Will The United Methodist Church Capitulate to the Sodomite/Lesbian Agenda?

Out of concern for the welfare of all God’s people, and, out of special concern for the people of The United Methodist Church, we, United Methodist Bishops – retired, believe The United Methodist Church should remove the following statement from The Book of Discipline (2008):

“…The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching. Therefore self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church.” ¶304.3 ............

[Clayton D. Harriger is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church, a member of the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference and author of the following comments.]

It's a well known fact -- the old oak tree may be huge -- the trunk may be at least 15 feet or more in circumferance -- but if you keep chopping away and the chips keep falling, the tree will topple eventually!

And so it goes in the United Methodist Church. For some time those supporting the sodomite/lesbian agenda have been zealously at work to force full acceptance of unrepentant sodomites and lesbians into the life and ministry of the denomination. One central focus of attack has been the statement in the UMC Book of Discipline that states homosexuality to be incompatible with Christian teaching.

Other areas of attack have been the statements dealing with ordination of those who practice this abominable lifestyle and the performing of ceremonies which join 2 sodomites or 2 lesbians in a "union" that is supposed to be comparable to the marriage of a man and a woman.

The political posturing has been taking place for some time in anticipation of General Conference which will be held in spring of 2012.

Noted at the beginning is a partial statement from a gang of retired United Methodist bishops (term used very loosely) who are pressing for acceptance of unrepentant sodomites and lesbians without any objection whatsoever. The "bishops" signing that declaration are: Sharon Z. Rader, Donald A. Ott, Beverly Shamana, C. Joseph Sprague, Melvin G. Talbert, S. Clifton Ives, Joe A. Wilson, William Lewis, Forrest Stith, Susan Morrison, Susan Hassinger, Judy Craig, Dale White, William Boyd Grove, C. P. Minnick, Kenneth L. Carder, Roy I. Sano, Joe Yeakel, Kenneth Hicks, Joseph Humper, Monk Bryan, Jesse DeWitt, Jack Tuell, J. Lloyd Knox, Charles W. Jordan, J. Lawrence McCleskey, Marshall L. Meadors, Jr., Franz Schafer, Sheldon Duecker, Fritz Mutti, Cal McConnell, and Leontine T. C. Kelly. Not all signed that statement -- at least one did not and that was Bishop George Bashore who retired a few years ago after serving the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference. However, in the list of those signing is the name of William Boyd Grove who is originally from the Western Pennsylvania Conference and served in that conference before being elected to the office of bishop.

From out of Illinois has come a pledge on the part of 200 U. M. clergy to flout church policy and bless "unions" for same-gender couples who seek to be "united" in the same. Further, it has been reported that United Methodists in the Northern Illinois Conference called on the global church to impose no more than a 24-hour suspension for clergy who defy the policy of the United Methodist Church regarding same-gender union ceremonies!

Should we be surprised? With the stench of Illinois and Chicago politics greatly impacting Washington DC, it follows that the U. M. Church in Illinois would demonstrate it too is very capable of tolerating corruption of the first magnitude!

A female U. M. pastor this past June was found guilty for performing a "union" ceremony for 2 lesbians. The trial court really came down hard on her for this violation -- she was suspended for 20 days! There are more details as to what she has to do in writing a document along with discussions etc. in preparation for next year's annual conference. The Board of Ordained Ministry and the bishop have certainly bent more than 90 degrees backward to accomodate Amy DeLong, and of course she continues to do pastoral work as an ordained elder in her conference. Is this akin to laying your pinky lightly across her wrist and saying, "You naughty, naughtly girl -- now please, if you can find it within yourself, try not to do this again."

United Methodist pastor, Michael Gray, is in the heart of the effort to get a referendum on the ballot in Maine which will legalize marriage between same-gender couples. He supported the effort back in 2009 which was eventually overturned. He claims most of his congregation supports marriage between same-gender couples.

Six states have now legalized marriage for sodomites and lesbians which means U. M. pastors in those states will really be under pressure to do weddings involving such persons.

The above situations are but merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the ferment taking place within the United Methodist Church. Will 2012 be the year that significant changes are made and the door is opened quite a bit wider for unrepentant sodomites and lesbians with same-gender sexual intimacy no longer regarded as "incompatible with Christian teaching?"

One very effective strategy being used by the sodomite/lesbian agenda people is the "dialog." This is where you sit down at the table and discuss your differences with participating parties agreeing to respect one another and to refrain from any negative references to those holding an opposite position on the issue. Too many claiming to be "conservative" and believers in the Scriptures have fallen into this trap. It makes for good publicity and in order to "get along, we go along" even in our dialog experiences! Remember the old oak tree -- dialog advances and more chips are taken out of the old tree's trunk.

There is talk of a split in the UMC over this issue. There are those who strongly support such action. But really, it will do little good. The sodomite/lesbian cartel would not be content with a split -- they want universal unquestioned acceptance on the part of every person who is a part of the UMC -- laity and clergy alike!

Any who refuse to accept this abominable lifestyle have already been labeled in the most negative terms that can be dredged out of Mr. Webster's dictionary, starting with the word, homophobic.

How very real are the words of Jesus in these times as He warned that conditions would duplicate those which existed in a city named Sodom when a godly, but tormented, man by the name of Lot lived there. Unfortunately Lot paid an extremely high price for the deadly choice of moving into that city with his family.

Those who believe God has clearly established the boundaries of human sexuality will increasingly become targets of attack in this ongoing moral war. But stand your ground, dig in your heels, and speak up to the end -- victory lies straight ahead. Be comforted in knowing that our Lord will render the final judgment and have the last word!

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. --- Revelation 22:14-21

Only One Nation Has a Bright Future Absolutely Guaranteed!

Thus says the LORD of hosts: "In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'" --- Zechariah 8:23

A large number of U. S. citizens along with their leaders, political and church, hold to the United States having a great future in spite of some aggravating issues in which the republic presently finds itself. The grand deception lies in the fact that a majority sincerely believe we as a nation can successfully work through all the issues, solve the problems, and usher in a time of great economic prosperity. This in spite of God's revelation showing us with crystal clarity that without God's grace, mercy and guidance we cannot possibly succeed in our efforts.

But there is a time coming when one nation will achieve all that others have failed to gain through centuries of time. And among the nations who have failed is one known as the United States of America! Israel is that nation which is destined to have that very bright future, standing all alone in the glory which God has reserved for it.

Isaiah 60 is but one of a number of chapters in Scripture that speak of Israel's future and that of its prominent city, Jerusalem. God is going to bring about some very shocking changes at some point in the future regarding the Israelite people and their nation.

First, there will be a time of paramount prosperity for Israel and that coming about in a most unusual way:

Arise, shine; For your light has come! and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. "Lift up your eyes all around, and see: they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me; and the ships of Tarshish will come first, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them, to the name of the LORD your God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because He has glorified you. The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you. Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession." --- Isaiah 60:1-5, 9-11

Second, there will be a time of prominent prestige with foreign nations being in servitude to Israel -- seems impossible that it will ever happen, but when God has said it will be, then when the time is right it will happen exactly as God has planned:

"For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined. The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the pine, and the box tree together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary; and I will make the place of My feet glorious. Also the sons of those who afflicted you shall come bowing to you, and all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you The City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no one went through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations. You shall drink dry the milk of the Gentiles, and shall milk the breast of kings; you shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob." --- Isaiah 60:12-16

Third, it will be a time of stable and solid security for a people described as being "righteous:"

"Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; but you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. Also your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation. I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time." --- Isaiah 60:18-22

Israel will continue to go through very difficult and trying times for a while. For the most part the nation is in a state of unbelief in regard to Jesus Christ being the Messiah, the Savior and Hope in regard to the future. But the time will come when eyes will be opened and hearts will earnestly seek Him in a spirit of repentance. A nation much despised and hated to the extent that some wanted to totally destroy it will be the only one to arrive eventually at world prominence and to be dominant over all other nations!

For Christians, the responsibility remains as always -- to be involved in every way possible in carrying out the command of Jesus to take the Gospel into all the world, bearing witness to the fact that He is exclusively the only way of forgiveness, and reconciliation to God the Father. If one is going to experience salvation, it will only be through Jesus Christ and no other!

But there is another thing Christians can also be doing -- praying for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6, 7) and giving God no rest until He makes Jerusalem a praise throughout all the earth:

I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, who shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. --- Isaiah 62:6, 7

I am fully aware that there are various interpretations regarding reference to Israel in the Scriptures and the church having in a sense "replaced" Israel so far as future events are concerned. Personally, I prefer to take it the way God has spelled it out and that under the terms of the covenant made originally with Abraham, Israel is the only nation to have a very bright future! And why is this? The answer is very simple -- because God has promised it will be so!

Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."..............On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates; the Kenites, the Kenezzites, and the Kadmonites; the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the Rephaim; the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites." --- Genesis 12:1-3; 15:18-21

235 Years of Independence But The Termites Are Eating the Supporting Timbers!

"America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." --- quote from Alexis de Tocqueville who was a French political thinker and historian best known for his Democracy in America (appearing in two volumes: 1835 and 1840) and The Old Regime and the Revolution (1856). In both of these works, he explored the effects of the rising equality of social conditions on the individual and the state in western societies. Democracy in America (1835), his major work, published after his travels in the United States, is today considered an early work of sociology and political science.

First, an explanation of the above photo of a tattered and torn U. S. flag. It was flying by our home and it started to get torn. I didn't replace it right away and after some strong winds, it really got mangled. Jean kept after me to get a new one. So, before doing so, I took a picture as you see above. The reason? I consider it a bit symbolical since the prevailing mood and spirit throughout the republic is one of shredding the holy Scriptures and the U. S. Constitution! It reminds us that our beloved republic is in major need of repair, restoration, and healing in government and church, which are the major forces of influence in any culture.

Our republic is celebrating its 235th birthday today, remembering a special statement that was made known as the Declaration of Independence. There will be lots and lots of celebrations of various kinds in each of the 50 states. Tons of fireworks will be set off in numerous communities and families will have a lot of picnics and their own fireworks experiences as has already taken place in the area where we live. Alcohol will flow like a raging torrent and there will be the accompanying tragedies resulting from such abuse.

After the ashes of the fireworks lie on the ground, the garbage cans are filled with remains from the picnics, and police make their detailed reports related to the tragic incidents involving use of alcohol, the troublesome question to consider is this: is there really very much to celebrate regarding the birthday of our republic?

Yes, we still have a measure of liberty which is at times greatly stressed. Yesterday I was able to get up, and go to church with my wife, Jean. I was able to participate in the worship of Almighty God and to preach with no church leader or politician telling me what and how to preach a message, or that I was not permitted to publicly read portions of the holy Scriptures. Afterward we were able to gather with some members of the family and enjoy a cookout picnic together without any restrictions imposed upon us. Freedom that all too often is taken for granted.

And yes, we can still go to the voting booth and cast our ballots for persons seeking political office in spite of electronic voting which makes election fraud more of a possility than ever before, especially at the state and federal levels!

But the "termites" are at work eating away at the supporting timbers. They are ethical, moral and spiritual in nature. There are some people who believe our republic is headed in a direction that will lead to ultimate disaster unless drastic changes are made soon.

The fact that we have accumulated a national debt that cannot be sustained and each day sees that debt increasing even more is an indication alone that a financial "Armageddon" looms in the future of the republic. Neither Republicans nor Democrats are serious about getting that debt paid down -- worse, they can't even agree on doing some reducing of the annual deficit. Lots of talk but never any serious action on this. And if there is no agreement on tackling the deficit, what chance is there that even a couple of bucks will be applied toward the ever expanding national debt?

Recent years have seen a number of scandals involving high profile religious leaders and political leaders alike. It seems a number of these choose to set their own "rules" for the questionable moral and ethical conduct which they practice! Too often the response when exposed is denial, then maybe a half hearted admission and it is usually somebody else's fault -- you know, we are unwilling to take full responsibility for our actions. High profile sports and entertainment figures could also be added to this growing problem - those who are supposed to be role models and moral examples for our young!

There is a growing acceptance of immoral practices which God clearly condemns in His special revelation to us. This is a barometer indicating that our republic is like a ship in the midst of a storm with its rudder disabled and unable to avoid the rocks along the shoreline. Recently New York state became the 6th state to legalize marriage between two sodomites or two lesbians. Other states are considering this issue and some have already granted "rights" to domestic "partners" as it is in the case of legally married couples (male and female) at the present time.

And of course the destruction of the unborn continues under the sanction of the president, many congressional members and some of the membership of the U.S. Supreme Court which is responsible for the original ruling that it is a constitutional "right" for a female to destroy her unborn child by a deliberate choice. What all of us are overlooking is the fact that God has not yet made a full response to this abomination. When He does, there will be no question that He is in radical disagreement with that Supreme Court decision. He may well make this nation's landscape resemble the mutilated and murdered remains of those unborn children for whom He had a high and holy purpose in life!

The aforementioned issues are but a few of the "termites" eating away at the supporting timbers of our republic. But the last one is the leading "candidate" for inciting the wrath of God more quickly than any other. A culture always commits moral suicide when it adopts a gutter level standard in its regard for human life and leadership takes a position that human life can easily be discarded by whimsical choice!

If Alexis de Tocqueville were to visit the United States today, would his comments be a bit different than what he said in the much younger years of the republic? And might he also say, "America has ceased to be good!"???

Celebrate? The better choice of action is to pray, asking God for mercy and forgiveness, and doing so in the spirit of Daniel who set a noble example for us many centuries ago.

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 9:4-8

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

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

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

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

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

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

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." --- John 15:18, 19

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Memories of Dad!

Picture of Russell F. Harriger with daughter, Connie, and son, Clayton, about the year, 1940, on a rented farm in Monroe Township, Clarion County, Pennsylvania.

Russell F. Harriger was of German and Dutch ancestry. I have always been thankful that the last name was "Americanized" because, having seen the original, I know I probably would not be able to pronounce it and would certainly struggle to spell it.

My dad had those qualities that are too often sadly missing in today's world and the quality of life in our culture often reflects the reality of that in these very unsettled times.

From my earliest memory of dad I learned quickly that he was a hard worker at anything he ever did. His dream was to own his own farm and the hard work eventually paid off. The picture above was taken on the farm that he and my mother rented for a time. Then they entered into an agreement with a cousin of dad to live on the cousin's farm. This happened during the WW II years. The rented farm had no electricity. Our lights were gas with what was called a mantle attached over the fixture. They created a kind of eerie glow while ignited. We did not have a radio. There was no indoor plumbing. When we moved into the house on the cousin's farm we had electricity, a radio, and a hand pump at the sink for drawing water.

During this time my dad was working on the section gang of the New York Central Railroad. His dream was still to buy and own his own farm. Finally early in 1946 it happened -- my folks had managed to save enough money to make a down payment and get the farm. It was the one they originally had rented. The price paid for that farm was $4,600.00. We moved back into a house that now had electricity and a water pump system. But there was no bathroom. The bath was still taken in a galvanized tub and the little "outhouse" was where you went for "relief." Out of date Sears & Roebuck catalogs provided our toilet paper in abundance. Montgomery & Ward also assisted in maintaining this important inventory!

My dad was a man of honesty and deep conviction when it came to issues of right and wrong. He was definitely a "black and white" person -- there was no hazy gray area when it came to issues with him -- it was clearly right or clearly wrong and he would never compromise on his convictions.

He was also quite clear as to his stand on political issues. He believed that every citizen should vote and he did so in every election he could.

Dad was a man of faith and believed in prayer. He always said the prayer before we ate our meals. He and my mother were deeply involved in our church in a variety of ways. Dad did confess that he could never teach a Sunday School class, but when it came to manual work that needed done in some form around the church, he would be there and always ready to go to work.

He had a sense of humor and it was the kind that could be shared in mixed company without embarrassment. He had no time for the off color brand and was never amused when someone may dredge something up out of the gutter. He also never used foul language of any kind. In fact I never heard him use expressions that have their roots in profanity such as "dang," "darn," "gosh, "gee," "gee whiz," etc. His language was simple and you had no trouble understanding what he was talking about.

My dad dropped out of school in the sixth grade. And at that young age began working on his dad's farm as well as helping neighbors. He told me once of earning 50 cents a day -- a day that involved long hours. This rate of pay from an uncle involved plowing fields with a team of horses and walking behind a plow! If I recall correctly, he was 13 years of age when he did such work.

About the time I was born my father became a member of the school board for Monroe Township in spite of never having completed even grade school. He continued in that position for some time after I had graduated from high school. A major change took place during those years with the closure of the one room schools in Monroe Township and merger with the Clarion school district. A picture in my high school yearbook shows the school board for that year and my dad was one of the members of that board!

He was a disciplinarian and made clear to my sister and me what was expected of us in terms of behavior. Get out of line and we were punished. Sometimes I learned the hard way -- that when my dad had said how it was to be and I did not listen, I then paid a high price. But I never violated his word again in that area in which I had experienced his "judgment!"

To save money, he bought hair clippers and would cut my hair. He and a cousin would "trade haircuts" as they called it. Each would cut the other's hair on a regular basis. All this went rather well until the time came when the clippers got a bit worn and dull -- then instead of cutting all the hair, some didn't get cut and when he pulled the clippers away, those few hairs got pulled out by the roots! You can understand why I did not look forward to those times when my dad said it was time for a haircut. By that time he was going to a regular barber in Clarion.

His love for us was also demonstrated in many ways time after time. An early memory was when he and mom had gotten me a pair of rubber boots. I was about 4 years old at the time. It was in early spring of the year and our barnyard was really a quagmire. I had to try out the boots -- I waded into the barnyard a few steps and began to sink -- the more I tried to get a foot out, the other went deeper into the mud. In desperation, I cried out and my dad was near enough that he heard that frantic call for help. He came and lifted me out of that mud. What a relief! I have used this from time to time as an illustration as to how Jesus Christ came into this world to rescue us from the quagmire of sin, setting us free and making possible forgiveness and assurance of eternal life with Him forever.

Dad was just a few weeks past the age of 84 when he went to be with the Lord. We felt our loss was Heaven's gain and look forward to the moment when we shall be reunited in the presence of our Lord Jesus forever.

Thanks, dad, for the many ways you were a blessing and an inspiration to my sister and me over the years -- even though there were some of those times we did not recognize you to be the example and teacher you really were. It was only later in time that I recognized you were far more intelligent than I gave you credit for when I was in my rebel teen years.

And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. --- Ephesians 6:4

Too Late to Pray for Our Republic?

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, "Stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, 'Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah who enter in at these gates to worship the LORD!'".......... Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you." --- Jeremiah 7:1,2, 16

There are two very common assumptions about prayer.

One, that God always hears every prayer. That is, when anyone prays, then God is going to hear and respond to that prayer no matter who is doing the praying and no matter the nature of the request that is submitted.

Two, that God will always be around in a crisis when the time comes in which we need to be "bailed out" -- after all, is God not a God of love and He would never leave us stranded in a time when He is so greatly needed, would He?

Tons of books have been written on the subject of prayer. Further, there seems to be no end to a listing of persons considered to be "specialists" in the realm of prayer in times such as these.

And certainly there has at times been an emphasis upon praying for our republic and its leaders. There are solid Biblical grounds for engaging in such a practice.

However, the Bible also reveals that there are limitations regarding prayer. It's sort of like the proverbial "line drawn in the sand." There can be times when God Himself makes clear the fact that it is useless to pray any longer!

It happened in years just prior to 586 B.C. in the ancient Israelite kingdom of Judah. For the most part God's commandments and standards had been rejected by the religious and political leaders in the kingdom. With that kind of leadership it was simply a matter of time before the majority of the citizens followed the ungodly examples set before them. There was a small remnant which still held to the true faith but the influence of this group could not bring about a miraculous change so that the kingdom again was under the favor and blessing of Almighty God.

Now then, how about the United States of America -- the "land of the free and the home of the brave?" Are we in a postion to effectively call on God with assurance that as a nation we will be abundantly blessed and secure or have we "crossed the line" and if there is a response, it is worded something like this: "Therefore do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble." (Jeremiah 11:14).

There is more than a tad of evidence to suggest that it could be the latter scenario! We continue to destroy thousands of unborn children every week of the year. As of this writing we have mutilated and murdered more than 54 million unborn children since the infamous Supreme Court decision in January of 1973. We are a nation of fools of the first magnitude if we believe that God is not going to respond to this massive shedding of innocent blood for which we are solely responsible!

We continue to follow our idols at a fervent pace with money being the #1 "god" and the pleasure "god" being a close runner-up. Idolatry can take many forms and certainly has done so in our republic over decades of time. It can be an object, a person, or a type of activity and involvement in the same.

Our sexual immorality is practiced at an unprecedented rate and the philosophy that "Sex is fun with anyone, or more than one anyone at the same time, anywhere and at any time!" is being adopted by all ages in U.S. culture. God has in His special revelation to us explicitly shown where the boundaries on human sexuality are drawn. The sacred gift of human sexuality is to be shared and experienced within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman. Search all you want to -- you will not find even a hint that God has enlarged the boundaries to include additional sexual activity of different kinds involving males and females, same gender persons, adults with children and/or animals, or whatever bizarre perversion may enter a person's mind.

We are teaching millions of our young every year that we have evolved from lower life forms over millions and millions of years in time -- go ahead, insert however many millions of years you want to -- does it really make any difference? Perhaps the big difference in the millions of years is whether the forehead is sloped 3/4 inch backward or a mere 1/4 of an inch! Of course this also means that you have no need of a Creator and you are free to make your own "rules" in life with no real accountability after you die. Since it was convenient to ban God from the public classroom, it was also very convenient to deny that we are the focus of an act of creation in the past with a divine purpose and plan for each conceived human being. A godless theory filled the resulting vacuum and we are producing millions of young people who wander about day after day with no meaning to their existence!

And the church at large that claims to be "Christian" in faith has become corrupted over decades of time. The Bible is under assault and its truths denied by apostate renegades. Just a couple of many examples is denying the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead following His crucifixion and that Jesus was indeed God appearing on earth in human form in the 1st Century! The United Methodist Church stresses that it is a "connectional church" due to its organized structure. What isn't recognized is the seriousness of the "infection within the connection." When a church leader says that we need to forget about going to other nations and converting the people to Christianity because they have their own religions and we ought not to interfere with that, then something is terribly wrong in light of Jesus' command to take the Gospel into all the world and confront all nations with His claims and call.

Pray for our republic and expect to be heard? It could happen if certain conditions are met. The main one is that the majority (including political and religious leaders) are willing to pray in a repentant spirit as did Daniel who found himself being carried away from his home and placed in a raw heathen environment known as Babylon! Consider the opening statements of his prayer: "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).

Anyone up to admitting that we are badly out of step with the Creator of this mighty universe and we are guilty of commonly accepted practices which have caused Him to pour out His undiluted wrath in the past on cultures that committed similar transgressions?

And what is this thing that is said about history repeating itself?

Then the LORD said to me, "Do not pray for this people, for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence." Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets say to them, 'You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.'" And the LORD said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart." --- Jeremiah 14:11-14

I Am Sold 100 Per Cent on Marriage!

"Foreasmuch as Clayton and Jean have consented together in holy wedlock...... I pronounce that they are husband and wife...." --- statements made at conclusion of a wedding ceremony held at Monroe Chapel Methodist Church, south of Clarion PA, on June 13, 1953 by Pastor Paul B. Dunlap.

I confess to a long standing conviction -- I'm 100 per cent sold on marriage for some solid reasons!

First, my life is richer and fuller because of a very special person by the name of Jean who has been my wife for 58 years. That means she has worn many "hats" in her experiences with me over these years. She has been confidant, friend, lover, comforter, supporter, partner, mother of our five children, nurse at times, prayer warrior, and the "always there" person whom I so often needed!

Second, marriage is that very special arrangment in which two persons become as "one." It is a perpetual sharing experience over time. Each day is an open door to new adventures and opportunities. Sometimes the experiences are trying, difficult and painful -- but the comfort is in knowing one is not alone -- the "partner" in this special arrangement is there to share and to give support -- so together, you press on. But there are the blessed times and those numerous occasions of joy and delight which make the painful moments fade away into the valley of insignificance!

Third, this is a great institution because God Himself so arranged it to be. In the book of Genesis we are informed that a man will leave his father and mother and be joined unto his wife and they shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). Jesus confirmed that this is how it is to be when it comes to the issue of marriage as He made reference to that early declaration in the book of Genesis -- a man leaving his parents behind and being joined to his wife with the result that they are no longer two, but one in that special union known as marriage (Matthew 19:4-6).

However, in unstable times such as these there are those persons and groups that want to alter this special arrangement which God has clearly established. These are days of "redefinition" and the vain attempt to say that marriage must also include 2 sodomites or 2 lesbians being permitted to marry! There is absolutely no Biblical revelation that permits this to take place. God has explicitly set the boundaries for marriage and sexual expression and experience. Those are limited exclusively to a male and a female within the covenant of marriage.

Yeah, yeah -- I know, such statements as these place me in the category of a Bible-thumping, mean-spirited, homophobic radical. But I can live with that knowing that the day will come when God will have the last word on this issue and will confirm that the arrangement of marriage that He originally revealed through His inspired Word is indeed true.

We are warned that the time would come when there would be those persons who would, by their very conduct and attitudes, cause the earth to become defiled -- "The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant." (Isaiah 24:5).

I'm sold 100 per cent on marriage and the fact that it is limited to one male and one female -- and the best wife I ever had agrees with me on that. We claim that we are living proof by the grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ that it is indeed very true!

And now a PS on that wedding, preceding events, and later ones -- I was on a short leave between my schooling in TN near Memphis and my orders to report to Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station near New Bern NC. We had to get blood tests, apply for marriage license and all those details in a short time. We made it to the court house about 45 minutes on Saturday before it closed to pick up the license. The preacher was about 20 minutes late for the wedding which was scheduled for 8:00 PM. We had a fender-bender accident turning into a motel that was closed for our wedding night and then went back to Clarion to the hotel. Some neighbors surprised us with a serenade on Sunday night. We left early on Monday morning for North Carolina. It was raining in New Bern when we arrived. We got a newspaper and started looking at apartment ads. Found a kind of broken down place and rented it for a while, and set up housekeeping -- a chair collapsed the first time Jean sat in it -- and no, she was definitely not overweight! Anyway, I thank God that in His great mercy and goodness, He arranged for Jean and me to meet, fall in love, (at our home church) and eventually enter into a very special covenant known as marriage reserved exclusively for one male and one female!

Oh, and now a PPS: I heard an unusal tribute to marriage a few years ago -- a man was asked, "If there is such a things as reincarnation, what would you like to come back as in the next life?" Instantly without hesitation the man answered, "My wife's second husband!" Sounds like he was sold on marriage also, does it not?

Finally, a PPSS: A while back I got a card for Jean which was very simple in its design and in the words expressed -- it said this, "I wonder where all the years have gone, but never how else I might have spent them." On this day of June 13, 2011, those words still very much apply!

And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."
--- Matthew 19:4-6