In this day and age, it seems there are more questions than answers on where our future and the future of our country is headed. We have plenty of questions, but rarely do we get any truthful answers. Sure, we can ask someone his or her opinion on global warming (for example), but the answers will depend upon whom you talk to. There are so many opinions, and bickering and deception going on today, if someone told you the truth would you even be able to believe them?
Did you know that just about anything you want to know, is in the bible? Now how is that for the truth!
Let’s take global warming, or as it is currently being called “climate change”. In Genesis 8:22, a promise was made by God to Noah stating, "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." Did you get that? Cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will not cease! This promise made by God is unconditional. You can ALWAYS rely on God’s Word to be true, and unchanging.
Many will have you believe that if we don’t act now, our planet will burn up. Did you know that it has actually been cooler over the past 12 years? This is why they have recently changed the phrase from “global warming” to “climate control”. Did you also know there isn’t any scientific proof that the earth has become hotter? Why? Because, “global warming” not only does not exist today, God promises it never will.
Friend, study God’s Word. He tells us everything we need to know. Isn’t it amazing the very answers we seek, are right there in our bible?
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
A Cross We All Should Bear
In a remote area of the Mohave National Preserve in southeastern California, a memorial dubbed the Mohave Cross was erected by the Veterans of Foreign Wars 75 years ago, honoring the soldiers that were killed in World War 1. The cross has been covered with plywood for the past several years following court rulings. Why you ask?
One day a man was driving through the Mohave Desert, and upon seeing this cross, was offended by it’s very presence. So offended in fact, he brought this before the lower courts. Because this is public land, the lower courts have repeatedly ruled that the cross must come down, as it violates a provision in the Constitution prohibiting the government from endorsing any religion. You know the Constitutional provision as “Separation of church and state.”
"Separation of church and state" is a common metaphor simply meaning that the church stay out of the state's business and the state stays out of the church's business. Because of the very common usage of the "separation of church and state phrase," most people incorrectly think the phrase is in the constitution. Thomas Jefferson originally coined the phrase “wall of separation between the church and the state” in a letter to the Danbury Baptists on January 1, 1802. His purpose in this letter was to ease the fears of the Danbury, Connecticut Baptists, and so he told them that this wall had been erected to protect them. The metaphor was used exclusively to keep the state out of the church's business, not to keep the church out of the state's business.
The Constitution states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Both the free exercise clause and the establishment clause place restrictions on the government concerning laws they pass or interfering with religion. No restrictions are placed on religions except perhaps that a religious denomination cannot become the state religion.
So there you have it. However, it does not end there. In order to prevent the cross memorial from being removed, Mr. J. Lewis made a deal with the government to give a private owner the land where the memorial stands in exchange for five acres elsewhere in the preserve. However, a federal court in California determined that was an insufficient solution and ordered that the cross be taken down.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court took up consideration of the several yearlong battles, and will make its decision sometime in spring.
Peter Ellisberg, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawyer argues that the cross is a symbol of Christianity and commonly used at Christian gravesites. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t the ACLU demand tolerance!
Mr. Elisaberg stated that many Jewish war veterans would not be honored by the “predominate symbol of Christianity”, one that signifies that Jesus is the Son of God and died to redeem mankind of our sins.” Justice Antonin Scalia disagreed saying “the cross is the most common symbol of the resting place of the dead and asked “what would you have us erect?” Some conglomeration of a cross, a Star of David and, you know, a Muslim half moon and star?”
Mr. Eliasberg said he had visited Jewish cemeteries. “There is never a cross on the tombstone of a Jew,” he said, to laughter in the courtroom.
Justice Scalia grew visibly angry. “I don’t think you can leap from that to the conclusion that the only war dead that that cross honors are the Christian war dead,” he said. I think that’s an outrageous conclusion.”
If the court finds the cross is not a violation of the First Amendment, the ruling could possibly curb all citizens from future lawsuits challenging numerous other religious imagery. However, if the cross is ordered down, the decision could lead to the removal of many treasured memorials on historic battlefields or national cemeteries in the United States.
I don’t know about you, but I for one commend Justice Scalia . Seriously, what has our America come to? As for me, I will leave this judgment up to God. But I believe this is one cross we all should bear.
One day a man was driving through the Mohave Desert, and upon seeing this cross, was offended by it’s very presence. So offended in fact, he brought this before the lower courts. Because this is public land, the lower courts have repeatedly ruled that the cross must come down, as it violates a provision in the Constitution prohibiting the government from endorsing any religion. You know the Constitutional provision as “Separation of church and state.”
"Separation of church and state" is a common metaphor simply meaning that the church stay out of the state's business and the state stays out of the church's business. Because of the very common usage of the "separation of church and state phrase," most people incorrectly think the phrase is in the constitution. Thomas Jefferson originally coined the phrase “wall of separation between the church and the state” in a letter to the Danbury Baptists on January 1, 1802. His purpose in this letter was to ease the fears of the Danbury, Connecticut Baptists, and so he told them that this wall had been erected to protect them. The metaphor was used exclusively to keep the state out of the church's business, not to keep the church out of the state's business.
The Constitution states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Both the free exercise clause and the establishment clause place restrictions on the government concerning laws they pass or interfering with religion. No restrictions are placed on religions except perhaps that a religious denomination cannot become the state religion.
So there you have it. However, it does not end there. In order to prevent the cross memorial from being removed, Mr. J. Lewis made a deal with the government to give a private owner the land where the memorial stands in exchange for five acres elsewhere in the preserve. However, a federal court in California determined that was an insufficient solution and ordered that the cross be taken down.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court took up consideration of the several yearlong battles, and will make its decision sometime in spring.
Peter Ellisberg, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawyer argues that the cross is a symbol of Christianity and commonly used at Christian gravesites. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t the ACLU demand tolerance!
Mr. Elisaberg stated that many Jewish war veterans would not be honored by the “predominate symbol of Christianity”, one that signifies that Jesus is the Son of God and died to redeem mankind of our sins.” Justice Antonin Scalia disagreed saying “the cross is the most common symbol of the resting place of the dead and asked “what would you have us erect?” Some conglomeration of a cross, a Star of David and, you know, a Muslim half moon and star?”
Mr. Eliasberg said he had visited Jewish cemeteries. “There is never a cross on the tombstone of a Jew,” he said, to laughter in the courtroom.
Justice Scalia grew visibly angry. “I don’t think you can leap from that to the conclusion that the only war dead that that cross honors are the Christian war dead,” he said. I think that’s an outrageous conclusion.”
If the court finds the cross is not a violation of the First Amendment, the ruling could possibly curb all citizens from future lawsuits challenging numerous other religious imagery. However, if the cross is ordered down, the decision could lead to the removal of many treasured memorials on historic battlefields or national cemeteries in the United States.
I don’t know about you, but I for one commend Justice Scalia . Seriously, what has our America come to? As for me, I will leave this judgment up to God. But I believe this is one cross we all should bear.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Are You Just Delivering Lip Service?
I have always considered myself a Christian even as a child. Although I do not always attend church, I pray to God everyday, several times a day, and thank Him for our blessings. I have always found comfort in God’s Word and enjoy reading the bible. I have to admit I don’t always have the easiest time translating some of the words or parables, but I usually understand the overall message. My husband recently discovered a pastor by the name of Pastor Murray. We have watched his program before, but would only watch it on occasion due to the fact it aired very early in the morning. One evening my husband decided to record it so that we could watch it on our time schedule. We sat down and watched the program together and felt so comforted and empowered by his teachings, and we both actually felt like we truly understood His message.
Why Pastor Murray? One of the things we enjoy most about his teachings is that he teaches verse by verse and chapter by chapter. He breaks it down into managable sections and gives you the true meaning of the word as it was intended in (for example), Greek, or Hebrew. While he is reading the bible verse, the verse scrolls on the screen allowing the viewer to read along with him. Perhaps one of my favorite things he said, was that the bible is God’s Letter to us all. I have never really looked at it that way before, but the bible truly is God’s Letter to all of us. He wants us to understand and live His Word. Not just to read His Word, but to truly live it and understand it.
One evening we were watching his program and he spoke of Isaiah 29:13. This verse in the King James Version reads like this:
“Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:”
As Pastor Murray delved into the meaning of this verse, it was as though a light bulb went off above our heads. This verse along with Pastor Murray’s teaching, washed over us. My husband paused the show and we began discussing how we could relate to this message and the way many of us have whether intentionally or unintentionally, strayed. Are there very many Christians, or any other religions for that matter, truly living and understanding the meaning of God’s Letter to his children, or are we merely honoring Him with our lips?
Take a look at where we are today, and where we were in say, 1950. Many studies indicate that America’s morals and values have declined. Many believe the media is a major influence in that decline. Lonnette Harrel, a writer, singer, and Ordained Minister, among many other things, wrote: Remember the television shows such as Leave it to Beaver, Donna Reed, The Andy Griffith Show, and Father Knows Best, just to name a few? “Almost without exception, every show presented an ethical or moral challenge to one of the main characters. As they tried to work through their various dilemmas, we also learned valuable lessons along with them. Right and wrong was clearly defined. The concept of "situational ethics" had never been imagined. As a child, I was not only entertained, but also learned character building concepts, that were embraced by most of society at that time.
The messages of today's programs are quite different. Many shows blatantly promote adultery, premarital sex, drug and alcohol use, extreme violence, rebellion and disobedience, disrespect of the law, and many other detrimental concepts.”
In our efforts to be politically correct, we have achieved an "anything goes" philosophy. We are implored to embrace every ridiculous way of thinking, and most immoral conduct, in an effort to recognize and approve all lifestyles. (And we call this tolerance.) Situational ethics have taken the place of definitive right and wrong.
As a nation, it's time we got back to the great principles that were the foundation of our country. Virtues such as honesty, truthfulness, decency, faithfulness, trustworthiness, and morality make a society strong. Immorality, lawlessness, dishonesty, and violence weaken it.
In conclusion, our moral meltdown cannot just be attributed to the media. Truthfully, it is rooted in each of our hearts, when we do not live the virtues that we say we believe. Our hypocrisy is then evident to all who observe our actions. But this moral decline of our nation can be reversed. It must, however, start in our homes (as it did in the Fifties) through a consistent and Faithful example. What we actually do, will always speak louder than what we say. Morality is, after all, better demonstrated than preached.
Which leaves one to ask, with our morals and values on the decline, are we just delivering lip service? Have you read, lived, and understood God's Letter to you?
Note: You can learn about Pastor Murray's teachings at http://www.shepherdschapel.com/
Why Pastor Murray? One of the things we enjoy most about his teachings is that he teaches verse by verse and chapter by chapter. He breaks it down into managable sections and gives you the true meaning of the word as it was intended in (for example), Greek, or Hebrew. While he is reading the bible verse, the verse scrolls on the screen allowing the viewer to read along with him. Perhaps one of my favorite things he said, was that the bible is God’s Letter to us all. I have never really looked at it that way before, but the bible truly is God’s Letter to all of us. He wants us to understand and live His Word. Not just to read His Word, but to truly live it and understand it.
One evening we were watching his program and he spoke of Isaiah 29:13. This verse in the King James Version reads like this:
“Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:”
As Pastor Murray delved into the meaning of this verse, it was as though a light bulb went off above our heads. This verse along with Pastor Murray’s teaching, washed over us. My husband paused the show and we began discussing how we could relate to this message and the way many of us have whether intentionally or unintentionally, strayed. Are there very many Christians, or any other religions for that matter, truly living and understanding the meaning of God’s Letter to his children, or are we merely honoring Him with our lips?
Take a look at where we are today, and where we were in say, 1950. Many studies indicate that America’s morals and values have declined. Many believe the media is a major influence in that decline. Lonnette Harrel, a writer, singer, and Ordained Minister, among many other things, wrote: Remember the television shows such as Leave it to Beaver, Donna Reed, The Andy Griffith Show, and Father Knows Best, just to name a few? “Almost without exception, every show presented an ethical or moral challenge to one of the main characters. As they tried to work through their various dilemmas, we also learned valuable lessons along with them. Right and wrong was clearly defined. The concept of "situational ethics" had never been imagined. As a child, I was not only entertained, but also learned character building concepts, that were embraced by most of society at that time.
The messages of today's programs are quite different. Many shows blatantly promote adultery, premarital sex, drug and alcohol use, extreme violence, rebellion and disobedience, disrespect of the law, and many other detrimental concepts.”
In our efforts to be politically correct, we have achieved an "anything goes" philosophy. We are implored to embrace every ridiculous way of thinking, and most immoral conduct, in an effort to recognize and approve all lifestyles. (And we call this tolerance.) Situational ethics have taken the place of definitive right and wrong.
As a nation, it's time we got back to the great principles that were the foundation of our country. Virtues such as honesty, truthfulness, decency, faithfulness, trustworthiness, and morality make a society strong. Immorality, lawlessness, dishonesty, and violence weaken it.
In conclusion, our moral meltdown cannot just be attributed to the media. Truthfully, it is rooted in each of our hearts, when we do not live the virtues that we say we believe. Our hypocrisy is then evident to all who observe our actions. But this moral decline of our nation can be reversed. It must, however, start in our homes (as it did in the Fifties) through a consistent and Faithful example. What we actually do, will always speak louder than what we say. Morality is, after all, better demonstrated than preached.
Which leaves one to ask, with our morals and values on the decline, are we just delivering lip service? Have you read, lived, and understood God's Letter to you?
Note: You can learn about Pastor Murray's teachings at http://www.shepherdschapel.com/
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Make Mine Freedom
With all of the hoopla surrounding the new Michael Moore movie ‘Capitalism: A Love Story’, I can’t help but wonder how we got where we are today. Any person out there in the “real world” must ask themselves some very important questions.
Michael Moore makes millions of dollars creating a movie about the evils of capitalism, and yet, this is the very system that allowed him to create this movie. Would any socialistic or communistic government allow a film maker to dare criticize their system? Not likely. In fact, this could possible land them in front of a firing squad. Funny how the people who question or ridicule our free market system, are the very people that couldn’t have succeeded without it.
How can anyone think that completely turning over our economic system to the government would solve anything? As a person that actually owns their own business, I would like to give you my version of capitalism and the free market, verses a government run society.
First, do not be fooled. The government bailouts of large corporations are not what the free market capitalists would ever support. Owning your own business is risky, tiring, and takes a lot of commitment. You do the best you can, hope for the best you can, and with commitment and dedication, your business (it say’s here in the brochure) should succeed. However, just like many other things in life, there is no guarantee. If your business fails, then you must move on. This not only helps one learn from their mistakes, but it also builds character, and will hopefully make you even wiser and stronger than before. This is life.
My husband and I own two small businesses. We are among 70% of the population in America that works for and owns a small business, and supports the free market system. If 70% of the population no longer worked for or owned small businesses, and the government supplied all of the jobs and work force, where would this money come from? The government does not make money. All of the money they receive is from you and I, the workers, and business owners of America.
Secondly, if you no longer work for a capitalist, whom shall you work for? You would be working for the government. Why do some feel this could possibly be better? Let’s play out a scenario here for a moment. Let’s say you are a salesman at a car dealership, and you are paid on commission. You have worked at the dealership longer than anyone else and have built up quite a clientele. Obviously, the more cars you sell the more money you make. Now, one day your boss says, “there have been many complaints from the other salesmen and women, that several of you have been making more money than they have. Starting today, whenever a car is sold, that commission will go into a pot and at the end of the week we will divide this up among all of the sales people.” The first week you sell 10 cars, Susan sells 6, Mark sells 5 and on average, everyone else sells 3 cars each. At the end of the week, the pot is split up and everyone splits all of the commissions. This goes on for a few months. You, Susan and Mark are still selling more cars than everyone else, and working longer hours. Finally, you ask yourself why you should put in all of these long hours. (I was wondering when you were going to ask that question). After all, if everyone makes the same amount of money, why shouldn’t you get to enjoy yourself at happy hour too? The next week the pot is split, but because you haven’t been putting in the long hours, you only sell 4 cars that week. The rest of the crew works even less because they know you will take up the slack. The pot has grown smaller. The next week Susan asks herself the same question and she decides to join everyone else for happy hour. The pot has now grown much smaller. The next week Mark asks himself the same question and decides why should he be the only one working the long hours. So what has happened here? Production has gone down because there is no longer an incentive to work hard. Why should you put in all of the time and effort for everyone else that chooses to goof around? This is no longer a free market system. This is the very foundation of what a socialistic society is. If everyone works for the government, where is the incentive to work harder for the American dream? As you can see by this example, production has gone down and now the money you were making to buy your own home, take your family on vacation, the extra things in life that makes working all worthwhile, is no longer available to you. You make what the government “feels” is enough to survive. Why would anyone choose this?
Thirdly, do not kid yourself. There will always be poverty in all nations, and anyone that thinks a government run society will make things better, is completely unaware. If you need proof, look at China, Russia, Mexico, and Korea, just to name a few. Do you honestly feel they are better off than we are in America? It simply switches positions, only with the government running the show; you no longer have the freedom of choice.
Our government is corrupt and has been for some time. Bailing out large corporations is not going to stimulate our economy. It is a foot in the door to a socialistic agenda, and I know not one capitalist that believes the bailouts were for our own good. Our nation has survived and succeeded because of capitalism for over 200 years. It is, and has been the progressive movement towards a socialistic society that has brought our economy and nation to the very place we are today. Do you truly feel the government knows what is best for you and your family? In the 1950’s most families survived rather well on one income. Since that time, the government has slowly added more taxes, and regulations and has intervened into our personal lives, which now makes it barely possible for many families to survive with two incomes. In many instances, it is no longer a choice of whether both parents will work, it is now a necessity and means of survival. How did we get here? It is the progressive movement that has brought us to where we are today. In all actuality, more government means more burdens.
We are individuals. One size does not fill all. Look around. Do you truly want to live in an oppressed society? Do your homework. After all, this is not only your freedom that hangs in the balance; it is your children and your grandchildren’s, freedom as well.
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