INSIGHT

PRESIDENT WITHOUT A COUNTRY

2009-09-02T10:23:00.002-05:00

A friend sent me this recently. I submit it without comment and only ask that you read it and think about it. Makes no difference if you are for or not for this President, the facts in this article cannot be denied.

THE PRESIDENT WITHOUT A COUNTRY

By Pat Boone "We're no longer a Christian nation." - President Barack Obama, June 2007

"America has been arrogant." - President Barack Obama

"After 9/11, America didn't always live up to her ideals."- President Barack Obama "You might say that America is a Muslim nation."- President Barack Obama, Egypt 2009

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Thinking about these and other statements made by the man who wears the title of president, I keep wondering what country he believes he's president of.
In one of my very favorite stories, Edward Everett Hale's "The Man without a Country," a young Army lieutenant named Philip Nolan stands condemned for treason during the Revolutionary War, having come under the influence of Aaron Burr. When the judge asks him if he wishes to say anything before sentence is passed, young Nolan defiantly exclaims, "Damn the United States ! I wish I might never hear of the United States again!" The stunned silence in the courtroom is palpable, pulsing. After a long pause, the judge soberly says to the angry lieutenant: "You have just pronounced your own sentence. You will never hear of the United States again.. I sentence you to spend the rest of your life at sea, on one or another of this country's naval vessels - under strict orders that no one will ever speak to you again about the country you have just cursed." And so it was. Philip Nolan was taken away and spent the next 40 years at sea, never hearing anything but an occasional slip of the tongue about America.. The last few pages of the story, recounting Nolan's dying hours in his small stateroom - now turned into a shrine to the country he fore swore - never fail to bring me to tears. And I find my own love for this dream, this miracle called America , refreshed and renewed. I know how blessed and unique we are. But reading and hearing the audacious, shocking statements of the man who was recently elected our president - a young black man living the impossible dream of millions of young Americans, past and present, black and white - I want to ask him, "Just what country do you think you're president of?" You surely can't be referring to the United States of America , can you? America is emphatically a Christian nation, and has been from its inception! Seventy percent of her citizens identify themselves as Christian. The Declaration of Independence and our Constitution were framed, written and ratified by Christians. It's because this was, and is, a nation built on and guided by Judeo-Christian biblical principles that you, sir, have had the inestimable privilege of being elected her president. You studied law at Harvard, didn't you, sir? You taught constitutional law in Chicago ? Did you not ever read the statement of John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and an author of the landmark "Federalist Papers": "Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers - and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation - to select and prefer Christians for their rulers"? In your studies, you surely must have read the decision of the Supreme Court in 1892: "Our lives and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian." Did your professors have you skip over all the high-court decisions right up till the mid 1900's that echoed and reinforced these views and intentions? Did you pick up the history of American jurisprudence only in 1947, when for the first time a phrase coined by Thomas Jefferson about a "wall of separation between church and state" was used to deny some specific religious expression - contrary to Jefferson' s intent with that statement? Or, wait a minute . were your ideas about America 's Christianity formed during the 20 years you were a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ under your pastor, Jeremiah Wright? Is that where you got the idea that " America is no longer a Christian nation"? Is this where you, even as you came to call yourself a Christian, formed the belief that " America has been arrogant"? Even if that's the understandable explanation of your damning of your country and accusing the whole nation (not just a few military officials trying their best to keep more Americans from being murdered by jihadists) of "not always living up to her ideals," how did you come up with the ridiculous, alarming notion that we might be "considered a Muslim nation"? Is it because there are some 2 million or more Muslims living here, trying to be good Americans? Out of a current population of over 300 million, 70 percent of whom are Christians? Does that make us , by any rational definition, a "Muslim nation"? Why are we not, then, a "Chinese nation"? A "Korean nation"? Even a "Vietnamese nation"? There are even more of these distinct groups in America than Muslims. And if the distinction you're trying to make is a religious one, why is America not "a Jewish nation"? There's actually a case to be made for the latter, because our Constitution - and the success of our Revolution and founding - owe a deep debt to our Jewish brothers. Have you stopped to think what an actual Muslim America would be like? Have you ever really spent much time in Iran? Even in Egypt? You, having been instructed in Islam as a kid at a Muslim school in Indonesia and saying you still love the call to evening prayers, can surely picture our nation founded on the Quran, not the Judeo-Christian Bible, and living under Shariah law. Can't you? You do recall Muhammad's directives [Surah 9:5,73] to "break the cross" and "kill the infidel"? It seems increasingly and painfully obvious that you are more influenced by your upbringing and questionable education than most suspected. If you consider yourself the president of a people who are "no longer Christian," who have "failed to live up to our ideals," who "have been arrogant," and might even be "considered Muslim" - you are president of a country most Americans don't recognize. Could it be you are a president without a country?

Pray for our President and leaders in our nation's capitol, as well as our state and local leaders. Revival must come to our Nation. Let no one be mistaken--we are still a Christian Nation! God Bless us all.

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS "FAIR TAX"

2009-08-07T09:34:00.003-05:00

The "Fair Tax" is the only way to tax everyone in a fair manner. The Fair Tax is replacement, not reform. It will replace the current tax system and eleminate the need for the IRS and tax forms that get more complicated every year. I have been following this for a few years now and am convinced it can be passed. Do women have the right to vote? Did we pass Prohibition? Did we repeal it? It took grassroot efforts and that is what it will take to pass the Fair Tax.
I am attaching to this post a Fair Tax FAQ. I encourage you to read it closely and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Better yet, go to www.fairtax.org for complete information and add your name to the list of those who stand behind change for the better. I can't encourage you enough to get behind this and pass the word along to your friends. Direct them to this blog, sight so they can read what you are reading-- www.insightjoe.blogspot.com.

Fair Tax Frequently Asked Questions

[1] What is taxed? The Fair Tax is a single-rate, federal retail sales tax collected only once, at the point of purchase of new good and services for personal consumption. Used items are not taxed. Business-to-business purchases for the production of goods and services are not taxed. A rebate makes the effective rate progressive.
[2] Exactly what taxes are abolished? The Fair Tax is replacement, not reform. It replaces federal income taxes including personal, estate, gift, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, self-employment, and corporate taxes.
[3] How does the rebate work? All valid Social Security cardholders that are U.S. residents receive monthly rebate equivalent to the Fair Tax paid on essential goods and services, also known as poverty level expenditures. The rebate is paid in advance, in equal installments each month. See below for example of the rebate:
Family Mthly. Rebate MthlyRebate
Size (Single) (Married)
1 $NA $183
2 $246 $367
3 $308 $429
4 $371 $492
5 $433 $554
6 $496 $617
7 $558 $679
8 $621 $742

[4] Is the 23% Fair Tax revenue-neutral rate higher or lower when compared to income and Social Security taxes people pay today? Most people are paying that much or more today - part of it is hidden from view. The income tax bracket most people fall into is 15%, and wager earners pay 7.65% in payroll taxes. That’s 23% right there without taking into account the 7.65% employer matching! On top of that, you have to add in all of the hidden taxes embedded in the price of everything you buy, from goods (averaging 22%) to services (averaging 25%).
Effective tax rates vs. stated tax rates.
Because the 23% Fair Tax rate of $0.23 on every dollar spent is not imposed on necessities, an individual spending $28,808 pays an effective tax rate of only 15.6%, not 23%. This same individual will pay 17.3% of his or her income to federal taxes under current law.
[5] Does the Fair Tax rate need to be much higher to be revenue neutral? The proper tax rate has been carefully worked out; 23% does the job of: [a] raising the same amount of federal taxes as are raised by the current system, [b] paying the universal rebate, and [c] paying the collection fee to retailers and state governments. Detailed calculations are available from FairTax.org.
[6] How is the Social Security system affected? Like all federal spending programs, Social Security operates exactly as it does today, except that its funds come from a broad, progressive sales tax rather than a narrow, regressive payroll tax. Employers continue to report wages for each employee though, to the Social Security Administration for determination of benefits.
[7] How does the Fair Tax affect Social Security reform? The Fair Tax plan does not change Social Security benefits or the structure of the Social Security system. All it does is replace the current revenue source (narrow, regressive payroll taxes) with a new revenue source (broad, progressive sales taxes paid by all consumers).
[8] Is consumption a reliable source of revenue? Yes, in fact, consumption is a more stable source of revenue than income. A recent study has shown that the Fair Tax base is less variable than the income tax base. Again, see FairTax.org for more information on this matter.

[9] How is the tax collected? Retail businesses collect the tax from the consumer, just as state sales tax systems already do in 45 states; the Fair Tax is simply an additional line on the current sales tax reporting form. Retailers simply collect the tax and send it to the state taxing authority. All businesses serving as collection agents receive a fee for collection, and the states also receive a collection fee.
[10] Why is the Fair Tax better than our current system? Our present tax system is one of the reasons that people are finding it so difficult to get ahead these days. The income tax is holding us back and making it more difficult than it needs to be to improve our families’ standard of living. It makes it needlessly difficult for our businesses to compete in international markets. It wastes vast resources on complying with needless paperwork.
[11] Is the Fair Tax fair? Yes, and in fact, much fairer than the income tax. Rich people spend more money than other individuals. They buy expensive cars, big houses and yachts. They buy filet mignon instead of hamburger, fine wine instead of beer, designer dresses, and expensive jewelry. The Fair Tax taxes them on these purchases. If, however, they use their money to build job-creating factories, finance research and development to create new products, or fund charitable activities (all of which help improve the standard of living of others), then those activities are not taxes.
[12] How does the Fair Tax protect low-income and lower-middle-income families and individuals? Under the Fair Tax plan, poor people pay no net Fair Tax at all up to the poverty level. Every household receives a rebate that is equal to the Fair tax paid on essential goods and services. The Fair Tax dramatically improves economic growth and wage rates for all, but especially for lower income families and individuals. In addition to receiving the monthly Fair Tax rebate, these taxpayers are freed from regressive payroll taxes, the federal income tax, and the compliance burden associated with each. They pay no more hidden taxes on good or services, and used good are tax-free.
[13] What about senior citizens, retired people, and anyone on a fixed income? Seniors, like everyone else, receive a monthly rebate, in advance of their purchases, for taxes paid on the cost of necessities. If seniors choose to work, they are freed from regressive payroll taxes, the federal income tax on wages, and the compliance burdens associates with each. See FairTax.org for more details of this.
[14] Should the government tax medicine and health care? Because federal income and payroll taxes are embedded in the price of everything you buy, you are already paying federal taxes on prescriptions and other health care services that you buy today - they are just hidden.
[15] How does the Fair Tax affect income tax preparers, accountants, and many government employees? There will, of course, still be some people who are involved in sales tax return preparation and sales tax administration under the Fair Tax, but many fewer than those involved under the income tax today. These are well educated and well equipped with transferable skills, and will have to find more productive work. The projects 10.5% growth in the economy during the first year of Fair Tax will provide plenty of new jobs.
[16] What will happen to charitable giving? Charitable contributions depend on one factor more than any other: The health of the economy (not tax benefits). For all the money that pours into churches every Sunday and into a broad range of charities every day, only the 30% who itemize get any tax benefit. The other 70% have given and are giving with no tax benefit whatsoever. The majority of people do not base their giving on tax benefits but rather the desire to give.
[17] Can the Fair Tax really be passed into law? Do women have the right to vote in this country? Did we pass Prohibition? Did we repeal it? These types of grassroots efforts effected significant changes in our nation and world. Is the current income tax system any less a yoke around the necks of otherwise free people? We think not! Passing the original 16th Amendment and the income tax wasn’t easy and repealing the income tax and the 16th Amendment won’t be easy either. It will only happen when the American people rally behind the effort, throw off the yoke, and demand rectification for 90 years of wrongs done by the income tax.
For more “Frequently Asked Questions” and further information detailing the Fair Tax Plan, go to www.FairTax.org.

THE WIDER COMMUNITY

2009-08-04T09:25:00.002-05:00

I thought I'd heard it all until I read this post from the Pastor's Weekly Briefing of July 31. See what you think----------------

Overweight and Bald People Designated as "Special Needs"
According to a Church of England book published this week, overweight and bald people should be regarded as worshippers with "special needs" alongside the blind, the deaf, breast-feeding mothers, very short people and readers of tabloid newspapers. It warns that bald people could be "in trouble from those overhead radiant heaters some churches have unwittingly installed." Also, "Some pew spaces and chairs are embarrassingly inadequate for what is known in church circles as 'the wider community'," the books says. [Telegraph.co.uk]
Interesting, to say the least. I'm not sure how "readers of tabloid newspapers" fits in here. I guess maybe they have special psychiatric needs for believing all that gopelty-goop. As for the bald heads--that may not be the rump roast in the church kitchen burning after all. It may be those shining beacons of hairless wonders in the pulpit.
As for the "overweight" category--Let's start a class and call it "The Wider Community" class. We will use as our class scripture Proverbs 28:25. Have to read it in the King James version to get the full meaning--Proverbs 28:25 "....he that puts his trust in the LORD shall be made fat." We will have extra-wide chairs with very soft cushions and we will dine on the Word of God. (By the way, I'm not making sport of overweight people--I are one too). "The Wider Community"--I like that!

WHO WILL GO MY BAIL?

2009-08-03T16:09:00.002-05:00

When a sermon I preach happens to include something about the homosexual lifestyle being touted today, it is not against Homosexuals. Rather it is against homosexuality--against sin. But if someone were to read my sermon on line or see it on this blog and decide to go beat up a homosexual or kill one (I certainly DO NOT condone either action even being considered), then I could be arrested and held accountable for their ungodly act. Even though my intentions would be to tell the truth in order to combat the lies which are sending so many people away from God, thinking they are living in His grace. Lies that twist the word of God to change what He calls sin into something He accepts. If I didn't have God's love within me for the people caught up in this sin then I wouldn't bother with them. My desire is to see them recognize that what they are doing is a sin and give it to God. I am told they were born that way. Well, I was born in sin just like the Bible says all of us were. So since I was born in sin I guess God thinks it's OK for me to live in sin since He made me born that way. Makes about as much sense, doesn't it.
At any rate, I hope you all will take up a collection first time I'm jailed for preaching the truth, and go my bail. Otherwise, I've learned a lot of good songs to sing while I'm there. I'll take my cue from Paul and Peter and Silas, etc. We are to obey the laws of the land to the point that they do not go against the Word of God. I will not stop preaching the Word of God and the truth in it no matter what the consequences! Read this article from Pastor's Weekly Briefing of July 24---

Senate OKs 'Hate-Crimes' Legislation
The U.S. Senate approved a sweeping federal "hate-crimes" law by a voice vote last week. The legislation creates a new class of crimes based on the victim's gender, sexual orientation or "gender identity." And, pastors who preach against homosexuality could face prosecution if they are found to have "induced" a hate crime against a self-identified homosexual by preaching from the Bible. The House passed a similar bill in April, and President Barack Obama supports the legislation. [CitizenLink.com]

HELL WON'T BE HOT ENOUGH

2009-08-03T15:59:00.002-05:00

I recently read an article from the Pastor's Weekly Briefing from July 24. Have you ever waxed down a slippery slide to make yourself slide much faster down it? Well, that's what some people are doing by listening to the folk who are working for the devil in this world. They are waxing the slide to hell and hell itself won't be hot enough for them in answer for what they are doing to so many people. Read this article and you'll see why my righteous indignation has been sparked once again-------------------------

"De-Baptism" Ceremonies Renounce Childhood Faith
In a type of mock Atheistic ceremony that's now been performed in at least four states, a robed "priest" uses a hairdryer marked "reason" in an apparent bid to blow away the waters of baptism once and for all from those who once believed in religion, but now reject it. Several dozen participants then feed on a "de-sacrament" (crackers with peanut butter) and receive certificates assuring they have "freely renounced a previous mistake, and accepted Reason over Superstition."
Within the past year, "de-baptism" ceremonies have attracted as many as 250 participants at atheist conventions in Ohio, Texas, Florida and Georgia. More have taken place on college campuses in recent years, according to Hemant Mehta, chair of the board of directors for the Secular Student Alliance, a group that promotes atheism among high school and college students.
"It was very therapeutic." said participant Jennifer Gray. "It was a chance to laugh at the silly things I used to believe as a child. It helped me admit that it was OK to think the way I think and to not have any religious beliefs." [Religion News Service]
Did anyone hear me scream!!!!!!!!!

Woa!! The ACLU did what?

2009-07-20T13:11:00.002-05:00

The Pastor's Weekly Briefing from July 17 caught me off guard. The ACLU actually did something worthwhile on behalf of Christianity. Read on---
ACLU Defends Religious Material
Officials at a corrections facility in Virginia received a letter from The American Civil Liberties Union (backed by groups including Prison Fellowship and the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty) asking them to guarantee in writing that the jail will no longer censor letters written to detainees simply because they contain religious material. The letter was prompted by a complaint from a mother whose son was detained at the facility. Her three-page letter to him was reduced to the salutation, the first paragraph and the closing, after officials extracted biblical passages. "Such censorship violates both the rights of detainees to practice religion freely and the free speech rights of those wanting to communicate with detainees," said a staff attorney with the ACLU national Prison Project. [ChristianPost.com]
That particular unit of the ACLU better watch out. They keep doing good stuff and they may get kicked out. More power, guys & gals! God bless you!

THAT'S WHY I'M FAT!

2009-07-14T16:23:00.002-05:00

I found this article from the July 10 Pastor to Pastor to hit home since I am getting married September 20th.

Does Marriage Make You Fat?

A new study from the University of North Carolina showed that within a few short years of getting hitched, married individuals are twice as likely to become obese than single people who are dating. Researchers tracked changes over a handful of years in the weight and relationship status of 6,949 people. They found women had a 63 percent increased risk of obesity, while men did not in the first year of marriage. Causes for the weight gain could be eating more regularly, exercising less and a more sedentary lifestyle. [CBSNews.com]
Women are more at risk to gain weight in the first year of marriage than men are. Not sure of why that is. You don't see too many women sitting around watching football games on TV while eating fattening snacks and drinking fattening bear for hour on end. I'm looking forward to the day when Teresa and I get married. She is going to fix our dinners to help me loose weight and become that handsome, charming, gorgeous hunk of a man that I never was. Should be interesting. By the way, don't believe every study that comes out. They probably picked the wrong 6,949 people. It was that 6, 950th one that would have told the true tale. Now we'll never knowfor sure.

SOMEONE HAD A DATE WITH AN ANGEL

2009-07-14T16:12:00.002-05:00

Read this article from Pastor to Pastor from July 10, 2009---

Crimes Against U.S. Churches

In it's first year of tracking crimes against churches, the Church Security Network report on "Crimes Against Christian Organizations in the United States" found 17 violent crimes were reported by churches in 2009. Six of them resulted in homicides. In total, 472 incidents of violence, theft and other criminal acts were tracked in the report.
Burglary was the most frequently reported incident by churches (64%). Thirteen percent of the crimes were arson and seven percent were general theft. Crimes and vandalism account for more then $6.3 million in church property loss in the past six months. Internal theft totaled more then $2.3 million. [ChristianPost.com]
Keeping this report in mind I would like to direct a personal statement at that individual or individuals who absconded with the FCC angel from the East side of the church. She stood there for many a year without anyone bothering her. But someone saw fit to remove her from her perch outside the east entrance and left a hole in the landscaping as well as in our hearts. On second thought, people that do things like this probably do not have the intelligence to read a blog, but it makes me feel better to post it.
I felt like putting an ad in the paper asking that she be returned and no questions would be asked. We would not prosecute but there is a chance that God might persecute. It probably makes Him a little angry when someone just comes along and steals from Him--especially one of His angels, even though she was just concrete.

Watch Out -- God's Gonna Get You

2009-06-12T12:53:00.002-05:00

From The Pastor's Weekly Briefing comes this article:
Schools Can Hold Graduation in Church
Last week, U.S. District Judge Charles N. Clevert Jr. denied the motion of Americans United for Separation of Church and State for a preliminary injunction against two public high schools in Wisconsin. The schools were able to hold their graduation ceremonies in a church auditorium last week as planned, even though AUSCS wants to "stop schools from forcing students to go to church in order to graduate with their classmates." The judge ruled that holding graduation at a church does not show endorsement of the church's beliefs and does not amount to a violation of the Constitution. [ChristianPost.com]
I guess they're afraid that if the kids go to a church auditorium to graduate God is going to snatch them as one of His while they are there. Hmm! Wonder what happens when people go to church to vote on election days. Maybe they need to start voting in garages. No, I guess not. Then all the people would come out as gas-guzzling cars. Better just vote at City Hall. Oh No! Then we'd all come out as politicians.

Yea!! For The Students

2009-06-12T12:38:00.002-05:00

From The Pastor's Weekly Briefing I find that the ACLU (In some circles known as the Anti Christian Liberties Union) is at it again. Read the following:
Students Recite The Lord's Prayer
Despite threats from the American Civil Liberties Union nearly 400 students at Pace High School in Santa Rosa County, Florida, stood and recited the Lord's Prayer during their graduation ceremony. The prayer was recited in protest of a lawsuit the ACLU had previously filed against the school alleging the principal asked the athletic director to bless a meal at an awards ceremony. "The ACLU had actually threatened the school that they would be in trouble with the court if any student or any kind of religious message was given at this graduation. They did not want any student to say anything religious, or no prayer," said Matt Staver of Liberty Counsel. "The students would not take this sitting down, and they decided to fight back." Liberty Counsel says they will defend any students if action is taken against them. [WorldNetDaily, Liberty Counsel]
It never ceases to amaze me how many people just sit back and let the ACLU do their thing. The only "liberty" they seem to be interested in is their liberty to close the mouth of Christianity. Pray for them. They can't sue you for that!

AVOID TAKING ANOTHER DRIVING TEST

2009-06-04T09:16:00.002-05:00

I like for this blog to be a public service as well as a source of information in many areas of thought. This particular post deals with a public service. A friend of mine advised me of this and I have already done it. Very simple and takes probably less than a minute.
As you know the state of Oklahoma does not send you a reminder when your driver's license is about to expire like they used to. Well, if you have an email address you can now get that notice.
Go to www.dps.state.ok.us/renewal and fill out the form. That's all there is to it.
Happy Driving!

IS THIS A GREAT STATE OR WHAT?!

2009-06-01T10:12:00.004-05:00

The state of Oklahoma is proudly the leader in a lot of areas where it should be the leader. We may have some quarrels with our Governor and other leaders in the state but they seem to hit the nail on the head quite a bit lately. Following are just a couple examples as taken from the May 29 edition of "The Pastor's Weekly Briefing".

Oklahoma Abortion Bill Signed into Law
Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry signed HB 1595 into law last week, banning gender-selective abortions and requiring detailed information on each abortion performed by physicians. The bill, also known as the Statistical Reporting of Abortion Act, received a vote by the Senate of 34-10 after the House voted 93-4 — both in favor.
In addition to "prohibiting the performance of an abortion solely on account of the sex of the unborn child," abortionists are to record the mother's age, marital status and education level, as well as the number of prior pregnancies, reason and method of abortion, and the nature of the mother's relationship with the child's father. Abortionists violating the law for the first time would be subject to a $10,000 fine, rising to $100,000 by the third violation.
The law also directs the state's Department of Health to publish annual abortion reports on its Web site and to ensure compliance with the provisions of the act by conducting periodic inspections of places where abortions are performed.
Currently, the state tracks non-identifying information about women receiving abortions, including their age and county of residence. Physicians at the three facilities in Oklahoma that are certified to perform abortions voluntarily report information, reports the Oklahoman.
Tony Lauinger, chairman of Oklahomans for Life, said of the new law: "[HB 1595] will be very significant in terms of prohibiting sex-selection abortions and also because of the comprehensive reporting the bill provides. ... It will also be helpful in identifying complications of abortion and understanding the damage abortion inflicts on women." [Catholic.org, CatholicNewsAgency.com, WorldNetDaily.com]

Speaking of abortions, it was reported that while serving as an usher at his church, Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed. Dr. Tiller was the foremost abortionist in the world, aborting more babies than any other abortionist. He was best known of late for his late-term abortions. Although I stand against everything this man stood for concerning abortion I do not condone this type of action. Our prayers should go out for his wife and children at this very grievous time.

I am also greatly concerned about how this incident will be used by pro-abortionists and our government--or should I say "how it will be abused" by them. Thankfully, there have been only four abortion doctors murdered since abortion became the "in" thing. But this will certainly be blown way out of proportion. It will be like water-boarding. This has been a major issue in our country, making it sound like this is a daily thing. However, what most folks don't realize is that there have been only 3 water-boardings at Gitmo. A large number more Americans have been water-boarded as soldiers have been prepared for interrogations such as that.

All I can say is--PRAY.

The next item from "The Pastor's Weekly Briefing" is this-----

Ten Commandments Monument in Oklahoma

On May 18, Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry rejected arguments that a Ten Commandments monument violated the state and U.S. constitutions that bar government favoring a religion, and signed a bill to permit the display on the grounds of the state Capitol. The bill passed both houses of the legislature by veto-proof margins. The monument will be privately funded by the bill's sponsor. [The Associated Press]

My only comment to this article is this--If the Ten Commandments offend you (actually, they are most likely convicting you) then look the other way. For heavens sake don't just stand there and read them. You might learn something!

God Bless you all!

END THE WAR AND DO AWAY WITH BABIES

2009-01-29T16:49:00.004-06:00

Twas a late Friday afternoon and all the little news people were having their last cocktail before calling it a day. Unbeknownst to them, the lights still burned at the White House as the sun set on the Potomac. Perchance, was something going on that they should have been aware of?? Me thinks an obamarama was taking place in ye olde Oval Office. Read on-----

Paying for Overseas Abortions
As he promised during the election campaign, President Barack Obama late last Friday struck down a ban against taxpayer-funded abortions overseas. The ban — known as the "Mexico City policy" because it was first announced there at a United Nations Conference on Population — has been a political football between Democratic and Republican administrations for decades. Ronald Reagan first adopted the ban in 1984. Bill Clinton rescinded the ban in 1993. George W. Bush reinstituted the ban in 2001. And, now, Barack Obama has struck it down in 2009.
Obama issued the presidential memorandum rescinding the ban late Friday afternoon, which did not allow for typical coverage by the media. The quiet signing was in contrast to the televised coverage of Obama's announcement the prior Wednesday on ethics rules and Thursday's signing of orders to close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp and end torturing of terror suspects. It seemed to stand in contrast to his inaugural address promises to maintain an open and transparent administration.
His action came just one day after the 36th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion in America. The announcement brought cheers from pro-abortion groups, especially those like Planned Parenthood International (there they are again!!) and Marie Stopes International, which will now be receiving huge federal funding, along with other family planning groups that either offer abortions or provide information, counseling or referrals about abortion as a family planning and population control method.
Pro-life groups have also reacted strongly. "President Obama not long ago told the American people that he would support policies to reduce abortions, but today he is effectively guaranteeing more abortions by funding groups that promote abortion as a method of population control," said Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee.
Dr. Alveda King, niece of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a well-known pro-life activist and speaker, noted that the policy reversal takes taxpayer dollars "that could be used for feeding our families, educating our children, and giving our citizens of this wonderful country somewhere to live." She also said, "In any civilization where people begin to turn on their young, to kill their babies, and when motherhood [or parenthood] is no longer a sacred task, ... then we begin to see those civilizations crumble." And the United States, she warns, is heading down that slippery slope. [OneNewsNow.com, LifeNews.com] [Italics are mine]

By the way, the previous item "The Guys Need Something To Do" and this item came from the Pastor's Weekly Briefing of January 30, 2009. I'm not going to add any more comments to this--I'm not, I'm not, I'm not! Just gonna go check my blood pressure again. I love everybody---I love everybody---I love everybody (keep sayin' it, Joe) I love everybody. Even PP and ACLU. Right? Right! I really do, Lord. It's just kinda hard loving some than it is others. I love everybody.

THE GUYS NEED SOMETHING TO DO!

2009-01-29T16:27:00.002-06:00

Planned Parenthood & the ACLU really need something to do to keep them from getting ulcers over everybody else not wanting to put babies out of existence before they have a chance to be born. I'd like to ask you all to send your local PP or ACLU office a deck of cards, puzzle books, checkers, etc. Maybe that would keep them busy enough we can all do our thing without them wanting to do their thing on us! Read this-------

Rights of Conscience

Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union are suing the national government over rules that protect health care providers' freedom of conscience. The Department of Health and Human Services put the regulations in place last month to reinforce federal laws that protect doctors from being forced to participate in abortion and other anti-life practices. "We consider the right of conscience to be the biggest issues we face," said Dr. David Stevens, executive director of the Christian Medical Association. "Medical professionals should not be forced to perform abortions against their conscience," said Matt Bowman, legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund. [CitizenLink.org]
Don't they have enough doctors doing their dirty work without forcing others to do it against their will? Where do their rights to extirpate babies end and our right to live by our conscience begin? It's sort of like the young man that plays his car radio so loud it vibrates the glass in your house. He claims he has the right to play his radio but you also have a right to peace and quiet. Go down to Braum's or Dairy Queen, get an malt and chill out PP and ACLU!
Excuse me while I go check my blood pressure!!!!!!!!!!

OH NO!! CRITICISM!

2009-01-26T15:11:00.002-06:00

Again from the January 23rd "Pastor's Weekly Briefing."

Louisiana Schools Allow Criticism of Evolution

The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved rules Tuesday that will allow public-school teachers to debate and discuss origin-of-life theories and criticisms of Darwinian evolution. [citizenlink.org]
Darwin is probably rolling over in his grave right now. Someone is actually given permission to tell young people that maybe Darwin's theory is just that--a theory. Not a proven fact, mind you. Just a theory--without proof. But a lot of folks seem to want to run with the theory of Evolution. Sort of reminds me of a modern day Darwin. People are running behind him like a bunch of mice after the Pied Piper. His name is Al Gore. In his case, though, he is making lots of money off his theory (not fact).
I know there are some of you who would disagree with me on both of these theories. However, I must stand to reject Darwin's little idea because if you accept it you are rejecting God. God said that He created man. God did not say that man evolved from some slimy creature. I realize there are a lot of people in the world that make you believe in evolution in the sense that man came from monkeys. They sure act like it enough to make you wonder.
As for Al Gore's theory--Oh well, it's Al Gore. What can I say?

SEND 'EM A PIZZA (Lots of Jalapeno)

2009-01-26T14:58:00.003-06:00

From the January 23rd edition of the "Pastor's Weekly Briefing" I submit this article:

Adoption Policy Reserved for Married Couples is Defended

The American Civil Liberties Union is up in arms after voters in Arkansas approved "Act 1" in November, specifying adoption only by married couples. The Alliance Defense Fund filed a motion to intervene Friday on behalf of the Family Council Action Committee, joining the state of Arkansas in defending against a lawsuit filed by the ACLU who claims that Act 1 is unconstitutional. [citizenlink.org]
Those folks at ACLU seem to get upset at every whipstitch. If it's good for America they just can't seem to be happy with it. Poor folks need to know they are loved. If you are anywhere near an ACLU office, why don't you send them a Pizza and just sign it "With God's Love--Your friends in Christ." (What does ACLU stand for anyhow? Without A CLUe? Anti-Christian Liberties Union?? Anti Civil Liberties Union?? I think I'm getting closer, maybe.)
Oh, well. God Bless 'em anyhow!

SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GET A LIFE

2009-01-15T09:21:00.002-06:00

Isn't it funny how the Ten Commandments, Prayer, the Nativity Scene, and anything else that has to do with Christianity scares the daylights out of some people. It scares them so badly that they just need to get it out of their sight. Look at this article from the January 9th "Pastor's Weekly Briefing."---

Atheists Sue Over Inaugural Prayers

Michael A. Newdow, who attempted to have the words "under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance, has again filed a lawsuit in an attempt to keep religion out of the presidential inauguration. Newdow brought similar suits four and eight years ago.
He and other groups, such as the American Humanist Association and the Freedom from Religion Foundation who have joined him in the lawsuit, are requesting that the words "so help me God" be removed from the president's oath of office and that the prayers of invocation and benediction be eliminated from the ceremony, as well. The lawsuit argues that the prayers and religious references "are completely exclusionary, showing absolute disrespect to Plaintiffs and others of similar religious views, who explicitly reject the purely religious claims that will be endorsed, i.e., (a) there exists a God, and (b) the United States government should pay homage to that God." A federal judge is scheduled to hear arguments on Jan. 15.
Rev. Rick Warren, a Southern Baptist, has been asked to lead the invocation and Rev. Joseph Lowery, a United Methodist, is scheduled to deliver the benediction. [christianpost.com, cnsnews.com]

1 Corinthians 1:18-19 (NKJV) For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."

I guess if you don't believe in Christ, or even the One true God, then you have good reason to be fearful. Let us make sure we pray for people like this man and the organization involved as well. The Grace of God has no boundaries.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD BITES THE DUST

2009-01-15T09:02:00.002-06:00

Every week I receive the Pastor's Weekly Briefing from Focus on the Family. The following article was in the January 9th edition. I thought I would just share it with you as Planned Parenthood is one of the major instigators of abortion in our nation.

Texans Boot Planned Parenthood

They say it took a long time, but American Life League's campaign, Stop Planned Parenthood (Stopp International) finally got results. In 1997 PP operated 19 clinics in the Texas panhandle. As of December 31, and after 12 years of fighting against PP, they are all gone. Two remaining clinics in Amarillo have disaffiliated with the national organization. A spokesman from Stopp says other cities can accomplish the same goal if they are determined. Information is available at http://www.stopp.org. [onenewsnow.com]
David, writing the words inspired by God, said in Psalm 139:13-16 (NLT) You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
I wonder, if somewhere along the line, we have aborted the one who could have come up with a cure for cancer--AIDS--other life-threatening, life-taking ailments. I just wonder.

"THAT WORD"

2008-12-24T09:05:00.003-06:00

Jesus Banned From Christmas Poem - Andrew White

The following comes from an article in the Pastor's Briefing of 12/23/08. This is a weekly briefing I receive from Focus on the Family. I am so glad that there are educators in our school system who actually understand the laws concerning Jesus Christ in the classroom. Read on---
Mississippi public school teacher, Latasha Atkins, gave her 6th-grade class a creative writing assignment with a choice of three topics. One student, Andrew White, chose "What Christmas Means to Me." Andrew's original poem, which he entitled, "A Great Christmas," reads:
The best Christmas ever is when everyone is there.

It is when everyone is laughing here and there.That is the Christmas I want to share.

Christmas is about Jesus' birth.About peace on Earth.This is what Christmas is about.

It is when He lay in a manger.And the three wise men come to see.That's what it means to me.
After White turned in the rough draft of the poem, his teacher circled the word "Jesus," deducted a point from his grade, and asked him to rewrite the poem without using that word. (emphasis mine) White's parents questioned the teacher about her comments and were told by e-mail that "[Andrew] and another child did a poem about Christ. I know we can't discuss these type [sic] of things in school so I asked the two of them to do another poem of their choice."
But Principal Carrie Hornsby did not agree with Atkins, and sided with Andrew and his parents, changing his grade to a 100 and conceding that there was nothing improper in using Jesus' name. Hornsby also asked each teacher to send out a letter to all the parents explaining that religious expression is permitted under federal guidelines.

God's marvelous blessings to Principal Carrie Hornsby. I pray that other educators around the nation will take her lead and educate themselves as to the laws of our land concerning "that word"--Jesus Christ.

Pastor Joe

IT'S BEEN AWHILE

2008-12-24T08:42:00.002-06:00

Well, it has been 8 months and 2 days since my last entry. Sorry 'bout that but things got pretty busy in my life. We had to move from our home which we were buying because MOLD was beginning to take it over. In fact, when we had it inspected we were told that by the time the mold was cleared out and the necessary repairs done to where the mold was removed, we were looking at around $25,000 plus to make the house liveable for us. My wife had to go to Texas to her daughters for a few weeks while I searched for another place to live.
We became suspicious after every time she went to visit her daughters she would feel better than ever while there, but when she came home she went downhill again. After we moved she mentioned several times how she felt better than she had in years. In fact, she had started back taking art classes and she had lined up a piano and guitar student to start teaching again.
As many of you know, she died on August 17 of this year. She went to bed Saturday night and when I went to wake her for church Sunday morning she was gone. More than once she mentioned how when it was her time to go that she would like to just go to bed one night and wake up in heaven. Praise God, she got her wish. Her passing was easy and painless and I thank God for that.
As I plan to celebrate Christmas tomorrow with my son in Ponca City and my daughter in Pond Creek, I have joyful thoughts of Barbara celebrating her first Christmas with the One whose birth we celebrate. It must be an overwhelming joy for her to be in His presence. I would not wish her back into this world when I know she lives where there is no more suffering pain, politicians, etc. In fact, there are no preachers there either. Don't need them in heaven. Their work is done. No more Sunday worship services--every day is a MAX worship service in the presence of our Lord.
I tell my friends that since Barbara is now in heaven I have a lot more to worry about. She and my other two wives who died (1978 and 1992) are getting their heads together and comparing notes. Boy, am I in trouble when I get home!! Seriously, though, I'm looking forward to that wonderful day of reunion in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Please don't read this as a "downer" for Christmas. It's not. Sure, I would like to have Barbara right here with me at Christmas, enjoying the grandchildren as their little lives sparkle at the wonder of it all. But I must be happy for her as she has run the race, finished the course, and now receives those wonderful words from her Savior, "Well done, good and faithful servant." I am so happy that I can honestly say that I have not lost any of my three wives--I know exactly where they are.
May Christmas of 2008 be a joyful one for you and your family! May the New Year of 2009 be entered into with great expectations of magnificent prosperity--the kind the Lord wishes for us. There is a prosperity that you cannot put in your banking account. That is the one that really matters.
May God continue to bless each and every one of you!
Joe

LESSONS IN JOY

2008-04-22T10:24:00.005-05:00

I have been in the process of writing a book for the past few years. Actually it all began the day I popped my little head out into this wide, wonderful world. I would like to bring some of this book to this blog and pray that it will add a smile to your face and bring joy on a day in which it might be hard to find some joy. If the book never makes it to publication, then you will be honored(?) to have been able to read part of it anyway. I shall now begin with chapter one in its raw form.

"WHERE DO YOU WANT THE BODY?"

“For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.” (1 Corinthians 14:8-9)
The Apostle Paul was very good at getting people upset with him because he spoke the truth. As the book of Acts comes to a close, Paul once again manages to get the Jewish leaders upset. We read about it in Acts 28:25-27a: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, “saying, Go to this people and say: “Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing.” That sounds like something my wife would say to me. In fact, she has gone so far as to accuse me of having “selective hearing” from time to time.
I highlighted in green a certain portion of that Scripture for a reason. Have you ever listened to someone and heard what they said, but you didn’t really hear what they said? This happened to me one time (just one of the many times in my life) in Houston, Texas. I was working for KXYZ radio covering the Southern Baptist Convention which was being held at the Astrodome. I had a long list of interviews because most of the dignitaries coming to the meeting were people who had programs on our station, and we wanted to get some comments from each one.
The interviews were going great. I had a great visit with Chuck Swindoll and his lovely wife at their hotel in Houston. Later, at the Astrodome, Billy Graham arrived for a brief news conference and I was able to get a short visit with him. Both of these interviews were very clear and to-the-point. Easy, even for me, to understand.
Later that same day, I had to go back to the convention hotel headquarters and interview another prominent televangelist from back East. I won’t mention his name because the interview was a little different than the other two. I met him and his party in his hotel room and really got started off on the wrong foot. My tape recorder batteries had gone dead, and I didn’t have extra batteries or even a cord to plug into a wall outlet. What an embarrassing moment! The man was very gracious and waited as I went to the hotel lobby and purchased new batteries.
Returning to the room, I immediately inserted the new batteries into the recorder and the interview began. I asked him questions, and he answered them...I think. In light of this man’s ministry and its relationship to the political arena, many of my questions dealt with political issues of the day and how they related to Christianity. The answers he gave certainly revealed his political know-how. I’m sure he answered my questions. I’m just not sure what he said.
This man’s mind worked in a different arena than mine. It was hard for us to communicate because he spoke in a language that only he and those in politics could understand. I believe that if he had truly wanted me to understand his answers, he should have learned to give those answers in language of the common man, not of politicians. And from that I believe we Christians should take a cue as well. Let me relate a story that reflects what I mean.
I was working as an apprentice Funeral Director/Embalmer in Tonkawa, Oklahoma, in the early 90's. The funeral home I worked for also had a crematory and I was in the position of having to handle the bulk of those. It was just a couple days before Thanksgiving when I received a call from a funeral home in Enid, about 50 miles southwest of Tonkawa, and was advised that they were sending a body for cremation, which should arrive in just a few minutes. They told me that a memorial service was planned for the next day, and they needed the cremated body [cremains] back by that evening so it would be there for the service. They offered to have someone meet me half-way between Enid and Tonkawa in order to get the deceased back to them that evening. I saw no problem, so I agreed to that. Shortly after I hung up the phone, the body arrived.
I prepared the body for cremation and went to relax in my office while the process took place. I welcomed the idea of getting out that evening, as it was to be my first Thanksgiving after my wife had died that April. I would have gladly taken the cremains on down to Enid for them just for the distraction, but the funeral director sounded like he would like to get out as well. It was an unusually beautiful evening for this time of the year.
When the cremation was completed, I proceeded to the prescribed meeting place at the crossroads of I-35 and the Cimarron Turnpike extension. It was a crystal clear, cool night with every star in the sky visible. I pulled to the side of the road in my big black car which had an ominous look about it in the moonlight. I sat back and enjoyed the brightly lit sky as I waited--and I waited-- and I waited. I thought how much my wife would have loved to come along. Our children were older now, and we were not tied to home quite as much as when they were younger. I thought about how we would have been talking about our plans for Thanksgiving, probably making plans to go to see her folks in Illinois since the weather looked so promising. We would have discussed the latest horses the family acquired, as they enjoyed breeding and training pacers and trotters for the races. That would have led to all the stories, which each of us was familiar with but enjoyed hearing over and over, about our experience with those big beasts, as I called them. I’d have reminisced again about my horrible experience of sitting that close to the rear end of a horse the time they let me sit in one of those little things the drivers rode in. She would have told me again about the neighbor lady who got her toe stomped off by one of the horses down at the track and didn’t even know it until she took her boot off and the toe fell out. We had a million of them.
All of a sudden, my mind came back to reality as a small car pulled up on the other side of the median and stopped. I thought to myself, “This must be him.” I pulled across the highway with the headlights beaming daylight all over the little vehicle as I approached it. I pulled in behind the small car, got out, and proceeded to the driver’s side of the vehicle. As I approached the car, the window rolled down revealing a young man about college age. I assumed that the funeral director had sent one of his young college workers out to get the body. I greeted the young man and then said, “Where do you want the body, in the trunk or up here with you?”
He looked at me and, with a strange look on his face, responded, “What!?”
I replied, “I have the body back here in my car. You want to pop the trunk and have me put it there, or do you want it up front with you?”
As I finished my sentence, the car window was going up, and the young man drove off. I checked closely, but it didn’t appear my car was hurt any by all the gravel that went flying as he pulled away. Being the intelligent person that I am, I came to an immediate conclusion: this was not the person from the funeral home. Poor guy. He’s probably still sharing that story today and wondering what in the world he got himself into.
I went back to my office and called the funeral director. He answered on his cell phone, and it turned out that he was still there waiting for me at the same intersection. The problem was that he was down below on I-35, parked under the bridge that carried the Cimarron. I had been up on the Cimarron with no idea he was down there. He told me to stay put and he would come on in to Tonkawa and pick up the cremains. We decided to change our meeting place in the future to a location where we could wait at a convenience store for one another.
As I look back on this event, I can go to First Corinthians 3:1 as a reference. “Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to mature Christians. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life.”
As funeral professionals, my colleagues and I would talk very directly with one another in terms that we understood. For instance, if the young man had been from the funeral home he would know that I was informing him that the cremains were in my car, and I was offering to put them in his trunk or just bring them to the car window if he wished, not wanting him to have to get out in this cold night air. But, he wasn’t a funeral professional. He didn’t have the slightest idea what I was talking about. He heard what I said, but he didn’t hear with the same understanding that I had. For all he knew, he could have been in the middle of a weird murder scenario instead of the innocent transfer of a deceased individual from one funeral home to another.
As Paul said in the Scripture above, we as Christians need to remember that when we talk to people who have not accepted Christ or grown in the Lord , we should speak in terms they will understand. That doesn’t mean we talk down to them. It simply means we need to remember that they are not as familiar, if at all, with Christian terms. Simple words like “saved” or “lost” can have a whole different meaning to them. They hear, but they really don’t hear.
A good example of this is a time in my younger life before I really began to grow in the Lord. I became severely anemic, and the doctor who treated me was a Christian. He prayed with me as we began each appointment, and one day, as I was leaving his office, he invited me to his church. He said that there was a great Holy Ghost revival taking place and the Holy Ghost was moving all over that place every night! He just knew that I would love it.
Did I go? You better believe I didn’t! I remember as a youngster going to some of those movies where ghosts flew around the room and scarred people by dragging chains or making weird sounds. I wasn’t about to go into some church where they probably dimmed the lights during the service and then watched some spook fly around the room. That was not my idea of a great evening. You see, I wasn’t a very mature Christian and what he said got twisted in my mind’s translation of it. This doesn’t mean I wasn’t a Christian at that time. It means that I had not allowed myself to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of God (2 Peter 3:18).
In First Corinthians, Paul speaks of three classes of people: carnal, spiritual, and carnal Christian. The first class is a carnal person, or that person who is living without Christ in their life. They have, to this point, rejected the Word of God and continue to live in the darkness of this world, blinded by the things the world has to offer. Because of this blindness, they are unable to really see the unfathomable riches of God’s grace in the offer of Salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. They truly lack a knowledge of what we would call “Christian Terminology.” Therefore, they must be spoken to in such a way that our Christian terms, such as “lost” and “saved,” are understood in a proper light.
Paul also talks of spiritual people, or people who have come to the Lord. When they did, they began to read His Word and began to grow in their knowledge of Him. They have attended church on a regular basis and have allowed Christ to be a part of their lives every day of the week and not just on Sunday. These are folk who understand right away what you are talking about when you talk about being “saved” or “lost.” They even understand what you mean when you mention the Holy Ghost.
Finally, Paul refers to a third group of people, the carnal Christian. This is that person who has accepted the offer of Salvation but has not continued on in reading God’s Word or seeking further understanding of God. They probably come to church when it is convenient and really don’t give God a lot of thought during the week. They remain babies. That was the state of my Christian life when invited to the “Holy Ghost” meeting. I was going to church when it was convenient, but I was still living a life that was definitely not pleasing to God.
It is that first group, the carnal people, and this third group, carnal Christians, who need the understanding and attention when it comes to speaking. They need to be able to understand, not just hear, what we are saying. We need to speak words that have clear meaning and not just assume that they understand our so-called “church language.”
People in the pews are at different levels of their Christian lives. But, as I preach a sermon on Sunday morning, I don’t stand there and think about having to preach at different levels of spiritual knowledge. God takes care of that. I preach to bring understanding to the words I am speaking and the Scripture I am quoting. I preach His word, and He reaches the hearts of those who hear. Some are reached with milk, some with pureed carrots, others with hamburger, and then others with steak. As babes in Christ, we grow on the word of God, beginning with the “milk” of His word, or those things that are basics which are necessary for understanding and digesting the pureed carrots, the hamburger, and finally the steak.
That helps to explain also how many times you can read the Bible and find something you didn't know was there. I have had many occasions when I was reading a text of scripture that I had read before but found something that I had never seen there before. It is because when I read it the first time, I was only able to digest the milk of the Word. As I read it again and again, I was then able to digest the pureed carrots and finally the steak. I developed my spiritual teeth, so to speak.
So, as we speak to immature or non-Christians, we need to be aware of how we are speaking and use language they can understand. Not that they are ignorant or stupid, but because they are not at a point where they understand the terminology that we might understand. It is like trying to speak to a preschooler in adult language. And never forget, you used to be a preschooler yourself. Don’t ever look at yourself as being better than they are, just because they may not be at the same spiritual level where you find yourself. We are all here to help one another in our journey through life.
If people misunderstand what we say, it can very easily lead to problems we did not expect. The words we speak could be taken the wrong way and cause hard feelings when that was not our intent at all.
A good example of this comes to mind as I think of the time I visited my eye doctor. I was having some difficulties, so they ran a check on the pressure in my eyes. Before this appointment, I had never really paid attention to the word “glaucoma”. I had probably heard it, but it was not a part of my vocabulary. The doctor informed me that I had it.
When I got home, my wife asked me what the doctor had to say. I told her, “He said that I have gonorrhea.”
“He said you have WHAT!?” she shouted.
I sheepishly replied, “He said I have gonorrhea in my eyes.”
“You’d better not have gonorrhea in your eyes!” she retorted. “You sure he didn't say that you have glaucoma?”
“Oh! That’s what it was! I knew it was something that started with a ‘G’.” I got a quick lesson in the difference between glaucoma and gonorrhea.
Let us speak of the Glory of God and His marvelous works in a way that others will understand and in a way that will encourage them to seek more. Let us speak wisely as we do and be fully aware of the need to speak in clear, understandable terms that will help others find Christ. And as we do, let us seek more of Him in our own lives. We are brothers and sisters helping one another.

The Authority of Scripture

2008-04-02T14:24:00.000-05:00

"THE AUTHORITY OF
SCRIPTURE"

I read recently that Melvin Lair, before he was Secretary of Defense, made a statement at a convention where he spoke. He said, "In this world it is becoming more and more unpopular to be a Christian. Soon, it may become dangerous." This statement was made several years ago and I believe that we see this becoming very evident in our day.

So-called "scholars" are debunking the idea that God's Word is really God's Word. They seem to like to pick it apart and utilize what makes them feel good and then cast the rest aside. The Jesus Seminar a few years back is a good example of that. A few "scholars" decided which words of Jesus in the Bible were really His words and which were made to look like His words by the Gospel writers. I guess they must be pretty old folks who sat on that Seminar. That's the only way I can figure they would know something like that. I say that only in jest. I'm sure they must have had some great "scholarly" way to figure it all out.

The authority of scripture has been drawn to task in recent days. I received an Email from a person who had read an article I wrote in the editorial column of a national publication. Part of their rebuttal was that following the Bible would border on idolatry. They went on to say that they don't follow the Bible, they follow the words of Jesus. I gathered from this that only the words of Jesus are authoritative scripture. The rest, apparently, you take or leave at your discretion. Wow! What a Bible! Sort of like going to your local Souper Salad, picking out what you like and just leaving the rest behind. Can't beat a deal like that.

All kidding aside, this is exactly what so many people are doing today with the Bible. They look at God in the Old Testament and say, "We don't want anything to do with a God like that. It must have been a different God, because the God of the New Testament is nothing but love, love, love." So, they edit the Old Testament and by the time they get done with it all you have left is "In the beginning..". That's pretty much it.

Some folks just don't like the idea that God does some of the things He does during OT times so they try to erase it and just keep what pleases them. They forget that God is sovereign and He has every right to do what He wants to do. And, most of the time, He is the only one who really knows what the good reason is for doing what He did. And, you can be guaranteed that He does have a good reason. Otherwise He would not be doing it.

God is a God of love. I have no quarrel with that at all. However, God is a God of vengeance as well--and for good purposes. People look at Jesus and say we should just follow His message of love. We do that, but we should also see that the ways of this world make Him very unhappy and angry. How about those money-changers? I'd have hated to be in that area when they caught Jesus' eye. Talk about your thunder and lightning! Oh--you also might want to take a look at the book of Revelations too. Gives you a different view of Jesus--you'll see the Jesus of righteous indignation being revealed. It all boils down to the fact that you may think you're getting by with things now, but there comes a day of retribution.

One final note about the reply to my editorial that I mentioned above. The responder told me that sinners were being ordained everyday in every denomination. I know where he is coming from with that and I agree. However, because he does not accept anything authoritative about the Bible except Jesus' Words, he is missing a very important fact. There is a difference between practicing sin as a natural way of life and of sinning. I am a sinner---saved by Grace (Praise God!). The difference is that I have the power of the Holy Spirit to convict me of sin when I do allow it into my life and I confess that sin at once. The people he was referring to don't even accept the fact that they are sinners. They go on living their sin day in and day out just like it wasn't even there. They call it normal, but God calls it sin.

My friends, we just can't keep on living like that. We either accept the fact that Jesus died for our sins and, because of that, we repent of our sins--or, you don't.

I'll end this with a note to you folks who fit into the category of those I've been speaking about above. God will not be mocked, you can rest assured. He loves all of us but that does not mean that He will overlook the things we do that displease Him. You can't expect to tear His Word apart and make it almost unrecognizable--You can't mock the authority of His Word by twisting it to say what you want it to say and ignoring things you just don't agree with--You can't continually re-crucify His Son by denying that He is the only way to the Father--You can't live in defiance and disobedience and expect to get by with it. There is coming a day of accounting.
May God continue to bless you richly!
Pastor Joe