Do We Live in a Communist Nation?

These are the 10 planks of the communist agenda (taken from Chapter 2 of Marx and Engels' "Communist Manifesto": http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/c... ):

1.  Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2.  A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3.  Abolition of all rights of inheritance.
4.  Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5.  Centralisation of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6.  Centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the State.
7.  Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
8.  Equal liability of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
9.  Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, &c, &c. [Marx and Engels also called for "Abolition of the family."]

Marx and Engels also explicity rejected "eternal truths" and "bourgeois" Christianity in their "Communist Manifesto."

Which of these 10 planks of Commuism do the Republicans or the Democrats disagree with? The answer is none.

In fact, both parties specifically torpedo candidates who oppose these points of Communism.

We currently live in a Communist country. Both the Republicans and Democrats like Communism and seek to defend it. They simply disagree on how to implement the statist socialism. After all, the National Socialists (fascist Nazis) and the Marxist Communists hated each other; but, the bottom line is that both are statist socialists.

In this country, we currently have, respective to the 10 points of Communism above:

1.  Zoning ordinances, National Park System (http://www.nps.gov/index.htm); rented socialistically ("publicly") owned lands for rent to private individuals. Property and sales taxes of all kinds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Property_tax_in_the_United_States).

2.  A progressive or graduated income tax http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_tax_in_the_United_States.

3.  Inheritance and estate taxes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estate_tax_in_the_United_States); 55 % in 2013 (http://atr.org/dont-die-confiscatory-percent-death-tax-a7051). Also, Medicaid recipients' property is confiscated upon death (http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/reports/estaterec.htm).

4.  Eminent domain and seizure of property by the state, to become property of the state, especially if deemed by the state as owned by "extremist," "domestic terrorists," or anti-statist groups, (http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cssn/expansion/infosheets/eminentdomain.pdf ; http://www.seizedpropertyauctions.com/ ; (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waco_siege) ;or even just pro-life groups(http://www.christianliferesources.com/news/vaapcon-troversy-fbi-database-of-pro-lifers-exposed-766 ; http://start.umd.edu/start/publications/research_briefs/LaFree_Bersani_HotSpotsOfUSTerrorism.pdf).

5.  An exclusive monopoly on legal tender and central control of the money supply and all banks by the nationalistic Federal Reserve (http://www.federalreserve.gov/).

6.  FCC (http://www.fcc.gov/) and FAA (http://www.faa.gov/), exclusive domain and control of transportion infrastructure under the federal Department of Transportation (http://www.dot.gov/). Virtually all commerical airports in the United States are owned by state and federal governments.

7.  Through pervasive laws, rules, acts, regulations and regulatory agencies, means of production (including families' homes) are strictly controlled by the state. USDA (http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome). Another way of doing this is via tyrannical environmental regulations. http://www.epa.gov/

8.  Department of Labor (http://www.dol.gov/) and Labor unions (industrial armies), including United Farm Workers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Farm_Workers); various federally mandated Labor Acts

9.  USDA Rural Development (http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/Home.html); USDA Farm Service http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=landing&topic=landing; Growth Management Acts and Land Conservation Acts (generally by state. internet search: [your state] "growth management"; this amusing site reviews GMAs from 8 states and concludes they didn't work very well. Their solution? more statism: http://www.vapreservation.org/growth/state.htm); farm subsidies (http://farm.ewg.org/)

10. Department of Education (http://www.ed.gov/) and the premier national Communist schooling union: http://www.nea.org/


I believe that the question before us is not: Do we vote for the Republican statist socialist or the Democrat statist socialist?

But rather, how may we reject statist socialism and rebuild our country after a Biblical, anti-Communist, civil government model?


See also:
http://www.criminalgovernment.com/docs/planks.html

and

http://laissez-fairerepublic.com/tenplanks.html

___
This post is adapted from my comments on this news article on American Vision News:
http://americanvisionnews.com/4478/brietbart-gop-is-ignoring-the-tea-party




Detroit, MI, USA

Conquest through Service

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. (Ps. 33:12; Gal. 3:8)

"An empire is necessarily threatened by the gospel. The gospel challenges the theology of man as divine, a theology that always undergirds every empire. But to stamp out their Christian enemies, the bureaucrats must take great risks. The bureaucrats who run the ecnomony always want to meet their production quotas and earn their bonuses. If they persecute Christians, they threaten their organizations' output. Time and again, the most productive citizens of any empire are the hated Christians. They are the ones who are not addicted to alcohol, or absenteeism, or other forms of passive resistance. The biblical idea of service serves Christianity well. The failing productivity of the empire makes the bureaucratic functionaries increasingly dependent on Christians in order to meet the assigned production quotas. Like Jacob in Laban's household, like Joseph in Potiphar's household and in the Egyptian prison, competent service to others creates dependency on the servant. Dominion is by service. 'But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant' (Matt. 23:11).

Satan believes that dominion is by power. He seeks to control others. Their resistance slows his ability to bring others under his power. There is built-in resistance to expansion in every empire. Territory and people once captured cannot be held captive indefinitely. They find ways of thwarting the bureaucratic system.

Empires do not survive for long. Their masters must work very fast and take high risks in order to extend the power of their empires. In contrast, Christians have plenty of time. Slow growth multiplies over many generations. This is God's promise: 'For I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands [of generations], of them that love me, and keep my commandments' (Ex. 20:5-6). 'Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; and repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack to him who hateth him, he will repay him to his face.' (Deut. 7:9-10).

Pagan empires are invariably cut off in the midst of history. They try to achieve world dominion, but there are always new empires rising up to challenge them (Dan. 8). God will not permit any nation to achieve total world dominion in history. The one-State world is a denial of God's universal sovereignty over man, and also a denial of Christ's progressive kingdom in history. The pagan empire cannot tolerate rivals. It cannot be content with federation. It cannot share the glory of power. It therefore cannot succeed in history.

The kingdom of Christ imposes the requirement of modesty on the nations that compose it. No Christian nation can hope to impose its will by force on the whole world. Such pride is recognized as being evil, as well as self-destructive. Dominion is by service. Thus, the decentralized earthly kingdom of Christ can grow over time to fill the earth [Dan. 2:34-35], but without becoming an empire. No one nation can hope to achieve dominance, though one or two may achieve primary influence temporarily, through adherence to the principle of service. Long-term cooperation among nations is possible only if all of them realize the inherent, God-imposed limitations on the power wielded by any one nation. The Christian nation faces the same warning that Christian individuals face: 'Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall' (Prov. 16:18).

The residents of each nation must regard their own nation as mortal, just as men regard themselves. The more closely a nation conforms to biblical ethical standards, the longer it will survive as a separate entity. This the biblical principle of inheritance. The heirs of any national group will retain their separate character only so long as God continues to grant the nation His grace. Rebellion against Him brings destruction and national obliteration. As always, dominion is by covenant.

'LORD, You will establish peace for us, for You have also done all our works in us. O LORD our God, masters besides You have had dominion over us; but by You only we make mention of Your name. They are dead, they will not live; they are deceased, they will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. You have increased the nation, O LORD, You have increased the nation; You are glorified; You have expanded all the borders of the land.' (Isa. 26:12-15, New King James Version)

Christians have good reasons to be confident about the earthly future of Christ's kingdom. Pagans do not have much of anything to be confident about. Time is against them. So is God."

--Gary North, from Millennialism and Social Theory (Institute for Christian Economics, 1990, pp.333-335)

broken pottery from an archaeological dig

At Last! A Pastor Upholds the Wife as a Keeper at Home in A Sermon Given in a Local Church

"That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."
Titus 2:2-5

Listen to Pastor Einwechter's sermon "Keepers at Home" (from 2005...just a little over 5 years ago!) from SermonAudio here:

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=11140511468

I can't describe how it felt to hear the full counsel of God preached on this passage, so "taboo" in our modern American churches. I could listen to it over and over. It was just wonderful!

:-)

"Do Not Pray for Easy Lives" by Phillips Brooks

Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men!
Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.

Socialism Is Immoral

Socialism is humanism/state worship, institutionalized theft and envy, the statist usurpation of duties and responsibilities and authorities which God gave to the family and to the church, and the craven abandonment by the family and church of their rightful responsibilities and duties. In short, socialism is sin. The Church should not approve or encourage socialism because that is the same thing as approving of sin, which the Church should not do. (Rom.1:28-32)

The church (including individual Christians and Christian families) should not pray that someone in the church (or anyone) would receive a certain socialist grant or payment. The church (including individual Christians and Christian families) should not refer sick people to the State. The church (including individual Christians and Christian families) should not refer unemployed people to the State. The church (including individual Christians and Christian families) should not refer uneducated people to the State. The church (including individual Christians and Christian families) should not refer widows and orphans to the State. I’ve read that Christians in the early church would rescue abandoned babies (left to die) and adopt them into their families. I truly believe that, in a similar circumstance today, the modern church would “call the authorities” to take care of this problem for them.

There is nothing in God’s word to support any of this. It is immoral to not do what God has commanded us to do. It is immoral to do what God has commanded us not to do. It's sin. (Deut. 5:32 , Matt.  5:19)

Some examples of socialism are:

• Unemployment Benefit/Work Share (being paid for not working)
• Medicare/Medicaid
• government-financed health care
• Social Security taxes/payments
• L and I program payments
• state financed job training or re-training
• gov’t monopolized transportation (or any business)
• graduated income taxes
• inheritance taxes
• Cash for Clunkers
• a program that exchanges incandescent light bulbs for fluorescent light bulbs programs
• food stamps
• low-income Welfare (or whatever acronym they are calling it these days)
• state-financed/ regulated educational institutions
• a fascist (monopolized, privately-owned, gov’t-regulated) central bank
• the inflation/control of the money supply by such a central bank
• state control of airline security and flights
• state control of: gun ownership, home ownership, land ownership (floodplains, wetlands, national parks, eminent domain, etc.), car ownership, reproduction/body ownership
• death taxes
• capital gains taxes
• attempts to form a one-world government, North American union, European union, United Nations
• government farm/auto/bank grants/subsidies,
• etc...

Ouch, anyone? I know; me, too.

The problems that the humanist/socialists are trying to solve by their Statist socialism should be taken care of by the family, and if it is too much for the family, then it should be taken to the local church, and then to the wider Body of Christ. Socialism makes a strong appeal to the cowardice, the weakness, the immorality, the envy, the selfishness, the fearfulness, and the depravity inherent to our sin-fallen nature. We don't want to own a clunker; we don't want to take care of our elderly parents; we don't want to take care of our sick, injured or handicapped; we don't want to solve problems; we don't want to labor all our lives; we don't want to be responsible. And perhaps we even have some doubt that God could possibly take care of us as well as the State can.

The proper role of the civil magistrate is to be terrors to evil doers and to protect the law-abiding. (Rom. 13:3-4) The civil magistrate is to apply God's law as designated to civil magistrates with impartiality. (Lev. 19:15) According to the Bible, the civil authority exists to protect those who obey God’s law and punish those who disobey God’s law, insofar as, and delimitated by, God’s law commands the lawbreakers and evil doers to be punished by the state. That’s it. Nothing more and nothing less than that.
Christians are not humanists. We worship and serve Christ--not ourselves, and not human autonomy writ large in the ersatz Daddy-State…anymore. We who believe in Jesus Christ have a perfect Father in heaven, and God has ordained in His Word how His Body is to care for the poor and needy. (Deut. 15:11 , Deut. 15:17 , Prov. 22:9 , 16, Prov. 31:20 , Ezek. 18:15-17 , Mal. 3:8-10 , Matt. 6:11 , Matt. 25:38-40 ,  Acts 4:32 , 1 Cor. 13:2-4 , 2 Cor. 8:1-4 , Eph. 4:28 , James 1:27 , James 2)

Free speech, for another example, is not to be punished by the state except for where commanded by God in the Holy Scriptures. All other forms of speech, including immoral, unwise, undesirable or profane/vulgar speech, should be restrained by the family and church cultures and disciplines; and God reserves to Himself to directly punish some forms of false swearing, etc.

Any humanist, Statist "law" which decrees that God’s Law-Word may not be proclaimed freely is unlawful and illegitimate. All such is man attempting to usurp God and legislate over Him, which is immoral.

May I encourage you today to believe the Word of God, even if it’s different from what you heard a man say? Pastors and others are only human and make mistakes, even serious ones, just like the rest of us.

Believe God; He is perfect. And His word is Truth.

"General Store" by Rachel Field

Someday I'm going to have a store
With a tinkly bell hung over the door,
With real glass cases and counters wide
And drawers, all spilly with things inside.

There'll be a little of everything:
Bolts of calico; balls of string;
Jars of peppermint; tins of tea;
Pots and kettles and crockery;

Seeds in packets; scissors bright;
Kegs of sugar, brown and white;
Sarsaparilla for picnic lunches,
Bananas and rubber boots in bunches.

I'll fix the window and dust each shelf,
And take the money in all myself.
It will be my store and I will say:
"What can I do for you today?"

--from the book, Taxis and Toadstools by Rachel Field. 1926. Published by Doubleday & Co., Inc.

Duties Are Ours: Part 4

In the spiritual and economic prosperity of a family, not only are gender roles important, but also other economic lessons from Scripture. Not only is it important to work hard whether you are paid or not and to never accept money for work not done (for example, State redistributed wealth in the form of unemployment checks or other welfare, if it can at all possibly be avoided), but also to practice frugality.

Living as far below your means as you can, will mean that you will have money or other wealth for tithing, savings, charity, and investment (in real estate, etc.). The money a family actually lives on should be far below what the family earns.

So many people are not FUTURE-oriented--even many professing Christians--as those with a Christian worldview (built on the Bible, the very word of God) are. Humanists think in terms of hedonism, living for the "now," grabbing all the gusto they can get,” and living for pleasure and to consume. Humanists crave instant gratification, praise losing one's inhibitions, and don't want children. (They think of children as a burden, and they fear the future.)

Christians, by God's grace, think the opposite: in terms of self-sacrifice, living for future reward, living for duty and obedience to God (which bring much joy), want to work and produce and be fruitful, learn to wait for gratification, esteem self-restraint and self-control, and desire children, plan for inheritance, and rejoice in the future. (Children tend to figure in many Christian parents' "retirement" plans.)

(In Austrian economics, these two perspectives are opposite ends of the spectrum called "time-preference.")

Christians should ask themselves: "Am I trusting in God, or am I trusting in the humanist gods of Money and/or State?"

"Am I trusting in God and His viewpoint revealed in Scripture, or am I trusting in my own views about money and family economics, including gender roles, etc., even though they are contrary to what God says?"

Now, we live in a fallen world, and we sin, and we get ourselves into financial trouble and many other troubles. But to pretend the State will bail us out, or to decide in our hearts that going against God’s plan will work, or to tell ourselves that we're victims is not going to help us.

God has given us directions, (including division of labor, gender roles, family roles, economic instruction, etc.), and we are to obey. Duties are ours. As one dear Christian man said tenderly with a smile, “Duty, sweet duty!” For we are blessed by obeying God--He knows what's going on!! His paths are the safe, good paths.

God is merciful, gives instruction, blesses obedience, but He will not "magically" bless us when we balk at his ways and refuse to obey Him. The longer we take to obey, the more pain we put ourselves through. Once we realize that we are the wrong ones, and admit that God is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life," we have to dig ourselves out of our messes (yet all by the grace of God).

But the WAY to dig ourselves out is by learning what God says to do, and then doing it, swiftly!! This He will bless. He will take care of the rest. God's sovereignty and blessings and mercy do not erase human responsibility and action. It's not one or the other; it's "both-and." We love Him because He first loved us; and now we (as Christians) live for Him.

No matter how big of a mess we’ve gotten ourselves into by rebelling against God and His ways, it is not too late. If we are still alive, then it is not too late. We may turn back to our Maker in repentance, and God will never, never turn us away. God never turns away anyone who truly repents of their sin and throws themselves on His mercy. And when we do, He will not only be our Maker, but our Savior and Lord, as well.

The LORD God is abundantly merciful; Jesus Christ says in His word, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matt. 11:28-30).”

And in John 3:16-17, we learn that “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

There is no sin (or putrid mountain of sins) so terrible that God cannot forgive the one who returns to Him (Luke 15:11-32). That is the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have all gone astray, but Jesus paid the price at the cross for all who would believe on Him:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Is. 53:6)

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:10-15)

Right now, in this mess of a world, our lives may be turned around by trusting in Him. Christ Jesus says in John 12:46, “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.”

Duties Are Ours: Part 3

To Give Examples and Explication of These Principles from Duties Are Ours: Part 1 from NT Biblical Texts. See a presentation of some OT Biblical Texts here.

[The Lord Jesus Christ says] No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles [unbelievers] seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matt. 6:24-34)

In this passage, the Lord is teaching us that all things, including food, shelter, clothing, and all we need, are God's, and He cares for His own. Heaping up material treasures, money, investments, a big bank account, etc. for ourselves is not where our health and life and security and safety may be found. They are found only in Him. He knows what you need, and He has what you need; seek Him, and He will give it, including material goods and necessities.

Trust in Him, not in earthly wealth, and He will give you what you need. His children are not forsaken, and those who trust and believe in Him will have no need to beg bread (Psalm 37:25). Like the homemaker Proverbs 31 Woman, you will rejoice at the future and have no fear. You will be secure.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Duties Are Ours: Part 2

To Give Examples and Explication of These Principles from Duties Are Ours: Part 1 from OT Biblical Texts

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it...And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Gen. 2:15,18-24)

This passage shows the beautiful creation order of man given work in the world, to cultivate it, to bring order and productivity in the world. His wife is given to him, created from his own flesh, so intimate and at one with him, his perfect complement, his helper created and gifted by God to be suitable for him.

Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. (Gen. 3:16-20)

This passage shows that God has said that the woman's sin-struggle will be with usurping her husband, but she must submit to his rule, instead. In addition, this passage shows the division of labor between the husband and wife. Man labors in the field (the world), and woman labors in childbearing and home-making. Adam names her because is his, was made for him; and the name he chooses for her has to do with her "career," her wifehood and motherhood. This is why a married woman takes her husband's name; she is his family now; she is "on his team." Likewise, with the second Adam, Jesus Christ, His people proudly bear His name, and are called Christians.

And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah. (Gen. 4:17-22)

This passage shows the work of the world, of dominion (though by sinful men), passed on from father to son. The wife's work is in being a wife and bearing children. The sister of Tubalcain, Naamah, is named, but the passage does not go on to talk about her "career." She is a blessing in a way different from sons; she is a daughter.

"And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant." And they said, "So do, as thou hast said." And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth." And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. And they said unto him, "Where is Sarah thy wife?" And he said, "Behold, in the tent." (Gen. 18:5-9)

Abraham needed his wife, who was home, to assist him with hospitality and providing for guests.

If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish. (Ex. 21:10)

Even when a man takes another wife (which other passages show he shouldn't do), he may not abandon her; he must still provide her with food, raiment and "her duty of marriage."

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God. (Deut. 22:5)

Here we see that there is a difference between a man and a woman in how they are to dress themselves. Their outer conduct of dressing themselves is not to be the same. A person's dress is appropriate to the work they do, their career. There is a separation of dress because there is a separation of labor and function. A soldier, an auto mechanic, a construction worker, a doctor, or a businessman wears his uniform. A woman wears that which builds up others spiritually, is comfortable for work around the home and can be easily washed, is feminine, modest; her career is a career in the home. More about a woman's career in the home, her manner and feminine orientation, and dress in Proverbs 31 below and 1 Peter 3.

When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken. (Deut. 24:5)

It is the man who is charged with war and business, not his wife. The new husband is to stay at home (where his wife is) and make her happy.

And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. (1 Sam. 8:11-17)

This passage shows that desiring to "be like everyone else" and be ruled over by men, rather than God, will result in God's judgment in the form of a tyrannical civil government that will take your children and cause even your daughters to work in state-approved "careers" to fill its coffers, and tyrannically take not only your family's productivity, but 10% of what you do manage to produce, and you'll end up serving this "civil servant." Sounds eerily familiar, doesn't it? It's a temporal judgment on His people who disobey Him and choose to be the tail rather than the head (Deuteronomy 28:36-48).

And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house. (2 Sam. 15:16)

Even if there are ten women at home keeping house, they are needed there! ;-)

Nehemiah Chapter 3

This chapter shows godly men building the city, repairing the ruins, fathers and sons working together, to bring order and God's dominion to that which was laid waste, neglected, and made desolate. This passage mentions that one man (the son of Halohesh) has his daughters helping him. He may not have had any sons, but it's clear that the daughters are not independent of their father; they are helping him.

And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the LORD, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. (Neh. 4:14)

Here again, we see a "man's world," where men strive in the world for their brothers, their children, their wives, and their homes/property, by the grace of God and for His glory. It doesn't say, "Fight for your husbands and children and careers, ladies!"

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD. (Psalm 113:9)

This shows that a woman's joyful blessing from God is to be a keeper of the home and a mother. This is a temporal blessing from God, for which He should be praised. Being a wife, mother and homemaker is not something to be disdained; it is something for a woman to deeply desire and to anticipate with joy.

Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. (Proverbs 18:22)

Here we learn that a husband is to search for a godly wife; she is a good gift from God, and such a husband will be blessed (obtain favor of the LORD).

Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. (Psalm 128:1-4)

More blessings promised to those who fear the LORD and walk in His ways! His house and his table are blessed by God. His wife is fruitful with children, and his children are like young plants to be planted, and as they mature, bearing their own fruitfulness, their lives will extend their father and mother's faith and teachings of God's ways beyond the extent of his limited, mortal life. A man's productivity in this life affects eternity and has meaning beyond his own temporal existence. A father has no greater joy than to hear this his children walk in truth (3 John 1:4). How can he have this without a godly wife who also fears God and walks in His ways?

Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.(Prov. 14:1)

This proverb teaches that the wise woman builds her house. Does this mean that she has chosen to devote her life to contracting to construct houses? Is her career carpentry or log-house building? No, it is saying that the career of a wise woman is her home and family. She is to edify her home with godliness and all that the book of Proverbs and the rest of Scriptures says to do. This proverb also says a foolish woman plucks down her house with her own hands. She is off in her independent career, instead of building up her husband and being a helper to him. She leaves her children in daycare or schools to do whatever she foolishly believes is more important work, will earn more money. But our riches are not in chasing money, but from God by Christ (Phil. 4:19). The foolish woman would rather break up her home and divorce her husband for the sake of independence and money and false security, then give her life and love and time and labor to building up her husband, children and home.

Proverbs 31:10-31

This famous passage depicts the godly wife who fears God, she is productive and works "willingly" in her home. She is charitable and gives to the needy, She makes clothes, and sells them to the merchants. She builds up her husband (he is known in the gates and sits among the elders of the land), and brings honor and respect to him with her diligence to make the most of what they have and extend his influence. She is kind, strong, wise, and honoring. She looks well to the way of her household, and does not neglect her labors there. She is a mother; and her children call her blessed, her husband praises her, and even her own works are known in the gates and praised. She doesn't chase praise and honor out in the workplace in an independent career. She doesn't impress her children by fighting for her "rights" to open a dress shop or by being an astute real estate agent; it comes about by her godly teaching and edifying of her family and her diligent work in her home, as she honors others as more important than herself. Her priceless value is in her virtue.

Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. (Is. 62:4-5)

Marriage for a woman is a blessing; her bridegroom will rejoice over her. It's the opposite of being forsaken and desolate. Marriage for a woman is a picture of the security (temporal and eternal), which God gives His people, those who trust in Him.

Duties Are Ours: Part 1

found today on SermonAudio.com:

"Duties are ours and consequences are God's." -- Samuel Rutherford

Lady Lydia applies the excellent and Biblical principle behind the above quote by Samuel Rutherford to the woman's role in her blog post, "Do What God Says Do and Let Him Take Care of the Rest."

To the woman, God has assigned the role of wife, husband-helper, mother, and home-keeper. She is to be productive and assist her husband in furthering his goals for their family, but she is not responsible to make the living or be out in the workforce, striving for her own independent, competing career. The husband is not given to a wife; rather, a wife is given to the husband, for him, to help him; she is (should be) like gift from God to him.

The husband labors in the field (the world), and the wife labors in the home. The husband's blood, sweat, and tears is in his productivity in making the living; the wife's blood, sweat, and tears is in her productivity in bearing children and keeping the home. He makes the living, and she makes life worth living, gives a man something valuable to work for and strive for beyond himself. By the grace of God, she helps him bring order to creation, which has become a thorny wilderness because of sin. Christ came to redeem His creation from sin, and He has given instruction to His people on how to occupy until He comes.

As Christ cares for and provides for His bride, the Church, as for His own body; so a husband cares for and provides for his bride, as for his own body. They are not separate--what affects her affects him; what affects him affects her. She takes what her husband provides and makes the most of it, in gratitude and in submission to his leadership and rule. She helps him rule, by carrying out his wishes and by passing along (supporting) his commands, his way of doing things, to their children. This is a way she helps him be productive. They work together to produce fruit and pass on an inheritance (spiritually, and also materially to children borne of their union, should God cause them to be fruitful this way).

In the Scripture, the family home is his home, his table, his household. It is hers, too, because she has married him, and they are one flesh, but the work was given to the man. He provides it all, and his wife helps him keep it, maintain it, and work productively in it. He is the king (of his castle), and she is the queen (of his castle).

In this sin-fallen and topsy-turvy world, there are all kinds of "reasons" (ethical rebellion against God) why we (both men and women) "can't" (yes, we can!) or "don't want to" (doesn't matter!) obey God in His commands in this area of gender roles and family order. God says to serve Him best, a wife should call her husband, "lord," that she show him loving trust and not be afraid he can't do what God says he must do. She's on his side, on his team, takes his name. A husband serves God by making his wife happy, by cherishing her, by providing for her, by leading her, taking her under his wing, being responsible for her. This is God's order and hierarchy of authority in the family.

And when we obey God without fear for our future, we find ourselves blessed by Him in ways we never could have expected or thought of. God is our Provider, ultimately; money is not our provider.

It Isn't Work*

It isn't work, if you like to do it,
It isn't work if it gives a thrill,
If always pleasant thoughts imbue it,
If you do it gladly and with a will.

It isn't "housework"--dusting, mending,
Scrubbing floors and baking things,
Washing dishes and pans unending,
To one who laughs and smiles and sings.

It isn't work, if you find good measure
Of cheer and sun in every minute.
It isn't housework--it's home pleasure,
With a little love and laughter in it!

* I don't know the author. If anyone finds out, please tell me in a comment. Thank you, GentleDove.

Air Drying Laundry

One way to save money, both by reducing energy expenditure and by reducing the wear and tear on your clothing and your electric dryer, is to air dry your laundry.



It's very good to have a clothesline set up in your back your backyard, but if you're like me, and live in an apartment, setting up your own outdoor clothesline isn't very practical. I've seen pictures of apartment city dwellers using their small balcony railings to dry their clean, wet laundry--but I what would I do if my unmentionables blew away?


When I lived in a studio apartment with radiator heat, I would dry my laundry spread over the top of the laundry basket or some other contrived rack, with the basket set atop the radiator cover. The laundry room was on a different floor, and I found the trips up and down and having to guard my laundry very tiring. This make-do innovation reduced the time I spent on laundry significantly! Also, the laundry dried quickly that way because the radiator always blasted heat with no way to adjust it! Why feed quarters into an automatic clothes dryer, then? :-)


Now, even though I currently have a washer/dryer in my apartment, I use a wooden clothes drying rack with vinyl covered horizontal wooden rods. Bought many years ago at a garage sale for $3, this clothes drying rack has served me well. I think they are around $10 new in the stores--still very much worth the purchase price, in terms of cost savings over the years. More on that below.


I have tried the wooden racks without the vinyl covering, but unfortunately, the rack became warped and mildewed after several uses because the moisture invaded the wood too much. The vinyl covering realy protects the wooden rods well.


Speaking of humidity, a clothes drying rack is a wonderful way to bring humidity back into our modern, overly-dry aired homes.


Everything, including sheets, blankets, towels, sweaters, and denim items, can be dried on this type of rack. However, these things can be very heavy on the rack straight out of the washing machine. Usually, I partially dry the very heavy things in the electric dryer, and then put them on the wooden rack to finish drying. However, this isn't necessary. If you have two wooden clothes drying racks, you can spread the weight across the two of them, and two should bear the load just fine.


Or if you have more than one person in your household, I am sure you will want more than one :-) This might be a good way to get children involved in caring for their clothing and helping their families with the household chores. Perhaps each child or each children's room could have its own clothes drying rack. They fold up and can be tucked away in a closet when not in use.


Another way I air-dry my laundry when I have a lot--too much for the one clothes drying rack I have--is to place the blouses, tops, skirts, and dresses on hangers and hang them on my shower curtain rod. They are usually completely dry within 12 to 24 hours, and then they are very easy to iron quickly (if necessary) and put away in my closet! Many times, items do not need ironing, if dried this way, though--even better!


If it's not too windy outside, and you have a clothesline, you could also use hangers to hang your clothing on the line.


I think I remember reading in Amy Dacyzyn's Tightwad Gazette book, that it cost around $0.44 (c. 1991) to dry a full load of laundry in the electric dryer. I wash about four loads of laundry per week. Using the 1991 number, that's a savings of over $90 per year (or almost $500 every 5 years), just from this one little habit. Of course, if you must do more than four loads a week, you will save even more! Plus the clothes last much longer, and you don't have to buy and maintain a humidifier.


I don't know about you, but I would rather spend that money in other ways!

What are some of your favorite ways to save money with laundry or make your clothing dollars stretch? Has anyone else read the Tightwad Gazette? It's one of my favorite books! :-)