The Lost Morality of Parenting

I have recently finished preaching a series on parenting in our church. It was a blessing and I received alot of feedback from parents who are hungry for real help in parenting in today's society.

Parenting is a moral obligation. It is a moral obligation which is being abdicated in our American culture at an alraming rate. One of the reason is the liberal agenda against real, active, moral parenting. It is difficult for parents of young children to even find good helps and role models in today's culture. We are in a fight for the morality of parenting that being assailed by public education philosophy, liberal political agendas, cultural elites, the established media, Hollywood, etc.

In fact, the only remaining forceful apologists for the morality of parenting left are found amongst conservative christian writers, thinkers, etc.

Here is an article worth your time: http://Albertmohler.com. The blog is entitled "Parents...Obey Your Children?"

Please take a read.

Obama "Right There With" Homosexual Agenda

You will not believe the actual statements made by President Obama to a homosexual activist group last week. He promises to repeal the Defense of Marriage act and will seek an "affirmative action" program for homosexuals. This is beyond belief how far from the mainstream, moral American people he is.

Read the following article with a link to his speech: http://lifesitenews.com. The article is from Sept. 13, 2009 and is entitled "Obama Criticizes People with "Old Attitudes" "

Praise the Lord I have enough sense and morality to have "old attitudes."

Keys to Victory for the Hogs

Today will be a tough game for the Razorbacks and that is undisputed. It is not however a forgone conclusion that Alabama will win. They are favored and should be. That does not mean that the Hogs cannot win. In fact, there are a umber of scenarios in which they could steal a victory.

Here are a few keys as I see them to a Hog victory:
1) Defensively, we must be more effective. ("Better" will still take more time, coaching, and recruiting). Bama's running game is very strong and will grind you down over the course of the game. The quarterback however is the weak link, if there is one.
* Stack 8-9 in the box and do your best against the running game - it is their weapon.
* Expose the quarterback. Force him to beat you consistently. If he does, then he does but at least they did not beat you with their strength. Blitz often and from different places. Schemes design to confuse are a must. Even if we get confused on occassion and make a mistake, vanilla gets you worn down and beaten for sure.

2) Throw alot. Our strength.
3) Know Saban's defenses - they are aggressive and over pursue the ball. Misdirections, screens of all types will be necessary to keep them honest and slow them down a little. A little is all it takes for Mallet to deliver the ball. Fades and timing patterns are excellent tools as well.

4) Gamble for some turnovers. When you are the underdog like this on the road, you cannot play it safe on defense. Without some turnovers, they will not win. Gamble for some. If you get beat, you are the underdog and undermanned on defense anyway.

5) Get every field goal, touchdown and point that you can get. lots of fieldgoals are fine against a running team. Stack up the points at every opportunity. Don't ever give up scoring. 4th downs are pipe dreams but points against an Alabama defense are genuine gold.

Just Completed the First Half of Ephesians 1

I have just completed the devotions for this weekend in my other blog - Devotions From My Favorite Chapters. We are studying Ephesians 1 as the first favorite chapter. The reason that is my favorite chapter and the first one I am writing is because it teaches us the profound truth of who we are in Christ as a believer.

I would love for you to check it pout if you have not. You read just a short page devotion each day. Each day you will basically look at one verse. In that format, you will walk your way through the first chapter of Ephesians. It will take 30 days to walk through the entire first chapter of Ephesians. It is easy, does not consume much time, can be done anywhere you have access to the internet, and the truths in Ephesians 1 will change your life.

Please give it a try if you have not. Refer it to a friend who needs encouragement, help with the discipline of a quiet time, or just needs a blessing. If you just do the first half, it will be transforming!

Iranian Nukes - Make the Consequences Clear

What a big surprise today - Iran is building nuclear weapons.

It is a very dangerous and terrible fact. In fact, this must become the number one security threat world-wide, which is saying a mouthful with the war on terror still in full force(regardless of whether the Obama Administration will sue the phrase or not). It must be dealt with immediately and decisively. Iran is laughing at more sanctions and using the time to finish.

Any logical thought process is simple. Iran hates Israel and has already promised its destruction. This is not posturing. They hate them and it is an affront to many in Iran that Israel exits - their statements and not mine. If they have a weapon, then they will use it.

We should come out and immediately make it clear that if they load or even point a missile at anyone, especially Israel, we will take it upon ourselves as the United States of America to end their existence as a nation. This message should be clear and in front of the world - Iran will only shoot once at the outside most. there will not be an Iran to shoot a second one.

We have seen the world laugh and rattle their sabers at the apologetic, wussification of American foreign policy. It is time to speak clearly and carry a big stick. We should work with the international community, pursue sanctions, etc. Absent a clear and present danger to their existence, Iran will laugh and China and others will support. It is only against the backdrop of the certainty of their destruction that they will even pause. You can only negotiate from a position of strength.

This moment demands the greatest strength from the world's greatest power. Unfortunately, it is unclear if the powers at present have the wisdom and strength of will.

5 Greatest Tough Guy Lines

Tonight in men's Fraternity, we also discussed the 5 greatest lines from guy movies that stir the warrior face. Here is a recap:

5. From The Magnificent Seven - Steve McQueen's character tells Eli Wallich, the bad guy trying to negotiate a settlement for the seven to abandon their post: "We deal in lead friend."

4. A Bridge Too Far - A british paratrooper from the embattled unit desperately holding onto a tenuous foothold rejects a call to surrender from a German envoy stating, "I'm afraid we arer going to have to reject your plea for surrender. It seems we do not have room enough to house you all as prisoners."

3. Fort Apache (starring Henry Fonda, John Wayne)- Colonel Thursday teaches his final lesson to Sgt York (John Wayne) before leading small group of soldiers on a gallant suicide mission to buy time for the bulk of the command to escape their indian ambush, "When you take over this troop Sergeant York, and you will, then command it!"

2. Tombstone - Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell), after slapping a man who accuses him of cheating at cards, watches him bleed from the mouth and freeze in fear without drawing down and then states in disgust at the cowardice, "Are you going to skin the smokewagon, or stand there and bleed.?"

1. 300 (parental caution as to a couple of scenes in the film) King Xerxes, angry at being defied by the Spartans, claims that his armies will annhiliate them and his archers' arrows will "darken the sky." The Spartan response sets a new tough ugy standard: "Then we will fight in the shade."

Lines to stir the warrior spirit in everyman!

Men's Fraternity - List of Top Five Tough Guy (Warrior Face) Movies

Tonight we had a great time in Men's Fraternity! We studied the 4 faces of manhood. When discussing the warrior face, we took a moment and I gave my list of top 5 movies that stir the warrior face. Here's a recap:

5. Band of Brothers
4. A Bridge Too Far
3. Gladiator
2. Patton
and #1 is ...

The Magnificent Seven!

The list met with affirmation from the group tonight. It's a good group. It's good to be with the men and good to stir the warrior face!

Excellent Post on the Priority of Family

Our family pastor, Greg Hooper, sent me this blog from Kerby Anderson. It is excellent! Everyone should read it and I wanted you folks to see it. I have checked out the website and blog by Kerby Anderson and it has good stuff. Greg sends these every now and then when there is some really good stuff - like this one.


September 22, 2009

Marriage and Kids
by Kerby Anderson


Click on the image to view the video archive.

A strong marriage is good for kids. Conservative researchers have been saying this for decades. Perhaps the single best book to document this would be, The Case for Marriage: Why Married People are Happier, Healthier, and Better off Financially by Linda Waite and Maggie Gallagher. As the title indicates, married people benefit in so many significant ways. And of course their children benefit as well.

Not only are conservative writers saying this, but liberal ones are now joining the chorus of researchers who say that children do best in an intact, two-parent family. Writing in Time magazine, Caitlin Flanagan details “Why Marriage Matters.” She cites research that shows that: “Few things hamper a child as much as not having a father at home.”

Sociologist Maria Kefalas says: “As a feminist, I didn’t want to believe it.” She has co-authored a seminal book on low-income mothers. Women tell her all the time that they can be both father and mother to their children. She says that is not true. Growing up without a father has a deep psychological effect on the child. “The mom may not need that man,” Kefalas says, “but her children still do.”

This also turns out to be true for families at every income, though the greatest impact is on poor families. Sara McLanahan, a Princeton sociologist, has done ground-breaking research on the effects of divorce on children. She concluded that: “Children who grow up in a household with only one biological parent, are worse off, on average, than children who grow up in a household with both of their biological parents, regardless of the parents’ race or educational background.”

None of this should be too surprising. Some of the initial research on the impact of divorce goes back to the 1970s when Judith Wallerstein was tracking the impact of divorce on families and the children. But it is significant that academics and even newsmagazines like Time are publishing the same conclusion. I commend them for doing so. I’m Kerby Anderson, and that’s my point of view.

Thanks to Those Who Follow and Read

Thank you to all of you who read and follow Greg-arious. It is becoming a real joy to write. I have even begun to think things like, "Oh, I need to put that on my blog." Sometimes I get more angry while I write. Sometimes I feel a sense of catharsis when I write.

I always feel a sense of joy when you comment, when you send an "attaboy" on Facebook, or when you tell me in person that you enjoy reading Greg-arious even when you disagree. All are great. Remember that you are free to do both. This is a discourse area! From my first post, I have said that this will be about communicating clearly.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for the feedback in whatever forum. Please continue to read. Please give more comments and opinions - that's why I'm here. Send the link to a friend. I will send you again very soon

I'm a Real American Despite What "Washingtonians" Think

There is much written and said about how "Washingtonians", "those inside the beltway", or whatever you want to call them, look down their collective noses at those who are "regular folks", "live in red states", live in "flyover states", etc. These terms are real descriptions of the culture war that exists in today's American society.

There is an excellent commentary referenced on Hugh Hewitt's blog from Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. You all should read it. It describes in a nutshell what all of us feel. It is what we feel when "Beltway people' laud men such as Ted Kennedy as some kind of great man simply because he was a famous liberal from a liberal state on the East Coast/North. He would never have been elected in the South, and therefore, he would never have been a fixed picture of what is wrong about America. What is right about America is that in places like the South you must still at least pay lip service to personal morality. He was from the same area that elects John Kerry in a perennial farce of an election - despite the fact his son specifically denigrated the folks in America who shop and work at Walmart. They are icon examples of this culture war.

We must realize it exists. We must realize that they have been fighting it for years. We must realize the America and the culture that we know and love will disappear if we do not win this fight.

By the way, I had a great American day yesterday. I took my son to the Razorback game. I wore a new Razorback hat that I loved - purchased at Walmart Mr. Kerry. It matched my Razorback shirt that I bought 2 years ago on sale at Walmart. My son and I had a great time at the game. And all the folks who work at Walmart in the Fayetteville area was very nice to us during our visit.

Beltway folks have a lot to learn from all of us flyover, Walmart shopping, football loving, regular Americans!

Note to the Left: I am not a Racist or a Radical

As is typical, the left wingers, along with help from their news media sycophants, are now trying to do CPR on Obamacare by using their (in their view) electric shock paddles - calling opponents racists. This is how it goes. You might be a racist if ...
you oppose Obamacare
you attend a town hall meeting
attend a rally in Washington
give any outspoken response to anything Obama says, even when he is being blatantly disingenuous.

It is ridiculous and offensive. I am vehemently opposed to both Obama's left wing, socialist agenda and to racism in any form. In the mindset of liberals, being politically and/or socially conservative is tantamount to being a racist. They are dead wrong. Moreover, this position is morally reprehensible. It is arrogant, close-minded, judgmental in a juvenile fashion, and simply wrong. Then to slander normal Americans with this "wolf cry" is irresponsible and morally outrageous.

I am deeply conservative in my political views. Government is and has been out of control. Obama's view of government is way out of character with the clear understanding of our history, the U.S. Constitution, and the mainstream of America. These are political, philosopical, legal, and moral arguments - not racial arguments. I am not a radical and I am not a racist.

As a lawyer, I served on a legal team which represented the city of Memphis, Tennessee and defended the consent decrees which settled significant race discrimination lawsuits against the police and fire departments. Our law firm fought against racism and even for affirmative action efforts to repair the huge amount of damage done in those organizations by institutional racism for decades. I was active in conducting supervisor training and other corporate training seminars related to teaching proper employee management - not political correctness mind you. In those sessions, I regularly and strongly taught about racism and how to keep it out of your employee relations.

As a pastor, I was first in involved in Promise Keepers when I began my ministry in the late 1990s. Racial reconciliation was a major focus of the rally held in Memphis. I served on the leadership team of area pastors that helped organize and put on that rally. We designed and conducted a series of follow-up events in which men worshipped together in different congregations. We met alternatively in traditionally African-American and white or integrated churches, with alternating white and black preachers. They were powerful and deeply spiritual events and to this day remain some of my favorite times in ministry. I led in the prayer time at the conclusion of each event. It was a joy and an honor. As a staff and senior pastor, I have taught against racism as sin from a biblical perspective on numerous occasions and will continue to do so.

I deeply resent everyone of these accusations thrown out for cheap political gain by left-wingers. I do take these accusations personally because I have been hearing them from left-wing politicians my entire life. Immoral men such as U.S. Representative Harold Ford and current U.S. Representative Steve Cohen from Memphis, not to mention national politicians too numerous to name. I take them seriously and so should you. I take them personally because I am exactly the person they are aimed at - a christian, caucasion, male, bible believing, politically and socially consrevative person.

These accusations are slanderous. They are as sinful and shameful as racism itself because it is the flip-side of the same coin. It cheapens the true moral outrage of real racial prejudice. It disrespects in a fundamental and offensive manner the real sacrifices men and women of both colors made to fight racism. It dishonors the progress normal, regular, "fly-over" Americans have made over decades of working towards the goal of seeing people for the "content of their character and not the color of their skin." The person who makes this claim is using race as a tool for political (and in a politician's usage personal) gain. How clearly can it be stated that this behavior is immoral and wrong?

Such behavior slanders the vast majority of men and women in America who are not racists and do not abide racism in any form. That is you and me. It is yet another example that America must fight without tiring the immoral, left-wing politicians, pundits from the "drive by" media, Hollywood, etc. They are the radicals.

Speech Untruthful, Boring, More Lies

Frankly, I simply could not stomach watching all of it. I did however watch a large portion (no way waterboarding criminal activity if that was not) and added clips. There was nothing added to anything, other than more bloviating and the added irritation of Democratic applause, the view of a disgustingly smug Pelosi.

The ability to stand up and tell lies that give new meaning to "bald face" astounds me. There really was nothing new added with this speech. The danger is not that this changed any game at all, but simply the Deomcratic and liberal love for their liberal "groupthink." They are together egging each other on while they are safe from Senator Lincoln/Speaker Pelosi's "un-American" constituents.

There are some excellent analyses collected today at Hugh Hewitt's blog. The link is here in my "following these blogs" section.

While there, check out the artical from September 4, 2009 on the issue of tort reform and why it is left out of the healthcare debate by the Democrats. Obviously, last evening the President ignored his own statement about Republican ideas by throwing tort reform under the bus. Isn't that a tort? Good thing he has so many plaintiff lawyers in his camp.

Recent Poll Shows Great Discontent with Senator Lincoln

Check out the article on another blog that reports on a poll by a national pollster reflecting a 36% approval rating for Senator Lincoln. In fact, the only political category of folks who do like her apparently are liberals - imagine that! Are you suprised? You should not be.

Check out the blog at Ryanjames.us. The post is from August 26, 2009.

Do Not Forget How We Got to this Speech

Tonight it is all about the speech. But remember how we got here. We are at this point because the President tried to use his "rock star" status and strong arm political henchman to force a takeover of the healthcare past America before anyone could understand what was happening. It did not work- fortunately for us.

There is a great analysis of this in a blog at Hugh Hewitt's Townhall blog - the link is easy to find in my "links I follow." Look for the entry from Tuesday entitled "Another Good Question on Healthcare."

There is some excellent information out there, but remember it is up to us to read and be informed. Otherwise, we will be like some who will try to evaluate the President's "performance" tonight in a vacuum and be duped into shying away from the debate. DO not forget how and why we got to tonight.

There Still Are A Few Honorable Legislators

Last evening I had the privilege of attending a town hall meeting with my state senator, Davy Carter. He is a fine man, with strong integrity, and I am proud to call him a friend and have him as a legislator who represents me.

In today's world of disingenuous, narcissistic politicians - not to mention crooked or even some who are simply ridiculous(i.e. Nancy Pelosi) - it was a sense of confidence and hope that prevailed to hear a fine man describe with clarity his positions and how he voted.

Against the backdrop of the runup to the President's "lie-fest" that will undoubtedly occur this evening, it made me proud of one man who understands his role. He does not back away from his position but explains it well and clearly - no shading, lying, or pandering. He treated everyone with respect and honor and never called anyone "un-American" as do other politicians - even in Arkansas as did Senator Blanche Lincoln. People responded to him with respect and trust because he is trustworthy.

Thank you for your time, effort, and integrity Davy Carter.

The President's Message is a Problem, But Which One?

Today everyone is all "atwitter" about the President's message to school students. (I have commented on my thoughts about this previously.) But the message to be concerned about is not the one to students. Instead the more dangerous message is the one on healthcare destruction before Congress and the Nation.

There are several ways this message is dangerous. First, we know he will tell as many lies and he and his political allies have told throughout this process. These lies are dangerous. People who are independents or undecided in this process have a tendency to want to credit what President says. This President will no doubt make statements like "I am opposed to government run healthcare and this bill does not have one." This statement is completely disingenuous. This so called "public option" is designed in such a way that he can say that it is not a one payer system. It is however designed specifically to bring about a one-payer, government controlled system. So his claim is a dangerous lie.

Second, this speech is dangerous because it is in front of Congress. They have returned to the insulated environs of their beloved Washington. They are away from the people whom they have endured for several long weeks. They are where they do not have to face questioning from their constituents. They do not have to face specific questions about real facts from "un-American" folks, as we were described by Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln, and numerous others. In this insulated environment, it will be easy for them to fall into the role of following the leader as the President aims his message at them. It will be backed up by "strong arm" tactics in "smoke-filled rooms" (after all he is a chain smoker) by he and his henchman - the Chief of Staff(I cannot bear even to type that guy's name!)

Third, he will undoubtedly seek to shore up his base supporters (pun intended indeed). They have drawn a line in the sand over the "public option" because of their commitment to government controlled healthcare. As he panders to them, they will scream to highest heavens. This volume has the risk of pushing some key holdouts over the edge. It will also motivate Obama, Pelosi, Reid, et. al. to renew their push for their socialist view of America - regardless of what he says tomorrow night.

This is still a risky time for America.

The Joys of College Football - real football not Big 10 girls' touch

It was a joy to sit down with my son yesterday and watch college football. It was great fun to see some excellent games. I'm glad that the Vols looked good. I'm glad that the Hogs look good. Apparently, Ryan Mallett has some skills and the offense will be fun today.

One thought kept frustrating me as I watched Navy physically whip Ohio State and almost beat them on their own turf. The Big 10 is a joke. It is not a quality conference and should not be considered a BCS conference. They cannot beat anyone of any skill level outside of their conference. It is further infuriating to watch the national news media try to put them up as some kind of contender. It is a joke to consider them a top 10 team - they don't deserve to be in the top 20.

They get blown out every year when they try to play with the big boys. Based upon their performance yesterday, they will get embarrassed by USC next week. I cannot wait to watch that. even more I cannot wait to watch the national media try to explain away their gross incompetence. What else do you expect from a bunch of liberal, left-wing whack jobs who have the "slobbering love affair with Barack Obama." You would expect sportscasters to be a little smarter than the average political reporter, but their bias still runs to the completely clueless.

It is a blessing to be from the South and to know what real football looks like. This is going to be a good year for the teams we enjoy following: Tennessee, Arkansas, and Arkansas State. If only the Tigers could get it together - well there is going to be a basketball season this winter.

Editorial Worth Reading in Ark-Dem Gazette

There is an excellent editorial in the Ark-Dem Gazette this morning from Thomas Sowell entitled "Suicide of the West." It is a thought provoking and well-reasoned discussion of how the United States is following down the path blazed by Western Europe of appeasement to the radical Islamic nations and to terrorism in general.

Read it. Pay particular attention to the comments on Attorney General Eric Holder. He is a far-left guy and is not a help to America in anyway shape or form. He is not our friend and is marching down a path which is destructive.

Moreover, he is doing with the approval of the President and his far-left cronies. This article is worth your time.

Comments on the President's Video to Children

I have posted a note on my Facebook wall regarding my thoughts on the upcoming video that President Obama will present to children in schools across America next week.

I do not possess the typing skills to repeat it here. Check it out there.

It is fascinating to see what happens when the President looses all credibility with the people of the U.S. Even something like this that could and should be a positive and simple thing becomes suspect and divisive. It is no one's fault but his own. He has been disingenuous and blatantly untruthful about his agenda. He has destroyed his own credibility. He must bear the cross for his leadership failures. Only he can restore his credibility.

Unfortunately, his actions have revealed his true nature and agenda. I do not believe he will repair his credibility because who he is has come out and been revealed. He cannot hide the extreme nature of his far-left, way out there views. he will have to live with this lack of credibility throughout the rest of his Presidency.

I am proud Americans are showing the passion for independent thought. I am proud they are standing up for what they believe in. I am proud to be an American.

A New Blog WIth Daily Devotions

I am in the process of starting a new blog - Devotions from My Favorite Chapters of the Bible. You will find it at http//:favoritechapters.blogspot.com. I am excited about this project. It is culminating a process that has become a heart passion for me.

It is a blog which will provide a new devotion each day. But rather than simply have a random thought for the day, we will study a "favorite chapter" from the Bible over a 30 day period. It will basically cover one verse each day from that chapter and you will complete the chapter in 1 month.

Why start another blog like "My Favorite Chapters"? Several reasons come to mind, but one stands out to me. Because of the nature of the cultural issue we are facing as Americans, people in our church will ask me, "Pastor, what can we do?"

The answer always comes back to mentoring individuals to look at all of life's issues through a biblical worldview, or biblical mindset. The foundation for developing a biblical worldview is daily time spent alone with Jesus so He can teach you from His word and change your mind and heart to be like His. Spending daily relationship time alone with Jesus is the most important discipline you will develop as a believer. It is the only way we begin to think with the "mind of Christ" as we are commanded in Philippians 2.

This devotional plan is different because it is structured in a way to teach you how to study your bible. In the course of one month, we will study a chapter together. Not only will you learn the chapter itself, but the process of working through a chapter of the bible in a simple and effective manner. Moreover, you will develop the discipline of a daily time alone with Jesus.

Please join me for Devotions from My Favorite Chapters.

Federal Debt is strictly the Result of a Clueless Federal Government

Once again the President and the Congress have shown themselves to be clueless - utterly clueless. It was announced that the President asked federal employees to take one for the team so to speak by accepting a reduction in the amount of their salary increases. He announced they would be asked to accept a decrease from a 2.4% raise to a 2.0% raise.

What a magnanimous gesture on behalf of the President. He thought it would be appropriate since so many Americans were out of work and others were not receiving raises.

Congress gave themselves COLA raises. Congress also approved a hefty increase in the fund they use to pay their staffers, so they could give them raises. Now other federal employees will also get raises.

NOTE: Social Security recipients will not get COLA raises, when their highly paid Congressman will!

The federal government is out of control. The deficit IS NOT due to medical costs or other such nonsense. It is out of control because those feeding at the public trough believe it is their birthright to spend whatever they went - and in an unlimited fashion when it benefits themselves.

They further act as if we do not have a clue. It is ridiculous beyond description. Others receive raises when they are financially successful in their profession. It is called a merit raise. This organization is bankrupt and they are giving everyone a raise. The hypocrisy is beyond description.

The President and Congress scream at successful people for having corporate jets and then buy their own. They scream about high level salaries and then give themselves and their people raises when they are clearly incompetent and incapable of controlling anything they do. The debt is where it is because these decisions have been made for years and nothing has changed. They are clueless.

Billy Graham's Prayer for America

The following is a prayer reported on Paul Harvey's broadcast. It is a prayer reportedly written by Billy Graham. It certainly is a prayer all of us should pray for our country:

Dear Heavenly Father,
We come before you today to ask your forgivness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good", but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. O search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Amen.

And I would say, "Lord I agree with this prayer for me, for my state, and my country. We lift up this prauer from our hearts Lord." Amen

President Asks for Pastors to Comment on Healthcare

Last week, President Obama met with a group of rabbis in an effort to combat the demise of his terrible vision for changing how healthcare is delivered in the United States. He asked them to include in their sermons illustrations of how people are suffering from lack of healthcare coverage under the current way insurance and healthcare functions.

It is interesting that the President who eschewed the National Day of Prayer would ask support from people of faith for anything, but especially to support the government taking control over our lives. Such is the desperation he and his political cronies are feeling as America discovers its mistake in electing Barack Obama and rejects his liberal, government in control view of the future.

It also highlights his liberal hypocrisy. He has only asked religious leaders with a liberal bent politically. He has not reached out to the Catholic church - this despite the fact they run hospitals, hospices, senior adult homes, etc. In fact, the Catholic church has probably cared for more AIDs victims than anyone else in America through their hospices and other church programs. Democratic liberals in Washington are not reaching out to Southern Baptist pastors asking us to speak about healthcare issues in our sermons. Why? He knows that our vision differs from his at every level. In fact, our own Senators and Congressmen have not asked Southern Baptist pastors to host town hall meetings for them in Arkansas. I wonder why?

I can tell you confidently that they would scream "separation of church and state" if they were to ever hear a sermon from me or one of my friends regarding the role of government in healthcare.

For liberals such as the President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Senate Majority leader, people of faith are anathema. In their misguided effort to hijack America to their twisted vision, they will even use what they disdain in order to reach their ends.

Editorial in Today's Ark-Dem Gazette

There was a fascinating editorial in today's Arkansas Democrat Gazette that is worth a read. Someone wrote in regarding one of Senator Pryor's recent votes. It appears that the evidence continues to pour in that the frustration and outrage over the way Washington treats the American public is real.

The public has been lied to and given so many disingenuous positions over time that the distrust is real and significant. It is clear that long time Senators and U.S. Representatives do not understand this fact. The outrage is far more than just the terrible policies and direction they are and have been moving the country. It is also the fact that they engage in a one-sided conversation. Their voice is the only one that matters to them. They also speak in disingenuous statements and simplistic generalities intended to cover what they are truly trying to do. When questioned by thinking people, they are offended. Offended partly because of the hubris generated by their "status"(important in their own minds only) and partly because the public is too smart to be duped by their poor excuses for arguments.

Read the editorial this morning - it's good to know our frustration is not the only frustration.

Great Information on Healthcare

Although I have not [posted in a week or so due to exciting but time consuming things at church, I have been following the healthcare debate - as have you all. I have added to my following section an incredible political blog worth your time. It has posted some excellent information on the debate over the Democratic Party's hijacking of the healthcare system.

Please check out http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog and read this blog. There is an excellent youtube video on there related to abortion and euthanasia that will result from the proposal by the Democratic Party, and specifically President Obama and his partners in crime.

For christians, it is especially frightening. The pro-life movement has been warning the country for years that if we persist in legalized abortion, that it will so devalue human life that we will eventually reach the point where we devalue the lives of the elderly and those with physical and mental handicaps.

Please watch the video, stayed engaged in the debate, and pray for our nation.

Judge Sotomayor's words say more than intended

The hearings for Judge Sotomayor, nominated to serve on the United States Supreme Court, have been telling in ways beyond intended by liberals. It has been well documented that she has far left views on race and gender. She has been repeatedly quoted, in public settings, commenting that she views her experiences as a Latina would qualify her to make better rulings as a matter of course than a white male.

It has also been reported that she has publicly disagreed with a famoucomment made by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor - that a wise old man and and a wise old woman would reach the same conclusion. That is because it is about wisdom and not gender or race.

In her hearings, Judge Sotomayor has been backtracking on everyone of these statements. She has called them mistakes. She has basically lied by saying they were misinterpreted and then restating it in a fashion which is the exact opposite of her oft repeated, clearly stated opinion.

Her views are biased and extreme. They reveal a sense of superiority because of her race and gender over someone like, say me. These views have been consistent, public, and are revealed in numerous rulings. Her testimony in trying to distance herself from her own comments are disturbing on two separate accounts. It is difficult to determine which one is worse.

On the one hand, it is ridiculous to believe her changes in position when they have been clearly stated and acted upon for the course of her life. It is only in Washington that people believe she would change such long held beliefs. That means to put it bluntly, she is not telling the truth. She is a crass politician working with crass politicians to do what crass politicians do -say whatever you have to say, because people and the truth do not matter anyway, to get where you need to go. Their position is that people in America aren't smart enough to be discerning anyway. So just change your life long beliefs by lying about them - which is what she has done repeatedly.

On the other hand, her statements are wrong. Some might argue it shows something on her part "to move to the center" as if this is some great sign of integrity and intelligence(that is a blog for another day). What does it say about her integrity and moral center that she wold so easily shift from long held views simply to get a job. It means she is not anchored in her belief system and blows with the political winds.

Which is worse lying to the public or having no strength of character to hold to who she is and what she believes. It is a toss-up. Neither apparently bother her benefactor President Obama because is exactly the same person. She has support from her side of the aisle as well in such kindred spirits as Senator Charles Schumer - whose only standard for what he says is whether is sounds good at the time. Since this the way of Washington, it appears she is well-qualified by today's standards and therefore will be passed.

Unfortunately for her, there is a flaw in the plan. They have as fundamental presupposition that we do not care or understand. There are at least some of us who do care and who do understand. Whether she intended it or not, her statements were clear about who she is.

When Popularity is Substituted for Leadership

It is truly is an ironic moment when art imitates life. My family enjoyed attending the musical Wicked a short time ago. It is the second time my daughter and I have seen the musical and it is great fun. In a pivotal moment when the relationship between the two main characters is transformed from "loathing" to friendship, Galinda the Good Witch takes it upon herself to do a makeover of her new friend Elfaba (soon to be known as the Wicked Witch of the West). She is the expert on being popular and decides to train Elfaba in the tricks of the trade. She then sings a wonderfully fun song entitled "popular."

A verse in the song goes like this: Consider celebrated heads of state, or especially great communicators - did they have brains or knowledge? Please don't make me laugh! They were popular!
It's not about aptitude, it's the way you're viewed. So it's very shrewd to be popular like me!

This art imitates life - or at least provides insight into it. Barack Obama has built his political career on this strategy. He is know running the country based upon this strategy. His public focus is solely on being as popular as he can be. His version of leadership philosophy means he hides behind this trumped up popularity to move as much of his radical agenda forward as soon as possible. Unfortunately, it is working.

We will not stop this onslaught of socialism until people see through it as a political strategy. He is forcing approval of a healthcare bill not even written yet. He is ramming through his adoring congress monumental bills which they have not even read. There is now way to do any thoughtful analysis of the consequences of any of this legislation. It is simply this strategy - "build up popularity and behind that impetus get the stuff passed. It doesn't even matter what the bills say. Just pass them now and we will sort the catch later. Popularity is the stock and trade. Once that is gone we will have to slow down, so grab as much as possible now."

Is this the leadership that we want? It is the leadership we have until we rise up and change it. We can first change it by writing and communicating to our congressional representatives now and in force. We must also let them know that we will vote against this onslaught in the upcoming election. Let them know the President's personal popularity with some areas of the country is going to get them unelected here! Communicate and do it now. It does work. The Senate is making noises now like backing away from taxing healthcare benefits of employees, but only because of the hue and cry from their constituents.

The strategy is popularity. Let them know how they are truly being viewed.

Excellent Discussion on Healthcare "Reform"

There is an excellent and informative discussion of how the Democrats and the President want to hijack our healthcare system in order to create government control. Here is the link:
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog

Give this a try. It is a blog that I follow and this one is informative and has a lot of good stuff.

The Key Issue Facing Society? Family

My message for yesterday was taken from Jeremiah 29:1-7. In this passage, God sends an encouraging message to His children who are in exile in Babylon. In it He gives them needed instruction on how to live in a foreign world. He places a strong emphasis on their families. He tells them to "build houses and live in them" He then tells them this: "Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters-that you may increase there, and not decrease."

In this message, God reminds His people that they increase through the structure of the family. Even in a foreign land where they have been sent under judgment for their sin, God tells them they will increase by raising Godly families. This means making Godly marriages and raising children to have Godly marriages and raise Godly children.

There are two significant debates going on right now in our society which are seemingly separate, but actually have the same answer. The direction of our country and the role of government is being hotly debated because of the radical agenda of our current President and his party. The other debate is occurring within the world of evangelical thinkers as the causes for the decline in baptisms and church growth being seen across the evangelical landscape in America. This debate is hotly contested within our own Southern Baptist Convention as seen from the reports coming out of our most recent National Convention a short time ago.

The answer to both is found in God's message to His children. Build Godly homes and teach your children to do the same. The societal issues are all - without exception - the fruit of the breakdown of the family. The effects of this breakdown are well-documented and there is no reason to do so again here. Even the economic crisis we face now is the result of the breakdown of family structures. Living within your means and managing your finances are all the result of healthy family structures. Instead of trying to build a "state" to bailout, provide, and control our decisions, we should be focused with laser-like intensity on re-building a proper family structure in America.

The answer to reaching people for Jesus will also be found in churches building their ministries on the foundation of teaching people how to build Godly marriages. God has built the gospel itself into the structure of marriage. People reach out because their homes have needs. Church are still arguing over music styles after 25 years of debate, but the people in our nation are searching for answers to their failing homes - not concert venues.

Our seminaries have also missed the point of their existence completely. They are training young men theologically and yet missing the most important aspect of their training - family ministry. They graduate with lofty thoughts regarding systematic theology and soteriology. They enter their churches with deeply ingrained beliefs regarding eschatology and expository preaching. Yet people come to their churches asking these questions: Why can't my wife and I get along? Why has my husband lost interest in me? Why are my children choosing that?

These pastors have no clue how to answer these questions while God Himself has woven the answers throughout every book of His Holy Word. Moreover, many of them need to be saved. The answer is right there in their marital problems. The gospel is right there for them to share. They are not equipped to do it.

A ridiculous, sinful majority of SBC churches are not baptizing, and haven not baptized for 5 years or more. Yet leaders continue to argue over programs and musical styles. Small churches criticize mega churches, the real reason for this is their jealousy. Contemporary churches criticize churches that will not change their music or shed their coats and ties. The real reason that churches fail to baptize is not because they refuse to change their music, but because they have lost a zeal for mentoring families. They shed their children's programs and jettison VBS. The older women do not mentor the younger woman regarding how to love their husbands and children as directly commanded by scripture.

The failures in evangelism for us as a Convention are caused by the same failures in our society - the failure to focus on the family structure. We must do what God intended - Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for our sons and give our daughters to husbands. We must focus on what God wants us to focus upon - ministering to families. Everyone who is a follower of Christ knows the Great Commission commands us to go and take the gospel. The question is how? God has given us more than the command, He has also given us the best tool for sharing the gospel: the family!

Similarly oto the children of Israel in Babylon, we are not citizens of here but of heaven. Similarly, we are living in a land of ungodly influences and ungodly philosophies. I cannot control what our Senators, Representatives, President, or Governor does. I cannot control Seminary Presidents or Convention executives. I can read the Bible and teach my children about family. I can read my bible and continue to try to teach First Baptist Church of Cabot, Arkansas about family. Regardless of others, I can follow God's instructions and continue to have a real influence on real people and help them see a real saving gospel through their families and homes. I can increase and help others increase as well. Join me regardless of what others do.

Source of Governor Sanford's Demise Clear

It has been tragic to watch the life and political career of Governor Mark Sanford come unraveled. It is always a tragedy, whether it is a Democratic Governor from New York, a Republican Governor from South Carolina, or a celebrity in Hollywood. It is always a tragedy. It involves spouses, children, and other real people who are deeply wounded and harmed.

More, it is tragic because it harms our society in deep ways. It leads to cynicism from people about marriage. The first question asked when another Governor resigns is "when does evidence of her affair come out?" It leads to cynicism in our political arena - one side cheers when the other looses a leader and claims "we are the right side." Well, this is just ridiculous because there are more than enough failures on both sides to disqualify them from this argument. Furthermore, no side wins when they treat hurting people as pawns of their arguments.

The natural question is "Why?" Why would this man do this? The answers are myriad - dysfunction, hubris, etc. The true answer is the sinful condition of the human heart. The Bible is so true when it states unequivocally that "all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory." This is why it happens so often and to all sorts of people. None of us are immune.

There is a further tragedy in the current situation with Governor Sanford. It has been tragic to watch him literally unravel before the cameras. His "mea culpas" are pitiful such as his description of this situation as a "tragic love story." He tried to make it all sound less evil by describing it as a love story, but then telling us how he wanted to fall back in love with his wife and save his family. It was evidence of a deeply disturbed man who had completely lost his way. It did not help him, but hurt his situation even more.

It is evidence of the truth of scripture. One of the many ways we know that the Bible is true is seeing how well it applies to the human experience. When you read verses that directly explain life situations, it is evidence that God made us, watches us, understands us, and has written the Bible to us to give us the exact wisdom we need for life. James 1 explains the effect of living a life with the characteristics of doubting God's wisdom and instruction and of being disobedient to His laws and plans. Verse 8 uses these words: "a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways."

Governor Sanford was obviously a double-minded man for a period of time. It is not my intention to judge him or say he was an evil man - again we are all in the same situation as sinners who have fallen short of God's standards. But he obviously was living a double life caught between two types of choices and trying to live out both of them. The causes for this double life may be difficult to analyze, but the effect is easy to see. Why would he think he could run off to another nation to be with a woman other than his wife when our nation was watching him(due to his recent efforts to reject federal bailout money), along with his staff(for obvious reaons) and his family(his wife apparently already knew of this situation), and not get caught? Why would he go through with his emotional statements seeking some kind of catharsis from the press and public?

It is simply instability. When you are trying to live two lives and hide one from the other, the result is you become unstable. You loose a sense of reality. You work so hard to rationalize the situation that you become an expert at convincing yourself rather than looking at facts and seeing them as they are. You seek to mesh the two completely incongruent worlds together in some contortion of logic - his attempt to explain the "tragic love story" with this woman and his desire to repair his family and fall in love with his wife again. Unstable is the only word to describe it. All of it makes you make choices that are poor and self-destructive. You act based solely upon selfishness with little or no regard for consequences to those around you.

Our response should not be judgment for anyone caught in this situation. Again, it is heart breaking and tragic. Moreover, everyone of us could make the choices that would lead us to this same predicament - the potnetial is in all of us. We would do well to learn from this situation instead of judge. Double-mindedness will affect us the same way. Integrity is critical. Each of us will go on making mistakes as we walk life's journey. To be human indeed is to be fallible. Fallibility does not require double-mindedness. But choosing to hold onto to sinful choices or bad mistakes will create the double-mindedness and its resulting instability will bring a person down every time.

Trust in the grace Jesus brings. He loves us and works in our lives to grow us. After a mistake, if you will confess it He will forgive the failure and teach you so you learn to avoid it in the future. He will turn the mistake into ministry and make you better and wiser. If we hide the mistakes and turn towards a double-life, we will face instability that will be devastating. We too will come unravelled hurting ourselves and those around us in the process. Wouldn't you rather walk in the grace of His restoration than in the instability of double-mindedness?

Recommendation for Adams mini-series

IF you are looking for something positive to do this holiday weekend, I would strongly recommend viewing the mini-series John Adams. It is based on the book by David McCullough and is incredibly well done. It is an excellent way to teach your family about the history of the move to declare independence. It reminds all of us what an amazing feat the foundoing of our nation was.

Moreover, it reminds us that we have always stood for something - liberty. It succeeds not only in reminding us of imprtant things, but it stirs something in you. It calls us to be great as they were great. It calls us to stand for something greater than ourselves - which is what they did. It was a valuable and enjoyable time watching this movie and discussing it afterwards and I hope you and your family will enjoy it as well.

President Obama self-proclaimed Champion of Homosexuality

Here is a devotional from an evangelist named Jerry Drace. Our worship Pastor and friend Ken Holland used to work with Jerry and this was sent to him. I wanted any and all of you to whom I can communicate to read this message. This is a wonderful message for us and thanks to Jerry for his heart for families and preaching the bible.

Dear Hope for the Home Family:
In II Kings chapter 21 the Bible tells us of a 12 year old boy named Manasseh who became king of Judah. His father, King Hezekiah, had ruled Judah for 29 years. Hezekiah was a godly man. Manasseh was not. Hezekiah did that which was right in the sight of God. Manasseh did not. Verse 9 shows the character of Manasseh as he matured, “Manasseh seduced them [ his fellow citizens – my inclusion] to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.” Here is the story of a child who rejected his father’s example. Obviously, he listened to the voices of depravity and dissent. He rejected his father’s path of holiness and chose the path of desecration.
There once was a young man who grew up without a father. He surrounded himself with those who taught revolution in the classroom and preached liberation from the pulpit. He rose to the highest office in the land. And in the footsteps of Manasseh he too has sought to seduce his nation to abandon spiritual correctness for political expediency. He speaks from an air of superiority rather than the breath of spirituality. His concept of leadership is more akin to the mentality of a community organizer than the capability of a leader. This young man’s name is Barack Obama.
This past Monday, President Obama became the first chief executive to host a White House ceremony celebrating "gay pride". He told several hundred homosexual guests in the East Room that America still has what he called "old attitudes" about homosexuality but that they have "an ally and a champion" in the Oval Office. This came only six weeks after this young leader chose not to host a White House event commemorating the National Day of Prayer. He stated, "I know that many in this room don't believe that progress has come fast enough, and I understand that, but I say this: We have made progress and we will make more. And I want you to know that I expect and hope to be judged not by words, not by promises I've made, but by the promises that my administration keeps. We've been in office six months now. I suspect that by the time this administration is over, I think you guys will have pretty good feelings about the Obama administration." If he has brought the homosexual lifestyle front and center by endorsing its agenda in just six months, think what he intends to do during the next three and a half years.With total disregard for the teachings of Holy Scripture our president went on to say, "There are unjust laws to overturn and unfair practices to stop. And though we've made progress, there are still fellow citizens, perhaps neighbors or even family members and loved ones, who still hold fast to worn arguments and old attitudes, who fail to see your families like their families, and who would deny you the rights that most Americans take for granted."Parents, did you get his phrase, “worn arguments and old attitudes”? He is telling your children that only those with outdated reasons and obsolete opinions oppose the homosexual way of life. Obama went on to say, “If we're honest with ourselves, we'll acknowledge that there are good and decent people in this country who don't yet fully embrace their gay brothers and sisters -- not yet. We must continue to do our part to make progress -- step by step, law by law, mind by changing mind. And I want you to know that in this task I will not only be your friend, I will continue to be an ally and a champion and a president who fights with you and for you."
Veiled in his address to this group celebrating their aberrant lifestyle is the threat that anyone who does not change their mind concerning the homosexual agenda will be considered an enemy of the state. The President’s statements make clear his intentions. We now have a leader who approves of the killing of babies inside and partially outside the womb and endorses a manner of life which is contrary to the instructions found throughout the Bible. This is seduction of the worst kind because it comes from the leader of the free world who proudly calls himself a Christian. It is not only homosexuality which is the issue. It could as easily be a President trying “step by step, law by law, mind by changing mind”, to get the populace to accept the sin of adultery. The basic reason why Obama and his followers rebel against the uncompromising teachings of God’s Word is that it takes them from the self-indulgence of worshipping an ordinary god to being confronted with the claims of the One true God. Regardless of how it is wrapped, presented, or promoted sin is still sin.
Dads and Moms, as you prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July with your children please use this occasion to teach them about the godly men and women who are the cornerstones of this nation. We are indeed a diverse nation made up of dynamic people. However, as we celebrate our independence may we not be seduced into equating diversity with normality. We are once again living in the days of Manasseh.
Remember, “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it,” (Psalm 127:1).
In Christ, Jerry and Becky Drace jdeainc@juno.com

This meeting is not an urban legend, but was reported by BP News on June 30, 2009 by reporter Michael Foust. The link is http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30803

President Obama Raises the Bar for Untruthful Euphemism

President Obama continued last night in his sales pitch for hijacking the U.S. health care system. The "euphemism" is his weapon of choice. A "euphemism" is defined as "a word of phrase used in place of a term that might be considered too direct, harsh, unpleasant, or offensive." Let me give you a few examples: health care "reform" - There is no editing, small change, or even overhaul of the system. He is engaging in an outright attack on our current system in an surreptitious effort to destroy what we know in favor of a government controlled system such as Canada or France; "town hall meeting" - He will not answer questions from anyone unless in a contrived, controlled setting in which he has complete control. I guess he learned his lesson when Joe the Plumber nailed his untruthfulness to the wall on national television. "Pro-choice" - The destruction of a human life because of the selfish choices of two adults who could have chosen while an unborn human being cannot choose its own fate.

His newest and most offensive euphemism is "evidence based care." He has chosen this phrase because it sounds scientific and educated, with a little taste of factual thrown into the mix. It is obviously more palatable and pleasant than explaining that he wants the government bureaucracy to make a blind and "one size fits all" decision about whether YOU receive medical treatment. Medicare and Medicaid do this on a daily basis and it is a disaster!

This lie from the President and the left is so offensive it is disgusting! When will people get sick of this offensive and dishonest stuff coming out of Washington. He and his cohorts have raised it to a pornographic art form. Evidence based care means...

bureaucrats will decide what tests and treatments you receive - not you or your doctor.

There will not be any aggressive or advance treatments because you will have to reach a certain "level" of sickness to have evidence of that sickness.

Innovative treatments will grind to a trickle!

Currently, there are a number of areas in which Medicare and Medicaid will not fund treatments which they are required by law to fund and patients are suing them to force them to pay. These areas often involve arguing over what is sufficient evidence of the effectiveness of the treatment.

Effective treatments which show great promise will not be available to the general public. There will be numerous trials which show the effectiveness of the treatment, procedure, or drug, but it has not yet been "approved" because the FDA has chosen to slow track it or it has been bogged down in their maze of inefficiency. It works and could be saving lives, but because it has not yet completed its "testing process," there is insufficient evidence of its effectiveness and so it will be denied to the public.

This form of lying is an outrage. The President and the left does not even believe enough in their system to fully explain it and let it rest on its own merits. They utilize a political form of dishonesty called the "euphemism." It is American to the core to present an honest position and then debate the merits. It is lying and dishonest to do what America now watches from the President, the Democratic party, many of the Republicans as well, and the mainstream media.

Please teach them what real communication looks like and make it clear to your U.S. Representative and your U.S. Senators that you will vote them out of office if they support this plan in any way, shape, or form.

The Importance of Stating Your Position

I recently ran across a bumper sticker with this statement: When the people fear their government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty. This quote is credited to Thomas Jefferson and certainly reflects accurately the sentiments and strongly held beliefs of our founding fathers.

Unfortunately, the government no longer fears the people as it should. The rampant run of far-left policies that are bankrupting our nation for generations and the obvious desire to pass more of this outlandish schemes shows that those in power feel they can act with impunity. The constant state of corruptness and moral bankruptcy in the majority of our elected officials reflects this lack of fear as well.

There are some signs that the system designed by our founding fathers has enough wisdom and strength built into it to survive this onslaught against personal liberty. The will of the people still has an impact when it is expressed. Consider the horrible health care plan being designed by the President and his liberal cohorts. Their hubris is staggering to believe they can throw together in a sloppy fashion a far reaching and fundamental shift of our system to a one-payer system like in Europe. The only reason they would draft such a plan to be presented and then plead for it to be passed by August is their own belief that our desires and best interests are irrelevant.

As the information leaks out and facts become clear of this ridiculous plan, the people have begun to react and react strongly. The outcry is growing and even Democrats who have sacrificed their sole at the altar of Obama have begun backing away. The reason has nothing to do with their belief system and everything to do with what Jefferson foresaw.

We must not stop now because they seem to have stumbled. The only thing that works is when we verbally and strongly hold them accountable. We must constantly remind them of the next election. We must remind them that despite their best efforts to treat their seat as their "right", it is only a privilege temporarily granted by the people. We must be willing to take that privilege away without remorse when they do not vote in accordance with our views and best interests. Please take some time and write to a congressman or senator. Express your views. We must create in them a healthy fear of us or they will create a world in which we must fear them.

Senators and Congress did not Understand

In an article this weekend int he Arkansas Democrat Gazette, it was reported - in a small article unfortunately - that both the Senate and the Congress voted themselves a substantial increase in their tax payer funded "expense accounts." These accounts ostensibly are used to fund their legislative activities, pay a staff to aid them in this endeavor. Such an action shows a complete and total lack of understanding of anything about the economic times in which we live.

First of all, these accounts are about one thing - incumbent officials keeping their jobs. Election rates of incumbent officials are ridiculously high and have been documented time and again, obviating any need to do so again. The reasons are simple. Beyond the obvious name recognition of an incumbent, the next greatest issue is money. Our senators and congressman have gerrymandered the election process by using our tax dollars to create huge budgets to use for the purpose of keeping their jobs. They travel around the state to increase their visibility and to campaign on a constant basis. They use tax dollars to contact/communicate on a regular basis.

They will claim this money is to create good governance by giving them the ability to serve their constituency. The amounts of these accounts belie that argument. It is about re-election and gives them a hugely unfair advantage. Moreover, it if was about good governance and was used to help them communicate and understand the needs and thoughts of the people, then they would know from communicating with their constituency that we are in financially difficult times. They would know we hate these on-going and growing deficits. They would know the last thing they should do is increase expenses more by the selfish act of padding their own nests even more!

Their actions are far from anything but rank selfishness and narcissism. It is incredible to think that they would even consider such a move given the hundreds of billions that they are wasting, knowing they are planning to spend even more. They are increasing our taxes at every turn and yet they will increase them more just to pad their nests and insure their own best opportunity for re-election using our money.

I do not want any more of my money to go to them. Moreover, I have never voted for either U.S. Senator and I have not ever voted for our U.S. Representative. I do not want them taking more of my money to further their own self-interests and re-election efforts. They have already mortgaged the future of my children. Now they are taking more money from their mouths, hands, and college funds to increase their own expense accounts to give them more resources to take more of my children's money.

The only answer is to defeat them at the ballot box so they cannot take more of my children's money.

Say NO! to supporting government control of healthcare

In driving back to the office from lunch today (in my beloved SUV by the way), I heard Senator Lincoln once again confirm her liberal love for government during a radio interview. She spoke in favor of the need for "healthcare reform" and justified the expensive nature of the proposals being proffered by her party. Her incredibly thin argument was this: The current plan was 50 years in the making and therefore will be expensive to overhaul. That's it. That is all of the economic support necessary to justify the more than 1 TRILLION DOLLARS her party will propose to spend.

She made a over-simplified blanket statement that cost savings would occur by "managing" long term conditions as opposed to treating "acute" cases. Presumably she is attempting to make us believe the government will proactive and guide better preventative medicine and treatment. These arguments are intended to mislead. She is simply using buzzwords to make some argument sound simple that is not. The arguments being proffered by her and her beloved Democratic Party are simply incorrect, inaccurate, and being proffered by the President and their leaders to hide the truth of their goals and agendas.

But I have a second problem with her arguments in addition to their untruthfulness. They are not credible at all. No area of government regulation which currently deals with healthcare issues functions in this fashion at all. Why is it all of a sudden going to change? Medicaid simply does not in anyway shape or form function according to her proposition. In fact, it functions in the opposite fashion. Her position is bogus. Medicaid always lags in its approval of new and innovative treatments. It always fights preventative measures. All decision are made on the basis of short-term cost savings.

The FDA is a horrible agency and does a terrible job in its approval process of new drugs and treatments. There are hundreds of effective treatments going on right now in "trials" that are having amazing effects. They are not being approved because of bureaucracy and politics - and no other reasons. They treat drug companies as the pariah of our nation - the very place that research and development occurs to develop preventative medicine, non-invasive procedures, etc.

Moreover, the experience of other countries with socialistic, single-payer systems disproves her argument. One of the worst issues in everyone of the other countries that functions like she and President Obama would like the U.S. to function is the government's failure to permit advance treatment, preventative medicine, advancement of new and experimental treatments which would ultimately lower health care costs because they may be more expensive in the short-term. Why is a U.S. run system going to be different when the governmental agencies that we have already tend in that same direction? It is the nature of government to make short-term, cost based, no-visionary, lowest common denominator, one-size fits all decisions.

Someone please tell me with a straight face how the U.S. government that has managed healthcare matters in this fashion through its current agencies is going to suddenly become patient friendly, visionary, and interested in long term results. I would love to hear someone make that argument. Senator Lincoln's comments certainly are not convincing and do not prove the case for government run health care. Instead, they simply prove her love for government and her total loyalty to the government expansion agenda of her beloved party. Watch as she steps up this rhetoric in conjunction with the soon to come deluge of lies and misinformation regarding the hijacking of our healthcare system. This is about her party's agenda to expand government as much as we allow them to do it. Let's say NO!

The Summer is for Reading

I want to encourage you this summer to be a reader. When I mention reading, most of you fall into one of two general categories. First, there are those of you who have already quit reading this because reading is not something you enjoy and skimming a blog on the net is the full extent of your reading pleasure. On the other hand, the other category presents the opposite. You were immediately transported to Barnes & Nobles in an effort to pick out this year's beach chair romance or thriller.

Neither of those responses are my intended target. Before I exhort you to read something more substantive this summer, I want to assure you that I love reading fiction novels. Adventure novels and spy thrillers both are guilty pleasures that I enjoy with great passion. The excitement of a fast-paced story filled with thrills and enjoyable characters is certainly exhilarating and en effective escape from day to day stress.

Summer itself provides enough escape. It is filled with blockbuster movies, vacations, trips to the lake, baseball, and endless distractions. In fact, our culture ha trained us to "take the summer off" in virtually every area of life. We put it on cruise control at church, kids are out of school, and family routines go by the wayside. We put in our time at work and then recreate ourselves into mindlessness. It is not a stretch to state that the average christian, who struggles with a quiet time on good days, will lose most of the summer in terms of any bible study at all.

Satan does not however take the summer off. He finds our holidays to be a time of great harvest. He wreaks havoc in the lives of teenagers and in marriages. Children fail to receive any effective spiritual training - with the possible exception of a week of Vacation Bible School. Churches are forced to reduce or eliminate all but the staple of Sunday morning programming. The spiritual cost to "summer vacation" is devastating.

Try something different this summer. Read a real book. Do a study with your family. Engage your mind and heart this summer. It is the perfect time to grow. Give your kids something to read that is positive and stimulating to their spiritual life and intellect. They have no homework and no risk of work overload. They have far less in the way of time constraints. This is the perfect time to place in front of them some incredible teaching. Read something with them. Start a family reading list or devotional. Prepare them for the next school year. Have them read American history books that fill in the gaps left by their secular history.

Here are a few principles. 1) Select a couple of books for them based upon their age, learning, stage of education, and interests. 2) Select a couple of different genres for diversity and interest. Choose a spiritual book for growth and a book of history of some sort. 3) Discuss the books with them as they read. It certainly would not hurt you to read along with them. 4) Motivate them in such as way as to make it fun and not punishment. Pay them for reading. reward them with trips to the ice cream parlor for each completed chapter. Find some way to make it fun and worthwhile.

Here are some ideas. Biographies: You should read at least one biography every year. Summer is a great time. Choose a historical figure such as a President, General, or famous missionary.
Historical Accounts: Choose a famous event and read a book about it. There are myriads to choose from. Select a specific revival. Select a famous battle from the civil war or World War II. There are wonderful accounts of famous expeditions, inventions, etc.
Literature: Summer is the perfect time to introduce your family to great works of literature - C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, etc.
Audiobooks: This is a great avenue for reading - yes it is reading because it uses the written word to educate, expand, excite, and illuminate. They are so easily obtained today. A cheap subscription to audible.com is worth a mint. You can download them from the internet using a phone, an ipod, or laptop. You can purchase them at used bookstores. You can go in 1/2s with a friend and share them between your children.

Summer is the perfect time to red. It is the perfect time to help your children grow in a new area of their spiritual life. It is a chance to enhance their education and grow their minds by teaching them to enjoy and embrace reading. It is a prefect time to plug the holes in their true understanding to the biblical foundation of our country by reading about the Constitution, the American Revolution, or the faith of our forefathers. It is a time to excite them about the church through biographies of leaders and stories of revival. It is the time to expand their view of their own futures by sharing with them the biographies of great men and women that will teach them to be passionate and visionary.

It all begins with your vision of the summer as the perfect time for reading.

Exciting to see comparable ideas!

On Thursday June 4, I posted a blog presenting my thoughts regarding the continuing viability of christian ideals in our culture. It was exciting today to receive my new edition of World Magazine and see the cover article with this title: is Christianity in the U.S. doomed? Headlines trumpet decline, but a closer look suggests a continued roller coaster ride.

It is an excellent article and in many ways follows a similar line of reasoning. It also arrives at a similar conclusion. I did not know what the think when I started this blog or how to do it. I did believe it was time to present what I view as truthful discussion of issues facing our time. I must confess the first was somewhat greater.

It is satisfying and exciting to read something - AFTER I blogged about it. And in a respected magazine - if you do not read it then you should. Not trying to pat myself on the back, just wanted to share my excitement. Maybe I am not as lost as I thought I was.

Integrity Requires Choosing Courage Over Comfort

America has undoubtedly created the most affluent and powerful economy our world has ever known. Having travelled around the world, it is obvious that we are wealthy, even in the midst of a recession as looming as this one has become.

In fact, this affluence is so pervasive that it has become one of the most defining aspects of our culture. While our national affluence has positive benefits, it has also created an insidious assault on our moral character. In our world, we now value above all else - comfort. We seek rest, recreation, and experiences that make us happy. We seek to alleviate pain or discomfort by any and all means. We want things now, without fuss or wait. We are getting fat and lazy as a nation. We now even expect no pain and ease in our exercise routines - and expect them to train us in 15 minutes or less. Our desire to maintain our personal comfort knows no boundaries.

This desire has become so pervasive that it has affected our ability to see and chose what is right. This effect is described with great insight and clarity in The Seven Faith Tribes by George Barna. In this insightful book, worthy of its price and the time required to read it, Barna categorizes and describes the basic faith "tribes" in our culture today. The largest he describes as "Casual Christians." According to his statistical analysis, they make up 150 out of 225 million adults, the largest single category or tribe by a wide margin.

This group views themselves as "christians" but do not practice the disciplines prescribed by scripture. They claim to believe in the Bible, but have little understanding of it and do not profess a belief in it as without error. This affects their actual life practices. Barna makes these statements: "They claim to support "traditional family values" but are equally as prone to adopting nontraditional viewpoints in order to stay connected to people and to remain at peace with their world." "For the most part, they believe that other people see them as leaders, and they do what they can to promote their ideas and goals without stirring conflict or controversy:such friction makes them uncomfortable."

This indictment may be the worst of all: "Most Casuals (59 %) think of themselves as "deeply spiritual" and feel that God has accepted them as they are, for who they are. This contributes greatly to their sense of peace with the world. They have no particular passion about vocally representing God and His ways in the world. Casuals are more interested in living a simple, low-key life filled with happiness and fulfillment than pursuing faith-based truth and righteousness."

It is easy to see why our nation is culturally rotting away - deteriorating from the inside like some decaying corpse. When the major value in life becomes comfort, then what is right has lost its champion. People are more than willing to compromise in order to keep the peace or avoid any discomfort. This may seem like a small matter, but after a couple of generations we reap the crop of this insidious seed: rampant alcoholism as an escape, prescription drug abuse, the over use of "coping drugs", abortion on demand to avoid consequences of "unwanted pregnancies" and the list goes on. It is fed by politicians who blithely proffer promises of handouts and bailouts simply as a means of gaining power. Their offer is effective because of this personality in our culture. It is fed by pastors who only preach the emotional salve of positive thinking or a "name it claim it" view of faith.

This was not a surprise to our Lord. He told us that there are two roads: a narrow one and a wide one. He described the wide road as one of ease, or comfort, and explained that many would take it. He warned us that as time went on people would not want the truth, but teachers who would "tickle their ears" by telling hem what they want to hear instead of challenging them to make courageous choices of obedience and holiness.

It is time for people to learn to grow and emotional backbone and do the work necessary to develop real character. That means growing the intestinal fortitude to choose what is right regardless of the personal cost. But where do we begin to change a culture so driven by this passion for personal comfort? It must begin with christians. We must realize that we have lost our integrity and become a part of the problem instead of being a "light." We must develop the courage to stand for what the Bible says is right in our own personal lives before we will become strong enough to impact our culture.

The average church member attends 50% of the time, only gives and average of 3 hours to spiritual matters (less than television), only gives nominally but claims in surveys to tithe, and will never lead one single person to a salvation decision. Our behavior matches that of the world in every way: divorce rate, bankruptcy rate, Internet usage, television consumption, time spent with our children, etc. We will never impact the world in this fashion.

It takes courage to stand for what is right. It takes courage to say no to live a different way. It takes courage to tithe, turn down promotions, home school or pay for private tuition at a church school, remove your tv, limit video games from your kids and play with them every night, study enough to be an apologist for your faith, and witness to a lost person. It takes courage to minister to broken people and invest in their lives so they can experience the freedom of knowing what it means to grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ. We cannot really chastise the culture for being courageous when we are not. We need to take up the exhortation God gave to Joshua to be "strong and of good courage." Only then will integrity have a fighting chance to blossom in our culture.

Are We a Muslim or Christian Nation?

President Obama has caused yet another stir amongst Americans with his recent statements defining us as "not a christian" nation and recently saying we are one of the world's largest "muslim" nations because of the number of muslims in America. Both of these statements are non-sensical. If it were not so disastrous, it would be funny to track the President and the Vice-president with a "gaffe-meter" to see which one is the more ridiculous. It is however not a laughing matter but the measure of his liberal, Ivy-league academic agenda.

First, it is clear that Obama made his statement about our nation as no longer "christian" as a statement of our culture and religious focus. Many liberal pundits as trying modify his comments into lesson on Constitutional law by saying he was imply stating the obvious that America does not have an government supported church. That is a lie to try and "spin" his actual comments. He was not speaking on that subject at all. Moreover, it would be silly to do so since he was in Europe s[peaking to a European audience who have no interest whatsoever in our Constitution. He was clearly making a comment on our culture. He was trying to redefine us to Europeans in a way he thinks will help our foreign policy. Whether it helps or not is not part of this discussion. (It does not by the way.) He is working from a liberal agenda and worldview. It is the same one that produces revisionist history books trying to weaken the connection between a Judeo-Christian worldview and the founding of our country.

Second, he is further trying to advance his worldview by making the patently false statement that we are "muslim" because of the numbers here. His numbers are dead wrong and again he is dead wrong. Every reputable statistical model numbers muslims as an extremely small portion of our society. George Barna's recent book The Seven Faith Tribes, produces one such study. He numbers what he calls "captive christians" (those who strive to truly live out the teachings of Christ beyond mere lip service) as approximately 36 million. He also states that a large majority of Americans are "casual christians" - 2/3 of all Americans. These are folks who are nominal and for the most part active little beyond verbal assent and occasional practice. He numbers Muslims this way: "Muslims, while growing in number, make up considerably less than 1% of the American population, but they represent a significant, if controversial, point of view on the faith spectrum." How could these statistics ever be twisted to justify such a statement?

Clearly, the President is educated. Obviously he has more resources at his disposal than anyone else in America, including demographics and statistics. He also polls more than anyone else on the planet. Given these facts, he KNOWS his statement was untrue. It is yet another example that he is unconcerned with the truth. He is more concerned, as are all of his liberal allies, with the narrative he tells in support of his agenda than with the truth.

His first statement shows he cares not for the heritage of our country. The second shows he is more concerned with movement in his direction and will say anything to anyone in order to make an argument for his agenda.

Our heritage is firm despite his disdain for it. It is clear despite the desire of Ivy-league liberal ideologues to re-write history to eradicate this heritage. And despite his protestations to the contrary, our culture still values our heritage of the freedom to worship God and our nation's heart to turn in that direction in times of need. Certainly, our nation is liberalizing - in no small part to the decades long agenda of folks like the President and his allies. But they have not been successful in undoing it.

Churches are still active. Southern Baptists are one of the largest disaster relief organizations in the U.S. The Catholic church has and still is taking care of more AIDS patients in their hospices than any other. While liberals are validating gay marriage and homosexuals, christians are ministering and picking up the pieces of the devastation. They can aggressively hijack the law to further abortion rights, but the country is not listening to them. Trends show the U.S. is rejecting the abortion arguments in favor of pro-life. This is in large measure to the efforts of believers - christians.

We are in a culture war make no mistake. It is a difficult struggle and we have lost many battles. But have no fear, there is fertile ground. The Bible still has power in America. We still have our heritage to build upon as a nation. That heritage is a christian one no matter what others may try to say. People still listen to preachers, read books from a biblical perspective that point to a way of life centered on faith in God, and they still make a point to pray for our men and women in the Armed Forces. These things are not going away. They still give us confidence that the christian values that were woven into the fabric of our heritage are still a viable force in our future - as a christian nation and not as a muslim one.