When Slaves Celebrate Independence!

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?" Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” --- John 8:31-36

Today is a day when the whole nation gets caught up in a time of partying, picnics, sporting events, flag waving, setting off fireworks or watching spectacular displays of the same.

It’s the 4th of July and much mention is made of celebrating independence. It’s the birthday of our republic and so the country goes all out – it’s a national holiday and just about everybody celebrates in one way or another. Unfortunately there are quite a number of persons who have to work and do not get the day off – emergency personnel, those employed in hospitals and nursing care homes, and those employed by businesses that choose to do business on this holiday.

The persons who signed the original document stating that we would no longer submit to the English crown placed their lives in jeopardy. It is a bit of little known information for some strange reason as to what happened to a number of them. Fifty six men signed the Declaration of Independence. Five were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes burned to the ground. Two lost sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, and two more had sons captured. Nine fought and died in the Revolutionary War. It is also reported that some had members of family captured and tortured by the British.

Our founding fathers had a deep conviction that by the grace of God this nation achieved independence and became a sovereign nation. Time and again our nation’s leaders in the earlier decades made reference to God in their statements and exhorted obedience to God as being necessary for receiving blessings from Him and experiencing a secure future filled with hope.

But over time things changed and the moment came that those exhortations to draw near to God, to honor and worship Him, to seek to be obedient to Him no longer took place. God for all practical intent is considered a rude intruder and not to meddle in our national life. Court decisions bear out this tragic fact.

Since our national spirit is now one of defiance and a “declaration of independence” of a different kind, we find ourselves staggering and groping as would a blind man in a drunken condition. We have turned our backs on the One Who alone can truly set us free – His name is Jesus Christ. Read again His statement at the beginning – what is it that He said about being free?

There will be much talk about independence today as the nation celebrates, but only a few know from personal experience what it is to be truly free! Are you one of those few, or are you among the majority – a bunch of slaves who are deceived and celebrating “independence?”

In other words, do you know that Jesus Christ has set you free from all that is destructive in your life and forgiven you of all your sins committed against a holy God and against your fellow human beings? If so, then celebrate your freedom that political processes cannot give nor can they take it away!

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men; as free, yet not using your liberty as a cloak for vice, but as servants of God. --- 1 Peter 2:15, 16

Even the Fox News People Are Missing the Real Issue!

“fair and balanced” – “we report, you decide” --- a couple of slogans thrown out by Fox News personnel from time to time in promoting the network

They have somewhat of a reputation of being “conservative” within the collection of personalities that make up what is known as Fox News. Some of those personalities have been dominant or nearly so in ratings of TV programming in certain categories. Bill O’Reilly recently noted with a lot of hoopla that he had been at the top for 100 months. Glenn Beck has been stirring the pot quite a bit and is getting a lot of attention and publicity. Sean Hannity has likewise drawn a lot of attention since he and “liberal” Allan Combs have parted company on the network.

Perhaps they smile a bit and are tempted to pat themselves on the back due to President Obama making reference to the Fox outfit as not being too positive in its reporting and references to him and his administration.

This is, however, a network which at times causes a person to pause and wonder whether it is more of a competitive beauty pageant liberally saturated with ads and a few bits and pieces of news headlines tossed in so that the title, “Fox News,” has a degree of credibility!

While discussion and at times, some debate, appears to focus on a more conservative position on the many political issues of the day, even these people are not facing up to the real issue of what is needed to bring our republic out of the quagmire in which it presently finds itself.

There is a constant parade of “experts” consulted on a regular basis – a kind of revolving door experience week after week. The opinions are boldly expressed as to what Obama, his people, and the Congress of the U. S. are doing wrong, and what needs to be done in order to bring the republic back on track. There is the rhetoric that we are on the road to socialism and the abandoning of the principles which made our nation great.

But there is the avoiding of the real issue and what is absolutely necessary to restore this nation as to what it ought to be and what the founders by certain statements made by them intended the nation to be – which basically was that the republic would and should honor God, and seek to be obedient to Him in the personal lives of the citizens as well as collectively within institutional groupings such as government, business, church, etc.

You might hear such things as “principles” and “values” mentioned in a general sense, but never the central issue of repentance, turning from our many sins as a nation and as individuals, and asking for God to have mercy and forgive us.

Here are the issues and Fox News people have been informed about them, but have never responded – which is not surprising – because who is going to listen to an old farm boy who lives out in the middle of nowhere anyway?

Those issues are:

• Note: the following are links which will take you to an area where these are all discussed in greater detail – use return feature on your web browser to come back to this place.
  
  
• A Confounded Love
  
  
• A Conceding Church
  
  
• A Contradictory Government
  
  
• A Contagion of Idolatry
  
  
• Consigned Children
  
  
• A Conflagration of Immorality
  
  
• Contaminated Sabbaths
  
  
• Contrived Origins
  
  

All the foregoing are posted under the general subject of Driving the Final Nails!

In spite of claiming to be “conservative” and attempting to stake out a “conservative” position in discussions and debate, Fox News has never gotten to the real heart of what is needed to heal and restore our republic, and it is highly unlikely those people ever will! They will continue to bask in their high ratings and big incomes -- for the time being, that is.

And there are those who from a religious perspective consider themselves to be “evangelical” in the faith, but seem all too often to skirt the above stated issues and the fact that Almighty God is calling this nation to repentance. Evidence is mounting that time has about run out and the only thing left so far as this nation’s future experience is concerned is the pouring out of God’s wrath in judgment!

Before dismissing all of the above as those “conservatives” at Fox News would do, be sure to read about some other nails which were driven centuries ago – go to Hope for Time and Eternity!

Too bad, with their dominance in many of the ratings and extensive influence, that Fox News folks are missing completely what it is that is actually needed to get the nation back on track and headed in the right direction. Unless they recognize the real issue, they too will be among that number in the future that will ask the heart rending question, “Why is God doing all these terrible things to us?”

And if you say in your heart, "Why have these things come upon me?" For the greatness of your iniquity your skirts have been uncovered, your heels made bare. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil. Therefore I will scatter them like stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness. This is your lot, the portion of your measures from Me," says the LORD, "Because you have forgotten Me and trusted in falsehood. Therefore I will uncover your skirts over your face, that your shame may appear. I have seen your adulteries and your lustful neighings, the lewdness of your harlotry, your abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! Will you still not be made clean?" --- Jeremiah 13:22-27

Moment of Silence for Whom?

At some point, it was inevitable: Some politicians, somewhere, were going to have to talk about Michael Jackson's death. President Obama hasn't done it, so the responsibility fell to the Congressional Black Caucus, which led a moment of silence in Jackson's honor on the House floor on Friday. --- one of a number of news releases in connection with the death of Michael Jackson

It was Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr., a congressman from the state of – wouldn’t you know it – Illinois, who said, "Madam Speaker (Nancy Pelosi), if there is a God, and I believe there is, and that god distributes grace and mercy and talent to all of his children, on Aug. 28, 1958, he visited Gary, Ind., and touched a young man with an abundance of his blessings. With that gift, that young man, Michael Joe Jackson, would touch and change the world. His heart couldn't get any bigger, and yesterday it arrested."

And so there was a moment of silence in the chamber of the U. S. House of Representatives following Congressman Jackson’s less than accurate assessment of Michael Jackson and his ability to “change the world” – at least for the better!

This leads to a most appropriate question on the “moment of silence” practice as recently observed in the House of Representatives of the United States Congress.

Why was there not a moment of silence observed for Private William Long who was gunned down by a black Muslim convert, Abdul Hakim Mujahid Muhammad, at a military recruiting station in Little Rock, Arkansas, on June 1st? This “dedicated” Muslim said that he would have shot and killed more soldiers if they had been in the parking lot! We heard a lot about the shooting of abortionist, George Tiller, but Private Long’s death apparently is of little consequence so far as elected officials in the U. S. Congress are concerned.

And how about a moment of silence to honor those military people who have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan – these who have not accumulated millions and millions of dollars in the entertainment industry and are living under such harsh conditions that we in the United States cannot begin to comprehend a tiny bit of it all! The bunch mentioned in the preceding paragraph does not consider these military persons to be worth even a few seconds of special recognition and that “moment of silence!”

Could we have a moment of silence to honor and remember the approximate 25,000 unborn children who were brutally mutilated and murdered in the womb last week? Would it not be appropriate for the members of the House of Representatives to note their passing – these for whom God’s purpose has been intentionally short-circuited?

Oh, I forgot – within that body of representatives from the 50 states of this republic are quite a number who sanction the destruction of unborn children, including the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi -- House Speaker Pelose is in full agreement with President B. Hussein Obama on that subject. So, to suggest that they observe a special moment of silence for thousands of unborn victims would do nothing but incite vicious and intense debate over whether those unborn are even human -- that they are to be as casually disposed of as when you throw a Kleenex tissue into the garbage can after you have used it in blowing your nose!

If anything, such happenings indicate that our "value system" has clearly found its way into the moral cess pool that the leaders of this nation have been constructing for its citizens over a period of at least five decades or more!

And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God." --- Jesus speaking in Luke 16:15

You Ain't Abe Lincoln!

A large number in the media culture have gone along with B. O.'s desire to be compared to Abraham Lincoln -- that in fact, he is another Lincoln coming out of the state of Illinois! And many citizens seem to go along with this charade! Someone came up with a winner on this issue and it is settled in just a few statements -- not the opinion of anyone living in today's chaotic world, but something that Lincoln said in the course of his lifetime. View the picture and then read what Lincoln said about how a republic should have leadership that will have a high standard of values by avoiding certain deadly policies.

So I said to him, "Barack, I know Abe Lincoln, and you ain't Abe Lincoln!"

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away people’s initiative and
independence.

You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.

------- Abraham Lincoln -------

"The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: 'He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, Like the tender grass springing out of the earth, by clear shining after rain.'" --- King David speaking in 2 Samuel 23:3, 4

No Apologies for Some “Offenses” in 50 Years!

Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." --- Matthew 15:12-14

This Sunday, June 21, will be a special day for me and my wife, Jean. On that day 50 years ago I preached my first sermon at the Simpson and Greenwood Methodist Churches in New Castle PA. In the spring of 1959 I had completed the requirements for obtaining a license to preach in the Methodist Church and was eligible to be appointed as a supply pastor in what was known as the Erie Conference. It was a small conference in the northwestern corner of Pennsylvania and was made up of four districts.

Over the 50 years that followed that day in June of 1959 God granted us the privilege of working with 12 different congregations. One of those was very limited when during my senior year at Asbury Seminary in Wilmore KY I was asked to be pastor of a group of Cumberland Presbyterians which was in the process of forming a church in the Lexington area. My work with those fine people only lasted a few months until my graduation and return to Pennsylvania

There are some things for which I have never apologized over a half century of time and never intend to in the future so long as God grants me life here on this earth.

First, I never apologized for believing the Scriptures to be the inspired Word of God and the absolute authority in regard to faith and the practicing of that faith. I have without question accepted the record of the mighty acts of God which involved countless miracles that are beyond human understanding. It all came together when God Himself chose to become human, being born of a virgin named Mary, and continued to do mighty works while He was here on earth. Since becoming personally acquainted with Jesus, I have had no problems regarding Who He really is and what He accomplished on behalf of the entire human race!

Second, I have never apologized for preaching and teaching that Jesus Christ is absolutely the one and only way to experience peace with God, purpose for living day by day, and hope for the future in terms of both time and eternity. His sacrificial death on the cross paid the penalty for the sins of every human being. This clearly suggests that any religious expression that does not have Jesus Christ at the center of its faith and purpose for existing is in deadly error! If I enter into discussion with a Muslim, a Hindu, a Buddhist or a member of any number of other religious groupings in the world, my statement is basically this – “Jesus Christ loves you just as He loves me – He died for your sins just as He died for mine – and without Him in your life as Savior and Lord, you have no hope whatsoever after this life on earth is over!” For taking that position I do not apologize. The reason is simple – all you have to do is to examine all of Jesus’ exclusive “I am…” statements and His absolute demands placed upon all members of the human race such as, “Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.”

Third, I have never apologized for preaching and teaching God’s truth as it pertains to the boundaries He has established for our sexual experience and expression. The gift of sexuality is a very powerful gift and possibly the most misused and abused of all gifts which God has given us! The very common approach to human sexuality in today’s world is defined in this way – “Sex is fun with anyone or more than one anyone at the same time, anywhere and at any time!” A recent report released by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) gave us some shocking information – one out of every four teenaged females has at least one STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) and there are those who have more than one!

While I have come under fire for being “radical” on issues of human sexuality, I have not and will not apologize. God set the boundaries and when those are violated, a high price is to be paid as large numbers of people are finding out. And in some cases, the price is an early trip to the grave and in other instances, one is forced to live with an incurable disease the rest of his or her life!

Fourth, I have never apologized for insisting that world peace will never come about through the efforts of world leaders or through the actions of that circus by the river in New York known as the United Nations! The reason is simple – the overwhelming majority, if not all, of those who are supposed to be leading the 194 governments of the world are in an unregenerate state. That condition in itself is the formula for trouble. Paul discusses the pathetic situation of the “natural man” in the Corinthian letter. The problem is that such persons will not receive the things of the Spirit of God – they are steeped in unbelief and rebellion.

Fifth, in connection with what has been just said, I have never apologized for preaching and teaching that Jesus Christ is going to return to this world. It is then that peace will finally come to the entire earth under His control. Many are the promises that hold this hope out to all who “love His appearing.”

While there is much distress as to what is happening in our nation and our world, there is a remnant of faithful followers of Jesus Christ who remind themselves and one another that it will not always be like this – Jesus is going to return in glory and His Kingdom will be established!


Clayton & Jean Harriger

50 Years in Ministry

June 21, 1959 - June 21, 2009

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" --- Revelation 11:15

Still in Honeymoon Mode After 56 Years!

Clayton & Jean - June 13, 1953

And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." --- Jesus speaking in Matthew 19:4-6

Today is Jean's and my 56th wedding anniversary. It was 56 years ago today at about 8:30 PM in evening at a little country Methodist Church 6 miles south of Clarion PA that God joined us together to be husband and wife. The wedding had been set for 8:00 PM, but the pastor, Paul B. Dunlap, was over 20 minutes late due to driving from the Erie Annual Conference session which was being held at Allegheny College in Meadville PA.

We still regard this as being in honeymoon mode in spite of the years involved -- more in love with each other than ever, if that is possible! We dated for two years before taking the big step into marriage and even then people thought we were too young for such responsibility. The summer we started dating Nat King Cole's song, "Too Young," hit the top in the charts. It's always been one of our favorite secular selections of music.

We did get a bit of a running start in the world since both of us graduated from high school when we were 16 years of age. So here we were standing before the altar in the church at ages 19 and 17 and taking vows of love and loyalty to each other as long as we would live.

God did not become real and personal to us until a few years later when each of us accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and He did a miracle of change in our lives. Shortly after becoming Christian the call to serve the Lord in preaching and teaching His Word came and within about 22 months after accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord, we were appointed to serve two Methodist Churches in New Castle PA.

As a wife and mother of young children, Jean never complained about our being in the ministry. She often sacrificed in ways I cannot describe in this space. Her love never wavered. No man could ask for a better wife than she. God has so wonderfully blessed us through these many years, undeserving as we are!

That is why we are still in honeymoon mode after all these years. Earlier today on Facebook I mentioned what I consider one of the greatest testimonies to the special nature of marriage and why it is so valued by a couple who are deeply in love with each other. A man was asked one time this question: "If there was really such a thing as reincarnation and you came back in a second life on earth, what would you want to be?" His answer was immediate as he said, "If there were really such a thing as reincarnation, I would want to come back as my wife's second husband!"

I rest my case!

He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD. --- Proverbs 18:22

Same couple above a few years later down the road of life!

Though I Didn’t Play by the Rules, This Is Still My Seat!

Registration begins June 11, 2009 at 7:00 AM in the IM Room --- from agenda information of the Western PA Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church

There is an interesting (and frustrating) phenomenon which happens each year in the W PA Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church at its gathering at Grove City College in Grove City PA.

This has been confirmed as taking place yet this year by a friend who is attending the event. I am not attending though even retired elders in full connection are expected to be in attendance. My blood pressure cannot tolerate what goes on there, including what is about to be discussed.

It is about the registration procedure. The hour is always officially set as to when the delegates can enter the IM area, pick up name tags, and then claim their seat by writing their names on the table tags where they will be seated for the plenary sessions of the conference.

But there are some very egotistical and selfish persons who feel the rule on the opening hour of registration does not apply to them.

I always tried to be early in line before the doors opened in order to get one of the seats which better accommodated my long legs (I am 6’2”) than did most in a rather cramped area of chairs and tables.

I was willing to pay the price to get my preferred seat – namely, get up very early, drive over a hundred miles, be at the door well before 6:00 AM (which was opening time years ago), and then proceed to claim my seat.

One year I drove through a heavy rain storm, was nearly involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler, was first in line when the doors opened at 6:00 AM for registration, and when I went to claim my seat, I saw many names already appearing on the table tags! This meant the seats were already taken although registration was only about 5 minutes or so “officially” underway!

I admit to being quite angered by this – a number of persons (most were preachers) had already placed their names and names of some of their friends on the table tags well ahead of the announced hour in which registration was to begin.

I wrote a letter to the bishop, cabinet members, and head of the Sessions Committee protesting this disregard for the rule on the time for registration to commence. We were always reminded that NO ONE would be permitted into the registration area before the opening of the doors at the stated hour!

I even offered to go in before the doors opened and blot out all names on the table tags with an indelible marker. After that enjoyable experience I would go out in the hallway and take my place in line with my brothers and sisters who respected the conference rule regarding the opening hour for registration.

My offer was refused as I knew it would be due to the fact that too many “church politicians” were involved in this violation who were part of the bishop’s “inner circle.” And you think the Wasington DC brand of politics is bad -- don't ever be down wind when the church brand blows your way -- the DC brand smells like a rose by way of comparison!

Obviously in W Pennsylvania there are pastors who totally forget that honesty, high ethical standards, and respect for the W PA Conference rules on registration apply to them as well as to all the others -- no exceptions! Earnestly pray that your church isn’t plagued with one of those characters – such a person will prove very quickly to be an obnoxious liability and not an asset to your church!

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. --- Philippians 2:3, 4