“The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves.”

—William Hazlitt

Reflection

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.”

—Isaiah 61:1-2

In our April 28 issue, we wrote about positive changes in many places regarding school choice and homeschooling. Click here to see that story. A reader responds:

God will provide

“Having been involved in Christian education for several years, we always avoided government financial aid, so they could not dictate how our schools were run. As soon as Christian schools open the door to federal funding, say goodbye to Christian education in the USA.

“If we believe in a foundation in Christian education for our children, then we should provide proper funding to pay the cost of operating the schools: Provide qualified instructors and staff, paid a livable salary, who will provide the godly education that produces fruitful plants.

“Obviously this takes a family committed to planning for the future of their children’s education.

“With faith in God, He will guide their steps to success.

“I know this takes sacrifice on the part of the parents (as my wife and I did for our children), but it is a labor of love.

“Remember that all things are possible through God our Savior. But for the schools, my word is: Avoid federal funding with a passion! God will provide.”

—Ron

Readers Respond: Pray for Texas!

In the same issue, we wrote that Texas Governor Rick Perry had called for statewide prayer to combat fires ravaging his state. Click here to read the story. A reader responds:

Praise the Lord!

“Praise the Lord! Gov. Perry should come to California!”

—Anonymous

Readers Respond: Obama’s MIA Easter

In the same issue, we covered President Obama conspicuously not offering an Easter proclamation. Find it here. Here’s how some of our readers responded:

I am praying

“Thank you for the updates. I appreciate the newsletters—very informative.

“I am praying.”

—Sylvia

I am encouraged by your words

“Thank you for your encouraging articles. I think in light of President Obama’s record, his statements are most likely disingenuous.

“His record clearly shows that he will say whatever he believes will get votes, and secure his continued power, while his actions reveal a commitment to follow his radical ideology.

“However, as you expressed in your article, I am praying that he has truly experienced a change of heart.”

—Larry

Authentic faith?

“I did hear Obama say on the news he was celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus. It seemed as authentic as his birth certificate.”

—Linda

Readers Respond: Birther argument over

And in the same issue, we also covered the release of the President’s long-form birth certificate. You can read the story here. Here’s how a reader responded:

Not a copy

“The jury is still out on the certificate. There is evidence that what was given to the public was not a copy, but an assembled certificate.”

—Hal

Readers Respond: U.S. out of U.N.?

And again in our April 28 issue, we discussed some of the ramifications of our membership in the U.N. Click here to read the article. Here’s how our readers responded:

Little boys, little laws

“I agree with the Florida congresswoman: Get out of the U.N. (entirely) and tell the U.N. to get out of the USA.

“Let them fund themselves and like a bunch of little boys, get together and make up their laws about their own behavior.

“Thank you for hearing me out.”

—Dennis

Just shoot me

“I support [this] proposal. Supporting the U.N. is like shooting yourself in the head with your own gun.”

—Pauline

Readers Respond: Hell: The uproar continues

In the same issue we showed Time Magazine honored Pastor Rob Bell, whose book is creating debate about hell. Read about it here. A reader responded:

If there is no hell…

“Why do liberals keep trying to condemn Christians and conservatives to it?

“Time Magazine has proven itself as the print version of the Satanic Broadcast System—at every turn. We have chosen to no longer read or make reference to Time or Newsweek, as they have diminished their credibility to that of our sitting President.

“We have to get on our knees and pray for forgiveness and redemption as a nation, and then get back on our feet and go to work cleaning up the mess we have made for our progeny.

“We certainly can’t ask our government to do it, and it is clear that our President doesn’t know how, or has no interest in doing what needs to be done.

“Just keep praying! Thank you for your ongoing testimony and your willingness to run for elected office. Both are appreciated.”

—Paul

Biblically illiterate

“It seems to me that a big problem is that so many Evangelicals are Biblically illiterate or barely literate. They really don’t know their Bibles and seem to just go by what they hear in church or something.

“I have been in groups where people seemed ignorant of fairly basic Biblical truths, and these weren’t brand-new believers.

“Of course this means that they are spiritually ignorant and weak. They probably don’t have a good understanding of grace, salvation, the Gospel and truth and error—not to mention the important things about our attitudes.”

—Kathi

Readers Respond: Dead last

In our April 21 issue, we wrote about California’s woeful position compared to other states. Click here to read it. A reader responds:

We ARE (should be) #1

“Because we have so many people in our state, we should be the #1 state. We should have a surplus of money. Got to make you wonder where it all goes.

“I feel really sad for our state.”

—Colleen

Readers Respond: President Obama on the Resurrection

In the same issue, we wrote about President Obama’s Easter gathering for Evangelical leaders in this article. A reader responded:

Credence = Revival

“What he says is one thing and what he acts upon and really believes is another, so do not give any credence to what he says.

“I do pray for our leaders on all levels, especially our President, that the Lord will work through him and others for His purposes.

“Consider what Jesus says in Matthew 7:21—

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord—did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!’”

—Daniel

Readers Respond: Deficit crisis vs. deficit lies

In the same issue, we wrote about President Obama barnstorming the country talking about the deficit. Click here to read the article. A reader responded:

Expect more

“I agree—as our President, he is supposed to take responsibility and stop blaming the previous president and cabinet; he already knew how it was before he took over: Why keep talking about what they did?

“You took office. Now fix or try to fix the problems with wisdom and counsel from those who have the experience, for the sake of the people he said he would take care of.

“If you can’t do the job, then quit. And let someone who believes they can do better and not worse take the job. The Bible says, to those who have been given more, more is expected.”

—Aracelia

Readers Respond: Michele Bachmann

In our March 31 issue, we wrote about Michele Bachmann in this article as a possible presidential candidate. A reader responded:

Sounds good

“Yes, we should support Bachmann—because she sounds like a Christian.”

—Fern

That’s it for this issue of Reality Alert. Stay tuned for our next issue when we take a look at more local and national news affecting you and your family.

1. Pray for safety for Americans abroad, and for our Armed Forces who protect them, and us.
2. Pray for fiscal sanity in our government and our people. Ask that all would see the truth of Scripture—and reality—on this issue.
3. Please pray that abortion will end. Pray for changed hearts—the only sure way for this to happen.
4. Pray for adopting families in Arizona and elsewhere. The work is hard and often thankless, not to mention costly. Pray for the children who become part of these families.
5. Pray about government hostility to religion, and judicial wisdom in Utah and California.
6. Seek God’s wisdom for the coming Presidential election campaign. The media talk about “no candidates,” but many good women and men surely will try for the highest office in the land. Pray for guidance, for them and us.
7. Pray for political decisions being made, even at this moment.
8. Pray for true religious freedom, here and around the world.