Those Radicalized Christians!

According to federal government sources, the San Bernardino couple which went on a shooting rampage resulting in 14 killed and many wounded had been “radicalized” some time ago. [Various news reports.]

If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. [Acts 4:9-12 (KJV)]

A new term has been added to the political correct dictionary of proper words and terms for use in the United States. That new term is “radicalized” and is applied to those highly dedicated Muslims who select a target involving a number of people and then in a surprise move, start shooting them. As of this writing, the most recent incident took place in San Bernardino CA with 14 persons dead and many wounded in the attack. Federal government sources declare that the couple responsible for these killings and injuries was “radicalized.” In reality what took place was that a couple of persons took their Quaran very seriously and became involved in the mission to purge the world of infidels, prepare the way for Islam to dominate and control the world and insure that all residents are Muslim in faith and practice!

But there is another group of persons who have become radicalized also. These are Christians who take their Bible seriously and believe it to be the absolute authority on matters pertaining to the Christian faith and the practice of that faith in everyday life! “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” [2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)].

These Christians are radical in their convictions that Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, is the only source of forgiveness, peace with God, and the hope of entering Heaven when their earthly life comes to an end. One of many statements as to why they believe this is found in John 3 of the Bible: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” [John 3:16-18 (KJV)].

These Christians are radical in their identification of exactly Who Jesus Christ is. He is Almighty God revealed in human form. His birth was nothing short of a miracle in that no human father was involved in His conception. He was born of the virgin Mary and lived the perfect life here on the earth that He originally created a long time ago! “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. [John 1:10-14 (KJV)].

These Christians are radical because they fully believe all the claims Jesus made concerning Himself. A few of these are: “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst…… I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life….. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep..... I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” [John 6:35; 8:12; 10:9-11; 14:6 (KJV)].

These Christians are radical because they fully accept the demands that Jesus Christ has placed upon all who would come to Him and accept Him as Savior and Lord of their lives. There are four demands issued by Jesus which apply to all members of the human race. It is the choice of each person to either accept or reject the demands. Evidence is overwhelming that the majority of the human race has chosen to reject Jesus’ demands. The first one is this: “Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” [John 3:3 (KJV)]. The other three are found in Matthew 18:3, Luke 13:3 and John 6:53. The price is obviously very high for those who choose to reject the demands!

These Christians are radical because of what motivates them to act and relate to others in this world. That which motivates them is love – love for God and their fellow humans. This doesn’t mean they have reached absolute perfection in performance, but it does mean that their desire is to please their Lord and to attempt to do His will in each day’s activities. Jesus set the standard by His own example and then told those who would follow Him: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” [John 13:34-35 (KJV)].

As Christians who have been radicalized practice the love of Jesus Christ it means there will never be any threats made, no knife to the throat, and no gun to the head or any act of violence. The invitation is to repent of sin and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord – if the person to whom this offer is made rejects it, then so be it. There will be no act of retaliation ever taken.

Radical Christians attempt to be sensitive to various needs of others and to help them as opportunity presents itself in a variety of ways. This at times will involve financial assistance, the donating of food items as in the case of a food pantry ministry, etc. It matters not who the person is nor what their religious identity may be – that will not be the issue – if they are in need and the Christian has the means to give help, then the help will be given, no matter what!

However, radicalized Christians come under fire at times from other “professing” Christians. There are those who claim to be Christian who do not accept the Bible as God’s inspired Word. It is regarded as a human produced series of writings only. The reported miracles did not literally happen. Jesus’ miracles, His sacrificial atonement for the sins of the human race, His literal resurrection after crucifixion, and His promised return to this world to take control and rule it are either questioned or denied altogether! Consequently, those who do believe come under fire and are often labeled as fanatic, narrow, bigoted, prejudiced, etc!

There are those “Christians” who in past decades have compromised the faith through what is called dialog – the willingness to sit down with those of other religions in the world and discuss what they have in common, how they can work together, and always showing respect for each other’s faith! Implied in such gatherings is the attitude that each religion is fully legitimate and addressing the issues of life, responsibility, relationships, and eternal destiny. All are on an equal “playing field” with none superior to any other. Radicalized Christians, however, take the position that all religions beyond Christianity are false and that Christianity is the true faith. This position is based upon the revelation God has given us via the Scriptures and the claims and demands made by His Son, Jesus, as mentioned earlier in these comments.

One of the more recent conflicts involves human sexuality and the growing acceptance of same-gender sex activity and marriage between same sex couples! Radicalized Christians go with God’s revelation on this matter and again, are labeled in the most negative terms found in the English language!

Jesus in His predictive statements such as those found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17 and Luke 21 indicated that those who are resolved to be faithful in following Him will be the targets of attack and persecution as His return draws closer. In fact He said there will be a time when those who kill His followers will think they are doing service to God Himself!

Fortunately rewards await those Christians who have been radicalized and they will have a place in a trouble-free environment forever!

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. [Matt 25:21 (KJV)]

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. [John 14:1-3 (KJV)]

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

Did Jesus Really Mean ALL When He Said "All?"

"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake." --- Jesus speaking in Matthew 24:9

My daily devotional time involves the reading of the Scriptures and prayer. The Scripture readings take me through the Bible in a year's time -- the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice plus additional readings in the prophets as well as elsewhere. The prayer time involves praise and thanksgiving as based on Psalm 103. There is a time of confession, personal petition, and intercession.

One part of intercession involves prayer for those who are in governing authority and church leadership authority. But more important than that is prayer on behalf of brothers and sisters whose faith is centered in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Unknown to me but certainly known to God are those fellow believers who are suffering bitter and violent persecution for their faith in some countries in this world. There are families who grieve this day because some member or members of a family have been put to death for no other reason than the fact that they were followers of Jesus Christ and faithful ambassadors for Him (2 Cor 5). The Voice of the Martyrs is an excellent source of information on how Christians are treated in some parts of this troubled world. Our prayer list at our church in Gipsy includes a reference to praying for those fellow believers who are suffering violent persecution.

There are some countries that have built a "reputation" for being very hostile toward Christianity and those who are Christian in faith and commitment. China, North Korea, and many Muslim controlled countries are examples. Try building a church that preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ and do evangelism in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, or Iran and see how far you get!

This should not really be surprising in light of statements made by Jesus. He explicitly revealed that His followers would undergo persecution. Since He became the target of resistance and open hostility it stands to reason that those who follow HIm will experience similar treatment at times. He confirmed this by stating,

"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." --- John 15:18, 19

The Greek word in the original text (miseo) as translated "hate" (John 15:18, 19) means to detest, especially to persecute. Followers of Jesus Christ are "light" and "salt" in this present world (Matthew 5:13-16) The world (great mass of unbelievers) does not want to be exposed to the glaring light of truth nor does it want to be resisted (salty Christians) in its acceptance and practice of evil in its many forms. The reaction will always be hostility, if not violent persecution.

So, when Jesus said hatred toward His followers would involve ALL nations (Matthew 24:9) did He really mean all? The Greek word for "all" in that reference is pas and has the following meaning -- "all, any, every, the whole."

Now comes the interesting part -- how about the United States? Could it be the exception? If so, then that makes Jesus out to be a liar. There are a few of us who not only acknowledge Him as Savior and Lord, but as perfect God revealed in human form on the planet which He created. As such, He only speaks truth on any and every occasion.

There has been a growing hostility against Christianity even in "the land of the free and the home of the brave" in recent decades particularly. The fierce debate continues over the Supreme Court decision that banned the reading of Scriptures and the practice of prayer in public classrooms. There are professing Christians who support the decision and state that it is a good thing. Was it really? Is the country in a more superior spiritual, moral and ethical condition now as a result of that decision than it was at the time the decision was handed down? Honesty would dictate that the answer is a definite "No!" and the Supreme Court decision was nothing less than a slap in the face of Almighty God Himself!

Other court decisions have demonstrated an explicit hostility toward Christianity with perhaps the most infamous one being the decision in 1973 stating that it is a constitutional "right" for a female to destroy her unborn child by an intentional choice! One critical thing to remember -- of the over 52 million victims of the United States' "holocaust," there would have been those who would have received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, but due to being mutilated and murdered before birth, they never had that opportunity. Hostility against potential Christians in its most horrendous form, is it not?

We can expect increased "warfare" being waged against Christians in the United States as time moves on. That is, the target will be those who still believe that the inspired record known as the Bible is totally true and to be practiced in every day living. There is a problem, however, and that is those persons who claim to be Christian but who have compromised on issues of morality and ethics and do not accept the Bible as the final authority on matters of faith and practice -- to these, the Bible is but a fallible book merely produced by some human beings! And you, the individual, become the final judge as to what you want to accept or reject. Above all else, be sure to do everything you can to silence those fanatics who insist that the Bible is God's inspired Word and Jesus Christ is the exclusive way of forgiveness, salvation and hope for time and eternity!

"Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! for indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets." --- Jesus speaking in Luke 6:22, 23

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

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

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

Glenn Beck Asks, “Why?”

“What has happened to us?” --- question posed by Glenn Beck on recent Fox News program

Glenn Beck gave considerable time and attention to the brutal beating and death of an honor student in Chicago recently. The student was not a member of a gang and went to the assistance of a friend caught in a melee involving a couple of gangs.

The episode was caught on video tape and Fox News played it repeatedly, including high exposure on Beck’s program.

Glenn asked why such a thing happened and then lamented how things have changed in our nation – at one point with intense emotion he asked, “What has happened to us?”

Sadly, he didn’t really get to the root of what has happened to us over past decades. Here is what we have going for us at the present time:

we have tallied nearly 51 million intentional mutilations and murders in the human womb and continue doing so at the rate of about 25,000 every week! Never forget that these are nothing less than deliberate acts of violence against defenseless and innocent human beings.

we have a deadly trio which spews out violence in many forms to which our young folk are exposed on a daily basis. The exposure begins in the early formative years of their lives. This trio consists of the movie, TV and gaming industries. They’ve been at it for a long time and the seeds they have sown are maturing and bringing forth fruit which makes people ask, “Why?” The result is that our young are literally being “programmed” to react violently when things don’t go their way – differences with others are to be settled in a violent manner.

sexual immorality in its many forms of expression is beyond the pandemic stage. Again, the movie and TV industries have made a significant contribution and the young are encouraged to see for themselves just how much fun it is to be engaged in sexual activity. And the internet is an excellent source of any and every kind of sexual activity which the young can easily access. One rather recent shocking statistic released by the CDC reveals that one out of every four teenaged females has at least one STD (sexually transmitted disease) and some have more than one! Our sex ed classes just haven’t gotten the little tykes to get that condom on the banana correctly, have they?

Our massive idolatry and rejection of God’s standards for a sane, sensible, serene, solid, and “steady as she goes” republic has brought us to the precipice of judgment at the hands of a holy God.

There are a number of other things that could be mentioned, but the preceding issues are more than enough to establish the fact as to why this republic is in hot water in relationship to the God it professes to be “under” and why its days are numbered.

Our basic problem is a spiritual one, not economic, social, political, or our domestic or foreign policies. The necessary cure is mass repentance from sin on the individual level as well as at the collective level. God has been calling and has been doing some things that should make people stop and think, but the response is mainly the same as it was in Noah’s time – in spite of calls and warnings, nobody was listening! And you know what happened don’t you?

So as Glenn asks “Why?” and struggles to find an answer, what do you say? Can you point out where the answer is found, even though the vast majority will reject it, and maybe even Glenn Beck will also reject it!

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” --- Jesus speaking in Luke 17:26-30

Is Christianity the Only True Faith and Way to God's Heaven?

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6).

The debate has raged on century after century wherever there has been religious activity of some kind and Christianity has been manifested in the midst of that activity.

The question comes down to this one basic issue – is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the exclusive way to salvation from human sin? Is Jesus the ONLY way to reconciliation with God and the ultimate privilege of living in His Kingdom forever?

Or do other religious expressions also have a legitimate claim to speak with authority when it comes to addressing the issues of human sin, redemption from such, life’s purpose on earth, and eternal destiny?

A tragic development has been taking place in recent decades. Within the ranks of professing Christians is the growing tendency to accept other religious expressions (Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Shinto, Taoism, etc.) as being on an equal level with Christianity – no one “faith” is superior to any other! Each has something to contribute to the “pool” of religiosity when it comes to matters of faith and expression of faith. Christians, of course, are expected to desist from insisting that Jesus Christ is unique. Rather, He is to be regarded as being on a par with other great religious personalities that have walked across the stage of human history as it plays out.

Without further comment consider a few of the claims Jesus Christ made for Himself in addition to the one mentioned at the very beginning:

"I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst……I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." (John 6:35, 51).

"I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. ….As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 8:12; 9:5).

"I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9).

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep…. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep….. 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." (John 10:11, 14, 15, 18).

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25, 26).

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit…… I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:1, 2, 5).

Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." (John 18:37).

Also note the exclusive demands which Jesus made upon us, the members of the human race, such as the absolute need to be born again as mentioned in John 3. The other three demands are found in Matthew 18:3, Luke 13:3 and John 6:53-56. These have to do with being converted, repenting, and having a faith relationship with Him which draws upon Him for sustenance in living day by day.

OK, now it’s decision time – are these claims made by Jesus true? Or was He misquoted, or are the Scriptures in error on these statements? Or did He not realize what He was saying when making such outlandish statements?

If He is right regarding the claims He made and the demands He placed on each human being, then all other religious expressions have struck out in the ball game of life! You only hit the home run when you make a positive response to His claims and demands. There are in the world today former Hindus, former Muslims and those of other world religions who have come to Jesus Christ, receiving Him as Savior and Lord of their lives, but at a very high price.

In the Muslim view, a Muslim who has converted to Christianity is now an infidel and execution in a Muslim controlled culture is the means by which such infidelity is dealt with if the “convert” does not repent and return to the way of Islam! It does not go well for the Hindu who converts and becomes a Christian either!

Someone, it may have been the late C. S. Lewis, observed that if such claims as made by Jesus are not true then He is to be regarded as a lunatic on the same level as a man in an asylum who claims he is a poached egg!

But if His claims and demands are true, then we have to settle the issue as to what place this Jesus is going to have in our own lives and live each day with the reality that the time will come when He will judge us and declare where we will spend our eternity – in a glorious Heaven with Him, or in a Devil’s Hell which the human mind cannot begin to fathom when it comes to anguish and regret! (Check one man’s experience on this in Luke 16 – you don’t want to join him!).

Is Christianity the only true faith on the face of planet Earth? How do you answer?

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. --- Philippians 2:9-11

You Will Always Know a Tree by Its Fruit!

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” --- Jesus speaking in Matthew 7:15-20

The media have attempted to provide a full fledged “gully washer” ever since the death of Ted Kennedy a few days back. The accolades have been unceasing coming from liberals and professed conservatives – almost a sporting type of competition to see who can outdo whom in declaring what great things Ted Kennedy has done as a member of the U. S. Senate.

But a tree is known by its fruit and Jesus Christ, foremost Authority on human behavior, responsibility and destiny, stated that people are as trees – the fruit that comes forth out of their lives speaks of what they really are by way of character.

Note two kinds of “fruit” which the Ted Kennedy tree has produced over the years.

First, Ted Kennedy was opposed and voted against the Defense of Marriage Act. He was an ardent supporter of G.L.B.T. “rights” in every sense of the word. On the occasion of Massachusetts, his home state, becoming the first state to legalize same-sex marriage he said,” "The nation’s eyes were on Massachusetts today, and they saw a triumph for civil rights and fundamental fairness. Today’s historic vote will have a national impact on civil rights for years to come. Massachusetts has led the nation in education, in health care and in biotechnology, and today Massachusetts renewed its commitment as a proud leader in civil rights."

Second, Ted Kennedy was strongly supportive of abortion rights and opposed even the legislation that restricted partial-birth abortions just as our president has done in the past on such issues. When that legislation was before the Congress, Kennedy said, ““I do not believe it is the role of the Senate to interfere with or regulate the kind of medical advice that a doctor can give to a patient.” The bill was signed into law by President G. W. Bush and was later challenged in federal courts. On April 18, 2007, however, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the partial-birth abortion ban was in fact constitutional – not because of Ted Kennedy, but in spite of him!

What more needs to be said? Kennedy, as so many are inclined to do, spoke of “rights” where there are no rights due to our Creator having established the standards and ordinances at the beginning of human history. What has often been termed a "right" to do a certain thing is in reality a deadly choice if it goes against the spiritual and moral principles which God has established for His creation!

God’s standard for marriage is a special covenant relationship between a man and a woman. Very likely Mr. Kennedy now realizes that a bit late.

God has a plan and specific pupose for every conceived human life – there is no such thing as a “right” to interfere in His plan for those lives, unless a culture wants to commit moral and spiritual suicide, which is what ours has been doing for over 36 1/2 years!

By now Mr. Kennedy sees human life differently. Think not? After death we will all see things God’s way – this life is simply an opportunity to accept God’s clear revelation as it applies to our responsibility, conduct and ultimate accountability to Him in eternity or reject it and stand condemned because we thought we could write our own rules in life, while ignoring His!

Yes, Jesus, as always, was right on target when He said that we will know a tree by the kind of fruit it bears!

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

Moment of Silence for Whom?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An Avalanche of Violence!

"Have we become numb to tragedy?" --- Internet News Headline - April 5, 2009

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” --- Genesis 6:11-13

It’s getting to be a almost a daily routine with what we have come to know as “Breaking News Headlines.” Incident after incident of violence takes place with a number of lives lost due to someone’s loss of control and the venting of built-up rage. As of this date recent mass shootings in the state of New York were followed a short time later with the shooting deaths of 3 police officers in Pittsburgh PA. This simply underscores the fact that our culture is in a terminal state of moral and spiritual decay!

Recent months have seen an escalation of shooting sprees resulting in multiple deaths. In the midst of the shock come loud voices decrying the senseless acts along with appeals that “something needs to be done” in order to prevent a repeat of such tragedies. Often the focus is on the alleged “gun problem” and the need to legislate more control with the ultimate goal of banning private ownership of firearms.

However, even if it were possible by law to remove every firearm from the home of every law abiding citizen, the criminal element would still have their weapons. Common sense, which is often lacking in the minds of legislators, tells us that a large number of persons will still have access to firearms in spite of any number of laws that say you can’t have a gun in your possession!

Let’s consider the fact that it is not so much a gun problem as it is a people problem – people who are prone to express their frustrations in a violent manner. If they don’t have a gun to use they will give vent to bottled-up rage using something else. People have been known to kill other people with such things as baseball bats, knives, hatchets, hammers, poison, and even automobiles!

Think for a moment – we are living in a time when millions have been fed and raised on a “diet” of violence. Decades ago the entertainment industry produced more and more films which featured detailed and very graphic violence – at times it is shown in slow motion to make a greater impact as you see the splattering of blood, brains, and guts in all directions! The gaming industry began producing games that featured extreme violence. The music industry produced “music” (term used loosely) that had lyrics suggesting violence and immorality.

The end result? People who have feasted on that kind of “diet” from the days of being a toddler are much inclined to express frustration and differences with others in a violent way. We’ve simply been “conditioned” to react in such a manner. The increased frequency of what has become known as “road rage” is simply another symptom that we have bad “diet” habits which kill the conscience and set us on a sure and certain course that ends in disaster!

Will the tide be turned? One would hope so, but at this point there is no indication that significant changes will take place. It’s going to have to start with a change of “diet” which actually involves something called repentance, a heap of confessing of failure and sinful behavior to a holy God, and an admission that we need Jesus Christ more than we need anything or anyone else in life! Face it -- not many are willing to meet such conditions, and so we'll continue our violent way of life in the "land of the free and the home of the brave!"

In the meantime, a small remnant which knows Jesus Christ by personal acquaintance continues to pray that the nation, its leaders (state and church), and its citizens will come to full repentance, healing will take place, and violence will cease to be a way of life in working off our frustrations.

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” --- Luke 17:26, 27

"And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" --- Lule 18:7, 8

Will God Be Issuing An Apology in the Near Future?

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….--- 2 Peter 2:4-6

It was Billy Graham who may have coined the expression, but if he did not, then he certainly stressed it quite a few years ago in his evangelistic ministry. That expression went something like this:

"If God allows us (the United States) to get away with our many sins, then He’ll have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!"

Never has there been a time in the history of our republic in which this question needs to be more seriously considered than right now. For years, ever since that statement was originally uttered, the descent into a moral, ethical and spiritual cesspool has been rapid and massive. It has involved millions of U. S. citizens of all ages throughout the entire nation.

The “spiritual floodgates” really broke open starting in the ‘60’s although there were numerous problems in the decades prior to that time. But in the ‘60’s the nation experienced what was known as the “sexual revolution” plus an official Supreme Court decision which basically banned God from the public school systems with Bible reading and prayer no longer permitted. A high school student in my youth group told of someone placing a sign on his school’s bulletin board which read, “In case of atomic attack the ban against prayer in this school will be temporarily suspended!” For some reason, the sign was quickly removed by a member of the school’s administration.

But that was by no means the end – about 10 years later, in January of 1973 the Supreme Court handed down another disasterous decision which said that it was a constitutional right for a female to have her unborn child mutilated and murdered if she so chose! Now, the words “mutilated” and “murdered” do not appear in the wordy decision, but if you will look at photos of the victims of the United States’ version of Holocaust, that would be the only conclusion you can come to – that is, if you are truly honest and willing to face reality! Harry Blackmun, Supreme Court justice and United Methodist layman, wrote the infamous decision. He was highly eulogized in United Methodist circles when he died. Wherever Harry is today there is one thing for sure – if you were able to engage in conversation with him, he would tell you that his views of human life and children before birth have drastically changed since he crossed the great divide into eternity – he now sees it God’s way!

As the God-rejecting snowball rolled down hill during the ‘60’s, the 70’s and through the turn of the century, it kept getting larger and larger. By no wildest stretch of human imagination can we now say that we are better off and are living on a higher moral plane than we were before those two monumental Supreme Court decisions took place.

Our massive shedding of innocent blood, idolatry, sexual immorality, violence, selfishness and greed continue to increase unabated. Our utter defiance of the standards which Almighty God has put in place for a culture to experience sanity, serenity, stability, security, sovereignty, and ongoing survival has come to the place where even a citizen of ancient Sodom would blush if he or she would walk the streets of one of our cities!

So, as you ponder the question about God’s possible apology to the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah, what is the answer with which you come forth?

Somehow with all the searching of the Scriptures for over a half century, I see absolutely no indication that God will issue such an apology – in fact, the evidence is overwhelming that He will deal with this nation as He did with those ancient cities of long ago that demonstrated an attitude in which they gave God an obscene gesture. The prevailing mindset, including that of their leaders, was that they could live any way they wanted and not have to reap the harvest for their abominations later on down the road. We are clearly demonstrating that same spirit and traveling down that same path.

"Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.” --- Jesus speaking in Luke 17:28, 29

"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.” --- God speaking in Jeremiah 18:7-10
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Little Jack Horner Replayed!

Just about everyone has heard of Little Jack Horner at a very tender age. There may be some exceptions, but Jack is a prominent personality in nursery rhyme lore along with a number of others. He sat in a corner and munched on Christmas pie. At a certain point he seriously violated Emily Post’s standard of conduct when eating – he stuck in his thumb and pulled out a plum and said, “What a good boy am I!”

Little Jack Horner has been resurrected and it started back quite some months ago but really came to the forefront in November 2008 and then culminated in the inauguration of B. Hussein Obama as president of the United States on January 20, 2009.

While he is commonly known now as President Obama, he really is Little Jack Horner in disguise! Here are the ways we know it is really Jack:

• this is the guy who has already signed some highly questionable executive orders and there are more earth-shaking ones to come, but for now he will sign a financial Frankenstein that is erroneously termed a “stimulus” bill and then will say, “What a good boy am I!” His co-conspirators in Congress will enthusiastically agree!
  
  
• this is the guy that takes the word “extravagant” to a new high by flying all over the country in a Boeing 747, which isn’t cheap, and then tells you and me we have to quit running SUV’s, do some sacrificing and help to cut down on our dependence on foreign oil – after all that he says, “What a good boy am I!” – and a vast horde of citizens agree!
  
  
• this is the guy who says he is going to have high ethical standards in his administration and then appoints a bunch that has problems paying all taxes or they are under investigation for something or there are possible conflicts of interests -- and who knows what other kind of baggage some of these people are bringing along with them to their plush positions. But he’ll say, “What a good boy am I!” -- and a vast horde of citizens agree!
  
  
• this is the guy who said no lobbyists were going to be hired in his administration, and then turns around and gives a waiver to a powerful character in the lobbying business (related to the Department of Defense!) so that he can serve in the Defense Department – and he’ll simply say, “What a good boy am I!” -- and a vast horde of citizens agree!
  
  
• this is the guy of whom it is said that he is still in campaign mode and has yet to shift into the gear in which he actually begins to govern – it must be so, because he is city hopping all over the place – maybe he needs a weekly ego “booster shot” which can only come from the crowds who worship the ground he walks on! Certainly it could be expected that he would then say, “What a good boy am I!” -- and a vast horde of citizens agree!
  
  
• this is the guy who likes to throw out the terms, “God bless you. And God bless the United States of America,” but cannot find time to give public expression in acts of worshipping this God to Whom he makes reference. He can find time to play basketball, work out and do government “business” on the Lord’s Day, but to set an example before his family and the nation by giving public expression to his professed faith, he simply doesn’t – yet he will still insist, “What a good boy am I!” -- and a vast horde of citizens agree!
  

Granted, you might not hear him vocally say, “What a good boy am I!” And the reason is, he lets the mainstream media say it for him or the shouting crowds that he plans to visit on a regular basis, according to David Axelrod, who is in reality the Propaganda Minister for the Obama Administration. Just listen to him talk sometime and you’ll see – he will confirm repeatedly that B.O. is indeed a very good boy!

Before you go to sleep tonight, why not recite the record of Little Jack Horner. After you have done that, then think of how that has been dramatically updated and the new version of Jack lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC!

And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" --- Acts 12:22

And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" --- Jesus in a confrontation with Satan in Luke 4:8

It’s NOT the Economy, Stupid!

“It’s the economy, stupid!” was a phrase attributed to James Carville during Bill Clinton’s successful campaign for the presidency in 1992. The phrase suggested that Clinton was the superior choice over George H. W. Bush because the sitting president had not effectively addressed the economy which had gone into a recession.

Just about every pair of eyeballs has been focused on the economy in recent months and the issue has whipped up into the intensity of a Cat 5 hurricane raging in toward the U. S. coast from the Atlantic Ocean!

There are probably many who feel that the original phrase, “It’s the economy, stupid!,” which was the brainchild (term brain used carelessly here) of James Carville is applicable to our present condition in the United States.

Certainly President Obama has been attempting to make political hay out of this circumstance and it has given him an “excuse” to go flitting about the country in Air Force One as he attempts to jam his stimulus bill down our throats. Had it not been for the betrayal of 3 Republicans (Senators Snowe and Collins of Maine and Specter of Pennsylvania) it is doubtful we would have gotten bogged down in this financial quagmire which is deceptively called "stimulus!"

But to get to the point – the root problem is not the economy, which is a distraction away from the real problem that is causing us to be on the fast lane to disaster! That real problem is a terminal illness which is ethical, moral and spiritual in nature.

A brief summary:

• Deadly love focused on self, money and pleasure!
  
• Compromised truth and principles within churches claiming to be Christian in faith!
  
• Government at all levels that is riddled with contradiction and hypocrisy!
  
• Widespread practice of idolatry in a plethora of expressions!
  
• Fast spreading malignancy of sexual immorality in virtually unlimited patterns!
  
• Intense desecration of the day in which Almighty God is to be honored and worshipped!
  
• Indoctrinating our children and youth with the false and very deadly teaching that we humans have evolved over eons of time from lower life forms – there is no need for teaching the involvement of a divine Creator when it comes to origins!
  
• And worst of all – a professed “civilized nation” implementing by judicial ruling a policy which has resulted in the mutilation and murders of over 50 million unborn children since January 1973!
  

Extensive details on this issue, which makes the subject of the economy have as much impact and significance as a gnat trying to stop a loaded 18 wheeler rolling down Interstate 95 out of Washington DC, are found at Driving the Final Nails! -- use reverse feature on your web browser to come back to this place.

There will be a majority who would vehemently disagree and say, “No, it’s the economy!” And that would include most of the politicians. But that response is because they are part of one or more, maybe ALL the problems as given above!

It's NOT the economy, stupid!

A PS: I don't believe it's fair that Pennsylvania should be saddled with an Arlen Specter and a John Murtha (my rep in Congress from 12th District) and the other 49 states having never experienced this pair -- the other 49 should have them for a few years and then they would appreciate what we Pennsylvanians have to endure by way of political shenanigans!

"And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed." --- Jesus speaking in Luke 17:26-30

Forked Tongue #3!

We were confronted with lots of campaign rhetoric by President B. Hussein Obama stressing that the “change” he was going to bring about would involve no lobbyists, transparency, accountability, a high standard of ethics, sacrifice etc. You remember such statements, do you not? It was like hearing one of those old vinyl 33 1/3 records which had become cracked and all you heard was a repeat of a few words or bars of music over and over again until you hit the arm of the player and got it out of the grove with the crack in it!

Let’s start with the ethics of talking “sacrifice” to the American people and mentioning such things as driving SUV’s (we need to quit that) and getting that thermostat set below 72 degrees (especially those who live in winter climate), etc. Here’s a guy that has not shown one single shred of evidence that he and his family are making some sacrifices and leading by example. He’s got that new monster of a limousine which cost a tad more than $1.39 and all the luxuries of the White House with tons of money involved (our money by the way). A comment by one of the staff indicated that President Obama keeps the thermostat set high because “he is from Hawaii” and he desires the high temperature – a temperature in which it was added, “you could grow orchids in there!”

His inauguration was the most outlandish ever in terms of money spent. A report indicated a party held recently at the White House featured steaks on the menu among other things – cost of the steaks? A modest $100 a pound! The guys that sold the Pentagon $100 hammers and $30 screws some years ago must have gone into the cattle business and are now selling meat to the White House! How do you suppose that strikes the low income families across the country and those millions who have lost their jobs?

There was vehement insistence that lobbyists would not be a part of the Obama Administration. But there’s that guy named William Lynn who has been chosen by the president to be Deputy Secretary of Defense – the #2 job in the agency! He was a registered lobbyist for the giant defense contractor, Raytheon Co., from 2003 through June 2008. He served in the capacity of being “senior Washington operations executive” for Raytheon. Will it be like going back home to the Pentagon? Anyway, he gets a “free pass” from the president with the appeal by someone speaking on behalf of the president that this Lynn fellow is very highly qualified and he is needed!

That seems to be the tune played each time there are some highly questionable ethical matters lurking in the background of some appointees such as H. Clinton (conflict of interests), the new Secretary of Treasury, Tim Geithner, with tax problems and the incoming Attorney General, Eric Holder, with some dubious activity in his background dating back to the Clinton era. It came to light that Tom Daschle also had tax problems – that is, paying all his taxes – seems he had “neglected” some! But on February 3 he announced he was withdrawing his name from consideration. Once in a long while there may be a small bit of good news coming out of Washington DC, but very seldom -- especially on the subject of ethics, etc.

On being “transparent” the opening hours indeed were a display of that as a myriad of pictures were taken as the new president signed a number of documents. One the big photo ops took place when he signed legislation that assured employees of equal pay for the same job rather than some (usually females) getting less than male counterparts for the same kind of work done. People were practically falling over one another as the bill was signed and the president handed the pen to one of the witnesses. They had just about everything at that one except a full fledged band giving a drum roll!

But this “transparency” is quite selective – on the day (Jan. 23) after the annual March for Life (mass protest of abortion) in Washington DC the president signed an order that changed things drastically -- no cameras or video recorders present at that one! There had been a standard in place in which our tax dollars could not be used for family planning organizations in foreign countries that perform abortions or encourage women to employ this route to take care of a problem pregnancy. President B. Hussein Obama, being an ardent supporter of abortion, reversed the policy so that now our tax dollars will help to fund abortions and counseling services which encourage pregnant women to murder the child whom God is forming in their wombs!


However, when you have circulated for years in the environment of Chicago and Illinois politics and cut your political eye teeth in that environment the word “ethics” has two meanings. One, it has to do with a Judeo-Christian standard of truth and righteousness as based on God’s revelation in determining what is right and wrong when it comes to human conduct, relationships and moral responsibility – this is totally alien to the Chicago brand of politics! There is still a minority of citizens who believe in that description as to what ethics is about. But when the word, ethics, comes from politicians in high places, it doesn’t mean a thing – it is simply employed to gain favor and approval of people so that they are led to believe that there is no longer a clear line between right and wrong – everything is simply a murky gray and we are the sole judges as to what is right or wrong, according to our unregenerate way of thinking and reasoning!

The president was given many millions of dollars in his quest to buy the White House. Now that he has purchased it, the time has now arrived for pay backs and ethics is something you can only briefly mention from time to time but cannot practice because of the Mt. Everest sized pile of those pay-back obligations!

The foremost Authority on human behavior addressed such issues as those cited above a long time ago and the standards have not changed. Unfortunately that Authority is ignored today within the circles of elitist power and wealth just as He has always been from generation to generation. But the time is coming when Jesus Christ will personally interrupt the flow of human history as King of kings and Lord of lords and when He does, the whole world will know what genuine ethics, transparency and accountability are all about! It will be far from a Sunday School picnic thing for those who may have tossed the word "ethics" around repeatedly but failed miserably to put it into practice!

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

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! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away justice from the righteous man! --- Isaiah 5:20-23

When Wealth Isn't!

BERLIN - German billionaire Adolf Merckle has committed suicide after his business empire, which included interests ranging from pharmaceuticals to cement, ran into trouble in the global financial crisis, his family said Tuesday. --- reported by Associated Press on Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Adolph Merckle had worked hard to build a business empire which over time made him a billionaire worth an estimated 9.2 billion dollars according to Forbes. He had a number of business interests which begin to experience trouble as the world economy went into a financial tail spin. He obviously came to a point where he no longer saw any purpose in living and threw himself in front of a train.

God has gone out of his way to warn us of the danger of wealth and allowing ourselves to become dominated by the desire to accumulate material goods. Money is a very prominent "god" in nations around the world. It is wise to remember also that God has specifically pointed out that there are times when He chooses to bring judgment on false "gods." One of the more dramatic displays of such action is seen when God chose to bring the Israelites out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses. So it stands to reason that in time the money "god" may also be slated for judgment at the hands of God.

The Scriptures repeatedly provide information about the subject of money and human experiences related to the accumulation and use of it. Many experiences reported are quite negative, further reinforcing the basic truth as given in Scripture about the love for money:

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. --- 2 Timothy 6:10

Problems with money are not confined to billionaires or millionaires. It can happen to just about anybody. Attention is diverted away from God and the issue of what it is that He wants from us to all those things in the world that we feel we just have to have -- so in order to get them, we have to get money, and preferably, tons of the stuff. And once we do that we can settle back and take it easy or will we?

It has happened more than just a few times that once people begin to get some big money in their possession the desire for more and more begins to kick in. Money has shown again and again that it is a merciless taskmaster!

Take a lesson from one man as revealed by Jesus:

And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."' But God said to him, 'You fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." --- Luke 12:15-21

It is possible to be in line to inherit wealth that far exceeds the empires which the wealthiest of billionaires have accumulated for themselves in this world. A Christian can say, "I've got it -- I just can't lay my hands on it right now or come up with a numbers value on paper, but it's real and it's promised to me!"

Before you leave try these on for size and then sleep on them tonight -- and then remember, in comparison to this Adolph Merckle was a pauper of the first magnitude!

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. --- John 14:1-3; Romans 8:16, 17; 1 Peter 1:3-5

Faithfulness in 2009 Will Guarantee More Hostility and Division!

"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.” --- Jesus in John 15:18-21

If those of us who claim to trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are faithful in obeying Him in the every day experiences of life, then we can anticipate more hostility and hatred to be directed toward us during the year of 2009.

The primary problem about this is two-fold. First, for some reason there are professing Christians who seem to want to side step the statements Jesus made which guaranteed that we would be the targets of persecution throughout the world as time marches on before He personally returns to this world.

Secondly, the pressure has never been greater for Christians to compromise to a level where they cease insisting on the exclusiveness of the Christian message of salvation and hope, and that Jesus Christ is the only way by which we can be forgiven, have peace with God and eventually be a citizen in His eternal Kingdom after we have finished our life’s journey here on earth.

Faithfulness to Jesus demands that we be involved in His parting command to confront the entire world with His claim and call upon every human being. That most clearly involves in part a call to repent of all sin (including the following of any false religion outside of Christianity) and receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. It takes a long, long stretch to try to interpret Jesus’ parting command to mean something other than what He literally said we are to do – slowly look at those words:

Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." --- Matthew 28:18-20

Now, tell me – what else can this command mean other than the fact that we are to do as He said and let all people in the world know about Who He is, what He did while here on earth (which includes His sacrificial death for the sins of the entire human race and literal resurrection from the dead after that), what He plans to do in the future and what He wants us to be about while we are still here on earth?

Plus, if we are faithful to Him it means also that in identifying Him throughout the world we will be certain to refer to His “I am…” statements that clearly exclude other “big name” religious personalities from offering anything that doesn’t even come remotely close to what He offers the members of the human race. And then there are those four absolute demands He places on each member of the human family such as “Except you are born again…” etc.

An honest assessment of these things helps us to see why our faithfulness to Him Who is labeled King of kings and Lord of lords will intensify the hostility and hatred that will come forth from those who have chosen to walk in spiritual darkness rather than light.

Always remember – at a certain point God’s revelation uses the terms “few” and “many” in describing the way the human race is separated – the “many” have chosen to reject God’s revelation and consequently in so doing, have rejected His Son, Jesus, as the only possible way to be forgiven and restored to a favorable relationship with the Creator. The “few” are the small number who have learned about Jesus Christ, have repented of their sins, have received Him by faith into their lives as Savior and Lord, and are resolved to faithfully serve Him the remaining time they have on earth. These ought not to think it strange when they are scorned, ridiculed and in some locations violently persecuted because of being identified with Him in the year 2009.

The United States is no exception to such hostility against true expressions and witness regarding the Christian faith!

“Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! for indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.” --- Jesus in Luke 6:22, 23

"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.” --- Jesus in Matthew 24:9-13