coffee with curt

2011-10-23T13:23:00.001-04:00

A Blog from Prague

Yes, that poetic title indicates that Sandra and I have moved to Prague, in the Czech Republic. We have moved here to further our work with Lifework Forum, since my retirement from full-time pastoral ministry.

Today was our first post-pastorate Sunday. Instead of getting into a warm car and driving 6.8 miles to church, we took a bus, then a tram, then we left that tram and caught another one. After the second tram, we caught another bus. This took an hour, but it was well worth it as we were well-fed by the message from Luke 10:25-37.

We are still in the getting acclimated phase, but we have our bus passes, our Czech phone numbers, and next month will have our own apartment. On November 2, we head out to Bulgaria to do ministry in at least four different cities.

God is good.

By the way, like most missionaries, we have to raise our own support. If you like to help in this regard, there are two ways to donate. You can send checks to Lifework Forum at PO Box 124, Lititz, PA 17543 or donate through PayPal at our website, www.LifeworkForum.org. Regular support and the prayers of the saints would certainly be appreciated.

Stay in touch, Coffee Drinkers.

2011-10-06T19:42:00.000-04:00

So, Let's Move There!

In my last post (yes, I know it was a while ago) I explained about the trouble we had getting to Prague on our last trip. So, how do we respond to such challenges? Why don't we just move to Prague? OK, we will.

On October 17, Sandra and I will once again board aircraft and head toward Prague (with a brief stop in London). This time it is for the purpose of finding a home and settling in.

Details? Well, here are some. We've been working with families in Europe for more than a decade. We (Sandra more than me) fly there regularly to meet with families and groups. Now that I am retiring from full-time pastoral ministry on October 16 (oh, you didn't know that, either?), we are convinced that God has called us to be closer to the scene of the ministry.

So, we'll go. We'll give up our cozy home on the lake, the proximity to our grandkids, and the life we've gotten accustomed to living. Before you get all teary-eyed (I know some of you were getting there), we will be going to a wonderful city, with some friends already in place. We have a line on an apartment and a church. I love the food.

We won't just be sitting around in the city, however. The idea is to visit, speak, counsel, help people all over Europe. We already have several trips planned (including one to Africa, a remote part of Europe).

Please pray for us. We still need financial support, of course, but mostly we need prayer.

2011-09-09T13:53:00.000-04:00

When the Going Gets Tough...

Life is sometimes a whirl. I have felt this way a lot lately. Sandra and I have been on several trips this summer – more than usual. Our latest was to the city of Prague, capitol of the Czech Republic. Oh, but it’s not as easy as all that.

We couldn’t just get on a plane and go. First, there was a problem with my ticket. It was a problem I caused myself, and it brought about some consternation. The issues were worked out and I never missed any flights, but it was nerve-wracking while we were in the working-it-out phase.

Then there was Irene. She was a hurricane as she roared up the coast. She was probably a mere Tropical Storm when she hit Maine. She inflicted damage and caused power outages, however. Our own street was blocked by a downed tree, which took wires down with it. We had to abandon Sandra’s car on the way home from church and walk along the beach – in the continuing storm – to get to our house. Her car survived, but another car, which had been left in the next driveway, fell victim to another downed tree. It was totaled.

We finished packing that evening in the dark. When we left the next morning for the airport there was still no power. We couldn’t even take a shower before a long flight to Europe.

All of this was annoying, but not devastating. We know that others fared much worse in the storm – and the one that followed a week or so later.

There was a constant in all this. God was in control. This is a good thing to think about as we face the dilemmas of life. God is, indeed, sovereign. We may not like some of the things that happen in our lives, but God knows what He’s doing.

We often hear people say such things as “everything happens for a reason.” If they mean that nothing happens by chance, I can agree. And certainly we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him. And trials do come for a reason. What are those reasons?

Well, first, Trials Build Perseverance. In James 1:2-4, we read

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

What is perseverance? Stick-to-it-iveness. Hanging in there. Standing firm. God wants us to persevere in the face of hard stuff, annoying stuff, in the face of life.

Another aspect of trials in our lives is that trials build trust. The apostle Peter wrote,

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. (1 Peter 4:12-14, 19.)

This really is the bottom line. Both James and Peter (and, of course, Paul) are teaching that especially in times of trouble we need to trust in God’s sovereignty. He knows what He’s doing. He keeps his promises. And in the end, those who are His will end up in the heavenly chorus, singing Holy! Holy! Holy!

2011-07-26T13:57:00.000-04:00

Murder is Murder -
Breivik's Actions Should Be Condemned

If you haven't read about Anders Behring Breivik in the last week, you've probably been hiding under a rock. Maybe that rock is a good place to be. Breivik is the Norwegian who is responsible for nearly a hundred (so far) deaths in the Norwegian capitol of Oslo last week. According to Breivik, and his lawyers, this bombing and shooting spree was intended to spark anti-Muslim feeling in Europe. He hates Muslims and what they are, in his estimation, doing to Europe.

I'm not exactly on the Muslim bandwagon, myself. I have seen some of the effects of hardline Islam in European nations. Fanatical Islam is to opposed. That is not, however, a good reason to go around killing people. Right wing murder is no better than left wing murder, or hardcore Muslim murder.

When Muslims blow up innocent civilians, they should be condemned. When anti-abortion activists (I intentionally do not refer to these particular folks as pro-life) blow up abortion clinics or kill abortion-providing doctors, they are wrong. They should be condemned. Likewise, right-wing, anti-Muslim activists should be condemned.

Anders Behring Breivik did not do a good thing in Oslo. He committed an atrocity. He should not be applauded, lauded, or defended. He must be condemned by all people of good conscience - especially by the Christian community.

2011-07-03T15:48:00.000-04:00

Lord's Day

I guess as I get older, the Lord's Day becomes even more precious to me. I hate to see people who profess to be believers in Jesus Christ profane His Worship. This morning, in the course of our sermon series on the Book of Genesis, I addressed the creation of the Sabbath and the subsequent change to the Lord's Day. It may be heard here.

Below, is a quote from Rev. John Brown of Haddington an 18th century preacher. Nothing that has happened since the time of Brown has diminished our need for a Christian Sabbath.

Nothing more effectually tends to banish virtue, and introduce all manner of vice into a nation, than the indulged public profanation of the Sabbath. The Christian Sabbath, and all the ordinances to be observed in it, are calculated to promote the knowledge, belief, and impression of the existence, infinity, supreme authority, unbounded wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth of God, and of his future judgment of the world, and the infinitely important and everlasting consequences of it. Such views, belief, and impressions are the most powerful determents from vice, and excitements to virtue of every kind. By a cordial and spiritual sanctification of the Sabbath, we enjoy familiar fellowship with Christ, and his Father, and Spirit; and receive out of his fulness grace, which effectually teacheth, and enableth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present sinful world, Tit. 22:11-13.

Grab hold, friends of this great gift which God has bestowed upon us, a day of rest and gladness.

2011-06-12T20:57:00.000-04:00

Oneday

How many days are there in your week? Silly question, you say? I don’t think so. Consider the millions of people, many of whom you know, who only get one day every week.

For these poor folk, that’s the only day the youth athletic leagues play, or practice, or hold meetings. The other youth organizations also hold all their events on this one day that these people are allotted each week. Softball tournaments (we aren’t talking youth anymore) regularly take place on Oneday. These unfairly put-upon folk also have only that Oneday on which they can wash their cars, go to the movies, go shopping, mow the lawn, paint the house, hold or visit yard sales, or get ready for the barbecue (not to mention, of course, holding said barbecue, or party, or shower).

To make matters worse for these overburdened individuals, it’s the only day they can get overtime or visit with their friends and/or relatives. It’s this day that everyone else at work takes off, so they are pushed into “covering” - regularly. And all these events (and many more) take place at the same times on Oneday: sometime between 10am and noon.

Imagine the decisions over which some of these people agonize some weeks. It’s enough to make them throw up their collective hands and just go back to bed - until around one o’clock.

How much easier it would be for these people if they were relieved of all the decision-making.

Here’s a far-fetched concept. Maybe they could simply pick one activity to attend each week and make a commitment to doing that. Maybe it could be something like oh, I don’t know, maybe attending church.

Perhaps, instead of being the thing that they do only when they are bored and don’t have anyplace else to be, they could set church attendance as a priority. They could even bring those visiting friends and relatives along!

Oh, maybe not. The bowling league is having a trophy presentation next Oneday. One couldn't miss that, could one?

Decisions; decisions.

2011-05-23T13:08:00.001-04:00

The Brain in Spain...

Actually, this post has nothing to do with Spain. It does, however, have something to do with brains!

In our evening service at Covenant Baptist Church we have been studying the Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin. Last night we began to take a look at Book Two, which is titled, "Of the knowledge of God, the Redeemer in Christ, as first manifested to the fathers under the law, and thereafter to us under the Gospel." With titles like that, Calvin would never even get published today.

In Book Two, Calvin gets to the Law and the Gospel. Along the way, he discusses the fall, sin, and "common grace," although he doesn't call it that. He particularly applies this concept to the human, fallen mind.

We often use the phrase "the rain falls on the just and the unjust," from Matthew 5:45 to describe this understanding. It occurred to me that we might adjust this statement just a bit, without doing harm to Biblical teaching, to state that, "the brain falls on the just and the unjust," as well.

In applying this thought, I recognize that such folk as Stephen Hawking, are brilliant individuals. The man could think circles around me before he wakes up in the morning. Intellectually, the man is far (far, far) superior to me.

Yet, I know that Jesus Christ died for me. I didn't come to this understanding by intellectual might, but by the gift of God. I didn't earn this wisdom by great nights of laborious study. God gave it to me.

That's a different kind of Grace. It's not common, it's special; it's saving. "Saving grace" is eternal favor from God conferred upon those whom He has chosen. We find its expression in such verses as Ephesians 1:11 - "In him we were also chosen,having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will."

I'm not picking on Mr. Hawking. He's brilliant, unquestionably. I just used his name because he represents to me very smart people who have received, by common grace, the ability to think well. I do pray for him that he receive Biblical "wisdom" as well, wisdom which leads to an understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

BTW, for a great audio series on the Institutes, you can download (free) an entire course from my old Church History professor David Calhoun.

THIS JUST IN: Interestingly, after I posted this, I came across an interesting article on Mr. Hawking in a FaceBook post. It can be found HERE.

2011-04-04T11:48:00.000-04:00

Deo Volente

In Proverbs 16:3 we read this: “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” It’s a rather simple equation, isn’t it? Pray about it and it will be as you desire. But it isn’t really that simple.

In the Epistle of James, we read that we ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." (James 4:3). James was building on a theme here. He had already written, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:15).

In other words, what we ask needs to be within God’s Will. What we plan needs to be in God’s Will, as well, in order to get His “stamp of approval.”

Even the Lord Jesus Christ prayed to God, the Father, “Thy will be done.”

Often, we go about our daily lives just planning and doing – without regard to what God may have in mind for us. I’m talking about Christians, not pagans. We make our plans and we don’t even consider consulting with God. But God’s Word teaches us that we are to commit our plans to the Lord. Be ready for Him to change those plans if they are not according to His Will. How often have we heard someone pray that a door be closed if it’s not God’s Will (maybe we have prayed this ourselves)? Did you mean it? Are you willing to be submissive to God’s Will?

In Romans 12:1 we read, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.” Offering ourselves up to God; that is, being submissive to Him, is an act of worship.

In an earlier age, people were accustomed to using the Latin phrase Deo volente in their speech and correspondence. Often the initials “D.V.” were included in signatures. This means “God willing.” It was indicative of the desire to be in God’s Will. It was a reminder that all of our plans are subject to God’s Will.

I need to be more deliberate in bringing my plans before God. I need to remember that just because I plan something, that doesn’t mean God approves it. I need to be less presumptuous about my life and daily schedule.

Thank you, God, for the reminder.

2011-01-11T16:53:00.000-05:00

We need MORE Radicals

In light of the recent shooting in Tuscon, Arizona, there are many people pointing fingers. There doesn’t appear to be any question regarding who did the shooting. The shooter did, in fact, get tackled at the scene.

Commentators of all sorts have been laying blame for the incident, however. Political hay is being made by those who claim that rhetoric (mostly “right wing”) is responsible. Now we have many calling for a cooling of the rhetoric.

I, on the other hand, declare that what we really need in the United States is more radicals.

Understand that what I write here is intended for those who claim to be Christians. It won’t make sense to anybody else.

The great military leader Joshua, as he was preparing to die, called Israel together for one last sermon. He was worried about them. He wanted them to remember the lessons of faithfulness they had learned about God. He told them that they needed to serve faithfully. This lesson can be found in Joshua 24.

“With Faithfuness.” he said. Not with wimpiness; not with casualness; not with acceptance from society. With FAITHFULNESS. What does this mean? It means that we serve him as radicals. We cannot be like everyone else. We must stand out. In Philippians 2:12-16 we read this:

12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.14Do everything without complaining or arguing,15 so that you may become blamelessand pure, children of Godwithout fault in a crooked and depraved generation,in which you shine like stars in the universe16as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Shine like stars. Stand out. How? Well, in our society it can be viewed as both very easy and very difficult to stand out. It’s easy to find those actions and activities that are morally higher than those of our society as a whole. Our society is so morally bankrupt that being different is easy.

OTOH, it is hard for us sometimes to feel different; to be strange; to put yourself in a situation which marks you off and makes you a target. Here are just a few suggestions for living a radical life in a morally degenerate culture.

A. Go to Church. We live in a generation that knows not Jesus. Some people attend church services when they get to it; when they don’t have anything better to do. God’s Word (Heb. 10:25) says that we should not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another. We can’t encourage one another while we’re at home (or at a bar, a bowling alley, or even a very important political activity) and they are at church.

B. Nurture the Family. The enemy wants the family to be fractured. That’s why government makes divorce easy; has made living together without marriage more acceptable and legal; and wants to make homosexuality seem normal. God created the family. Satan – and his minions – want to destroy this medium of stability in society.

C. Pray. Do you pray regularly? Do you let people know that you pray for them? There is power in prayer, friends. We are told to pray for our enemies; pray for the government; pray for one another. Do you pray in public? Let them see you. Let them know who you are – and whose you are.

D. Dress Better. This one may seem out of place, but believe me it is one of the visible – and radical ways to stand out like a sore thumb in society. Do I mean that we should all wear suits all the time? No. I mean that we should not accept the lowered and sexually provocative standards of the society. I mean that we should look like Christians – modest, not trampy.

E. Work. I know that some of you would like to have more work. Obviously this one doesn’t address you. But Christians are supposed to do an honest day’s work for a day’s wage. No cheating; no welfare. In Ephesians 4:28, Paul writes, ”He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.” Did you get that. No welfare (obviously accepting some help in times of need is not the same as living on the dole); no mooching; work – and be ready and able to help others in need.

F. Quote the Bible. How do people know that you are a person of the Book? No, you don’t need to become one of those annoying Bible thumpers. Many of them know the words, but don’t live them. What I’m talking about is being able to use a quote or a concept from the Bible in conversation. What’s the catch? You need to read it; know it; have some understanding about it.

G. Be Committed. This is “The C word” today. Jesus said that we are to have our “yes” be “yes” and our “no,” “no.” This is not just about making oaths; it’s also about living a life of commitment.

H. Give. Ah, he finally gets down to the nitty-gritty. There are many places in Scripture that tell us that we need to be giving people. We need to give to the church; we need to be giving to one another. This really befuddles people. Liberals don’t give. They are stingy. There are all sorts of polls and statistics that show this. If they KNOW that you are a giver – especially to the church – they will either try to get some of that giving or they will ask questions about that. Rich, who used to work for me in the newspaper business, once asked me if I gave regularly to the church. I told him that I was a tither. He shook his head. He couldn’t believe it. I told him why.

Live well. Do NOT be involved in violence. Stand out. Be a RADICAL. If you do these things you will befuddle the liberals - and probably be persecuted. Rejoice!

2010-12-27T11:46:00.002-05:00

Scattered Thoughts on the Cusp
of the New Year

One: The "Blizzard: up here in the Maine is more like a snowstorm. There is a lot of snow and it's still coming down, but c'mon folks, it's Maine.

Two: The ski areas have received a great gift from the skies. I won't be there this week (too crowded and my pass is blacked out this week), but I hope to make it next week.

Three: (More important, but these are in descending order). We had a wonderful time of worship at Covenant Baptist Church yesterday. Our congregation is growing both numerically and spiritually. I have never enjoyed preparation and delivery of sermons more than now.

Four: The New Year's Resolution for all Christians should be the same as that of the Apostle Paul, who wrote to the Corinthian churches, "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2). Know Jesus Christ - and share that knowledge in 2011 (but don't necessarily wait a week).

2010-11-29T12:59:00.000-05:00

The TSA, Groping, and God's Word

A friend asked me last week what I thought about the furor created by the latest "security" screenings methodology at airports in the USA. I have given it some thought and the whole issue still somewhat muddled in my thinking. There are a few things that are clear, however.

Both forms of inspection are invasive. The full-body image machines show the body virtually naked, and the pictures aren't private. I have seen them on the web. I considered putting a photo here, but it was too graphic.

The “pat down” searches touch “no-go” areas and I’ve also seen pictures of the TSA agents looking down past the waist band of travelers pants. They even made a woman take off her prosthetic breast! This also constitutes forced nakedness in my estimation.

The Bible is pretty clear that nakedness is not a good thing.

Adam and Eve felt no shame about their nakedness until their first sin. Then they realized they were naked and felt a need to cover up and were even “afraid” because they were naked. (Gen. 3:7, 10).

The word “naked is used somewhere between 32 and 49 times in scripture (depending upon the translation). Most of the references are negative.

From Genesis we go to Revelation (there are, obviously, many references in between). Revelation 16:15 says, “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.” It is shameful to be naked in public.

So, we can safely surmise that these inspection methods do not match God’s viewpoint regarding nakedness.

Now, the constitutional arguments are not quite as clear to me. The Fourth Amendment says, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

It is clear that no warrant is involved in these TSA “searches.” However, flying is a privilege and not a right, therefore, if one wishes to fly and part of the cost is to have these searches inflicted upon them, they must voluntarily submit to them. We can opt out, by choosing not to fly.

We might ask whether there is a less invasive manner of accomplishing the security mission. Israel, arguably the most at-risk nation on earth, doesn’t do it this way. They profile. They have a good record of keeping the nation safe.

We do have, however, our current system. Since some must fly for work (like airline employees, business travelers, and missionaries) the question becomes are they being forced to pay this price in order to work.

Sandra and I find ourselves conflicted regarding this issue. We don’t really want to get searched in this manner. We do, however, have a calling that requires that we travel to other countries. We do not have the option of driving. Our thought at this moment is that we will submit ourselves to these searches in order that we may carry out our God-given assignments. After all, we are not choosing to get naked, that is being imposed upon us.

My final though on the matter at the moment is to ask the question, what is the moral situation of TSA agents who are Christians?

I know that many of my regular coffee drinkers are frequent flyers. What think ye? Have you been through these procedures? Are you annoyed, amused, or agnostic?

Speak up.

2010-11-16T16:07:00.000-05:00

Ban the Knife!!

San Francisco. Tony Bennett left his heart there. All others leave their senses upon entering.

On November 14, the City Council of that great and august city made circumcision illegal. Yes, you read that correctly. That great plague upon mankind will be eradicated by the city fathers and mothers of San Francisco.

Let's just think for a moment about the culture (an alien one) in which this is happening.

This is the land in which the governor has declared that “nobody cares if you smoke a joint.”
In this city homosexuality is not only tolerated it is embraced (I couldn't help myself) and celebrated openly.
SF has declared itself a Sanctuary City. In other words, illegal aliens (lawbreakers) are given refuge
The city has five abortion clinics listed in the Yellow pages and numerous doctors willing to perform abortions.
Oh, and BTW, SF has banned "Happy meals" from that restaurant with the golden arches.

SF, proudly wears its label as "most liberal county" in the US. (NOTE: San Francisco is both a city and a county - all by its lonesome).

But the irony really is striking. As you may have noticed in the protest signs above, the call is to ban circumcision because the child doesn't have a choice in the matter. I guess I have to state that the child who is aborted doesn't get a large part in the discussion of that procedure either.

But, at least SF wasn't first in this altruistic quest. Massachusetts entertained such a bill in march (defeating it). Several Scandinavian nations already have the ban in place, with Denmark entertaining the issue soon.

It's a sad, sad world. Don't get me started on politics; or economics. Oy vey.

2010-10-11T15:39:00.002-04:00

Something is, Indeed, Happening Here

In an online forum in which I participate, the question was asked, recently, "What is the music in you head right now?" Srangely enough it was an easy question for me, since one song has been running through my head for some time. It's "For What It's Worth," by Buffalo-Springfield.

The group itself was only together for two or three years, although all its members went on to great musical careers. This song, which came out in 1967, was their big hit. Not only that, but it became the rock anthem of the 60s and 70s.

The year 1967 was a tumultuous year in this country. Protest against the war in Vietnam was at its height. Demonstrations; rallies; even violence over the unpopular war was widespread. Priest Daniel Berrigan, with several others, went into a draft office and splattered red liquid – made up partly of their own blood – over draft records. Martin Luther King, Jr. declared that the US gov’t is “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world. Part of the lyrics for the song read like this:

What a field-day for the heat

A thousand people in the street

Singing songs and they carrying signs

Mostly say, hooray for our side

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound

Everybody look what's going down.

(Of course, I can hear the music in my head).

Paranoia and fear were all around.

I propose this song as the Rock Anthem of today, for an indefinite period.

We're out of Bush's unpopular war (for the most part) and we're entrenched in Obama's unpopular war. The economy is in bad shape (don't ever accuse me of understatement!). Election campaigns are dirtier than ever. Race relations are in the toilet. Winter's coming and we're still dependent on foreign oil. Immigration politics and policies are dividing the nation. Fear of socialism - in our own country - is rampant.

Anybody who is a member of any patriotic organization is labeled a domestic terrorist suspect. Our names are on several lists gathered and disseminated by our own government. Mistrust of the government is probably at its highest since the 60s (if not higher).

Paranoia and fear are all around.

There's somethin' happenin' here.

What it is ain't exactly clear.

There's a man with a gun over there

A-tellin' me I've got to beware.

I think it's time we stop.

Children, what's that sound?

Everybody look what's goin' down.

There's battle lines bein' drawn.

Nobody's right if everybody's wrong.

Young people speakin' their minds

A-gettin' so much resistance from behind.

The song is only 2 minutes and 39 seconds long. Its worth a listen. And maybe we should "stop. Children, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin' down."

What think ye, coffee drinkers?

2010-08-26T16:51:00.000-04:00

It’s NOT the Economy, Stupid

“It’s the economy, stupid,” was a campaign slogan of Bill Clinton in his 1992 presidential campaign. He was wrong then and those repeating the phrase today are equally wrong. Why? I thought you’d never ask. National security and border security are the co-number one important issues in America today.

I can understand the feeling that we need jobs and a more robust economy. My wallet has felt the pich, too – and felt it painfully. We cannot, however, always think or vote with our pocketbooks.

Think about it. If we continue to have a porous border, allowing illegal (yes, I wrote “illegal”) aliens to enter this country at will; if we do not close the border to Muslim fanatics who enter the nation to do it harm; if we continue to allow Mexican gangs to flourish at the border – and inside the border (our side); there will be no economy to speak of. (See this report).

It was illegal immigrants who hijacked planes on September 11, 2001 and killed thousands of people – within our borders. The damages from those attacks continue to mount.
Beyond the fact that their very presence in the US is unlawful, illegals account for a large number of crimes in this nation, including murder, rape, kidnapping, and even drunk driving. (Read a report here).

These are only a couple of examples of the need for real border security. A simple GoodSearch study would net many more. It is tied to our national security and our economy.

The immediate response to these thoughts by some liberals might be, “Lovelace is a racist.” Not by a longshot. I’ll let someone else answer the charge, though. In an open letter written to (then) Sen. Bill Frist, retired Border Patrol Agent Daniel J. Stoddard wrote in part:

It is not racist to want secure borders. What is racist about wanting secure borders and a secure America? What is racist about not wanting people to sneak into America and steal benefits we have set aside for legal aliens, senior citizens, children and other legal residents? What is it about race that entitles people to violate our laws, steal identities, and take the American Dream without paying the price? For about four decades American politicians have refused to secure our borders and look after the welfare of middle class Americans. These politicians have been of both parties. A huge debt to American society has resulted. This debt will be satisfied and the interest will be high. There have already been riots in the streets by illegal aliens and their supporters. There will be more. (Read the entire letter here.

I say, it is not the economy. Secure our borders. That’s ONE step in securing this great nation’s future.

What do YOU think, coffee drinkers? Is the economy the most important issue in this nation at the moment? If not, what is. Speak up.

2010-08-18T16:48:00.000-04:00

Dear Ms. Pelosi

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi has called for an investigation into who is “funding” the outrage over the siting of the mosque at Ground Zero. Here’s my response in the form of an open letter.

Dear Ms. Pelosi,

I see that you’d like me investigated. Bring it on.

I favor freedom of religion, as guaranteed to me as an American citizen. I am in favor of allowing places of worship (any kind) to be erected in appropriate places. I even believe that it MAY be legal to build this particular mosque at the site requested. I’m not sure about that, but let’s assume it.

All that is fine, but there are other matters involved. Like it or not, Many (maybe most) Americans are still hurting over that attack at that site. Another fact is that the attack was carried out by muslims. The connection is hard to miss. American sensibilities are offended by this planned building on that particular site. Personally, I find it to be morally reprehensible and outrageous.

Do they (the planners) have a right? Maybe. Do they have a responsibility to be sensitive to New York and America? You betcha.

Then there is the matter of the Greek Orthodox Church that was previously standing when the towers came down. It ended up under much of the rubble from the towers. It does not look like that will be rebuilt. Why not? Is there some form of politically correct mumbo jumbo that justifies this? All over the country, congregations get turned down for building permits. It happens regularly. Some of the rejections are reasonable. Many are suspect.

You state that there are people “ginning up” resistance to the mosque being built on this site. We don’t need to be ginned up. Nobody has given me a nickel and I am not part of any organized effort in any way. I don’t need to be. I can get outraged on my own.

Investigate all you will. What you will find is a concerned American veteran who loves this country, deplores what you are doing to it, and thinks that the mosque at that site is a very poor idea.

Thank you for taking the time to read my missive (as I know you have). Your personal comments are always welcome here.

2010-08-09T11:42:00.004-04:00

Martyred!

Representatives of the “religion of peace,” killed ten aid workers in Northern Afghanistan last week. (story here). Guilty of the "crime" of offering medical assistance to rural Afghanis, they were taken out of their vehicles, lined up, and shot one by one. The Taliban claimed credit for the killings, stating that the martyrs had been preaching Christianity. A quick search on GoodSearch ** indicates that the murder of humanitarian workers in Muslim countries has been rising drastically in recent years.

It must be acknowledged that Muslims have their martyrs, too.

Let’s make some comparisons.

The ten Christian martyrs of last week, and many more like them, were killed while involved in loving, peaceful activities. In this most recent case, they were offering optical care in a very remote region. They had also delivered medical equipment which they had raised the money to purchase for these Afghanis.

Muslim martyrs strap bombs to themselves and their vehicles and try to kill as many people as possible, including a great preponderance of innocents, many of whom are Muslims. They fly planes into buildings full of non-combatants. Their compatriots, even those living the good life in these United States, often celebrate such attacks publicly.

The Christians who become martyrs, while not seeking martyrdom, are motivated by love for Christ and the people to whom they are sent to serve.

The Muslim martyrs are motivated by hate for all things western, Christian, and Jewish. They also hope that they will be comforted by the current number of virgins in paradise – and at times reap benefits for the families they leave behind.

Praise God for the lives of these martyrs. May their deaths be the catalyst that turns many hearts and minds to Christ.

Coffee drinkers, what are your thoughts on this? And what about that great big mosque on the site of "Ground Zero?"

I would like to hear from you here in the comments section.

___________________

** If you use GoodSearch, we would appreciate it if you would type Lifework Forum into the "Who Do You Search For?" box. This allows you to benefit our ministry without any cost to you. Thank you.

2010-07-05T12:38:00.003-04:00

Thinking About Liberty

Yesterday was the Fourth of July. It's the day we celebrate the birth of liberty in the nation in which I live, the United States of America. My thoughts have been on the concept of liberty for some time now. Please allow me the privilege of sharing just a few of those thoughts with you.

In 1955 what is commonly known as the Warsaw Pact was created. It was a response both to NATO itself and the reception by NATO of West Germany into its membership. Members of the Warsaw Pact were Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic), German Democratic Republic (East Germany), Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the Soviet Union.

Despite the fact that the geography looks a bit different today, most members of the Warsaw Pact (with the notable exception of Russia) have now been accepted into membership of NATO.These nations were once part of what we often called, “The Soviet Bloc.” Under the oppressive hand of Soviet Russia, they were all dominated by cruel Socialist governments. Today it is no longer that way.

Beginning in 1989 with the crumbling of the Berlin Wall, each of these nations (again, with the exception of Russia) has moved toward democratic and capitalist models. Some have met with more success than others, but all are headed in the same direction. Most have made positive diplomatic treaties or agreements with the US. Each has many stories to tell about the cruelties and ultimate failure of the socialist model in their own histories.

Yet, here we are, in the United States of America, moving to occupy the space these nations have vacated. While each of these former Warsaw Pact (and other Soviet-dominated) nations moves further and further from its Socialist and Communist past, we, with amazing alacrity, move toward that model.

We have nationalized the auto industry, the health care industry, a great portion of the financial sector, we have attacks on our first, second, and tenth amendment rights (and probably several others). These attacks are not coming from without, but from within our government. We have crises which are not being handled well, such as a catastrophic oil spill and a border war which has already stripped the US of some of its sovereign territory. The US Attorney General is preparing a lawsuit against the State of Arizona (with help from the government of Mexico!!!) regarding Arizona's recently-passed immigration law.

This is a sad state of affairs. It is the talk around the water cooler, in schools, at church, and on a large number of internet chat boards. Some folks are seriously preparing for Martial Law.

The Obama administration's views on God and religion have been fairly transparent. His appointees are Godless and God-hating. It's not good to get on the wrong side of that battle. Obama needs prayer. He needs to be converted. He needs to seek and accept the Wisdom of God's Word. He needs to surround himself with Godly advisors. Even more important, the nation he heads needs to get back to worship of the One True God. Obama is POTUS because God put him there. Ponder the reasons for that!

What think ye, coffee drinkers?

2010-05-18T11:17:00.003-04:00

Sons of Liberty in Providence

This week I return to the city of my birth, Providence, Rhode Island, for a high school reunion. I've graduated from a number of schools, but I've never been to a reunion before. This should be interesting.

This morning I was reading a speech given in Providence in 1768 by a man named Silas Downer. Downer was a Son of Liberty and the speech was given on the occasion of the planting of a Tree of Liberty.

Downer brought out a great many points about that British colony that I never pondered while growing up in that city. Here is one quote from that speech.

"The public worship of God, and the education of children and youth, were never more encouraged in any part of the globe. The laws which they made for the general advantage were exactly carried into execution. In fine, no country ever experienced more perfect felicity. Religion, learning, and a pure administration of justice were exceeding conspicuous, and kept even pace with the population of the country." *

This quote is packed full of items for which we might pine today. Worship without persecution or ridicule is certainly to be desired. While Christians are not generally in physical danger in this nation today, we have certainly been marginalized. Much of this is, of course, our own doing, but that's a discourse for another day. The worship which is encouraged in this land today is all about money, self, and Barack Obama. These are the wrong objects for proper worship.

Laws being made to the general advantage is certainly a novel concept. It seems that laws are enacted these days only for the general advantage of the legislators. Having the laws "exactly carried into execution," would certainly change things, as well. Arizona would have had no need to pass legislation regarding illegal immigration if federal law were carried into execution. Many categories of law are ignored regularly, which were originally passed for the general advantage of the people of these United States.

Silas Downer obviously had his head on straight. I wonder if anyone in the public schools of Providence knows of his existence and of the marvelous things he said and wrote. I know I didn't. It certainly would not be a bad idea to use his "Son of Liberty" speech to teach about colonial history.

I have what I expect are the normal apprehensions about this reunion. I have not seen most of these people since JFK was president. Will I remember them? Will they remember me? If they do remember me, what memories will they be? I'll find out soon.

________________________________

* This quote is from American Political Writing During the Founding Era, 1760-1805, Volume 1.

Thank you Warren, for the loan.

2010-04-08T15:36:00.002-04:00

ObamaCare Questions From Around the World

Since I am in contact with people in various countries around the globe, I am often asked about American political affairs. Last week an old friend from (very) far away asked this question: "By the way, apart from the obvious abortion issue, why are the conservative Christians in the USA so against obama’s health care plan for the poor? We are puzzled here." Thus I entered into a brief discussion o the issues as I see them.

Here are excerpts from the conversation. I have only included my side of the conversation (except for the initial question), as I have not asked permission to quote the other side. The exchange was respectful and friendly. You can probably surmise from my answers some of the follow-up questions asked.

There are a lot of issues with ObamaCare. Among them are the fact that it mandates health care and will fine people who don't choose to have it. It also creates an even greater bureaucracy, all government-run, which, in turn leads to even greater costs.
It reduces the amount of money spent and the benefits available on Medicare, which is elder care insurance into which people have been paying all their working lives.
Healthcare is too expensive here and the system does need to be fixed. This does not appear to be the plan that makes it work better. Many of the uninsured in this nation are actually uninsured by choice. Young people who are in relatively good health often choose not to pay for it. Some Christians don't believe in insurance. They will be mandated to purchase it.
The poor are seldom refused necessary health care here.
We also still have people flying in from other countries to take advantage of our medical care.
All-in-all the new law is intrusive, expensive, and will create more bureaucracy. We also have problems with the manner in which it was pushed upon us. The politics and the disregard for the will of the nation. All polls indicate that most of the citizens were against passage of the bill. We are supposed to have a representative government. It did not represent us in this instance. I predict that there will be a massive change in the legislature come November. Representatives are up for re-election every two years.
There may be some better plans out there, but if they conflicted in any way with the Obama plan they never saw the light of day. This includes plans from his own political party. In the end it was all politics and the Democrats, the party of Obama, banded together and the vote was almost absolutely along party lines. This was about Obama's Plan, first and last.
This is a lot more technical, of course, than most of us can fathom. But, we know when we're being taken for a ride. I'm one of those in the medicare class (having achieved the lofty age of 65). I'm going to be getting fewer medical benefits. Medicare is not based upon charity. It is something I payed into all my life. Now it gets cut back. Although I'm not desperately poor, I am in the lower classes of income. I only go to the doctor when necessary (like when I broke my ankle in November). What welfare and other like programs have taught the street-smart poor is that they can go to the emergency room whenever they want and the public picks up the tab.
I favor charity. But what we have here is redistribution of wealth. Proverbs 6 talks about this. Despite our current economic woes, which are real, there are still jobs to be had if people will take them. We have pages of jobs listings in the newspapers and yet our unemployment numbers rise. Some people are too proud to take the McDonalds jobs and other are too lazy. Now I'm not painting an entire segment of the population with the same brush. There are some who genuinely cannot work; cannot pay for health insurance. They need assistance, and the society should do what it can to help. The Obama plan seems to go well beyond help.

So there you have it. What do you think Coffee drinkers?

2010-03-18T13:29:00.004-04:00

A Really Inconvenient Truth

The following essay appeared in the Kairos Journal. It is published here in its entirety with their permission.

We Can’t Help But Tell the Truth

18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:18-20 (NIV)

The world has asked the Church to sit down and be quiet, and the Church has largely complied. In fact, the Church itself has asked the Church to sit down and be quiet, and the Church has largely obeyed. The Church knows so many biblical things, but there are so many people who hate to hear them. So some pastors and teachers are tempted to water down the truth to maintain warm relationships within and without the Church.

Knowing that the truth of Jesus would undermine their authority, “the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees” (4:1) moved in to stop this preaching. They arrested Peter and John, jailed them overnight, and then brought them before the high priestly family. When asked, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Peter, “filled with the Holy Spirit,” gave all the credit to Christ, the Savior (4:8-12).

Not knowing what to say, the Sanhedrin sent Peter and John back to their cell. Fearing public and subsequent Roman reaction, they decided to let the two apostles off with a stern command (parangelia) to stop their teaching, but the prisoners would have none of this. They explained that they were working under a higher authority than the Sanhedrin (and the Romans) and that they had a proclamation mandate from God.¹ They also directed the judges to judge their own judging, to ask whether they might be setting themselves at odds with God.

This same Greek word for command (parangelia) appears repeatedly in the Gospels, but it is Jesus, and not the Sanhedrin, who issues the directives. In Matthew 10:5-6, Jesus commands the twelve to go to “the lost sheep of Israel.” In Luke 8:29, Hecommands an unclean spirit to come out of a man. In Mark 8:6, Jesus commands the crowd to be seated for a miraculous feeding. Thus accustomed to the divine commands of Jesus, the apostles were unimpressed with human commands contrary to Jesus’ Great Commission.

The Romans had delegated authority to the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious court, but this authority was tenuous. If the actions of the chief priests and elders fomented insurrection or chaos, then their power would be stripped from them. Rome would step in with more direct, secular supervision.

Jesus’ directives are distasteful and inconvenient. For example, pastors know that a strong stand on the sanctity of marriage, one drawn from Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, elicits astonishment and contempt from the culture and retaliation from the “wounded” and their biblically indifferent constituency in the Church. Similar backlash can fall upon pastors who discredit cults and embarrass the backslidden. Pressure also arises outside the Church. In the face of many counter-biblical forces, pastors have to decide whether or not they will stand in the tradition of Peter and John or fall down in the interest of personal safety or “peace in our time.”

2010-03-18T13:02:00.002-04:00

Cowardice

(Cowardice for those of you who can't read the yellow)

The Health Care Bill, which none of us has seen - or had the opportunity to see (transparency), may become the Health Care Law very soon. That doesn't mean that the House of (non)Representatives will have voted on it, though.

No, as you have no doubt heard by now, it may be rammed down the nation's throat on the basis of a "deem and pass" scheme. By this tactic, the (non)reps vote on procedural issues and minor adjustments to the bill rather than the bill itself. All the House has to do is match up to the Senate version of the bill. This, then, is "deemed" to be the same as passing the bill.

WHY? There are several reasons for the use of this tactic. First, it allows passage with fewer (non)votes. More importantly in my humble estimation is the fact that (non)reps can allow this to become law without having to vote one way or another. Did we elect people to go to DC and NOT vote on the substantive issues of the day?

The constitutional scholars will argue whether or not this is a constitutional move. I can't answer that, although I have my doubts. What I do know is that this is a cowardly action.

I mourn the loss of my nation.

Pray for America. Please

This, my friends, is political cowardice.

2010-03-12T16:34:00.002-05:00

freefun0616

A few months ago, I had to put restrictions on this blog so that machines could not respond. It's a little bit of an inconvenience, I know, but not too bad. Today, however, I got dozens of comments - in Chinese. A while back, someone who reads Chinese informed me that these are all ads for pornography or sex shops or some such thing. So, today, I had to spend quite a bit of time erasing all these comments, which has to be done one-at-a-time.

It was annoying. Please, freefun0616 , leave us alone. We do not want to read your ads in ANY language. If you wish to make meaningful responses, you are welcome. Otherwise, please cease and desist.

2010-03-01T14:41:00.003-05:00

The Olympics are Over

I enjoy the winter olympics much more then the summer event of the same name. The skiing, snowboarding, and skating are fun for me to watch. I thought I'd just share a few thoughts on the most recent installment.

I do not enjoy the figure skating events. Does it seem to anybody else that the men get more and more effeminate?
The fascination with curling is beyond me.
Speed skating is ruthless - and the judges are not to be trusted.
I can't believe the things that some of those skiiers and boarders do - and the slopes they ski.
The mogul skiiers aren't human.
Biathlon must be incredibly difficult. Getting your breathing to cooperate for the shooting after skiing hard seems to be quite a feat.
I didn't watch it live, but that hockey game was obviously one for the ages. Congrats Canada!
I wonder how much the taxpayers of Vancouver and Canada are going to end up paying for the privilege of hosting.
I wonder how many missionaries were in Edmonton and Whistler.
I never saw any of the ski jumping. I'm sorry I missed it.

While all those superior athletes were displaying their collective prowess, my wife and I were skiing with our #1 grandson. We didn't ski as well as they do, nor did we get any medals (of any color). Our rewards were greater, though. We had two different devotionals with him each day, learned a new memory verse, played board games, and just plain enjoyed his company.

We Win!

2010-02-01T10:19:00.003-05:00

Who Knows?

I just read an interesting conversation between a Unitarian “minister” (Sewell) and America’s leading atheist (Christopher Hitchens). This was recorded by the Portland Monthly magazine. The entire interview can be found here.

One of these two has an understanding of Christianity. Is it the alleged minister or is it the atheist?

Sewell: The religion you cite in your book is a generally fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I’m a liberal Christian, and I don’t take the stories from the scripture literally. I don’t believe in the doctrine of atonement (that Jesus died for our sins, for example). Do you make any distinction between fundamentalist faith and liberal religion?

Hitchens: I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian.

What think ye, imbibers of Coffee with Curt?

Is there any such thing as a "liberal Christian"? For your reading assignment today, allow me to refer you to an old classic: Christianity and Liberalism, by J. Greshem Machen.

2010-01-11T10:56:00.003-05:00

A Sad Life; A Hard Death

Dick died sometime last week. Nobody really knows when. He was found in his apartment and the assumption is that he had been dead about a week. He drank himself to death. What a sad end to a sad life.

Dick had once been a neighbor of ours on a street full of close, neighborly friends. Dick succumbed to demon rum, however. He got in all sorts of trouble, lost his job, and destroyed his marriage. Yet, when his ex-wife called to tell us of his Dick’s death, the tears were just below the surface. She was thankful for the good years she had with him.

So were we. We enjoyed barbecues, front porch visits, trips to local restaurants, and just hanging out together. Dick could be charming and fun. He could tell stories. But all the stories weren’t charming. Some were the lies he used to cover up his drinking and the increasingly difficult time he was having at work. When he finally lost the job he had had for many years, the house of cards really began to tumble and crumble.

What do we make of all this? What’s the point? How can we reconcile this with the goodness of God? There are a lot of questions to be asked. Not all the answers will be satisfactory to our ears.

There’s a lot of teaching about “trouble” in God’s Word. These verses comes to mind, for instance:

He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment. He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made. The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head. (Psalm 7:14-16).

Trouble is often the result of our own actions. We can’t blame God; and we can’t blame the devil. Is alcoholism a disease? I won’t go on that rabbit trail, but I will say that though we may even inherit a tendency toward addiction, the active participation in that addiction begins as sinful behavior, not disease.

God does not walk away, however, and say, “You made your bed, now lie in it.” He cares about the troubled, the oppressed. The Bible is full of promises about help for the troubled. Here are just a few from the book of Psalms:

The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. (Psalm 9:9)
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. (Psalm 27:5)
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7)
The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. (Psalm 37:39).

God is in the rescue business. Dick was made in God's image. God offered help. Dick was told the Gospel. He was invited to church. His response was usually along the lines of “Time for church is when 60 Minutes comes on.”

Is all this a glib way to say, “tough luck, Dick,” or to excuse his friends and neighbors for our parts in his demise? No. It’s just a tough, real life story. He had a hard life. He probably had a hard death. If nothing else, let us all learn to turn from our addictions; turn others from beginning in lives of drink, drugs, and promiscuity. Turn to God. Let’s bring up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Pray for those in your life who are afflicted. Tell them that God WILL help. And expect them to throw up on your shoes. Then pray for them again.

There is no happy ending, here. Dick’s dead. He was (probably) unsaved. There but for the (vast, enormous, eternal) grace of God, go I.

2009-12-09T17:19:00.004-05:00

The State of the ChurchMore than one entry in a day? Amazing. But, after I posted this morning I found this item below. You can read the original here.Hip Pastor Blasts Those Who Want to Go Deeper into God’s Word Rock star pastor Perry Noble of NewSpring Church in Anderson, South Carolina, says you are a jackass if you’re sick of shallow seeker sermons and want to go deeper into God’s Word. Yes, you read that sentence correctly. Noble has led the nation’s lemming pastors into new frontiers of circus church. Who would have ever thought to use AC/DC’s Highway to Hell as a church prelude before Noble hit the scene? You can see a clip of Noble decrying those who want spiritual meat from the pulpit (go to the link above). It’s really that bad out there .

What do you think, bothers and sisters?

2009-12-09T14:55:00.002-05:00

The Global Warming Keeps on Falling

As I write this we have about 8 inches of fresh global warming on the ground - so far. The snow is white and fresh and looks lovely. But it covers a multitude of problems, doesn’t it? The snow itself is treacherous for drivers. In this case, the fact that the snow is very wet and heavy could cause some electrical outages, downed trees, and other mishaps and problems.

In Isaiah 1:18, we read, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” What does this mean? Well, a look at the context tells us that Israel was a rebellious nation. Verses 15 to 17 state, “When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” (Read the entire chapter here.)

God has promised that He will change our calamitous state of affairs into a state of peace with Him. If we follow Him; if we become disciples of Jesus Christ; we will not appear before Him at the judgment wearing the scarlet clothing of sin, debauchery, and rebellion. Rather we will be clothed in a garment as white as the fresh-fallen snow.

For those of you in the snowy parts of our nation and the world, think about this as you watch the snow cover the ground.

2009-11-18T14:28:00.007-05:00

On Broken Bones and God's Work

Last Wednesday, I got a free ride to the Emergency Room. It happened like this. My wife (and BFF) and I were taking down the screen porch we put on our back porch for summer (yes, we were late). I tripped over one of the posts that hold the awning up. I landed on my ankle, which had folded under me - and I heard the POP.

I'm the sort of guy who seldom goes to doctors or hospitals. This time I knew I had to go. It was broken. This was confirmed by the X-rays, so I was wrapped up and told to go to the orthopedic doctor for a cast or to decide if I need surgery. Cast it is. No surgery.

While we were in the ER, we had several opportunities to share the love of God with patients and the triage nurse. When you're in a wheelchair, I guess you are less frightening to other patients.

The nurse noticed that Sandra and I were having a good time, despite the pain. She said she seldom sees people laughing there and then she asked how we could be so happy! So we told her.

God is good. I don't know what else He has to teach me during this time. I'm still in pain and I have to have the cast on for at least a month (with ski season starting NOW). But, I'm ready for His lessons.

2009-11-10T12:23:00.003-05:00

Giving Thanks

It's a harsh world sometimes. Recent events in the news have made it seem even more so. War is still raging. There have been several public shooting incidents in the past week. The Health care debacle continues. The recession has been declared to be over, but the pain remains.

But praise be to God, there is much for which to be thankful. In this month in which we contemplate those things for which we are thankful, let's forget about the material things for just a bit and concentrate on much higher issues.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 Peter 1:2)

Sandra and I always had our girls write thank you notes whenever they received a gift of any kind. This was good handwriting practice and a good vehicle for us to discuss with them the topic of thankfulness. Those of us who are Christians have much to be thankful for. The verse above mentions two of the more important reasons to be thankful.

The first is Grace. Grace is the “channel” through which salvation flows to undeserving sinners. Only God controls this remote! Ephesians 2:8-9 read this way: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.” Salvation from the consequences of our own sinfulness comes by grace. It’s a gift. It’s unearnable. As a result, we can have Peace.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility… He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. (Ephesians 2:13-14; 17-18).

Peace, in the Biblical context, means “wholeness,” “completeness.” By the work of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, we can have access to the father – for all eternity. We will be made complete by being made one with the Father who is our creator – and who loves us.

Thanksgiving Day has become a ritual for us. Football, turkey, pumpkin cheesecake, family and friends can all be part of the mix. There is nothing wrong with any of that. Enjoy it all (and don’t tell my doctor about the cheesecake). But if you are a Christian, you have special reasons to celebrate, on Thanksgiving Day and every day. You can be thankful for the Grace and Peace extended by Jesus Christ, the savior, who alone has made you righteous.

2009-10-06T14:34:00.003-04:00

If I Were Emperor...

I have become less and less interested in politics in the last couple of presidential cycles. I guess it would be more accurate to say I have been dismayed at the quality of candidates we’ve had. Then I realize that we get the candidates we deserve.

God is in control.

But there are days, like yesterday, when I say things like, “That wouldn’t be a problem if I was King – or Emperor.” Believe me folks, neither you nor I really wish that were true.

But what if….

If I were Emperor…

We would not be dependent on foreign oil. We would drill on our own land, being careful, of course, not to be destructive. Why is it, I wonder, that compassionate liberals find it wrong to disturb the tundra to drill for oil in our own nation, but thinks it’s OK to drill in other lands.
English would be the official language of the land. I don’t have a problem with people speaking whatever language they want, but in order to do business, we should speak the same language. As I travel to other countries I find nearly everybody speaking English or wanting to learn. Not Here (unless I was Emperor).
We would not be moving toward a planned economy. We would actually learn from the history of the Soviet Union that planned economies do not work. We would recognize that all the former Warsaw Pact nations are striving after capitalism.
Illegal immigration would go away. I understand that people still want to come to this country for its many benefits. This Emperor would make sure that they do it legally. All benefits of any kind would be cut off to those who sneak into our country. I recognize that there would be hardships. Compassion would be part of the formula, but….
We would have a flat tax of some sort. We would get rid of the thousands (maybe millions) of pages of tax law, and the IRS.
We would rid ourselves of much of the bureaucracy which exists in government at all levels. The Education Department would be the first to go.
Recognizing that strong fences make good neighbors, I would fund the Department of Defense adequately.
I would either fight the war in Afghanistan to win – or get out. We should have learned in VietNam that you cannot fight a war half-heartedly.
I would separate church and state. This means that I would not interfere with the religious beliefs of the people unless they constituted a danger to the nation. Remember, I’m the Emperor and I decide what constitutes danger. I would not allow foot washing stations to be built in public places (like airports and schools) at public expense, while denying manger scenes.
I would review all government policies having to do with health care. Maybe if the government got out of the way, health care would be more affordable. Did I mention no free health care for illegals?

This is a partial list. What would be on your list?

2009-09-24T13:00:00.002-04:00

Our Great Leader

Saw this video today and thought that I would share it. This seems like the sort of thing that went along with "Soviet Realism," and the "cult of personality." After watching the video, I suggest that you follow the links and read some of the history.

As always, comments are welcome and encouraged.

2009-09-09T16:58:00.002-04:00

Book Recommendation

This not so much a book review as a recommendation; a great, big, rousing recommendation!

The book is Raising Real Men: Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys, by Hal and Melanie Young. Sandra and I do not have sons. We never did. Nor do we any longer have children to raise. But we loved this book.

It's solid; it's funny; it's practical. They give examples, anecdotes, and strategies, as well as lists of resources. Sandra read it to me in two sittings.

I recommend that you buy this book, and buy one to give to your pastor. Pastor: you really do need to read this book. It is deep in insight and will help you minister to families - whether they homeschool or not; whether they have sons or not.

The book will be available in late October, but pre-orders are being taken now. Go here to order.

2009-08-12T09:27:00.002-04:00

Big Brother Really is Watching

In several conversations recently the concept of purchasing an automated highway toll system for one's car has come up. These are the little automated devices you put in the car and then you don't have to wait in line to pay tolls. The toll amount is deducted from your prepaid account. The real discussion, of course had to do with whether or not this device allows the government (or anyone else) to track our movements. The response from many folks has been, "Oh they already know plenty about me."

Now a new method has been found that can allow the government to dig even deeper. Its name is "Cash for Clunkers." Innocuous sounding, right. The government is merely trying to help jump start the auto industry and help us get new and better cars. Allow me to introduce you to this video.

Yeah, I know, It's Glenn Beck. But listen (it's only four minutes). The verbiage they read on this video is from the government website. If you go onto this website and ignore the warnings, your computer becomes government property. Everything in it and every activity conducted on it becomes theirs. Watch the video!

That Orwell dude knew his stuff, didn't he.

Comments?

2009-07-30T11:22:00.002-04:00

Danger! Danger!

Science "Czar" Wants to Sterilize, Abort, Create "Planetary Regime."

John Holdren, the learned Professor fro Hahvahd, who is the choice of BHO to be his top science advisor is a nut case - and a dangerous one at that.

Here are a few of his suggestions as to how to rid the US of the undesirables (meaning those on the homeland security and MIAC lists of potential terrorists, I assume. Certainly not the intellectual elites):

"[a]dding a sterilant to drinking water or staple foods is a suggestion that seems to horrify people more than most proposals for involuntary fertility control," such an approach would have to "meet some rather stiff requirements; … be uniformly effective; … free of dangerous or unpleasant side effects;" and pass both PETA and AARP muster by having "no effect on members of the opposite sex, children, old people, pets, or livestock."

Czar Holdren further postulates that "a comprehensive Planetary Regime could control the development, administration, conservation, and distribution of all natural resources, renewable or nonrenewable. The Planetary Regime might be given responsibility for determining the optimum population for the world and for each region and for arbitrating various countries' shares within their regional limits."

He concludes that "sterilizing women after their second or third child" may be more practical than sterilizing men, and proposes a "long-term sterilizing capsule that could be implanted under the skin" at puberty and then "might be removable, with official permission, for a limited number of births.

"Why should the law not be able to prevent a person from having more than two children?" he asks, suggesting "that compulsory population-control laws, even including laws requiring compulsory abortion, could be sustained under the existing Constitution. [N]either the Declaration of Independence nor the Constitution mentions a right to reproduce," observes the learned professor.

Friends, this sounds like a combination of China's "One Child Policy" (which I dub the "No Child Left" Policy), with Hitler's extermination policies, 1984, and Eugenics. Maybe there are a few other bad movements to which we can compare it.

One thing I can tell you. It is not Godly. Children are a gift from God, and we are all made in God's image. Extermination of the unwanted is not a new desire. It has been going on, in many forms, for millenia. Now, the President of the US - and, for the moment, leader of the free world - has appointed as a top advisor an elitist, Godless, Harvard Don to oversee the destruction of human beings.

Christians, pray and work against Barack Obama and all his appointees. They are anti-God and abnti-Christian.

2009-07-28T14:29:00.002-04:00

Mandated Abortion?

No, I haven't read it either, but I have seen portions of the Health care bill(s). Not opinion; quoted portions.

It looks to me as though taxpayer dollars are going to spent on more and more abortions as well as the construction of new abortion facilities - again at taxpayer expense.

Does this mean that I become complicit in the America Tragedy which is a regular and normal medical procedure these days?

Next question: Should conservatives and conservative Christians be considering withholding some of their federal income tax if this comes about?

Think about it. Don't, however, assume that you will get any breaks when the IRS prosecutes you. That's only for high officials of the land. Be prepared, should you decide to take such a stand - or engage in any form of civil disobedience, to take your civilly-meted-out punishment.

Once again - talk among yourselves.

2009-07-11T17:25:00.003-04:00

Medvedev Shows Off Sample Coin of New ‘World Currency’ at G-8

Read about it here.

Any questions?

2009-06-11T17:15:00.002-04:00

Addendum

Here's one more example of government intrusion into church business - and harassment/persecution.

We're a Church, Not a Lobby, Catholic Bishop Tells Ethics Probers

2009-06-08T14:22:00.004-04:00

When Will They Ban Your Bible Study?

First it was San Diego. A neighborhood Bible study was banned by the government. Although the ban was retracted and a letter of apology sent, this was still harassment - and a warning shot. Why was the ban lifted? I don't suspect that it was out of a sense of doing what is right in the eyes of the law. Rather, I believe that it was because of the public outcry. We need more of that.

Now it's Tulsa. You can read the story here, but the summary is that Child Evangelism Fellowship has been told that they can no longer hold Bible studies in the housing projects. They've been there for decades, both leading Bible studies and helping children of the poor.

It's only two stories, but how many more Bible studies and Christian activities have been banned? How many cities of towns have said, "you can no longer do that in schools or public buildings"? How many church plants have received notice that they are no longer welcome in school auditoriums?

We live in an era in which it is not only fine to harass the Christians (while building new foot-washing basins, at public expense for Muslims), but the latent distrust for and anger at Christians is rising to the surface.

In 1 Corinthians 15:58 we read,"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

Stand firm. We already know the outcome. Persecution may be on the horizon, but beyond the horizon is eternity.

Stand up. Name the Name of Christ. Be different. Let the pagan world KNOW that you are one of Christ's.

If you know of other incidents of harassment in "the land of the free," share them with us. Let us all be praying for our brothers and sisters.

2009-06-01T12:13:00.002-04:00

Can I Get an "Amen"?

Brothers and Sisters,

Just Listen and enjoy.

2009-05-23T15:13:00.004-04:00

Pray for Your Leaders

I had the opportunity to serve as Chaplain to the Maine Senate on Thursday, May 21. They bring in different pastors and otrher "religious leaders" to open their legislative sessions each day. I though that I would share with you what I presented to the Senators and how I prayed for them.

Maine State Senate May 21, 2009

Those of you who read the Bible may be familiar with the text found in the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 13, verse 1. It reads as follows:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
What this says to me is that you legislators have been ordained by God to your task. You are here doing God’s work, by His authority. I know you already take your duties seriously, but this adds yet another dimension to both your authority and your responsibility.
On the other side of the coin is the statement of the Apostles Peter and John when told by the authorities of their day that they should not preach or teach in the name of Jesus. They replied (as recorded in the book of Acts, chapter 4, verse 19) "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God.”
When Christian citizens are confronted with laws which are contrary to God’s Word, they can be expected to respond as did Peter and John.
So, we pray for you. My congregation and many other congregations across Maine pray for you regularly. We recognize that your responsibilities are great and that this is a very trying time for you as well as for the rest of our nation – and the world.
It is with these things in mind that I say to you this morning: Let us pray.
Almighty God, we give thanks for your great Providence in the establishing of this nation in which we still enjoy freedom of assembly and freedom of worship. We pray that we may continue in these great blessings.
We pray for this august body assembled here to do the business of the State of Maine. If there be those in our midst who are in ill health, we pray for their healing.
If there be some who are sick of heart or spirit, we pray that you grant them peace.
We ask that you grant forgiveness for our sins; for any lack of compassion for the sick and defenseless, for complacency in the face of need, for the waste of resources which you have bestowed upon us.
We ask that these legislators be of clear and open minds; that they act fairly; that they protect those who need protection; and that they use wisely the wealth of the citizens of this state.
God, we thank you for the opportunity that each of us has to serve, each in his or her own way, and we ask your blessing upon this legislature this day.
I pray in the Name of my Lord and Savior,
AMEN

I expected some flak for my use of the Name Jesus, for my reference to my Lord and Savior, and for my stating that we (Christians) may not always be obedient if legislation differs from God's Word. I saw no glares from the gallery, however. In fact, two senators made it a point to thank me for my words and my prayer.

Continue to pray for your leaders, local, state and federal. May God bless them with wisdom (real Wisdom).

2009-05-10T06:56:00.005-04:00

Going Dutch

Sandra and I are in Badhoevedorp, Netherlands this week. It is a small community just outside Amsterdam. We've been leading a few seminars on Christian family life and home education. The groups have been larger than we expected and the people have been responsive and interactive.

Our hosts have been marvelous and taken great care of us. All of our sessions have been in English and no interpretation has been necessary.

It has been a stretching time for us. We both like to have things well and truly organized. Here we have had a very fluid schedule and the talks we prepared have been cast aside as we find out more about the needs and desires of the folks here. It has been good for us. Yesterday we arrived at a book fair and found out that we were scheduled to speak for two hours!

Serious discussion with the Christians here has been ongoing. Of particular interest to some of the men (we had a Men's Night Friday that lasted past midnight) was the discussion on a man's role in the family. One man was nearly astonished when I stated that a Biblical Christian man must be anti-feminist. It was not that he disagreed, it was, as he said that, "nobody dares to say such things in the Netherlands." Long and fruitful discussion followed!

Today, however, we had some time off and went to the Keukenhof, a two-month long festival of my favorite flower - the TULIP. Now, I'm sitting in the garden, blogging, enjoying God's creation - and playing with the children. They accept me on their level and have been very patient with me as they try to teach me Dutch.

Good times.

2009-04-11T10:11:00.003-04:00

Taxation Without Representation

On April 15, citizens around the nation will gather in "Tea Parties" to protest profligate spending of taxpayer money, by the elected "representatives" of the people. I will be among them. Let me first state that I am not against taxes. When they are used to meet the constitutionally-intended purposes for taxation, I am willing to put up my share. I am not willing to pay for unconstitutional activities. Nor am I willing to pay your share.

Many in the "movement" of tax protesters have stated that their complaint is not against taxation without representation as was the first Tea Party in Boston Harbor. That may be the case with those individuals. It is not my situation. I am unrepresented in Congress. Millions of others who wish to protect the Constitution of this country are also feeling disenfranchised.

I am certainly not represented by those who claim to represent me. This is the way of democracy, one might say. But the fact is that the"reps" do what they believe is right (or politically expedient) without regard to the beliefs and desires of those they allegedly represent.

In Congress I have one Representative, a liberal Democrat. I also have two allegedly-Republican Senators. All three voted in favor of the "Stimulus Bill." I sent emails to all three asking that they please vote against this bill. Two responded. Each defended her (yes, all three are female) reasons for voting this monstrosity of a liability onto the backs of my grandchildren. Here is the closing paragraph from the response I got from my friendly Representative.

I am confident that this package is a necessary first step towards jump-starting our struggling economy and putting people back to work in Maine and around the country - in jobs that will rebuild our infrastructure and expand information technology to rural areas, modernize our archaic health care system, strengthen our children's education and move America towards a sustainable energy future that breaks our dependence on foreign oil. I appreciate your thoughts on the recovery package, and I hope that this letter helps explain my decision to support it.

Please note that this is merely a first step. Both legislators and governors around the nation have promised to tax anything and everything. Combine this power of taxation with the general hatred of Christianity evident among the "elite" classes and we can expect churches to be taxed to the limit - and beyond in the near future.

We'll get socialized medicine, soon. I probably won't be able to afford the gas to get to any appointment my government deigns to assign me, though.

In 1776, the year of the birth of this nation, Adam Smith published his great tome, The Wealth of Nations. He had a lot to say about taxes. He listed four basic rules for taxation:

1. "The subject of every State ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities; that is, in proportion to the revenue which they respectively enjoy under the protection of the State." (Perhaps Mr. Timothy Franz Geithner should be reminded of this maxim).

2. "The tax each individual is bound to pay ought to be certain, and not arbitrary. The time of payment, the manner of payment, and the quantity to be paid, ought all to be clear and plain to the contributor, and to ever other person." (How many pages are there in the IRS code?).

3. "Every tax ought to be levied at the time, or in the manner in which it is most likely to be convenient for the contributor to pay it." (Convenient for me? Not likely).

4. "Every tax ought to be so contrived as both to take out and to keep out of the pockets of the people as little as possible, over and above what it brings into the public treasury of the State." (They don't take much out of the pockets of many of our government officials).

I'll be out on April 15. As I stated, I'm not against legitimate taxes. I'm against foolish, wasteful, non-productive, and confiscatory taxation.

Buy some tea today!

2009-03-19T12:01:00.002-04:00

Are the American People Powerless?

Speaking of a character in her book, Maisie Dobbs, author Jacqueline Winspear writes the following:

I do believe that people such as Jenkins [the character in the book], Hitler – or any such leader – gain power amid fear and uncertainty. At the heart of every cult is a compelling personality, one who exudes a certain charisma…. The trouble is that such individuals come to power on a tide of support from people desperate for leadership – people who are suffering emotionally, economically – and then such leaders create a mood of fear to maintain control when the people begin to doubt. Thus the people – whether a group or a nation – are powerless. And that fear can be of the leader himself and the consequence of crossing him, or of an external threat to one’s safety.
(A Penguin Reader Guide to Maisie Dobbs, p. 12. Appended to Maisie Dobbs, published by Penguin Books in 2004).

This could have been written yesterday. It could certainly describe our most recent presidential election. The desperation was there. We had looming financial crises, and an ineffective lame duck president (among other things, I don’t think I will ever forget the fact that George Bush did not pardon the border guards who were imprisoned), a continuing war on several fronts, and large problems growing on our southern border.

The charisma factor is certainly there, as well. Remember when women were actually swooning at Obama political rallies?

Are the people beginning to doubt? You betcha. Folks have begun to sprinkle the label "amateur" into their discussions of the administration in Washington. Calls for resignations have begun in the halls of Congress. Has the administration contributed to a mood of fear? Yup. Of course, the sky is always falling with liberals.

Are the people powerless? Increasingly so. Despite massive campaigns to stop them, only the most heinous of individuals is being appointed to high office. It seems that very few of the appointees to high office pay their taxes. You know what would happen to you or to me if we didn’t pay. The #2 man in the justice department is a porn lawyer who wants to take away parental rights. The Secretary of Education wants to take away our guns – and will be in a position to further indoctrinate our children. The Secretary of State... Well, you know.

Abortion is legal, homosexuality is normalized, and children (and maybe animals) may soon have the right to sue anybody. Ammunition is hard to find. And federal troops were sent to a small town in Alabama!!!! Read the story here. After reading that story, do you not wonder if this was a dry run for martial law?

Discuss among yourselves.

I know that we have the leadership we deserve. Read Romans 13:1 if you doubt that. But that does not mean we lay down and accept the dismantling of the constitution of the land in which we live. In fact, we are told in Jeremiah 29:7 to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” This means, friends, that we are to work to make this country the best it can be in a fallen world. Destroying the constitution upon which it was built is not in the best interest of our country, its citizens, or the international community.

Work, in whatever manner you are able, to secure the rights of the people. Pray for the nation, for its leaders and especially for Barack Obama. Prepare for hard times, especially if you are a Christian who believes in family values and the sanctity of human life.

What think you, citizens?

2009-03-11T09:47:00.002-04:00

The End of the Evangelical Church?

This is a topic I have thought about for some time. Yesterday, I read a commentary titled “The Coming Evangelical Collapse.” While I don’t necessarily agree with everything in the article, there is a lot to chew on. The author points out several factors that will lead to the demise of a number of different types of congregations and denominations. I hope you’ll take just a few minutes to read and reflect upon what he has written.

It’s a good time, perhaps, to think about what Jesus, Himself, has to say on the matter. In John 12:32, the Lord is quoted as saying, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

I’m not one to put a lot of stock in arguments from silence. In this case, however, it is instructive to note that Jesus did not say men would be drawn to him by church programs; by slick preaching; by wonderful outreach literature; by funky music; by “facilitators” in sharp Hawaiian shirts (or shark-skin suits); by technology; by good (fair trade) coffee in the church cafe; or by any other man-made device. Jesus said that He would draw men to Himself.

What churches will survive, albeit through much struggle? Those that preach the Gospel and attempt to live as instructed in God’s Word. It’s that simple.

I know that people are resistant and they want the glitz and glamor and the music. Maybe we have reached the time in American history when they’ll start listening again.

2009-03-03T22:32:00.002-05:00

Self-Interest i$ Good for the Nation

Much can be learned by reading history. This appears to be something that is totally lacking among the “elite” ruling class of the nation. Instead they seem to all have read law, which they proceed to ignore and or manipulate for their own greedy purposes. Below, just a few quotes pertinent to our current problems in this nation.

Most of these quotes are from Adam Smith, who published his magnum opus, Wealth of Nations, in the very important year of 1776.

It is the highest impertinence and presumption, therefore, in kings and ministers, to pretend to watch over the economy of private people, and to restrain their expense... They are themselves always, and without any exception, the greatest spendthrifts in the society. Let them look well after their own expense, and they may safely trust private people with theirs. If their own extravagance does not ruin the state, that of their subjects never will. -The Wealth of Nations, Book II, Chapter III

Great nations are never impoverished by private, though they sometimes are by public prodigality and misconduct. The whole, or almost the whole public revenue, is in most countries employed in maintaining unproductive hands... Such people, as they them-selves produce nothing, are all maintained by the produce of other men's labour... Those unproductive hands, who should be maintained by a part only of the spare revenue of the people, may consume so great a share of their whole revenue, and thereby oblige so great a number to encroach upon their capitals, upon the funds destined for the maintenance of productive labour, that all the frugality and good conduct of individuals may not be able to compensate the waste and degradation of produce occasioned by this violent and forced encroachment.
-The Wealth of Nations, Book II, Chapter III

The natural effort of every individual to better his own condition ... is so powerful, that it is alone, and without any assistance, not only capable of carrying on the society to wealth and prosperity, but of surmounting a hundred impertinent obstructions with which the folly of human laws too often encumbers its operations.
-The Wealth of Nations Book IV Chapter V Section IV

I. The subjects of every state ought to contribute towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible, in proportion to their respective abilities...
II. The tax which each individual is bound to pay ought to be certain, and not arbitrary. The time of payment, the manner of payment, the quantity to be paid, ought all to be clear and plain to the contributor, and to every other person...
III. Every tax ought to be levied at the time, or in the manner, in which it is most likely to be convenient for the contributor to pay...
IV. Every tax ought to be so contrived as both to take out and to keep out of the pockets of the people as little as possible, over and above what it brings into the treasury of the state.
First, the levying of it may require a great number of officers... Secondly, it may obstruct the industry of the people, and discourage them from...business... Thirdly, by the forfeitures and other penalties which those unfortunate individuals incur who attempt unsuccessfully to evade the tax, it may frequently ruin them, and thereby put an end to the benefit which the community might have received from the employment of their capitals... Fourthly, by subjecting the people to the frequent visits and the odious examination of the tax-gatherers, it may expose them to much unnecessary trouble...
-The Wealth of Nations, Book V Chapter II Pt II

In every great monarchy of Europe the sale of the crown lands would produce a very large sum of money, which, if applied to the payment of the public debts, would deliver from mortgage a much greater revenue than any which those lands have ever afforded to the crown...When the crown lands had become private property, they would, in the course of a few years, become well-improved and well-cultivated...the revenue which the crown derives from the duties of customs and excise, would necessarily increase with the revenue and consumption of the people.
-The Wealth of Nations, I Book V Chapter II Part II

The proprietor of stock is necessarily a citizen of the world, and is not necessarily attached to any particular country. He would be apt to abandon the country in which he was exposed to a vexatious inquisition, in order to be assessed to a burdensome tax, and would remove his stock to some other country where he could either carry on his business, or enjoy his fortune more at his ease. By removing his stock he would put an end to all the industry which it had maintained in the country which he left. Stock cultivates land; stock employs labour. A tax which tended to drive away stock from any particular country, would so far tend to dry up every source of revenue, both to the sovereign and to the society. Not only the profits of stock, but the rent of land and the wages of labour, would necessarily be more or less diminished by its removal.
-The Wealth of Nations, Book V, Chapter II

And from Thomas Jefferson, these gems:

I think all the world would gain by setting commerce at perfect liberty.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, 7 July 1785

Never spend your money before you have earned it.
-Thomas Jefferson

Just a couple more:

The first panacea for a mismanaged nation is inflation of the currency; the second is war. Both bring a temporary prosperity; both bring a permanent ruin. But both are the refuge of political and economic opportunists.
-Ernest Hemingway

The government s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
- Ronald Reagan

__________

Bottom line: Capitalists create wealth, generally out of self-interest. It is in the interest of the people that they be unfettered by regulation, taxation, and general meddling. Dumping unbacked currency onto a problem has done nothing to help the government education systems or any other industry with no incentive to be frugal and efficient.

2009-02-25T12:47:00.001-05:00

Pray for the Government

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
-1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV)

For some folks this is a difficult passage right now. They don't like the philosophical basis behind the current administration. They don't like the direction the country seems to be going (it's not just "leaning" anymore). They realize history has shown us that government intervention in commerce and a managed economy are doomed to failure.

A good friend of mine (you know who you are!), is really working hard at it because he is so set against everything he sees our government doing and believing. He is working at it, though (aren't you?).

A couple of weeks ago, at a Bible study, the following prayer was brought to our attention. It was written by the second most well-known author in history, "Author Unknown." I pass it along for your perusal, comments, maybe for your adoption.

Beloved Father, we pray that our elected officials would recognize their personal sinfulness and need for the cleansing power of Jesus Christ.

Help them to understand their inadequacy for the task before them and their need to pray to You for wisdom, knowledge, and courage.
Move them to reject all counsel that violates the spiritual principles of Your Word and be willing to trust You to lead them in the right direction.
Guide them and give them insight to resist the pressures of those who would lead them astray or tempt them to disobey You and Your will for their lives.
Help them also to work to reverse the trend toward ungodliness in our land and to restore America’s Christ-centered values.
Prepare them to make godly choices in the best interest of America regardless of the cost.
Help them to maintain dignity, honor, trustworthiness, and righteousness in office.
Convict them to be a godly example to the men, women, and children of this land.
And, Dear God, constantly remind them that while in office they are accountable to You for their attitudes, actions, and motives. Amen

2009-02-06T12:20:00.004-05:00

Just a Few Random Thoughts

Yes, It has been a while since I posted. It has been busy - and I have been flabbergasted by much of what's going on in my country. here are just a few random, but in some instances connected, thoughts:

On January 20 we entered the post-America world.
It's even less safe to be an unborn child today.
There are none so blind as those who will not see.
No good deed goes unpunished. (In this life. God has other ideas about eternity)
There are different rules (especially regarding taxes) for me and for government officials.
I got hammered on my taxes last year, but I paid them.
China and Europe are eschewing socialism for capitalism. The US, which defeated worldwide socialism, is now embracing it.
America’s enemies are more important to our new administration than American citizens.
We’ve been told that the $$ for the stimulus package will be paid back. How will that work, exactly? What's my share of $900B?

Your random thoughts and responses to mine are more than welcome. Can you make sense of America?

2008-12-24T13:37:00.002-05:00

Thank God I’m A Country Boy

(With Apologies to the late John Denver)

Only in the country! We had our Christmas Eve service a day early due to weather expectations. It was a wonderful service and we headed out afterward to get gas in my Jeep. Unfortunately, we hit an ice patch and ended up in the woods off the road. Nobody was hurt, and the car didn’t seem damaged, but we couldn’t get it out. So when a friend who had been at the service came by she stopped and called her husband.

These people are farmers. Dwayne came out on his tractor and pulled us out. It’s good to live in the country! And to have friends.

The next morning I discovered a red puddle under the Jeep – transmission fluid. When I told one of the guys in the church, he said, “don’t get anything done yet and don’t try to drive it. I’ll come over and have a look. Maybe it’s something I can fix.” He knows what he’s doing. He’s a mechanic. It’s good to have friends.

When I went to visit my neighbors this morning to exchange some small gifts, I told them the story and that we might not be able to go see the kids and grandkids until the Jeep's fixed. They said, “You can’t miss a trip to see the grandkids. Take Gene’s truck.” It’s good to live in the country. And to have friends.

We know that God kept us safe. We thank Him also for putting us in this place and giving us friends.

Thank God I’m a country boy.

2008-11-11T12:38:00.002-05:00

Thought For The Day

2008-11-06T10:12:00.002-05:00

A Pastoral Letter to Fathers of Young Children

My dear brothers,

Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ, who is God over all the universe. I write this letter as a warning. Please read it as such.

It is my expectation that hard times are coming for Christians in these United States. There is already discrimination against us, of course. There are places we can’t preach and can’t pray. Symbols of our faith are banned from the workplace and the schoolroom. Faith in Christ is regularly ridiculed. Imagine, if you can, a Muslim’s faith being mocked as was Sarah Palin’s Christianity in recent weeks. I suspect it will get much worse in the socialist state which is about to be created here.

What do we do? Just a few quick thoughts.

First, we remember that God is sovereign. It is He who allowed – who gave permission, if you will – for the current climate. It is He who will rescue His people. Way back in Genesis 17, He promised that He would be our God for all the generations to come.

Secondly, we need to remember that nations rise and fall. We should not be shocked to think that the United States may be past its prime. Rome was once great, but it fell under the weight of its own excesses. We may be in the same process. Be ready for hard times. We are no longer a super-power. There are wolves at the door.

Finally, we must stand firm. This is where we come in. This is the level at which fathers must prepare their children. About a dozen times in the New Testament, we are told to “stand firm.” In 1 Corinthians 16:13, it is put this way: “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.” Notice that standing firm does not imply standing on your “rights,” or protecting capitalism, democracy, or even conservative social and political thinking, It says “stand firm in the faith.”

What faith? In the third verse of the letter of Jude it’s explained this way. “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” This faith entrusted to the saints is not just an amorphous faith in whatever I find to be trustworthy. It is a rock-solid faith in Jesus Christ as the One redeemer of His people. It’s a faith in the God who created the universe and sustains it still. It’s a faith in the Holy Spirit of God who illuminates God’s Holy Word and who calls us to this precious faith. It is upon that which we are to stand firm.

Are your children prepared to do that? Do they have a faith upon which to stand? Are you, Christian father, preparing them to stand? In Deuteronomy 6, we are given this admonition:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (vv.4-7).

The task of the Christian father is to pass on the great truths of the faith which have been entrusted to all the saints. At home, on the road, in the car, at all times and in every place it is our role to be instructing them about God and His goodness. Our children need to know about the provision of the Lord. They need to understand about Israel and the first Passover, and the Exodus. They need to appreciate that their salvation can come from none other than God Almighty. The need a faith upon which to stand. Are you preparing them?

Brothers, we know that faith is a gift of God. Yet, God teaches us that it is our job to pass that faith to the next generation. This is the only way we can help them be prepared for the hard times which may be coming. Are your precious little ones prepared to stand Firm? Are you?

2008-11-05T14:57:00.004-05:00

It's Over

With a sigh of relief, I thank God that's over. It seems as though that election cycle lasted for several years. I'm not pleased with the results. Frankly, I believe that the President-Elect was elected for one reason only - race. I still believe he is shallow, too liberal for this - or any - nation, and too inexperienced for the task he is undertaking. I also know that there was fraud in the election process.

But, that having been said, or written, in January he will be the elected leader of our nation (and the free world) and I will extend to him the respect that office deserves. 1 Peter 2:13,14 exhorts us to:

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

The President-Elect represents many positions which are unBiblical. If they are imposed upon the populace as mandates, I will resist. Otherwise I will continue to try to be a good citizen and encourage others to do likewise. I will continue to pray for our leaders as we are commanded to do in God's Word ( 1Timothy 2:1-3).

God is sovereign. The outcome of this election was no accident. Trust God, pray for your leaders, work for the good of the Kingdom of God, and seek the peace and prosperity of the nation to which God has sent you (Jeremiah 29:7).

2008-09-23T11:38:00.002-04:00

Here's Your Sign

OK, friends, something new here. I seldom pass on email "fowards." I've never passed on a video. Until today, that is. Someone sent me a YouTube video. I watched it and I passed it on to a lot of folks on my various email lists. It's called "Cardboard Testimonies" and it is worth the time to watch it.
Please let me know what you think.

2008-09-22T12:19:00.001-04:00

Christians in Community

At our church, we’ve been looking at the concept of Christian community. I’ve been preaching a brief series on the “one anothers.” You know,

Serve one another
Bear with one another
Accept one another
Admonish one another
Be devoted to one another
Be members of one another.

As family, the Christian community will have disagreements and squabbles. We are to overcome these, however, and accord one another love and honor. Here’s how the Apostle Paul writes it in Romans 12:10, “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

Devotion, according to Paul is something that we owe one another. Devotion is made up, at least, of brotherly love and honor.

Brotherly love is protective and forgiving. It’s recognizing one another’s faults and accepting them. It’s being able to forgive and receive forgiveness.

Honor is a word often used in Scripture to refer to our attitude toward God. Here is one example: "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17). That is the same honor that Paul is telling us to extend to one another. We are to honor our brothers and sisters above ourselves.

Now I know that some of us make it hard to honor us. We’re ornery, stubborn, arrogant, inconsiderate – and several other categories of hard-to-put-up-with stuff. That’s why we have the second item on the list above: bear with one another. We need to put up with one another. Jesus once asked the question, "O unbelieving and perverse generation…how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?” (Matthew 17:17). He does put up with those of us who are His. And we should do the same.

Honor, respect, love, friendship. Those are the gifts we have for one another.
Let’s lavish one another with them.

2008-09-09T12:45:00.001-04:00

The Good News Is...

They may be trying to kill me. I’m not paranoid. But sometimes they are out to get you.

Last Friday, my wife and I were out in my car and a strange noise started in one of the wheels. I stopped and took a quick look but saw nothing obvious. I got back in and headed for the garage, which was not too far away. I didn’t get there – at least not driving.

The right front tire just came off as I was driving! It took about a hundred yards to stop the vehicle. We came close to being stopped by a telephone pole. We tore a nice furrow in the soft part of the road and the front fender was destroyed. I had to go back quite a distance to find the tire. Neither of us was injured, however.

Sometime later the tow truck from the auto club came and took the car to the shop (the same one to which we were headed). When the Service Manager looked at the situation, he immediately said that it was strange. It’s not that wheels don’t come off on occasion, even though (thankfully) it’s rare. But, something just wasn’t right.
On Tuesday, the Service Manager called me with the (large) estimate for repairs. First, however, he asked me if the car was left outside at all. I told him that I park it in my driveway. He said, “There’s almost no way that this could have happened, except by vandalism.”

Remember, I’m not paranoid. I didn’t come up with this thought. The Service Manager did. And it wasn’t “kids.” You know how hard it is to loosen lug nuts. He said that these were taken off; they didn’t fall off during the incident. Nobody has taken that tire off lately and put it back without tightening the nuts, either. We had just returned from a very long road trip with no problems. So, it wasn’t negligence on the part of some mechanic.

The last time something like this happened it was a firebombing of the church I pastored. The police caught the individual and he admitted his crime, saying, “Lucifer told me to do it. He doesn’t like what’s preached in there.

So what’s going on? I’ll leave that to your imagination. I do know that this was no accident and that my wife and could easily have been killed.

Praise the LORD!

2008-08-28T18:15:00.002-04:00

So many topics...

My lack of blogging of late has had numerous causes. One of them, however, is NOT a lack of interesting topics. There are simply so many that I’m befuddled by where to start. So let’s try this. I’ll name some of the topics. You fill in your own content. Here’s a starter list.

The Olympics. Didn’t watch a minute.
The Democrat Convention. Ditto.
Foliage. Already beginning to watch that. It seems early.
The Red Sox. Watch them repeat. I am a citizen of Red Sox nation.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac.Watch for colder than average temps, with more snowfall than normal (but, not like last year).
Superpowers. Watch the number shrink to zero. You can’t be one if you don’t have the gumption to use it for good. I expect that vacuum to fill rapidly, however.
Gustav. Watch George Bush get the blame.
McDonald’s. Watch their stock plummet if Pro-family diners boycott.
Microsoft. Watch them release their browser with protection for porn surfers.
Hummingbirds. I’m watching them out my window right now.

2008-08-05T10:54:00.002-04:00

Stand Firm; Resist
and That Other Really Hard Stuff

In the July issue of TABLETALK* there is a “pastor’s Perspective” column titled, “Standing Firm.” In the first paragraph the author quotes the great reformer Martin Luther, thusly, “An upright shepherd and minister must improve his flock by edification, and also resist and defend it; otherwise, if resisting be absent, the wolf devours the sheep.” The author of the piece, Bill Haynes, then comments that “Resisting and defending require that the pastor-shepherd stand firm on the truth of the Gospel and lead his congregation to do the same.

Haynes, who happens to be a Baptist pastor in Kentucky, further elucidates the problem this way:

For the past year I have been preaching through the book of Acts, and I have noticed a recurring situation. One evening I told my congregation that one thing was a constant in Acts, especially in the life and ministry of Paul: When the truth of the Gospel is faithfully proclaimed, somebody is going to get beaten up or thrown in prison. It is amazing to me that in the twenty-first century we have developed a mentality that if we are proclaiming the truth, then everybody ought to like us.

Jesus taught that His people should love the truth. He also taught that His people should give to the needy, avoid divorce, pray for one another, and not be judgmental (among other things). He also taught that a tree is known by its fruit. This is really a hard teaching. We’re supposed to look and act like what we claim to be.

People, in general, don’t want to hear the truth today. We have arrived (I don’t know how long ago) at the time that the Apostle Paul predicted when he wrote to His protégé Timothy,

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myth.
(2 Timothy 4:2-4).

This stuff can be discouraging for the pastor. You work at preaching Biblical sermons preaching God’s truth. Then you try to help people as they (along with you) struggle to live a Christian life in a hostile world. No matter how you approach people when you want to talk about "issues," you become the bad guy – and they shoot the messenger. It hurts a lot. You get so that you don’t trust anyone; don’t want to entrust anyone with your thoughts. Who knows, they may be the next one to turn on you. Then, how will they use the information you’ve shared with them?

Does this sound pessimistic? It really isn’t. It’s realistic. It’s what Paul was teaching about. It’s what seminary students talk about and what pastors discuss when they get together. I’ve heard it from dozens of pastors – and ex-pastors.

So, what does Paul have to say about this? Well, after he gave Timothy the instruction that he would often be preaching what people did not want to hear, and might even get hostile about, he instructed the young shepherd, “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” (Verse 5).

Do your job, Paul says, enduring the pain and suffering; keep on preaching, teaching, leading, correcting, rebuking and encouraging (I invite the reader to return to the words of verse 2 above).

Why do I write this little essay? Well, it’s timely, having been brought to the attention of all who read TABLETALK just last month. Also, I’d like to encourage all of my readers to be aware of what your pastor’s job entails. There are times when the most dedicated of saints is not going to like what the pastor says. Instead of taking the worldly route of walking out in a huff and talking to everybody else about how mean he is, why not try the Biblical route? Talk to him. Explain your dilemma. It’s possible you are right. It’s also possible that he is. Either way, that talk is mandated by God.

Much has been written about commitment-phobia in recent decades. Jesus, however, said it best, as recorded in Matthew 5:37, “Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

Brothers and sisters, take this as encouragement.

We all get caught up in things that sort of carry us along – and before we know it we are in a place we don’t want to be. Then pride kicks in and we find it difficult to get things right. Resist. As Bill Haynes wrote, reflecting the teaching of God’s Word: “stand firm,” on the foundation of God’s Word and nothing else.

What do you think?

*TABLETALK is a monthly devotional magazine published by Ligonier Ministries.

2008-07-14T13:54:00.002-04:00

Massachusetts Leads the Way
- the Wrong Way

According to a story in OneNewsNow, "Massachusetts legislators are considering a change to state law that would allow homosexuals who are not residents of the commonwealth to come there to 'marry.' The potential consequences of the proposal could be chaotic, says one family advocate."

This is nothing new. Massachusetts has been trying to lead the way in liberal, anti-family legislation for years. Even the (very, very few) Republican legislators have tended to go along with this trend. After all, they wouldn't want to bruise anybody's ego, or infringe upon anybody's "rights," - unless those anybodies happen to be Christians.

When I covered news at the State House in Boston I recall several occasions when the Massachusetts legislators worked hard to pass liberal legislation before any other state could. It's a matter of pride. I covered the story when the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth made homosexual marriage legal. They were first, of course.

One of the stories I wrote at that time was titled, "A Nation Divided: How the Church Got Homosexual Marriage Legalized." In part, I wrote,

We can blame the craven and vote-mongering politicians. We can hold accountable the pro-homosexual activists. Certainly both groups deserve some of the blame for the decision of the Supreme Judicial Court in Massachusetts. The bulk of the responsibility for the cultural setting that led to such a decision, however, rests squarely upon the church.

The church is supposed to provide a moral compass for the society. Yet, the church's position of moral leadership has been compromised by liberalism, Biblical illiteracy, scandal after scandal, and timidity (read that "fear"). Many churches today have no moral compass themselves. They cannot cry out against the excesses and immorality of a generation when they have no basis upon which to base their complaint.

Until and unless Christians get their act together the losses will continue.
Return to your first love, church, then act upon what you know is right. Micah 6:8 says, "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Through it all, God is Sovereign - and He's an on-time God.

2008-06-30T14:01:00.002-04:00

The Race Card

I heard it yet again this morning from a Barack Obama supporter. He said (on the radio), “I am suspicious of anyone who won’t vote for Barack Obama. He is at best a racist and at worst a Nazi.” So there you have it. I’m a racist (or Nazi). I guess there is no consideration given for viewing candidates on their records and beliefs. Barack Obama is a left-wing liberal. I’m a conservative – too conservative for the Republican Party. I wouldn’t vote for Barack Obama if he was green, white, yellow or a combination thereof. To call me a racist is pretty stupid. Give me a break – I grew up in South Providence!

But then, I’ve been a racist for a long time, according to those who can only see color. In the 1970s, while I was a school teacher, I was against mandated integration of schools via school busing of children out of their own neighborhoods clear across the town or city. I was called a racist. There was no consideration of the fact that I was against busing because I believed in neighborhood schools. No children of any color should get up in the middle of the night so that they can ride a bus to a school in somebody else’s neighborhood.

BTW, I’m still in favor of neighborhood schools, if we have to have schools at all. Mega-schools at least contribute to the Columbine-style shootings. Also, let it be known that I am aware that many people opposed busing because of race. That does not warrant an automatic designation of “racist” to all who disagree with a flawed public policy decision.

Then, of course, I was also a racist when I thought OJ did it. Opinion on that one did seem to come down strictly according to race. I guess I could claim that I had the misfortune of having been born Western European-American Caucasian. I’m a victim. I could also claim that it sure seemed at the time – and seems more abundantly clear as time goes on – that OJ was guilty of murder. Another clarification is in order, though. I did not follow the trial religiously, as much of America seems to have done. I was not a witness to the crime. I don’t have all the facts. I could be wrong about OJ.

In for a penny, in for a pound. I might as well state that there seem to be quite a few pastors who find it considerably more important to be black than to be Christian. They have thrown in with Barack and are happy to distort God’s Word in whatever manner necessary to get their man elected. Being black, or white, or brown, or yellow will not get us into heaven. Even if Barack Obama wins two terms, his time will pass. Eternity will not. Another clarifying statement: I know that some white people also distort God’s Word to suit their own purpose. It won’t get them into heaven either. Be careful, folks.

2008-06-24T12:42:00.005-04:00

"All Roads Lead to Heaven,"
According to "People of Faith'

In a disturbing, but not totally shocking, report out this week, it has been revealed that most people who claim to be "people of faith," believe that there are many possible paths to heaven.
Let me be quick to insert John 14:6 here.
Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

That's an absolute statement. There is no other way to heaven but by Jesus. Period. Full stop. Game over.

Here is a quote from the news coverage about that report:

America remains a nation of believers, but a new survey finds most Americans don't feel their religion is the only way to eternal life — even if their faith tradition teaches otherwise.
The findings, revealed Monday in a survey of 35,000 adults, can either be taken as a positive sign of growing religious tolerance, or disturbing evidence that Americans dismiss or don't know fundamental teachings of their own faiths.

Among the more startling numbers in the survey, conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: 57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching.

In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.

You can read the entire story here.

The numbers are startling. The causes are obvious. First is Bible illiteracy. The people simply don't know what the Bible says. The second reason is more offensive, however. The major fault is behind the pulpit (or on the stage or dais, or wherever people allegedly preach these days). The preachers are so enamored with programs and feeling good, and involved in major decisions such as which coffee to serve at the church cafe and the auditions for the band, that they simply have neither the time nor the inclination to search the Scriptures and preach God's Word.

I had a personal brush with this last week. My wife and I were away and looking for a church for Sunday morning. We chose what we thought would be a conservative congregation with a conservative worship style (this conservative worship style, BTW, is not a Biblical requirement, but a personal one). There was 50 minutes of non-worshiping, non-theological music, then a "preacher." It was not the Pastor. This man never opened his Bible, though he had it in his hand. He made a few references to references, even getting one of them wrong. The Pastor could not correct him, though, because he didn't even have a Bible.

So we went looking for a church that might have an evening service. We never found one, although there are many churches in that area. It was sad.

Brothers and sisters our nation needs strong, informed Christians now more than at any other time in its history. Weak-kneed, pusillanimous, people-pleasing, ear-tickling, preaching will not strengthen us nor encourage us.

Men of God stand up. Preach God's Word. It's hard at times. If it's too hard, you're not called. Get out of the way.

People of God stand up. Call for your preachers to preach the whole counsel of God. If they won't, then leave! Find someone who will. They are out there, and they are risking their lives preaching what God wants preached. Stand with them.

Let's turn this nation around. Let's get it facing heavenward - through Jesus, the only way to eternal life.

2008-06-11T22:31:00.002-04:00

A Couple of Political Notes

Imagine my chagrin when I went to vote yesterday and found myself registered as a Republican. I am not a Republican. I am supposed to be registered as "Unenrolled." The Town Clerk told me that I enrolled as a Republican and went to the file cabinet to find the voter registration card which would prove her right. Surprise. It said "Unenrolled." Clerical error. No wonder I've been getting so much mail from the Rs. We changed it back on the spot.

There is a reason I cannot be enrolled as a Republican - I'm a conservative. The party left me i the dust when it lurched leftward. One need look no further that the two Republican senators from my state of Maine. Neither resembles a conservative. Enough said about that topic.

Next is the topic of change. Every political challenger for just about every office in the land is running on a promise of change. They are all going to go to Washington (or Augusta, or "fill-in-the-blank") and change things. Now I agree that the changes are necessary. Why, though, after they get elected, do things never change? Then, when they run as incumbents, the "change" mantra is long gone.

Just wondering.

2008-06-02T14:14:00.004-04:00

Dopes in the Pulpit

Instances of preachers gone mad have abounded in recent months. Dr. Jeremiah Wright certainly needs no introduction at this point. The Catholic priest who made a fool of himself, his church, and the Gospel has gained a good bit of coverage as well. In case you are among the few who haven't seen or heard these rants, the video is here.

Now a Bishop in the Church of England has decided that anyone who doesn't agree with Pope AlGore and his leading scientists like Michael Moore are at least as evil as the Austrian animal who kept his daughter locked up for decades, raping her and fathering numerous children with her. We are, he claims, robbing our children's future, and that makes us no better than Josef Fritzl. Can we talk?

Now preachers being involved in the political process are no new thing. In the history of the US, until Senator Lyndon B. Johnson put a stop to it, there were regular political sermons - even "Election Day Sermons." Not all were were off the ranting and raving variety that we are accustomed to seeing at YouTube recently, but not all have been sane, civil, and Biblically-based, either.

Let me make an appeal to preachers - and those who listen to them and may have some influence over them: Preach the Gospel. Yes, there are many moral issues that are intertwined with politics and we must address those. We should not be afraid of the IRS when we feel we must address social needs. But, we should never be hucksters for a particular candidate or party. Our preaching must be from God's Word, not our own agenda.

NOTE: If you are in the area around southern Maine on Sunday evenings in July (13,20,27), stop by to join in the discussion we will be having on "Church and State: Politics and the Pulpit in American Society." All are welcome. For info contact me directly.

2008-05-28T14:09:00.004-04:00

Dog and Sailors Keep off the Grass

That title is from a sign that was often seen (in days gone by, I don't know about today) on lawns in the Norfolk, Virginia area. It made plain who the undesirables were.

By now you may have heard about the essay contest being sponsored by the Subway sandwich shops. A link to the official contest page can be found here. Part of the contest rules read as follows:

Contest is open only to legal US residents, over the age of 18 with children in either elementary, private or parochial schools that serve grades PreK-6. No homeschools will be accepted. (italics mine).

What this says is that there are two groups which need not apply: illegal aliens and homeschool students. We can all draw our own conclusions as to why these two groups are equated as equal and why they are not allowed to be a part of this contest. I have seen no official explanation from Subway. The fact is plain, however. These two groups are to be treated equally - each discriminated against.

How does your sandwich taste now?

The mailing address for Subway is:

Frederick A. DeLuca, President
Subway Restaurant Headquarters
325 Bic Drive
Milford, CT 06461-3059

Email (probably less effective): comments@subway.com

2008-05-19T17:59:00.001-04:00

The Church - a Covenant Community

The church is a covenant community which is made up of God's hand-picked saints. God promises throughout His Word that He will be our God and we will be His people (see Genesis 17:1-8; Deuteronomy 29:12-15 for a couple of examples). We are a covenant people; a people with a common God (although He is certainly not common in the sense of "ordinary"); saints with a common salvation and destiny. This is what the church is, a worldwide communion of those who have accepted the salvation offered by Jesus Christ and accomplished by His work on the cross.

We are His saints; His holy ones; because He makes us holy. We need to act like it! Read 1 Corinthians 12:24-27. There should be no division in the body of Christ. Disagreement is fine, in brotherly love. If we all treat one another like members of the same body, indispensable to one another, we will be able to disagree without dividing. We will be less afraid of one another! Yes, we are afraid to speak the Truth to one another. We have become like the society around us - so afraid to offend that we can't help one another, won't chide one another, refuse to speak the truth in love.

Brothers and sisters, when we learn to love one another we will change the world. But it starts with us.

2008-05-12T04:46:00.003-04:00

Making it Clear

Sandra and I have been in Norway nearly a week now.* We’ve lectured at the University of Oslo; we’ve led several seminars; I preached to a multinational congregation today. But tomorrow, I have a session with just men. This is the only session about which I have any doubts. I thought I knew what I would say to them, but now I’m not sure. So much to say; so little time! The needs here are great; but they are just as great in my own country, my own town, my own home.

God says (in Isaiah 45:19):
I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, “seek me in vain.” I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.

This is what I need also to proclaim: God’s truth! What does His Word tell us about how to be men; to be leaders; to be witnesses? That’s what needs to be told. In Nehemiah 8, we read that Ezra read the law to the people and they bowed down and worshiped. The Levites went around in the crowd and instructed the people where they stood, “making it clear and giving the meaning so the people could understand what was being read.” (verse 8).

So we can’t go wrong tomorrow if I proclaim God’s Truth – and make it clear.

God, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” (Psalm 119:18). Help me to make them clear to the people – starting with me.

*Interestingly, as I started to post this blog, I had difficulty because I am, of course, using a Norwegian sever at the moment. All the instructions are in Norwegian. It took me ten minutes just to figure out how to log on!

2008-04-10T09:51:00.002-04:00

Mouthpiece for God

In a blog entry dated April 10, Dr. Albert Moehler wrote this:

I am certainly supposed to be a mouthpiece for Scripture, a human instrument through which the Scripture is heard and received by God's people. But the human preacher's authority only reaches the human ear. It is only God himself who can take his word from the human ear to the human heart.

I stand by this answer, and by the large comments I made in the interview about the fact that the preacher is actually a mouthpiece for God only when the Word of God is rightly preached. As the Reformers made clear, preaching is the means by which God speaks to His people as a gathered community. Through the preached Word and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, God actually speaks to His people.

This was in agreement with some things written by Billy Graham in the 1950s.

Just curious; what's your comment on this quote?

2008-04-02T14:05:00.002-04:00

News and Views

OK, it has been a while since I last posted on this blog. Life is exciting - and busy. Easter is a busy time - and a joyous one. After that my wife and I went to a missions conference for four days. Getting back, she had to unpack, do the laundry, and repack for a missions trip to foreign places. You can read about that - and sign up for updates "From the Field" if you wish - by going to our website and at the "Contact Us" page, signing up.

We are also gearing up for the next big set of seminars, talks, teas, and other events, which will take place in May - in Norway.

However, I have not been hiding under a rock. I've kept up on the news. First, I have decided that I will go to the polls. Holding my nose, I will vote for John McCain. This decision is based upon the plans I recently saw for the three candidates regarding health care. McCain's plan calls for no mandates (as do the two Democrats), and seems to allow for freedom of choice. Not a resounding endorsement, I know. Besides, none of the candidates is holding his/her breath waiting for my endorsement. Such as it is, however, there you have it.

Regarding Jeremiah Wright, I have little to say that hasn't already been said, read, and forgotten. I only state that worship services are supposed to be about worshiping God. Sermons are supposed to be expositions of God's Word - with references. I try to do that. I know that sometimes I might get a little caught up in political and cultural issues, but I try to relate them to living in the world as a follower of Jesus Christ.

There you have it. Comments welcome.

2008-03-13T11:55:00.004-04:00

Technology

I love technology. I hate technology. Yes, I know that I do not have to explain my bi-polar feelings on the subject to most of you. Today, despite the many frustrations I have experienced recently in this realm, I love technology.

Here I am typing out my words onto a screen that, when I post them, will have the possibility of being read by millions (probably billions) of people in every corner of our globe. Of course I am very well aware that this is only the potential. The reality is that very few people will actually read these particular words. The potential is there, however.

Yesterday, after several frustrating (there's that word again) attempts, I was able to post a brand new incarnation of Lifework Forum's website. Again, potential and reality won't necessarily match, but....

Last night I began uploading mp3 files of sermons from Covenant Baptist Church to the web. it's a slow process, but I got a few of them up and I will be adding slowly. Amazingly, overnight there were more than 70 downloads from the nine sermons I had been able to post so far. Now that does not match the thousands that are downloaded from a lot of places, but it amazes me. If you're interested those can be found at sermonaudio.

I'm not an IT guy. But, I can do this stuff with technology! This is a tool that God has given us to reach and teach people; to communicate with one another openly (iron does, indeed, sharpen iron); and to read and study more about His Word and His world. I marvel at His goodness in many ways.

Today I am marvelling at His goodness through the internet.

2008-02-26T19:20:00.003-05:00

What is this thing called Evangelicalism?

In the 1970s, when I became a Christian, people were already asking the question, “What is an Evangelical?” In the context in which I lived at the time, Europe, the answer was really quite simple. It meant “Protestant.” But that did not solve the matter. I did have to come back to my native land.

Arriving in the USA and heading off to a seminary (known to some as “saint school”), I found the same question being asked. The answers given at the time were historical or theological in nature. They were also inconclusive.

I still ask the question. Why? Because there are so many people who want to crawl under this umbrella with whom I discern very little commonality of belief or practice. Wheaton College defines the modern term this way:

There are three senses in which the term "evangelical" is used today as we enter the 21st-century. The first is to see as "evangelical" all Christians who affirm a few key doctrines and practical emphases. British historian David Bebbington approaches evangelicalism from this direction and notes four specific hallmarks of evangelical religion: conversionism, the belief that lives need to be changed; activism, the expression of the gospel in effort; biblicism, a particular regard for the Bible; and crucicentrism, a stress on the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. A second sense is to look at evangelicalism as an organic group of movements and religious tradition. Within this context "evangelical" denotes a style as much as a set of beliefs. As a result, groups as disparate as black Baptists and Dutch Reformed Churches, Mennonites and Pentecostals, Catholic charismatics and Southern Baptists all come under the evangelical umbrella-demonstrating just how diverse the movement really is. A third sense of the term is as the self-ascribed label for a coalition that arose during the Second World War. This group came into being as a reaction against the perceived anti-intellectual, separatist, belligerent nature of the fundamentalist movement in the 1920s and 1930s. Importantly, its core personalities (like Harold John Ockenga and Billy Graham), institutions (for instance, Moody Bible Institute and Wheaton College), and organizations (such as the National Association of Evangelicals and Youth for Christ) have played a pivotal role in giving the wider movement a sense of cohesion that extends beyond these "card-carrying" evangelicals.
(To read the entire article, click here).

There really isn’t a lot of help there, is there? Maybe we can understand this a little better if we recognize that the word often has an adverb attached to it. Very often people (in the USA) refer to something they call “broadly evangelical.” Now we’re getting somewhere – I think. Why do I think that? Because I can look at the wide array of theological systems (and non-systems!), and the worship and lifestyle practices of those claiming to be “broadly evangelical” and note that, in fact, very little is meant by the term. Mormons lay claim to the mantle as easily as do Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, various Church or Christ groups, and myriad other groups. The “Emerging Church” claims what is left after evangelicalism and mainstream denominationalism finish off our spiritual sensibilities. I have no problem at all confusing broadly evangelical groups with liberals, heretics, and generally mixed-up folk.

So, what to do? You can call me a Christian, or a Protestant, or a Calvinist (that’s a definition waiting for another essay). Those are just a few of the many names I have been called! I would prefer it, however, if you didn’t refer to me as either evangelical or broadly evangelical.

How about you?

2008-02-25T16:25:00.002-05:00

Nuff Said

This came in today. It says heaps. Enjoy!

Louis Farrakhan heaps praise on Barack Obama

Fred Jackson - OneNewsNow - 2/25/2008 8:15:00 AM

Nation of Islam minister Louis Farrakhan says Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is the "hope of the entire world."

Associated Press reports that Farrakhan, addressing some 20,000 people Sunday at the annual "Saviours' Day" celebration in Chicago, never explicitly endorsed Obama but spent most of a nearly two-hour speech praising the Illinois senator. AP says Farrakhan compared Obama to Nation of Islam founder Fard Muhammad, who also had a white mother and black father. He suggested that Obama "could turn out to be one who can lift America from her fall."

According to the Chicago Tribune, Farrakhan spoke about the war in Iraq, the nation's economic problems, and the increase in natural disasters, saying the world was in a perilous state and Obama could help it recover. "This young man is the hope of the entire world that America will change and be a better place," he said.

The Tribune reports that Obama's people moved quickly yesterday to try to downplay the praises of Farrakhan, who has a history of controversial remarks -- particularly regarding the Jewish people. The newspaper quotes Obama spokesman, Bill Burton, who said that "Senator Obama has been clear in his objections to Minister Farrakhan's past pronouncements and has not solicited the minister's support."

2008-02-09T17:54:00.000-05:00

Non-American by Choice
(I know that the color in my headline is a difficult color to read on a website, but it was chosen for the obvious reason)

In the past two weeks two American cities have told the US Marine Corps that they are not welcome. Read one of the news reports here. Toledo, Ohio has joined Berkley, California (that's shocking, huh?) in making these unAmerican demands. I have solutions, of course.

First, strip them of all Federal aid including tuition assistance for college students; funding for road projects; WIC; and Aid for Dependent Children. Keep the money coming in for all veteran-related expenses, like the GI Bill and GI Loan mortgages.
Next, deny them access to any of the functions of the National Guard. And do not allow any of their citizens to join any branch of our military.
Finally, allow them to create their own militia for protection of their fair cities, since we should offer no protection for them in the event of an invasion (anybody remember Red Dawn?).

This is America. Disagreeing with its policies, its treaties and its general direction is fine. It is, in fact, the very reason for which our military stands up for this country. They protect our freedom to voice our opinions; never more than now, when the enemy is an aggressor which attacked us on our own soil.

Telling the people who stand between you and chaos; who defend you from the imposition of Sharia Law (see entry of February 7) is neither wise nor moral. As I have suggested before, especially in the case of denizens of Hollywierd who so often proclaim they're moving to another country (Michael Moore, can I help you pack?) - GO, please. We do not need you. You are welcome to stay, but please shut up.

2008-02-07T12:07:00.000-05:00

Convert or Die!

I read an article this morning which doesn't surprise me; but does shock me. The Archbishop of Canterbury (no friend to Christianity as far as I can tell) wants to complete the Islamicization of Great Britain. The long and the short of it is that the Archbishop not only believes it inevitable that Sharia Law will become the law of the land in England - he believes it should!

This has been predicted by many Christians for years. When Muslim populations grow in Western nations, they will seek the implementation of this Islamic system of law. It will become the vehicle for the persecution of all who refuse to submit to Islam. It will be the manner by which religious leaders continue to abuse women and minorities. It will not allow Muslims to co-exist peacefully with their non-Muslim neighbors.

What can you do about it? Let me suggest three manners of response:

PRAY. Pray for England. Pray for the Archbishop. Pray for the Christians of England to be able to resist.
READ. Read your Bible. Read about Islam (try to understand something of Christianity first!). Educate yourself regarding the evils of this system of belief that wants to overcome the world - and either subjugate or kill all who resist.
EVANGELIZE. "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation," the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:2. Your friends and neighbors need to be told.

Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7).
"So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:6).

Late breaking addition. Here's how this Sharia Law works out in practice.

What say you, my brothers and sisters?

2008-01-28T17:53:00.000-05:00

Joe McCarthy was Right (So was Dan Quayle!)

Friends,

I just thought I'd let you know about a piece that was published today and to acquaint those of you who may not be aware of it with the Pearcey Report. Comments still welcome!

Blacklisted by History Jeopardizes Standard Liberal Storyline
Wild-Eyed Myth Encounters the Real Joe McCarthy

By Curt Lovelace

At Friendship Street School in the early 1950s, we were taught that hiding under our school desks would save us from nuclear attack –- which, in the lingua franca of the day, the Satan-loving Commies in the Kremlin were poised to rain down upon us at any moment. These exercises were the famous “duck and cover” drills.

Yet, while we feared Communist-initiated death from the skies, as a nation we tolerated -– even fostered -– Soviet activity within our own government. While trying to find a place to hide from nuclear destruction, we somehow felt safe enough to vilify Joseph McCarthy, a U.S. senator from America’s heartland who tried to root out the Reds from service in our federal apparatus. So successful were efforts against the senator that the term McCarthyism has become synonymous with wild-eyed fanaticism.

To read the rest of this article, at the Pearcey Report, click here.

2008-01-26T12:38:00.000-05:00

While We're on the Topic...

Puritans, that is. Let me inform you about a wonderful resource for those who would rather listen that read. iTunes now has a section called iTunesU. If you have an MP3 player you can download lectures from many colleges and universities (You will need to download iTunes. You can do that by clicking here.) One of the schools is Reformed Theological Seminary. You can access and listen to lots of good lectures, including Theology and Church History - even chapel sermons.

Back to the Puritans... One of the series available for download is a series on the Puritans given by Dr. J. I. Packer.(Did I mention that these are all FREE?!)

In more than 11 hours of lectures, Packer covers …

1. The Puritan Identity – pt. 1 (45:14)
2. The Puritan Identity – pt. 2 (33:10)
3. Puritan Theological Concerns – pt. 1 (45:54)
4. Puritan Theological Concerns – pt. 2 (45:03)
5. The Bible in Puritan Theology – pt. 1 (46:53)
6. The Bible in Puritan Theology – pt. 2 (46:01)
7. Salvation by Grace – pt. 1 (46:41)
8. Salvation by Grace – pt. 2 (46:37)
9. Faith and Assurance – pt. 1 (46:32)
10. Faith and Assurance – pt. 2 (46:16)
11. The Good Fight – pt. 1 (46:22)
12. The Good Fight – pt. 2 (31:45)
13. Conscience (44:06)
14. Reformed Monasticism (43:01)
15. The Christian Minister (44:22)
16. Worship, Fellowship, and Discipline in the Church (27:40)

I have listened to several of these lectures and they are great. Don't miss out on this great opportunity.

2008-01-12T11:54:00.000-05:00

Read the Puritans???? Me?

In 21st century America - and probably in most places - the word Puritan has negative connotations. It symbolized the sexually repressed and the laughless. Neither of these characterizations is true, but perceptions are reality to most people. Well, here's a challenge for those of you who would like some good (though not easy) reading in 2008.
Join the Puritan Reading Challenge.

This challenge, started by a fellow named Timmy Brister, whom I have never met, involves a list of 12 books. Actually, hundreds (literally) of people have already signed up and committed to read one of these books per month during this year. Before you panic, let me point out that most of these books are paperbacks under 200 pages long. The first , The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbe, is only 128 pages long.

Now, why would you want to get involved in such an endeavor, especially with books that are all more than 300 years old?

I'm glad you asked. These are books which have impacted countless lives. They are not the kind of fluff and warm fuzzies we are accustomed to reading today. They contain theological truth - and application. They are even written in complete sentences! I have already read some of these and parts of others, but I am signing on and will make every effort to read through this list this year. In fact, I just ordered the whole set. Let me tell you about that.

Reformation Heritage Books has bundled the set and made the whole list available for the incredible price of $65. I know I don't need to say this for most of you, but, I am not in any way affiliated with Reformation Heritage Books or any subsidiary. I gain nothing from their books sales. In fact, I just laid out my $65 for this set!

I want to encourage each of you (both of you?) who read this blog to join the challenge. It's worthwhile reading, even if you can only do it when the kids are down and you're already exhausted or you just finished working a double shift. You can only read these books in short snippets at any one sitting anyway!

When you sign, let Timmy Brister know. He's keeping an informal count and will be involving people in discussions if they wish to join in. Let's do this together.

And let me know if you join in, too.

2008-01-09T12:42:00.000-05:00

You Are Somebody

We’ve been in a presidential campaign cycle for a long time. Now we are finally getting to the home stretch. Yet, we hardly know anything about most of the candidates. They all say that they want to let us know who they are so that we can make our electoral decisions. None of them is letting too much info slip, however. Their real identities are still a mystery to me. I would like to be able to vote for Fred Thompson. He seems to be conservative – and several commentators have told me that he is. But, Fred Thompson has told us next to nothing about who he is and what he believes.

This is not a political blog entry! I only use that introduction on identity to get to my real topic; my “thought for the day.”

Identity truly is the great quest of mankind. From the philosophers asking “who am I”, to the passion since the 1960s for going off somewhere to “find ourselves,” and even including our everyday questions about what life is all about; we all want to know who we are – and whose we are. In our social climate, which includes a massive divorce rate; domestic partnership; same sex pseudo-marriages; blended families; dysfunctional families; drug and alcohol ravaged families; knowing who we are and where we fit in is difficult; especially for the children in these situations. This makes individual identity even more important. Please read these two brief portions of Scripture (God’s Word, the Bible).

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. (John 14:18-20)

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)

If you are a follower of Christ, sister; if you believe that He is your Lord, brother; then you are not only a member of the family – you’re an important partner in the family. You have identity in Christ. You’re somebody. At the end of the day, you can count on still being in Christ and in Christ’s family. Take that to work with you today; or to the grocery store; or to court; or wherever you have to be. If you are a Christian you don’t have to search for identity. You are somebody.

2008-01-08T16:31:00.000-05:00

Iranians Should Need to Worry; Probably Don’t

Once again, US ships have been threatened by those of a foreign nation. My readers need only look down a few inches to the entry of December 22, 2007, to be reminded of another such incident which didn’t turn out so well. Here’s a snippet from the report from FoxNews:

WASHINGTON — The United States issued a stern warning to Iran Monday following an incident near the Strait of Hormuz in which Iranian speedboats veered dangerously close to three U.S. Navy ships and intercepted radio signals said U.S. "ships would explode."

U.S. ships blew whistles, issued radio warnings and took evasive maneuvers to avoid striking the Iranian boats, which motored as close as 200 yards from the American ships by one account. The naval ships armed their weapons, and the five unmarked Iranian boats — believed to belong to the Iran Revolutionary Guard — sped away.

My question: what good is it being the world’s only remaining superpower if punk non-super powers can push us around like this? They got a stern warning. President Bush did say that this was a “provocative act.” Iranians should have to worry about us. They should not have the national temerity to tweak us. But this is what happens when “girly-men” (and sometimes not-so-girly women) run our government; train our would-be “intellectuals”; inhabit our halls of justice and our pulpits.

Jeremiah 29:7 says this: Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." Neither peace nor prosperity will result from a weak, insipid response to bullies. Not only will this weakness negatively affect the United States of America, but it will harm all nations and peoples who seek peace.

America: get a spine.

2008-01-03T16:55:00.000-05:00

Art Historians To Save Us From Global Warming

You may have seen mention of this in The Limbaugh Letter. I found it hard to accept, even from the pen of El Rushbo, so I went and looked it up. The gist of the article is that from artwork of the 19th century, artist/scientists can tell us how badly we have wrecked our environment. Among other things, the AP report, states:

A group of scientists has studied the colors in more than 500 paintings of sunsets, including many of Turner's 19th-century watercolors and oils, in hopes of gaining insights into the cooling effects caused by major volcanic eruptions.

By better understanding past changes in climate, they hope to improve computer models for future climate change.

Obviously, these graduates of Art History 100, are also cross-credentialed as Environmental Scientists. Funny (ha, ha) that when some (real) scientists question man-made global warming, they are scoffed at as unqualified if they are mere climatologists or earth scientists. Al Gore has no credentials in any scientific filed – he’s not even an art history scholar – yet his word is gospel. Gee, I wonder why.

2008-01-02T23:05:00.000-05:00

I'm Still Wondering

Why, when oil prices hit $100 we are still not drilling in ANWR.

2007-12-31T18:27:00.000-05:00

Did You Ever Wonder…

o …Why are there always rocks handy when young men wish to riot?

o …Why rich liberals seem to think that if their revolutionary, radical friends should ever win they won’t be the first ones “purged”?

o …Why Al Gore, famous for inventing the internet, is considered a serious scientist (despite evidence to the contrary)?

o …Why, in this age of global warming, we’ve had the snowiest December on record here in Maine?

o …How people who claim to be rational can believe that humans evolved from amoebae or fish or apes?

o …Why we Americans cannot get a decent candidate for President – from either side of the aisle?
o ...Why Christians expect pagans to act like anything other than pagans?

Dear friends, may you have a blessed 2008. Please expand this list of "Did You Ever Wonder..." questions with your own quaint queries.

2007-12-22T12:51:00.000-05:00

Remembering the USS Liberty

I try to remind people about the USS Liberty every now and then. This saga is a reminder to all that the Reagan policy of “Trust, but verify,” needs to apply to all, including our nation’s alleged allies.

In June, 1967, Israeli forces attacked the USS Liberty (AGTR5), a basically unarmed US naval vessel in international waters. Thirty-four American sailors were killed, 174 more were wounded. Israel has never acknowledged the seriousness of this war crime. There is absolutely no excuse for the attack and even less credence to Israel’s claims that they didn’t properly identify that ship bearing the American flag and having a very distinctive profile.

American evangelical Christians like to characterize the political entity of modern Israel as the Israel of the Bible. Therefore, they accept anything and everything that happens in and through that state as being some form of fulfillment of prophecy. While Israel has been an ally in many instances and is viewed as a bulwark against Islamic fanaticism, it cannot and must not be given a pass on international honesty and trustworthiness by the United States. Israel’s interests are Israel’s safety and security. That is as it should be. The US, however, must not be naïve in accepting that Israel’s interests will always be the same as ours.

Once again, I call upon Israel to confess regarding its piracy on the high seas, and the murder of American sailors.

God bless America, please.

2007-12-15T15:42:00.000-05:00

“No thank you,” Governor Romney

This campaign is already overcooked. We have been subjected to campaigning for the Presidency since 2004. Senator Hillary has been at it longer than that.

One of the issues has been whether or not Christians can vote for a Mormon. Of course I have a few thoughts on that.

First, let me clear up any thoughts of Romney being a Christian. He is not. He is a Mormon. Mormon theology is not Christian theology. There are many areas of divergence, not the least of which is that the Trinity of the Bible is not the trinity of Mormonism.

Romney made a major speech, recently, in which he made the case for his religion to be left out of the equation in the Presidential campaign. That’s fine with me. Mormonism is not the reason I will not vote for Mitt Romney. I will not vote for him because he is not a conservative and because I do not trust him.

When Romney came back to Massachusetts to ascend the gubernatorial throne, I worked as a political reporter. I covered the Republican convention and the campaign. Romney is an elitist who immediately upon receiving the nomination froze out all the grass-roots supporters who had worked so hard for him. He also named his own running mate, after the convention nominated someone he didn’t want. He had stated that he would allow the convention to choose his running mate. He lied. (By the way, when that running mate, Kerry Murphy-Healey, ran for Governor on her own, he did absolutely nothing to help her defeat the liberal Democrat who now occupies that seat).

Romney is hailed as the great hero of health care reform in Massachusetts. He imposed a system which requires Bay State residents to have health insurance or face fines. Now having health insurance is a fine idea. I wish I could afford a better plan. The government, however, should not be allowed to mandate that I spend money on health insurance. Nor should an entire new bureaucracy be created to make sure that we comply.

While he claims to be a defender of family values, Romney was the Governor who ushered in the only legal homosexual marriage law in the US. Did Romney support this? Well, he didn’t fight it very much. When running against Ted Kennedy for the US Senate, in 1994, Romney said that the gay and lesbian community “needs more support from the Republican Party.”

So, I simply do not trust the man. Who do I vote for? I don’t have a clue. Presidential politics in this country has long been a “hold your nose and vote for the least worst” situation. This is the worst crop in a long time.

I’m glad God’s in charge.

2007-12-11T18:56:00.000-05:00

Where is the Compassion Police?

I keep waiting. It's been two full days at this point and I have not heard a word of outrage from Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson. Christians have been shot to death because they are Christians. Where's the outrage? Perhaps there's nothing in it for them. Using words which are on the "bad" list is a hate crime. Is murder of Christians OK?

Maybe, it's because the victims were not....

2007-12-08T11:27:00.000-05:00

One Man Rule (or the French-Frying of America)

We usually associate the term “One Man Rule” with dictatorships. The names Stalin, Mao, and Idi Amin come to mind. Cesar Chavez wanted to join the club – and he may yet. But how about Guillermo Lopez? Sr. Lopez is a leader in the Latino Leadership Alliance somewhere in Pennsylvania. It is he who seemingly spearheaded (can I use this term?) the move to have the name “Pork Chop” removed as the name for a minor league baseball mascot. He was offended because, for some unknown reason, he finds it offensive to Latinos, Hispanics, or somebody. We don’t really need to know the reasons, just know that someone felt disrespected. First the “Frito Bandito,” now this. So, for the sake of this one man, the team caved in. (He will probably claim there were a great number of people who agreed with him. The principle is the same).

We have become so thin-skinned in this nation that we are afraid to speak many words, phrases, and concepts simply because they may offend someone; some one.

My rights to free speech have been abridged. We have become so politically-correct and offense-conscious that we might as well live in France where the collective national spine is as rigid as a French Fry (or “Freedom Fry” if you’re still using that term). This, my friends, is a continuing consequence of the feminization of this great land that was built by great, courageous men – and their strong, supportive women.

Because I happen to be a minority (white, heterosexual, conservative, Christ-following, male), my free speech is often termed “hate speech.” What’s hate speech? Anything that liberals think will upset somebody they are trying to use for more votes, therefore more power.

If I believe that homosexuality is a sin, I should really keep it to myself. That may be hate speech; a crime. Nor are we allowed to speak of our religious beliefs in the workplace or at school, unless we happen to be a pagan of some stripe. We wouldn’t want someone to be scarred for life because he or she heard the name Jesus.

All over the land there are people rising up and saying, “no” to offensive school mascots (you know, "the Fighting Native Americans"), town seals with (oh, no!!) Bibles or Biblical words, displays of American flags or nativity scenes or menorahs. And because of our national fear of one another and absolute dread of the power of actual thought, we cave in and give these fools their way.

Americans, be strong. Resist while you can. Say a word today that they don't like. Then smirk and be on your way!

2007-11-29T17:33:00.000-05:00

The Stupidity Train is Waiting at the Station

OK, I know that most of you would not expect to find a picture of a six-pack on my blog. But, how could I resist this story? Last week, I shared with you a story about fools who abort children for the environment. Now it's Canadian beer drinkers.

Take a gander at the AP story below. I'm with the Canadians on this one. You can even keep your Tim Horton's iced coffee in the fridge.

A threat to the planet, eh?

Scientists have found a new threat to the planet: Canadian beer drinkers.

The government-commissioned study says the old, inefficient "beer fridges" that one in three Canadian households use to store their Molson and Labatt's contribute significantly to global warming by guzzling gas- and coal-fired electricity.

"People need to understand the impact of their lifestyles," British environmental consultant Joanna Yarrow tells New Scientist magazine. "Clearly the environmental implications of having a frivolous luxury like a beer fridge are not hitting home. This research helps inform people — let's hope it has an effect."

The problem is that the beer fridges are mostly decades-old machines that began their second careers as beverage dispensers when Canadians upgraded to more energy-efficient models to store whatever Canadians eat besides doughnuts and poutine.

University of Alberta researcher Denise Young, who led the study, suggests that provincial authorities hold beer-fridge buy-backs or round-ups to eliminate the threat — methods that Americans use to get guns off the streets.

You can come buy my bridge; er, I mean fridge.

2007-11-25T14:37:00.000-05:00

Earth Goddess; Vain Idol

I could not wait until Monday to post this about how foolish we have become. Remember that God's Word says, in Romans 1, "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen." (v. 25).

(Wo)man’s Foolishness
From Fox News

Woman Aborts Child To Help Save the Planet

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Giving birth is a burden on the world. This is according to British born, Toni Vernelli, 35, who had an abortion 10 years ago to ensure her carbon footprint would be kept to a minimum, the U.K.'s Daily Mail reported Sunday.

Vernelli -- who works for an environmental charity -- was later sterilized to help "protect the planet", the Mail reported.

"Having children is selfish. It's all about maintaining your genetic line at the expense of the planet," Vernelli told the Daily Mail, adding she believes bringing new life into the world only adds to the problem.

The Mail also reported that Sara Irving, 31, also underwent sterilization to because she felt "a baby would pollute the planet".

Irving’s become an environmentalist as a teenager, it was reported, when she realized saving the environment was her top and foremost priority in life. After going through several boyfriends she finally found her now husband Mark Hudson who is also an advocate of the ‘no kid’s policy’, according to the Mail.

God’s Wisdom
Psalm 8

1 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! 2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

As Fox News says, "We report; you decide."

2007-11-19T14:52:00.000-05:00

Señor Chavez, “Shut Up”

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — In his opening address of a rare OPEC summit, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warned the United States on Saturday that oil prices would further surge if the U.S. contemplates an attack against his country or Iran.

If ever there was a reason for the US to start drilling in ANWR, this is it. This petty tyrant should not be allowed to dictate our foreign policy any more than he should be allowed to bad mouth the King of Spain. He and his friend in Iran claim that they will destroy the US dollar and that this is only a prelude to the bringing down of the United States. This would be a good time to read, once more, Jeremiah 29:7)

Self-sufficiency - by whatever means, gas, oil, wind power, nuclear power, or some combination of things – should be a goal of the US. Isolationism never looked so good. I suggest that we allow the world to go it alone for a few years and see how they fare. Spend all that foreign aid money on us. We certainly have enough needs of our own.