Bad Theology Regarding infants and baptism.

In a prior post an anonymous commenter cut and pasted denominational theology about why we should baptise babies.

I don't know from where it came. I'm sure the person who posted it thinks it is good theology.

It's not. It's fatally flawed. There is no forgiveness in Baptism. None for infants. In fact an adult that is Baptised comes forgiven. I have no idea where that theology come from except from some weird teaching. I know that it is a widely held Lutheran and Catholic belief. The problem is, it's just wrong and unbiblical.

Let me pose a question the exposes the fallacy of the idea that Baptism is inherent in forgiveness.

If a baby is still born, aborted, an embryo destroyed for stem cell research or dies moments after a mother gives birth, does that child go to heaven or hell. For what sin? How are they condemned?

Jesus was born in the same way as a man. In every way. What if Herod had succeeded in killing him, heaven or hell?

Is a baby born and dying shortly thereafter sinless or not? Is there grounds for the devils accusations against him or her?

AND, the lambs book of life. Show me a scripture anywhere in the word of God that refutes this statement of fact:

Every human from the time of conception, every one's name is written in the Lambs book of Life.

The only way our name can be expunged from the lambs book of life is for the devil (the accuser of the brethren) to succeed in accusing us and that the advocate with the Father has no answer since we didn't look to him for salvation.

The evangelical idea that upon coming to Jesus our names are written in the lambs book of life has no basis in scriptural evidence whatsoever.

The Catholic/Lutheran practice of a priest or pastor racing across town to baptise some newborn facing imminent death to save him or her from the fires of Hell is without any basis in Scripture.

I read carefully, and I hope you do too, the whole treatise pasted and posted by the ANON in the prior post on baptism.

You really have to stretch scripture to the point of exasperation to make much of that post fit any form of Biblical Exegetics.

Now, once more, IF a good solid Lutheran or Catholic couple with full somber realization of their responsibilities as parents and with sponsors to hold them accountable want to baptize their baby as a means of grace (like Dedication) then they are welcome to do so. Then perhaps at some later time that child will be wooed by the Holy Spirit to come into relationship with the Living Christ and be saved. And perhaps by means of that dedication confirm the validity of the baptism they once relied upon. MAYBE then it will work.

That hasn't been my experience. I'm not against the practice of infant Baptism, I'm against empty tradition. I very much have imprinted upon my soul the image in the first GodFather where a mobster is having his baby baptised while at the same time a murder is being committed in his name.

No one is committing murder for the most part in baptism, but it is treated far more lightly than I wish it were.

SO, to whomever posted some official position of traditional churches on baptisms. I reject the practice of much of that because it relies mostly on human assumptions (which you admit to) or trying to prove a thing by it's negatives. For example, we are told to go and Baptise all nations.

Extrapolation of that into infant baptism is a far reach.

I admit, much of the denominational church still does this. Catholics still do it. Even Pentecostals in many places still do it.

I just wish they would throw away the doctrinal statements and ask what my friend Barry's friend Harry always asks, "what does the text say". An honest examination with a clear mind will show this practice to be wanting of scriptural depth.

Maybe the baptism of babies if that is the cultural and traditional desire of parents (mostly of Grandparents with the assumption that it somehow is a fire insurance policy) were instituted with the same gravity as dedication with the same spiritual expectations and go ahead and sprinkle them too.

Hopefully it will mean that at some point in the future, revelation will come. Till then my purpose here is not to destroy anyone's faith in Jesus, I just want you to come to him for his own truth and not the teachings however true or false of any denomination, including the IPHC, Assembly of God or even Faith Center.

You are accountable for the truth you know. Now you know more truth. You are more accountable. That's a good thing. God wants you to come to him in Spirit and in Truth. Finding the Truth is not your Church's, Pastor or Priests responsibility. It's yours. I don't want to hurt you, I just want you to think right and stand on firm ground, not sinking sand.

8" = 4 Feet High and Rising

To this moment in the last 18 hours we have received 8" of rain. Remains of Gustav. Ike yet to come. It will rain all weekend. The sump pump is running and will run steady for the next few days. I hope power holds out.

We will end up in the high double digits before this is all done. I had to go to Palatine this morning. 21 miles crow flying. Normal city driving 40 minutes. 1 hr 40 going. 3 hours returning. Blocked roads because of water everywhere. More than incredible.

We are seeing water standing where water never did before and what makes this particularly dangerous to many is that it is wide spread. When all this water hits the street so to speak we are going to see some amazing sights. Every road has water going over it somewhere along the way.

We really don't understand watershed in Illinois. Never did. I know I have told this story before but when I moved here I remember seeing huge parking lots and developments and coming from the country asking what to me seemed a reasonable question. What are they planning to do about the watershed in case of a big rain?

Nothing is the answer, drown out.

Maybe not all progress is progress (Paul Harvey).

Here are some pictures Pastor Phil Ressler from Lord of Life took. It tells the story.

Obama couldn't pass an FBI investigation

This guy has really asked a good question. If Barack Obama decided to Join the FBI, he couldn't pass a security investigation.

Barack Obama wouldn’t even qualify to become and FBI agent and people are willing to place him in charge of them.

Before you are able to become an FBI agent you are put through a series of interviews to see if you qualify and one of the things they look at are the people that you are associated with.

Right off the top of my head I think of William Ayers and Barack Obama’s association with him.

According to wikipedia William Charles “Bill” Ayers is an American Distinguished Professor in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is most well known for his violent radical activism in the 1960s and 1970s and his current work in school reform and educational curriculum and instruction. In 1969 he co-founded the militant radical left organization Weatherman active during the 1960s and 1970s and was one of its top leaders.

In 1969, Bill Ayers participated in planting a bomb at a statue dedicated to police casualties in the 1886 Haymarket Riot. The blast broke almost 100 windows and blew pieces of the statue onto the nearby Kennedy Expressway.

First Question “REJECTED!”

How about question number two. Did you ever use drugs or were you ever in a room with someone using drugs?

Barack Obama already admitted using drugs let alone just being in a room with them.

“REJECTED!”

Forget about Barack “barry” Obama being qualified in any way to be the president of the United States of America. He isn’t even qualified to be an FBI agent.

He wouldn’t even get in the front door!

I mean, the POTUS will have access to and very secret information only the highest grade FBI person can have. If he can't pass that I don't see how he can become President. Last I checked with Katie Couric, Barack is still running for President. Isn't there something wrong with this picture??

Why infant Baptism matters and then doesn't matter at all

I have never made a point of hiding my concerns over infant baptism. I won't go into all of them here, they are well known, false security, tradition not redemption, a religious thing done for parents not kids etc etc etc.

But, there is one thing to be said for Infant baptism, It's one step of a two step program. If a person can look to and claim infant baptism and then later become a believer in Jesus they can rely on the word of God to come to pass and enter into the kingdom of God on this side and on the other side of the veil.

I said IF they become a believer. That's the catch. You know the commercial that has as a tag line, "What's the Catch"? The catch is you can be baptised every year of your life till you die, you can be baptised as a baby by Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Catholics and then be baptised as an adult by the AG, E Free, Baptists and 30 other denominations. By Guys with robes, holy men, the POPE and Benny Hinn.

If you don't believe you only accomplish ONE THING. You get a little wet and go to hell. That's the really long and short of it all.

Baptism matters only if you know Jesus, if you don't, if you don't believe, if you don't confess him before men, if you live like there is no God, if you reject the teachings of the Bible, if you are a spiritual coward you will experience separation from God in eternity.

You were born again when you came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and threw yourself on his mercy and grace for salvation, not in baptism. Any teaching that Baptism is unto salvation alone is a road map to perdition. Baptism has graces in them, so does the loving heart of God, so does the Dedication of a Baby (which I believe to be actually scriptural and efficacious as opposed to baptism).

But, people are going to baptise babies. Mostly so the grandparents of the baby get off the parents back. Bad reason. Bad theology. I would rather the Biblical Order was in placed. Believe and then be Baptised.

Since that appears to not be the case in some churches, I guess we have to hope it matters when they water the child. It matters only when that child becomes aware and believes in the saving power of Jesus. Before that, their name was written in the Lambs book of Life and the accusation of Sin was without grounds or accountability was not sufficient to have it expunged by the accuser of the brethren. Believing and Baptised (or in some cases Baptised and then Believed) is the two part method by which salvation comes. Believing is more important.

Anything else is just infant irrigation. Getting wet but nothing happens.

Pessimism Bubble?

I am watching the markets, unemployment, oil prices, housing crisis, election, hurricanes, Fannies Freddies, deficits, Leaman Brothers, WaMu and smell the emergence of a new bubble. I called the Oil Bubble right on time. I called the Grain Bubble earlier this year. If you had the guts you'd be rich now. You would have had to keep your guts, but you'd be rich.

Now we are in the deep deep pessimism that means only one thing. It's time to look for deals. They are everywhere. And you don't even need a lot of money.

Pessimism is your friend.

I'm not the only one saying this. Warren Buffett who knows more than I do says so.

So, welcome the doomsayers. They are creating a wonderful world of opportunity that may not come our way again soon.

Sarah Palin and the Bush Doctrine

The MSM is all abuzz about the gotcha question Sarah Palin answered correctly last night.

Here is a transcript:

GIBSON: Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?
PALIN: In what respect, Charlie?
GIBSON: The Bush—well, what do you—what do you interpret it to be?
PALIN: His world view.
GIBSON: No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war.
PALIN: I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation. There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made. And with new leadership, and that’s the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better.
GIBSON: The Bush doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us. Do you agree with that?

PALIN: Charlie, if there is legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend our country. In fact, the president has the obligation, the duty to defend.

And here is a Wiki entry on what the Bush Doctrine really is.

Sounds to me like Sarah got it right and Charlie got it wrong. Sorry Charlie.

You see, it's like this, Sarah Palin has set a few traps in her life. Fish, Moose and Wolves. She knows what they look like. She didn't bite. She wasn't trapped. She answered the question as she should have.

Your's needed more leaves Charlie.

I believe in Alien Abductions because the National Enquier said so

Big deal, NE comes out with a Palin Family Shocker issue.

I wonder when the "Obama Family Shockers:What Barrack's Really Hiding" issue is coming out?

I don't want to hold my breath. My life insurance won't pay off for suicide. Of course we have to be certain to look to the source of all this sordid detail:

“I’ve partied with him (Track) for years,” a source disclosed. “I’ve seen him snort cocaine, snort and smoke OxyContin, drink booze and smoke weed.”

...the source divulged.

Another family friend revealed...

Levi’s friend told...

The friend also confided......

Stellar sources, I'm a believer.

And when next week's edition comes out with the "real" news about the Martian baby borne by a virgin in New Mexico, who of the Enquirer's readers will have the attention span to remember the smears on Palin.

Now, as far as the smears from the NYT, ABC, CBS, etc etc... it adds up.

I blame the Moose's widow for this.

Joe Stalin May Live in the Abortionist Feminism Movement

When some one was out of favor in Stalins time they would take pictures of the people and cut them out. They would purge the statements to make it as if the Offender never existed.

It's still going on. Case in point:

Not more than a week ago, on 9/4, NOW’s website, stated:

“Our purpose is to take action to bring women into full participation in society — sharing equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities with men, while living free from discrimination.”

That’s since been replaced with:

‘NOW works to eliminate discrimination and harassment in the workplace, schools, the justice system, and all other sectors of society; secure abortion, birth control and reproductive rights for all women;”

I guess they figured an anti-abortion woman would never amount to anything. They got caught off guard and had to make a quick change.

Just like Stalin. I often call liberals fascists and Nazis for some of the totally off the wall postions they take. I was wrong. I repent.

Stalinists. There, that's more accurate.

The Prophetic Regarding The Twin Towers and 9-11

Today is a day for remembering. 9-11. I remember and so do you.

I want to give you a prophetic look at what that was and is all about:

• God was not taken by surprise - He knew
• Every person that suffered, was injured and died, he knew them by name and cared for them in the time of need. I recently read The Shack and it speaks to this. They had a brief pain and then it was gone.
• Heroism and the best of us all was displayed again and again by people we least expected it from. They did what they did without thought for themselves. They demonstrated at least in a human way the heart of Jesus towards us all.
• An evil that is still with us was revealed for what it is. Calling evil, evil and good good is our responsibility.
• It changed us as a nation forever. But we were changed already for the worse. We were living in a dream world and woke up from it on 9-11. I believe it will change us for better.
  
• The war that followed for better or worse has proven to be a war fought for reasons that only God understands. This was not a war the USA asked for. It may have had some human intervention and motives in it, but it is a war we must engage, here or somewhere else. Just as we did in World War Two. I believe this is an ordained war we must fight.
  

While this tragedy revealed good things, it also revealed evil selfish and false compulsions among us all.

9-11 demonstrated the emptiness of irrelevant Christianity as is and WAS practiced in much of the USA. It continues to this day. God is in the business of taking away everything we depend on other than him. Empty religion is one of those things. It also holds no appeal long term. The churches that were full after 9-11 are empty once more.

The most important thing to remember is that the binding up of this nation is always the Fathers Job, not ours. Where we made mistakes as a nation was to try to bind others wounds with government. Just as we did at Katrina. It didn't work after 9-11 and doesn't work now. The one who can bind our Wounds is Father God.

I don't know if it was coincidence or providence or both. 2 weeks before 9-11 I preached a sermon on the Book of Isaiah. I was engaged in a verse by verse teaching thru the first 39 chapters. After the towers came down many people came to me and said, "You taught on that a couple weeks ago, do you think it was a prophecy?" I assured them it was but that I was not the prophet.

The passage I taught two weeks before was from Isaiah Chapter 30:

19People of Jerusalem, you don't need to cry anymore. The Lord is kind, and as soon as he hears your cries for help, he will come. 20The Lord has given you trouble and sorrow as your food and drink. But now you will again see the Lord, your teacher, and he will guide you. 21Whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice saying, "This is the road! Now follow it." 22Then you will treat your idols of silver and gold like garbage; you will throw them away like filthy rags.

23The Lord will send rain to water the seeds you have planted--your fields will produce more crops than you need, and your cattle will graze in open pastures. 24Even the oxen and donkeys that plow your fields will be fed the finest grain. ^[c] 25On that day people will be slaughtered and towers destroyed, but streams of water will flow from high hills and towering mountains. 26Then the LORD will bandage his people's injuries and heal the wounds he has caused. The moon will shine as bright as the sun, and the sun will shine seven times brighter than usual. It will be like the light of seven days all at once.

I won't re-preach my teaching on this passage but there is much more here relevant to 9-11 than anyone understands. I have highlighted a few things for your consideration.

Prophecy is like that. There is prophecy for then, prophecy for the near future and prophecy for the time we live in now.

You can trust God and apply this passage to your life today. He was speaking across the centuries by a prophet of old to and thru his prophets of today.

2 Chronicles 20:20b

Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in Jehovah your God, and ye shall be established; believe his prophets, and ye shall prosper!

I don't want to just be established to stand, I want to prosper in every way possible.

That takes the prophetic.

Why we MUST continue to do Battle

Just in case anyone in all the euphoria thinks this thing is wrapped up. It ain't.

We must win this thing. And it's uphill all the way. If Obama gets in with the congress as it looks like it is shaping up, look out.

These brought tears to my eyes - Go Sarah

Copied almost directly from a very fine blog: Too Much Dog Hair from Grand Forks ND

Things that make you want to go HMMMMMMM

Look at this chart. It's natural gas prices for the last several years. They go up, and then down. Right now they are at about 7.50 per unit. About where they were a year ago this time and about where they have been.

Yet our local natural gas company says, Gas Prices are going up. NO THEY"RE NOT!

This is a travesty.

I am upset and I don't know at whom to be upset. 7 Bucks more or less per unit is about where they have been as natural gas prices since the middle of 2003. What's wrong with this picture?

Never Made a Payroll in his life - BARAK H. OBAMA

To an old dear friend of mine, Claire Hudson, "Never Made a Payroll" was the division between a real man and one who was a poser.

I know what he meant. The man who owns or operates an Enterprise and an executive is made of different stuff and has different decisions, responsibilities and burdens than a person who draws a salary at a job.

It doesn't demean wage earners, it however in Claire (and my) opinion means we hold them in higher esteem when they have had real responsibilities for net end results that affected others.

I am one of those. I have made (and almost) missed making payroll many times. I have gone without to see to it others were OK. It's a challenge. It takes foresight and sacrifice.

It also means that I always have paid double for my social security, paid all of my own health insurance and fought harder with the government to get the deductions a wage earner gets more easily.

As a person who "makes Payroll" I have had to fire, hire, demote, promote, reprimand, place, move around and encourage someone to find a new career.

That's the nature of a person with real executive experience. In my life time I have without hyperbole probably hired or fired 400 people. In one case almost 100 at one fell swoop in a reorganization in Germany.

I was criticized, tears were shed, accused of being cruel even sued. But, in the end despite the pain if I was going to be responsible as an executive I had to do what is right. I have learned to look it in the eye and do it.

So has another person who has been on our minds. Sarah Palin.

She had ultimate responsibility. She had to hire and fire to meet predetermined goals.

When a Librarian was difficult she fired her. A few days later she hired her back but with the understanding who was in charge there.

When a former brother in law acted far out of the range of acceptability, she saw to it he was sidelined. Not out of spite, out of executive decisions.

She fired many people. She hired others. That's what a person who meets a payroll does. She is a decision maker and makes them in spite of the threats to her personally.

Barak Obama has NEVER EVER hired or fired anyone ever. He has never EVER made a payroll. He has never EVER had to make bottom line decisions that directly impacted lives, sometimes in negative ways.

He is a go along to get along wage slave. He has made his full life living off other people's money.

I have to agree with my old friend Claire. I don't respect someone applying for a job where bottom line decisions have to be made who NEVER MADE A PAYROLL.

Obama never has.

The Word of the Lord and The Lakeland Revival

Last December God spoke to me regarding what he was about to do in the earth. He said he would bring a great revival this year. He did. Here's what else he said that you may want to know.

The demand of my spirit on those who are preserved from the purging is to become guides and guards of the hearts of those young ones I have prepared for this new move.

I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, I will not be stopped. Those who are mine will come. It will be a move not of man but of my Spirit alone.

This will not look like anything you have ever seen before. Some will say, "this cannot be of God". This will be un-like anything you have ever seen before. "Behold I do a new thing".

There will be those who will attempt to prove that this renewal and revival is not of ME. They will distort my Word to prove this falsehood.

It will be said by them of this outpouring that "This is all wrong". They are deceived and their traditions "have made the Word of God of no effect as they trample the Blood of Jesus underfoot".

True deception is mocking God concerning His truth. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap"

Trying to tell ME how to accomplish my ends in the earth Mocks God.

The revival, renewal and purging has already begin. The only option I offer for Spiritual Survival during this time of purging is found only in passion for the pure heart of Jesus.

The above has certainly been true of the Lakeland Outpouring. It is an outpouring on all flesh and has received the kind of Criticisms God said they would. It's still moving around the world.

There is a widening gulf being created and in fact manifested by My Spirit separating those who are mine from those who are simply showing up for Sunday and seldom seek my Presence otherwise.

There is a further third about to be divided out from those among your flock. This is a painful and seemingly negative thing you must endure. Do not see it as negative. You must separate yourself as a tribe and become holy unto me. I am changing the face of those who are called by My Name in this Generation. They will look like Jesus.

These that are being purged must be removed for revival to be released. They are holding back the move of My Spirit. Shepherds; hear My Words; allow those who are not hungry for revival and renewal to depart in peace, in fact encourage them to either return to their first love or leave. You can no longer afford them in your midst. They have become unholy Leaven in your midst.

I am purging my bride to make her spotless and without wrinkle. She will look very different from what you believe she would look like in your imagination or tradition.

Leaders of Churches and Ministries take heed, reliance on the old ways will lead to disappointment and failure I never intended you to experience. This purging will impact your finances if you continue to rely on the old ways. I will provide, but I will now do it in supernatural ways, provision will come from unexpected places. Even Five Fold Ministers will be purged who refuse to rely on those new ways of provision for the future.

Reliance on financial provision from worldly strategies as you always have you will find you short at years end. Old ways are not my ways in this new move. Behold I make all things new.

The Purging has already begun. You have seen it all around you and have wondered if is this an attack of the Devil. NO! This purging is of me. I am cutting out the infections, the cancers, the rot, the dead flesh, the proud flesh and the disfiguring growths that were not ever meant to be part of my bride. She will be perfect and holy formed in My image.

The essential in this new body is passion and purity. I will not tolerate in 2008 what I did in 2007. The bar is raised again.

This is NOT bad news. This is good news, what will result from this will be the fuel that will catch on fire from spark of my Spirit. It will be magnificent. Beyond what you can imagine. Worldly wisdom from others wrapped up in Christianeze will not be the way I will do this. Ignore those who would instruct and mislead you to say, "this is the way, walk in it". It is not the way. There is only one way. When the purging hits your house give thanks that I have chosen to purify you and yours.

When revival comes it will come to people held to a standard of holiness and passion unseen in most of my Church in the west.

This purity will require that leaders come with clean hands and clean hearts. God has indeed purged impure leadership in this time. More important He warns us all that we must be careful not to depend on the flesh. The revival can't come unless those gatekeepers are pure. Even Todd Bentley who looked different, acted different was judged wanting. It doesn't take away what God is doing. It does mean that the bar is higher than ever before.

Deep examination of the corporate bought and paid for government we have today will reveal the cancer that exists in high places today. Pray for the exposure to happen without partisan politics as part of the discussion. God is about to shine his light into this dark area. Banking organizations, oil companies, pharmaceutical companies will be exposed for the ungodly influence they have had. There has been an un-Godly effort to pervert justice in the land. The father is going to do some house cleaning in this area.

Even what we have seen in the past few weeks regarding banking failures, corruption in government and oil companies and other organizations are the doing of the Father. Hang on to your hats, it's not done yet. This will get messy.

The spiritual political landscape is changing. It will not be a total victory for either conservative or liberal issues. The 2006 election that many thought was a revolution has failed, there is no change at all. That will happen again. Politics will become more entangled with the issues of faith. What a person believes will become as important as what he or she proposes in policy.

Atheism that raised it's head, will lower it as quickly as it is shown to be wanting of any answers.

I have received no clear word of who or what will happen in the 2008 elections. That may be by design. Others have received the word, Brown Bag. What that means will yet be known.

Faith certainly is and will be a huge part of the Political Debate. It is no longer a side issue. I have no idea for certain what the Brown Bag appellation means but I have a suspicion and will share it here. This is NOT thus saith the Lord. When it is I will tell you. A brown bag is plain. Sometimes things are put hidden in a brown paper bag to keep them from view and to keep them from being exulted too soon just to be taken out at just the right time to be revealed to all.

A brown bag is plain, like a plain brown wrapper when what you are sending you want to keep hidden.

Brown Bag cold mean Plain - Palin. Same letters, slightly different spelling. I don't know. But maybe.

I trust the voice of God and watch and pray that the word of the Lord will run swiftly to compete his word.

Evenso Come Lord Jesus.

Can or should we be Christlike?

Can we be Christlike? Steve Scott asks that important question and many others in his brilliant post here:

What was Christ like that we should be Christlike? He spoke in parables to multitudes of people so that they wouldn't repent and be healed. He hung out with low-lifes and outcasts. He defied religious traditions and rules right in front of the religious leaders who held to them. He refused to enter into a family's debate over inheritance. He bucked social norms to deal with undesirable people. He called a foreign woman a dog. He made over 100 gallons of wine at a wedding. He hid His identity from several people while talking to them. He overturned tables in the temple. He made the first last, and the last first. He allowed expensive perfume to be used on Him instead of giving its value to the poor. He pronounced woes upon religious leaders to their faces. He rebuked a governor for mistaking the source of his authority.

How would the world react if one of us acted like this? How would other Christians react if one of us acted like this?

What say you?

David Letterman on Obama

Late Night with David Letterman:

How about that Barack Obama? They are saying “for the first time he’s starting to slip in the polls. But don’t worry. He’s got a plan. He’s going to go back to campaigning in Europe.”

I'll bet that's not nearly as funny in BHO headquarters as Letterman thought it was. I'm waiting for a bumbling Barak to be shown in true context in the segment Letterman does called Great Moment in Presidential Speechifying. Normally he just skewers Bush. Now Obama is rising. (or falling)

If you remember the moment in the Man who would be King where the mountain people see that Sean Connery can bleed. They turn on him and tear him to bits.

That is beginning to happen.

Not a moment too soon.

The Mob always had thugs to do it's dirty work. Obama has the Maintream Media

The MSM has openly joined one side of this election.

They have openly chosen to do the dirty work to protect their anointed candidate, His Holiness Messiah Barack I.

I said that they would mobilize to destroy Gov. Palin.

This piece shows that the MSM is doing the opposition research that the Obama campaign — that sole demonstration of Sen. Obama’s executive competence — should have done months ago, when it was clear to anyone paying attention that Gov. Palin was a VP prospect. this radio interview gives a flavor of the “circus” going on in Wasilla, Alaska right now. Very much worth listening to.

This is the stuff that opposition researchers usually do. I would expect the Obama campaign and the DNC to go after the personal records of Palin’s family and friends like this, but the media? Did they go after Barack Obama this thoroughly on personal history?

Or even better — remember Geraldine Ferraro? She was treated like a princess. Why didn’t the news media swarm into her neighborhood digging hard to find out about her husband’s mob connections? Why was Ms. Ferraro not treated as an enemy combatant? Easy. She was a liberal Democrat. She fit the MSM’s narrative about what a woman politician looks like, what she thinks and says. Anyone who defies that stereotype is a threat that has to be destroyed.

May they all get frostbite in Alaska.

From Lexington Green of Chicago Boyz

Garrison Keillor is a Cranky Old Man Shouting "Get Off MY Lawn"

In the early part of the decade of the 70's I discovered Garrison Keillor. Prairie Home companion wasn't even a radio show yet. It was a Morning Event on Minnesota Public Radio. This was even prior to Bill Kling if I remember right.

Garrison was funny, clever and refreshing. He was also young. I met him. Went to a few of his shows. When he came to Fargo to do his gig I attended.

Over the years I have changed and sadly so has he. I no longer listen as rapt as I once did. He is no longer funny, clever or insightful. Just cranky.

He was not inoculated fore BushDerangementSyndrome and suffers from a terminal case of it.

So, his latest pronouncements on all things electoral have become as irrelevant as that old man shouting "Get off my Lawn".

Sad to see good men die young. Alas Poor Garrison, I hardly Knew ye............

The Devil ALWAYS overplays his hand - A Prophecy for Someone

I don't like to give the devil credit. He may be shrewd, dangerous and able to cause us all kinds of torment but one thing is certain, for the child of God the devil always overplays his hand.

I'll admit that this has political and worldly dimensions to it. I won't go into them here. But, Satan is bad at being overconfident and then snatching defeat from the jaws of a seemingly inevitable victory for him.

He killed Jesus and facilitated the invasion of hell, release of the captives, forgiveness of sin and the first fruit resurrection of the dead. It says in the word that if they (the demonic) had known, they would not have slain the Lord of Glory.

So, I prophesy to you, if you are sensing abuse, pain, struggle, even death, The devil loses every time. No sting. From time into an eternal communion in the presence of God. You never lose. You can't lose.

I was very cheerful today. Supernaturally cheerful. More than usual cheerful. It was like everything that in the natural seems to be against me is really for me. I know Romans 8:28 pretty well. This was more than that. Sometime the Holy Spirit puts a sense in my spirit that motivates me to take what I am sensing and covey it to others prophetically. This is that.

There are testimonies after testimony to the times when the Devil tried to thwart and derail the plans of God for a man or woman's life and it seemed like there was no hope for them. Then suddenly, when you least expect it, from what seems to be hopeless, victory comes. Hope is eternal and faith is its substance. You handle hope with faith. With faith your hope becomes tangible.

The devil has neither hope nor faith and for that reason hates you, hates the Jesus in you and all you stand for. He attempts to hate you as much as the Father loves you. He fails at that too. He can't possibly equal in hate, the immeasurable love of God. Jesus said that the Father loves YOU just as much as he loves the Son, Jesus. Think of that.

I have no idea why I am writing this. This is a prophetic word for someone who needs to read this right now. Be encouraged, the plans and assignments of the Devil toward you are about to be derailed. He does it every time. He never knows victory.

I'll lay it before you to judge.

Hey, Liberals, when can we get our constitution back??

Liberals are over the top nuts about the religious beliefs of Sarah Palin.

Never mind, Rev Wright, Mitt Romney, or Bill Clinton.

They had religious convictions. BUT NOW, a real threat comes along. Everything that she ever of does believe has become a huge issue.

And they want (the liberals) to toss overboard the constitution article 6, section 3:

“

...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.

”

If you are a pagan or nominal Christian then a passionate follower of Jesus who happens to believe Jesus is Coming back soon or that maybe it's OK to operate in the Gifts of the Spirit is a big threat. If you do (speak in tongues or believe in the soon return of Jesus) then it's NOT OK to have religious views.

Who is it that is destroying the constitution now - HMMMMM?

Thoughts about Sarah Palin

Sometimes a person needs to step back and take a look at what is really going on with some objectivity.

6 hours away that Objectivity comes at the hands of British Journalists.

James Bennet of the Telegraph UK says:

In short, far from being a small-town mayor concerned with little more than traffic signs, she has been a major player in state politics for a decade, one who formulated an ambitious agenda and deftly implemented it against great odds.

Her sudden elevation to the vice-presidential slot on the Republican ticket shocked no one more than her enemies in Alaska, who have broken out into a cold sweat at the thought of Palin in Washington, guiding the Justice Department's anti-corruption teams through the labyrinths of Alaska's old-boy network.

It is no surprise that many of the charges laid against her have come from Alaska, as her enemies become more and more desperate to bring her down. John McCain was familiar with this track record and it is no doubt the principal reason that he chose her.

Focusing on the exotic trappings of Alaskan culture may make Palin seem a quaint and inexplicable choice. But understanding the real background of her steady rise in politics suggests that Barack Obama and Joe Biden are underestimating her badly. In this, they join two former Alaskan governors, a large number of cronies, and a trail of enemies extending back over a decade.

They can at a distance see what we cannot.

I wrote about the false Feminism of the Left and 10 things that have happened in the last 24 hours that are very encouraging. Pat Buchanan has clearly defined what Sarah's appeal is. She is us, Obama is THEM

Things are gonna Change - not the faux Change Obama promised you. Real Change is Coming!

Community Organizer Explained

For AJ - Someone new to all this

I usually don't do this specific posting for one person, but I think AJ's questions are good and worth answering.

She Asks:
What is the anointing and why is it important?
I know I now speak another language, it's christaineze and AJ is right to ask. Anointing is anything that happens when the Holy Spirit's power is laid over the thing. An anointed sermon will be more than a person reading what someone wrote. It's a power in the words that is over and above the ability of the person to give it. It's sermon PLUS. In music, anointing is not skill. I have known some tremendously skilled people who sing beautifully with no more anointing than a quart of milk. Sometimes however a clumsy even off key person with a passion under the anointing will move the heart of men and God. A person reading the Bible out loud, One can read a passage and they read it, it's ok, it might even be well done, but when the Holy Spirit is laid on top of it, it becomes a powerful sword that cuts in a good way soul from spirit. It's the Christ, the messiah, the anointed one active in a person's life that is the anointing. I can do all things thru Christ (the anointed one and his anointing) which and who strengthens me. People that do things over and above their natural ability to the Glory of God are operating in the anointing.

Why do I need a daily or the flow of the Prophetic in my life AJ asked:
The prophetic comes as a result of your awareness of it's activity. That can come by reading the Bible. A verse you never saw like that suddenly can jump out and grab you. Every time you read the Word of the Living God as a Living Word you encounter a manifestation of the prophetic word. There's more. There is also the word spoken sometimes in Prophetic Preaching. Doesn't happen as much as it should, in fact much less than anyone imagines. Most preaching is instruction or admonition, not prophesy. Prophesy in preaching and the prophetic utterance from a platform must have at it's base "Thus saith the Lord". Not spoken perhaps, but the nature of the word is God Speaking to his people. Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. So if a word of encouragement is not at it's core, God says, it's not prophetic. Sometimes music can be prophetic. It is usually when it operates in the anointing that it most often does. A song or a hymn can reveal what God is saying. Last there is the event when a person called or operating as a prophet comes and speaks directly to your situation. That is a prophetic word. I would be careful in receiving every word as from GOD, but as you grow you will more and more be able to discern the nature of the Prophetic and receive. Last, sometimes writers can be prophetic as well as anointed. I hope sometimes I am that.

I'm glad you are reading. If you get to Faith Center, be sure to look over their literature rack and see what it there. Buy a few 50 cent booklets and read them. You will be astounded what difference it will make to your understanding.

God is always a good God, but sometimes Men who are called of God are NOT. Don't judge God by Flawed servants. Seek God and LIVE!

What a Person Believes about Todd Bentley, Angels, Spiritual Gifts, Miracles or anything else is not about Heaven or Hell

Essentials.

That's what matters. Just the essentials of the faith.

If a person as I described in the previous post does or does not believe in a whole series of things I may embrace has nothing to do with eternal salvation. He that Believes on the Lord Jesus Christ is saved. When I say believe, it has to do with trusting in Him and Him alone for the full price paid for your sins and your entry into heaven.

I just want to make that clear.

This conversation going on has to do with religion and tradition. I have a vision of good people, people I love who when they walk thru the gates of splendor will look around them and see a huge pile of religious tradition chains, bondages, shackles and strongholds laying at their feet.

They will be astonished at the measure of them. They will say, why did I drag all that junk around all these years? They will not grieve but they will be aware that there was so much more on this side of the veil they could have experienced but never did.

It will be OK, but just.

My draw is to so experience all there is of heaven and the supernatural on this side of the veil that when I step from time into eternity I will hardly notice the difference. And that nothing will be laying at my feet to wonder about.

I may not get there, but I want to. I hope you do too.

How do we know the credibility of these reports??

Julie has a post with more than a smidgen of doubt about angels appearing to people today. She has pretty much put herself in the camp of I'll believe it when I see it. That's a choice. No one has to believe anything. Walking by sight and not by faith is a safe theology, it's just not Biblical.

I was in a meeting put on by John Armstrong where he talked of Brother Yun. Brother Yun who has a book, the Heavenly Man that has been criticized because in it he speaks of some encounters that could only be described as angelic. Since angels don't appear in the 20th century it can't be true. A large number of churches refused to have him come in and speak because of this issue. This is a pox on the doubt and unbelief culture of the American Church.

So, Julie and a large number of others have taken the position that Angelic encounters should be doubted and discounted. Sadly, the denomination of my conversion is among the leaders of this.

I have not yet seen an angel. I have heard them. I hope to see one before the angel of Death comes to get me. Here is a good balanced view of it all.

So, for those who doubt. Do we doubt the angel that appeared to Daniel, To Mary, to Zachariah, to Peter in Jail, to the soldiers at the tomb, to Elijah, To Jesus in the Garden, the three that appeared to Abraham, or Lot, or the ones going up and down Jacobs staircase, or the one that led Moses, or the one that greeted Mary at the tomb after the Resurrection and the thousands around Elisha when Gehazi's eyes were opened.

How do we know these things happened? What proof do we have? Maybe they were as whacked as the modern day accounts are written off to be. I mean we have no proof other than their accounts of the visitation. It could all be hype!

I am not concerned with God's ability to reveal himself to me. I am concerned that out of disbelief and scepticism we block ourselves from seeing all God has for us.

Without faith it is (Difficult, real hard, kind of a struggle, pretty weird) to please God? No, without faith it is impossible to please God. I want to please him. How about you?

I don't believe every single report of every angelic report William Branham, Todd Bentley, or anyone else ever reported. I on the other hand have made a clear attempt to distance myself from the heresy hunters disguised as "Mainline Charismatics" which I am sad to say many good people have become. It seems like Charisma Magazine has become a Christian National Enquirer.

The fear of Man is a Snare. Trying to fit in is a snare. Believing in Angels doesn't allow a person to fit very well. It could cause a person to be an outcast. On the other hand if you have a fear of man it will keep you from being an outcast and cause you to be accepted by many people. It's a tough choice, being part of the family with Faith in God as an outcast or accepted in the Mainline. I know where I want to be. Join me in believing. It's a safe place to be. As I preached about a few weeks ago, Unbelief is one of the sins Jesus hates most.

The Irrelevant Third

I was listening to a Talk Radio Call in Show (Medved) and he invited people to call in and explain why they didn't like Sarah Palin for VP.

10 people called in. All had the standard reasons why. Nothing new. Nothing creative. Nothing interesting.

After that time it became clear what the landscape politically really looks like. The numbers below are not exact for the purposes of this post are probably accurate:

33 1/3% are pro Obama and having him revealed as the Antichrist with horns a tail, a visible reincarnation of Adolph Hitler they are so Bushhatredderanged mentally they would vote for him. The are irrelevant to the McCain Palin express.

33 1/3% are McCain Palin or perhaps more accurately Palin McCain. Fired up and nothing anyone could say or accuser her or John of would dissuade this third of the voting public from voting for the Palin McCain McCain Palin ticket. I confess, I am among this cadre. I will vote and support them no matter what revelations come forth from here on out. My mind is made up and I will not be deferred. I am irrelevant to the Obama campaign.

THEN there is the last 33 1/3%. Sometimes called undecided voters. I would rather chase those who think they may be decided but are able to be swayed. They vote one way or another because it just seems like a good idea, all their friends are, they were promised something, or believe truth or lie about one or the other candidate. They are not tattooed with loyalty and could be persuaded to vote for Palin McCain.

It is this group that all the effort and strategy must be focused on from here on out. The devoted McCain Followers will not vote for Obama, and the devoted Obama Followers will not vote for McCain. Irrelevant.

I will not waste my time or energies trying to convince the far left of the benefits in voting for Palin McCain. You shouldn't waste your time trying to convince me of the Benefits of Obama. For us the election is already over. We have elected.

We are lost to the other side and ain't coming back. If however you are in the middle, you are in the cross hairs.

So, to my friends who are uber Liberals and not prospects, I will say as we all do in Chicagoland bout this time of year -

HOW BOUT DEM BEARS?

And, remember if you are a liberal voting for Obama, the day to vote is Wednesday the 5th of November. Write it down. Or, if you don't have time, too busy saving the spotted owl or protesting with code pink, just write your vote on the back of an envelope and mail it to me. I'll see to it your vote is entered appropriately.

Why the Agnostic and Atheists are so Angry - IT'S The IF

I have a corespondent who is just riled up. He's a confirmed atheist. It bugs the heck out of him that I know God knows my name, did before the earth was formed, and he cares as Jesus said about every sparrow that falls or hair missing from my bald head.

He keeps trying to tell me that there is not God (but I note that he always couches it in an IF).

His last note to me said, "IF there is a god, he she or it doesn't know your name".

But what about the IF?

What IF not only God exists, but he knows me, he knows you and he cares more about you than you can possibly imagine. In fact, even when you or I were sworn enemies he reduced himself to human form and died an excruciating death to make sure that when we wanted to know him better he would be able to come into relationship in a perfect way. Our sin would be no obstacle to that connection we would want to make.

I'm not angry. I am suspicious that this man, about my age, is slowly but surely asking the IF question once again. He is facing an eternity, an uncertain eternity. He hopes an eternity of nothingness.

But what IF? What IF it is an eternity in the Presence of God and in the fullness of Joy unspeakably full of glory or an eternity of consciousness tormented by demons all alone apart from the God who wanted to know him better and knowing he did it to himself.

It's the IF that haunts him.

There is no IF. I don't believe in IF anymore.

His name is JESUS.

Understanding the Culture War YOU are in the middle of

Many good people are of the mistaken opinion that what we are engaged in is an exercise of supporting political parties we have come to trust over God. That is not the case. We are at war.

This is a war of cultures and one will win, one will lose. If the other side wins our lives will forever be changed for the far worse.

A former member of the Reagan Revolution has written very well on this, it it he says:

One way or the other, the Culture War's stalemate is about to be broken.

Study history, and you will learn that there are two kinds of wars: There are short military ones, such as World Wars I and II, in which armies and navies collide until one side wins and the other loses. And there are long ideological wars, such as the Cold War, in which short bursts of fighting are separated by long periods of political maneuvering. In these long ideological wars, the outcome isn't determined by firepower but by will. That's because the aggressor's objective isn't to kill the defenders, but to wear them down until they no longer have the courage and stamina to keep resisting.

The defenders win only when they stop merely resisting -- in other words, trying just to not lose -- and start playing offense. For example, by the late 1970s the Free World's will to resist the Soviet Union's endless challenges had nearly evaporated. Détente was just a palatable word for surrender. And then -- unexpectedly and virtually at the same moment -- three individuals most people had never before heard of exploded onto the scene and into power. They were Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Pope John-Paul II - none of whom, by the way, had any foreign policy experience before taking office. Their objective wasn't to "not lose" the Cold War, but rather to end it with victory for the Free World. Together they threw the switch from playing defense to playing offense, stunning the Kremlin's over-confident leaders who believed that history was on their side. Within a decade, the Cold War was over and the Soviet Union had ceased to exist.
........................

But this election isn't really about these issues. This election is about who we are.

If you care at all about the epic battle we are in you must read this article. Yes both sides are imperfect but one side is less imperfect than the other. We must support and defend the life we thought we loved when we became sentient beings from our mom's womb. Don't let anyone steal that dream from you. They are trying.

There will be no comment from the left Political Correct crowd on this one

Some guy I never heard of was on some MTV awards show. He profoundly (in an MTV sort of way) endorsed Obama.

He called George W Bush a Retard.

Wait, didn't someone get into trouble in the entertainment world from making a movie called tropic thunder and using the same term?

I guess if you are an Obama supporter it's OK, otherwise you can't use the N word relegated for people of limited mental capacity.

It's all about sanity and ratings or the other clown shoe drops

Keith Olberman who must be one of the most over the top guys on TV has just been sat down. Oh, never heard of him? That's also the problem. Few others have either. He is in the words of Rudy Gulliani a Zero.

MSNBC pulled him from the debate moderation platform.

Ditto the wild eyed Chris Matthews. I have never understood his claim to sanity. His brother was a republican delegate to the RNC. Seeing the two together was a contrast in mental health.

These tools of the left are now relegated to making certain the waste bins don't overflow and that the Styrofoam coffee cups are properly recycled.

Ratings are the basis for many decisions. This was partly that.

After the initial attempt to manipulate for political agenda flops. This was partly this.

Perhaps the most influential, is the Advertising dollars, who may refuse to buy time with the foolish Mr. Olbermann and Mr. Matthews at the helm.

I won't miss them, not because of their talent, bias of lack thereof. I won't miss them because I never watch them. A ginzu knife commercial is more entertaining and far more informative.

(But wait there's more.....)

Oh this won't remove the full on CNN MSNBC CBS "Let's elect Obama" express. I did watch the profile on Sarah Palin on Fox. It was inspiring and fair. Then I watched the one on CNN on John McCain. HUH?

When will we make the decision not to let the monkeys run the zoo?

The Prophetic and Sarah Palin

This email and blog posting is all over the Internet. There is no direct evidence that Dutch Sheets (who as a Prophet I respect) said any of this.

As a Prophet I want to offer my sense of what this all means. There is in fact truth no matter what was or was not said:

There is significance to the Palin phenomenon.

We must watch but be sensitive to what the Holy Spirit is doing in this time.

I am a believer in the subjective prophetic. What that means is there are signs if God is in a thing or not.

Several years ago I was in Fargo North Dakota. Pastor Dan, my friend and spiritual father had just died of Cancer. Even though I was not yet moving fully in the Prophetic Calling things were happening all around me that I see as signals from God. Pastor Dan was a spiritual father to me although our ages were the same.

While in Fargo for the funeral I was staying at a Motel. I was alone. Peggy had chosen not to travel with me. In the middle of the night I was startled awake and sat up to see what time it was on the digital clock. The Time was 4:44. I was impressed of the Holy Spirit to take note of the time and review all the 444's in the word of God. I know the chapters and verses were created later, but God uses them to reveal things. Look at all the 3:16's.

I thought that was for me. It was and is. I have every 444 verse posted in large print on my wall above my workspace in my office. They have been an encouragement to me. I believe that the number 22 is a holy number and worthwhile of review. 44 is double that number.

I hope I'm not losing you. This is not weird. This is the way God sometimes does things. He uses numbers assigned by man to speak to his people. I think this is one of those times. It wasn't until I read the linked "Prophecy" as was supposed to be spoken by Dutch Sheets till I saw behind the veil.

Here are a few Biblically numerical 444's and 22's that I think are relevant to Sarah Palin:

Genesis 44:4
4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, "Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid good with evil?

This was an account of a false accusation. God will allow false accusations to accomplish his purpose and reveal her heart to others.

Jeremiah 44:4
4 Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, who said, 'Do not do this detestable thing that I hate!'

God is being clear that there are things that those in leadership do that are hated of God.

Psalm 44:4-5
4You are my King, O God. Jacob wins because You say it must be so. 5Through You we will push away those who hate us. Through Your name we will walk over those who rise up against us.

If God is in it we will walk over those who offend the heart of God.

John 4:44
44(Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.)

I suspect that the Alaska accusations are about her being in power and being put down by those closest to her.

Now, one more before I comment on all this:

in 1 Samuel 22:2 (half of 444) is this commentary on the life of David and those who stood with him:

2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

This may mean that double those who aligned with David are those that will align with Sarah Palin. I certainly fit that category.

Sarah is 44 years old. She will be the VP for the 44th President of the USA, and, 444 - 4+4+4=12. That's how many years a McCain and then 8 years of a Palin Administration will bring.

I see God's fingerprints all over this. I can't tell you for sure that I have heard from God, or if Dutch Sheets has. I do know that in the arena of the subjective prophetic it looks like God is in this thing and Sarah Palin is headed to be not only VP but POTUS for the next 12 years.

Someone said that it seems like she was the love child of Margaret Thatcher and Teddy Roosevelt. I laughed at the humor and then was jarred awake. The Teddy Roosevelt parallels shocked me. Micheal Reagan thinks Sarah Palin is a re-emergence of Ronald Reagan. I loved Ronald Reagan, but he wasn't tough enough. Sarah is more focused. And better looking to this man.

Sarah Palin is more like Theodore Roosevelt than anyone. And if history holds, well, hang on to your hats.

God is in this thing.