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Volume 20 Issue 9 - September 2005
GOOD NIGHT SWEET
WIFE, I'LL SEE YOU IN THE MORNING!
"Precious in the
sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Psalm 116:15
It has been over a month since my lovely
bride graduated to glory. We are still in the process of dealing with life
without Liz. We still have our struggles as we seek to restructure our
family and ministry apart from her. To our collective shock, my family and
I are finding out that I’m not Liz. I was the warrior preacher, while she
was the nurturer, caregiver. Through the battle, Liz softened the blows of
life and provided a gentle refuge for me and our children. As a team, we
worked well together and produced wonderful Kingdom fruit in our children.
The barrier she provided is gone so please pray for me as I now seek to
become both father and mother to the 11 children entrusted to me by God.
My desire is to stay the course and
complete the vision and mission Liz and I committed to the Lord. By His
grace, we will.
KATRINA
The Lord richly bless you! My computer has been down for the last
couple of weeks. Thus all communications have been hindered. Much has
happened since our last update. On our way home from our vacation from
California, I was contacted by our OSA worship leader, Butch Berget,
concerning Katrina and its devastating affects upon Mississippi,
Louisiana, and Alabama. Immediately I contacted our National Director,
Flip Benham, and our local Christian AFR station contact in Waco, Bill
Thrasher. Together the Lord raised up massive supplies and able
ministers to dispense practical and spiritual aid to the masses ill
affected by this storm.
What you are witnessing in the media is a
travesty in and of itself. All the media is concentrating on is the
failure of government, the blame game, the endless investigations, and
the looters and muggers. There are certainly aspects of the reports
that are true, but they are leaving out the heroic efforts of average
individual Americans, families, churches, and communities as they roll
up their sleeves, reach out and love their neighbor as themselves.
Flip and I, along with David Lackey and
others witnessed first hand the response of the majority of the people
hurt by Katrina. Though there were a few bad apples who chewed on sour
grapes, the majority were not of that ilk. Most of them were grateful,
thankful, and appreciative of our efforts to help. There was no
separation of church and state. Local government officials welcomed us
with open arms and grateful hearts. We saw demonstrated the proper
relationship between church and state that God designed. It was
wonderful to behold. In fact, police chiefs, deputy sheriffs, and
mayoral staff members not only helped us pass out basic necessities to
the needy, but Bibles as well. They admonished the people to seek the
Lord in light of this disaster. There is what we want, but He is who we
need!
The following is Flip's message on Katrina.
May we not miss what the Lord is saying and doing through this hammer
blow from Heaven.
Katrina, A Judgment From God
Flip Benham
September 14, 2005
“I have a loaf of bread
in one hand and the Bread of Life in the other.” Pastor Sam Green of
Palm Bay,
Florida.
I just
got off the phone with Pastor Sam this morning September 14, 2005.
Again, he was ecstatic about what God was doing in hurricane ravaged
New Orleans. He and his
team of 12 arrived in
New Orleans yesterday. He
met Pastor Bill Shanks, the real Mayor of New Orleans, who arranged for
the missionary crew to unload all of their supplies at the
East
Jefferson
Community
Health
Center. That’s
right! Pastor Sam spent last night sleeping in a dentist’s chair.
When
the missionary team unloaded all of their goodies, they were absolutely
flabbergasted at how much they had brought. It appeared that the Lord
had multiplied the supplies ten times. Pastor Sam’s shirt was soaked
with sweat and so was everyone else’s on the team, but their hearts were
filled with joy. There is nothing so exhilarating as laying one’s life
down that others may live. Today, they plan to distribute and cook hot
dogs and hamburgers for everyone. In the evening they are planning a
big celebration service to bring honor and glory to King Jesus, the true
king of
New Orleans.
Please
note well, that the first one to plunge into the heart of this national
disaster was the
Church of
Jesus Christ. You
won’t hear this on the television or the radio, but the Church of Jesus
Christ is rising to the occasion in extraordinary ways. She did not
wait for permission from the government, she did not find fault with
everyone from the President of the
United States to
the Mayor of New Orleans, she just silently moved into the devastated
areas with a love for Christ and a desire to rescue her fellow man.
Thank God for His Church. It is bigger than the Red Cross, FEMA, and
the collective governments of
Louisiana,
Mississippi, and
Alabama put together. The
Church is bigger than the federal government, the kings of this world,
and all the stars in the universe. God’s Church is great because God
Himself resides in it.
Who do
you think was the first to build hospitals to care for the sick? Who do
you think was first to establish orphanages to care for orphaned
children? Who do you think was first to care for the poor, the
downtrodden, and the heavy-laden? It was not “the government.” It was
the Church of Jesus Christ. Our nation, when she reflected these high
ideals that come straight from the Bible, was indeed a shining city set
on a hill. All nations were drawn to her and to her God because the
Church of
Jesus Christ was
her firm foundation. Freedom unlike that of any other nation, was
manifest in
America
because the Spirit of the Lord was here. 2 Corinthians 3:17. Jesus
was King.
Yes,
God’s Church is stepping up to the plate in the midst of Katrina’s
devastation to help her fellow man. Unfortunately, the Church in
America has lost
her clear vision and mission and, because she has, our nation is
floundering in a morass of perversion, anarchy, hatred and murder.
Isaiah said it
best, “See how the faithful city
has become a harlot! She was once full of justice; righteousness used
to dwell in her – but now murderers.” Isaiah 1:21. We have
become a nation of murderers, killing our young, old, weak, and
handicapped. Proverbs 8:36 tells us that “…all who hate me
love death.” It is because we have pushed God into a closet,
thrusting Him behind our backs, that a spirit of murder has been
unleashed, filling the corridors of our schools, work places, and homes
with blood.
God’s
judgments upon our backsliding abound, but we do not see them! When 19
men with box cutters brought this nation to its knees – we did not see
the hand of God in it. It didn’t fit our conception of who He was. But
our conception of who He was, had nothing to do with the reality of who
He is. He has destroyed men, kings, kingdoms, and nations in a moment.
Just a cursory reading of the Bible will help us to know that He is not
to be trifled with. He is Almighty God, not the comical Wizard of OZ,
Santa Clause, or our divine cosmic bellhop ready and waiting to meet our
every need.
No,
God does deliver judgments upon a people who turn from Him, and Katrina
happens to be one of those judgments. Just like 9-11 was a judgment
from God. The word Katrina comes from a Greek word catharsis
(cleansing). This word is found in the Septuagint in Psalm 119:9
“Wherewithal shall a young man keep his way pure? If he taketh
heed according to thy word.” The way that a man is purified
(catharsis) is by heeding the Word of God. Katrina has purified
(cleansed)
New Orleans,
Biloxi,
Gulfport,
Mobile, and the entire region
from drunkenness, homosexuality, Voodoo, witchcraft, gambling, Mardi
Gras, and passions of the flesh. When we were in
New Orleans last week, most
of the people said that their city was being cleansed by God Himself.
Why isn’t this being reported in the news? The people of
New Orleans recognize the
hand of God’s judgment.
Unfortunately for us we are looking to rebuild rather than to repent.
It was the same in Isaiah’s time. God’s people were rich, secure, and
very religious. They were always in church praying, praising,
preaching, and tithing, but God said their hands were full of blood
(Isaiah 1:15). They were killing their children (child sacrifice) and
praising God at the same time. This He will never tolerate. Never!
The people thought things were just fine between them and God because He
had not judged them (in reality He had given them several remedial
judgments to turn them to Himself but they did not see them). So when
disaster came, they simply sounded the tune, “let us rebuild!” Sound
familiar?
“The Lord has sent a message against Jacob; it will fall on
Israel. All the
people will know it – Ephraim and the inhabitants of
Samaria – who say with pride
and arrogance of heart, “The bricks have fallen down, but we will
rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have felled, but we will
replace them with cedars.” But the Lord has strengthened Rezin’s
foes against them.” Isaiah 9: 8-11.
This is what God thinks of rebuilding rather than repenting. He will
stiffen the judgment. Why? Because He loves us. His judgments will
continue their relentless mission until there is true repentance.
Why
wouldn’t the people repent before God rather than trying to rebuild what
the judgments of God had brought down? “But the people have not
returned to Him who struck them, nor have they sought the Lord
Almighty…those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are
guided are led astray.” Isaiah 9:13-16. It is crystal clear here
that God was the One who struck them. He was the One who was
disciplining them. Their prophets were not telling the truth about God
and about His judgments. The people did not know to repent because the
prophets were proclaiming the message “we will rebuild” rather than, “we
must repent.”
God’s Church has responded splendidly to
come to the aid of the brothers and sisters caught in the judgment of
hurricane Katrina. God is looking to cleanse us all. He has been very
merciful and patient with us desiring us to repent and return to Him.
The question remains, will the prophets of God, who have the ear of this
nation, call us to national repentance over the shedding of innocent
blood (abortion) or will we arrogantly try to rebuild that which God has
brought down?
PLANNED PARENTHOOD MAILER
"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather reprove them." Ephesians 5:11
The vision and mission
has been accomplished. Fifty thousand tracts that expose the hidden
works of darkness promoted by Planned Parenthood arrived in the vast
majority of homes in the greater Waco area. If I was hated before by
the powers of darkness and the enemies of the cross, I just got a
promotion. The e-mail, snail mail, and phone calls have been intense.
Those who support the wolf in sheep's clothing are foaming at the mouth
in their vehement denial of the self-evident truth that confronted
them.
Perhaps God will use some of this to open channels of communication and
ministry.
I've been contacted by
a few folks from other cities that desire a copy of the tract to send
out in their area as well. May the Lord continue to use this tract to
shine the light of truth into the darkness wrought by Planned
Parenthood. The following is the tract sent out in our area. If you
would like a hard copy, please feel free to contact me and we will send
it out right away.
Why you should
oppose Planned
parenthood!
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Planned Parenthood is the
nation's leading advocate and provider of abortion. Either directly
or indirectly, through their pagan sexual philosophy and abortion
practice, 1/3rd of entire generation 31 years old and younger have
been murdered in their mother's womb. Since 1973, upwards of 45
million unborn babies made in the image of God have been destroyed
and their innocent blood shed by the sin and crime of abortion. This
deadly legacy serve as an everlasting memorial to commemorate
Planned Parenthood's culture of death. Every Wednesday Planned
Parenthood at 1927 Columbus Ave. in Waco adds to this ignoble
number.
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The roots of abortion and the
history of Planned Parenthood is one of racism. It is a racism of
the most maniacal and sinister kind. Margaret Sanger, founder of
Planned Parenthood, in a letter to Clarence Gamble in 1939 wrote,
"We should hire three or four colored ministers, preferably with
social-service backgrounds, and with engaging personalities. The
most successful educational approach to the Negro is through
religions appeal. We don’t want the word to get out that we want to
exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who
can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more
rebellious members."
Did her conspiracy
work? Judge for your self. According to BlackGenocide.org, today, more
black children are murdered by abortion than are born. Since 1973, over
twice as many African-Americans have died from abortion than from AIDS,
accidents, violent crime, cancer, and heart disease combined. Over 12,000
of 17,000 aborted babies found in one California dumpster were black. 78%
of Planned Parenthood facilities are located in minority neighborhoods
(Kate Ross Apts., anyone?) 4 Billion dollars has been paid to the abortion
industry in order to slaughter black children in their mother’s wombs.
Every week "legal" abortion kills twice as many black people than the Ku
Klux Klan has killed in its entire history.
To this day,
Planned Parenthood has never disavowed or recanted of Margaret Sanger’s
openly racist agenda. In fact, Planned Parenthood hands out the Margaret
Sanger Award to their brightest and best in the abortion industry. Dr.
Alan Guttmacher, a past president of Planned Parenthood, clearly stated,
"We are merely walking down the path that Mrs. Sanger carved out for us."
For more documentation go to
www.KlanParenthood.com
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There is overwhelming evidence
that Planned Parenthood has for years provided safe cover for sexual
predators and pedophiles. Documentation (
www.ldi.org or
www.childpredators.com
) has now emerged that reveals Planned Parenthood was caught
red-handed providing a safe haven for grown men who prey upon and
sexually abuse our young daughters. Life Dynamics, a Texas based
research group, conducted a recent covert survey. A young woman who
posed as a 13 year old child sought to use abortion to conceal her
illicit and illegal sexual activity with an older man.
She called over 800
Planned Parenthood and National Abortion Federation facilities across
America. The results of this survey are absolutely appalling. The vast
majority of these facilities agreed to conceal the crime even among those
who acknowledged it was statutory rape. Some Planned Parenthood employees
coached the caller on how to avoid detection, how to circumvent parental
notification law and what to say or not to say when she came to the
clinic. Many encouraged her to lie, conceal her age and the age of her
predator, or to just give false names.
All these phone
calls were recorded and demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt that
Planned Parenthood is either complicit or complacent when it comes to the
rape and sexual abuse of our children. To listen to these recorded
conversations go to
www.childpredators.com
and press on "Listen To The Tapes" at the bottom of the page.
A WORD TO
PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS
Obviously, this
tract raises disturbing allegations against Planned Parenthood. If this
tract contains misinformation, slander, or libel then Planned Parenthood
should pursue a lawsuit. Don’t hold your breath, however, to see that
reported in the news. Even, the mighty Planned Parenthood cannot defend
the indefensible.
For far too long
Planned Parenthood has cast a deceptive spell over our nation and the city
of Waco. They present themselves as a benevolent organization
compassionately concerned about women’s rights and their health care.
Behind that shiny veneer, however, a more malevolent organization cannot
be found. It is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The lives and souls this wolf
has devoured is beyond comprehension. Therefore, it is imperative that
this wolf not have access to your children. It is in the best interest and
welfare of your children to never, under any circumstances, to have any
contact with Planned Parenthood whatsoever. Protect your children!
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO
STOP PLANNED PARENTHOOD!
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Contact public officials-no tax
money for Planned Parenthood. Remember you and I are paying for the
destruction of our young.
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Contact your school board to make
sure Planned Parenthood’s "sex education" programs are not in place.
If they are, seek their removal. Remember, they must entice our
children to sexual activity in order to justify their "services" and
ensure future clients at their abortion mills.
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Check into any associations that
your children may be involved in. Associations, such as, Girl Scouts,
Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Camp Fire Girls etc. and find out
whether or not these associations allow Planned Parenthood to
indoctrinate your children. If so, work to remove Planned Parenthood
or remove your children.
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Boycott any corporation that
supports Planned Parenthood.
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Help educate others on the evils
of Planned Parenthood. Make copies of this tract and pass it to
family, neighbors, friends, and your church.
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Pray that Planned Parenthood’s
reign of terror comes to an end in Waco and beyond.
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Come join us every Wed. at 1927
Columbus Ave from 7-10am. till the murder ceases.
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PAPA CURTIS GOES
HOME TO BE WITH THE LORD
On my way home from serving in the Katrina
disaster, I received another difficult phone call. My Father-In-Law
passed away in his sleep by a heart attack. Liz's mom, Shirley
Hutchinson, has loss one of her daughters, my wife, and now her
husband in a month's time. If you care to send your condolences, you
can write her at Shirley Hutchinson, 2081 Rocky Bottom Rd., The Rock, GA
30285.
I had the privilege to preach his homecoming
and to preach at his Church this pass Sunday. Shirley felt there was a
great spiritual impartation that took place as we honored the Lord and
His servant, Curtis Hutchinson in Thomaston, GA. May it be so. The
following is the message I preached at his Life Celebration Service.
First of all, it is vital to understand that
funerals are not for the dead as much as they are for the living. It is
a reminder that we to are mortal and that life as we know it in this
realm is fleeting. The Bible teaches that our life upon earth is as a
vapor, a puff of smoke. Here one minute and gone the next. Funerals
confirm the fact that we live in a poor-fallen world and that sin is a
reality. For the Bible teaches that the wages of sin is death. Funerals
also teach us that every one of us has an appointment to keep and it’s
an appointment we won’t be late for and it is an appointment none of us
will miss.
Psalm 90:12 states, "So teach us to number our days,
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." There
are a certain number a days allotted to us and God expects this
limitation to inspire us to make the best use of them for His glory and
mankind's benefit. Life is not a dress rehearsal so choose wisely, my
friend.
Death is not something anyone of us is comfortable
with. We try our best not to think of it or talk about it, though it
constantly nags at us, especially when we are all alone with our
thoughts. It is something that is mysterious, it is the great unknown
and that typically makes us afraid. In Hebrews 2:14,15 the
Scriptures affirm this truth, "Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took
part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the
power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of
death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."
Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords and yet He
became our cup-bearer. Instead of the peasant tasting the cup of the
king to make sure it wasn't poisoned, Jesus tasted death for all men.
The great King sweated as it were great drops of blood in Gethsemane
struggling with that bitter cup and thanks be to God he surrendered His
will to our Heavenly Father on our behalf.
Because most lack this revelation, the fear of death
usually drives men to try and make sense of it or else to live in a
state of denial. The pagan view of death is that this life is all there
is, so eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die. It adopts the
philosophy of hedonism which makes the goal of all life, pleasure. Life
then becomes one big party of sex, drugs, booze, and parties, till of
course death comes along and spoils the party.
Another pagan view adopts the philosophy of
reincarnation. Life is simply repeated over and over again in cycles of
life and death until we finally get it right. Till men reach the state
of nothingness called Nirvana. The Bible condemns both these pagan views
of death and plainly states in the book of Hebrews that it is appointed
unto man once to die and then comes the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Each
and everyone of us will stand before a Holy God to give an account for
every thought, word, deed, and action. Jesus said, "For by
thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be
condemned (Matthew 12:37)."
The word of God is the only place we can find the
truth to not only to unveil the mystery of life, like where did we come
from, why are we here, and where in the world our we going, but it also
gives us insight into the mystery of death. The Bible teaches us that
death is an enemy. That’s why we instinctively shun death. We don’t like
it and somehow we know deep down inside this is not the way it ought to
be. The word of God also teaches there are two deaths, one physical and
the other is spiritual. Physical death is manifest in the natural, while
spiritual death is manifest only in eternity. Physically, we will all
die, none of us can escape that reality, but each of us can escape the
second death through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. It is there alone
that the sting of death is removed and the victory of the grave is
vanquished.
Please remember this critical equation, born once,
die twice, born twice, die once. What does this mean? Simply, if you
are just merely born of the flesh into the family of man, you will
partake of two deaths. One is physical and the other is spiritual. If
you die the "second death" you will wind up in a place the Bible calls
Hell. The Scriptures describe Hell as outer darkness, where the fire is
never quenched, the worm dieth not, and the smoke of men's torments rise
forever and ever (Matthew 22:13, Mark 9:44, Revelation 14:11).
Hear the sure words from our Lord and Savior in John
5:24-29, "Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed
from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is
coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of
God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in
himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath
given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of
man.
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in
the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have
done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil,
unto the resurrection of damnation."
I pray each and every one of us hears the Master’s
voice today. It carries a message that declares, I’ve come to this earth
to taste death for all men. You don’t have to be afraid of that old hole
in the ground no longer. I’ve conquered the grave, took the sting out of
death, and made a way for you to live forever. Jesus stands on the other
side of the grave and bids us to come and follow Him. He promises to
lead us safely home to be with Him. Just like the thief on the cross we
can cry out to Jesus to "remember us" and we can be assured this day
that our destiny leads us to paradise with Him (Luke 23:42,43). Today
is the day of salvation and God says, "While it is said, To
day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the
provocation (Hebrews 3:15)."
Death to a believer is actually something the New
Testament never admits. It teaches that saints in the Lord just simply
fall asleep and when they awake they see the Lord for who He truly is
and become just like Him. For the believer and follower of Christ death
is nothing more than the changing of a garment. The Apostle Paul
declares, “This corruption must put on incorruption and this
mortality must put on immortality. Mortality will be swallowed up in
life (1 Corinthians 15:53,54).”
That is why death is never the last answer to those who surrender their
lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The "second death" will never
touch them. Life is the last answer because Jesus Christ is the
Resurrection and the Life. To those of you who maybe fear death and
desire to know the blessed assurance of God’s salvation, please let me
know and I’d be glad discuss this further and pray with you. God bless
you each and every one of you as you contemplate your own mortality and
where you stand with Almighty God!
IN KING JESUS' SERVICE,
Rusty
P.O. Box 3126
Waco, TX 76707
Voice: (254)
836-1037
Fax: (254) 836-4092
E-mail:
elijahmin@ifriendly.com
Websites:
www.mttu.com/elijahmin
www.operationsaveamerica.org
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