Are We Choosing the Wrong Way??

Are we choosing the wrong way?

South America’s Red ranks are swelling. El Salvador has now joined Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Ecuador and Bolivia as communist leaning nations. So, how does that affect Americans? Obama’s new ‘spiritual’ adviser, Rev. Jim Wallis has had connections with all these Marxist regimes. He insists that he and Obama have “been talking faith and politics for a long time.”

Why would you appoint a friend of Hugo Chavez, who recently slammed Obama as a “poor ignoramus”, as your most trusted spiritual adviser?? If you listen to Obama he seems to be a free enterprise capitalist like most of the rest of us. If you observe his actions he seems to be a die hard socialist. If you consider his friends (Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, Tony Rezko, Saul Alinsky) you might question his qualifications to president of this great country.

If Obama chooses a man who believes that a pro-American, anti-communist evangelical is a force for darkness, what does Obama believe? Wallis believes that a good Christian must also be pro-communist or at least a socialist. Historically, socialism has proven to be a system for the redistribution of poverty rather than the redistribution of wealth. Socialism has never been able to create wealth, only poverty and despair. Poverty is reduced by wealth. Wealth is created by unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit of man’s ingenuity within the economy. This ingenuity is suppressed in a socialistic society but it is amplified in a capitalist economy.

Think of all the things in your life that have made it more gratifying and comfortable. The medicine in the cabinet, the car in the garage, the comfort of your home, and the computer on your desktop. All of these were created by ingenious people, not power grubbing governments.

It may still be too early to tell which direction Obama will take us. The first couple months of his presidency have been very troubling to many. A move toward socialism is not a move toward Christianity. Are we drifting in the wrong direction? William Bradford learned quickly that socialism didn’t work in the early Plymouth Plantation experiment. So, he gave every man a piece of property and told him to grow his own food. Vladimer Putin recently advised Obama not to take the road to Marxism. It didn’t work for us, it won’t work for you. Why would Putin impart that advise if he didn’t think Obama might be leaning that way?

Can we not sum it all up by comparing two questions? Socialism wants to ask, “What favor can I get my government to do for me?” But Christians ask the same question of the Rich Young Ruler, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” In what way can I prepare to be a better Christian and a better citizen? Beware lest we become too absorbed with the wrong kingdom.

What Should We Do About 'Sexting'?

What should we do about 'sexting'

She was only 18 years old, a high school student from Cincinnati. She made one really poor decision and it cost her dearly. She sent a nude photo of herself to her boyfriend over her cell phone. A recent study by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy indicated that this is not so uncommon: 1 in 5 teen girls (22%) admitted they have sent nude or semi-nude pictures over their cell phones. The girl from Cincinnati was betrayed by a braggadocios boyfriend who shared her picture with his friends who then shared with their friends. The young girl was very distraught over her lost reputation and the course jokes being told about her. The abuse she received from her peers was brutal. Sadly, she hung herself in her own bedroom last summer.

I’m sure some will call loudly for a law. They will call on schools or local and national governments to protect our children from such things. Why is a new law always the answer for all our moral lapses? Surely a law may be helpful but it won't solve the problem.

Like all else, the sinful nature of man tends to destroy everything good that God has given us, including technology. Many in our society have become idolatrous with their techno toys, especially computer games and cell phones.

We have such a hard time learning that we can make choices but we can’t choose consequences. Our culture indoctrinates youth to believe that an attractive body is the basis of self-esteem. They believe they can capture the heart of another by sexting a picture of themselves. Unfortunately, many parents are either too busy or they lack energy to instill moral values in their children. So, they depend on their chldren's peers and schools to do that for them.It’s not a new law we need. It’s a morality as old as the ages. Romans 6:13 “Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God…”

"Taken"

“Taken”

My wife and I recently viewed the film “Taken”. We were a bit “taken” back how one man could single-handedly kill so many. It was unreal how this ‘super-human’ could dodge so many bullets. But, the value of the film was that it reminded us of just where the sexual revolution has finally taken us!
When I was growing up we never locked our doors. We had a dog in the front yard. Who would have ever dreamed that people like Nancy Grace would one day make a very decent living reporting night after night on daily child abductions?!
In 2,000 there were more than 58,000 non-family child abductions in the U.S. About 30,000 of those involved sexual abuse. As a child, I really thought my parents were overreacting in their criticism of those free-love sexual revolutionary hippies that moved in not far from us. Now, I’m witnessing how their revolution has made preying on our children a common occurrence.
Finally, some nations are beginning to connect the dots between pornography and sexual exploitation of our women and children. A ban on the purchase of sexual services and the operation of strip clubs is now being considered in Iceland, Sweden and Norway. Ted Bundy tried to tell us years ago but we wouldn’t listen. We are accused of being prudish and Victorian but the fact is, when we were still a society based on Judeo-Christian values our children could play in the park unattended and we didn’t have to lock our doors.
Psalm 73:1 “Surely God is good …….. to those who are pure in heart.”

We've Forgotten God

We've Forgotten God

Have you ever noticed (Deut. 1) that it took the children of Israel 40 years to complete an eleven day journey. After God miraculously delivered them from the Egyptians they promptly forgot him. What they could have learned in 11 days was now going to take 40 years because a relationship with God had to be reestablished.

I am just now arriving at a point in my life that has taken me decades to get to because I had forgotten God for a long period of time.

Alexander Solzhenitzen made the rest of the world aware of the crimes of communism when he wrote "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich." When Solzhenitzen made his way to America he was asked how a country with such a magnificant culture could have fallen into such wide spread barbarity. He replied, "Men have forgotten God: that's why all this happened."

Abraham Lincoln was wearied by the Civil War when he called for a day of humility, fasting and prayer in his Proclamation in 1863. “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God."

In this age of moral depravity and economic collapse it seems most evident that some of our discomfort is a result of having forgotten God.

Abraham Lincoln is the president most admired by Barak Obama. Wouldn't it be a wonderful thing if President Obama would declare a day of prayer in our time of distress. Its seems the wisest thing for him to do would be to encourage the nation to call on God for wisdom and direction. The real economic expert is not Geitner or Soros or Bernanke, it is Christ himself. So, why don't we call on him? It's because we've forgotten...

Never Let a Serious Crisis go to Waste

Never Let a Serious Crisis go to Waste.

Several weeks ago Rahm Emanuel, Obama's chief of staff was quoted as saying, "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before." His words have been rattling about in my head since I heard them. I'm not sure of the connotation in Emanuel's words. But, isn't life really just a series of crises?

My little 3 year old walked into my study this morning at 5:30. I quickly scooped him up and returned him to bed. If Kameron doesn't get enough sleep every one in his world is going to have a pretty miserable day. As I returned to my study I contemplated a scenario I heard from a preacher I had been listening to. What if we were handed a script of Kameron's life when he came into our lives. We would be given 15 minutes to read the script and then change anything we liked. Every crisis Kameron would ever face could be eliminated.Would we rewrite the script so he never experienced any pain? He would never fail a class. He would never feel rejection from friends or a spouse. He would never get fired. He would never have an accident or get a disease. By age 25 what kind of man would Kameron be? He would be a wimp, a pretty sorry excuse for a man.

I never tried to protect my two grown sons from the pain and crises life sends our way. But, I certainly tried to be there and support them through the difficult times.

God allows crises into our lives for a purpose. He never promises we'll escape crises, but he does promise to sustain us and accompany us. We live near an army base. Basic training for the soldiers at Fort Benning is really just a series of crises to help them develop a toughness in their character that will sustain them when they are on the battle field fighting for their country.

God uses the crises in our lives to prepare us for the battle that lies ahead. If we are not sent through the refiner's fire the final product is pretty weak and worthless.James said it quite nicely: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (1:2-3)

"Love all but trust a few"

"Love all but trust a few"


When times are difficult we tend to become more critical of our government. The dung on the other side of the fence is always deeper. Zimbabwe has an inflation rate of 11,000,000%. Thats not a typo. North Korea is a national concentration camp run by an insane man, Kim Jong-il! What is it that makes governments, eventually all of them, become corrupt? Isn't it because they are run by mere mortals and all mortals are born with a corrupt nature. Why do we believe that a mortal plagued with greed, envy and unbridled ambition would suddenly become endowed with the nature of Mother Theresa once elected to government office?
Nearly all governments employ tactics to manipulate their masses in an attempt to unravel the iimposed limitations on their power. Most European governments have now withdrawn the liberties of their populace in return for "cradle to grave" security. The method of manipulation is a method thats been used for thousands of years. Create a crisis. Generate fear. Effectively manipulate. Achieve goal.
The local government in my town uses a ploy that is commonly used by municipal governments across the nation. When its time to reach into the pockets of the community's residents they make a claim of law enforcement shortages. This creates chaos and causes families to feel endangered. Crisis, fear, manipulate.
A common scam in our community involves 'construction' workers doing a free inspection of an elderly resident's home. They will 'discover' that the roof needs replaced or the electrical wiring is faulty and a devastating fire is 'inevitable' if it's not repaired. Crisis, fear, manipulate.
Do you realize how easy it would be to manipulate the masses if you could convince them that a weapon of mass destruction could fall on them any minute. (They then take away our civil liberties) That global warming will destroy the earth in less than 10 years. (They can now redistribute wealth of nations by levying huge industrial taxes on selective nations) That if we build a nuclear power plant a disaster will be inevitable (...increase dependence on foreign energy) even though France, Japan and Russia have used nuclear power safely for years.
Creating a crisis to gain control of the lives of people is a distortion of God's method of offering salvation to men. Generally, men don't have much thought about their relationship with God until they experience some type of crisis. When we repent we submit to God and give him the power over our lives he is deserving of. When govenments and politicians create a crisis to manipulate us and gain power over us they are stealing away from God what rightfully belongs to him. The real solution to our problems is submission to our Creator, not substitution for Him.
When a life in turmoil turns to alcohol or drugs to ease pain he/she doesn't find a solution, only a temporary relief. The pain always return. We get the same result when we turn to government instead of God. We have never had a messiah in the White House...and we never will.
"Put your trust in God, but keep your powder dry." - Oliver Cromwell
www.nazareneblogs.org (highest branch)
www.kpprobst.blogspot.com
www.crosspointnaz.com

A Stack of One Thousand Dollar Bills

A stack of thousand dollar bills

After 15 months of recession its still hard to figure out what is really happening. The numbers seem meaningless to the majority of Americans. We've been told that $12 trillion has evaporated into thin air. We've proposed two $800 Billion stimulus bills Worldwide losses are about $58 trillion!! What monstrosity is represented by such numbers?

$1 million dollars is a stack of one thousand dollar bills stacked 4 inches high.

$1 billion dollars is a stack of one thousand dollar bills stackd 358 feet high.

$1 trillion dollars is a stack of one thousand dollar bill stacked 68 miles high.

Our trade deficit is $135 billion dollars. This is calculated annually so it was $0 on January 1st. That is a stack of one thousand dollar bills stacked 48,330 feet high or about 9 miles high.

Our national debt is $11 trillion dollars....that would be a stack of thousand dollar bills 748 miles high.

U.S. total losses may peak at $3.6 trillion....that would be a stack of thousand dollar bills 245 miles high.

As the recession spreads throughout the world total losses are estimated to be $58 Trillion...that would be a stack of thousand dollar bills 3,900 miles high. That stack laid down would easily cross the continental U.S., span the Great Wall of China or cover the entire length of Africa's Nile River.

I don't know where its all going to end. I certainly don't understand the numbers but I remember so clearly a song my father used to sing at the top of his voice while working in his garden, "I don't know what the future holds but I know who holds the future and I know who holds my hand."1 Tim 6:17 says that this world's wealth is very UNCERTAIN. Many have lost money in uncertain investments. The value of money, stock, our homes and our retirement plans all change. Wise are those who invest in what doesn't change instead of what does. Heb. 13:8 says that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." He is all wise and that will never change. He is all powerful and that will never change. He loves us dearly and that will never change. He has told us of a kingdom yet to come which will endure forever!!

Have You Slapped Your Friend Today??

Have You Slapped Your Friend Today? 2:21pm

Obama's foreign policy decisions during his first 50 days have been questionable. He has successfully given the cold shoulder to our friends and loyal allies, Britain and Israel. Britain has been are greatest ally for 50 years. Think of all the historical alliances: Roosevelt/Churchill, Reagan/Thatcher, Bush/Blair. Bush was given a bust of Churchill by Blair following 9/11. Obama replaced it with his own political hero, Lincoln, and returned the bust to Britain. British Prime Minister Gordan Brown was effectively snubbed by Obama during his recent visit. No room in the White House. No visit to Camp David. No state lunch. Brown brought Obama three exquisite gifts. Obama gave him 25 American movies on DVD. Would Obama's chip on the cold shoulder have anything to do with his grandfather, Hussein Onyango Obama, who was labeled a subversive and spent months in detention during the Mau Mau rebellion against British colonial rule in Kenya in 1952??

Israel also felt the coldness of Obama's shoulder when he wrote his 'secret' letter to Russia asking for help in brokering a deal with Iran to limit their nuclear development. Obama gave his cold shoulder to Poland and other eastern Europeans who live in fear of the fall of Russia's hammer and the insanity of Iran's leader. He agreed to remove our missile defense systems from their lands. Israel interprets that as a concession to Hamas, Iran and Russia. Also, by executive order, Obama has released more of our money to assist the 'victims' of Gaza after the recent Israeli invasion.

Obama's policy seems to be "lets turn everything on it head. Whatever we have been doing, lets undo it. Let's give warm handshakes to Iran, Cuba, Russia, Hamas, and the PLO. Let's give cold shoulders to Britain and Israel." I was convinced that Obama's economic policies would lead to failure after his first 30 days. I'm now convinced after his first 50 days that his foreign policy is also a disaster in the making.

An Alternative Solution to the Financial Crisis

Alternative Solution to our Financial Crisis

$12 Trillion evaporated into thin air. Iceland is bankrupt. California is careening toward bankruptcy. One prominent CEO lost $15 billion in one day. People are fraught with fear of losing their savings, their retirement, their jobs and their homes. A banker in London threw himself in front of a train going 100 mph. A woman in Tennessee took her own life as authorities were approaching to evict her from her home. A financial manager in California shot his wife, his three children and his mother-in-law before taking his own life. I can't remember anytime I've ever seen such widespread despair.

I'm not so sure that those who have taken their lives are totally without hope. I think they have invested their hope in the wrong things. The eggs in their basket were the wealth of this world which is temporary and trivial “Command those who are rich in this present world not to ...put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (1 Tim. 6:17)

I have no faith in the solutions I've heard from our government and financial leaders: borrow more money, print more money, use the money belonging to the next generation. It is outrageously absurd to spend and spend and spend as a method of escaping debt. Are we so irrational because we are blinded by greed?

Paul talked to the Ephesians about the "incomparable riches of his grace". He has promised to never forsake those who have invested in the wealth of God's love. Those who have trusted in the wealth of God's pardon, the fulness of Christ's sacrifice will not be dismayed. Many have lost everything: their jobs, their wealth, their savings, their homes. But, a Christian can never lose everything. A man who knows the riches of Christ can never be brought to absolute poverty and despair. In our darkest hour the riches of God's grace are as full and satisfying as ever!!“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply"

Things I've Learned From My Three Year Old (3)

Things I’ve Learned from my Three Year Old (3)

Have you ever noticed that the joy of love is ironically paired with suffering. Is it possible to love without also feeling pain? You share your loved one’s burdens. Prolonged separation brings discomfort. Doesn’t this present a dilemma when trying to understand God? If God cannot suffer how does he actually love us? Doesn’t he feel pain when we feel pain? Isn’t that suffering? If God can suffer then how is he God?My three year old has taught me that we learn very early how to turn another’s love for us into a tool for manipulation. When the bedtime story is done and the prayers said he just happens to be extremely, painfully thirsty. Or his bladder is on the verge of bursting with need for relief. He knows I love him enough to care for his needs. It pains me to realize he manipulates my love to satisfy his own desires, being, “I don’t want to go to bed yet”.When Kameron does something careless and brings harm to himself I generally have two reactions: First, I express love for him by asking, “How could you do this to yourself?” Then, I acknowledge my own pain when I silently ask, “How could you do this to me?” God loves us in the first way only. He doesn’t suffer in love because he is perfectly selfless in love.We can’t manipulate God by banging our heads on the floor or by holding our breathe until we turn blue in the face. He, unlike us, is not vulnerable in that way.Oh “to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” Eph. 3:18

God hates a Lying Tongue

God Hates a Lying Tongue

God's plan for a marriage relationship is set out clearly in the first two chapters of the Bible. I guess he put first what he knew we would need most. One man, one woman, one covenant, one lifetime together, one relationship. Adam and Eve's relationship was passionate, wonderful and shameless. But in chapter 3 a tragic thing happens. The father of lies appears in the garden. They began to be more interested in themselves than in each other. They embrace his lies and begin to see each other in a different light and are filled with shame. What God created to be perfect and pure becomes twisted and corrupt.In modern times Satan has continued to successfully propagate his lies. Sixty years ago Alfred Kinsey's inaccurate research was published. His research is based on an inordinate number of interviews with prisoners, homosexuals and pedaphiles. He successfully convinced millions that the behavior he discovered in these groups was common to society in general. The "everyone is doing it" concept was enthusiastically embraced by multitudes. (1960's sexual revolution)Rod Stewart's attitude toward marriage is an example of the damage done when we embrace such lies: "I think the (marriage) vows should be changed, because they've been in existence for 600 years, when people used to live until they were only 35. So they only had to be with each other for 12 years, then they would die anyway. But now, it's a big commitment because you're going to be with someone for 50 years. It's impossible. The vows should be written like a dog's license that has to be renewed every year."So many people are experiencing brokenness, heartbreak and disillusionment. God meant for our intimacy with our mate to be pure, mysterious, passionate, enjoyable and spiritual. Yet again, we have successfully corrupted another of God's wonderful gifts by embracing Satan's lies. Malachi 2:15 "He has made them one. In flesh and spirit they are his."

(see sermon series at www.bethany.org)

When a government robs its people...

When a government robs its people...

Our founding fathers foresaw just how dangerous it was to give unlimited power to government. So, they established a constitution that balanced powers and gave ultimate power to the citizens. It has all gone horribly wrong. Our leaders are sounding more and more like Mao, like Lenin, like Castro. The arrogance of Barney Frank, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi is revealed when they tell us, "We know much better how to spend your money than you do. If fact, we insist you give us your money so that we may fritter it away on the deadbeats, spongers and loafers...those needing a free ride."

"We want to buy homes for those who are incapable. Owning a home is a right every American should have."

"We want to outsource some of your jobs because we love all the people of the world. Because redistribution of the wealth must be global. Its not fair for you to experience a higher standard of living than those in India."

"We want to bail out banks who have fallen victim to bad decisions made by their CEO's."

"We want to bail out the auto companies who have been crushed by outsourcing and union greed."

"We want to provide national healthcare for all people. We know it hasn't worked well in Britain or Canada but we are smarter than those people. We know socialism didn't work for the Soviet Union, it didn't work for China...but we are smarter and wiser."

"Trust us...give us your credit card, you'll be so glad you did."

There is no longer any accountability for bad behavior nor are there any consequences for poor decisions. It is the result of eliminating absolute truth and replacing it with a meaningless relativism.How many dreams will evaporate? How many small businesses will never be born? How many medical cures will never be discovered? How many of our children will never be college educated? How many family vacations will have to be cancelled? The real tragedy is that we sit by passive and apathetic while the government reaches into our wallets. Edmund Burke said it so well, "The only thing necessary for evil to prevail is for good people to stand by and do nothing."