Captain Jack Sparrow -- Our Perfect Role Model

My wife and I love the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and we were watched the third in the trilogy just the other night. At the end of the movie there is a fight scene between the pirates and the soldiers of the British Army, and anyone watching the movie is hoping that the pirates will be victorious. Then I thought, why? Especially as Christians. Aren’t the pirates actually the bad guys? They are the ones out stealing, looting, pillaging and living a very sinful life.

I realize that they main character in the British Army is evil and a few of his henchmen that he has surrounded himself with are evil as well, but overall the soldiers are just following orders that this deceitful general has given them. Not to mention that getting rid of pirates is not necessarily a bad thing, as they were breaking just about every law they could. Their credo was, “take what you can and give nothing back.” The lifestyle they even portrayed in the movie was that of vivaciousness. They had no moral scruples (it was all insinuated in this movie and not shown), drank continually, and fought for no apparent reasons many times, yet everyone who watches hopes that Captain Jack Sparrow will be the victor in the end. Why? Because he was helping some other law breaking pirates, or trying to find the treasure they stole to begin with. What if we lived like that today? In many ways we are.

How does this compare to Philippians 4:8, “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.”

It has been hard for me to reconcile what appears to be a very safe movie in comparison to many others, but at the same time it promotes a lifestyle that is far from what Paul is talking about in Philippians. How can we dwell on anything within the Pirates of the Caribbean movies that is truly lovely, as the “good” guys are actually the criminals?

On the other hand, what an ingenious way to undermine our Christian values and make unacceptable life-styles seen as normal and permissible in our society! As I reflected on the moral principles within the movie, I realized they are pretty much the exact opposite of what I teach. So, how can I tell anyone to see the movie? Wouldn’t that be giving my approval for the values shown within it?

I am wondering how many movies we would actually go see if we based what we viewed on the morals that are being promoted as virtuous and acceptable through the eyes of Christ and His commands in the Bible. For that matter, how many television shows would we have to stop watching? Have our minds really become like that of Christ?

I pray O’ Lord that You continually change me and let me be a Philippians 4:8 man, that I would only think on what You value as right and true, that my mind would be transformed into the mind of Christ.

Romans 12:1-2, “1Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

How Deep is Your Foundation?

Whether you know it or not the Christian faith is under attack in America, and in particular at the collegiate level. Their arguments are the same as always, but with different flavors and twists. These new arguments seem to be making an impact on the generation now in college.

One reason is because as a church we have failed to develop our young adult’s foundation in the faith (1 Peter 3:15). We have failed at teaching them the very basic truths of Scripture, and how to know that their faith is not based on just blind faith, but on evidence (Heb. 11:1). Actually, many adults do not have the tools to defend their faith or answer questions brought up by someone who gives them a decent rationale or argument against Christianity.

What would you say to someone who says that the Koran repeatedly calls itself the perfect word of God and the creator of the universe, so Christianity is just the same as the Islam in its’ claims. Meaning that both make absolute claims and claim absolute truth, but both cannot be right, which leads us to believe that both are most likely wrong on some of their points? Christianity must be misleading then in its claims.

How would you answer?

The Koran claims that Jesus was just a prophet and not divine (Koran 5:71-75; 19:30-38). Points like these are brought up in a popular book by Sam Harris called, Letter to a Christian Nation. This is only one of the many accusations he makes against the Christian faith.

Sam asks, “Why don’t you lose any sleep over whether to convert to Islam? Can you prove that Allah is not the one, true God?” (6).

I will answer these questions and many more that Sam Harris brings against the Christian faith that believers in today’s world should be able to handle if we are to witness to this generation. This is one way we become all things to all people, in that we understand where they are at and are able to answer their objections regarding Christianity (1 Cor. 9:22).

If you can articulate some answers to the questions posed above then please do so, as we can all learn together.

Aleris Group Started

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This group is not for sending out emails to everyone and just for receiving my blog posts. If you wish to make a comment about the blog then do so on my blog and not a response on the group itself.

You will see the box to the right of this post where you can join the blog, or tell others where to join to receive an email regarding this blog. I have also made a box below for this post.

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Teaching or Indocrinating?

I am starting to think that Pink Floyd may have been prophets without anyone knowing it. In their song “The Wall,” one of their stanzas says, “Hey teachers, leave those children alone.”

Unfortunately that statement is becoming true today, as teachers need to leave our children alone in some areas. Instead of teaching they are indoctrinating our children to believe what they feel is right instead of presenting the evidence. Instead of actually teaching today a lot of teachers are just using the classroom as a platform to spout their opinions on many topics that at times do not have anything to do with their subject. This is not secluded to the college classroom, but is happening in our public school system.

I was having a conversation with a couple of high school girls this past week and they were telling what they were going to do when they graduated school, which led to discussion on some of the topics they are taking in school right now. One started talking about how they had to debate the war, but they could not find anyone to be on the side of supporting what we are doing in Iraq. According to this young lady, the teacher had to assign people. I found this a little unusual, and probed as to why this was. I asked them to tell me why the war is bad and they had only epithets that come from the liberal media.

All their reasoning’s came from either the media of the teacher, as they also told me the opinion, not facts, as to what the teacher was saying. I asked them if they would want to help people who were being killed just for being different, or for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I asked if raping people was okay, or if torture should be allowed? They answered as most conscientious people would. They did not believe in killing, rape or torture, to which I responded that neither does the United States and they were good reasons to remove Saddam Hussein.

We talked back and forth about some of the issues why we went into Iraq, and not just because of oil. They had never heard it presented this way because all they are told is one side by the media and then by their teacher who should be teaching in an unbiased fashion in this type of format. If they want to give their opinion after presenting both sides fairly then fine, but they should not just ignore one side because they “believe” it is wrong.

This is not a singular incident. I have heard many students; middle school, high school and college tell me that their teachers are just teaching one side. Science teachers talking about politics, English teachers talking about church functions, and History teachers talking about philosophical matters, which are all important topics, but they are not part of their class curriculum and they only talk about their belief or only present theirs in the positive light. Unfortunately, the majority of the opinions are false, miss-presented, and/or heavily liberal in their bent. The students just suck in what they are saying as truth, because they are teachers and they would not say anything that was not true. Right?

Why aren’t we teaching our children critical thinking and to seek truth? Why do we continue to allow teachers to push their political, ethical, and spiritual morals down our children’s throats and just allow it? One reason I believe this happens is because most people do not know how to debate what is said and do not know how to critically think themselves. Unless one seeks truth then when false doctrine seeps in you will not know it.

John 8:31-32, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

John 17:17-18, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”

Peanuts Get It. How Come We Don't?

Golden Compass -- Another Opinion

The Pelvic Atheism of Philip Pullman

Posted Dec 17th 2007 8:14AM by Dinesh D'SouzaFiled under: Pop Culture, Christianity, Controversy, Atheism

Just in time for Christmas, Hollywood has released The Golden Compass, a film based on the first book of a trilogy of children's novels written by atheist Philip Pullman. Pullman is not a fan of his fellow childrens' writers J.R.R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis. He denounced the Lord of the Rings trilogy as "infantile" and absolutely hated the Chronicles of Narnia, calling it "morally loathsome" and "one of the most ugly and poisonous things I've ever read."

This is downright weird.

One may find the Narnia stories simplistic or windy or whatever but it takes a particularly demented mind to see them as loathsome and ugly and poisonous. Tolkien's work is pure genius and the film adaptations of Lord of the Rings have been widely acclaimed. So what is Pullman's problem? Basically his objection comes down to the fact that Tolkien and Lewis were Christians and their work embodies powerful Christian allegories of good and evil, sin and redemption.

Some critics have objected to the overdrawn contrast between the forces of light and the forces of darkness in Christian fiction, but Pullman's trilogy is no less Manichean. The only difference is that in Pullman's world the evil regime is run by God Himself. Pullman pictures a kind of Calvinist moral structure, run by a kind of Catholic network called the Magisterium, and behind the whole oppressive system is a tyrannical God. As Pullman envisions it, the church kidnaps and tortures children and subjects them to hideous experiments in which their bodies are separated fro their souls and the children are turned into zombies who are then left to die. Pullman's trilogy finally ends with God being killed, the collapse of the Calvinist moral rules, and the emergence of sexual freedom.

Profoundly stupid stuff. I was not surprised to discover that Pullman is a big fan of atheist Richard Dawkins. Pullman speaks of religion in terms that could be lifted directly from The God Delusion. Pullman has been quoted saying it is not even possible for God to exist. "Every single religion," he says, "that has a monotheistic God ends up by persecuting other people and killing them because they don't accept him." Actually this is flatly untrue of Judaism and Hindusim and only in a very qualified sense true of Islam and Christianity. It would be more accurate to say that every atheist regime, from Communism to the Nazi regime in Germany, has systematically persecuted and killed its opponents for practicing traditional religion and for not accepting their secular race and class-based ideologies.

Certainly Pullman knows that there is nothing oppressive or murderous in today's Anglicanism. He is free in his native London to believe or not to believe. What is it then about religion that he's so strongly opposed to? For Pullman, as for many atheists, the problem with Christianity seems mostly to focus on sexual freedom. Reviewing Pullman's work in The Atlantic Monthly, Hanna Rosin writes, "The most curious aspect of Pullman's theology is the primacy he places on teen sexuality...the whole series builds up to a celebration of losing your virginity." So here is Pullman's case against religion. Basically, religion is what asks you to pull your pants up. This may be termed Pelvic Atheism.

True to form, Hollywood has stripped Pullman's movie of its overt anti-religiosity. The evil guys in the Hollywood version are not God's minions but a kind of amorphous Nazi-type dictatorship. Pullman can take solace, however, in the fact that the movie will probably lead a lot of people to read his books. Aren't we fortunate to have an atheist children's novelist whose main objective seems to be to corrupt the minds and morals of the young?

Emergent Dillusion

If someone where to tell you that Nazi ideology should not all be done away with because it has some good aspects like teaching a solid education to youth and a commitment to a strong national defense, what would you say? I am hoping you would not say this is a good reason for keeping it as an ideology. First, the ideology brought horrible results upon the Jewish nation (killing millions), and second, we do not need Nazi thought to justify of a solid education for children or a strong national defense for our citizens.

The same can be said for the Emergent Church movement and it’s post-modernity. The Emergent conversation will bring destructive results to the Christian faith. I must admit I have said there were some good things about the Emergent church in the beginning, but in reality I was wrong.

Those good things were always there and do not need a movement that is harmful to Christ for us to know them. J.P. Moreland says in Kingdom Triangle, “Its harm to the cause of Christ and human flourishing far outweigh any advantages that may accrue to it, and whatever those advantages are, they do not require postmodernism for their justification.”

As with post-modernism the same can be said of the Emergent Church. This is not a case of “throwing the baby out with the bathwater,” but throwing out a movement that is dangerous to those that come in contact with it. If the baby is the Emergent Truth and the water is post-modernism then in reality we should throw “throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

All the truth that is within the Emergent movement was already there within the current church. What is not within the current movement in many ways is trying to incorporate relative truth and utilizing pagan rituals to worship our Lord, as the Emergent Church does.

If we use the saying that there is some good within the Emergent movement then we would have to say the same of Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons and any other religion that claim to be Christian in its beliefs. They both teach morals that could be seen as “good,” but in the end their practices are not of God.

How does Satan best destroy the church from within? By wrapping apparent good with destructive lies, as relative truth and questioning all truth doctrines of Scripture (hell & salvation), and even questioning the truth of Scripture itself with what are some good things, as helping the poor and remembering the those who are different from ourselves.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 says, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”

The Emergent Church is one baby that needs thrown out with its bathwater.

My Man Dr. John MacArthur

MacArthur: The Emergent Church is a Form of Paganism

Paul Edwards

Paul Edwards, host of “The Paul Edwards Program” on WLQV in Detroit, interviewed pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church John MacArthur about the emerging church movement in America. Paul begins the interview by asking Pastor John to respond to a radio interview with prominent emerging church leader Doug Pagitt. In the clip from October 22, 2007, Pagitt denied that there is a place of eternal conscious torment for persons who die apart from faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul Edwards: Help me with this—the emerging church prides itself on conversation, having a conversation, so let’s have a conversation. How can you have a conversation with someone, when you’re not even speaking the same language?

John MacArthur: Let me just cut to the chase on this one: [Doug] Pagitt is a Universalist. What he was saying is real simple. He was saying when you die your spirit goes to God and judgment means that whatever was not right about you, whatever was bad about you, whatever was substantially lacking about you, gets all resolved. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Buddhist, a Hindu or a Muslim—doesn’t matter whether you’re a Christian really; we’re all going to end up in this wonderful, warm and fuzzy relationship with God. That’s just classic universalism.

I think you know it’s most helpful, Paul, to go back and kind of recast how we view these people. He’s not a pastor; he’s not a Christian; that’s not a church. When you call yourself a Christian and you call yourself a pastor and you say you have a church, all of that has to be—to be legitimate—defined biblically. And if it’s not, that’s not a church and you’re not a pastor and you’re not even a Christian.

What you have here is a form of false religion … A form of paganism that basically wants to be thought of as Christian because it gains a certain ground. But the underlying bottom line of this whole emerging movement is they don’t believe in any doctrine, they don’t believe in any theology. They don’t want to be forced to interpret anything in scripture a certain way and the out is, “Well the Bible isn’t clear anyway.” In other words, we don’t know what it means; we can’t know what it means.

Brian McLaren says nobody has ever gotten it right—we haven’t got it right now—so let’s not make an issue out of anything. Let’s just be open to everything. Let’s not take a position on theology, or for that matter, on morality or behavior because, hey, there’s no judgment anyway so we’re all going to end up in God in some ethereal, eternal relationship. And that’s just non-Christian. It is blatantly, flagrantly non-Christian. It’s as non-Christian as any false religion.

Edwards: [When “Emergents” and many seeker-sensitive church advocates say “We do church a certain way,”] it seems to me that they do it by totally ignoring the book of Acts and the Epistles.

MacArthur: I’m going to seem anachronistic if not an outright dinosaur at this point. I believe the church has one function, and that is to guard the truth, to proclaim the truth and to live the truth. So you take the Word of God, you teach it, you proclaim it, you protect it, you defend it, and you live it, and that’s a church. The Word of God rightly divided, rightly understood.
That’s not the idea in a seeker church; that’s not the idea certainly in an emerging church. Everything becomes style and contextualization and everything is built around the manipulation of people’s hot buttons as if we were selling a product like any other product in our culture. This fails to understand that the only real power in the spiritual realm is Divine and that God works His power through His truth, and that’s all that matters.

I think the illusion of success is created by crowds. You’ve probably heard recently that Bill Hybels, who is the guru of the seeker movement, has openly confessed that they did a big survey and found they’ve been doing it wrong.

Edwards: “We made a mistake,” he said.

MacArthur: Yes, we made a mistake. And so, the solution is—one of the lines in the statement was—we gotta get a blank piece of paper and start all over again. That’s exactly the problem. Why do you want a blank piece of paper when you have all kinds of paper full with the Word of God?

Edwards: Right.

MacArthur: If you want a biblical mandate and you want to do ministry biblically, you teach and preach the Word. I don’t think it matters whether you have smoke and mirrors. I don’t think it matters whether you wear a tie, or don’t wear a tie, whether you wear a black T-shirt and holes in your knees or a blue suit. (I think there are reasons to go with the suit rather the grunge approach—of dignity, respect, sober mindedness, seriousness, loftiness, etc, etc.)

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that we proclaim the Word of God. Look, I’ve been doing this for so long, and I haven’t changed anything. Contexts come, contexts go; fads come, fads go; styles come, styles go. I just keep doing the same thing. We show up on Sunday morning, we sing a little bit, we pray, we open the Word of God and explain His meaning to the people. The people just keep coming and coming and what I say goes around the world, on radio, and then it gets transferred into 50 languages and books and commentaries because [the Word] knows no boundaries. It knows no cultural restraint, because the Word of God is transcendent.

Edwards: One of the things I get most frustrated about is whenever people like you who are standing for truth point out the error both in the emergent church and in the seeker movement people will immediately run to 1 Corinthians 9 and begin screaming, “You know Paul said, ‘I became all things to all men,’ which means to the grunge I become as grunge, to the Universalist I become as a Universalist.” But in 1 Corinthians 9 Paul isn’t saying that we compromise the message and we become whatever the audience needs us to be in order to make the gospel palatable.

MacArthur: Well, of course not. All he is saying is there’s a foundation in the proclamation of the gospel with the Jew and there’s a different starting point with the Gentile. If I’m going to evangelize a Jew, I’m going to start with the Old Testament because that’s the substantial basis. So every time the Apostle Paul preached to the Jews he started with the Scripture—the Old Testament Scripture. Every time he evangelized Gentiles he started with creation. For example, in Acts 14 and Acts 17 he talks about the unknown God. Who is the unknown God? He’s the God who made everything—that was the foundation.

All he is saying in 1 Corinthians 9 is you must understand the starting point of your audience and here’s the point: ideologically. In other words, how do they think ideologically, philosophically, religiously? What are the ideas, the theories, the viewpoints that they hold? It’s not about identifying with their lifestyle; it’s not about being able to converse about every episode of South Park, every R-rated movie and every Rap song—that’s not it at all.

How do people think religiously, how do they perceive truth?—those are the starting points that Paul was establishing. That’s a far cry from saying that to reach this generation we must do their music, we must dress the way they dress, we must live the way they live, we must be familiar with the baser components of their culture. That’s a million miles from what the Apostle Paul had in mind. He was talking about those things that controlled their thought process and their worldview.

Paul Edwards is the host of The Paul Edwards Program, a columnist and pastor. His program is heard daily on WLQV in Detroit and on godandculture.com. Contact him at paul@godandculture.com.

Find this article at: http://www.crosswalk.comhttp://www.crosswalk.com/pastors/11560481/

From the Mouths of Babes!

If you have 7 minutes then sit back and listen to this young lady preach it!

Ignorance is Bliss!

I was at an function that my daughter attends regularly and I brought a book with me because I knew that otherwise I would be rather board. I was sitting there reading my book when a woman that was standing beside me asked if I was in school.

I found this question weird for several reasons. The first being that I do not look like a college aged student, though I guess we all go to school at different stages in our lives. I was not holding a textbook, but a paperback book. I think it was because of the book title, which was ‘Illiberal Education’ by Dinesh D’Souza. Maybe the title or just the name having education in it, but I am not sure it was visible.

I believe that I was asked that question because I was reading a book that was not a current movie (i.e. Harry Potter or Bridge of Teribithia), or was a self-help book (i.e. You Best Life Now or Purpose Driven Life). This truly demonstrates to me an example of our American culture. In order to read a deep book that causes you to think, you must be in college and not just a thinking person who is looking to engage his mind or looking at challenging issues.

This is a sad comment on our culture. If someone is reading a semi-intellectual book, you have to be in school or doing some sort of academic work. As I looked around to see what others were doing, it became apparent that her observation was not off base. One person was reading a super-market check out magazine, another was texting on their phone, and yet another playing a video game. I was the only one reading a book that would require some thought to comprehend what was written, and I do not consider myself that much of an intellectual.

It is not a surprise when everyone believes what is being said within the media and what the liberal agenda pumps out in the press. It is no wonder why Christians have a hard time defending or understanding the deeper truths of Scripture. When we do not feed our brains they will start to atrophy. It is a muscle that needs to be used.

Some of the brilliant minds today will tell you to read an easy book of interest, and also read a book that you have to go slow through and think about as you read it. Read something challenging that challenges your thinking and strengthens your brain function. One great book that will challenge you over and over again is the Bible, as it will always make you think, reflect and challenge the way you see the world today.

The next time you are somewhere look around and see what people are reading, and my bet you will see books that you find on the best sellers list at any bookstore. Try reading Summa of the Summa, The Kingdom Triangle, Socrates, Pensee, Philosophy of Religion by Norman Geisler. Read some authors like Peter Kreeft, N.T. Wright, Dinesh D’Souza, J.P. Moreland, William Lane Craig, and Norman Geisler. These books and authors are not typically seen on popular lists, because they make people think too much. Train your brain, challenge your thinking and search for truth. You will not do any of it in the plethora of non-thinking jargon that is found on popular shelves at most bookstores.

Where are the Fathers?

While I was at the apologetics conference a few weeks ago Josh McDowell spoke, and his talk was very impacting to those listening. It confirmed for me some things that I have been thinking about and debating in my head for some time. The gist of what Josh McDowell was getting at was that without love mixed with apologetics there is trouble. Without the love of Christ, apologetics just becomes another arsenal in your debating closet.

But he made another statement within the context of this speech and he mentioned the lack of involvement in fathers today, and how they are contributing to the areas that people struggle with in our society. Think about it. Who does not want to hear that their father is proud of them and loves them no matter what they do? Who does not want their father’s attention and their unconditional love? Today in a lot of family lives this is just not the case. Fathers are not there with their children and are not giving their families the time that they need. There is a whole missing in the family structure.

Today fathers make all kinds of excuses for not spending time with their children. I am too busy working. We just do not have the same interests. Many fathers are just plain not around, or do not want to be involved. Of course there are the alcoholic, drug addict, and the abusive fathers, but in a lot of ways there is not much difference from the father who does not give the proper time to their children.

This past Friday my wife talked about homosexuality and the issues that surround this issue. Even here we can see the impact of fathers. It has been proven that a lack of fatherly time with their children can lead them to this life style if they are not confirmed in their manhood or womanhood. Many in the gay community who have come out have said that their fathers never gave them the time they needed for many different reasons. Again, you can be a wealthy, non-drinking, non-smoking, non-abusive father and if you do not give them YOU then there will be problems. There will be a hole that will need to be filled.

Fathers, if you do not give them time and love then they will seek it from wherever they can. If they struggle with attraction to same sex then there. If they have an attraction to drugs then there or maybe they will become promiscuous because they cannot trust anyone. Fathers you help a boy become a man and demonstrate how they should act in society, and if you are not there who will fill that role? Fathers, you are the picture of who your daughter should marry when she grows up. How do you rate?

Stop making excuses, and make the change and commitment to your family. Be the prince for your daughter and the man your son needs to see. Be Christ to them.

For those fathers that have been there and have been this for their children. Thank you!!! Today you are almost a rarity.

Our children need you. We are losing them and Dads need to step up and be Dads!!

An Untimely Death

How sad but true this is:

My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me Iwould do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he wasalways around in my early years but less and less as time passed by. Today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence inremembrance, for Common Sense had served us all so well for so manygenerations.

Obituary
Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, whohas been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he wassince his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. Hewill be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowingwhen to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, lifeisn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend morethan you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not childrenare in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned butoverbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boycharged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspendedfrom school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired forreprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing thejob they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.It declined even further when schools were required to get parentalconsent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a Band-Aid to a student,but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant andwanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live when religions became businesses andcriminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sensetook a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in yourown home and the burglar can sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed torealize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little inher lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; hiswife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. Heis survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is toBlame, and I'm a Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

Author unknown

Ezekiel's Disciplined Faith

I was reading Ezekiel 24 today for my devotions, and I came across a verse that just stopped me in my tracks for a moment. It is one of those verses that you sometimes have to do a double take on, because you think what you read cannot be possible. But it was, and I now have read it many times from talking to people about it and from continually thinking upon, which is why I had to write this blog.

Ezekiel 24:15-17 says, “Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke; yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, nor shall your tears run down. Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead; bind your turban on your head, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips, and do not eat man’s bread of sorrow.”

Read it again and look it up in your Bibles and read the rest of the context. It is a tough section and demonstrates a great man of faith and very disciplined. What would be your first response if God told you He was going to take your wife and you could not show any sorrow, except a quiet whimper? Not only that you could not perform your Jewish traditional rituals. I thought about this. Just to think about my wife dying now causes me to choke up a little, but to have God tell me that she is going to die and I cannot mourn. Man. . . . That is almost an insane thought, but obviously it is not, as God did it.

What impresses me is that Ezekiel does exactly what God said. He does not mourn. He does what God tells Him. This is one disciplined man. He knows His God and trusts in Him, even though God took His most valued desire. He trusts God and His decisions no matter what it looks like from his immortal finite mind. To be this disciplined is just amazing, and I pray that I could be as faithful and disciplined to whatever called me to do as well. But, I must be honest that it would be very tough if He said He was going to take my wife or one of my girls. I can only hope that He would give me the power through the Holy Spirit to make it through.

Do you have this kind of faith and discipline? Are you ready to truly give up everything for your Savior? If we worship anything above God then it is an idol, and our spouses can fall into that category. Is your spouse your idol? You have to walk in a deep relationship with God to be as disciplined and faithful as Ezekiel. How is your walk? I know I am truly looking at mine after reading this passage.

You have to Pray just to make it today!

“I am so busy now that if I did not spend two or three hours each day in prayer, I would not get through the day.” – Martin Luther

One of my favorite philosophers once said, “You have to pray just to make it today.” M.C. Hammer wrote these lyrics for his song, “Pray.” There is much truth in this little statement.

I took some Ransomed college students on a prayer retreat this weekend, and it was great. It was incredible to see students come just knowing all they were going to do is pray and talk about building a better prayer life. There were no games, no special events, no planned “fun” time, just being with God and communicating with Him in a deeper fashion.

As I was reflecting one night after we had stopped for the night, I started to think about Jesus and being one of His disciples. He had so many different personalities in His group, yet they were able to pray and eat together because of their faith that Christ was the Messiah. How else could a tax collector, a zealot and some local fishermen remotely get along for any period of time? Only because of Christ could this ever happen. While He was there they listened and learned under His tutelage, and after the resurrection they were bonded by their faith in Him as Savior and Lord.

We had the same differences at this prayer retreat. There were many different personalities here as well, but they all had one thing in common, that they wanted to deepen their prayer life, which would ultimately deepen their relationship with Christ. It was interesting to observe and just proved to me the power of Christ. When we put Christ first, all else seems to go to the side. Maybe we should be more worried today about bringing people to Christ and helping them grow in Him? I bet half the other issues would go away if we started to do this just as Christ did in His day. He tends to make a great example to follow.

As you focus on Christ the answers to a lot of the other questions will answer themselves, whether it is morals or personality conflicts. If you are with brothers or sisters in Christ and there seems to be some personality differences then try praying together. I watched these college students put a lot of their differences aside, as they all had one thing in common and that was the inerrant authority of the Bible to direct their prayer and their Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. What else in life truly matters?

It was truly a blessing to be part of this prayer retreat and to see these young adults come together in the name of Christ. I will end my thoughts about the retreat with the same great philosopher I started with, “Thank you Lord for blessing me.” It was truly a blessing to be part of and something we all could learn from in our lives. If you want to know Christ then you have to pray, as there is no other way (I believe spending time in the Word is a form of prayer as it is hearing from God).

Col. 4:2: “Continue earnestly in prayer being vigilant in it with thanksgiving...”

Golden Compass Continued

AFA of PA ACTION ALERT

November 29, 2007

WARNING: “The Golden Compass”

On December 7th “The Golden Compass” will be opening in theatres across the country. It has a ‘Narnia’ feel to it with its talking animals, witches, etc. and that’s for a reason -- the book series this movie is based upon “His Dark Materials” was written as a result of the hatred the author, Phillip Pullman, has for C.S. Lewis’s series.

"I loathe the 'Narnia' books," Pullman has said in press interviews. "I hate them with a deep and bitter passion, with their view of childhood as a golden age from which sexuality and adulthood are a falling away." He has called the series "one of the most ugly and poisonous things" he's ever read.

Pullman, a leading promoter of atheism, told the Washington Post that a key goal of his writing was to "undermine the basis" of Christian belief. Pullman is also an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society that campaigns against any involvement by religious people in public life.

Unfortunately, Reuters predicts that Pullman's anti-religious children's fantasy stories will become a multi-million dollar Hollywood "super series" along the lines of Lord of the Rings.

Parents need to be wary of “The Golden Compass.” The movie and book series are being promoted by Scholastic, Inc. through its book order form, curriculum based on the series and its “Golden Compass Student Sweepstakes.” Among the sweepstakes prizes are box sets of “His Dark Materials.” Parents need to ask their children’s school whether they will be using the curriculum, promoting or discussing the movie or book series in any way. Parents have the right to ask that their child be removed from the classroom and given an alternative assignment.

Here are several articles you may consider reading:

“An Atheist’s Narnia Knockoff”

“Will Your Kid Discover His Personal ‘Daemon’?

“Does the Golden Compass Point to a New Atheism?”

When Thinking about Our President

John Glenn said this which should make you think a little:

There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq in January. In the fair city of Detroit there were 35 murders in the month of January. That's just one American city, about as deadly as the entire war-torn country of Iraq.

When some claim that President Bush shouldn't have started this war, state the following:

A. FDR led us into World War II. Germany never attacked us ; Japan did. From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost. . . . An average of 112,500 per year.

B. Truman finished that war and started one in Korea. North Korea never attacked us . From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost. . . . An average of 18,334 per year.

C. John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962. Vietnam never attacked us.

D. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire. From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost. . . . An average of 5,800 per year.

E. Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent. Bosnia never attacked us. He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on multiple occasions.

F. In the years since terrorists attacked us , President Bush has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled Al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya, Iran, and, North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people.

The Democrats are complaining about how long the war is taking.

But Wait. . . . There’s more!

It took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51-day operation.

We've been looking for evidence for chemical weapons in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records.

It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard than it took Ted Kennedy to call the police after his Oldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick.

It took less time to take Iraq than it took to count the votes in Florida!!! Our Commander-In-Chief is doing a GREAT JOB! The Military morale is high! The biased media hopes we are too ignorant to realize the facts

But Wait. . . . There's more!

John Glenn on the senate floor

Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 11:13

Some people still don't understand why military personnel do what they do for a living. This exchange between Senators John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one man's explanation of why men and women in the armed services do what they do for a living.

This is a typical, though sad, example of what some who have never served think of the military.

Senator Metzenbaum to Senator Glenn: "How can you run for Senate when you've never held a real job?"

Senator Glenn: "I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I was in the space program. It wasn't my checkbook, Howard; it was my life on the line. It was not a nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take the daily cash receipts to the bank. I ask you to go with me ... as I went the other day... to a veteran's hospital and look those men - with their mangled bodies - in the eye, and tell them they didn't hold a job! You go with me to the Space Program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the widows and Orphans of Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee... and you look those kids in the eye and tell them that their DADS didn't hold a job.

You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more friends buried than I'd like to remember, and you watch those waving flags.
You stand there, and you think about this nation, and you tell me that those people didn't have a job? I'll tell you, Howard Metzenbaum; you should be on your knees every day of your life thanking God that there were some men - some men - who held real jobs. And they required a dedication to a purpose - and a love of country and a dedication to duty - that was more important than life itself. And their self-sacrifice is what made this country possible.

I have held a job, Howard! What about you?"

For those who don't remember - During W.W.II, Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney representing the Communist Party in the USA.

He was a Senator!

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English thank a Veteran.

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/g/glenn-metzenbaum.htp

Movie Warning!!!

This movie should be avoided by Christians, and especially from your children. This movie is to entice kids to buy the books that are completely against God. Do not support this movie with your funds and let those around you know as well that this is a dangerous movie.

It is being shown as something like Narnia, but it is far from it and the creator purposely did it this way to go against C.S. Lewis. This movie is completely athiestic in it's outlook and the books are even worse, as they are completely against God and anything He represents.

Here is what some others are saying:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,305487,00.html

https://www.family.org/entertainment/A000001212.cfm

http://www.crosswalk.com/11560163/

I am sure that there are more sites if you do a general search.

ELDERTON COUNTRY MARKET GRINCH

As a Grandmother, one of the highlights of my year is the gathering of my family around the Thanksgiving table. However, the joy of our Thanksgiving was tainted by what happened to my daughter as she was shopping for last minute groceries at Elderton Country Market. On Wednesday, November 21, 2007, as my daughter was doing the last of the Thanksgiving shopping, she was approached by an assistant manager. The manager was holding old grapes, a half eaten apple, and half a banana; all wrapped in cellophane. In front of other shoppers, the manager harshly told my daughter that she had found these items and accused my three year old granddaughter of eating them and leaving them throughout the store on multiple occasions.

It is important to note that my daughter was shopping alone, without my granddaughter. My daughter calmly questioned the accusing manager why she had singled out her three year old. The manager informed her that someone supposedly had seen her daughter with these items although the manager herself had not. When my daughter asked for the proof the manager was using to accuse her three year old, the owner of Elderton Country Market was summoned. He, not having been a witness to any of these events, sternly and surely reinforced what the assistant manager had accused.

Once again, my daughter stated that it was not her three year old that ate these items. My granddaughter has never eaten grapes nor bananas in this store. She had picked out an apple in the past and eaten part of it, but my daughter has always paid up to $2.00 per apple upon checking out. Two dollars for a single apple is a lot, but my daughter has always paid for any apples my granddaughter picked up to eat. At this point, the owner cruelly and unsympathetically told her that she and her three year old daughter were no longer welcome in the store.

My husband and I have been shopping at Elderton Country Market for many years, prior to the new owner, and have appreciated the special attention given not only to adult shoppers, but their children as well. Following the events of November 21, I spoke to several other members of the community and have sadly learned that my daughter’s case is not unique. The singling out and persecution of families at Elderton Country Market is apparently a common occurrence. John Grabowski has taken a time honored small community market, and turned it into a cold, heartless money machine. Elderton Country Market is no longer the place where everyone is treated like family but instead where everyone is seen as a dollar sign.

Sally Kaufman
Elderton Native.

I'm Too Afraid!

Acts 4:18-22, “18So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” 21So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.”

Have you ever thought about what it meant for these apostles to answer their interrogation this way in Acts? They were telling that regardless of their laws, Rome’s laws or their threats they were going to preach Christ. They had to tell, or preach, about what they had seen and heard. Do you feel that way? Do you feel so compelled about your faith that you have to tell it regardless of the consequences? If not, why not?

The apostles and followers gave up their careers, their land, their families and their money for the sake of Christ. Yet we are afraid to talk about it in our daily lives because the government tells us we cannot. God tells us to tell everyone, and the government says we cannot. Who should you listen to? Who do you owe everything to?

Are we afraid to be fired, arrested, and made fun of because we are real Christ followers? I am sure glad the early Christians were not. This is one thing to be thankful for during this season.

With Christmas coming and why we celebrate this season, Jesus Christ, are you going to become politically correct so you do not offend anyone? Read Acts 3 and 4 again and see if your thoughts about this change. We are Christ followers in all areas of our lives. We are not supposed to wait till someone opens the door for us to talk. We are to go and preach and to tell everyone. The great commission does not tell us to wait.

If Christ is permeating everything in your life, then how can you not tell others about Him? Remember if you love the world, then you do not love God. He said it I did not.

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

Small Community Atmosphere -- Not!

I typically do not write on such issues, but this one hit home, as it deals with children and I cannot stand it when people treat children with disregard.

Have you ever gone to the store with your children and they end up eating a couple of grapes or part of an apple? I have not met a parent yet where this is not the case. Stores typically do not mind because they know it will keep the children quiet and it keeps Mom’s in the stores much longer to shop more.

Of course with this there are times when the little rascals put the grapes, apples or other items in the aisles or places to never be found. They do the same thing in their homes, so why would we expect anything any different in stores, though most parents try their hardest to keep it from happening.

A young mother found that in some stores they do not want children to be there, because she was kicked out because her three year old daughter “supposedly” left an apple and some grapes in parts of the store. This is a small community store, Elderton Country Market, where food is not as cheap to buy as it would be at Wal-Mart. This mother shopped here to support her small town community instead of going into town to shop at the larger grocery stores.

Instead of just seeing children as children they asked her not to come back to the store after accusing her child of doing something she did not even do that day, and not in the recent past either. According to this mother, they not only asked her to leave they did it in front of her daughter and with at least six customers watching and listening. Can you imagine your three year old watching as you are berated in front of customers over no more then $2.00 of fruit? Why not just ask for $2.00? Or just ask nicely if you could just watch to make sure it did not happen again?

Sure, her daughter like mine have most likely left stuff in the aisles, and as much as possible we try to clean it as we go, but some things you just miss. The funny thing is the store lost at least $400 a month just from groceries from this mother, and I am guessing her extended family will not shop there anymore either, costing them even more money. Losing $400 a month over $2 of fruit just does not seem worth it, at least to me, but maybe I am wrong.

Who kicks out a family because a three year old girl acts like a three year old girl? What happened to small town community atmosphere? Wal-Mart has proven to be more family friendly then this small town store, as they never say anything to children eating a couple of grapes or an apple. They know parents will buy more, shop longer and return because they treat their children with patience and care. Elderton Country Market could learn a lesson from the larger stores.

A Great Thanksgiving Article

Dinesh D'Souza wrote a great piece on Thanksgiving and I believe well worth the time to read it.

http://news.aol.com/newsbloggers/2007/11/21/thank-god-for-america/

Imposing Your Will

Proverbs 29:2, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.”

Can Christians legislate morality? For that matter can anyone legislate morality? In our country today they seem to think that we cannot impose our morals on anyone because that would be intolerant. The funny thing is that by telling us we cannot impose our morals they are in turn imposing theirs upon us. The question today is not whether or not we can legislate morality, but whose morality will be legislated.

Christians today have been somewhat brainwashed into thinking we have to just go with the flow. We have backed down and hid behind the doors as not to offend anyone. We have changed our services so that non-believers will feel more comfortable. In reality we have been allowing the world to impose their morals upon us for the last fifty years at least. Just a few examples would be prayer being taken out of school, teaching of creation being taken out of school, and making it easier and easier to live any immoral life you want without problem. The majority of Christians have stood back and let it happen. Some sit around and complain about issues and happenings today, but when asked to step up and be part of the change they are too afraid of what people will think.

Christians should welcome the ability to be part of legislating morality. We use to be. Why do you think slavery was finally abolished? Why do you think there are schools in the first place? Or why there are the freedoms you have today? Because Christians were involved in the process and legislated our laws. You can fight all you want about a few of them being Deists, but even they believed in a creator and legislating the Ten Commandments. They were not trying to take God out of everything with the false dictum of church-state separation. They loved God being involved. They did not want a national church.

You can’t help but legislate your morality. We vote on who we think best represents our values and utilizes those to best run our country. We all see through tainted lenses, be it Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, or Atheist. You vote and recommend laws based on your religious lens (and Atheism is just as much a religion as any of the other beliefs).

Look at what is happening in America today because Christians have fell for the bunk of separation of church and state. You cannot even talk about your faith in government facilities without the other person asking you first. That goes completely against what the Bible tells us. It tells us to tell everyone and to live it out in all that you do, say and think. How can you not talk about your Savior at work? It must be stifling.

Abortion has now killed 45 million babies. Teen pregnancy is up, teen suicide is up, cohabitation now is alright, friends with benefits is the new thing, being experimental is the way to be, and you are just a prude if you keep your virginity past 15 years old. Divorce has skyrocketed, drug abuse and pornography is rampant, and we worship the idols on television and in the sports arena more then we worship God.

This has all happened in the last fifty years because we have taken God out of our public lives. We have asked Him to leave and He has. We are being turned over to our sins and we don’t want to see it. Why? Because we do not think it is right to impose our morality on others, and all the long they are imposing it on us and we are drinking it up like there was no tomorrow.

When do we say enough is enough? When it becomes illegal to witness? Wait, it already is in certain places. Numerous people have been fired for sharing or living out their faith in America. Why is that if morality is not legislated? Keep drinking.

A major election year is coming up and Christians need to start voting according to the Word of God. The people they vote to legislate and protect us need to have the qualifications laid out in the Bible, because otherwise there will be trouble. Will they make mistakes? Yes, but they typically will not make the mistake of legalizing drugs, or killing babies before they have a chance to live.

I just pray that we understand it is not whether or not we legislate morality, because it happens whether you think so or not. The question is whose morality are we going to legislate.

Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.”

Proverbs 11:11, “By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

What Ever Happened to Teaching Discernment?

Proverbs 2:10-12, “When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things,”

Today there seems to be this mindset that college students cannot discern good from evil themselves, and we have to directly tell them what they need to do and what not to do because they cannot think for themselves. Maybe this is true, but I doubt it.

This happens in the classroom where professors keep teaching their ideologies instead of their subject. English teachers talking about politics and political teachers teaching about religion, though both would tell you they were some how teaching their subject. Instead of teaching facts and the subjects they are paid by tuition fees and tax dollars they indoctrinate our kids with their beliefs, and teach them to believe any differently is basically anti-intellectual, incompetent and idiotic.

Does this shock me? Absolutely not!! What does shock me is it is seen in many clubs and organizations that should not be doing it, including within the Christian circles. There are groups that have difficulty with their members participating or going to another group on campus, even if it is within the same affiliation or mindset. This boggles my mind for several reasons, not to mention that it begets a cult mindset on the students themselves, especially if the group is religiously affiliated.

This first seems to be saying that your group is the best and that there is no reason to go to others, making yourself the end all. Why not teach truth and let the college students discern and start to decide? Unless we are not teaching them how to do that and only teaching what we want them to believe. As Christians we are called to teach the truth of Scripture and then they are to decide. That is what free will is about. If we are teaching truth then when a college student goes to another organization and they are not teaching truth then they will be able to discern and see that what they are seeing is not correct and choose not to go back.

Using guilt or manipulation to make a college student commit to your organization or group is coercion and cultish. I have never told a college student they should not go to another group on campus, and will not. I will though teach them the absolute truths taught in the inerrant Word of God, and then leave them to decide. I will give my opinion about issues if asked, but at the same time I will not tell them to think the way I do. I have told students to go and check different groups out. But I do tell them to always take every thought captive as they are being taught, and to utilize the Scripture to base truth from opinion or just plain lie, and if the group is teaching error either confront it or leave the group, but I let them decide. I will not make them feel guilty if they return to the group. I just continue teaching truth.
I do not want them to have the “Mind of Alan,” besides being scary, is not absolute truth. I want them to have the “Mind of Christ,” the absolute truth and they way of salvation. If I am moving them towards the mind of Christ through Scripture then I am doing what God instructs us to do as campus leaders. The students are at the age of accountability and have to work through God’s truths and they also have to be able to learn to discern truth from error, as there are wolves out there in sheep’s clothing.

Yes, we are to protect the youth, young adult, and adult from error that is prevalent out there, but we do not do it through guilt or manipulation, again that is a cult mindset. “You should not go there because you do not want to get confused, and we are just trying to protect you. We are your family and there is no reason to go to those other groups. How do you think that makes us feel? We just care about you and want the best for you, and we do not want you to get confused from what those other groups may teach.” This is pure manipulation to coerce the person to become obedient to the group and not God.

It is interesting though that on the outside these groups will not seem this way, as they will participate with other like minded groups, or non like minded groups to have the appearance of tolerance, but once you start to attend the mind manipulation begins. These groups are dangerous and destructive to the person, the body of Christ and themselves. I have counseled too many people that have gone through this, and have seen the results of what happens to people when they get tied up with groups like this.

John 8:31-32, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Teach the truth and when a student goes to see another group they should be able to discern what is going on if we have done our jobs as teachers. The only reason to use manipulation is because you are teaching error and you do not want students or anyone else to find out.

Plant the seed and let the Holy Spirit move in the student’s lives. John 15:26, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” Thank God for the Holy Spirit, as it takes so much responsibility from me, because I am not perfect. I try to teach absolute truth from the inerrant Word of God to the best of my ability; through a lot of prayer, study, and allowing the Spirit to teach me, and not by someone telling what I should believe or think. They are only guides because they have proved themselves through teaching truth as well based on Scripture. Like Paul, live with the ability to tell people to watch you and they will be walking in the truth of Christ. Walk in Christ, live in Christ, teach Christ, and protect Christianity, but do not use manipulation! If you are striving to reflect and live in the truth of Christ, then you have done all you can and then the college student has to choose.

College students, here is my advice, take it or leave it: Read the Word, study the Word, pray over the Word, find mentors who portray the Word, and then as you go to other groups base them on the Absolute Truth. If they are not lining up with it then do not attend, or attend and try to witness boldly. If you are saved and living for Christ and in the Word then the Holy Spirit will convict, protect and teach you.

2 Timothy 2:15-17, “Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer.”

Bullwhip Guy -- A Satire

Here is a great satire done on a popular speaker out there. I am sure most of you that look at my blog will get it, and if you do not know who it is what is being said is still quite good in its presentation and worth thinking about anyway.

AIRPORT DRAMA TAKE TWO!

Ecclesiastes 3:7, “time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;”

What I did not mention in my last blog is the reaction to the young woman he was talking to about his divorce. This young woman wanted nothing to do with him. She was sitting sideways, her eyes were partially sneering and she was not making any eye contact with him. Everything about her body language said, “I want nothing to do with this conversation.” The funny part is that this guy told her she was a great listener, but she was doing anything but that.

As God does a lot in our lives He gives us a time to just listen to people. I had the fortunate opportunity to sit next to her on the plane. The first statement I made was that I could tell she did not want to be part of the conversation. Right away she loosened up, and then I asked if he even heard her say that she was the child of a late divorce and thought it hurt the kids no matter the age and did not want to really talk about it. She then started to tell me her life and some of the things that happened, all because she knew I had listened.

By the time I finished our conversation I knew her job, where she grew up, where she graduated high school, what she was doing and why she was in Charlotte, NC. She knew nothing about me at all and that was alright. People love for someone to just hear them and listen to what they have to say. I was able to ask her about her faith, because she knew I was really listening and not just trying to “save” her. Turned out that her friend was a very strong Christian and she said she was more of a mediocre Christian. We were able to talk about why and since I knew exactly where she lived at we talked about some of the churches she visited and I suggested a church that I was just told about a few days earlier by my cousin. All this because she felt special because I listened.

Another reason to listen to everyone because we do not know when the information we heard from someone else will be useful in another situation. Had I not truly listened to my cousin about the church they were attending, I would not have been able to suggest a church where I was comfortable for her to go.

As believers we need to listen to others. We need to be patient in our speech, and really listen, as it tends to give us great opportunity to reach people for Christ. To open our mouths without listening to what the other person was telling us verbally and bodily will tend to do more damage then good. Remember we will be held account for what we say here as believers. We represent Christ.

Matthew 12:36-37, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Airport Rationality

Malachi 2:16, “For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce. . . .”

I was sitting in the airport coming home from a great conference in Charlotte, NC, which will be in some follow up blogs. While I was sitting there a man came and sat directly behind me and engaged in conversation with a young lady across from him. Unfortunately, I was able to hear his conversation, even though I tried to not listen. The man in his 50’s started talking about how he and his wife have been separated for a year and a half now and he was anxious to be done with the divorce. Without being asked he went on to tell her why. Now this is where it took all I had not to turn around and just smack the guy in the back of the head and tell him that he is an “Idiot.”

He tells the girl that he was throwing away 23 years of marriage because his wife did not want to move out of the house they currently lived in, because he wanted to move. Are you serious? All that came to my mind is, “What? You cannot be serious.” Of course then he moved into the same old adages of growing apart and different interests and that their lives were just not good together. “I do not feel in love anymore.” What a crock of crap!!!

Talk about a mid-life crisis. This guy found it necessary to rationalize, even after a year and a half, to a complete stranger why he was leaving his wife. Think there is guilt involved? Think he knows what he is doing is wrong? Why not work at growing back together as they had to when they were dating? It is not as if they met and then clicked at everything right away. Why not look at it as dating all over again and have some fun with it? Put some effort into wooing your spouse as we did when we were courting or dating. No, he wanted to run from responsibility and focus on himself, no matter the two children that would be affected for the rest of their lives. Age does not make a difference. It hurts the children no matter what age they are, whether it be 5 years old or 30 years old.

What I did not mention in this story is his faith, because in today’s society it does not seem to matter. Today there is just as much divorce in the church as there is in the secular world. Just as many dumb excuses are used by Christians as are used by secularists.

God hates divorce, because it is a covenant you made before Him. It is not a contract that can be broken if someone does not want to be in business anymore. You made the promise to God not to your spouse, so unless there are the issues Christ gives for divorce then there is no legitimate reason for it. Certainly not because she did not want to move into another house! When you break that covenant you made with God you are affecting every area of your life and those involved with you, and if you are a believer then you are affecting the church as a whole as we are all members of the body. Divorce makes the church sick and wounded, just as much as it wounds those close to you.

Matthew 5:31-32, “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.”

You Decide. . .Is There Demons Out There?

Here is a picture from an anniversary picture that if you look at the right shoulder of the gentleman you will see what looks like a dog, but he claims it is a demon as there were no dogs there. This also helped bring him to the Lord. I find it very interesting to say the least. I of course believe we are not alone out there, and that there are demons, and this could be one of those instances where one shows itself. You decide. Here is the video link if you want to watch the story at a Fox News Station.

Wanna Bet?

Ever buy a lottery ticket and rationalize that if God would just let you win that you would give 10% or more immediately to the church or God’s work? Ever rationalize that playing the lotto in the variety of forms was alright because the money was going to help education and prescriptions for the elderly? Seeing how 95% of Americans have gambled in their life times, I am guessing that many Christians have used these exact excuses for playing the lotto. I know I did when I was just a new Christian. Who does not want to get rich the quick way?

There is no command in the Bible that says we cannot gamble, but there are a lot of principles that give us a clear indication of what our response should be to it. 1 Timothy 6:10 tells us, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." And Hebrews 13:5 declares, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

When you gamble you are moving down a road that fulfills the first verse, of loving the money and moving towards evil, as I believe gambling leads to evil, and the second because it is trying to place your fate in your own hands through luck.

Where the Bible does not explicitly say we cannot gamble, it certainly implies it. Just as the Bible never uses the word Trinity to describe God, it certainly implies it in a variety of places. It is implied because of the verses that talk about money, but the fact that gambling breaks quite a few of the 10 commandments, and I will touch on a few.

The first one is we are breaking the first commandment, and by far probably the most important one. When we are placing our hands in luck and luck and God are mutually exclusive from one another, as luck would entail that something happens apart from the will of God. Believing in luck is belief in something other than God and therefore breaking the first commandment.

Secondly we are not being good stewards with what God, not luck, has given us. Prov. 12:11, “"he who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment." Playing the lottery is just that a fantasy of getting what you did not work for and taking what others typically could not afford to lose, which takes us to our third reason for not gambling.

We are not loving our neighbors when we are gambling. Some one always loses. There is no win-win situation in gambling. Many people lose in gambling so one person can win. It is a self-centered game and nothing about it is loving. Gambling is designed to take advantage of people, and mainly those who are not typically able to afford to do so.

Covetousness raises its sleazy little head when we are gambling because it is taking what other have, as that is exactly the object. To take what others have and give nothing in return. Where Philippians 4:11-12 tells us, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” We are not to long after what others have, as we are to be content with what God has given us.

But someone may say people do win, as it helps the kids with education and with prescription drugs. Is this really true? I do not remember personally anyone telling me they were playing for that reason. The reason people play is for the greed of riches, which is why the government uses it to get your money. There has been a couple of jack-pots over 300 million dollars, and there is not that many people in the U.S. They could just take that amount and give 1 million to each person in the U.S. and then they each could donate to the schools and the elder generation would be able to afford their pills, not to mention everyone else. Do we really want to go down the slippery slope of rationalizing evil or bad because it helps education and the elderly. That is why we now have abortion and are now talking about euthanasia.

Do a study on any major city that has gambling legalized and see what you get. What you get is higher crime rate, alcoholism, prostitution, bankruptcy, spousal abuse, and higher suicide rates. Today there are more teenagers addicted to gambling then ever before. More then a million teenagers are addicted today, and with that have come twice the amount of suicide attempts. Sounds like a great way to make the education system better to me, and I am sure many elderly would love to win because of everyone else’s misery. Jesus would be proud.

If we took the money that was gambled and used it for the work of God there would be little need today for the welfare system, as there would be plenty of money.

Though gambling is not stated specifically in the Bible we can discern from the Bible that there is nothing good that comes from it. And as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:12, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”

One Every 24 Seconds!

"The most merciful thing a large family can do for one of its infant members is to kill it." -- Margaret Sanger, Founder of Planned Parenthood.

Psalm 139:13-16, “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.”

I wrote on this topic before and basically gave you links to some great articles on the subject. As I just spent two weeks on this topic, I am going to just give some information and deal with one argument that I really had not heard before, nor read about anywhere.

During my research and study of the topic I discovered some interesting tid bits of information. Did you know that Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, was very much into Nazi eugenics? She admitted to conning black pastors in America to help her cause of reducing or eliminating this “inferior race” step by step. She did this by convincing the black population to control their births by contraception, sterilization and abortion, but her real motives were to wipe the race off the planet. No different then Hitler trying to wipe the Jewish nation off the planet, except America condemned the one and accepts the other.

Did you know that the company that makes the RU-486, better known as the abortion pill, was made by a spin off company that made the Zyklon-B gas that killed the Jews in Auschwitz? This is at least a little interesting to say the least, at to me. Fits though with Ms. Sanger’s beliefs and I am sure she would be proud to know that her heroes, the Nazi’s, had a part in her killing spree that continues on today.

Pro-Abortionists should be proud that one of their founders and the RU-486 pill all have ties to Hitler’s death camps and his philosophy. I wonder if it is mandatory prior to working at a Planned Parenthood location if you have to read ‘Mien Kampf?’

What really gets me is when Christians fall into this trap. I cannot for the life of me understand with the science we have today how anyone does not see that the zygote is a human. The baby has all of her DNA she will ever have. The hair color, height, temperament, and eye color are all there, and all the baby needs to grow is time and food. Same things a baby outside the womb need to grow, not to mention everyone else on the planet. There is no doubt that the little fetus is human.

Do you find it interesting that it is unlawful to even handle an American Eagle egg, whether fertilized or not, because it is an eagle, but we can kill a baby until he takes his first breath?

One argument I heard was that there is no blood in the zygote human until 18 days and since life is in the blood, as Leviticus 17:11 says, then it is not a human and okay to abort. This does not even make sense to me a number of levels. This is not the context of the verse, and not what is meant when talking about the blood being life for us. Read any commentary and you will find the meaning of this verse.

My first question is how do we know there is no blood yet? We only know it is not moving. Where does it come from? Not the mother, as the blood can be a different type then the mother. It has to already be there. What if I took your brain and left all your blood, or I took your heart and left all your blood? Do you think you would still be alive? Maybe then we should say that life is in the heart or brain. Or maybe just maybe that is a bad platform for anyone, especially Christians, to use as a reason to abort.

Argument also does not logically fit. As we can trace it backwards. Is she a baby when the mother holds her in her arms right after birth? Yes. Is she a baby two minutes prior to birth during labor? There is no difference, except the mother is holding the baby, so it is still a baby in a different environment. Do you see where I am going? We can do this all the way back to conception. Does not matter the days, just as we know the egg of an American Eagle is an eagle; we know that the zygote is a human baby no matter how young.

As Christians we are to support life, not destroy it, nor give anyone else a rationalization to kill their baby. Adoption is always an option, as there are plenty of parents out there wanting children because they cannot have them. Do you not think that 45,000,000 deaths are enough? Did you know that a baby is aborted every 24 seconds? By the time you read this blog there were probably between 4 and 6 babies aborted. What happened to the Golden Rule? Good thing we do not follow that one to the extreme. What are you going to do when you get older and they rationalize killing you because you are just a burden in some fashion, just as you helped women rationalize killing their babies is alright because of the burden they would cause? They would be just utilizing the Golden Rule with you. Will you just allow it?

I think we should go with Scripture on this one and protect life that God created, remembering it is not us that create. He has a reason, and who are you or I to say one life gets to live and the other die? Are you God? Does the clay get to say to the Potter how to behave or how to form? No, so why are we doing it with babies lives? I would not want to stand before God knowing I gave someone a reason to kill one of His creations.

Exodus 21:22-25, ““If men fight, and hurt a woman with child, so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

Romans 9:20, “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”

Gal. 1:15, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,”

Want to see the development of the baby: http://www.paternityangel.com/PicsAndPhotos/FoetalDevelop/1stTrimester.htm.

Takes Me Back to my times at Faith, Hope & Love

This video takes me back to the times I was working at Faith, Hope & Love in Charlotte, NC. This is a cute video. Pay attention to the words.

Don't be a Pharisee

John 8:48, “Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

This is a retort by the Jews after Jesus just got done telling them that the way they are reacting to who He is, is from the devil. Instead of giving some argument or evidence that what Jesus is saying is false they move into an ad hominem argument, which basically means that started name calling.

They try to defeat Him by disgracing Him in front of everyone. What worse insult for a Jew then to be called a Samaritan, as they were seen as dirty people. Then they attributed Christ’s works to Satan. Upon reading this and seeing what Jesus said first then how the Jews respond it is almost like a first grader responding. Jesus says, “What you are saying is of the devil.” They basically respond, “No it isn’t, you stink and you are of the devil.” I would expect more then the ‘I’m rubber your glue’ argument from the Pharisees.

Anyone that has been in a debate or witnessing with someone can understand this situation and learn from what Christ does. I can think of times where I was debating or witnessing and people would call me names and it would cause me to lose my cool and train of thought, and at least once leaving me silent and embarrassed. Who wants to be insulted in front of many people, including your friends and family.

John 8:54-55, “54Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.”

Jesus keeps His cool and responds back, and He does so in almost a callous fashion. In “Alanese” Jesus is saying, “I tell the truth, prove that I am not, and in the end you will be shone the liars that you are.” He does not give them a hug or tell them they have the right to their opinion. He does not just ignore it, or change His tone because it offends them. He goes right at them with truth.

Though we always need to witness with love, it does not excuse us from being truthful as Christ was truthful, even if it hurts us or them. There are times when that is exactly what needs to be done in certain situations, as seen in this dialogue in John. He did not allow people to get away with telling lies about God, and nor should we.

Isn’t that exactly why some martyrs gave their lives? All they would have to do in some situations is deny who God is and allow the people torturing them to feel they won. Wouldn’t God forgive them for lying in order to allow someone else to feel good, or in order for them to feel better, as the beatings and torment would stop? Maybe if we just told white lies by watering down the message? Just make it easier to swallow. Maybe rationalize some so we do not lose people from the church, as it would hurt our pocket books? Come on, aren’t we told to love people? Does it really hurt to bend the truth a little to attract more people to Christ? The answer is an astounding NO! No No No No!

We are to proclaim truth, which is Christ no matter how it plays out in our lives or in the lives of others. There are times when it will hurt you and/or them, but there are also times when it will come as love and beautifully emotional for both you and the receiver. Ours is not the outcome, but the telling. The truth will set you and them free, as it is found in Christ. We are not to bend, trick, tell white lies, or conform to make believing easier. We are to tell the truth about Christ and what He demands, and then let the truth judge and speak. If we take a few lumps for Christ then awesome. If we are given a great big hug and thanked then awesome. But either way we proclaim Christ and His truth.

Proverbs 8:7, “For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.”

Romans 1:8, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,”

John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

1 John 1:6, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Seek truth, tell truth, and walk in truth all the days of your lives.

Interesting Read

Click on the link below and read the post. I found it very compelling, well written and I agree with it completely. Pray for this brother as he fights for the faith.

http://www.seriousblogger.com/brentriggs/applications/WebBlogManager/inc_webblogmanager.asp?ItemID=15&CategoryID=132

Love in Christ . . . . Alan

Midnight Mission/Both Sides of the Fence

Revelation 3:15-16, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

This past weekend Ransomed, the campus ministry I oversee, handed out hotdogs to drunk college students during homecoming. The goal is to get food in their stomachs so if and more likely when they get sick there is something to keep them from dry heaving, which can cause many problems. This is more of a service ministry then an evangelical ministry, as anyone figures out if they have tried talking about salvation with an intoxicated person. Typically does not work out so well. Not to mention they usually do not remember talking to you in the morning.

What got me thinking was the rationalization the college kids were using when we gave them hotdogs. The first question out of the mouths a lot of the time was, “Did you do anything to these?” but then we tell them we are from a church and they grab them. What they say next is always interesting to me. Some will say this, “Just because I am drunk does not mean I do not love Jesus or I am not a Christian,” or they will ramble about how they are believers in the midst of their apparent sinful behavior, wanting us to accept them. We made no indication we did not accept them, just the fact we were from a church and sober made them try to attain our approval.

Have you ever been around Christians who will say something like this, “I drink because I do not want people to think I am a ‘goody two shoes,’” or laugh at a distasteful joke, or go along with a sinful action because they are worried about what the other people will think about them. How many of us have given up our convictions because we wanted the other side of the fence to accept us? We do this even when the people in the sinful behavior give us no indication of not accepting us, though it does happen.

When we are sinning we want to rationalize why we are still believers and when we are following the righteous path we rationalize the sinful path, or rationalize why sinners should still accept us. It boggles my mind. If this is not the lukewarm that Jesus was talking about in Revelation 3, then I am not sure what is. We need to pick a side! Walk with Christ or don’t, but do not try to play both sides of the fence, because Christ tells us that He will spit us out of His mouth if we do. Actually, to not pick a side is picking a side and it is not Christ’s.

Choose this day who you will serve. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). You cannot play both sides of the fence. You are not fooling anyone when you choose to do so, and you are especially not fooling God.