President Ronald Reagan once commented on the earthly ministry of Christ:
"Meaning no disrespect to the religious convictions of others, I still can't
help wondering how we can explain away what to me is the greatest miracle of
all and which is recorded in history. No one denies there was such a man,
that He lived and that He was put to death by crucifixion. Where...is the
miracle I spoke of? Well consider this and let your imagination translate the
story into our own time-possibly to your own home town.
"A young man whose father is a carpenter grows up working in His father's
shop. One day He puts down His tools and walks out of His father's shop. He
starts preaching on street corners and in the nearby countryside, walking
from place to place, preaching all the while, even though He is not an
ordained minister. He does this for three years. Then He is arrested, tried,
and convicted. There is no court of appeal, so He is executed at the age 33
along with two common thieves. Those in charge of His execution roll dice to
see who gets His clothing-the only possessions He has. His family cannot
afford a burial place for Him so He is interred in a borrowed tomb. End of
story? No, this uneducated, propertyless young man who...left no written word
has, for 2,000 years, had a greater effect on the world than all the rulers,
kings, emperors; all the conquerors, generals and admirals, all the scholars,
scientists and philosophers who have ever lived-all of them put together. How
do we explain that?...unless He really was who He said He was."
As President Reagan noted, Jesus has had more impact on the world than any
ruler or philosopher who has ever lived. He changed history by His birth and
is still changing the world today. But imagine what would have happened had
no one known about Jesus' birth. What if the shepherds didn't tell others
about the babe in the manger? How would they have known their Messiah had
come?
Even today, how will others know about the Saviour if no one tells them? Like
the shepherds, we are sent to tell everyone we know about the birth of our
Saviour 2,000 years ago and the free gift of salvation He offers them today.
The Christmas season is here, and the hope of salvation is still alive in
each of us if we know Him. Take time each day to share God's Good News with
someone. Keep the Christmas spirit alive by sharing the spirit of Christ
today.
"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven,
the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see
this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And
they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a
manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which
was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at
those things which were told them by the shepherds."
Luke 2:15-18
Christ's birth changed the world when the shepherds spread the word.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
3 Prayer Stories
Just this past Friday, I drove the bus for our sports teams to a set of games with a school in our School Association. The pastor at this Church and School ministry related to me a wonderful story of answered prayer during our conversation. I have added 2 more to it that I hope will be a blessing to all readers.
Story #1...
Evangelist Don Green is known the world over as a prayer warrior. While he was one of the preachers in a meeting this past year for Dr. Keith Gomez, in between services Dr. Gomez introduced Dr. Green to his son and daughter in law. During the conversation, Dr. Gomez brought out the fact that his own boys would be the end of the Gomez line as far as his family was involved. His male children have no boys to continue the family name. Dr. Green stopped the dialog and asked, "Wait a minute, would you two like to have a boy?"
You can imagine that their response was hesitant and reluctant. "Um, yes."
"Now..." he said, "I am not being trite, but I want to know... will you raise him for God, and do your best to see that he serves God with his life? I am going to pray and ask God to give you a boy, but I am just asking you to make sure you are going to do your part to rear him for God."
Dr. Green prayed for that young couple, and immediately after the prayer, Mrs. Green said, "honey, if I were you I would start picking up items for a baby boy."
Just here recently, at Dr. Keith Gomez's church, he had Dr. Green speaking at another meeting. While introducing him to the crowd, Dr. Gomez told that story and then announced....
"...today at noon, a baby boy was born to my son and daughter in law. And I can't think of a better was to introduce a speaker to you than that!"
Story # 2...
"William Horst gave this testimony to E.M. Bounds of answered prayer: "One
evening I left my office in New York with a bitterly cold wind in my face. I
had with me (as I thought) my thick warm muffler, but when I proceeded to
button up against the storm, I found that it was gone. I turned back, looked
along the streets, searched my office, but in vain. I realized that I must
have dropped it, and I prayed to God that I would find it; for such was the
state of the weather that it would be running a great risk to proceed
without it. I looked again up and down the surrounding streets, but without
success. Suddenly, I saw a man on the opposite side of the road holding out
something in his hand. I crossed over and asked him if that was my muffler.
He handed it to me saying, "It was blown to me by the wind." He who rides
upon the storm, had used the wind as a means of answering prayer."
--William Horst
Story #3...
A. C. Dixon tells the following story of a friend of his: "A dear friend of
mine who was quite a lover of hunting, told me the following story. 'Rising
early one morning,' he said, 'I heard the barking of a number of dogs
chasing deer. Looking at a large open field in front of me, I saw a young
fawn making its way across the field and giving signs that its race was
almost run. It leaped over the rails of the enclosed place and crouched
within ten feet of where I stood. A moment later two of the hounds came
over, and the fawn ran in my direction and pushed its head between my legs.
I lifted the little thing to my breast, and swinging round and round, fought
off the dogs. Just then I felt that all the dogs in the West could not and
would not capture that fawn after it weakness had appealed to my strength.'
So is it, when human helplessness appeals to Almighty God. I remember well,
when the hounds of sin were after my soul, that at last I ran into the arms
of Almighty God."
--A.C. Dixon
James 1:5-6
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask
in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea
driven with the wind and tossed."
John 14:12-14
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I
do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go
unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in
my name, I will do it."
Story #1...
Evangelist Don Green is known the world over as a prayer warrior. While he was one of the preachers in a meeting this past year for Dr. Keith Gomez, in between services Dr. Gomez introduced Dr. Green to his son and daughter in law. During the conversation, Dr. Gomez brought out the fact that his own boys would be the end of the Gomez line as far as his family was involved. His male children have no boys to continue the family name. Dr. Green stopped the dialog and asked, "Wait a minute, would you two like to have a boy?"
You can imagine that their response was hesitant and reluctant. "Um, yes."
"Now..." he said, "I am not being trite, but I want to know... will you raise him for God, and do your best to see that he serves God with his life? I am going to pray and ask God to give you a boy, but I am just asking you to make sure you are going to do your part to rear him for God."
Dr. Green prayed for that young couple, and immediately after the prayer, Mrs. Green said, "honey, if I were you I would start picking up items for a baby boy."
Just here recently, at Dr. Keith Gomez's church, he had Dr. Green speaking at another meeting. While introducing him to the crowd, Dr. Gomez told that story and then announced....
"...today at noon, a baby boy was born to my son and daughter in law. And I can't think of a better was to introduce a speaker to you than that!"
Story # 2...
"William Horst gave this testimony to E.M. Bounds of answered prayer: "One
evening I left my office in New York with a bitterly cold wind in my face. I
had with me (as I thought) my thick warm muffler, but when I proceeded to
button up against the storm, I found that it was gone. I turned back, looked
along the streets, searched my office, but in vain. I realized that I must
have dropped it, and I prayed to God that I would find it; for such was the
state of the weather that it would be running a great risk to proceed
without it. I looked again up and down the surrounding streets, but without
success. Suddenly, I saw a man on the opposite side of the road holding out
something in his hand. I crossed over and asked him if that was my muffler.
He handed it to me saying, "It was blown to me by the wind." He who rides
upon the storm, had used the wind as a means of answering prayer."
--William Horst
Story #3...
A. C. Dixon tells the following story of a friend of his: "A dear friend of
mine who was quite a lover of hunting, told me the following story. 'Rising
early one morning,' he said, 'I heard the barking of a number of dogs
chasing deer. Looking at a large open field in front of me, I saw a young
fawn making its way across the field and giving signs that its race was
almost run. It leaped over the rails of the enclosed place and crouched
within ten feet of where I stood. A moment later two of the hounds came
over, and the fawn ran in my direction and pushed its head between my legs.
I lifted the little thing to my breast, and swinging round and round, fought
off the dogs. Just then I felt that all the dogs in the West could not and
would not capture that fawn after it weakness had appealed to my strength.'
So is it, when human helplessness appeals to Almighty God. I remember well,
when the hounds of sin were after my soul, that at last I ran into the arms
of Almighty God."
--A.C. Dixon
James 1:5-6
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask
in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea
driven with the wind and tossed."
John 14:12-14
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I
do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go
unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in
my name, I will do it."
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Air Force Working to Remove Bible from Courses.
Back in early August, "The Blaze" brought us the controversy surrounding a missile training course that the Air Force suspended following complaints about the inclusion of Bible verses in the curriculum.
Now, Sen. John Cornyn (Texas) is asking for a detailed report from the Air Force that explains why the course, entitled “Just War Theory,” was canned (the course was taught at California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base).
Clearly bothered by the Air Force’s willingness to amend the course to remove the Christian passages, Cornyn sent a letter of concern to Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley. In the note, which was given exclusively to Fox News Radio, he wrote:
“…suspending a course like this because of references to religious texts misinterprets the First Amendment. Although our Founding Fathers rightly included language in the Constitution that precludes the Federal government from establishing an official religion, this language does not, as some have argued, protect them from exposure to religious references. The First Amendment is intended to guarantee an individual’s right to the free exercise of religion according to his or her conscience.”
---Texas Sen. John Cornyn
Others, of course, disagree with Cornyn’s take on the matter. Despite the fact that the course had been implemented for 20 years without incident, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) says that it violates the constitution’s intent to keep church and state separated.
Pause for a moment to bring to mind the truth... that the Constitution never did intend to separate Church and State as liberals try to use it to do now. Neither did it attempt to separate God and State, as it is presently being used. That TRUTH aside, now the government is violating the clause in the 1st Amendment by (in thousands of ways) spending money and resources in the effort of removing all Bible references, God references, scriptural ideas and general wholesome thoughts from all public life.
The reason that the AF course included the references to Scripture is that they have some military significance and value. Reality Check!!... Let the liberals cry about the course because of Bible passages. If they did not have that, they would cry because it is a War Course. So now we throw out all reference to Bible verses even if they have some use other than teaching a particular doctrine?! They were being used to teach war theory, not Baptism.
Watch out for your neighborhood liberal. They are dishonest in their motive for removing the Bible. Even when it is not used in a Doctrinal teaching or for the proselyting of souls, the liberal must see it removed. ALL mention of it is offensive to them. ALL uses of it are intrusive to them. ALL prayers in public must be hidden from them. ALL .... you imagine the rest.
What is next? All Bibles must be removed from public, in case a liberal sees one? Or maybe all Christians have to be limited in our speech, in case a liberal hears one?
Praise God For Christian schools, Christian voters, Christians in the workplace, ETC.
Now, Sen. John Cornyn (Texas) is asking for a detailed report from the Air Force that explains why the course, entitled “Just War Theory,” was canned (the course was taught at California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base).
Clearly bothered by the Air Force’s willingness to amend the course to remove the Christian passages, Cornyn sent a letter of concern to Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley. In the note, which was given exclusively to Fox News Radio, he wrote:
“…suspending a course like this because of references to religious texts misinterprets the First Amendment. Although our Founding Fathers rightly included language in the Constitution that precludes the Federal government from establishing an official religion, this language does not, as some have argued, protect them from exposure to religious references. The First Amendment is intended to guarantee an individual’s right to the free exercise of religion according to his or her conscience.”
---Texas Sen. John Cornyn
Others, of course, disagree with Cornyn’s take on the matter. Despite the fact that the course had been implemented for 20 years without incident, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) says that it violates the constitution’s intent to keep church and state separated.
Pause for a moment to bring to mind the truth... that the Constitution never did intend to separate Church and State as liberals try to use it to do now. Neither did it attempt to separate God and State, as it is presently being used. That TRUTH aside, now the government is violating the clause in the 1st Amendment by (in thousands of ways) spending money and resources in the effort of removing all Bible references, God references, scriptural ideas and general wholesome thoughts from all public life.
The reason that the AF course included the references to Scripture is that they have some military significance and value. Reality Check!!... Let the liberals cry about the course because of Bible passages. If they did not have that, they would cry because it is a War Course. So now we throw out all reference to Bible verses even if they have some use other than teaching a particular doctrine?! They were being used to teach war theory, not Baptism.
Watch out for your neighborhood liberal. They are dishonest in their motive for removing the Bible. Even when it is not used in a Doctrinal teaching or for the proselyting of souls, the liberal must see it removed. ALL mention of it is offensive to them. ALL uses of it are intrusive to them. ALL prayers in public must be hidden from them. ALL .... you imagine the rest.
What is next? All Bibles must be removed from public, in case a liberal sees one? Or maybe all Christians have to be limited in our speech, in case a liberal hears one?
Praise God For Christian schools, Christian voters, Christians in the workplace, ETC.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
College Bans The National Anthem
Back in January of 2010, Goshen College, a small liberal arts school in
Indiana, decided to allow its college's Athletic Department to play an
instrumental version of the Star-Spangled Banner before sporting events.
But yesterday, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education, in "response to
complaints from students, faculty members and alumni," the school's board
of directors barred the practice.
In a press release, the board said it was a tough decision that took a lot
of discussion. Even so, the board acknowledged it was bound to be a
controversial one. Goshen is a ministry of the Mennonite Church USA, but
the church, the press release noted, does not have a policy on the
national anthem.
"Goshen College has been and remains a ministry of Mennonite Church USA
with an enduring peace tradition," Carlos Romero, executive director of
the Mennonite Education Agency said in a statement. "The Board's decision
reflects a belief that faith and honoring country can co-exist without
disturbing higher allegiances to God and that Goshen College will become
increasingly diverse and will welcome diverse viewpoints."
The board has asked the school's president to find an alternative to
playing the national anthem.
The Chronicle of Higher Education reports the school first changed its
policy to be more welcoming to visiting teams, "but the decision sparked
resistance from some who believe the hymn glorifies war and distracts from
the college's Christian values."
Speaking to Fox Radio News, Goshen college art professor John Blosser
explained why the song is a problem for people at the school. “It’s
obviously about a battle… It’s about using violence to conquer and that
would be something that many people here would have problems with.”
Now A few observations regarding this story.
1. Why was it not played before 2010? Was it to violent of a song back
then too? This college did not play the anthem before 2010.
2. Without the war that the song portrays, we would not have the freedom
necessary to have a Goshen College. Freedom often requires War, or at least the willingness to go to war.
3. We did not go out to "conquer" anything in the War of 1812. It was
necessary to defend ourselves from the British government so bent on
destroying freedom that it would take us on again, and go to war with us again. They brought on the war, we defended ourselves. IS THAT TOO VIOLENT FOR YOU? The song (it was a poem at first), is about the flag still flying after we were attacked by another country. It is not about the flag, or the U.S. attacking someone to "conquer" them. Goshen College should fire the art professor, or make him take some history classes.
4. Move the college to a country without a heritage of war. If you can
find one, you will most likely also find one that does not have a heritage
of freedom either.
5. Schools are too focused on educating politically correct wimps, and
should be concerned about producing patriotic, productive, strong
graduates who want to do something real with their lives.
6. Are we concerned about playing a song deemed too violent - right before
a football game???? REALLY. 22 guys are about to bash each others brains
out, for sport. But it is too violent to have a song about the flag played
by some kids with a trumpet and a flute?
7. I can't think about it anymore. It makes my head hurt....as well as my
heart. Almost makes me ashamed to be from Indiana, where this "college" is
located.
8. Copy the following link to see more about the great flag sung about
in our National Anthem. I have seen this one of a kind flag several times in the Smithsonian Museum with my own eyes.
http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmah/starflag.htm
Joe
--
Indiana, decided to allow its college's Athletic Department to play an
instrumental version of the Star-Spangled Banner before sporting events.
But yesterday, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education, in "response to
complaints from students, faculty members and alumni," the school's board
of directors barred the practice.
In a press release, the board said it was a tough decision that took a lot
of discussion. Even so, the board acknowledged it was bound to be a
controversial one. Goshen is a ministry of the Mennonite Church USA, but
the church, the press release noted, does not have a policy on the
national anthem.
"Goshen College has been and remains a ministry of Mennonite Church USA
with an enduring peace tradition," Carlos Romero, executive director of
the Mennonite Education Agency said in a statement. "The Board's decision
reflects a belief that faith and honoring country can co-exist without
disturbing higher allegiances to God and that Goshen College will become
increasingly diverse and will welcome diverse viewpoints."
The board has asked the school's president to find an alternative to
playing the national anthem.
The Chronicle of Higher Education reports the school first changed its
policy to be more welcoming to visiting teams, "but the decision sparked
resistance from some who believe the hymn glorifies war and distracts from
the college's Christian values."
Speaking to Fox Radio News, Goshen college art professor John Blosser
explained why the song is a problem for people at the school. “It’s
obviously about a battle… It’s about using violence to conquer and that
would be something that many people here would have problems with.”
Now A few observations regarding this story.
1. Why was it not played before 2010? Was it to violent of a song back
then too? This college did not play the anthem before 2010.
2. Without the war that the song portrays, we would not have the freedom
necessary to have a Goshen College. Freedom often requires War, or at least the willingness to go to war.
3. We did not go out to "conquer" anything in the War of 1812. It was
necessary to defend ourselves from the British government so bent on
destroying freedom that it would take us on again, and go to war with us again. They brought on the war, we defended ourselves. IS THAT TOO VIOLENT FOR YOU? The song (it was a poem at first), is about the flag still flying after we were attacked by another country. It is not about the flag, or the U.S. attacking someone to "conquer" them. Goshen College should fire the art professor, or make him take some history classes.
4. Move the college to a country without a heritage of war. If you can
find one, you will most likely also find one that does not have a heritage
of freedom either.
5. Schools are too focused on educating politically correct wimps, and
should be concerned about producing patriotic, productive, strong
graduates who want to do something real with their lives.
6. Are we concerned about playing a song deemed too violent - right before
a football game???? REALLY. 22 guys are about to bash each others brains
out, for sport. But it is too violent to have a song about the flag played
by some kids with a trumpet and a flute?
7. I can't think about it anymore. It makes my head hurt....as well as my
heart. Almost makes me ashamed to be from Indiana, where this "college" is
located.
8. Copy the following link to see more about the great flag sung about
in our National Anthem. I have seen this one of a kind flag several times in the Smithsonian Museum with my own eyes.
http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmah/starflag.htm
Joe
--
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Blame, already, For the Tucson Shooting?? Really?
Since the Pima County Sheriff came to his first ever National press conference and blamed conservative speech for all violence in America, I have felt it necessary to offer a more common sense response.
Leave aside for a minute, as the liberals and the left are, that the shooter is actually responsible for his own actions. "I thought this was to be a common sense reply," you say? I know, but stay with me for a minute.
As a political and religious conservative, having been called in most recent years an extremist, I am like the rest of the country disgusted with the accusations that the ideology of small government rule is responsible for violence against liberal government officials. The list of those blamed this week includes the following…
1. Sarah Palin
2. Glen Beck
3. George Bush
4. Rush Limbaugh
5. The Bible, Jesus
6. Talk Radio
7. All conservative speech
Of course, lost in the conversation to follow has been the fact that the mass murderer has been influenced more by worship in the occult, and ant-religion speech . There are no facts to support that anti-government or anti-democrat speech influenced him at all.
So let’s face it, those actually responsible have turned out to be…
1. Occult worshipers( that is what he believed in and practiced, not Glen Beck)
2. Educational institutions ( for teaching the mass murderer that human life has no more value than animal life, and for teaching him evolution, which convinced him to remove bad seeds from the human race so it could evolve into something better without her (Cong. Giffords )political influence)
3. Democrat policy (for proposing to further restrict his speech, as he felt Cong Giffords did)
4. Liberal anti-death penalty proponents ( for not hanging the last mass murderer yet, so this mass murderer would not fear consequences)
5. Separation of Church and state proponents ( for keeping religion out of the schools the mass murderer attended. Taught religion, he would have listened to God and not the occult)
6. And why not….Bill Maher ( mostly just because he is a fool, Biblically. But following the liberal’s logic, he rails against good, character filled, moral people like Cong. Giffords. Bill is more to blame than Beck.)
He is a product of Liberal and Anti-God teaching and not a product of Conservative and Anti-Government teaching. Where are the news organizations on this one?
We have since had to digest a constant force feeding of tasteless and nauseating new proposed legislation that we are being assured will Cure the Disease. I have a list of my own on who is responsible for infecting the most free country in the universe with the seeds of disintegration that we now witness. You just read it. They have infected the USA with the disease.
In Conclusion, We must teach our children values that promote peace and freedom, and service to others. We must teach the values that we ultimately have a responsibility to God for all of our actions. Thusly, we will do them and our society a great service.
Leave aside for a minute, as the liberals and the left are, that the shooter is actually responsible for his own actions. "I thought this was to be a common sense reply," you say? I know, but stay with me for a minute.
As a political and religious conservative, having been called in most recent years an extremist, I am like the rest of the country disgusted with the accusations that the ideology of small government rule is responsible for violence against liberal government officials. The list of those blamed this week includes the following…
1. Sarah Palin
2. Glen Beck
3. George Bush
4. Rush Limbaugh
5. The Bible, Jesus
6. Talk Radio
7. All conservative speech
Of course, lost in the conversation to follow has been the fact that the mass murderer has been influenced more by worship in the occult, and ant-religion speech . There are no facts to support that anti-government or anti-democrat speech influenced him at all.
So let’s face it, those actually responsible have turned out to be…
1. Occult worshipers( that is what he believed in and practiced, not Glen Beck)
2. Educational institutions ( for teaching the mass murderer that human life has no more value than animal life, and for teaching him evolution, which convinced him to remove bad seeds from the human race so it could evolve into something better without her (Cong. Giffords )political influence)
3. Democrat policy (for proposing to further restrict his speech, as he felt Cong Giffords did)
4. Liberal anti-death penalty proponents ( for not hanging the last mass murderer yet, so this mass murderer would not fear consequences)
5. Separation of Church and state proponents ( for keeping religion out of the schools the mass murderer attended. Taught religion, he would have listened to God and not the occult)
6. And why not….Bill Maher ( mostly just because he is a fool, Biblically. But following the liberal’s logic, he rails against good, character filled, moral people like Cong. Giffords. Bill is more to blame than Beck.)
He is a product of Liberal and Anti-God teaching and not a product of Conservative and Anti-Government teaching. Where are the news organizations on this one?
We have since had to digest a constant force feeding of tasteless and nauseating new proposed legislation that we are being assured will Cure the Disease. I have a list of my own on who is responsible for infecting the most free country in the universe with the seeds of disintegration that we now witness. You just read it. They have infected the USA with the disease.
In Conclusion, We must teach our children values that promote peace and freedom, and service to others. We must teach the values that we ultimately have a responsibility to God for all of our actions. Thusly, we will do them and our society a great service.
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