Six Degrees of Seperation, You can Blame BUSH for Everything

I have a fun little game that you can play with the press. It has been going on for quite a while but it's really fun when you get the EYE SPY award.

You see, if you watch, nearly everything bad, evil, mean, nasty, undesirable or just plain annoying can or will be blamed on George W Bush, President USA.

I challenge you to find one thing that the liberals can't or won't blame on him. He's like the universal JEW. It's anti-Semitic (and wrong) to do what Hitler did, blame all the ills of the world on the Jews. But, George Bush is no Jew. So, blaming him for everything is safe.

I'm up for a challenge. I can blame George Bush for ANYTHING you come up with. ANYTHING it in less than 6 steps. I have gone to school at the hands of the experts. The liberal left wing wacko press and blogs.

Let's play.

This made me Cry

I'm and easy tear. I don't know why because I can also be very hard.

But this made me Cry.

It's what Father God is really like.

Ann and the Jews

Darling Ann has gone and got into trouble with nominal Jews. Religious Jews aren't offended. Devoted Christians don't understand the whole uproar.

Jesus gave us this troublesome great commission thingy. If we are a Christian and we haven't inked out those passages or torn those pages from our Bibles, we must with confidence say "the world would be a better place if everyone were a Christian"; and if everyone includes Jews, then Jews would be better off as Christians. I can say by the authority of the Word of God (the BIBLE) that it is Gods will for EVERYONE to be a Christian.

Where is the flaw in that unless you don't believe in Jesus? Then it doesn't matter what you think. You can think anything you want to. Just don't pretend you believe in Jesus but doubt it would be good for everyone to be a Christian. You are headed for hell in a hand basket on a fast train if you do. Enjoy the ride because the last stop is a killer.

If we say we are Christian and we disagree with Ann's logic we should stop at the welcome center in our Churches and turn in our name badges. We are CINOs. Christian in Name Only. Lots of name badges should be turned in next Sunday if people were honest. How did the Church drift so far from the truth of the Gospel?

Only the anti American politically correct irreligious atheists are offended. The rest of us hope they will all take a flying leap. Spiritually of Course. That leap of faith. The world would be a better place if everyone were a Christian. I'll keep trying to see if I can do my little part to bring it to pass. How bout you?

Did we dodge a bullet or are the laser sights on us right now?

In movies with lots of run jump and shoot scenes in them, the one that is the most ominous is the moment in a firefight is not when bullets are being fired and we dodge the bullet, but when someone looks down at their chest or another's forehead and sees the unmistakable signature of a laser sight focused directly on them. The little red dot of death. Unless something changes that person is dead or wounded in the next few seconds. The shot has not yet happened but the targeting has been made.

It's an ominous sign in a movie.

Sometimes the prophetic is like that. I have a commenter who has been poking at me about October 12. I just want to be clear, writing what I did I NEVER predicted disaster or tragedy for Oct 12. Here's the first thing I reported when this began to stir, and here is the second. Show me where I predicted doom, gloom or disaster. If you are part of the Body of Christ there is a warning that the purposes of God might not line up with the purposes of your ministry. That could spell doom for some churches and ministries.

There are/were other prophetic voices calling for caution and even tacitly warning of impending doom. I did not link to them. I did not repeat the prophetic language they used. I don't believe the prophetic should be imparting fear. I thought it was fair to say there WERE prophetic voices in the world saying some dire things. I neither agreed nor disagreed with them. They are responsible for whatever they bring to the One who gave them the gift.

I try to be responsible in the gift I have been given. My judge is not any person, my judge is the judge of all the universe. To Him am I responsible. Oh, you, dear reader, have the right and responsibility to Judge by the Spirit and Word of God as a witness whatever prophetic words I bring. That's scriptural. Of course if you don't believe in Jesus, know the Word of God or have the Spirit of the Living God residing in you how in the world can you make any valid judgement whatsoever?

What you don't have the right to do is to despise Prophecy. Most people have no idea of the purpose of function of the Prophet. What they are not up on they are down on.

Last night I attended a meeting where perhaps 25 prophetic words were brought over a 3 hour period. This was conducted fully according to the order of service laid down by Paul the Apostle. It's how church should be run sometimes. Maybe that's why the Church is in such trouble, we have forgotten how to do Church according to the book.

Nearly ALL the prophetic utterances (I did not speak until the very end) were of being ready, being in warfare, being a soldier of the cross, not fearing the changes and shaking that is coming, and the one that kept coming up again and again was the shaking is here right now.

I thought someone was reading my mail. I know these folks, we don't all read or study the same prophecies given by various prophets around the world. They don't read my blog for the most part. They don't even know about most of the Prophets with whom I am in communication. The one commonalty is we all have the same God dwelling in us and his name is Jesus. We all know, love and read his word. From that the Spirit of the living God flows forth in the prophetic.

So, did anything happen on Oct 12? I still don't know. Neither do you. Except it was the last day of Tishri, the last day of Ramadan the holiest months of Islam and Judaism. The beginning of a New Year. Transition. Convergence.

Maybe we spiritually look at ourselves see if that red dot targeting us. Then the question is who is the shooter? What is being put to death? Maybe it's not the enemy at all?

I don't know for certain. I do know what I heard and saw. I see thru a glass darkly. But I see.

DO YOU? Or are you still blind?

Prophetic Visions

I'm very careful about who or what prophetically I allow into my spirit. Not that I'm all that pure. I have lots of irritations and frustrations with lots of things. Algore, Jimmy Carter. All that.

But I watch and wait and measure what I am hearing in my spirit against what others are seeing and hearing. It's usually amazing to me that at the same time many many prophets will have forms of the same vision at the same time. Convergence.

Right now is such a time.

In the last two weeks I have given leadership in two different Christian Fellowships (Rockford and Bolingbrook) the same vision. The reason is this thing will affect them the same way.

A shaking is coming and it will result in suddenness in their ministry. Sudden almost cataclysmic growth and pangs with it. While on one hand this can be perceived to be a good thing, it carries with it unforeseen and misunderstood difficulties, change that will cause things to be unexpectedly different than they ever could have anticipated. In other words at first blush what could have been good will look like chaos and out of order.

Matt Sorger writes of just such a shaking happening right now.

From the Prophetic Word:

The Body of Christ is in a very important transition right now. We are transitioning into the broad place of the fulfillment and completion of our inheritance. This fruitful and blessed place includes every good promise that God has ever spoken to you.

Actually, what we are seeing take place right now is the laying of the foundations for increase and multiplication. During the first six days of Creation, God finished the work and rested on the seventh day. The completion of Creation on the seventh day was actually the completion of the "foundation" of Creation. From there, the earth continued to multiply in fruitfulness and growth.

This year, God is laying the foundation in the lives of many people and ministries that will bring great increase and multiplication in the season ahead. But in order to transition into this broad place of increase and destiny, we have to first pass through a "narrow place." This is where everything that can hinder us from transitioning successfully is--stripped off.

There are some things that cannot go with you into the next season. When God is bringing you through a transition, sometimes even good things must be let go of. People hold onto a good thing only because they don't realize it is keeping them from God's best for their lives. When the Lord tries to strip something, some people want to hold onto it. They don't want to let go. Their old thoughts and attitudes have become a security blanket. They hold onto offenses for years justifying the thought that the person who hurt them doesn't deserve to be forgiven. They justify their ungodly belief systems. They hold on to their "stuff" while trying desperately to transition into the place of blessing which God has for them. As they are tightly gripping their baggage, they end up wedging themselves right into the place of transition and they get stuck.

It's time we understand that God is stripping these things away from us, so we will be free to transition into the broad place He has destined for us. God is stripping everything that can be stripped-- every mindset, every thought, every ungodly belief system, every attitude, and every ungodly action. Everything that's hidden and everything that's covered over--God is stripping it all.

God will do what he will do. I know this for sure. If you try to fight against the goads you will be broken and defeated. What is coming is glorious and would be painful unless you see the end result clearly.

I saw another prophet today warn the US that we should run for our lives, today! This is not a tested prophet in my eyes but I watch and pray. Yet today is October 12, the last day of Ramadan, the Last day of the Jewish Month of Tishri, the feast month that holds the most holy days in all of Judaism. This is a transition day. Transition to what?

I know this, God is shaking the body of Christ. Churches and ministries that ignored or poo pooed the warnings in the past will be dissolved and decay into nothing. Time for game playing is over. He loves the Bride too much to allow his precious bride to continue to be lukewarm, lazy, lethargic, lost, listless, loveless and lackluster. That wasn't her purpose on the earth. Sadly, much of the church plays the harlot with the world system. It has destroyed her.

Awake Oh Bride. Your Bridegroom comes and you are still dressed in filthy rags. Find fresh oil. Toss off those old wrinkled and spotted clothes of tradition.

He comes, up from the valley. You will recognize him if you look, you won't have to ask, "Who is this?".

From Song of Solomon 3 we get a glimpse of a Type of Jesus coming as a bridegroom:

6 Who is this sweeping in from the wilderness
like a cloud of smoke?
Who is it, fragrant with myrrh and frankincense
and every kind of spice?
7 Look, it is Solomon’s carriage,
surrounded by sixty heroic men,
the best of Israel’s soldiers.
8 They are all skilled swordsmen,
experienced warriors.
Each wears a sword on his thigh,
ready to defend the king against an attack in the night.
9 King Solomon’s carriage is built
of wood imported from Lebanon.
10 Its posts are silver,
its canopy gold;
its cushions are purple.
It was decorated with love
by the young women of Jerusalem.

And then the Shulamite, the bride, goes to him and leans on him Song of Solomon Ch 8:

5 Who is this sweeping in from the desert,
leaning on her lover? I aroused you under the apple tree,
where your mother gave you birth,
where in great pain she delivered you.
6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
its jealousy as enduring as the grave.
Love flashes like fire,
the brightest kind of flame.
7 Many waters cannot quench love,
nor can rivers drown it.
If a man tried to buy love
with all his wealth,
his offer would be utterly scorned.

That's what is happening right now. God said early on, I am a Jealous God. I will destroy everything that hinders love, that gets between you and me. I have seen it over and over again. So have you. Martin Luther wrote on this centuries ago. He warned then and is still warning today that everything that is a substitute, a tradition, a painkiller, a false idol, a person, place or thing that stands between You and God, between a Church and His Purposes for it, a Christian and his or her destiny, God will remove and destroy them. IF we think for a second we can hold on to old ways in the day of the Lord we kid ourselves. Consider our most valued traditions and practices. In the day of the Lord what in the world will they mean? They will be empty. God is not mocked even by well meaning tradition. The prophet Isaiah wrote of this day in Chapter 2. It's coming. It may be here now.

It is always painful, it is always difficult, but it is essential. God will kill anything that we try to keep alive that might obscure who he really is or should be in our lives.

That is a shaking. It has begun.

Finally, Matt Sorger says by the spirit of God:

The Lord spoke to me and said, "Matt, tell My people not to be shaken by the shaking that's coming." If there is a faulty foundation, it will be shaken, corporately and individually. If there is something not built by the Spirit of God, it will be shaken down to its foundations.

Get ready, get ready, get ready.

Global Warming and the Bible

This is a continuation of a Biblical look at Global Warming from the Book of Revelation by Ron MacKenzie. Links to the posts are at the bottom. In his last iteration he talked Prayer and Angels:

Ron's latest posts:.

The seven angels are holding trumpets.

For the world, trumpets are a warning of judgment. Amos said that the trumpet would sound when disaster was coming (Amos 3:6). The angels will sound the trumpet when evil has increased upon the earth. This disobedience leads to disasters and troubles. As the trumpets are sounded judgement is released on the earth. Prophetic warnings turn disasters into judgments. (I am not aware of any modern prophet prophesying global warning).

For God’s people, trumpets are a call to action. During the Exodus, Moses used two silver trumpets to call the community together and when the camp marched out. After the Exodus, trumpets were used to call God’s people to action (Num 10:8,9). The trumpets of the seven angels are not a signal of trouble for God’s people, but a call for us to rise up and do his will.

Each of the trumpets affects a different part of the creation. When the first angel sounds the trumpet, the trees and grass are affected.

The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up (Rev 8:7).

This is not literal. Hail and fire are destructive. Blood symbolises death. This vision is a picture of events that bring destruction and harm to trees and the grass. Much of the vegetation on the earth is ruined by excessive heat and drought. The destruction comes from the atmosphere.

The harm is limited to one third, so the destruction is not total. God is merciful and does not let us experience all that we deserve. Even in the worst judgment, he sets limits, and though he humbles, he does not totally destroy.

The second trumpet affects the sea.

The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed (Rev 8:8,9).

Something as large as a mountain signifies a really huge impact. This “something” is ablaze which suggests heat. This could be the impact of global climate change causing many fish to die. I am not sure of the significance of the ships being destroyed. It could refer to the fishing industry being severely damaged, or to ships being destroyed by more frequent severe storms.

Origional Posts:
Angels and Trumpets
Vegetation
Seas and Oceans

Personality plus or minus

I read Julies Blog and all I got was this stupid Personality test.

I don't know if it's right or wrong.

You take one for yourself and decide. Click on my score and you'll figure it out.

RESULTS OF A CHEAPER DOLLAR

• Smaller Trade Deficit
• Higher Employment
• Less Unemployment
• Less Outsourcing of Jobs Offshore
• Higher Gas Prices
• Fewer Cheap Tours to Europe
• More tourists in the USA
  
• Fewer Imported Cars
• More Caterpillar Tractors made Here
• Higher Grain Prices
• Wal-Mart's Edge softens
• Inflation will accelerate
  
• Standards of Living will get better
• Investment from Overseas will be greater
• Stock Market Higher
• Low Bond and Mortgage interest
• Freer Credit Markets

I'm not sure that is all a bad thing. I know Ron Mack reads this sometimes. He's a real economist as opposed to me, a pretend one. RON? Am I wrong? Are they?

You Gotta Love it...............

From the aforementioned Ann Coulters new book:

Coulter on:

• Abortion: "For liberals, a human life begins at the precise moment the person starts filling out his first application for a government job."

• Airline security: "Six imams removed from a US Airways flight from Minneapolis to Phoenix are calling on Muslims to boycott the airline. If only we could get Muslims to boycott all airlines, we could dispense with airport security altogether."

• Bill Clinton: "Clinton's library is the first one to ever feature an Adults Only section."

• Jimmy Carter: "Here's a foolproof method for keeping America safe. Always do the exact 180-degree opposite of whatever Jimmy Carter says as quickly as possible."

• Liberals: "You know you're doing something right when you've reduced hordes of liberals to blind, sputtering rage."

• Her own reputation: "If you're not being called outrageous by liberals, you're not being outrageous enough."

• Race pandering: "With their infernal racial set-asides, racial quotas, and race norming, liberals share many of the Klan's premises. The Klan sees the world in terms of race and ethnicity. So do liberals!"

• Civil rights: "What Democrats mean by ‘civil rights' is the civil right of a woman not to inform her husband she's aborting his baby; the civil right of a minor to have an abortion without notifying her parents; the civil right of a woman to plunge a fork in the head of a child as it struggles through the birth canal because it has a cleft lip. That's civil rights.'"

• The Left and religion: "Liberals hate the idea of God because it competes with their conception of themselves as a specially anointed elite."

• Jesus Christ: "There is no surer proof of Christ's divinity than that he is still so hated some two thousand years after his death."

• Liberals and conservatives: "I keep picking up the New York Times and reading about how smart liberals are, and you know, how upset they are that George Bush lacks nuance and he lacks intellectual curiosity. But I go to college campuses. We've got mikes in the audience. Stand up. Show me some of that intellectual curiosity. And they throw food. ... I note that you don't see any conservatives throwing pies at Michael Moore -- and he's asking for them."

• Liberal lawyers: "I like how all the same criminal defense attorneys go from defending O.J. to defending Clinton to defending Saddam Hussein"

• Swing voters: "I like to refer to them as the idiot voters because they don't have set philosophical principles. You're either a liberal or you're a conservative if you have an IQ above a toaster."

• Global warming: "The temperature of the planet has increased about one degree Fahrenheit in the last century. So imagine a summer afternoon when it's 63 degree and the next thing you know it's...64 degrees. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! Run for your lives, everybody! Women and children first! Help! Where's FEMA, dammit?"

• Environmentalism: "Liberals don't care about the environment. The core of environmentalism is hatred for mankind. They want mass infanticide, zero population growth, reduced standards of living, and vegetarianism. Most crucially, they want Americans to stop with their infernal deodorant use."

• Liberal goals: "Liberals want us to live like Swedes, with their genial, mediocre lives, ratcheting back our expectations, practicing fuel austerity, and sitting by the fire in a cardigan sweater like Jimmy Carter."

• Gay activism: "Thousands of gay men died and their blood is on the hands of the so-called AIDS activists who thought it was more important to push their political and social agendas than it was to educate gay men about the dangers of public, anonymous, promiscuous, multiple-partner unprotected sex. Or as it's known in West Hollywood, ‘Friday night.'"

• "Civil unions": "The big argument for ‘civil unions' -- but not marriage! -- is that gays are denied ordinary civil rights here in the American Taliban. This is where gays usually bring up the argument about all the straight couples living in ‘sham' marriages, but I see no point in dragging the Clintons into this."

• The liberal outcry over Guantanamo: "On the bright side, at least liberals have finally found a group of people in Cuba whom they think deserve to be rescued."

• John Kerry: "If John Kerry had a dollar for every time he bragged about serving in Vietnam -- oh wait, he does."

• Republicans: "Republicans waste more time being afraid of Democrats than they do robbing orphans, evicting widows, helping corporations -- you know, what we're paying them to do."

• The Supreme Court: "It would take a modern plague to make any headway in confining the justices to interpreting the Constitution rather than issuing wild policy pronouncements offensive to most Americans."

• This book: "Instead of waiting for liberals to take my most outrageous quotes out of context, I am taking them out of context myself. Fasten your seatbelts! This time, I am going ‘too far.'"

Ann is an equal opprotunity offender

I like Ann Coulter. I have not yet read her book "If Democrats had any brains they'd be Republicans" which I'm sure will be a hoot.

Now she takes after those who think Fred Thompson and Mike Huckabee are good potential candidates. I'm not sold on either of these guys, but I'm not sold on anyone yet.

I'm just not sure eating your young is a good plan.

Introduced to a World Changer

I have just read a couple little books by Michael J Lindquist. Staggering stuff.

He is a man I am glad to have met.

He is changing things for the better. I want to see ministry like his multiplied everywhere.

And he's a local Swedish boy. Comes across not with bombast but with just above average Lake Woebegone humility and balance. Yet with authority and confidence.

Look over his website pastors. This all in the last 10 years. From nothing to this in a spiritual eye blink.

Lead on Mr. Apostle. Come to think of it, that's what Apostles do.

Maybe Homosexuality is the Result of Weedkillers

There seems to be more visible homosexuals than there ever has been.

Some would say that they have always been there. I don't know. I'm not sure. I don't remember so many gays years ago. Guys seemed to be universally interested in girls. Not so much in gay guys.

But then we had more weeds in our corn then. Now we have Atrazine. It kills all the weeds. It came on the scene early in the 1960's. It also seems emasculate males.

So, maybe the increase in homosexuality is the result of weedkillers.

I'm tongue in cheek here, but.............

Health Care Mess on BOTH Sides of the Border

Canadian Mothers are running from their nationalized health care system to bear children in the USA because the Socialized Canadian System doesn't work.

So US hospitals are taking up the task.

What isn't said is the cost of all this. I have someone I know and love who shall go nameless who was recently born into this world. The doc and hospital told the parents that the bill for all this would be about $8-10,000 all told. That seemed plenty high to me. But, I'm old. I remember the bill for our kids. Tim, $600 Kevin $1100. The bill for this recent birth came in right at $12,000.

This is in DAKOTA!

Now, I have a question. Is there any relationship between the relative low birth rate among white middle class and the price of obstetrics?

By the way, the average cost of childbirth in Illinois Medicaid averaged in is $6800. What's wrong with this picture?

Socialized medicine doesn't work. Neither does rampant capitalism. Business that is parasitic like medicine is off the government and insurance companies a false capitalism.

Our health care system which is very good for the very rich is paltry for the poor.

I Want my Nobel Peace Prize and I Want it NOW!

I have come to the conclusion that I deserve a Nobel Prize. I have done as much to promote peace in the world certainly as others who have received it in recent years (or will).

For instance,

The pinhead ex president Jimmy Carter who knows all and sees all.

The thief of the middle east, Yasser Arafat who after his death it was acknowledged that it was always about the money. He had manipulated and stolen the Palestinians blind for his personal gain. Blood money that's called. Yet HE got a peace prize.

And now Al Gore is rumored to get one soon. For what? For making a movie he starred in propagating lies and half truths in a dramatic fashion. He said,

"In the United States of America, unfortunately we still live in a bubble of unreality. And the Category 5 denial is an enormous obstacle to any discussion of solutions. Nobody is interested in solutions if they don't think there's a problem. Given that starting point, I believe it is appropriate to have an over-representation of factual presentations on how dangerous (global warming) is, as a predicate for opening up the audience to listen to what the solutions are, and how hopeful it is that we are going to solve this crisis." -- Al Gore

The film he will receive a Nobel for is so loaded with untruths that a judge in England has demanded that little kids who are about to be indoctrinated by all this be told the truth about the lies first. They are impressionable little ones. His lies are very dangerous.

Hitler lied as boldly as Gore does, where's his peace prize?

IF those three get a peace prize, WHERE'S MINE?

Global Warming and the Word of God

Ron Mack goes on. His take on global warming. I blogged on his first part here.


My search for references to climate change and global warming brought me to Revelation 7:1-3.

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."

The images in this passage were probably familiar to John’s listeners, but they are not part of our modern language. The “corners of the earth” is an expression describing the entire earth. The modern equivalent of the four corners is the word “global”

The four winds are a description of the “weather system”. Therefore the four winds from the corners of the earth represent the “global weather system”. John was describing changes in the global weather system. The actions of the four angels will bring about change that harms the land, the sea and the trees. A change in global weather patterns would bring about such far reaching effect.

The four angels have evil intent, but they are not fullly free. They cannot act until they are released by another angel, the one carrying the seal of God. This is important. Four evil angels are no match for one of God’s angels. Although these evil angels will eventually accomplish the harm they have been sent to do, they cannot act until God allows them to move. God is still in control and he will use what they intended for harm to accomplish his purposes. We should not fear these four angels, because God will turn their harm into good for his people.

John’s vision describes global climate change that will harm the earth, the trees and the sea.

The four angels are described more fully in Revelation 8:2-6.

And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

This passage also contrasts the enormous difference in power between the angel of God and the angels of evil. John saw seven angels that would bring terrible troubles to the earth. The first four of these angels are those with power to bring the global climate change described in the previous chapter. However, none of these angels can act until they are released by the angel with the golden censor. God is always in control. Even evil angels cannot act without his permission.

We also see the authority of the saints. God’s angel contains a bowl of incense that represents the prayers of the saints. This angel can only act when the prayers of God’s people are complete. It is like all our prayers for the coming Kingdom of God are poured into a large bowl. They do not get presented to God until this bowl is full.

When the prayers of the saints are complete, the angel fills the censor with fire from the altar and throws fire down upon the earth. Fire is a symbol of judgment. The prayers of the saints release the angel who releases judgement upon the earth. Fire also symbolises heat. The fire being released on the earth is a warning that excessive heat will be released on the earth. God’s angel releases the angels that bring global warming.

Here's the Source for the Two links I just republished.
Four Angels
Prayer and the Angels

ORU Kerfuffle

Last Night I saw Richard and Lindsay Roberts on Larry King.

They have been accused of bad stuff by a few people who were fired from the staff of ORU.

You can read all about it if you google the story. I'll not make it easy.

A few observations:

• Some Reformed Christians jumped on the Bandwagon a little early and may yet find themselves with egg on face
• A dismissed employee accusing a former employer is suspect out of the box.
• I tend to think the truth of all this is in between what I saw on Larry's show and the accusations.
• If you are a Christian, be sure your sins will find you out and will be trumpeted from the rooftops. I'm glad mine aren't, YET.
• Let he who says he is without sin.............
• Judgment begins in the house of the Lord and it's universities.

I don't gloat or accuse. There but for the grace of God go I. I hope for Richard and Lindsay. We don't need more scandal right now.

Presumed Innocent is Bad Theology

Wanting to always be gracious I have been one who presumed people to have a living relationship with Jesus if they are a regular part of a church.

I know enough "Christians" of all kinds of ILK to say many, maybe most, only wear a name tag that says, John Smith, Christian. This has little to do with reality. It's also why I seldom wear a name tag.

They are Christians In Name Only. CINO

CINOs come in all forms, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Catholic, Baptist, Reformed, and Seventh Day Adventist.

Talkers not Walkers.

I have been critical of preachers who preach that you must have your sins forgiven, you are headed for hell and if you are going to escape eternal torment you must turn to Jesus. I have called them incomplete Gospel preachers.

I'm not sure I'm right anymore.

If the rapture really took place (in the left behind sense) would many churches even notice the difference? If it happened at 10:00 on a Sunday Morning would it impact the service at all? Oh a few pastors might be missing. One or two might be missing from the congregation. That's about it. They'd probably think they were locked in the men's room and can't get out.

How can we even think about reaching an unsaved world as the church if for the most part we haven't reached ourselves? I once said that the great mission field is in the pews of our churches. I was hyperbolically speaking for emphasis. I no longer believe it was hyperbole. I was more right than wrong.

Cold Wave

I know the right thing to say at a time like this is, Baby it's Cold Outside.  47 degrees.  Yesterday 75, day before almost 90.

 

Oh, it's not winter yet. No frost to speak of in the forecast.  It's frozen in Dakota according to the news.

 

But it's cold (er) here.  The weather changed.

 

Sometimes that's the way it is when it turns cold.  One day it's hot and then boom, reality bites, I just need to see things for what they are.  One reality I just came to grips with is this: You can haul a stiff frozen horse to water but he'll never drink a drop if he's cold and dead.

 

Only living breathing horses drink.  Dead ones never experience thirst.  No matter how appealing you make the water tank, no matter how often you show them the water, no matter what you do in demonstrating how good the water is, they won't drink.  Dead horses can't drink.

 

If that old mare is alive and thirsty you will have to fight to keep her from drinking.  She'll knock that fence down to get at the water.  I've been around thirsty cattle, they'll kill you for a drink.  They'll have mad cow disease till they get a drink.  They will beller and moan till they get water.  They are desperate.

 

I've been futilely leading dead frozen livestock to places where they can drink deeply and finding myself disappointed when they don't.  How dumb can I get and still  breath.  What made me think this was even possible?

 

Face it Gene, the season changed, the weather turned cold.  They're frozen.

A Vietnam POW Speaks Out

For the last few weeks, the "War on America" has gone badly.

• MoveOn, the New York Times, and Senators who accused Gen. Petraeus of being a traitor and a liar have been exposed and repudiated;
• The media’s attempted flim-flam to portray Iran’s Terrorist Dictator as a "Statesman," tripped on Columbia University’s red carpet;
• The brave combat Marines whom Congressman Murtha and the press eagerly charged with "cold-blooded murders" in Iraq are being found innocent, acquitted one by one.

The "War" is not going well ... the "War On America," that is.

Those who claim they "Support the Troops" are finally being unmasked, shown for being the cowards they are. But, it won’t be long before they regroup, begin their own "Surge" in this decades-long "War On America." We won’t stand by quietly when they do; nor, should you.

My fellow POWs and I have long known the contempt the extreme Left has for our military. We felt the crush of rifle butts in our faces, beatings and unspeakable torture in the Hanoi Hilton Prison when we refused to kowtow to American traitors who traveled to these countries for propaganda "photo-ops" with our Communist jailors.

The so-called "anti-war movement," lead by the likes of Lt. John Kerry and his mentor, Sen. Ted Kennedy, also said they "supported the troops". What they didn’t say is whose "troops."

We knew the answer then, we were witnesses and victims. It’s the same today. They "support" America’s enemies, any Communist Regime, Dictator or Terrorists that vow to kill and maim American soldiers and innocent civilians.

American soldiers in Vietnam were falsely accused of being a "barbarian horde," "rapists," "murderers," "drug addicts" and "baby killers."

Today, their sons, daughters and grandchildren serving in uniform stand accused of being "terrorists," "Nazis," "cold-blooded murderers," people who wantonly conduct "air raids on villages" bombing and killing civilians.

Every one of those spurious accusations were spewed from the Halls of Congress, most often by the same men and women who voted to send America’s youth to war, only to denounce, vilify and abandon them later, when the opportunity for personal, political advantage presented itself.

When I and my fellow veterans — POWs, Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Navy Swift Boat combat veterans alike — attempted to warn America about one of the most notorious turncoats from the Vietnam era, we were initially ignored by the mainstream media.

When the press and TV networks could no longer cover-up for John Kerry’s very public treasonous conduct, we were accused of being "serial liars," shouted down by Leftist political campaign operatives disguised as "journalists." All the while the networks kept the film evidence of Lt. Kerry’s betrayal under lock and key, where it remains hidden from the American public even today.

The recent treatment accorded Gen. Petraeus by the same radicals in Congress and the media was strikingly similar to our experiences in 2004. Before he uttered a single word, this highly decorated combat veteran, a man of great honor who has risked his life many times in the defense of our country, stood accused, disparaged and berated by a pack of power-hungry shirkers and slackers unworthy to polish his combat medals.

Veterans who attempted to expose Sen. Kerry in 2004 were treated no better. But, Kerry and his band of Leftist comrades had something special in store for me and my fellow POWs and their wives. We were sued repeatedly for three long years, forced to spend $1 million just to defend ourselves in several frivolous lawsuits.

What did we do to cause such a prolonged, vindictive assault? We told the truth no Mainstream Media news operation wanted the American public to know, then or now.

Dozens of my fellow POWs and their wives participated in a documentary, "Stolen Honor: Wounds that Never Heal." In that film we said Kerry and his anti-war followers were liars and frauds working on behalf of our brutal Communists captors. Their collaboration with the enemy prolonged our captivity and the Vietnam War itself by years. Their vicious lies accusing us and all U.S. servicemen of being "war criminals" put our lives and the lives of Americans still fighting on the battlefield in grave danger.

Worse of all, Kerry’s self-aggrandizing, false accusations against American soldiers who had born the brunt of the bleeding and dying in Vietnam, spawned the myths our young men and women in Iraq today are forced to defend against, even as they fight for their lives on the battlefield each and every day.

You can draw a straight line from the deceitful Leftist tactics used to bring America’s defeat and dishonor in Vietnam to Iraq today.

America’s military didn’t lose the Vietnam War. Congress declared defeat, voted to abandon South Vietnam nearly two years after our last combat troops left. That sell-out, not only of our South Vietnam ally, but the nearly 60,000 Americans who gave their lives on the battlefield, ignited a genocidal holocaust throughout Southeast Asia that can still only be measured in the millions, an estimated three to five million innocent civilians brutally murdered.

We cannot let that happen again. We will not let that happen.

Three years ago, I and my fellow POWs and Vietnam combat veterans created a non-profit organization, "The Vietnam Veterans Legacy Foundation". Our mission was simple, to set the record straight about the Vietnam War and those who served and fought there. Little did we know then we’d be slapped with multiple lawsuits for daring to uncover the layer upon layer of lies that constitute the false Vietnam History.

Nor, could we know then the Left’s plans to use the same Vietnam blueprint for defeat in Iraq. Little wonder Kerry and his followers wanted to sue us into silence! But, we prevailed. We successfully defended against each of those lawsuits, all have now been withdrawn. And, we will not remain silent any longer.

Our research into the Vietnam War, most especially, those individuals and organizations responsible for creating the completely false history of Vietnam, is voluminous, factual and compelling. We have amassed a virtual library of records, documents and eyewitness testimony that proves, conclusively, the popular history of Vietnam is pure bunk, propaganda.

The "War On America" is just heating up again. What we do now will dictate America’s future, whether it is one of victory over terrorism, or, decades more of defeat, humiliation in a lost, but noble cause.

Col Bud Day (USAF RET)

Smell of Death - Rattle of Death

As CEO of large organizations I hated it when people came to me with all good news all the time. I didn't despise the good news. I despised the fact that the news bringers were using this as a way to ingratiate themselves to me, the giver of raises, the promoter of people, the favor provider.

I saw thru it.

I always appreciated the ones who had the courage to tell me the facts of life. If things were in trouble he would alert me, rattle my cage, get my attention. By this I learned the smell of death. I learned the sound of the death rattle. Unless I was able to do so I was unable to respond. I took seriously the reports I got. I wasn't discouraged. It prompted me to action. All good news all the time can prompt a leader to inaction. If it ain't broke don't fix it becomes a losing philosophy.

There is a great story in the Bible 2 Kings 4, about the Shunnamite woman who Elisha had prophesied a son for and who bore same. The son died. She goes to find the prophet. Her husband asks if things are ok. She says all is well. It wasn't. The kid was dead. Even the prophet's servant asks and she says all is well. But when she gets to the Prophet she falls at his feet and says the Boy is dead: Did I desire a son of my lord? Did I not say, Do not deceive me?

Why didn't she tell her husband? Her husband wasn't the power. Why not tell even the servant of the Prophet. Not in charge. He should have been but she understood spiritual authority. She told the truth about smell of death and death rattle to the one who could do something about it all. And he did. The boy was revived.

Going back to my experience as a CEO. The people I really valued were the ones who would say only to me, the ship is sinking, the rattle of death is being sounded. Do something. But to others outside the power structure, they would report All is Well. In that way we dealt with trouble and problems while insulating those who didn't need to know there WAS trouble.

That's my kind of bad news bringer. I'll never despise them. I understood that my capacity to receive and respond to bad news was the limiter of my authority in the position I held. If I couldn't handle it I should step down.

Good or Bad, bring it on.

UPDATE:
After writing this I thought about all the businesses I have started and those which were great successes and those which were dismal failures. The greatest failures I have ever experienced are those that did not have a person at some level willing to tell me the hard truth. My last failure, DVN, had not ONE person who would look me in the eye and say, "we are in deep weeds here and if something doesn't change we will go over the edge".

That blindness compounded by a busier and busier schedule driven by the situation caused me to trust that others were doing what I hired them to do. They were not and in the end I was led to the edge of bankruptcy by good news givers.

Don't ever ever ever fear bad news or denigrate those who bring it. They are essential to your health as a leader. Believe me, I have earned the right to give you this sound advice. Even if you think you know the whole situation and are already facing it, multiple analysis of the circumstance can only bring clarity to the whole solution if there is one to be found.

At DVN we had a manager who 8 months before we discovered our bankrupt condition had reported a profit for the year and taken a bonus as a result of it. Not truth, just good news. We had NOT really made a profit. We had really lost money.

Beware of the person who gives only good news unless it's Jesus. Then, check his ID. You'll find a copy of it in the Bible.

James Dobson is about to Elect Hillary Clinton

Not that he wants to, you understand. But he has become a misleader with a pulpit.

I wrote on this a couple days ago about egos in the evangelical community.

I like James Dobson, I appreciate his ministry but he is now meddling in areas without understanding the unintended consequence of what he is doing.

The result is we might as well get used to saying Madam President.

Global Warming from another perspective

I have been a steady reader of Ron McKenzie and his blog Blessed Economist. He and I may not agree on absolutely everything but he is always a good read.

He has applied his no little understanding of Scripture and Economics to the issue of Global Warming. I am posting them in full and the links. You are going to find this interesting.

Serious floods and storms are being blamed on climate change or global warming. The evidence that the earth is warming now seems to be quite strong. Records show that average temperatures were rising through most of the twentieth century. However, the cause of this rise in temperature is more difficult to be ascertain.

Many scientists argue that the warming is the result of human activity. They identify carbon emissions from motor vehicles and industrial activity as the cause. Others claim that the current warming is part of the normal warming and cooling that always occurs on planet earth. Getting an answer from science will be extremely difficult.

The global weather system is incredibly complex. Scientists build computer models that attempt to represent the weather system, but these models by definition must be simplifications of reality.

I do not understand these models of the global weather system, but I am familiar with the computer models developed by economists to represent the economy of a nation. These economic modelers face the same problems as meteorologists. The economic behavior of people and businesses is so complex that they cannot be fully represented in a computer model. Numerous simplifying assumptions have to be applied to get a model simple enough for a computer can handle.

THIS IS GENE, Not Ron. I visited the National Weather Service for the Chicagoland area open house on Saturday last. During the visit they had no less than 30 computers in an area they call the fish bowl. It was asked as to certitude of forecasting. He said 2 days they were pretty sure, 3 days a bit less, more than three it was a wild guess. He was asked about forecasting long term, global warming and all. He got a little red faced. He said that variations in temperatures and climate systems were cycles and no one knows for sure. There were 5 other graduate meteorologists in the room when he said it and no one flinched. I think the climate is changing. Why, how much, how fast and what's causing all this is not understood. BACK TO RON'S TAKE:

The consequence of this simplification is that the results produced by an economic model are partly determined by the set of assumptions chosen. A different set of assumptions will produce a different set of results. This leaves the modeller in a position where they determine the results that there computer model produces. This is not very satisfactory for reaching the truth about the functioning of the economic systems.

Differing assumptions are one reason why economists frequently disagree with each other. They reach different conclusions by starting from a different place. This is also the reason why the predictions of economists are so often wrong. A factor that that is left out, or incorrectly specified in the model can have a greater effect than expected, causing some of the predictions of the model to be incorrect.

I am sure that the scientists attempting to model the global weather system face exactly the same problems. The results predicted by their models will vary according to the assumptions built into their models. The global weather system is far more complex that even the most complex economy, so their task is even hard. Most people understand that the predictions of economists are usually wrong. We should apply the same level of caution to the global predictions of the meteorologists.

Measuring the change in global temperatures is difficult enough. Determining the cause of changes is virtually impossible. Deciding what actions would reverse the change in temperature is well beyond limited human capability.

God is the creator of the earth and the weather system. He designed a weather system that is sufficiently robust to accomplish his purposes on the earth. The belief that mankind can destroy what God has accomplished is quite arrogant. So if global warming has occurred, I am more inclined to believe that this is part of God’s plan and purpose than just the unexpected result of human activities. Rather than searching through the bowels of computer programs, we should dig into God’s word to find the answers.

Tomorrow I will post his venture into the Word to see if there are some clues to what is REALLY going on.

To read it in raw form go here.

A Song in the Night

I woke up this morning and this song was rolling around. I don't know why it speaks to me so clearly. It just does.

Particularly these verses:

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.

He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.

To think that Charles Wesley wrote this just a year after he was converted. What a profound understanding of his salvation.

Maybe that's why Oh for a Thousand Tongues to Sing is such a great hymn for me.

I've been reading hymns lately, Oh, I love Hillsong United and I know Jesus is partial to a band consisting of 4 guitars, 2 drummers, 2 keyboards, 3 singers, a sax, 5 banner wavers, radical pyrotechnics and a good light show all played at "11" on the sound system.

But sometimes the words of a great hymn reach me in places I need to be reached.

Trends from those who set and watch trends

Things change so fast I can't keep up with them. Some are intentional. Some are incidental. The only certitude is change. Things a year from now will be different.

The catalyst conference is one my friend Mark Batterson attended. He spoke as well.

Here are some key points made by some speakers:

From Reggie McNeal

Tens of thousands of new Christians each day in China

Tens of thousands of people coming to Christ each month in India

These people are saying: “We don’t have time to evangelize… we’re growing too quickly.

“I’d like to see Pentecost happen where I live, not just ‘over there’”

What is God doing over there that we could learn from?

It’s too early to ‘define’ this movement…

How do we ride the wave?

Internal focus in churches produces church centric view of the world.

External focus in churches produces a kingdom lens view of the world.

The missional church doesn’t see the church as a silo (come and get it). The missional church looks more at the ‘go and get them’. God is at work in every area, the missional church looks at how to work in those areas.

The church counts those who are in attendance. God is too busy counting those who aren’t there.

Regular church ‘shrinkwraps’ God’s ability to work.

“Quit reaching lost people. They don’t want to be reached. They want to be left alone.”

Jesus is hanging out with the lost. (He has come to seek and to save that which was lost).

We should make people adopt their culture or their lifestyle to accept Christ.

Are people gonna have to become church people to accept the gospel?

We are in a God intoxicated culture.

God is ‘busting this sucker wide open’

The book of acts is the church catching up with the spirit. That’s where we are.

What’s the point of the people of God if the people of God isn’t the point.

The church is not the destination. The KINGDOM is the destination.

The church is just a connector to the kingdom.

From Brad Powell

Pastors Fear Change

But many pastors fear making changes at their church, especially changes that challenge the tradition and culture and language of their local church. Change is hard. Change is stressful. And many view any kind of transition in the church today as a type of compromise. Change can also cause people to leave the church (a big concern for most pastors). But according to Powell, these types of changes are absolutely necessary if a church is to move from a state of decline into a period of growth and health. And, when studying church change, you’ll find that people will leave with or without change.

Brad cites three truths:

1. If your church doesn’t change, it will STILL lose people. It’s natural… people will leave even if you don’t change!

2. If your church doesn’t change, it loses the opportunity to reach new people. If you’re not able to speak the language of the culture, many of your target will fall completely off your radar.

3. If your church does change, it would lose the right people. Those members who are the ones steeped in tradition are the ones holding the future effectiveness of the church back.

I think these thinkers and front line observers have something to teach the rest of us.

The real question is, ARE WE TEACHABLE OR WILL WE REMAIN IN OUT CHOSEN RUT?

1.2619746

I have been blogging for 1023 days (since December 19, 2004). There are 1291 posts on my blog. That means I have blogged 1.2619746 posts per day since day one on average. That doesn't include this post. This is no particular benchmark.

It's been fun. And all of them are Profound and World changing and Wordy.

One of those is true. I'll let you pick which it is.

The 1001th post

My son Kevin sent me this. It's pretty humorous. I don't know if it's legit or not.

He claims it's on 1000 blogs. I thought I would make it 1001. I'm sure there is a great deal of theological meaning to all this.

Or it's just really funny. Looking for a date? Read This.

Achey Breakey Grumpy Heart

I woke up at 3AM. I'm achey. I'm grumpy. I'm badly directed.

I don't receive this. I have stuff to do. So I will push thru.

My heart isn't in all the things holding fire that I wish it were.

Too grumpy I am. And Achey and Breakey. I need a nap.

Fascinating Leadership

Yesterday at 5PM was the groundbreaking for Faith Center's new building.  A multi-thousand seat auditorium.  It was impressive in many ways.

Here's a few.

• Every Pastor and Leader in the Church turned a shovel of Dirt
• Every Person who attended (and there were several hundred) received a souvenir acknowledgement that "I was there".
• Several community leaders came to speak at the event.  TV stations were there. That might be normal.  But what was abnormal was how they raved in testimony to the positive influence faith center has in the community.  Alderman, county officials and a judge who said he deals with people in criminal court and he said that what Faith Center does in the community was far more important than anyone understands.  People need Jesus to make it.  These were not members of the church.  They were members of the community who see what Faith Center does as a church and thru it's community faith based ministries like Life Center right down in the hard parts of Rockford.
• Then, at  the end, Pastor Don Lyon, 75 yrs old, walks to a waiting skid steer loader, The music on the PA rises, he crawls into the cab, fires it up, pulls ahead and after everyone had a chance to turn dirt with a shovel, pulls out like a pro and scoops up a big bobcat style load of dirt and sod. What a class act.  I know it was practiced.  I know it was drama.  But it was really impressive. 
• Then he raised the scoop way up in the air after dumping the load and descended from the cab of the unit in victory.  WOW!

I have to admit I have been less faith-filled about this project than many others are.  I've been part of too many too soon Church expansions that end up ministering to a half filled auditorium.  It's hard to have much of a move of the spirit when everyone is disconnected sitting all over an empty auditorium.  Or if you take down all the chairs it looks silly.  Like, what did you plan to do with all that empty space when you built this edifice?

During the regular evening service people ran to the front to place money in a huge urn that always stands at the front of the podium for the purposes of the building fund. During the worship and without any prompting or encouragement without a word spoken, one person started, then another and soon there was a rush. There was a rush of understanding.  It seemed like if you wanted to get in on this, now was the time. 

There will be no problem in finding the money to do all this.  It's already there.  How much was raised last night I'll never know but it was thousands and thousands of dollars.  I remember a few months ago when the building fund had several tens of thousands of dollars in it.  An African pastor needed money to build a home for lost young people displaced by war and disease on his continent.  Pastor Lyon cleaned out the coffers to give it all to this man. 

Not a wise thing if you are about to embark on a building program.  But it's that kind of faith act that results in what I saw.  A man who pastors a large PH church in Tulsa OK insists that the church give almost half it's income away every year to missions and other things outside the operating budget of the church.  When you give into that offering you know that it's not going to buy the bigger car or house for the pastor or his family.

I have been to Pastor Lyon's house. It's very nice.  But it's just a house.  Not ostentatious.  Just a house.  He could convince people that more opulence might be appropriate.  But he's like my PH fellow in Tulsa  he has his priorities in order.

The man who spoke last night said, "I looked at this huge building project and asked myself, how in the world will they ever get this done by next spring, and how will they ever pay for it?"  Then he said, "Wait, that's Apostle Lyon and for him to accomplish this with his level of faith is no problem". 

Not since the days of Pastor Dan Rothwell in Fargo who in every church he ever built and with the expansion of every building he ever built was paid for by the time it was completed have I seen such great faith. Pastor Lyon has that same level of faith and authority in the spirit. 

I'm amazed and inspired.

Lead on Apostle Lyon.  I'm still going to school to apprehend that level of faith.