Once More and Forever, With Feeling

It has appeared here before, but this time, with this picture I am remembering a decade. I took this picture on December 31st, 2001. Ten years since, my life has changed dramatically-half my family has passed, I've changed careers, graduated from a business university, bought a house and am now living a quiet life. 
 I change-older, heavier, but in as good a shape as in 2001 when I was working a physical job. I may be chained to a desk now, but the exercise routine I've been working the past few years has benefited me greatly.
I change, but God is unchanging. He has led me through my life; He knew me, that I would be, before the foundation of the world. He not only creates common items such as myself, but He also makes beautiful frozen waterfalls, and puts in our being appreciation for such beauty. Wow.
I am honored to be welcomed as a member of my church-we love, need and pray for each other, and I wouldn't ever want to go back to flying solo. I said that half my family has passed-my church family extends to Heaven, billions of brothers and sisters bound together in Christ. Wow again. I look forward to the Day when we all get together to worship God in corpus Glorious.
If I were to get out the scales and measure the 'good' and the 'bad' of the past decade, it would be ridicualbly weighted in favor of "GOOD". Sure, I've had struggles, and some bad times...but I've also had God watching over me every millisecond of the decade.
Job had more trouble in a day than I've had in my entire life, and yet, in unison, we can say, 
"Blessed be the name of the Lord!"

Sympatheologic

Greetings to all pagans or accidental Christians passing by this blog.

Well! Christmas night and all through the!

Don't bother looking up the word adorning this post-"Sympatheologic" is so freshly minted

it's still warm from the mind-oven.

Put simply (for a change), I've been over-inured with attempts to clutch at my heartstrings, make currency of my emotions.

You know what I mean-the Holiday feel good warm puppy stories.

"A man saves 40,000 nickles as a hobby, but gives them to a charity because..."It's Christmas"(tm)!" dunt dunt dah!

"A cat lost on vacation back in 1978, but the 5th generation of its kittens find their way back home to the waiting family on...

(you guessed it!) "Christmas"!"

 Please stop.

Why the fuss, Doug?

Simple. My emotions are mine. I do not want my emotions manipulated with warm puppy stories by media trying to make a buck off of me.

Because it's Christmas. Christmas. Christmas. Beer commercial. Warm puppy. Christmas. Christmas. Car commercial. Christmas. Warm puppy. Vodka. Christmas. Truck. Christmas.

I am not made of concrete and other discrete 'parts'. I do have emotions...I just prefer that they not be abused for the sake of commerce.

Which brings me to the theologic part of 'Sympatheologic'.

God has Blessed me with many friends and family.

They are on my heart, in my prayers. I think I have more sick friends right now than healthy ones. Some are struggling, some few may not see another Christmas.

But all are safe with God.

Right now, today, there have been "Christmas Day attacks" across the globe which have killed some of my brothers and sisters in Christ. My sympathies are with them, their families. They are safe with God.

I have unsaved friends and family for whom I continue to pray. They are...

Homme Brulant

Coincidence? I have, to the right of the page, a promo still showing Cary Grant, Kate H. and Baby, and "Bringing Up Baby" was on TV tonight. As the Dallas Cowboys seem to be playing some high school team, probably on a bet, I've been catching up on the "Crimedy" known as "Castle". And what do I see? A Medical Examiner trying to eat his lunch, interrupted by detectives.
Aaaaannnnddddd my mind reminds me of where I've seen this particular dynamic before: the Philo Vance movies of the early 1930's, with both Warren William and Basil Rathbone (!) as Vance. That Medical Examiner was always fussing about detectives not letting him finish a meal. Coincidence? I think not-I think that the writers/showrunners of "Castle" have done their homework. To remain fresh and new sometimes you have to study the old.
Another example: Pyromaniacs, the Team Pyro blog, weekly posts a blog entry "from" Charles Spurgeon.
It is always thoughtful and wise and classic Spurgeon.
I doubt that I will ever be quoted at all, and here is Charles Haddon with a weekly column 119 years after his advancement to the Front Office.
Coincidence?
No. His work is durable and endurable. His words are as fresh as if he were still in the pulpit today.
I wouldn't ever say that these posts are terribly hard for me to write-I am full of ideas, and, when I can juke left and elude my better judgement for a few steps, I will often dash away and put ideas in a blog post.
Spurgeon seemed incapable of missteps or faulty logic/ideas in his writing. He was GOOD.
He was also a man who had studied Scripture his entire life, who preached only from the Word.
Coincidence?

When The Sun Comes Out, Rainbows Die

I have faith in God to do Right, and faith that Man will do Wrong.
Meaning that the more I see of this sad twisted world, the more I
long for Heaven.
We have an election coming up next year, with not one Conservative candidate
that I can vote for without feeling like I'm abetting a crime.
Romney bet me ten grand that I couldn't write about Gingrich without mentioning his
marita...argh!
Rick Perry? I'd rather vote for Katy Perry.
I could have voted for Herman Cain. Gone.
Likewise, Sarah Palin would have my vote...if she were running.
I don't like having to choose between fourth and fifth choices simply because
my preferred candidates aren't in the race.
Sigh. I can vote for Michele Bachman as a protest vote, though I might still write in
Katy Perry.
Democrats have it worse; they have to vote for the man who attempted to destroy the economy and bankrupt their children. And their children's children...in the name of making America 'fair'.
By which he means unfair towards those who achieve, and 'fair' towards those who do not.
There's a good reason why I continue to look through the Bible, reading passages describing
Christ's Millennial Kingdom. The entire world will be "Fair". Truly fair, and honest, and
there will be no elections. Amen!

The Lost Fourth King Of Israel

Maybe not lost, but surely missing in the New Testament.
Before Bible scholars press the buttons on  their contradiction recognition machines, pointing out that Solomon was the Third King of Israel-Saul, David, and then Solomon...the first and truly only KING of Israel is God.
Then Saul, who messed up bigtime, David, a man after God's own heart, and then Solomon, who made Saul look like a novice in the messing up department.
You might say that God allowed Job to be tested by ruination, and allowed Solomon to be tested by wealth and abundance. Guess who passed the test?
What brought this post into being was a study in Ecclesiastes the other night, with a study note kicking me back to 1 Kings chapter 11. I won't post it here for the sake of time (I'm due for my nap) but in chapters 9-11 of 1 Kings God warns Solomon to keep to the straight and narrow, or he'd be buying troubles wholesale.
King Solomon blew it, allowing the abundance of treasures in this world to pull him away from God.
Not just the 700 wives-headaches, anyone? But he also built altars for his foreign wives to worship their gods.
Thus violating the Prime Directive; here is what God said in 1 Kings 9: 6-9

"⁶“But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 
⁷then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them, and the house which I have consecrated for My name, I will cast out of My sight. So Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 
⁸“And this house will become a heap of ruins; everyone who passes by will be astonished and hiss and say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’ 
⁹“And they will say, ‘Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and adopted other gods and worshiped them and served them, therefore the LORD has brought all this adversity on them.’”

Adversity wasn't the half of it. After Solomon died, Israel was broken up, with ten tribes heading North to set up their own nation, only to be eventually wiped out.
The believing remnant was later carried off to Babylon; Daniel and company became slaves of infidel kings.
Fast forward to the time of Christ, the New Testament era. All Israel loved them some Moses bigtime, and David was well thought of, but Solomon? The grandest human King to ever sit on the throne, the writer of three books of the Wisdom literature? Hardly a note. Jesus makes mention of Solomon when He states that even Solomon, in all his glory wasn't as well dressed as the lilies of the field made by God.
Will we see Solomon in Heaven? I think so, as even for kings, Salvation is a gift from God, not dependent on works or anything that a man does or doesn't do. No matter how much Solomon (or Doug) screws up, it can't affect Salvation. He or I may arrive in Heaven with no treasures laid up, no extra crowns won by  bearing fruit, living a life pleasing to God, but if we are in, we are in, thanks to the lovingkindness and longsuffering of God. I hope to see you there, too.

Prince Of Peace Makes War

^"33And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. 
³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—" Luke 2:33-34

I don't usually stop in the middle of a sentence; look up the rest of the verse for yourself, and see the context, but the point of the post today is in the final word above, 'opposed'.
Opposed doesn't half cover it. Herod the King of Israel started the ball rolling; when the Magi came looking for the Christ, he lost his collective cool-another King? Would he lose his Kingdom to an infant?
Long story short-the Magi found the babe, were warned off of returning to Herod, who sent his soldiers to slaughter all of Bethlehem's male children 2 years and younger.
That's Opposed with a capital 'O'. To no avail, as man and devil can never frustrate the plans of God.
Coming on 2012 and the Lord Jesus Christ is still being opposed by devilish men. My brothers and sisters in Christ around the world are being killed for bearing His name. That Iranian pastor I mentioned a while ago could walk out of prison today (if he can still walk) if he would only deny His Savior.
Opposed. I'll tell you who is opposed, friends. Everyone who does not belong to Christ is His enemy. They (you?) are opposed and defeated.
In His Grace and Mercy He chooses loved ones from the ranks of His enemies and showers Love on them, bringing them into His Kingdom. But only few, and of His choice.
If you grew up in a religious system that swears allegiance to Christ but does not live for Him...guess what?
You are a Herod. You are chaff and not wheat. Goat and not sheep. Stubble to be burned.
Pray that God will extend His Grace to you, shower Mercy on you. Are you opposed to that?

No-You're A Muppet!

It's a Memory Wednesday.  Back before you were born, in the second to the last decade of the past century I was 100 miles from the nearest 'real' rollerskating rink. Middle of Cold Winter, not much to do in our home port...I and a few friends went for it-all the way to Sault St. Marie, Ontario Canada to enjoy a skate.
The highlight of the night was a rinkfull of Canukians (plus three Coast Guardsmen) grooving in circles to
"The Rainbow Connection" from the big hit "Muppet Movie" Exhilarating. So was the ride back with no heat in the car...but it was all worth it. We stopped at the "Big Boy" restaurant in the American Sault. Good times.
There was a closer 'fake rink' in Alpena, Michigan, but too small; we were like dogs chasing our tails.
There's a new Muppet movie out now, but I doubt that it can re-capture the fun of those first movies. 
Tomorrow we celebrate as a nation being Thankful to God for all that we have, and all that He has protected us from. May you have a very good and Thankful Thanksgiving. Make a memory.

Rulers Schooled

^{This is a post about God's dealings with unrighteous rulers:}

⁷    “He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous;     

       But with kings on the throne     He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.
⁸    “And if they are bound in fetters,     And are caught in the cords of affliction,
⁹    Then He declares to them their work     And their transgressions, that they have magnified themselves.
¹⁰    “He opens their ear to instruction,     And commands that they return from evil.
¹¹    “If they hear and serve Him,     They will end their days in prosperity     And their years in pleasures.
¹²    “But if they do not hear, they shall perish by the sword     And they will die without knowledge."

Job 36:7-12

I had mentioned this verse in a discussion last week about those in 'power' who seem to think that they are the top petunias in the garden, that some act up and think they can do anything they want.
Look at the verses above. God is watching the righteous, watching to see how they are being treated by those who hold sway over their lives.
Those rulers-kings, presidents, premiers, straw bosses, etc. have to do right by their constituents, or God, Who sees all and knows all, will whup on them, declaring to them their transgressions. Big Heads.
Because He is a Merciful God, He will open their ear to instruction, and give them a chance to repent.
If they do, well and good. Prosperity. Pleasures.
But no hear-much to fear-sword time. C-yah.
You might ask for examples. King Saul springs first to mind. Pharaoh in Egypt. Adolph Hitler (sidenote-what would the History channel do without Hitler? He's on more shows than Simon Cowell!).
How about King George the 3rd? Nicolae Ceausescu? Mussolini? Are you catching the drift, citizens?
As Christians, we are commanded to obey those placed in power over us, whether they are good or bad or downright evil. We honor God by being good citizens. Which often leads to Christians shooting at Christians, as happens in most wars. It is quite possible that a German Christian ruled by Hitler killed or was killed by an American Christian soldiering under FDR...and that they now stand together in heaven, worshiping God.
I pray for President Obama often-that he will repent of his sins and seek God. I would love to see him in Heaven. I don't want anyone to go to hell.
What's good for the Grander is good also for the commoners-repent and seek God. End your days in prosperity and your years in the pleasures of knowing God. amen.

Don't Want To Live Like A Refugee

HAH! I KNEW I'd seen this act before! This OWS movement-where the alleged poor have-nots complain and revolt against the allegedly rich haves.
History lesson. In 1948 the United Nation created two countries: Trans-Jordan and Israel.
The Arabs living in Israel who did not want to become Israeli citizens booked out of town, left hearth and home and headed for Trans-Jordan.
The powers that were amongst the Arab 'leadership' pushed them back to Israel's border, set them up as political refugees and demanded that Israel be wiped off the map for 'stealing' their homes.
The "Palestinian" refugee camps serve only one purpose: to give the Arab peoples a marker, an aggrieved populace to champion who had been 'dispossessed' of their birthright...which they gave up when they refused to become Israelis.
Want to know a secret? Some of the Arabs stayed, became citizens, have lived under a democracy for over 60 years. They have all of the rights we enjoy here, including the right to worship Allah, and the right to vote.
There are Arab members of the Israeli parliament. Jews can't even set foot in Saudi Arabia, but Arabs in Israel live free.
On to Wall Street. Refugees from Capitalism are being championed by rich Leftists, poor communists and Michael Moore, that old one percenter dissenter.
Yasser Arafat skimmed billions of dollars off of the World support which was supposed to be helping the poor Occupy Israel ragmuffins.
Who will profit from Occupy Wall Street? Not the folks living in the Wall Street, an aggrieved populace with hardly an outlet charge their iPads! Inhumane!
Of course, they go home on weekends... to the Hamptons, while the Union thugs lowest on the graft ladder earn their keep with weekend duty as replacement (scab?) outraged citizens. Joking. Almost.
So-who will profit from this exercise in futility? No one. 40 years from now old Leftists will be applauded in the Party meetings for their OWS efforts in 2011. They might have been assistant substitute teachers in Paducah, but they will claim with pride that they stood up to "THE MAN" on Wall Street. Power to the feeble!

Staff Sgt. Ret.

VETERANS DAY.
On Veterans Day, services usually highlight our elder Veterans, showing old soldiers in uniform, with our flag prominently displayed. That is wonderful, and I look forward to attending a local service.
As a peacetime Veteran myself, I know that my service was important, but is lesser-those who serve during wartime deserve greater honor.
For this post I decided to go a different direct: I searched for photos of "Staff Sgt" and made a graphic of just a few of the results.
Those serving as a Staff Sargent are usually career soldiers-it is nearly impossible to attain that rank in a single term of service.
Look at those faces, friends. We don't know their stories, but after their career service, after they add "Ret." to their rank...I daresay that they will for the rest of their lives honor their country and their comrades in arms by attending both Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances.
I encourage you to do the same.

Peripherally Faithful

Looking for faith in all the wrong places, the Mistaken venture forth to attempt to seize, in their grasp, the hand of God. To see His face with their eyes. To hear His voice, experience His presence, to know Him...on their terms.
Faith is a gift from God, and it is repellent and repulsive to hear the Mistaken claim that they are Christians, just the same as those chosen by God.
But they don't have the faith that is supernaturally gifted by God. So they have nothing. They have faith, indeed, in lesser things, such as being born into a family of Christians, receiving Salvation by being baptized, seeking relics/signs, pegging their faith to what they can see, hear, touch.
Lost.
The Mistaken believe that they can receive God's Blessing by doing something. Even though they have not been chosen by God, they have been assured by their families and churches (who are also lost, blind leading blind) that God's arm can be twisted. That by doing certain works, no matter whether or not they repent of their sins, God can be made to accept them. That they can by their own efforts somehow generate righteousness good enough to win God's favor.
The Mistaken have been lied to all of their lives, and they often reject the truth of the Gospel when confronted with their need for Salvation.
"I'm a Christian, too!" One recently told me.
"We have an unbroken chain of Popes all the way back to Peter!" Said another.
There, I've tipped my hand-you might have thought I was talking about the Pentecostals, who seek after gifts and signs as earnestly as the crowds following Jesus in His day. Some other time.
The Mistaken are not collected under the single umbrella of one denomination. It's raining brollys. 
Faith in churches will send you to hell just as quickly as faith in Islam.
May God 'wake you up' to your actual condition and need for true Faith.

A sunrise, taken from the top of a water tower. The past few dawns I've seen some amazing views rivaling this picture.
I appreciate all that God has given me, including ten more years since I took this picture.
I was watching a documentary today on Humphrey Bogart, hosted by his son. (Sidenote-I LOVE DVR and TCM!)
Born wealthy, ruggedly handsome, eventually a movie star who had it all...
Four wives, chronic alcoholism and Cancer, which took him when he was six years older than I am right now.
God decides the number of each of our days; I'm ready to go, but until I can serve Him in Heaven, I will do what I can to serve Him here.
Appreciate what you have from the hand of God. Thank Him even for the hard times, as Paul did from his prison cell, Richard Wurmbrand from his, as Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani does today in Lakan, Iran.
Bogart 'played' heroes and villains, but they exist for real in our world today, and God decides who fills each role. It is good to be Blessed by God.
 

Putting a Face With A Name

Hello out there in internetsland. Enough with the politics for now, though this subject does kinda sorta bump up against the same.
Pictured is Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, under a death sentence for leaving Islam and refusing to reject Jesus Christ. Living under theocratic rule (at its despotic worst) Nadarkhani may die for his faith.
I imagine he could be praying Psalm 59: 1-5, 12-13, 16-17
^"1    Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.
²    Deliver me from those who do iniquity  And save me from men of bloodshed.
³    For behold, they have set an ambush for my life; Fierce men launch an attack against me,  Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O LORD,
⁴    For no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me.  Arouse Yourself to help me, and see!
⁵    You, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, Awake to punish all the nations; Do not be gracious to any who are treacherous in iniquity. Selah."
I and many others are praying for him and for our brothers and sisters around the world facing death for belonging to Christ. Their hope is my hope. Their Savior is my Savior. And we all look forward to the day of our Lord's return.

^"12    On account of the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips,     Let them even be caught in their pride,     And on account of curses and lies which they utter.
^13    £Destroy them in wrath, destroy them that they may be no more;     That men may know that God rules in Jacob     To the ends of the earth. Selah."

^"16    But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength;     Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning,     For You have been my stronghold     And a refuge in the day of my distress.
¹⁷    O my strength, I will sing praises to You;     For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness."

Anchor Rancor

Even in photographs he slides to the Left.
I was just thinking about President Obama's support for "Occupy Wall Street". He was the first to so 'occupy' the Street by way of corporate 'bailouts' and the 'taking over' of car companies. He set the CEO pay for companies tangled in his web at $500,000.00. Half a million dollars compensation.
Do the sidewalk geeks of OWS remember that? That the President who is praising their efforts thought that half a million dollars per year for CEOs was fair?
I bring this up because of a recent reminder as to the inart of failed argument:
People arguing facts against people arguing emotions is a waste of time. There is no middle. The people arguing from the emotions (in this case OWS) don't care about the facts. Those arguing from the facts (or truth/reality/the real deal/me) will be unmoved by emotional arguments. Both sides will be better served by not arguing.
Looking ahead, the misshambles of the Left's attempt to 'fix' healthcare (which you will never hear a whisper about until after the election) is being taken apart by courts deeming parts of "The Plan" unconstitutional.
The Left has expended so much political capital and MONEY to make this happen, with nothing to show for all of their efforts (hopefully) that they have lost the American public. It was never about healthcare and reining in costs. It was always about Control, and the American people kinda like thinking for themselves.
President Obama, in my opinion, will not carry 10 states in 2012. Every policy of his which has been implemented hurts America. Jimmy Carter must be cackling from the grave. (I know he's still alive, sorta)

Evict the "Occupy White House" Protestants

Documentatians are pinning their "Oscar" hopes on the lamest protest since my seventh grade 'irregulars' showed disdain for authority by taking the pennies out of our penny loafers-RADICALS!
Lech Walesa is looking into a lawsuit against President Obama for attempting to 'co-opt' "Solidarity".
Walesa's reasoning is that his Solidarity movement was attempting to break up communist rule; President Obama is heading the other direction.
Obama's LOVE for (and solidarity with) the anti-Capitalist whine-mongers shows where his dried up tiny little heart lies.
Speaking of lies, I'm still not ready for the political season of electioneering. This post is more about President Obama's standing shoulder to shoulder with inane financial anarchists than his many political sins. Others can point out those demerits.
This is about the ridiculosity of a man who has become wealthy by pointing a bony finger of shame at 'Capitalism'...who cheers on morons wearing designer clothes, carrying ipods and expensive cell phones who stage a sit-in of Wall Street.
Think about this. These 'Occupy Wall Street' nimrods gnash their teeth at banks and financial markets.
They wear stupid signs and chant slogans complaining about the fictive "1%" being evil.
Really? 1%? I would LOVE for only 1% of any group to be evil! But of course their flawed math skills seem to conflate the idea that there is some sort of sainthood bestowed on them for being part of the '99%'.  Because they've suffered so much. The scar marks from the whips and chains from the 1% are still...I'm sorry! No marks on them at all! Silly me!
Okay-they don't like banks. But I would bet you that they have bank accounts, and some presence in financial markets as individuals. I would give a crisp one hundred dollar bill for a picture of an "Occupy Wall Street" protestant at an ATM getting lunch money.
They also seem to hate Capitalism, which is the part which would warm the cockles of President Obama's heart if flint could burn.
The clothes on their backs are there because of Capitalism. The houses/apartments where they live exist because of Capitalism. They have food in their kitchens because of do I really need to repeat myself?
One TV talking head I saw suggested that this Occupy movement is being ginned up to distract the country from the lousy job that President Obama and Congress have been doing ahead of an election year.
It won't help. I think that President Obama will be defeated next year.
My advice to the "OWS" protestants is: get jobs. If there are no "ACCEPTABLE" jobs where you live, don't whine-lower your standards or move to where there are jobs. At one time in my soiled past I was working one full time and two part time jobs to 'make it.' Get to work.
Addendum de dum dumb: I found this picture on reddit-Jordanian communists showing support for OWS.
Think about that. Athiestic Muslim communists are thrilled by the fools and whiners who would tear down Capitalism if they had any grip strength in their fou fou hands. Ridicuable!

Man Can't Manage To Manage Man

"Actress Marzieh Vafamehr has been sentenced to a year in jail and 90 lashes for her role in a film about the limits imposed on artists in the Islamic republic, an Iranian opposition website reported Sunday.

"A verdict has been issued for Marzieh Vafamehr, sentencing her to a year in jail and 90 lashes," Kalameh.com reported."

There's more to the story, and I encourage you to check it out-this isn't a news site, but I saw this this morning, and it ties in with the post percolating in my brain, so...

Muslims don't take kindly (kindly might not be in their dictionary) to Christians attempting to share the Gospel with any Muslim. You may have heard the reports recently of the former Muslim who is now a
Christian pastor in Iran-he is under a death sentence for the 'crime' of leaving Islam. When the Iranian authorities heard grumblings from the international community about their making a bad showing...they changed the story and said that he raped someone. No-one raises ruckus over rapists, right?

Yesterday in church we had a visit from a member of Gideons International, who made the point that the Bible is verboten in most Islamic countries.

Dreaming the impossible dream, these Muslims think that they can keep God out of their countries. Not going to happen. 

"Brother Andrew" smuggled Bibles in behind the Iron Curtain during the colder war. Underground "illegal" churches flourish in China, according to the group "Voice Of The Martyrs". The fact that a homegrown Iranian Christian pastor is imprisoned in Iran is evidence that God has people there.

So, these Islamic Quaknuckleheads think that they can keep the Gospel from their peoples? They think that they can manage to manage Man? 

Listen to what God is going to do:

"⁶And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; 

⁷and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”" Revelation 14:6,7

Oh sure, they can confiscate your study Bible at Iranian customs, but what will they do with an angel declaring the Gospel from the heavens?
"UH, Mohammed has declared that it is a sin to look up! DO NOT LOOK UP! COVER YOUR EARS, TOO!"

Who Put the Fun In Fundamentalist?

Well, this is a first for FDW, at least in my memory. I'm eating cold worm soup right out of the can.
I've had a problem this past week with a friend regarding my post "What Discern Meant".
We differ on a few issues. I invited his comment on the post, and the can of worms opened and dumped out is all my fault. I apologized, and have done everything I can to avoid further argument. The last thing I am doing is changing this post, getting rid of all those links. 
Peace and out.

What Discern Meant?

Check this out from Paul:

"¹¹But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 
¹²For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. 
¹³The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. 
¹⁴But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?" Galatians 2:11-14

This post isn't about living like Jews, or the hypocrisy demonstrated by Peter. Well, kinda sorta-read on.
Look at Barnabas. He was lacking in discernment, but, in his defense, look at what he had to deal with:
Peter, the friend of Jesus who walked with Him, had sat at His feet, leader of the Jerusalem church...was in error.
Big Pete. The Man. The legend. Error plagued sinner.
Barnabas had accepted 'as Gospel' that Peter was shooting straight. If Peter shunned the Gentile Christians to please the Jewish Christians, who was Barnabas to say different?
Well, he was a Christian. God imparts discernment as one of the gifts of the Spirit. If he had inquired of God regarding Peter's actions, he wouldn't have joined in Peter's hypocrisy.
But he didn't and he was and it was a failing; thank God for Paul! He knew what it meant to oppose Peter-he risked splitting the Jerusalem church, actually all of Christianity-but he didn't hesitate a second.
I've been observing an unfolding drama playing out in our 21st century church-a man, T.D. Jakes, who is considered a heretic by some, a 'Bishop' by others- has been invited to a Christian conference of some great import...but as a heretic, or a brother? To be reasoned with, or welcomed in fellowship? huh.
How can we discern from God whether Jakes is Fakes? Judge him and his fruits against Scripture-my opinion and your opinion are worthless. God sets in His Word clear evidences of who is or isn't a follower of Christ-so if we look into Jakes's theology, measuring it against Scripture, we should know the truth and hopefully be like Paul and not Barnabas.
If T.D. Jakes is a Christian, then this situation mirrors what happened in Antioch as set down by Paul. Get in his face and call him to repent.

If T.D. Jakes is NOT a Christian, if he is indeed a heretic...then he should not be invited to the conference. But it's not my conference, and it's not my call. I'm just observing from the back of the room. Party on, Garth.

The Weekend From Heaven

Well. That's better. I shared in a respite weekend, with no TV/internets/newspapers/world problems/politics.
I sat on a lake with friends, learned from God's Word, and it was all wonderful. May God greatly Bless you today.

Kibitzing God

Do you know what God did yesterday? That's right. We don't know. We can't know.
God is working His plan perfectly, and we must live by faith, secure in the knowledge that God works all things out.
It is quite the guessing game among some to attempt to 'divine' the intents of God. They would jump up and object to the term 'divination'...but there you go.
These some suggest that any nation acting against Israel, for example, will result in condemnation and God's judgement arriving quickly on the doorstep of the offensive nation. Touch Israel and you touch the apple of God's eye. And then you die.
In general, they are right. But in the specific, in the suggestion that doing "THIS" will result in "THAT"...they are attempting to divine the undivinable, to kibitz God's actions and motivations.
Three of Job's four friends thought that they knew the reason for Job's hardships: 'he must have some secret, un-repented sin' for God to afflict him so greatly. They were kibitzing God's motivation, and they were 100% wrong. They were the ones who ended up repenting, asking Job to intercede for them with God.
Look at Luke 13:1-5
¹Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 
²And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? 
 ³“I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 
⁴“Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? 
⁵“I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

 The 'some present', if I read the context correctly, were asking Jesus about God's motivation for allowing the massacre of those Galileans-were they being punished for their sins? Was it God's judgement?

Jesus brings them face to face with the Gospel: ³“I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." 

This Friday the Pale Stinians are going to submit their application to the United Nations for membership.

I haven't read much about this, but I assume that they will declare Jerusalem their capital, claiming as much of Israel as they think they can get away with. 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is just a few years removed from being Arafat's puppet-he is the 'President' of imaginary "Palestine" the same way that Al Capone was once Mayor of Chicago. 

Here's where the "doing "THIS" will result in "THAT" breaks down: It may not be in God's plan for "Palestine" to be judged quickly. They may not suffer a tsunami, a hurricane or a plague of locusts simply because they poke their finger in the apple of God's eye.

^"The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil." God may (and I say MAY, as I cannot divine the Divine) be using Palestine to refine Israel. If so, Palestine will remain a tool in God's hand until He is done with it. THEN comes the Judgement.
Bottom line: we can't determine with any accuracy what God is doing-if we could, we would be God. We know for certain that He glorifies Himself through His Creation. The particulars are up to God.

We All Know What Is Coming

We all know. We all have in mind that the 10 year anniversary of 9-11 is coming up at us.
With all respect to what happened on that terrible day, I am not looking back. I am looking forward.
There will be a day when there are no more Muslims. No politicians. No atheists. When the Lord returns and sets up His Kingdom, all the vainfoolish  imaginings of Man will end. All contrary opinions will be dust in the wind.

The Province Of God

“1 The righteous man perishes, and no man takes it to heart; And devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil,
2 He enters into peace; They rest in their beds, Each one who walked in his upright way.”
Isaiah 57:1-2
I don’t ever want to twist Scripture to say something it doesn’t, but I think that there is a passing truth here worth mentioning. In this chapter of Isaiah God is rebuking the leaders of Israel who did not honor Him, but were evil, living lives of idolatry.
The verses here were an indictment against those leaders, who had no compassion for those who were perishing under their administration. ‘No man takes it to heart’-rather than being good stewards, or shepherds, they were living carnal evil lives, uncaring as to the welfare of their people.
But there is something special, something more in this passage.
“For the righteous man is taken away from evil,
2 He enters into peace; They rest in their beds, Each one who walked in his upright way.”
We live in a world of trouble. When God wills it, he will ‘shorten the days’ of the righteous to rescue them from evil. What is that evil? Burden? How much burden is too much?
We can’t answer-it is all the province of God to decide how much suffering one of His children will endure on this side of death.
“He enters into peace”
Recently a young Christian man committed suicide. His troubled life ended, and he entered into peace.
There are churches which teach that suicide is unpardonable sin, one which would possibly exclude some one from Heaven. They are wrong about a lot of things, including this issue. How we die is never as important as where we go after death. God had decided that that young man had had enough. He brought him home.
As Christians we look to God for our providence. If we are truly His to do with as He wills, we are obedient unto death and beyond. I don’t fear.
May God put in your heart a desire for Him and His righteousness.

_

The Inelegancy Of Manic Wide-eyed Panic

  

The more the ground shakes under one's feet,

the greater the calamitous circumstance...

the greater my faith in God.

A world filled with troubles has one message:

"There is much to fear."

But a heart filled with God's Spirit responds to a different message:

"God Loves you and all will be well."

The certainty in uncertain times is that God stands outside of Time-He knows

the end from the beginning, and assures us that someday all fear/troubles

will be past and forgotten.

May God keep you.

God Controls, Alters and Deletes

Just a genial conversation over malts about a Scripture reference. We didn't have Bibles open, so going on memory I was defending a point which I didn't remember correctly.
Though not stated, it was a question on the idea of 'Eternal Security'-whether or not a Christian could have his name blotted out of the Lamb's book of Life. In the book of Revelation there is mention of this, and, as I said, I got it wrong. My point was that from God's perspective, He knew who would or not be saved, as He was the one doing the saving. So talk of 'blotting out a name' was poetic language, not literal. When I got home I dug in to find the reference:

^"4But you have a few there in Sardis who have kept their clothes unstained, so they will walk with me and will wear white clothes, because they are worthy. 

⁵Those who win the victory will be dressed in white clothes like them. And I will not erase their names from the book of life, but I will say they belong to me before my Father and before his angels. 

⁶Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches." Revelation 3:4-6

God was letting the saints in Sardis who had kept their clothes unstained know that they would walk with Him. He was assuring their security; they need not fear losing their salvation.
But note that Jesus was talking to the righteous in Sardis. He makes no such promise to those elements of the Sardis church who had not lived righteously. He didn't need to blot out their names from the book because they had never been written in.
If Christ caught up His church today, I would love it if my church were represented 100%...as far as I know we would be. But God sees hearts and knows who is or isn't saved. Sardis had "just a few". Hhmmmm.

The God Of Broken Hearts

God was the first one to get His heart broken. Adam and Eve, created to love and commune with Him, instead hid from His sight due to sin.
The record begins there, but continues down through today-this world, fallen, corrupted, is a world of hurt, pain, heartbreak. To be alive is to have had your heart broken at one time or another. God in His Grace restores us, heals our spirit as He would heal our bodies, otherwise who could survive?
Jesus had His heart broken more than once-as you read through the Gospels, you see Jesus being moved by the tears of Mary and Martha when their brother Lazarus had died. He joined in their tears.
Jesus witnessed daily members of His creation who hated Him, rejected His words, at times picked up stones to kill Him. He was there to save them from Hell, and they declared Him to be of hell.
Finally, on the cross Jesus knew the heartbreak of being separated from His Father, who was too pure to look on sin. You might say that it was a "replay" of the separation of God and Adam in the Garden, but this time Jesus experienced it from the side of Adam's humanity.
"My God, My God-why have you forsaken me?" was followed by "It is Finished!"
Because of what Christ accomplished, we can sing the Scripture, "No Tears In Heaven". We will have no more heartbreak-it will all be past and forgotten. I would love to see you there.

I'm a Christian-It's Not Sharia If I Do It

Check your shoes before reading, friends-if I step on any toes, I hope you're not wearing sandals.

First and foremost, a group called the "American Family Association" is doing a bit of toe-stepping of its own, and I am kinda against it. Kinda.

They are Christians behaving very nicely. They oppose many of the same things I oppose, cherish many of the same ideals I espouse. Good guys. White hats. Big smiles.

But I have to get in their business a bit. Hear me out.

The AFA is big on calling out corporations for doing stuff Christians oppose-Sears was (according to AFA) selling pornography on their website, Home Depot is pushing Gay marriage, and they think that maybe, just maybe, Lady Gaga is nuts. (I just threw in the last one-she's goofy)

Well and good, AFA. Call them out. Shout it from the rooftops.

But

Then they call for Christians to boycott the nasty corporations. Wait-what?

Is that the purview of Christians?

Are we to punish someone who is not a Christian for not following Christ? For being worldly in their own world, within which we are merely sojourners?

Can we demand that corporations adhere to Christian morals? Punish if they do not? (hint-they won't. They are incapable of doing right, being righteous.)

I never gave it much thought until listening to Tod Friel's "Wretched Radio" He is the one who suggested that such economic blackmail as AFA is formenting against corporations is a Christian form of Shariah Law. We don't like it when Muslims attempt to make us live by their laws, so...

Lets go to the Bible. The prophet Daniel served under three administrations honorably. When his personal religious space was invaded, he stood strong. But he didn't tell any of the rulers of Babylon that they had to toe the line and worship his God. He didn't tell them to stop carving the fertility totems or he'd organize a work slowdown. He lived for God in an ungodly place.

As do all Christians. 

Here's a funny sidenote-Tod Friel? the Wretched Radio guy? AFA carries his program through their American Family Radio. Funny that.

My bottom line-I live for God, try to do right. But I don't fault the world for being worldly-if Sears and Home Depot were people, members of my church, THEN they would be called to adhere to Godly standards, as our church statement of faith details. But they are of the world, and not under our church discipline.

"But wait, Doug! I'm promoting Christian values when I attempt to make a corporation stop being so evil!"

Okayfine for you-and good luck with that. Maybe next you can empty the ocean with a teaspoon.

So Doug, how about you? You're a sinner with a Sears card in your wallet. I've seen you at Home Depot!

Yup and yup.

Here's what I think. I'm against abortion, so I wouldn't EVER encourage a woman to go to an abortion clinic.

I'm against alcohol consumption, as I see the heartbreak of alcoholism destroying lives...so I don't drink, and don't encourage others to drink. Those are just two of the two of the moral judgements by which I live my life.

But I can't demand that my friends stop drinking because I know it is wrong. That's not my place. That's not for me to decide...for them.

Time On For Bad Behavior/Werewolves of London

Brits gone wilding. Riots and lootings and bricks through windows, oh my.
There doesn't seem to be any reason for all of the violence. I thought we had "Civil" in our Civilization, but maybe this is telling of our true nature: no matter how mannered and modulated our lives, under our collective skins we are still cavemen. Think about it-how do we describe someone who is an example of purity and good?
A Godly person, one like God-loving and peaceful, long-suffering and patient.
What do we see in the streets of London and Manchester? Other.
We ARE responsible for our actions, friends. These looters are not doing themselves any favors, are hurting the society they live in, are sinning against their world and themselves.
I doubt that you will find any Christians among the rioters. Just Other.

USA! USA! AA+! All The Way!

Too broke to joke? Not me, brother- can you spare a trillion?
Those of you in the grey haired set might recognize the riff on the Depression era song, "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?"...or you may not. I'm not that old myself, but I'm a student of bad human history.
So...the Standard and Poors dropped our country's credit rating from AAA to AA+, and I heard this morning that some politicos (you know who they are) are BLAMING the S&P! This is like a bank robber blaming the judge for calling him a thief.
What comes to mind? Ray Charles, of course, with his song, "Busted".

"I went to my brother to ask for a loan cause I was busted

I hate to beg like a dog without his bone, but I'm busted
My brother said there ain't a thing I can do,
My wife and my kids are all down with the flu,
And I was just thinking about calling on you and I'm busted."
Flat broke. Bought the poor farming collective. 
^"19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 
²⁰“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 
²¹for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
So far, our government is both financially and morally bankrupt. 2 for 2.
But the government can't break in and steal my treasure, can't tax it either.
If the company I work for went under, if I lost my job, if my 401k became dust in the wind...I'd still be fine.
My confidence is in God, and He will take care of me. If I starve to death, the best thing happens-I enter Heaven and live face to face with my Savior.
You don't have to take my word for it, though:
^"7But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 
⁸More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 
⁹and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 
¹⁰that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 
¹¹in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:7-11amen.

Imprint Non-sustaining

Try as we might, Mankind (which often isn't) has no effect on God's Creation. We can't deforest the Amazon-God keeps growing trees. We can't use up all the water-He keeps sending more rain.
Look at the picture. The building seen above the fancy car was a small cabin/sauna. All that is left now-a rectangle of cement floor. You didn't even know about the floor until just now, and would never have missed it in any case.
In Vilnus, Lithuania a mass grave was unearthed at a construction site-it turned out to be remnants from Bonaparte's retreat, when Napoleon failed to pick up Russia as a trophy for his Empire. All gone now. After Napoleon it was someone else's turn to play bigshot.
Once upon a time, Germany thought it would be darling if every country in the world was known as "Germany". Nope.
In the physical world, man fails. In Civilization, man fails. Alexander The Great may have had his likeness stamped on coinage, but his influence on the world died with him. You couldn't buy a cup of coffee with those coins today.
However:
God does hold sway over His Creation with style that turns men green with envy. Where Man cannot keep a civilization going for more than a few thousand years, God is Eternal, His Creation will last until He replaces it with one fit for Eternity. Mighty cool.

C.I.K.

Three am. As he watched the well dressed man leave the store and head back to the limousine, Paco took a sip of his coffee, getting ready for what was coming next.
Three minutes later The Man came in and walked up to the counter. Paco met his glowering stare with the ease that came from having worked graveyard at the minimart for three years.
“Carton of Camels, please.”
“Excuse me, sir, but like I told your man, I need to see some money.”
“Listen. You know who I am.”
“Yes, sir. A carton of Camels costs $42.86. Cash only.”
The Man smiled, looked at the nametag and said, “Paco-I’m just a little light tonight. How about you let me use my credit card, and I’ll throw in an autograph?”
Paco pointed to the wall behind him where The Man’s name was prominently displayed on the “Do Not Accept Checks From These Deadbeats” list.
“Already got one, sir. You may be the President of the United States, but at three o'clock in the morning in this store, cash is king.”

Grateful vs Not

Through my friend Chrystal's site I heard of something called "Wretched Radio" hosted by Todd Friel. First I went to iTunes and downloaded samples of the show, and now I get the entire program each weekday. I don't agree with everything they promote (shock), but if nothing else, Todd and company ask and answer thought provoking questions about Christianity and other subjects. I am going to add "Wretched" to my sidebar, so have at it. In the past week he explained his reasons for not voting for Sarah Palin (who isn't even running this time) and Mitt Romney (who is but shouldn't).
He also had an interesting take on Michelle Bachman's contretemps with regard to having belonged to a church which teaches that the Pope is THE Antichrist.
Duh. That's Christianity 101, people. The Pope isn't THE Antichrist, but he does 'lead' a cultic empire that is very much against Christ. Bachman's answer when asked...well, you can go to CBS News or Todd's site to find out what is what.
You might notice that I also have a link to John MacArthur's site, Grace To You. This past week I listened to a set of his sermons which deal with "Slavery" in the Bible and in our history. Good insightful stuff.
As for the title of this post, I was just thinking that the world population can rightly be divided into two camps: Christian and evyboddy else. We are grateful to God and Praise Him for all that He is, all that He has done, and all that He will do. Evvyboddy else doesn't. They aren't grateful to God; they curse Him when they can be bothered to think of Him. That's not faith, that's not being grateful, that's not right.
You are in one of those two camps-you know which one, and so does God. Don't stay among the weeds when you can become wheat. God is funny that way: He accepts sinners into His Kingdom, changing them from death to Live. Just one more thing that I'm grateful for.

Obama Is NOT Hitler!

I hope that no one construed my putting of Hitler and Obama together as my saying that they are similar. May it never be!            
I fixed the picture-now they are both looking to the left.
One major difference between the two gentlemen is that Hitler hated the Jews, and Obama merely wants Israel to disarm and commit cultural suicide. Not the same thing at all!
Hitler met with the Grand Heighdy-ho Mufti of Islam to discuss their common hatred of the Jews-Obama simply declares that Israel must make peace with their neighbors who are trying to exterminate them. Different! Night and day!
Another major stark contrast between Hitler and Obama is that Hitler had control of the media which trumpeted his greatness. We all recognize that the media in our time is scrupulous in their objectivity with regard to President Obama. They never let him 'get away' with any lies or weak attempts at propaganda.
So lets hear no more fuss about comparisons between Barry and Adolf. It's like comparing apples with apples, so there, too.

He Sure Can Give A Great Speech!

The other night I'm watching a History series on the Hitler and the Third Reich. Wow. I had forgotten how BELOVED Hitler was by the German peoples. They tripped over the doorstep of fanaticism right as they came in. He bought their allegiance with a few well-thundered points:

1: They were the greatest people in the world!

2: Everything wrong is the fault of the Jews!

3: They would rule with him over everyone else...FOREVER!

YES, WE CAN go overboard in fanaticism much as the German peoples did. They were as human (and as wrong) as the Arab nuttyboys and girls who decry Israel today, tossing bombs and venom at Jews simply because they exist. The nutties have been sold on the idea that LIFE would be much better for all involved if Jews didn't. Exist. 

I've mentioned it before-this hatred of Jews is spiritual-they (and Christians) are representative of God who is the actual object of the world's hatred. They can't find Him so they beat up on us.

Back to the failed artist. Hitler was a very unhappy man who acted out his unhappiness on the world stage.

Satan can always find unhappy people to promote.

Once upon a time, Alph made a speech and signed a law that:

Jews were no longer citizens of Germany.

That to marry a Jew or to have sexual relations with a Jew were both crimes.

According to the series I was watching, 30% of the funding of the German war effort came from seized Jewish properties.  

If you are wondering about the picture at the top:

Hitler claimed that the Jews had gotten rich at Germany's expense, so it wasn't only religious bigotry but also class warfare that Hitler was promoting.

He demanded that the German auto industry (taken over by the government) create a "people's car" which the common German could afford.

Of course, the very first Volkswagens went to the Nazi party member elite, but there it is. 

Hitler came to power when Germany was suffering a decimated economy still trying to rebuild from WWI.

Today, we are looking out over a weakened global economy-someone following in Hitler's goosestepping footsteps might come to prominence by declaring that: "We are the greatest people in the world! Nothing we do wrong is our fault! Those darned Jews (or Christians. Or Brits. Or Norwegians) got rich at our expense and it's time for some payback! We will RULE!"

Nope. God rules. And all the wannabes Satan enthrones are thrown down. Honest Adolph.

Elide

I learned a new word today. Elide. It's beautiful. Look it up if must.

P'Gell. A contraction, an elide. Will Eisner's "The Spirit" deserves to be made into a movie, a GOOD one, to wipe away the horrible film of Frank Miller a few years ago. There's another one!

MY Arrogance Is Charming!

Endearing. Affirming. Whatever.
I'm arrogant enough for two people half my size...so it all evens out, right?
I was visiting Big Hollywood website today where (once again) Liberals (with a big L) are typecast as humorless about and blind to their own faults and failings, all the while being gleeful about the supposed failings of people like me.
Hey, a laugh is a laugh, and if I can make just one Liberal chortle by stating my conservatism, I can put that in the laugh bank. Not Left Bank-that's in France. Please pay attention.
I don't really have to DO anything to rile up the un-Conservatives. My mere (and I mean mere) existence gives meaning to their empty little lives; without me and my cohort, they would have nothing and no one to oppose.
Think about it-they are so politically correct that they cannot pick on anyone with regard to race, gender, sexual disorientation, or geographical provincialism. They NEED us! The bile would blow their heads off their necks if it didn't have an outlet.
I'm arrogant enough (so to speak), in that I have no doubts about God or my place in His Creation.
A neurotic person unsure of anything can only perceive such confidence as arrogance. So, semantics.
My faith in God informs my politics, my work, my life.
A Liberal's lack of faith in our common God informs everything about them, hence the bile.
I'm going to borrow my old friend Janeane Garafalo for a moment as an example of what I'm talking about.
If Jane triggers your mirth with her standup where she goes all political on Republican targets, if you love her outspokeness with regard to what she sees as hypocrisy on my side...well and good. You know what I'm talking about. You are tuned to her mental radio.
But then something happens. Janeane get saved, meaning that God puts in her a desire for salvation and brings her into His kingdom.
All of a sudden Janeane's faith begins to inform her politics, her work, her life. Just as suddenly you begin to hate on her. The hate seems valid because she's a turncoat; a shining light of Liberalism has been extinguished.
Don't doubt that it couldn't happen. God saved a Pharisee named Saul who was actively destroying the lives of Christians. He wrote approximately one quarter of the New Testament through the inspiration of a Holy God who saves sinners.
Bottom line: Liberalism is a lie, darkness that hates the truth. It inflates man's perception of Man while ignoring God. Give it up while you're still upright. Thank me later in Heaven.

Your Arrogance Is Hilarious

Not to me, of course-I'm just a guy at a keyboard. I'm talking about ARROGANCE towards God and His children. It makes God laugh.

^"12    The wicked plots against the righteous     And gnashes at him with his teeth.
¹³    The Lord laughs at him,     For He sees his day is coming." Psalm 37:12-13 

I've quoted these verses before here at FDW...some things never go out of season.

Read this next part carefully: If Sarah Palin were an atheist, but still (somehow) holding her present political beliefs...she wouldn't face one thousandth of the vitriol she now endures.

If she were a Buddhist, we would hear no outcry that, if elected, she would attempt to change us into a Buddhist country, forcing HER moral code on the populace.  

Let's look back a few years to 2004. John Kerry is a Catholic-do you recall anyone getting riled that Kerry would attempt to enforce a 'Catholic' moral code on us if he won? Nope. Because he is the type of Catholic that protects abortion-a Catholic that even Bill Maher could love. Kerry is of the 'gnashing his teeth at the righteous' persuasion. He makes God laugh.

I don't know if Sarah Palin will run for president. I hope she does, either this time or the next. That would make me happy. That would make you happy too, even if you are a teeth gnasher-your country would be improved, and think of all the snarky anti-Palin books you could buy! How many Liberals got rich by calling President Bush an idiot? A Palin Presidency for them would be like printing money. Who doesn't like money?

Virginia Katherine McMath

Look at Ginger and Fred. They are smiling, dancing, enjoying life. They did their part to cheer us out of the Great Depression, following Shirley Temple's lead by dancing dancing dancing. Almost always with big smiles, perfect rhythm, and Art Deco production designs.
This won't be the only mention of Virginia Katherine McMath that you will see-July 16th is her centennial celebration. I may take down one of their films and watch it tonight.
Funny how these posts go astray sometimes-I was going to write about a modern actor who seems to be full of sour pickles in every interview...but more wag and less bark, and he doesn't deserve to be named in a Ginger and Fred post.
Okay, it's decided: "Swing Time" and "The Maltese Falcon". Ginger and Bogey. That's a night of entertainment!

Humbled

I came across this extraordinary photo while working on a family project-these three brothers were my dad's cousins, the picture taken during the "Great Depression". Hard times. Tough kids.
I've been following a study on the book of Hosea which seems to draw parallels between what Israel and Judah were experiencing and what we may be facing today in our age-prosperity abounding, but the peoples hearts being far from God. This led to the destruction of the northern kingdom (Israel) while the southern kingdom (Judah) was taken away into the Babylonian captivity I mentioned in this post:
http://finedrywit.blogspot.com/2011/06/when-i-close-my-eyes-im-invisible.html
Back to the boys. We had prosperity abounding during the roaring twenties, right up until 1929 when it all went bust. These lads lived the Great Depression.
Carl Sandberg had a parable of those times:
A man walking across a bridge heard cries for help; a man was down in the river.
"Help me!" He cried. "I will miss my shift down at the ironworks!"
The man on the bridge raced to the ironworks only to be told,
"You're too late-the guy that pushed him in is already on the job."
If you are prosperous, if you own your own home, have savings and retirement set...good. Great. But remember that we are only a few generations away from the world these boys experienced. One drought, such as God sent as judgement in the time of Elijah, could bankrupt our world again. Everything you have could become worthless. Dirt poor.
The difference is God. He promises to take care of His children through tough times and even during prosperity. It doesn't matter how rich or poor I am-what matters is my relationship with God. I don't worry about the future; I can see days coming, if I live long enough, when I will become feeble, old, weaker-it happens to all of us. But I don't worry-the same God who saved me loves me and will always take care of me. I pray that He will do the same for you. Hopefully He won't have to send locusts and brimstone to get your attention.

 

I Know Something You Don't Know! Nyah Nyah!

See if this fits your world view: If knowledge is power, then Secret Knowledge is secret power!
The world is suckered again and again by this trick. If I know something that you don't, then I have an advantage over you. Versa Visi also.
Great
Not
Obvious
Secret
Terminologies
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Capabilities

Please Forgive me-I just had it in my head to make a gnostic acrostic. That's how my brain works.
Back to the flame. On the telly they have an entire subgroup of programming where "Secret Knowledge" is picked out like meat from a crab. Free Masons, Rosicrucians, Psychic Pets flipping houses, UFOs, and how Kathy Griffin continues to find work. Amazing! The Stuff THEY Don't Want You To Know!!!
Yeah yeah.
Back in my younger Christian days I read works by a man named Salem Kirban who supposedly had the down low on "Everything" from a Christian perspective. Nope-just another goof. If he were alive today he could make a good living as a talking head 'expert' on the cable/satt shows preposturating "Secret Knowledge".
One of my favorites: "Brad Meltzer's Decoded". Brad and his investigators track down the hidden in plain sight Mysteries of the Secret World.  They have fun. They are fun!
Secret knowledge exposed by the light of the world turns out to be no big deal.
It doesn't matter if the Free Masonist Illiterati Rosy Cross-tatians (forgive me-a crab pun) plan on taking over the world before Dec 21 2012 when it all supposedly ends.
Compare the sum total of all human knowledge against this simple truth: God knows more, and Man is less.
Every cracked pot (see Caractacus, who thumbed his knows at the Romans) thinks that he can 'rule the world'.
Hitler, Napoleon, Alexander, Ben Affl...scratch that...they all took their shot. But no one can 'rule the world' unless they are able to dispossess God, Who owns all of His Creation. And our arms too short to box with God. We're just kids playing in His sandbox. Have fun.

From OUCH!! To HOPE!!!

I just read a quote on my friend Chrystal's site: "Pride is the mother of all heresies."
St Augustine said a mouthful there, but pride is just as much a burden for non-heretics.
Do I see issues of pride in my own life? Yes-my skillset is small, but I can do some things well, and I am as susceptible to "Big Head Syndrome" as anyone.
We are admonished to "Humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord." Pride makes us not want to look at God. We don't want to measure ourselves against His Righteousness.
But there is HOPE. One day, we will be transformed out of these sinful pride-ridden bodies to live in harmony, happily humbled before the throne of God. We won't care then about who has the biggest boat, or  golfed with the fewest strokes, or has bought a new car. We're supposed to be keeping up with Jesus, not the Jonses.

When I Close My Eyes I’m Invisible

Not for really, but it works on the same principle as an ostrich hiding its head in the sand.
I’m nearly invisible now, in a good way-those that knows are regular joes.
Forever grateful that God has made me His child-the older I know, the more I get, all the more I see His workings in my life, in our lives, in our world which is merely His Creation.
A few kind words about Islam. Well, not Islam itself, but the peoples who have bought into that bogus tinny ringtone rendition of religion. They are doing the Lord’s work. You heard me.
“ 5 “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days— You would not believe if you were told.
6 “For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That fierce and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth To seize dwelling places which are not theirs.
7 “They are dreaded and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves.”
Habakkuk 1:5-7
History lesson. God’s own special possession, Judah was behaving ver’ badly, ignoring God and going after strange idols.
For their own good God was about to punish them, sending them off into captivity for 70 years. You remember Daniel in the lion’s den? That Captivity. Those guys.
Chaldeans were Babylonians who are now, in our times, the Iraqi/Iranian/Turkish/ the Stans.
All those mentioned in the last sentence now wear the dirty turban of Islam. They are united in their hatred of Israel, a spiritual hatred not based on anything Israel has done. On the world stage, Israel is as innocent as a lamb, surrounded by Islamic jackals.
So what? What’s the big D, Doug?
Eschatologically speaking-that is, in the period known as the “End Times” God is going raise up those Chaldeans again. They will, according to Scripture, be among the nations threatening to attack Israel with the intention of wiping them out…sound familiar?
God will cause these knucklehead nations to meet together in a staging area called the valley of  Har Megiddo also known as Armageddon.
What we have witnessed in the past 1700 years is that Islam, a counterfeit religion, has had it’s proponents marching across the globe, seizing dwelling places which are not theirs. They are dreaded and feared, and their justice (sharia) and authority originate with themselves.
They are doing the Lord’s work of heating the cauldrons of hatred against Israel. Read Psalm 2 to see how that turns out.