A Response to a Letter by Bishop Moore-Koikoi Related to the Fall Out of General Conference 2019!

It seems as time moves along I find myself in disagreement with at least some of the bishops of the United Methodist Church, including the present bishop of the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference where I hold my membership as an ordained elder. I responded to one of her letters prior to registration for an annual conference session. I believe I made my position clear to her in the following words >>>

Bishop Moore-Koikoi:

In your recent letter you reiterated concerning persons registering to participate in discussions related to the fallout following GC 2019 held earlier this year. You clearly stated that if any of us were going to try to convince others that we were right, DO NOT register!

In the first place, my calling from God as I entered the pastoral ministry 60 years ago as of June 21 was not to convince anyone that I was right! My calling was and is to preach and teach the truth of God’s inspired Word. The choice people make after being exposed to the Word of God presented is their responsibility.

In the second place, however, I know I am right on several critical issues related to the Christian faith such as:

1. Jesus Christ is exclusively the only way of forgiveness from sin and hope of being a resident in His Kingdom forever. Years ago there was a magazine printed for U.M. pastors titled, Circuit Rider. One issue showed a picture of a statue of Jesus with the question, “The Way, the Truth, the Life?” imprinted over it. The issue was devoted to a debate as to whether Jesus is the only way of salvation and eternal hope or the other religions in the world are on an equal level with Christianity and have valid claims in addressing the issue of eternal destiny! Either the radical “I am” statements of Jesus as stated in the Gospel of John are true and exclusive or He is the biggest liar and fraud to ever walk on two feet and certainly not worthy of 1 second of our time! Further, all that He said and did are true. If not, then throw the Bible into the garbage can, close the churches, and live the rest of our lives always wondering what happens when we die!

2. Jesus placed 4 demands on us humans. Unless we are converted and become as children, unless we repent, unless we draw life from Him by faith, and unless we are born again we will have no part or place in His eternal Kingdom!

3. The miracles as recorded throughout the Scriptures literally happened as reported in all the details, whether it be the Red Sea crossing, an iron axe head floating in water, a man swallowed by a great fish, feeding thousands of people with a few loaves and fish, the virgin birth, or a host of others. In my elective courses at seminary I chose to do one on contemporary U.S. theologians and one on European theologians. One of the wildest among many was one who said that Jesus was likely conceived when Mary was intimate with a mercenary on duty with the Roman army and he was an ancestor of the German people! How is that one for inspiring your faith and to know that Jesus had German blood running through His veins?

4. Jesus is going to return to this sin saturated planet at some point in the future. And yes, I know, it is common to deny this and be skeptical as to whether He really will come back. But He specifically promised He would return with many changes planned as He establishes His Kingdom. Having been personally acquainted with Him now for over 62 years I know I am right when I say that He always keeps His promises!

5. God is not only a God of love and compassion, but He is also a God of wrath and judgment! Starting in the book of Genesis and continuing all the way through the book of Revelation the truth of this is constantly repeated. The ruins of past cultures are mute evidence of the fact that a society of people cannot endlessly defy God and His standards for a sane, sensible, serene, stable, and secure nation and expect to survive. The once mighty Babylonian and Roman empires are prime examples!

6. God has clearly drawn the boundaries on human sexuality making clear to all who with open heart and mind take an honest look at those boundaries. He has spelled out explicitly what is sexually acceptable and what is not, even to the point that some immorality is not merely a sin, but an abomination!

Still contending at Circuit Rider's Range and blogging at Musings of a Maverick

Clayton D. Harriger, Retired Elder
Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference
The United Methodist Church
cc: Members of the Cabinet 44 5 Comments Like Comment Share

Letter to All Members of the 116th United States Congress

NOTE: The following letter was written on the anniversary of 9/11 and is being sent to all members of the United States Congress with copies also being sent to the presidential and VP candidates in the November 2020 election. Permission is hereby granted to any who may want to copy and reproduce this for sharing with others. Your prayer support is sincerely requested in this effort. cdh

September 11, 2020

To: Members of the United States Congress
Subject: Election November 3, 2020

Does it really matter who wins the election to be president for the next 4 years and what party is in control of the U.S. Congress? No, if there is not a very drastic change that takes place through our entire culture! That radical change will involve total repentance from the many abominations and transgressions of which we as a nation are guilty against Almighty God! We are perched on the very doorstep of experiencing His wrath being poured out upon us in judgment!

The reasons are many starting with tens of millions of unborn children deliberately murdered since 1973! God had a plan for each of these unborn children, but that was interrupted by an intentional act of homicide!

Further our pandemic immoral sexual practices and our deeply entrenched idolatry in its many forms also invite God’s wrath upon us!

Added to this is the fact that far less than half of our population can find its way into a place of worship to give honor and thanksgiving to the God Who makes our life and existence possible! A further problem related to this is the fact that too many of those churches that are attended are headed up by pastors who do not believe the Bible in its entirety and are spreading a bunch of heresy and apostasy among their congregations due to their unbelief in the Scriptures! This stems back to the fact that these pastors received such false teaching in seminaries they attended.

You can significantly help to bring about this critical change God calls us to make by urging the people you represent to turn to God in a spirit of sincere repentance and forsake all known sin in their lives.

If we do not repent, the result will not be pleasant and none of us will want to be within the borders of this nation when God brings judgment upon our republic. The people of the ancient Israelite kingdom of Judah found out the hard way in about 586 BC that after God had given fair warning time after time that He meant precisely what He had said He would do if they did not repent!

Still contending at www.crrange.com and blogging at http://cdharriger.blogspot.com

Clayton D. Harriger, Retired Elder
The United Methodist Church
Western PA Annual Conference

Lesson from a Bulldog!

Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets. Luke 6:26

I have participated in the famous social network known as Facebook for quite some time and have a few hundred persons known as "friends" on the network. Over time there has been a lot of interaction and many responses to things I have posted.

In dealing with responses I have tried to learn a lesson which was revealed through the experience one pastor had many years ago.

The pastor was walking down a sidewalk toward the home of a church member he wanted to visit. Before he reached his destination, he noticed some distance away an English bulldog coming in his direction in the middle of the sidewalk. As the two got closer to one another there was a sudden barking from a small dog in the yard of one home as the bulldog passed by. But the bulldog never so much as gave a glance in the direction of the one making all the noise. It was one of those "yap" dogs - small in size, but big in the mouth and always yapping all the time about something. But the bulldog would not be distracted. He continued to lumber along at a steady pace looking straight ahead.

The pastor reports that he too had been walking in the middle of the sidewalk and now this bulldog was getting close -- he was still in the middle of the sidewalk and gave no indication that he was going to change his position. So the pastor said that he stepped to the side of the walk and the bulldog just kept going with not the slightest hesitation, passing by the pastor without glancing a bit at him -- same response as he had made to the yap dog just a short time earlier.

The pastor turned and watched as the bulldog continued on his way -- it was obvious that the bulldog was headed somewhere and was not about to be detoured or distracted regarding his destination. After a bit as the bulldog got further away, the pastor said he bowed his head and prayed, "God, give me what that bulldog has!"

Due to posting subject matter related to my website and my blog as well as a wide variety of images with comments, there have been numerous responses. Some have been complimentary and express in one or another agreement with the posting. But others have been quite negative and in some cases those responding have been extremely upset to the point of labeling me in not very flattering terms! I do not respond to such -- yes, I could engage in the art of trying to set them "straight" but I won't -- I have more important things to do. The bulldog had a destination toward which he was moving and he was not about to be distracted from that by a yap dog with its noise or a pastor standing in the side walk. I also have a destination toward which I am moving -- and I have to be careful that I do not allow myself to be distracted and/or detoured along the way.

That bulldog was a good teacher! I am grateful for his example, so, "Lord, give me what that bulldog has!"

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." --- Matthew 5:10-16

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

Hit the Ground Running And Be Sure To Ignore the Banana Peels!

“Hit the ground running!” --- common expression now being applied to B. Hussein Obama and his administration when they take control of a republic known as the U.S.A. on January 20, 2009

A whirlwind of activity is taking place during this transition period as President-elect B. Hussein Obama assembles advisors and his Chief of Staff, R. Emanuel, whips the troops into line. The phrase very commonly applied is to “hit the ground running” as January 20, 2009 reaches the noon time hour!

For a majority, especially those who cast their votes for B. Hussein Obama, this is a very impressive thing and to be expected from one who at times has been labeled “Messiah” and “Savior.”

While the newly elected president may relish the term, he and his cohorts have essentially omitted a rather critical phrase. While doing their running they will deliberately choose to ignore the banana peels that litter the path. A runner who is wise not only avoids the banana peel but will remove and dispose of it so others will not be threatened by such a hazard.

Here are some of the banana peels that will bring this nation down:


3 Very Deadly “Loves”
It has been predicted that as the human race comes down the home stretch of history, it will wallow in three deadly loves which are love of self, love of money and love of pleasures more than love for God. If you want to see it for yourself, go to 2 Timothy 3 in the New Testament of the Bible.

The Ongoing Destruction of Unborn Children
Our republic is fast approaching a tally of 50 million unborn victims who have been mutilated and murdered in their mothers’ wombs. These have ranged in age from a few weeks to being within a few minutes of being born. Ruins of past cultures which adopted a cheap and very low view of human life are mute evidence that you cannot choose this route without paying a very high price, which ultimately is extinction!

Rampant Sexual Immorality
The evolution of a philosophy about human sexuality has reached its zenith where now it can be defined by saying, “Sex is fun with anyone (or more than one anyone at the same time) anywhere and at any time by choice on the part of the parties involved! We simply make our own rules." The ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah still speak but who in these United States (soon to be known as the Obama Nation) is listening? Any few that do are considered right-wing fire-breathing religious fanatics!

A Fast Spreading Cancer of Idolatry
As a culture begins to prosper, it is not long before it begins to forge idols for itself in many forms. It is obvious to a few who are sensitive to such a disaster that money is dominant as #1 “god” in the United States, plus numerous others which could be also cited. The true and living God has given fair warning that there comes a time when He brings judgment upon a nation’s false gods! Anyone noticed how things are going financially in “the land of the free and the home of the brave?”

The Profaning of the Day of Worship
As noted in other areas of my web site and blog, Sunday should be renamed “Funday” – for most residents of the United States this day is the final day of a weekend of pleasure pursuit – fun & games – partying and getting high on alcohol and/or drugs – sports activities of about every conceivable kind! Who in the world wants to spend a very boring bit of time in what is supposed to be the worship of Almighty God Who created this universe, imparts life and grants blessing and benefit indescribable by which life is nurtured on a daily basis. Then He did the unthinkable – He gave His Son that the way of forgiveness, peace and eternal life in His Kingdom would be available to us sinners! But who has time to give any attention to that – we have fun and games to do before Monday comes!

Teaching Our Young the Way of Damnation
The theory of evolution is dominant in the process of educating the young. With a very few exceptions our young begin a journey early on in which they are taught that our ancestry, humanly speaking, is traced back to lower life forms – you have to travel back in time a long ways to get there. This means that millions of our young have no exposure whatsoever to the real and truthful fact that God is the Creator of all things, including human beings. And since back in the early 60’s a Supreme Court ruling effectively said that there could be no more prayer and no more reading of the Scriptures in public classrooms, and since more than half our population chooses to absent itself from a place of worship on Sundays, we are effectively raising millions of heathen – and we wonder why our country is so screwed up ethically, morally and spiritually!

A Government Increasingly Confused and Corrupted
It takes some searching but the evidence is there for any who want to face it – over time our elected officials have concentrated on themselves in terms of benefits and salaries – the retirement benefits are out of this world. Then, once established in their comfortable positions, they throw a bone or two to their constituents to make us feel good and that they do indeed have our best interests at heart – or do they? The partisan battles that constantly go on are a scandal in and of themselves so that it is “party first” and the public can go to ____________ (fill in the blank!).

Now then – will the administration of B. Hussein Obama as it hits the ground running on January 20, 2009 address the issues represented by the banana peels? The chance of that taking place is as great as a snowball surviving in a very hot place which you have heard mentioned from time to time – a hot place which is vehemently denied at the present time by not a few pastors and church leaders!

Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Do not trust in these lying words, saying, 'The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are these.' For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever.” --- Jeremiah 7:3-7

Come Now, We Don't Have to Do a Thing to Get God's Attention!

An American pastor who made news in April by studying NASA's eclipse calendar to speculate on the return of Jesus Christ to Earth is now planning a worldwide blast of trumpets this fall to get God's attention.
--- opening statement of article posted at WorldNetDaily on July 3, 2008

Big plans are in the making – trumpet blast time synchronized at same moment in time zones all over the world and compared to the “wave” which takes place at sporting events in stadiums.

The head of El Shaddai Ministries, Mark Blitz, is calling for a world-wide observance of the Feast of Trumpets on September 29, 2008. This will involve lots of shouting and blowing of shofars, trumpet-like instruments made from the horns of what are considered Biblically clean animals such as rams.

Blitz has issued an invitation at his web site for participation – in his words, “Let’s have an around the world shofar assembly in every time zone on the Feast of Trumpets at sunset announcing to Messiah we are awake and anxiously anticipating His return.”

Some things to bear in mind before we purse our lips and prepare to sound a blast:

• First, we don’t need to do anything to get God’s attention – we’ve been under constant surveillance on a 24/7 basis ever since Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden! Just as a reminder, consider what God Himself has revealed about it:
  

  
  The LORD is in His holy temple, The Lord's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. (Psalm 11:4). "For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity hidden from My eyes.” (Jeremiah 16:17).
  

  
  
• Second, in regard to “anxiously anticipating His (Jesus’) return,” among professing Christians the number has to be rather limited. We now have “scholars,” theologians, seminary professors, church leaders and pastors who either totally deny Jesus’ personal return to earth or question whether it will ever happen any time soon. Therefore, so far as that bunch is concerned, it is best to forget about the whole thing!
  
  
• Third, ethical, moral and spiritual conditions will continue to deteriorate to the extent that on one occasion Jesus asked a most unsettling question – “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). He also said such deterioration would lead to a duplicate of conditions as existing at the time of Noah prior to the judgment of the universal flood and the time of Lot when he and his family lived in Sodom before that city was totally obliterated.
  

The vast majority of this world’s 6 billion + inhabitants is making its contribution to the chaos as described by Isaiah: “The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.” (Isaiah 24:5).

No, no announcement, shout or trumpet blasting is needed to let the Lord know we are anticipating His return – since He knows completely what is in our hearts and minds, He knows if we are really expecting His return.

But of far greater importance, He knows to what extent we really believe He is returning to earth by how we now invest our time, talent (gifted abilities), and treasure (material goods) on a daily basis as witness to the truth of His promised return as King of kings and Lord of lords!

"But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing." --- Matthew 24:36-46

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

A Continuation of a House Divided?

But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. --- Matthew 12:25

It's a big year for the United Methodist Church. It's the time for the quadrennial meeting of the General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, during the latter days of April 2008.

This is the group of lay and ministerial delegates that will consider thousands of petitions on a wide range of issues and by votes cast will attempt to chart the course of the denomination for the next four years.

The content of the petitions provide graphic evidence of the division existing within the denomination and from time to time this division has made headlines.

Thanks to German theologians, with some assistance from others of a different nationality, over a century and a quarter ago we have now come to the point of being sharply divided over such matters as:

• sexual morality and where God has established the boundary lines regarding sexual intimacy for human beings
  
• whether an unborn child should live or its life terminated by means of very violent "medical procedures" while still residing in what is supposed to be the "safe sanctuary" of its mother's womb
  
• whether or not murderers should be executed for violently taking the lives of other human beings
  
• what territory Israel should claim and the extent to which it can defend itself against its many enemies or even have the right to exist
  

Add to the above a host of other issues as well. But what you see above is more than enough to remind us that the United Methodist Church is clearly a house divided!

There was a time in the history of the former Methodist Church that a high degree of unity existed. Among pastors and laity was a significant agreement that the Scriptures were of supernatural origin - a volume of information produced by the direct influence of the Holy Spirit on a number of persons over centuries of time. One has but to look back in the earlier decades of the history of the United States to see how God blessed the efforts of pastors and laity with the result of a growing church -- the numbers tell the story!

Those days are long gone -- now we talk about celebrating our "diversity" and ignore the reality of a spiritual cancer which continues to destroy a denomination. One of the greatest proofs of this is seen in a most basic issue in the Christian faith -- is Jesus Christ exclusively the way of forgiveness, peace with God, and the hope of Heaven in eternity? Quite a number within the denomination take the position that other faiths have a legitimate claim on the issue of life's purpose and destiny for eternity. When you have a bishop of the UMC saying that we need to forget about this matter of going to foreign nations and trying to convert them to Christianity, then we are in far bigger trouble than we can even begin to imagine!

With that I rest my case -- the division and the compromising will continue -- there will be a continuation of those leaving the denomination, both laity and pastors -- and the membership will continue to shrink within the United States.

For those few who still believe the Bible means precisely what it says on such issues as stated above and choose to remain in the UMC, there are two main actions to take -- stand firm in one's witness that Jesus Christ is exclusively the way of salvation and hope (that shuts all the other "faiths" out!) and pray that God will do some supernatural surgery in removing the "spiritual cancer" which is destroying the body!

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. --- Jude 1:3, 4

Don't Blame Me -- It's Jesus' Fault -- He Taught Me to Do It!

"...it is written..." --- Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11

Why do I do it? How did I get into such an awful habit? It has actually become an addiction in my life over the years! It is what "anonymous" of W. VA referred to as "spouting off Bible verses." See comments on my post of April 5, 2008. I'm not sure if "anonymous" is male or female or something in between. As mentioned in reply at that time, it sure takes a lot of guts to make your statement and then refuse to identify yourself!

Anyway, about this addiction -- it was immediately after Jesus came into my life and did a major make-over from top to bottom -- inside and out! And so, as I began to read and study the Scriptures, portions began to be etched in my memory. I noted that Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come and teach me -- He would guide me into the truth and show me things to come. (See John 14 - 16 on that).

I also observed that Jesus was a "Bible verse spouter" on many occasions starting with an encounter with someone out in the middle of nowhere. Oh, I almost forgot -- unfortunately there are persons within the ranks of what claims to be Christianity (theologians, seminary professors, pastors and laity) who don't believe that Satan and demons actually are real and literally exist! So just whom was Jesus talking to out there in that waste land?

Jesus' most lengthy time of "spouting Bible verses" took place when He was talking with Cleopas and a companion. He engaged in conversation with them after His resurrection from the dead. At one point He gives them a mild rebuke and then starts "spouting:"

Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. --- Luke 24:25-27

How long do you suppose the "spouting of Bible verses" continued on that occasion as a couple of pairs of eyes were suddenly opened and the realization set in that Jesus was no longer in the grave, but very much alive!

There were a lot of other "spouters" of Bible verses also -- Matthew did it -- Paul and Peter -- in fact, there was quite a gang who did it. Some of those fellows in the Old Testament did not start their statements with, "It is my opinion or I think..." but a "Thus says the Lord..." An interesting way of "spouting off," is it not?

So it's Jesus' fault plus the example set by a number of others that I do it too. I find myself doing a lot of it in my sermons and teaching!

Now then, what can be done about this addiction to "spout off Bible verses?" For starters, how about a BVSA (Bible Verse Spouters Anonymous)? Hey, they have such groups for alcoholics, gamblers and people who eat too much, so why not such an organization for those of us who are addicted to "spouting off Bible verses?"

To show there are no hard feelings about this, I nominate "anonymous" of W. VA to get this thing up and running. Maybe over time our culture will be purged of all tendencies to "spout off Bible verses" and "anonymous" of W. VA will no longer have to go through trials and tribulations of such a practice on the part of persons such as I!

So the next time you hear someone "spouting off Bible verses" just remember it is not likely his or her fault -- the blame has to be placed on Jesus, Who showed us how it is done!

To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the LORD is a reproach to them; they have no delight in it. --- Jeremiah 6:10

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

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!

Should Obedience to God Be A Top Priority National Issue or Not?

But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. --- Deuteronomy 28:15-19

Should obedience to God be a top priority national issue or not? On such a question as this, the overwhelming response is bound to be an excessively loud "No!" -- so loud that vocal cords are strained to the maximum, windows might shatter, and walls quiver as though an earthquake is starting to crank up!

Much of the negative response would be interspersed with cries of "We need to maintain the 'wall' of separation of church and state!" It is true that some in their ignorance have abused, misused, perverted and distorted a statement attributed to Thomas Jefferson about this thing of "separation" of church and state. As many influential people bought into this deceptive doctrine we have opened a Pandora's Box resulting in court decisions being handed down that are paving the way to a disaster which we cannot begin to imagine due to the magnitude of it all!

In effectively drawing a boundary line around all government functions and our public school systems we as a nation have given God an obscene gesture and told Him those properties and all that goes on within those confines by all persons involved are strictly off limits -- He dare not set foot in those forbidden areas!

With such a development, anyone with a touch of common sense, the ability to do some serious thinking and possessing a spiritual sensitivity to God's special revelation will quickly recognize that a culture which has its beginning rooted in that special revelation given by our Creator will ultimately experience calamities beyond human ability to understand when the majority of its citizens and leaders (political and church) choose to deliberately defy Him!

Deuteronomy 28 is one of the clearest points of reference on the issue as to whether obedience to God is simply an option or an absolute must if blessing, future security and survival are to be experienced.

In light of recent financial chaos among other things which this nation has been experiencing and the feeble efforts to try to "stabilize" financial activity, perhaps a look at one small portion of what God promised by way of calamity due to disobedience -- seems that "aliens" will become involved:

The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail. Moreover all these curses shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. --- Deuteronomy 28:43-45

There are any number in the interesting group of theologians, seminary & college professors, pastors and teachers who would insist that Deuteronomy 28 has absolutely nothing to do with the United States -- but then again, if you take some of that bunch seriously, the Bible doesn't have much to do with any of us one way or another -- we live in a time of "buffet religion" -- pick and choose what suits your fancy in religious matters, or for that matter, if you don't want to relate to any religion, that's OK too!

So, if you are not afraid to do so -- take a slow walk through Deuteronomy 28 -- maybe repeat a couple of times and consider whether at any given time when a nation has had access to God's special revelation ever since its beginning over 231 years ago, that such a nation is responsible (leaders & citizens) to be obedient to Him in all manner of behavior and relationships!

Further, one might consider God's personal statement in regard to His claim to bring down a nation for massive disobedience or to establish such a nation on condition of its obedience to Him.

And to what extent are all those "wannabe" president people really addressing this, the most critical issue our republic has ever faced in its entire history? And can anyone say our republic is now healthier, ethically, morally and spiritually stronger than in those days before God was confronted with "No Trespassing" signs as applied to His presence on government property and in public schools? We all know the answer to that one, do we not?

"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." --- Jeremiah 18:7-10

Call Me Anything You Want, But Don't Call Me An "Evangelical!"

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. --- 1 John 2:19

There is a group of individuals within the ranks of professing Christianity known as “evangelicals.” They have been around for quite some time and have undergone a bit of evolution over the past few decades.

At one stage in their earlier identification “evangelicals” were considered to be quite radical in their faith and were at times the target of scorn and intense criticism by those of a more “liberal” persuasion in the profession of the Christian faith.

The group was made up of theologians, professors, pastors, and laity who occupied pews in churches of all sizes. They held to core doctrines of the Christian faith such as the divine inspiration and full authority of the Scriptures, miracles in the Scriptures taking place as reported, Jesus Christ being exclusively the way of salvation from sin, His literal bodily resurrection from the dead, His personal return to this world at some point in the future, etc.

As time passed these individuals became more popular and also recognized as a powerful voting block when it came to politics.

There was likewise an intense desire to shed the negative image of being radical and “narrow minded” on a number of issues. It became practically a goal that "evangelicals" be viewed as being “positive” and willing to sit down and discuss the issues where there were disagreements, and avoiding at all costs the appearance of being "judgmental."

Enter the process of “dialog!” And so, where we disagree with others on anything – just sit down at a table and talk about it with the understanding that all viewpoints must be respected – all have legitimate positions and a peaceful atmosphere is reached by adopting a loving “agree to disagree” approach to the issue at hand. Through this process we consent to work together for the common good of all in spite of differences that may exist. In so doing a spirit of harmony and good will are experienced and we all become “brothers and sisters in the faith” whatever that may mean! Compromise is a fundamental requirement when you travel this route! Perhaps “evangelicals” have learned from Washington DC politicians how to master this art!

After all George W. Bush, who is a high profile United Methodist and professed “evangelical” Christian, has expressed the spirit of the dialog principle on more than one occasion. He has gone on public record as saying that he believes Muslims and Christians worship the same God! George is the “poster boy” – the adorable delight of “evangelicals” who have had the privilege of meeting with him from time to time and this has resulted in glowing reports coming forth from those who have been in his presence.

And so it goes with “evangelicals” now willing to “dialog” on about anything, including the issue of sexual immorality!

The latest debacle has involved a few dozen very influential “evangelicals” signing a statement urging the formation of a separate Palestinian state in order to resolve the Israeli/Palestinian conflict over territorial rights.

These people obviously deny the reality that Muslims who take their faith seriously and the teachings of the Quran seriously do not want Israel to coexist – they want Israel obliterated from the face of this planet!

Also denied is the Abrahamic covenant which God said would be established through Isaac and his descendants, not through Ismael and his descendants. And this involves quite a piece of real estate stretching from what is identified as "the river of Egypt" on the west to the Euphrates River on the east! (Genesis 15 in which it is recorded, "And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there was a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: 'To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates...'") Check the final chapters of the prophet Isaiah to see how this is going to play out. Other prophets have addressed this matter as well. Now if God is not going to keep this covenant, as some suggest, then will He keep any covenant, including the one made through His Son, Jesus Christ? And is the Scripture in error when we are told that God declares Himself to be One Who changes not? (Malachi 3:6). I know there is a lot of foot shuffling going on by way of so-called "interpretation" on these things, but for once could we just take God at His Word, and that He really means what He says by way of His promises?

Finally, “evangelicals” make much about the example set by Jesus and our need to “walk in His steps” as it were. OK, how about His example of doing “dialog.” For starters, check Matthew 23 as to how He did “dialog” with those who were in sharp disagreement with Him. And the persons to whom He spoke were powerful leaders of the religious establishment. It is understandable that they would not have nominated Him to be Time Magazine's "Man of the Year!"

Also, where do you see Jesus backing off from the absolute demands He placed on all human beings – for instance, that one must absolutely be born again as mentioned in John 3 -- that is, if you expect to be a future resident of His eternal Kingdom! And where do you see Him in "dialog" and expressing a willingness to back off and give space to Allah, Vishnu, Buddha or others when He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”??? Well, come on, I’m waiting – or do we take the modern approach – grab a chair – sit down at the table and say, “Jesus didn’t really mean all those radical statements attributed to Him!”

Added to this, note His statement about bringing peace to the world in Matthew 10.

"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.' And 'a man's foes will be those of his own household.' He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” --- Matthew 10:32-40

And if we claim He is Savior and Lord and that we are to be His representatives here on earth, where does that put us when it comes to how well we will get along with others who take positions that are in sharp disagreement with the clear teachings of God’s special revelation to us via the holy Scriptures?

Call me anything you want, but don’t call me an “evangelical!”

"These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. --- John 15:17-21

Lying Does Pay Off!

They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. --- 2 Peter 2:13a,14

Lying thrives in a culture such as ours. It is a practice involving persons of all ages -- from the very young who are just getting started in school to those in the sunset years who already have one foot in the grave and the other one is getting to be very shaky!

Lying happens due to a variety of motives:

• to avoid acceptance of the truth and the accountability that goes along with acceptance of the truth
  
• to avoid taking responsibility for bad decisions made and actions following those decisions
  
• to assassinate a person's character
  
• to seek revenge against a person for some alleged "wrong" done by that person
  
• to increase one's financial holdings
  
• to gain a prominent and powerful position for oneself
  

Lying always does immeasurable damage wherever it takes place.

It is strictly prohibited by God as listed in the code of the 10 commandments. The statement is simple, requiring no further explanation: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16)

One area where the greatest devastation takes place is within that group of persons professing to be Christian in faith and followers of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

We are not as free to be "liberal" in our interpretations of the Scriptures as we would like to think! For instance:

• God has revealed that there was an Adam and there was an Eve -- our first "parents" and through whom the human race had its origin. But there are those (pastors, professors, church leaders, theologians, and laity) who say there never were such persons in existence -- God says He made them. But certain humans lie and say that Adam and Eve never really existed! That's more than a tad of a slap in God's face, wouldn't you say?
  
  
• God says the world got so wicked at one point that He destroyed all living things, human and animal, except for those on board an ark. The "spot & blemish" bunch (identified previously) scattered among professing Christians lie and say the event reported as a universal flood judgment never really happened!
  
  
• God has revealed that He brought the Israelites out of Egypt and at one point opened up that vast body of water known as the Red Sea, making the crossing possible for them. And then God permitted the waters to return to their natural condition, drowning the Egyptian military in the process as it zealously pursued the Israelites. The "spot & blemish" crowd lies and says it never happened!
  
  
• God has explicitly revealed the boundaries of how we humans are to experience our sexuality. That experience is limited to a male and female who have entered into the covenant of marriage. All other types of sexual activity which are mentioned in God's revelation are forbidden and labeled as sin or in some cases, worse than that, as being abominations! But the "spot & blemish" crowd lies and says that some forms of sexual behavior are good, and even preferable -- and worse, they claim that God gives His approval to such so that even in the church which professes to be Christian, just about any kind of sexual shenanigans are acceptable! God has yet to make His response to this updated standard of morality!
  
  
• God has revealed that with a love which defies human understanding He gave His Son, Jesus, to be a substitutionary sacrifice for all the sins committed by all the members of the human race. Further, that Jesus is the only way of salvation and entrance into God's Heaven. Christianity, unfortunately, is plagued by the "spot & blemish" crowd which says that there are other ways to get to Heaven through the many other faiths which presently exist in today's world, and we who are Christian should not be so dogmatic upon insisting that Jesus is exclusively the way to salvation and ultimately to Heaven!
  
  
• God has said there is a Hell and a lot of people are going to end up in that place. The "spot & blemish" crowd lies and says that there is no Hell! With unregenerate and warped minds they try to reason that God could never be a "God of love" if even one human ended up in Hell!
  
  
• God says there is a Devil on the loose along with a host of demons in league with him. The "spot & blemish" crowd lies and says there is no Devil and there are no demons!
  
  
• God says there will be a series of devastating judgments visited upon this earth in the future. The "spot & blemish" crowd lies and says there will be no such events because -- now by this time you can guess it -- yes, that's what they say -- "God is a God of love and compassion -- why He would never bring those terrible things associated with judgement upon anyone!"
  

So what we have at times is a major conflict -- with God saying one thing and the "spot & blemish" crowd within the ranks of Christianity saying the opposite -- God says He did it and they say He didn't, etc!

It comes down to this -- who is to be believed? Always keep in mind that lying does pay off, and if you go along with the lie/s, the future will not be pleasant. God has the last word on that matter, not the "spot & blemish" crowd -----

And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." --- Revelation 21:6-8

God Doing Bad Things? Surely Not!

"Also I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities. and lack of bread in all your places; yet you have not returned to Me," says the LORD. I also withheld rain from you, when there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, and where it did not rain the part withered. So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, but they were not satisfied; yet you have not returned to Me," says the LORD. "I blasted you with blight and mildew. When your gardens increased, your vineyards, your fig trees, and your olive trees, The locust devoured them; yet you have not returned to Me," says the LORD. "I sent among you a plague after the manner of Egypt; your young men I killed with a sword, along with your captive horses; I made the stench of your camps come up into your nostrils; yet you have not returned to Me," says the LORD. "I overthrew some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning; yet you have not returned to Me," says the LORD. "Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!" --- Amos 4:6-12

“God is a God of love – He would never do anything bad and He certainly would never send anyone to Hell – how could He be a God of love and do bad things that would bring pain and suffering into the lives of people?”

And so the reasoning goes on in broken record fashion. From theologians, seminary professors, influential church leaders and pastors all the way into church pews occupied by the laity, increased numbers are buying into a multifaceted heresy which boils down to one simple statement – “God would never do anything that would bring pain and suffering of any kind to humans because He is a God of unconditional love!”

This perverted view takes place due to:

• the acceptance of the apostate position that the Bible is simply a human production of writings which are contradictory and subject to a wide variety of interpretations.
  
  
• the idea that past cultures were victimized by superstitious practices and ideas about deities and these are reflected at times in the Scriptures. You know, the God of the Old Testament is a raging maniac who is mad all the time at somebody!
  
  
• the fact that there has not been a serious effort to examine the total revelation given to us in order to more fully identify the God Who brought a mighty universe into existence by mere spoken command. God is revealed to be a God of love and compassion which the human mind cannot begin to comprehend. However, He is also a God of chastising actions and ultimately a God of wrath and judgment if His chastising actions do not bring a people to full repentance and reconciliation with Him!
  

In this age of the Gospel it means personal and corporate repentance of all sin, the receiving of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and ongoing commitment to serve Him as Lord over all the affairs and relationships of life, personally and corporately!

Our republic is going through a lot of calamities of many kinds – military operations in confusion, financial uncertainty with a national debt in excess of 8 trillion dollars, environmental and weather instability, many diseases out of control, and social unrest of unprecedented proportions, to mention just a few.
Review carefully the conditions for blessing and warning of what will happen for persistent disobedience to God in Deuteronomy 28. Also notice the pattern which leads to God doing some very “bad things” as outlined in 2 Chronicles 36:11-21.

It's rather obvious that God has been speaking and calling for some time, but there has been no real desire to turn from our rebellion as a nation and seek His mercy and forgiveness, has there? How long do you think it will be before He drops the "other shoe?"

And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. --- 2 Chronicles 36:15-17

I Like Milk, But.....!

I grew up on a farm in my younger years until I left to work for Uncle Sam for three years at the age of 19.

We had a small herd of Guernsey cows. They had a reputation of having high quality milk with high butterfat content -- sometimes the expression "golden Guernsey milk" was used by dairies in promoting their milk.

We had lots of milk to drink each day and my mother made butter. My dad drank the buttermilk -- he was the only one in the family who would!

I averaged at least a quart of milk a day and sometimes more -- especially if my mother had just taken a chocolate cake out of the oven. You will find it hard to beat this combination -- warm chocolate cake just freshly baked and cold Guernsey milk to go with it!

But my desire for a drink of cold milk is totally annihilated if I become aware that someone has dropped a few drops of arsenic into it -- it may be just as white as before and just as cold as I'd want it to be -- BUT it's the few drops of arsenic which will keep me from drinking it. The last I had heard, arsenic is not a booster to better health -- in fact, the stuff will kill you!

For decades in this country there have been persons who have been slipping a few drops of spiritual arsenic into the diets of Christians in quite a number of places.

You may ask just who these person are -- and what is the nature of this "spiritual arsenic?"

The perpetrators come from all strata within those groups claiming to be Christian. They can be theologians, seminary professors, teachers in a variety of schools, church leaders, pastors, and lay persons holding offices in a church.

This group which dispenses the spiritual arsenic has one thing in common though the nature of the arsenic dispensed may vary a bit. The common thread is a denial of something revealed in the holy Scriptures (Bible) -- God has made a lot of things plain to us such as spelling out the basic root problem of the human race, what laws apply to all human behavior and relationships, what He has done to bring healing and wholeness to sinful human beings, the performing of many miraculous acts during the history of the human race, and what He has planned for the future.

Since the Holy Spirit (the greatest Theologian in existence) authored the Scriptures and Jesus promised that this same Holy Spirit would teach us, guide us into the truth, and would show us things to come, then we can be absolutely certain of a number of things, starting with positive assurance of sins forgiven on condition of our repenting of all sin and receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of our lives!

But here's the problem -- Jesus warned of what He described as "wolves in sheep's clothing" making their dreaded appearances. He also warned of false teachers and prophets coming on the scene and this would be a worsening problem as we get closer to the moment of His personal return to this world.

So now the church at large more than possibly at any time in its 2,000 year history is plagued with those who deny the authenticity of the Scriptures, deny the moral standards which God has put in place, deny the miracles He has done throughout human history, deny the existence of a personal devil and a huge host of demon spirits, deny the significance of Jesus' atonement for the entire human race, deny He was literally resurrected from the dead following His crucifixion, and deny that He is going to return to this sin ravaged planet to take charge and rule the entire world at some point in the future!

It behooves Christians more than ever to spend much time on a daily basis searching the Scriptures and seeking to be spiritually sensitive to anyone who would try to convince you that something which God has made very plain in His revealed Word is not really so -- watch out for the subtle droplets of spiritual arsenic! And when such an individual attempts to lace your spiritual diet with the poison of unbelief you can write that person off as being as phony as a three dollar bill!

By the way, I do have a three dollar bill in my collection of unusual "currency" -- it has a picture of Bill Clinton on it -- but it could just as well have the pictures of some theologians to which I have been exposed over the years -- some pastors --some teachers -- even some United Methodist bishops and also some lay persons as well!

And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand."
--- Matthew 24:4,5,11-13,23,24

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. --- 2 Peter 2:1-3

It's No Longer "Here Comes the Judge" But Look Out, Here Comes the Bishop!

Last summer following a lot of intensive meetings and "campaigning" the Western PA Conference of the United Methodist Church adopted a massive program under the name of "Believe Again!" -- this "strategic plan," which is quite possibly the most ambitious project ever launched by a conference, is supposed to bring about all kinds of results which will make United Methodist churches in the western third of PA more high profile and powerful in their ministries. Bishop Thomas Bickerton has been the spark plug in this venture which in some ways would make a Washington DC politician envious at the structure, the details, and the financing involved!

Here's the kicker -- most of the churches were to get a nice refund on payments previously sent in on pastors' health plans. Want to guess who came up with the bright idea to have those churches receiving reimbursements to sign the checks and turn them over to help finance this great "Believe Again!" campaign?

The pressure was about as high as it could get without blowing a valve -- not just on congregations but even worse, on the pastors also! Turn those reimbursements over to the "campaign!" Most seemed to go along, but some chose not to financially commit and to not turn over the reimbursement money they had received. Isn't this still supposed to be a republic where choices can be made without a lot of pressure to make a choice in favor of what certain leaders WANT??? Not if you are in a certain denomination and you have leaders who expect pastors and their congregations to march in lockstep like a bunch of programmed robots to their every demand!

Now the word is out that those non participating congregations are going to be asked to "reconsider" their decision about not contributing to the "cause" -- and then the bishop wants to meet with pastors and lay leadership to discuss why the congregations have not responded!

Will these actually be meetings where the bishop, smiling from ear to ear, attaches the strings and the Western PA Conference will reach the point where all the bishop has to do is yank the strings and ALL pastors and ALL congregations say, "Yes, sir -- whatever you say, sir -- your suggestions are our commands to carry out without question or objection!" Remember now, this will be done under a pretense of "piety" but with a not so well concealed threat that "if you don't pay now to the 'cause,' you'll pay a price later on down the road!" Retaliation has been known to have been employed in cases where pastors and/or congregations failed to "cooperate" when expected to do so!

BTW, you can see some comments about this "Believe Again!" campaign now underway in the United Methodist Churches in western Pennsylvania at Believe Again! OK! But What Is It That I Am Supposed to Believe? It has been written by yours truly. Enjoy!


On second thought, maybe someone can revive those old wringer washers from the age of antiquity and run those reluctant UMC congregations and their pastors through the wringer -- that should get every last cent out of them for the "campaign" with an additional "perk" wherein we can brag on 100 percent cooperation and support as we "Believe Again!"

And always remember -- intimidation is alive and thriving among the churches of the Western PA Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church -- would some of our brethren in the priesthood of the Roman Catholic Church please come give it the last rites? It's long over due!

Labels and Pigeon Holes!

So there was a division among the people because of Him. -- John 7:43

What kind of label do you wear? In a culture such as ours it is possible to wear about anything, whether it is something you have selected or what others prefer to hang on you.

Along with that is the "pigeon hole" thing with labels over each one. This is what I think of in the United Methodist Church where I am an ordained elder with membership in the W. PA Annual Conference. Over the years ministry in the UMC has undergone quite an evolution -- there were some "pigeon holes" for ministers when I began, but now it's like a plague running unchecked. We've got more labels for our pastors and the slots into which they are placed than that proverbial fellow who had a bunch of liver pills! They always make sure that the ordained elder is at the top of the heap and after that you have associate members, lay pastors, part time lay pastors, student pastors, deacons, etc. And I haven't named all the slots on this either!

Then to add to this quagmire, you have labels which are supposed to identify where you are on the theological totem pole! One is liberal, conservative, evangelical, middle-of-the-road, fundamentalist, orthodox, Bible-believer, etc. In politics it gets about as crazy as it is within church circles.

So what kind of label do you attach to yourself? And what do others put on you? This latter one can get pretty far out, depending on the first one you claim to wear. Ever hear the term "homophobic" applied to someone -- usually it connects to the choice of a special label a person has chosen to wear which has stirred up intense feelings from some who wear a label of a much different kind!

Speaking for myself -- I try to avoid any of those aforementioned labels having to do with a theological position, although some may have branded me as bouncing in between evangelical and fundamentalist! But really I chose not to wear either of those -- I prefer "maverick" -- it always evokes a response of some kind -- from raw hatred to a more positive "Amen!" type of thing! I am aware that there are those out there somewhere who want to identify with that term somehow. It's still a matter of choice.

The best Friend I ever had stirred things up in the culture He visited a long time ago -- the people just could not agree in their assessment of Him. Some said that He was a good person -- others said He was of the Devil and in league with him. May it be so with us who claim to identify with the Christian faith -- our exposure to others will result in a similar response, rather than people shrugging their shoulders and saying, "I have no response to make!" about ___________. (You don't want your name in that blank space, do you?)

And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." -- Matthew 24:4-14