Today I was asked a question about what Religious Tolerance is to me. It's a valid question and I attempted to answer it. The text is below. The question rose out of the comments of a couple pastors from Kansas City who were intereviewed here. It's a good thought process and I share it now.
Tolerance and respect and acceptance are 3 distinct actions.
Tolerance says I will not speak out directly against a religion or belief system. For instance, If a person worships rocks, I may think it stupid, but it's harmless and I will tolerate it.
It is harmless in it's action and effect and I tolerate it as such. There are people who are earth worshippers (as the American Indians were) who are out in left field but harmless. Intolerance kicks in for me when it does actual harm. Child sacrifice by a religious sect will cause intolerance to kick in for me. Radical Islam that encourages people in destroying themselves to destroy others and indoctrinates children to hate all non Muslims is not a religion I am tolerant of. I will speak against that as I would some Satan worshipper who snatches kids off the street for sacrifice. I'm not tolerant of victimization.
Respect is another thing. The rock worshipper may be tolerated but I wouldn't respect them. I think they are whacked out. I certainly don't respect religions that I am intolerant of. But Buddhism is a religion I respect and tolerate.
I don't espouse it but it seems to be a sincere innocuous belief system. It doesn't seem to victimize people. Hinduism I'm not so sure of. I think it does victimise people. Radical Islam I certainly don't respect. Islam in it's form as practiced by the Turks is not a horrid religion (albeit the honor killings and some other practices that are beyond the pale). It's aberration of basic humanity that causes me to wonder about where the border between Moderate and Radical Islam is and whether that line is actually drawn. Other cults like scientology I don't respect. I think they are harmful. I can tolerate them.
Acceptance is the last consideration. Acceptance for me is not just accepting that they exist, or that they are harmless or not. Acceptance is that I receive them as fellow travelers. The catholic church is different from the expression of who God is to me, but I accept it. Most denominational churches are likewise acceptable. I can go there and worship and be in harmony with them. It may not be my "Flavor" but without the chandelier swinging or the rolling on the floor but it's still satisfactory. Acceptance. I feel this way about all forms of Catholicism, Coptic, eastern, Judaism (I have worshipped in Temple and like it), Mormonism (I'm not as narrow about this as some), snake handlers (never did it, don't fear them). For me, the issue is always, "what think ye of the Christ". For that reason I don't accept the Jehovah's Witness'. Tolerate and Respect but not accept. The fellowships that hold Jesus as God are fellowships I accept. Jews are looking into the future but they see him coming, just not yet. They are my brothers. Someday they will be brothers in Christ.
The abortive forms of Christianity (Phelps from Topeka of Funeral Protest Fame) is not my cup of tea and I don't respect, tolerate or accept him and his Ilk. On the other hand, I don't think David Koresh was dangerous as the US Government had him made out to be and believe he died wrongly. I think he was deluded. Delusion shouldn't be a capital crime.
Now, as to the article. I read it. I frankly am not quite as middle of the road as these fine gents are. Respectful and Tolerant but not Accepting. I think you have to take a stand. Some things are just wrong. If Hitler was to raise his head again do we say, "well, let's just tolerate and respect him?" I think we must war against evil as we see it. It's childish to think that if we ignore evil it will go away. That's why we used to put the covers over our heads as kids or hide under the bed. Those who somehow believe it's not our duty to stand down evil in the world today and just leave them alone are not facing reality.
One last thing. What about people with no religion? Agnostics. Atheists. Passive. Non-Practicing. How do I feel about them?
Tolerant - YES (no one can force anyone to believe or not believe so I tolerate)
Respected - NO I don't think in the end it's possible to be on no side of this issue. The great prophet Bob Dylan Said: "You Gotta Serve Someone". I think anything that is not clearly on one side of the fence is on the other side. There is no middle ground. As the earth goes thru the terror and trembling it is going thru right now the capacity to stay neutral is becoming less and less possible. I just may not respect one who is trying to stay out of the battle out of some ilfated desire to hide in the closet.
Accepted - NO If I think people need Jesus (And I DO) I am not accepting of anything less. I won't beat you about the head and shoulders but I will do all I can in all ways and in any language so as to persuade a few. I care too much about what it means to come into a genuine living relationship with Him be passive or accepting of anything less.
So, if you or anyone is offended by me or my persistence and determination, I'm still the same Gene, I'm still crazy after all these years. I've just come to a place where the day I see so clearly when I will step from time into eternity (which we all will) is will be a glorious day that if I'm fortunate enough and living the way I want to be living in Him I will virtually not notice the change. I want to live like this. I know I can.
I stumble, I do dumb things, but I live in a continual state of grace that allows me to walk in boldness and confidence that makes me less and less tolerant or accepting of a second rate life for anyone willing to take a peek at what I see beyond the veil for this side of the Age.
ONE MORE THING:
As a prime example of appropriate intolerance, below are links to another blog and a video (very long but worth the look) to help you understand what I am intolerant of. Radical Islam is EVIL. Long and Short, that's the truth. Get out from under the covers. They are to kill you and your kids. They are out to destroy your way of life.
Read this and you will see. Watch it and you will feel.
There is no room for tolerance in this except for fools.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Nuclear War is Scheduled for Tomorrow (or not)
I love prophecy. I respect it. But, I also don't let it rule my life in fear. God is God and I'm not.
That's why this ominous prediction from 9 years ago sourced in the BIBLE CODE folks predicting that on August 2, 2006 (Tisha B'Av) nuclear war would break out in the middle east doesn't scare me.
You can read the whole thing here.
The truth is, only you can be responsible for you. If the nukes fly are you ready? I am. That's why in the face of this prediction and it's fulfillment or lack of it I don't have any fear.
Don't run out and max out your credit cards because of this. Don't find a bridge to jump from. Don't hide in the Bomb Shelter.
There's only one shelter. Psalm 91.
I'll bet there are 10s of thousands of Jews rehearsing this Psalm today.
Tomorrow is Tisha B'Av, a day for Jewish memory: Jewish Year 5766 : sunset August 2, 2006 - nightfall August 3, 2006
Here’s what is supposed to happen:
What is most interesting is this whole thing was written in nearly 10 years ago. It seems like yesterday's headline. Will it happen, I don’t know, But I’m ready. Are you?
That's why this ominous prediction from 9 years ago sourced in the BIBLE CODE folks predicting that on August 2, 2006 (Tisha B'Av) nuclear war would break out in the middle east doesn't scare me.
You can read the whole thing here.
The truth is, only you can be responsible for you. If the nukes fly are you ready? I am. That's why in the face of this prediction and it's fulfillment or lack of it I don't have any fear.
Don't run out and max out your credit cards because of this. Don't find a bridge to jump from. Don't hide in the Bomb Shelter.
There's only one shelter. Psalm 91.
I'll bet there are 10s of thousands of Jews rehearsing this Psalm today.
Tomorrow is Tisha B'Av, a day for Jewish memory: Jewish Year 5766 : sunset August 2, 2006 - nightfall August 3, 2006
Here’s what is supposed to happen:
Tisha B'Av is a fast day, and a man will not put on his tallit until midday (by that time the fire had died down in the Temple).
It is forbidden to wear shoes, bathe, wear perfume, shave, wash clothes or exchange greetings. Mirrors are traditionally covered and mourners sit on the ground, or a low stool, just as one would do when mourning the loss of a loved one. Mourners meals are eaten (boiled eggs with bread dipped in ash).
In the synagogue, the lights are dimmed and the embroidered cover of the Ark is removed; symbolizing the destruction of the great curtain which hung in the entrance to the Holy of Holies. Prayers and scripture readings are chanted in hushed, melancholy terms and Jeremiah 8 v13 to 9 v23 is read along with all of Lamentations.
"My eyes do fail with tears.... for the destruction of the daughter of my people (Jerusalem). " Jeremiah.
Tisha B'Av is not a perpetual fast - "Thus says the LORD of hosts: the fast of the fourth month, amid the fast of the fifth... shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness. ." Zechariah 8 v19. Messiah will come, Zechariah 9 v9. The holy Temple will be rebuilt and the LORD shall be king over all the earth; Zechariah 14 v9.
Ariel is the ancient name for Jerusalem, but it is also the current name of a large Jewish suburb of Jerusalem, just outside the city, proper.
It is my opinion that the description that follows is an atomic attack. The word Ariel sounds like "altar hearth" in Hebrew. In this case it will be a place of human sacrifice. If Hamas attacked Jerusalem itself, they would be attacking a holy city to three religions. But if they attacked Ariel, they would 'only' be killing Jews, thus it is a better target from their point of view.
The Israelis hold Syria responsible for Hamas' behavior, so I would expect them to retaliate by nuking Damascus. Things will go downhill from there.
Drosnin's slide, from his book "The Bible Code", says the "ninth of Av is the day of the third". WW3 is the one war in history that indeed will only take a day to start and finish.
What is most interesting is this whole thing was written in nearly 10 years ago. It seems like yesterday's headline. Will it happen, I don’t know, But I’m ready. Are you?
Plan of God or Accident in Israel?
Last night in a time of intercession I was given this revelation. I submit it for your consideration. Many times I know that some things revealed are just for me. Sometimes they are for a wider distribution. I don't know which is which in this case. You must decide. I only know this for sure. Nothing going on right now in Israel comes as a shock to Jesus. He's fully aware of the beginning from the end all together. He gives us clues. Let's take a peek. (by the way, if Jesus is God [and he is] then any words directly from the mouth of God in the Old Testament must be treated with the same red letter reverence as the New Testament)
The Prophet Joel (Old Testament) spoke a great deal of a restored land of Israel. He spoke of it and made this statement in Chapter 3:4 regarding some future conflict between Israel's enemies and the nation of Israel.
4" Moreover, what are you to Me, O Tyre, Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering Me a recompense? But if you do recompense Me, swiftly and speedily I will return your recompense on your head.
The cities of Tyre and Sidon are still there. They are in present day Lebanon. The region of Philisita is present day Gaza strip. The Palestinian "Homeland". The very countries who came against Israel in this recent conflict. I see the hand of God in this.
What is more interesting is this pronouncement comes only a few verses after Chapter 2:27-29. These seem to be coincident events. I think we believed at the beginning of the last century that the outpouring of God's Spirit was the one promised in Joel 28-29. I'm not sure. In looking at this maybe we are about to experience one like never before. Something that is going to rip the roof off most Churches. It may be so sold out and radical that it will tip over every sacred religious cow that ever existed. I hope so. I believe that the time to quit "Church" and Join Jesus is now. This doesn't mean leave the fellowship of believers you have joined yourself to. It does mean putting a demand on the anointing of God such that you are dissatisfied with anything less than everything God provides by His Spirit.
27" Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel,
And that I am the LORD your God,
And there is no other;
And My people will never be put to shame.
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
29"Even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
And that I am the LORD your God,
And there is no other;
And My people will never be put to shame.
The Promise of the Spirit
28" It will come about after thisThat I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
29"Even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
My friend Apostle Barry Kolb has been prophesied to be a disturber of the denominations. It is time to disturb away. The outpouring is coming. Nothing is going to ever be the same again. We will either get on board or be left behind.
If you read down two posts you will see a further depth in this analysis.
So, pour it on Lord. I must still be young. I still see visions.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Mel and Me
The press is having a field day with the arrest of Mel Gibson for DUI and his drunken talk in reference to Jews. I have been drunk. I know what it sounds like. I have driven with too much to drink. I know how that feels and what it's like.
OH, don't be so shocked. SO HAVE YOU. I grew up in North Dakota. We didn't have much opera to attend in Dakota so we drank and drove.
If Mel Gibson had been a porn star or a producer of x-rated films there would be no vindictive press as there is over this. But because he produced a blockbuster movie about Jesus they salivate at the skewering.
I feel bad for him. Braveheart was one of the most inspirational movies I ever saw. When he was about to be drawn and quartered he yells "Freedom". That was a moment.
So, there but for the grace of God go I and frankly you. I don't for a minute think he is an anti-Semite. I think he’s a drunk.
But I expect nothing less from the lefty press than to hammer this over and over and over. It's a good think I just heard that Castro is in the hospital seriously Ill. Now they have something to get excited about. I mean, the ADHD press is already tired of the war in the Middle East. That's why they had such a field day with Mel.
Mel buddy, I'm with ya. To heck with them. You da man.
OH, don't be so shocked. SO HAVE YOU. I grew up in North Dakota. We didn't have much opera to attend in Dakota so we drank and drove.
If Mel Gibson had been a porn star or a producer of x-rated films there would be no vindictive press as there is over this. But because he produced a blockbuster movie about Jesus they salivate at the skewering.
I feel bad for him. Braveheart was one of the most inspirational movies I ever saw. When he was about to be drawn and quartered he yells "Freedom". That was a moment.
So, there but for the grace of God go I and frankly you. I don't for a minute think he is an anti-Semite. I think he’s a drunk.
But I expect nothing less from the lefty press than to hammer this over and over and over. It's a good think I just heard that Castro is in the hospital seriously Ill. Now they have something to get excited about. I mean, the ADHD press is already tired of the war in the Middle East. That's why they had such a field day with Mel.
Mel buddy, I'm with ya. To heck with them. You da man.
MODERATE SINNERS
Moderate sinners are modest in sin
They do not commit all sins at all times
They do not rob God always
They do not steal everything at-one-go
Neither do they totally reject religion
Only God determines their worth
Even the heavenly Judge who is just
He will neither lie nor waver in judgment
Moderate sinners are `rational' sinners
Moderate sinners enjoy secret sins
They cleverly conceal their evil deeds
They prove smarter than any earthly watcher
Moderate sinners are hopeless gamblers
Whose foolishness will soon be revealed
They tell lies with ease and comfort
They reject the truth with tacit hate
In their heart lies the wicked, ol' serpent
They are of the stock of Reuben of old
They are ever unstable as seawaters
They shall never excel in life
Their love for the Scriptures is selective
They hate God but love His prosperity
They use the Bible to establish lust
They are twisted philosophers indeed
Truly, they are perverse counselors
"If you drink, don't drive," they say
"If you drive, don't drink" they exhort
They plead against immorality, not because it is evil
But because of HIV/AIDS and STDs
They advise men to play safe and use condom
Evil homosexuals are referred to as "gay"
Their abominable evil as "Alternative Lifestyle"
Moderate sinners are the worst of hypocrites
They pursue worthless vanities with modesty
Moderate sinners will die twice and forever
They are candidates of hell whose abode is in Hades
They are people who claim that too much of sin is bad
The eternal consequence and gravity of sin they know not
But Christ died for all, moderate sinners inclusive
If all men will value what Christ did, they will hate sin
SHALOM.
OLUFUNSO J OMIDIRAN
This was submitted to me by Revered Olfunso Omadiran of Nigeria (Africa). He is a Pastor of my Aquaintance from there. I appreciate his work and if you are interested in more of what he does you can look at his website. I commend it to you.
I must admit, this ODE of his convicted me. I'm pretty moderate when measured in those terms.
Thanks Rev.
I needed that.
They do not commit all sins at all times
They do not rob God always
They do not steal everything at-one-go
Neither do they totally reject religion
Only God determines their worth
Even the heavenly Judge who is just
He will neither lie nor waver in judgment
Moderate sinners are `rational' sinners
Moderate sinners enjoy secret sins
They cleverly conceal their evil deeds
They prove smarter than any earthly watcher
Moderate sinners are hopeless gamblers
Whose foolishness will soon be revealed
They tell lies with ease and comfort
They reject the truth with tacit hate
In their heart lies the wicked, ol' serpent
They are of the stock of Reuben of old
They are ever unstable as seawaters
They shall never excel in life
Their love for the Scriptures is selective
They hate God but love His prosperity
They use the Bible to establish lust
They are twisted philosophers indeed
Truly, they are perverse counselors
"If you drink, don't drive," they say
"If you drive, don't drink" they exhort
They plead against immorality, not because it is evil
But because of HIV/AIDS and STDs
They advise men to play safe and use condom
Evil homosexuals are referred to as "gay"
Their abominable evil as "Alternative Lifestyle"
Moderate sinners are the worst of hypocrites
They pursue worthless vanities with modesty
Moderate sinners will die twice and forever
They are candidates of hell whose abode is in Hades
They are people who claim that too much of sin is bad
The eternal consequence and gravity of sin they know not
But Christ died for all, moderate sinners inclusive
If all men will value what Christ did, they will hate sin
SHALOM.
OLUFUNSO J OMIDIRAN
This was submitted to me by Revered Olfunso Omadiran of Nigeria (Africa). He is a Pastor of my Aquaintance from there. I appreciate his work and if you are interested in more of what he does you can look at his website. I commend it to you.
I must admit, this ODE of his convicted me. I'm pretty moderate when measured in those terms.
Thanks Rev.
I needed that.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Pet Rocks = Prius Hybrid
You remember Hula Hoops. They were a fad. Everyone had to have one then they faded. Oh you can still buy one but they are no longer in style.
Or Pet Rocks. Remember?
Well today we have continued our faddish ways.
Hybrid Cars. FAD!
I pronounced hybrid vehicles a hula-hoop over a year ago. They were inefficient to build, got marginally better mileage, poor performance, high upkeep and without tax breaks would fail in the marketplace.
But, people are sheep. All we like sheep trot down to the Toyota dealership and plop our money down to buy a hybrid. Why? Cause it makes us feel better. We're doing something to save the environment. We're being responsible. All of which is absolute balderdash. But it comes under the category that “We have to do SOMETHING, don’t we”. Burn a candle to the oil gods. It’s just as effective and you can still feel like you did “Something”.
All this is part of the big lie and if you drive a hybrid you bought it. Sorry to break it to you. But it's a fad and all the “in” folks on the bandwagon have been had.
Hybrids are quiet. They make you feel trendy. But they’re a waste of natural resources, your money and tax incentives that might have been better directed.
It's not just my opinion, Betsy Hart (No engineer she) is a social observer as I am and she has made the same pronouncement.
In part she says in this article from today’s Sun Times:
When I first saw hybrid cars come on the market I knew this. I said so and was ridiculed. I always get the last laugh.
Just so you know, back in the mid 70's my brother Steven and I went to the World Electric Car Conference for 4 days. I was convinced that there were breakthroughs coming in Electric Cars. I am still convinced that for short distances there are viable breakthroughs coming.
But, the question is asked Who Killed the Electric Car? in this movie. I plan to see it. I still believe that the plug-in car is still part of the energy solution. Not hybrids.
And, in case you need one other prescient pronouncement: Ethanol is a hula hoop. A waste of resources, land, and tax incentives. But we'll use those abandoned plants to produce real bio fuel when the technologies are ready. Ethanol is a loser in every way if it ever has to compete on the market. Crude oil at $50 is a break even gallon for gallon with Ethanol. The dirty little secret is Ethanol is only half the energy content of oil. So really crude oil has to sell for $100 per barrel for there to be equivalence. My source for all the information following is a long long article in today’s Chicago Tribune outlining these issues.
Biodiesel is not much better. I have hope for biodiesel. But not right now, not right yet. Biodiesel has about a 1-1 energy output with oil. But it takes a stable price of $70 to make biodiesel economically effective. There are better things coming. Genetically engineered microbes that break down anything lignose based (Cellulose, paper, wood, waste grass clippings you name it) and produce long chain –OH compounds that burn just like gasoline. That will work. It’s on the horizon. Right now they are about as expensive as biodiesel. This is a technology that will drop in price after it works.
Coal source Diesel. Coal to liquid fuel conversion. That makes sense economically and technically. It competes with a steady world price of $45. The state of Colorado alone has more heavy oil (Tar Sands) and Montana has coal than the whole oil supply basin of the whole Middle East. It is converted directly from it’s solid form into Diesel Oil.
The biggest fear I have and the one I think will happen soon are when things start settling down in the Middle East and crude production takes off, and we have a world price of $45. Research will stop. Big oil profits are our only hope.
We (USA) currently use 21 million barrels of oil per day. We (USA) currently produce 9 million barrels per day. That is more than Canada, Mexico and Venezuela combined. IF the world cut us off we would have to halve our consumption. Doable? Maybe. So relax. We’re not running out of oil.
So, pay that big money at the pump. Just maybe Exxon will use that money for exploration and research rather than a new bathroom in the CEO's house.
One can only hope.
We have no alternative unless you want to fund government to do this. Like that’ll ever get anything done.
Or Pet Rocks. Remember?
Well today we have continued our faddish ways.
Hybrid Cars. FAD!
I pronounced hybrid vehicles a hula-hoop over a year ago. They were inefficient to build, got marginally better mileage, poor performance, high upkeep and without tax breaks would fail in the marketplace.
But, people are sheep. All we like sheep trot down to the Toyota dealership and plop our money down to buy a hybrid. Why? Cause it makes us feel better. We're doing something to save the environment. We're being responsible. All of which is absolute balderdash. But it comes under the category that “We have to do SOMETHING, don’t we”. Burn a candle to the oil gods. It’s just as effective and you can still feel like you did “Something”.
All this is part of the big lie and if you drive a hybrid you bought it. Sorry to break it to you. But it's a fad and all the “in” folks on the bandwagon have been had.
Hybrids are quiet. They make you feel trendy. But they’re a waste of natural resources, your money and tax incentives that might have been better directed.
It's not just my opinion, Betsy Hart (No engineer she) is a social observer as I am and she has made the same pronouncement.
In part she says in this article from today’s Sun Times:
The well-respected auto research firm, CNW Marketing in Brandon, Ore., recently found after a two-year study collecting data on the ''energy necessary to plan, build, sell, drive and dispose'' of the cars, that the hybrids don't stack up well.
CNW found that hybrids use more total energy in their lifetime than their gasoline-powered cousins. Even a Hummer, the ultimate bane of the environmentalist world -- uses less total energy over its lifetime than any hybrid (including the halo special, the Prius), Car and Driver magazine said.
When I first saw hybrid cars come on the market I knew this. I said so and was ridiculed. I always get the last laugh.
Just so you know, back in the mid 70's my brother Steven and I went to the World Electric Car Conference for 4 days. I was convinced that there were breakthroughs coming in Electric Cars. I am still convinced that for short distances there are viable breakthroughs coming.
But, the question is asked Who Killed the Electric Car? in this movie. I plan to see it. I still believe that the plug-in car is still part of the energy solution. Not hybrids.
And, in case you need one other prescient pronouncement: Ethanol is a hula hoop. A waste of resources, land, and tax incentives. But we'll use those abandoned plants to produce real bio fuel when the technologies are ready. Ethanol is a loser in every way if it ever has to compete on the market. Crude oil at $50 is a break even gallon for gallon with Ethanol. The dirty little secret is Ethanol is only half the energy content of oil. So really crude oil has to sell for $100 per barrel for there to be equivalence. My source for all the information following is a long long article in today’s Chicago Tribune outlining these issues.
Biodiesel is not much better. I have hope for biodiesel. But not right now, not right yet. Biodiesel has about a 1-1 energy output with oil. But it takes a stable price of $70 to make biodiesel economically effective. There are better things coming. Genetically engineered microbes that break down anything lignose based (Cellulose, paper, wood, waste grass clippings you name it) and produce long chain –OH compounds that burn just like gasoline. That will work. It’s on the horizon. Right now they are about as expensive as biodiesel. This is a technology that will drop in price after it works.
Coal source Diesel. Coal to liquid fuel conversion. That makes sense economically and technically. It competes with a steady world price of $45. The state of Colorado alone has more heavy oil (Tar Sands) and Montana has coal than the whole oil supply basin of the whole Middle East. It is converted directly from it’s solid form into Diesel Oil.
The biggest fear I have and the one I think will happen soon are when things start settling down in the Middle East and crude production takes off, and we have a world price of $45. Research will stop. Big oil profits are our only hope.
We (USA) currently use 21 million barrels of oil per day. We (USA) currently produce 9 million barrels per day. That is more than Canada, Mexico and Venezuela combined. IF the world cut us off we would have to halve our consumption. Doable? Maybe. So relax. We’re not running out of oil.
So, pay that big money at the pump. Just maybe Exxon will use that money for exploration and research rather than a new bathroom in the CEO's house.
One can only hope.
We have no alternative unless you want to fund government to do this. Like that’ll ever get anything done.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Kicked out over a peanut
Another Saga from Atlantic City. Armpit of New Jersey.
First: It was probably bad judgment on my part. It was my fault. I was in need of correction.
I stopped in a boardwalk bistro and ordered something cold to drink. I intended to order a sandwich. No one took my order. I sat for 5 minutes. Appetizer needed. I was hungry. I sat sipping my beverage and retrieved a partially eaten sack of peanuts about the size of a baseball out of my pocket. I had bought them from a street vendor
They were busy. I ate perhaps a dozen or so, putting the shells neatly in the cup provided for the drink. It was my intent to not leave any shells or any mess.
Suddenly the owner of the joint, a Greek fellow, large beard, bad accent, came took away my beverage, told me to take my peanuts and get out. He refunded my money (that was nice of him sort of). But he unceremoniously kicked me out.
Now, this was not a restaurant. It was a walk up hot dog stand counter with stools. I was on a stool. I was not asked to stop, I was not asked to put away the peanuts. Just kicked out.
He made a scene. I have fairly thick skin so I took my money, my peanuts, my shells and my hungry bod out the door as ordered. I said at the beginning I was probably wrong.
I thought about that. I don’t believe it is in good taste to take a sandwich into a restaurant. I’ll give you that. I know restaurants, this was no restaurant. But, I don’t believe this kind of perfunctory execution served anything. I didn’t get a sandwich (Philly Steak with Cheese $6.50 is what I had in mind), he didn’t get my money. Any of it.
I went down the boardwalk and had a Corned Beef Sandwich ($5.95). It was good.
I guess that Greek thinks he showed me a thing or two. Won a battle but lost little war. He will go to his grave thinking he showed me a thing or two. He did. He showed me he’s a peanut. He now runs a hotdog stand in Armpit New Jersey. He will always run a hotdog stand in Armpit New Jersey. We used to have a saying in Carnegie:
Interpretation, you stay where you are, stuck in life because of dumb bush league decisions you make.
I think I’ll stop saying Bush league, it’s insulting to Bushes, Presidential and leafy.
Peanut.
First: It was probably bad judgment on my part. It was my fault. I was in need of correction.
I stopped in a boardwalk bistro and ordered something cold to drink. I intended to order a sandwich. No one took my order. I sat for 5 minutes. Appetizer needed. I was hungry. I sat sipping my beverage and retrieved a partially eaten sack of peanuts about the size of a baseball out of my pocket. I had bought them from a street vendor
They were busy. I ate perhaps a dozen or so, putting the shells neatly in the cup provided for the drink. It was my intent to not leave any shells or any mess.
Suddenly the owner of the joint, a Greek fellow, large beard, bad accent, came took away my beverage, told me to take my peanuts and get out. He refunded my money (that was nice of him sort of). But he unceremoniously kicked me out.
Now, this was not a restaurant. It was a walk up hot dog stand counter with stools. I was on a stool. I was not asked to stop, I was not asked to put away the peanuts. Just kicked out.
He made a scene. I have fairly thick skin so I took my money, my peanuts, my shells and my hungry bod out the door as ordered. I said at the beginning I was probably wrong.
I thought about that. I don’t believe it is in good taste to take a sandwich into a restaurant. I’ll give you that. I know restaurants, this was no restaurant. But, I don’t believe this kind of perfunctory execution served anything. I didn’t get a sandwich (Philly Steak with Cheese $6.50 is what I had in mind), he didn’t get my money. Any of it.
I went down the boardwalk and had a Corned Beef Sandwich ($5.95). It was good.
I guess that Greek thinks he showed me a thing or two. Won a battle but lost little war. He will go to his grave thinking he showed me a thing or two. He did. He showed me he’s a peanut. He now runs a hotdog stand in Armpit New Jersey. He will always run a hotdog stand in Armpit New Jersey. We used to have a saying in Carnegie:
I know men in the ranks that will stay in the ranks,
Why? I’ll tell you why,
Simply because they haven’t the ability to get things done
Why? I’ll tell you why,
Simply because they haven’t the ability to get things done
Interpretation, you stay where you are, stuck in life because of dumb bush league decisions you make.
I think I’ll stop saying Bush league, it’s insulting to Bushes, Presidential and leafy.
Peanut.
Friday, July 28, 2006
IF you like:………………..
- Filth and Garbage in the streets and alleys
- The smell of urine
- Hookers on every street corner
- Psychics every 50 feet
- Rip off artists up and down the street
- Casinos everywhere with guys in suits and a gun standing around
- Low Class people (Street Smart / Jaywalking level intelligence folks)
- Slums 2 blocks from the Trump Casino
- Gang Graffiti everywhere
- Empty condom wrappers on the beach for kids to play with
- Drunks and homeless everywhere
- Weirdoes run the business on the boardwalk
- Strip Clubs every 150 feet
- Overpriced everything
- No value anything
If you like all these things you will LOVE Atlantic City New Jersey.
This is a city without a soul. Cities have spirit or idenity. This one has none. Atlantic City has casino's like Vegas but it's a third class Vegas. It has a beachfront like Myrtle Beach but it's a second rate Myrtle Beach and it tries to have an aura of New Orleans but it's not even close to what New Orleans was. I've been all those places, Atlantic City you ain't them.
This was some large expensive government social engineering program meant to bring in "Jobs". Jobs sucked the life out of whatever identity they ever had. So it's a town that doesn't know who it is. Be who you are and be the best that you can be. I have seen the worst effects casino gambling brings and it's not a pretty sight.
It is without a doubt one of the lowest class places I have ever visited. I’m glad to live in Chicago.
Oh, and Mayor Daley, if you should read this, the Atlantic City casinos are the equivalent of placing a Trump, Sands, and Cesar’s palace in the center of the worst neighborhoods in Chicago. It doesn’t make the neighborhoods better it makes the casinos sleazy.
I will have to go back to Atlantic City. I hope they get some Hispanic folks in there to upgrade the slum. We like them in Chicago and they make the place better. What's there now is not better, it's pitiful.
This is the worst I have seen in America in a long time.
**Update, OK, the democrat jab was wrong. I spend mornings walking and listening to conversations with the other men coffee Klatching on the boardwalk. Let's just say, NONE of them are Bush supporters or fans of anything conservative or Christian. At least none of the conversations I heard. They couldn't find Israel or Iran or Iraq on a map for a hundred dollars but they all had an opinion. They had only watched the TV news. Big time opinions. Small time minds. The thing that bothered me is some of them are allowed to vote. Yikes. But the good news is, most of them don't get around to it.
So, I don't know if those dunces were democrats or not. I do know that they didn't or wouldn't vote for GWB and hate him now. So, if they are democrats it's hard to tell, they're just plain stupid and uninformed. I had a hard time telling the difference.
Do Not Read Blogs! Particularly this one.
Some are dangerous. This one surely is. It is loaded with things that could set you free, anger you and, if you are bright enough, lead you to the truth.
I just want to warn you, continued reading of this blog will cause you to take the spiritual blinders off and cause you to begin to seek God for real.
So, you have been warned. Read what you will. Some will cause you to think. There will come a day when you will hit the wall. You will be empty. You will feel lost. You will need Jesus. You don’t think you will but I promise you that is how it works. We all get to the peapods in the bottom of the slop bucket. Now or later.
Only he can bring you back and bring you out. But, keep running. He loves you and will run you down until you catch him.
Come home. There is no other way.
I just want to warn you, continued reading of this blog will cause you to take the spiritual blinders off and cause you to begin to seek God for real.
So, you have been warned. Read what you will. Some will cause you to think. There will come a day when you will hit the wall. You will be empty. You will feel lost. You will need Jesus. You don’t think you will but I promise you that is how it works. We all get to the peapods in the bottom of the slop bucket. Now or later.
Only he can bring you back and bring you out. But, keep running. He loves you and will run you down until you catch him.
Come home. There is no other way.
A Word in Due Season
I just spent 3 days in Jersey. New Jersey. Atlantic City.
I will blog on my impressions of Atlantic City which is at best a Myrtle Beach, New Orleans, Miami, Las Vegas wannabe. Not good.
I was checking out of the Hotel I stayed in. Ocean View. Very nice hotel; terrible neighborhood.
Sonja was her name, a lovely black woman in her late 40s.
I looked at her and immediately knew to speak. This is how is works with me. I didn't touch her; I just knew the next words were critical.
I said, "You are a Christian". She teared up and said yes but she was struggling.
I didn't say much more. I told her that God knows her and He knows all about her situation and loves her deeply.
This isn't rocket science theology. Of course it's true.
The lobby was quiet. For the next 5 minutes she poured out her heart. Somehow she needed an ear. I was one.
I listened, I didn't give advice. She asked me questions and kept talking. She quoted scripture (she was well schooled) and I affirmed what she quoted.
She told me "This very morning I told God I was done in my marriage, I was moving out of the house, I was getting out of town". He dad is in a nursing home in Brooklyn dying. She is in a dead end job she hates.
After she ran her course I said, "God's purpose is for you to not move quickly in the passion of the moment". (There was no abuse). "The discontent you feel right now is part of what he is doing to take you where he wants to take you, but you must be clear on what that is". (Again, not rocket science).
Then I shared a few things about difficulty in marriages and how that really looks to God. I have written a great deal about this and it is linked here.
She looked at me, cocked her head and said, "You're a Pastor aren't you". I said I don't Pastor a Church but I am a Minister and work with a Church.
Then she said, "I prayed for an answer this morning and asked God to send an angel or someone to deliver it. You did. I know now what I am supposed to do". She then wrote her and her husband's name address and phone number on a piece of paper and asked me to pray for her. I did.
Mostly I prayed in tongues. That's why the gift of Tongues is so wonderful, the Holy Spirit prays God's perfect will thru us so that even when we don't know what or how to pray he allows us to pray with accuracy and specificity to exactly the need and purposes of God. Romans 8:26-28
That is a Gift. 1 Cor. 14: 14 - 15, 18
It's also a gift to be a gift of God to someone else and I'm thankful for the gift of discernment and a word of Knowledge that allowed me to move with boldness and confidence.
I'm also thankful for my age and place in life. I am pretty fearless in ministry where 20 years ago I would have been more timid.
I can't tell you what or how Sonja's life will be directed. I do think God spoke to her yesterday. He just used my mouth.
Thank You Lord for using me again.
I will blog on my impressions of Atlantic City which is at best a Myrtle Beach, New Orleans, Miami, Las Vegas wannabe. Not good.
I was checking out of the Hotel I stayed in. Ocean View. Very nice hotel; terrible neighborhood.
Sonja was her name, a lovely black woman in her late 40s.
I looked at her and immediately knew to speak. This is how is works with me. I didn't touch her; I just knew the next words were critical.
I said, "You are a Christian". She teared up and said yes but she was struggling.
I didn't say much more. I told her that God knows her and He knows all about her situation and loves her deeply.
This isn't rocket science theology. Of course it's true.
The lobby was quiet. For the next 5 minutes she poured out her heart. Somehow she needed an ear. I was one.
I listened, I didn't give advice. She asked me questions and kept talking. She quoted scripture (she was well schooled) and I affirmed what she quoted.
She told me "This very morning I told God I was done in my marriage, I was moving out of the house, I was getting out of town". He dad is in a nursing home in Brooklyn dying. She is in a dead end job she hates.
After she ran her course I said, "God's purpose is for you to not move quickly in the passion of the moment". (There was no abuse). "The discontent you feel right now is part of what he is doing to take you where he wants to take you, but you must be clear on what that is". (Again, not rocket science).
Then I shared a few things about difficulty in marriages and how that really looks to God. I have written a great deal about this and it is linked here.
She looked at me, cocked her head and said, "You're a Pastor aren't you". I said I don't Pastor a Church but I am a Minister and work with a Church.
Then she said, "I prayed for an answer this morning and asked God to send an angel or someone to deliver it. You did. I know now what I am supposed to do". She then wrote her and her husband's name address and phone number on a piece of paper and asked me to pray for her. I did.
Mostly I prayed in tongues. That's why the gift of Tongues is so wonderful, the Holy Spirit prays God's perfect will thru us so that even when we don't know what or how to pray he allows us to pray with accuracy and specificity to exactly the need and purposes of God. Romans 8:26-28
That is a Gift. 1 Cor. 14: 14 - 15, 18
It's also a gift to be a gift of God to someone else and I'm thankful for the gift of discernment and a word of Knowledge that allowed me to move with boldness and confidence.
I'm also thankful for my age and place in life. I am pretty fearless in ministry where 20 years ago I would have been more timid.
I can't tell you what or how Sonja's life will be directed. I do think God spoke to her yesterday. He just used my mouth.
Thank You Lord for using me again.
Monday, July 24, 2006
OUT
I’m out of sorts
Well, not exactly.
I’m traveling on business this week. Atlantic City. Sin City of the east.
Never been there. Didn’t want to go. I’m not a person who runs to Vegas. Haven’t been there in years either. Open prostitution doesn’t impress me much.
But, a green goods confab is there and I am meeting with some potential contacts that could perhaps enhance my financial life. Always a good thing.
So, blogiolgically speaking I will post next on Friday the 28th of July. Write that down now. You might forget it. (talk about egomania and self importance).
When I started blogging Julie gave me some sage advice, Blog EVERY DAY. If not people stop reading. So I try. But I don’t have a really portable computer. I know they make and sell them. I just don’t have one. I could afford it. I just don't. Stubborn.
So I’m out of sorts. And out of touch.
If the mintless-on-the-pillow hotel (cheap) has a public computer I might use that. So emails are OK (maybe).
And, to Nodak Jack close circuit. Thanks for being there. Somehow you now matter in a unique way to me. That may explain why you are so good on the radio.
Relating I think they call it.
I’ll have to learn to do it.
I’ll start this week.
Or not.
Well, not exactly.
I’m traveling on business this week. Atlantic City. Sin City of the east.
Never been there. Didn’t want to go. I’m not a person who runs to Vegas. Haven’t been there in years either. Open prostitution doesn’t impress me much.
But, a green goods confab is there and I am meeting with some potential contacts that could perhaps enhance my financial life. Always a good thing.
So, blogiolgically speaking I will post next on Friday the 28th of July. Write that down now. You might forget it. (talk about egomania and self importance).
When I started blogging Julie gave me some sage advice, Blog EVERY DAY. If not people stop reading. So I try. But I don’t have a really portable computer. I know they make and sell them. I just don’t have one. I could afford it. I just don't. Stubborn.
So I’m out of sorts. And out of touch.
If the mintless-on-the-pillow hotel (cheap) has a public computer I might use that. So emails are OK (maybe).
And, to Nodak Jack close circuit. Thanks for being there. Somehow you now matter in a unique way to me. That may explain why you are so good on the radio.
Relating I think they call it.
I’ll have to learn to do it.
I’ll start this week.
Or not.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Political Correctness Puts Homosexuals at Risk
I’m sure you heard that the “Gay Games” just ended in Chicago. Big doings. Lots of people with “alternative” lifestyles came to town. Big money spent by all around and by sponsors.
This would be harmless enough I guess. These go on every 4 years. 2010 in Cologne Germany. I’m going to get my tickets, (that's a joke man). We have a “Gay Pride Parade” once a year. All the politicos and TV personalities turn out to make an appearance as half or fully naked people dressed as flowers or other things parade down the street. Yeech.
I guess whatever turns your crank is appropriate here. For this old guy stuck squarely in the 50’s this is a bit much.
I think the headline that caught my attention most was one from the Chicago Tribune that reported how the immigration authorities had bent the rules to allow delegates from all over the world to come to the games even though they were HIV positive or suffering full blown aids.
From the Article:
Many of the sponsors of this event were area bathhouses. Why? What do you think? The gay games were as much about “Party” as running marathons. Let’s just say the gay games were a contact sport.
Here’s the question. If aids mutates into more virulent forms and if those forms are transferred by bodily fluids is the Gay community that remains behind in Chicago now that the games are done being played
A: LESS
B: MORE
at risk of infection by bringing in these new permutations of the virus?
I’m not a homophobe. I won’t insult you in explaining that I have several friends who are of the ilk. (Some of my best friends………..). They are. They are as astonished by the political correctness and tolerance excesses as I am.
Here’s for me where the rubber meets the road. My brother John was a brittle diabetic in the last years of his life. He died at 50. For the few years leading up to his demise he bled easily and profusely. Because of the fear of aids he was treated like a vermin when he bled. It was insulting and painful to see. People knew why he bled but fear of human blood was so rampant. When he bled the Haz Mat suits came out. It’s the same in Schools today.
Even today in a High School football game if you start to bleed (nose) you are taken out for the same reason.
But because they are homosexuals with lots of political clout we bend or break good rules to allow strains of infection on our shores for no other reason that it is politically unwise not to.
Now, when or if bird flu sets in and there are quarantines and a homosexual has bird flu will that keep him off our shores?
I doubt it.
This would be harmless enough I guess. These go on every 4 years. 2010 in Cologne Germany. I’m going to get my tickets, (that's a joke man). We have a “Gay Pride Parade” once a year. All the politicos and TV personalities turn out to make an appearance as half or fully naked people dressed as flowers or other things parade down the street. Yeech.
I guess whatever turns your crank is appropriate here. For this old guy stuck squarely in the 50’s this is a bit much.
I think the headline that caught my attention most was one from the Chicago Tribune that reported how the immigration authorities had bent the rules to allow delegates from all over the world to come to the games even though they were HIV positive or suffering full blown aids.
From the Article:
The Immigration and Nationality Act denies visas to anyone with "a communicable disease of public health significance," and HIV was placed in that category in 1987. Only a handful of countries, including Saudi Arabia and Iran, have a similar policy regarding people with HIV.
Of 12,000 participating athletes representing 100 countries, perhaps fewer than 50 will be foreigners with HIV, said Gay Games organizer Kevin Boyer. That is only an estimate, he emphasized, as the decision to divulge health issues--whether allergies or HIV status--to the Gay Games is voluntary.
Some Web sites advise visitors on how to avoid detection by U.S. officials upon arrival, such as by rebottling AIDS drugs in neutral packaging or mailing them to a friend here.
Blanket waivers to the policy are granted for certain "designated events," such as the Gay Games. HIV-positive travelers can try to get a waiver for personal business, but these are much tougher to obtain, advocates report. Immigration officials said they could not say how often waivers are granted.
Ronda Goldfein, director of the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, said slowing the spread of AIDS is not about specific people but specific behaviors, namely unprotected sex and the sharing of hypodermic needles.
Many of the sponsors of this event were area bathhouses. Why? What do you think? The gay games were as much about “Party” as running marathons. Let’s just say the gay games were a contact sport.
Here’s the question. If aids mutates into more virulent forms and if those forms are transferred by bodily fluids is the Gay community that remains behind in Chicago now that the games are done being played
A: LESS
B: MORE
at risk of infection by bringing in these new permutations of the virus?
I’m not a homophobe. I won’t insult you in explaining that I have several friends who are of the ilk. (Some of my best friends………..). They are. They are as astonished by the political correctness and tolerance excesses as I am.
Here’s for me where the rubber meets the road. My brother John was a brittle diabetic in the last years of his life. He died at 50. For the few years leading up to his demise he bled easily and profusely. Because of the fear of aids he was treated like a vermin when he bled. It was insulting and painful to see. People knew why he bled but fear of human blood was so rampant. When he bled the Haz Mat suits came out. It’s the same in Schools today.
Even today in a High School football game if you start to bleed (nose) you are taken out for the same reason.
But because they are homosexuals with lots of political clout we bend or break good rules to allow strains of infection on our shores for no other reason that it is politically unwise not to.
Now, when or if bird flu sets in and there are quarantines and a homosexual has bird flu will that keep him off our shores?
I doubt it.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Short Memory = Long Consequences
I guess having long-term memory makes some more understanding of the war in Lebanon. Benjamin Netanyahu, former Prime Minister of Israel has one. He writes of it in today’s Wall Street Journal. The words are mine but they paraphrase what Bebe said.
I well remember the Cuban Missile Crisis of the Kennedy Administration. We came close to war. Russia had placed missiles in Cuba. We said we didn’t want missiles 90 miles off the coast of Florida. We came close to Nuclear war over this. Then the other side blinked.
I have no doubt that if Russia had launched just one missile from Cuba toward the USA at that time it would be a radioactive cinder pile to this day. So would Moscow. Maybe New York. But we were not going to stand for this no matter what.
And, they only HAD missiles. They didn’t launch any.
So, the criticism from Kofi Annan of impotent UN fame regarding any disproportionate response by Israel is way out of line. You want disproportionate response? Turn the clock back to 1961 May and think again.
If I lived in Israel I want the military to crush Hezbollah, destroy the missiles and invade Syria if need be to accomplish the task. This is unacceptable that an enemy terrorist group would be allowed to lob missiles into you country at will. If they don’t do this a year from now Hezbollah will start again. They must all be destroyed utterly and all munitions captures and destroyed even if they are in Syria.
It is interesting that at the same time that people are fleeing Lebanon (as they should), 2000 Jews per day from all over the world are streaming into Israel to take up arms or be of assistance in any way for the homeland.
I hope our government will send lots of money and munitions to the state of Israel and crush these evil people once and for all.
Now about Iran.
I well remember the Cuban Missile Crisis of the Kennedy Administration. We came close to war. Russia had placed missiles in Cuba. We said we didn’t want missiles 90 miles off the coast of Florida. We came close to Nuclear war over this. Then the other side blinked.
I have no doubt that if Russia had launched just one missile from Cuba toward the USA at that time it would be a radioactive cinder pile to this day. So would Moscow. Maybe New York. But we were not going to stand for this no matter what.
And, they only HAD missiles. They didn’t launch any.
So, the criticism from Kofi Annan of impotent UN fame regarding any disproportionate response by Israel is way out of line. You want disproportionate response? Turn the clock back to 1961 May and think again.
If I lived in Israel I want the military to crush Hezbollah, destroy the missiles and invade Syria if need be to accomplish the task. This is unacceptable that an enemy terrorist group would be allowed to lob missiles into you country at will. If they don’t do this a year from now Hezbollah will start again. They must all be destroyed utterly and all munitions captures and destroyed even if they are in Syria.
It is interesting that at the same time that people are fleeing Lebanon (as they should), 2000 Jews per day from all over the world are streaming into Israel to take up arms or be of assistance in any way for the homeland.
I hope our government will send lots of money and munitions to the state of Israel and crush these evil people once and for all.
Now about Iran.
Friday, July 21, 2006
How to REALLY overcome Sin
Sin is stupid. Some is oppressive. Sin that besets. Sin that torments. Sin that repeats. Sin that condemns.
There is a way out. Here are some steps that will help ANYONE get past the sin that wears all saints down. If you struggle with sin in your life (and who doesn’t including me) use this as a path out.
1. Be honest with yourself, admit it, tell God you admit it. Get alone scream it. Be very frank, very honest describe to the Father in Heaven what is going on with you. I loved the movie The Apostle. There is a scene where The Apostle is screaming at God. God’s not shocked or annoyed. But until you get honest in admitting this before God you will think he doesn’t see. Of course he sees. You just have conned yourself into thinking he doesn’t. That’s why the first step is admission before him.
2 Pour your heart out to him. Tell him how much you enjoy the sin. Tell him how it feels good. Tell him how much your flesh craves this sin. Tell him how you feel. Pour your heart out. He knows anyway. We sin because we like our sin. We sin because it feels good for a little while. We sin because our flesh is at war with our Spirit. We sin because we are sinners. That’s why we need him. Tell him the truth. Get it all out. Tell him, "I do it but I don’t want to". He knows that. He just wants to be sure you know that.
3. Meditate on the Word of God. You can’t meditate on anything that isn’t in there. So memorize parts of the word. Start with Psalm 119. Romans 7 and 8. Don’t use the book of Chronicles just yet. Meditate on Colossians. Meditate on Galatians. Mediate on Philippians. Ask the Holy Spirit to plant deeply in your spirit the verses that will help you. The more you meditate on the Word the better you will do. Heb 4:12-16. Do what Jesus did, use the Word in Warfare against the Devil.
4. Take Communion. Take it often. There is power in the Bread and the Wine. Don’t settle for the “Sheep Dip assembly line” Communion service as is practiced in Churches many times. You need a profound one on one communion with God. Pray over the elements. You can do this alone or with someone you can share it with. Family is good. Spend time discerning the Body and Blood of Jesus in the elements. Paul said that some died because they didn’t do this. You need to get right with God. Real communion is one way to accomplish this. Get some bread; Get some Wine (or Grape Juice if that makes you feel better). Break the bread, think on, ponder the broken Body of Jesus on the Cross. Thank him for it. Eat the bread. Take the cup; hold it high over your head. Ponder the shed Blood of Jesus fully able to take your sin away. Do this every day for a while. Every time you encounter him in the sacrament you will be covered and begin to recover.
5. Stop condemning yourself. You feeling like a failure is a gateway for the Devil to tempt you once again. There are lots of verses in the Bible about this. All of mankind struggles with Sin, even the Pope, even your Pastor. I do. You do. There isn’t greater or lesser sin. Just Sin. Quit beating yourself up. Start to speak of yourself as a conqueror. "I am more than a conqueror". Is it true today? Probably not. But the more you tell yourself that the more your spirit will begin to believe it. Eventually you will overcome as your spirit lines up with the reality of your salvation. Don’t confess your sin to the Devil or to your flesh. Confess only to God. He is faithful and just to forgive you all your sins. Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more”. Of course she did. But he still didn’t condemn her. He doesn’t condemn you. Run to him when you sin, not from him.
6. Get someone you can trust to be accountable to. Here is a land mine but an absolute essential. It must be someone you can trust absolutely. They must NEVER be potential carriers of your sin story to anyone else. They are only to ask “how ya doing”. You must be truthful. This person must be filled with agape love toward you. Accepting and without any shred of condemnation. Here the Catholics have it right. It would be best if this were clergy or some minister. No advice, no condemnation. Just confession. Then prayer if possible. Then a time of recommitment. Never condemnation. No joking around. No making light of the struggle. Just an ear that stands in for Jesus. This must be a person of absolute trust. They have struggles too. However, you must not be their accountability partner for them. The two of you will go down the drain together. That’s what’s wrong with the model that doesn’t work from Promise Keepers. You tell him. Then his sin struggles and confession must be with another. Bear one another’s burdens doesn’t mean the same person bearing. How is my load lighter if you offload you sin on me right after I offload my sin on you. One another is a one way street. I know this is not conventional thinking. You want to get over your sin don’t you? Do it this way.
Do these things with intent to overcome and you will. I have not yet arrived, neither have you, but you will if you stay firm in your commitment.
We are not designed to be slaves to sin. Jesus came to set the captives free. Be at liberty.
There is a way out. Here are some steps that will help ANYONE get past the sin that wears all saints down. If you struggle with sin in your life (and who doesn’t including me) use this as a path out.
1. Be honest with yourself, admit it, tell God you admit it. Get alone scream it. Be very frank, very honest describe to the Father in Heaven what is going on with you. I loved the movie The Apostle. There is a scene where The Apostle is screaming at God. God’s not shocked or annoyed. But until you get honest in admitting this before God you will think he doesn’t see. Of course he sees. You just have conned yourself into thinking he doesn’t. That’s why the first step is admission before him.
2 Pour your heart out to him. Tell him how much you enjoy the sin. Tell him how it feels good. Tell him how much your flesh craves this sin. Tell him how you feel. Pour your heart out. He knows anyway. We sin because we like our sin. We sin because it feels good for a little while. We sin because our flesh is at war with our Spirit. We sin because we are sinners. That’s why we need him. Tell him the truth. Get it all out. Tell him, "I do it but I don’t want to". He knows that. He just wants to be sure you know that.
3. Meditate on the Word of God. You can’t meditate on anything that isn’t in there. So memorize parts of the word. Start with Psalm 119. Romans 7 and 8. Don’t use the book of Chronicles just yet. Meditate on Colossians. Meditate on Galatians. Mediate on Philippians. Ask the Holy Spirit to plant deeply in your spirit the verses that will help you. The more you meditate on the Word the better you will do. Heb 4:12-16. Do what Jesus did, use the Word in Warfare against the Devil.
4. Take Communion. Take it often. There is power in the Bread and the Wine. Don’t settle for the “Sheep Dip assembly line” Communion service as is practiced in Churches many times. You need a profound one on one communion with God. Pray over the elements. You can do this alone or with someone you can share it with. Family is good. Spend time discerning the Body and Blood of Jesus in the elements. Paul said that some died because they didn’t do this. You need to get right with God. Real communion is one way to accomplish this. Get some bread; Get some Wine (or Grape Juice if that makes you feel better). Break the bread, think on, ponder the broken Body of Jesus on the Cross. Thank him for it. Eat the bread. Take the cup; hold it high over your head. Ponder the shed Blood of Jesus fully able to take your sin away. Do this every day for a while. Every time you encounter him in the sacrament you will be covered and begin to recover.
5. Stop condemning yourself. You feeling like a failure is a gateway for the Devil to tempt you once again. There are lots of verses in the Bible about this. All of mankind struggles with Sin, even the Pope, even your Pastor. I do. You do. There isn’t greater or lesser sin. Just Sin. Quit beating yourself up. Start to speak of yourself as a conqueror. "I am more than a conqueror". Is it true today? Probably not. But the more you tell yourself that the more your spirit will begin to believe it. Eventually you will overcome as your spirit lines up with the reality of your salvation. Don’t confess your sin to the Devil or to your flesh. Confess only to God. He is faithful and just to forgive you all your sins. Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more”. Of course she did. But he still didn’t condemn her. He doesn’t condemn you. Run to him when you sin, not from him.
6. Get someone you can trust to be accountable to. Here is a land mine but an absolute essential. It must be someone you can trust absolutely. They must NEVER be potential carriers of your sin story to anyone else. They are only to ask “how ya doing”. You must be truthful. This person must be filled with agape love toward you. Accepting and without any shred of condemnation. Here the Catholics have it right. It would be best if this were clergy or some minister. No advice, no condemnation. Just confession. Then prayer if possible. Then a time of recommitment. Never condemnation. No joking around. No making light of the struggle. Just an ear that stands in for Jesus. This must be a person of absolute trust. They have struggles too. However, you must not be their accountability partner for them. The two of you will go down the drain together. That’s what’s wrong with the model that doesn’t work from Promise Keepers. You tell him. Then his sin struggles and confession must be with another. Bear one another’s burdens doesn’t mean the same person bearing. How is my load lighter if you offload you sin on me right after I offload my sin on you. One another is a one way street. I know this is not conventional thinking. You want to get over your sin don’t you? Do it this way.
Do these things with intent to overcome and you will. I have not yet arrived, neither have you, but you will if you stay firm in your commitment.
We are not designed to be slaves to sin. Jesus came to set the captives free. Be at liberty.
I'm not THAT bad am I?
From time to time these silly little tests show up on the internet. I take them for entertainment purposes only.
This one is a little disturbing. You take the test and it will tell you what world leader you are most like. I used the maximum number of questions.
I figured I would score a Pope John Paul II or Helmut Kohl.
I know I'm a tiny bit opinionated. I know I think I am always right. I know I always take charge. I know I am a tad pushy. I know all that.
I thought those were good qualities. Leadership qualities the world needs more of. Honest.
But not this:
Maybe underneath that rough exterior Saddam is a really nice guy. Onc can only hope.
This one is a little disturbing. You take the test and it will tell you what world leader you are most like. I used the maximum number of questions.
I figured I would score a Pope John Paul II or Helmut Kohl.
I know I'm a tiny bit opinionated. I know I think I am always right. I know I always take charge. I know I am a tad pushy. I know all that.
I thought those were good qualities. Leadership qualities the world needs more of. Honest.
But not this:
Maybe underneath that rough exterior Saddam is a really nice guy. Onc can only hope.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
God Said: "Public Education Destruction"
In January I was given a word for 2006 from God. It's here. I usually do a quarterly report card. I've been traveling so I haven't done that yet but much of this has come to pass or will. This is easy if it's God. It's much harder if it's you. This is easy.
One part of the word was that public education would begin to collapse in 2006.
I didn't know what that would look like. I never see the how in these things, just that they are.
But, this move by congress is a good thing.
PS: Oil @ $45 is still on track.
One part of the word was that public education would begin to collapse in 2006.
I didn't know what that would look like. I never see the how in these things, just that they are.
But, this move by congress is a good thing.
PS: Oil @ $45 is still on track.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Babies Saved by Bush - Hooray
I am so proud of our President
He took a bold and well thought out step in vetoing the Funding of Stem Cell Research using human embryos.
Sure there is going to lots of flack from the left. Stand strong George. We're with you. They don't have a moral compass to live by so you must provide one. That's what leadership is all about.
Take stem cell research to the logical extension. If those infants in vitro and frozen are able to be used to save lives ostensibly, why stop there? I mean no one really knows when life begins anyway. So, if that is an issue, why not just take them, implant them into surrogate mothers, grow them in the womb 8 months or so then remove them from the surrogate and harvest the organs and tissue needed to cure disease and save lives. Discard the rest or capture some stem cells. That's what it really is.
What is the real difference anyway. It's not a baby till it's born, right? Of course it is. It's a baby from the instant of conception.
The idea that we might potentially perhaps maybe cure this or that disease, what makes some 8 month old fetus more valuable than say Michael J Fox or Muhammad Ali? It's just tissue. Right.
Then there are the phony justifications for murder. I can just see some poor little girl coming to planned parenthood for counsel about an abortion. "Don't worry honey, you'll be doing the world of science a great good by having this abortion, think of the research and stem cells you'll be providing by your sacrifice". That's what this is really all about. Abortion.
And where did these Embryo's come from? Fertility clinics doing in vitro fertilization. Who benefits from all that? Same sex parents. Homosexuals who want kids but don't want to have them the old fashioned way. That is wrong too.
Sure there are infertile couples who need help but I have a question. Just because we can do this or that, should we? IF we decide not to harvest little babies organs just before birth by abortion, perhaps we need to take a hard look at the fertility industry that drives the production of millions of unwanted babies. That's the real problem.
It's all about the money in the end. I looked at a list of the people in favor of this research funding bill. Most of them were PhD's who were going to benefit directly from the money (my money paid in taxes) to kill little babies to do research. This support was more about a good job than ethics. Well I for one don't want to support the killing of babies.
This doesn't preclude private institutions from doing this. I wish it did. It just means I don't have to have my tax dollars paying for murder on demand.
I object and so did the President.
Thank God and thank GWB.
He took a bold and well thought out step in vetoing the Funding of Stem Cell Research using human embryos.
Sure there is going to lots of flack from the left. Stand strong George. We're with you. They don't have a moral compass to live by so you must provide one. That's what leadership is all about.
Take stem cell research to the logical extension. If those infants in vitro and frozen are able to be used to save lives ostensibly, why stop there? I mean no one really knows when life begins anyway. So, if that is an issue, why not just take them, implant them into surrogate mothers, grow them in the womb 8 months or so then remove them from the surrogate and harvest the organs and tissue needed to cure disease and save lives. Discard the rest or capture some stem cells. That's what it really is.
What is the real difference anyway. It's not a baby till it's born, right? Of course it is. It's a baby from the instant of conception.
The idea that we might potentially perhaps maybe cure this or that disease, what makes some 8 month old fetus more valuable than say Michael J Fox or Muhammad Ali? It's just tissue. Right.
Then there are the phony justifications for murder. I can just see some poor little girl coming to planned parenthood for counsel about an abortion. "Don't worry honey, you'll be doing the world of science a great good by having this abortion, think of the research and stem cells you'll be providing by your sacrifice". That's what this is really all about. Abortion.
And where did these Embryo's come from? Fertility clinics doing in vitro fertilization. Who benefits from all that? Same sex parents. Homosexuals who want kids but don't want to have them the old fashioned way. That is wrong too.
Sure there are infertile couples who need help but I have a question. Just because we can do this or that, should we? IF we decide not to harvest little babies organs just before birth by abortion, perhaps we need to take a hard look at the fertility industry that drives the production of millions of unwanted babies. That's the real problem.
It's all about the money in the end. I looked at a list of the people in favor of this research funding bill. Most of them were PhD's who were going to benefit directly from the money (my money paid in taxes) to kill little babies to do research. This support was more about a good job than ethics. Well I for one don't want to support the killing of babies.
This doesn't preclude private institutions from doing this. I wish it did. It just means I don't have to have my tax dollars paying for murder on demand.
I object and so did the President.
Thank God and thank GWB.
I Must Become a Muslim
As a longtime Christian Conservative I must admit we have failed. There are things we have spoken against, fought against, even rallied against. To no avail.
Therefore I hereby announce my conversion to Islam. I look forward to the day Sharia Law is put in place. Things I have fought against or for a long time will come to pass.
When the Grand Mufti is put in place we can expect the following to be outlawed or those practicing it to be put to death. I will find it hard but I will try to meet the expectations of the Mullahs that will make and execute these laws.
- Abortion -– Punishable by death.
- Adultery –- Stoning or beheading
- Birth Control –- Yea Right
- Pre or extra Marital sex -– Certain death
- Alcoholic consumption –- Tongue cut out
- Cursing –- see above
- Drug use –- Beheading
- Feminism in any form –- no drivers license for women, full burka and veil
- Free Speech in the public arena –- nope
- Research on Embryos for stem cell research –- Guess again
- Homosexuality -– execution
- Gay Marriage –- I don’t think so
- Pornography –- Say goodbye to those eyes as they are poked out
So, I understand the left wing nutcases wanting to see America defeated in this war for western civilization. They will find living under this new (old) law so much better. Not.
My tongue is firmly planted in cheek. But I don’t think the wacko left has any clue what they believe or understand about the consequences of losing global World War III against fascist nazi Islam. They will hate Bush until the Mullah comes and locks them up. Then it will be too late.
Pity, some used to be nice people till they lost their head so to speak.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Does God have a Plan for Israel or For YOU?
Last night in a time of intercession I was given this revelation. I submit it for your consideration. Many times I know that some things revealed are just for me. Sometimes they are for a wider distribution. I don't know which is which in this case. You must decide. I only know this for sure. Nothing going on right now in Israel comes as a shock to Jesus. He's fully aware of the beginning from the end all together. He gives us clues. Let's take a peek. (by the way, if Jesus is God [and he is] then any words directly from the mouth of God in the Old Testament must be treated with the same red letter reverence as the New Testament)
The Prophet Joel (Old Testament) spoke a great deal of a restored land of Israel. He spoke of it and made this statement in Chapter 3:4 regarding some future conflict between Israel's enemies and the nation of Israel.
4" Moreover, what are you to Me, O Tyre, Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering Me a recompense? But if you do recompense Me, swiftly and speedily I will return your recompense on your head.
The cities of Tyre and Sidon are still there. They are in present day Lebanon. The region of Philisita is present day Gaza strip. The Palestinian "Homeland". The very countries who came against Israel in this recent conflict. I see the hand of God in this.
What is more interesting is this pronouncement comes only a few verses after Chapter 2:27-29. These seem to be coincident events. I think we believed at the beginning of the last century that the outpouring of God's Spirit was the one promised in Joel 28-29. I'm not sure. In looking at this maybe we are about to experience one like never before. Something that is going to rip the roof off most Churches. It may be so sold out and radical that it will tip over every sacred religious cow that ever existed. I hope so. I believe that the time to quit "Church" and Join Jesus is now. This doesn't mean leave the fellowship of believers you have joined yourself to. It does mean putting a demand on the anointing of God such that you are dissatisfied with anything less than everything God provides by His Spirit.
My friend Apostle Barry Kolb has been prophesied to be a disturber of the denominations. It is time to disturb away. The outpouring is coming. Nothing is going to ever be the same again. We will either get on board or be left behind.
If you read down two posts you will see a further depth in this analysis.
So, pour it on Lord. I must still be young. I still see visions.
The Prophet Joel (Old Testament) spoke a great deal of a restored land of Israel. He spoke of it and made this statement in Chapter 3:4 regarding some future conflict between Israel's enemies and the nation of Israel.
4" Moreover, what are you to Me, O Tyre, Sidon and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering Me a recompense? But if you do recompense Me, swiftly and speedily I will return your recompense on your head.
The cities of Tyre and Sidon are still there. They are in present day Lebanon. The region of Philisita is present day Gaza strip. The Palestinian "Homeland". The very countries who came against Israel in this recent conflict. I see the hand of God in this.
What is more interesting is this pronouncement comes only a few verses after Chapter 2:27-29. These seem to be coincident events. I think we believed at the beginning of the last century that the outpouring of God's Spirit was the one promised in Joel 28-29. I'm not sure. In looking at this maybe we are about to experience one like never before. Something that is going to rip the roof off most Churches. It may be so sold out and radical that it will tip over every sacred religious cow that ever existed. I hope so. I believe that the time to quit "Church" and Join Jesus is now. This doesn't mean leave the fellowship of believers you have joined yourself to. It does mean putting a demand on the anointing of God such that you are dissatisfied with anything less than everything God provides by His Spirit.
27" Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel,
And that I am the LORD your God,
And there is no other;
And My people will never be put to shame.
The Promise of the Spirit
28" It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
29"Even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
And that I am the LORD your God,
And there is no other;
And My people will never be put to shame.
The Promise of the Spirit
28" It will come about after this
That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters will prophesy,
Your old men will dream dreams,
Your young men will see visions.
29"Even on the male and female servants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
My friend Apostle Barry Kolb has been prophesied to be a disturber of the denominations. It is time to disturb away. The outpouring is coming. Nothing is going to ever be the same again. We will either get on board or be left behind.
If you read down two posts you will see a further depth in this analysis.
So, pour it on Lord. I must still be young. I still see visions.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Matthew 28 Modified for Pastoral Correctness
I must be stupid. Or at least I am obviously out of sync with the rest of the world.
I am thinking about tearing out a part of my Bible and replacing it with the text most Church People and in particular Pastors believe today.
My Bible used to read: MATTHEW 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Then I heard a well recognized famous "Preacher" on Moody radio say this, "Not just anyone can Baptize. It must be in a Church Community Setting administered by an Ordained man of God to be a valid Biblical Baptism". REALLY??
So, From now on I will change this verse to meet the required protocol of "Leadership".
MAT 28:19 (RCV*) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, then bring them into a church building and have the pastor or priest (check his/her credentials first) baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
That is the essence of what this man was saying. This is part of the reason I don't listen Moody radio much. Sometimes it is just so darn wacky. Be careful little ears what you hear. Some is pure heresy. Even if they are on Moody.
I didn't know the Revised Church Version* of the Bible when I was a younger more on fire believer. I read Matt 28:19 decided it was true, went found people, made disciples and (Horrors) baptized some. I guess some of them never really got saved. I'll have to break the bad news to the ones that are in Ministry today. They'll have to quit their church. Can't have unsaved people who weren't baptized properly preaching now can we? One's in Sugar Grove. So the drive won't be too far. His congregation will be disappointed.
I didn't know I was committing some venal sin.
I repent. Or maybe not.
This is part of the reason that the Church is in sooooo much trouble in America. I am convinced that the great commission is greatly inhibited by the belief on the part of "Professionals" in the Church who think only salvations and baptisms that occur in the Church are valid. We as ministers have convinced people by our traditions that evangelism is reduced to inviting people to Church. We have created a class of spectator Christians who sit on the sidelines and let the pros play. Did you know people used to actually PLAY baseball for fun? Honest. I know some who did. My dad. Now we just watch pros play on TV or in Stadiums. Church is now a spectator sport. Maybe we should turn it upside down. No professional is allowed to baptize. Only "Lay" people would be allowed to baptize (I hate the term "Lay", More spectator Church categorization). Ditto for communion. I think it says Whenever you come together. Does whenever mean whenever or does it mean when you have an ordained pro doing this or that etc......
I'll miss the old version of Matt:19:28. It was easier to remember.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Israel and the Church of God
What I'm about to say I can't prove or document. If you require that kind of depth quit now. This is also not the word of the Lord exactly. It's only observation.
Christians are grafted in Jews. Therefore we are the spiritual nation of Israel. God's chosen people. There I've lost half of you. That is not a popular belief. But, if you search the scripture you will see that both contentions are true.
As such there is a parallel in the natural regarding Israel that takes place in the spirit regarding the Church. There may be more than this but these are the essentials.
1898 The nation of Israel is spoken of as a thing that will begin by Theodore Herzel and he pronounces "The Jewish State". Unknown but spoken.
1900 The Outpouring of modern day Pentecost begins in Topeka KS Later including Azusa Street. Speaking in Tounges, an unknown thing begins again.
1917 The Balfor Accords in England establish the right of the Israel to exisit, that a land of Palastine should be created for the Jews.
1914-1924 Pentecostal Groups are formed, they become the basis for much of what are the many diverse Pentecostal Denominations of today.
The interim, the Jews organize, long for a land, are rejected persecuted and dismissed. The Holocaust.
The interim Pentecostals are organized, long for a land, are rejected, persecuted and dismissed. You had to be brave to speak in tongues. You could be stoned.
1948 The nation of Israel is founded, people begin to move there, the Diaspora reverses
1948 The healing revival begins, Oral Roberts. The Church begins to move, Billy Sunday, Billy Graham
1967 The 6 Day War, Israel fights and defeats it's enemies
1967 The Charismatic Renewal breaks out in mainline protestant denominations
1973 The Yom Kippur War, Israel occupies all of Jerusalem
1973 The Catholic Charismatic Renewal begins, Jesus People
1978 The Camp David Peace Talks with Sadat
1978 Pope John Paul the Second is put in place shortly after that and the Charismatic revival among Catholics grows faster.
1982 The Lebanese Conquest Causes Israel to gain Global Respect.
1982 The Pentecostal Church turns the corner and begins to become respectable. Assembly of God becomes fastest growing denomination in the nation. Nearly all other organized churches begin to stagnate and decline in numbers. This respect causes internal problems.
1986 Israel gives back some land in Lebonan, makes concessions and Jonathon Pollard is revealed as an Israeli Spy in America. Division. Enemy believes this shows weakness.
1986 The Pentecostal Church goes thru 3 major scandals in America. Division.
1994 The Oslo Peace Accords cause a new order in Israel. Moab (Jordon) makes peace with Israel.
1994 A new change and conflicts begin over worship in the Pentecostal Church. A year later Pensacola revolution breaks out. Toronto. The Body of Christ starts to undergo major Changes. The face of Christianity begins to change rapidly.
2005 Israel decides to make peace and withdraw from Gaza. Builds a fence.
2005 Traditional Denominational Churches endorse Homosexual Bishops, Homosexual Pastors, become weak on the Godhead (divinity of Jesus). The Attack of the enemy of Faith in DaVinci Code and Judas Papers makes true believers withdraw from any involvement in the denominational Church at large. Seems to retreat into it's own world. The dividing line between true believers and the rest of the world is drawn.
2006 War breaks out in Israel who not only defends herself but is taking back ground. It's open war with casualties on all side. This is a war that cannot be lost.
2006 Now I go out on a prophetic limb. The body of Christ is about to go thru some of the greatest changes and opportunities ever known in the Church. God will move thru those who are ready to move with him. Just as Israel is taking back land and is on the offensive, so now the Church is ready to do the same.
As I look at this pattern I see God moving in great power thru the Pentecostal movement. People filled with the Holy Ghost, operating in spirit and truth, All 9 gifts of the Spirit including speaking in other Tongues (the Gateway gift for any of the Spiritual Giftings). Globally nearly all the revival that is taking place is among those Holy Ghost Pentecostal people of God. Everything not sold out and filled with the Spirit is dead or dying.
We missed it by trying to get along without it. When Jesus said, "Go to Jerusalem and wait until the Holy Ghost comes upon you and you shall receive Power to be my witnesses" many denominational Churches thought he was kidding. The Church in America thought they could skate by without this. It's like believing that Israel could survive without the protection of God. You just won't make it in this new world about to unfold without it.
Only 20% of Americans went to Church this morning. 10 years ago it was 40%. Only 5% of CHRISTIANS put a TITHE in the plate who did go to church. 10 years ago it was 7%. Regular Church attendance is now considered by most twice per month. Mainline Churches are closing at a rate never seen before in America. Yet, there are Churches growing like mad. Osteen, Hybels, etc. All this from George Barna. The only growth categories in Christian America that are increasing in numbers are Mormons (and the question is are they Christian), Catholics (Mostly from Hispanic Immagrants) and Pentecostals (Charismatic and non-denominational). ALL others are drying up and blowing away. This wouldn't have to be so.
If there is any hope for the Body of Christ in America, it is by the Moving of the Spirit of God in Power. This means Pentecost undilluted. I no longer believe it is possible to do what needs to be done without that level of intimacy and that level of Spiritual empowerment which includes the fullness of the Spirit with the evidence of Speaking in Tounges.
I used to say I believed it was possible to be filled with the Spirit and not speak in tounges. That would be like saying, I'm a Christian but I don't believe in Prayer. Or, I'm a Christian but I don't believe in Worshipping God. Or I'm a Christian but I don't believe in fellowshipping with other believers in a Church. You can't be filled with the Spirit and pick and choose the resultant manifestations. When you buy a pair of shoes, Tounges comes with them, they're part of the deal.
I used to say I believed it was possible to be filled with the Spirit and not speak in tounges. That would be like saying, I'm a Christian but I don't believe in Prayer. Or, I'm a Christian but I don't believe in Worshipping God. Or I'm a Christian but I don't believe in fellowshipping with other believers in a Church. You can't be filled with the Spirit and pick and choose the resultant manifestations. When you buy a pair of shoes, Tounges comes with them, they're part of the deal.
So as this new move of God commences, if you aren't on board you aren't where he's going to be blessing. You will miss it, perhaps again. The old is past, behold all things are becoming new. Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? Paul asked that of the Ephesian Christians. It needs asking again. Read the whole Book of Joel. Then watch CNN. It's happening before our very eyes. Are you among all people? I think so.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
On the Road Again
Me and Mrs Gleaner are off to Columbus for a few days of Pastoral Pep Rally. It's a requirement of keeping my ministerial credentials. It's not so bad. I actually get something out of it.
But, we'll be back Sunday. I do have one very interesting visit with a man who is a proponant of Butanol. Google it up. He'll come up first.
So, See ya'll on Sunday. Check back for more radical right wing rantings then.
By the way, Sunday is 40 Short/Long years of marriage marked for the Peggy and me. It's been great/tough.
So, we'll uncork the bottle Sunday and toast our wedded bliss.
Here's to 40 more. Heck we're only halfway there.
And she still claims she loves me. What a con man I am. HEH!
But, we'll be back Sunday. I do have one very interesting visit with a man who is a proponant of Butanol. Google it up. He'll come up first.
So, See ya'll on Sunday. Check back for more radical right wing rantings then.
By the way, Sunday is 40 Short/Long years of marriage marked for the Peggy and me. It's been great/tough.
So, we'll uncork the bottle Sunday and toast our wedded bliss.
Here's to 40 more. Heck we're only halfway there.
And she still claims she loves me. What a con man I am. HEH!
WHO WINS - You better hope we do!
Let's see, if we have a direct confrontation of a religion that espouses Kill all the Jews and Christians and one that the Liberals think means Turn the Other Cheek no matter what then who will prevail in a worldwide conflict?
I rest that particular case. They don't care who they kill, Indians, Russians, Indonesians, Americans, other Muslims. They are in the business of stealing killing and destroying. That's the mission statement of the Devil.
We suffer from an image of Christians and of Jesus that is distorted by liberal theology that denies Jesus' humanity and deity. As God he wants us to love our enemies when they abuse us for His sake and as Jesus he rails against injustice and evil. Examples: Tables overturned in the Temple and The Pharisee encounters. Where's the love?
So what are we to do? Go the extra mile, Turn the other cheek. But, if an evil direct from Satan himself comes against us, we must raise up the standard of God and push back until the very gates of Hell cannot prevail against us.
Ruthlessness in the face of evil. That's the call on the body of Christ in this day. We must get the uneducated left to see what this really means.
I am hopeful that even the most hardened liberal will come to an awareness of the evil that is the nazi fascist islamist force in this world and stand with us against them. They must be crushed completely. There is no compromise to be made with pure evil. The face of evil smiles as it beheads innocents, bombs marketplaces, plants ied's and flies planes into buildings.
Manifested evil unrecognized by the left in America. That's what we have. Maybe someday they'll get it.
This is war even if you don't know it.
I can only hope someday you will.
I never do this
I can't say that because now I will. Post on comments.
Below is a post about my Father-in-Law Ben. His drift from the conservative fold.
Nature of comments I hear and receive although I may not agree.
...He may have grown
...He has the right to an opinion
YES He does, even if he's wrong.
The nature I don't agree with:
...And you call yourself a Christian. Or that's not a very Christian thing to say or do. ETC
This nearly always emanates from a person who wouldn't know what it takes to be a Christian or what it means even if it bit them on the leg. Sorry, but you have to earn the right to question any part of my "Christianity". Show me your depth I might listen. Give me chapter and verse, give me the word of God as applied to this then you will have my attention. But, your perception of what it means or takes to live and be a Christian isn't even on the same planet. You have bought some lie of the devil on what a "real" Christian is. Read my essay below (Click on the month of June archives and follow the yellow brick road), let me read yours, then let's talk. So, don't bother preaching to me what it means to be a Christian I won't preach to you on how to be a good liberal.
....Maybe when you're 86 etc etc
Boy, talk about missing the point. You would have to know Ben. He was a man of some influence at one time. Republican Committeeman for the County. A delegate. VFW. American Legion. WWII. When Bennie spoke folks had to listen even if they didn't always want to. We went golfing with Ben (he drove the cart and we golfed) and at the 19th hole he entertained all with his wit and wisdom. I even got an Oakes Golf Club hat.
Now his day is made up of: Get up, read the paper, watch the news, watch the ball game, take a nap, watch the news and go to bed. 86 will do that for you. Having a triple bypass and not being able to walk well does that to you. Occasionally he does play a game of cards.
His capacity for influence is much diminished and not that critical anymore.
No audience.
Do I respect him? As much as I ever did. I honor him as my Father in Law. He is my wife's dad. Believe me, I honor him and I thank him often for his daughter.
So, with all due respect to the commenters. You don't know. You jumped way further to conclusions than was needed. But, liberals do that. Look at how they believe human caused global warming, WMD's not found, Hybrid Car Folly, etc. Now Ben starts to believe the lies. Liberal media.
If it wasn't for liberals and the greenpeace nuts today we would have nuclear power in abundance, coal converted to cheap gasoline virtually without end, more refinery capacity than we knew what to do with and if we ever let the liberals lose this war like that crackpot Murtha wants to do, our grandkids will all be reciting the Koran in school.
Thanks for the input, but Ben is wrong on the war. I respect him in his ignorance. No, his years doesn't make him smarter. Just older.
Some people get 25 years experience in 25 years. Some people have one year's experience 25 times. And all permutations in between.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Danger of TV News
My Poppalaw Ben has always been a conservative Republican. I don't think he has ever voted for any Democrat.
But, he reads a couple newspapers and watches TV news. No blog no talk radio.
I was surprised to hear him say that he thought the war was wrong. That Bush shouldn't send men and women to die for a dirtbag of a country.
He doesn't get it. But, where does he form his opinions? TV news.
No wonder. He has been subjected to the Chinese water torture of liberal opinion. He has succumbed. We used to call that brainwashing.
But he's 86 years old. What he believes isn't that critical any more.
I just wish we would understand how the liberal press brainwashes people into believing something without reason or question.
Ben Ben Ben, I hardly Knew YE.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Really Good Guys
This is one of a series of notes from my trip to the far north country fair Dakota. I had a chance to meet and re-meet some fine people. If you are keeping track, it's a series that starts here and ends when I run out of things to say. So.
Jack Sunday. No Relation to Billy that I know. (Jack you'll have to google that one up.) Jack and I have for a couple years become friends via getting acquainted on Julie N's blog. Wired friends. I don't know who started it. I don't care. But at Duffworld I met him. In the flesh.
What a decent guy. Kind. Gentle. Intelligent. I now understand his liberalism. It's born of nice. Unlike the mean Gene who is far less nice, it's understandable. He's just decent. I'm conservative.
And for reasons that have a tiny bit with his 55 years on the planet he has lost weight. A lot of weight. I had seen his promo pix. I went to Duffworld looking for him aka his pubpix. NO FLY. Instead this handsome slim much- better- looking- than- his- publicity- pix man was there. I wasn't sure it was him. Then he started talking about his dog. He has movies of his dog on his phone. I knew I had my man.
We had a nice conversation and I hope to do so again. Funny how a rightwingnut conservative meanie and a nice liberal like Jack can get along so well. I blame it on his niceness. I could take a lesson. NAAAA
The next night back to Duffworld. There for a 3 party meet. Larry Ristvedt, Jack and me. Unfortunately Jack got the message re the meetup THE NEXT DAY.
Larry and I had a wonderful time. I never appreciated his wisdom all the years we hung out together and all the years we were in biz together. I have to admit there were times he pulled me back from self destruction. I was capable of it. We were an interesting partnership. He was the cautious and conservative one. I was the dreamer and the one with passion. I would find a bridge to leap off and he would suggest getting a boat upstream to reach the same place. It worked.
I think that the one thing he taught me which I never forgot was the value of integrity. Never cheat, never lie, (except to Uncle Sam and then don't lie, tax avoidance isn't a crime, tax evasion is). It kept us clean and sober. More or less.
I miss Larry and next time I'm in the north we will have those tri-partite talks.
I reupped an acquaintance with John Boekelheide. John was a year younger than me in school. His Dad was a great guy. I knew the family my whole life. We spent some time Ken, John, Peggy and me till midnight attempting solutions at the worlds problems. None came forth. Darn liberals. Oh, well it was beautiful on Main Street Ellendale.
Then on the way home Peggy told me that there had been a spark between her and John at one time. I don't know about it all but it's interesting to think how her life and mine might have been different. Her's might have been better. Mine would have been worse. But I'm glad it all worked out. Our 40th anniversary is next Sunday the 16th. Who'da thunk it.
I got to ride in Jim Redlins VETTE. The Great Yellow Goose. Yikes, you shouldn't be able to go that fast that quickly in anything not driven by a rocket engine. Oh, and Jim, remember 25 years ago when I had become a Christian I told you I wanted to be a Minister Someday? I'm back in the saddle again officially. In a LUTHERAN CHURCH. It's been a few years. You don't have to call me Father or anything. Kissing my ring is ok however. HEH!
I got to meet Rob Port of Say Anything. The real highlight was meeting his little daughter Harley. What a cutie. My grandpa genes kicked right in. I wanted to buy her a trike.
He's a good guy who works harder than anyone I know. Very smart. Deluded on Wal-Mart. But a really good guy. I'm glad I met him. He is doing a good work and it deserves support. I do and I will.
But, crossing the Illinois border was like breathing again. I'm home here. Dakota is a visit now. I even know the Illinois state song. I don't know if I ever did know the North Dakota State Song. Too late to learn it now.
Sweet Home Chicago.
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