How would it have been different?

I was at the House of Prayer the other night and saw a dad with his cute little 2 year old boy.  The music and worship atmosphere was rich.  During that time without ceremony or pretense that daddy took his little boy and held him.  He prayed in tongues over that child.  The little boy was peaceful and quiet.  He just soaked in that rich environment.

 

The rest of the night the music played, the word was brought, the ministry took place in prayer for needs but that little boy took it all in. He was being saturated in the Holy Ghost. 

 

I thought these Five Things:

1. That little guy was experiencing the full counsel of God.  He'll never be the same.
2. Children's Church could never compare to being in that Holy Ghost environment.
3. That father was loving that little boy body, soul and spirit. 
4. When that little guy is older he will have remembrances of that night.
5. Seeds of faith were being planted.  The harvest will be years from now.

 

I wish my daddy had been in a church like that when I was a little guy.  I wish he had prayed in tongues over me.  I wish I had prayed in tongues over my kids like that.  I mean freely.  I do now, but it's not the same.  I missed so many opportunities. 

 

That was a blessed little boy and a father that is a blessing.

I hired him to paint the house but he built me a deck (a parable)

Many years ago I asked a man to paint my house.  Painting my house would have been difficult, (2 story) up on ladders and he would have had to get help.  He didn't balk but he piddled about.  Painted the easy parts.  Told me I didn't need some things painted and pretty much didn't paint my house except in the little things he wanted to do.  But I was paying him to do so.  He just wasn't getting the results I expected.

So, in an effort to justify his paycheck he tackled my deck.  I had a marginal deck and it needed extra work.  Without my asking he finished out my deck, put up railings, stabilizing piers and sealed it.  Did a great job.  Certainly was worth the money I was paying him. 

He thought I should be happy.  I was, sort of.  But, my house still wasn't painted no matter how nice the deck was.  It didn't get the job I hired him to do DONE.  Making the deck wasn't easier, it's just what HE wanted to do at the expense of painting my house.

 

In the end we parted company.  I had to let him go. I had a nice deck but the house was unpainted.  I had to hire someone else to paint the house.  They did and it was fine.  It's what I wanted.  It's all I wanted in the first place.  Just get the house painted.

 

Now, the question is, was I correct in firing him?  After all he worked hard.  He was on the job many hours.  He did make significant improvements to my home of great value.  He just didn't do what I needed done. 

 

The answer has to be clear. If a person is hired to do a job and they don't get it done, even if they seemingly work hard do you keep them on the payroll because they are doing other work which appears to be helpful to the overall effort or do you make the change needed to get what you need done.   

 

That is the question.  I already know the answer.  Do you?

The Shoes of an Ambassador

Nine years ago I received a prophecy that I didn't understand.  Many times I get words from  people in the prophetic and sit on them for a long time.  Since I had lived in Germany and thought this might have something to do with working in ministry in Germany I always thought this was the future.  I see now it didn't. God had other plans.

 

One such was given me by Todd Beery who is head of Ark Ministries and the International House of Prayer in Bolingbrook.  He does a good work there and this coming Friday will graduate a group of a dozen or so interns who have been directly discipled by him.  They have learned a grown a great deal.  They will never be the same.  This internship is targeted to teens and young adults.  People don't seem to waver from this.  I respect and honor Todd for this good work.  He is doing the Great Commission, "Making Disciples".  Lots of people have "Church". Todd makes disciples and the proof in the pudding is years later the bulk of the many people who went thru the program are still sold out and devoted to Jesus.

 

Back to the prophecy.  He was praying for me and the Lord gave him a word.  He looked at my feet for a second, bent down and laid hands on them.  He said, "These are the shoes of an ambassador.  You will go to various places and you will carry the word of the Lord to them.  These are traveling shoes, the shoes of an ambassador."

 

I didn't think about that until I got a note from Bob Kessler, a man at Lord of Life I respect a lot.  He indirectly asked me what I'm up to.  I rehearsed to him what is going on with me right now in ministry.  I am traveling a great deal and I am bringing the word of the Lord to the places I go.  I have a sense this is about to increase.  I'm not preaching as much as I am prophesying.  This is intensifying and speeding up. 

 

Suddenly the whole prophetic word from 9 years ago makes sense.  I am called as an ambassador.  No less than any of the Prophets that have gone before.  I have been called out and sent.  I go where God opens  doors for me to bring his word and I shake the dust off my feet from those places where the word of the Lord isn't welcome. 

 

An Ambassador isn't welcome in every single embassy in the natural.  Neither am I.  I am only welcome where I am welcomed.  There seems to be a lot of open doors right now.  I'll walk thru them.

 

I'm thankful for that.  I'll just go put my shoes on now.  Boy, they need some polish.

 

I'm off again.

North Dakota is smaller than Siri Lanka

In a way to understand the tremendous vitality of the US Economy and it’s relative strength to the rest of the world there is some good news in a recent study for Americans but bad news for North Dakotans.

Here is a report on this study, it’s a little hard to understand but if you dig deeply you will see some of these truths:

• The US Economy is 13.2 trillion dollars in GNP. The next closest rival is Japan at 4.4 trillion. Then Germany at 2.9 trillion. (That means in 60 years Iraq’s GNP should be in today’s dollars, 5 trillion since war conquests always prosper).
  
• California’s GNP of 1.7 trillion is the same size as Italy.
• Texas at 1 trillion is the same size as Brazil.
• New York at 1 trillion is about the same size as Russia.
• That puts things into perspective. The US economy is so overwhelmingly large it dwarfs all others
• That would be good news if you were from California, Texas or New York.
• What is so pitiful is North Dakota’s rank in GNP. Only Vermont is lower at 24 billion
• North Dakota’s GNP at about 26.4 billion is about the same size as Siri Lanka
• As a native Dakotan, and as a transplanted Illinoisan let me put the two by comparison into perspective. Illinois GNP is 663 Trillion. About the size of the Netherlands. Not big. Not small. That means with less land area Illinois is 25 times the size of ND in GNP. Do the math. It’s all about population. I have maintained for a very long time that economic development is about attracting people pure and simple. People who will come and live and work. The base economic development unit is the individual.

In Illinois we have a lot of inner city people who are not direct contributors to our GNP. That might mean that on a per capita basis the GNP of Illinois folks would be less than ND. NOPE. The GNP per capita in North Dakota is $4187.50. Illinois it’s $5304.80. That means even factoring in the non contributors Illinois is still 23% more GNP productive than ND. I was surprised. I always thought of North Dakotans as hard workers. Maybe the farming welfare queens is more the case. There is no GNP from welfare.

One other factor to consider. If from time to time as a state North Dakota feels just a little “Left Out” or ignored, there’s a reason. It’s economic impact is significant only in it’s absence. If North Dakota disappeared off the face of the earth tomorrow along with it’s 640,000 people the US economy would HARDLY suffer even a blip. It’s like when Katrina hit New Orleans there was concern what the impact this would have on the US economy. At the time I said it would have ZERO effect. I was lambasted but in the end it has had nearly none.

The USA is such a huge economy that we can take pretty big hits. Even the Iraq war in its war spending is almost negligible in the overall scheme of things. That’s why President Bush is able to cut taxes and still prosecute the war with aggressive intent. We can afford it financially.

I think the big message is for the State of North Dakota is cut taxes, scale back services, make the government leaner. That alone would do much for the growth of the state. When the state had a surplus to spend it spent is in less than wise ways. If I had been KING (a scenario you might not enjoy) I would have:

1. Fund infrastructure in Small Towns selected for growth. Hospitals. Ambulance.
2. Make Higher education in Small ND colleges like Mayville virtually free. Offer ND scholarships good only at small schools who need students. Educate and keep young people in the state. NDSU, my ALMA MATER is big enough. They continue to grow and the others languish. Educate nearly free in VO-Tech. Create a home grown well educated cadre and give them something to do.
3. STOP ALL ASSISTANCE TO AGRICULTURE. I mean all. Ethanol and the rest. The quicker the agricultural community gets off the welfare roles and on to being productive the better. ND should not spend one red cent helping farmers. NOT ONE. Or if that's the idea they should begin helping video rental stores, shoe stores and restaurants. They don’t and they shouldn’t. Nor should they help farmers. IF ND agriculture fell off the map it wouldn’t be missed at all. Sorry folks it’s the truth.
4. Implement Vouchers for education. Write checks. Don’t administer schools. Education is the biggest mess, it’s the post office and TSA all wrapped up in education. Stop any more public education at once.
5. Make the pathways THRU North Dakota inviting. Beautiful rest stops along the interstates and major highway arteries open 365-24. Today ND is most uninviting at many of it’s rest stops. Allow private enterprise to participate. Use the rest stops and waysides to feature, promote, invite, inform, allure and advertise all that is good about North Dakota. Of the millions that drive THRU the state every year and see it as just a big flat nothing, let’s take a shot at telling them what it’s really all about. We never again have a chance to make a first impression as when they are traveling thru. Other states do this so well. Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois. ND looks pretty wimpy compared to this. We need to do better.

One other thing, and this is the hardest of all. North Dakota’s part of the US economy is 26.4 billion out of 13 trillion. North Dakota in perspective is 1/500th of the US economy. Drop in the bucket. Put into understandable terms, North Dakota’s influence on the US economy is roughly the same as the town of Stanley North Dakota’s influence on the whole state of North Dakota’s economy.

All in all, pretty paltry.

I don’t say all this to anger or discourage. I say all this to encourage ND lawmakers to start to push hard for economic development in North Dakota. I don’t know if they will. Stop spending on things that do no good. Start spending time on things that matter. The state is in continued decline. 10% of the population will dissapear in the next 10 years as my fellow baby boomers get older and the already aging population drifts off the face of the earth.

I don’t know if they will.

Daddy is Special

After my parents died in a truck accident when I was 13 in 1959 there was a time in limbo while we didn't know what would happen to my brother, sister and me.  We ended up by the grace of God and the good hearts of my Aunt and Uncle Ruth and Earl Redlin to live the rest of our childhood in peace and safety.

 

For that I am more thankful than you can imagine.  Since this is fathers day I will identify with something I heard in a sermon today.

 

Fathers:

• Provide for their Families
• Protect their Families
• Love their Families
• Model a Relationship with God before their Families

 

Earl did all those things.  I love him.  I love him as a father.

 

I just was never able to call him "Daddy" or "Dad".  Not that he didn't deserve it.  He did.  The honor due him was apt. 

 

I felt somewhat guilty about the whole idea.  My brother and sister were able to call him Dad or Daddy without any hang-ups.  I suspect it had much to do with the fact that I was 13, my brother 7 and sister was 2.  So we didn't adapt the same.

 

Then today I was talking with Esther Helland, Aaron's wife about the whole thing regarding fathers day and daddy.   She grew up on the mission field in the Amazon of Brazil.  Her dad was a missionary.  She lived on a boat and they traveled up and down the river to different villages bringing the message of Jesus.  That was her childhood.  When she was about 13 her daddy was killed in an airplane crash.  A few years later he mom married her dad's brother.  Her uncle became her father.

 

But she could never call him daddy.  She said, daddy is a pretty special name and it's reserved for only one.  I know exactly what she meant and that helped me. 

 

So, to my dear Uncle Earl, I love you, I appreciate you, I will never forget what you did in sacrifice.  You were always a father to me.  Happy fathers day. 

 

Daddy is gone from here but Daddy in heaven still is. 

I'd rather see you on Drugs

Today a lady from church came to me.  Her ex-husband was taking her to court for not raising her child as a Catholic (he wasn't the biological father although he did adopt the little child).  His claim (nothing in writing) is that when he became the adoptive father that was the deal.  He takes the little guy to Lutheran pre-school and to Lutheran Sunday school. When asked about this his reply was, Lutheran-Catholic, there's no difference. 

 

So not only is he a nut but his theology is flawed.  His main complaint against her?  She was taking the little boy she carried for 9 months to a "PENTECOSTAL" church.  OOOOOOOOOOOO.  Scary.

 

How dumb can you be and still breath.  So, we will intercede for her.  We will write a letter.  The judge will toss this guy out on his ear.

 

This is the evil of a spirit of religion.  Denomination over devotion.

 

This isn't the first time I ran up against this.  In Fargo at First Assembly many years ago we had a couple I became friends with later.  He was a theater type and she was a talented singer.  But they had a difficult even rough past.  Past is Past.  They came to First Assembly and came to Jesus.

 

Their family was appalled.  They had been raised Lutheran. How could they leave the mother church.  How could they abandon the faith.  Never mind that of the whole family was making all the fuss seldom darkened the door of the church and none of their siblings or parents were serving God at any level.

 

Only when these two became serious about the things of God did the family go tilt.  The comment that sealed the whole deal for me was made by the mother, "I would rather see you on drugs than see you leave the Lutheran church". 

 

Folks, this isn't sharia law in Pakistan.  We have the right to select our spiritual fulfillment.  Just because someone becomes a Pentecostal, Catholic or even a Mormon they are still your kin.

 

That erstwhile badly theologized "dad" better figure it out.  And that mother that would rather see her kids on drugs than got to "That Church" is encouraging.

 

I will tell the truth, I was happy to have a religious demon raise his ugly head.  The worst thing a religious demon can do is leave your church along, ignore you, and think you are that nice little church down the street.

 

I have court papers to prove we're not that nice little church down the street.  Besides, today globally Pentecostalism is the dominant religious expression.  Catholic is now second.  All other a distant 3rd. 

 

My fear is as we Pentecostals assume this position of "Triumph" that we will become as arrogant as the old dying mainline churches and then holler at our kids who want to join some other religious expression.  But, that's not the trend today.  A little persecution is good for us. 

 

Blessed are you when men speak all forms of evil about your for my names sake.

 

I'm blessed.

10 Observations of a Successful Pastor

I'm tired of people who never actually succeeded at being a pastor, building a church, starting from scratch or fighting up from the bottom pontificating about how to run or start a church. They haven't earned the right to even talk about it. That's why I appreciate Don Lyon of Faith Center so much. He did it. Started from nothing and has built a great church. In a conversation with Aaron Helland, the pastor with whom I am currently working, Pastor Lyon makes this comment about starting a church from scratch:

"It's all about momentum. For a long time a boat you launch from the dock and give it all the power you have will go slowly, nose in the air. It seems like there is nothing you can do. Then after a certain amount of speed is attained the nose will drop and with the same amount of power you will see the boat go faster and faster. Planting a Church is like that. It takes a long time. Then, the momentum picks up and things begin to happen".

Tony Atkinson, a pastor friend of mine, came to Belpre Ohio 30 years ago. For over 3 years he fought hard to get the church up to 8 people. Then, things started to happen. The nose dropped. Speed picked up. When he recently left for another church attendance was over 500 and they had just finished a new sanctuary able to seat 1000.

That's the way it is. At the other end of the spectrum is doing the wrong things that may well cause that boat to sink or capsize. That sadly is the state of many churches today.

Mark Batterson is the pastor of a church in Washington DC. He is someone I knew from Calvary Church. He has earned the right to speak and teach on being an effective leader and pastor. He has 10 areas of vulnerability every pastor must embrace. Read them and learn.

I have a book given me when I was licenced as a Minister several years ago. One of it's tenants is "Don't be too transparent, people won't hold you in esteem". Really? I have recently reviewed it. It's laughable. I am learning so much from the young men I know and work with about being real. That's what the mainline church needs.

If the next generation brings fresh authenticity and vulnerability it will be enough. I am sick to here of Religiously bound pastors. Here's the sad part. I am going to forward this to about 100 pastors I have on an email list. I think what Mark said is important. The smaller the church the less likely the pastors who receive this will embrace this. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE SMALLER AND DECLINING. The guy who has been pastor for 30 years and has a church of 200 will poo poo the whole idea. The guy who has a church of 1000 will say YES and AMEN. That's why he has a church of 1000. Especially if he built it from scratch. Vulnerability doesn't exist because the pastors who can't be vulnerable have a distorted vision of who Jesus is and who they are.

Get over your bad self. You aren't that important. Your call is, but Jesus could have used a donkey. "It's the call stupid" to paraphrase Bill Clinton.

IT STILL IS.

Earl is a Pearl of Great Price (we all are)

I want you to meet a friend of mine. A man I love dearly. Oh, I disagree with him on many things. But it has never halted my persistent affection for him. I disagree and fight with everyone I love from time to time. If I didn't it would mean you didn't matter enough to me to take you on when I think you are wrong. If we fight, I still love you. OK?

Earl Donaldson and I worked together in Dale Carnegie many years ago. We had adventures, taught together. I don't know if he put me on a right or wrong path Carnegie wise. Earl has also been a pastor, attended seminary and today preaches at his son John's church from time to time. We always enjoy talking theology. He's a bit more liberal than am I. But that's OK. I have lots of people I like with whom I disagree.

Earl's a great guy. He lives in Atlanta now. He still provides training. He's a good writer. A couple weeks ago he started a blog. He called and wanted some help. I was little help I told him to do what I did. Fumble around and it will come to you.

So now he's up and running. Check his blog out.

The post I will point you to as a starter is one he did on the Holy Spirit of God.

I read it and was compelled to ask; Earl, In the book of Acts there appears to be a consistent sign that confirmed people had received the Holy Spirit of God, Baptised in it as it was described by Jesus before he ascended to heaven.

Acts 1:4-5
On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

What was that sign? Why do many Christians, even well meaning Christians reject that sign as a valid even essential part of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost as described by Jesus? Why did the disciples who had already received the Holy Spirit right after the resurrection when Jesus breathed on them and said, "Receive Ye the Holy Spirit". Wouldn't the baptism in the Holy Spirit be redundant? Are there two or is one different from another? Why did the disciples go to Jerusalem and wait if they already had it? Was Jesus jerking their chain?

Why don't we have publicly funded and operated auto repair?

It's a need. Everyone uses it. It's in the best interests of the nation that roads are safe and people drive cars that don't cause a hazard. We publicly fund road repair, why not autos?

In fact, why don't we have all auto repair shops and dealerships run by governmental agencies. We could hire public shop superintendents who would be in charge of all the auto repair agencies in a given city or area. Then we should have principals who manage each shop. They would be public employees.

Every mechanic, partsman, car washer, desk clerk would be employed by a governmental agency. They would only be responsible to the administration. If you had a complaint about your car repair quality, you took it up with the administration. But, they know better than you. They have degrees in car repair and even if your car doesn't work right, it will work about as well as any other car on the road. This would slow traffic.

The administration would instruct every person in the area where they can take their car for repair. Even if the repair shop down the street seems to do a better job, you must only take your car where you are told. Nowhere else.

Oh, your care repair is "Free". Proponents would say, there would be no car repair if we didn't have publicly administered auto repair.

There would be private underground auto repair shops pop up. They would cost money. But they would fix your car right. However since your tax money already is taken from you for "Free" repair of your car by the government you are paying twice. Critics of the private shops say they won't fix junkers, badly damaged or lost cause autos. Some people wouldn't be able to afford the repairs if it weren't for Public Auto Repair.

I know the Metaphor breaks down (or is it analogy). But the question Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online asked this week in a Chicago Tribune articles is: Why do we need Public Education at all?

I know all the arguments. I just wanted to post the question one more time. We just had graduation of the illiterates from the Chicago Public School System. We can't get educated people of competence who can work in high tech so we have to import them from China and India. Try hiring folds of ability.

I think we need public education like we need public auto repair. We don't.

Close all schools.

Goldberg says this key thing in his article:

There’s a consensus in America that every child should get an education, but as David Gelernter noted recently in The Weekly Standard, there’s no such consensus that public schools need to do the educating.

Really, what would be so terrible about government mandating that every kid has to go to school, and providing subsidies and oversight when necessary, but then getting out of the way?

Milton Friedman noted long ago that the government is bad at providing services — that’s why he wanted public schools to be called “government schools” — but that it’s good at writing checks. So why not cut checks to people so they can send their kids to school?

What about the good public schools? Well, the reason good public schools are good has nothing to do with government’s special expertise and everything to do with the fact that parents care enough to ensure their kids get a good education. That wouldn’t change if the government got out of the school business. What would change is that fewer kids would get left behind.

CAN'T WE THINK OUT OF THE BUREAUCRATIC BOX JUST ONCE?

Look how well the TSA has worked out.

Happy Flag Day - June 14

Growing up in Ellendale ND we had lots of WWII vets including my Uncle Earl who raised me after my folks died. 

 

We celebrated flag day, parade, bands and all.

 

Just thought I would give you a little reminder.

 

Old Glory is still worth celebrating. 

DOG LIVES IN MY HEART

Skipper was the best dog I ever had. To this day I dream about him. His fuzzy face, his 3 legged walk, how much he loved me. He was a great dog. He died in 1989.

He still lives in my heart. I'll never forget him.

But, Skip was a dog not GOD. I'm not dyslexic.

I say that because of the comments to this post regarding the 7 essentials. One came from a really good man. A pastor. He asked about number 8. Can you believe and embrace all 7 and still go to hell? I thought about that. I think if you are a condemned demon from hell you can and will. You know the truth, that's part of the torment of hell, to know the truth and be able to do nothing about it. Think of the rich man and Lazarus. He came to know the truth only when it was too late. That's why they tremble. I'm not so sure if you are a human still in need of redemption you can know the truth and not be set free from HELL.

I think it is very possible for people to say, "Jesus lives in my heart", mean it, believe it, think they are on the way to heaven and it has no more effect on who they are or how they feel about him than my affection and remembrance of Skip the Dog.

Barna and Gallup tell us that nearly 90% of Americans believe they are going to heaven. 70% say they have been born again and have Jesus living in their heart. Really? How can that be?

You see, I think the Jesus most people have in their hearts is more like my dog Skip. Soft, fuzzy, loving and well remembered. He's some friendly (what a friend we have in Jesus) good guy who died and some say even rose again who hears them if they pray once or twice a year.

Oh, they go thru the religious stuff but no Jesus. Not the real Jesus.

You see, if you really really knew, accepted, believed, embraced the truths about Jesus you will change who YOU are.

If Jesus lived, died, washed all our sins away, rose again, and is now seated on the throne as GOD, How should we then live?

That is the question.

More people believe in a "Dog Jesus" than Jesus the Lord GOD. Even people raised and steeped in Church to say Jesus is Lord God Almighty is hard to accept. Except, he is. Trinitarian teaching has confused them. They don't understand the fullness and equality of the Godhead in it's trinity. The trinity is easier to understand when you put Jesus in focus first.

So, number 8 doesn't really apply if one thru seven isn't there.

The Road to Nowhere

Hypothetical. Fathers Day.

My Dad who I really want to see lives in St. Louis Missouri. I'm in Chicagoland. So I decide to go see him.

I want to be united. I want to have some good times with him. I want to be where he is. I do it because I love him.

Someone tells me that the only way to St. Louis is Interstate 55. Oh, there are parallel roads but in the end you must end up on 55 as you head south southwest. The direction is right. The only way to St. Louis is I-55.

On the other hand, Frank says to me, Gene, you really ought to take I-80 east. Toledo, Cleveland. Great sights. Fast road. Lots of fun. But I say, it won't get me to St. Louis will it? Frank says, all roads are the same. It's the journey that matters, not the destination.

Tom counters. You need to go up I-94 toward Minneapolis. It's one of the most beautiful rides. Plenty of places to get off the road. Pleasant. Scenic. Will it get to St. Louis, I ask? Oh, this road has much to offer. It's beautiful. Many great people have traveled this road before. Did they get to St. Louis. No one knows. But the ride was great.

Bill finally says. I know a road that goes very close to St. Louis. I-57. Goes South and a tiny bit west. It's nearly the same as I-55. The same people built it. Besides you'll end up in Memphis, Elvis's home town. Won't that be fun?

I listen, but soon realize that if I want to get to to St. Louis, there's only one road that will take me there. I-55. If I take a wrong road I will have to turn back from I-80 or I-90 or even correct my course on I-57 to redirect my path to St. Louis.

If I choose go down other roads I will end up somewhere else, not in the presence of my Father.

I remember as a kid in Sunday School a handout with people going down a great road, nice, straight wide, clean and at the end dropping off a cliff at the end to ultimate destruction. While on the other hand, some were staying on a narrow path and ending up in Heaven. It impressed me and to this day it still does. There is a way that seemeth right to a man but in the end leadeth to destruction.

It's not even about all the people who have traveled the other roads. Even Hitler had his good points. Gandhi too. They just traveled the wrong road. Every other road has things about it that offers much to commend it. At the same time these other roads offers nothing but death in the end. The road marked Buddhism is beautiful but leads nowhere, the road marked Islam is clean and straight but has a dead end, the road marked atheism has no roadmarks at all, just wandering around, and there are other roads that at the beginning have signs that say, Jesus, 500 miles. But they take wrong turns and end up somewhere other than the destination intended. The Highway of Holiness is the only way, all others lead nowhere.

There is only ONE WAY to the Father, Jesus. Only one.

Doctor = Mechanic. REALLY!

The article below was part of the editorial page from the Chicago Tribune today. I have a problem with the medical community and their secretive pricing practices. I want to know. Part of why they don't want you to know is the price for any given procedure is all over the map. In South Carolina at least Blue Cross tries to help people get a handle on this big time expenditure which fewer and fewer insurance companies are paying for and which fewer and fewer employers are providing. We are soon ALL going to have to negotiate our own health care costs.

My son and his wife are about to have their 4th child. Maternity costs are nationwide from $4-11,000. Oh, the medical community will tell you there are qualitative differences. I'll give you that is a reason for some of the price difference but there is a limit. That price range is way out of whack. By the way, the national average for doc, hospital and baby is $8800 according to a study released yesterday. When our son was born, total costs were about $600 in 1967. Prices have gone up but not that much.

I did some research on what Medicaid pays for the mother in Chicago for a delivery. A little over 3 grand. That's everything. That may be too low. His doc has told him expect a bill for 10 grand. Something is seriously wrong with this picture.

Recently I was recommended to have a Colonoscopy. The price proffered was $2500. I'll give you this. That's not something I want to do at any price as patient or provider. But, then today I run across this story in the Trib. If I fly to California I can get the same procedure done for $424. I think I can go there, fly back, and enjoy a nice meal in CA, visit the beach and still save money.

We need transparency in medical pricing. The idea that a doctor can just prescribe a procedure and expect us to just buy it sight unseen without questioning the price is ludicrous. We don't buy anything else that way.

I'm the customer, they're the supplier. Tell me what you have, I'll decide. Last go round, I parted company with a doctor because I didn't like what he decided in my behalf for me to do. I asked too many questions. Expected him to act in my behalf. He expected me to act in his interest. We parted company. Now I have a new doctor. I'm hopeful this relationship will go better. She seems nice.

It's really like finding an auto mechanic. If the guy I'm talking too doesn't offer to get my car fixed at a price I'll accept (he must tell me before I allow him to start. That's the LAW in ILLINOIS) I'll go somewhere else or maybe decide NOT to have the procedure done if I understand the risks. I use more than one mechanic. I don't have the $75/hour guy change my oil or balance my tires and I don't expect the $20/hour guy to quiet my noisy tappet. I am dilligent in keeping my auto in order but I'm a careful shopper. I expect to pay what the mechanic quoted. That's the law. I seldom go back to the dealer after the warranty runs out. The price of their work can be double what the guy in the local garage does it for. And, the net results of their action are the same or I don't pay.

In any case, if I'm not well, my first contact is the maker of the body I carry with me. That solves most things. I take care of it but I am very careful to make sure the Doc I see keeps to the Hippocratic oath, "First do no harm". That includes my pocketbook.We need more of this transparency in medicine. Read the article.

How much, doc?

Published June 13, 2007

So you need an EKG and you wonder what it's going to cost you? If you're in Southern California, you can just click over to the Web site of HealthCare Partners Medical Group, which has listed the out-of-pocket prices for 58 common procedures. By offering price information about medical services, the mammoth medical group, which serves more than 500,000 Californians, gives its patients the opportunity to be more discerning consumers of health care.

EKG? $45. Colonoscopy? $424. Chest X-ray? $61.

Of course, to make informed decisions on purchasing health care, consumers need to look beyond sticker prices. The HealthCare Partners Web site makes the job easier by allowing patients to quickly and easily access studies -- government and non-profit -- that offer information on how the group stacks up against local competitors (Hint: It usually comes out ahead).

Self-congratulatory? Yes. Useful for people? Absolutely.

Transparent pricing isn't the be-all of health care. The physician or hospital with the lowest prices isn't necessarily the best deal. Not, for instance, if they're likely to order up unnecessary tests and pump up the final bill.

Comparison shopping for medical care isn't easy, particularly if you don't have an insurer to do some of the work for you. But the chance to make comparisons beats the alternative: knowing little or nothing about the cost and quality of the health care you will receive.

It would be good if more providers went the way of HealthCare Partners Medical Group, giving consumers a better chance to find high-quality, competitively priced care in a crowded marketplace.

Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune

How to Tell if Fred Thompson is a Christian

There has been a great deal of kerfuffle about the issue from James Dobson as to IF Senator Fred Thompson is or is not a Christian.  I don't know how Dr. Dobson can tell.  I know he is doing fruit inspections.  The article linked above doesn't say very much good about the evaluation that some in the evangelical community are making.  I'm not sure I would make it.  OR YOU!

 

I'm not convinced that Dr. Dobson is on the money on this one.  John Armstrong on the other hand has a much better balanced view of all this. 

 

I think there is a better way to measure and that measurement must take place in Fred Thompson's heart.  In my opinion and in the opinion of a Pastor Friend of mine, Aaron Helland there are 7 essential truths that differentiate those who are or are not Christians headed for Heaven.  In other words,  IF YOU DON'T believe these 7 things you are headed for HELL and you are NOT a Christian.

 

I know that's a bit tough but it's straightforward.  My point is, I don't think Dr. Dobson has a clue to IF Fred Thompson does or does not believe these things.  I think Dr. Dobson is talking out of his hat.

 

THE SEVEN ESSENTIAL BELIEFS YOU MUST HAVE OR YOU WILL GO TO HELL

 

1. Jesus Christ is GOD

He is equal with God, uncreated, not a Co-God, but True God. 

John 1:1-3 John testifies of Jesus

John 5:18 Jesus says of Himself

John 20:28 Thomas says of Jesus

Revelation 1:8  Jesus says of himself

2. Jesus was born of a Virgin

Mary didn't get "Knocked Up" and cop out.  She was virgin, never knew a man sexually, bore Jesus like that.  Born of the Holy Spirit. 

Matthew 1:23

Luke 1:34-35

3. Jesus lived a sinless life on this earth

He never sinned once.  He was perfect in every way and still is.  That's why his sacrifice is perfect.  There is no accusation that can stand against him. 

Hebrews 4:14-16

2 Corinthians 5:21

4. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world

He was fully man but he is the only Jew of the 60,000 or so Jews crucified by the Romans who's guiltless life was able to pay for all the sins of the whole world.   If you or I die we can't even pay for our own sins because we are guilty.  It's only thru the blood of Jesus that God sees us as pure.

1 John 2:2

2 Corinthians 5:19

Ephesians 2:13

5. Jesus rose bodily from the dead

Jesus died.  He rose.  Not some spirit.  Not that he had a bad day and recovered.  HE was dead and rose again.

Romans 8:11

Acts 2:31

Acts 4:33

Romans 10:9

6. Jesus is alive today seated at the right hand of God the Father

He lives to make intercession for us.   He sits in the place of power.  His name is above every name that can or could be named. 

Luke 22:69

Colossians 3:1

Acts 7:55

7. Jesus is the one and only way to eternal life

Even though there are many other ways which people walk in faith, only one way leads to the Father.  Jesus.  There is no other way.  No other path.  No other method.  Every other pathway leads to destruction. 

John 14:6

1 Timothy 2:5

Acts 4:12

 

If James Dobson was asking Senator Thompson to affirm those beliefs there might be some validity.  The measures he uses are external.  This isn't about the length of hair, makeup, speaking in tongues, regular church attendance, tithing, singing songs, serving on committees, taking communion or any such religious activities.  This is about what does Senator Thompson says of the Christ.  By the way if this sounds a little like a creed you might say, it is.  In the end it's all about Jesus.  If anyone, even a Baptist or a member of Church of Christ tells you that you must have Jesus and something else to be a Christian, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!   That's a cult.  Anyone who tells you that you need Jesus plus anything to be saved is a spiritual misleader.

 

Now, if he believes all those things and eschews the things of God otherwise then there IS a disconnect. 

 

I think this is over the top in my most humble opinion.  We're hiring a President not a High Priest.

Cursed Church Plants

I have a theory.  I Can't prove it, But I Believe it.

 

IF a new church is started out of order it will never come into order.  God will Withhold his hand from it and it will collapse of it's own weight.  In other words, he will allow a curse to be placed on the church that will stand.  Never a good thing.

 

I have been involved in enough new church plants to know that there are curses that follow some new church plants.  If a person is a church planter it will serve them well NOT to allow any of these curses to follow those plants: 

 

Planting from a split.  I know of very few church plants that come from a church split that amount to anything.  If a group of people become offended with a church and leave in a huff to go off to start their own church that new church is doomed.  I have watched 5 examples personally: one in Fargo at First Assembly, Two from Faith Center, Two from Calvary.  In every case that new effort collapsed because the spirit of offense and rebellion manifested itself in the new Fellowship.  Collapse happens within a few years.

 

Pirating, living off the work of others.  I was part of a church that was pirated (Proselytized) by another small church.  Now 5 years later that church runs on average less than 70 people which is what the congregation was combined when the proselytizing happened.  This kind of drinking from wells he didn't drill has caused this young pastor to stagnate.  God doesn't bless a divider.  If your church growth only comes from stripping people out of other churches you will stagnate.  It's a curse.

 

A church formed of rebellion, anger, divisiveness and strife.  Even if the founder is a Godly man or woman if the core vision is "at least we aren't those other guys" it will fail.  I know of a church that struggled with the spirit of rebellion and divisiveness for a long time.  It wasn't a split but it depended on people who came to the new fellowship with a church split mentality.  People would compare what happened at their church with what happened at others.  This church finally got out of the box when it abandoned this for a new vision which is focused on community.  It now is growing.  The "at least we aren't those other guys" vision is no vision at all.

 

Vanilla Church, Trying to be all things to all people.  This is the saddest situation of all.  Trying to build a church by being whatever you think everyone wants.  In other words not having a core vision, not remaining faithful to the beliefs and principles you started with.  People are attracted by vision.  Not by division which is what happens when everyone has their say.  The leadership must promote the vision constantly.  Those who buy into the vision will come, those who don't will leave.  The church that results will be strong and unified.

 

Plan B. This curse is the worst of all.   If a church planter lives with  Plan B in his pocket he will fail. When he committed to planting a church he had to say to himself, there is no plan B.  I worked with a man who planted a church a few years ago and he was constantly scheming to come up with a plan B.  Not God's plan.  His Plan B.  If a person is a church planter, he must say to himself, there is no plan B.  The tentativeness will cause him to bob and weave when he should be focused and straight ahead.

 

If God told him to plant a church and if it succeeds all the Glory goes to God.  If it fails who let it fail?   A church planter must be neutral regarding success or failure.  If he becomes failure minded (feeling like if the church fails he failed) he will fail.  It's not about him.  It's about what God wants to do thru him.  If God wants to plant a church and he calls a man or woman to do it then all that man or woman can do is do their level best every day using all the skills abilities and anointing God gave them.  If it doesn't work he closes the book and moves on.

 

Church planting is brutal business.  It's family stretching.  It's marriage punishing.  It's ego destroying.  It can drive a man out of ministry. 

 

Yet I have worked with some GOOD men who planted and made it work even if it failed.  Tim and Aaron.  If they read this (I sent them a copy as I sent this to the Blogpost) they know who they are.  They both planted without the curse.  It was a pure work. That doesn't mean immediate success.  It may not mean success at all.  It means they did what God asked them to do.  In that they are successful.

 

Planting a church without one of the curses noted above has a much better chance of making it than one that is planted with a curse.  I know the devil curses new church plants, that's OK.  The gates of hell won't prevail anyway.  I just want to make sure that there isn't a curse that God will allow because of one of the rebellions noted above.

Does over the Hill mean going Faster?

The US government asked me if I want to start collecting Social Security. I said no. Let it ride. I'm over the hill in their opinion. I think I must be because I'm going so much faster than I used to. That's what happens when you start going downhill. I even changed the Blood Pressure medication (or the Doc did) and I take fewer naps. So, now I run even faster.

My blogging absence is mostly because I am behind in work. I should be writing a shipping order. I should be but I'm not. I'm blogging.

I should be unpacking and heeling in a couple hundred plants that came on Friday. I should be but I'm not. I'm blogging.

And it's not topic shortage. I have much to blog on that I may never get to:

• Cultural Pimps Leading to Disaster
• Trading your soul for acceptance
• 7 basic Christian beliefs you must accept or you will go to hell
• Pre and post Pentecost infilling of the Spirit of God, which side are you on?
• The Highways with Pretty Scenery may not take you where you want to go
• I was bitten on Thursday by a Black Widow Spider (in honor of Julies post on Spiders) and survived. I did swell up. I'll live.

and much much more.

I have to stop blogging and go unpack that box of plants and unload a pickup load of potting soil and and and and......

That's how I know I'm over the hill, I keep going faster.

I hope there's no nasty spiders in those boxes.

Fred Thompson = Barak Obama

Everyone carries a messiah complex. We all want that one person who can solve all the problems of the world with one hand behind their back.

The liberals invested themselves in Obama. They imputed all the qualities they wanted in a president to him. Now that his is in the race who he really is and what he's really like is coming to light. Not all of it is pretty. He carries around the same clay feet all people have.

The right wing is in the same mode. The 10++ candidates all disappoint. When can we get a REAL conservative everyone asks.

So out from behind the curtain jumps FRED THOMPSON. Savior of all things conservative. Ronald Wilson Reagan Reborn. OR not.

Fred is one of those people who we conservatives impute the qualities we wish someone has. When Fred Thompson enters the race his feet will be exposed and they too will be earthen.

But, none the less there are some funny bits about Fred Thompson. In today's tribune was this column. It was drawn from this website. Good fun.

Here are just a few little-known facts about Fred Thompson:

• - Every night before going to sleep, Osama bin Laden checks under his bed for Fred Thompson.
• -Though Fred Thompson left the Senate in 2003, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) still hasn't stopped wetting his pants.
• - Fred Thompson once ended a filibuster by ripping out a senator's heart and showing it to him before he died.
• - Only two things can kill Superman: Kryptonite and Fred Thompson.
• - Fred Thompson once stood on our south border and glared at Mexico. There was no illegal immigration for a month.
• - Fred Thompson vows not only to win in Iraq but also to forcefully free Vietnam from communism, thus giving America a perfect win-loss record for wars again.
• - Fred Thompson can open clamshell packaging without the slightest trouble.

But, I want to know when a REAL conservative will run for President.

Suicide

A few weeks ago a woman Faith Center was brought to me for prayer. Her son had just committed suicide. She was understandably distraught. There were other prayer teams there but she was so upset the usher brought her to me. I usually get the tough ones. He said to her, "You need the prophet to pray for you and give you a word". No pressure you understand.

So I did what I do. I waited on the Lord as I laid hands on her and sure enough the Lord had something to say to her. There was reassurance and encouragement. That's what's so wonderful about the prophetic ministry. I saw her a week later and she was much more settled. A word from God can change your life for the better in a moment.

I hate suicide. I hate it more when it's a christian that is affected. I hate it most when a Christian commits suicide. I am convinced that turning your face momentarily away from Jesus for a Christian is functional atheism. Sin is functional atheism. For a brief moment we act as if there is no God. It's sin but as a Christian it's forgiven. Jesus died for all our sins. Suicide is a sin under the blood. That is not conventional theology but I have had enough involvement in dealing with suicide aftermath to tell you, sin is sin. Jesus died for all sins, no matter if it's a lie, theft or self murder.

What brought this up is a post by John Armstrong and the ensuing comments about the death by suicide of a friend of his. You should read the whole thing.

I don't think we understand the depth of pain that causes someone to take this final step. I am alarmed at the increase in suicide in America. In Japan it's normal. They have no God so the live like there is no God. And, they die like there is no God.

Hope is only found in Jesus, hopelessness is most hopeless when you no longer believe there is a God.

Blown Away

I have been a little quiet blogwise. Because - I've been working - a LOT.  12 hour days.  I'm not complaining.  I would do this for free.  I love to do what I do so much.  I pruned plants all day yesterday.

 

Today, I may not love it as much.  I have been so wise as to schedule 3 truckloads to ship today.  That's not the problem.  The wind will be up to 50 mph today and 93 degrees.  That's the problem.  Get a tree up in the air in that wind and it gets entertaining.  Putting a tarp on that truck is even more exciting in that wind.

 

I'll not be doing that, the nurseries will.  I have 2 - 26' loads of potted plants to ship today.  I have a young (17) high school student, a friends son who is going to help me load and unload the truck.  I hope he doesn't wear out.  That will be in the wind and rain as well.  So, by nightfall I'll be blown away.

 

In a news report about baby boomers of which I am almost one  (I'm actually a year too old to be considered a true baby boomer) I heard that 30% have no intention of ever retiring.  The intend to work till the day they die.  I am one of those.  I can't imagine what I would do in retirement.  I am doing what I want to do.  I love what I do.  Why would I retire?

 

So, I won't.

 

I have a theory.  I think there is a political indicator in those who want to retire.  I'll let you make the analysis.  Could there be a correlation between conservatism and liberalism and the idea of retiring?   I think there may be.

Prairie Apologetics

I know I will be in trouble for this.  But, if you read only ONE THING today you have to read the post Julie makes regarding a discussion in comments on this blog and her dissertation on it.

Julie in her responce is eloquent, respectful and deeply insightful.  I thought of titling this post, Angela's Ashes, But that would be wrong since her name isn't even Angela. 

If you ever wanted to know how to answer a lost atheist look at how well Julie does it.  She doesn't use the Bible, something we old thumpers did in the old days.  Atheists don't believe the Bible is any more relevant or true than an operators manual for a refrigerator.  Good for refrigerators but not for them. 

There is much to learn about reaching the lost atheist from Julie.  "Angela" may not respond.  Her loss.  But Julie did well.

If I learn to write someday I will be eloquent, respectful and insightful.  Till then I'm just Gene.

A GORE-EY COULD HAVE BEEN

In today's Chicago Tribune writer Dennis Byrne has a nightmare of what would have happened if Al Gore had become President. If this doesn't scare you, nothing will.

If Al Gore had been president ...

President Al Gore today asked the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution of "concern" over the nuclear arms race between Iran and Iraq.

"Both countries are perilously close to possessing nuclear weapons," Gore said at a White House press conference. "Nuclear warfare between these two historic enemies would be a tragedy for everyone."

President Gore requested the resolution after the countries' two dictators, Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, renewed threats of annihilation against each other over disputed Persian Gulf territory. Two decades ago, the two nations fought a prolonged war involving the use of chemical weapons over dominance of the strategically important gulf region, and both nations years ago dropped any pretense that their nuclear programs had peaceful purposes.

Gore said former President Jimmy Carter, who now is Gore's UN ambassador, would present new, softer language than what's contained in the 14 previously rejected resolutions proposed by the United States. Gore indicated that the resolution would drop a U.S. request for a multinational summit of Middle East nations and instead seek mediation by the International Anger Management Institute.

Former Sen. Fred Thompson, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, said in response, "Great, just what we need, another futile request for a feeble declaration from an international body incapable of agreeing on the time of day. Ever since 9/11, the Gore administration's toothless foreign policy has led to more attacks by Islamic terrorists, killing thousands more Americans on our own soil and worsening the sectarian violence in the Middle East.

"All because no one seems capable of saying, 'Enough.' "

Gore has persistently argued that only multilateral talks involving the European community and all Muslim countries can settle the growing conflicts that threaten to drastically reduce the amount of crude oil available to a worsening American economy. Because of the uncertainty of supplies from the region, mandated caps imposed on U.S. off-shore oil fields, a moratorium on all domestic crude oil exploration and new production, and the crippling of domestic refining capabilities by a host of new government regulations, the nation now finds itself in the grip of an unprecedented energy crisis, with average gasoline prices soaring to a near-record $8.35 a gallon. As unemployment climbed to 9.3 percent -- the highest since the early 1980s -- and energy-driven inflation has bounded to 9.1 percent -- reminiscent of the "stagflation" that characterized Carter's presidency -- Gore's presidential approval ratings have hit a rock-bottom 25 percent.

Despite the dire economy, Gore renewed his threat to veto any legislation that would lessen costly measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as required by the Kyoto treaty. "This will be seen by our allies as a betrayal, and tarnish America's good name worldwide," Gore said. The president sidestepped repeated questions about why America should carry the burden, even though no European nation has met carbon dioxide emission standards, and China and India, which have leapfrogged America as the world's leading polluters, have not attempted to control their emissions.

Gore also threatened to veto the so-called USA Patriot Act, proposed legislation that would strengthen America's intelligence-gathering capabilities. A bipartisan coalition crafted the legislation in the wake of repeated terrorist attacks on American cities, including the horrific use of hijacked airplanes to destroy the Capitol and Chicago's Sears Tower. One of the most important features of the Patriot Act would be the interception of communications between domestic terrorists and Al Qaeda operatives operating freely in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In other matters, Gore:

*Said he would present a "comprehensive" proposal to deal with the genocide in Darfur "at the appropriate time." He specifically ruled out the use of force because "it wouldn't look good." Besides, "we can handle only one genocide at a time," referring to Hussein's continued slaughter of Kurds and Shiites.

*Warned against any Israeli attempts to use force to stop Iraq and Iran from developing nuclear weapons. "Israel must understand that force would doom hopes for a multinational summit to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian-Lebanese-Syrian war. The American people want a realistic foreign policy, one that rejects the use of force in any form," he said.

*Said he would not comment on a newly published book, "An Assault on Reason," by his defeated 2000 and 2004 presidential opponent George W. Bush in which Bush assailed the Gore presidency as "the worst in history." Gore, however, cracked a smile when a reporter reminded him that Bush said the book was not "political."

Joyce Still at Faith Center

Tonight I took a friend of mine along to Faith Center.  Aaron is the Pastor of the Church in Berwyn we have been working with for a few months.  His wife is out of town so he wanted to come with.  He's glad he did.

 

Joyce Still was there ministering.  She is a person that operates in words of knowledge and the prophetic .  I have seen Joyce many times in action.  She's the real deal.  She can look at a person and tell them everything going on in their life.  Even years ago.

 

She was doing what she does and during it called Aaron out.  She didn't know him from anyone.  She then proceeded to tell him what he was doing, what challenges he is facing and to describe details no one except God could have known.  That's why I love the Prophetic and the Word of Knowledge as spiritual gifts so much.

 

We call the having your mail read.   It impressed even me.  There is little more to this report except this musing;  I see Richard Dawkins book God is not Great is on the best seller list. 

 

I have pity for him and those who buy in the whole intentional unbelief agenda.  What is even more sad and to be pitied people he convinces.  At the other end of the spectrum is a reality in God that staggers the imagination. 

 

I guess it would take Richard Dawkins putting himself in a place where a Joyce Still could just stand there in the power of the Holy Ghost and tell him all kinds of things about himself he didn't think anyone knew for him to be convinced.  But, then he would find some reason to poo poo it all anyway.  He would be convinced that there was some snake oil in all this. 

 

I know Joyce, I know Faith Center, I know Aaron and I know his situation.  Joyce called it perfectly.  Aaron has no doubt. 

 

It must be horrible to not have any knowledge of the reality of God. 

 

Or maybe more horrible to live on the edge.

 

Or horrible to be both.

 

Cynicism is punishment enough.

Protect us from the Protectors

Here's the Problem.

 

Yesterday all the news was aglow with the story that a major spammer of your email was arrested.  That we are now protected from receiving information about our male members.  

 

There's a dark side to this.  It's not what it seems and it's a power grab.  Remember after 9-11 the TSA?  TSA, a joke with no funny punch line.

 

Now when you buy an airplane ticket you see a charge for security.  Started out at $5.  Now $7.  Soon $10.  It's a tax.  And it employs people who couldn't find other jobs.  It's control.  Take your jells and shampoos and toss them.  Off with your shoes.  Take out your laptop.  Remove your belt.  Stand in line.  And the bombers haul GUNS thru the scanners with abandon while grandma gets wanded down for nuclear devices.  

 

This is what kind of idiocy happens when the government begins to protect us.  We aren't protected, just harassed and taxed.

 

OR

 

Remember Cell Phones?  Looked at your bill lately?  My cell phone bill is $45 per month.  But I write a check for $65.  Howcome?  TAX!

 

I would blame Clinton (he's easy) but most of this happened in the last 5 years.  All in the name of security and equalization.  It's all a lie.  My and your cell phone bill is the most taxed service we pay.  

 

NOW, we are going to be protected by some idiots against spam on the internet.  Really.  Is this going to be free?  Get real.  Every click, every email, every new page you open is going to carry a fee.  Oh, it hasn't happened YET.  It will.  All in the name of protecting us.  

 

If you look behind the great Oz's curtain you will discover that Mr really bad spammer mostly did tools, services and other things.  Not much about my male member.   He just did it better than most.

 

We are going to discover that most of this hoopla is just so much bulloney.  He didn't steal identities, he didn't cheat anyone. 

 

This is about money, your money, this is about controlling the internet, this is about censorship, this is about the big shots using the power of the state to crush free expression.

 

I'm not fan of spam.  I am a fan of unfettered exchange.  I'm a big boy, I have spam filters.  I'm not easily fooled.  I don't need to pay someone to protect me.

 

This is the dumbest thing since the Scooter Libby case. 

 

Hang on to your pocketbooks and enjoy what's left of freedom on the internet.  Life is about to change.

 

 

A Crisis of Faith

Francis Frangipane is a Pastor I have known for some years.  He pastors a church in Cedar Rapids.  He does great work.

 

Before he took the church he is in now and before he became "Famous" he went thru a crisis of faith.

 

I read this and understood exactly what he was talking about.  You probably will as well. If you are a pastor or any church leader you need to read what Francis says.  It's not about us.

 

By the way, this all appeared on Elijah List.  I enjoy the downloads they send but your must be good at separating wheat from chaff.   If you get 10 emails from them, 2 will be worth reading.  But the 2 will really be worth reading.

 

So, if you have the patience or if you do as I do and use a gmail or hotmail account and let the stuff pile up there for later sorting so as not to mess with the email account I use for real email it's worth getting.  You can subscribe somewhere on this website,  or just send an email from one of your nonprime email accounts and you will get tons of interesting stuff (and megatons of chaff).  mailto:subs@elijahlist.net?subject=(B)Subscribe

The Climate is Changing

With almost NO comment from me, this story from ABC news about the head of NASA declaring that Man has nothing to do with global warming. The resultant political backlash is telling. Global warming politics is just a corrupt money grab.

The climate is changing. Read the comments here. People aren't buying it anymore. Thank God.

Now, maybe we can spend our time developing zero net CO2 emissions by using bio-renewables from the ocean. Bio-renewable zero CO2 i= if you grow a tree and burn it there are zero new CO2 molecules in the atmosphere. We can do this if we stop trying to keep the sky from falling. Now we are getting somewhere.

My friend Terry (Post Below) keeps me posted on bio-resourse development. This deal is going to happen. Soon.