We Have No King But Jesus

"We Have No King But Jesus"

King George III was king of England during the Revolutionary War. He taxed the colonists unmercifully to try to pay the bills of a country that seemed to be perpetually at war. The colonists were weary of the heavy taxes and adopted a slogan to express their displeasure. "No taxation without representation!" George received a letter from his diplomats in the colonies: "Dear King, when we approach these rebels to direct to them your question, 'Are you going to give that which belongs to the king?' they reply with great conviction, 'We have no king but Jesus!!'"

This King Jesus they spoke of was no ordinary king! He was born in a barn and laid in a feeding stall. His mother was a young teen who gave birth out of wedlock. His father was a carpenter but had a bloodline that qualified him to be a king. His friends were simple people. He never married nor had any children. He had a simple message. This king made his grand entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey.

Most kings will destroy all their enemies when they ascend to their throne. King Jesus never killed anyone, in fact, he sacrificed himself on a cross to save others. He never organized an army or desired political power. He proved himself the Messiah by performing miraculous signs and wonders too numerous to mention. He had power over nature - his voice calmed the troubled sea. He had power over disease - touching the hem of his garment could bring healing. He had power over death - he raised his good friend, Lazarus.

This is no ordinary king. He has power to transform lives. A wicked Saul became a holy Paul. A weak Simon became a strong Peter. He recruited 12 common, simple fishermen and transformed the entire world through their writings and teachings.

He is no ordinary king. He is a perfect blend of justice and mercy. He is more powerful than any earthly king yet his gentleness is compared to that of a shepherd looking after his helpless sheep. He is superior in his nature. He is perfect in his knowledge. He is complete in his love and he is majestic in his reign as King of all.

Most churches in our modern culture are very happy to acknowledge a king lying in a manger, they will gladly put this king on a cross, they will accept his sufferings, they will make movies about his agonies and his death…but they don't want to say much about a risen King , they hesitate to acknowledge that he sits on a throne over the universe. They fail to declare that his is the only way to salvation. They are glad to declare him as savior but resist accepting him as Lord of their lives.

We have no king but Jesus! Unlike others, Christians honor an empty grave. He is the true king because he conquered death and in doing so provided a way for us to find salvation from sin. He refuses forever to share his throne with any other imposter. He is king of the universe and he is king of my heart. He reigns all powerful, all glory and all honor and all authority is given unto him. Without him there is no forgiveness nor is there eternal life. Justice governs all his decisions. His love is indescribable. His mercy is everlasting.

We have no king but Jesus! So, I take it personally when some nitwit tries to tell me that all religions are the same. When some weak soul approaches me to try to convince me to say that the founders of all religions are the same I must declare, "I have no King but Jesus!"

They laid him in a manger, they dragged him to a cross. They spat on him and beat him mercilessly. He humbled himself so that I might share in his inheritance. He appeared as a lamb to the slaughter. But when he reappears he will come as a great warrior king, he will wear a crown and he will hear all of his own declare, "We have no king but Jesus!"

Wesley's "Liberalism" vs. Modern Liberalism

Wesley's 'Liberalism' vs. Modern Liberalism

The modern term 'liberal' is often used to categorize a person by their choice of dress, music, politics, etc. In a theological sense, Wesley would have been considered a liberal in his day because he promoted human participation in the salvation process as opposed to the more 'conservative' and Calvinistic view that any participation of man diminishes the sovereignty of God. In this sense, there are many 'conservatives' today who would be categorized as theological liberals because most of them believe strongly that man's free will is essential to salvation. Although Wesley promoted free will adamantly he refused to minimize the function of free grace.

The dangers of overemphasizing free will at the expense of free grace is the belief that great rewards are in store for those who make many and consistent choices for righteousness. This can lead to legalism, a problem many in the holiness movement struggled with in its formative years. Modern day liberals seem to place an overemphasis on Wesley's teaching of perfection and fail to see his sincere and passionate desire for true righteousness. Modern day conservatives seem still to turn Wesley's admonition toward righteousness and perfect love into a set of do's and don'ts. Wesley was actually hesitant to use the word "perfection" and tried to shift the emphasis of his teaching toward perfect love.

Wesley embraced a liberal idea in his time called Latitudinarianism, the idea that Catholics and members of the Church of England could co-exist in the Anglican Church. Wesley opened his arms to people of diverse theological beliefs but he continually magnified the essential beliefs and deemphasized the non-essentials. Modern followers of Wesley are very wary of embracing those of other creeds for fear of promoting interfaithism. Modern day liberals have leaned so far toward inclusivism that they have compromised the very teaching of Christ himself who declare that he and he alone is the way to salvation. Christ was very exclusive in his teaching. No man can come to the father unless he comes through the Son. Although Wesley was openly advocating love and tolerance towards those of differing beliefs he would never encourage a compromise of the exclusive teaching of Christ.

The liberals of Wesley's day were enthusiastic about meeting the physical needs of non-Christians rather than evangelizing them. The conservatives of his day believed the conversion of their souls was of greater importance lest they be condemned to hell. Wesley primary emphasis was to meet the spiritual needs of those within Christendom and to purge sin from their congregations. His experience as a missionary to American Indians ended as less than successful.

Modern liberals seem to think that truth in the Bible evolves as human knowledge expands and the culture changes. Fundamentalists believe all the authors in the Bible were inspired and its truth is unchanging. Wesley strongly ascertained the inspiration of the scripture but he also believed in the application of scientific knowledge and he was open as to how this secular knowledge might clarify our understanding of God.

The primary split in Wesley's day was the disagreement about the second work of grace. Conservatives embraced Wesley's view that purity is found in the motives and the primary aspect of this work of grace is love for God and our fellow man. Liberals broke with Wesley on this teaching because they felt this kind of 'perfection' was unattainable in this life. The biblical support for Wesley's teaching on sanctification is less than the biblical support for the teaching of predestination. Wesley found adequate biblical support for his teaching but he also found convincing testimony among other Christians who had arrived at this state of perfect love. He was also aware of many who fell short and even traveled to the brink of insanity because of their failed efforts. There doesn't seem to be any strong, affirmative evidence that Wesley himself testified to attaining this experience but even if he had his humble spirit may have prevented him from declaring it.

Wesley was very much concerned that Christians avoid apathy. His fervent teaching on sanctification was his attempt to address and offer a solution to this issue. Unfortunately, liberals began to resist his teaching when they observed many who pursued it but ended up off track into their own self delusion and in many cases, self-righteousness.

Modern followers of Wesley are doing him a disservice when they de-emphasize the place of grace in the salvation of men. Wesley never made the grace of God secondary to the free will of man. Contemporary liberals have moved far away from Wesley. Wesley did entertain an openness toward other religions but he never abandoned or compromised his biblical beliefs. He had a great respect for the great thinkers of his day but he did not sacrifice absolute truth for their relativism. It is only the strong willed who can have great admiration for another without adopting his beliefs or being influence by his ideas. Wesley proved over and over again that he could love another without compromising his love for Christ and the truth of his word. Perhaps, instead of verbalizing his experience in sanctification he chose rather to simply demonstrate it.

Affluence or Influence

As a school teacher I've worked with youth for over a quarter of a century. In that period of time I can ascertain that kids in 2009 are much different than kids were in 1980. Americans are investing less and less in the moral development of their youth. Very few youth seem to have any concern at all about being men and women of integrity. Conscience and character are words they are familiar with but they have no real concept of their meanings.


I am also associate pastor of a church. Fewer and fewer Americans are going to church so our youth aren't being taught morals there. Our children who are attending public schools are confused about morals when they are being taught that it is 'right' to kill the unborn and it is appropriate to prepare for a choice of immorality by learning how to apply a prophylactic to a piece of fruit. The basics have been replaced by strong teachings on diversity, social justice and a sense of entitlement. So, government schools graduate drones who have no skills in independent and creative thinking. They aren't taught to think, they are taught to submit and to accept as gospel every hair brained idea about evolution and global warming.

Today's youth are overindulged by the vast number of divorced parents who suffer from the guilt of broken families or they are overindulged by the level of wealth their parents have attained. Many modern parents have chosen long and extra hours at work rather than hours spent mentoring and modeling morals and ethical behavior to their children. They must not think that their fourteen year old doesn't feel second place to the expensive car parked in the garage. If this generation seems to be excessively selfish it's because profound selfishness has been modeled for them in an exceptional way. What does it profit a man if he were to gain the whole world and lose his own children?

This generation equates happiness with what they acquire for themselves instead of what they might sacrifice for others. I think it's unlikely another Mother Teresa will emerge any time soon. There is a certain line of clothing that advertises with the slogan, "It's all about me". That pretty much says it all. It's astounding to witness just how much this lifestyle has permeated the culture of the "Myspace", "Facebook" and "Youtube" generation. The road to instant gratification will always be chosen before the long road that leads to things more meaningful and lasting.

The moral and ethical requirements to building serious and long lasting relationships have little meaning. In their electronic culture there are few long lasting relationships. The sum total of many of their relationships is a list of screen names who actually begin to believe they are who they are pretending to be. When all pretenders are convinced of what they are pretending then reality disappears. Their world is surreal and the real meaning of morals and values diminishes in a world where lying, cheating and faking it have no consequences. Relationships become expendable commodities. Just look for someone else with a really cool screen name.

On the downside, more and more of our nation's leaders will be narcissist, anti-social and tolerant of all sorts of aberrant behavior. They will be nonfunctional when forced to deal with the problems that exist in a real world because they've never lived in a real world.

God bless those families who are actively opposing the negative influences of a depraved culture and are determined to teach their children the ways of biblical truth. They are our hope for tomorrow.

My King!!

When your leaders fail you, when you feel the ship has no rudder, when the plane seems to be taking a nose dive it is comforting to be reminded of the Sovereign One who controls all things....He is my King. Is he yours?
Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Umbrella of 'Social Justice'

What is Social Justice?

One might define social justice simply as the "equal protection of the laws for all citizens". But in our present society 'social justice' is a growing monster that takes on a whole new personality. Social justice in America is typically associated with left wing or socialist politics. Those who champion modern social justice believe that the problems of racial minorities and women are caused by injustices within society. Poverty is caused by the greed of capitalism. The planet is on the verge of extinction because of 'global warming'. The poor are insulted when given charity but they have a right to assistance from the government.

Most modern universities have embraced social justice as the core of their curriculum. All disciplines are expected to teach the social justice agenda. Why should a math teacher be asked to teach about environmentalism? Why should a home economics teacher take on the issues of poverty in our society? Our public educational systems are being held hostage to the socialist agenda. The goal is to indoctrinate the younger generation with socialistic ideas. Wouldn't an institution devoted to the expansion of knowledge be willing to present all sides of an issue? When they fail to do that they are indoctrinating, not educating. I teach in a Christian school and I'm very careful to teach my students the theological concepts of Christianity. But, my students also know atheism, pantheism, deism, New Age, etc. I'm confident in sharing with them all of those beliefs because I firmly believe that Christianity can hold its ground, indeed, conquer all of these false beliefs.

Social justice is generally understood to be a set of laws that are appropriated in such a manner as to ensure that all persons, irrespective of ethnic origin, gender race or religion, be treated with equity and justice. This is a noble idea that should be defended by all peoples dedicated to any system of morality. The problem is that this belief of social justice has become an umbrella under which all sorts of groups and individuals gather for protection when they attempt to promote agendas that are contrary to the opinion of the majority. One can almost always be assured that if the argument lacks logic it will find refuge under this umbrella.

It is often detrimental for these groups to express their beliefs in plain terms. The majority of Americans are not going to approve of killing babies (abortion) so they frame their agenda in terms of 'social justice' for the mother. Few Americans are going to approve of homosexuality because most believe it is unscriptural or at least, unnatural, so this group will frame their argument in terms of 'social justice'.

This protective umbrella is huge because of the vast number of groups seeking refuge there. Communists, multiculturalists, radical women's rights groups, Socialists, anti-gun proponents, global warming alarmists, etc. all seek cover. The radical concepts of these groups are unacceptable to most Americans but under the guise of 'social justice' they march on unimpeded. Who is brave enough to take a stand against 'social justice'?

Christians must not be deceived by such strategies. The word of God never changes. Its truth is not culture sensitive. Its truth does not evolve through the ages. Killing babies for the sake of convenience has always been wrong. Homosexuality is still an abominable sin in God's eyes. Stealing from people who have money and redistributing it to those who don't have it is still stealing.

Our government is full of high ranking politicians who have been elected to our highest offices by hiding their radical beliefs under the guise of 'social justice'. We've been hoodwinked and the flag on the tug-of-war rope has lurched far leftward. God has little place at all at any level in our government, Republican or Democrat. But in the camp of the far-left liberals, it seems they are completely void of any understanding of God or of scriptural concepts.

Axis of Idiots by J.D. Pendry

Axis of Idiots


Written by J. D. Pendry - March 10, 2009

Jimmy Carter, you are the father of the Islamic Nazi movement. You threw the Shah under the bus, welcomed the Ayatollah home, and then lacked the spine to confront the terrorists when they took our embassy and our people hostage. You’re the runner-in-chief.

Bill Clinton, you played ring around the Lewinsky while the terrorists were at war with us. You got us into a fight with them in Somalia and then you ran from it. Your weak-willed responses to the U.S.S. Cole and the First Trade Center Bombing and Our Embassy Bombings emboldened the killers. Each time you failed to respond adequately, they grew bolder, until 9/11/2001.

John Kerry, dishonesty is your most prominent attribute. You lied about American Soldiers in Vietnam.

Your military service, like your life, is more fiction than fact. You’ve accused our military of terrorizing

women and children in Iraq. You called Iraq the wrong war, wrong place, wrong time, the same words

you used to describe Vietnam. You’re a fake. You want to run from Iraq and abandon the Iraqis

to murderers just as you did to the Vietnamese. Iraq, like Vietnam, is another war that you were for,

before you were against it.



John Murtha, you said our military was broken. You said we can’t win militarily in Iraq. You accused

United States Marines of cold-blooded murder without proof and said we should redeploy to Okinawa.

Okinawa, John? And the Democrats call you their military expert! Are you sure you didn’t suffer a traumatic brain injury while you were off building your war hero resume? You’re a sad, pitiable, corrupt and washed up politician. You’re not a Marine, sir. You wouldn’t amount to a good pimple on a real Marine’s butt. You’re a phony and a disgrace. Run away, John.

Dick Durbin, you accused our soldiers at Guantanamo of being Nazis, tenders of Soviet style gulags and as bad as the regime of Pol Pot, who murdered two million of his own people after your party abandoned Southeast Asia to the Communists. Now you want to abandon the Iraqis to the same fate. History was not a good teacher for you, was it? Lord help us! See Dick run.

Ted Kennedy, for days on end you held poster-sized pictures from Abu Ghraib in front of any available television camera. Al Jazeera quoted you saying that Iraqi’s torture chambers were open under new management. Did you see the news, Teddy? The Islamic Nazis demonstrated another beheading for you. If you truly supported our troops, you’d show the world poster-sized pictures of that atrocity and demand the annihilation of it. Your legislation stripping support from the South Vietnamese led to a communist victory there. You’re a bloated, drunken fool bent on repeating the same historical blunder that turned freedom-seeking people over to homicidal, genocidal maniacs. To paraphrase John Murtha, all while sitting on your wide, gin-soaked rear-end in Washington.

Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Carl Levine, Barbara Boxer, Diane Feinstein, Russ Feingold, Hillary Clinton, Pat Leahy, Barack Obama, Chuck Schumer, the Hollywood Leftist morons, et al, ad nauseam: Every time you stand in front of television cameras and broadcast to the Islamic Nazis that we went to war because our President lied, that the war is wrong and our soldiers are torturers, that we should leave Iraq, you give the Islamic butchers - the same ones that tortured and mutilated American soldiers - cause to think that we’ll run away again, and all they have to do is hang on a little longer. It is inevitable that we, the infidels, will have to defeat the Islamic jihadists.Better to do it now on their turf, than later on ours after they have gained both strength and momentum.

American news media and the New York Times particularly: Each time you publish stories about national defense secrets and our intelligence gathering methods, you become one united with the sub-human pieces of camel dung that torture and mutilate the bodies of American soldiers. You can’t strike up the courage to publish cartoons, but you can help Al Qaeda destroy my country. Actually, you are more dangerous to us than Al Qaeda is. I am happy that your company is sinking like a greased cinder block and will probably be bankrupt by the middle of 2009. I’m not surprised, as no one wants to read the trash you publish. Think about that each time you face Mecca to admire your Pulitzer.

You are America ’s ‘AXIS OF IDIOTS.’ Your collective stupidity will destroy us. Self-serving politics and terrorist-abetting news scoops are more important to you than our national security or the lives of innocent civilians and soldiers. It bothers you that defending ourselves gets in the way of your elitist sport of politics and your ignorant editorializing. There is as much blood on your hands as is on the hands of murdering terrorists. Don’t ever doubt that. Your frolics will only serve to extend this war as they extended Vietnam. If you want our soldiers home as you claim, knock off the crap and try supporting your country ahead of supporting your silly political aims and aiding our enemies.

Yes, I’m questioning your patriotism. Your loyalty ends with self. I’m also questioning why you’re stealing air that decent Americans could be breathing. You don’t deserve the protection of our men and women in uniform. You need to run away from this war, this country. Leave the war to the people who have the will to see it through and the country to people who are willing to defend it. Our country has two enemies. Those who want to destroy us from the outside and those who attempt it from within.

Semper Fi,

J. D. Pendry - Sergeant Major, USMC, Retired



J.D. Pendry is a retired Marine Sergeant Major who writes for Random House.

He is eloquent, and as taught by the Marines, seldom beats around the bush!

(I'm not sure if he is Marines or Army? In either case, he may come on strong but he is willing to tell it like it is.)

What is a Pastor?

What is a pastor?




I believe that pastors become pastors in response to a direct call from God. A man should never enter into such work fueled by his own desire or ambition. Eph 4:11 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" The pastor is a man of God, a man who has been specifically called into ministry. He is charged with feeding, counseling and fortifying the body of believers for the work of God. He must be a motivator, persuading people to embrace the truth of God's word and teaching them to share that truth with others.

The primary calling of every pastor is to preach and teach the word of God. 1 Tim. 3:2 "Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach," The majority of a pastor's time should be in preparation for sharing the truth of God's word. This is his most important duty. This primary duty is often overshadowed by the need to be a counselor, an administrator, a great people person, etc.

The disciples were taught in Acts 6:2-4 "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. But select from among you, brethren, seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. But we will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word." (NASB). The apostles were being asked to tend to some administrative duties…to care for some poor widows. What nobler thing can a Christian do than that? But they quickly delegated this responsibility to other qualified elders because their calling and greatest expression of love was to preach and teach the word of God. To do this well requires a phenomenal amount of time and preparation but they embraced this whole heartedly. "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching." The effective pastor must make teaching and preaching his major priority.

Jesus is our greatest pastoral example. Mark 9:35 "Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness." His ministry was three-fold: He preached and taught the word of God, he proclaimed the gospel through prayer, counseling and visitation and he ministered to those in need of physical, spiritual and emotional healing.

A pastor is to be a model of holy living. He can't expect to lead others if he isn't mature in the faith. He is to be the jealous guardian of truth. He must be on the look out for the "doctrines of demons" and for the invasion and infiltration of wolves in sheep's clothing. He must administer and govern the local church and tend to the unpleasant task of church discipline. He is to train and equip others to share the gospel of Christ through evangelism.

It must be kept in mind that the pastor is not an angel, nor is he Christ incarnate, he is but a simple man bound by infirmities and short comings just like any other man. Paul often reminded himself and others of his own limitations: "We have this treasure in earthen vessels." and "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief .“—I Tim. 1:15. In some mysterious way, God seems to pick the lesser to sometimes teach the greater…"But God chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise…" - 1 Cor. 1:27.

A pastor called to shepherd a flock is always called. He will never cease to be a pastor unless he disqualifies himself by voluntarily removing himself from ministry or by participating in an act of immorality. Should this happen he must resign or step down for it is futile for the blind to lead the blind.

The lay people of the church should pray daily for their shepherd. Only by prayer will he have the mind of Christ and understand biblical truth. He will need extra strength and stamina to tend to all of his administrative and spiritual duties and to fight the spiritual warfare necessary to contend for souls under his care. It is only with divine help that he can maintain a pure thought life, a passion for preaching and a strong compassion for the souls of his people.

National Road Trip Debt

This video helps us visualize what is happening with the national debt.   If the debt is rocketing out of control how are we going to afford Nationalized Health Care?  How will we afford a continuation of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq?  How will we afford to take care of the millions of baby boomer Americans who are about to go on Social Security and enter retirement and pull on Medicare and Medicaid?  Why are we going on a spending spree when we are bankrupt?  Why are we bailing out auto companies, banks, and other organizations who've found themselves in dire straits because of poor decisions?  Why are we willing to saddle the next generation with such a mountain of debt.  Will our children and grandchildren ever forgive us for ensuring they never achieve the same standard of living as we???


National Debt Road Trip - Watch more Funny Videos

My Greatest Calling...to be a father. - Kevin Probst

My greatest calling is to be a father….


Kevin Probst

I’m a teacher, I’m a preacher, a pastor, a friend, a husband, a son. I’m chief maintenance officer around my house. I’m the lawn man, the garbage man and baseball coach and golf instructor. I decorate Christmas trees, I carve pumpkins. I subject worn out muscles and feeble bones to risky wrestling matches on the living room floor.

I am the comforter of hurts. The one called upon to explain why bees fly and why stars shine. I know all the Veggie Tales songs by heart and I’ve mastered children’s literature. I think long and hard how to answer “Is Santa real?” I’ve learned to share all my pop corn and candy bars.

For a while I can conquer any monster. I’m a safe haven from the angry summer storms. I am expected to be able to fix every toy and have a solution to every problem. I’m stronger, and wiser, and bigger and better than any other daddy…at least for now.

Like most other fathers, I endure the heat of the summer and the cold of winters. I labor much longer than forty hours a week. I come home nearly every day exhausted and more weary than words can tell…and yet, the next day I get up and repeat it all over again for no other reason than love.

And I am very aware of my fearsome responsibility. I have sons who watch me. They’ve seen me at my best and at my worst. They’ve seen me as very successful and they’ve observed me fail miserably. They aren’t really too concerned about success or failure, they are more concerned about how I react and handle each of those.

I have a son that talks like me. I have another who walks like me. I have a third who smiles like me. It’s fearful the influence a father has over his children. My greatest calling is to be father to my sons. I’m not a grandfather yet…and I hope I won’t be a grandfather yet…not until my sons realize their greatest calling in life.

 "A Man's children and his garden both reflect the
amount of weeding done during the growing season."

~~Author Unknown.~~

In The Commode

In the Commode
by Kevin Probst

In the year 190 AD an emperor ascended to the throne of Rome. His was Commodus, the son of Marcus Aurelius. Commodus was soon obsessed with grandiose delusions of himself. He was preoccupied with obtaining fame and popularity. He was infected with a malignant form of narcissism. His vanity and conceit worsened over the course of time. Dio Cassius was a contemporary of Commodus. His observations led him to make this statement: “from a kingdom of gold to one of rust and iron.” He was declaring Commodus’ reign as the beginning of the end for the Roman Empire.

Commodus was obsessed with emulating Lincolnian figures. Hercules was his favorite. He walked about in a leopard skin in an attempt to actualize his fantasy. He believed himself to be the very center of the universe. He would often go to the coliseum to ‘fight’ gladiators who carried wooden swords and he would kill wild beasts who were chained to immovable posts. After winning ‘great victories’ he would expect his subjects to pay homage to him.

Commodus had acquired very little knowledge of foreign policy in spite of the fact that he was an apprentice to his father for several years before he became emperor. His father, Marcus Aurelius, had spent years in pursuit of barbarian tribes along the Danubean frontier. But, Commodus, in spite of his general’s call for more troops to fight off the barbarians, withdrew forces and abandoned the mission altogether thus subjecting Rome to the real and present danger of terroristic foreigners.

It was not uncommon for corrupt political figures to be promoted to powerful positions under Commodus. It seems they were never vetted properly or there were simply no honest and competent individuals to choose from.

So glory starved was Commodus that he was gifted with all the awards in the Empire. Even though he had done nothing to deserve these awards he insisted that he receive them with much fanfare. I’m sure he probably claimed authorship to a book that was ghost written by someone else.

Commodus saw himself as uniquely qualified to bring about a new order within the empire after the economy slumped into a deep recession. He declared himself the new Romulus and renamed the city Colonia Lucia Annia Commodiana.

Dio Cassius declared that Commodus was “not naturally wicked” but that his “cowardice made him the slave of his companions and that it was through them that he missed the better life” and descended into the evil that eventually overcame him and contributed to the destruction of his empire.

Ironically, Dio Cassius’ life was ended by a wrestler named Narcissus who strangled him to death in his bath. Some say he was strangled while sitting on the commode which was subsequently named after him. Statues erected in his honor were toppled and the city’s name was restored.

When I was researching this information for this article I noticed that Commodus had some similar characteristics of a very prominent politician in our modern age. But I know that we clearly believe now that “those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” We would never elect a narcissist as president of our great country. We are way too civilized and smart to ever turn our great country over to a megalomaniac. We love our country too much to elect a man who would appoint thugs, or call a cowardly retreat from the battlefront of Iraq or Afghanistan. We would never elect a man who would turn his back on allies who have befriended us for half a century. We would never elect a man who would accept awards he never earned or claim to write books he never wrote. Such dishonesty and self-worship we would never tolerate…or would we???

About the End of the Age

About the End of the Age

There seems to be a pattern in history that reveals a very important historical event happening every 2,000 years. Approximately 6,000 years ago Adam and Eve were created. About 4,000 years ago God made a covenant with Abraham. 2,000 years ago Christ was born in Bethlehem. Perhaps we are approaching the time of Christ's Second Coming.

The Bible declares that no man knows the day nor the hour of his coming. Even Christ himself may not know. It seems to be a knowledge reserved for God the Father only. I'm sure there are strong reasons that God withholds that information from us and now we see through a murky glass but eventually we will understand.

There are a lot of parallel prophecies in Daniel and in The Revelation. After Daniel had seen his vision the angel spoke to him these words, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end." (Dan. 12:9) Daniel didn't understand his own writings. He prayed for understanding but the words were sealed until the end time.

As we progress toward the end of the age I believe our understanding of eschatological events becomes less mysterious. For instance, fifty years ago it was extremely hard to understand how the mark of the beast could possibly be implemented but now, in the age of computers and microchips it's much easier to understand that prophecy.

As a history teacher I teach my students that the root causes of all wars are political conflict, economic conflict and religious conflict. There is a diabolical scheme to eliminate these causes and bring a sort of utopia, or heaven to earth. If the nations of the world could be unified under a one world government, if the religions could merge into a sort of smorgasbord of total tolerance absent all confrontation and if we could form a one world economy we would at last live in peace and there would be no need or desire for God's heaven, we will have created our own.

Satan will use the anti-Christ and the false prophet to help usher in his one-world ideas. The anti-Christ is a person and he will one day present himself in the temple of Jerusalem where he will blasphemously declare himself a 'messiah type'. This 'abomination of desolation' will usher in a time of great tribulation. He will be released to make war on the saints for a period of time.

Christ will rapture his saints at some point and return as the greatest of all warriors to lead an army against the Satanic forces at Armageddon. The battle will be horrendous but Christ will emerge the victor and he will set up his kingdom on earth and reign without interruption for 1,000 years. For some mysterious reason Satan will be released for a short period but then the unholy trinity will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone forever and forever.

Christ's restoration of fallen man will be complete and those who are his followers will live in peace and happiness in heaven forevermore.

Is Man Essentially Good?

Is Man Essentially Good?


Jean-Jacques Rousseau was the Swiss philosopher who strongly promoted the idea that "man is essentially good", "a "noble savage" when in the "state of nature". He taught that good people are made unhappy and corrupted by their environment and their experiences in society. He viewed society as "artificial" and "corrupt" and that the furthering of society results in the continuing unhappiness of man.

Rousseau's impact on our post-modern society is significant. Many modern individuals struggle with the question of whether man is essentially good. The question was posed recently to a number of people, here is a sample of some of their answers:

" I think people are essentially good simply because of the love and joy that each person can bring to another person's life. Even a simple smile can brighten up someone's day."

"Man is good...even Hitler was good. Each person has his own kindness-- his inner kindness...because we are made by the likeness (image) of God"

These beliefs don't match up with scripture. Wesley taught that man's nature is essentially evil and he quoted several scriptures to support his belief. God's word teaches us that we are all "dead in trespasses and sins", we are "without hope, without God in the world." The "wickedness of man was great in the earth" and "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

2 Thes. 2:11 declares that in the end of the age God will send them " a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie". The failure of our culture to embrace the scriptural teaching that men are born in a depraved state is evidence that a lie has taken root. In an attempt to eliminate the 'problem' of sin in a godless society many try to blame evil behavior on the environment, or poverty or perhaps some early abuse during childhood. But the word of God declares that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

Lyle and Eric Menendez brutally murdered their parents in August of 1989. Americans immediately began to look for reasons for this horrendous crime. The brothers were declared to be anti-social. Lyle and Eric declared they had been abused by their father. He was too hard to please. But, the truth about any horrible murder such as this is that it is a result of sin springing forth from a carnal heart. The social factors may very well have contributed to their negative attitude toward their parents but the root cause of their crime was sin.

God sent the flood to destroy man when the time for grace and mercy had ended and the time for justice had come. God has shown an unimaginable amount of patience in view of how sinful our American culture has become. Surely, at some point in time, the cries of 40 million aborted babies crying for justice will spur God to end the time of mercy and begin a time of judgment on a culture that has turned its back on God.

The great hope we have is that the terrible malady that lies within all men can be cured. Jesus became a man, took on himself the sins of us all and carried them to a cross. He purchased our salvation from this inbred sin by sacrificing his own life. Through his shed blood we can be forgiven our sinful actions and we can conquer the sin nature within.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16

The Price of our Freedom

 Irena Sendler




 There recently was a death of a 98 year-old lady named Irena. During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw Ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an 'ulterior motive' ... She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews, (being German.) Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack, (for larger kids..) She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.. During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants. She was caught, and the Nazi's broke both her legs, arms and beat her severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept the m in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it and reunited the family. Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.

Last year Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize ... She was not selected.

Al Gore won, for a slide show on Global Warming.

(Someone emailed this to me 10-13-09)

I Thought I Knew You

I Thought I Knew You




There are lyrics to a song called I Thought I Knew You that go like this: “I thought I knew you but I wasn’t even close.” There are millions of people who think they know Jesus but they aren’t even close. Sunday morning between 11:00 and 12:00 is probably the worst hour for idolatry in the United States. Millions across America gather to worship an image of Jesus they have concocted in their minds. He is not the real Jesus, far from it. Mel Gibson’s answer to those who criticized his film “The Passion of the Christ” was, “My Jesus is the real Jesus, not yours.”

The Bible declares that in the latter days there will be many false claims about Jesus. The author of The Da Vinci Code tried to convince millions that Jesus fathered a child to Mary Magdalene. A modern concept of Christ is an ultra feminine Christ. There is a Jesus who abides in the blue states who is a pacifist and recycles all his coke cans. There is a Jesus that lives in the red states who is chomping at the bits to retaliate against the terrorists in an all out war of wars.

In 1998, the president of the Mormon Church, Gordon Hinckley, spoke of a Jesus who “appeared to the boy Joseph smith in the year 1820” near Palmyra, New York.

Elizabeth Clare Prophet has written a book claiming new teachings of Jesus have been found to verify his teaching “on the feminine potential of both man and woman”.

Jesus has become a sort of magical cure-all whose teachings are misconstrued to satisfy any person’s fancy or incredible belief or even absurdity. We become his creator and he becomes a convenient instrument for our use. He is a democrat, a republican, a pro-abortionist, pro-homosexual, liberal, conservative, etc. ad nauseum.

The post-modern Jesus is portrayed as someone who wants to fulfill all of our dreams. His ultimate purpose is to bring satisfaction into our lives, to make us feel comfortable and to improve our self-esteem. He is a Santa Clause figure intent on spoiling us with all sorts of material gifts. He is a friendly uncle who would never share a harsh word with you. He bled and died so that we would experience great individual happiness, live in a large house and drive a BMW.

Phil Driscoll has his ideas about the emergent Jesus, “There is a strong drift toward the hard theological left. Some emergent types [want] to recast Jesus as a limp-wrist hippie in a dress with a lot of product in His hair, who drank decaf and made pithy Zen statements about life while shopping for the perfect pair of shoes. In Revelation, Jesus is a prize fighter with a tattoo down His leg, a sword in His hand and the commitment to make someone bleed. That is a guy I can worship. I cannot worship the hippie, diaper, halo Christ because I cannot worship a guy I can beat up.”

The real Jesus is a divider. He came, not to bring peace, but a sword. He stirred controversy everywhere he went. His entire ministry was dedicated to exposing the lies of Satan and revealing truth. He loved the truth because he loved the sinner. The real Jesus spoke harsh words regarding the cancerous sin in our society. The cancer is terminal and Jesus offered a cure. He was confrontational. He was painfully honest with everyone. He was unaffected by political correctness or unreasonable tolerance.

If I were to visit the doctor tomorrow and the doctor discovered I had a terminal cancer, I wouldn’t want him to fail to inform me of the reality of approaching death. I would want to know the truth so I could prepare myself and my loved ones. A doctor who decides to spare his patient by obscuring the truth is doing him no favor.

Jesus’ message was very unpopular. Christ’s message was painfully honest. Sin is deadly. Sin brings death. There is only one cure, one hope. We do our lost loved ones and lost friends no favor by choosing politeness over honesty.

Let us commit to worshipping the real Jesus. He is not found in the self-help section of Barnes and Noble. He is found in the four gospels.

Mike Rogers talks sense about Obamacare

There is hope after all.  Someone in Congress actually talking sense:

How to do nothing and win the Nobel Peace Prize

How to do nothing and win the Nobel Peace Prize

How ironic, the Nobel Peace prize is named for Alfred Nobel, the Swedish chemist who invented dynamite! The prize is given in Scandinavia, that part of the European Union that wimped out in the last century, declaring their neutrality when National Socialism was marching through Europe depriving freedom to millions. Both the brave and the cowardly enjoy that freedom today because someone had guts enough to stand up to a ruthless enemy.

Sadly, Socialism still won. What they failed to do through military force was done quietly but surely through ideological persuasion. The iron curtain came down because there was no longer any need for it. Now, these Socialist European nations carry water for the ideologues at the United Nations. Never question the real reason Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. The leftists in Europe want to put a leash on the puppy lest he go astray. They love Obama because he has been properly indoctrinated having sat twenty years under the racist, anti-Semitic teaching of his mentor, Jeremiah Wright. Obama can’t really process what might be wrong with allowing the Iranians to join the nuclear club if their intention is to destroy the “Jewish plague” in the Middle East.

The United Nations has become a freak show of haters. Libya’s Gaddafi, Venezuela’s Chavez and Iran’s Ahmadinejad use the bully pulpit in the U.N. to spew their hatred for the United States and then enjoy cozying up to its president. There is something desperately wrong with this picture. Why does the United States play host to an organization that spreads its hatred for Americans like butter on bread?

President Obama is the most radical pro-abortionist to have ever served as leader of America. I remember his words during his campaign, “I don’t want (my daughters) punished with a baby”. I couldn’t help but remember another Nobel Peace Prize winner’s words, Mother Theresa who strongly opposed abortion: "America needs no words from me to see how your decision in Roe v. Wade has deformed a great nation. The so-called right to abortion has pitted mothers against their children and women against men. It has sown violence and discord at the heart of the most intimate human relationships. It has aggravated the derogation of the father's role in an increasingly fatherless society. It has portrayed the greatest of gifts -- a child -- as a competitor, an intrusion, and an inconvenience. It has nominally accorded mothers unfettered dominion over the independent lives of their physically dependent sons and daughters". Sadly, we now honor and exalt child killers and oppose vehemently those who would try to preserve young life.

The Nobel Peace Prize committee is so corrupted by its own narrow bigotry and biases that one can no longer afford it any legitimacy whatsoever. It is infected with its own political correctness and hatreds. Americans and Jews happen to be high on their list of undesirables. Consider the list of other unworthy notables who have won the prize: Kofi Annan, Yasir Arafat and Rigoberta Menchu. Hustlers and frauds all! Al Gore may not be a criminal but it is surely an oddity that he received the award. Another oddity is the peanut farmer, rabbit killer from Georgia, Jimmy Carter! Now, add Barack Hussein Obama to the list of odd winners. He is presented the Nobel Peace Prize while sending troops to Afghanistan to conduct war!!

I know the real reasons Obama won the prize: he hates the unborn, he hates America and in the words of his mentor Jeremiah Wright and his advisor, Louis Farrakhan, he hates “them Jews”. Fits in perfectly with the ideology of the United Nations and its lapdog, Scandanavia.

An Infection Worse Than Swine Flu

An Infection Worse Than Swine Flu

Paul wrote to the Ephesians saying we “are all by nature children of wrath.” This could only mean that we are born into sin and are sinners by our very nature. God did not create man to be sinful but man fell into sin as a result of a poor decision made possible by his free moral agency. The same passage of Scripture (Eph. 2) declares we are all “children of disobedience.” The Psalmist declares in Psalm 51:5 “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.”

Humanity was infected with sin after the fall. Sin became an actual property of being human. Therefore, all who are human are also sinful. To be human is to be sinful. All people, until and unless they repent of their sins will remain sinful forever. Rom 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

This basic teaching of the scriptures is clearly contrary to modern day teachings regarding the nature of man. In the mid 1700’s, Jean-Jacques Rousseau declared that “man is essentially good”, a “noble savage" when in the "state of nature" (the state of all the other animals, and the condition man was in before the creation of civilization and society), and that “good people are made unhappy and corrupted by their experiences in society.” Rousseau taught that an “artificial and corrupt” society ruined the natural goodness of man.

Certainly Satan’s greatest tool of deception in dealing with man is to convince him that he (Satan) does not exist. Would it not also be beneficial to the Evil One to successfully convince man that sin also does not exist? The next logical step is to conclude that if Satan does not exist, and sin does not exist, there is certainly no need for a Savior, therefore, God does not exist.

Though most of the modern world would embrace Rousseau’s premise with gusto, they would cringe at hearing that Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Charles Manson were all essentially good. If something in their environment caused them to do evil, why is it that others who grew up having been effected by the same culture, turned out to be very good, even preachers of the gospel of Christ?

I have a four year old son. From infancy he has at times shown a very uncooperative spirit. No one taught him to kick his feet on the floor when he got angry. His mother asked him to read up his room the other day. He came out saying the deed was done. She checked on his work and discovered that he had been deceptive. “Who taught him to lie?” she asked. I gave her the simple, scriptural answer, “He was born a liar as we all are.” Some sin is learned, but there is a basic, original sinful nature that we don’t have to learn, we are born with it.

My son asked me in early one morning, “what happened to the stars, where are they.” Later that night I took him outside and he saw silhouetted against a black sky all the magnificent diamonds of God. The black background makes the stars visible to him.

Why does God allow us the disadvantage of being born in sin? He allows it because we chose it. Also, the black, dark image of sin makes the holiness of God visible to us. And most of all he wants us to see his holiness.

Danger of Interfaithism

Danger of Interfaithism

The religion sweeping through the world today is not Christianity, nor is it Islam or Buddhism or New Age. The prominent religion invading every corner of the earth is the religion of tolerance. Tolerance has been chosen as the tool to replace the grace of God in our attempts to find peace in the world. Rodney King’s voice is still echoing in our minds, “Can’t we all just get along”?

The call for tolerance can be a deceptive attempt to convince people to embrace that which is contrary to the will of God or that which is totally evil. The most divisive figure in all of World History was Jesus Christ himself. His mission was not so much to minister to the saved as it was to convert the sinner. Mat 10:34 “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” A sword cuts asunder, it divides. Christ’s purpose was to bring ideological division and separate lies from truth. He came to call sinners to repentance.

But in this age we are attempting to marry lies to truth. The Satanic strategy is to utterly destroy truth but if it cannot be destroyed then it can certainly be diluted by falsehoods so as to make it weak and non-effective.

Several years ago the Pope went into a Muslim country and declared his great respect for ‘true’ Muslims. He warned Catholics living in that country not to proselytize out of respect for the Islamic faith! Can you imagine Christ telling his disciples to have great respect for religions that oppose the truth of Christianity and whatever you do, don’t try to convert them. This is an affront to the Great Commission.

The great confusion that the religion of tolerance is reaping can be seen in Ann Holmes Redding of Seattle She is an Episcopal Priest. In 2007 she made an announcement to her church, “I am both Muslim and Christian.” She prays in both religions “to the same person”. She does not believe that Jesus is divine. She does not believe in the trinity.

Ms. Redding believes that Allah and God are one and the same. If this were true, why has there been thousands of years of conflict between Christians and Muslims? Why don’t we all become both Christians and Muslims, worship the same God, and live happily ever after? Artifacts dug up from pre-Islamic times reveal Allah was a moon god, he was married to a sun goddess and the stars were his children. A far cry from the God I worship. The Bible calls Satan the great deceiver. A skilled deceiver he is, to convince millions that the pagan god they worship is one and the same with Jehovah God!

Some measure of tolerance is necessary if we are to live in peace. It is one thing to be tolerant of those who believe differently,. But it’s quite another thing to promote a falsehood by allowing our tolerance to be interpreted as a validation. Christ didn’t do it, nor should we.

Are we essentially good or are we born evil?

Paul wrote to the Ephesians saying we “are all by nature children of wrath.” This could only mean that we are born into sin and are sinners by our very nature. God did not create man to be sinful but man fell into sin as a result of a poor decision made possible by his free moral agency. The same passage of Scripture (Eph. 2) declares we are all “children of disobedience.” The Psalmist declares in Psalm 51:5 “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.”

Humanity was infected with sin after the fall. Sin became an actual property of being human. Therefore, all who are human are also sinful. To be human is to be sinful. All people, until and unless they repent of their sins will remain sinful forever. Rom 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

This basic teaching of the scriptures is clearly contrary to modern day teachings regarding the nature of man. In the mid 1700’s, Jean-Jacques Rousseau declared that “man is essentially good”, a “noble savage" when in the "state of nature" (the state of all the other animals, and the condition man was in before the creation of civilization and society), and that “good people are made unhappy and corrupted by their experiences in society.” Rousseau taught that an “artificial and corrupt” society ruined the natural goodness of man.

Certainly Satan’s greatest tool of deception in dealing with man is to convince him that he (Satan) does not exist. Would it not also be beneficial to the Evil One to successfully convince man that sin also does not exist? The next logical step is to conclude that if Satan does not exist, and sin does not exist, there is certainly no need for a Savior, therefore, God does not exist.

Though most of the modern world would embrace Rousseau’s premise with gusto, they would cringe at hearing that Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Charles Manson were all essentially good. If something in their environment caused them to do evil, why is it that others who grew up having been effected by the same culture, turned out to be very good, even preachers of the gospel of Christ?

I have a four year old son. From infancy he has at times shown a very uncooperative spirit. No one taught him to kick his feet on the floor when he got angry. His mother asked him to read up his room the other day. He came out saying the deed was done. She checked on his work and discovered that he had been deceptive. “Who taught him to lie?” she asked. I gave her the simple, scriptural answer, “He was born a liar as we all are.” Some sin is learned, but there is a basic, original sinful nature that we don’t have to learn, we are born with it.

My son asked me in early one morning, “what happened to the stars, where are they.” Later that night I took him outside and he saw silhouetted against a black sky all the magnificent diamonds of God. The black background makes the stars visible to him.

Why does God allow us the disadvantage of being born in sin? He allows it because we chose it. Also, the black, dark image of sin makes the holiness of God visible to us. And most of all he wants us to see his holiness.

Time to step up to the plate.....

Time for Obama to step up to the plate



The time to govern has now come. President Obama has some very major decisions to make. General Stanley McChrystal has requested thousands more U.S. troops to stave off a rejuvenated Taliban in Afghanistan. If Obama chooses to fulfill the request he is committing to the war. If he ignores the request he will risk losing the contest and facing severe criticism from Republican challengers in 1012.

President Obama does not have an unlimited amount of time to decide what to do about Iran. Last week he threatened to "negotiate". Of course, he realizes that negotiations can go on for months and even years and this plays toward Iran's need for more time to develop nuclear weapons.

As Obama is trying to decide whether to continue the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan and risk yet another conflict in Iran he must also be considering the overall costs of war. Iraq alone has cost 4,000 Americans lives, 30,000 wounded and over a $1,000,000,000,000.

If Obama commits to Afghanistan he actually contradicts his own anti-American sentiment. He will be telling the world that America can do what the Russians, the British and Alexander the Great all failed to do: conquer the "graveyard of empires", Afghanistan. He also risks alienating his dovish liberal base.

The cost of the war could be prohibitive. We spent $50,000 per year to support every soldier that fought during WWII. It is costing us $750,000 per year to support each individual soldier in Afghanistan. We've already invested eight years with not a lot to show for it. I wouldn't think that the money issue would affect Obama's decision. Our economy is bankrupt but Obama is spending money at unprecedented rates.

If Obama commits to Afghanistan I think it would be necessary to redefine the mission. We originally went there to capture Osama bin Laden. After eight years its pretty obvious we'll never find him in the mountainous terrain, or he has already died of kidney failure or he has moved across the border to hide in Pakistan with al Qaida.

Obama's domestic policies have not proven to be smashing successes. Is not the healthcare reform bill dead in the water? As Obama begins wading into the waters of foreign policy don't expect him to walk on water. He's beginning to look like Samson with a butch haircut.

Dear God, Please Forgive Me For Complaining

Controversial Anti-Obama Billboards

Freedom of Expression or too Inflammatory



These billboards were spotted in Missouri and the Orlando, Florida area. This is certainly an expression of Americans first amendment ‘freedom of speech’ rights. We may not question anyone’s freedom to express their opinions but can we not questions whether this choice of expression is really more inflammatory than it is helpful??

We're Not Home Yet

We’re Not Home Yet

I don't know if the place being prepared for me is a mansion or a humble abode. I don't know if there will be carpet or hardwood floors? Will my home be snuggled cozy under the shade of beautiful Redwoods or White Oaks or will it be opened up to the light of His glory?

I don't think there will be any doors in heaven. Doors are to keep people out but in heaven all are welcome, everywhere, all the time. No stranger will ever come to your door for there will be no strangers in heaven. We will live in the land of promise, a land of plenty. There will be no dirt on the floor. There will be no weeds in the garden. Heaven is ready for those who are called the "sons and daughters of God." It is prepared.

I remember my first years away from home. I traveled 500 miles away to attend a Christian boarding school. I packed all my things away in a small dormitory room and was immediately overcome with the nausea of homesickness. That first semester seemed to drag on forever. But finally, we were released for Christmas break and I threw my things in my '67 Chevy Impala and headed homeward through a snow storm that couldn't slow me.

Hours and hours later I turned off Interstate '79 onto Cochranton road and lumbered up through some of the most beautiful farm country in all of northwestern Pennsylvania. When I drove through a cluster of three or four farms in a community called Abbottville I knew I was getting close. Cornfields full of tall stalks waved their dried tassels at me. I turned into a bend in the road that led me towards Wilson's Chutes and I felt the excitement rising as I crossed French Creek and the wheels of my old car spun beneath me as I climbed one more snowy hill.

Route 322 takes me right o the door of my home. The sun had nearly set and the evening shadows were overtaking the snowy pastures. As I pulled into the driveway, a light shone on the front porch. I got out of my car and trudged through the snow toward the front door. My mother's face filled the window. She bound to the door and enveloped me with a great hug. The house was warm. I smelled cookies baking in the kitchen. My father stood to greet me, "Welcome home, son." It was so good to be home.

I don't know about you but as a wayfaring stranger in this land of wandering pilgrims, sometimes, I just want to go home. Jesus has prepared a place. He is waiting patiently for our arrival. The light is on.

Capitalism Did Nothing For Me

This man's name is Michael Moore. He has made more than $50 million producing anti-American films and films that criticize our economic system of capitalism. Only in America, the country he hates, and only within a capitalist system, the type he criticizes, could he have been so successful. How could he make such a statement..."Capitalism Did Nothing for Me"?
Isa 44:18 "They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; [and] their hearts, that they cannot understand."

He Doesn't Have a Clue

He doesn’t have a clue…
It was embarrassing to hear President Obama chatter before the United Nations on September 24th regarding his fantasy about a world without nuclear weapons. It’s as if we have an adolescent in the White House. "We must never stop until we see the day when nuclear arms have been banished from the face of the earth," President Obama said. It reminds me of a bumper sticker that says, “Guns don’t kill people, people do.” It’s not the nuclear weapons that kill people, it’s the rogue governments with despotic rulers who kill people. Let’s replace fantasy with reality: if they are set on killing, they won’t need a nuclear weapon to do it.

Even more disturbing was Obama teleprompting us to believe that great progress was being made toward that end while hiding the fact that he was aware that Iran had a second, secret nuclear development site since being briefed before his inauguration. Iran has flouted five U.N. resolutions in the last five years and North Korea has been ignoring the U.N. since 1993.

It was time to get tough. “Iran has been put on notice.” said a president who was now putting on his masculine, alpha male persona. I am guessing that being ‘put on notice’ meant more sanctions leveled at them from the U.N. What a joke the U.N. is; sanctioning one of its members for threatening to completely annihilate another of its members. Iran heard Obama loud and clear. Several days later they conducted an ‘in your face’ test of two ballistic missiles that could carry a nuclear warhead 1200 miles. Israel is 1070 miles from Iran. Iran knows they are immune to serious sanctions because Russia and China are two Security Council members that will protect them.

Obama wagged his finger in the face of Iran and suggested more negotiations. Do you think Ronald Reagan is spinning in his grave? Obama’s reaction to Iran’s nose thumbing was to rush off to Copenhagen to beg for the 2016 Olympics.

President Sarkozy of France is one of the first international leaders to get it. "….what have these proposals for dialogue produced for the international community? Nothing but more enriched uranium and more centrifuges. And last but not least, it has resulted in a statement by Iranian leaders calling for wiping off the map a member (Israel) of the United Nations.”

How much of our liberty and sovereignty will Obama sacrifice in order to avoid conflict at all costs? The French aren’t exactly known for demonstrating a rock ‘em, sock ‘em machismo when it comes to a good fight. The U.S. has bailed them out more times than we like to remember. And who can forget the anger Americans had when we renamed our French fries Freedom fries because the French would not ally with us in the Persian Gulf. You just know there is something seriously out of whack when the President of France sounds tougher than the President of America.

Sarkozy believes Obama is very naïve and egotistical. He is fearful that the leader of the entire western world just doesn’t seem to have a clue. President Sarkozy, you’re not alone!!