Once there was a painter who was very poor. When his church needed repainting, the members of the congregation and the church elders got together, and when bids were considered for the job, offered him the job because while his bid was not the lowest it was close and he was of their congregation. So the painter bought paint for the job and set to work. When he got about three-quarters of the job finished it became apparent that he wouldn’t have enough paint. Well his bid was about as low as he could go and so he decided to thin his paint some so that it would spread farther. Well he got about half of the remainder done and concluded that he would have to thin what he had left just a little and his paint would stretch to cover the whole church.
Unfortunately, that night a terrible storm came to the town and when the painter was awakened by the crash of thunder he realized the thinned paint wouldn’t stick to walls of he church and would be washed away. Well the painter is panicked and realizes he has betrayed the trust put in him by his neighbors and that he will be shamed in front of everyone.
As soon as the next day has dawned, he rushed out of the house to the church and sees all of the thinned paint covering the lawn in front of the church. Faced with humiliation and possible ruin of his business, he does what is only natural and falls down on his knees and prays, "God," he says, "please forgive me and help me to see the error of my ways."
Just then the heavens open above him and he is bathed in a pearly radiance from above. A voice can be heard in the sudden stillness of the morning that rings as if it comes from Heaven itself, "Repaint and thin no more!"
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Virus Humor
Coming to a hard drive near you, the worst computer viruses yet:
AT&T Virus: Every three minutes it tells you what great service you're getting.
Paul Revere Virus: Warns of impending hard disk attack -- once if by LAN, twice if by C:
Politically Correct Virus: Never calls itself a "virus." Instead, it's an "electronic microorganism."
Government Spokesman Virus: Nothing works, but all your diagnostic software says everything is fine.
AT&T Virus: Every three minutes it tells you what great service you're getting.
Paul Revere Virus: Warns of impending hard disk attack -- once if by LAN, twice if by C:
Politically Correct Virus: Never calls itself a "virus." Instead, it's an "electronic microorganism."
Government Spokesman Virus: Nothing works, but all your diagnostic software says everything is fine.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Do you have the right to live?
Do you think a person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law? Do believe in the inalienable right to life for everyone, young or old, healthy or ill, conscious or unconscious, born or unborn?
In America's past with slavery, oppressors denied the humanity of African Americans. With abortion, oppressors deny the humanity of our preborn. The right to live is the fundamental civil right; it is God-given and not government-granted. It is not a privelege of the elite and denied to the poor. Life is precious, you're reading this right nowbecause someone respected your right to live. If you don't fight for the unborn, who will? The unborn? Hardly, they will continue to die while women selfishly "choose" to do away with that little problem inside them. Choose life and not death. God is the author of life. The devil came to kill, steal and destroy. Who are you going to serve?
"Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:14-15)
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
In America's past with slavery, oppressors denied the humanity of African Americans. With abortion, oppressors deny the humanity of our preborn. The right to live is the fundamental civil right; it is God-given and not government-granted. It is not a privelege of the elite and denied to the poor. Life is precious, you're reading this right nowbecause someone respected your right to live. If you don't fight for the unborn, who will? The unborn? Hardly, they will continue to die while women selfishly "choose" to do away with that little problem inside them. Choose life and not death. God is the author of life. The devil came to kill, steal and destroy. Who are you going to serve?
"Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:14-15)
Introduction to the
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
Irony of Liberalism
Have you heard about Abby Johnson, the woman who went from Planned Parenthood director to pro-lifer after viewing an ultrasound of a living child in the womb? Well now she is being ostracized in the church she has attended for many years. St. Francis Episcopal was fine with her snuffing out babies but they have become decidedly cool now that she views life as precious. They simply don't agree with her choice. The great irony of liberals is that they love to sing the praises of "choice" until you choose to disagree with them, then they are as intolerant as any bigot you could meet. She was made to feel welcome in this Episcopalian church while she was willing to participate in the destruction of innocent human life, but now that she recognizes the value of innocent human life and wants to live up to the Bible’s standard regarding human life, this apostate church is turning a cold shoulder to her. Not only do they condone the slaughter of innocent children, but they also reject someone who has the audacity to believe that human life is sacred. God help them.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
(1) I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (5) But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
(1) I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (5) But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Doctor Banned in Florida Working in New York
A New York television news station has released a shocking exposѐ in its “Shame, Shame Shame” segment on abortionist Pierre Relenique, whose Florida medical license was revoked for his part in a botched late-term abortion that resulted in a live birth and for falsifying medical records to hide the fact that the baby was born alive then intentionally killed. The news reporter, Arnold Diaz, discovered that Renelique had moved to New York and is now working at the Clinton Place Medical Center in the Bronx but a receptionist at that clinic insists that Renelique is not doing abortions there. You judge for yourself.
Abortionist Pierre Relenique
Abortionist Pierre Relenique
All You Need to Know
Life may bring torture
Life may bring pain
Life may be twisted
And make you insane.
People will walk over you,
And treat you like sod
But everything is perfect
If you keep your faith in God.
So keep your soul free
And your eyes to the sky
You can trust God;
He'll never lie.
I promise you now
All of this is true
And may this poem
Be a witness to you.
Life may bring pain
Life may be twisted
And make you insane.
People will walk over you,
And treat you like sod
But everything is perfect
If you keep your faith in God.
So keep your soul free
And your eyes to the sky
You can trust God;
He'll never lie.
I promise you now
All of this is true
And may this poem
Be a witness to you.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Oxymorons
Oxymoron's are inexplicably part of our lives. Here are a few you may actually use:
- Exact estimate
- Act naturally
- Found missing
- Resident alien
- Genuine imitation
- Good grief
- Sanitary landfill
- Alone together
- Small crowd
- Soft rock
- Sweet sorrow
- "Now, then..."
- Passive aggression
- Clearly misunderstood
- Peace force
- Extinct life
- Plastic glasses
- Terribly pleased
- Definite maybe
- Pretty ugly
- Working vacation
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Pun Day
Those who jump off a bridge in Paris are in Seine.
A backward poet writes inverse.
A man's home is his castle, in a manor of speaking.
Dijon vu - the same mustard as before.
Shotgun wedding: A case of wife or death.
A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?
Reading while sunbathing makes you well red.
When two egotists meet, it's an I for an I.
A bicycle can't stand on its own because it is two tired.
What's the definition of a will? (It's a dead giveaway.)
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
In democracy your vote counts. In feudalism your count votes.
She was engaged to a boyfriend with a wooden leg but broke it off.
A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.
When a clock is hungry, it goes back four seconds.
The man who fell into an upholstery machine is fully recovered.
You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.
Local Area Network in Australia: the LAN down under.
He often broke into song because he couldn't find the key.
Every calendar's days are numbered.
A lot of money is tainted - It taint yours and it taint mine.
A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.
He had a photographic memory that was never developed.
A plateau is a high form of flattery.
Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
Once you've seen one shopping center, you've seen a mall.
Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead-to-know basis.
A backward poet writes inverse.
A man's home is his castle, in a manor of speaking.
Dijon vu - the same mustard as before.
Shotgun wedding: A case of wife or death.
A hangover is the wrath of grapes.
Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?
Reading while sunbathing makes you well red.
When two egotists meet, it's an I for an I.
A bicycle can't stand on its own because it is two tired.
What's the definition of a will? (It's a dead giveaway.)
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
In democracy your vote counts. In feudalism your count votes.
She was engaged to a boyfriend with a wooden leg but broke it off.
A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.
With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.
When a clock is hungry, it goes back four seconds.
The man who fell into an upholstery machine is fully recovered.
You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.
Local Area Network in Australia: the LAN down under.
He often broke into song because he couldn't find the key.
Every calendar's days are numbered.
A lot of money is tainted - It taint yours and it taint mine.
A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.
He had a photographic memory that was never developed.
A plateau is a high form of flattery.
Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
Once you've seen one shopping center, you've seen a mall.
Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead-to-know basis.
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Price of a Child
The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition. For those with kids, that figure leads to wild fantasies about all the money we could have banked if not for (insert your child's name here). For others, that number might confirm the decision to remain childless. But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:
- $8,896.66 a year
- $741.38 a month
- $171.08 a week
- Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
- Glimpses of God every day.
- Giggles under the covers every night.
- More love than your heart can hold.
- Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
- Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
- A hand to hold, usually covered with jam.
- A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles, and skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain.
- Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
- For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to finger-paint, play hide-and-seek and catch lightning bugs.
- You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.
- For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, taking the training wheels off the bike, removing a splinter, filling the wading pool, coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.
- You get a front row seat to history to witness the first step, first word, and first time behind the wheel.
- You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren.
- You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.
- You have all the power to heal a scrape, patch a broken heart, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Sex advice from Planned Parenthood
Are you sexually active? If so, expect to get a sexually transmitted disease because Vanessa Cullins, M.D. of Planned Parenthood says "all of us get it." She introduces herself as an obstetrician/gynecologist who is "a sexually active individual." Now there's nothing wrong with sex within the confines of marriage but that isn't what she's promoting. I am a happily married man, who along with my wife, doesn't fear human papillomavirus or chlamydia because I operate within God's boundaries and don't have to worry about the consequences of fornication or adultery. Like a liar that has to constantly work hard to stay ahead of the lies, Cullins says, "My best advice for staying healthy is to admit that you're a sexually active individual – like most of us – and that you're going to have sex and that you need to take precautions in order to stay healthy." Vanessa Cullins is a deluded woman leading others to the same destruction.
Pray Right Away
A missionary on furlough told this true story while visiting his home church in Michigan...
While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting; one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord Jesus Christ. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident. Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, "Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards."
At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone out in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, "No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone."
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day that this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date and the man who interrupted told him this story: "On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong; I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?"
The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26.
While serving at a small field hospital in Africa, every two weeks I traveled by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. This was a journey of two days and required camping overnight at the halfway point. On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city where I planned to collect money from a bank, purchase medicine and supplies, and then begin my two-day journey back to the field hospital. Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting; one of whom had been seriously injured. I treated him for his injuries and at the same time talked to him about the Lord Jesus Christ. I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and arrived home without incident. Two weeks later I repeated my journey. Upon arriving in the city, I was approached by the young man I had treated. He told me that he had known I carried money and medicines. He said, "Some friends and I followed you into the jungle, knowing you would camp overnight. We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs. But just as we were about to move into your camp, we saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards."
At this I laughed and said that I was certainly all alone out in that jungle campsite. The young man pressed the point, however, and said, "No sir, I was not the only person to see the guards. My five friends also saw them, and we all counted them. It was because of those guards that we were afraid and left you alone."
At this point in the sermon, one of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the exact day that this happened. The missionary told the congregation the date and the man who interrupted told him this story: "On the night of your incident in Africa, it was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf. I felt the urge to pray for you. In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong; I called men in this church to meet with me here in the sanctuary to pray for you. Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?"
The men who had met together to pray that day stood up. The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were, he was too busy counting how many men he saw. There were 26.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
What Money Can Buy
Money will buy:
A bed BUT NOT sleep
Books BUT NOT brains
Food BUT NOT appetite
Finery BUT NOT beauty
A house BUT NOT a home
Medicine BUT NOT health
Luxuries BUT NOT culture
Amusement BUT NOT happiness
A crucifix BUT NOT a Savior
A church pew BUT NOT heaven
What money can’t buy, Jesus Christ can freely give without charge.
Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior? If not you can get a new lease on life right now. Confess to God that you have sinned and that you want to turn from your sins to receive Jesus as Lord or your life. Through that step of believing faith you can start life afresh with your sins forgiven and a new life in Christ.
A bed BUT NOT sleep
Books BUT NOT brains
Food BUT NOT appetite
Finery BUT NOT beauty
A house BUT NOT a home
Medicine BUT NOT health
Luxuries BUT NOT culture
Amusement BUT NOT happiness
A crucifix BUT NOT a Savior
A church pew BUT NOT heaven
What money can’t buy, Jesus Christ can freely give without charge.
Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior? If not you can get a new lease on life right now. Confess to God that you have sinned and that you want to turn from your sins to receive Jesus as Lord or your life. Through that step of believing faith you can start life afresh with your sins forgiven and a new life in Christ.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Haiku's to Windows
My dad told me that he received a BSOD (blue screen of death) on his computer today and it reminded me some excellent poetry I found years ago. Anybody who has used Windows can relate to the following haiku's.
Your file was so big
It might be very useful
But now it is gone
The website you seek
Cannot be located but
Countless more exist
Chaos reigns within
Reflect, repent and reboot
Order shall return
Aborted effort
Close all that you have worked on
You ask far too much
Yesterday it worked
Today it is not working
Windows is like that
Your system which soared
So freely on gliding wings
now hangs, frozen and blue
Windows NT crashed.
I am the Blue Screen of Death
No one hears your screams.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Our Crosses to Bear
The young man was at the end of his rope. Seeing no way out, he dropped to his knees in prayer. "Lord, I can't go on," he said. "I have too heavy a cross to bear."
The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear its weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then, open that other door and pick out any cross you wish."
The man was filled with relief. Thank you, Lord," he sighed, and he did as he was told. Upon entering the other door, he saw many crosses, some so large the tops were not visible. Then, he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall. "I'd like that one, Lord," he whispered.
And the Lord replied, “My son that is the cross you just brought in."
"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear its weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then, open that other door and pick out any cross you wish."
The man was filled with relief. Thank you, Lord," he sighed, and he did as he was told. Upon entering the other door, he saw many crosses, some so large the tops were not visible. Then, he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall. "I'd like that one, Lord," he whispered.
And the Lord replied, “My son that is the cross you just brought in."
"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
Friday, October 30, 2009
We Need God in America Again
America is becoming the Israel of old and judgment is falling on our land. The Bible says that "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." It's time to get serious and intercede for our country and on behalf of the unsaved people of the world who will perish and end up in the lake of fire.
This great republic can be restored once again we follow the old instructions... "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)
This great republic can be restored once again we follow the old instructions... "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Who was Jesus?
"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would be either a lunatic — on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."
Mere Christianity
C.S. Lewis
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Hate Crime Summary
I'm not a proponent of hate crimes because all crime is a result of hate. I don't care for the South Park show but the video wraps up hate crimes in an easy to understand way and why they unjustly favor certain people.
Ron Paul Questions Why Obama Daughters Haven’t Taken Swine Flu Vaccine
Paul Joseph Watson
Congressman Ron Paul has questioned why, despite his efforts to encourage the general public to get vaccinated against the H1N1 virus, President Barack Obama has refused to allow his own daughters to take the swine flu shot.
Despite the fact that Obama on Friday declared a national emergency in response to the H1N1 outbreak, he apparently doesn’t deem it enough of a threat to have his two daughters vaccinated against the virus.
Such double standards have led media pundits to call for Obama to get his daughters vaccinated on live television, in an effort to encourage American parents to do the same for their kids. The swine flu vaccination program, which was initially intended to be a “mass” inoculation covering the entire population, has been rejected by a majority of Americans who harbor deep suspicions about dangerous additives contained in the vaccine such as mercury and squalene.
In a Campaign For Liberty video message, former Presidential candidate Ron Paul labeled the vaccination program a “failure,” and slammed Obama for failing to follow the same advice he gave to the nation.
“It’s interesting to note that the President’s children have not gotten their shots and the explanation for this is it hasn’t been available to them – now that’s a little bit hard to buy when you think that probably anything the President wants can be available for their children,” said Paul, adding, “So in a way he’s made his decision not to give his children these inoculations – so if he has freedom of choice on this, I would like to make sure that all the American people have the same amount of freedom of choice.”
Others have echoed similar sentiments. “Surely if there is a national emergency and if the President and First Lady of the United States wanted flu shots for their daughters, they could get them. It is certainly connected to our national security right? I mean the president needs to have his wits about him 24/7 not worrying over sick children. Could this instead be yet another case of “do as I say, not as I do” from the Obama administration?” writes Cathryn Friar.
Paul compared Obama’s hypocrisy to politicians who lobby for the virtues of public education yet in every instance educate their own children privately.
“The biggest champions of public education make sure their kids never get public education, they always get private education where there’s a lot better choices than the kind of system they’re promoting,” said the Congressman.
Obama certainly isn’t stupid enough to inject his own kids with the same toxic soup that he encourages the idiot public to receive, and will probably be keen on getting access to the special additive-free swine flu shots produced by Baxter International that have been made available for the elite.
As Spiegel Online reported earlier this month, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and government ministers received a mercury and squalene-free H1N1 vaccine. “The Vakzin [vaccine] does not contain disputed additives — contrary to the vaccine for the remainder of the population,” reported the newspaper. Soldiers in the German army were also given the adjuvant-free vaccine.
Employees of the Paul Ehrlich Institute in Germany also received the “green” inoculation after their president Johannes Löwer labeled the vaccine a greater threat than the virus itself. Löwer’s comment came after German lung specialist Wolfgang Wodarg said the vaccine increases the risk of cancer. The nutrient solution for the vaccine consists of cancerous cells from animals.
In the video update, Congressman Paul also warned that Obama’s emergency declaration on Friday was part of a plan to condition people to accept the notion of government as protector and coerce the public into complying with whatever they say, including forced quarantines.
Watch the Ron Paul clip below.
Congressman Ron Paul has questioned why, despite his efforts to encourage the general public to get vaccinated against the H1N1 virus, President Barack Obama has refused to allow his own daughters to take the swine flu shot.
Despite the fact that Obama on Friday declared a national emergency in response to the H1N1 outbreak, he apparently doesn’t deem it enough of a threat to have his two daughters vaccinated against the virus.
Such double standards have led media pundits to call for Obama to get his daughters vaccinated on live television, in an effort to encourage American parents to do the same for their kids. The swine flu vaccination program, which was initially intended to be a “mass” inoculation covering the entire population, has been rejected by a majority of Americans who harbor deep suspicions about dangerous additives contained in the vaccine such as mercury and squalene.
In a Campaign For Liberty video message, former Presidential candidate Ron Paul labeled the vaccination program a “failure,” and slammed Obama for failing to follow the same advice he gave to the nation.
“It’s interesting to note that the President’s children have not gotten their shots and the explanation for this is it hasn’t been available to them – now that’s a little bit hard to buy when you think that probably anything the President wants can be available for their children,” said Paul, adding, “So in a way he’s made his decision not to give his children these inoculations – so if he has freedom of choice on this, I would like to make sure that all the American people have the same amount of freedom of choice.”
Others have echoed similar sentiments. “Surely if there is a national emergency and if the President and First Lady of the United States wanted flu shots for their daughters, they could get them. It is certainly connected to our national security right? I mean the president needs to have his wits about him 24/7 not worrying over sick children. Could this instead be yet another case of “do as I say, not as I do” from the Obama administration?” writes Cathryn Friar.
Paul compared Obama’s hypocrisy to politicians who lobby for the virtues of public education yet in every instance educate their own children privately.
“The biggest champions of public education make sure their kids never get public education, they always get private education where there’s a lot better choices than the kind of system they’re promoting,” said the Congressman.
Obama certainly isn’t stupid enough to inject his own kids with the same toxic soup that he encourages the idiot public to receive, and will probably be keen on getting access to the special additive-free swine flu shots produced by Baxter International that have been made available for the elite.
As Spiegel Online reported earlier this month, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and government ministers received a mercury and squalene-free H1N1 vaccine. “The Vakzin [vaccine] does not contain disputed additives — contrary to the vaccine for the remainder of the population,” reported the newspaper. Soldiers in the German army were also given the adjuvant-free vaccine.
Employees of the Paul Ehrlich Institute in Germany also received the “green” inoculation after their president Johannes Löwer labeled the vaccine a greater threat than the virus itself. Löwer’s comment came after German lung specialist Wolfgang Wodarg said the vaccine increases the risk of cancer. The nutrient solution for the vaccine consists of cancerous cells from animals.
In the video update, Congressman Paul also warned that Obama’s emergency declaration on Friday was part of a plan to condition people to accept the notion of government as protector and coerce the public into complying with whatever they say, including forced quarantines.
Watch the Ron Paul clip below.
Monday, October 26, 2009
On The Other Side
A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was leaving the room after paying a visit and said, "Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side."
Very quietly the doctor said, "I don't know."
"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"
The doctor was holding the handle of the door, on the other side of which came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice that dog? He had never been in this room before. He did not know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing: I know my Master is there, and that is enough. And when the door opens, I won't pass through with fear, but with gladness!"
Very quietly the doctor said, "I don't know."
"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"
The doctor was holding the handle of the door, on the other side of which came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice that dog? He had never been in this room before. He did not know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing: I know my Master is there, and that is enough. And when the door opens, I won't pass through with fear, but with gladness!"
Doug Pagitt's New Book: A Christianity Worth Believing - NOT Worth Believing!
by Ezra McGillFree-lance writer
In his book, A Christianity Worth Believing, emergent leader Doug Pagitt presents a theology that is worth exposing, because it is neither biblical nor Christian. This is the unfortunate power of media-savvy emergent leaders--errant theology is couched in Christian terms, and the undiscerning are drawn in.
As others have noted, Doug Pagitt undoubtedly cares about his flock, the homeless, coffee farmers in Guatemala, and the environment. Yet, if the emergent movement could be summed up in one phrase, perhaps it is this: "Tiny men shaking tiny fists at the biblical God."
The Bible tells us, "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.(Psalm 2: 2-4)
The author of A Christianity Worth Believing vigorously disputes the authority of Sola Scriptura--the Word of God. He writes, "The inerrancy debate is based on the belief that the Bible is the word of God, that the Bible is true because God made it and gave it to us as a guide to truth. But that's not what the Bible says" (p. 65).
He further explains, "This is how it works. We are characters in the stories we hear. The living Bible invites us to step into the stories, not as observers, but as participants in the faith that is alive and well and still being created" (p.67).
That's right. The author believes Christianity is still in the process of being created. Obviously, this theology that is being created is in total opposition to biblical Truth. Like the author of The Shack, Pagitt categorically denies the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ.
He states, "the early evangelists recognized they could help the Jesus story make sense if Jesus was seen as someone who was chosen to appease the wrath of God--hence, the 'anointed one' who could do what no one else could do" (p. 181).
So, minus our Savior, how does this emergent leader view receiving forgiveness for sins? Before we get to this, let us understand that he spends a good deal of time making the artificial distinction between Christians' alleged Greco-Roman understanding of God (Pagitt sees this as a distant God), and the Old Testament Hebrew God (always present, understanding, and intimate).
Incredibly, the author presents the Old Testament as his "proof" that there has always been accessible forgiveness for sin. He notes that his wife was raised in a Jewish family, and she "tells [the congregation] each year that the Jews would celebrate the Day of Atonement by gathering lint from their pockets, every little corner of them. She invites us to do the same. Then we write confessions on pieces of paper or pick up leaves to represent each sin and walk to the edge of a stream. As we drop our leaves and papers into the stream, we read from the Psalms" (pp.163-164).
Psalm 103:11-13 is then read to Pagitt's congregation: "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him."
Following this, he writes, his wife, "reminds us that just as the water carries our words away, God takes our sins from us. As far as can be, sin is removed, taken, gone. Yes, sin exists, and when we find it, we should get rid of it" (p. 164).
But what defines "sin" if the Bible is not really the authoritative Word of God? If Christ is not Savior? Pagitt never really gives a satisfactory answer to this.
"Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment"(Lamentations 2:14). Pagitt assures us he understands this new theology can be upsetting. "This can come as a shock to those Christians who are so used to hearing that Jesus is the solution to sin that they assume that the remedy started with the death of Jesus. The Jewish Tradition tells us otherwise" (p. 163).
A Christianity Worth Believing is the presentation of a distorted version of our faith. It is the tepid celebration of a powerless, false "christ." It is textbook emergent heresy. Those reading this book who do know and love Christ may feel disgust, disbelief, even scorn. Well and good. But may we also be very afraid for those who are exposed to such teaching.
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14).
One gets the sense that Doug Pagitt seems compelled to deny the Truth--he simply cannot see it. He is the angry blind man striking out with his cane. He swings, he slashes; he jabs and stabs. Unfortunately, that sharpened cane has poked out many an eye.
And seems poised to pierce many, many more.
"And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?'" (Luke 6:39)
The author of A Christianity Worth Believing vigorously disputes the authority of Sola Scriptura--the Word of God. He writes, "The inerrancy debate is based on the belief that the Bible is the word of God, that the Bible is true because God made it and gave it to us as a guide to truth. But that's not what the Bible says" (p. 65).
He further explains, "This is how it works. We are characters in the stories we hear. The living Bible invites us to step into the stories, not as observers, but as participants in the faith that is alive and well and still being created" (p.67).
That's right. The author believes Christianity is still in the process of being created. Obviously, this theology that is being created is in total opposition to biblical Truth. Like the author of The Shack, Pagitt categorically denies the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ.
He states, "the early evangelists recognized they could help the Jesus story make sense if Jesus was seen as someone who was chosen to appease the wrath of God--hence, the 'anointed one' who could do what no one else could do" (p. 181).
So, minus our Savior, how does this emergent leader view receiving forgiveness for sins? Before we get to this, let us understand that he spends a good deal of time making the artificial distinction between Christians' alleged Greco-Roman understanding of God (Pagitt sees this as a distant God), and the Old Testament Hebrew God (always present, understanding, and intimate).
Incredibly, the author presents the Old Testament as his "proof" that there has always been accessible forgiveness for sin. He notes that his wife was raised in a Jewish family, and she "tells [the congregation] each year that the Jews would celebrate the Day of Atonement by gathering lint from their pockets, every little corner of them. She invites us to do the same. Then we write confessions on pieces of paper or pick up leaves to represent each sin and walk to the edge of a stream. As we drop our leaves and papers into the stream, we read from the Psalms" (pp.163-164).
Psalm 103:11-13 is then read to Pagitt's congregation: "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him."
Following this, he writes, his wife, "reminds us that just as the water carries our words away, God takes our sins from us. As far as can be, sin is removed, taken, gone. Yes, sin exists, and when we find it, we should get rid of it" (p. 164).
But what defines "sin" if the Bible is not really the authoritative Word of God? If Christ is not Savior? Pagitt never really gives a satisfactory answer to this.
"Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment"(Lamentations 2:14). Pagitt assures us he understands this new theology can be upsetting. "This can come as a shock to those Christians who are so used to hearing that Jesus is the solution to sin that they assume that the remedy started with the death of Jesus. The Jewish Tradition tells us otherwise" (p. 163).
A Christianity Worth Believing is the presentation of a distorted version of our faith. It is the tepid celebration of a powerless, false "christ." It is textbook emergent heresy. Those reading this book who do know and love Christ may feel disgust, disbelief, even scorn. Well and good. But may we also be very afraid for those who are exposed to such teaching.
"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14).
One gets the sense that Doug Pagitt seems compelled to deny the Truth--he simply cannot see it. He is the angry blind man striking out with his cane. He swings, he slashes; he jabs and stabs. Unfortunately, that sharpened cane has poked out many an eye.
And seems poised to pierce many, many more.
"And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?'" (Luke 6:39)
Saturday, October 24, 2009
President Obama declares national emergency over swine flu pandemic, but why?
Mike Adams
NaturalNews
October 24, 2009
According to the CDC, swine flu infections have already peaked, and the pandemic is on its way out. Peak infection time was the middle of October, where one in five U.S. children experienced the flu, says the CDC. Out of nearly 14,000 suspected flu cases tested during the week ending on October 10, 2009, 99.6% of those were influenza A, and the vast majority of those were confirmed as H1N1 swine flu infections.
Even though the H1N1 pandemic appears to have peaked out, U.S. President Barack Obama has now declared a national emergency over swine flu infections. The reasoning behind such a declaration? According to the White House, it’s designed to "allow hospitals to better handle the surge in patients" by allowing them to bypass certain federal laws.
Emergency powers trump the Bill of Rights
That’s the public explanation for this, but the real agenda behind this declaration may be far more sinister. Declaring a national emergency immediately gives federal authorities dangerous new powers that can now be enforced at gunpoint, including:
What emergency?
The declaration of this national emergency seems suspicious from the start. Where’s the emergency? The number of people killed by swine flu in the United States is far smaller than the number of people killed each year from seasonal flu, according to CDC statistics. People obviously aren’t dropping dead by the millions from H1N1 influenza. Most people are just getting mild flu symptoms and a few days later they’re fine.
So where’s the emergency?
The only emergency I can see is the emergency fabricated by Big Pharma to sell more vaccines. By declaring a national emergency over the H1N1 pandemic, Obama is playing right into their hands.
I find the timing of all this curious. Two days ago, New York gave up on its efforts to require mandatory vaccinations of health care workers. This was designed to defuse a large number of planned protests from health freedom-conscious people who don’t want government-mandated chemicals pumped into their veins.
The planned protests in New York would have fueled yet more resistance among health care workers across the country, and had it been allowed to continue, it could have resulted in a huge nationwide backlash against swine flu vaccines. By backing off the vaccine mandate and blaming it on a vaccine shortage and then having Obama declare a national emergency, our state and national leaders have halted the protests and put in place a pro-vaccine Big Brother mandate that can be enforced at gunpoint.
Big Pharma must be pleased with all this. With these emergency powers in place, all that’s necessary to force vaccinations upon the entire population is a larger supply of the vaccines — and that’s coming in November.
NaturalNews
October 24, 2009
According to the CDC, swine flu infections have already peaked, and the pandemic is on its way out. Peak infection time was the middle of October, where one in five U.S. children experienced the flu, says the CDC. Out of nearly 14,000 suspected flu cases tested during the week ending on October 10, 2009, 99.6% of those were influenza A, and the vast majority of those were confirmed as H1N1 swine flu infections.
Even though the H1N1 pandemic appears to have peaked out, U.S. President Barack Obama has now declared a national emergency over swine flu infections. The reasoning behind such a declaration? According to the White House, it’s designed to "allow hospitals to better handle the surge in patients" by allowing them to bypass certain federal laws.
Emergency powers trump the Bill of Rights
That’s the public explanation for this, but the real agenda behind this declaration may be far more sinister. Declaring a national emergency immediately gives federal authorities dangerous new powers that can now be enforced at gunpoint, including:
- The power to force mandatory swine flu vaccinations on the entire population.
- The power to arrest, quarantine or "involuntarily transport" anyone who refuses a swine flu vaccination.
- The power to quarantine an entire city and halt all travel in or out of that city.
- The power to enter any home or office without a search warrant and order the destruction of any belongings or structures deemed to be a threat to public health.
- The effective nullification of the Bill of Rights. Your right to due process, to being safe from government search and seizure, and to remain silent to avoid self-incrimination are all null and void under a Presidential declaration of a national emergency.
What emergency?
The declaration of this national emergency seems suspicious from the start. Where’s the emergency? The number of people killed by swine flu in the United States is far smaller than the number of people killed each year from seasonal flu, according to CDC statistics. People obviously aren’t dropping dead by the millions from H1N1 influenza. Most people are just getting mild flu symptoms and a few days later they’re fine.
So where’s the emergency?
The only emergency I can see is the emergency fabricated by Big Pharma to sell more vaccines. By declaring a national emergency over the H1N1 pandemic, Obama is playing right into their hands.
I find the timing of all this curious. Two days ago, New York gave up on its efforts to require mandatory vaccinations of health care workers. This was designed to defuse a large number of planned protests from health freedom-conscious people who don’t want government-mandated chemicals pumped into their veins.
The planned protests in New York would have fueled yet more resistance among health care workers across the country, and had it been allowed to continue, it could have resulted in a huge nationwide backlash against swine flu vaccines. By backing off the vaccine mandate and blaming it on a vaccine shortage and then having Obama declare a national emergency, our state and national leaders have halted the protests and put in place a pro-vaccine Big Brother mandate that can be enforced at gunpoint.
Big Pharma must be pleased with all this. With these emergency powers in place, all that’s necessary to force vaccinations upon the entire population is a larger supply of the vaccines — and that’s coming in November.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
You Might Be A Constitutionalist If . . .
By Chuck Baldwin
October 20, 2009
I originally published this column back in January of 2005. Since then (and especially lately), many people have called and written with requests to republish it. So, with a few minor revisions, here it is.
More than thirty years as a student of American history, constitutional government, and the Holy Bible leads me to the conviction that the two major political parties in this country (at the national level) are equally culpable in stripping America of its founding principles. In my opinion, both the Democrat and Republican parties in Washington, D.C., have zero fidelity to the U.S. Constitution and zero respect for America's foundational precepts.
In my studied opinion, neither the Democrat nor Republican Party (at the national level) has any intention of slowing the out-of-control expansion of government. Neither party has demonstrated any loyalty to preserving and protecting our constitutional form of government.
Like National Socialists and Soviet Socialists of old, the only thing that concerns Democrats and Republicans today is who is in power. Both are equally willing to destroy the freedoms and liberties of people without conscience or regret as long as their party remains in control.
I am absolutely convinced that without a renewed allegiance to constitutional government and State sovereignty, there can be no resolution to America's current slide into socialism and oppression. Therefore, it is critical that we cast aside our infatuation with partisan politics and steadfastly stand firm for the principles of federalism and freedom, as did America's founders.
Might you be a modern-day Minuteman who understands the principles of freedom and federalism? I offer the following test. Read it and see if you, too, are a Constitutionalist. (Yes, Martha, this is another Jeff Foxworthy spin-off.)
October 20, 2009
I originally published this column back in January of 2005. Since then (and especially lately), many people have called and written with requests to republish it. So, with a few minor revisions, here it is.
More than thirty years as a student of American history, constitutional government, and the Holy Bible leads me to the conviction that the two major political parties in this country (at the national level) are equally culpable in stripping America of its founding principles. In my opinion, both the Democrat and Republican parties in Washington, D.C., have zero fidelity to the U.S. Constitution and zero respect for America's foundational precepts.
In my studied opinion, neither the Democrat nor Republican Party (at the national level) has any intention of slowing the out-of-control expansion of government. Neither party has demonstrated any loyalty to preserving and protecting our constitutional form of government.
Like National Socialists and Soviet Socialists of old, the only thing that concerns Democrats and Republicans today is who is in power. Both are equally willing to destroy the freedoms and liberties of people without conscience or regret as long as their party remains in control.
I am absolutely convinced that without a renewed allegiance to constitutional government and State sovereignty, there can be no resolution to America's current slide into socialism and oppression. Therefore, it is critical that we cast aside our infatuation with partisan politics and steadfastly stand firm for the principles of federalism and freedom, as did America's founders.
Might you be a modern-day Minuteman who understands the principles of freedom and federalism? I offer the following test. Read it and see if you, too, are a Constitutionalist. (Yes, Martha, this is another Jeff Foxworthy spin-off.)
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that every congressman, senator, President, and Supreme Court justice is required to obey the U.S. Constitution.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that before the United States invades and occupies another country, Congress must first declare war.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe the federal government should live within its means, like everyone else is forced to do.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you think that taking away people's liberties in the name of security is not patriotic, nor does it make the country more secure.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you would like to see politicians be forced to abide by the same laws they make everyone else submit to.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you understand that we have three "separate but equal" branches of government that are supposed to hold each other in check and balance.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that the federal government has no authority to be involved in education or law enforcement, or in any other issue that the Tenth Amendment reserves to the States, or to the People.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that gun control laws do nothing but aid and abet criminals while trampling the rights and freedoms of law-abiding citizens.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that the income tax is both unconstitutional and immoral, and, along with the I.R.S. and the Federal Reserve, should be abolished.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe the federal government had no authority to tell former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore that he could not display a monument containing the Ten Commandments in the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery; or to tell a Pace, Florida, high school principal that he could not pray before a meal.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that Congress or the White House or any sovereign State is not required to submit to unconstitutional Supreme Court rulings.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you understand that freedom has nothing in common with illegal immigration.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you understand that outsourcing American jobs overseas is not good for America.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that the United States should get out of the United Nations and get the United Nations out of the United States.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that it is not unconstitutional for children in public schools to pray or read the Bible.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that the Boy Scouts are not a threat to America.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that the federal government should honor its commitments to America's veterans and stop using U.S. military personnel as guinea pigs for testing drugs and chemicals.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that U.S. troops should never serve under foreign commanders or wear the uniform or insignia of the United Nations, and that they must never submit to illegal orders, such as turning their weapons against American citizens, or confiscating the guns of U.S. citizens.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that the federal government has no business bribing churches and faith-based organizations with federal tax dollars.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that federal agents who murder American citizens should be held to the same laws and punishments that any other citizen would be held to. (Can anyone say, "Waco" and "Ruby Ridge"?)
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you understand that NAFTA, GATT, the WTO, and the FTAA (and similar agreements) are disastrous compromises of America's national sovereignty and independence.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you would like to see congressmen and senators be required to actually read a bill before passing it into law.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you understand that it is the job of government to protect and secure God-given rights, not use its power to take those rights away.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you understand that there is nothing unconstitutional about the public acknowledgement of God and our Christian heritage.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that government bailouts and "stimulus" expenditures defy virtually every principle of free enterprise and are a flagrant leap into socialism.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that airport screeners have no business touching women's breasts, using sophisticated machinery to look through passengers' clothing to see their naked bodies, confiscating fingernail clippers, or denying pilots from carrying handguns.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that many public schools' "zero-tolerance" policies are just plain stupid.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that parents have a right to homeschool their children.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that governmental seizure of private property is plain, old-fashioned thievery.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you are personally determined to not submit to any kind of forced vaccination.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you oppose any kind of national health insurance.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that U.S. troops are not the world's policemen, that they are not "nation-builders," and that their purpose is only to defend American lives and property, not to be the enforcement arm of international commercial interests or global elitists.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you understand that the county Sheriff is the highest law enforcement officer of his district and that federal law enforcement (much of which is unconstitutionally organized, anyway) is obligated to submit to his authority.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you are determined to oppose America's merger with any kind of regional, hemispheric, or international government, such as the North American Union.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you oppose sending billions of taxpayer dollars as foreign aid; the U.S. State Department meddling into the private affairs of foreign countries; and ubiquitous foreign entanglements that require vast sums of money, create animosity and hostility towards us, and expose us to foreign wars and conflicts in which we have no national interest.
- You might be a Constitutionalist if you would like to meet one single congressman or senator besides Ron Paul who acts as if he or she has ever read the U.S. Constitution.
Letter from Satan
Hell-O,
I saw you yesterday as you began your daily chores. You awoke without kneeling to pray. As a matter of fact, you didn't even bless your meals, or pray before going to bed last night. You are so unthankful, I like that about you. I cannot tell you how glad I am that you have not changed your way of living, Fool, you are mine!
Remember, you and I have been going steady for years, and I still don't love you yet. As a matter of fact I hate you, because I hate God. I am only using you to get even with God. He kicked me out of heaven, and I'm going to use you as long as possible to pay him back.
You see, Fool, God Loves You and He has great plans in store for you. But you have yielded your life to me and I'm going to make your life a living HELL. That way we'll be together twice.
This will really hurt God. Thanks to you. I'm really showing him who's the boss in your life. With all of the good times we've had... We have been watching dirty movies, cursing people out, partying, stealing, lying, being hypocrites, fornicating, back stabbing, disrespecting adults and those in leadership position. NO respect for the church, having a bad attitude: SURELY you don't want to give all this up. Come on FOOL, let’s BURN together forever, I've got some HOT plans for us.
This is just a letter of appreciation from me to you. I'd like to say THANKS for letting me use you most of your foolish life. You are so gullible, I laugh at you! When you are tempted to sin, you give in. HA HA HA, YOU MAKE ME SICK!
Sin is really beginning to take its toll on your life. You look twice your age. I need new blood, so go ahead and teach some children how to sin. I love it when you do that it makes my job that much easier. All you have to do is smoke, drink alcohol, cheat, lie, gamble, gossip, fornicate, and do it all in the presence of a child and they will surely do it also. Kids are like that, all they need is you to show them how.
Well Fool, I have to let you go for now, but I'll be back in a couple of seconds to tempt you again. If you were smart, you would run somewhere, confess your sins, and live for God with the little bit of life you have left. It's not my nature to warn people like you, but to me you’re a Joke knowing what you know and still sinning, you're pathetic. Don't get me wrong I still HATE YOU.
Have a nice DEATH
Your Enemy SATAN
I saw you yesterday as you began your daily chores. You awoke without kneeling to pray. As a matter of fact, you didn't even bless your meals, or pray before going to bed last night. You are so unthankful, I like that about you. I cannot tell you how glad I am that you have not changed your way of living, Fool, you are mine!
Remember, you and I have been going steady for years, and I still don't love you yet. As a matter of fact I hate you, because I hate God. I am only using you to get even with God. He kicked me out of heaven, and I'm going to use you as long as possible to pay him back.
You see, Fool, God Loves You and He has great plans in store for you. But you have yielded your life to me and I'm going to make your life a living HELL. That way we'll be together twice.
This will really hurt God. Thanks to you. I'm really showing him who's the boss in your life. With all of the good times we've had... We have been watching dirty movies, cursing people out, partying, stealing, lying, being hypocrites, fornicating, back stabbing, disrespecting adults and those in leadership position. NO respect for the church, having a bad attitude: SURELY you don't want to give all this up. Come on FOOL, let’s BURN together forever, I've got some HOT plans for us.
This is just a letter of appreciation from me to you. I'd like to say THANKS for letting me use you most of your foolish life. You are so gullible, I laugh at you! When you are tempted to sin, you give in. HA HA HA, YOU MAKE ME SICK!
Sin is really beginning to take its toll on your life. You look twice your age. I need new blood, so go ahead and teach some children how to sin. I love it when you do that it makes my job that much easier. All you have to do is smoke, drink alcohol, cheat, lie, gamble, gossip, fornicate, and do it all in the presence of a child and they will surely do it also. Kids are like that, all they need is you to show them how.
Well Fool, I have to let you go for now, but I'll be back in a couple of seconds to tempt you again. If you were smart, you would run somewhere, confess your sins, and live for God with the little bit of life you have left. It's not my nature to warn people like you, but to me you’re a Joke knowing what you know and still sinning, you're pathetic. Don't get me wrong I still HATE YOU.
Have a nice DEATH
Your Enemy SATAN
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
My Day in Court
After living a "decent" life, my time on earth came to an end. The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a courthouse. The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table. As I looked around I saw the "prosecutor," he was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me, he definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen. I sat down and looked to my left and there sat my lawyer, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed very familiar to me.
The corner door flew open and there appeared the judge in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome presence as he moved across the room and I couldn't take my eyes off of him. As he took his seat behind the bench, he said, "Let us begin." The prosecutor rose and said "My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell."
He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole and in the past when I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke the further down in my seat I sank. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own lawyer, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about. As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at my representative who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all. I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life-couldn't that at least equal out part of the harm I've done.
Satan finished with a fury and said "This man belongs in hell, he is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove otherwise. Justice will finally be served this day."
When it was his turn, my lawyer first asked if he might approach the bench. The judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan, and beckoned him to come forward. As he got up and started walking I was able to see him now in his full splendor and majesty. Now I realized why he seemed so familiar, this was Jesus representing me. It was my Lord and my Savior.
He stopped at the bench and softly said to the judge "Hi Dad," and then he turned to address the court. "Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned, I won't deny any of these allegations. And yes the wages of sins is death and this man deserves to be punished". Jesus took a deep breath and turned to his Father with out-stretched arms and proclaimed "However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has accepted me as his Savior, so he is mine." My Lord continued with "His name is written in the book of life and no one can snatch him from me."
As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at his Father and replied "There is nothing else that needs to be done, I've done it all".
The Judge lifted his mighty hand and slammed the gavel down and the following words bellowed from his lips- "This man is free, the penalty for him has already been paid in full, case dismissed."
As my Lord led me away I could hear Satan ranting and raving "I won't give up, I'll win the next one."
I asked Jesus as he gave me my instructions where to go next "Have you ever lost a case?" Christ lovingly smiled and said "Everyone that has come to me and asked me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, Paid in Full."
The corner door flew open and there appeared the judge in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome presence as he moved across the room and I couldn't take my eyes off of him. As he took his seat behind the bench, he said, "Let us begin." The prosecutor rose and said "My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell."
He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole and in the past when I cheated others. Satan told of other horrible perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke the further down in my seat I sank. I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own lawyer, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about. As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at my representative who sat there silently not offering any form of defense at all. I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life-couldn't that at least equal out part of the harm I've done.
Satan finished with a fury and said "This man belongs in hell, he is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove otherwise. Justice will finally be served this day."
When it was his turn, my lawyer first asked if he might approach the bench. The judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan, and beckoned him to come forward. As he got up and started walking I was able to see him now in his full splendor and majesty. Now I realized why he seemed so familiar, this was Jesus representing me. It was my Lord and my Savior.
He stopped at the bench and softly said to the judge "Hi Dad," and then he turned to address the court. "Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned, I won't deny any of these allegations. And yes the wages of sins is death and this man deserves to be punished". Jesus took a deep breath and turned to his Father with out-stretched arms and proclaimed "However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has accepted me as his Savior, so he is mine." My Lord continued with "His name is written in the book of life and no one can snatch him from me."
As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at his Father and replied "There is nothing else that needs to be done, I've done it all".
The Judge lifted his mighty hand and slammed the gavel down and the following words bellowed from his lips- "This man is free, the penalty for him has already been paid in full, case dismissed."
As my Lord led me away I could hear Satan ranting and raving "I won't give up, I'll win the next one."
I asked Jesus as he gave me my instructions where to go next "Have you ever lost a case?" Christ lovingly smiled and said "Everyone that has come to me and asked me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, Paid in Full."
Why We Have Oil Problems
Lot of folks can't understand why we have an oil shortage in the USA. The reason for this is purely geographical. The oil is in Alaska, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Wyoming, etc. -- and the dipsticks are in Washington, D.C.
I have often wondered why the U.S. doesn't get with other countries and charge OPEC nations high prices for food? Don't tell me about how it would not be humanitarian -- every time they raise oil prices, I have less money to spend on food for my family.
I have often wondered why the U.S. doesn't get with other countries and charge OPEC nations high prices for food? Don't tell me about how it would not be humanitarian -- every time they raise oil prices, I have less money to spend on food for my family.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Email From God
Good Morning,
I am the Lord your God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help. If the devil happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, DO NOT attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFJTD (something for Jesus to do) box. It will be addressed in MY time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold on to it or attempt to remove it. Holding on or removal will delay the resolution of your problem. If it is a situation that you think you are capable of handling, please consult me in prayer to be sure that it is the proper resolution. Because I do not sleep nor do I slumber, there is no need for you to lose any sleep.
Rest my child. If you need to contact me, I am only a prayer away.
Love Eternally,
The Lord your God
I am the Lord your God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help. If the devil happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, DO NOT attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFJTD (something for Jesus to do) box. It will be addressed in MY time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold on to it or attempt to remove it. Holding on or removal will delay the resolution of your problem. If it is a situation that you think you are capable of handling, please consult me in prayer to be sure that it is the proper resolution. Because I do not sleep nor do I slumber, there is no need for you to lose any sleep.
Rest my child. If you need to contact me, I am only a prayer away.
Love Eternally,
The Lord your God
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Halloween: Don't let the kids down!
I received an email from Chick Publications that is worth passing on because of the prevalence of Halloween and how so many Christians are celebrating this wicked day. We don't have to participate in the evil but we can certainly use the opportunity to spread the light of the glorious Gospel.
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)
"Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Corinthians 4:1-4)
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2)
"Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Corinthians 4:1-4)
Churches all over the country are rethinking their approach to Halloween. For the past dozen years many churches have held a "Harvest Festival" on the church grounds so the Christian kids would have an alternative to the ghoulish environment on the streets. Church kids were urged to "bring their friends" to get the gospel to at least some unbelievers. Now many churches are noticing it's the same people at the "festival" each year and few are unbelievers. The "escape the evil" mentality is doing little to fulfill the great commission.
A Growing Trend to Give People the Gospel
As a result, more and more churches are cancelling the Harvest Festival and challenging their church families to stay home and give trick-or-treaters candy and powerful gospel literature. Whole neighborhoods are exposed to the gospel in just one night. While some simply dropped candy and tracts in the urchin's bags, others reversed the process by going out and handing tracts to homeowners who answered the door. Still others boldly took to the streets that were thronged with trick-or-treaters, giving tracts to everyone in sight. Other churches who held "festivals" placed a table on the front lawn with an assortment of tracts and candy for all who passed by.
Make Use of the Whole Season
Another approach considered the whole Halloween season. Soul winners would tour stores that had displays of ghostly paraphernalia and secretly place gospel tracts in the plastic jack-o-lanterns, costume pockets, and other scary gear. They also found that, because of the season, people in public were much more likely to receive a tract with an obvious Halloween theme.
Don't Participate in the Evil, but Use the Opportunity
Satanists admit that Halloween is not just a make-believe fun time for the kiddies. Pagans and other Satan worshippers have several "holidays" involving truly ghoulish practices. Bible believers are right in not allowing their children to participate in this evil, but we should not overlook the magnificent opportunity to counter the devil's propaganda.
Those who have been involved in Satanism tell us that Halloween is a key tool in presenting evil as fun, to break down people's resistance to the evilness. It is much like the devil's lie that "white" witchcraft is okay; it's just the dark arts that are bad. Ex-Satanist and former vampire William Schnoebelen describes how this progression works in his book, Wicca, Satan's Little White Lie.
A Great Way to Thwart the Devil
Soul winners need to be aware of the evil roots of the holiday, but equipped to counter that evil with the power of the gospel. Dropping a tract in the sack of a small goblin at your door puts an arrow in the heart of any real demon that is maneuvering into the family where that tract will be going.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Value of Time
To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.
To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.
To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.
To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift, that's why it's called the present! Treasure every moment.
To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.
To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.
To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift, that's why it's called the present! Treasure every moment.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
What is a Liberal Democrat?
There are a lot of bumper stickers on cars these days depicting the political views of the driver. Whenever I spot a liberal with an Obama sticker, I try to get a look at the driver and always find they look quite normal, it's just they have been brainwashed. The story below illustrates the environment in which we are raised will dictate how we think later on.
A first grade teacher explained to her class that she was a liberal Democrat. She then asked her students to raise their hands if they were liberal Democrats, too. Not really knowing what a liberal Democrat was, but wanting to please their teacher, hands exploded into the air like fleshy fireworks.
There was, however, one exception. A girl named Lucy had not gone along with the crowd. The teacher asked Lucy why she decided to be different.
"Because I'm not a liberal Democrat," Lucy said.
The teacher asked, "Then what are you?"
"I'm a proud conservative" said the little girl.
The teacher, a little perturbed & red-faced, asked Lucy why she was a conservative?
Lucy proclaimed, "Well, I was brought up to trust in myself and freedom, instead of relying on an intrusive government to care for me and do all of my thinking. My Dad and Mom are conservative, and I am a conservative too."
The teacher calmly pointed out, "That's no reason. What if your Mom and Dad were both morons? What would you be then?"
Lucy answered, "Then, I'd be a liberal Democrat."
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Can you answer this riddle?
1. The word has seven letters...
2. Preceded God...
3. Greater than God...
4. More Evil than the devil...
5. All poor people have it...
6. Wealthy people need it...
7. If you eat it, you will die!
2. Preceded God...
3. Greater than God...
4. More Evil than the devil...
5. All poor people have it...
6. Wealthy people need it...
7. If you eat it, you will die!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Would you like some brownies?
Many parents are hard pressed to explain to their youth why some music, movies, books, and magazines are not acceptable material for them to bring into the home or to listen to or see.
One parent came up with an original idea that is hard to refute. The father listened to all the reasons his children gave for wanting to see a particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors. Everyone else was seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It was only rated PG-13 because of the suggestion of sex--they never really showed it. The language was pretty good--the Lord's name was only used in vain three times in the whole movie. The teens did admit there was a scene where a building and a bunch of people were blown up, but the violence was just the normal stuff. It wasn't too bad. And, even if there were a few minor things, the special effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed. However, even with all the justifications the teens made for the '13' rating, the father still wouldn't give in. He didn't even give his children a satisfactory explanation for saying, "No." He just said, "No!"
A little later on that evening the father asked his teens if they would like some brownies he had baked. He explained that he'd taken the family's favorite recipe and added a little something new. The children asked what it was. The father calmly replied that he had added kitty litter. However, he quickly assured them, it was only a little bit. All other ingredients were gourmet quality and he had taken great care to bake the brownies at the precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies would be superb. Even with their father's promise that the brownies were of almost perfect quality, the teens would not take any. The father acted surprised. After all, it was only one small part that was causing them to be so stubborn. He was certain they would hardly notice it. Still the teens held firm and would not try the brownies.
The father then told his children how the movie they wanted to see was just like the brownies. We convince ourselves into believing that just a little bit of evil won't matter. But even a little bit of kitty litter makes the difference between a great treat and something disgusting and totally unacceptable. The father went on to explain that even though the movie industry would have us believe that most of today's movies are acceptable fare for adults and youth, they are not.
Now, when this father's children want to see something that is of questionable material, the father merely asks them if they would like some of his special kitty litter brownies. That closes the subject.
One parent came up with an original idea that is hard to refute. The father listened to all the reasons his children gave for wanting to see a particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors. Everyone else was seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It was only rated PG-13 because of the suggestion of sex--they never really showed it. The language was pretty good--the Lord's name was only used in vain three times in the whole movie. The teens did admit there was a scene where a building and a bunch of people were blown up, but the violence was just the normal stuff. It wasn't too bad. And, even if there were a few minor things, the special effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed. However, even with all the justifications the teens made for the '13' rating, the father still wouldn't give in. He didn't even give his children a satisfactory explanation for saying, "No." He just said, "No!"
A little later on that evening the father asked his teens if they would like some brownies he had baked. He explained that he'd taken the family's favorite recipe and added a little something new. The children asked what it was. The father calmly replied that he had added kitty litter. However, he quickly assured them, it was only a little bit. All other ingredients were gourmet quality and he had taken great care to bake the brownies at the precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies would be superb. Even with their father's promise that the brownies were of almost perfect quality, the teens would not take any. The father acted surprised. After all, it was only one small part that was causing them to be so stubborn. He was certain they would hardly notice it. Still the teens held firm and would not try the brownies.
The father then told his children how the movie they wanted to see was just like the brownies. We convince ourselves into believing that just a little bit of evil won't matter. But even a little bit of kitty litter makes the difference between a great treat and something disgusting and totally unacceptable. The father went on to explain that even though the movie industry would have us believe that most of today's movies are acceptable fare for adults and youth, they are not.
Now, when this father's children want to see something that is of questionable material, the father merely asks them if they would like some of his special kitty litter brownies. That closes the subject.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Oh, The Temptation
2 Hidden Cameras, a bunch of children, and 1 Marshmallow each.
Several of the children wrestle with waiting to eat a marshmallow in hopes of a bigger prize. This video is a good illustration of temptation and the hope in future rewards.
Several of the children wrestle with waiting to eat a marshmallow in hopes of a bigger prize. This video is a good illustration of temptation and the hope in future rewards.
Who am I?
I was born in 1725, and I died 1807. The only godly influence in my life, as far back as I can remember, was my mother, whom I had for only seven years. When she left my life through death, I was virtually an orphan.
My father remarried, sent me to a strict military school, where the severity of discipline almost broke my back. I couldn't stand it any longer, and I left in rebellion at the age of ten. One year later, deciding that I would never enter formal education again, I became a seaman apprentice, hoping somehow to step into my father's trade and learn at least the ability to skillfully navigate a ship.
By and by, through a process of time, I slowly gave myself over to the devil. And I determined that I would sin to my fill without restraint, now that the righteous lamp of my life had gone out. I did that until my days in the military service, where again discipline worked hard against me, but I further rebelled.
My spirit would not break, and I became increasingly more and more a rebel. Because of a number of things that I disagreed with in the military, I finally deserted, only to be captured like a common criminal and beaten publicly several times.
After enduring the punishment, I again fled. I entertained thoughts of suicide on my way to Africa, deciding that would be the place I could get farthest from anyone that knew me. And again I made a pact with the devil to live for him.
Somehow, through a process of events, I got in touch with a Portuguese slave trader, and I lived in his home. His wife, who was brimming with hostility, took a lot out on me. She beat me, and I ate like a dog on the floor of the home. If I refused to do that, she would whip me with a lash.
I fled penniless, owning only the clothes on my back, to the shoreline of Africa where I built a fire, hoping to attract a ship that was passing by. The skipper thought that I had gold or slaves or Ivory to sell and was surprised because I was a skilled navigator. And it was there that I virtually lived for a long period of time. It was a slave ship.
I went through all sorts of narrow escapes with death only a hairbreadth away on a number of occasions. One time I opened some crates of rum and got everybody on the crew drunk. The skipper, incensed with my actions, beat me, threw me down below, and I lived on stale bread and sour vegetables for an unendurable amount of time. He brought me above to beat me again, and I fell overboard. Because I couldn't swim, he harpooned me to get me back on the ship. And I lived with the scar in my side, big enough for me to put my fist into, until the day of my death.
On board, I was inflamed with fever. I was enraged with the humiliation. A storm broke out, and I wound up again in the hold of the ship, down among the pumps. To keep the ship afloat, I worked along as a servant of the slaves. There, bruised and confused, bleeding, diseased, I was the epitome of the degenerate man. I remembered the words of my mother. I cried out to God, the only way I knew, calling upon His grace and His mercy to deliver me, and upon His son to save me. The only glimmer of light I would find was in a crack in the ship in the floor above me, and I looked up to it and screamed for help. God heard me.
Thirty-one years passed, I married a childhood sweetheart. I entered the ministry. In every place that I served, rooms had to be added to the building to handle the crowds that came to hear the gospel that was presented and the story of God's grace in my life.
My tombstone above my head reads, "Born 1725, died 1807. A clerk, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he once long labored to destroy."
I decided before my death to put my life's story in verse. And that verse has become a hymn.
My name? John Newton.
The hymn? "Amazing Grace."
My father remarried, sent me to a strict military school, where the severity of discipline almost broke my back. I couldn't stand it any longer, and I left in rebellion at the age of ten. One year later, deciding that I would never enter formal education again, I became a seaman apprentice, hoping somehow to step into my father's trade and learn at least the ability to skillfully navigate a ship.
By and by, through a process of time, I slowly gave myself over to the devil. And I determined that I would sin to my fill without restraint, now that the righteous lamp of my life had gone out. I did that until my days in the military service, where again discipline worked hard against me, but I further rebelled.
My spirit would not break, and I became increasingly more and more a rebel. Because of a number of things that I disagreed with in the military, I finally deserted, only to be captured like a common criminal and beaten publicly several times.
After enduring the punishment, I again fled. I entertained thoughts of suicide on my way to Africa, deciding that would be the place I could get farthest from anyone that knew me. And again I made a pact with the devil to live for him.
Somehow, through a process of events, I got in touch with a Portuguese slave trader, and I lived in his home. His wife, who was brimming with hostility, took a lot out on me. She beat me, and I ate like a dog on the floor of the home. If I refused to do that, she would whip me with a lash.
I fled penniless, owning only the clothes on my back, to the shoreline of Africa where I built a fire, hoping to attract a ship that was passing by. The skipper thought that I had gold or slaves or Ivory to sell and was surprised because I was a skilled navigator. And it was there that I virtually lived for a long period of time. It was a slave ship.
I went through all sorts of narrow escapes with death only a hairbreadth away on a number of occasions. One time I opened some crates of rum and got everybody on the crew drunk. The skipper, incensed with my actions, beat me, threw me down below, and I lived on stale bread and sour vegetables for an unendurable amount of time. He brought me above to beat me again, and I fell overboard. Because I couldn't swim, he harpooned me to get me back on the ship. And I lived with the scar in my side, big enough for me to put my fist into, until the day of my death.
On board, I was inflamed with fever. I was enraged with the humiliation. A storm broke out, and I wound up again in the hold of the ship, down among the pumps. To keep the ship afloat, I worked along as a servant of the slaves. There, bruised and confused, bleeding, diseased, I was the epitome of the degenerate man. I remembered the words of my mother. I cried out to God, the only way I knew, calling upon His grace and His mercy to deliver me, and upon His son to save me. The only glimmer of light I would find was in a crack in the ship in the floor above me, and I looked up to it and screamed for help. God heard me.
Thirty-one years passed, I married a childhood sweetheart. I entered the ministry. In every place that I served, rooms had to be added to the building to handle the crowds that came to hear the gospel that was presented and the story of God's grace in my life.
My tombstone above my head reads, "Born 1725, died 1807. A clerk, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he once long labored to destroy."
I decided before my death to put my life's story in verse. And that verse has become a hymn.
My name? John Newton.
The hymn? "Amazing Grace."
Sunday, October 11, 2009
The Touch of The Master’s Hand
By Myra Brooks
‘Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile.
“What am I bidden, good folk?” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar – now who’ll make it two –
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
“Three dollars once, three dollars twice,
Going for three”…but no!
From the room far back a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening up all the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet,
As sweet as an angel sings.
The music ceased and auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: “What am I bidden for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow;
“A thousand dollars – who’ll make it two?
Two thousand – who’ll make it three?
Three thousand once, three thousand twice
And going – and gone,” said he.
The people cheered, but some of the cried,
“We do not quite understand –
What changed its worth?” The man replied:
“The touch of the Master’s hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and torn with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on,
He’s going once, and going twice –
He’s going – and almost gone!
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd,
Never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul, and the change that’s wrought
By the touch of the Master’s hand.
‘Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile.
“What am I bidden, good folk?” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar – now who’ll make it two –
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
“Three dollars once, three dollars twice,
Going for three”…but no!
From the room far back a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening up all the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet,
As sweet as an angel sings.
The music ceased and auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: “What am I bidden for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow;
“A thousand dollars – who’ll make it two?
Two thousand – who’ll make it three?
Three thousand once, three thousand twice
And going – and gone,” said he.
The people cheered, but some of the cried,
“We do not quite understand –
What changed its worth?” The man replied:
“The touch of the Master’s hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and torn with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on,
He’s going once, and going twice –
He’s going – and almost gone!
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd,
Never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul, and the change that’s wrought
By the touch of the Master’s hand.
Friday, October 9, 2009
A Lesson In Anger
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper and so his father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one."
The lesson to be learned is that you can put a knife in a man and draw it out, but it won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is just as bad as a physical one.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one."
The lesson to be learned is that you can put a knife in a man and draw it out, but it won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is just as bad as a physical one.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Excuses For Not Going To Church
Everybody has a good excuse for not attending church. If you take those excuses and apply them to other things that we do (or don't do), like eating, they might look like this:
I never eat anymore because...
I never eat anymore because...
- I was forced to eat as a child.
- People who eat all the time are hypocrites -- they aren't really hungry!
- There are so many different kinds of food, I can't decide what to eat.
- I used to eat, but I got bored and stopped.
- I only eat on special occasions, like Christmas and Easter.
- None of my friends will eat with me.
- I'll start eating when I get older.
- I don't really have time to eat.
- I don't believe that eating does anybody any good. It's just a crutch.
- Restaurants and grocery stores are only after your money.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
3 Guitars and a Tractor
So what do you when you have three guitarist's but no drummer. Well these Swede's decided to use what they had and they grabbed a tractor to fill their need.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
America and its Three Pillars
Once upon a time a group of people decided to build a new building. It would be an unusual building, the likes of which the world had never seen. They would call their beautiful new structure America. The builders knew the foundation must be exceptionally strong. The design called for three mighty pillars: faith, family and freedom. Each would undergird equally the weight of the building. So construction began on the building called America.
The workers labored faithfully to insure the three pillars of faith, family and freedom were strong enough to withstand wind, rain and attacks of the enemy. For many the task consumed their whole life. However their children, catching their father's dream, continued to work on the building and to insure the strength of the three supporting pillars.
Generations passed, but each did its part to maintain the glorious building which had become the most treasured and admired structure in all the world. They gave of themselves freely. Some even sacrificed their very lives and fortunes to preserve its integrity. And they always made sure that the supporting pillars of faith, family and freedom were sound. They knew that the existence of the entire building rested upon the strength of the three pillars.
Years later some began to question the need to maintain all three pillars. They thought only two were necessary. So they began to ignore the pillar of faith. Due to neglect, the pillar of faith fell into disrepair and became weak. The weight of the building called America shifted to the two remaining pillars of family and freedom.
Everyone noticed that the foundation underneath the building called America was sagging. They blamed many things, but seldom gave serious consideration to the deteriorating pillar of faith. Before long, because of the weakening of the pillar of faith, the pillar of family began to fail. The pillar of freedom began to crumble under the load.
Some people saw what was happening to the building and tried to restore the pillar of faith. Other scoffed at them, calling them old-fashioned and traditional. Many tried to prop up the building called America using a variety of techniques. But few were interested in strengthening the pillar of faith.
One day, to the surprise and sadness of the world, the building called America collapsed. A voice trapped beneath the crumbling structure was heard to cry out: "No building like America can ever stand except on the three equal pillars of faith, family and freedom." And with that the once magnificent building called America perished and disappeared into the rubble of history.
The workers labored faithfully to insure the three pillars of faith, family and freedom were strong enough to withstand wind, rain and attacks of the enemy. For many the task consumed their whole life. However their children, catching their father's dream, continued to work on the building and to insure the strength of the three supporting pillars.
Generations passed, but each did its part to maintain the glorious building which had become the most treasured and admired structure in all the world. They gave of themselves freely. Some even sacrificed their very lives and fortunes to preserve its integrity. And they always made sure that the supporting pillars of faith, family and freedom were sound. They knew that the existence of the entire building rested upon the strength of the three pillars.
Years later some began to question the need to maintain all three pillars. They thought only two were necessary. So they began to ignore the pillar of faith. Due to neglect, the pillar of faith fell into disrepair and became weak. The weight of the building called America shifted to the two remaining pillars of family and freedom.
Everyone noticed that the foundation underneath the building called America was sagging. They blamed many things, but seldom gave serious consideration to the deteriorating pillar of faith. Before long, because of the weakening of the pillar of faith, the pillar of family began to fail. The pillar of freedom began to crumble under the load.
Some people saw what was happening to the building and tried to restore the pillar of faith. Other scoffed at them, calling them old-fashioned and traditional. Many tried to prop up the building called America using a variety of techniques. But few were interested in strengthening the pillar of faith.
One day, to the surprise and sadness of the world, the building called America collapsed. A voice trapped beneath the crumbling structure was heard to cry out: "No building like America can ever stand except on the three equal pillars of faith, family and freedom." And with that the once magnificent building called America perished and disappeared into the rubble of history.
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Monday, October 5, 2009
The 545 People
by Charley Reese
(Circa 1985) -- Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits? Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?
You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does. You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does. You and I don't write the tax code. Congress does. You and I don't set fiscal policy. Congress does. You and I don't control monetary policy. The Federal Reserve Bank does.
One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president and nine Supreme Court justices - 545 human beings out of the 235 million - are directly, legally, morally and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered but private central bank.
I excluded all but the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it.
No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.
A CONFIDENCE CONSPIRACY
Don't you see how the con game that is played on the people by the politicians? Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.
What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of Tip O'Neill, who stood up and criticized Ronald Reagan for creating deficits.
The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it. The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating appropriations and taxes.
O'Neill is the speaker of the House. He is the leader of the majority party. He and his fellow Democrats, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetos it, they can pass it over his veto.
REPLACE SCOUNDRELS
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 235 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts - of incompetence and irresponsibility.
I can't think of a single domestic problem, from an unfair tax code to defense overruns, that is not traceable directly to those 545 people.
When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.
If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair. If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red. If the Marines are in Lebanon, it's because they want them in Lebanon.
There are no insoluble government problems. Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take it.
Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exist disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation" or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.
Those 545 people and they alone are responsible. They and they alone have the power. They and they alone should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses - provided they have the gumption to manage their own employees.
This article was first published by the Orlando Sentinel Star newspaper
(Circa 1985) -- Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, we have deficits? Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, we have inflation and high taxes?
You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does. You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations. The House of Representatives does. You and I don't write the tax code. Congress does. You and I don't set fiscal policy. Congress does. You and I don't control monetary policy. The Federal Reserve Bank does.
One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president and nine Supreme Court justices - 545 human beings out of the 235 million - are directly, legally, morally and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered but private central bank.
I excluded all but the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it.
No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.
A CONFIDENCE CONSPIRACY
Don't you see how the con game that is played on the people by the politicians? Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.
What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of Tip O'Neill, who stood up and criticized Ronald Reagan for creating deficits.
The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it. The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating appropriations and taxes.
O'Neill is the speaker of the House. He is the leader of the majority party. He and his fellow Democrats, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetos it, they can pass it over his veto.
REPLACE SCOUNDRELS
It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 235 million cannot replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts - of incompetence and irresponsibility.
I can't think of a single domestic problem, from an unfair tax code to defense overruns, that is not traceable directly to those 545 people.
When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.
If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair. If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red. If the Marines are in Lebanon, it's because they want them in Lebanon.
There are no insoluble government problems. Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take it.
Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exist disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation" or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.
Those 545 people and they alone are responsible. They and they alone have the power. They and they alone should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses - provided they have the gumption to manage their own employees.
This article was first published by the Orlando Sentinel Star newspaper
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
What Church Should Be Like
What exactly would the "New Testament Church" look like if it was translated into a modern western city? Imagine all of the Spirit-filled Christians in your city have left their denominations and divisions behind. They have truly begun to fulfill the prayer of Jesus, “That they all may be ONE.” They begin to hold huge gatherings all over the city - right out in the open. And as well as these united gatherings, there are also house meetings, where all the Spirit-filled believers from that street gather together, eating and sharing and having communion, etc. The power of God flowing in these house meetings is amazing. Many healings and miracles are occurring. The gifts of the Spirit flow freely every day.
It seems also that many of the church buildings have simply been abandoned because Christians don’t want to hide behind the “four walls,” instead, they gather out where the people are, presenting Jesus to the whole world. There is no way that any of their old buildings could contain the crowds anyhow.
And the men whom God has raised up to lead this vast movement do not seem much like the “Reverends” or even the “televangelists” of old. In fact, quite a few of them have never even been to Bible College, and they seem to be very plain, ordinary people from humble backgrounds but with an anointing! It is very clear to everyone that these “apostles and prophets” (as they are known) have spent many years in prayer and brokenness before God drawing closer and closer to Him. When they speak, the very fear of the Lord seems to come down, and many people repent deeply of their sins. Demons are cast out and the blind and crippled are made whole. These kinds of things are happening all the time. The whole city is just in awe of what is going on and thousands upon thousands are being saved. Even the newspapers and television are full of it.
As soon as someone repents they are immediately baptized in water and hands are laid on them for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. This is expected from day one! And it is also expected that every Christian has a gift and calling from God and that they should be encouraged to move forward and fulfill their calling. No longer is there a distinction made between those who are “ministers” and those who are merely “laity.” EVERYONE is expected to be a minister of the Lord! However, there are “elders” to guide things
Some of the bishops and pastors from several denominations have actually denounced this great move of God very strongly. They say it is “deception” and warn their people to stay away. But it is obvious to most people that God is the one behind it all and few take these men seriously. The Spirit of God is sweeping all before Him. The glory of the Lord has come.
One of the reasons that these leaders are so upset is that a lot of the Christians’ giving now does not go to church buildings, but rather to the poor. In fact, God has spoken to many people to start supporting widows and orphans overseas, etc. They also give generously to anyone in their midst who is in need. Many even sell their own possessions in order to do this.
The huge over-riding theme of this great movement is love. “Behold how they love one another” is the catch-cry of many who watch this “new church” in action and everyone is given to much prayer. And so, gathering “as one” in the outdoors and breaking bread from house to house, they eat together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord adds to their number daily those who are being saved.
CAN THIS REALLY HAPPEN?
The above description is taken straight out of the Book of Acts – as applied to today. Everything was put there to give you an idea of what it would be like to live in the Jerusalem church at the start of Acts. -And it was like that for years. Imagine the impact of such a church on the world around it! God wants to do this again and He wants to use ordinary people like you and me to help bring it to pass.
I am convinced that we are not supposed to treat the early church as a “special case”. It was given to us as an example. It is what the normal church should be like all the time! And yet we have fallen so far below this standard. Only in times of Revival do we approach it again for a time. But I believe it is supposed to be “normal” for the church to be like this day in and day out. This is the way that Jesus always wanted us to be and He will do whatever it takes in order to get us there. Let us settle for nothing less!
Excerpted from "THE CHURCH of TOMORROW" by Andrew Strom
Revival School
It seems also that many of the church buildings have simply been abandoned because Christians don’t want to hide behind the “four walls,” instead, they gather out where the people are, presenting Jesus to the whole world. There is no way that any of their old buildings could contain the crowds anyhow.
And the men whom God has raised up to lead this vast movement do not seem much like the “Reverends” or even the “televangelists” of old. In fact, quite a few of them have never even been to Bible College, and they seem to be very plain, ordinary people from humble backgrounds but with an anointing! It is very clear to everyone that these “apostles and prophets” (as they are known) have spent many years in prayer and brokenness before God drawing closer and closer to Him. When they speak, the very fear of the Lord seems to come down, and many people repent deeply of their sins. Demons are cast out and the blind and crippled are made whole. These kinds of things are happening all the time. The whole city is just in awe of what is going on and thousands upon thousands are being saved. Even the newspapers and television are full of it.
As soon as someone repents they are immediately baptized in water and hands are laid on them for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. This is expected from day one! And it is also expected that every Christian has a gift and calling from God and that they should be encouraged to move forward and fulfill their calling. No longer is there a distinction made between those who are “ministers” and those who are merely “laity.” EVERYONE is expected to be a minister of the Lord! However, there are “elders” to guide things
Some of the bishops and pastors from several denominations have actually denounced this great move of God very strongly. They say it is “deception” and warn their people to stay away. But it is obvious to most people that God is the one behind it all and few take these men seriously. The Spirit of God is sweeping all before Him. The glory of the Lord has come.
One of the reasons that these leaders are so upset is that a lot of the Christians’ giving now does not go to church buildings, but rather to the poor. In fact, God has spoken to many people to start supporting widows and orphans overseas, etc. They also give generously to anyone in their midst who is in need. Many even sell their own possessions in order to do this.
The huge over-riding theme of this great movement is love. “Behold how they love one another” is the catch-cry of many who watch this “new church” in action and everyone is given to much prayer. And so, gathering “as one” in the outdoors and breaking bread from house to house, they eat together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord adds to their number daily those who are being saved.
CAN THIS REALLY HAPPEN?
The above description is taken straight out of the Book of Acts – as applied to today. Everything was put there to give you an idea of what it would be like to live in the Jerusalem church at the start of Acts. -And it was like that for years. Imagine the impact of such a church on the world around it! God wants to do this again and He wants to use ordinary people like you and me to help bring it to pass.
I am convinced that we are not supposed to treat the early church as a “special case”. It was given to us as an example. It is what the normal church should be like all the time! And yet we have fallen so far below this standard. Only in times of Revival do we approach it again for a time. But I believe it is supposed to be “normal” for the church to be like this day in and day out. This is the way that Jesus always wanted us to be and He will do whatever it takes in order to get us there. Let us settle for nothing less!
Excerpted from "THE CHURCH of TOMORROW" by Andrew Strom
Revival School
Monday, September 28, 2009
Roman Polanski the Pedophile is Arrested
Roman Polanski fled to France 31 years ago because he raped a 13 year old girl and was facing prison time. But a "genius" like him cannot be locked up because it would stifle his creativity and his libido. Since that time he as been a resident of France and "revered in Europe as a luminary of filmmaking." So when this pedophile was arrested, the other deranged people in Europe started shouting for him to be released because they believe 1977 was so long ago and he shouldn't be held accountable... Obviously the attempt to bring him to justice 31 years later is vindictive... Right...
Read the article
Wikipedia entry for Roman Polanski
Read the article
Wikipedia entry for Roman Polanski
The Ghost Fleet of the Recession
Let's not talk about worldwide economic recovery just yet. No matter how the world government leaders spin the "rise of the economy," the truth is very different.
The biggest and most secretive gathering of ships in maritime history lies at anchor east of Singapore. Never before photographed, it is bigger than the U.S. and British navies combined but has no crew, no cargo and no destination.
Here, on a sleepy stretch of shoreline at the far end of Asia, is surely the biggest and most secretive gathering of ships in maritime history. Their numbers are equivalent to the entire British and American navies combined; their tonnage is far greater. Container ships, bulk carriers, oil tankers - all should be steaming fully laden between China, Britain, Europe and the US, stocking camera shops, PC Worlds and Argos depots ahead of the retail pandemonium of 2009. But their water has been stolen.
They are a powerful and tangible representation of the hurricanes that have been wrought by the global economic crisis; an iron curtain drawn along the coastline of the southern edge of Malaysia's rural Johor state, 50 miles east of Singapore harbour.
It is so far off the beaten track that nobody ever really comes close, which is why these ships are here. The world's ship owners and government economists would prefer you not to see this symbol of the depths of the plague still crippling the world's economies.
So they have been quietly retired to this equatorial backwater, to be maintained only by a handful of bored sailors. The skeleton crews are left alone to fend off the ever-present threats of piracy and collisions in the congested waters as the hulls gather rust and seaweed at what should be their busiest time of year.
Read more
Feeling Discouraged… Stand in the Power of God
Some of you are going through some trials that have you feeling discouraged and worn down but I want to you to read King David’s words and let them refresh you.
"A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah." (Psalms 3:1-8)I want to encourage you to STAND no matter what you’re faced with today.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)Are you a walking sacrifice? We sing the song about “bringing the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord,” even if we don’t necessarily feel like doing so. It is foolish to put our guard down and give up. The apostle Paul exhorted us to make God our strength!
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:10-13)That is the point, to STAND in the power of God.
What is a Christian?
Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, "You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it." Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet."
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change..."
The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town?"
"Yes," he replied.
"Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday."
When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter."
Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard -- and remember -- You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself "Christian."
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change..."
The driver, with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town?"
"Yes," he replied.
"Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday."
When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, "Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter."
Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard -- and remember -- You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself "Christian."
Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
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