It Is Who You Know

Is God Your Genie in the Lamp?

2009-10-30T06:05:00.004-05:00

When God chooses to answer prayers through amazing or even miraculous results, He does so, not simply because we asked, but rather because He has some higher purpose.

God will not be a "Genie in the Lamp" to be summoned forth when needed and stuffed away when things are going well.

If that is the God you desire, you will quickly become disappointed when the answer to your prayer becomes, "No".

Despite what the "Health and Prosperity" teachers claim, "No" is a valid answer. As a matter of fact, "No" is most often the best answer, because we don't even know what we should be asking for in a great many cases! Just like you tell your children "no" when they ask for something that will harm them, wither they understand the potential harm or not; the Lord often has to tell us "no"!

Jesus said "... whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you." (emphases added) By saying, "In my name", Jesus wasn't telling us to place "in the name of Jesus" on the end of our prayers as some magic tag line to make miracles happen! And anyone who come to think this will quickly find out they are wrong. Unfortunately, they often blame God, instead of ever learning the truth.

The Lord will give you anything that is in accordance with His will. That is, if "If you remain in (the Lord Jesus) and (the Lord Jesus') words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you." He can say this because, your desires will become His desires, if you do as He says (study the Scriptures, and Love the Lord God with all your heart mind, strength and soul).

Here is a person who believes "Jesus lied" because he does not understand the very words on the pages of the Bible, and the verses that he quotes. However, his page makes a very good list of verses, when studied together (with the power of the Spirit) proves the point of what I'm trying to say. Jesus didn't lie, God is no magic genie, and the power of prayer includes "no" as an answer.

Pray for your Church Leadership

2009-06-01T09:05:00.005-05:00

Ezekiel 33:1-6 (New King James Version)

1 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3 when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’

Chilling words.

Especially if you are among the leadership of the Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kansas.

You see, the leadership of that church were appointed "watchmen" over the congregation of their church. One of their members, while serving as an usher, was gunned down. He was a publicly outspoken abortion provider, one of the very few who practice late term abortion, which means he was in the practice of murdering children who could have survived if they were delivered instead of killed. Yes, his murder was just as deplorable as any of the murders he habitually practiced. And God will certainly not overlook the murder of the abortionist. But neither will He hold the leadership of that church harmless for their failure to act as watchmen over Dr. George Tiller's soul. Instead of warning Dr. Tiller, his pastor and elders implicitly agreed with his activities by not applying proper, scriptural, church discipline. Further, by allowing him to serve as an usher, they assuaged any guilt he might otherwise have felt, as certainly his church leadership approved of him and his profession.

Pray for your Pastor, your Elders and your Deacons.

James 3:1 (NKJV)
My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

Praise God for Flat Tires!

2009-05-11T18:32:00.002-05:00

I was truly blessed by a flat tire today.

No, really!

A coworker was driving the vehicle that had the flat tire. We were on our way to an event, when he calls me up and tells me he has a flat tire and is taking the next exit. Fortunately, the tire held together long enough for us to get into a fuel station parking lot.

As we stopped, he tells me, "Your truck stinks!" I had noticed a bad smell some time before at a weigh station, but I figured it must of been one of the tractor trailers that was in line for the scales. (The vehicles we were driving are box trucks towing a trailer mounted LED wall.) Anyway, as I went back to assist him in changing his flat tire, I noticed an odd puddle under the rear axle beside the inside wheel. Upon further investigation, that puddle was a large portion of the oil that belongs inside the axle! If it wasn't for stopping to repair his flat tire, that axle might have failed in a more catastrophic manner.

Dreams of moving into the slum!

2009-04-24T06:56:00.000-05:00

To Live Is Christ

2009-03-23T10:59:00.002-05:00

The full 53 minute video is available here.

Why wait?

2009-02-14T09:19:00.002-05:00

I'm sitting in the hotel lobby. It is breakfast time, and there is a free meal available here for me; and yet I wait.

For my breakfast pleasure, the hotel offers cereal, various sugar coated confections, toast-able bread products, and coffee. But while I am hungry, still I choose to ignore these offerings. Around me, my fellow guests are happily partaking. I am different, but they don't pay much attention to my separateness, as I am not drawing attention to myself.

Why am I not eating the proffered meal? Because I have a better deal ahead!

I have been invited to breakfast at the best restaurant in town to be payed for by my host. By eating the free breakfast at the hotel, I'm going to ruin my appetite and lessen my pleasure at the superior meal to come. I am bypassing the meal at hand based on the faith I have in my host coming to get me.

Likewise is the Christian walk. We turn down the proffered pleasures of this world because we have faith in our Host-to-come and the greater things he has set aside for us in the future. Even in this life we are offered quick and easy short cuts which lessen our ability to enjoy the better things ahead. The most obvious being premarital sex. The world says, partake now because you are missing a good thing. But God says, wait and receive a greater blessing and joy.

Where is your faith? Is it in the oft broken promises of this world, or in the tried and true Word of the Living God?

From Y!/A: "Spiritually Speaking" does excepting yourself allows others to accept you?

2009-01-25T09:35:00.004-05:00

The Yahoo! Answers staff occasionally deletes questions that people ask in the Religion and Spirituality section that they consider offensive or off topic. One way that potential "abusers" get around this is by adding "Spiritually speaking" to the beginning of their question. Often I find that these are valid, or at least useful questions to answer. Here is one that was recently deleted.

Question:
"Spiritually Speaking" does excepting yourself allows others to accept you?

Answer:
Yes and no.

"Excepting yourself", is called hypocrisy. Setting up rules for others to follow, while not following these rules yourself is what "religious" people often do. People truly and rightly hate hypocrisy.

"Accepting yourself" (if that is what you meant), is called self-righteousness. In accepting yourself, you will begin to put down others as that is the only means to keep up your own self-acceptance, or self-righteousness. Oddly, unlike outright hypocrisy, this self-righteousness will likely be accepted by many others, because they are doing same thing.

"Accepting Jesus", is the only way to be acceptable to God, and the only way to truly accept (love) others. In order to accept Jesus, you must put off your self-righteousness and hypocrisy, and accept that you are a vile sinner who cannot be acceptable in and of yourself. Others (who are not born again, from above) will not accept you, but will revile, despise, and persecute you. But God in Heaven will accept you, and this is the only way.

Source(s):
15 Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
Mark 8:15

Shaving for the Lord

2009-01-23T09:04:00.001-05:00

As I was getting ready for work this morning, I really didn't want to shave. I don't like shaving, and at this particular event, I would even fit in better with the people I work with, if I did not shave. However the boss, the owner of the company, has set a policy that his employees will not have a full beard (goatees and mustaches are okay) and will be clean shaven.

As I was mentally preparing the rationalizations that would allow me to put down the razor and go to work with a days growth of beard on my face, I realized that it was the LORD against whom I was preparing to rebel. That instead of grumbling in myself at the need to scrape the fur from my face, instead I should be grateful to even have a job. Paul wrote that we should honor our employers as we honor the Lord. I shave, not because my boss will fire me; but rather because the Lord has blessed me.

Thank you Lord, for allowing me to shave for You!

Psalm 48

2009-01-05T18:19:00.001-05:00

Is science not compatible?

2008-12-22T09:44:00.003-05:00

Is science not compatible
with religion, as they say?
Then why are they on holiday
this joyous Christmas day?

Could it be even scientists,
have hidden in their hearts,
an abiding need for Jesus
defying all their smarts?

Come, together let us reason,
says the Father from above,
though your sin be like crimson,
I'll wash them white with blood.

The blood of my Son, Jesus Christ,
who died on Calvary's tree
is offered as a sacrifice
to wash those on bended knee.

b.

Who are you bowling for?

2008-12-20T16:25:00.004-05:00

The ball is cast, but the LORD determines the pinfall.
Proverbs 16:33 (Paraphrased)

I was watching my Dad bowl yesterday, and it occurred to me, no matter how skilled, no matter how excellent a bowler you may become, no one averages 300 (the score for the "perfect game"). This doesn't mean we shouldn't do every thing to the best of our ability, but rather we should do our best and not worry about the outcome as the LORD determines both the immediate and the ultimate outcome.

If I'm bowling for the Lord, then I can be free to concentrate on the throw at hand without worrying over the game, series, or match. Or even the outcome of the ball just thrown, other than as a way to learn and better my effort. It's easy to see the blessings of God, when you get an undeserved "lucky" strike. But real liberty and joy come from accepting that the 7-10 split is just as much a blessing for your benefit and God's glory. Even though you will often fail to convert it into a spare. When you accidentally put the ball into the gutter, you can take solace knowing that you cannot fail to bowl for God by tossing the ball, you can only fail God by not bowling at all.

Ballot Access Drive Begins!

2008-11-26T17:05:00.001-05:00

My Fellow Patriots,

The Constitution Party of North Carolina Ballot Access drive has began. We need the help of each and every freedom loving North Carolinian. With your help the CPNC can meet this challenge and ensure that the true Conservatives voice can be heard.

The state of North Carolina has some of the most restrictive ballot access laws, ranking at approximately the 3rd most restrictive in the entire nation. According North Carolina General Statute Chapter 163 Section 96(a)(2) to initially gain access to the election ballot, a political party must obtain signatures from 2% of the total number of citizens that voted in the most recent general election for the office of Governor. This means, for the Constitution Party of North Carolina to gain access to the ballot by 2012, and to be able to field candidates to appear on the ballot under the Party's name, we must obtain at least 85,378 signatures. We actually need to obtain more than this number since only about 70% of the signatures we turn in will be certified by the local County Boards of Election for various reasons (i.e. individual moved out of state, not registered to vote, or in the worst case died). So, in reality we must obtain approximately 122,000 signatures.

Please help us by downloading our petition for ballot access, linked below, and gathering as many signatures as you can to put toward the total number needed. For us to achieve ballot access in 2012, we are looking to obtain at least 2,033 signatures every month until May of 2012. Please be apart of ensuring your right to vote is acknowledged in 2012 to work for better more free elections and the principled constitutional stands of candidates from the Constitution Party of North Carolina.

The Constitution Party of North Carolina stands strongly opposed to these high restrictions on the ballot, and the harmful collateral cost incurred to freedom due to these restrictions. We believe that laws such as these, that unduly restrict the liberty of the individual citizen are a violation of our Constitution, Declaration of Independence and God-given rights. We call on the citizens of North Carolina, regardless of political affiliation, to stand with us and tell our elected representatives in the North Carolina General Assembly to break down these restriction on liberty and restore the people's right to vote unabridged, or face the risk of having to finding a new job.

Please send this information out to all of your family, friends and freedom groups!

Ballot Access petition:
http://www.constitutionpartync.com/documents/2012BallotAccessPetition.pdf
Ballot Access page:
http://constitutionpartync.com/ballot.php

If you have any questions or comments please contact us.

In Freedom and Liberty,
The Constitution Party of North State Executive Committee http://www.constitutionpartync.com
Phone: 1-88-VOTE-CPNC
"Principle over Politics"

Mercy O Lord!

2008-11-15T17:25:00.000-05:00

I found myself in the unusual position of being in the seating area preferred by the teenagers at the Thursday night service. With apologies to Pastor Nick, I found myself fidgeting and losing concentration the same as the three teenage boys seated directly in front of me. I apologize to Pastor Nick because it is not his fault, as I often drift off in a daze during Pastor David's sermons too. (I've sat through so many moralizing "sermons", without scripture content, that I automatically tune out and start drifting away when the topic occasionally strays.) But I digress. ;-)

Anyway, these three young men, in a row with some other teens, drew the attention of a parent, and an usher. You see, they just haven't yet discovered how to play church correctly. I hope they never do. I spent easily a dozen years honing my skill at "playing church". But then again, I was required to sit with one or both of my parents until I learned. Once I escaped to the choir, I really had to learn how to play church, as all those adult eyes fixed on the Pastor could easily see me fidget.

My heart was breaking as I sat there; nominally listening to Pastor Nick call me back to God, while I was watching three young boys heading the same direction I had at their age. They abandoned the service at the altar call, but my heart went with them. Ah Lord God, Father; your will be done, but if it is in your plan reveal yourself in the hearts of those three young men. Spare them, what I went through! Spare them the lost decades of being a youth for you. Most of all spare them your wrath in the coming judgement! Help me shy away from my own issues of "playing church!" Have mercy on us, Lord Jesus!

It is who you know

2008-11-15T06:52:00.001-05:00

I have finally switched to the free blogspot domain, as I have chosen to let my prior paid provider, (er ahem) perish. ;-)

The url is now http://itiswhoyouknow.blogspot.com/

The name comes more from desperation at the lack of available free names, but yet is inspired by the passage from John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

This along with many other verses in the Bible make it clear, that we are not saved by what we do, but rather by who we know. Get to know the Son, because "... if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." John 8:36

Major Persecution in India

2008-08-28T23:13:00.003-05:00

In the Indian state of Orissa, Christians are being beaten, raped, and murdered. The latest information is available at http://www.gfa.org/orissa-update.

Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.
(Hebrews 13:3 NLT)

Technical Difficulties

2008-08-13T08:15:00.006-05:00

My Web hosting provider has decided to get out of the web hosting business. Unfortunately, the transfer from one provider to another has not quite been seamless, so while this note will be seen by those with access to the RSS feed, the website itself will not have this article, nor the one about Yahoo Answers on it until these issues are addressed. Also, the link in the feed to this article will not function until the new hosting company gets this fixed.

Basically, the name "bryan.shouse.com" is pointing to the old page, which I can no longer update. But all this information is updating a page on a server out there somewhere, as well as remaining in the "Blogger" database.

The new company's customer service seems quite responsive, and I suspect this issue will be fixed shortly.

Update: Fixed! A minor setting change in Blogger fixed the issue.

Yahoo Answers

2008-08-05T16:00:00.003-05:00

I've been pretty active on Yahoo Answers as of late. So, to the right you will see a link to the questions I've answered.

The Tap Root of my Soul

2008-07-03T06:49:00.003-05:00

The Lord Jesus is the tap root of my soul.

These past few months have been a difficult spiritual drought for me. I haven't been in the Scriptures as I should have. I haven't attended church, or gathered with my fellow saints as I should have. I haven't spoken to the Lord in prayer with any consistency, or with the passion that I should have.

And like a tree in a drought, though the fruit is not what it would have been in a good season, and the leaves have curled up in the scorching heat of the world, my core is still strong. The roots of fellowship, prayer, and Scripture remain ready to soak up the living water; because my tap root is the Lord and he is the source that never fails. Even when I do.

Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
(Jeremiah 17:5-8 NKJV)

Al Gore is right!

2008-06-28T06:49:00.006-05:00

Al Gore is right! With much chagrin I have come to the realization that the Bible plainly teaches what former Vice-President Al Gore has been saying, lo these many years (almost since the time he invented the Internet). Namely, that mankind is responsible for Global Climate Change.

It's all right there in black and white (and red, if you have a red-letter Bible).

Gen 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
...
Gen 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Then Adam and Eve sinned, and the consequences were dire!

Gen 3:17 Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life.
Gen 3:18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field.
Gen 3:19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return."

Further this set up the conditions for the first Global Climate Change disaster.

Gen 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen 6:6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
Gen 6:7 So the LORD said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."
Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Fortunately, we do not have to worry about a Global Flood ever again.

Gen 9:11 Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."
Gen 9:12 And God said: "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
Gen 9:13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
Gen 9:14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
Gen 9:15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
Gen 9:16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."
Gen 9:17 And God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth."

However...

2Pe 3:3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."
2Pe 3:5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water,
2Pe 3:6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.
2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
2Pe 3:11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

(All quoted scripture is from the New King James translation.)

What's in a name?

2008-04-16T05:40:00.005-05:00

A few years ago, while I was working an event out west, I was able to get enough time off to go to church. It seemed to be a church that was in the process of coming back to life. The new pastor was struggling with a decision, the old name had to go. The name of the church carried too much baggage. It also wasn't "hip", nor did it necessarily square with the direction the new pastor wanted to take the church.

I made it back the following year, and the church seemed to be doing well on attendance. Of course, they were hosting a Christian Athlete group associated with the event I was working. He taught a forgettable sermon on something based on a couple of verses.

I actually made back for a third year in a row. Unfortunately, the pastor was off on vacation. The bulletin was full of self-help courses and most of the service was various ministries begging for help. One Sunday a year for three years isn't a fair way to judge a church... is it?

During this process, a local Bible College decided to change its name. It is amoung the oldest, best established Bible Colleges in the area. It decided that using the word Bible in its name failed to emphasize the all important traditions and teaching of the denomination to which it is affiliated...

He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
(John 21:17 NKJV)

Giving the Dog a Bath

2008-04-14T05:58:00.002-05:00

When you give a dog a bath, the first thing he does, when you let him loose, is to go find the strongest smelling mess in the area and roll around in it. It's built-in to him, it's the way he's designed. He desires to cover his own clean scent with a strong smell that can hide him from "prey". The good news is that he can be trained out of it.

I remind myself of a dog that's been bathed. It often seems, that no sooner that I have experienced some awesome spiritual experience, but that I find myself wallowing in some old familiar sin. Unlike the dog, this is not how I was originally designed. This is the years of living in sin, and the old bad habits showing through. Perhaps it is an attempt to "blend-in" with the world. The Good News is that I am free to follow a different path.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. (Romans 12:1-3 NLT)

For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45b)

2008-03-31T20:36:00.003-05:00

Out in western Pennsylvania, the issue of abortion can strike a nerve. Democrats there often describe themselves economic liberals and social conservatives who favor gun rights and oppose abortion rights.

So, it was not unusual to see a woman stand near the end of Barack Obama’s town hall meeting in Johnstown, Penn., and offer a hurried, passionate plea for him to “stop these abortions.”

…The exchange appeared to be prompted by Obama’s earlier comments that he does not favor abstinence-only education, but rather comprehensive sexual education that includes information on abstinence and birth control.

“Look, I got two daughters — 9 years old and 6 years old,” he said. “I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby. I don’t want them punished with an STD at age 16, so it doesn’t make sense to not give them information.”

Is this the heart of someone who America thinks would make a good President? I hope not.

What actually would be a punishment, as opposed to a new life created in the image of God, is a President with such a callus disregard for human life that he considers his own grandchildren a "punishment" for a lapse of moral judgement!

Which Jesus?

2008-03-28T08:05:00.006-05:00

Which "Jesus" does your spiritual advisor preach? What "Gospel" (or Good News), if any, have you been taught?

These questions come to mind because of recent political doings. Senator Obama has famously distanced himself from certain teachings of a man he has called pastor for more than 20 years. That man officiated at the Senators wedding, baptised his children, and led the Senator to Jesus. I'm wondering which Jesus. From what I've researched, Jeremiah Wright preaches a "Social Gospel" and worships Jesus the Social Reformer. That's a very sad thing.

This "Jesus the Social Reformer" was pretty pitiful. He didn't lead any uprisings. He led no hunger strikes, indeed he was accused of being a glutton and a drunk by the religious establishment! (Matthew 11:19, Luke 7:34) He gathered up a large number of loose followers, seventy odd committed followers, a dozen disciples, a core group of three men, and a right-hand man. Of these, the right-hand man denied him three times and ran away, of the twelve one of them turned him into the authorities and then hung himself, rest of the twelve and the seventy all ran away, and the larger group were part in same with the crowd chanting "Crucify Him!".

Further, the "social ill" of his time was the "Roman Oppression". When the people were ready to revolt and make Jesus king, he slipped away. (see John 6:15) When asked if the people should pay taxes to the Roman Oppressor, he said yes! (see Luke 20:22-25) Although the religious authorities accused him of forbidding to pay taxes when they later set him up for execution. (see Luke 23:2) When he was executed, the Romans didn't even know who he was, it was the very people who he supposedly was trying to socially reform that chanted "Crucify him!" to the Roman Governor who would have released him.

No, Jeremiah Wright and his fellow Liberal Church leaders have missed the boat. This "Social Jesus" and "Social Gospel" they teach has no power. The historical and Biblical Jesus is the Son of God, very God of very God, He is the Living Word who spoke the universe into existence. And He didn't come to this Earth to bring social justice; He came to make dead people live. He came, not free men from the bondage of other men, but from the bondage of their own sins. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) He didn't come to put down the despotic human powers that oppress their fellow men, but rather the demonic spiritual powers that oppress our souls. (see Genesis 3:15)

That said, Jesus promised to return. And when He does return, He is coming to take the reigns of His kingdom. Then and only then will there be complete justice (social and other wise), and peace.

Pray for the Liberal Church, that they might come to know the true source of Social Justice, not their "social Jesus" but the scriptural Jesus who gave His life a ransom that many might live. For when the Lord God, brings peace and love for all men to your heart, then you might reach out to affect change for the social good.

The "Social Gospel" is just another, do good and work hard enough, then God will accept you, lie. It specializes in public good works. The Pharisee's would have approved. Make your prayers long, loud, and public so men (both the oppressed and the oppressor) can see your (self) righteousness. Do you works in the sight of men so they can bring glory to you. That is the way of the Social Gospel of the American Liberal Church. It is the opposite of what Jesus taught.

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
(Luke 18:9-14 NKJV)

The Pharisee's were the most renowned religious leaders of their day. They taught against the Roman Oppression, but were careful to not provoke the Roman Authorities too much. The tax collectors were fellow members of the oppressed society, but they had sold out to the oppressor for money. The tax collectors accepted government jobs, they were given a quota of money to raise and were to keep any excess that they were able to collect as their wages.

The words of Jeremiah Wright and his fellows are those of bigotry and racism. But are any of us perfectly clean of this stain? Father God in heaven, convict us all (Reverend Wright and his compatriots as well as myself) of the the bigotry and racism in our own hearts. Purge us as individuals and purge your church of this hatred. Ignite in our hearts a true love for you O Lord, and for our neighbors, and especially for our enemies, as you have taught.
In the name (the very nature) of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Amen (Let it be so.)

AT&T CEO would shut down American Education system!

2008-03-27T09:13:00.004-05:00

In a not so stunning indictment of our Education System, Randall Stephenson the CEO of AT&T remarked "If I had a business that half the product we turned out was defective or you couldn't put into the marketplace, I would shut that business down." These comments were caused by the fact that even though they had pledged to return 5,000 customer service jobs to America from India, they have only been able to actually move 1,400 so far, due to AT&T's inability to find enough skilled workers.

Although I'm somewhat dubious of his claim for his company's need for skilled customer service workers; (I mean really, how much skill is involved in answering a phone in pigeon english and frustrating the customer with misunderstandings until they give up and go away?) it is general knowledge that our education system is graduating a lower percentage of students, and the skill level of graduates is lower as well.

It's high time we take the action recommended by Mr. Stephenson and shut down our current Federal Government based education system. The Department of Education has been an abysmal failure since it was made a Cabinet level bureaucracy. It should be scrapped. All federal tax dollars that were funneled through that agency should be returned to the parents of school aged children in the form of vouchers that could be applied to the education system of their choice. It is time we took the power of educating America's children out of the hands of bureaucrats and returned it to the parents, as was envisioned by our Founding Fathers, and Thomas Jefferson in particular.

Instead of being beholden to the Federal Government, local school systems would have to answer to the parents of their students. Schools that do well would be rewarded by increased attendance and monies. Schools that fail could then be shut down to make room for expansion of the ones that work. Local communities could determine the employers that they'd like to lure to town by training their children in the skills needed by those companies (like pigeon english for telecommunications customer service.) Colleges and Universities could establish the type of education they'd like to see in their freshmen class and parents would reward the schools that help their children meet those criteria.

It is radical, but necessary if America is to stay competitive in the increasingly Global Economy. Not only that, but the displaced Department of Education workers could ably fill all of AT&T customer service employee needs, with little or no retraining.

5 years of war every day

2008-03-24T07:46:00.003-05:00

After 5 years in Iraq, 4000 brave American solders, sailors, airmen, guardsmen, and marines have fallen. Today, 4000 innocent lives will be taken here in America.

Over the past 5 years, 4000 of our bravest, volunteers who have chosen to fight there instead of waiting for the Islamist enemy to continue their war on us here, have made the ultimate sacrifice. Our enemy for the most part has slain our finest men and women through the use of remotely detonated bombs and the occasional homicide bomber.

We are involved in another war, a war in which 4000 innocents on average die every day of the year in America alone. It called abortion. Unlike our brave military volunteers, these innocents have no choices. The weapons of their enemy are far more horrifying than roadside bombs and human murder bombers. There are options, murdering an innocent unborn child should not be one of them.

Defunding Planned Parenthood (the nations largest abortion provider) and any other abortion providing institution would be a step in the right direction. There is a bill in the house, "Title X Family Planning Act" (S.351), that would accomplish this. If only our Representatives can stand in the face of the multi-billion dollar abortion industry.