims are forced to work six or seven days a week, twelve hours per day. The traffickers repeatedly threatened the victims and their families with physical harm, and even death, if they did not work or surrender their entire

At one time the democrats were all for closed borders but those were the good old days before people were leaving that party by the droves. Now they have no plans to help make or keep America great just destroy it with their socialist ideas. So they need the immigrants for their votes. And they are willing to do anything to get their votes including your tax money to give them welfare other government programs. Why do you think Nancy Pelosi promised to take your tax money back? So they can use it for their socialist programs. You can bet it will not be used to rebuild our crumbling inter-structure or better schools.

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Can White Christians vote for Black Christian Republicans? By George T Farrell

Our top priority is making sure Republicans maintain a majority in Congress for the 2018 Midterm elections and the best way to do that is by showing that the Republican Party cares about Black Candidates and voters. A lack of Black Candidates limits the appeal of the Republican Party to Blacks. There are only 3 Blacks out of 535 in Congress and that sure looks racist. Our Second Priority is making sure we elect Qualified African-American Former United States Military Patriots to Congress during the 2018 Midterms. That alone will work to promoter racial healing in the Republican Party.

"What have you got to lose" candidate Donald Trump yelled these words when asking in a not so polite way for Black voters on August 19, 2016. BlakPac then went all in by putting together a collective of Black leaders and surrogates to work closely with the Trump campaign and the Trump Diversity Committee. We were so successful that we doubled the Black Vote for President Trump over Mitt Romney 4 years earlier. Now we are asking President Trump to reciprocate. To date, the President has not tweeted support for any African American Candidates and we know that the President has the power to drive support to Christian Candidates.White Christians also tend to withhold support from Black Christian candidates. That must change if we are to dominate the Midterm elections and reelect President trump in 2020 The President along with Christian voters can reverse 143 years of Republican Party neglect and promote racial healing in America. In 1875, former Military veterans Hiram Revel(MS) Benjamin Turner(AL) Robert Elliot(SC) Blanch Bruce(TX) Josiah Walls(FL) Richard Cain(SC) went on to become the First Black United States Republican Congressmen.

BlakPac has identified the strongest and largest class of GOP Black Congressional Nominees since 1875. The similarities to the original Black Republican are striking. All of our Black Republican Nominees are Christians and Military Veterans. They are qualified and they are your Republican Party Nominee against liberal democrats. Aja Smith in California, Casper Stockham in Colorado, Dr. Tim Westly and Willie Billups from Texas, Jeff Dove in Virginia are our GOP Nominees for the House and Tony Campbell in Maryland is the GOP Nominee for the Senate can join Will Hurd, Mia Love and Tim Scott to redress 143 years of GOP neglect and reverse the misrepresentation of Republicans as racist.

George T Farrell Chairman Blakpac

CTM Issue 20

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THE TRUTH ABOUT PALESTINE By Cheryl Rozema

There are few, if any issues routinely seen in the news today, that are more controversial or contentious than the subject of Israel and Palestine. It seems that both sides are firmly entrenched in their views, but how much of their opinions are based in fact? What is the true history of this region many simply refer to as Palestine, and why is there seemingly so much confusion on the subject? For these answers, it is important to take a look back at the history of this area that draws the eyes of the world to itself, almost daily, and to try to separate fact from fiction-- and there is MUCH fiction to sift through. First, though hotly contested, many religious Jews and Christians are adamant that the land currently known as Israel, clearly belongs to the Jewish people. What is the basis of this claim? First and foremost, we turn to scripture itself for the answer. In the same day the Lord made a Covenant with Abram, saying, Unto your seed have I given this

land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates. (Gen.15:18) As for Me, behold, My Covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations, neither shall you name anymore be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made you. And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come out of you, And I will establish My Covenant between Me and you and your seed after you in their generations for an Everlasting Covenant, to be a God unto you, and to your seed after you, And I will give unto you, and to your seed after you, the land wherein you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. (Gen. 17:4-8)

This is what is known as the Abrahamic Covenant. For those who hold scripture to be the unerring, inspired Word of God, the clear promise of a Covenant that is everlasting, is just that everlasting, meaning that there is no end, or date of expiration.

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The very same can be said of the promise God gives of everlasting possession. This Covenant applies not only to Abraham, but his “seed after you in their generations.” It is also very important to note that the actual area promised by God goes all the way to the Nile River in Egypt, which includes the Sinai, the Arab Peninsula, much of modern Iraq, most of Syria, and all of Lebanon—an area considerably larger than the area recognized as Israel today. So when areas such as the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (Biblical Judea and Samaria), are labeled as “occupied territories” or “illegal settlements,” it is an underhanded attempt to deny Jewish ties to the land over the last two thousand years and beyond, and depict the Jewish state as an aggressive, occupying force in the very land they were promised in the Abrahamic Covenant. How do a people illegally occupy land that is already theirs? It also amounts to the explicit denial of scripture to be the Word of God, but this has been an increasing trend among many of the Protestant mainline churches of today—an overall erosion of belief in the validity of the Bible itself. Obviously, the scope of these issues and the current conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians is broad and complex. For this reason, it is not possible to hit on every aspect of the conflict in an article of this length, but hopefully, it will inspire the reader to dig deeper into the arguments that are being perpetuated amongst mainstream media reports, academia, proPalestinian activists, NGO’s, and pro-Palestinian propagandists, just to name a few. On June 15, 1969, Israel’s Prime Minister, Golda Meir, made what was considered to be a very controversial, provocative statement when she was quoted as saying, “There is no such thing as the Palestinian people… It’s not as if we came and threw them out and took their country. They didn’t exist.” No doubt, there are many who wonder how she could make such a statement and keep a straight face. Surely, this was just another attempt by an Israeli leader to delegitimize the plight of those they sought to oppress—or was it?

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As it turns out, this view was not just part of some Jewish conspiracy, but was the view of many Arab leaders themselves. Years earlier, in 1937, Awni Abdul-Hadi, who testified before the British Peel Commission, stated, “There is no such country as Palestine. Palestine is a term the Zionists invented. There is no Palestine in the Bible… Palestine is alien to us.” Then later, in 1946, Arab historian Dr. Philip Hitti, essentially reiterated Abdul-Hadi’s statement when he gave testimony before the Anglo-American Committee stating, “There is no such thing as Palestine in history, absolutely not.” Then, later in 1956, a Saudi representative to the United Nations stated succinctly, “It is common knowledge that Palestine is nothing but Southern Syria.” Even more recently, Hafez Al-Assad, father to the current Syrian dictator, stated directly to the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat the following, “Never forget this one point: There is no such thing as a Palestinian people. There is no Palestinian entity… Palestine is an integral part of Syria,” Given such statements, it is hard to fathom how Golda Meir’s statement could be so controversial, except for the fact that we humans tend to have short memories, and that is precisely what the pro-Palestinian lobby is counting on, in this person’s humble opinion. Christian Broadcasting Network. “Who are the Palestinians? An Arab Invention”. July 31. 2015.

So where did this term, Palestine, originate? The Roman Emperor, Hadrian, conquered Jerusalem in 135 ACE, with the expressed intent to completely eradicate any memory of the Jews, as well as any ties to the land itself. For this reason, he decided to rename the area after the historical enemies of the Jews—the Philistines, calling it “Syria Palestine,” which is merely the Latin translation for Philistine. some have claimed that the Philistines are the ancestors of today’s Palestinians, they seem to miss the fact that the Philistines were sea-faring conquerors from the Greek island of Crete, and that they only conquered coastal areas in about the 12th century BCE, never inland areas such as Jerusalem. The very word Philistine means “invaders,” so that an honest assessment would mean the Palestinian’s ancestral homeland is actually Crete. In around the 7th century BCE, they

www.ctimesmag.com were conquered by the Assyrians and assimilated into their culture, and then subsequently conquered by the Babylonians, before disappearing from history entirely, making it impossible for any modern-day Palestinian to establish any DNA connection whatsoever. The truth? Palestinians of today have established biology with Jordanians, Iraqis, Syrians, and Saudis —in other words, Arabs! Connection with the Philistines is only one claim Palestinians and their supporters make, so again, I would urge any interested reader to pursue these claims, which at best are inconclusive, or have been debunked entirely.

PAGE 20 2000 years of Jewish exile, perpetuating the myth that the result was NO Jewish presence during this time period and, therefore, that the Jews had relinquished any claim to the land as a result. This is the time period that Islam really becomes a political force in the modern world. However, this claim is patently false. The truth being that despite the Jewish exile, there has NEVER been a time where the Jewish presence was eliminated completely .

Additionally, a 1927 earthquake severely damaged their mosque. During subsequent renovations, archaeologists discovered beams from cedar of Lebanon, dating back to Solomon’s time, which happen to be the exact materials Solomon is described as using in the construction of his temple. Also discovered was a Jewish ritual bath dating to the second Jewish temple period, as well as a mosaic that appears to be from a Byzantine church during the Roman occupation .

Maqdisi, a famous Arab geographer, that Muslims were still outnumbered by the Jewish and Christian populations. The Jewish presence only increased during and, at times, after the Muslim “Golden Age” of the Muslim General Suleiman, whose policies often benefitted all population groups under his reign, from 1520-1566. Whenever such policies resulted in a rise in Jewish immigration, it also brought an influx of industry and capital, that greatly benefitted and transformed the areas they settled in. Then, in 1839, the Muslims allowed for the opening of a British consulate in Jerusalem, who saw part of their role as protecting the Jewish population that faced constant persecution. By 1840, the Jewish population outnumbered both the Muslim and Christian populations in the city. Eventually, the British conquered the Ottoman Empire during WW1, and were granted a “mandate” to rule the area by the League of Nations that formed after the conclusion of the Great War. As part of this mandate, they were obligated to “secure the establishment of the Jewish national home,’ within this area. This set in motion a chain of events which eventually, after many years, lead to the establishment of the modern State of Israel in 1948. At no time in the 2000 year period following the fall of the second temple was there a time when there was not a Jewish presence, and where they did not maintain and carry on their customs that made them uniquely Jewish!

So if this was all widely acknowledged by even Islamic leaders and scholars themselves, when did things change to develop the current Islamic claim that the Jews have no historical ties to the land? For that, one has only to look back as far as 1948, the year the State of Israel was reestablished after

Unfortunately, as Islam became a political force, so did the necessity for them to revise or bury any history that portrayed the valid Jewish claims to the land, in order to bolster their own false claims. Even today, pro-Palestinian voices claim to only want to live in peace, with a two-state solution that

It is also important to consider the belief of Muslims that once they conquer a specific place, that place becomes theirs—forever. This is why they have the tradition of building mosques on top of sites they have “conquered”—even to this day. Interestingly, Jerusalem’s Supreme Islamic Council, in 1924, published a tourism pamphlet about the Temple Mount, where they clearly acknowledge its Jewish history. It states: [The site’s] “Identity with the site of Solomon’s Temple is beyond dispute. This, too is the spot, according to the universal belief, on which David built there an altar unto the Lord.” They also go on to describe the underground chamber the Crusaders had dubbed “Solomon’s Stables,” which seems to date back to the construction of Solomon’s temple itself .

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Israel is supposedly sabotaging. However, no one to my knowledge, has then been able to adequately explain why Palestinian leaders have turned down exactly such an offer of a Palestinian State—twice! The first was during the UN partition of the land that led to Israel’s statehood, as well as their being attacked by their Arab neighbors the very day after declaring statehood, and the second being during the mid-1990’s with the Camp David Accords under then President Bill Clinton . Could it possibly be that their true intent is to have ALL the land of Palestine, including all areas currently part of the Jewish state? Evidence certainly exists that points to such a goal, but that is beyond the scope of this particular article. In conclusion there is a lot of contention about the subject of Israel and Palestine but any honest conversation needs to consider all the facts present on the table. The facts presented in this article are only a beginning of your journey.

Research well and you may find that the story of this amazing land will open your eyes to the story of a faithful God and a people with a magnificent purpose. May you enjoy the adventure.

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Gerren Rush an American Teacher, Author and Speaker with a Vision for Us and Our Children’s Future In this day and time it is important we watch and pray for our educators. They have a monumental task in front of them. They watch out for our children that are being launched into the future of this world that we live in. I had an opportunity to speak with a Teacher, Author, and Professional Speaker Gerren Rush. I hope you enjoy this eye opening discussion from a modern day visionary. Keep your eyes on him, this is just the beginning. I envision a bright future for this young man. We will be discussing Gerren Rush’s book “Wonderfully Weird” and his Collective “Faith Over Fear”.

Pastor David: What prompted you to write the book “Wonderfully Weird”? Gerren: Basically one of my students came up to me and said this, “you look weird, your lips are brown”. I took a moment and thought about how I would feel if I were a child his age and heard that statement. I believe it would have affected me adversely, and possibly damaged my self esteem. This was several years ago.

process I went through to achieve my goal of my first book. We must gain knowledge, but I feel; however that we need drive to turn that knowledge into action. Pastor David: We must have drive to get it done. I understand what you are saying.

Gerren: Yes. I began at that time to develop the concept for the book “Wonderfully Weird.”

Gerren: I started first to deliver the concept of faith over fear to my friends. I found that many of them had desire, but no drive. The number one thing preventing them from going forward was fear. My friends and I established a collective to hold each other accountable to complete our projects and dreams. I relied heavily also on my parents Bishop Frank A. Rush and Pastor JoAnn Vallie Rush, Pastors and Founders of Houston Praise and Worship Center in Houston, Texas.

Pastor David: I have found in my research other organizations with the same or similar titles. What makes your group stand out from the rest?

Pastor David: Gerren, What audience are you seeking to reach with your book “Wonderfully Weird”, and the concept of “Faith Over Fear”?

Gerren: I felt the desire and it felt to me more like my mission to get the word out to help others who felt they had something to say or a talent to share with the world. I also felt that I wanted to share the

Gerren: Ok. “Wonderfully Weird”. I am seeking to reach children from kindergarten to 2nd grade, ages 5 to 8 years. I believe this will allow children to obtain better self-esteem, realizing they are not

Pastor David: So, you believe that many children between the ages 5 and 8 years old may begin to develop self esteem issues from negative comments about their outward appearances ?

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alone. I want them to know that there are others who feel the way they do about their physical characteristics, and possibly cultural differences. Pastor David: What about the “Faith Over Fear” Collective ? Gerren: I am a Christian and my faith plays a big part in my immediate family and my extended family. My friends are now moving forward expanding on the vision or concepts with music, management, and literature. We now go out as a group promoting these concepts to those that feel like their organizations or schools would benefit from our expertise and experience in this area of taking action over our fears. Pastor David: Is there an element of evangelism in these concepts? Gerren: Not specifically, but I hope as they examine my life through my website and just getting to know about me as a person; they will see how my faith in God played a big part in my success. This message can apply to Christians and Non-Christians Alike. Jesus is my foundation. People often allow fear to prevent them from moving forward with their dreams, plans and visions. Pastor David: I must reiterate what you alluded to earlier. It is not about know how only, but it is about our internal drive to grow forward. We must look beyond the surface of a thing to see the truth before our faith can overcome our fears. We need “Faith Over Fear” Pastor David: Gerren. One more question. Here in America we have been plagued in recent years with school shootings and overall school violence and bullying. This is a major problem in our schools today. What do you think as a teacher in our school system is the answer to these outbreaks of violent behavior and bullying in our schools?

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Gerren: As a Teacher I think a lot about this situation and it is scary. I believe that the family is very important to the resolution of these problems. I also believe in mentoring when there is not a stable family unit. We need to provide more outlets for our children to share their problems and concerns with adults that can help in providing workable solutions. Our children need to deal with their anger and frustrations before it comes out in violent behaviors or actions. I believe as people we need to learn to be open and honest without resulting to violence to resolve our problems, especially at an early age. That is why my book is targeted at ages 5 to 8 years. Simply speaking as parents and family we need to do a better job, and begin to take ownership for issues that affect our children on a daily basis. Pastor David: Thank you Gerren Rush for sitting down with me and sharing your heart. I would like to thank you for reading this article and I ask for your input. I want to once again thank Gerren Rush, Teacher, Author and Speaker for sharing his thoughts on his book “Wonderfully Weird” and the “Faith Over Fear” collective. You can pick up a copy of his book at his website below and read about the man Gerren Rush This is Pastor David A. Colbert thanking you for reading. I will be commenting next month on the Major changes going on in our world today. Until next time. May God Bless You Greatly!!!

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A DEMOCRAT'S LAMENT By Paul McCabe

I am not alone in feeling that the Democratic Party has abandoned me in the past generation. There is adequate statistical proof that my fellow Americans have deserted in crowds from the party of their heritage and tradition. For us who still care about the party, it is important to understand why this has happened and what we can do about it. Each of the following has caused the party to lose votes and (worse) to lose voters: lousy candidates pandering to too many interest groups accepting every cause without judging the merits wrong priorities in spending policies high taxes that no one wants letting amateurs take over the party machinery drifting too far left for the American people abandonment of the mainstream's sensible policies advocacy of a silly isolationism blind support of labor demands without increases in productivity increased national debt opening up the political process without concentrating on results bankruptcy of ideas and leadership perpetuating the myth that we don't have to pay for services letting America slide down from competitiveness telling us to trust the Russians acceptance of #2 status triumph of quotas over intellect role of TV and the media failing to set the national agenda clearly and specifically misunderstanding of foreign affairs (jingoism)

Vietnam syndrome: military force can't be used no party unity As the natural majority party, the Democrats had everything going for them. A long-term effort is necessary to drive away millions of voters, but the Democrats succeeded. They splintered the party into a large number of separate factions, each pledged to a single cause: welfare rights, abortion, Hispanic, ecology, etc. and each way out of the mainstream. There was no one any more to lick the envelopes and actually go out and get voters registered and into the party system. In other words the party stopped organizing itself, and those energies--instead of being harnessed for the party--were used to organize for narrow causes. The system broke down with the changes in America. But the party changed even more than America did. It did this by siding with the new, the non-traditional, the far-out, on every occasion when it had a choice. This had the effect of driving everyone else out of the party, a political kind of Gresham’s Law. I am not judging the merits of each issue or cause that the Democrats embraced; but I can say that the process decimated the party of its rank and file. The Democrats forgot that John Doe is a working white guy who doesn't want to pay new taxes, who likes a beer and a football game, who is not a feminist ecologist insisting on speaking Spanish in the schools. In a vain effort to be all things to all people, the party ended up reduced to a mere collection of causes and interest groups, all on the left. No significant or large new groups came into the party, and many found a home elsewhere. The party became increasingly irrelevant to the average person as Democratic politics shifted to causes. The party's very interesting and important change-to open up the decision-making process to

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virtually anyone--was a glorious achievement in political history, but one that was cold comfort because it simultaneously made it difficult to win elections. Not every voter is a black Vietnam-vet dropout on the unemployment line; in fact, almost none is. This openness made it easier for the Republican Party to open up too, though it didn't go as far as the Democrats. In the wake of the loss of the White House in 1968, the McGovern Committee of the party effected a number of changes in the party rules, specifically opening up the system to those excluded from the process in 1968. Later McGovern's own candidacy benefited from these changes in that he was able to pack the 1972 nominating convention with his forces: young people, blacks, the antiwar movement, feminists, etc. It was a strategy that simultaneously guaranteed him to win the convention and to lose the election. The most open process in the history of US politics resulted in the worst loss that the party ever suffered; Nixon's majority was huge. Only 29 million voters went for the Democratic candidate that year, down signifi¬cantly from the 31.3 million that went for Humphrey in 1968. In addition, Wallace gathered 10 million votes, most of them disenchanted Democrats in the south. The electoral vote--the legal basis for winning the Presidency--went against them even more: in 1968, the Democrats won 191 electoral votes, including several of the important states (Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan). By 1972, their support had declined almost to the point of disappearance: they won only Massachusetts and DC; McGovern even lost his home state of South Dakota, a feat unprecedented in US elections. Both of these totals were a big drop from 1964, when the Lyndon landslide gathered 486 electoral votes. LBJ's margin of 16 million votes had been reversed complete¬ly only eight years later; Nixon had his own landslide, winning by an 18 million vote margin. How did this astonishing 34 million vote shift take place? Neither was the reversal a short term phenomenon: Reagan's 1980 margin was 7.4 million votes, and Bush beat Dukakis by 7 million votes in 1988. In 1980, Anderson ran as a spoiler candidate, and (like Wallace in 1968) spoiled

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mainly the Democrat's chances by getting 5.7 million votes that otherwise would have gone to Carter. Not only are the Democrats losing national elections, they are losing them badly, by large numbers. The last time the vote was close was 1968, the year the party started to splinter. These numbers are sad proof that the Democrats have blown their huge lead over. Why did this sea change occur at a time when millions of new voters were joining the electorate? The baby boom generation--my friends and I--should have swelled the ranks of the Democratic Party, but instead aligned themselves with the Republicans or went unregistered. This was another natural constituency down the drain. Was the party asleep at the wheel? Yes. While millions of voters rushed out of the party, the Democratic National Committee apparently was asleep, involved in parceling out the goodies to different interest groups, self-absorbed in internal struggles and internecine wrangling. The DNC forgot that its job was to lead the country, not the party. It neglected its fundamental task: to increase the number of Democrats. This basic survival task can be accomplished only by a widespread, sustained, and coordinat¬ed campaign to register voters and to get them to the polls on Election Day. Party politics thus is obliged to be essentially an outreach program. Every precinct captain and old-time ward heeler understood this fundamental principle, knew it in his bones. The new party leaders ignored the lessons of the past that had been at the roots of the party's success. But the more the Democrats fought within their party, the less attention they paid to such outward-looking efforts that had been the party's strength in the good old days. Thus those who took over the party found themselves the disputed leaders of a shrinking group. All the constituent groups of the Democrats want to play "King of the Mountain" all the time; the Republicans are never so self-destructive. That is how a small party like the Republicans has managed to win presidential elections solid party unity plus luring some Democrats. Not only did the Democratic Party manage to throw away new voters by not getting them inside, it drove away millions of voters that it did have. Working class

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ethnics (read "Catholics”) fled the party, voting in huge numbers for Nixon and later for Reagan. So did the Jewish population, a group that always had been in the Democratic column with votes and campaign contributions and campaign workers. Hispanics proved to be more conservative than the average voter and were quietly and successfully courted by the Republicans. Anti-communist, Catholic, and family-oriented, the Cubans led the charge into the Republican Party. Elderly and young voters, both traditionally Democrat¬ic, also were alienated from the party for different reasons. Added together, these losses made it impossible for the party to win. The youth vote never materialized in the numbers that had been predicted for the coming of age of the baby boom. Many didn't put much stock in politics, which they thought was dirty (the "alienat¬ed" group) while others were apolitical (considering politics irrelevant to their lives). In approaching the third subgroup of the baby boomers--the politically committed-the Democrats rested on their laurels, believing themselves to be the party of youth, of change, of what was new and trendy. The problem was that the Democrats made a strategic error by going after the smallest group, and then made an additional tactical mistake by not really wooing them. Many of the committed subgroup were part of a "flash in the pan" whose numbers were overpublicized and thus overestimat¬ed. They worked one election, or in one state, or for one candidate and then disap¬peared into America's mobile society.Young people born at the beginning of the postwar period voted for the first time in 1968; and by 1972, that voting group had mushroomed to include babies born as late as 19541. The surprise was that aside from a small activist group, they voted (when they did vote) like their parents. In other words, the Democrats thought they had a winner, but the activist clique was really a losing horse in terms of long-term commitment to the party, or sustained interest in party affairs, or even contribu¬tions and fundraising. The radical group always saw the party as a vehicle to power, an avenue to respectability, a means to push their ideology into the mainstream where the party had its strength.The Democrats let themselves be used for precisely those kinds of goals; in doing so, the party soon found that it had to contend with more than just the camel's nose under the tent. The small group of cause-oriented activists saw only their issues, only in their way. They didn't care much for the welfare of the party, which was only a tool to them. By studying the system, through clever maneuvering and with the help of good press, they took over the party machinery successfully. The downfall came when the new leaders refused to devote their energies to building the party. Instead, the party was used for their many private agendas. The effect on the average Democrat was electric; he or she fled the party. The breakup of the party had its roots in the civil rights struggle, which reached the floor of the 1964 Democratic nominating convention in the form of a (black) challenge to the (white) Mississippi delegation. The party reasonably agreed to change its rules for selection of delegates to its next convention, and did so.

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Meanwhile by the time of the next convention, there were powerful centrifugal forces at work in the country, based on the national debate about the war in Vietnam. Not only did the party internalize that divisive struggle, but it tried to solve the whole nation's civil rights problems by action for reform within the party. These were admirable goals, but since they were not accomplished, the convulsive and controversial process divided the party further. It lost the "solid south" by moving quickly on civil rights in the party process, and it took an unprecedented anti-establishment stand on the VietNam war. Personally I believed that both of these positions were correct, but the point is that both caused the party to lose votes. Never before had the nation been involved in an unpopular war, so a major party never before had to oppose the government on a serious fundamental issue of life and death. Neither had a party ever been pushing a policy to change a way of life in the United States.The last time that a really fundamental change was made in the body politic, it was Lincoln's political courage and individual vision of America that brought about the Emancipation Proclamation, not the parties of the time. They both waffled. Lincoln paid with his life, but he launched a process of enfranchisement that continues until this day. In opting for policies of change both on the war and foreign policy and on the domestic civil rights front, the Democrats set themselves against the Government, against the established wisdom, and against many mainstream traditions. Compounding their error, they made powerful enemies in large and key interest groups: the military, the veterans, the southern satraps in the chairs of Congressional committees, the "law and order" voting group, and other white suburbanites. Associated with these groups are millions of votes, hundreds of key pieces of legislation, and billions of dollars in public services and jobs. It is difficult to imagine what the Democrats were thinking when they alienated those constituencies, step by step and year after year in decision after decision.

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In Whom Do You Trust: Man or God? By Pastor Evangelist Arthur L. Weathersby Sound The Alarm Ministries

The definition of trust as defined in the MerriamWebster Dictionary is as follows: 1. a: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something b: one in which confidence is placed 2. a: dependence on something future or contingent : HOPE b: reliance on future payment for property (such as merchandise) delivered : CREDIT 3. a: a property interest held by one person for the benefit of another b: a combination of firms or corporations formed by a legal agreement; especially : one that reduces or threatens to reduce competition 4. a: CARE, CUSTODY ¬ the child committed to her trust b: (1) a charge or duty imposed in faith or confidence or as a condition of some relationship (2) : something committed or entrusted to one to be used or cared for in the interest of another c: responsible – charge or office. Whew, the English language has various different ways to define trust as per the way man sees it or thinks! However God has only one definition for trust and it is found in The Scriptures of The Bible! Numbers 23:19 from The Amplified Bible states: “God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good?” So, as you can see the very essence of God is embodied in one word; TRUTHFUL! As a matter of fact in John 14:6 as found

in the Amplified Bible (all further scripture reference in this article will come from the same Amplified Bible) Jesus says these words as He responded to a question from the Apostle Thomas; “Jesus said to him, I am the Way and The Truth and The Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) me.” I then ask the question, wouldn't you prefer to trust someone whose very character is “TRUTH!” Trust is not something that we casually bestow upon someone! When we trust, we've come to a place to be able to extend trust because of the relationship we've built with a person and/or persons over time! If I trust you, I am asserting that I believe in what you say and/or what you've promised! The United States of America was built upon the fabric of trust as exemplified by the Founding Fathers decision to have this phrase embossed upon all of our currency: “IN GOD WE TRUST!” Sadly, that is not the true direction we've taken in the governing of this great country from its inception (July 4, 1776; Date of Independence from the British Empire)! We've established political parties with their partisan views to supposedly look after the interests of “WE THE PEOPLE!” If we were truly trusting in God as opposed to man, then we would explicitly follow Proverbs 3:5-6: “ 5: Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6: In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.” It is clear that by putting 100% trust in God, you are assured that EVERYTHING will work in your favor! When we fail to do so, God reminds us in His Word found in Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 (they say the exact SAME thing): “There is a way that which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death.” In the final analysis, the ALL important question is, “DO YOU WANT TO LIVE OR DIE?” IN WHOM DO YOU TRUST: GOD OR MAN, THAT IS THE ONLY QUESTION...