How to Become a Christian!

The most critical decision a person will ever make in his or her lifetime is the place and prominence that Jesus Christ will have in one’s everyday life with all its challenges and responsibilities! Will He be one Who is personal Savior and Lord as well as a faithful Friend always present on a 24/7 basis? OR is He one Who has been rejected and the choice has been to concentrate on self and the desperate pursuit of money, this world’s material goods, and pursuit of worldly pleasures with the deadly belief that if one just gets enough of these things one will be incredibly happy and satisfied! And there are those who become aware of the fact that there is a need to get right with God but choose to put that critical decision on the back burner until some “convenient” time in the future. See how one man ended up with all his wealth which he had zealously pursued in Luke 12:16-21.

God never speaks in terms of a convenient time but always in the present – the here and right now! NOTE > For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. [2 Corinthians 6:2 KJV].

The beginning point in becoming a Christian is honestly facing the truth that we have been born into this world with three strikes already against us because of inherited sin. We are sinners who have sinned against God and against our fellow humans. This tragic way of life begins as soon as we are born, expecting everyone to dance to the tune we play on our fiddle as we journey each day in the search for more money, material goods, and a plethora of pleasures. We may even attend and join a church while doing all this and earn the reputation of being an outstanding citizen in the community!

But God has each of us as being labeled a sinner, condemned, and deserving of spending eternity in a Devil’s Hell! Here are some statements from God’s Word that plainly reveal our lost condition > The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. [Jeremiah 17:9,10 KJV]. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 3They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. [Psalm 14:2,3 KJV]. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God … [Romans 3:23 KJV].

However, God took the initiative to do something about the destructive problem of sin that had infected the entire human race. Here is how the Bible tells it> And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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 3:14-18 KJV]. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [1 John 4:10 KJV]. The word, propitiation, literally means satisfaction – that is, when Jesus died on the cross for our sins, He made it possible for us to be completely forgiven of our sins and God will never hold them against us ever again! God no longer condemns us but accepts us as though we had never sinned against Him. In this matter God has the ability to forget the offense of sins permanently > I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. [Isaiah 43:25 KJV]. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. [Jeremiah 31:34 KJV].

There is something each of us must do if we are going to become a Christian. Jesus said it these words > I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. [Luke 13:3 KJV]. His message always called for people to repent > And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. [Mark 1:12-15 KJV].

Repentance involves three areas in our experience in becoming a Christian:

1. Intellectual – that is, we become mentally aware of the reality of sin, that it is offensive in God’s sight, and we are guilty of committing the same repeatedly.

2. Emotional – that is, we become deeply bothered and troubled about our sin and become very guilty in our conscience! This the Holy Spirit working and speaking to us. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would come and convict the world of sin. Note what all Jesus revealed about the Holy Spirit in John 14, 15, and 16.

3. Volitional – that is, a clear and deliberate decision to renounce and abandon all known sin presently existing in our lives. We completely forsake it and want nothing more to do with anything we know that offends God!

The result? A miracle of transformation as our lives have been turned around 180 degrees and we begin walking in fellowship with our Lord rather than ignoring Him and concentrating on our self-centered way of life against Him. The apostle Paul described this miracle by saying, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” [2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV].

My friend, if you are reading this and you have never thought about how it is between you and God nor thought about asking Jesus to come into your life as Savior and Lord, I appeal to you to make that decision today. Tell God you are sorry for your sins, ask His forgiveness, and invite Jesus to come into your life as Savior and Lord. If you would like to have some literature to help in getting established in your faith, email me at cdharriger@hotmail.com and provide your full name and mailing address.

For those who have received Jesus as Savior and Lord never forget that God does not whisk us off to Heaven the moment we repent and believe, but allows us us remain in this world for one main purpose and that is to be a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ and to lead others to believe in Him. Therefore it is necessary that we become familiar in explaining to another person what becoming a Christian is all about!

God’s best to you always as Jesus tarries in His coming to this very needy world.

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn 'til setting sun
Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care
Then when all of life is over and our work on earth is done
And the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there!

From the song of faith, When the Roll Is Called up Yonder

You Believe Removing An Alleged Offensive Flag Is Going to Solve Your Problems? No Way!

And having called again the crowd, he said to them, Hear me, all [of you], and understand: There is nothing from outside a man entering into him which can defile him; but the things which go out from him, those it is which defile the man. If any one have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he went indoors from the crowd, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. And he says to them, Are ye also thus unintelligent? Do ye not perceive that all that is outside entering into the man cannot defile him, because it does not enter into his heart but into his belly, and goes out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which goes forth out of the man, that defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, go forth evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickednesses, deceit, licentiousness, a wicked eye, injurious language, haughtiness, folly; all these wicked things go forth from within and defile the man. [Words of Jesus Christ in Mark 7:14-23 (Darby translation)].

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 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. [Words of Jesus Christ in John 3:1-3 (King James Version)].

Our republic is again caught up in controversy in the wake of the tragic mass shootings that took place in a church in Charleston SC. The focus of attention is now on the Confederate flag and its removal from public view. The reasoning behind this, at least in part, is the fact that the individual who did the killing at the Emanuel AME Church appeared to have an ongoing love affair with the Confederate flag!

And so, politicians and media people with high profile publicity and a rallying cry, “Get rid of that offensive flag!” have now placed before all of us an agenda that needs to be zealously pursued and consumated! An erroneous assumption is widely shared on this matter – somehow it is falsely believed that if we get rid of that flag which represents “hate” and “bigotry” of the worst kind, then we will have solved our problem in this area and consequently, no more mass shootings.

Bury every single Confederate flag and every article on which its image appears and it won’t change a thing in our culture.

The reason is simple – the vast majority of our citizens, including those in leadership roles, as well as the world population is in an unregenerate spiritual condition. Jesus Christ addressed this problem perfectly and with precision accuracy in identifying the many ways in which unregenerate persons will act. We are born into this world with a nature (inherited from Adam) inclined to defy our Creator and His laws, concentrating on ourselves! And when things do not go the way we think they should, we may even resort to violent acts to reach our goals! We stand at the head of the line – all others are to be subject to our desires, as unholy as they may be much of the time.

God’s revelation is crystal clear on how to establish a sane, serene, sensible, stable, and secure nation.

It begins with an honest confession in words something like this: “I am guilty – I am a sinner and deserve Hell – I take full responsibility for all my transgressions.” Then comes the part wherein one approaches and addresses God, asking His mercy and forgiveness. Proud people cannot ever bring themselves to do such a thing. But in honesty and humility one does this painful thing and then expresses the desire for Jesus Christ to come into his/her life as Savior and Lord. In the book of The Revelation at the close of the 3rd chapter Jesus says that He stands at the door and knocks, and if any person hears His voice and opens the door, He will come in and then the wonderful fellowship begins. He becomes a resident in the life of the person who has repented (turned from) sin! A miracle happens in this experience – the inner nature is transformed so that now there is an intense interest in the things of God, a hunger to know Him and become familiar with His holy Word, and to be obedient in serving Him on a daily basis.

As mentioned previously – you can destroy all the images of the Confederate flag in the entire world, but if there is no genuine repentance from sin, no desire to draw near to God, and no desire to be obedient to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, not only on an individual basis but also on a collective basis, everything will continue as it has in the past. In fact things will get worse as time goes on!

Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence. God has done all this. He has restored our relationship with him through Christ, and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships. [2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (God’s Word translation)].

God Is Commanding, But Who Is Listening?

"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead. --- Acts 17:30, 31

God did a mighty work 236 years ago when He blessed and provided for a small number of people who desired to be a free republic. These people broke free from the British crown and became known as the United States of America.

As decades of time passed the population expanded, territories to the west in the direction of the Pacific Ocean were occupied, new states were added to the original thirteen, and the future was extremely bright.

From time to time conflicts erupted with one of the most critical being the Civil War involving great loss of human lives, massive casualties, and widespread property destruction. But God was merciful and a union emerged stronger than ever before as national healing and reconciliation took place over time.

Yet there were more conflicts to take place in the decades ahead. In the midst of these God granted an abundance of grace and mercy and our republic gained victory over the enemy until politicians chose to compromise and abandon the demand of unconditional surrender on the part of the enemy. WW II was the last conflict in which the enemy had to submit to the terms of unconditional surrender. Korea was an entirely different "ball game" with a "negotiated" settlement taking place and it has been downhill ever since. Any time you have a politician meddling in affairs, it is not going to produce a good result!

As the 1950's drew to a close, the moral and spiritual climate of the United States began to dramatically change as well. The 1960's saw insane court decisions handed down such as evicting God from the public school sytems and then the approval of the mutilation and murders of unborn children in the womb in 1973. No one who has a bit of a sense of right and wrong can truthfully say that our republic is morally and spiritually stronger now than it has ever been in the past.

Now that we are more than a decade into the 21st Century we have continued on our toboggin slide toward sure and certain disaster for a number of reasons:

1. The bloody trail that our republic has left behind is the result of the destruction of millions of unborn children. This practice is identified in the Bible as the atrocious act of "shedding innocent blood!"

2. Sexual immorality of every conceivable kind which is gaining more and more acceptance so that the national motto in regard to human sexuality could well be: "Sex is fun with anyone (or a number of persons at the same time) anywhere and at any time on a 24/7 basis!" With the help of the entertainment industry and high profile celebrities our young folk are leaning this practice while in the early years of their lives.

3. The teaching of our young that our roots are traced back to very low forms of life and that over millions of years we have evolved to what we are today with the end not yet taking place as we move onward and upward to perfection. As noted earlier, due to an insane decision of the first magnitude, God is not permitted on public school property and therefore it is unlawful to teach our young the truth that all things existing, including human life, have their origin with God Who is our Creator! At the higher level in colleges, universities, and graduate schools the deadly and hopeless doctrine of evolution is a brainwashing process that has devastating results in the lives of victims who accept it without question.

4. The profaning of the day of worship which originally was set aside to provide citizens of the republic with the opportunity to worship the God Who raised this republic up so that it became the most powerful and prosperous nation in the history of the world! Not only was it to be a special time for the recognition and worship of God, but also a day of rest for the citizens so that they might become refreshed and then prepared for week of work that would begin on Monday. But the day is now primarily a day of business, pleasure, entertainment in many forms, and intentional placing of God in a cell with high tech security devices so that He does not in any way interfere with our "fun and games!"

5. A church that has become increasingly corrupted because of the infiltration of "wolves in sheep's clothing" who refuse to accept God's special revelation in the form of the holy Scriptures as the absolute authority on all matters that have to do with our faith, our relationship to God through His Son, Jesus Christ, and the responsibilites we have to be fully obedient to Him on a day by day basis. The heart of denial is found in the rejection of Jesus as to His real identity (God revealed in human form), His miracles which He performed, His atoning death on the cross for the sins of the entire human race, His literal resurrection from the dead 3 days after the crucifixion, and His promised return to this sin saturated world at some time in the future to take full control and rule as King of kings and Lord of lords!

In the midst of all this chaos God has been calling for repentance -- no exceptions! To repent is to be brutally honest with ourselves, to admit we are guilty, and to turn from our sins, asking God for mercy and forgiveness. This has to be done on a personal level and also collectively (family, community, church, nation and its leaders).

But there is a major problem -- God has issued the command to repent but He is being ignored by the vast majority. So what does this mean? It means simply that we are perilessly close to experiencing judgment. God employs calamities (chastising actions) for a time in an effort to make a nation aware of its need to turn to Him. The classic example of this is His dealings with the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Neither heeded His appeals issued through His prophets and consequently were totally destroyed at the hands of heathen peoples. Yes, God at times does use a heathen people to bring judgment on those who claim to be God's people - e.g. "one nation under God!"

How is your hearing these days?

And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day; to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You. O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You." --- Daniel 9:4-9

Jesus Christ Returning to This World on May 21, 2011?

(Photo used by permission of Tom Chapin, Editor of The Punxsutawney Spirit)

Above is pictured a billboard near Punxsutawney PA stating that Jesus Christ will be returning to this world on May 21, 2011. A number of individuals and groups are attempting to spread this message in a variety of ways throughout the world. Source: Article in Punxsutawney Spirit on Saturday, March 26, 2011 at Faithful Await

The date has been set and those who are convinced that May 21, 2011 is indeed the date of Jesus' return and judgment day are doing all they can to let the world know of this impending event.

Quite a few details are given in the article which can be read through access to the link given above. That these people are sincere there can be no doubt. That many are very zealous in spreading the word about this happening is quite evident. If you are willing to paint lettered warnings and pertinent information about Jesus' return on your Cadillac for all to see as you drive about town, it is obvious that there is more than just a casual interest in what God is going to be doing in the very near future!

It has been demonstrated in countless ways down through the millennia of human history that one can be very sincere but at the same time one can be sincerely wrong. In some cases at least, it can lead to disastrous consequences, even death.

As pointed out in a letter of response to The Punxsutawney Spirit such antics as these always bring Christians to a fork in the road with a decision to be made -- who is the authority to whom I am going to give a hearing on this issue and then adjust my life accordingly?

Is Jesus Christ the Authority on matters related to His return to earth and the conclusion of human history as we presently experience it, or are some self-appointed humans the authority to whom we must listen?

According to the calculations made by certain persons, the date is May 21, 2011 on which Jesus Christ is to return to this earth.

But Jesus said something far different relative to His personal return to this world. He actually said that no one knows the day nor the hour. How else can you interpret the statement, "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming." (Matthew 24:42). This was spoken in the context of trends that will take place as human history approaches its conclusion and God intervenes in order to prevent the total annihilation of the human race! Jesus referred to the fact that no one knows the time except God the Father Himself.

It is likely that the proponents of the May 21, 2011 date will have woven an extremely "clever" interpretation of those statements about no human, or even angels knowing precisely when the time will be. The human mind is very clever when it comes to sidestepping truth and replacing it with human speculation and fiction!

Just what is to be our attitude in regard to Jesus' return to earth? Live in light of what He did say about that event. We have responsibility to represent Him and His eternal Kingdom wherever we are on a daily basis. We are to be engaged in use of time, abilities, and material resources to carry out His parting command, which is to go into all the world and share the Gospel with all people in all nations. After all, He alone is the one and only answer to all human needs and problems, the greatest of which is sin in human nature and its horrifying manifestations!

It was His sacrifice on a Roman cross of execution that accomplished atonement for the sins of the entire human race. Every sin committed by every human being ever born into the world was placed on Him as He agonized on the cross for three hours. That sacrificial death on His part satisfied the demands of God's justice that every sin must be punished. Our response to that is to honestly admit we are sinners, repent and ask God's mercy, accept His forgiveness and receive Jesus as personal Savior and Lord of our lives.

That is the heart of what we are to be about as Jesus tarries in His return to this chaotic world. Live each day in expectation of His return but attempt to be sensitive to the doors of opportunity opening where by word and deed we can make an eternal difference in the lives of other persons! The fact that Christianity is the ONLY true way in this world rests on the solid foundation of Jesus' demands upon us humans, His absolute claims for Himself, His atoning sacrifice on our behalf, His victorious resurrection from the dead, and His promised return to set up His Kingdom on this earth at a time determined by God the Father and kept secret from all members of the human race.

It is pointless to argue about such a thing as a precise date someone has set for Jesus to return. As noted in my letter earlier to the editor I stated that the landscape of human history is cluttered with the wreckage of attempts to set dates as to when God was going to do a thing.

When you go to bed tonight and lay your head on the pillow, say to yourself, "Jesus may come back before the sun rises tomorrow morning." When you get out of bed tomorrow, say to yourself, "Jesus may come back today before the sun sets." And so long as He tarries, say also, "Jesus has work for me to do today before He comes back!" and then do it!

"But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." --- Matthew 24:36-39

Ready for Charlie Anonymous?

There are 12 Step programs for persons who are addicted to something -- we have Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, etc. Is it now time that a Charlie Anonymous be established for those who are addicted to Charlie Sheen and all his antics?

Charlie Sheen has dominated the news of late to the point of crowding out that guy in Libya -- whose name is Quadaffi, or Khadafi, or Khadafy, or Gadaffi or Quaddafi or (insert your favorite spelling). Such heavy weights as NBC's Today show and Fox News gave extensive amounts of time to this person whose life is in a very tragic unraveling stage! It is crystal clear that media people are mesmerized by this guy Charlie Sheen for some unexplained reason.

His antics get top billing in the world of mass media communications. He is reported to be the highest paid actor in television. But that is not enough for Charlie. He is demanding a 50 per cent pay hike for his work in "Two and a Half Men." Maybe the poor guy just can't make ends meet with a salary of 2 million dollars PER EPISODE -- he wants it upped to 3 million dollars for each episode!

Among other things he is a prime example of the truth that very few persons can handle wealth and power in a responsible way. You see this massively demonstrated in Washington DC and state capitols throughout our entire republic on a daily basis.

But what is really wrong here? It is the fact that Charlie is demonstrating that when you become self-centered and try to run your own life apart from the grace of God, you are going to foul up in many different ways. Every human is born into this world with an inclination to ignore God and live a life that focuses on the self.

Long ago a man, whom God called to warn his generation of impending judgment and destruction if there was not massive repentance on the part of the citizens and their leaders (political and religious), made a most accurate observation about the human race -- "O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps." (Jeremiah 10:23).

Charlie Sheen, because he is very high profile, is showing millions of people what a disaster your life can become when you ignore the calling and claims of Almighty God through Jesus Christ that is extended to every human being on the face of this planet.

There will be those who may come to his defense and in light of statements just made cry out, "Who are you to judge?" The fact is that I am not making a judgment as such but simply conveying what Jesus Christ, the absolute Authority on all matters pertaining to human behavior and relationships, has to say.

First, He said we would really know who people are by the kind of "fruit" they manifest in their lives -- see Matthew 7:17-20. Their speech, conduct, and relationships will clearly reveal as to whether their primary motive in life is to seek and do the will of God or whether it's the person who stares back at them in the bathroom mirror each morning that is calling all the shots day by day until one is buried in a cemetery!

Second, He said we are to be "light" and "salt" in this world if we faithfully follow Him. That simply means we convey the light of God's truth, the reality of salvation from sin through Jesus Christ, and as salt, resist all evil in whatever form it appears. Charlie has provided no evidence in either speech or in conduct that he desires to be "light" or "salt" in the advancement of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ! (See Matthew 5 about the salt and light responsibility).

Third, Jesus said that those who are faithfully following Him would experience hostility time after time in the world -- that is, hatred and violent acts under various circumstances, depending on where one is located. In some parts of the world there are places where Christians are violently attacked and even killed; others are beaten, tortured, and imprisoned. Here in the United States it hasn't reached that stage yet, but the hostility is growing in verbal attacks, court decisions, and certain negative reactions to the witness of Christianity. Charlie has provided no evidence that he has been on the receiving end of hostility because he is a follower of Jesus Christ.

Is there hope for Charlie? So long as he draws a breath and his heart continues to beat, there is that possibility that his eyes will be opened and by the grace of God he will see that his greatest need is to seek mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ, Who sacrificed His life on a Roman cross 2,000 years ago so that Charlie and all the members of the human race, including you and me, could be forgiven of all sin and be a part of Jesus' Kingdom forever and forever where there is no pain, no grief, and no trouble of any kind.

But in the meantime as the media prattles on about Charlie is it time to establish a Charlie Anonymous? Maybe you can be the one to start a chapter in your community!

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. --- Galatians 6:7,8

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. --- Romans 6:23

The One Absolute That High Profile Conservatives Are Avoiding!

An internet search will reveal that "conservative" talk show hosts and commentators are a rather large number of persons. Some are very high profile and quite popular among those who claim to be conservative in their view points. Listeners to these persons number in the millions each week. A major problem however is the fact that the Limbaugh's, Beck's, Hannity's, Coulter's, O'Reilly's, Ingraham's, Malkin's, Levin's, and (add your nominee) are missing the main and very critical ingregient when it comes to the restoration of our republic! --- information gathered from a Google search of the internet

The above named persons who are identified as being "conservative" in their philosophy have a multitude and then some of supporters and faithful followers. There are a large number of others who not so well known except in the immediate geographic area where they are located, which is usually a major U.S. city and ranging out for a number of miles from that city or however far their program may reach.

BUT, all this huge gang of conservatives has a common thread of neglect when it comes to what is really needed to get our republic back on track -- to get the economy "fixed" -- to get away from big government and its growing control of the many facets of our lives -- to regain the vision possessed by our founding fathers when the republic was born.

You cannot construct an arch if you omit the keystone - you cannot light up a home at night if you cut off the electicity or have no candles on hand -- you cannot make a delicious home-made cake if you leave out the eggs -- you cannot grow a beautiful flower if you do not give it water -- and you cannot go anywhere in an automobile if it doesn't have an engine to provide power!

So what is this "missing link" -- this absent "absolute" -- in all the conservative talk that goes on endlessly day by day? It is found in one rather simple word which is rare in its usage today and at times intentionally avoided. It is the word "repentance!" Yes, it has a distinct religious connection, which is why it is so critically important.

Almighty God, Who has plainly revealed Himself to the human race in a number of ways, has issued the call for the citizens of this nation and their leaders to make repentance a top priority issue in their experiences. It requires soul searching, honesty, deliberate choices, and a 180 degree turn in which God is sought in a spirit of remorse (for offenses committed) and humility. Honest confession in which each individual, no matter who that person may be, admits to being guilty of sin against God and one's fellow human beings. Further, the willingness to receive Jesus Christ into one's life as personal Savior and Lord and be committed to obeying Him on a daily basis. After all, Jesus' purpose for coming to this world 2,000 years ago was to sacrifice His life and satisfy the demands of divine justice on our behalf -- literally, He took upon Himself every sin of which every human being is guilty of committing in a lifetime! Forgiveness is freely offered, but one has to repent in order to experience it -- that is, confess known sin and indicate a desire to no longer continue to live in sin.

Simply put - repentance is intellectual (I realize and understand that I am a sinner and guilty before a holy God); emotional (I am very much troubled as it dawns on me that I am under condemnation for my sin); and volitional (I will no longer continue in my sinful way of life) -- I will turn my life over to the control of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

The mass number of "conservatives" omit this ingredient in all their talk about what needs to be done to get our republic "fixed." There would be objections to this by suggesting that it is not their business to bring a religious issue into their discussions. So, what's the use of wasting time -- it would be like giving a dying cancer patient an Advil tablet and a bandaid and telling him he'll be OK!

To Glenn Beck's credit, he has at times made reference to God and does so in his book, "Broke," but never really comes to grips with the issue of repenting from sin -- it is more in generalities, not in the specifics of the need to recognize sin and get rid of it. With all the "conservative" talk about our nation and its many problems, it is nothing more than an exercise in futility, if repentance from sin and turning to God are not highlighted!

Now then -- I have been around long enough to know that of the few who read this, most will conclude that this is just another rant coming from a religious fanatic and not to be taken seriously.

But I have done what my Lord put on my heart and conscience to do -- and I am in pretty good company -- better men than I will ever be -- the kind for whom I am not worthy to open a door for them to enter or leave a room -- but they sounded out a message in their times which warned of God's judgment if there was not extensive repentance from sin. And for the most part, that call to repent of sin was rejected -- what followed some time later was not at all pleasant. A classic example is seen at the time in which a man by the name of Noah lived!

Have you ever seriously thought about what the consequences will be of the massive shedding of innocent blood over decades (killing unborn children), rampant sexual immorality, entrenched idolatry, the misleading of our young regarding origins, the literal trashing of the day of the week that was intended for rest and the worship of God, and the growing hostility being shown against the Christian faith?

Maybe it is time we begin to give thought to the very real possibility of judgment at the hands of an angry God! But don't expect such a subject as this to be mentioned, even in a whisper, by those who claim to be "conservative" on their programs -- they might lose too many sponsors!

"For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, if you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt, then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered to do all these abominations'?" --- Jeremiah 7:5-10

'Tis the Season for Mockery!

"You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries. Those near and those far from you will mock you as infamous and full of tumult. Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you. In you they have made light of father and mother; in your midst they have oppressed the stranger; in you they have mistreated the fatherless and the widow. You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths....." --- Ezekiel 22:4-8

The republic of the United States has fallen upon very difficult times. Actually, this has been building up steadily since the early '60's when defiance and giving Almighty God the infamous obscene gesture became quite common occurences throughout our culture. It has been seen through the mass media, the prevailing attitudes in government and court decisions, business and corporation affairs, the entertainment industry, educational institutions, and drastic changes in the basic social building block in our culture that is known as the family.

It has been a negative toboggin slide since those years of the early '60's although there were very negative influences in active play since the early 1900's. It was within the professing Christian church at large that seeds of doubt and skepticism were being sown which would over time impact all segments of U. S. culture. The basic seed of poison was the idea that the Bible is not a totally trustworthy book and using our intelligence coupled with the ability to implement the powers of human reasoning we then could have a correct understanding and interpretation of the holy Scriptures!

Much of the skepticism centered on the Person and accomplished work of Jesus Christ. Satan is very smart and knows that if he can get us to doubt the integrity of the Scriptures with the added bonus of doubt concerning the identity of Jesus, His miracles performed, the purpose of His death, and His victorious resurrection, then he has easily won the battle. The result is a professing Christianity that is as impressive as a fish out of water and flopping helplessly around on land!

And what is God's response to this ongoing defiance that is expressed in countless ways over the decades as time marches on?

First, God will convey messages of warning through a very unpopular group of persons known as prophets. These are people who will never grace the cover of Time magazine as the "person of the year." They will never win a popularity contest. It is not uncommon for these to be ridiculed, mocked, violently persecuted, and at times put to death. Scriptures in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament confirm clearly that this is how it is now and how it was for those through whom God issued warnings and the appeal to repent and return to Him.

Second, God begins to launch a series of calamities of various kinds upon the people who have claimed to be a people "under God," but have chosen to reject His standards which make for a sane, serene, sensible, secure, and sovereign state! As these actions are taking place, it is appropriate to say, "Things are not going well for our nation, its people and their leaders, politically and religiously!"

Third, God works in an unusual way in the world with those people who claim to be His people but who abandon the standards He has put in place that distinguishes the nation as one that truly fears and respects God. God declares that He will make them a mockery in relation to the other nations of the world.

Rodney Dangerfield, the comedian, had a very familiar saying which was used repeatedly in his stand up routines -- "I get no respect!" And so God arranges through events that a nation of people will get absolutely no respect. In the past the United States was a nation highly respected throughout the world and there was a time when the flag of the U.S. was respected wherever it was flown. Perhaps the peak for this was during and at the end of WW II. Such is no longer the case. It is not that unusual any longer to see the flag torn down, trashed and burned!

Will it dawn on our elected officials and our church leaders that the pressing need at this moment in history is for our nation to truly repent of its many sins and abominations and turn back to God? And this has to be done on an individual level as well as at the corporate level? At this point in time there is no indication that repenting is an act to be taken seriously and if anything, masses feel they "haven't done anything wrong!"

Mark it down -- God has much more in His inventory of "chastising tools" -- and if that doesn't work, then He brings out another plan of action - it's called judgment! None of us will want to be anywhere within the boundaries of the 50 states that make up the republic of the United States when that happens!

And a PS - note the claim that the Creator of this mighty universe makes in regard to His authority and power to establish a nation or tear it down and bring it to nothing, depending on critical choices made by the people and their leaders -- it is detailed in Jeremiah 18. And because I am in a very good mood at the moment, I'll let you look it up and read it for yourself! Something to sleep on tonight - pleasant dreams :-)

Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land." --- Daniel 9:3-6

Taking Back America - Very Doubtful Indeed --

Organizations have been formed, "conservative" politics has been gaining momentum in anticipation of the November 2010 elections, books by the dozens have been written, and talk show hosts with a "conservative" reputation have been having a field day!

"Taking Back America!" has been a rallying cry for quite some time. The tea party gatherings were not the fly-by-night phenomenon that mainstream media people wanted us to believe. So then came the "labeling" of those involved in the movement to "take back America."

If you in any way disagree with or, horrors upon horrors, you dare to oppose the agenda being advanced by Obama & Co. then you are a bigoted racist filled with venom and undiluted hatred!

As of this date (Aug. 28, 2010) on which these comments have been written, Glenn Beck is at the center of a rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. Preparation and accompanying publicity for this have been going on for months. Beck's TV program on August 27 featured some members of the clergy. Expressed in the course of their discussion was the opinion that another "great awakening" is now taking place. Some details were revealed in an effort to support the suggestion that this is truly happening around the nation.

Is it happening for real? Will America actually be "taken back" as many attempt to spell it out in light of the chaos that now rules in government, business, industry, education, and even too many church groups?

There will be some stirrings here and there perhaps and emotions will run very high, but for the healing and restoration of the republic as God defines a culture that is in right relationship to Him, the "taking back America" thing is very doubtful to say the least!

The reason is rather simple. In the midst of the activity and rhetoric spewed forth, including Beck announcing that we "need God," there is no serious consideration of the need to repent of all sin! This is an absolute must on both the personal and individual level as well as the collective level in all facets of our society.

There is no remorse and regret that we have brutally mutilated and murdered at least 52 million unborn children since January of 1973, or engaged in widespread idolatry with our version of homemade "deities," or engaging persistently in sexual immorality of pandemic proportions, or massively profaning what is supposed to be a day of worship and rest, or teaching millions of our young that we have evolved from lower life forms which existed millions and millions of years ago! But worst of all is the fact that Jesus Christ is ignored as the exclusive remedy and answer to one's personal salvation from sin and admission into the eternal Kingdom of God!

Until there is brutal honesty starting with leadership in our churches and in our government at various levels in admitting the aforementioned sins and abominations and the fact that such offenses have to cease immediately, then all the talk (and debate) about "taking back America" is in vain.

Perhaps the time has now come that the person who chooses to face reality in this republic needs to think and anticipate judgment at the hands of a God Who is holy and Who will not endlessly tolerate rebellion -- especially on the part of a nation which claims to be "one nation, under God...!"

I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, 'I will not hear.' This has been your manner from your youth, that you did not obey My voice. The wind shall eat up all your rulers, and your lovers shall go into captivity; surely then you will be ashamed and humiliated for all your wickedness. --- Jeremiah 22:21, 22

Wait a Minute – There Wouldn’t Be A Christmas If It Weren’t for Him!

“Happy Holidays!” – the politically correct greeting in referring to December 25th

The tension grows each year – is it permissible to say “Merry Christmas!” any more? There is a wild mix in this controversy with those who say we should not offend anyone by using an expression that has the word “Christmas” in it – why it even promotes religion if used in the public schools, didn’t you know?

There are those who insist the expression “Merry Christmas!” should be used when referring to the calendar date of December 25. And there is the rather common cliché that is often employed, “Jesus is the reason for the season.”

And there are those who say it doesn’t make any difference and the arguing and conflict over such an issue should stop – let each person choose to observe the season and the day as he or she wants to do or if they don't want to do anything with it at all!

Take note – there would be no Christmas at all if it were not for Jesus Christ! Here are some facts about the matter:

First, He is the One Who made this world and the universe of which it is a very minute part originally – it is His to do with as He so determines.

Second, He was born into this world of a virgin mother – yes, yes I know all about it – there are any number of theologians, seminary professors, church leaders, and pastors (they are a dime a dozen) who question this or deny the virgin birth ever took place. But they won’t be dead more than a few seconds until they have to face the truth and Him Who is truth incarnate!

Third, He is the One Who ultimately gave His life to redeem every human being ever born into this world from sin and its deadly consequences – literally, God in human form satisfied the demands of divine justice on our behalf and made possible our forgiveness and reconciliation to God.

Fourth, He is the One Who is scheduled to return to this sin ravaged planet to set right all that is wrong and to rule it in true righteousness and justice. At long last the world will finally experience peace. For a small minority, this is a hope that the Bible describes as being an “anchor for the soul.”

The Scriptures bear witness to all of the above -- read it for yourself and see! God took the step to become human, bore the sins of the human race upon Himself through a brutal death on a Roman Cross, was resurrected from the dead, ascended back to Heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father, and has promised to return to earth again at some point in the future.

Take that away and you have no Christmas!

He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. --- 1 John 5:10-13

Truly Sorry for “transgressions” or Just Sorry for Getting Caught?

Tiger Woods said he let his family down with transgressions he regrets "with all of my heart," and that he will deal with his personal life behind closed doors. --- news release statement on Tiger Woods’ “confession”

It is a given – very, very few people can handle power, wealth, and fame responsibly! Great is the number of persons in professional sports, political office, and the entertainment industry who have given in to raging hormones. The common denominator is an attempt to keep all indiscretions concealed and often to continue immoral activity for one main reason.

That main reason is that the individual believes he or she is the exception to the laws and standards put in place by the Creator of this universe. Those laws and standards may apply to everyone else, but not to me – I can flaunt them because of who I am! So it is said (or at least thought) by a long line of high profile people over the centuries. Defenders of these moral alley cats will make the appeal that what they do in private is none of our business and we are not to do any "judging" in regard to the issue.

Tiger Woods is the latest big name to try to get himself out of the moral quicksand pit into which he has sunk. So amid the mounting pressure that he attempted to elude, he finally has made a public “apology.” Too often it’s been a matter of not really being sorry for the alleged “transgressions” as it is that one got caught and couldn’t hide the offenses any longer. Further, if there had not been some revelation of some kind, the high profile transgressor would have continued to do what he or she had been doing all along!

Yes, forgiveness is possible – each of us is confronted at some point with the issue as to whether we will honestly confess that we are guilty of transgressions and seek the mercy of Almighty God, or try to excuse our offenses and shirk responsibility for our actions. Or worse, utter a feeble half hearted “apology” with the only regret being that we couldn’t keep our “secret life” a secret any longer!

God is extremely merciful – those who have truly repented of their sins and experienced God’s mercy and forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ know full well what it is to live in a state of peace with God. With this comes an abiding assurance of having been forgiven because the regret and following acts of repentance were for real, not merely a charade!

Time will tell as to how it is for Tiger Woods – truly sorry for the “transgressions” with genuine repentance providing clear evidence of the sorrow or simply sorry at having been caught!

Even high profile people in pro sports, government, entertainment, and corporations need Jesus Christ more than anything or anyone else on the face of this planet though most provide evidence that they don’t believe this to be true!

"…you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out. --- Numbers 32:23b

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. --- Romans 5:7-9

Obama Will Lose His “War!”

The Obama Administration and Fox News have started to become rivals, with the White House commenting that Fox was, “opinion journalism masquerading as news.” --- Internet news release, October 21, 2009

A long, long time ago God made as plain as it could be stated – leaders in governing authority and the citizens of the nation over which they govern who do not listen to Him are bound to fail. One shocking way that God has of revealing this is found in the book of Jeremiah:

“You have forsaken Me," says the LORD, "you have gone backward. Therefore I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you; I am weary of relenting!” --- Jeremiah 15:6

"Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.’” --- Jeremiah 18:11

Much publicity has been generated over the “war” that has erupted between the Obama administration and Fox News network. Personally, I don’t watch Fox News that much – a little of Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and the others goes a long way! And their parade of females makes one wonder if we are being exposed to a competitive beauty pageant masquerading as “intellectual expertise” in some area or other!

The hard fact of the matter is that Fox News, as has Obama and members of his administration, has not really dealt honestly with what the actual root problem of this republic is, which is spiritual and moral in nature. The Fox people and others claiming to be conservative continue to attack what are perceived to be the political “problems” and what they believe has to be done to cure them. This has aroused the wrath of Obama and his supporters. The tragedy is that among these warring parties is the omission of the first step that has to be taken in order to start a process of healing and restoration within our nation. It’s called repenting from sin (personal and collective) and calling on God for mercy and forgiveness.

Whatever degree of improvement might be made through political maneuvering at this stage would be like treating a patient who is suffering from a deadly melanoma with a couple of aspirin tablets! There might be a temporary form of relief from discomfit but the deadly cancer is still there doing its terminal work.

Obama is a loser and through his influence will cause this republic to lose in the most tragic fashion. He is the first president to take the lowest view of human life possible and to aggressively support the massive destruction of unborn children not only within the borders of the United States but has actively taken action so that tax money from our nation goes into foreign nations to support those organizations which provide services resulting in the brutal mutilation and murders of unborn children.

Anyone who believes God is going to bless this nation under such leadership as that is worse than an ostrich with its head stuck in the sand and unwilling to face reality as to where we as a nation are headed.

Obama doesn’t realize that he has had his 3 strikes, is out, and has lost. Three more years will only see things worsen as God continues to issue His warnings and employs those measures that should wake people up and make them aware of the need to repent. There is nothing to indicate at this stage that any significant changes are going to take place and so the foolish and very unprofitable “war” continues!

You see, when Almighty God is against you, you are always the loser!

Then they will cry to the LORD, but He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, because they have been evil in their deeds. --- Micah 3:4

Only One Kind of Change Will Restore Our Republic!

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you." --- Jonah 3:1, 2

B. Hussein Obama made “change” the key word and constant theme of his campaign for the presidency. Like the Pied Piper of olden times, he quickly gained a very large following with extensive help from many in the mass media and high profile celebrities such as Oprah, etc. Over time he was able to fill his campaign coffers with at least a half billion or more dollars. It’s still true – money talks and buys a lot of stuff!

But will the Obama formula for bringing about “change” really work? At least during the “honeymoon” period and glowing positive reports from most of the media, it will seem that this fellow does indeed have the answers the country has been searching for over many decades.

But there is only one change that will bring the nation to the place where it needs to be if it is to survive and have hope for the future. It is not a change involving the economy, the environment, the employment rate, national security, energy resources, or education. It is a change that must take place in the ethical, moral and spiritual realms of our culture – literally in the heart and soul of every person living in this nation. But that is something the overwhelming majority of citizens and their leaders (political and religious) do not want under any circumstance to seriously consider.

At the beginning was reference to a man called by God to go to a place called Nineveh. Jonah’s message was a warning of impending judgment within a few days' time – God’s wrath was going to be poured out upon the city for its wickedness. However, something most unusual happened – the people believed and began to change their wicked way of living – they actually sought to repent of all sin, and this included the king himself. Read the account for yourself:

So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk. Then he cried out and said, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, "Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?" Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it. --- Jonah 3:3-10

The wickedness found within the republic of the United States is excessive and manifested in countless ways, starting with the destruction of unborn children. But we also have our rampant sexual immorality which violates the numerous standards God has established for acceptable sexual behavior and relationships. Other ways we have defied God involve our idolatry, our profaning of the day of worship, and our feeble attempt to erect a fence to keep God confined so that He doesn’t interfere in areas of public life and education! We also are doing a first rate job at convincing the vast majority of our young that our “roots” go back to lower life forms – and that we have arrived at our present condition by means of a process of evolution, but we’re not finished yet!

Elected officials and church leaders are at a critical crossroad at this point in time – as God issues the call for repentance, personally and collectively, what will the response be? Will it be a correct change which results in turning from all that offends God, or will we as a nation give Him the all too familiar obscene gesture and suffer catastrophic consequences which we cannot begin to comprehend?

At this moment in time there is no recognition on the part of elected officials or on the part of church leaders that there is the urgent need to repent, call on God for mercy and commit to being an obedient people, seeking His will for our daily lives!

It appears more likely with the passing of each day that we will experience what ancient Judah experienced (the wrath of God) in spite of urgent appeals rather than what Nineveh experienced (the blessing and mercy of God) after heeding the message of a prophet by the name of Jonah!

Consider the record of what Judah experienced:

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He also did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel. Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand.And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. --- 2 Chronicles 36:11-19

Is that a mighty voice thundering out of eternity shouting, “Now it’s your turn!”

And the LORD spoke by His servants the prophets, saying, "Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations (he has acted more wickedly than all the Amorites who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols), therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle.’” --- 2 Kings 21:10-12

Fame, Riches, Position and Power Can End Abruptly!

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." --- James 4:13-15

The sudden death of Tim Russert, well known host of “Meet the Press,” has been dominating news events for days since it happened. There have been some minor distractions such as a couple of teams known as Lakers and Celtics doing battle, Tiger Woods’ win of the U. S. Open, antics of some entertainment celebrity, the legality of the “Queen of Mean” in leaving 12 million dollars to her dog, etc.

A host of tributes has been issued, proposals to memorialize Russert in different ways have been made and endless discussions as to his success and effectiveness continue to take place here and there.

What is frequently forgotten in the midst of fame and fortune as well as on the part of the masses of unknowns who have neither fame nor fortune is this:

• we are sinful mortals each of which is under the sentence of death – Hebrews 9:27 quite bluntly tells us, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment..." And note also the details of sin being universal – a malady infecting the entire human race in Romans 3.
  
  
• we are prone to take much in life for granted such as expressed in Psalm 49:11 - "Their inner thought is that their houses will continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names." Notice the rather common attitude of one fellow who said to himself, "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.'" (Luke 12:19).
  
  
• we each stand in need of redemption from our sins -- how more plainly stated can it be than this? "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18).
  
  
• each of us has to choose where our focus is going to be during our life's journey – on Jesus Christ and what He has in mind for us as to the direction our life shall take or self-determined goals and career -- you know, the big "I" calls all the shots! Jesus spelled out success in terms of time and eternity by saying those who come to Him, listen and do what He says are like a wise man who built a house on a foundation of rock, but those who refuse to listen and do not do what He says are like a foolish man who built a house on a foundation of earth – when the storms came and beat upon both houses – one stood and one collapsed – can you guess which one weathered the storm and survived? The lesson is clear – failure to take Jesus Christ and what He has to say seriously with commitment will always result in disaster! See details at Luke 6:47-49
  
  
• each of us will ultimately face Him and our eternal destiny will be determined by Him. We will hear Him saying one of two possible statements to us:
  It will either be:
  

  
  "His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'" (Matthew 25:23).
  

  
  Or it will be
  

  
  "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" (Matthew 7:23).
  

  
  

The wise person will live in this present world in such a manner that when his/her time on earth is terminated he/she can say the same as did an apostle named Paul:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7, 8)

And when people refer to your passing from time into eternity the highest tribute that can be made is a simple phrase as was said of Abraham – “And he was called the friend of God.” (James 2:23).

'Tis a Mystery in this Fair Land; Will Somebody Please Help Me Understand?

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, today responded to the United Methodist Church’s decision to reaffirm homophobic language which says homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching and its failure to reverse a decision by the church’s Judicial Council to allow pastors to reject lesbian and gay people who seek membership in the church. The vote, which passed by a margin of only 84 votes out of more than 900 cast, reaffirmed discriminatory language in the Discipline of the United Methodist Church and failed to counteract an earlier decision by the denominations judicial body. The vote was taken on Wednesday, April 30, at the United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Separately, the church voted against anti-transgender legislation and voted to oppose "all forms of violence or discrimination based on gender, gender identity, sexual practice or sexual orientation." --- Part of press release by Human Rights Campaign, May 5, 2008

It's a mystery that has been around now for a few decades. Here are some of the elements ----

How is it that those who practice sodomy and lesbianism (and heterosexuals who support their agenda) speak in glowing terms regarding those who agree with them? But those who object to the practices of sodomy and lesbianism on moral grounds are automatically tagged as persons who are hateful and afflicted with bigotry and homophobia?

How is it that those involved in promoting the sodomite/lesbian agenda can quote Bible verses and such referencing of Scripture is considered a tactic that is quite acceptable? But those who object to sodomy and lesbianism are not permitted to refer to the Scriptures. If they do, they are guilty of using "clobber" references and the unpardonable sin of using "proof texts!"

How is it that within the church there are voices which say that God is giving us "new revelation" on human sexuality and sodomy and lesbianism as practiced within committed monogamous relationships are just as legitimate as marriage between a male and a female? This seems to get quite a chorus of amens. But those who insist that God's revelation is complete with a volume of information made up of 66 books which conclude with the book of The Revelation are considered to be a bunch of narrow-minded Bible idolaters!

How is it that there are those who speak of ALL being welcome at the Table (where the symbolical elements of the Lord's Supper are being served) with little or no emphasis on repentance from sin? This is considered a great thing because we are ALL regarded as being children of God. But those who stress the need to repent from all sin, including sexual sin, before partaking of those symbolical elements representing the body and shed blood of our Lord Jesus are considered mean-spirited, judgmental and even un-Christian!

Can you answer this mystery for me along with one final question -- if I had to repent of my sexual sins (which I will not detail here), then why does a person practicing the sexual sin of sodomy or one practicing the sexual sin of lesbianism not have to repent?

The response from some will be that these are not sins under certain conditions -- OK, then where and when did Almighty God give His approval? Please limit your response to books, chapters and verses only!

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. --- 1 John 3:4-10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Well, It's About Time!

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

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

For such an experience you are invited to go to

It Is Time....!

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

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

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

The One Statement Most Avoided in Any Man's Language!

I listened and heard, but they do not speak aright. No man repented of his wickedness, saying, 'What have I done?' Everyone turned to his own course, as the horse rushes into the battle. Even the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times; and the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the LORD. How can you say, 'We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us'? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood. The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD; so what wisdom do they have? --- Jeremiah 8:6-9

There is a statement which a majority of persons in all walks of life adamantly refuse to say. The whole world is in chaos because of such refusal to say just a few words and really mean what is said! This refusal not only impacts individual lives but families, communities, cities, and entire nations.

And just what is that statement which has such far reaching influence, you may ask?

Here it is -- read slowly and carefully:

"I/We have sinned against Almighty God!"

What is behind the refusal to say those words with meaning? There are a number of possibilities -- here are some:

• just plain old pride -- we refuse to admit we are guilty before God, and usually we are quick to look around and point to someone who has done worse things than we have done!
  
  
• self-righteousness by which we make the stupid claim that we haven't really done any "sinning" -- we have a "clean slate" so we don't have to admit to any wrong doing!
  
  
• there is no such thing as right or wrong, so we just do what we think is the best thing for us and that settles it!
  
  
• there is no God and therefore there is no accountability -- the damnable doctrine and misleading teaching of evolutionary theory suggests to our young folk that there is no God, so therefore the statement "I/We have sinned against Almighty God" is totally irrelevant and without meaning whatsoever!
  
  
• it's a religious issue and we ought not to air our "dirty linen" in public -- keep it private and out of public scrutiny!
  
  
• sin has become so common place and so accepted as well as widely practiced that it is the "norm" by which people live, therefore the word itself simply doesn't register as something offensive to a holy God!
  

There was a culture many centuries ago in which the people claimed they were God's people, but they had drifted off course over time and through compromise came to the place where God's Word was no longer a priority matter in their daily lives and in all relationships. When a few "radicals" drew attention to this and said there was a need to repent of all sins, individually and collectively, the response was, "What have we done?" It is noted that no one was really willing to repent of sin and get things squared away in relationship to the God in Whom they professed to have faith! That culture eventually collapsed and the city which was the capitol and the center of worship was totally destroyed -- all because they would not say, "I/We have sinned against Almighty God" and then follow through by turning from all that was detestable in the sight of this God! (Read 2 Chronicles 36 in the Bible for testimony of this event).

How often throughout the United States do you hear the above statement about sinning being made? And to what extent is there evidence being produced that the statement is being made individually and collectively with a desire to abandon sinful conduct, manner of speech, lifestyles and desires? And that is followed by a fervent desire to seek holiness of heart, obey God, and honor His Son, Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord and our soon returning King?

We all know the answer to that, do we not?

Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain. You have had a harlot's forehead; you refuse to be ashamed. --- Jeremiah 3:3

Adopt a Prayer!

At least some states have encouraged the practice for years -- it's called "Adopt a Highway" or something akin to that. The idea is to have a group of persons "adopt" a portion of highway and a couple of times a year or so, go along that portion of highway which they have adopted and pick up all the litter which has been thrown from vehicles traveling along that stretch of road.

Here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania there is a great need for this and a number of families and groups have responded to the appeal. You see, our state is still plagued with a number of persons with a very low IQ and common sense level of decency and respect -- and so they throw out their beer and soda cans, their McDonald's french fry boxes and hamburger wrappers, and their Pizza Hut boxes along the road as they travel along after indulging in their food and drinks!

Seizing on the idea of adopting a highway for ridding it of all debris deposited by those aforementioned ignoramuses, I am suggesting that we do an "adopt a prayer" exercise for the future well being and survival of the republic of which we are citizens.

How about adopting the prayer of Daniel the prophet as he prayed most seriously in chapter 9 of the book of Daniel? If the leaders (political and church) of this republic and we citizens took this seriously and performed the necessary steps of full repentance, the most astounding miracles would immediately take place!

Here is how Daniel started:

Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, "O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land...." --- Daniel 9:3-6

Now there is quite a bit more, but since it's good to thumb through the pages of the Bible and do some serious reading on a regular basis, I'll let you look it up and finish reading that prayer.

Then, how about adopting it as a personal prayer on your part and from time to time insert words such as "we...our leaders in state and church...in the United States" etc. The words about sinning and disobeying God remain the same until there is clear evidence that we as a nation are really serious about quitting this massive sin thing and getting right with God on a personal and individual basis as well as a collective basis.

As an aside, can you picture the United States Congress praying this prayer in all sincerity and then taking necessary actions to prove the sincerity of what was prayed? One thing sure, there would be a heap of things to be changed if such would really happen!

Will you do it today and encourage others to get involved in the "adopt a prayer by Daniel" program?

"....if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." --- 2 Chronicles 7:14