When we've witnessed wars, we can easily start "hating" the enemy. As a Christian, we need that constant reminder on what the Bible says "love your enemies".
Below is simple e-mail forward to remember who is the "real" enemy during wars, like the ones the U.S. is currently in against terrorism:
> > Hummm...
> > One day Satan and Jesus were having a conversation. Satan had just come from > > the Garden of Eden, and he was gloating and boasting. Yes, sir, I just > > caught the world full of people down there. Set me a trap, used bait I knew they > > couldn't resist. Got 'em all!"
> > "What are you going to do with them?" Jesus asked.
> > Satan replied, "Oh, I'm gonna have fun! I'm gonna teach them how to marry > > and divorce each other, how to hate and abuse each other, how to drink and > > smoke and curse. I'm gonna teach them how to invent guns and bombs and kill each > > other. I'm really gonna have fun!"
> > "And what will you do when you get done with them?" Jesus asked.
> > "Oh, I'll kill 'em," Satan glared proudly.
> > "How much do you want for them?" Jesus asked.
> > "Oh, you don't want those people. They ain't no good. Why, you'll take them > > and they'll just hate you. They'll spit on you, curse you and kill you!! You > > don't want those people!!"
> > "How much?" He asked again.
> > Satan looked at Jesus and sneered, "All your tears, and all your blood."
> > Jesus said, "DONE!" Then He paid the price.
> > Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why > > the world's going to hell.
> > Isn't it funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the > > Bible says.
> > Isn't it funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do not have > > to believe, think, say, or do anything the Bible says. Or is it scary?
> > Isn't it funny how someone can say "I believe in God" but still follow Satan > > (who, by the way, also "believes" in God).
> > Isn't it funny how you can send a thousand jokes through > > e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages > > regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.
> > Isn't it funny how the lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene pass freely through > > cyberspace, but the public discussion of Jesus is suppressed in the school and > > workplace.
> > Isn't it funny how someone can be so fired up for Christ on Sunday, but be > > an invisible Christian the rest of the week.
> > Are you laughing?
> > Isn't it funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it > > to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or > > what they will think of you for sending it to them.
> > Isn't it funny how I can be more worried about what other people think of me > > than what God thinks of me.
> > Will YOU pass this on? .... I did
Secular Resources:
-U.S. Perspective
-Arabic Perspective
After Campaign 2004, I heard mixed views of the War issue. I decided to do some research to help clear these issues:
Gulf War Syndrome
"Blood for Oil!"
Related Resources
Christian Perspective (w/my personal standpoint)
Answered Prayers:
Prayer for Soldiers
-Media displayed pictures of soldiers (secular and christian) in their broadcast, newspaper, or websites (eg. Operation Prayer Shield by CBN that played this song "He knows my name") and Prayer Wall by Praise FM (based in Osakis, MN) that gave "us" more of a personal heart to remember them and even pray for them. As a Christian, why didn't "we" (churches) didn't we do that for our missionaries or people that we God has put in our heart to pray for in a regular basis.
7 POW's that were found alive 4/14/03
-"Meanwhile, Army Pfc. Patrick Miller's sister removed a sign Monday from the front of her Wichita, Kan., house requesting prayers for the POWs, but said she would leave the yellow ribbon tied around a tree."-
Soldier's Helmet w/Psalm 23
-One of the soldiers had Psalms' 23 written on his helmet
Family Reunion
There was a picture on 3/28 of a Free Iraqi Forces soldier reuniting with his Iraqi family-whom he hasn't seen for 10 years!
Soldiers being baptized
-article in Newsweek in March ?, 2003
Quick war
-the war started around March 19th and ended early this week-April 15th. However, there are still reported actual small combats throughout Iraq, but the BIGGEST is somewhat over as many feared chemical/biological warfare. As I'm writing this (4/18/03), we still need to be in prayer for our troops and this whole conflicat. We need to keep our "feet of readiness" for any suprised attacks (there were several reported suicide bomb attacks, which can occur anytime again)
THE DIVINE WIND
(a forward e-mail)
When 50,000 of our American boys were out in the middle of the Iraqi desert a few weeks ago a DIVINE WIND blew across the desert for three days followed by a drenching rain.
The Muslim media said it was the worst sand storm in 100 years, and the Mullahs in 20+ Muslim countries proclaimed that the storm was sent by Allah when our troops were bogged down and couldn't move.
The left-wing media [CNN, CBS, MSNBC & ABC, the New York Times, The Chicago Tribune/L A Times and lots of others] trotted out politicians and military experts that proclaimed we were in a "quagmire" and they all made dire predictions of gloom and doom.
What they didn't report [all except for Fox News and many smaller regional and hometown newspapers] was that after the weather cleared, the Marine group that was mired the worst looked out at the plain they were just about to cross. What did they see?
Thousands upon thousands of anti-tank and anti-personnel mines that had been uncovered by the wind and then washed off by the rain. If they had proceeded as planned, many American lives would have been lost. As it was, they simply drove around them and let the demolition teams destroy them.
Yes, it was a DIVINE WIND!
When George Washington was asked if he thought God was on his side, he replied: "It is not that God should be on our side, but that we be on His."
Yes, the "battle belongs to the Lord", which we have no control of what happens in war. However, our decisions in life can affect the outcome as individuals, nations, and the world. We just need to give it to Him!
Many people are talking about a possible "draft" (2004-2005) of young men 18 and up (till 25). When I was searching, I found this...
" List the names of all the men 3 twenty years old or older who are able to go to war. You and Aaron are to direct the project, 4 assisted by one family leader from each tribe."-Numbers 1:3; 1:20
There are many stories in the Old Testament where the Lord gave Israel victory after their disobedience. As a nation (U.S.A.), we need to learn from their mistakes. The tragedies our nation goes through were probably caused by our actions of disobedience (e.g. abandoning God in "public schools", which might've linked to our loss in Vietnam our "9/11")...
Othniel Becomes Israel's Judge"
7 The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord's sight. They forgot about the Lord their God, and they worshiped the images of Baal and the Asherah poles. 8 Then the Lord burned with anger against Israel, and he handed them over to King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim.* And the Israelites were subject to Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.
9 But when Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord raised up a man to rescue them. His name was Othniel, the son of Caleb's younger brother, Kenaz. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he became Israel's judge. He went to war against King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram, and the Lord gave Othniel victory over him. 11 So there was peace in the land for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died."-Judges 3
When Israel went to war, God asked the people to...
"When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies, you must sound the alarm with these trumpets so the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. 10 Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month to rejoice over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind the Lord your God of his covenant with you. I am the Lord your God." -Number 10:9
Other Related sites:
Articles
The other day (4/18/03), I heard from the local christian radio that the earlier report of a soldier having get shot 4x in the head (4 bullet penetrated marks in the helmet) that survived were actual shots when his/her helmet came off and was in the ground at the time. The earlier reports from this British journalist "assumed" that the helmet was in the head making the story more amazing than it was actually was to make the reported story more appealing or dramatic. According to this soldier, he/she was never asked by this particular journalist on what actually happened. This journalist just saw his/her helmet and just "assumed" what he/she wanted to report. This shows that "us" viewers/readers/audience needs to be careful of what we watched or hear on the news-especially war news coverage.
Living in a "Hollywood" culture, the news agencies may purposely or ignornantlly accidentally dramticize news to catch our eyes and ears. As Christians, we need to be more tuned in with God that we will not get persuaded or influence with the media (Christian or Secular). Whether the reports are true or false, our daily relationship walk with Jesus doesn't get affected.
Example:
"Former CNN Exec: Saddam Used Network"
Ted Kavanau
Wednesday, April 16, 2003
Ted Kavanau is a veteran television news executive. He was one of the founders of CNN and created CNN's Headline News and has served in news managerial capacities at TV stations in New York, Oakland, Calif., and San Diego.
"It came as no surprise to me that, for more than a decade, CNN was not telling the truth it knew about the Saddam Hussein regime."
"Indeed, as one critic in the newspapers pointed out, Jordan does not "deserve applause" for his admissions. CNN, he writes, still works under "media guidelines" in dictatorships like Cuba, Burma and Syria."
Source-http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/4/15/223400.shtml
Below is a forward e-mail I got for a "prayer wheel"=>
Subject: military men
The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet drybehind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country.
He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but he has never collected unemployment either. He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 15mm Howitzers. He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark.
He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must. He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional. He can march until he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march. He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts. If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands. He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job. He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death then he should have in his short lifetime. He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful. Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom.
Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years. He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.
Prayer wheel for our military...please don't break it. Please send this on after a short prayer.
Prayer Wheel
Father, stand beside our troops where ever they may be and bring them safely
back home when their duty has been completed.
"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen."
Prayer Wheel: When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our ground troops in Afghanistan, sailors on ships, and airmen in the air, and for those in and preparing for war with Iraq.
There is nothing attached.... This can be very powerful.... Just send this to all the people in your address book. Do not stop the wheel, please.... Of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Marine or Airman, prayer is the very best one.
Forward: Prayer for Soldier
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2003 09:28:03 -0600
Subject: Fw: A message to our soldiers
My name is Connie & my son is currently serving with the 10th Mountain Division - United States Army in Afghanistan - Operation Enduring Freedom. I am sending this letter to all of you asking for just your signature and where you are from. His company will not get to be home for Christmas and I would like to send this to him & the rest of his unit so they know they have not been forgotten and that we are supporting them 100%. When this reaches 100, 200, 300 etc please email it back to me at:
It's Tuesday, October 7th 2003! I've been hearing many mixed views since the combat war ended in Iraq-U.S. Soldiers still getting killed "every day" still. I heard the best "good news" of this war yet...
I was listening to KCGN 101.5-Focus on the Family w/James Dobson after a work related "work" this morning. The guest was a FOX-News "embedded" (war stories)correspondent, who shared a "positive" side of the post-war in Iraq.
Last week, at UMM, there was a guest "embeeded" war correspondent from CNBC, that shared another perspective of the combat in Iraq. The CNBC reporter fielded questions at the end, and of the questions was "why don't the media report more good news". He said, "bad news sells" (interpretation)and he would compare it to "getting good grades doesn't get reported". In the media market, each station is competing for more advertisements, which brings more money. Well, this Fox guy-Oliver North, (bibliography info) shared his experiences from this war and past wars. One of the biggest difference was the "success" compares to the others. This war went "well" because of the many "prayers". He shared that the overall media share more "bad news" than it really is, which FOX News got good ratings because it did the opposite.
Books Written by Oliver North mentioned in the program:
-"Jericho Sanction", a tribute to the first group of marines killed in the helicopter crash in the beginning of the war
-"Flags of Iwo Jima"
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