Piracy in State Capitols and the Biggie in Washington DC? What Else Can You Call It?

How about a change in the flags that fly over state capitols and the one over that big building in Washington DC which houses a group of persons known as the United States Congress?

You can easily recognize the one at the very top and it has always been identified with certain unscrupulous persons who go about taking money and valuables from other persons, usually at the point of a pistol or sword!

Yes, I know -- it is bordering on the insane to even suggest such a change! But stop and reason for a bit -- all I am suggesting that we try to have the flag truly reflect what has happened inside the buildings over which it flies.

While there are quite a few things that could build a case for the flag change, let's just cite one notorious instance.

It used to be a long time ago that a couple would marry and have children. They continued to work and accumulate some earthly possessions and get a bank account established -- miracle of miracles, maybe that bank account would build up and amount to a considerable amount of wealth! The time would come that the couple would arrange for drawing up a will that divided all the wealth and property among the children or perhaps they would include their church or a charitable organization in their will.

The day came when the couple exited this earthly life and their estate was divided and dispersed to the parties so designated in their will -- every single cent was passed on to the chosen persons, church or organization as so chosen.

But something happened eventually over time -- politicians, as corruption set in, got the idea that a couple having accumulated an amount of wealth should share a good portion of that with government, at the state level and the federal level. Presto, something called "inheritance tax" was born!

Basically these "pirates" in business suits and claiming to represent the best interests of their "constituents" have pointed the sword at the throats of the citizens and demanded to have a generous share of whatever a couple has accumulated before it is passed on to the selected parties in the will of the couple!

Now in all honesty -- is that right and just? Call it whatever you want, but piracy is a most accurate label to apply to this horrendous practice! We have reached a point where some mention is made of it and once in a while some rumblings may briefly occur in the capitols, but nothing is ever constructively done to correct this mass injustice.

And you'll notice that presidential candidates while professing that they will bring about desired "change" if elected, don't seem to mention this one in addition to the many other critical issues which are causing the nation to capsize!

I admit to being greatly influenced by the prophets of the Old Testament -- if we could resurrect them, the only thing changed in what they said would be names of people and locations -- such as Washington DC instead of Jerusalem!

For those who think this policy is quite acceptable -- that is, government at some level taking a generous portion of the estate of persons who have worked all their lives and want certain parties to receive ALL of that estate after those persons have passed on to the next life -- if this is considered an OK thing, then how about having a good heart to heart talk with God about it? Below you will see His feelings about such activity -- it happened centuries ago -- seems piracy is too often an ongoing thing when it comes to governing officials!

Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain...... Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, to the oppressing city! She has not obeyed His voice, she has not received correction; she has not trusted in the LORD, she has not drawn near to her God. Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave not a bone till morning. Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. --- Ezekiel 22:27; Zephaniah 3:1-4

More Power to the Feddy, But Will It Actually Work?

Washington DC - March 31, 2008 - Big news release focused on a proposal by the Bush administration to do a major "make over" of the financial regulatory system -- about the biggest thing yet since that infamous "crash" of 1929! Treasury Secretary Paulson had a 218-page plan (could you expect anything less from the federal government?) which spelled out the way the Federal Reserve will do this new "regulating." Its additional tentacles will now reach all the way down to local insurance agents and mortgage brokers!

It can very well be documented by a fully authoritative and totally reliable source -- if you are in agreement with and obedient to Almighty God, then things go rather well and blessings are experienced in great abundance. BUT if you are not in agreement with God and persist in ignoring His spiritual, moral and ethical standards for a sane, strong, stable, sensible, satisfying, serene, superior and successful cultural experience, then chaos and calamity will be the inevitable outcome!

Persons in elective or appointive positions of power and authority in the republic of the United States have yet to learn a very fundamental fact as best expressed by a man named Jeremiah who lived a long time ago and witnessed first hand what happens when a culture says a loud and very defiant "No!" to God one time too many! Listen to this:

O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. --- Jeremiah 10:23

The Federal Reserve time and again has stepped in and cut interest rates -- then the DOW rebounds a bit, but then slips back into the red. The "news" of the impending major "overhaul" will probably bring the DOW back into the green area, but for how long?

When money has become a prominent "god" in any culture, the time comes when the living God does some things which are a shocking reminder that when you embark on a course of pleasure seeking, materialistic expansion and money grabbing while at the same time you draw your moral standards out of a sewer and you don't blink an eye at the destruction of a hundred thousand of your future citizens per month, a price will always be paid! No person and no culture has ever beat the law of sowing and reaping yet and none ever will -- the law applies whether we want to acknowledge it or not -- there is always a pay day someday, for each person and each nation!

It appears that the line to the pay out window has been forming for quite some time and the question will increase in volume all the while -- "Why is God doing these things to us?"

The overhaul of the Federal Reserve and granting of more powers to that financial albatross around our republic's neck will be as effective as a doctor slapping a band aid on the finger of a terminal cancer patient, giving him an aspirin tablet and then saying, "You look fine, come back and see me tomorrow and we'll check how much you have improved!"

"The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it. Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good."' And they said, "That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart." --- Jeremiah 18:7-12

Do Any of Those Candidates Agree with You?

OK - here's what's up -- circulating now over the Internet is an opportunity for you to find out how close any of the candidates come into agreement with you on a number of issues!

It's really very simple -- just below is a link which will take you to a place called Vote Chooser where you will answer some questions. After completion you will find how much a candidate agrees with you -- it sounds better to put it that way than if you agree with him or her!

The four candidates are B. O., Mrs. William Clinton, John McCain, and Ron Paul. You see where there is agreement or disagreement. It's an interesting exercise.

If you want to come back here later, after you have recovered, use the reverse feature on your web browser.

That link is
Vote Chooser
And the good news is that no political party has anything to do with this by way of setting it up, sponsorship, or anything else!

Enjoy!

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." --- 2 Samuel 23:3, 4

Penn State University Continues to Build on a Foundation of Notoriety!

.....The ceremony will be held March 29 at the HUB-Robeson Center. State College Mayor Bill Welch, who said he supports the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community and its allies (LGBTA), will preside over the event. It is the first event of LGBTA's Pride Week. "I'd have no problem performing same-sex marriages, but it's not legal," Welch said.... --- from a Penn State campus news organization reporting on a scheduled commitment ceremony to be held for homosexual and lesbian couples on March 29, 2008

Penn State University continues to add to its list of accomplishments for top entry in the Notoriety Hall of Fame! In the central Pennsylvania region the news diet as it pertains to Penn State University is a steady stream of stuff that makes a cesspool smell like a rose!

Here are the kinds of things we are told as they unfold at the school which has a well known coach named Joe Paterno and a football team which has some members who have done more than their share in tarnishing the image of the school:

• Penn State football team players involved in brawls with various charges brought against them for such conduct
  
• sexual assaults
  
• underage drinking and arrests on that basis
  
• assaults, which often are connected to use of beverage alcohol -- seems the alcohol flows practically unrestricted around the university!
  

Now comes the latest blunder of blunders -- a "commitment" ceremony to be held on campus for couples who practice sodomy or lesbianism! One news release indicated there will be 3 male couples and 3 female couples. State College Mayor Bill Welch will conduct the ceremony for them at the HUB-Robeson Center. The mayor has been quoted as saying that he supports the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community and its allies (LGBTA).

A couple of the males involved in the ceremony spoke of receiving strong support from the community and throughout the campus. They are both doctoral students at Penn State. One said, "We just want to show the public that we're just like any other committed couple who loves each other."

There will be a protest gathering at the same time as the ceremony is taking place. It has been organized by Gary Dull, pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Altoona.

Already a large number of petitions have been submitted in protest of the commitment ceremony. But Mayor Welch has indicated his intention to go ahead with the ceremony in spite of the protesting that is taking place.

This is but one of many unfolding events across the entire nation indicating the progress which has been made by those supporting the sodomite/lesbian agenda. With a lot of highly intelligent people, lots of financial support, effective strategic planning, masterful waging of psychological "warfare" and successful infiltration of the educational system and mass media these people are much nearer their goal of forced acceptance of their "way of life."

Those of us who still choose to believe that God's boundary lines for acceptable sexual intimacy is limited to a male and female within the covenant of marriage are finding our ranks diminishing. Perhaps in part due to an unwillingness by some to live with the negative labels of "homophobic," "mean-spirited," "unloving," "unchristian," etc. For those supporting the sodomite/lesbian agenda, this aspect of the psychological warfare is proving to be quite effective!

It is also very possible that some have capitulated and gone along with the strategy of "dialog" -- we sit down and discuss how we can agree to disagree, thus creating a "loving" environment and a "positive" attitude -- which translates into "live and let live!"

A few would agree -- probably very few -- that we are witnessing the predictions of Jesus being fulfilled before our very eyes -- He said that the human race would regress to the point that it would be like a rerun of the days in which Noah lived before the judgment of the flood and the days of Lot when he lived in a city by the name of Sodom!

And you know what? I'm not going to cite the book, chapter and verse numbers on that -- if you want to verify it, it's in the Bible SOMEWHERE! You know, that Book which gathers dust by the inch in many, many homes across this republic!

As for Penn State, will it qualify for an entry in Guinness World Records for doing more to gain notoriety than any other university has ever done?

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!......... And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. --- Isaiah 5:20; Romans 1:28-32

Fences, Open-Range Ministry and The United Methodist Church!

"Wrangling over fences? Try open-range ministry." --- title of article by Eric Van Meter in 08/03/14 issue of the United Methodist Reporter

Mr. Van Meter seems to be upset with this fence thing in the United Methodist Church and has expressed the same in an article that has a scenario in which he expresses his frustration with an imaginary therapist.

He poses what some would view as a powerful illustration by relating an experience of helping a fellow tear out an old fence of rusted barbed wire and rotted fence posts.

What is the point of all this? It seems that Eric is suggesting that we need to get over this "fence wrangling" thing that is often prominent within the United Methodist Church -- especially at General Conference sessions with one scheduled to take place next month in Texas. The one high profile issue will be over homosexuality and lesbianism -- officially sanction these practices or not?

Open-range ministry? Is this suggesting that we get away from this thing of trying to maintain "fences" and no longer make any issue over what is right or wrong -- just go out and "make disciples for Jesus," whatever that is supposed to mean anymore in the UMC?

Wait a moment or so -- on this "fence" thing -- how did it get started in the first place?

Is Almighty God not the original fence builder? What was that which He put around a certain tree in the Garden of Eden?


No, it was not a literal barbed wire fence -- but the prohibition which in so many words said plainly, "Don't eat the fruit of that tree!" amounted to much the same thing as though it really surrounded the tree completely about 10 yards out from the trunk and had "No Trespassing" signs hanging on it!

Ooops! I almost forgot -- we need to realize that there are those clergy plus a batch of laity who write off about the first 11 chapters of Genesis as being myth -- fairy tale stuff, etc. They are not to be taken literally, so the fence idea probably has no application or meaning whatsoever in such cases. Maybe Eric is among that unfortunate group!

But let's move forward a bit -- God put up more "fences" later on in His dealings with the Israelite people. Ever hear of something called the Ten Commandments? But there were more than just a few statements forbidding certain types of behavior and relationships -- the "fence" God set up is a spiritual, moral and ethical code which enables His people to live at the highest level possible when it comes to peace, harmony, confidence and hope for the future!

But there are those who have come on the scene over time that look on these fences as being too "restrictive" -- we want to be "free" without being told what is right or wrong -- to do what we have judged to be best for us on basis of human reasoning and human "logic" which is always a deadly combination when God is placed on the bench as though He were a 3rd string quarterback!

We have been witnessing the tragedy within many church groups of a return to the ancient times of the judges -- those who want to tear out the fences that a few of us insist we must have -- this bunch is aptly described in the last statement of the book of Judges --

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. --- Judges 21:25

It appears that Jesus was also a bit concerned about the fence matter -- did He not say somewhere that not one jot nor tittle would pass from the law until all was fulfilled? I believe He said that in the Sermon on the Mount from which so many love to quote, except possibly that statement! (Matthew 5:18).

And "open-range ministry?" Well, how about Jesus' parting statement in Matthew 28 about confronting the entire world? This amounts to letting everyone know that He is the Son of God and the Savior of the world -- but there is a condition -- REPENT of all known sin and false religous practices, receive Him as Savior and Lord, and commit to a life of obedience to Him! Seems there are people who want to be "Christian" by way of identity but they don't want to quit their sinning, whether that involves immoral sexual conduct, the practice of false religion (of which there are many in this world), self-centered attitudes and desires, affection with idolatrous objects (such as money), or refusing to break with personal pride and vanity!

So it is -- there will be those of us around who may be accused of being "legalistic" and other rather negative labels, but we will continue to insist that we need the "fences" for our own good and the health and well being of the church -- break down and attempt to remove the fences and you'll have a church that goes into decline! By the way, what are the numbers involving membership in the United Methodist Church in the U.S. since the big merger of 1968?

For a Few, Celebrating the Greatest Victory Ever!

He is risen!

"Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.".... And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." --- John 10:17, 18; 20:26-29

This is being posted a day early due to the fact that come tomorrow morning Jean and I will be off to a rather early start. We will journey 27 miles to the church we have been working with for over 8 years in Gipsy PA. If you want to take a look at it plus some other things we have posted there, slip on over to Gipsy Christian Church -- a Musings of a Maverick link is there to bring you back here.

We will be having an Easter Sunrise service at 7:00 AM. After that we will be having an Easter fellowship breakfast in our newly acquired church hall just across the parking lot from the church. We do more than the cinnamon rolls and coffee thing -- our men do eggs, potatoes, sausage, pancakes, toast with all the trimmings! Yes, there are some doughnuts too! So we have a great time of fellowship -- it's just like family!

Then we will go back to the church for our regular worship time at about 9:30 AM for more celebrating.

Our celebration involves the greatest victory ever won in the history of the human race. It was won by the Lord Jesus Christ over the human enemies of sin, death, Satanic forces, and Hell!

A gang of people thought they had finally gotten rid of Jesus that day 2,000 years ago when they saw Him die on a Roman cross -- bunch of blind fools! Three days later He came out of the tomb alive! What does it all mean?

By virtue of our true repentance from our sins -- the receiving of Him into our lives as our personal Savior and Lord we have not only victory over sin, Satan, death and Hell, but the "fringe benefits" which are a part of all that:

• His promised living presence with us always (Note this in the Great Commission statement in Matthew 28).
  
• His promised peace to give rock solid assurance as we continue our journey in this perilous world -- while the storms swirl around us, within is that still small voice saying, "Peace, be still!" Also, a reminder from out of the Psalms, "Be still and know that I am God!" (Also note His reference to peace in John 14 & 16).
  
• His promised power as imparted by the Holy Spirit (Note this in the opening portion of the book of Acts).
  
• His promised provision for the meeting of our needs as mentioned by Paul in Philippians 4.
  
• His promise of a prepared place -- so special in so many ways including the fact that it is totally free from all corruption, pollution, conflict, pain and sorrow. Something great to look forward to when our journey here on earth has ended, is it not? (Note this in John 14 and further details in Revelation 21).
  

Unfortunately over the decades past there has been the infiltration of one of the most deadly heresies within the ranks of the church ever perpetrated in the history of the human race -- those "scholars," theologians, professors of theology and pastors who say/teach that Jesus did not literally come back from the dead! Mention is made somewhere on the vast acreage of Circuit Rider's Range of a seminary student who was very excited about entering the ministry and while in seminary he had a professor who did not believe that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. This charlatan seemed dedicated to convincing students in his class that this was so. The student in question could not handle that -- dropped out of seminary -- abandoned what he believed had been a call to the ministry and his life ended up a disaster!

For a few of us -- let the skeptics, inside the church as well as out in the world, rave on in their blindness and their first magnitude ignorance that Jesus is still in the grave -- we know better, do we not? After all when you are in conversation and fellowship with Him each day you know that more than a corpse is necessary for such experiences!

I do often sort out the human race by using such terms as "few" vs. "many" -- the reason? Because that's how Jesus often did it when referring to humanity -- separated into two categories -- "few" and "many!" But more about that at a later time.

I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today; I know that He is living, whatever men may say......He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. --- from song, He Lives, written by Alfred H. Ackley

If There Were Other "Ways," Why Did He Do It?

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him... For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth"; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. --- 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:21-25

For a minority of persons, this is a special day -- we travel back in time and remember a brutal execution just outside the city of Jerusalem. This was no run-of-the-mill execution carried out by the Romans -- they were doing this sort of thing all the time!

But this one involved a very unique individual -- God Who chose to take on human flesh, bones and blood. He was guilty of no crimes against the Roman Empire -- in fact, He was not guilty of doing anything wrong ever -- He was pure and without sin and blemish so far as character was concerned.

Somehow in that act of dying on a Roman cross all my sins -- all of your sins were transferred to Him, and that opened up the way by which every human being can be totally forgiven of all offenses committed, no matter how horrible they may be!

There are those who say that one religion is as good as another -- just pick and choose what delights your particular fancy!

Ask yourself -- if it doesn't make any difference, then why did God give up His Son and why did Jesus go through the brutality and humiliation of execution on a Roman cross, if "one way is just as good as any other" when it comes to religious expressions in this world?

No other religious expression apart from Christianity has the reality of God taking on human form and then sacrificing Himself for the sins of the entire human race! And by repenting of sin, receiving Jesus Christ by faith as Savior and Lord, and committing to a life of obedience to Him, a person is forgiven and looked upon favorably by Almighty God!

For some of us -- we continue to be lost in a whirlwind of amazement -- that the Creator of this great universe was willing to give up His life for the likes of us so that we in turn could be forgiven and have the assurance of living in His eternal Kingdom forever!

As a side trip, take a look at:

God Dressed Up in Bones, Flesh and Blood!

A link at the bottom of that area will bring you back to this place.

Again, if there are so many different "ways" to God and His eternal Heaven, why did Jesus go through what He did?

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me... But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. --- John 14:6; Hebrews 2:9

By the Way, Have You Met Theo?

My web site, Circuit Rider's Range, would not be what it is if it were not for Theo. He has been a tremendous help over the years since the site got up and running. Our acquaintance goes back many, many years. So I'll let him say hello to you and then I will continue providing some more of just who he is.

Theo, say 'hello' to our visitors and keep it short, if you can get your feet settled down for a bit.

"Hello, folks! And welcome to this blog. CR, Circuit Rider, CDH -- these are terms by which I refer to my boss -- will tell you some of my background and how it came about that we are working together. He will probably refer you to that special place he picked out for me which really gives you the details about me. I can't help moving around -- I'm so excited at being CR's Administrative Assistant on the Range and in some other places such as his blog. See you around!"

Theo mentioned that he is my Administrative Assistant -- hey, don't be surprised -- my bishop, Tom Bickerton, of the W. PA Annual Conference is getting a full time assistant starting this July, so why shouldn't I have someone helping me with the responsibility of keeping a web site and blog going? Of course, Theo isn't getting the kind of salary and perks that the bishop's new assistant will get, but he seems reasonably satisfied with what he gets.

It has been a good thing to have Theo helping because then I can keep a close eye on him. You see, his past life has been at times very shady -- in fact, it is practical criminal but in a different way than people who rob, assault, kill, traffic in drugs, etc.

Theo is not his full name but you will have to go to the special place I set up for him to find out what it is. So without further ado, slip on over to Theo's "special place" and let him tell you all about himself. It's at:

The Theology Pit!

I must say in closing that the relationship that Theo and I have has a lot to do with the Bible. You know, that very controversial book that a lot of people have trouble believing? And this includes some who identify as theologians, seminary professors, church leaders, pastors, and folks who sit in church pews Sunday after Sunday!

Another Date for FDR's "Infamy" Slot!

As of March 19, 2008 an anniversary will be noted. The media will give attention to it and likely President George W. Bush will also mention it. The anniversary is year # 5 since we launched a pre-emptive strike and invaded a nation in the Middle East known as Iraq.

It is also likely that some statistics will be mentioned along the way in this observance. Such things as:

• number of U. S. military personnel who have lost their lives.
  
  
• how many have been wounded, and maybe, how many have been maimed for life as a result of the many roadside bombs used by the "enemy."
  
  
• how much this operation has cost us in terms of billions of dollars, or have we reached the trillion mark -- if we haven't, hang on because we are bound to get there -- wars don't come cheap anymore!
  

However, it is highly unlikely that the following will be mentioned to any significant degree:

• how many military families have been dissolved through divorce as a direct result of this Iraq thing.
  
  
• how many suicides among military personnel have taken place since we got involved in this debacle -- the rate has been increasing as compared to conflicts in the past.
  
  
• how much "profit" certain U. S. companies have made under the pretense of "rebuilding" Iraq -- one company with which Vice President Dick Cheney used to be connected is doing especially well, as are others!
  

But there is one statistic the president, vice president, members of Congress and the mass media will not mention at all -- not even a whisper! And you can hunt high and low within the ranks of church groups -- big name denominations and independents -- again, not even a squeek out of the vocal cords!

But you can see it here and this may be about the only place you will see it -- it is a very important number. You will have to travel a bit to see it -- and once you do, will you mention it to a few other people?

Travel on over to A Much Avoided Statistic on the 5th Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq! There is a link at the bottom of that area which will bring you back to this place.

This will also help you to remember another reason for placing March 19, 2003 in FDR's slot for dates which will live in infamy!

Surely at the commandment of the LORD this came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and also because of the innocent blood that he had shed; for he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the LORD would not pardon. --- 2 Kings 24:3, 4

Ooops! I Just Couldn't Resist This One!

Vice President Dick Cheney made a surprise visit to United States troops in Iraq today... --- news announcement made at noon, March 17, 2008

Quite a bit of hoopla over the fact that Vice President Dick Cheney dropped in on U.S. troops serving in Iraq -- it was a "surprise" thing, but then maybe there was a reason for that.

In a sound bite the Vice President said that Iraq was now safer than the last time that he visited there. That raises a question in the minds of some of us, or maybe more than one question --

Is Iraq safer because Cheney left his shotgun at home? Is it because everyone refused to do some hunting with him while he was in Iraq? Or is it because military commanders saw his shotgun, confiscated it and then told the VP that it would not be returned until he underwent an intensive combat training course lasting 16 weeks? And at the end of that time he would have his shotgun returned on the condition that he always be the point man on all patrols, with all the troops a few yards directly behind him so long as he remains in Iraq!

Yea, I already know -- as some of my church people have suggested, I've got too much time on my hands! But it's not that the Devil made me do it, but it's the nature of politics and politicians that's brings things such as this about!

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven... a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance... --- Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

Will the Feddy Be Able to Overcome the Eddy?

News of a fire sale at Bear Stearns (BSC, news, msgs) had global markets in pandemonium today, even after the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank stepped in Sunday night to try to restore confidence in the financial-services sector.

After a rocky week for Bear Stearns, JPMorgan Chase (JPM, news, msgs) announced on Sunday that it would acquire the Wall Street giant for a mere $2 per share in a stock-swap deal.....--- opening atatement in news release on finance matters during morning of March 17, 2008

eddy - a current of air, water, etc. moving against the main current and with a circular motion; little whirlpool or whirlwind. --- Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary

Ok, ok -- so it's a bit of a game with words and expressions -- "feddy" is my coined expression for the U. S. Federal Reserve and "eddy" of course is defined as noted above. Eddy represents the financial "current" which these days often goes against the flow of the goals of government, corporations and powerful individuals when it comes to a commodity called money.

The stock market continues to lose ground with what are considered "bad news" reports related to finance. The Federal Reserve then cuts interest rates a half point or so. Then there is a surge and the Dow "rebounds" -- this may be as much as 100 to 200 points or more! But as time passes there is another slide.

There is no lacking in the field of professed financial "experts" -- the guys that tell you how best to invest your money and what the hot stocks are, etc. Cable channels have programs devoted to this subject and there is an endless parade of discussions on the economy and the world of finance. The one thing they do not or are unwilling to face -- this so-called wealth (fat portfolios with "profitable" investments) thing is mainly on paper plus the fact that our nation is trillions of dollars in debt with some foreign countries owning a lot of that debt, including a major player called China!
Now the question is this -- how long will the Federal Reserve (Feddy) have to cut the rates to keep things on an even (and prosperous) keel so far as the United States' economy is concerned? Will they reach a point where there can be no more "cutting" because they have reached the big "0?" Will they reach a point where lenders will have to pay people or companies to borrow money? Yea, I know that is an absurd and very stupid question, but since I was on a roll with this -- I just had to toss it in!

On a more serious note -- when enough people and those who are in control of corporations have made money their god, the time does come when the Creator, Who owns all things including that which is finance related, of this universe begins to bring on some unpleasant happenings. It starts with something called chastisement and often will be directed to those things which have become an idol -- you know, something (or combination of things) which have priority in our lives and God and His revelation to us are placed in the corner somewhere to gather dust!

Note a few statements about this matter from God's point of view -- please understand that most people who hold all positions in life are not the least bit interested in God's point of view on anything! This alone mainly explains why our republic is in the chaotic condition that it is at the present time!

He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage... He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty... A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him... There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction... Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days... "The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.' And every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What is like this great city?' And they threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.' Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!" --- Proverbs 11:28; 22:16; 28:22; Ecclesiastes 6:1, 2; James 5:1-3; Revelation 18:15-20

A conclusion to all this? Simply, that when money has become a prominent "god" in a culture, then Almighty God Who put this universe together by spoken command will so arrange things that even Feddy cannot overcome the Eddy!

The solution, of course, is a deliberate choice of action called repentance from sin -- but that is something which about all cultures at any given time refuse to do -- there are ruins from out of the past that bluntly remind us of this unchanging fact!

Look! Is that your money going down that bathroom piece of furniture? Quick, call "Feddy" -- maybe it can put the brakes on it!

Yes, Indeed! It's True -- Monkey See, Monkey Do!

About 1 in 4 teenage girls in the United States - and nearly half of black girls - has at least one sexually transmitted disease, according to a study released yesterday, providing the first national snapshot of infection rates among this age group... --- opening statement in news release by The Baltimore Sun, March 12, 2008

Alarming details in the report should give parents of teenaged females from ages 14 to 19 cause to be deeply concerned. Even more alarming is the fact that not all STD's were covered in this study. The girls were tested for human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, trichomoniasis, and herpes. By far, the most common sexually transmitted disease was HPV. Further, of those infected, 15 percent had more than one STD! An infectious diseases specialist at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center referred to these sexually transmitted infections as a "hidden epidemic." About how many adolescent females does this involve? The CDC states that at least 3.2 million in this age group are infected! Consider the fact that this does not take in those under age 14 or those over age 19 who are infected. As the late Barney Fife was sometimes heard to say, "Andy, we have a situation!"

Syphilis, HIV, and gonorrhea were not included in the study nor were teenaged boys included in the study. So it is concluded that actual numbers could be higher since there would be infected persons not covered in the study.

However, there are a few persons who would not be surprised by such statistics. These are the ones who have developed a degree of knowledge and sensitivity to God's special revelation which was completed 2,000 years ago. It's called the Bible. It is a Book which has caused widespread debate down through the centuries among those who profess to be Christian in faith. If we are willing to let the Holy Spirit speak in regard to clear statements on sexual matters, it is easy to see where the boundary lines are drawn when it comes to human sexuality.

God has placed His approval and blessing on sexual intimacy under only one condition -- a male and a female who have entered into the covenant of marriage. All other kinds of sexual activity are prohibited such as fornication (sex between unmarried persons), adultery (sex between two persons, with one or both being married to other partners), same-gender sex intimacy which is labeled an "abomination," sex with animals (bestiality), and incest (sexual intimacy between family members).

But in this age of being "free spirits" and "liberated" our little tykes learn at an early age that adults are teaching by example and a myriad of visual images that "Sex is fun with anyone (or more than one anyone at the same time) anywhere and at any time!"

High profile celebrities in the movie and TV industries conceive children out of wedlock -- sex tapes of their activities are available on the Internet -- the pornography industry is a multi-billion dollar business that has invaded just about every nation on the face of this planet!

So our culture declares that we need to "educate" the little tykes about sex -- we'll teach them graphically how to put a condom on a banana, but it's against the law to tell them that God says wait until you fall in love, get married, and then be blessed in a most heavenly experience!

With the bombardment of a sex-saturated media each day, little wonder that the hormones rage quickly and the "instant gratification" philosophy kicks in! And before our very eyes we see the tragedy of sowing to the lust of the flesh and reaping a harvest which can best be described as being under the sentence of death!

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. --- Galatians 6:6, 7

Will the tide be turned back? Not likely -- the message of total abstainence in regard to sexual activity before marriage is greatly resisted -- so get out the bananas and the condoms -- and do it safely! After all, God is not welcome in our public school educational system is He? As for colleges and universities, far too many students seem to buy into the philosophy that "partying" (this includes alcohol, drugs and sexual activity) is a must on a regular basis. This time of year is "spring break" you know and not many of the older tykes will spend their time in Sunday School!

The one thing, and maybe it's about the only thing, that Christians can do is to pray and witness to God's Truth on this critical issue as the opportunity presents itself. It is legitimate to pray that God will visit the "fruit" of their doings upon those who immorally influence the young! Sometime you are reading the Scriptures, look for that expression -- it's in there more than once! You can start with Jeremiah 17:10!

"How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by those that are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, then they committed adultery and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses. They were like well-fed lusty stallions; every one neighed after his neighbor's wife. Shall I not punish them for these things?" says the LORD. "And shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?" --- Jeremiah 5:7-9

Well, It's About Time!

Did you ever picture yourself in the above scene? No, not as the driver of that black vehicle, but as the occupant of the wooden box about to be taken out of that vehicle and put in a hole in the ground?

The time is long overdue for each of us to do some thinking about issues that reach far beyond the limits of this present world and time -- such serious thinking helps us to sort out what is really important and what is foolish, trivial and very unprofitable!

For such an experience you are invited to go to

It Is Time....!

Who knows, you might never be the same person again......ever! A link at bottom of that area will bring you back here.

N O T E: This item is going to be reposted every so often due to the nature of the issue raised. We live in a fast paced world with a deadly assumption that we will always have lots of time to do whatever it is that happens to be on our personal agenda at the moment -- other people die, but I am like the Energizer Bunny -- I'll just keep going and going and going -- or will I?

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
--- James 4:13-17

No V. P. Slot for Him -- B. O. Claims to Be the Man!

In a soundbite B. O. (Barack Obama) reacted to suggestions that he be the Vice Presidential candidate on the ticket with Hillary Clinton occupying the #1 slot -- you have heard of the "Dream Team" idea, have you not? B. O. emphatically stressed that he is the leader, blah, blah, (add as many blahs as you wish) in the delegate matter and voting numbers! Translated another way B. O. is stating, "I'm the MAN!"

If the human ego could be transformed into a mountain, B. O.'s would make Mt. Everest appear as a miniature mole hill by comparison! Here is a guy who came out of nowhere, having spent a bit of time in the Illinois legislature, managed to get elected as a senator to the U. S. Congress, and was a keynote speaker at the Democratic Convention 4 years ago! He is truly a meteor in the political sky over the republic of the United States. More about that at the end of this exercise which has for its purpose taking a good hard look at this one who wants more than anything else in the world to rule and reign in a place known as the Oval Office in Washington DC.

There is a very real possibility that B. O. could be the next president of the United States, starting on January 20, 2009. If that should become a reality or a nightmare of unprecedented proportions (take your pick on this), this person will lead us down the road to sure and certain disaster!

It's not simply an issue of age or experience, since very few persons have ever been able to handle power and wealth responsibly, but it is primarily a spiritual and moral issue! On the power thing, presidents have in the last few decades abused something called "Executive Orders" -- this is akin to being a dictator without being really identified as such. This is an area where our freedoms are slowly taken away just as a cancer eats away at the body until death comes! But it is usally done under the pretense of providing more "security" for our nation. What they fail to realize is that when we are at odds with our Creator by reason of mass rebellion and defiance, there is no security! When Almighty God gives indication that He is against a nation, then a mighty military machine is as effective in providing security as a mouse would be in defending itself when tossed into a room filled with 3 dozen hungry tomcats!

But B. O.'s most tragic blunder will be when he continues to give sanction to the ongoing slaughter of the innocents -- the rate of destruction of unborn innocent children continues to be about 100,000 per month in a republic which has prided itself throughout history on the fact that every person should have the "right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!" We actually are demonstrating hypocrisy of the first magnitude if we believe that statement is still taken seriously by elected officials church leaders and the citizens at large!

B. O. has a rather bloody track record in the Illinois legislature, opposing all efforts which were made to somehow try to protect at least a few unborn children in the later stages of their mothers' pregnancy!

So when and if B. O. sits in the Oval Office in DC you can expect he will block any and all attempts to protect the unborn -- that is, until the Creator says the carnage has gone on long enough and be aware, that day will definitely come! If any of us are living at that moment, and if B. O. does hold that position (or someone else) it will be interesting to see what he (or she) says in a nationally televised speech.

You figure it out -- what does a president say as it finally dawns on most everyone when it is now too late, that we made the biggest mistake ever made in United States' history when 9 black-robed people said it is ok to destroy an unborn child at any time for whatever reason -- a child known, identified and for whom the Creator of this mighty universe had a high and holy purpose!

Even B. O. with all his rhetoric won't be able to get us off the hook on that one!

Have you checked the numbers lately -- no, then slip over to A Quick Look at the United States' Massacre Tally!

Have you spoken to anybody about this crisis? Have you been praying about it? Have you contacted any elected officials about it?

If B. O. is the "MAN" who moves in to the Oval Office on January 20, 2009 (or somebody else) then I will be sending letters to him just as I have been sending to Bush on a regular basis and as I sent to Clinton when he was there.

Oh yes, about that meteor mentioned earlier -- have you noticed? Each time you see one there is a brilliant flash for a moment and then it burns out -- all that is left is dust and ashes -- nothing of real substance!

Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.... Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.... But they paid no attention, and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel. And the LORD spoke by His servants the prophets, saying, "Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations (he has acted more wickedly than all the Amorites who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols), therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle...'" --- 2 Kings 21:1, 2, 6, 9-12

Oh yes, a PS on this -- I am a non-affiliated registered voter in Cambria County PA -- just in case you conclude that I must be a (insert name of party here) from the nature of remarks on the political mess in which our republic finds itself! At the present time neither major political party has anything of real substance that will bring the reformation, restoration and healing which the country needs!

Politics and Prostitution -- Now, There's a Marriage Made in the Good Old U.S. of A!

NEW YORK - As Gov. Eliot Spitzer faced mounting calls to resign, Republican legislators indicated they will seek to impeach him if he doesn't quit within 48 hours, a spokesman for a leading New York assemblyman said Tuesday.

"The governor has 48 hours to resign or articles of impeachment would be introduced," Josh Fitzpatrick, spokesman for Assembly Republican Minority Leader James Tedisco, told Reuters.... -- opening statement of MSNBC news release as contributed by AP and Reuters, March 11, 2008

Well now -- what have we here? This "marriage" between politics and prostitution -- why is it that some of us are not surprised? It's not as though things of this kind never happened before -- it's just that now, when it happens, it's a feeding frenzy for the media people -- same thing as throwing a bloody piece of meat into waters swarming with great white sharks!

There was a time when the media knew, but kept quiet -- remember Jack and Bobby? You know, those Kennedy brothers who had an overwhelming tendency to stray from their marital beds! But times have changed a bit since those days of long ago, when politicians who strayed were exempt from the media watch dogs.

But why all the fuss over Eliot's indiscretion, or how ever many times he chose to indulge in playing "house" with females other than his wife? This is simply a symptom of a far greater crisis -- a symbol of the moral and spiritual health of the whole republic!

But you will not hear the media giving headlines to this one -- the United States has played the role of an adulterous wife -- she has forsaken the God Who in mercy raised the her up from the beginning and blessed her abundantly through many decades. The tragedy can be best expressed in the words of a prophet who lived a long time ago and who addressed his generation in such words, as God directed, as the following:

"They say, 'If a man divorces his wife, and she goes from him and becomes another man's, may he return to her again?' Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; yet return to Me," says the LORD. Lift up your eyes to the desolate heights and see: where have you not lain with men? By the road you have sat for them like an Arabian in the wilderness; and you have polluted the land with your harlotries and your wickedness. Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain. You have had a harlot's forehead; you refuse to be ashamed." --- Jeremiah 3:1-3

The Spitzer scandal is very minor compared to the national scandal of how we have in a sense given Almighty God that obscene gesture which is very popular with people of all ages, including the very young! What are we going to do when God makes His response -- and be assured, He will definitely make a response and when He does, no one will feel like partying! There is an outside possibility that large numbers will entertain the thought that maybe they ought to check in the neighborhood to see if any churches are open and whether or not there are any pastors around who might give an explanation as to what is going on! It may be that the experience will be a rerun of something that happened a long time ago ------

"And it shall be, when you show this people all these words, and they say to you, 'Why has the LORD pronounced all this great disaster against us? Or what is our iniquity? Or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?' then you shall say to them, 'Because your fathers have forsaken Me,' says the LORD; 'they have walked after other gods and have served them and worshiped them, and have forsaken Me and not kept My law. And you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one walks according to the imagination of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me.'" --- Jeremiah 16:10-12

Torture the Terrorist Suspects Because It Saves Lives, But in the Long Run...!

WASHINGTON - President Bush said Saturday he vetoed legislation that would ban the CIA from using harsh interrogation methods such as waterboarding to break suspected terrorists because it would end practices that have prevented attacks.

"The bill Congress sent me would take away one of the most valuable tools in the war on terror," Bush said in his weekly radio address taped for broadcast Saturday. "So today I vetoed it," Bush said. The bill provides guidelines for intelligence activities for the year and includes the interrogation requirement. It passed the House in December and the Senate last month.. --- snippet of news release on Saturday, March 8, 2008

President Bush is insistent that we torture terrorist suspects in order to obtain "information" because in his mind and those of his supporters, it saves lives and prevents future terrorist attacks. Yes, it is debated whether waterboarding is torture or not -- you know, that gentle process of placing a cloth over the victim's face, then wetting it down while the victim is resrtrained and it duplicates the experience of drowning!

As suggested in an earlier post on this subject, if it is not torture as the president insists, then let him and his loyal supporters go through the experience themselves for a few days in a row and see what their conclusions are -- if it is not torture as he vehemently insists, then he should have no problem undergoing the "procedure" himself so he can be in a better position to convince diehard skeptics such as I that it is totally harmless!

The above quoted news release also mentioned the following:

"The Bush administration continues to insist that CIA and other nonmilitary interrogators are not bound by the military rules and has reportedly given CIA interrogators the green light to use a range of so-called 'enhanced' interrogation techniques, including prolonged sleep deprivation, painful stress positions, and exposure to extreme cold," Daskal said. "Although waterboarding is not currently approved for use by the CIA, Attorney General Michael Mukasey has refused to take it off the table for the future."

But really, what can we expect -- if we have regressed to a barbaric state and have engaged in terrorist activities of a unique kind for decades within our own boundaries, why feel any sense of guilt or be concerned about the humane treatment of those whom we might regard as "enemies?" After all, if we sanction the intentional invasion of the sanctuary of the human womb and carry out a brutal act of dismemberment and murder of the person residing there thousands of times each week, why be the least concerned about torturing some people to get information on the pretense that this will "save" lives in the future?

You can take a little side trip on this subject -- it won't cost you even an extra cent! Go to President Bush's "Selective" War Against Terrorism! -- this will give a few details on certain "terrorists" who operate legally in this country and get paid for doing so! A link at the bottom of the area will bring you back here or use the reverse feature on your web browser.

The tragedy in this whole scenario? Simply this -- the president gives his approval to highly questionable "methods" of interrogation with the claim that it will save American lives in the future, but has such short sighted vision that he cannot see that the republic over which he presides at the present time is at the ripened stage for a very unpleasant visitation from Almighty God -- it's called JUDGMENT!

Bush's (or whoever has the unfortunate destiny to occupy the Oval Office from Jan. 20, 2009 onward) experts in government will not be able to run their computers fast enough to keep a tally of the calamities initiated by the Creator of this universe as He demonstrates once again the truth of an eternal law which spells out in no uncertain terms that He is not mocked and whatever one sows, one reaps accordingly -- a law that applies to individuals and also to whole nations. The ruins of the once mighty Babylonian empire and many others testify that no one mocks God and gets away with it!

Or to put it in words that were common in farming communities a few generations in the past -- "The chickens are coming home to roost!"

Forget about a few people presently incarcerated and trying to pry information out of them by highly questionable means -- it is time for our elected officials, church leaders and we citizens to be giving attention to the making of decisions and taking actions that will not just save lives, but our whole republic!

"But this is what I commanded them, saying, 'Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.' Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward."..... What will you say when He punishes you? For you have taught them to be chieftains, to be head over you. Will not pangs seize you, like a woman in labor? 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 spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, 'I will not hear.' This has been your manner from your youth, that you did not obey My voice." --- Jeremiah 7:23, 24; 13:21-26; 22:21