Some of Abraham Lincoln's Thoughts on Freedom...

"Because we are free, we can never be indifferent to the fate of freedom elsewhere.  Our moral sense dictates a clear cut preference for these societies which share with us an abiding respect for individual human rights.  We do not seek to intimidate, but it is clear that a world which others can dominate with impunity would be inhospitable to decency and a threat to the well-being of all people."  - Letter to H.L. Pearce, April 6, 1859


"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves." -


"I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal." -July 10, 1858 Speech at Chicago, IL

In 1776, those "Militant" Christians wanted Freedom

Can you imagine the headline news at the London Times and at the King George III’s Buckingham Palace which reads “Militant Colonists declare Freedom from Britain.”  I can hear the King saying to his troops “those colonist are so ungrateful and their demands for Freedom are outrageous.  Its those militant Christians who believe God gave them the rights of free will and that will make them happy...they are behind this !”

“We have governed them and given them our resources and financial aid, there is no way they can survive on their own without our intelligence and influence.  The Tea Party rebellion in Boston was an attack on Britain’s honor and the monarchy.   They have been fairly taxed to fund our military and diplomats to govern the colonies.  They are taxed less than the other countries of the British Empire.  They are ungrateful pigs and we will have to smash their revolution.”

Does this sound a little like Mubarak in Egypt when students flooded the streets, or Gadhafi in Libya or Bahar al-Assad in Syria.  “Those ungrateful militants after all we have done for them. We will smash them !  They  will never get Freedom...they are ignorant and stupid people.”

The Truth be known...You can not stop the Spirit of God and the passion he placed in every man and woman’s heart for Freedom. It’s about a move of God to bring all His purposes in the world to reality.  The Ultimate Freedom is IN Christ.

Freedom In Christ is about being free from Fear, Bondage and the Slavery of the enemy’s to false god’s, addictions and willingness to take risk using your God given talents and gifts.  God is working in Asia and now the Middle East by using the USA to shake up the area.  The common people see freedom at hand.  In Syria, the masses are saying as Patrick Henry did...”Give me Freedom or give me death.”

The difference in the Middle East is the Muslim leadership

can’t hold onto Sharia Law when people see the Grace of Christ through the underground churches.  As former Secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice said recently, “Freedom takes time to assimilate in any nation...it took time and even generations to see the real fruits of Freedom in the USA.”

I believe in the next decade, America and European countries will no longer be dependent on Middle East Oil. This will force them to enter the international community by manufacturing, exporting, technology and distribution, for example.  Economic freedom requires a competitive spirit of loving your customers and employees with good service.  It’s the Golden Rule in action.  Bribing is not sustainable and goes against the will of God..

Thank God for Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and the other Militant Christians who revolted to bring the world to fulfillment of the Lord’s destiny to change our world.

Wake Up and Join the Harvest!

Tony Campollo, the well known author and evangelist reminded me recently of the Parable of the Weeds in Matthew 13.  Jesus tells the parable of the workers who planted wheat for their master in the fields.  But in the night, the evil one came and planted weeds among the wheat.  Upset the worker’s asked the Master, should we pull out the weeds?  The Master said no because it would disturb the growth of the wheat.  He said let it be and at the right time we will harvest the wheat and burn the weeds.

The wheat represents the good of God that we are led to do in this world.  But invariably Evil tries to mimic, deceive or create false treasures or gods for us to worship...to divert our mission. It seems that is what satan has tried to do throughout history.  Amazingly, God still allows it, waiting on the right harvest time for us and even nations.

Can you see this is the Middle East and other parts of the world ? Communism is a weed that’s being burned away.

China is walking away without blood shed. Over 75% of the major nations in the world have declared a form of Freedom.  The only remaining pockets of nations who have not declared freedom are in the Middle East and Africa. 

Its harvest time in nations of the world.  God can use the evil to draw us to His ways while growing the God seed of Freedom throughout the world.  He planted the good seed of passion for Freedom since Adam and Eve.  The Good seed is being harvested and overtaking the weeds of evil leaders.

Will there be battles ?  Of Course. Will the militants try to maintain control to serve the purposes of evil?  Yes. But God is changing the hearts of many Muslims with dreams of knowing Christ.

If He can change the heart of Pharaoh and stop a sinner named Saul, dead in his tracks and use him as one of the great disciples in the history of mankind, who is next on his list?

God fearing Americans, stop being so self absorbed and see where God is moving in the world. Join Him with your Sword of the Spirit he gave you in Ephesians as part of the Armor of God.  The word of God is sharper than a two edge sword.

God has been using American prayers, heart, muscle and influence ever since 1776 to break free of evil tyrants.  The Lord used us to develop the Model.  Freedom is never perfect where it’s first established in any nation... it evolves over time.

So doubters get out your Sword of the Spirit to bring in the Harvest and burn the weeds.   Pray for Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and more..  Moses expected the Jews to pray for Moses to “let my people go.”  Get on your knees to maximize the Harvest.

Militant Leaders Can't Hold Back Freedom

People say to me,  “OK, I can see nations with a passion for freedom as a move of God, but what about the militant Muslims who are trying to takeover the World ?”

Here is the principle: you can’t give people a taste of freedom and not expect them to not want it all.  Sharia Law works against freedom, its interpreted in many different ways and is hypocritical.  Less than 7% of Muslims are considered fundamentalist or what the media calls “militants.”  Even though their voice and hate may be the loudest, in time cooler heads with prevail as Christians pray for the leadership of each of these countries.

One of biggest the fears of Islamic leaders concerning freedom is losing the hold they maintain over women.  The dress and attitude of women will change and they will “get rights.” Once women receive some types of freedom you can’t hold them back from wanting more.  Freedom will open the door to understand more about Western Cultures, different dress and free expression.

Even as late as 1920 Women in the USA had to protest in the streets to get the right to vote and own property. Biblical Freedom is about Grace and Truth... the ways that God designed the world to exist, to grow and pursue happiness as individuals, families, organizations and nations. 

There are 5 Basic types of Freedom... Religious, Political, Economic, Freedom of Expression and Freedom in Christ.  God is drawing us away from bondage and fear and toward Freedom (both physical and mental) so we can maximize our gifts and talents and achieve our ultimate potential. 

  

As the Lord brings the world together, nations will no longer be able to be islands.  We are already interconnected economically, and as Economic Freedom strengthens in these countries we will do more business together.  Like it or not, we are a business partner with China.  Why not more countries in the middle east ?

Mau Tse-tung would roll over in his grave if he saw China taking on Economic Freedom and now Religious freedom as Christianity is booming in China.  They tried to kill the church for 50 years but it stayed alive all those years in the hearts of people underground.  Now its coming out in the open again and flourishing and political freedom will follow within the next decade.

I read a short newspaper clip about the death of Steve Jobs who quoted a young Syrian girl’s thoughts.  She knew his biological father was Syrian.  She said, “If Steve Jobs had been born with freedom here, Mc Intosh would have been invented in Syria and helped to change the world.”

What God ultimately wants is for His people to become all they are called to be.  Dictators, Communist and even Muslim-type cultures limit people from using their leadership abilities and becoming change agents for their world.  

The Spiritual Bailout for our Broken Economy

If America’s going to return to the days of job creation and prosperity we have to get back to our basics of our system of Economic Freedom. 

The Root of our problem is not financial but Spiritual.

We have proven another Government Stimulus or spending program will not turn around our economy.  

We can’t buy our way out of the past sins of Greed and Selfishness that led us into a broken economy.

The Sins of the Heart have only one Redeemer. Only one man died for the sins of the world.  

We must all repent, if not for our mistakes, but to intercede for our fellow Americans.

Bottom Line: America is out of the will of God and needs to seek forgiveness.  We call for a National Day of Repentance. 

We must return to the source and founding principles that created the framework for the greatest economic system in the world, one based on the opportunity to succeed or fail through self-initiative, risk, character and morality.  The living source that our founding fathers trusted to create our nation are the same Biblical principles that apply to individuals, families, organizations and even nations.

In the Bible, in  Deuteronomy 8:18, God said to His people, “remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your forefathers.  If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God.”

If the founding fathers, were alive today I believe they would say, the answer to our economy is found in a “Spiritual Bailout Package” based on Redemption. 

Our hope lies in His hands.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says…“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”


"We will find Humility as a choice or through our consequences.”

It was Benjamin Franklin in 1787, reminding the delegates, in the midst of their gridlock and major differences that it was God who intervened in their daily prayers and allowed them to win the war for independence. 

He urged the delegates to turn to prayer to find the guidance to reach agreement in framing the constitution.  He reminded the founders of the scripture “unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.”

Deuteronomy 8: 5 says “Know then... that as a man disciples his son, so the Lord your God disciples you.”

If we fail to seek forgiveness, we will have to suffer more deeply.  

 If you are a...

    ….Wall Street Executive, Banker, Lender or Bond Rater who violated the Public Trust and ignored your own standards to pursue greed.

 OR If you are a…

   ... government leader or agency executive who led us into this crisis by setting the housing downturn into motion.

 OR If you are…

  ...a borrower who went beyond your ability to pay. 

 OR If you are ...

   ...  a citizen affected by the recession...

 Then pray, repent and ask for forgiveness for yourself and our nation.

President George Washington prayed at his proclamation in 1789....”That we may unite in humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the Great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national transgressions.”

In President Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation calling for national day of prayer in the midst of the Civil War, he said, “It behooves us, to humble ourselves before the offended Power of God, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

Even John D. Rockefeller, once the wealthiest man on earth, discovered in a dream and vision from God that he was not to continue to pursue the false god of wealth but that his real mission in life was to give it away.

“True Joy is found in generosity, not greed.”

Money or wealth should not be our “false god” or the master of our security or self worth… because the “True Wealth, the Lord allows us to create, is not a measure of success but of responsibility.”

This nation will be great again when we get in alignment with our Creator’s principles and purpose.  

Then God will ...

Restore the Trust Capital, rebuild the Relationship Capital, and Re-energize the Spiritual Capital.  This will lead to innovation, job creation, increased economic exchange, and prosperity again. 

Pray this prayer:

“Oh Lord, we are the people called by your name, in this great nation known as the United States of America.  A Nation you called and guided our founders to shed blood to create for freedom’s sake. We humbly pray and seek your face and turn from our wicked ways of letting money be our master.  We humbly pray that you will hear our prayers, forgive our sins and heal our land.  Restore our Nation to your calling and purpose in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen ”

Excerpted and copyrighted from the book “the Freedom of Revolution...Rocking our World,” by John F. Beehner.  Used with credit and permission.

Is the Middle East in Chaos, or Facing Labor Pains for Freedom?

It was Moses who first told Pharaoh that God commanded him to “let my people go.”   Here we are nearly 3000 years later and the people of Egypt are winning freedom from the same type of Dictator as Pharaoh, again.  Many of America's Founding Fathers identified with Moses and saw our land as the second promised land for gentiles.

In the heart and soul of every individual there is a small seed, longing to burst forward in the good soil that only freedom can supply.  God gave mankind the hungering seed for “free will” beginning with Adam and Eve.  Our founding fathers felt the calling, and were the first to break free of tyrants to change the course of mankind around the world. 

Like it or not, God can use both good and evil to get His way. No matter how much some Presidents have tried to ignore the cries for help by other nations to keep us out of World Wars, God has called this nation to be the evangelist and defender of freedom with our spirit and blood. 

Those who died at 9/11 are Freedom Fighters for the people of the Middle East, just as much as our troops in the midst of the battles.  God needed the USA to shake up the Middle East and give the people there a passion for Freedom.  It started with Iraq and now the saga continues in Afghanistan.  The Egyptian students saw how the USA took out the dictator and mass murderer Saddam Hussein.  With 24% unemployment they were angry and fed up. President Obama fueled the flame through his speech on Democracy in 2008.  No matter who gains power Freedom has begun.

The people of Libya proved their willingness to die for freedom.  The people of Syria will overcome through the burning passion placed in their heart by the Lord.  The people of Iran will also overcome their dictatorship in time.  Freedom is not stoppable when the Lord is birthing the seed.  There will be labor pains as America has experienced for 235 years.

Nearly 75% of the major nations of the world have declared Freedom through a form of Democracy.  As many Americans realize, Freedom is not really free but it allows for participation and ownership in the direction of a nation.  Of course, there will be more blood shed, tragedy and suffering as a Nation.   But as former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says “Freedom is a process that takes time to evolve.”  In the final analysis it is a tool and the will of God to make a better world.  He wants the rule of Dictatorial  governments to be set aside so every individual, family, organization and Nation can be as He has called them to be by His Spirit.

Wealth is Not a True Measure of Success

One of the major causes of economic crisis is greedy individuals in the marketplace.  Unfortunately for American consumers, we get caught up in these "greed binges."  We were all affected by the no money down, no credit check, no closings costs, easy money culture that facilitated the financial crisis of 2007, the worst economic crisis in America since the Great Depression.

Years ago, the Holy Spirit told me, "True wealth is not a  measure of success, but of responsibility."  God loves when his people use their gifts and talents to build relationships and create economic exchange.  But when we believe our security comes from our wealth, and give it too high a priority in our lives, it's like worshiping a false god.  Real joy is found in investing in those spiritual promptings, serving those around us, and helping others change their lives, that is true wealth, and a true measure of a successful life.

Many financially wealthy individuals throughout history have recognized this principle and contributed generously to the world.  John D. Rockefeller, Standard Oil magnate, created developmental research foundations that led to the eradication of hookworm and yellow fever, as well as many educational and Christian organizations.  Bill Gates is contributing to the research of a cure for AIDS.  Ted Turner has donated to the United Nations.

I think we can all agree, we would love to hear our Creator's voice when we leave this world say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."  That is the real measure of success.

The Pitfall of Greed, The Value of Humility

In 1898, few people had ever heard the name James Cash Penney.  But by the 1920’s he had made his fortune and was already stepping away from nearly 200 stores to pursue new interests.  When the stock market crashed in 1929 his personal net worth shrank by a staggering 81%.  He even started taking money out of his life insurance so that he could pay his employees.  His health took a terrible turn, and it was in this dark, despairing moment of his life that he turned to God.  This experience forever changed him, and he lived another forty years, sharing his faith with customers and fellow business leaders. 

The first commandment is “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”  God has been trying to teach us this concept over and over again, as individuals, and as a Nation.  He’s trying to tell us that we cannot make it without Him.  He wants us to call upon Him in humility, and let go of our egotism and pride. 

One of the 7 Sins of the Heart is greed.  The greed of some of the top financial institution CEO’s is taking them down, and it’s a wonderful warning for those of us who need to sober up.  As Christians we need to pray for our Nation and that these individuals will be humbled, and find the truth in Christ.  We can also pray that God will help us learn from our mistakes and rise triumphant. 

By the time we put the Solid Foundation back together, we could meet the next Chuck Colson, Conrad Hilton, John Templeton, Sister Theresa, or Ronald Reagan.  Will the next great corporate witness emerge from our current economic crisis?