Unbelievable! Obama Claims To Be Nation's Fourth Best President

That's certainly not what the polls say, nor the jobless, no those who have had to foreclose ontheir homes, nor those on medicare struggling because of Obama's changes, etc...

Photos From The Mission Trip

Here are a couple of photos from my latest mission trip to Panama. Our mission team was divided into two groups and most of the photos are from my group that worked primarily in a community named Don Bosco. Some of the locations shown here are Ancon Hill, Balboa and Don Bosco.

Memos From The Mission Field - Part I "Arriving In First Class"

To me, the longest and most tedious part of a mission trip is the actual travel time to and from the destination. This certainly wasn't aided by the fact that our mission team had to fly from OKC to Atlanta, Georgia to Orlando, Florida and then to our final destination of Panama City, Panama. However, we did receive a small blessing when we arrived in Orlando.

After getting our luggage from Delta and then waiting in a forever slow line at Copa to recheck our bags we were informed that they had overbooked the flight and six of the members of our mission team did not have seats. So what did they do? They bumped them all to first class!

While we certainly aren't here on a pleasure seeking expedition arriving to Panama first class went a long way towards adding special memories to Caleb's mission trip experience.

More to come later

2011 MLB World Series - Tobacco Bans And Underdogs

Major League Baseball's fall classic starts tonight when the Texas Rangers travel to take on the St. Louis Cardinals in game one of the 2011 World Series. Of course with our current big government we can't just sit back and enjoy the grand stage of America's favorite pass time. We've got to decide if players using smokeless tobacco during the game is appropriate or not.

“When players use smokeless tobacco, they endanger not only their own health, but also the health of millions of children who follow their example,” the senators wrote to union head Michael Weiner. The letter was signed by Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, and fellow Democrats Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Senate Health Committee Chairman Tom Harkin of Iowa.

Of course they endanger their own health by chewing their cud and spitting on home plate. Its proven that smokeless tobacco causes oral, esophageal and pancreatic cancer. However, to be quite honest I feel that the teenager texting on the cell phone while driving next to me on the interstate endangers my children more than some multimillionaire slugging the ball out of the park with a wad of chum in his mouth.

“Unfortunately, as these young fans root for their favorite team and players, they also will watch their on-field heroes use smokeless tobacco products,” the democratic senators wrote.

What really saddens me about this is not the fact that our government seems bent on controlling every single little aspect of our lives but that they also put no stock in the role of parents. How about instead of shaking down Major League Baseball they start a campaign on equipping parents on how to properly educate their children on the dangers of tobacco products? It really shouldn't be this difficult should it?

My son: Dad, what is that they're spitting out of their mouths?

Me: Its chewing tobacco.

Son: It looks gross, what does it do?

Me: Its kinda like smoking but not really. People chew on it instead of smoking it. It really isn't good for you and causes cancer.

Son: Why do they do it then?

Me: Because some people make really bad decisions and don't really think of the consequences.

Son: I wouldn't want to do anything that could cause me to get cancer!

Me: Because you are a smart kid!

Son: Thanks dad!

See! That was quick and painless. It was also a conversation that never would have occurred had he not seen tobacco use during a Major League Baseball game. Thanks but no thanks, government. I prefer you do a little more work on the economy then focus on the World Series.

So who's going to win baseball's biggest prize? As a long-suffering Seattle Mariners fan I've grown accustomed to cheering for the underdog. That my friends is the St. Louis Cardinals. This is a team that just a little over a month ago was dead in the water and has now found themselves in the World Series. Just about everyone is picking the Rangers which makes the Cards the underdog and my team of choice in the World Series.

However, a little known fact is that since 1985 the home team in the World Series has a 20-5 record. That kinda rains on the St. Louis underdog parade a little bit seeing as how they have the home field advantage.

Should Religion Play A Part In Presidential Elections?

As 2012 approaches GOP presidential candidates are looking to gain strong footing among voters who are eager to see changes in our government. With several economic and healthcare reform plans to delve through there's really no room for distracting side stories among the candidates. Of course that doesn't mean we won't have any though.

Earlier this month Mitt Romney's religion came back to the forefront of the election when his Mormon beliefs were compared to that of a cult at the Values Voter Summit. The question is, with today's unemployment rate hovering around 9% and the economic rebound still somewhere over the horizon is that something we want to waste time debating?

Let's not forget that although our country was established on Christian principles it was also established under the guise of religious freedom and not just Christian freedoms. As a Christian evangelical I must admit that I have significant issues with the Mormon doctrine because it completely contradicts the Bible and is intentionally misleading. However, I also support Romney's religious freedom to practice Mormonism even though I strongly disagree with the doctrine.

I won't vote for Romney not because he's a Mormon but because I think he flip-flops a bit too much. I'm also not a fan of his economic plan nor his stance on healthcare. Those are the things that matter in a presidential election along with a person's moral agenda and stance on human life. I'm all for morality and protecting unborn children and will honor a candidate who supports those regardless of their religious affiliation.

As for the differences between Mormonism and Christianity...those are matters best suited to be discussed in a private manner instead of a public forum. Its time for Christians to stop being judgmental towards people of other religious practices. How about instead we take the approach that Jesus would by befriending them, loving them, praying for them and showing them the truth of the Word of God.

The Christ

This post will be updated on Sunday evening 9-18-11

Make Your Proclamation

In the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew Jesus asks a simple question which carries an extremely difficult answer. The reason why is because the answer isn't necessarily revealed in what we say but more so in how we live. In verses 13-18 Jesus poses a question about who the people in the culture around say that he is and then getting directly to the point he asked, "Who do you say that I am?" to his disciples.

We'll focus on Peter's answer later on but for now I just want to stay with the question. Jesus was very familiar what the people around him were saying about him. He had heard their talk, their theories and their failure to acknowledge him as the Son of God. He also knew their hearts and their need to something greater than tradition and ritual. That's why multitudes of people flocked to him to listen to him speak. That's why people stood in amazement when he taught. That's why they came to him for miracles. They didn't necessarily want to credit him as being the Messiah but they sure appreciated what he brought to the table.

Jesus wasn't really concerned with who the "other" people said that he was. He wanted to know what the men with whom he had trusted to change the world were saying that he was. Their answer would be much more than today's traditional lip service. It would be their "proclamation" as to how they would live their lives. Their belief that Jesus was, in fact, "the Christ, the Son of the Living God" would change them forever. It would ultimately turn them from cowards to men of boldness that would be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in professing Jesus as Lord. They staked their lives, relationships and reputations on this proclamation.

What about you? Who do you say that Jesus is? Before you answer keep in mind that the real answer is found not in what you say but how you live. Understanding that, how about we make our Proclamation today to truly live for Jesus no matter what the cost.

The Cost Of Discipleship

We're notorious for making quick decisions without counting the costs. There's a reason the checkout lanes at any supermarket are loaded with all kinds of stuff that we really don't need. Anything from candy to drinks to magazines and newspapers are there. You'll even find little gadgets that belong on a late night infomercials hanging up close to the checkouts. Its not anything you would go into the store specifically to get but they're banking on you falling victim to the impulse buy and not really counting the cost towards your budget.

Much in the same way the devil likes to dangle things in our way that distract us spirituality and causes us to make that "impulse buy" on something that's not healthy for our walk with Christ. We'll buy into pornography, pride, jealousy, greed, anger or anything else the devil can sell us without ever thinking about what its costing us in terms of our relationship to God, other people or even our self-esteem. Obviously nothing is free in today's world and even our salvation came at the expense of Jesus. That's why in Luke 9:23 He reminds us about the cost of following him.

²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

The Greek word for deny here is "Arneomai" which means to refuse or to disown someone or something. Too often we fail to count the cost of disowning ourselves when it comes to following Jesus. Its no longer about me and what I want but rather about Jesus and what He wants. My natural desire will always be to cry out against the things of God and try and forge my own path. That's why on a daily basis Jesus is asking me to "disown" who I am and to conform to who He wants me to be. I accomplish this by:

* Taking up my cross - The verb here is Greek "airo" meaning to "lift up, take up, pick up" and carry. If you were a person carrying a cross it meant that you were marked for death. You sentence had been handed down and you were doomed. At the moment I gave my life to Christ I surrendered control of who I was to Him. You could say that I marked myself for death so that I could daily live for Jesus. Every day we are needed reminders that we belong to a higher calling and our old patterns of living are gone as if they're deceased.

* Following Christ - The weight of carrying a cross would cause someone to stoop over and not allow them to walk completely upright. The only way to get to where you were going was to watch the feet of the person in front of you and walk everywhere they walked as you were being led. You get the point here? If we truly want to go where Jesus is taking us then we must be focused on walking in his footsteps. That would require drowning out the distractions of everyday life and seeking the blessings of Christ.

So how about it? Are you ready to walk in the footsteps of Jesus? Are you ready to count the cost and sell out for discipleship?

Teach Me To Pray

In the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew we find an amazing example from Jesus as to how we should pray. Its not just a verbal example of how we should approach the throne of God but also a look at what the condition of our heart and our attitude should be towards our Heavenly Father.

Speaking to a group of people who were accustomed to praying, and desiring to know more, Jesus begins in verse five telling his followers that when they pray they shouldn't act as the hypocrites which is a word that means “play-actors.” In essence he’s saying don’t pretend to be someone that you’re not when talking to God. He sees our hearts and knows our motives and while we can generally fool a few people into thinking that we’re someone we’re really not we can’t pull anything over the eyes of God. Praying for “effect” so that others will think that you’re righteous only serves to damage your relationship to God by bouncing ineffective prayers everywhere but to His throne.

We should never utter one syllable of prayer, either in public or in private, until we are definitely conscious that we have come into the presence of God and are actually praying to Him.... I can remember when that thought transformed my prayer life. I was brought up to pray. I was taught to pray so early in life that I have not the slightest recollection of who taught me to pray.... Nevertheless, prayer was largely a mere matter of form. There was little real thought of God, and no real approach to God. And even after I was converted, yes, even after I had entered the ministry, prayer was largely a matter of form. But the day came when I realized what real prayer meant, realized that prayer was having an audience with God, actually coming into the presence of God and asking and getting things from Him. And the realization of that fact transformed my prayer life. Before that, prayer had been a mere duty, and sometimes a very irksomeduty, but from that time on prayer has been not merely a duty but a privilege, one of the most highly esteemed privileges of life. Before that, the thought that I had was, "How much time must I spend in prayer?" The thought that now possesses me is, "How much time may I spend in prayer without neglecting the other privileges and duties of life? - R.A. Torrey, The Power of Prayer

Jesus says that those who pray as hypocrites will have already received their reward which comes from the Greek misthos, a word that literally means dues paid for work rendered. Remember that by using the word “hypocrites” Jesus is talking about “actors” pretending to be someone. Their “reward”, according to Jesus, is only that people get to see them praying to God. Nothing else! That’s a pretty shallow prayer life. So it begs the question as to what the motive is behind our prayers.

This word for prayer encompasses all the aspects of prayer: submission, confession, petition, intercession, praise, and thanksgiving. To be effective a person’s prayer life must include all of these and not just a wish list that we take to God.

God desires to know you on a personal and intimate basis. Just throwing out the occasional, “Now I lay me down to sleep” prayer to fulfill our “spiritual obligation” or impress someone who might be looking on fails to even scratch the surface of what can be accomplished we a person approaches the throne of God, in confidence, will all of the aspects of a full prayer life. Are you paying God lip service or cultivating a relationship through your prayer life?

Is The Bible Really The Word Of God?

For centuries it was thought that the debate over the Bible being the Divinely Inspired Inerrant Word of God or not was solely between Christians and their atheistic and agnostic counterparts. However, as the debate rages on it clearly involves another party. Shockingly there are many within the church who do not believe the Bible to be completely accurate. The problem here is that we cannot have it both ways. The Bible cannot be both Divinely Inspired and inaccurate. However, according to recent survey results I came across there are many within our churches who do not believe in the accuracy of the Bible.

When asked if they believed that the Word of God was completely accurate the following percentages answered yes.

Assemblies of God 77%

Baptists (any type) 66%

Catholics 26%

Church of Christ 57%

Episcopal 22%

Lutheran (any type) 34%

Methodist (any type) 38%

Mormons 29%

Non-denominational Christian 70%

Presbyterian (any type) 40%

An atheist not believing in the accuracy of the Word of God really isn't that big of a surprise but 34% of Baptist not believing...that's a huge problem. Here's why.

In Paul's second letter to Timothy he states clearly that "all Scripture" comes directly from God.

¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. - II Timothy 3:16-17

The most important word here in the entire passage is the first word, "all". Its a key adjective that means the totality of the scriptures or the whole scripture. Basically in layman's terms, every passage, every verse, every word, no exceptions.

With that understanding, take a look at what Francis Schaeffer says.

"Does inerrancy make a difference? Overwhelmingly; that difference is that with the Bible being what it is, God's Word and so absolute, God's objective truth, we do not need to be, and we should not be, caught in the ever-changing fallen cultures which surround us."

The Hebrew rabbis taught that the Spirit of God rested on and in the prophets and would speak through them to that their words didn't actually come from themselves but from the very mouth of God. That's why Peter makes the following declaration.

For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. II Peter 1:21

The early church was in agreement with this understanding and so we should be as well. Should the Bible contain any error or words from the hearts of men rather then the heart of God then the entire document is rendered useless.

Is the Bible really the Word of God? Absolutely! The writers of the Old Testament refer to their writings as the Words of God over 3,800 times.

Gallup Poll Shows Where Americans Stand In Debt Crisis

Presidential Debt

As if we needed another reminder that our president and the Democratic Senate refuse to listen to the majority of the American people (no one has forgotten the healthcare bill being ramrodded in) the newest Gallup poll shows that President Obama's approval rating has dropped to just 40% which is a new low.

Obviously by never submitting his own proposal to solve the nation's debt crisis, he's not doing well among Republicans where his approval rating is only 12-13% but he's lost the confidence of enough independents so see his approval rating drop from 41% to 34%. Even among his own party, Democrats have dropped from a 79% approval rating to 72%.

So please, Mr. Obama, feel free to continue trying to drive our nation towards bankruptcy with reckless spending. Keep pushing the unemployment rate up with threats of higher taxes on small business owners. You've proven that you won't be swayed from this mission. Just don't expect the American people to go along with you.

We May Not Have A Space Shuttle Program Anymore But We Do Have Crashing Blimps

The US government scrapped the inspiring and highly successful space shuttle program due to budget cuts. Fortunately in the midst of a budget crisis and the worst economic recession of our lifetime we can watch a $150 million blimp crash in the woods.

Delta Airlines Exploits US Soldiers Returning Home From Duty

I gotta say, I do a lot of traveling every year and unless these soldiers are given a reimbursement and an official apology I'll do my best to avoid every flying, or having our groups fly, on Delta Airlines ever again. The men and women of our armed forces deserve much better than what they got. Shame on you Delta.

You can contact Delta Airlines to voice your displeasure with the following contact information.

customer-care@delta.com

800-325-8224

Scratch This Couple Off The Parent Of The Year List

The father actually had the audacity to complain that the back of the police car he was riding in was hot.

Indiana Takes A Stand Against Abortion

I hate to be cut and dry like this but it appears once again that the issue of abortion is a battle line drawn between Republicans and Democrats and currently the state of Indiana is the battlefield. A bill sponsored by state Republicans makes it illegal to fund Planned Parenthood with federal money. Planned Parenthood operates 28 clinics in Indiana, four of those perform abortions.

Now a Democratic charge led by Indiana's Democratic state senators is doing its best to shoot down the bill that has already passed into law. Taking the mater to the federal level, President Obama's Medicaid administrator, sent the Indiana Medicare office a letter saying Indiana's Medicare plan (new law) is illegal.

Standing their ground, Republicans are putting the responsibility on the Obama Administration to prove their new law is illegal. Despite the government response there's no indication the law will be reversed.

"Indiana's on solid legal ground," said state Sen. Scott Schneider, an Indianapolis Republican who sponsored the measure to strip Planned Parenthood's funding. "There's no reason for us to change course at this time. It's up to them to prove that this is not legal."

I say good for Indiana and thank you for making a stance in favor of morality. Willingly or not you are obeying the word of God.

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." Proverbs 31:8 (NIV)

Is Filming And Driving Better Than Texting And Driving?

So a guy is evidently a hero after filming a teen texting and driving. Unfortunately the teen caused a multi-car accident and the gentlemen filming caught it all on camera. The video will be used to prosecute the teen and bring awareness to the dangers of texting and driving. However, I gotta wonder what its going to say in regards to using your phone to video while driving?

Introducing The $20 Light Bulb

The greatest farce since the theory evolution is about to take even greater steps in the way we live. The $20 light bulb was introduced today and will replace the four pack of incandescents for $2 in January. Good thing we're not in a recession or anything. Because its the economy wasn't booming the way it is this would be very burdensome on a lot of Americans.

Wisconsin Showing Balancing Budget Won't Be Easy

I wouldn't be one to describe the situation in Wisconsin as spiraling out of control but it is something to keep an eye on because its time for government (both state and federal) to put their money where their mouth is. Yes, that pun was intended.

Out of control spending has racked up billions of dollars worth of deficits for many states and trillions for the federal government and now that someone is trying to take away the checkbook we're seeing the three-year-old like temper tantrums thrown by the Democratic party. You may remember it was a Democratic congress that ramrodded the healthcare reform into law because they had the majority. Now we're seeing the true lack of a spine by the Democratic Wisconsin state senators as they've fled the state so there won't be a quorum to pass the bill. True evidence that the Dems only want to play politics when they can guarantee they're on the winning side.

What's at stake here, and what will be at stake on state and federal levels across the nation, is the Democrats relationship to the unions, particularly President Obama. Last November Obama said, "The hard truth is that getting this deficit under control is going to require broad sacrifice." Then just last week he reiterated that by saying that his expectation is that everyone is going to have to make compromises.

I've always been a person who wants to see what you do more than what you say. President Obama's actions in the Wisconsin situation show that he's interested in cutting the deficit as long as it doesn't affect his union buddies. On Wednesday he called the new Wisconsin legislation an attack on unions. I realize the president doesn't have any say in state politics but take my word for it, if he isn't in favor of cutting back on a state level where unions are involved then he won't be on a federal level either.

I don't blame the teachers of Wisconsin for being upset. They're stuck in the middle of a tough situation where there is no easy solution. I know that when my personal finances come short my family and I have to cut back on some things. I'm sure you're the same way and so are most of the teachers of Wisconsin. The problem is that the unions have removed cutting back as a part of the equation. That's why the state of Wisconsin is passing legislation to limit or remove collective bargaining. Its the only way they can cut back on education.

Wisconsin is $3.6 billion in the hole. The new legislation will help them save $30 million by July and then another $300 million over the next two years by asking state workers to contribute 5.8% to their pension plans and 12.6% to their health insurance. Democrats are saying that isn't fair and Jessie Jackson is on the scene demanding the government find the money for a bail out."

Again here we go with the notion that the pocket book it limitless and that's how we got where we are. The other option (apparently the one the Democrats prefer) is to shutdown part of the state government which would result in 6,000 employees not getting paid and to raise state taxes.

Wisconsin ranks 20th in the nation in teacher's salaries. The average is $46,390 per year. Last year they received a 4.7% raise and over the last ten years they've received 21.5% in raises. Like I said, they're in a tough spot but they're a long way from being the victims of the forgotten step children of the state that Jessie Jackson would lead you to believe they are.

Debunked, Delusional Or Genius - What Do Snow Storms Tell Us About Global Warming?

I've been sitting inside by the fireplace all day today as 11.5 inches of snow fell outside bringing Oklahoma City to a complete halt. I've enjoyed the day with the family but I must say that snow days were a lot more enjoyable when I was a child. Finding things to keep three children and a baby busy all day can be a bit taxing and yet enjoyable at the same time. I'm just glad that my kids are able to experience the joy of a snow day because of what the Global Warming prophets keep screaming. Then I began to wonder what the high priest of the Global Warming Cult had to say about all this white stuff.

A quick Google search of the words, "global warming, Al Gore, snow" turned up something that literally made me fall over laughing. On the day of a record snowfall for the month of February in the state of Oklahoma Gore stated the following on his blog.

Last week on his show Bill O’Reilly asked, “Why has southern New York turned into the tundra?” and then said he had a call into me. I appreciate the question.

As it turns out, the scientific community has been addressing this particular question for some time now and they say that increased heavy snowfalls are completely consistent with what they have been predicting as a consequence of man-made global warming:

“In fact, scientists have been warning for at least two decades that global warming could make snowstorms more severe. Snow has two simple ingredients: cold and moisture. Warmer air collects moisture like a sponge until it hits a patch of cold air. When temperatures dip below freezing, a lot of moisture creates a lot of snow.”

“A rise in global temperature can create all sorts of havoc, ranging from hotter dry spells to colder winters, along with increasingly violent storms, flooding, forest fires and loss of endangered species.”

Did you catch that? Let's ignore the fact that data was falsified to support the global warming agenda. Let's also overlook the fact that the Polar Ice Caps ARE NOT melting and that there is insurmountable evidence to suggest that the global temperatures are not rising. Let's push aside, for just a minute, the billions of dollars being pocketed by Global Warming alarmists and just focus on the words of the man who invented the internet. "Global warming produces record snowfalls!"

We're looking at three distinct possibilities here. First, global warming has been debunked by something most people call truth. Record snowfalls are just a part of it. There just isn't enough unfabricated data out there to suggest that we're experiencing an uncommon global rise in temperature. Second, Al Gore and his partners are delusional. Spin a lie long enough and you'll start to believe it yourself.

Then there's the third possibility. There's the possibility that Gore's group is making millions upon millions of dollars from scaring people into believing the polar bears are dying and the ocean levels are rising. Gore puts his money where his mouth is and invests hundreds of millions of dollars into "Green" companies and resources. Every time he's able to convince someone that this farce is true he the returns on his investments get even bigger. The scary part is that people are actually buying into it and thus lining his pockets. That, my friends, is a stroke of pure genius.

Learning From Our Past, Repealing Healthcare Reform & Balancing The Budget: A Lesson From Massachusetts

Last week my home state (Oklahoma) became the 28th state to challenge the constitutionality of the individual mandate provision of the federal health care act. The fact that over 50% of the U.S. states are challenging the legislation in federal court pretty much shows where the American people stand on the issue. The question is, will it work?

We last visited this topic when discussing the Alien and Sedition acts signed by John Adams in 1798. The legislation was both racist and oppressive and obviously is no longer in place. For that, we can think the state of Massachusetts.

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison saw the Alien and Sedition acts as being unconstitutional. Therefore Jefferson wrote a resolution for the state of Kentucky and Madison for Virginia declaring the unconstitutionality of the law and that their states had the right to not obey the law. However, Massachusetts saw the big picture and took a very unpopular stance.

Massachusetts made its own resolution stating to Kentucky and Virgina that all the states had agreed to the constitution and were thus bound to it. It went on to say that it wasn't up to the individual states to determine if something is constitutional or not. Imagine 50 different states today with 50 different interpretations of the law and the right to deem it constitutional or not. It would be complete anarchy.

Sure Oklahomans, along with 27 other states, have a legitimate beef against the government but what they're doing is very different than what Kentucky and Virginia did in the late 1700's. These states today are drafting legislation that will ultimately lead to judicial review. That my friends could be the way out of this mess we're in.

In 1803 the U.S. Supreme Court claimed the right to decide if a law is unconstitutional or night. It was at that point in time that our young nation saw the three aspects of the American government that our forefathers had put in place begin to function. It was President Adams and Congress (executive and legislative branches) that brought these unfair acts into law but it would also be the judicial branch that would repeal them. We owe that thanks to a man named John Marshall. We'll get to him in the next post on this topic.

Watch Out For False Prophets In Sheep's Clothing - Need An Example?

Three times in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus warns us to keep watch for false prophets. He also addresses it in the Gospel's of Mark and Luke. In Matthew 7, Jesus says they will appear in sheep's clothing. Meaning they'll attempt to come across as something they are not...say for example a Baptist Church.

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? - Matthew 7:15-16

For years now the group that calls themselves Westboro Baptist Church has thrived on

turning people away from the message of salvation and the Body of Christ known as the church. They are the ones who show up at the funerals of fallen soldiers and slain children with a message of hate.

Unfortunately this is the view of the church that America is seeing today but it isn't in any way a picture of the Gospel or the church as defined by the Word of God. The Gospel is a message of hope not hate. Is God opposed to sin? Absolutely He is but there is no standard of degree when it comes to a sinful nature. Sin is sin in the eyes of God! That's why Jesus told us to consider the "plank" in our own eye before pointing out the "speck" in someone else's eye.

Note that Jesus said that they (wolves) would be known by their fruit. Compare the message of hate spread by the Westboro group to the message of love spread by Christian missionaries who live among people stricken with AIDS or in the slums of any major city ministering to the destitute, broken and social rejects. These people sacrifice their rights to travel to another country or their comforts to be among the indigent. Then there's the group from Kansas that preys on the families broken and mourning in order to use their tragedy of a lost loved one to spread hate. You tell me which of the two bear the fruit of Christ?

Take a quick look at what the Apostle Paul said to the church of Ephesus in regards to their behavior.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. - Ephesians 4:29-32

Yes, homosexuality is a sin. The Bible is clear on that point. However, hating homosexuals (Something that God DOESN'T do) isn't the answer and the Bible is clear on that as well. You know what else the Bible says is a sin? Unwholesome talk, bitterness, slander, lack of compassion and all forms of malice. I guess the folks at Westboro are more interested in the "specks" than the "planks." That my friends, is another mark of the deceiver. Be very careful in connecting this group with anything that is Godly or the Body of Christ. Because clearly they're not!

Learning From Our Past, Repealing Healthcare Reform & Balancing The Budget: We've Been Here Before

A clear line was drawn in the political sand last year when Congress passed the Health Care Bill. Elections in November were a clear indication from the American population that the act of legislation was neither appreciated nor wanted. Now as the 112th U.S. Congress convenes with a Republican House majority its clear that the agenda is repealing the health care bill and balancing the budget. This isn't the first time we've faced legislation passed by Congress that the general public disapproved of and thought to be unconstitutional. Looking back through our past we may find a road map that leads to a repeal through the democratic process.

In 1798 John Adams signed the Alien and Sedition acts. Racially motivated the Alien acts made it extremely difficult for foreigners (particularly Catholics from France) to gain entrance and citizenship into the United States. They also gave the president the authority to removed anyone he so desired from the country if he "thought" them to be dangerous.

With such an controversial law in place (many people were fleeing to the U.S. to escape from France's revolution) and the public outcry rising up against it the Sedition act allowed for anyone to be imprisoned for speaking out against the government. There would be no exception to this law either as journalists, the grandson of Benjamin Franklin and even a U.S. Congressman were all locked up for being violators.

Thomas Jefferson had these laws in mind when he wrote, "I know not which mortifies most, that I should fear to write what I think, or my country bear such a state of things."

The Alien and Sedition acts are no longer laws of our country because they were in direct violation of Constitution of the United States. In the same way the new health care law violates the Constitution in two ways.

1. imposing a new mandate on individuals to obtain health insurance or face a penalty and
2. imposing on the states new costs by expanding Medicaid, which is a federal-state program.

So, how will the bill be reformed? We'll get to that in future posts but these two unconstitutional acts of Congress provide the road map we need.

Comedian In The Making!

My 9-year old son comes to me and ask, "Dad, do you know what kind of sneakers a chicken wears?"

Me: "No, son. I have no ideas what kind of sneakers a chicken wears."

My Son: "Ree - BAWK!!!"

Why Not Me?

I first started blogging as a hobby in April of 2005. Since then I've written about sports, religion and politics. In five years of writing about my world I've never really taken the time to write about me. I'm not saying that I'm anything special though because I'm certainly not.

However, my wife and I have been married for almost eighteen years. We have four kids ranging from a freshman in high school to a 13-month old baby. I'm a pastor of a small church. I coach high school football, basketball and baseball. I'm working on two book projects and am a strong Conservative Republican. You bet I some good stories to share!

Opinions? Yes, I'll share them! Stories? You'll get those too. This is my blog and my life. I hope you enjoy it!