Truth—Power, Love and a Sound Mind

Guest Essay by Ben Gilmore

For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power,
and of love, and of a sound mind--2 Timothy 1:7

It has been my honor to write these columns since August 3, 1981 (32 years). Theme topics have, I trust, aimed at presenting sound principles upon which to evaluate our choices and govern out actions.

Our founders were correct in their belief that America could never be brought down by external forces. Rather, they warned, our vulnerability was from within. It is wrong to say, “America is a Christian nation because it was formed by Christians.” It is right to say, ”America is a Christian nation because it has a Christian form.”\

“In proportion as Americans let go of faith in the absolute power of God, they have accepted the belief in an all powerful State.”—Verna M. Hall [Christian History of the Constitution, 1960]

Human history is full of examples where groups and nations found themselves in darkness (i.e., graft, treason, greed, lies, corruption of all sorts). Many of those examples have joyous conclusions as pockets of people humbly confessed the darkness and turned back to the laws of nature and of nature’s God.

Such darkness is spreading across America faster and faster. Truth is fighting to the surface as it always does. News of Benghazi treason, supplying guns to Mexican drug lords and Muslim Brotherhood thugs, IRS intimidation of patriotic groups – Things are piling up to the point that more and more folks are saying, “ENOUGH!”There is internet monitoring – I will be embarrassed if my name is left off their list!

All that to say this – Evil people misuse power in an effort to control by fear.

• An “angry” mob seeks to intimidate with threats of violence. Keeping your cool confuses them.
• A bureaucratic agency threatens financial ruin. Doing what is right because it is right often faces them down.
• Police authority knocks to confiscate your firearms. Refusing to comply earns your day in court.

If you understand that your life, liberty and property are gifts from God – what have you to fear? Your choice is liberty under God, or slavery under men.  That’s a no-brainer choice!

God has given you a “spirit of power”. [2Tim 1:7 above]If Power is flowing from within you then stand firm in it. Rebuke fear!

God has given you a “spirit of love”.  [2Tim 1:7 above]If Love is flowing from within you then get your focus off of yourself and begin desiring the best for others! Rebuke fear!

God has given you a “spirit of a sound mind”. [2Tim 1:7 above]Observation and Reason are associated with your mind. Use it or lose it.  Rebuke fear!

Nothing so confuses the enemy as a group of Christians rejoicing over the victory BEFORE the battle has begun!


Ben Gilmore has been a Korean War era fighter pilot, Youth with a Mission evangelist, and political candidate and activist.  For the last thirty years or so, Ben has actively pursued and taught America’s Christian history and government.  With his dear wife Fran, accomplished scholar and writer, the Gilmores founded ACH Study Groups.  These courses prepare Christians to think and act in practical, systematically Biblical, relational terms regarding our civil responsibilities. Ben also serves as media spokesman for NPI’s new title by Mary-Elaine Swanson John Locke: Philosopher of American Liberty.  You may contact Ben at histbuff@garlic.com.

This essay originally published by ACH Study Groups as a part of an e-newsletter, May 15, 2013.

© 2013—Used by Permission

Our Confession

PRAY ALOUD IN UNISON

Almighty God You are the Rock, all Your works are perfect and all Your ways are just. You are a faithful God who does no wrong. Yet we your people and this nation are covered with shame because of our unfaithfulness toward You. We have turned away from Your righteousness. Our ears have been closed to Your commands.,The land is divided, and the people are apart. We have resisted Your power and Your grace. We have not acknowledged Your name. Our 'leaders and our fathers have not walked in Your ways. We are an object of scorn. Disaster has come upon us, our nation is broken and torn. We have sinned so seriously against You and against one another, that the foundations of our society crumble. Have mercy on us 0' Lord, and forgive us: Restore us, and 'revive your church again. Let justice flow like rivers, and righteousness like a never failing stream, Now Oh Lord, turn away Your anger from this land. Hear Oh God, hear our prayer, in mercy stretch out Your healing hand. Oh Lord listen, Oh Lord forgive, do not delay, remove our shame, for your city and Your people bear Your name. Now Lord, send your Holy Spirit. Drench this land with your awesome presence. Let grace and Mercy flood this land. Let mercy triumph over judgment,

Download this prayer

Remarks and Prayer

by Gerald Christian Nordskog

This week, Thursday, May 2nd being the 62nd Annual National Day of Prayer observance in America—I look back at the 25 Prayer Breakfasts I chaired on the NDP in the past quarter century:  21 in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles area, and 4 in Ventura, California.  

I also look back at the deterioration of our society in America in the past quarter, even half-century and longer. We are in a sad, sick state of affairs in this nation.

The USA is in a mess due to its disobedience to the Lord and His Law-Word, the Commandments of God. The Church too has been in decline, but it will rebound, as promised by the Lord, eventually.  It is up to us to get serious about our commitment to our Lord and His admonition to us in The Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20:

"And Jesus came, and spake unto them, His disciples, saying ‘All power is given unto Me, in heaven, and in earth. Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, until the end of the world. Amen."

This, brothers and sisters, as we know, not only means evangelizing, but being and making disciples.  This also not only means in the good ole USA, but all the nations ofthe world, eventually, as the Gospel spreads and Believers do their duty to know, teach, and obey His Commandments and all of God’s Laws. Then the Holy Spirit will bring individuals and nations under Christ’s reign as our King of kings and Lord of lords.

The theme for this year’s National Day of Prayer is: “PRAY FOR AMERICA,” based upon Matthew 12:21. This passage reminds us that in Christ’s name the nations, all of them, should and will one day put their hope and trust in our Triune God.

Honorary Chairman of this year’s National Day of Prayer, under Shirley Dobson’s leadership, is Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Crusades, who will also be the keynote speaker at the NDP Observance in Wash. D.C. this Thursday.  His prayer for our nation eloquently captures the cry of our hearts in America:

Proverbs 14:34 reveals to us that “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” This is the plea to God of Laurie’s prayer for the nation this year.  No doubt our nation has fallen far into monstrous sin. One of many is the continuation of the blight of Abortion On Demand in the USA.  Abortion in the USA has murdered nearly 55 million babies, a massive slaughter of the pre-born children within the supposed safe haven of the mother’s womb.

How can we condone this child-sacrifice, murder in our civilized nation, the First Christian Republic in the history of the world?!  The Church needs to rise up in great arousing protest and action to rescue babies and change that disastrous Roe v Wade Supreme Court horrific un-Constitutional and un-Biblical decision.  We need to be out of the pews and into the culture as the Salt and Light we are supposed to be, and once were in America.

REPENT CHURCH! Thank God we have a long-suffering extremely patient God, but the USA is no doubt in Judgment now, and hopefully it is a remedial Judgment that will cause us to rise and shine and be courageous with convictions and passion and faith and trust in the Lord for the results.  In other words, may we become wise and winsome Christians!

Please listen to Greg Laurie’s National Day of Prayer. May it be my prayer and your prayer for our nation at this critical time in America’s history nearly 400 years since the Pilgrims and Puritans came to establish a place for the Spreading of Ye Gospel of Christ, for the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth as in Heaven!!!!!!!

Here is the NDP for 2013 from Pastor Laurie:

Father, we come to You to pray for our nation, the United States of America.

How You have blessed us through the years, Lord!  We rightly sing, “America, America, God shed His grace on thee.” Yet we see trouble in our culture today.  We see the breakdown of the family, crippling addictions, and random acts of horrific violence.

Lord, we need Your help in America.  In recent days we have done our best to remove Your Word and Your counsel from our courtrooms, classrooms, and culture.  It seems, as President Lincoln once said, that we have “forgotten God.”  But Lord, You have not forgotten us!  You can bless and help and revive our country again. 

Scripture tells us that “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).  Lord, in Your mercy, we ask that You would exalt our country again.

We have had a number of great awakenings in America.  We have experienced times of refreshing, and revivals that changed not only the spiritual but also the moral landscape.  As the psalmist said, “Will You not revive us again, so that Your people may rejoice in You?” (Psalm 85:6)

That is our prayer for America today, Lord.  Send a mighty spiritual awakening that will turn the hearts of men and women, boys and girls back to you.  You have told us if we will humble ourselves and pray, and seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways, that You will forgive our sins and heal our land. (II Chronicles 7:14)

Forgive us today, Lord, and heal this troubled land that we love so much.

We ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

This is my prayer and all of our prayers, too, brothers and sisters.

Pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning all of us.  (I Thessalonians 5:16-18) – GCN


Jerry Nordskog is founder and president of Nordskog Publishing.
© 2013