Monkey See, Monkey Do Continued!

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! --- 2 Timothy 3:1-5

The monkey above appeared recently in a post which was titled in part with the term, "Money See, Monkey Do!" You'll have to go back a ways to see it or hit the word, monkey, in the label list. In light of developing events, the title is appropriate for today's comments.

This past Monday it was reported in Waycross GA that nine 3rd-grade students conspired to hit their teacher over the head with a blunt object, handcuff the teacher and then stab the teacher! The plot was discovered before the little tykes (or substitute monsters for this one!) were able to execute the plan. Investigation continues with the students (word used loosely) suspended. One theory is that the conspiracy was hatched because of a student being punished.

In addition to the knife discovered in the backpack of a student, other items recovered were duct tape, handcuffs, ribbon and a heavy crystal paperweight. Well now, where do you suppose those young 'uns ever got an idea such as that? Some at least will admit there is a lot excessive violence available for our young to experience by way of "musical lyrics," gaming and supposed "entertainment!"

April 3, 2008 news report from WJAC-TV in Johnstown PA -- three kindergarten boys cornered a 6 year-old girl, exposed themselves to her, and demanded that she touch them in their private area and give them oral sex! Where was the teacher while this little drama was playing itself out? It seems the teacher wasn't paying very close attention to just what the activity time involved for three who were her responsibility!

Same question as asked above -- just where did those little guys come up with all that, or are they starting graphic sex ed classes at the pre-school or kindergarten level now -- you know, teach those kids how to do it, do it right, and do it safely, right?

In the case of the three with their little hormones going crazy, perhaps they got instruction off the Internet -- it is now possible for them to access some very graphic stuff for free in spite of so-called "controls" put in place!

Have you been getting any feelings lately that something has gone a bit awry -- that the ship of a republic known as the United States is listing a bit -- or maybe a more dramatic example -- we resemble a modern day Titanic which has struck some spiritual, moral and ethical icebergs and are unable to plug the gash -- just ain't enough duct tape around to seal those gaps!

Things haven't improved a whole lot have they since those days decades ago when we decided to banish God, His Word and the practice of praying to Him in our public schools? Activities that now fill in the vacuum left by that debacle are not all that attractive are they? And then we followed up with the systematic extermination of what amounts now to about 100,000 unborn children on average per month throughout the year -- tally is now pushing up toward a grand total of 50 million victims! When we reach that, is it possible that God might step in and say the slaughter has gone on long enough -- time to stop it! Time will tell -- but speaking for myself and my family, we really don't want to be around at that precise moment when God makes a direct response to these abominations -- and rest assured, He will be making a response -- not whether He will, but WHEN!!

How do you avoid such tragedies as those just mentioned? The formula has been around for a long, long time -- but as a culture we have rejected the formula and chosen rather to give God an obscene gesture by way of response!

"Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the LORD your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, that you may fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you; 'a land flowing with milk and honey.' Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart; you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." --- Deuteronomy 6:1-9

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

42 Million Dollars to Tell Us What We Already Knew!

Yes, most all of us have heard the term, "monkey on your back." Most often it has been applied to a human situation where a person is addicted to something from which he or she cannot break free. These days it can be just about anything -- in times of old it seemed to be limited to certain habits such as alcohol, tobacco or drugs. But that has been expanded a bit.

The one M. O. B. we all share is something called the U. S. federal government. In my post yesterday it was compared to a special airplane designed and built back in 1921. Just to refresh your memory, here is the photo of the "monster" sitting like a duck on a lake in Italy before its first (and last) attempt to fly!


As noted, the federal government is not just like the cumbersome flying houseboat pictured above, but it is a monkey on the back of every citizen.

The latest debacle was the spending of 42 million dollars to send us letters to tell us how much we would receive in this big refund that is supposed to get the economy back into high gear, and then immediately shifted into overdrive! We had already been given the details days back right after Bush signed the bill -- printed and broadcast on radio and TV again and again!

Is it true, as some have suggested, that once you take office in Washington DC you store your brains (what few there may be) along with all common sense in a mason canning jar, screw the lid on tight, and bury it in your back yard before leaving for that place where the dominant philosophy practiced is, "To get along, go along!"

You know, don't you, that the day will come when those people will shuffle things around and we'll be hit with tax increases somewhere, somehow -- it's the name of their game! We are a nation wallowing in trillions of dollars of debt and this increases steadily month by month. Yet there is no hesitation when it comes to spending billions here and there.

And don't forget -- each member of Congress has his or her "pet" projects -- those infamous "earmarks" you hear about from time to time -- I have the misfortune of living in the district in PA which is represented by John P. Murtha, the "earmark" champion in the U. S. Congress!

As you will note if you browse around in this blog or take a look at some things in the related web site, "Circuit Rider's Range," there are a number of negative comments made on matters related to government and church -- the kind of things which bring about "negative" responses from government people and church leaders in particular!

So how about a positive comment before we close this one out -- would you like that? If you will look at the links on the right side of the blog you will see at one point I have a subject area titled, "A Short Range Pessimist with a Long Range Optimism!" It's just below the picture of the "older" CDH -- being a preacher for nearly half a century can cause a thing called "aging!" In that area are some subjects which will produce evidence that I am deep down a positive person -- no, really I am! But I also am a realist when it comes to facing the national and world situation politically as well as the overall church situation.

The good news is that there will be a change come about one of these days which even the most dedicated Christian cannot fully grasp! Jesus Christ is going to interrupt the flow of human history as it is presently being played out -- He will take full control of this world and all the nations existing at that time when He returns as King of kings and Lord of lords!

Just think -- no more elections ever -- that in itself will help create a heavenly condition, will it not? But there is so much more -- make sure you don't miss out on it!

Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, "Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us." He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the LORD shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion." --- Psalm 2:1-6

The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool." The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies! --- Psalm 110:1, 2

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!" And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth." --- Revelation 11:15-18