Cripe's Corner

Twisting the Word-- for Prosperity???

2012-01-26T15:43:00.000-05:00

Another example of the way Scripture is twisted
Recently a local prosperity preacher posted the following on Face Book:
Poverty is not next to Godliness. In scripture it's most often associated with sin, disobedience or ignorance of the Word. I wonder why it's so strongly defended in so many pulpits?

I posted the response: I'd be surprised if poverty is "defended" in any pulpit as much as the presumption or demand of wealth is being advanced as if it is "next to godliness" or is some indicator of holiness or faith. Let's face it, He who was rich became poor... Thanks be to God!

The following comment was posted by a man from Texas:
It's amazing that just about all the Godly men of the bible were also men who God blessed with great wealth! It's also amazing that when Jesus asked his disciples about feeding the multitude.. they said they only had about 200 pennyworth of money on them.. Mark 6:37

In that day a penny was a days wages, that's 200 days wages Jesus ministry had... depending on what you set the national average... Jesus would of had. So in today's wages the average worker in America gets 16 and some change an hour times 8 hours equals 168 times 200 = 33,600.00

That's a lot of money for a ministry to carry around with them... I sure wish I had that much money in my billfold!!! So don't tell me Jesus was poor... That phrase has nothing to do with money... Just saying... ;>D

Then the original poster submitted the following:
He became poor that we might be made rich. Prosperity is no sin, nor is it achieved by scripture coercion. Prosperity is a tri level thing: Natural, Soulical & Spirit. Our spirit becomes prosperous thru the act of salvation. Natural prosperity occurs as we come into agreement with our New & Better Covenant. But, as John pointed out it hinges on how willingly we direct our soul (mind, will & emotions) to prosper in the things of God. Prosperity is never a sign of spiritual maturity any more than renouncing it is. It is simply a benefit of relationship and a tool for spreading the kingdom.

The remark about the disciples in Mark 6 is a very interesting way to read that passage.
Here is what Mark 6 says in the immediate context:

Mar 6:34ff When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. When it was already quite late, His disciples came to Him and said, "This place is desolate and it is already quite late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat." But He answered them, "You give them something to eat!" And they *said to Him, "Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread and give them something to eat?"
And He *said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go look!" And when they found out, they *said, "Five, and two fish." And He commanded them all to sit down by groups on the green grass.
They sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties.
And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all.

Note, there is nothing in the text indicating the disciples had 200 Denarii with them. Rather the statement was made somewhat sarcastically showing they were baffled as to how they were supposed to feed the multitudes. In other words, "Do you have any idea what it would cost to fee such a crowd? Like we're going to come up with the 200 Denarii to feed this bunch." "The ministry" wasn't cash flush as the Texan stated. The disciples statement reflects where their own heads are at concerning Jesus. As we know, they didn't exactly have it all put together that Jesus was who he said He was.
Jesus of course had other plans.

The Texan also overstates asserting that "…about all the godly men of the Bible were men God blessed with great wealth." Some were certainly rich, at least in the Old Testament but as you move into the New Testament we see a working class pretty much trying to make ends meet as being the norm.

The sad aspect of such a prosperity emphasis is that the over whelming majority of the world, many of whom are Jesus loving people, live very meagerly to say the least. According to the precepts of prosperity gospel, this would indicate that the majority of believers in the world aren't very faithful, and certainly aren't very blessed by God.

Don't misunderstand me, there is nothing wrong with great wealth in and of itself, that is why my book is called "The PROPER Pursuit of Prosperity."

Finally--The statement the original poster put up is a bit disturbing: referring to the "blessing" of prosperity he writes: "It is simply a benefit of relationship and a tool for spreading the kingdom. Implicit in this statement is that any believer who is not experiencing prosperity is somehow deficient and that outward prosperity is to be an attractor of people to want to come to Christ. THAT is troublesome indeed.

Look more closely at Osteen's use--or abuse--of the Word

2011-12-27T16:46:00.001-05:00

Osteen's recent Tweet--
"Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to approach God "boldly" so we can receive mercy and grace. This leads to God's hand of favor."

Here is the verse in the immediate context--

Heb 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
Heb 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

What a difference just two verses makes! Osteen abuses the verse to be a "name it-- claim it" slogan. Osteen says--"This leads to God's hand of favor."

As usual Osteen masterfully uses a touch of truth--But the passage is not about manipulating God to get Him to do what we want. The entire book of Hebrews is about the glorious superiority of Jesus above anything and everything!

In chapter 4 there are warnings about "trifling with God" or dancing around the real issues of Lordship in light of the greatness of our Savior. The point of Hebrews is that we are utterly helpless and hopeless on our own so any thought of approaching God--on our own--with the expectation of Him forgiving us is out of the question.

BUT--because of who Jesus is, Because He is worth everything and has done everything on our behalf giving us his very own perfection, "THEREFORE" because of Jesus, we can boldly approach God's throne of grace with complete confidence that we will not be thrown out of His presence but will be embraced by Him. We will be seen in the perfection of Christ Himself and not our ugly sin! It is all about Jesus' GREATNESS not about giving God our wish list and expecting Him to jump!

The PROPER Pursuit of Prosperity explains this practically and beautifully to the glory of HIS praise!

Practical Wisdom for Occupy Wall Street

2011-11-18T13:25:00.002-05:00

I find it providential that the release of my book, The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity, (http://bit.ly/rrXGGz) coincided with the protest movement called "Occupy Wall Street." As a Christian whose values and morals are ruled by what is good, right and true according to the dictates of the Bible, I have a difficult time taking the protest seriously. Not only is prosperity not inherently wicked, but many of the patriarchs of the Bible were 1%ers to use today's vernacular.

Personally, my expansive review of our nation's history has never lead me to the delusion that I have a guarantee of prosperity; only the guarantee of the right to strive to prosper. So when I was saddled with the reality that I could not afford to attend a four year college, I had the freedom to choose insurmountable debt or matriculate at a community college obtaining my core requirements for a fraction of the cost of attending a four year school. The thought of begrudging those whose parents were able to send them to a university never entered my mind.

When it was time to think about a four year school, I refused to amass a mountain of debt so I traded three years of my life to military service in exchange for the G.I. Bill. Not only was my time in service outstanding for my personal maturation, but it enabled me to obtain my first degree and later paid for half of my Master's. Both my undergraduate and graduate education were accomplished with a family in tow and a boat load of responsible diligence. I would not trade it for anything.

So if I seem insensitive to the djembe beating, obscenity shouting, hissy fits of those occupying Wall Street, so be it. Considering their demand for some ridiculous guarantee of a livable wage--however that is defined--and release from the consequences of their financial decisions, it appears their "education" has not served them well. It is everyone's constitutional right to pursue one's dreams through sweat and hard work; there is no constitutional guarantee of success.

Our system of capitalism is flawed, that is beyond cavil. That one of our nation's besetting sins is greed is equally strong. But what the protestors choose to ignore is that greed isn't defined by net worth, but the condition of one's soul. The single mom in a trailer park abusing whatever forms of relief she can pilfer through lying and deceit is no less greedy than the dad who is single because he carelessly exchanged love of his family for the sparkle of corporate acclamation. Both have greedy hearts and the answer to greed is not legislation but transformation. Charity issues from a thankful heart, not by legislated mandate.

At the end of the day one's net worth is not proportional to satisfaction with life and is often a detriment. So the only proper pursuit of prosperity is found when one orders their life according to Heaven's priorities. It surprises most people when I inform them that money is not the root of all evil but rather the Bible says, "The LOVE of money is…" (1 Timothy 6:10)

The issues of our nation's economy are complex and cannot be dropped in any one institution's lap. The whole foundation of our culture is floundering and the pernicious mindset of entitlement emanating from places of higher learning needs to be challenged for the resolute counsel of God's word admonishes, "…if anyone is not willing to work, then he ought not to eat." (2 Thessalonians 3:10) That one passage imparts much practical wisdom which if applied would clear the parks and protests in short order.

The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity continues to get rave reviews!

2011-09-23T07:27:00.000-05:00

Here's what Ves Sheely--Superintendent of the New England District is saying about The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity!
"I found Bill's book to have wonderful insight into the proper pursuit of prosperity. Bill calls out well the charlatans of today who preach an unbiblical Prosperity Gospel. He also lays down principle upon principle from Scripture of how obedient discipleship leads to real blessing and needs being met by God in our life. Illustrations from Bill and Barb's life together really made the book riveting for me. Bill also has a real gift for writing and is able to weave stories and personal illustrations into principle and insight into many of the real critical issues of life. Problems of pain and suffering are dealt with within the book while integrating Biblical response to pain into good stewardship and Biblical lifestyle being lived out in a fallen world." To view samples at Amazon go to http://amzn.to/pklBbo

Hurricane Irene and the prosperity gospel

2011-08-26T10:02:00.000-05:00

It would be the fool who sat in his rocking chair on his porch in his home on the Outer Banks of North Carolina enjoying a crossword puzzle as the storm approached. "Mabel what's a five letter word for a person who ignores obvious danger? It begins with I D blank O T?"

I believe that perhaps the biggest reason for all the mystery and lack of specificity in the book of Revelation is precisely so that we don't know that the END is 7 years away, or 20 years away, or will not be in out lifetimes! Because God wants us living on the edge of urgency so that HIS purposes for mankind will be accomplished.

I say it without apology--that one statement is the wrecking ball of the growing sky scraper called the prosperity gospel! WE EXIST FOR GOD AND HIS PLANS FOR US, HE DOES NOT EXIST FOR US TO BRING ABOUT OUR PLANS! Joel Osteen and so many others just don't get that!

Joel O. vs. the Bible

2011-07-14T07:09:00.000-05:00

Joel Tweets--"Decide today that you are not going to settle but instead you're going to believe God to pour out His goodness and favor on every part of you."

Paul writes--
"Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11-13

Some want more and more and see God as the instrument to that end. It is not biblical but utterly self-absorbed. Sometimes--often times?--Jesus wants us to "give up" not "gain more."

Paul writes more--
"More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ..." Philippians 3:8

Jesus said--
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Matthew 16:24-25

"The PROPER Pursuit of Prosperity" is in the printing phase! It can't be long now!

For Rob Bell, Love Wins And Truth Loses

2011-06-08T09:16:00.003-05:00

After hearing the buzz--the negative kind--on the release of mega-church pastor, Rob Bell's latest book, "Love Wins," I reluctantly obtained a copy to read it for myself. I have been previously mislead by reacting to and even quoting respected Christians and Christian leaders taking their word for critical thoughts and accusations of such things only to regret it.

As a syndicated columnist, I know first hand the frustration of being misquoted, taken out of context, or someone making an unfair generalization of something I supposedly wrote when it seemed doubtful they even read the entire piece. So I sat down and read Bell's controversial little book in just a couple sittings--and I am not a fast reader.

It is a short read packed with mind boggling, exegesis-defying, systematic theology-ignoring assertions, sarcasms, and non-sequiturs. Bell's favorite method is to take what are clearly aberrant beliefs of "some" Christians and normalizing them to be what "many Christians" believe, especially evangelicals.

He is understandably critical of the speculations that occur from the pulpits of evangelical churches, especially when they pertain to heaven and hell, but then promptly offers his own speculations as to the "proper view" of the same subjects.
My wife asked one evening what Bell's book was about. I stared and just said, "I don't even know where to start." He is basically offering a brand of universalism--positing that everyone ever born ends up in a place, or state of mind, or participation in a good life, that goes on and on which some call "heaven." He likens it to a party where everyone attends but, like a party here on earth, some will not enjoy it as much as others due to whatever issues they bring to the party. In Bell's opinion, one problem with evangelicals is that we talk about entering heaven whereas Bell asserts it isn't about entering--everyone enters--it is about "participation." So over time--Bell's heaven (which reminds me of a "quasi-purgatory-like environment") gives everyone time to see what they are missing, jettisoning their issues, thus participating in the benefits and joys of heaven.

Hell is even more obtuse than Bell's conception of heaven. He writes: "We do ourselves great harm when we confuse the very essence of God, which is love, with the very real consequences of rejecting and resisting that love, which creates what we call hell." It strikes me as a repackaging of the old, "Hell is what you make it." Bell adds, Hell is also, "our [personal] refusal to trust God's retelling of our story." Attempting to paraphrase what he means--Hell is the consequence of living out what WE believe about ourselves rather than what God declares about us.

It is a solid point to consider if we are talking about orthopraxy or the value of walking in practical godliness in this life, by faith, rather than by sight. But Bell's hell is an utter bastardization of the etymological, theological, scriptural and historical understanding of "Hell." At the end of the day, Bell stumbles over a God who can be both loving, while also being just.

His use of the Old and New Testaments are generally spoken of in terms of "story" marginalizing any real connection to anything in our day and never approaches any semblance of a systematic theology. His interpretation of the sacrificial system of Judaism, for example, is a product of culture, space and time to which we cannot relate. After all, when, he asks, was the last time YOU slit the throat of a goat or killed a pigeon and laid it on the altar?

Bell has a very low view of inspiration and the bulk of the Bible is more metaphor and lesson rather than history connected to a loving--yet just--God who came to redeem us from our sins. Bell sees the whole progression of the evangelical "gospel" as one contrived, confusing package of thou shalts and thou shalt nots. Admittedly he hits on some deserved criticisms of a simplistic faith which is sometimes--oftentimes?--presented in a very formulaic fashion. No problem there, but his "correction" is far worse.

Finally everything always falls or stands on one's Christology. What is Bell's? It would be hard for me to articulate it, since I had difficulty pinning it down. What I can say with some certainty is that it bears little resemblance to the Immanuel--who came to save us, not from God, as Bell charges is the message evangelicals present--, but from ourselves; from our sin which condemns us before a God who also happens to be holy.

In any book of this variety, there is generally some value in straining out the dross and taking to heart the valid weaknesses of our beliefs or at least the weaknesses of our way of explaining our beliefs. For the scripturally astute, Bell's book is worth reading because Thanks to the level of biblical illiteracy today, I do believe (myself generalizing) he expresses what many people really do think about God, heaven, hell and judgment; even many in our Sunday morning worship.

But this is an exceedingly dangerous book for the masses as it appeals to the base instinct of man to assess God on the basis of the delusion of one's self-determined omniscience writing off any aspect of God's nature which one might find disagreeable or indefensible. As I stated in a recent sermon, it is profoundly arrogant for anyone to precede justification for their particular belief with the statement, "I can't believe in a God who…For in the moment they make that declaration, they have lost any reasonable basis from which to argue. Such a statement presumes that defining God, what He is like, what He thinks, what He might do, is entirely up to them. In short, it presumes that THAT person is in fact God. In the Bible, Love Wins--to be sure; but in Bell's book, TRUTH loses in a big way.

Is It Wrong to Celebrate Bin Laden's Demise?

2011-05-18T15:10:00.001-05:00

It was nearly a day later that I learned world enemy #1 was permanently restrained from orchestrating anymore death, and despair on innocent men, women and children. My first words were, "Thank you Lord" and frankly, I was happy.

As the day progressed I was following threads on Facebook from Christians who stated they were "okay" with the military use of force, but were struggling with the appropriateness of "celebrating" Bin Laden's demise. I determined more than a Facebook sound bite was necessary.

Since God has revealed Himself to us through His word, we come to know what God is like; not in totality of course, God is too big for that. Still, we become acquainted with what pleases Him as well as what angers Him and we begin to adopt His values.

This means that in the life-long process of learning His values, we will "like" what He likes and "dislike" what he dislikes. This is the inevitable outcome of having been created in His image and likeness.

In the glimpses of His personality and character, we see a God who despises injustice, and abhors wickedness. He is clearly angered by the wanton destruction of those who bear His image and likeness, decreeing that anyone who so defiles the "image of God" must pay for it with their own life. This is why the decree of capital punishment--even while applied imperfectly--is not the result of a vindictive Deity, but a merciful one who knows that there are certain brands of wickedness that cannot be placated, or rehabilitated, only removed.

As I monitored Facebook throughout the day, the comments became increasingly grating suggesting that any expression of relief, gratitude, or thankfulness were equivalent to the celebrations which took place in the Middle East after the Twin Towers fell. Some sanctimoniously insisted we should even be mourning.

Then, in predictable fashion, of the more than 31,000 verses in the Bible, 2 verses were posted bearing little relevance to the news concerning the demise of the world's most notorious murderer.

The verses were Proverbs 24:17-18: "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; or the LORD will see it and be displeased, and turn His anger away from him."

Unfortunately, with equal validity, someone else could have posted-- "The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance…and men will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth!" (Psalms 58:10-11)

Confusing? Not really--"Truth" by cherry-picking verses here and there is rarely truthful. God did not throw a mass of unrelated sentences onto the pages of a book saying, "Now make sense of them however it happens to be convenient." As I state frequently from my pulpit, you have to let the Bible interpret the Bible.

On balance, what we know is that God prompts the faithful throughout the ages to long with anticipation; to embrace a day of justice when every wrong shall be righted and yes, to celebrate. It is one of the promises of the Christian's future.

So if one insists it is improper for people to experience joy through an earthly taste of heavenly justice, then one must insist it is improper for people to experience remorse when they taste earthly injustice, and that simply is not consistent with the revealed character of God.

So while it is true that the news of Bin Laden's death prompted some demonstrations of emotion that were probably not honoring to a God of mercy and love, impugning everyone who says, "Thank you Lord, I am glad he is gone," only demonstrates one's failure to understand the whole counsel of God's word, and perhaps worse, denies the very heart and mind of God.

Unveiling My Cover!

2011-04-28T11:54:00.002-05:00

I am learning that publishing is a fairly slow process. No wonder when it comes to technical manuals or even history that by the time the book is actually in print, some of the information may be obsolete already.

Fortunately when it comes to God's word, it is timeless. My book may be ready for distribution perhaps in 8 weeks or so. I can't wait; it is a desperately needed work about the invasiveness of the "prosperity gospel" which is taking over in what have been historically orthodox churches.

Joel's latest Tweet of encouragement...

2011-03-30T13:08:00.000-05:00

"Get up, each day, expecting God's far-and-beyond favor. Then you will see God show up and do amazing things in your life." (Via Twitter)

In his usual fashion, he sets up what are supposedly "biblical promises" presented in an "if/then" form. "You do this and I will do that." The majority of Pastor Osteen's "encouragements" are like this.

Granted there are promises of God which are in fact stated this way in the Bible but never to the exclusion of God's sovereignty. As he has stated it, God's actions in our lives are based on, and contingent on, OUR expectation and ability to "see" what it is we are demanding. (In his best selling book--Your Best Life Now--this is reiterated.) He equates this to "faith." This is not only wrong it is offensive to a holy God who does not operate capriciously or Who is coerced into action because of our demandingness.

In my forthcoming book--The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity--I give specific examples from Joel's writings showing the discouraging nature of what he advances as "encouragement."

Prosperity Gospel Is Gaining Ground

2011-01-28T15:10:00.004-05:00

The longer my book "The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity" remains in production the more I see the glaring need for what I have written. There is a daily assault on the sensibilities of God's people being propped up with false hopes and erroneous expectations of our glorious God and Savior. I see its enticement spreading to where even people who otherwise seem to have their theological heads screwed on straight are seemingly being courted by the siren song of the prosperity god.

The day after Pastor Osteen was on Piers Morgan on CNN, the Tweets began cheering Joel on for his wonderful words shared during the interview.

Dave Ramsey--well known for his wise biblical counsel on how to properly use God's money in getting out of the sin of indebtedness, tweeted:

"Way to go @joelosteen on @piersmorgan CNN tonight. Proud of you my friend."

That same day, Joel Tweeted another wonderfully syrup-laden thought that has no basis in Biblical truth. Joel tweeted:

"God has all kinds of ways to bring your dreams to pass. Just because you can’t see a way, doesn’t mean that God doesn’t have a way."

What I wondered after reading Ramsey's Tweet, as well as several pretty well known Christian leaders who were even more gushy about what Joel had to say, was whether these presumably educated, knowledgeable, Christian workers were just trying to ride Osteen's very popular coattails or whether they are truly so ignorant of the Bible that they honestly believe that Osteen is presenting a biblical of view of life, of God and of "the faith once for all delivered to the saints."

My fervent hope is that it is the first suggestion but I expect that it may actually be the latter. My book is SO needed...

Joel Appears On CNN with Piers Morgan

2011-01-27T16:18:00.003-05:00

Last night Joel Osteen and his wife Victoria were on CNN being pelted with questions by Piers Morgan. It was a lengthy interview and I admire the way Pastor Osteen is able to stay so placid. It was however nearly classic Osteenesque evasion, brown sugar and marshmallow fluff.

If he said "I don't know" once he said it ten times during the course of the interview. The tweets that followed affirmed the loving way in which he handled himself. One tweet even mentioned Joel's "I don't knows" applauding the fact that he doesn't claim to know everything.

I understand the kudos however most of the numerous questions to which Pastor Osteen responded had answers that were neither difficult nor covert in Scripture. So when one considers that he pastors the largest church in America, with 30,000 people relying on him for answers to the most important questions in life, and that his books have sold over 20 million copies, one should appropriately have a higher expectation than an endless stream of "I don't know." That quickly veers away from humility to incompetence.

The highlight of the interview showing some growth on Joel's part is when questioned about homosexuality, he actually used the "S" word! He called it sin and that the Bible was clear on that. Congratulations Joel, you just stuck your toe into the pool of pastoral honesty.

Unfortunately he didn't linger there moving quickly with Victoria's help to reassure everyone that he wasn't being judgmental--God forbid. But that is for another entry…

God doesn't want us making demands...

2011-01-22T14:35:00.002-05:00

"Prosperity comes in letting Christ take us through the trials and becoming more like Him in the process." "Groovyoldlady" made this comment after my previous entry.

Now let me juxtapose her biblically astute sentence against Pastor Osteen's recent Tweet: Osteen writes--"Just follow God, and He will line up the favor and the blessings to help you accomplish your dreams and your destiny."

If Joel is correct then there is no rational explanation for why faithful men and women of God should ever undergo any kind of misfortune or any kind of persecution. It also yields all kinds of contradictory issues of Scripture which clearly warn of the opposite of what Pastor Osteen promises.

Osteen's statement is deeply flawed and gives a false hope to people who truly love the Lord yet don't experience His "favor" as Joel defines it.

It also sets people up to abuse God. In other words, my motive for obeying God, for serving God and following God becomes little more than a ticket to fame and fortune.

Paul writes that creation itself waits in travail for the revealing of God's own; for God's authority to be revealed. But it is clear that, that is not promised in this lifetime, but the life to come.

"Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? Romans 2:4

God's love leads us to repentance not to demanding more and more.

Here's an example of the joyous Christian life!

2011-01-20T13:22:00.004-05:00

Why does the "prosperity gospel" aggravate the dickens out of me? First--because it is not true, 2nd it runs contrary to life, and 3rd, it sets good people up for a devastated faith and 4th it presents a god that is foreign to the Scriptures.

Positive thinking has its place, but not when it comes at the expense of truth. I remember a disturbing Newsweek story many years ago showing a man--a devotee of a middle eastern religion--sitting on a railroad track. He was quite sane yet because of his "faith", positive vibes, and his good energy, his belief system taught him he could stop a train just by thinking he could. He was wrong, dead wrong, no pun intended.

The prosperity gospel has many of the same traits. It is full of "feel good," loaded with "happy thoughts" and sound bites of positivity. There is usually "some" truth to it but in the end it is a deception which will leave one high and dry.

The truth is, suffering and hardship is more normal for the faithful Christian than fanciful fantasies of favor, flavor and dreams come true. Below is an excerpt of an e-mail I received from a woman in our church whose life has not been a cake walk. Yet she is full of the Holy Spirit, honors the Lord and one day--DOWN THE ROAD--like in eternity, she will be blessed, completed, fulfilled and satisfied in every way. But right now, her life is like most as we live out our faith in a broken world ravaged by sin. Here is what she writes--describing her life:

"...childhood sexual abuse, death of my mother at 9 years, death of my father at 16 years, I was a wayward in my teen and early adulthood years, I had substance addictions, (now 21 years free from this), difficult relationships with step family, marital difficulties, times of marital separation, house fire, infertility, premature birth of my daughter, kidney failure, dialysis, I'm a living donor transplant, domestic violence, legal issues, financial hardship, entering college late in life, suicide of my husband, and currently, readjusting my views of mine and my daughters’ life… …there’s more, but that’s a good brief summary…"

Here is the reason for her writing: She adds--

"God’s Word sustains and is life-giving and life changing… don’t miss your opportunity for what He has for you through neglect… don’t try to seek to conform to a program, although it’s a great place to start, but seek what He has for you daily…"

It is her testimony about the value of reading through the Bible in a year--something we stress in our church; something few Christians have ever done even once. It is the major way one can grow in a complete, balanced and truthful understanding of the amazing love of God. He is not a vending machine around to grant our wishes, desires, and plans. We exist for HIM and not until we get to heaven will we experience the fullness of that love. Right now, sometimes, maybe even often times, this life sucks! And its not because you don't necessarily have enough faith, a life of excellence, or enough integrity.

In my book--The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity, this is all clearly explained and illustrated with real life stories!

There's Nothing Generous About Forced Benevolence

2011-01-14T15:58:00.000-05:00

From the Amy Writer's Syndicate:
By William Cripe

When is enough, enough? Senator Bernie Sanders posed the question in reference to keeping the "Bush tax cuts" in place, wondering for how long, to what extent and for whom. Sanders' followed up his question stating, "The billionaires of America are on the warpath; they want more and more." The Vermont Senator's rhetoric is a familiar rant of those who want to satisfy their desire for charity through the legislated benevolence of everyone but themselves.

Wall Street Journal "Main Street" columnist, William McGurn notes that Sander's comments raise another question; "How come Republicans have such a hard time speaking…about the moral underpinnings of their side of this argument?" Good question--I fronted the same query to my wife the day before the article came out while watching the news about the pending tax-cut extension.

Since I have never heard a politician make a reasoned argument for the immorality of coerced benevolence--called excessive taxation of the rich--I will.

While taxes can certainly be used for immoral purposes, and can be imposed in an immoral manner, taxation is not inherently immoral. When Jesus was asked if it was lawful to pay tribute to Caesar He wisely took a coin with Caesar's bust on it and somewhat sarcastically said, "Render to Caesar what is Caesar's…" The question was disingenuous but Jesus, never-the-less, endorsed some notion of citizens helping fund the benefits they receive.

But when an individual or institution assumes the authority to dictate when one's level of income is "too much," then seeks to extract a portion of that income through a system of imbalanced taxation, an immoral act has just taken place. It is this simple: When person "A" chooses to divest themselves of a portion of their money giving it to whatever cause, person "A" has exhibited a charitable act. But when person "A" extracts person "B's" money and uses it for a charitable cause, person "A" is not being charitable; he is being immoral.

Charity, by definition, must issue forth from an act of free will, not legal mandate. Even the Bible is clear on this point. Concerning giving to charitable causes, the Bible instructs, "Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7)

What is especially poignant is the grandstanding politician decrying the "greed" of the "wealthy," railing against those who have "too much," and want to keep it to themselves. What is typical in my experience is that in every situation, the one excoriating the "wealthy" are themselves wealthy AND notoriously stingy!

In 1998 as one presidential candidate was railing against the other candidate for his opposition to endless entitlements to the "poor," it was revealed that the grandstanding--multi-millionaire--candidate had given a paltry $353 to charity that year. The candidate he was berating for his "lack of generosity," gave away a generous 10% of his income. So who was behaving immorally?
I don't know about any billionaires "being on the warpath" but I know plenty of cheapskate politicians always on a crusade to satisfy their spirit of generosity vicariously.

It is every person's responsibility to disburse their own money--if they like--to whatever causes they choose. At the end of the road we will all give account to the One who judges accurately for what we have done with every aspect of our lives.

In a free society it is not the role of politicians--especially hypocritical politicians--to determine what level of income is "too much." Every attempt to do so is inherently immoral.

Promises of Blessings AND Curses...

2011-01-11T16:05:00.003-05:00

The Prosperity Preacher's post on this day of 1-11-11 is as follows:
"God's heart is for you to receive all of His blessings (see Deuteronomy 28:1-2). Receive that promise today!"

Here is just another example of what I spend some time on in my upcoming book--the "Proper Pursuit Of Prosperity;" Namely--partial truths at the expense of the complete truth. At least a scriptural reference was made.

Now if you go to that reference it is right smack dab in the middle of an historical context. God is trying to establish His people--as "His" people. A long list of blessings is listed (13 verses worth)BUT, and it is a big BUT--they are contingent on numerous "IF's." If you will diligently obey; if you will listen; if you will walk in His ways...But even at this, you cannot ignore the historical setting and the fact that God was establishing a covenant with His unique people over whom He was their KING.

This is vastly different than making this a one sided promise to anyone who drops the coin in the slot of the vending machine god of the prosperity preachers. It is instructive that just before these 13 verses of wonderful promises of God's blessing are 52 verses of curses if they don't obey. The whole truth--Please!

Is Life a Bowl of Cherries?

2011-01-07T16:08:00.006-05:00

The prosperity preachers are stuck on one theme--life is a bowl of cherries, now start eating them. I follow Joel Osteen on Twitter just to stay in touch with the premier of prosperity. Today Pastor Osteen Tweets--"Get an expectation in your heart, an anticipation, that God is going to do something great in your life today."

Let's come back to biblical reality; God did something GREAT in every believer's life when He sent His Son--our "Savior" to come and live and die and rise in our stead. He suffered for my sins on that cross; He took the wrath of God the Father that I deserved, on Himself. There is NOTHING GREATER that God can do for us.

Now--God "may" do something "great" in our individual lives today (read that--expecting, demanding, anticipating) but there's no guarantee of that and in fact even anticipating that He will is wrong headed. If we understand that we exist for HIM, and not the other way around as the prosperity gospel contends, then we can face each day with the anticipation that WE are going to do something GREAT for HIM. And the great thing He WILL do, is that He will empower us for His purposes and His glory.

"For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."
1 Corinthians 6:20

Why don't the prosperity preachers tell the whole truth?

2010-12-28T13:40:00.004-05:00

Joel Osteen's Twitter post from 12-27 reads: "God does not have disaster and failure in your future. He is for you, and you are His treasured child. He wants to bless you."

Has Pastor Osteen said anything technically wrong? At first blush perhaps not depending on your theological persuasion. It even "sounds" like something Jeremiah might have said. "'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." Jer. 29:11

So on the surface, Osteen is right; God IS a good God yet the Psalmist in Psalm 73 writes complaint after complaint about how the "good guy" is always getting the shaft while the evil doer is the one who succeeds.

So being a faithful person does not guarantee success, fairness, or justice--in THIS life. Which is why Asaph in Psalm 73 has his eureka moment writing, "When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my sight Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end." Psalm 73:16-17

So how come Joel rarely if ever seems to give the whole story? Failing to do so sews discouragement to thousands of people whose lives aren't always rosy no matter how faithful they have been. The conclusion they walk away with is that their faith is faulty in some way. That they just don't measure up to the standard of faith that ensures the blessing of God which always seems to mean blessings of money and materials.

The TRUTH is, bad things happen to good people no matter how much positive talk you give yourself, or the strength of your positive thinking.

In "The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity" which goes into production in January, I explain the PROPER pursuit of prosperity which is a biblically balanced and biblically complete handling of the subject of success and affluence in this life.

I'll keep you posted on its progress!

Bill's Wide Receiver Bobbles More Than a Pass"

2010-12-16T15:58:00.000-05:00

In an age when broadband means instantaneous, finger-tip communication with the world, what might have been a locker room rant before a handful of peers, became a tantrum gone global. Instead of a few buds in the locker room rolling their eyes and forgetting about it in a matter of minutes, careless words were intercepted by the mass media lingering for weeks or months.

Such has been the fate of Steve Johnson, wide receiver for the NFL's Buffalo Bills. With the game on the line, Johnson--who has been one of the few bright spots on the Bill's roster this year--bobbled and then dropped what would have been the "miracle" winning catch. The QB made a good throw; Johnson didn't hang onto the ball. It was just a tough break and that should have been the end of it, but when you're on Twitter, you have 140 characters (including spaces) in which to transport your communiqué into cyberspace at the speed of light.

The distraught wide receiver tweeted the following: "I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO...,"

I'm sure he's not the first athlete to lay the responsibility for a botched play at the feet of the Almighty. But he may be the first professional athlete to be flagged, so to speak, for bobbling what has become a very popular theology. It strikes me as very odd though that a football player is railed for revealing his naïve understanding of God while pastors, who actually know better do the same, and are lauded. They propagate disillusionment with impunity through their candy coated messages about a fanciful God whose reason for being is to make us happy.

Well, sometimes truth comes from the most unlikely places. Peter Gilmore commenting on Johnson's "Tweet" noted, "Johnson is consistent with his thinking if he believes there is a God who regularly intervenes in his life. With that logic, Johnson is right to blame him for falling down on the job and letting him miss that pass…”

It is profound, even if unintentional, that such insight comes from the High Priest of the Church of Satan. Gilmore is not only right, but unwittingly indicts some of today's most popular preachers. Leaders of some of the wealthiest ministries in the world have built personal empires by peddling the kind of vending-machine-god about whom Steve Johnson tweeted his dismay. Such a god doesn't exist, but that has little bearing on those enamored with such a sugary deity.

The wild success of books like, "Your Best Life Now," are predicated on what is called the "prosperity gospel." This "new" gospel teaches that God is basically your personal, cosmic genie who wants to "bless you" with your every dream. So when the "faithful" fails to get the dream-home loan, the job promotion or the winning catch in a big game, calling God to account is merely the natural outworking of a self-absorbed view of the Almighty. But Jesus said, "…[God] causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:45) In other words, bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people.

When Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33) it wasn't a formula for manipulating God for personal pleasure. Taken in context it is a sobering statement of the propriety of living for God--for His purposes--as the highest priority in one's life.

Bottom line--the heart that has been captured by God's love is pleased to ask, "What can I do for YOU today God, not as the prosperity peddlers are teaching, "What can you do for ME?"

The Popularity of the Prosperity Gospel

2010-11-22T12:38:00.003-05:00

Can you see the difference in the message of the inspired Word of God as opposed to the message of the prosperity scammers? In the Word, being the best, working hard, trying to get ahead, improving your station is motivated by the very understanding that it is actually God for Whom you are working.
"What so ever you do, do wholeheartedly as unto the Lord knowing that is HIM that you serve."

In trying to "shine" it is for the very purpose of reflecting the brilliance of God. It is knowing that what you do and how you do it is important to God and that what you do truly is a reflection on Him! It is all about God. The prosperity hucksters make it all about YOU. And now you know why they have some of the biggest churches and best selling books around!

"Don's" question answered re: the New Age Movement and Biblical Promises (see previous entry for background)

2010-11-12T10:10:00.001-05:00

Don, thank you for your question. I wish we had this interaction before my book went to the publisher as your question illustrates one of the salient points of my book. One of my chapters is "The Precarious Nature of Prosperity Proof Texting"

The chapter synopsis says:
Where the prosperity gospel falters is that its development from the Scriptures is with utter disregard for any semblance of systematic, biblical theology. It fails to understand the Bible as a whole allowing the Bible to interpret the Bible. Jumping in and out of books, chapters, and verses, with utter disregard for context in the immediate with respect to the whole revelation of God to mankind, is the root of all aberrant beliefs in every age. What makes them so pernicious is that there is almost always a bit of truth contained within the "proof texts" giving them an air of plausibility.

Citing Joel 3:10 with your question is a perfect example. You cannot divorce Joel 3:10 from the context of the situation. namely God's judgment is promised to fall on the nations when they are gathered against God's people. This is a reference to the future days of the "End" but has relevance for the days of Joel as well. The statement you quote is expressly from God to His people related to the battle that is to come. when those nations gather against God's people, God will be the One fighting with them and for them. that changes everything! So in light of God's great promises for these coming battles, He--GOD--commands even the weaklings to be brave; with God for them, they will be strong and victory is assured.

Don--this is a far cry from simply tearing one verse out and using it as some kind of mantra. "Speaking it" over and over or even with great faith is not what makes it true; what makes it true is that God orders it with the specific application to the coming scenarios of Joel chapters 1 and 2.

Pastor Osteen no doubt means well--but is abusing the Scriptures'. He writes in chapter 1 of Your Best Life Now pg. 3 "We have to conceive it on the inside before we can ever receive it on the outside." "It" he goes on to define as anything your heart desires. In the context of his own words of chapter 1, he is referring to his dream home! He continues on pg 8. Referring to he and his wife's desire for this home he writes--"We kept believing it, seeing it, and speaking it."

The foundation of the New Age Movement was "you can create your own reality by envisioning what you want and bringing it into existence essentially through your will power since we are all wired into the "great divine" meaning we are all gods.

My friend, thank you again for allowing me to explain the destructive nature of today's "prosperity Gospel."

Prosperity Preaching or New Age Thought?

2010-11-02T13:13:00.002-05:00

In my upcoming book, The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity--I delineate the similarities between the New Age beliefs of Shirley McClain and others with one of the most renown prosperity preachers today--Joel Osteen.

These are two of Joel's latest tweets:

Enlarge your vision for bigger dreams and higher things. Once you conceive it on the inside, you can receive it on the outside!

Believe and declare you will see every dream, every desire, every promise God put in your heart come to pass!

This isn't biblical theology--this is shamanism plain and simple. Learn more in my new book when it's released!

Tuesday is Election Day and Hope Springs Eternal

2010-10-29T13:42:00.001-05:00

48 hours and we could witness a substantial act of mercy on God’s part by greatly hampering the powers of a government gone awry. These United States have been marked by unprecedented freedoms, founded on the principals of a Judeo-Christian ethic. This is why we have succeeded. In recent years, those principles have been eroded or upended. One could argue "they" have been well-intentioned. That could be, but to rephrase a well worn cliché, “The road to destruction is sometimes paved with good intentions.”

America is not only on a bad course; it is on a course for an utter deconstruction of what it means to be American. No nation should be compelled to shy away from a national pride, especially when the nation is the most generous of any nation on the earth--by FAR. Our children need not be ashamed of its heritage and we should not have to apologize to anyone because we speak the language native to our country.

The upcoming election is not the answer to America’s woes; but God designed government (Romans 13) to constrain oppression and injustice. We are not a perfect country to be sure, and we need to improve on its character. But its character must be shaped after the image of God, not after the image of ideologues—liberal or conservative—for real change will only come one soul at a time as changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. So let us go forth as faithful Americans, and more, as faithful followers of Christ to the glory of God

Production scheduled on "The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity"

2010-10-22T14:30:00.001-05:00

Received word today that I am on the January Schedule for production to begin which takes roughly 6 months. Oh well, it will be worth the wait!

FREE SPEECH HEADS TO COURT -- AGAIN.

2010-10-19T12:16:00.000-05:00

Free speech: Rarely have two words been responsible for as much inconsistency in the application of law. When it comes down to an issue of common decency or common sense, the courts become apoplectic if faced with the not-so-hard to define bounds of propriety.

Currently before the Supreme Court is the case of the obscene little cult of people who go by the name of Westboro Baptist Church. If you don't know their name, you know their hatred. They are the ones that picket the funerals of our fallen military heroes and others of note holding signs that say, "Thank God for Dead Soldiers," "God Hates Fags," and "Thank God for Breast Cancer," to mention only a few. How in heaven's name this is confused with the Apostle Paul's admonition concerning "Speaking the truth in love…" is a mystery. Never-the-less, Jesus' words are reassuring; "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the Day of Judgment." (Matthew 12:36)

The "church's" lawyer, one of the members of the cult, is a confused cesspool of biblical quotes removed from any biblical context. As Shakespeare wrote in The Merchant of Venice, "The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose. An evil soul, producing holy witness, is like a villain with a smiling cheek…"

So when Albert Snyder's son was killed in the Middle East the Westboro Baptist church arrived with their demonically infused venom. Mr. Snyder sued the church for emotional distress and invasion of privacy winning a $5 million judgment in one court only to be overturned by a higher court. Now it rests with the Supreme Court of the land and the wrangling among the justices sounds like children trying to explain the origins of life. Only a wayward society struggles with such issues of decorum and there always seems to be a panic whenever "free speech" is uttered in defense of something offensive.

In today's bizarre world of hypersensitivity, I agree that even offensive speech must be protected. But let's face it, the standard of "free speech" is so consistently misapplied that on the same campus one set of students may display fallacious pictures, profane posters, or vulgar signs supporting the campus, cause-du-jour. Yet on the same campus, students are prohibited from access to military recruiters or a teacher is called on the carpet for having a Bible laying out in plain view. These things are rarely an issue of what is obscene or offensive but more, who is going to decide.

In 1957 the hand wringing began over what constitutes "obscene" behavior in Roth vs. United States. While the issue was pornography, the standard is still valuable. Obscenity was deemed to be that which "to the average person applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material, taken as a whole, appeals to prurient interest" and which is "utterly without redeeming social importance..." Striking the "appeals to prurient interest" segment, the statement yields a succinct yard stick to measure speech that serves utterly no purpose (in this case) but to inflict emotional pain on honorable people at a particularly defenseless and vulnerable place in their lives.

Maintaining free speech while restricting where that speech might be exercised is not a new consideration. For example, the Supreme Court determined that no one was entitled to yell "Fire!" just for kicks in a crowded theater. Such a common sense restriction abridges no one's freedom. And if I am in my church building Sunday morning and someone begins shouting me down, they will be removed from the venue. Their hallowed freedom of speech isn't abridged, only the time and place it is exercised.

We can only hope the Supreme Court rules against the Westboro Baptist Church--for the issue isn't their speech as vile as it is, but the venue in which they spew it.

The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity

2010-10-16T13:40:00.001-05:00

My manuscript is on its way to the publisher! Now it's just a matter of time!

ARE BOOKS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES?

2010-10-16T13:39:00.000-05:00

ARE BOOKS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES?

Timing in life is everything or so the axiom goes. Having embarked on "every writer's dream" of getting their first book published I am in the midst of a rude awakening. If you thought it was difficult to be "traditionally" published in years past, you should try it in the midst of a digital world.

The Wall Street Journal (Aug. 25, 2010) contains an article titled, "The ABCs Of E-Reading." Startling statistics were revealed underscoring the changing habits of readers as we move to electronic books from the traditional paper page. Just a couple weeks back my grandchildren were confronted by their Sunday school teacher believing they were playing video games during class. In fact, the three of them were diligently following along on their digital E-readers.

According to the Association of American Publishers there was a 51% drop in book sales from 2008 to 2009. That's not encouraging for someone trying to get published in the traditional ways of old. Several people who have reviewed my manuscript have stated that it is well written, and the subject matter--a biblical review of what is known as the "prosperity gospel"--is much needed today. The fact remains though, I am a virtual unknown. I was hopeful that writing as a columnist for two decades with four writing awards on my resume might open some doors. But the fact is a "national platform," as one agent informed me, is more important today than content.

So the industry is being recreated battling for its survival. In this industry's fight for life, the economies of digital, on-demand, and self-publishing are being integrated by more and more traditional publishers. Hybrids are being spawned which combine some of the traits of traditional publishing with elements of the other three.

What does it all mean for the written word and especially THE written Word--the Bible? Although a change of medium is occurring this is nothing new if one reviews the sweep of history. Through the ages, cave walls, rock hewn tablets, and clay ostracon, gave way to papyrus, vellum, and parchment. With each developing epoch technology improved making the written word even more available than ever. With digital technology and wireless transmission the written Word of God is now penetrating politically and religiously fortified walls of prohibition making the Good News of God's love in Christ even more accessible than ever before in history.

Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away." (Luke 21:33) Jesus makes the statement three times in the Gospels indicating that through one form or another, God's unique message to mankind explaining the remedy for our problems is timeless. It will outlast any and all literary convention and forms. So in the days ahead we most likely will not be flipping pages at all, but scrolling an arrow or more likely, sliding our finger across a small hand-held screen. Whatever the form, the timeless message of the love of God for those He created will go forward changing lives of desperation filling them with real hope and promise. The Bible--even on an "E-reader" will remain the inspired, infallible, inerrant, authoritative Word of God, having been superintended by His Holy Spirit. On this we can stake our very lives--here and hereafter.

"Real Answers™" furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com

Signed, Sealed and to be Delivered!!!

2010-09-30T13:55:00.003-05:00

As of Tuesday Sept. 28th, I am a signed author looking to the publication of my book, The Proper Pursuit Of Prosperity--at least that is the working title. It is a thoughtful critique of what is commonly known as the "prosperity Gospel." Who are some of the prosperity preachers? They are too numerous to count but Benny Hinn, Andrew Wommack, Don Stewart and Joel Osteen come to mind just for example.
Stay tuned! Follow me on Twitter @1rightrev or Face Book for the latest.

Prosperity Preachers Beware!

2010-09-30T13:53:00.000-05:00

What every schemer, who wears the name of Christ while peddling a self-gratifying gospel needs to see, is that THIS WORLD WAS NOT JESUS'S KINGDOM AND THIS WORLD IS NOT OUR HOME! A challenging experience of life is not an aberration of faith or manifestation of doubt, but is exactly the way God planned it. This is why the rest of Hebrews is so powerfully important in exposing the ruse of a popular "prosperity."

"And all these, [referring to the highly faithful] having gained approval through their faith, did NOT receive what was promised, because God had provided something better..." (Hebrews 11:39-40)

For the Hebrew believers, God's promise for something better is never in doubt--"God had [already] provided something better." They were never promised they would necessarily receive it then and there.

This doesn't sound anything like a promise for everyone to receive "Your Best Life Now!"

In Recognition of "Labor Day"

2010-09-05T04:56:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow we observe a holiday instituted way back in 1882 and two years later it was moved to the first Monday in September. It was to celebrate the working man’s holiday and to honor the accomplishments of the most productive nation on the planet. It was this productivity that gave and gives us the phenomenal standard of living we enjoy in this great country of ours. But hard work is notable not merely for the benefits of capitalism but work actually is a very important part of man’s divine destiny.

In the first book of the bible God takes Adam and places him in the Garden of Eden where Genesis 2 says, “Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” That’s called work sports fans.

If you’re not familiar with the chronology of history here, the “disobedience of man” with its attendant consequences did not occur until Genesis 3 showing that “work” is not as we are inclined to thinking, a curse, a result of sin but rather is an integral part of God’s created order--an integral part of what makes us "human." Which means that any system of welfare that necessarily eliminates work as part of the equation is not truly beneficial no matter how well intentioned, for it dehumanizes the person denied the opportunity to fulfill God’s plan for their life.

So as you drag yourself out of bed Tuesday morning to assume your God given assignments, remember, that as old as that gets and as nice as some notion of “retirement” may sound, mankind is happiest when he is engaged in productive activity making, fixing, and creating, for we have been made in the image and likeness of a Creator who Himself worked six days, and rested on the seventh. Remember to do the same!

Prosperity Always, Everyday...?

2010-08-28T11:37:00.002-05:00

I was having a pity party this week and then I took my prayer loop (where I drive in my car praying primarily for my family) Friday morning and had a little sit down with the Lord. The focus of my party--this time--was my consternation over God’s promises about rebuking the devourer in Malachi 3:10 to those who are faithful to bring forth His tithes and offerings unto Him. We have lived by that promise and seen God’s faithfulness to that promise throughout our lives.

Lately, we seem to be having a spate of rather crummy—if not expensive “luck.” From vehicles, to computers and refrigerators, to grape vines, to our dog, to our house falling down, I was inquiring about His promise. O.K. I was complaining basically that I was getting the shaft!

It “occurred to me” that perhaps if God allowed me to peer into the unseen realm I would see the myriad of “devourers” that God HAS indeed rebuked—that never touched us—but that we are unaware of them precisely because they never touched us. Hmm… Faith is believing God even when circumstances seem to contradict what we know about God. Okay Lord, I hear you…this time. Prosperity doesn't guarantee that we will be sheltered from the result of living in a fallen world. Cf. Asaph's complaint in Psalm 73

"Soon" to be published (I hope) "The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity" excerpt

2010-08-20T12:53:00.003-05:00

If you’ve seen one, you truly have seen them all. A preacher is sitting at his desk holding what he calls the "Green Prosperity Prayer Cloth." He prays a prayer of faith for the viewers and then testimonies about the prayer cloth follow. Selecting people from the audience their stories of prosperity flow.

One woman followed the instructions after receiving the green prosperity prayer cloth and God gave her a $7000 financial windfall. Another woman went from a job paying $10/hr. to over $32/hr. "How many of you would like to triple your income?" The preacher asks--"In Jesus' name?"

Camera switches to another couple. Two days after receiving the "Green Prosperity Prayer Cloth," the man got a better job, they now drive a Lincoln Continental, and they just got a brand new home. More testimonies about the amazing prosperity prayer cloth flow. A woman with congestive heart failure took her prayer cloth and slept on it. She went to her cardiologist and he confirmed that she was healed. (TV broadcast Feb, 2 2010 12:19 pm.)

The preacher is shown back at his desk talking softly and somberly his words dripping with "faith." He holds the prayer cloth up on the screen and asks viewers to put their hand on it "for your health and for your prosperity." He tells the camera that he will pray. He scrunches his eyes shut with a posture of deep faith and prays "releasing God's blessing of prosperity and health…" "My friend," he says, "I feel so good; start looking for your answer…"

The show concludes with some announcer spouting all the ministry gibberish you hear at the end of a broadcast concluding with, "[We're] spreading the Gospel of Jesus around the world…" It was the only time I heard His name uttered except as a trite ending to some demand sent God's way. (TV broadcast Feb, 2 2010 12:19 pm.)

http://www.donstewartassociation.org/page.aspx?pid=253

Are people just gullible or are they desperate? In The Proper Pursuit...I clearly delineate Biblically the flaws in the prosperity message. Every Christian needs to read it! Stay tuned for availability--you can also follow me on Twitter--sign up to follow 1rightrev

Truth devoid of context is, well misleading at best

2010-08-18T15:00:00.003-05:00

I wonder if pastor Osteen can see a single verse of Scripture through a Biblical grid rather than a prosperity grid.

Here is his thought for the day--

Today's Verse: "From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another" (John 1:16, NIV).

Today's Word: God wants to pour out His blessing and favor upon you each and every day. It says in the Psalms that He daily loads us with benefits! So many people miss out on all that God has for them because they are weighted down by guilt and condemnation. But notice what today's verse tells us about where His blessings come from—the fullness of His grace.

God's grace is His unmerited favor. If this is true how do we understand Jesus who was full of "grace" and truth--John 1:14?

Osteen continues--

That means we can't earn it. We can't work for it, and we can't change His mind about it. He pours out His blessing on us not because of what we do, but because of who He is. His blessings are based on His goodness, not ours.

Today, receive His grace. Receive His forgiveness. Let go of guilt and condemnation. Open your heart and mind to what God wants to do in your life and get ready because He is pouring out His goodness upon you with one blessing after another!

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, I choose to receive Your grace today which is Your supernatural empowerment. I release guilt and condemnation and receive Your love and forgiveness. Search my heart, O God. Renew me and cleanse me by Your Word. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Okay there is plenty of "truth" in what he writes but he is a master of avoiding context. So when he speaks of "supernatural empowerment" he means empowerment to "prosper;" empowerment to "get it all now;" empowerment to do what YOU want to do with God's blessing. That is not the experience of Jesus' followers in the pages of Scripture, the pages of history, nor the experience of Jesus' followers in third world countries. Think about it...

BEWARE ALL WHO STUMBLE THE LITTLE ONES

2010-08-13T07:47:00.002-05:00

(My latest column from the syndicate for which I write. Your local newspaper) can acquire this column for free at the Amy Foundation web site. www.amyfound.org)

The voters of our fair state recently rendered a well deserved set back to the foes of common sense, decency and what were once commonly understood to be "traditional values." I am certain that even if the most liberal ones of our culture could be transported back into time only a scant few decades ago, they would be appalled by the caliber of issues that have gained respectability in our culture.

But the frog in the kettle went belly up years ago in the boiling waters of social degradation when the settled question over when life begins suddenly became a scientific enigma. Since then, we are no longer certain when a male is a man and when a female is a woman. Because of our collective, social insanity, we are having to open bathrooms to anyone who perceives themselves to be a particular gender, anatomy and physiology not withstanding.

So now, future generations--called "children" are being indoctrinated into the mores of a culture whose ideologies were, once upon a time, at least informed by, if not grounded in a book called the Bible. Now those ideologies are informed by nothing more than personal preference.

Never-the-less, as secularism took hold, we were still governed by the rule of law where Lady Justice wore a blind-fold indicating the administration of her craft was without fear or favor, regardless of money, power, race, or prestige. But everything has changed. The new values of America have no objective mooring to anything outside one's personal convictions and the future of America is being squeezed into an amoral vacuum devoid of reason.

In the words of the Book which once informed our political, social and scientific foundations, the children of our nation are being "stumbled;" tripped up in their God given opportunity and inalienable right to be taught inviolate truth. For everything else gone wrong, this may be the most egregious infraction of the culture at large. Why? Because the God of the Bible, not the god of one's creation--promises severe repercussions to anyone who puts obstacles in the way of the most impressionable of our land. These are the ones with immature minds and who lack longevity--who are prohibited by cultural, legislative and judicial decree, from meeting and establishing a friendship with the very Creator who made them. And the Creator does not take that lightly.

"…whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6)

The assault on Christians in this land-of-the-free has become routine. Children for whom Sunday school and church are part of their family pattern are singled out in the classrooms of our "public schools" for ridicule by teachers or staff and are often judged by a separate standard of performance than other students.

It is treated as the height of bigotry to "impose" the morality of a God-informed world- view on students who have been shaped to question their sexual identity despite what their anatomy clearly reveals. Yet imposing the immorality of a godless culture on students who are Christian, is deemed tolerant and sensitive. But the God many wish to ignore has the last say.

"Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!" (Matthew 18:7)

At the end of the day there will be a time when consummate justice will not be mediated through human agency, but through the Law Giver Himself and those who stumble the little ones will be dealt with as only God can.

"Real Answers™" furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com

Name it, Claim it?

2010-07-22T15:26:00.006-05:00

"The third step you must take if you want to live at your full potential is to discover the power of your thoughts and words." Joel Osteen Your Best Life Now pg 101

Robert Schuller called it "Possibility Thinking," Norman Vincent Peale--Positive Thinking and a myriad of iterations by others of the name it claim it ilk followed.

Being raised in the cultic religion of Christian Science, I know well the power of "right thinking," according to Mary Baker Eddy the founder of C.S. Through it, I could heal myself, rid myself of pain, conquer discouragement, or bring misfortune on someone else.

From Franz Mesmer, to Shirley McClain, the power of the mind has been profitably marketed by hundreds of charlatans. Only present day "prosperity preachers" have moved into the realm of respectable "Christian" theology. It is anything but, as I clearly explicate in The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity!

God As Vending Machine

2010-07-14T13:40:00.003-05:00

In my forth coming book--The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity--it take a thoughtful, and biblical analysis of the prosperity gospel of guys like Don Stewart, Andrew Jenkins, and of course Joel Osteen. The God these men pitch are a god of their making. No wonder their god is popular. He appeals to the self-absorbed, All American-ME-ME-ME that pervades every fiber of our culture and church. On page 41 of Osteen's best selling, Your Best Life Now, he writes, "Perhaps you're searching for a parking spot in a crowded lot. Say. 'Father, I think you for leading me and guiding me. Your favor will cause me to get a good spot.'"

True confessions--I pray for a parking spot when I am in such situations regularly. "Have no anxieties about ANYTHING..." Paul instructs us in Philippians 4:6 re: prayer. BUT--such a prayer should be offered in the spirit of, "Not MY will, but thine be done..." Lord YOU know what I need; you also know what someone else needs who may have physical reason to have a "good" spot. So Lord YOU decide what is best!

Osteen's pursuit of prosperity is presumptuous at best--arrogant and sinful at worst. That's why I have written about the PROPER pursuit of prosperity...

The Word of Osteen or the Word of the Lord?

2010-07-08T15:04:00.003-05:00

The word of Joel Osteen:
"God usually meets us at our level of expectancy. If you don't develop the habit of expecting good things to come your way, then you're not likely to receive anything good." pg 14 Your Best Life Now

The Word of the Lord:
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10

I never expected your love God; I know what I deserve and it isn't heaven. But thanks be to God You chose to give me good things in spite of what I deserve; in spite of my expectations. Thank you for doing things your way, not Pastor Osteen's way...

The Apostle Paul vs. Joel Osteen

2010-07-07T14:33:00.003-05:00

The [prosperity] Gospel according to Joel Osteen:
"The fourth aspect--and one of the most important--to developing a fresh vision for your life is discovering how to experience more of God's favor. The Bible clearly states, "God has crowned us with glory and honor. The word 'honor' could also be translated as 'favor,' and favor means to assist to provide with special advantages and to receive preferential treatment. In other words, God wants to make your life easier. He wants to assist you, to promote you, to give you advantages. He wants you to have preferential treatment." pg 38 Your Best Life Now

Beyond the utter contradiction such rubbish is to the weight of biblical witness, is the affront it is to the marvel of Paul's wisdom in Philippians 2:5-7

"Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men."

In other words, we cannot possibly have any more "favor" with God than the favor He has shown us in His becoming a human being in order to save us from ourselves; our sin.

And what is the context of the wonder of God's favor as evidenced by Christ's incarnation?
More of Paul's wisdom: "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4

More of Joel O's wisdom? "I've come to expect to be treated differently. Ive learned to expect people to want to help me. My attitude is I'm a child of the Most High God... I can expect people to go out of their way to want to help me." pg 39 Your Best Life Now

As soon as a publisher gets a clue, The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity will be published.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn vs. Joel Osteen

2010-07-06T15:39:00.003-05:00

A. Solzhenitsyn--"Life is not as we have grown used to thinking, for prosperity but for development of the soul."

Pastor Osteen--"God has so much in store for you, too. Start making room for it in your thinking. Conceive it on the inside. Start seeing yourself rising to a new level, doing something of significance, living in that home of your dreams." pg. 8 "Your Best Life Now"

Just wait for for my new book, "The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity!"

The Prosperity Gospel--Oi!

2010-06-21T15:18:00.005-05:00

God wants us to be eminently healthy. wonderfully wealthy, and otherwise happy in all ways; this is in fact why God exists. Sounds GREAT doesn't it? Does to me. Too bad it is a pipe dream. If you have ever read the Bible you would see what an obvious crock such a sentiment is--appealing or not. Too bad so many preachers are gravitating toward such an insipid, though popular message. Even a cursory read of the old and new testaments reveals just the opposite.
Heaven is waiting--Praise the Lord--but heaven is not HERE--NOT now!

In my book, The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity--biblical prosperity becomes clear. Just wait!

New book in the works!

2010-03-10T22:44:00.003-05:00

As of February 1, my church has given me a sabbatical until May 5 on which I will be writing a book critiquing the "Prosperity Gospel." I thought it rather gandiose to hope to have a rough draft completed in that time frame but as I write this on March 10th, it is going much better than I ever anticipated. I think not only a rough draft but a solid working draft is doable by my deadline.

I am quite pleased with the progress and the content. The situation "out there" with respect to biblical knowledge in general and the wild popularity of the "prosperity Gospel" is somewhat disheartening but not surprising. Stay tuned and Lord willing, I will find a publisher. I am excited about the prospects.

My Swan Song...

2008-05-30T12:07:00.000-05:00

Well this is it--my Swan Song! After five years--that's over 700 commentaries--dealing with "everything pertaining to life and godliness" to use Peter's words, I am hanging it up.

Life as pastor of a church that is much larger than our staff can handle, means something has to give way and these commentaries were one of the only things I can really afford to eliminate. I have enjoyed writing them as I am certain that as Christians we need to be informed and we need to be able to converse with the culture in which we live. Too few Christians are able to do that.

My commentaries were designed to inform people of current events that demonstrate the level of decline of the culture at large (that's no surprise) but also the level of apostasy (that is, the waywardness) of those who wear the name of Christ. It was and is my belief that our culture has declined to the point where it is, in part, due to those wearing the name of Christ either being apathetic toward the condition of their own community, or being unable to converse with their community due to a lack of A. common sense and B. knowledge of the Scriptures and
C. biblical wisdom (which in my book means Scriptures applied).

My commentaries were not particularly intended to be an "evangel" each and every time I wrote but in many instances were to be pre-evangelistic in the sense that it is difficult to accept a plan of salvation when you don't even realize you have a need. I know from many testimonies from people, that my method of dealing with the real world in which we live opened a door to their hearts that had never been opened. They had no place in their head for "religion" but as one man told me recently, "I made so much stinking sense, that [he] had to listen." Praise the Lord--it is His Spirit that draws people.

But fact remains, the very purpose of the Law and the whole sacrificial system was to underscore the hopelessness of man to make himself right with God. It was to drive people to a point of despair seeing the impossibility of pleasing a holy God thus compelling them to be open to a "better way" the way of Grace--when the Messiah appeared.

Then of course there were those who wished I had somehow entered into the great controversies of election, sovereignty, and free will (or lack thereof) all in the span of my allotted 120 seconds. It just became exceedingly wearing.

The cure for mankind, for our culture, for the planet is nothing more and nothing less than Jesus. But even that message has been so perverted, warped, and twisted, you cannot even be sure what people are understanding of words that used to have common understanding. Talking about salvation, sin, heaven and hell and even the person of Jesus takes explanation and qualification in our culture of designer religion and biblical ignorance.

So if some have been challenged to at least pause and think rationally for a moment, and if some have been spurred on to do something within their own sphere of influence and ultimately if some have come to Christ or a better understanding of the profound love of God and the lengths He has gone to get our attention, then it was well worth the time spent. Only eternity will reveal the answer to that.

This is pastor Bill Cripe signing off still and always looking up for a heavenly perspective!

Global Warming or Global Con?

2008-05-23T13:04:00.001-05:00

Are you ready for the new religion? It's not really new; just a new sect of Darwin's religion of evolution called Global Warming. I understand why so many are being sucked in to this new faith system. It is hard not to succumb when there is an incessant advocacy and ever growing acceptance of the new dogma. It is a great example of how effective constant repetition can be especially when you mix a little bit of truth with a big helping of non-provable speculation.

If you are informed by listening to the main stream influences of our day, global warming is as much a proven fact--as Evolution. Therein lays the problem. It is anything BUT a proven fact and even if the warming aspect was proven, the cause is anything but. But that's not what we are led to believe.

So here this well! From the Pastor's Weekly Briefing of Focus on the Family, "More than 31,000 scientists across the U.S. — including more than 9,000 Ph.D.s in fields such as atmospheric science, climatology, Earth science, environment and dozens of other specialties — have signed a petition rejecting "global warming," the assumption that the human production of greenhouse gases is damaging Earth's climate."

"There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane or other greenhouse gases is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere and disruption of the Earth's climate," the petition states. "Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth."

But isn't becoming "more green" a good thing and consistent with God's command that we be good stewards of what He entrusted to us? In other words, even if global warming isn't caused by humans in a significant way, isn't it a great thing to protect what we have?

The answer is an emphatic NO, not if the measures taken to be "more green" substantially decrease the quality of human life around the globe. And that is exactly what would happen if the ludicrous elements of the Kyoto Treaty became international law.

Don't get me wrong; while my wife and I despise the whole "green" terminology we were "GREEN" long before it became a fashionable hypocrisy. So do some leg work instead of being a lemming following the "green" crowd over the cliff.

And for further reading here is the entire article from PWB.

More than 31,000 scientists across the U.S. — including more than 9,000 Ph.D.s in fields such as atmospheric science, climatology, Earth science, environment and dozens of other specialties — have signed a petition rejecting "global warming," the assumption that the human production of greenhouse gases is damaging Earth's climate.

The Petition Project actually was launched nearly 10 years ago, when the first few thousand signatures were assembled. Then, between 1999 and 2007, the list of signatures grew gradually without any special effort or campaign. But now, a new effort has been conducted because of an "escalation of the claims of 'consensus,' release of the movie 'An Inconvenient Truth' by Al Gore, and related events," according to officials with the project. In fact, in just the past few weeks, there have been various allegations that both shark attacks and typhoons have been sparked by "global warming."

Why the concern? The late Professor Frederick Seitz, the past president of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and winner of the National Medal of Science, wrote in a letter promoting the petition, "The United States is very close to adopting an international agreement that would ration the use of energy and of technologies that depend upon coal, oil, natural gas and some other organic compounds. ... This [U.N.] treaty is, in our opinion, based on flawed ideas. Research data on climate change do not show that human use of hydrocarbons is harmful. To the contrary, there is good evidence that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide in environmentally helpful."

Knee-jerk reactions with good intentions are causing more harm than help. The recent increase in the cost of food is one example of the consequences of diverting crops, such as corn, to the production of ethanol as a fuel source. The impact that steep corn price increases have had on food distribution to third-world countries has been profoundly negative, according to the Institute on Religion and Democracy.

Art Robinson, spokesman and founder of the Petition Project, said the U.N. "global warming agreement," written in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997, and other plans "would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage both the health and welfare of mankind." The list of scientists who have signed the Petition Project includes 9,021 Ph.D.s (which is 15 times more scientists than are seriously involved in the U.N.'s campaign to "vilify hydrocarbons"), 6,961 at the master's level, 2,240 medical doctors and 12,850 carrying a bachelor of science or equivalent academic degree.

Meanwhile, evangelical pastors, scientists and policymakers have launched another petition drive, We Get It, intended to spread the truth about global warming: That Christians should be good stewards of God's creation and that government policies and regulations based on "faulty science" will hurt people who should be helped.

"The 'We Get It' declaration speaks for me, and I believe it speaks for the vast majority of evangelicals, who are as tired as I am of being misrepresented by people who don't bother to get their theology, their science or their economics right," said Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.). "Consequently, they put millions of the world's poor at risk by promoting policies to fight the alleged problem of global warming that will slow economic development and condemn the poor to more generations of grinding poverty and high rates of disease and early death."

The campaign, launched last week, hopes to gather one million signatures supporting the declaration that says God created the world, and that men and women, as Christians, have to take responsibility for that creation; that billions of people will suffer if careless environmental policies are put into place; and that Christians as a group need to take action to help the poor and protect the planet based on biblical truths, not political correctness, according to the Cybercast News Service.

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, one of the founders and supporters of the We Get It campaign, said, "You can be green without being gullible. ... I'm afraid that the image that my children will remember is the image of naïve Americans who surrendered our national sovereignty [to U.N. demands] and the income of families to pursue environmental threats and science that are speculative at best."

America is Down With Divorce Being Up

2008-05-21T14:36:00.000-05:00

"'…I hate divorce,' says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.'" Malachi 2:16

Like so many principles of "LIFE" which are ignored wholesale by even those who wear the name Christian, divorce is gaining acceptability.

According to Gallup's latest poll, 70% of Americans believe divorce is morally acceptable. "That is an 11 point increase from seven years ago." 11 points in 7 years--that is huge.

Another black mark against this once great nation is that 40 million children are shattered by the selfish ambition of one parent or both. That is 40 million future adults who will have a tainted view of marriage themselves thus perpetuating the ease with which divorce is obtained as a solution to one's "imagined happiness."

According to Citizen Link, "Mike McManus--Co-founder of Marriage Savers--said the 'Church is not doing its job.' 'The Church hardly ever preaches on the issue of divorce or cohabitation or marriage,' he said. 'It’s God’s first institution, but it’s often the Church’s last institution.'”

I have to agree with McManus to a big degree but fact remains, Christians--not churches--are responsible for their own actions and for their own spiritual integrity. The church is there to assist, not to take over. That being said, I DO believe that most churches have a very sloppy view of marriage and divorce and an even sloppier application of such principles.

Church discipline is virtually unheard of these days and when a church does attempt to actually observe the principles of Scripture regarding such discipline, the church--meaning the pastor--can take quite a hit even losing his position.

I say, that's no excuse for not acting on what is biblically proper. After all, at the end of the day, we will answer to the God who said, "What I have joined together let no man separate."

The least churches should be doing is making pre-marriage training mandatory. It's pretty straight forward at Faith; if you won't do the training, you won't be married by us.

McManus speaks in exaggerated terms when he says, that you can "divorce proof" marriage with the proper training. But I know first hand that in over 20 years of weddings which I have performed, I have had only one couple get divorced and they didn't complete their training. Maybe McManus isn't exaggerating after all…

Judges Ruling Makes Her An Accomplice To Crime

2008-05-20T13:56:00.000-05:00

What on Earth is she thinking? I am referring to Justice Michaela Murphy who seems to have lost all manner of judgment concerning 59 year old William Donald from East Wilton.

Donald befriended a 14 year old boy (stop me if you've heard this one) and for a span of one year, Donald introduced this child to S & M along with all that goes along with sexual abuse.

This child's life is now altered for ever. As a pastor who has dealt with many of these situations, this child will now face a lifetime of dysfunction and will in all likelihood spread the infection to others. That just tends to be how this plays out.

So what "just" sentence did William Donald receive for ruining a little child's life? Judge Murphy--appallingly--gave Donald 6 months in jail. Judge Murphy "ordered" Donald not to have contact with anyone under the age of 16. I wonder if she sounded real fierce when she said that. We all know how effective such edicts are to the pedophile…

So why such a light sentence? Apparently Donald's minister wrote on his behalf extolling what a wonderful man he was noting his generous nature and charitable work. I can't believe Murphy swallowed that one. The same thing was said of Al Capone. In his neighborhood, he was known for his generosity and charity; sweet old mass murderer that he was…

I do not exaggerate when I tell you I am nauseated even writing about this. Honestly I would love to know who the pedophile's minister is. I would give him my counsel about civil process, punishment, rehabilitation and the horror of sexual abuse that pilfers the very life out of a person.

And in so far as Murphy's sentence is a mockery of her role in society and is a heinous miscarriage of justice, she shares in this child's life-long scarring and debilitation. I seriously hope that this 14 year old visits Murphy later on in life--after his second or third divorce, or after he has HIV or after he has been caught peddling kiddy porn and thanks Murphy for the impact she had on his life. With her offensive ruling trivializing his innocence and vulnerability she showed "compassion" for the real criminal and disdain for the innocent.

Skowhegan Schools Debate the Debated

2008-05-20T13:49:00.001-05:00

Looks like the Scopes Trial is about to happen again--well sort of.

Skowhegan School administrative District 59 Director Matthew Linkletter wants to ban the teaching of evolution from the science curricula. Linkletter's basis for his ban is that evolution is unprovable theory and so should be withdrawn.

This may surprise many of you who know my absolute biblical world view and that I categorically reject Darwinian evolution out of hand. But Linkletter's attempt to do this on the basis that the theory is unprovable is not the right course of action. How many other "theories" are unprovable? Shall we discontinue to teach Einsteinian physics because they are theory? Actually every theory--by definition--is unprovable; if it were not, it would no longer be a theory but a fact.

Instead, Darwinian evolution should be withdrawn not simply because it is a theory but because it is a particularly BAD theory which not only is missing key supporting evidence, but there is abundance of evidence that mitigates against the very theory. It is such a bad theory that an objective scientist must--if he has any intellectual integrity, admit that any commitment to Darwin's version of origins must be done so in the arena of faith, not science.

The Central Maine newspapers cite David Connerty-Marin of the state's the Department of Education saying "Evolution must be taught because, in the state's view, it's a proven science." If this is an accurate statement the Governor should appoint a new education chief immediately because this man obviously has no idea what constitutes proven science. Honestly, I know of no one of any stripe--Christian or Atheist who would go that far.

Connerty-Marin's next statement is equally troubling: "Evolution", he says, "is not just a belief, or based on faith, it's based on scientific evaluation. The worldwide science community supports it."

If he truly believes that, he is woefully uneducated and need not be leading our state's educational system.

The informed truth reveals that many, very respected, scientists have disavowed Darwin's version of existence. The late Harvard, Paleo-anthropologist, Stephen J. Gould debunked Darwin's theory in virtually all his writings. Gould was an Atheist but a good scientist recognizing the difference between fact and fancy.

But evolution is indeed a religion and when trying to confront religious dogma--well watch out; no matter whose dogma it may be.

Not Involved, Don't Complain!

2008-05-10T12:16:00.001-05:00

I received word that one of our musicians was going to be late for our Wednesday evening rehearsal for Sunday's service because she needed to attend her son's elementary school to preview a movie they were intending to show to the students of the school. The movie is titled, "Personal Body Safety." Given our day of lack of restraint, lack of common sense, and lack of common decency, I agreed this parent NEEDED to preview this film.

She showed up to worship practice a little late as she mentioned and I asked her how the film was. She replied that it was actually "O.K." And then she added, "There were 9 parents there including the people who were doing the projection. She paused and said, they mentioned how they were thrilled with the good turnout!"

I asked her how many were in her son's class. She said, "This was for the whole elementary school."

It actually was worse than it looked because there was a PTO meeting after the preview of this movie which means some of the people there would have been there anyway. Apparently, the last time something like this was done there were only 2 parents concerned enough to be there.

Let's get a grip here parents. We snit and fume and go on our tirades when we find out--after the fact--that the school our children attend has shown something or assigned something that incenses our sensibilities and yet our presence in the schools has been virtually non-existent for several decades now. So how on earth can someone complain about the nature of public education? And yet we do…

My children all graduated from Waterville High School. The school had its issues believe me but I or their mother or both were known--well known--by the administration and teachers of the school. And I trust they were thrilled when our children had graduated which meant no more Cripes!

A year or two after our youngest graduated, time and again someone would ask me if I was going to get involved with thus and such that was going on in the school system. Right or wrong, I said, "Nope. It's someone else's turn to take up the cause for their own children." My statement, I could tell, was not pleasing to the ones asking; and therein lies the problem; parents who are willing to abdicate their God-given responsibility for their children to someone else. And in my experience, Christians are no different.

Rev. Sharpton Needs Lesson in Race

2008-05-10T12:12:00.000-05:00

The demand for justice is a God given attribute present in the soul of every person born.

Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes that God has set eternity in our heart and part and parcel of that is the innate desire for true justice. The problem with it all is that sin has tainted every fiber of our being such that true justice is sometimes hard for us to comprehend.

Enter, Sean Bell, a young black man who was gunned down by New York police as he and his buds were leaving a strip bar on the morning of wedding day. 50 shots were fired in all and his buddies were wounded while Bell was killed. As it turned out, the men were all unarmed and therein lies the outrage.

The pain is understandable and the outcome tragic but let clear thinking prevail and there is no reason to believe that anything but justice--as best as imperfect, fallen men can exercise it, was accomplished.

Three officers charged in the shootings were all found innocent of the charges of manslaughter. Protests commenced under the direction of the Rev. Al Sharpton with his obligatory cries of racism which is what fueled the outrage. There are just a few problems with Sharpton's ire.

First, the police officers' stories were corroborated and the stories of the witnesses were not. Just representation was exercised on behalf of Sean Bell and the judge found that the police officer's version of events was credible and the other's were not. The acquittal was legally proper. But what is more outrageous to me than the actual event is that Rev. Sharpton as always, first assumes guilt of the police and worse, always plays the race card. The problem in this situation is that two of the three police charged--were black.

Truth be told this country has an extraordinary record of justice for all. Justice for Sharpton though apparently means that if you're black--you must be innocent. What some cannot accept is that humans are not omniscient and knowledge of any given situation is always more astute after the fact. Our system is exemplary but not infallible.

Sean Bell and his buds may have in fact been "innocent" but their drunkenness, actions, location and time of night compelled those responsible for protecting others, as well as themselves, to take decisive, lethal action. In this case, the decision was apparently wrong, but it certainly was not the result of bad cops--worse still--racist cops flaunting their authority. It is an imperfect world and we should not expect perfect justice until the day of His return.

The world Is On The Brink--Again

2008-05-10T12:04:00.001-05:00

What in the world is going on? I have written this same basic commentary before and that in itself is instructive. Since Jesus rose from the dead and returned to heaven, Christians throughout history have believed that they would see the return of the Lord in their lifetime. Just remember that as you continue to read.

Japan was rocked with a 6.8 magnitude earthquake last week and that was following the cyclone with an expected death toll of 100,000 amidst 1 million people are left homeless and fist fights are breaking out over supplies of food etc.

There have been 23 earthquakes around the world of greater than 5 magnitude and that has been only in the last 162 hours.

Last week in Chile, a long dormant volcano erupted causing the evacuation of thousands of people.

Israel announced that Iran will probably have nuclear capabilities by the end of this year and Iran has been working on cruise type missiles that can carry nuclear warheads without detection and which are impervious to anti-defense systems. If the significance of this escapes you, remember it is Iran's crazed leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has vowed the annihilation of Israel.

Currently they do not have the ability to do so. That little "problem" will be resolved if they obtain nuclear capabilities. Also be reminded though that Israel has a long standing "first strike" policy when it comes to verifiable threats against their nation. That is not because they are war-mongers but because they are so small that they could not sustain a first strike. They have shown that they mean business where this policy is concerned.

And if you thought the price of gas is obscene, wait until you see what the future holds. Forecasts are for oil to top $200 a barrel within the next two years. Gasoline is one thing; but what you can't heat your home in the dead of Maine Winter, we're talking real trouble.

What are we to say?

"Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me." Psalm 31:2-3

He is the Rock that is mightier than I!

More Spurious Rulings From the Nation's Favorite Court

2008-05-01T15:52:00.001-05:00

It has been a time since the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has made one of their bone headed, non-constitutional rulings asserting their own social agenda rather than interpreting existing law. So here ya go as I read verbatim from the source.

"The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that a roommate-finding Web site cannot require users to disclose their sexual orientation. Roommaters.com, which offers more than 100,000 rental listings on its site, receives over 50,000 visits per day.

In its 8-3 ruling, the court said that inquiring electronically about sexual orientation is no different than asking people in person or by telephone if they are black or Jewish before conducting business."

Okay whenever the 9th Circuit issues an edict you have suspend rational thought, and you have to poke yourself in the eye with a pencil three times to prepare yourself for their ingenious sculpting of imaginary legislation.

My first point is that this private company has a business to line up perspective roommates and I trust compatibility and comfort is big reason someone would utilize such a website in the first place. I doubt that anyone wishes to obtain the most intimate of living situations only to find out that you are grossly incompatible.

My second point is that there is no similarity between someone who defies natural selection, natural biology and natural law, with someone who is black or Jewish. If I were black or Jewish I would highly offended. Furthermore, shouldn't a black person know if they are signing a contract to live with the Grand-dragon of the KKK?

"Attorney Timothy Alger, speaking in defense of the Web site, said that 'This decision represents a significant departure from what has been settled law across the country. We believe the government has no business regulating the selection of roommates or advertising for roommates.'" Not in a sane world but then we are talking about the 9th circuit Court right?

The next decision by this panel of over-educated social engineers will probably be telling the myriad of match-making web services they can no longer ask the sex of the inquirer? Sound crazy? You just wait and see!

National Day Of Silence? We Could Only Hope

2008-04-30T15:20:00.000-05:00

Do you know what April 25th is? It is the annual observance which has become called "The Day of Silence." My comments today may seem terribly insensitive, certainly politically incorrect, and of course hateful. What they are is accurate from a Biblical frame of reference be they ever so unpopular. So be it.

From the NDS website--

"The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Hundreds of thousands of students will come together on April 25 to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior."

First things first--let's be clear on the initials; our culture has grown too comfortable with euphemisms which by design make that which is unpleasant more palatable. LGBT stands for Lesbian--that means girls who have rejected their God given sexuality and attraction for boys. Gay--boys who have rejected their god given sexuality and attraction for girls. Bi-sexual--boys and girls who have conveniently chosen the best of both worlds, and transgendered--boys who believe they are girls and perhaps have had surgery to become such and the same for girls converting to boys.

It is so offensive to God and to sensible people that it is hard to express.

Now, "the hundreds of thousands of students" who will come together… is because schools all over this once great and moral nation have succumbed to the phallic god of sexual gratification and are busy indoctrinating future generations into the godless, heinous and self-destructive perversion of sex worship.

That this is taking place in schools all over the country and funded by we, the tax payers is an atrocity. That students of moral purity and virtue are persecuted and tolerated is obscene.

Parents--talk to your children and see if there will be anything going at their school for this annual day of Satanic celebration. But don't be surprised if they shrug you off. You see, they have been told for years that YOU are the problem; that people of religious values are hateful and hurtful and that if we would just embrace all of this, the world would pretty much be at peace.

And if your child happens to be interested, on April 28th there is another observance called The Day of Truth. But prepare them for the scorn of their educators and friends. And then ask yourself why they are still in the educational system of the Philistines.

Tax Funded Islamic Education

2008-04-30T15:15:00.000-05:00

Imagine this scenario:

Christian parents in central Maine decide they are tired of the secular education and indoctrination their children face each day they go off to "school." Their solution is to start a charter school--a Christian charter school--where each class day is begun with the Lord's Prayer; where grace is said before meals and where fish is served on Fridays in deference to old school Catholics.

Among course offerings are a history of the Christian church; with special teachings on the Lord's Supper, foot washing, and where baptisms would be offered on a quarterly basis. Children would be required to take Greek and Hebrew classes. Now imagine this school being funded by taxpayers. In your craziest, most absurd ponderings can you imagine this getting off the ground much less operating at tax payer expense without vehement protest?

Well, in St. Paul, Minnesota this is exactly what is happening only the school is not Christian--it is Muslim.

The TIZA--which stands for the Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy--is a full blown Muslim indoctrination center. After a reporter was refused visitation a substitute teacher reported her experience at the school.

Among her duties was to take the children to the restroom so they could perform their ritual washing before being taken to the gymnasium where they were met by a man in white, with a white hat. Next to him was another adult on the floor on his prayer mat. “The prayer I saw was not voluntary,” the substitute teacher said. “The kids were corralled by adults and required to go to the assembly where prayer occurred.”

Where assignments were on the board, along with math and sociology, was an assignment relating to the study of the Qu'ran with the required readings listed.

Have you heard anything out of the ACLU? How about Barry Lynn's stellar organization, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State?

Yes, Jesus foretold of such things so we should not be surprised, and yes, we are Christians first and Americans second. But since we are Americans, and there isn't anything unbiblical about pressing for the same rights all other Americans receive--even Paul did the same with the Roman authorities--then we must be allowed to snit and fume exercising our constitutional rights with the expectation of there being some semblance of just application (just for all including Christians) of constitutional rights and privileges whether one is a Christian or not.

James Earl Carter Needs An Ankle Bracelet

2008-04-30T15:08:00.001-05:00

"There he goes again! Former President Jimmy Carter, acting out his stubborn, self-righteous moralism and his stunning vanity, persists in legitimizing terrorism. How else can the Middle East see Carter's meeting in Syria with no less than the terrorist mastermind Khaled Mashaal, the leader of Hamas?"

No those aren't the words of a fundamentalist Christian but of Mortimer Zuckerman, editor of U.S. News and World Report.

And no one can blame the wide spread condemnation of Carter's actions on partisan politics as there has been strong bi-partisan rebuke of the aged former President. If Carter's lapse of judgment was due to an encroaching senility we could forgive him and rein him in. Unfortunately, it seems that he is merely stupefyingly destructive.

Zuckerman notes: "This is what Carter said on Nov. 28, 2006, on PBS: 'Since August of 2004 [Hamas] has not committed a single act of terrorism that cost an Israeli life, not a single one.'" Zuckerman then states, "That is flatly untrue." citing all kinds of attacks and murderous endeavors for which Hamas proudly claimed responsibility.

The last time Carter took up the cause of Hamas, Hamas was killing Fatah party members throwing them of Gaza rooftops.

What is wrong with this man? Why does our State Department allow him to travel abroad to such places. Don't we have laws against private citizens meddling in national affairs?

If Carter is trying to be some kind of Christ-like peace maker he is failing miserably and serving the purposes of Satanic spirits. It would seem to me that our government has the right--and in fact, the responsibility to restrict the travel of private citizens who intend to undermine national security.

Carter is fueling the fires of terrorism both against the United States and Israel and he needs to be contained. More women and children will assuredly be murdered at the hands of Hamas and James Earl Carter will have their blood on his hands. I am not sure if he is an aged, former politician trying to establish some kind of legacy but another legacy of stupidity and treason is not what we need.

Homosexuality Puts Public At Risk--AGAIN

2008-04-23T15:38:00.000-05:00

How pernicious and selfish is the impact of the homosexuality juggernaut on the public welfare? As a former blood bank technologist I write with a special passion and outrage. That the perverse conduct of an overwhelming minority should be protected at the risk of the majority of the public defies rational understanding. Never-the-less, as far back as 30 years ago, all sensible and safe medical practices concerning communicable diseases was stood on its ear lest homosexuals be offended. Suddenly, HIV was placed in a hallowed category with special protections of privacy that endangered those of us who had to collect specimens from infected individuals without our knowing they were infected. Things have only worsened in the ensuing 30 years.

At San Jose State University, the president of that institution just suspended all blood drives at the university because the FDA has a lifetime blood exclusion policy prohibiting homosexual men from giving blood. This prohibition is medically sound and similar prohibitions exist for other high risk categories of people.

Never let reason or the common good interfere with lifestyles of the godless and perverted. The president of San Jose State said it violated the school's non-discrimination policy citing the school's code which says, "…discrimination of any kind, including … sexual orientation is an affront to the entire university community and is strictly prohibited."

The policy as stated is ludicrous. I am willing to wager that if a man walks on campus at San Jose State carrying a rifle, that certain assumptions will be made--for the good of the campus--and he will be discriminated against very quickly. People who claim discrimination is always wrong are not thinking clearly.

If my pilot appears intoxicated, I hope someone will discriminate against him and not allow him into the cockpit. Surgeons who have tested positive for beta hemolytic Strep. or Staph. Aureus have been barred from performing surgery; the risk to the patient is just too great. That is not discrimination; that is common sense, but when it comes to homosexuality, common sense, logic, and safety are banned from consideration.

Through 2005 there have been 20,500 deaths due to transfusion transmission of HIV; 20,500 men, women and children sent to an early grave because of the life depriving pleasures of homosexual men. No wonder there is a curse on our land and it only continues to worsen. Without Jesus--we must expect an escalation of such consequences and since the rain falls on the just and unjust alike, the innocent will continue to pay the price of guilty.

The Sewers of Society

2008-04-05T10:58:00.000-05:00

High School censorship of information is alive and well; don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Frankly I am ALL for the selective dissemination of information to young people in particular, but in our day of cultural depravity, the censorship tends to always run in the wrong direction.

Here's what I mean.

Forest Lake High School in Minnesota scheduled a program with a group called Vets For Freedom as part of a social studies class giving the students a chance to ask questions of veterans of the Middle East war. Quoting from the source, "There were to be no political endorsements, no political statements, no political agendas…"

12 hours prior to the event taking place, the principal of the school informs Vets for Freedom that the program would not be allowed to take place citing "'several phone calls'" from an unspecified number of '"concerned parents'" warning there would be protests if the program came off.

Now let me move you to another northern state--our frigid state of Maine--where a high school--as I write has taken some of its students to New York to see two plays that are rife with homosexual perversion and simulated sex in the glorious professionalism of Broadway.

God forbid that teenagers should be able to listen to some of our country's heroes who have risked life and limb for their freedom but by all means, let's indoctrinate them into the perversion and filth of a culture descending ever lower into a sewer of smut.

And then we wring our hands when these young adults hang themselves, die of diseases contracted from their sexual recreation, or go on rampages murdering everyone in the sights of their assault rifles. Is it really such a mystery?

I have to be honest and tell you I am sick of writing about this stuff. If there is any "righteous response" at all from those "who know better" it is over as quickly as the 15 second sound bite that broadcast it in the first place. Ho-hum, on to the next cultural catastrophe over which we can get worked up and feel good about the fact that we got worked up about it maybe yelling at the TV and then we are comfortably absolved of responsibility to do anything further.

Our biblical mandate to be light in a dark world is appeased in the momentary purging of emotion with the result of zero impact on that world of darkness.

There--I feel better--now onto something else…

Too Many Books Is Tiresome

2008-03-29T12:22:00.001-05:00

I'm reading a book currently--well actually several books; nothing unusual there but the one I am referring to is a very popular book written by a Christian and an atheist about "the church."

They traveled around the country checking out all kinds of churches assessing how they do things from the perspective of the atheist. Now, admittedly I am only part way through the book and there are a couple of tid-bits here and there that could be helpful for a church to be in tune with. But overall, the book is becoming a mite annoying.

What the atheist dislikes at one church for one reason, he dislikes at the next church for the opposite reason. At still another church, he still dislikes whatever the thing is in focus, for still another reason. In other words, one church might be "too friendly" and the next church not friendly enough. At still another, the friendliness seemed "too orchestrated" but at the next it seemed too casual and no matter what angle of any aspect of the church the atheist was critiquing, there was almost certainly a "problem" with it.

To make it all even more annoying, this lone atheist's assessment is somehow supposed to be representative of all the unchurched in the land.

It's not that I am sensitive to criticism of the way churches do things either; believe me I am our own worst critic but reading this "Christian" book and another "Christian" book I read a couple weeks back, I was reminded why I don't read very many Christian books at all.

I find they are either repackaged ideas for which there are already 50 different titles on the shelf, they are drivel, or they are someone else's idea of why and how "the church" is supposedly doing it all wrong. If you're big--you should be smaller; if you're small, you should be bigger; if you're into social action, you should be more focused on the Gospel and if you're focused on the Gospel you should be more involved in social action and on and on.

Solomon--WISE old Solomon wrote, "…be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body." Eccles. 12:12

I'll say, but before you get depressed, picking up the latest, "what's wrong with the church" book on the shelf remember "The Church" was God's idea; He calls it His Bride and we need to be careful about insinuating that "God's girl" is a real dog!

Oh What Tangled Webs We Weave...

2008-03-29T12:08:00.000-05:00

"Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight." Proverbs 12:22

If there is a legacy left to all Americans from the Clinton Presidency it is that the word "lying" and "Clinton" are synonymous.

Chelsea Clinton--stumping for her mother--was asked recently about Hillary's accusation that Bill's obscene conduct with Ms. Lewinsky was untrue and the product of a "vast right wing conspiracy."

Chelsea responded, "Wow, you're the first person actually that's ever asked me that question in the, I don't know maybe, 70 college campuses I've now been to, and I do not think that is any of your business."

Chelsea's response would have been defensible if it was asked her of private-citizen Hillary Clinton but it wasn't. It was asked concerning Presidential-candidate Hillary Clinton who made the statement--publicly--in defense of her sleazy husband.

That puts the question in an entirely different light and makes it everyone's business. The Hillary that gave the ludicrous answer about a vast right wing conspiracy is the same Hillary desiring to be the chief communicator/answer-giver for every American.

Her public comments as first lady are fair game and appropriate to dissect. After all it is by Hillary's own insistence, that it was as "first lady" where she obtained all her wonderful "experience" to be President. If Chelsea is big enough to be on the campaign trail for her mother, she needs to be big enough to answer relevant questions even if they are uncomfortable.

But Hillary's veracity has always been a problem. Currently she was caught lying--no other words for it--even though her words have been "I misspoke" "I was mistaken," "I was sleep deprived" when relating details about a trip to Bosnia as first lady where she supposedly had come under fire from snipers and had to run to waiting vehicles instead of having a reception on the airfield. Furthermore she insisted her plane had to fly evasive maneuvers to land safely.

Thanks to video tapes, Hillary was caught red handed--or should I say, red-faced. Not only were there no snipers, she had a lolly-gagging reception on the tarmac where she landed and Colonel William Changose, the pilot who flew her plane, said, "Not only were there no bullets flying around, there was no bumblebee flying around."

What you see and what you hear--is what you get. Nuff said.

Belief In Sin Is A Concept, Not An Actuality

2008-03-26T13:26:00.000-05:00

We know that "we the people" of these United States are hypocrites declaring to believe in any number of concepts, ideas, even theologies and yet our actions betray what we really believe.

It's no surprise then that Ellison Research tells us 87% of the populace believes in the concept of sin. (Sin was defined as “something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective.”)

The study asked 1000 Americans to decide whether 30 behaviors were sinful. Now before I go on with some of the results of this research I want you to first picture, ever so quickly in your mind's eye, about the vast majority of movies, shows, music, entertainment and reading materials we spend our time and money on in the course of any given day.

Okay the research shows that the "big" sins--meaning those activities or behaviors which are viewed by a strong majority as being sinful include the following: Adultery was most often described as sinful behavior, followed by racism, and drug use. Abortion, homosexual activity; pornography; gossip; swearing; and sex before marriage followed with strong support being considered sinful.

Okay, if this is true then wouldn't you expect to see a somewhat prevalent application of these beliefs to every day life? But that isn't anywhere close to reality. Remember, this research was not merely for churched individuals but for the unchurched as well.

So why do we see the Governor of New York resign in disgrace due to sexual immorality having been involved with hired sex for several years only to have his successor admit only days into his new position that he and his wife had both been sexually involved with others?

I'm not just picking on these isolated events but the whole fiber of our society which is swamped in sexual dysfunction, sexually caused disease, pornography is a mutli-billion dollar industry, swearing is as commonplace among professional women as it is blue collar beasts. We all know about the millions dead from abortion, and you can't go a day without some assault by another homosexual attempt to desensitize your sensibilities. Drug abuse, even with prescription drugs, is a way of life and premarital sex is a recreational adolescent right.

It seems obvious that calling something sin, and living as if it truly were are vastly different realities in the hearts and minds Americans--both churched and unchurched. But the consequences are not mitigated by what we say; only by what we do!

Obama's Pastor Is More Than A Loose Cannon

2008-03-26T12:57:00.000-05:00

You have I assume heard some of the many pieces of Barak Obama's pastor, aired incessantly it seems, over the television and radio waves of the nation. That much is being made of this is legitimate and as much as Obama tries to distance himself from his pastor's inflammatory, hateful and genuinely racist rhetoric, his explanations are thin.

This is not a case of a pastor making an isolated statement in the heat of a moment; we are all human; we all say things that we regret later once having time to think about them or having collected our sensibilities. How well I know…

But Pastor Wright has not simply made a gaff here and there or a rash statement in a moment of passion.

I have listened to several, rather lengthy, aspects of his sermons and have heard him defending his positions on Fox News. The problem boils down to this.

Obama's church is dedicated to liberation theology rather than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. While religionists make them one and the same, the fact is, they are two distinct theologies--one being a human reaction (usually an angry human reaction) to social injustice; the other being the inspired words of God incarnate.

One sees the ultimate in human deliverance as equality in all things in this life here and now. The Gospel sees the ultimate in human deliverance as liberation from personal sin and its attendant consequences. One sees heaven as life on earth without unfairness, unkindness and hatred. The Gospel sees heaven as existence with God after life on this Earth. One sees the work of the Kingdom as working against injustice toward a just paradise on Earth; the Gospel sees the work of the Kingdom as telling others of the hope of Christ with a view to another life where absolute justice will be the norm.

I understand the Rev. Wright's anger at a certain level and even sympathize with it to a certain extent; but his priorities, reactions, and solutions are anything but Christ-like and anything but Biblical. Obama needs to do a lot more than just shrug them off with a casual--I don't agree with everything he says. He needs to reject them as being bigoted, racist and above all, unbiblical.

Good Friday For Us; Bad Friday For Jesus

2008-03-21T15:33:00.000-05:00

Okay--so today is what traditionally is called "Good Friday." This evening at 7:00 our church will be hosting a Good Friday service of music and meditation but of course if you're listening to this in the evening time slot, you're obviously not planning to attend--at least not at Faith Evangelical Free Church.

"Good Friday" has always been an intriguing way to remember what was really a bad day in the life of Jesus. It was on that day that the Roman Leader Pontius Pilate wimped out washing his hands of Jesus' blood turning Him over to the rabble who wanted Him crucified. That too, is quite the interesting point on which to meditate.

I thought Jesus was the consummate "Nice Guy." I mean that is how He is ALWAYS portrayed in our contemporary culture of "Judge not lest ye be judged." How often do you hear the protests from people when the well studied Christian explains various teachings of the Bible and pronounces certain behaviors, activities, or lifestyles as perverse or immoral?

The classic protest is something along the lines of, "Jesus never judged anyone! Jesus loved everybody! God loves you just the way you are (which they then imply means that He loves everything about you.)

An honest reading of the life of Jesus sees Jesus getting infuriated and not only that one time in the Temple. For someone who loves everyone "just the way they are"--meaning everything about them--Jesus sure ripped on a lot of people.

"You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" Matthew 3:7

"For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness." Matthew 23:27

"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father."

John 8:44

"You hypocrites, you travel about on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." Matthew 23:15

Sheesh, sounds pretty judgmental to me. No wonder He was crucified; pretty intolerant I'd say. So what gives? Well, you can find out this Sunday at 8:30 or 10:30. We're easy enough to find right on the main drag in Waterville across from Shaw's Plaza, but only if you're not already involved with a Bible believing faith community.

Another Palm Sunday; Ho-humm...

2008-03-14T15:55:00.001-05:00

This Sunday is traditionally known as "Palm Sunday." The name comes from the episode in the life of Jesus when the thronging crowds showered Him with accolades throwing palm fronds on the road in front of him as he entered Jerusalem. The historical occurrence is traditionally celebrated as "The Triumphal Entry."

This is ironic since the occasion would mark the beginning of the end of Jesus' life on Earth. The same crowd that cheered His arrival demanded His execution at Calvary only days later. What changed?

The crowds were not really interested in Jesus--the Promised Savior--who came into the world to die for their sins. They wanted the Jesus who miraculously put food on their plates as they hungered on a hill side. They were ready to embrace the miracle working Healer who had already healed a deaf man, raised a dead man, and tossed demons out of numerous people like so much used Kleenex in a coat pocket.

They had experienced the magic-genie-Jesus; the one they thought they could domesticate and manipulate at whim; the one they thought came to make them comfortable, healthy and happy. The Jesus they clamored for looked like the one you hear portrayed so often today as the one who exists to make us prosperous and pretty.

What they weren't interested in was a God coming in the likeness of a man yet who was fully God; a God who came, not to give us what we wanted, but what we needed. And what we needed was the cure of for our pernicious self-centeredness that placed our wills above God's.

He came to cure us not of poverty, not of poor health, not of failing marriages, not even of injustice. Those are all promises for another epoch; the day when He returns for the second time. But right now, with His first visit, all He did was cure those who believe in Him and on Him, of their sinfulness that separated them from God--for all eternity and then entered those lives with His Holy Spirit to be a constant companion and comforter as we endure a sin-filled world. That's all He did. That's all. Ho hum…Ho hum…

What Happened To Every Person Gets a Vote?

2008-03-14T15:54:00.001-05:00

I am sure you can remember back to the controversial election of 2000 when hanging chads became the focus with great animus and hostility on the part of democrats believing Al Gore should have been president. Do you remember one of the salient war cries of that time? "Every person deserves their vote to be counted!" There has never been a greater uproar over the possibility of someone's vote going untallied.

Do you remember the other war cry of the day once the courts determined George Bush the winner? It was, "The election has been stolen" or some form of that protest.

One thing about history is that it tends to reveal the glaring hypocrisies of those who might wish to ignore it.

Enter Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama and the party of short--and very selective-- memories. When Michigan and Florida decided to back out on their agreement concerning the party's rules regarding when and how their primaries would be conducted, the national party decided to punish the two states by nullifying their primary election. This made their delegates ineligible to count in the selection of their party's candidate for the highest office in the land.

How interesting this is since--putting it in other words--the democrats were outraged that some people's votes didn't count when they wanted to manipulate the system in order to make their candidate president. According to them at that time, the most heinous, egregious, and reprehensible offense committed against any human being is the crime of discounting anyone's vote. How un-American!

And yet, the same party--so offended that some improperly cast votes might not have counted--by their own doing, eliminated every single vote by every eligible voting citizen of Michigan and Florida!

And you know what else I heard just the other day? Because of Michigan and Florida's votes not counting, the candidate's lackeys were spewing the reminiscent language of thievery saying "the primary election is being stolen."

What short memories. What grotesque hypocrisy.

Planned Parenthood Gets Another Pass

2008-03-14T15:49:00.001-05:00

Planned Parenthood is a business that exists and flourishes by murdering the tiniest, most helpless of people. So why would it surprise anyone then, that it just might not be the most sensitive and honorable corporation in all other aspects of its operation?

The charges by pro-lifers over the years have been that PP is just in it for the money. When you consider their cash flow and the numbers of devastated lives--both those killed and those permanently scarred with memories of those killed, it is hard to argue that it's not all about money. But one person wanted to have something more tangible than the obvious.

UCLA student, Lila Rose decided to do an undercover piece on PP looking at attitudes concerning racial bias within the operation of the stellar organization.

She hired an actor to contact PP in seven states asking them if they would be willing to accept a donation that was specifically earmarked for the "abortion of black babies."

In the course of contact with PP representatives, not a single PP employee "objected or questioned the request even when the actor insisted that the purpose was 'to lower the number of black people' in America."

Jared Bridges--web editor for the Family Research Council remarks that PP is "Never a group to turn away a buck, Planned Parenthood will take money from wherever and whomever it can get it, be it the government, Hollywood movie stars, and corporations. That welcoming spirit apparently even extends to those who seek racial genocide."

Planned Parenthood has been a scourge on our nation since its inception. It siphons off millions of dollars in tax sponsored aid to accomplish its mission of killing babies and has been caught red handed, too many times to count, in scandals ranging from altered, incomplete or destroyed medical records, failing to report legally required information, failing to report sexual abuse or rape, and truly just about whatever else one can imagine from those who kill babies for a living. Where money is king, all else bows and the leaders of this nation have been kissing the feet of this devil for decades and it does so with impunity.

Nothing Baffling About NIU Shootings

2008-03-03T13:43:00.000-05:00

This past Valentine's Day a gunman on the Northern Illinois University Campus opened fire on students in Cole Hall hitting 21 people killing five.

The scenario was all too familiar with lockdowns, screaming students, wide spread panic and crowds meandering around hours later in a stupor wondering "what just happened?" At the end of it all the shooter-- Steven Kazmierczak--was also dead; a blessing for the inhabitants of planet earth in general and Dekalb, Illinois in particular. If it seems strange calling the perpetrator's demise a blessing, one must understand that God's very reason for implementing capital punishment was to remove the evil one from the community. Removing such a wicked person would enhance the quality of life of the innocent citizens at large. Under such a rubric, even the extreme consequence of execution is not barbaric but merciful.

Predictably there was the typical hand-wringing concerning the "whats" and "whys" of it all with the "experts" attempting "expert" explanations. The comment that caught my attention though was the person opining about these homicides as well as all the others of recent times, saying-- "Only God knows why this is happening." I don't share the same assessment.

While many occurrences in our daily routines are mystifying, these rampages are the by-product of a wayward culture which trivializes morality, dilutes or redefines right and wrong while rewarding evil and punishing righteousness. What's so hard to figure out?

God spoke it through the prophet Isaiah saying, "Woe to those who call evil, good, and good, evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness…" (Isaiah 5:20)

For decades we have been reinventing truth any way we deem appropriate with every individual being the final authority of what is "right for him or her." Why are we then shocked when we learn of someone gunning down others?

If it is true, as our society demands, that morality is fluid; that truth is relative and that what is right for one is not necessarily right for another, how dare we impose OUR notion of right and wrong, even on a homicidal maniac? In the scheme of things Kazmierczak was just an angry, young man who, in his anger, merely expressed himself different than you or I might. Within his moral framework though, he determined his actions were right for him. Moral pronouncements are irrelevant.

If we are consistent with such absurd, cultural notions about good and evil, right and wrong, we may take exception to the nature of the shooter's moral compass, but we cannot--without great hypocrisy--impugn the direction that person's compass points.

So if we are brutally forthright and painstakingly committed to intellectual honesty, we must admit that our cultural trend toward murderous hate commenced at the Garden of Eden. God presented his truth--"And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, 'From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.'" (Genesis 2:16-17) But Eve--several millennia ahead of her time--rejected God's truth determining "truth" for herself trampling over the tender mercies of God when he said "…thou shall not…" The world followed suit and continues in escalating fashion.

Why do these horrors keep happening? Because everyone does what is right in his own eyes. Solomon wrote that such people are fools and should be obvious that we are living in a fool's paradise.

Alternative Worship Is Problematic

2008-03-03T13:41:00.000-05:00

As the Emergent Church continues to emerge, the age old issue of what constitutes "valid worship" continues to be in the forefront of Christian current events.

Barna Associates just released a new survey result showing that "a majority of adults now believe that there are a variety of biblically legitimate ways to experience God outside of the conventional church."

"At least 50 percent of adults who took part in the survey said they felt that each of these six alternatives were 'a complete and biblically valid way for someone who does NOT participate in the services or activities of a conventional church to experience and express their faith in God…'"

1. Engaging in faith activities at home, with one's family (considered acceptable by 89%).

2. Being active in a house church (75%).

3. Watching a religious television program (69%).

4. Listening to a religious radio broadcast (68%).

5. Attending a special ministry event, such as a concert or community service activity (68%).

6. Participating in a marketplace ministry (54%).

Honestly I could write a book on this subject showing the biblical absurdity of at least 5 out of the six. It must be enough for now to say that this shows how biblically illiterate "Christians" are, and that the damnable independence exemplified by Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1 who lost their lives coming to God any old way they felt appropriate, is still the spirit of the age.

It is certainly true that "The Church" does not consist in the physical edifices in which worship takes place but there is clear structure to the "Ekklesia" or the "Ones who are called out," ie., "The Church."

Five out of the six expressions of "worship," which are deemed appropriate by at least half of Christians, do not contain the elements of--among other things--God ordained leadership; authority; accountability structures and the general idea of the "body gathered" who together bring all the gifts to the table so that the church is complete.

The two rebels of Leviticus 10 discovered with their lives that God is not to be trifled with and He birthed the Church for the care, nurture, and safeguarding of those who comprise it. Five of the six mentioned, divorced from the "local church," are nothing more than sinful self-indulgences for which a great price can be expected.

American Psychological Association Needs A Shrink

2008-03-03T12:46:00.000-05:00

Well here's a new intensified twist on how intent the devil is on pushing his anti-God, anti-life devastation on the human race.

In the earlier publications of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders behaviors like Homosexuality and pedophilia for example were listed as mental disorders. Over time however, the professional dogma changed and such aberrant behaviors were deemed to be untouchable by the ethical counselor and such disorders could not be approached unless a person deemed that it was a problem in which case the counselor could help them to overcome these disorders.

But now the American Counseling Association has a new policy stating that even if a client comes to see a counselor for help in overcoming such sexual deviance, the counselor MUST offer only "gay-affirming" arguments.

If the client persists in their view that their struggle is indeed a moral one, the ethical counselor must help them to explore what "religious influences" are underpinning the client's own self-directed homophobia.

Do you see how Satan pushes his homicidal agenda? First he says, you must stop labeling such behaviors as aberrant or sinful. Then he says you must never tell someone their behaviors are "wrong" --unless they believe they are wrong. Then he says you must not offer them "help" to overcome because there is nothing to overcome; then he says, even if they come seeking help, you must convince them there is nothing to seek help for and you must help them to embrace their pathology.

If any counselor dares even refer a client to a counselor who does offer "reparative counseling" the American Counseling Association says that counselor will be breaching their code of ethics.

Fortunately, hundreds of counselors within the APA are protesting but we have a long track record of seeing the frog in the kettle at work! Even if they re successful this time to get something changed, it is only a matter of time until the perverse and dying will obtain what they think they want. This is a satanic scheme; it is not merely human.

Our only hope is that faithful men and women continue to persevere unrelentingly maintaining the truth we know is God's truth. And by Gods grace, as Paul writes to Timothy, perhaps "they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." 2 Tim. 2:26

Archbishop of Canterbury In The Hot Seat

2008-02-13T16:52:00.001-05:00

William Rowan has caused quite the stir by saying last week that adopting certain aspects of Sharia law into the United Kingdom cultural function is unavoidable.

Dr. Rowan is the Archbishop of Canterbury. Upon further examination of what he said, it is not as obtuse as how it is being portrayed by the news outlets but it is plenty disturbing. Williams said, referring to the 1.5 million Muslims who now reside there, the "UK has to 'face up to the fact' that some of its citizens do not relate to the British legal system."

According to the BBC, "Dr Williams argues that adopting parts of Islamic Sharia law would help maintain social cohesion. For example, Muslims could choose to have marital disputes or financial matters dealt with in a Sharia court. He says Muslims should not have to choose between 'the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty'". Rowan also said, "An approach to law which simply said - there's one law for everybody - I think that's a bit of a danger."

If there is to be controversy and a fuss coming forth, it ought to be pertaining to that last phrase.

So what does this all mean to Jews for example, living in a country dominated by a supposedly "Christian" concept of justice. Should Jews have the right to Jewish courts where the Jewish concept of "Lex Talionis"--or the Law of Retribution holds sway? (Actually, the U.K.'s "Beth Din at Finchley in north London already handles a wide range of cases for Jewish adherents including divorce settlements, contractual disputes and tenancy disputes" according to Orthodox Jewish law.)

Should Christians for that matter, have the right to demand a Christian system of justice rather than the offensive imposition of secular law? And where does it stop? The Hindu could insist that our Western world view--grounded in an "either/or" philosophy is incompatible with the Eastern World view which is grounded in a "both/and" philosophy necessitating their own legal system to accommodate them. What I fail to see is how this--as Williams contends--"help maintain social cohesion?"

If Sharia law is brought into the U.K. as an Islamic concession, what happens when you have two parties in the same issue who need a legal ruling where one is Muslim demanding Sharia and the other is non-Muslim demanding another system?

At the end of it all, none of this promotes cohesion in the culture but polarizes it even further. I think the Archbishop needs to rethink this one for a few more years.

Parent's Rights--and Sound Medical Practice--Both Trampled in Maine

2008-02-13T16:45:00.001-05:00

After my last little tirade concerning the poor leadership of Maine's legislators, I have to mention this latest affront to parental rights and respect for law as it is hot off the press.

This past summer the King Middle School gained national attention--the only time Maine grabs national attention is when it is something bad is this limelight was no different. The King Middle School board decided to slap parents in the face by approving a resolution to disseminate birth control--including prescription contraception, to children as young as 11 years old without parental consent or knowledge.

Irate parents raised their voices over concerns about THEIR children and for the second time, the Maine House of Representatives (now there's a misnomer for you) spit on parent's rights once again.

75 House members, violated every sense of decency and voted against the right of parents to know that their little children are receiving prescription drugs. How that can possibly be legal is beyond me. Not only are prescription drugs highly regulated requiring a physician to see and dispense the recipient (felony number 1) and it is statutory rape for a child of 11 to be engaging in any kind of sex. But now the public school becomes the facilitator and willing accomplice of this crime and parents ought to file suit.

Birth control pills are NOT safe! What will happen when Suzie comes home with a headache only to find that she has a blood clot--one of the many side effects of hormonal birth control pills, and the school issued them to her? Will the school be liable? You better believe it! There is currently a class action lawsuit already playing out filed by hundreds of women who have suffered clotting/stroke episodes due to birth control pills.

And what of the increased risk of breast cancer--the top killer of women over the age of 40--and what about the STD's that surely WILL follow the sexual activity of these naïve, little children? Will the public schools be liable? You better believe it and honestly I cannot wait until the first lawsuit gets slapped against these arrogant individuals who so brazenly usurp a parent's right to govern their child's welfare.

What carnage lies ahead and all thanks to the people who keep being elected to make such decisions for you. We have choices and choices have consequences!

Maine's Law Makers Are Destroying Us

2008-02-13T16:43:00.001-05:00

Note--This is a RANT!!!

As I write this I am seething with anger. My anger is on so many levels I can't even identify them all. While it may seem like a sweeping generalization, all one need do is consider every major area of importance to successful survival in this state, and it is clear that the Maine legislature, from the top down, operates in a realm of reality that is inexplicable.

If I wanted to keep the people of a state oppressed and depressed, I don't think I could make as consistently poor decisions to accomplish this if I tried my hardest. From the way this state spends money it doesn't have, to the abundance of restrictions that are contrary to successful survival in a state that is out of the way, it seems like the "leaders" of Maine have a goal of making it a full blown welfare state existing on the sole good graces of a Federal bureaucracy that enjoys throwing money at all things impoverished.

When you think of Maine, what industries do you think of?

Tourism? The money invested in tourism by our "leaders" is paltry and it seems no law aimed at discouraging people from vacationing in Maine is ever shot down.

Lobstering? This used to be a major cash cow but of course Augusta has placed so many restrictions on lobstering that lobsterman have left the industry out of necessity. When you have a nation just to the north and a state just to the south with vastly different, and accommodating laws, it doesn't take much of an IQ to know that the industry will collapse. It is well underway!

Fishing? Did you know there are only two--count them TWO--fishing boats remaining working out of Portland? Because why? Because of the prohibitive laws placed by Maine's law makers. They have left the state moving to Massachusetts where they can still earn a living.

Timber? Same story--laws, laws and more laws.

Small business? It's too costly to do business in this state, because why? Because of taxes, worker's compensation; health insurance and more restrictions than anyone can afford.

So if a bona fide welfare state--a ward of the federal government--is the Way Life Should Be--then everyone in Augusta deserves a hearty WELL DONE. And they will be reelected again and again.

My hope is not in government; never has been, but that gives me no justification in bailing out of the processes by which people make decisions to ruin the respectable life that could be found here. Apparently, not many think like I do. And we are all paying the price.

"Empathy Babies" May Be Coming To A School Near You!

2008-02-12T16:55:00.000-05:00

"Bullying in schools has been a problem for decades, despite attempts to thwart it." writes Jessica Blanchard for the Seattle P-I. She is reporting on an innovative program--read that--"hair-brained" and a giant waste of money.

Such is the case with a Canadian born program which uses babies in the classroom to enhance "emotional literacy." This in turn is supposed to cut down on bullying. If you're not dizzy, you're not listening.

Here it is in a nutshell in their own words: "…if children can learn to identify and understand how other people feel, and better communicate their own feelings, they'll be less aggressive and less likely to bully other students."

A baby attends a classroom with one of its parents and a certified instructor (that lends credibility I guess) urges the students to "monitor the baby's development, watch how it responds to different situations and"--my favorite part--"try to interpret what its feeling."

In one session a father with baby in tow, passes a new diaper around the circle of kids for students to examine and touch. The children talk about the diaper and ask why disposable vs. cloth; how much do diapers cost; how does this dad know his baby is comfortable in his diaper?

This valuable use of class time of course takes away from less important issues like reading and language arts, math and science and things that old fogies like me remember. After all, if a child doesn't "feel safe", he can't learn well…

I suppose the reporter is right saying bullying has been a problem for decades but only barely. See in the 70's we had bullies but then the bullies had bullies and so on. It was called a pecking order; welcome to the world.

But when bullying got out of hand, as it did one day with me and Phil Radtke, having taken all I could take, I strolled across the street on my way home from school and cold- cocked this bully. Old fashioned fisticuffs--well, rolling on the ground more than anything--ensued and lasted about 10 minutes. At the end it was a draw, but amazingly a year of Phil's bullying and taunting me came to an end.

Sometimes turning the other cheek is just plain stupid but honestly, is it the school yard bully who Jesus had in mind anyway? But now babies in school are supposed to do what families are designed to do in shaping the "emotional literacy" of their children. But not in today's world; not when we have a government that chisels away at parental rights and responsibilities keeps pushing for a "Nanny state." Hip, Hip Hooray!

Sen. Specter (R.-Pa.) Out of Bounds?

2008-02-12T16:54:00.000-05:00

Is anyone else disturbed at the intrusion of the Federal Government into the workings of private business? It doesn't seem so. We in New England are keenly aware of the cheating scandal with New England Patriot's coach Bill Belichek.

The NFL investigated, pronounced judgment and issued punishment. At the start of the season, the Pats were caught using some kind of video taping equipment to obtain the play signals of the New York Jets in the season game opener at giant's Stadium. The Patriots and Belichek were fined ¾ of a million dollars and had their first round draft pick (the real punishment) yanked. Case closed--or at least it should be.

As far as everyone knew it was a done deal. Until Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) decided some way or another that it was the role of government to stick their nose into the machinations of private business. If there is law on the books that permits that, then fine; but I am struggling to understand what that law might be other than a senator with a loss of his boundaries and role as a United States senator.

The NFL--a private business--took care of an internal matter--period. So what right does the federal government have demanding further investigation and trying to obtain tapes that been destroyed? Would you hiccup if Uncle Sam decided it wanted to see your records for disciplining an employee who violated one of your policies? Remember we're not talking about a lawsuit here; we're talking about unilateral initiative on the part of a government official.

Everyone gets all worked up when the President wants to have the right to wire tap foreign terrorists. They cry invasion of privacy into the lives of private citizens when it has a legitimate interest in national security yet there's not a peep when the government really does over step itself in this matter of a private corporation.

So what gives? Sen. Specter is also heading up an antitrust suit against the NFL but at least that is a legal proceeding. Still is it a coincidence or has someone in the NFL ticked off the Senator and he is using his office to seek vengeance? It's just a question but when we cease to question our "elected" leaders we are only a beret away from a government that resembles something more of a banana republic than American democracy. Someone needs to ask some questions or your employer--or YOU--could be next.

The Unbeatable... Were Beaten

2008-02-12T16:46:00.000-05:00

How could it be? How did it happen? They were 18 and ZERO; undefeated; the undisputed heavy weight champions of the grid iron setting their spikes into the sod where no other teams had trod. So how did a skin-of-their-teeth wild-card team do what couldn't be done?

I'm sure you have your own speculations but from my humble seat of the Monday morning quarterback, Bill Belichek was out coached. The unbeatable quarterback didn't have time to think, time to move, or time to throw and when it was all over--well no need repeating what we all know.

Coaching is under appreciated in any professional sport. But think about it, they don't make multi-millions per year for doing what anyone can do. Great coaches are worth their weight in gold--literally-- because a great coach can take merely "good" players and make a "great" team.

On the other hand, a merely average coach even with great players is only likely to make a "good" team at best.

So what does a coach do? The late great, Tom Landry said a coach is someone who makes a person do what they don't want to do in order to become what they want to become.

When I think of the all-important arena of family, moms and dads are the coaches--or at least are supposed to be--but more and more, these coaches are abdicating their God given assignments and allowing surrogates--to do the job. The result has not been good and it is getting worse.

The Superbowl is a flash in the pan entertainment event that has little impact on the shape of the world yet the coaches of the NFL invest their time and energy studying, viewing, listening, strategizing, planning and rehearsing its players so they will all know what to do no matter what--or who--comes at them. And all for a piece of metal that we know is going to melt into nothingness. So--are you coaching your children, preparing them for whatever or whoever may come at them? The stakes are a lot higher than some entry in a record book believe me.

Tightly Knit Packages Tied Up With String; This Is Just One Of My Favorite Things

2008-02-01T16:23:00.000-05:00

"…the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes." Daniel 4:25

This phrase occurs four times in the short book of Daniel. If there is a recurring theme in the whole Bible it is that God is God and we are not. I know that comes as a shock to some but truth is TRUE. Never-the-less, the longer I live the more of a Calvinist I become which is not to say that I am a Calvinist. And I am certainly no Arminian in the camp of the Free-willers who place any confidence in the inherent goodness, wisdom, and discernment of mankind. Calvin's first petal of his "t-u-l-i-p"--total depravity--is the most consistently demonstrated characteristic of humanity of any I can enumerate.

True confessions--I find the longer I live, the more I study, and the more I experience and get to know God, the more "complex" He becomes. I often think I "knew God" better as a young Christian than I do today.

The reality of that statement is absurd but it sure seems that way. Everything was pretty cut and dry. That is no longer the case and honestly--I am very comfortable with not having all the answers; not having a perfect theology and not even having a perfect consistency in my understanding.

But for some Christians their theological packages are so neatly jammed with tight little containers of this truth and that truth that anything with a little bit of bulge to it or a corner that isn't exactly square brings out the sweats as anxiety mounts.

I am quite fond of tightly packed packages but I have found they eventually explode under the pressure of their own forced tidiness. For just when you think you have everything in its place, God does something unexpected and there you are trying to fit another container into a box in which there is no room.

So, I have grown to be at peace with a Potter who cannot be fully comprehended by a lump of His clay and at peace with a Potter who sometimes even seems to contradict Himself. But in those moments I have the faith to believe that such contradiction lies in my puny understanding and not in the character of One who is infinite.

So I have no problem believing that sovereignty and free will are two parallel lines that somehow meet in the mind of God. And personally, with that I am very content.

Planned Parenthood Thanks You For Your Support!

2008-02-01T13:58:00.000-05:00

I've never quite understood the cliché "It's like the pot calling the kettle black." But I think this fits. Planned Parenthood--or planned barrenhood as some like to call it, is all in a snit over a radio ad because it is pro-life.

The ad is scientifically factual with the sound of a fetal heart beating in the background and then various statistics are given concerning a woman's right to choose to terminate her baby's life.

Planned Parenthood is trying to force the ads off the air claiming the ads spread lies and gross inaccuracies. The fingerprints of Satan are truly all over this organization which receives millions (170 million to be more specific) in federal funding which comes directly from you and me.

Now let's consider another ad. This one is produced by the San Francisco chapter of Planned Parenthood. Set to air on MTV, VHI, Comedy Central and TLC, this disgusting ad shows a very effeminate, male, flight attendant flamboyantly parading up the aisles of the airplane encouraging sexual activity by distributing all manner of devices supposedly promoting safe relations. (Understand I have cleaned this up for the listening audience.)

Planned Parenthood said the ad is meant to stress the importance of sexual health in a "creative way and one that breaks free from the old ineffective paradigm."

So there ya go! The ad by the pro-life group, which is scientifically factual and very pro-life, should be pulled and the disgusting and perverted ad by the largest purveyor of abortions in the nation is a public service.

What can I say that I haven't said so many times before? Thus is what the world has become and thus is why the world needs the truth and the hope that only comes through knowing the Savior of the world. It is this unto which we have committed ourselves whether the world desires what we offer or not.

California Is Operating Under the Influence...

2008-02-01T13:53:00.000-05:00

The Berkeley City Council--that would be the Berkeley, California City Council--as if I needed to specify that after you hear the rest of this.

So the City Council had a problem on their hands; an unwanted "business" in their fair city. Now I have been a part of a concerned citizenry when a topless bar wanted to come into our town. You can bet I had something to say about it. Other towns also have protested their town fathers to put restrictions or prohibitions on seamy businesses like porn shops or massage parlors wanting to establish themselves. But what happens when the town fathers--read that, the government--decides to organize and sponsor protests against legal "businesses" that exist to protect the very nature of government that is trying to evict them?

You see the Berkeley City Council voted 6-3 to tell the U.S. Marines that its Shattuck Avenue recruiting station "is not welcome in the city, and if recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders."

It not only informed them they were not welcome but they organized the stellar group, Code Pink, to protest their office and impede their efforts. (Sounds like a hate crime to me!) I think we need a buffer zone around recruiting stations like the one courts imposed on pro-life groups surrounding abortion clinics.

These anti-American miscreants then proceeded to vote 8-1 to give Code Pink a special parking space in front of the recruiting station for six months and a free sound permit for protesting.

California is a renegade state that is out of control in many ways and the Republican Governor needs to be held accountable. The buck stops at his office and he is singularly responsible for ungovernmental conduct. How bad is tit becoming? His state is currently, in flagrant violation of federal law allowing vending machines on the streets dispensing marijuana. This is only for medical purposes of course none of which matters as this is clearly a violation of federal statute.

Frankly, as much as I am opposed to more government infringement on state's rights, the constitution clearly demands that a national defense be established and sustained. What the Berkeley City Council did should be against federal statue as well. This sort of anti-American anti-constitutional nonsense needs to be outlawed.

It is time for the land of fruits and nuts to join the United States of America or declare their independence--and all that, that means!

What Moral Values? Whose Moral Values?

2008-01-29T14:21:00.000-05:00

I know I have said it before but the longer the election season goes on, the clearer it becomes. I used to hold out hope that perhaps the influence of Christians in society could at least hold off the down fall of our once great land but alas, I see more and more, Christians falling in lock step with the prevailing views of culture. The following is from the Pastor's Weekly Briefing published by focus on the Family.

"The phrase moral values is often used by political commentators and journalists to mean the issues important to the "Christian Right" and some conservatives. The issues political commentators typically refer to are abortion, gay rights, same-sex marriage and stem cell research.

When the public uses this phrase, however, they mean something quite different. Most are referring to the character of the candidate, such as honesty, integrity, trustworthiness and the likelihood of "doing the right thing."

Using the phrase as the public understands it, most people (85%) say moral values are important when deciding who to vote for and are "very important" to 46 percent of the public, according to a recent Harris Poll.

The survey revealed that when most people talk about "moral values," they are not referring to the agenda of the Christian Right.

From a list of 12 issues, those surveyed said abortion and gay rights were the least important. Health care, Social Security, economic issues, taxes, the war in Iraq, the war on terror, immigration, education and the environment are all important to many more voters. Among those who believe moral values are very important, only 13 percent mentioned abortion and six percent mentioned gay rights."

Maybe you're saying, "yeah, so?" Well, that's what I mean. The so-called moral issues of our day are not exactly what the Bible would label as moral issues. Some of them might be prudent, even beneficial but to call them moral means they issue from the character of God and are non-negotiable. The only real "moral issues" listed were abortion and homosexuality and where did they come in? 13% of the population and when you consider 80% of America claims a Christian faith, well, like I said, we're in deep doo-doo.

Fox's New "Reality" Show Is Just Plain Evil

2008-01-24T10:04:00.000-05:00

Fox Television debuted its new "reality" show last night and I determined to watch the first episode, at least part of it, precisely for this commentary. The premise of the show is that the contestant who tells the truth through all 21 questions wins a half a million dollars. In the pre-game screening the contestant has been wired to a lie detector and is asked a series of 50 questions from which are taken the 21 questions actually used on the show.

In other words, once a contestant makes it on the show, they are keenly aware of what questions "may" be posed. This is stupefying to me. I watched only the first 40 minutes or so of the first show. In the early going, some of the questions are rather benign; slightly embarrassing perhaps, in a silly way, but as the money gets larger, the questions become more difficult; more destructive.

But here's the thing; as I said I only watched the very first couple of tiers of questions--in other words, the "easy" ones. With the first contestant's wife and two friends sitting there to add to the pressure and awkwardness of the situation, the man is asked something close to, "Have you not had children yet because you don't think your wife is the woman you want to start a family with?"

The contestant, squirming, lied but the polygraph revealed it was true. So there sits his wife of two years, nationally embarrassed, personally devastated, and because he lied, he walks away with zilch. Great fun eh?

Honestly I don't know who is worse; the creators of this evil show or the people who are foolish enough to sell their self respect, their privacy, their friends their family and their marriage for the chance to make some quick cash.

"He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but he who searches after evil, it will come to him. He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like the green leaf." Proverbs 11:27-28

If you watched this show's debut, I hope you will never watch it again; it is inspired by the devil himself and God's people have no business reveling in the sin of others.

The Fall Of Another Rising Star

2008-01-23T16:59:00.001-05:00

Another wildly successful, rich, handsome, popular, got-it-all celebrity is dead after less than three decades on this earth. My first recollection of Heath Ledger is from the movie The Patriot where he played the brave son of Mel Gibson defying his father's wishes and joining the American Revolution. He dies as the tragic hero fighting for the burgeoning nation's freedom. Some sacrifices are not only honorable but admirable if not necessary. Many others are not.

It would be presumptuous of me to brand Ledger's death, naked and alone in a Brooklyn apartment, a hideous picture of the man's fate who pursues "life" apart from the "Life-Giver."

Never-the-less, Jesus did say in John's gospel, "I came to give life and give it more abundantly." For many, that's a great sentiment so long as you keep that "religious stuff" confined to a white, steepled building, but the reality of what Jesus promised is routinely lost on sojourners in a land of prosperity.

Rising star, actor/comedian Freddie Prinze, was only 22 when he shot himself; River Phoenix, had one year on Prinze when he overdosed outside a nightclub. Jonathan Brandis, hanged himself at 27 and David Strickland died in like fashion almost making it to thirty.

They were all rich, handsome, popular, got-it-all celebrities who had everything by appearance yet willingly cashed it in for nothing, believing, or at least hoping, that death is more preferable than life.

Apparently all their "everything" wasn't nearly enough to palliate whatever sorrow and meaninglessness compelled them to look for solace in the grave.

Heather Nauert of Fox news seemed sincerely baffled that someone with Ledger's profile would take his own life. That is understandable if your only point of reference for judging life is by the standard set by affluent, westerners. There is a disparate assessment however, by a wise, old soul who made it his goal in life to figure such mysteries out.

The first and last chapters of the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes contain bookend statements framing Solomon's inspired assessment of the world's offerings of satisfaction and joy. He writes, "Meaningless! Meaningless! …Everything is meaningless!"

Solomon is often misunderstood by his critics seeing him as the consummate pessimist. To the partially informed, Solomon saw the glass not simply half empty; but broken. But that's not the whole story. Solomon explains: "…as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:19)

There were plenty of rich people in the Bible and their wealth was clearly the blessing of God on their lives. But Solomon warns, lose sight of the One from whom such good things come, and despair is only a sword--or a pill bottle--away.

I cannot judge the late, young actor's heart or what was taking place in the mine field of his soul. But spiritual journeys--of which we are all active or passive partakers--bear certain marks of the roads on which we are traveling.

I truly hope I am wrong about Ledger's; only God knows, and that is all that matters for He is a gracious and perfectly just judge. If only the multitudes blinded by bling would learn that success and wealth are not a matter of fame and fortune, but of knowing, and being known, by one's Creator.

It is naïve perhaps but I trust maybe somewhere along the line of such high profile tragedies, a few will put it together. At least that is my prayer.

Religious Exemption Clauses Mean Little

2008-01-23T13:20:00.000-05:00

Every time any kind of legislation is put forth increasing the normalization and necessarily, the desensitization of homosexuality, the community of the faithful should be rigorously opposed. As the years move along and the social bludgeoning of those with a morality informed by the wisdom of God continues, homosexuality gains ground. Often times it is with the reluctant approval of followers of Christ because of a false sense of security engendered by some "exception" clause written into the legislation exempting religious people and organizations.

Thinking that "live and let live" is somehow an easy way out, the "faithful" throw in the towel with a sigh believing that "at least I won't be affected…"

But here this well: No matter what kind of "religious exception clause is written into pro-homosexual law, push will come to shove sooner or later and religious exemption will fall to the homosexual juggernaut.

Enter Seton Medical Center, San Francisco where a man walked in wanting to have sex-change surgery. The hospital refused to do the surgery and predictably, the hospital has been sued.

The case has gone to the San Francisco Superior Court. Family Focus reports that "Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, has offered to represent the hospital [saying] “If this hospital is required to deny its religious beliefs in order to function as a hospital, then the protection of religious entities — even churches — could be on the chopping block..."

Regardless how this particular case turns out, religious exemption clauses are merely temporary concessions to silence people of conviction and common sense and pass immoral laws. You have to understand that the people pushing such laws are committed to their very soul that not only is their view of gender and sex the right view, but that the traditional views of those with a religious informing grid, are immoral and stand in the way of a truly free and happy society. So they will gladly toss a bone or two to the religious fanatics of the culture knowing full well that in time, those exemptions will be challenged and removed.

I see it playing out as each year ticks off and even the most ardently moral people are becoming resigned to the inevitability of a society where homosexuality is every bit as accepted, and endorsed as a heterosexual one. I do believe we will lose this struggle for decency, never-the-less, we must never give in to it becoming part of the problem.

Update on California's SB777; a Very Confused Law

2008-01-23T13:12:00.000-05:00

You might remember just a couple weeks back I mentioned that California's governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 777 in to law putting homosexuality on equal footing with heterosexuality in matters of public education. The people of California failed to obtain the nearly half a million signatures to put it to referendum.

The new law means that a student’s sex is no longer determined by genetic make up but rather as his or her “gender identity." In other words, in California, you are no longer a boy or girl based on how the genes were doled out and expressed at birth but rather what you feel about yourself. So if you feel you're a boy but you are a girl by birth, according to law, you are now a boy. I can hardly believe I am writing this it seems so unbelievable not to mention absurd but it is what it is.

Arguably there is far more empirical evidence as to the reality of one's physiological make-up than there is one's professional make-up. So what I want to do now is carry this asinine view of biological reality to other aspects of the realities of life.

Why can't we have SB 778 which, like SB 777 in the absence of all reason, would redefine one's occupation based not on degrees, training, certification and experience, but on one's feelings about who they are in the work place?

Under SB 778: Overheard at LAX: Governor, this is your Pilot, Pat who just finished high school. He has a neat little set of pin-on wings and a really cool U.S. Airways hat! He's never flown any type of aircraft but he will be your pilot today; he says he really feels like an aviator…"

Overheard at UCLA Medical Center: "Okay Governor, we're ready for your appendectomy. Bruce here, who just walked in off the street, said he feels like a doctor today and is really sincere and excited about doing your surgery."

I am willing to bet the Governor would be less than cooperative. What one feels about one's gender does not change the reality of who they are anymore than it changes the reality of what they can do and no one would stand for such a thing; yet SB 777 remains law for now.

This "Terminator" governor deserves to have his political career terminated for acute stupidity.

Are You Looking For a Leader Or A Likable Candidate?

2008-01-16T15:41:00.000-05:00

My wife and I were driving south on the highway Monday listening to shout radio. Shout radio is where you listen to show hosts giving their commentary on sound bites of people where the sound bites often have two people shouting on top of one another so that you can't really hear either of them. It's good fun in small doses.

But we were listening to a sound bite of Hillary Clinton before the New Hampshire primary answering a question about Barak Obama being more likable than she. To her credit she answered tongue in cheek saying, it hurt her feelings. Then she paused and said, "But I'll try and go on."

Then my wife eloquently shouted herself, at the air, "We're not voting for someone we like, we're voting for a leader. The American people are idiots, and you can quote me on that." So I did.

Because she is right. This election year, like so many others in its wake, sees candidates assigned handlers, image consultants, makeup artists, and stylists so as to present the very best pretense of a human being.

How many times have I heard references this year to, Mrs. Clinton's likeability factor or lack thereof? How many times have I been told how charming Barak is or how boring Fred Thompson is. With Clinton's showing in New Hampshire, many pundits are saying it was because of her melodramatic answer to a question about how she manages to get up each day and keep going in the face of her sliding popularity.

Many said her win in New Hampshire was because she finally connected "emotionally" with the voters. I fear they are right which makes me gag! Are we hiring a public relations Diva or a world leader? I couldn't care less how likable a candidate is if they have their head screwed on straight, and they are emotionally and physically tough enough for the grind as President.

And I don't care if they look particularly good on camera or whether or not they "look presidential." Is this the depth of the American public? Honestly, I have to say YES, it is. That's why we have mock debates which ask questions like, "How would you win the war on terror?" and you have 60 seconds to answer.

This nonsense has to stop--but it won't. For such have we become and we reap what we sow.

Mr. President, You Got Some Splainin To Do!"

2008-01-15T14:31:00.001-05:00

I have never been anything but an ardent supporter of the current president. That has never meant that I don't have some big differences on some pretty important areas of policy but in most of the major areas of life, the president and I have always seen eye to eye with the exception of immigration. But his present position concerning Israel and the so-called "Palestinians" has me absolutely dumbfounded. Finishing his trip to the Middle East last week He used words like "the occupation that began in 1967," "Palestinian homeland" "compensation" and "lasting peace."

Now I happen to know this president is not stupid but I cannot for the life of me figure out what he is thinking concerning Israel and the centuries old strife between Jews and Arabs.

Israel has never been an occupier of anyone's land but their own and I am not even referring to their claim of Divine right (which happens to be valid but that is another book…) I am referring to the dictates of the League of Nations and later, the United Nations which clearly gave the disputed land to the Jews long ago.

Bush said that establishing a Palestinian state would increase the security of Israel. Huh? The "Palestinians" (a misnomer since everyone living in that area of the world are all "Palestinians") are the people who swear on their mother's camel that there will never be peace until Israel is extinct. This has nothing to do with borders and I know the President knows this. I am befuddled but the President continues and chides Israel for "undermining Palestinian efforts to modernize the Palestinian Authority's security forces." Excuse me? Israel is doing nothing that we wouldn't do and haven't done when our national security was in jeopardy. We set up a blockade around an island south of Florida to keep Russia from "modernizing their security forces." I am wondering if the president didn't inhale some of the second hand smoke his predecessor didn't.

I understand legacy building and all that and I understand election year politics enough but this is selling out a nation and pretty well signing their death certificates. So Mr. President you got some 'splainin to do!

American Library Association Continues To Defy Federal Law

2008-01-15T13:28:00.000-05:00

I have written about the American Library Association (ALA) numerous times before. It sounds like it should be such a wholesome organization. It is anything but. They sponsor the annual charade called Banned Books Week which is, well, a total charade and they are deeply in the pocket of the infamous ACLU.

In Florida, the ALA, is trampling on the health and welfare of children in circumventing the federal ban on pornography at public libraries.

In 2003, the Children’s Internet Protection Act was signed into law. It requires public libraries to use filtering and blocking technology if they are to keep federal funding.

So when a young girl noticed a man viewing porn at a library in Florida, the man was simply asked to close the site. The library maintained they were legally required to allow such access to any and all sites.

According to Citizen Link Magazine Matt Barber, policy director for cultural issues at Concerned Women for America said, “We know that the ACLU and other organizations are using the First Amendment and saying this is an infringement on First Amendment rights for libraries, and it infringes upon the rights of the individual using the library."

That of course is horse pucky but abuse of the First amendment is the bread and butter of the ACLU. They use it like a horse whip cracking it loudly whenever anything virtuous rears its head. It always draws more contributions by those who despise morality and virtue.

So while the library may use blocking filters to maintain their federal funding, they unblock any site whenever anyone wants to view one even if little children are swarming and such trash is in clear view. That is in clear violation of the Children's Protection Act which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Not to be deterred by considerations of child welfare, virtue, or the law, the ACLU has recommended that the ALA turn down federal funds refusing "censorship" and thus keep the smut lines clear. The ACLU--bastion of illicit lawyers that it is--still doesn't understand the difference between censorship versus the public's forced funding of someone else's perverse agenda. The only solution is to keep pushing the law and making sure it gets enforced.

Unhappy Christians and Happy Pagans Do Exist!

2008-01-10T13:37:00.001-05:00

A recent poll by the folks at Gallup tell us that a majority of Americans are "happy " or "very happy" with their lives. In fact, more than 8 out of 10 (8.4 to be exact) Americans make such a statement. So how does that statistic square with your notion of having a relationship with God?

I am certain that nowhere near 84% of the population have a vibrant relationship with Jesus and yet if "happiness" depends on living in right relationship with the Creator, what do you make of it all?

We Christians need to understand that God didn't come to earth to make us "happy." He came to deal with our sin. But our culture is driven so much by experiential prosperity that we tend to make God and happiness inseparable. But casual observation should challenge that in both directions--meaning; I know some pretty miserable Christians, and some pretty happy pagans.

What this means practically is we need to shun the sales pitch for our God that if you're not happy, you need to come to Jesus and that will all change. If that is true, what do you say to the pagan who says, "But I AM happy! I don't need your God."?

I have heard Christians actually say, "No you're not happy; you only think you're happy." That is not going to sway anyone. The fact is, people can be "happy" without Christ; but they're still doomed.

The carrot that many preachers hold out to their congregations is the carrot of existential well being! "Come to Christ and all your wildest dreams will come true." But that omits a significant segment of the population who don't know God, don't care to yet are reasonably well adjusted people with relatively healthy and happy lifestyles. Do we concede they don't need Christ?

Not at all; Christ didn't come to make us happy. If you are, great, but He came to solve the damning issue of our sin not merely to give us a sense of well being. You may be happy as you march into hell, but you won't be happy once you get there. And that needs to be the thrust of our message--Come to Jesus because without Him you will perish, even if you're happy--for now.

California Still Leads The Way In All The Wrong Ways

2008-01-09T16:55:00.000-05:00

The normalization of homosexuality is the greatest internal threat to civilization's healthy existence.

This past October, Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Calif.) signed SB 777 into law requiring all curricula — even that of private schools — to treat homosexuality and heterosexuality "equally."

According to Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, "Under this mandate, teaching students about the benefits of traditional families will be considered discrimination."

You can't possibly remember back to the scores of articles I wrote for my award winning columns in the Central Maine newspapers on the subject but I wrote over and over again, that the goal of the homosexual juggernaut was not mere tolerance but wholesale endorsement and advocacy.

Quoting Perkins, "Schools will no longer be asked to tolerate, but to advocate a lifestyle with devastating consequences to public health and conscience."

This will infect every area of educational pursuit including historical studies of "famous gays" which is problematic even from a factual stand point. Homosexuality in days past was anathema. People didn't show case their perversion and so today, there are many "stories" and "rumors" of "famous people that have been made factual history by pro-homosexual forces about men and women who were supposedly homosexual. But the evidence is either scant or fabricated.

Of course this law will demand certain perverse teachings about sexuality and sexual practices as well as lifestyle issues of health and well being.

A group of parents is trying desperately to force this law to a referendum but they will need over 400,000 signatures to do so and even then the outcome is unpredictable.

And I hope you listening do not just shrug and say, "Well that's California; what do you expect?" The trend is that what happens in California generally sweeps the country moving to the East coast within seven years. My experience tells me that is an old axiom and that it doesn't take nearly that long anymore. And with a state like Massachusetts to our south and our own liberal leadership of this state, I suspect it would be less than half that before we see something similar here.

Bury your head in the sands of sin if you wish, but we are all that stands between wholesale corruption and some semblance of peaceful existence.

How Perverse Can We Get?

2008-01-09T16:52:00.000-05:00

How perverse can we get? Well, each year that ticks off, the old standard of "normal" is downgraded so it is hard to say but one thing is certain; we will continue to experience social degradation until the Lord returns. Our only consolation is that godly leaders in places of influence can reduce that rate of decline and along the way--hopefully and prayerfully--influence some along the way to see what is good and right.

So we start the new year with Elizabeth Santiago of Massachusetts' Northern Essex Community College filing a discrimination complaint against the school for not allowing her to use the men's locker room. Elizabeth calls herself "Ethan" and claims she is uncomfortable using the women's locker room.

The school has resisted fearing that a sexual assault might occur if she were to use the men's facilities. I am trusting that is only the school's public reason given for refusal and that the fact that she IS a female in spite of what her deranged self image portrays, is the real reason for refusal.

Several months ago I noted that when we begin looking at serious presidential candidates there are two issues that should trump all others. Our greatest national threat externally is Islamic terrorism which means we need a president who is truly resolute and hawkish on terrorism. Our greatest national threat internally is homosexuality which means we need a president who will not fear public rancor and excoriation for upholding the common sense decency of mankind where men and women remain distinct entities defined, not by their sense of perception, but by biological reality.

There is no such thing as gender confusion; only gender perversion and that perversion is a direct consequence for rejecting the God of the Bible. That, by the way, is not an assertion but the clear teaching of Scripture. I refer you to Romans chapter 1:18 and forward.

So when you get overwhelmed by the myriad of issues (important issues to be sure) tossed about in these days of candidating, remember the two defining issues of our civilization; terrorism and homosexuality. If everything else is in place but those two salient issues are not; you're just rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic. Remember you heard it here first.

Grumpy Christians and Happy Pagans

2008-01-09T16:49:00.000-05:00

New Year's Resolutions--Again...

2007-12-28T13:37:00.000-05:00

Have you made any New Year's resolutions? Well here I go again. Probably about 3 times a year or more I will be asked by someone, "What can I read to know the Bible better?" It's a thrilling question to someone who has invested their life into the teaching of the Word. Every time I am asked it, I answer the same. "How about the Bible?" I'll say.

Let me reduce this to the simplest form I can. If you wanted to get to know your next door neighbor, what would be the best way to do it? Would it be to ask another neighbor who has known the person in question? To be sure, that would give some information and maybe even good information but then again, the information could be skewed, slanted or biased.

Would it be to hang around other people who know the neighbor in question? Again, you might learn some things about the neighbor but remember I asked, "What would be the best way to get to know someone?"

Wouldn't the most reliable, most efficient way to get to know someone be by hanging around with that person; talking with that person, seeing that person involved in various circumstances in various places and times?

Well knowing God is no different. Remember John begins his gospel by saying. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." So the best way to get to know Him is not by reading what someone else says about Him but by spending time with Him frequently. And we do that by reading the Bible not by reading books about the Bible.

So grab one of those reading schedules that lay out a daily reading plan. It will help you stay disciplined. And for heaven's sake, don't expect to understand everything you read. I have been studying the Bible for three decades with advanced degrees and I don't even come close to understanding everything.

But over time, you will gain a new sense of who God is and a new feel for what is and isn't in the Bible. So if you're going to make one resolution this year, try making it to spend time with the Creator of the world each day. And when you miss a day--like I do--don't beat yourself up; remember this is for your pleasure in spending time with the King. It's not to gain you points; Jesus has taken care of that!

God is in Control and Will Be This Time Next Year

2007-12-28T13:28:00.000-05:00

It is January 4th, four days into the new year. There remains only 361 days in this calendar year and yet by this time next year, we will still be under terrorist watch alerts; health care professionals will still be wringing their hands over the rate of pregnancies to unwed mothers; CDC officials will still be baffled at the rise of sexually transmitted diseases due to a wholesale, cultural lack of self control; the ridiculous cost of health care will continue to soar; George Bush will still be blamed for everything wrong in the world, global warming will continue to be hyped in spite of objective analysis and the price of filling your gas tank will still be inflated by the manufactured pressure of supply and demand.

But the big news story of 2008 will be who will sit in the White House having obtained the nod of the American public with the expectation that whoever it is, will make a significant dent in these monumental issues.

I hate being Mr. Dismal but I have been alive long enough now to see presidents come and go and while there have been minuscule changes for the better concerning the common good, the world has not improved nor will it. And that will not change no matter who sits in the Oval Office--my humble opinion…

The longer I live, the more clearly I seem to see the hand of God involved in the affairs of mortal man. Good leaders improve things here and there, or at least palliate symptoms of the diseased human spirit, but root causes are rarely if ever addressed and God is increasingly a concept better left in a closet.

When Nebuchadnezzar of the Old Testament--the King during Daniel's life--was recalcitrant and was sentenced to punishment by the Supreme Creator of the universe. Daniel records the following: "This sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers, and the decision is a command of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes…"

This exact phrase is repeated four times in the short book and the point ought to be clear.

God is in control; not Republicans; not Democrats; not conservatives or liberals and the next leader of this wayward country will be the one--for good or bad--placed there by the hand of God. That is not necessarily comforting but it should be encouraging. There is a God and His will, will be done. One way or another.

Muslim Teen Murdered By Her Father

2007-12-26T14:43:00.000-05:00

Aqsa was a normal, ethinic American teen. She had a Facebook page and her posted picture shows her to be an adorable 16 year old. If it is possible to say it, she looked very "North American" like millions of children of immigrants who came to this continent to find, well, the North American dream of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Aqsa's life, liberty and pursuit of happiness came to an abrupt halt a couple weeks ago when her father murdered her. That in and of itself, horrible as it is, is not the whole story. What is unique about this murder is that it was an "honor killing" as it is called, in the peaceful religion of Islam.

Aqsa wanted to fit in with all the other Canadian girls she lived, breathed and moved around and so one day decided she didn't want to wear the traditional hijab or head covering worn by Muslim women. That is what cost her, her life.

What is also disgusting about this story is that the media, in their predictable Islamophobia, have not reported the story for what it is. One Canadian report reported it: "Canadian Teen Dies; Father Charged"

That's it, who knows why the teen died only that the father was charged, because, God forbid, that the public should know the whole truth about the serene, Muslim culture of sharia law.

Mohamed Elmasry, President of the Canadian Islamic Congress, wins "understatement of the year" award with his dynamic statement saying, "It was a teen issue."

What is also predictable yet unsettling is the silence from women's groups who thrill to jump on anything, real or imagined, that might be perceived as demeaning to females when it originates from western European sources.

Let a Christian merely parrot the biblical role of a woman and listen to the caterwauling of the feminists and watch the headlines pop to the fore of the news. Just last week I heard Chris Wallace snidely commenting about the statement Mike Huckabee made some time in his past concerning his view of women and their proper role in a marriage. He was nearly quoting, verbatim, Ephesians 5:20ff but you would have thought Huckabee was a stone aged tyrant dragging his wife through life by the hair or something worse.

But when it comes to Islam, the critics are strangely silent.

67 Year Old Mother of Twins thinking Only Of Herself

2007-12-13T14:49:00.000-05:00

Selfishness takes on all forms. Maria Del Carmen Bousada de Lara of Spain got the urge to travel to America to seek medical treatment. That was all her family knew. Imagine their shock when media agencies began hounding them asking them their opinion of Maria's motherhood.

Maria's 73 year old brother thought it was a media hoax. As far as he knew, his sister was an independent, unmarried woman and never had any desire for children. Her reason for wanting children now? She answers with a non-answer-- "That’s life. I have my motives.”

But the medical procedure she obtained in America was aggressive IVF or in vitro fertilization. Maria gave birth to twin sons and, oh, did I mention that Maria is 67 years old?

That's right; she becomes the oldest woman in the world to have children and even her family is critical of her decision questioning her ability to even raise the children. To increase that concern, Maria has just been diagnosed with cancer essentially assuring her sons growing up motherless.

The woman lied about her age when seeking IVF; she told the doctor who took her on as a patient that she was 55. I've seen picture of this woman; she looks closer to 67 than she does 55. Way to go doc. Must have had a boat payment due…

But even if she was "only" 55, in my opinion, with rare exception, that is still too old to think about starting a family. I am in extraordinary health in all ways yet at 54, I am pretty wiped at the end of the day. My wife and I have thought--for fleeting moments-- about adopting and starting a new family now that our children are grown but invariably I look in the mirror at my wrinkles, the shedding hair, the bags under my eyes and say, "Are you nuts?"

There is no way I could adequately parent small children again not even with the help of my wife. And this 67 year old is single on top of everything else.

Forget the rumors about selling her story to the tabloids; one thing is certain. Maria had only one person in view when she made her decision and that was Maria. Yes, selfishness takes on all kinds of shapes and sizes.

Christmas Debt a Real Sin Issue

2007-12-12T15:08:00.000-05:00

How's your outgo with respect to your income? It is an especially important question this time of year. Do you really want to be paying for "Christmas" presents for several months into the new year? Somehow, it's hard to see how that would be pleasing to the Lord whose birthday we celebrate.

Janet Hard was faithful to pay not only the minimum payment on her Discover card but paid extra on the balance each month. Problem is, she didn't notice the balance going down much at all. It seems Discover increased her interest rate from an unbelievable 18% to a criminal sounding rate of 24.4%. Back in another era, that was the kind of rate you would get from a guy named Vito who would take your loan application from the back seat of his black Lincoln.

Why was Mrs. Hard's rate increased even though she was a faithful payer? She apparently had other credit cards with some debt on them as well as some others that were inactive. Never-the-less, the availability of credit lowered her credit rating making her a greater risk hence the increase in interest rate.

What was the impact of the interest component of her bill? She had paid $3,478 on her $5,618 debt in the last two years yet only reduced her debt by a scant $350! That should make one groan but more, it should compel the millions of consumers like you, who carry credit card debt to STOP spending what you don't have! For the Christian, it is a sin issue.

How much of God's money is being stolen from him--ie., not going to Him as He demands in Haggai 1:9 and Malachai 3:10. Instead much of "God's money" is going to "The Man" in credit card interest.

If this is in anyway hitting home, you need to not just groan about it, you need to take vigorous action to change it. The first step is to STOP spending money you don't have. I don't care if it is Christmas time, it's a wonderful time to bring this part of your life in line with God's will for you. There is real freedom in not having to spend money you don't have and real spiritual joy. Don't put it off. Do it now--for a better New Year and a peace-filled journey.

Religous Scrutiny is Fairly Useless for Presedential Consideration

2007-12-12T14:20:00.000-05:00

Mormonism has never been more in the spot light of public attention than it is currently. All the attention is a mixed bag.

Republican candidate Mike Huckabee, in an article published in Sunday's NY Times magazine asked, "Don't Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?"

Huckabee never answers the question and that is the problem with the spot light on Mormonism. Nothing is ever really answered so one is left with the unsubstantiated impression that Mormonism is either a truly deceptive cult or that it is a viable Christian faith which simply gets bad press.

For the record, the definition of a cult from an evangelical perspective, is a group of people, claiming to be Christian, yet adhere to a particular doctrinal system "invented" by a strong leader whose views are codified in a book which, invariably, supersedes the Bible.

If you accept that definition, Mormonism is a cult. Where Mormons were once Trinitarian early on, Joseph smith changed that defining the bizarre view Mormons hold today. Namely, there is a plurality of gods as spirit beings morph--in a sense--into gods in charge of other worlds. In that god is the father of all spirit beings, Jesus and Satan--both spirit beings according to Mormonism--are technically therefore brothers.

That being said, though the whole religious review of candidates is skewed, inappropriate and misplaced. I have to agree with Mit Romney at one level. Paraphrasing his response about his beliefs he said, "Look at my marriage, see how I raised my children, etc. if you want to know what I believe." That's a good point--not in a theological sense--but certainly appropriate for the issues at hand as a presidential candidate.

All that is to say, that Romney's Mormonism should be neither a qualifying, nor disqualifying attribute of the candidate; neither should it be ignored though anymore than Barak's liberal UCC claim, or Guiliani's pretense of Catholicism, or Huckabee's Southern Baptist ordination, or Hillary's roots at the First Chameleon Church of Whatever.

Every person, including the hardened atheist, makes decisions and takes action consciously or unconsciously out of their belief system whatever it may be. To think that anyone does otherwise is anthropologically, and spiritually absurd.

Presidential Debates A Total Farce

2007-12-05T11:53:00.000-05:00

The CNN/YOUTUBE debates were the most watched thus far. I'm not sure why that was but that is the official Nielsen report. I was so bored with the sludge on T.V. that night, that I actually tuned into it myself. It confirmed everything I had already determined about the debates and I use that word very loosely. More on that in a minute.

What was found out after the debate is that the whole thing was pretty much a scam with audience, questions, post debate spin etc. was all fixed in favor of the party of low morals and even lower metal.

The questions asked were the kind of questions rabid liberals love to ask conservatives. "Do you believe every word of the Bible is true." This was a classic question posed by a YOU TUBE interrogator with verified ties to the party of democrats. And then there was retired Army General Keith H. Kerr asking his question about homosexuals in the military. He has some roll with Hillary Clinton's campaign but of course in good Clintonian fashion the Clinton entourage said he was not acting on behalf of the Clintons--case closed.

Mind you, I really don't have a problem with antagonists asking such questions. If you have truth and common sense and wisdom on your side, then you ought to be able to stand up to any questions from anyone.

But the problem is the conniving way it was all set up and that is a problem because such procedure is not a two way street. There is no even playing field.

But beyond all the deception, the insipid nature of the questions were worthless. Here were men showing why they believe they should be the leader of the free world yet there was hardly anything of substance. And as for the question regarding the Bible; I'm looking for a presidential candidate not a theologian. What one "believes" about the Bible will be readily apparent--not by what one says, but by how one lives.

As for the word "debate" we haven't seen a debate in this country in my lifetime. The farce of asking a question with a whopping 1 or 2 minutes to answer, with a 1 minute rebuttal might work for the MTV generation, but not for the intellectually inquisitive seeking real information with the country's future in the balance.

So, I'm done with "debates" unless I need more material for another commentary.

Memphis Housing Authority Needs to Be Evicted

2007-12-05T11:48:00.000-05:00

The Bible belt may have to switch to suspenders if the anti-Christian trend continues. Barry Towers is a government subsidized housing project for seniors in the Memphis area.

A couple dozen residents of the Towers are not able to freely move about being in some compromised state of health so the Healing Hearts Outreach Ministries began holding a worship service there on Sunday mornings. Things were going fine; why shouldn't they? This is after all the land of the free and home of the brave. This is the country which guarantees religious freedom right?

But about a year after the services had been going--stop me if you've heard this one-- Memphis Housing Authority employee, Albert Sanders told these elderly believers they "had to stop meeting and couldn't have no church in a Federal building."

Executive Director of the Memphis Housing Authority, Robert Lipscomb, tried to use the separation of church and state canard asserting it as if it were federal law. "That's a national rule against that. That's a HUD (Housing and Urban Development) policy, that's not our policy…" Lipscomb said.

Lawyers for the faithful stated, "Separation of church and state is not a federal law. It is not found in the Constitution. It is a concept that is interpreted by the MHA and perhaps by HUD, but it doesn't justify their religious discrimination." Predictably, this one is headed for court.

Now silly me is sitting here, sighing out of exasperation at the asinine assault on Christianity, wondering how this would go down if it was a group of Muslims gathering together for their daily prayers.

Would it be unwarranted to presume that;

1. This would never happen to a Muslim group and

2. If somehow it did, not only would it be permitted but the government would probably offer to pay any associated expenses in converting a room at the towers to a mini-mosque.

Pardon my sarcasm but we have seen just as ridiculous accommodations elsewhere in the country.

I predict the ladies will again be able to worship freely. But what a stupid, and costly hassle. Part of the judgment in their favor ought to include a caning of the folks at the MHA. Maybe someone will start realizing this is America--again.

Life Lessons Start Early

2007-12-05T11:45:00.000-05:00

Kenneth Wagner is doing his kindergarten stepson no favors. The five year old supposedly decided to have a star shaved into his head as a fan of the Dallas Cowboys who are 9 and 1. The five year old said he wanted to keep it until they lost a game.

Now first off, I question whether this was the five year old's idea in the first place or perhaps someone older--like his father perhaps. It doesn't really matter I suppose but the problem started when he showed up at his school with his head shaved except for the start.

Justin was told he would have to return home and stay there until the star was removed. It seems the district has a policy concerning such matters.

Now any parent with half a brain would have said "No," at the outset. But someone didn't and Justin is paying the price. The issue though has nothing to do with haircuts. The issue has everything to do with what Wagner is teaching his step-son at this early age.

"He has the right to individuality and to present himself. I don't want the school to dictate that."

What seems like a silly matter just became a life issue for Justin. His father just taught him He that there really isn't such a thing as "authority" that should be respected simply because it is "authority." He learned instead that one's individuality trumps all else; the heck with rules.

And so the step father emasculated the school system for this five year old setting him up for future rebellion. And what happens when little Justin is 15 instead of 5 and now his "individuality" (above his father's rules) demands that his girl friend is allowed to sleep over and smoke pot together? If individuality is good enough to trample adult authority at the school, it's good enough to trample parental authority in the home.

It seems like a minor thing--a haircut--and it is. But allowing a five year old to trample on adult authority in the name of individual expression is sowing seeds for a poisonous future.

Nice going Mr. Wagner; look for a harvest a few years down the road; then look in the mirror and say, "You asked for it!"

A Nanny State Government Deprives of Life

2007-11-28T16:05:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to imagine the reaction of Americans from another epoch to the cultural events of our day. When I consider the heart beat of the forefathers of this nation--I have been reading about them for the past couple years--and the resultant heroic scheme to break away from England, I wonder if such a revolution would ever again be possible. As I read what I just wrote the words "your mad" comes to mind but madness is what I see issuing forth from our so-called elected representatives every single day. (That's a 74 word sentence…)

The forefathers were willing to give their lives for the chance of freedom. It was a worthwhile sacrifice. But we have incrementally traded freedom for an imagined security insisting the government should care for us cradle to grave.

What I fail to see is what is so attractive–-even if it were possible-- about shedding my liberties with a mediocre lifestyle?

I want the freedom to soar which means I also accept the freedom to fail.

The "Nanny State" government has become so invasive that frankly, all that revolutionary flap about "taxation without representation," seems much ado about nothing.

After all is said and done, in our world of 2008, this "free" nation of ours has taken away a bazillion freedoms AND for the most part we still are under the task master of having little to say about how much, where, and on what our taxes are used.

But this is not a rant about taxes. It is a lamentation about how utterly ineffective, and insecure, our land of the free has become. Remember, for every law passed that is supposed to be for the "common good," several freedoms are usually forfeited. But you cannot have it both ways--a land of liberty and the demand that the government will cushion my fall when my freedoms don't play out well.

If there is one difference between those called liberal and those called conservative, there you have it. Guess which one is the liberal view.

"Turkey Day" Should go the Way of the Dodo!

2007-11-14T15:37:00.000-05:00

Are you ready for tomorrow? It's Thursday I know but it is, as you are well aware--THANKSGIVING DAY, not "turkey day."

Now maybe you are in one of those pouting modes; you know, "Woe is me, poor me, sorry me, life has given me such a bum wrap. I deserve better! I deserve more!

Well, actually I agree--at least with half of that mindset. We all deserve MORE--but certainly not BETTER!

You see what we truly deserve is the condemnation of a perfect God who loathes imperfection. What we truly deserve is the wrath of a holy God poured out on unholy people. So, yup, we sure do deserve more! But instead, that holy God, that perfect God came to be our substitute giving us the perfection that God still demands from each of us and came as the substitute taking the condemnation we so richly deserve.

Now--do you have anything to be thankful for tomorrow?

Listen to the words of the Psalms:

I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness; Psalm 7:17

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; Psalm 9:1

I will give thanks to Thee among the nations, O LORD, Psalm 18:49

O LORD my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever. Psalm 30:12

I will give thanks to Thy name, O LORD, for it is good. Psalm 54:6

I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the peoples; Psalm 57:9

With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD; Psalm 109:30

I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Psalm 139:14

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day--not "Turkey Day" so when you gather around the table whether you are with a large family or are seated by yourself at a forlorn restaurant remember--He has given us all cause to be thankful no matter what circumstances we are in--for this life is but for a moment and if you realize that and believe that in the words of the Psalmist--Then you will say on that day, "I will give thanks to Thee, O LORD; For although You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, And You comfort me." Isaiah 12:1

Sexual Conduct Of A Sinful Nature Exacts High Price

2007-11-14T15:17:00.000-05:00

When I was working as a Medical Technologist years ago, I used to receive the Morbidity, Mortality, Weekly Report; MMWR just to stay abreast of the latest statistics of diseases both nationally and internationally. It's not exactly fun reading but certainly informative punctuating the cause and effect realities of conduct-related consequences in all aspects of life. One aspect of particular interest to me continues to be in the realm of sexual immorality.

In a very expected outcome, it was reported by the CDC "more than 1 million cases of Chlamydia were reported in the United States last year — the most ever reported for a sexually transmitted disease, federal health officials said Tuesday." Dr. John Douglas, director of STD prevention at the CDC believes the real infection count should be closer to 2.8 million due to underreporting.

The total number of sexually transmitted diseases recorded last year alone was a staggering 19 million! But Chlamydia is of great concern because it is without symptoms early on and therefore is rampant. While people belly ache about the cost of fighting for our safety in the Middle East, you are paying, one way or another, about $15 billion a year for someone's sinful misconduct.

Why the increases? "Public-health experts partially blamed the increase on faltering public-health campaigns…"

That is pretty much code for, "We need to educate our children at still younger ages teaching them about, and providing them with, CONDOMS as well as other contraception.

We see the logical extension of such a mindset working itself out at the King Middle School in Portland, Maine where the school board voted to give prescription contraception to children as young as 11 years old and this, without parental knowledge.

All these years after public education consumed with sex education, few are educating the nation's children with real prevention information that is 100% effective. In so doing, the devil has warped the minds of the populace at large making them believe that to do so is unrealistic, judgmental and God forbid--religiously motivated.

So--Let them eat cake; and let them take a bitter pill to lessen the consequences of God's loving council for life!

Lazy Preachers Shirking Call to Study the Word

2007-11-09T10:50:00.000-05:00

I have really been dismayed for the past several years over what seems to be an essential abandonment of preaching the Word of God. Understand I am not talking about what goes on in "liberal" churches but what goes on in supposedly Bible believing churches. Flip through the channels of the Christian stations on any given night and what you hear being preached is overwhelmingly "feel good" pap with little or no basis in Scriptural reality. And even when the Bible is referred to, it is done so in such a hap hazard way that it is little more than proof-texting with out of context passages used to suit the predetermined conclusions of the preacher.

The myriad of warnings in the book of Jeremiah about false prophets has never been more fitting than it is in today's world of lousy preaching.

So, I was encouraged to receive an e-mail about an organization that is asking preachers to sign "The Preacher's Pledge." It is an on-line pledge committing to the rigorous study of God's Word. You might think, "Doesn't that go without saying?"

Unfortunately, no it doesn't. You see with all the resources online now and with so many churches posting their sermons on line, many preachers are resorting to taking the easy way and "plagiarizing" ready made sermons. There are actually myriad sites where you can pay to obtain a fully developed sermon. In my book, that is unconscionable.

If God has called me to be the shepherd to feed his flock, then He has also equipped me to be the one to obtain the food to give them. The shepherd knows--or should know--the unique needs of the flock entrusted to him and beseeches the Lord of the whole wide world--not the world wide web, for inspiration and instruction. I am afraid that the still small voice for all too many preachers begins with www.something.com.

So if you're a preacher--I implore you to make your sermon your sermon. If you're not a preacher--don't be afraid to inquire of your pastor about the preparation of his messages. We all can get lazy but in this case, we cannot afford to become so.