So Now It Is Time to Pray, Is It?

After the tragedy of the shootings in Tucson AZ there were calls to pray coming from many quarters, including the Congress of the United States, moments of "silence" etc. --- as reported by various news releases throughout the nation

It never fails to happen -- each time there is some kind of a tragedy in the United States in which a number of lives are lost under certain conditions, then there is quite a bit of attention given to the subject of prayer. And having been a pastor for over 50 years, I not only attempt to respond by praying myself, but also urge my congregational members to pray as well.

The last few days have seen the media dominated by the tragedy in Tucson AZ. Terms such as "thoughts and prayers" are often stated. The president and his wife were featured as leading the nation in a "moment of silence" -- you know, a generic term that no person should find offensive as opposed to an announcement, "And now the president is going to lead us in a time of prayer to Almighty God through His Son, Jesus Christ!"

But have you ever considered what God's response might be in these incidents as many say, "We need to pray!" This is especially an interesting phenomenon in a nation that has "officially" placed "No Trespassing" signs up so that the Creator of this universe -- the One Who gives and sustains all life will know clearly where He is permitted to be present and acknowledged and where the off limits territories are located!

Nearly 50 years ago God was informed that He was no longer welcome in the public school systems of this country nor was His inspired Word (the Bible) to be read in the hearing of students attending public schools. I state it this way because the infamous Supreme Court decision on the issue amounted to exactly that! This debacle of the first magnitude was further broadened as years passed and in a sense "refined" as students in graduation exercises were told to make no reference to God or Jesus Christ in the course of delivering their remarks, etc. Many hailed the decision as a great advancement and a very good thing -- there were even a number of thoughtless church leaders that praised this decision!

I remember well a high school student in one of our youth groups telling me that someone put a sign up on the school bulletin board after the Supreme Court's major blunder -- the sign said, "In case of nuclear attack the ban against prayer in this school will be temporarily suspended!" He further told me the sign was not up very long until a member of the school administration quickly tore it down and presumably placed it in the notorious "round file!"

While very few are recognizing it, we are duplicating the behavior patterns of an ancient kingdom which existed over 26 centuries ago in the Middle East. It was known as the kingdom of Judah, inhabited by Israelite people. For some time they were on a course leading to disaster due to persistent ethical, moral and spiritual corruption. Faithful prophets in those times sounded the warning of impending judgment if there was not widespread repentance on the part of the people and their leaders, religious and political. But the prophets for the most part were written off as a bunch of wild-eyed religous fanatics who were candidates for the insane asylum, if there were such an institution -- or better, execute them and feed their bodies to the dogs!

Eventually judgment did come, but not without ample warning by means of calamities of various kinds as well as the faithful appeals right up to the end stated by the prophets. And when a rather universal appeal for people to pray was made throughout the nation, here is how God responded --

"As the thief is ashamed when he is found out, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they and their kings and their princes, and their priests and their prophets, saying to a tree, 'You are my father,' and to a stone, 'You gave birth to me.' For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they will say, 'Arise and save us.' But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah. Why will you plead with Me? You all have transgressed against Me," says the LORD. (Jeremiah 2:26-29).

In light of the preceding quote and a look at the present ethical, moral and spiritual condition of our republic at the present time, will you dare to ponder a bit on how God is viewing us and what kind of response or lack thereof might be taking place?

"Therefore do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble." --- Jeremiah 11:14

The Issue Is Not the Ability to Serve, But Rather a Moral One!

Military's Gay Ban Lifted --- Internet News Headline ----- President Obama signs into law the banning of the DADT policy that existed in the military for a number of years which prevented sodomites and lesbians from serving openly in the military --- news release December 22, 2010

Few if any would dispute the fact that those who are sodomite or lesbian in their sexual practices can pull a trigger on a rifle, dig a fox hole, drive a Humvee, maneuver a tank, fly a bomber, run a military computer, or steer a battleship as well as any heterosexual person. And in some cases they may do these and other tasks even better than a heterosexual counterpart. And such individuals can, in most instances, get along quite well with their heterosexual comrades. But these are not and likely have never really been the issues.

The issue is a moral one. God's special revelation made available to the human race reveals the sexual boundaries which have been set up by the Creator of this vast universe. There are sexual moral issues that are defined and God spells out clearly what is acceptable conduct in sexual experience and expression and what is not. Of the various sexual violations of God's moral code there is one that stands separate from the others. Sodomy is not regarded as just a sinful violation (missing the mark; or lawlessness), but as an abomination!

It is difficult, if not impossible, for the human mind to grasp the significance of God's choice in using such a word for a specific sexual transgression. Perhaps we can start by picturing this offense as not just a sin, but sin intensified many, many times over. That it is a horrible and most destestable stench in the nostrils of a holy God! Those who are natives in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania know that if you drive by the rotting carcass of a deer hit on the highway in 85 degree temperature in the summertime, the smell is most unpleasant. The Bible at times describes offenses on the part of humans rising before God as a stench that is most repulsive!

There is not one place in all the Scripture where sodomy and lesbianism are revealed and described in a positive light, or that such conduct is ever acceptable to God. The reason is really rather simple -- God's design for His creation involved male and female humans with the capacity to be sexually intimate. But the boundary which God established on this limited sexual intimacy to a male and female who were committed to each other within the covenant of marriage! The Bible records a number of sexual encounters taking place in the history of the human race with the only acceptable ones being those who were married. Anything outside of the marriage union was a moral offense. But as mentioned earlier, God placed sodomy in a separate category by labeling it as an abomination.

I am fully aware, due to the massive and successful brain-washing that has been under way in our culture for years that, first of all, to state what I have just stated places me in the category of being a homophobe and a hate-monger. Second, there are those who have attempted to "interpret" the Scriptures so that sodomy and lesbianism are quite acceptable so long as the "couple" involved are "monogamous" and "committed." The same Scriptures do warn of those who will twist and pervert the Scriptures to their own destruction. So, not just in the public at large, but within church circles we have the growing acceptance of sodomy and lesbianism as legitimate and morally correct lifestyles!

It was simply a matter of time until the issue of the military's approach to sodomy and lesbianism would be addressed and altered by the U. S. Congress and a president's signature. But remember this - God will be making His response to this as well as to other national expressions of defiance against Him Who makes our life and existence possible -- the One before Whom we will appear ultimately to be judged!

Mentioned at the beginning was the fact of God's special revelation being made available to the human race. That is where the problem really lies -- massive refusal to accept God's revelation. To obey and put it all into practice evokes a response that is akin to the ancient Romans in their Coliseum. When they looked to see the emperor's response to a fight between gladiators and one was down with the opponent holding a sword to his throat, the emperor would turn thumbs down which meant the defeated gladiator was to be killed for such a "poor fight!" The crowd would follow the emperor and give the thumbs down response as well. To God, the vast majority is giving a thumbs down on His moral code for human sexual behavior and that includes same-sex intimacy! By the way, which way is your thumb pointing these days -- the same as the U. S. Congress and the president, or is yours pointing up in response to God's moral code?

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! --- Isaiah 5:20

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

Is It Really a "Win?"

The United States Senate voted to end the DADT (Don't Ask, Don't Tell) policy of banning homosexuals from serving openly in the U. S. military --- news releases on Saturday, December 18, 2010

There is likely dancing in the streets in places and a number of members of the U. S. Congress celebrating the end of the DADT ban which prevented homosexuals from serving openly in the U. S. military for a number of years. After all, it was reasoned, this was a form of discrimination of the most serious kind, and we certainly can't have that, can we?

The reality of what this means may not be revealed for a while, depending on how soon God chooses to respond fully to a nation that has given Him the traditional obscene gesture time and time again by defying His standards of ethical, moral and spiritual behavior on the part of human beings.

But eventually there will come a day in which God will deal with this country and the deadly mistakes made by its leaders, political and church, in which they have been leading our nation down a road to absolute disaster of the first magnitude!

God is fair and God is loving, but there is a time when He in effect draws a line in the sand and says, "Enough is enough!" The history of ancient Israel as given in the holy Scriptures provides shocking details as to what happens to a culture when the standards of holy conduct and relationships are totally rejected. Our leadership is presently duplicating the patterns of those leaders of Israel centuries ago. The day came when the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah were both destroyed by God's judgments, this mainly due to the fact that the people and their leaders refused to heed the warnings of the prophets! God has been calling out today and giving warning, but who is seriously listening?

The sodomite/lesbian cartel has been gaining momentum and winning so-called "victories" for some time. This "victory" in regard to the military DADT policy is simply the latest.

What will be next? Certainly the recognition of "marriage" between 2 males or 2 females is a priorty -- could it be that the time will come when the U. S. Congress will pass some sort of legislation that will require all clergy, magistrates, and judges to perform "marriages" for sodomites and lesbians? Don't ever say "Never!" in such a country as the United States because this republic has again on this date, December 18, 2010, demonstrated that the truth as clearly revealed by the Creator of this mighty universe is to be regarded as nothing more than a temporary irritation and should be tossed into the garbage can as quickly as possible! Can you picture "couples" in the military of the future who are "married" -- sodomites and lesbians?

So, as asked at the beginning -- was it really a "win?" Don't be too hasty to say, "Yes!" Wait until God makes His response and then give your answer -- that is, if you are in a position to be able to do so at that time! It is very wise to remember that God will write the last chapter in human history, and adjust your lifestyle accordingly.

But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was aroused against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very great plague. --- Numbers 11:33

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 6:7,8

But Nancy, What About God's Discrimination?

Nancy Pelosi has stated that we need to do everything we can to eliminate discrimination. This statement was made in the context of the U.S. Congress voting to end the DADT (Don't Ask, Don't Tell) policy in the U. S. military. This present policy is considered by her and others such as she as being discriminatory against homosexuals serving openly in the military. --- news video clip of Mrs. Pelosi commenting on ending discrimination in every way possible.

Nancy Pelosi has gone repeatedly on record as opposed to the U.S. military policy of DADT (Don't Ask, Don't Tell). This prevents homosexuals from serving openly in the military. So, presently if one is a homosexual, that "orientation" must be kept secret if one wants to remain an active member of the military. Mrs. Pelosi believes this to be a form of discrimination that needs to be ended.

A question that she and others in "her camp" have not faced is this -- what do you do about the glaring discrimination that God has shown in regard to same-sex practices?

An honest reading -- and note, I said, an "honest reading" of the Scriptures reveal that God does discriminate against those who engage in same-sex activity. God labels it as an abomination -- not just sin, as such, but as an abomination! Both the Old Testament and the New Testament provide information on how God views same-sex intimacy and the response from God is always very negative!

Those who practice or those supporting persons who engage in same-sex activity react with fierce hostility when it is suggested that God labels such conduct as abominable and that such will be severely judged. Defense mechanisms instantly come into play by labeling any who object to homosexual behavior as being homophobic, bigoted, hate-mongers and whatever other negative labels can be hung on the opposition, whether that opposition is expressed within church circles or in the public arena!

Further, there is no want to those who attempt to twist and pervert the Scriptures in order to justify same-sex practices. But none of us will be dead more than a few seconds at most and then, too late for many, comes the "wake up call" that God indeed meant every word He said in regard to the issue of homosexuality. The ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah are mute evidence that God does discriminate when it comes to certain sexual practices.

And it appears, with the help of a lot of elected officials as well as a number of church leaders, that the United States is going to walk down the same path as did Sodom and Gomorrah. One thing is sure, the destiny of the United States will also be the same! If for no other reason than the fact that we have had access to God's revelation and how He regards the issue of same-sex intimacy from the time our republic was put together in the latter years of the 18th Century!

For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed with the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds); then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.... --- 2 Peter 2:4-9

The Virgin Birth Revisited!

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. --- Isaiah 7:14 (written approximately 800 years before the birth of Jesus Christ)

It was one of the great events recorded in the Bible which began to be questioned and eventually denied in the closing years of the 19th Century. There were those "scholars" and supposed "intellectuals" in the religious realm who simply could not accept the fact that God chose a humble young Hebrew woman -- one likely still in her teen years -- to be the human instrument through whom His Son, Jesus, would be born into the world. The miracle was in the fact that no human father was involved in the conception of this child. As spelled out in the Scripture account the Holy Spirit would come upon Mary and the miracle of conception would take place, bypassing the usual biological means by which a baby is conceived through the union of a human male sperm and a human female egg!

Like a cancer which begins with just a cell or two, the spirit of unbelief in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ spread, eventually reaching the shores of the United States. The beginning of the 20th Century saw a "war" break out within those churches which claim to be Christian in faith. In those days the conflict was commonly referred to as the "modernist-fundamentalist" controversy. And over time those groups identified as "mainline denominations" really took a hit. But the nature of this spiritual "cancer" is such that you never can be quite sure as to where it will rear its ugly head!

Persons involved in this were church leaders, seminary professors, and pastors. And to lend authority to this "new light" that the virgin birth never literally happened a strange breed of persons known as "theologians" affirmed under the guise of some wild explanations and interpretations that Jesus was actually conceived in the old fashioned way, the same as the rest of us sinners! One of these went so far as to suggest that Jesus might have been conceived as a result of Mary becoming intimate with one of the mercenaries under hire to the Romans! Oh well, if you are going to demonstrate pure insanity in your thinking, you might as well do it first-class and leave no room for doubt that your elevator can't get any higher than a few feet off the first floor at best!

And so as the seed of unbelief was sown in seminaries and in churches over the years which included not only the virgin birth but other miraculous works of Almighty God, we have come to the place today where it is not that uncommon to find that the Bible is simply regarded as a human produced book with a lot of stories that fall into the category of myth and fable. Oh, we might experience a temporary uplift from them, but we need to remember one thing - they never actually happened -- someone just got carried away with his imagination when writing about such things when it was all put together somewhere in the ancient past!

There are still a few of us (the number seems to be diminishing) who believe beyond all doubt that Jesus was conceived by a mighty work of the Holy Spirit. The God Whom we few choose to believe is capable of doing things that are far beyond our puny and limited minds to even begin to understand! Maybe one main reason for this element of trust is the fact that we have become personally acquainted with this God through Jesus Christ -- when you really become acquainted with a close friend, among other things, you know what that friend is capable of doing.

One key to this confidence is seen in Jesus' own statement during His ministry -- "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3). Ah, so that's how it works - the moment I become inflated with my pride in being "sophisticated" and "intellectual" -- and the moment I take the position in regard to the Bible in which I say, "What do I have to say about this Book, rather than what does this Book have to say about me?" I am in a giant heap of trouble!

But when I become as a child through an act of God's grace in conversion, and I read that God did a miracle 2,000 years ago and used a young virgin as the means by whom He brought His Son into the world, then I have no problem -- my view has become one that God can do anything He wants to anytime He wants to, and is under no obligation to explain to me all the ins, outs, wherefores, and whys about what He did!

One of the big surprises for many after death is facing the fact that God meant every word He said and did every deed recorded in the Book, which means there will be a crowd that will be highly embarrassed as they find themselves now facing the Creator of this mighty universe in judgment and being pressed as to why they chose not to believe the revelation to which they had total access over the years of their existence on a lowly planet called Earth!

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." --- Luke 1:26-37

Will We Soon Have to Ask Permission to Use the Rest Room?

There is a nutrition bill moving along toward President Barack Obama which would allow the government power to limit school bake sales or other fundraisers that some say can replace wholesome meals in schools. This legislation is part of Michelle Obama's anti-obesity campaign. --- Internet news release

So, should anyone be surprised as the federal government continues to boldly infringe on the rights of United States citizens. None of us fully realizes the extent of the "invasion" that has taken place over the past few decades let alone the past few months.

It is an ongoing "cancer" of a different kind -- the predominant thinking and attitude in Washington DC that elected officials are more intelligent than the citizens they were elected to represent, starting with the president of the U.S. and his wife!

Therefore they know far better than we what is best for us and new laws and regulations are necessary in order to establish a higher "quality of life" for us -- stated simply -- "The federal government is resolved to save us from ourselves!"

Mentioned at the beginning is one of the latest debacles -- the government is going to seek to limit school bake sales which are one of the common ways fundraising has been done by various groups connected with our schools. This on the pretense of fighting off obesity!

Could it be as time moves on that the government will want to control our lives to the extent that we will actually have to ask permission to go to a rest room? At the risk of giving some politicians or the president or his wife a hint for pressing for new legislation, the grounds for this would be that we might contribute to further polluting the environment by our use of the rest room -- if we are merely going to wash our hands or comb our hair, that might be OK -- but don't do anything more than that!

Hey, don't laugh -- we're dealing with a government that has moved well into the area of what is most accurately described as the "lunatic fringe!" It might just happen, so get ready to raise your hand as we did in the old one room country schools of long ago and ask permission to go to the toilet -- we didn't actually say the word -- it was just, "May I leave the room?" And the teacher understood what our destination was, and that we would be returning to the school room in a short time after we had completed our "mission." Also it is highly unlikely that the so-called Republican "victories" of November 2010 will make any real significant difference in the future

But the good news is that the day is coming when there will be no legislating and passing of stupid laws -- all politicians will be out of a job. God has future plans for His creation and for this world, and that includes the control of this world under the direction of His Son, Jesus Christ. All dictators, prime ministers, presidents, members of parliaments and congressional bodies will be removed from their positions! At long last the world will know peace and God's standards will be in place and enforced -- a very healthy and profitable change. I hope it happens before the United States government tells me I have to raise my hand and ask for its permission to go to the rest room!

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

An Ego Distinctly Qualified for a World Record!

Ego: the self; the individual as aware of himself...
Egocentric: dwelling upon one's self or upon one's own personal interests almost to the exclusion of everything else; viewing everything in relation to oneself; self-centered. --- from Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary

All world leaders, as is true of each individual, have to deal with the issue of ego -- to what extent is the ego going to dominate one's life and influence one's decision making. History is strewn with the wreckage of cultures due to leaders who miserably failed to bring the ego into submission to the will of the Creator of this mighty universe. God has revealed quite a few things about the ego and how it is to be dealt with in human experience.

We are presently saddled with a president whose ego demands attention on a 24/7 basis. Some have suggested that he has never really shifted out of "campaign" mode. There is the felt necessity to be always traveling somewhere and personally face crowds of people for whatever reason, and those reasons can be as varied as a giant box of Crayola crayons!

The latest expression of the Obama ego is seen in the planned Asia trip of 10 days which will take him into such countries as India and Indonesia. Controversy has erupted over the magnitude and expense of such a venture when in reality it isn't really necessary. While speaking platitudes about the economy and the need to get things up and rolling, the president fails to recognize that he can do some things or refuse to do some things that will not further burden the way things are financially at the present time in our republic.

Here are some things involved in the trip: already three visits have been made by security personnel to plan for "The Visit." Some hardware involved are 34 warships, 40 aircraft, a bunch of limos including the $300,000 "Beast," and of course Air Force One which gets a tad less than 28 miles to the gallon while in flight!

The entire 5-star Taz hotel has been booked for the entourage. This involves at least 500 people which includes Secret Service and White House staff persons. It was the Taz that was the scene of bombings and riots last year. So it figures that security will require not only a huge number of our people, but those from India as well.

One figure tossed around which is being challenged is 200 million dollars a day. But is it really possible to calculate the grand total which involves the expense of the hardware and the time and salaries paid to all involved somehow in this debacle of the first magnitude? One thing sure, you have more than a figure of $39.95 involved here.

As an aside - the ego rose again to the occasion at the press conference following the day of the election. The message sent by the voters was totally ignored with the "ego" suggesting that we citizens did not really understand what he was trying to do through what we interpret as "government intrusion" -- so there you have it again, we are a bunch of stupid people -- he's the smart one and knows what is best for us and the country.

Fortunately, there is a change coming at some point in the future and he, with the record setting ego, will not be the one who brings it about! Just take a sobering, prayerful look at Revelation 11:15 -- it tells of the time when all world leaders will be out of a job!

Then He (Jesus) said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what advantage is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels." --- Luke 9:23-26