Question - Did you know it was Memorial Day, today?
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the Civil War), it was expanded after World War I to honor dead Americans from all wars.
By 1865 the practice of decorating soldiers' graves had become widespread in the North. General John Logan, National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic--the society of Union Army veterans--called for all GAR posts to celebrate a "Decoration Day" on May 30, 1868. There were events in 183 cemeteries in 27 states in 1868, and 336 in 1869. The northern states quickly adopted the holiday; Michigan made "Decoration Day" an official state holiday in 1871 and by 1890 every northern state followed suit. The ceremonies were sponsored by the Women's Relief Corps, with 100,000 members.
By 1870, the remains of nearly 300,000 Union dead had been buried in 73 national cemeteries, located mostly in the South, near the battlefields. The most famous are the Gettysburg National Cemetery in Pennsylvania and the Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington.
The Memorial Day speech became an occasion for veterans, politicians and ministers to commemorate the war--and at first to rehearse the atrocities of the enemy. They mixed religion and celebratory nationalism and provided a means for the people to make sense of their history in terms of sacrifice for a better nation, one closer to God. People of all religious beliefs joined together, and the point was often made that the Germans and Irish soldiers had become true Americans in the "baptism of blood" on the battlefield. By the end of the 1870s the rancor was gone and the speeches praised the brave soldiers both Blue and Gray. By the 1950s, the theme was American exceptionalism and duty to uphold freedom in the world.
Today, we have mostly forgotten the purpose. We see adds for store sales, food, drink, fun and the list goes on.
I am listening at this writing of a Negro Spiritual, and the words, "My Lord what a morning, when the sun refused to shine."
Do you think we might be close to that day. We have taken almost everything about the history of this nation that means anything out of the textbooks that our children are being taught from. And we are on the road, and almost at our destination of removing God from everything we hold dear.
Can our "ship" continue to take on water and still stay afloat?"
It is a "good day to fly!"
Monday, May 31, 2010
Maybe June
I was planning to take Memorial Day off and just relax. But!! There are too many things happening. First, I check the news this AM to find out the latest on the oil spill when I learned of the attack on the Israeli soldiers when they boarded the Turkish cruise ship. Yesterday, I had learned that activist were trying to breach the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
Apparently, Israel was setup, because this incident is proving to be a real disaster for Israel. The ship was Turkish and it was carrying 500 plus activist who all have an anti-Israel agenda. Through out the Middle East mass rallies were held calling for the destruction of Israel. It is hard to believe that this was not staged. In Turkey over 10,000 rallied within a matter of a few hours. You figure. I am working on an email that I am going to send later today.
It was also reported that Israel has submarines in the Persian Gulf near Iran armed with nuclear weapons. Many experts believe that Iran cannot be allow to complete the development of an atomic arsenal.
The evidence that North Korea sank South Korea's ship with the lost of almost 50 sailors has further increased the potential for a military confrontation. Everyone agrees that North Korea is absolutely unpredictable.
In the mean time the BP's effort to stop the oil spill simply failed. I believe this has the potential of impacting each of us in ways we never dreamed. Many believe the clean up efforts may be more lethal than the spill. I believe we are witnessing the possible banning of all Gulf seafood. Who is to know what the seafood has been exposed to.
Have you noticed that the economy has not been mentioned? Check you email.
Apparently, Israel was setup, because this incident is proving to be a real disaster for Israel. The ship was Turkish and it was carrying 500 plus activist who all have an anti-Israel agenda. Through out the Middle East mass rallies were held calling for the destruction of Israel. It is hard to believe that this was not staged. In Turkey over 10,000 rallied within a matter of a few hours. You figure. I am working on an email that I am going to send later today.
It was also reported that Israel has submarines in the Persian Gulf near Iran armed with nuclear weapons. Many experts believe that Iran cannot be allow to complete the development of an atomic arsenal.
The evidence that North Korea sank South Korea's ship with the lost of almost 50 sailors has further increased the potential for a military confrontation. Everyone agrees that North Korea is absolutely unpredictable.
In the mean time the BP's effort to stop the oil spill simply failed. I believe this has the potential of impacting each of us in ways we never dreamed. Many believe the clean up efforts may be more lethal than the spill. I believe we are witnessing the possible banning of all Gulf seafood. Who is to know what the seafood has been exposed to.
Have you noticed that the economy has not been mentioned? Check you email.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Conservative media fiddle while the military burns
Barney Frank and his friends are rolling their tanks through Congress while everyone is talking about something else. As we reel from one crisis to the next, homosexual activists and their allies are muscling through their agenda, with nary a peep from the nation's conservative talking heads.
This week, their target has been the military. I believe the next thing will be passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would criminalize traditional morality in every workplace with 15 or more employees. After that, they will try to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act. Finally, they aim to pass an "anti-bullying" law that will threaten schools with losing federal funds if they refuse to force kids to read Heather Has Two Mommies and Gloria Goes to Gay Pride. The agenda is breathtakingly ambitious, and would be unimaginable to previous generations.
The Left senses triumph now for two reasons:
First, the Obama-manufactured crisis-a-day has people terrified about where the economy is headed. The sheer magnitude of government takeovers and spending is dominating the Tea Party movement, and in fact, everybody.
Second, homosexual activists and their media enablers have "jammed" the public debate. Hollywood, educators and the media continually deny the truth about homosexuality – that while all people are made in God's image and are entitled to basic human rights – homosexuality is not in-born, is changeable, and is dangerous to the health and well being of individuals, families and communities. The militant advancement of gay activism poses the greatest threat to the freedoms of religion, assembly and speech within our borders.
Why aren't more Americans properly concerned? Perhaps the lack of resolve is because many conservative opinion leaders have run for the tall grass on this issue. By omitting it, they're saying it really isn't important.
When was the last time you heard a frank discussion about this on any of the top conservative talk shows, either on radio or television? Michael Savage is the only prominent talk show host to take it on, and he does it from Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco. With a few exceptions, GOP leaders have been silent.
The gravity of allowing open homosexuality in the military cannot be overstated. It has the potential of destroying the all-volunteer force by discouraging recruitment and retention and shattering unit morale. Recruits would undergo pro-homosexual "sensitivity" training. The already troubling problem of sexual misconduct would increase.
A 1993 report by the chief criminal investigator of the Army summarized 102 cases of homosexual misconduct in the army between 1989 and 1992. Twenty-nine of the incidents occurred in the barracks. Forty-nine incidents involved children. Five involved HIV-positive offenders. Nine occurred in either latrines or showers. Thirty-one cases involved soldiers with "a significant variance in pay grade," such as sergeants preying on enlisted men. And this was during a time when the ban was in effect, including the question at induction, and before Clinton watered down the 1993 law with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." That law, by the way, which Congress passed overwhelmingly, explicitly bars people with the "propensity" to engage in homosexuality.
Reports like the above, and the astronomically higher incidences of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV among homosexual men, are ignored in any discussions of whether to lift the ban.
The liberal media might be expected to reject what God and common sense tell us about sexuality. But there is no excuse for the conservative brain trust to ignore this threat. If the gay rights activists get everything they want, thus transforming morality itself into a form of bigotry actionable under the law, we will see the criminalization of Christianity.
It's already happening in Great Britain, Scandinavia and in Canada, where the perversion of civil rights has led to Christians being hauled before human rights commissions for merely expressing a traditionalist view of sexual morality in public. And it's begun in the U.S. as well, with the Boy Scouts being thrown out of schools, parks and United Way chapters, and a Christian couple fined by the New Mexico Human Rights Commission for declining to photograph a lesbian civil union ceremony. In New Jersey, the state removed the tax exemption for a Methodist seaside gazebo because the church did not want it used for same-sex ceremonies contrary to biblical morality. Equal Employment Opportunity Commissioner Chai Feldblum has said in reference to gay rights, "I'm having a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win."
Former communist David Horowitz recalls that during the '60s, radical leftists determined that if they could destroy the U.S. military, they could destabilize the rest of capitalist America. Two things could accomplish this, they said: Putting women into combat, and opening the armed forces to homosexuality.
Even for non-religious Americans, the strategy – and threat – ought to be clear. It's time to get over fears of being called a "bigot," and to stand up for what's right for our military servicemen and women – and our country.
If conservative opinion leaders won't talk about this, how will the rest of the country rally to defeat this leftist goal? We still can, but the hour is late.
On this Memorial Day weekend, lest we forget, it would be "a good day to fly.'
This week, their target has been the military. I believe the next thing will be passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would criminalize traditional morality in every workplace with 15 or more employees. After that, they will try to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act. Finally, they aim to pass an "anti-bullying" law that will threaten schools with losing federal funds if they refuse to force kids to read Heather Has Two Mommies and Gloria Goes to Gay Pride. The agenda is breathtakingly ambitious, and would be unimaginable to previous generations.
The Left senses triumph now for two reasons:
First, the Obama-manufactured crisis-a-day has people terrified about where the economy is headed. The sheer magnitude of government takeovers and spending is dominating the Tea Party movement, and in fact, everybody.
Second, homosexual activists and their media enablers have "jammed" the public debate. Hollywood, educators and the media continually deny the truth about homosexuality – that while all people are made in God's image and are entitled to basic human rights – homosexuality is not in-born, is changeable, and is dangerous to the health and well being of individuals, families and communities. The militant advancement of gay activism poses the greatest threat to the freedoms of religion, assembly and speech within our borders.
Why aren't more Americans properly concerned? Perhaps the lack of resolve is because many conservative opinion leaders have run for the tall grass on this issue. By omitting it, they're saying it really isn't important.
When was the last time you heard a frank discussion about this on any of the top conservative talk shows, either on radio or television? Michael Savage is the only prominent talk show host to take it on, and he does it from Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco. With a few exceptions, GOP leaders have been silent.
The gravity of allowing open homosexuality in the military cannot be overstated. It has the potential of destroying the all-volunteer force by discouraging recruitment and retention and shattering unit morale. Recruits would undergo pro-homosexual "sensitivity" training. The already troubling problem of sexual misconduct would increase.
A 1993 report by the chief criminal investigator of the Army summarized 102 cases of homosexual misconduct in the army between 1989 and 1992. Twenty-nine of the incidents occurred in the barracks. Forty-nine incidents involved children. Five involved HIV-positive offenders. Nine occurred in either latrines or showers. Thirty-one cases involved soldiers with "a significant variance in pay grade," such as sergeants preying on enlisted men. And this was during a time when the ban was in effect, including the question at induction, and before Clinton watered down the 1993 law with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." That law, by the way, which Congress passed overwhelmingly, explicitly bars people with the "propensity" to engage in homosexuality.
Reports like the above, and the astronomically higher incidences of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV among homosexual men, are ignored in any discussions of whether to lift the ban.
The liberal media might be expected to reject what God and common sense tell us about sexuality. But there is no excuse for the conservative brain trust to ignore this threat. If the gay rights activists get everything they want, thus transforming morality itself into a form of bigotry actionable under the law, we will see the criminalization of Christianity.
It's already happening in Great Britain, Scandinavia and in Canada, where the perversion of civil rights has led to Christians being hauled before human rights commissions for merely expressing a traditionalist view of sexual morality in public. And it's begun in the U.S. as well, with the Boy Scouts being thrown out of schools, parks and United Way chapters, and a Christian couple fined by the New Mexico Human Rights Commission for declining to photograph a lesbian civil union ceremony. In New Jersey, the state removed the tax exemption for a Methodist seaside gazebo because the church did not want it used for same-sex ceremonies contrary to biblical morality. Equal Employment Opportunity Commissioner Chai Feldblum has said in reference to gay rights, "I'm having a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win."
Former communist David Horowitz recalls that during the '60s, radical leftists determined that if they could destroy the U.S. military, they could destabilize the rest of capitalist America. Two things could accomplish this, they said: Putting women into combat, and opening the armed forces to homosexuality.
Even for non-religious Americans, the strategy – and threat – ought to be clear. It's time to get over fears of being called a "bigot," and to stand up for what's right for our military servicemen and women – and our country.
If conservative opinion leaders won't talk about this, how will the rest of the country rally to defeat this leftist goal? We still can, but the hour is late.
On this Memorial Day weekend, lest we forget, it would be "a good day to fly.'
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The High Teck Surveillance Trap Has Beeb Set
After World Wars One and Two, because of the amount of lives that were lost. The EU was form. At first it did not take the shape that it is today. but the idea, that is in effect today, was formed. The thinking was that if the nations banded together, they could prevent any one country waging war against another. They therorized that one country would be discouraged coming against several.
Thus the creation of NATO. This formation was to prevent what had previously happened in Europe, Germany, Poland, etc. In many respects, NATO has become very secretative in their operation. The unofficial power of the present EU rests in 27 individuals that are chosen, not elected. The visible government makes no laws, even though they are elected by the people.
Even when President Obama was sworn into office, one person was not in attendance. Gates was secured in an underground bunker in Virginia, in case a national disaster occurred and took out our government. Thus if that had happened, our country would have been under the command of "one" man. Scary thought isn't it?
Couple that with the fact that every government has the same making, a shadow government that can take over if something happens to the visible one.
Thus we have the making of a one man, in control of a one world government.
But you might ask, "How can one man really take over the government of the world?"
Well, with security cameras, surveillance of your financial transactions, radio frequency spy chips hidden in consumer products, tracking of your internet searches, and eavesdropping on your e-mail and phone calls. Without your knowledge or consent, every aspect of your life is observed and recorded. But who is watching the watchers?
An ultra-secret global elite, functioning as a very real shadow government controls technology, finance, international law, world trade, political power, and vast military capabilities. Those who hold power are invisible to all but a few insiders. Those unrivaled leaders answer to no earthly authority, and they won't stop until they control the world.
With groups like the Builderbergers, Tri Lateral Commission, The Club of Rome, The Council on Foreign Relations, they are working behind the scenes to destroy America and merge it into the coming global government.
Never have we lived in a day as today, Never have we seen so much happen so quickly.
Our country is "less" secure today, tha before 9/11.
But, there is hope. And it is only found in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Are you ready to meet Him?
It is a "good day to fly."
Thus the creation of NATO. This formation was to prevent what had previously happened in Europe, Germany, Poland, etc. In many respects, NATO has become very secretative in their operation. The unofficial power of the present EU rests in 27 individuals that are chosen, not elected. The visible government makes no laws, even though they are elected by the people.
Even when President Obama was sworn into office, one person was not in attendance. Gates was secured in an underground bunker in Virginia, in case a national disaster occurred and took out our government. Thus if that had happened, our country would have been under the command of "one" man. Scary thought isn't it?
Couple that with the fact that every government has the same making, a shadow government that can take over if something happens to the visible one.
Thus we have the making of a one man, in control of a one world government.
But you might ask, "How can one man really take over the government of the world?"
Well, with security cameras, surveillance of your financial transactions, radio frequency spy chips hidden in consumer products, tracking of your internet searches, and eavesdropping on your e-mail and phone calls. Without your knowledge or consent, every aspect of your life is observed and recorded. But who is watching the watchers?
An ultra-secret global elite, functioning as a very real shadow government controls technology, finance, international law, world trade, political power, and vast military capabilities. Those who hold power are invisible to all but a few insiders. Those unrivaled leaders answer to no earthly authority, and they won't stop until they control the world.
With groups like the Builderbergers, Tri Lateral Commission, The Club of Rome, The Council on Foreign Relations, they are working behind the scenes to destroy America and merge it into the coming global government.
Never have we lived in a day as today, Never have we seen so much happen so quickly.
Our country is "less" secure today, tha before 9/11.
But, there is hope. And it is only found in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Are you ready to meet Him?
It is a "good day to fly."
Monday, May 24, 2010
Wonderful News Today
The stock market took a big dive this past week, but the turbulent markets bounced off their lows Monday after an industry group said existing home sales rose last month by more than economists had forecasted.
But stocks are set to resume their slide Monday as investors remain jittery about the strength of Europe's financial stability. Futures are sharply lower. The expected drop at the open comes after a tumultuous week that saw major U.S. indexes post their biggest one-day losses of the year on Thursday only to rebound and rise Friday. Still, major indexes have been hit hard in recent weeks as investors continue to worry about European sovereign debt problems.
Major European indexes all fell Monday following a bailout over the weekend of a regional bank in Spain, one of the countries already dealing with ballooning deficits. The Bank of Spain stepped in to bail out Cajasur after it failed to complete a merger. It was only the second time Spain's central bank stepped in to bail out a regional lender.
BP says it's doing all in its power to stop oil disaster — but Obama administration officials aren't too sure.
Newspaper sting catches U.K.'s Sarah Ferguson offering to sell access to ex-hubby Prince Andrew for about $750G.
Jamaica declares state of emergency in the city of Kingston as thugs loyal to alleged drug lord Christopher 'Dudus' Coke torch police station and trade gunfire with security forces.
SAN'A, Yemen -- Tribal gunmen kidnapped two American tourists in Yemen on Monday and are demanding the release of a jailed tribesman for the pair, security officials said.
Having placed 50 percent of America's economy under government control, the Obama administration is now angling for a tighter grip on the financial sector. The operative word is "fairness," which is shorthand for Obama's famous campaign promise to "spread the wealth around."
When critics said that this remark to "Joe the Plumber" displayed Obama's socialist leanings, Obama justified it by citing Scripture:
"My Bible tells me there is nothing wrong with helping other people," said then-Sen. Obama. "That we want to treat others like we want to be treated. That I am my brother's keeper, and I am my sister's keeper. I believe that."
But Obama, who once dismissed the Bible's relevance to politics, saying, "People haven't been reading their Bibles lately," may need to go reread his Engels. Co-author with Karl Marx of The Communist Manifesto, Friedrich Engels knew better than Obama about collectivism's clash with Christianity, stating, "...if some few passages of the Bible may be favourable to Communism, the general spirit of its doctrines is, nevertheless, totally opposed to it ...."
Despite Engels and Marx (who dismissed religion as the "opium of the people"), Obama and many others still manage to see socialism in the Bible. They point to the early church which, at first glance, seems like a model socialist community. The New Testament reports that these first believers "had all things in common" (Acts 4:32) and "all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need" (Acts 4:34-35).
But unlike socialism, the sharing was voluntary, not coerced, and the money was given not to the state, but the church. As Southern Baptist leader Richard Land puts it, "It's one thing for you to give out of compassion to someone who's less fortunate. It's an entirely different thing for the government to confiscate your property and give it to someone else."
While the Bible asserts property rights and the rights of inheritance, socialism assaults them.
Oh, I almost forgot the good news. It sure is "a good day to fly."
But stocks are set to resume their slide Monday as investors remain jittery about the strength of Europe's financial stability. Futures are sharply lower. The expected drop at the open comes after a tumultuous week that saw major U.S. indexes post their biggest one-day losses of the year on Thursday only to rebound and rise Friday. Still, major indexes have been hit hard in recent weeks as investors continue to worry about European sovereign debt problems.
Major European indexes all fell Monday following a bailout over the weekend of a regional bank in Spain, one of the countries already dealing with ballooning deficits. The Bank of Spain stepped in to bail out Cajasur after it failed to complete a merger. It was only the second time Spain's central bank stepped in to bail out a regional lender.
BP says it's doing all in its power to stop oil disaster — but Obama administration officials aren't too sure.
Newspaper sting catches U.K.'s Sarah Ferguson offering to sell access to ex-hubby Prince Andrew for about $750G.
Jamaica declares state of emergency in the city of Kingston as thugs loyal to alleged drug lord Christopher 'Dudus' Coke torch police station and trade gunfire with security forces.
SAN'A, Yemen -- Tribal gunmen kidnapped two American tourists in Yemen on Monday and are demanding the release of a jailed tribesman for the pair, security officials said.
Having placed 50 percent of America's economy under government control, the Obama administration is now angling for a tighter grip on the financial sector. The operative word is "fairness," which is shorthand for Obama's famous campaign promise to "spread the wealth around."
When critics said that this remark to "Joe the Plumber" displayed Obama's socialist leanings, Obama justified it by citing Scripture:
"My Bible tells me there is nothing wrong with helping other people," said then-Sen. Obama. "That we want to treat others like we want to be treated. That I am my brother's keeper, and I am my sister's keeper. I believe that."
But Obama, who once dismissed the Bible's relevance to politics, saying, "People haven't been reading their Bibles lately," may need to go reread his Engels. Co-author with Karl Marx of The Communist Manifesto, Friedrich Engels knew better than Obama about collectivism's clash with Christianity, stating, "...if some few passages of the Bible may be favourable to Communism, the general spirit of its doctrines is, nevertheless, totally opposed to it ...."
Despite Engels and Marx (who dismissed religion as the "opium of the people"), Obama and many others still manage to see socialism in the Bible. They point to the early church which, at first glance, seems like a model socialist community. The New Testament reports that these first believers "had all things in common" (Acts 4:32) and "all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need" (Acts 4:34-35).
But unlike socialism, the sharing was voluntary, not coerced, and the money was given not to the state, but the church. As Southern Baptist leader Richard Land puts it, "It's one thing for you to give out of compassion to someone who's less fortunate. It's an entirely different thing for the government to confiscate your property and give it to someone else."
While the Bible asserts property rights and the rights of inheritance, socialism assaults them.
Oh, I almost forgot the good news. It sure is "a good day to fly."
Friday, May 21, 2010
Jerusalem: The Burdensome Stone
As President Barack Obama has now officially brought the United States into the ranks of the Alliance of Civilizations, (see story on the Latest News page) a UN organization started in 2006 with the publicized goal of bridging the gaps between Muslim and Western civilizations, I believe it will only further drive a wedge between America and the Jewish state, and further embolden the enemies of both Israel and the US.
As prophesied, Jerusalem is where world's plans are dashed to pieces. Jerusalem is increasingly becoming the make-or-break focal point of the Middle East peace process.
The nations and the spiritual powers behind them have plans for Israel, but so does the Lord. And just as God vowed through the prophet Zechariah some 2,500 years ago (Zechariah 12:3), He will use Jerusalem as the burdensome, immovable stone against which the nations and their plans will be dashed to pieces.
It seems that the political tug-of-war between Israel and the nations will never end.
In every generation, new enemies arise to fight against the Jews, determined to persist until Israel is either defeated or destroyed. But their plans are held back by the finger of God who remains faithful to His people. Some 3,700 years ago, the patriarch Jacob chose one of his 12 sons as his favorite, filling his siblings with jealousy, especially when a special gift was bestowed upon Joseph—the famous multi-colored robe. Today God has created a similar situation among the nations. He has chosen tiny Israel and given it a present no other people received: the promise of its own land.
Ever since, the nations have been stung with jealousy. And jealousy leads to conflict. It isn’t the Jewish settlements that are causing the Arab countries to hate Israel. That is only the latest political expression of a burning jealousy.
Before the State of Israel was established in 1948 there were no Jewish settlements, yet 6 million Jews were murdered during World War II. Then there was a different excuse for hating the Jews. Over the centuries, the Christians persecuted the Jews because they “killed God,” and the Muslims because they would not embrace Islam.
Today, it seems that the whole world is pulling with much greater strength against tiny Israel in this tug-of-war, but with the finger of God holding down the rope on Israel’s side, victory is assured.
The battle may look bleak at the moment, but the last chapter tell about the victory.
It sure looks like "a good day to fly."
As prophesied, Jerusalem is where world's plans are dashed to pieces. Jerusalem is increasingly becoming the make-or-break focal point of the Middle East peace process.
The nations and the spiritual powers behind them have plans for Israel, but so does the Lord. And just as God vowed through the prophet Zechariah some 2,500 years ago (Zechariah 12:3), He will use Jerusalem as the burdensome, immovable stone against which the nations and their plans will be dashed to pieces.
It seems that the political tug-of-war between Israel and the nations will never end.
In every generation, new enemies arise to fight against the Jews, determined to persist until Israel is either defeated or destroyed. But their plans are held back by the finger of God who remains faithful to His people. Some 3,700 years ago, the patriarch Jacob chose one of his 12 sons as his favorite, filling his siblings with jealousy, especially when a special gift was bestowed upon Joseph—the famous multi-colored robe. Today God has created a similar situation among the nations. He has chosen tiny Israel and given it a present no other people received: the promise of its own land.
Ever since, the nations have been stung with jealousy. And jealousy leads to conflict. It isn’t the Jewish settlements that are causing the Arab countries to hate Israel. That is only the latest political expression of a burning jealousy.
Before the State of Israel was established in 1948 there were no Jewish settlements, yet 6 million Jews were murdered during World War II. Then there was a different excuse for hating the Jews. Over the centuries, the Christians persecuted the Jews because they “killed God,” and the Muslims because they would not embrace Islam.
Today, it seems that the whole world is pulling with much greater strength against tiny Israel in this tug-of-war, but with the finger of God holding down the rope on Israel’s side, victory is assured.
The battle may look bleak at the moment, but the last chapter tell about the victory.
It sure looks like "a good day to fly."
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Is the Bubble About to Burst?
Yes, it's true! The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the organization that "insures" your bank deposits, is officially broke. It ran out of money in early October due to the large number of banks that are continuing to fail.1 This news came in spite of the fact that the FDIC had raised its rates to member banks earlier in the year in an attempt to shore up its dwindling reserves.
When the financial crisis began in September of last year, the FDIC reported that 117 banks were in trouble. Since then approximately 80 percent of the banking companies on that list have gone under. To make matters worse, according to the FDIC the current number of troubled banks has risen to over 400.2 Let's think positive and say that only 50 percent of these institutions will fail during the next year; that could mean the closing of another 200 banks – twice as many as in the last 12 months. (Seven banks failed in just one day on October 23rd.)3
The FDIC has a special arrangement to borrow up to $20 billion of additional funds from the US Treasury in an emergency, but that will only get the agency through a few more months. What happens when that fund dries up?
At some point the American people will realize how dire the circumstances are and, having lost confidence in the system, will seek to withdraw their money before their banks go under as well. If you believe such a scenario is unlikely, consider the fact that the FDIC recently announced it expected to be "in the red" through 2012
As Christians, anything we do to prepare should be done unselfishly, keeping others in mind. If we are in a position to help others when things come crashing down, it will be a strong testimony to those who are unprepared. Difficult times could present unique opportunities to share the gospel of Christ with those who've been unwilling to listen before.
While Christians should be prudent and plan wisely as the Lord directs, our number one focus must be on our relationship with Him. We should use this time to grow in our walk, learning to depend on His direction in every facet of our lives. Just getting our houses in financial order won’t be enough in the days ahead. We will need supernatural discernment and perseverance that only the Holy Spirit can bring. Draw close to Jesus and He will provide the strength you need to stand firm while facing the challenges ahead!
For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
It is definitely "a good day to fly."
When the financial crisis began in September of last year, the FDIC reported that 117 banks were in trouble. Since then approximately 80 percent of the banking companies on that list have gone under. To make matters worse, according to the FDIC the current number of troubled banks has risen to over 400.2 Let's think positive and say that only 50 percent of these institutions will fail during the next year; that could mean the closing of another 200 banks – twice as many as in the last 12 months. (Seven banks failed in just one day on October 23rd.)3
The FDIC has a special arrangement to borrow up to $20 billion of additional funds from the US Treasury in an emergency, but that will only get the agency through a few more months. What happens when that fund dries up?
At some point the American people will realize how dire the circumstances are and, having lost confidence in the system, will seek to withdraw their money before their banks go under as well. If you believe such a scenario is unlikely, consider the fact that the FDIC recently announced it expected to be "in the red" through 2012
As Christians, anything we do to prepare should be done unselfishly, keeping others in mind. If we are in a position to help others when things come crashing down, it will be a strong testimony to those who are unprepared. Difficult times could present unique opportunities to share the gospel of Christ with those who've been unwilling to listen before.
While Christians should be prudent and plan wisely as the Lord directs, our number one focus must be on our relationship with Him. We should use this time to grow in our walk, learning to depend on His direction in every facet of our lives. Just getting our houses in financial order won’t be enough in the days ahead. We will need supernatural discernment and perseverance that only the Holy Spirit can bring. Draw close to Jesus and He will provide the strength you need to stand firm while facing the challenges ahead!
For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
It is definitely "a good day to fly."
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Memorial Day 2010
Memorial Day is coming up and we need to thank God for the men and women who serve our country to preserve freedom.
For many, this day will be a holiday, cook-outs, etc., and many have grown up not really knowing what this day is all about.
As we reflect on the price paid for our freedoms, pray for military chaplains, for the familys whose one or the other spouse is on duty away from them, families that have lost their loved ones in war, for those who fought bravely but have received chronic disabilities; and pray for skill, safety, stamina and strength for our troops serving around the world. Thank God for our country and the blessings that only He could have given. Ask Him to give us grateful hearts to praise and recognize His hand in our history.
Ask God to also give us discernment to understand the times we live in, and to see as opportunities what we might first think are tragedies. For example, the Gulf Coast oil spill is certainly turning the resident’s lives upside down, but God has a plan for good out of a dire dilemma. In times as these, it is difficult to "see the forest for the trees."
We need to pray that people will come come to know Jesus in the midst of crisis.
A key scripture passage comes to mind here, “He will call upon Me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will rescue him, and honor him" (Psa. 91:15, NASB).
For many, this day will be a holiday, cook-outs, etc., and many have grown up not really knowing what this day is all about.
As we reflect on the price paid for our freedoms, pray for military chaplains, for the familys whose one or the other spouse is on duty away from them, families that have lost their loved ones in war, for those who fought bravely but have received chronic disabilities; and pray for skill, safety, stamina and strength for our troops serving around the world. Thank God for our country and the blessings that only He could have given. Ask Him to give us grateful hearts to praise and recognize His hand in our history.
Ask God to also give us discernment to understand the times we live in, and to see as opportunities what we might first think are tragedies. For example, the Gulf Coast oil spill is certainly turning the resident’s lives upside down, but God has a plan for good out of a dire dilemma. In times as these, it is difficult to "see the forest for the trees."
We need to pray that people will come come to know Jesus in the midst of crisis.
A key scripture passage comes to mind here, “He will call upon Me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will rescue him, and honor him" (Psa. 91:15, NASB).
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
'We are already in a military confrontation with Iran
TEL AVIV — Israel's Deputy P.M. Ya'alon: 'We are already in a military confrontation with Iran'
Despite declarations of peace, Israel is actively preparing for a regional war over the next few months.
Hizbullah was said to have established an estimated 160 outposts and bunkers in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel. Military sources said Hizbullah was expected to receive significant support from the U.S.-equipped Lebanese Army, which has deployed air defense systems as well as 15,000 soldiers in the south.
"There is no doubt, looking at the overall situation, that we are already in a military confrontation with Iran," Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon said. "Iran is the main motivator of those attacking us."
"I call the summer of 2010 the tipping point for the Middle East," [Ret.] U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely said. "This could change the whole chessboard over there.
The entire article can be read on the next page.
But this thought crossed my mind; "do you wonder why the Isralies are seeing this, and "our" country doesn't?"
It is looking more like "a good day to fly."
Despite declarations of peace, Israel is actively preparing for a regional war over the next few months.
Hizbullah was said to have established an estimated 160 outposts and bunkers in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel. Military sources said Hizbullah was expected to receive significant support from the U.S.-equipped Lebanese Army, which has deployed air defense systems as well as 15,000 soldiers in the south.
"There is no doubt, looking at the overall situation, that we are already in a military confrontation with Iran," Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon said. "Iran is the main motivator of those attacking us."
"I call the summer of 2010 the tipping point for the Middle East," [Ret.] U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely said. "This could change the whole chessboard over there.
The entire article can be read on the next page.
But this thought crossed my mind; "do you wonder why the Isralies are seeing this, and "our" country doesn't?"
It is looking more like "a good day to fly."
Monday, May 17, 2010
Israel: Two-state solution doesn't address core problem
Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon on Sunday said the United States and the international community are going about making peace between Israel and the Arabs all wrong by focusing almost solely on the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In remarks to The Jerusalem Post on the eve of US envoy George Mitchell's arrival, Ayalon noted that the current US-brokered indirect peace talks seem to have the singular goal of bringing into being a new Arab state on ancient Jewish lands, which Washington and the world thinks will magically make the conflict disappear.
But the birth of a Palestinian state in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip will not result in a "lasting peace," insisted Ayalon. At least not if it is not accompanied by true reconciliation.
"What is needed is reconciliation based on co-existence," Ayalon explained.
The original land-for-peace process ostensibly laid the groundwork for reconciliation and co-existence alongside security and land concessions. But the Palestinians have for nearly two decades ignored or outright refused to honor their commitments to end incitement against Israel and the Jews.
Because of its impatience over brining the peace process to a successful close, Washington has brushed aside these Palestinian violations, or worse, written them off as a justifiable response to alleged Israel provocations.
Ayalon's warning echoed the words of former US President John F. Kennedy when he told the UN General Assembly amid escalating tension with the Soviet Union:
"But peace does not rest in charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. And if it is cast out there, then no act, no pact, no treaty, no organization can hope to preserve it without the support and the wholehearted commitment of all people. So let us not rest all our hopes on parchment and on paper; let us strive to build peace, a desire for peace, a willingness to work for peace, in the hearts and minds of all our people."
"What is needed is reconciliation based on God's Word," and this can't really happen until the "Prince of Peace" is on the throne.
It is "a good day to fly."
In remarks to The Jerusalem Post on the eve of US envoy George Mitchell's arrival, Ayalon noted that the current US-brokered indirect peace talks seem to have the singular goal of bringing into being a new Arab state on ancient Jewish lands, which Washington and the world thinks will magically make the conflict disappear.
But the birth of a Palestinian state in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip will not result in a "lasting peace," insisted Ayalon. At least not if it is not accompanied by true reconciliation.
"What is needed is reconciliation based on co-existence," Ayalon explained.
The original land-for-peace process ostensibly laid the groundwork for reconciliation and co-existence alongside security and land concessions. But the Palestinians have for nearly two decades ignored or outright refused to honor their commitments to end incitement against Israel and the Jews.
Because of its impatience over brining the peace process to a successful close, Washington has brushed aside these Palestinian violations, or worse, written them off as a justifiable response to alleged Israel provocations.
Ayalon's warning echoed the words of former US President John F. Kennedy when he told the UN General Assembly amid escalating tension with the Soviet Union:
"But peace does not rest in charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. And if it is cast out there, then no act, no pact, no treaty, no organization can hope to preserve it without the support and the wholehearted commitment of all people. So let us not rest all our hopes on parchment and on paper; let us strive to build peace, a desire for peace, a willingness to work for peace, in the hearts and minds of all our people."
"What is needed is reconciliation based on God's Word," and this can't really happen until the "Prince of Peace" is on the throne.
It is "a good day to fly."
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Do You Wonder What Can Happen Next
This article comes from Hal Lindsay.
Senior citizens who dine at the Ed Young Senior Citizens Center in Port Wentworth, Georgia, recently got a taste of something they didn't like with their meal. It was the bitter aftertaste of government intervention. Seniors who purchase meals at the center were told that they could no longer offer verbal prayers of thanksgiving or say grace aloud before their meals. Why? Because those meals are federally subsidized. (You know. That whole "separation of church and state" ploy.)
Even though that order was reversed after this week's show was produced, there are still some powerful lessons to be learned in this episode. I wonder what will happen when the federal government becomes the 'single payer' of our healthcare? I don't know about you, but prayer is a vital part of any visit I make to the doctor!
The Left just loves to trot out their misinterpretation of the "wall of separation" anytime anyone mentions God or Jesus. They claim the utterance of those words by anyone remotely connected with any sort of political governing body in the United States constitutes an establishment of religion, which is prohibited by the First Amendment to the Constitution. However, no one complains when it seems that each and every government official who has occupied office since 9/11 loudly and repeatedly proclaims that "Islam is a religion of peace and love." That sounds to me like a theological judgment. How is that NOT an "establishment of religion?" Oh, I see. The "separation clause" applies only to Christianity. I guess it takes a Liberal lawyer or a sitting judge to see it. You know, they're the ones who tell us that just because we don't see it in the Constitution doesn't mean it's not there!
It's often said that you can tell a lot about a man by looking at his enemies. Ever wonder what it is about Jesus Christ that makes so many go berserk? I'll tell you.
Last weekend, President Obama spoke to the graduating class at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia. The man who made the internet a cornerstone of his campaign, tweeted (or twitted?) constantly to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of young fans, and used Facebook and other social media to great advantage, told the graduates that they were facing a new world in which they would be bombarded by too much unfiltered information. Further, the man who won election on the promise of 'change', told them that, unfortunately, the breathtaking change caused by this overload of information couldn't be stopped.
His speech seemed to imply that being exposed to all kinds of arguments is a BAD thing. That it might even threaten democracy. It's a far cry from the time Americans treasured a 'multiplicity of voices.' That expansive variety of thought and expression guaranteed that somehow, some way, the truth would be heard. Apparently, that's not what the Obama administration has in mind. In fact, in the financial reform bill, they're seeking to put control of the internet in the hands of the Federal Trade Commission. Think about the almost total control of every aspect of our lives the government has gained through the misapplication of interstate commerce laws! That's a chilling thought. Of course, that's what it's all about.
I am again reminded of 2 Chronicles 7:14: 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
We need to pray for all of our leaders, right now, every day, and remove the sin from our land. This is our only hope.
It sure is "a good day to fly."
Senior citizens who dine at the Ed Young Senior Citizens Center in Port Wentworth, Georgia, recently got a taste of something they didn't like with their meal. It was the bitter aftertaste of government intervention. Seniors who purchase meals at the center were told that they could no longer offer verbal prayers of thanksgiving or say grace aloud before their meals. Why? Because those meals are federally subsidized. (You know. That whole "separation of church and state" ploy.)
Even though that order was reversed after this week's show was produced, there are still some powerful lessons to be learned in this episode. I wonder what will happen when the federal government becomes the 'single payer' of our healthcare? I don't know about you, but prayer is a vital part of any visit I make to the doctor!
The Left just loves to trot out their misinterpretation of the "wall of separation" anytime anyone mentions God or Jesus. They claim the utterance of those words by anyone remotely connected with any sort of political governing body in the United States constitutes an establishment of religion, which is prohibited by the First Amendment to the Constitution. However, no one complains when it seems that each and every government official who has occupied office since 9/11 loudly and repeatedly proclaims that "Islam is a religion of peace and love." That sounds to me like a theological judgment. How is that NOT an "establishment of religion?" Oh, I see. The "separation clause" applies only to Christianity. I guess it takes a Liberal lawyer or a sitting judge to see it. You know, they're the ones who tell us that just because we don't see it in the Constitution doesn't mean it's not there!
It's often said that you can tell a lot about a man by looking at his enemies. Ever wonder what it is about Jesus Christ that makes so many go berserk? I'll tell you.
Last weekend, President Obama spoke to the graduating class at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia. The man who made the internet a cornerstone of his campaign, tweeted (or twitted?) constantly to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of young fans, and used Facebook and other social media to great advantage, told the graduates that they were facing a new world in which they would be bombarded by too much unfiltered information. Further, the man who won election on the promise of 'change', told them that, unfortunately, the breathtaking change caused by this overload of information couldn't be stopped.
His speech seemed to imply that being exposed to all kinds of arguments is a BAD thing. That it might even threaten democracy. It's a far cry from the time Americans treasured a 'multiplicity of voices.' That expansive variety of thought and expression guaranteed that somehow, some way, the truth would be heard. Apparently, that's not what the Obama administration has in mind. In fact, in the financial reform bill, they're seeking to put control of the internet in the hands of the Federal Trade Commission. Think about the almost total control of every aspect of our lives the government has gained through the misapplication of interstate commerce laws! That's a chilling thought. Of course, that's what it's all about.
I am again reminded of 2 Chronicles 7:14: 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
We need to pray for all of our leaders, right now, every day, and remove the sin from our land. This is our only hope.
It sure is "a good day to fly."
Friday, May 14, 2010
Today's Perspective
This is another example of how the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing
The federal government is considering a lawsuit against a law that the U.S. attorney general hasn't even read.
Recent polls show solid public support for Arizona's new law aimed at cracking down on out-of-control illegal immigration in that state. Polls show more than 70 percent of Arizona residents support the new statute, and more than 60-percent support nationally.
The law drew immediate protests from supporters of illegal immigration, even though it clearly prohibits "racial profiling" -- one of the major criticisms leveled by protestors.
Based on the media coverage of the protests, the Obama administration has indicated it may file a federal lawsuit against Arizona to block the law. On Thursday, Congressman Ted Poe (R-Texas) of the House Judiciary Committee questioned U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder about the administration's plans regarding the controversial law.
Here is what our fine AG had to say.
Poe: "The law is supported by 70 percent of the people in Arizona, 60 percent of all Americans, and 50 percent of all Hispanics, according to the Wall Street Journal/NBC poll done just this week. And I understand that you may file a lawsuit against the law. It seems to me the administration ought to be enforcing border security and immigration laws and not challenge them, and that the administration is on the wrong side of the American people. Have you read the Arizona law?"
Holder: "I have not had a chance...I've glanced at it, I have not read it...."
Poe: "It's ten pages. It's a lot shorter than the healthcare bill, which was 2,000 pages long. I'll give you my copy of it if you'd like to have a copy. Even though you haven't read the law, do you have an opinion as to whether it's constitutional?"
Holder: "I've not been briefed yet. We, as I've said, have had under way a review of the law. I have not been briefed by the people who are responsible for that review."
Poe: "When do you think you will have an opinion as to whether the law is constitutional?"
Holder: "I've used this term a lot, but I think this is accurate: relatively soon. I think that we have to...there has been much discussion about this...."
Poe: "It's hard for me to understand how you would have concerns about something being unconstitutional if you haven't even read the law. It seems like you wouldn't make a judgment about whether it violates civil rights statutes...if you haven't read the law. So can you help me out there a little bit, how you can make a judgment call on that but you haven't read the law and determined whether it's constitutional or not?"
Holder: "What I've said is that I've not made up my mind. I've only made the comments that I've made on the basis of things that I've been able to glean by reading newspaper accounts...television...talking to people who are on the review team looking at the law. But I've not reached any conclusions yet...I've just expressed concerns on the basis of what I've heard about the law."
Wouldn't it be "a good day to fly?"
The federal government is considering a lawsuit against a law that the U.S. attorney general hasn't even read.
Recent polls show solid public support for Arizona's new law aimed at cracking down on out-of-control illegal immigration in that state. Polls show more than 70 percent of Arizona residents support the new statute, and more than 60-percent support nationally.
The law drew immediate protests from supporters of illegal immigration, even though it clearly prohibits "racial profiling" -- one of the major criticisms leveled by protestors.
Based on the media coverage of the protests, the Obama administration has indicated it may file a federal lawsuit against Arizona to block the law. On Thursday, Congressman Ted Poe (R-Texas) of the House Judiciary Committee questioned U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder about the administration's plans regarding the controversial law.
Here is what our fine AG had to say.
Poe: "The law is supported by 70 percent of the people in Arizona, 60 percent of all Americans, and 50 percent of all Hispanics, according to the Wall Street Journal/NBC poll done just this week. And I understand that you may file a lawsuit against the law. It seems to me the administration ought to be enforcing border security and immigration laws and not challenge them, and that the administration is on the wrong side of the American people. Have you read the Arizona law?"
Holder: "I have not had a chance...I've glanced at it, I have not read it...."
Poe: "It's ten pages. It's a lot shorter than the healthcare bill, which was 2,000 pages long. I'll give you my copy of it if you'd like to have a copy. Even though you haven't read the law, do you have an opinion as to whether it's constitutional?"
Holder: "I've not been briefed yet. We, as I've said, have had under way a review of the law. I have not been briefed by the people who are responsible for that review."
Poe: "When do you think you will have an opinion as to whether the law is constitutional?"
Holder: "I've used this term a lot, but I think this is accurate: relatively soon. I think that we have to...there has been much discussion about this...."
Poe: "It's hard for me to understand how you would have concerns about something being unconstitutional if you haven't even read the law. It seems like you wouldn't make a judgment about whether it violates civil rights statutes...if you haven't read the law. So can you help me out there a little bit, how you can make a judgment call on that but you haven't read the law and determined whether it's constitutional or not?"
Holder: "What I've said is that I've not made up my mind. I've only made the comments that I've made on the basis of things that I've been able to glean by reading newspaper accounts...television...talking to people who are on the review team looking at the law. But I've not reached any conclusions yet...I've just expressed concerns on the basis of what I've heard about the law."
Wouldn't it be "a good day to fly?"
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Latest News Postings
Things are moving very quickly these days.
Roadside signs and billboards put up as part of a new public relations campaign in the Palestinian Authority-controlled territories are hailing US President Barack Obama as the savior of the Palestinian Arabs. The signs read: "Barack Obama, free us from slavery, occupation and the settlements."
As part of the campaign, individual Palestinians have also been sending emails to Obama's personal address, urging him to become a true historical hero by freeing them from what they call Israeli oppression.
US President Barack Obama on Tuesday gently requested that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas "do everything he can" to prevent anti-Israel incitement in the Palestinian Authority. The request came during a telephone conversation between the two leaders, during which Obama apparently failed to address the fact that most anti-Israel incitement comes from official Palestinian Authority organs under Abbas' direct control, such as the public school system and PA TV.
His approach to Abbas starkly contrasted Washington's hostile handling of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over continued Jewish construction in parts of Jerusalem claimed by the Palestinians. The difference between the two issues is that Israel never committed to stop building in Jerusalem, while the Palestinians long ago promised to stop encouraging their people, and most importantly their children, to kill Jews.
Obama also urged a renewal of direct peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and said he looked forward to hosting Abbas at the White House in the near future.
Israel's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday accused Russia of hypocrisy after Moscow joined Turkey in calling for the official inclusion of Hamas in the Middle East peace process.
Israel, like most Western governments, defines Hamas as a terrorist organization, and as such refuses to negotiate with it. But Russia and Turkey insist that Hamas is a major player in the region that must be taken seriously, regardless of its bloodthirsty methods and its stated desire to destroy Israel.
In a statement released to the press, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman reminded Russia that Hamas is no different than Chechen terrorists it refuses to negotiate with.
"Israel always stood behind Russia in its fight against Chechen terrorism, and would have expected similar treatment regarding Hamas terrorism against Israel," read the statement. "It is forbidden for enlightened countries to divide terrorists into good and bad ones on the basis of geography."
A battle is also brewing over S.B. 1070 - the controversial immigration bill signed into law by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer ... and now, the federal government has stepped into the fray.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is threatening to file a lawsuit against Arizona for enforcing their own immigration policy ... for attempting to defend their state borders from the drug wars taking place.
On top of that, the United Nations (U.N.) has also stepped in - saying Arizona's new immigration policy is violating international law.
There is no question that this debate boils down to political correctness versus the Constitution. And absolutely NO provision of the Constitution is being violated by Arizona's immigration policy.
We need to be in much prayer and stand with Arizona keep the Constitution from being watered down by political correctness.
What we are witnessing is the setting up of a "one world government." And if we see those in the economical and religious areas getting on-board, we had better make sure that our "ticket" is in our hand, because it is going to be "a good day to fly."
Roadside signs and billboards put up as part of a new public relations campaign in the Palestinian Authority-controlled territories are hailing US President Barack Obama as the savior of the Palestinian Arabs. The signs read: "Barack Obama, free us from slavery, occupation and the settlements."
As part of the campaign, individual Palestinians have also been sending emails to Obama's personal address, urging him to become a true historical hero by freeing them from what they call Israeli oppression.
US President Barack Obama on Tuesday gently requested that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas "do everything he can" to prevent anti-Israel incitement in the Palestinian Authority. The request came during a telephone conversation between the two leaders, during which Obama apparently failed to address the fact that most anti-Israel incitement comes from official Palestinian Authority organs under Abbas' direct control, such as the public school system and PA TV.
His approach to Abbas starkly contrasted Washington's hostile handling of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over continued Jewish construction in parts of Jerusalem claimed by the Palestinians. The difference between the two issues is that Israel never committed to stop building in Jerusalem, while the Palestinians long ago promised to stop encouraging their people, and most importantly their children, to kill Jews.
Obama also urged a renewal of direct peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and said he looked forward to hosting Abbas at the White House in the near future.
Israel's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday accused Russia of hypocrisy after Moscow joined Turkey in calling for the official inclusion of Hamas in the Middle East peace process.
Israel, like most Western governments, defines Hamas as a terrorist organization, and as such refuses to negotiate with it. But Russia and Turkey insist that Hamas is a major player in the region that must be taken seriously, regardless of its bloodthirsty methods and its stated desire to destroy Israel.
In a statement released to the press, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman reminded Russia that Hamas is no different than Chechen terrorists it refuses to negotiate with.
"Israel always stood behind Russia in its fight against Chechen terrorism, and would have expected similar treatment regarding Hamas terrorism against Israel," read the statement. "It is forbidden for enlightened countries to divide terrorists into good and bad ones on the basis of geography."
A battle is also brewing over S.B. 1070 - the controversial immigration bill signed into law by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer ... and now, the federal government has stepped into the fray.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is threatening to file a lawsuit against Arizona for enforcing their own immigration policy ... for attempting to defend their state borders from the drug wars taking place.
On top of that, the United Nations (U.N.) has also stepped in - saying Arizona's new immigration policy is violating international law.
There is no question that this debate boils down to political correctness versus the Constitution. And absolutely NO provision of the Constitution is being violated by Arizona's immigration policy.
We need to be in much prayer and stand with Arizona keep the Constitution from being watered down by political correctness.
What we are witnessing is the setting up of a "one world government." And if we see those in the economical and religious areas getting on-board, we had better make sure that our "ticket" is in our hand, because it is going to be "a good day to fly."
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
So Much News; Maybe So Little Time
Matthew 24:4-8 (KJV)And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Many people deny that we are living in the "last days."
For the first time, US and European troops marched beside Russian forces as Moscow celebrated the end of World War II with its annual military parade on Sunday. According to The Wall Street Journal, Russia is looking at increasing its cooperation with the West, and a confidential report from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to President Dmitry Medveded outlines a program to improve Russia's economy by embracing Western technology. Yet, Medvedev's recent visit to Syria reveals that Russia is willing to make a wide variety of friends, whether America and Israel like it or not
Closer to home, this morning officials at the U.S. Geological Survey and the College of Charleston (SC) confirmed an earthquake hit about 6.6 miles southeast of Summerville at 5:03 a.m. Wednesday.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered off Dorchester Road near Wescott Boulevard. It registered a 2.8 on the Richter scale.
"There has been public concern since the Haiti earthquake that there have been more earthquakes and that they might portent 'the big one.' However, the number and size of earthquakes around the world in the last months are typical of the number and size we see on an annual basis," said Beutel in a release Wednesday morning. "The public and media have just been more aware of them because of the Haiti earthquake which brought earthquakes to the forefront of public consciousness."
The Summerville area routinely experiences between one and five minor earthquakes per year. "The earthquake today does not indicate an increase in the level of activity that might indicate a major earthquake," she said.
Beutel also pointed out the need for preparation, stating that while some West Coast earthquakes have been preceded by smaller earthquakes and other seismic activity, many large earthquakes do not bring with them early warning signs.
"The lack of signals that a large earthquake is about to occur is why all people living in areas that are prone to earthquakes (including the TriCounty area) need to be prepared," she said.
The 2.8-magnitude quake falls into the category of minor earthquakes, which are generally not felt but are recorded via seismographs. There are about 1,000 minor earthquakes per day globally. ©2010 WCSC. All rights reserved.
We have come a long way from World War II, and the end of the age still has not come. We should listen to the Lord and stop listening to false teachers. We will hear about wars and rumors of wars, but we should not be troubled because all these things will come to pass, and still it will not be the end of the age. We should also keep in mind that man will never solve the problem of war, or the economy, or hate, or crime, or whatever. The League of Nations could not solve this problem, and the United Nations will not be able to solve it either. There will be no peace until the Prince of Peace comes.
Are you ready? It sure would be "a good day to fly!"
Many people deny that we are living in the "last days."
For the first time, US and European troops marched beside Russian forces as Moscow celebrated the end of World War II with its annual military parade on Sunday. According to The Wall Street Journal, Russia is looking at increasing its cooperation with the West, and a confidential report from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to President Dmitry Medveded outlines a program to improve Russia's economy by embracing Western technology. Yet, Medvedev's recent visit to Syria reveals that Russia is willing to make a wide variety of friends, whether America and Israel like it or not
Closer to home, this morning officials at the U.S. Geological Survey and the College of Charleston (SC) confirmed an earthquake hit about 6.6 miles southeast of Summerville at 5:03 a.m. Wednesday.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered off Dorchester Road near Wescott Boulevard. It registered a 2.8 on the Richter scale.
"There has been public concern since the Haiti earthquake that there have been more earthquakes and that they might portent 'the big one.' However, the number and size of earthquakes around the world in the last months are typical of the number and size we see on an annual basis," said Beutel in a release Wednesday morning. "The public and media have just been more aware of them because of the Haiti earthquake which brought earthquakes to the forefront of public consciousness."
The Summerville area routinely experiences between one and five minor earthquakes per year. "The earthquake today does not indicate an increase in the level of activity that might indicate a major earthquake," she said.
Beutel also pointed out the need for preparation, stating that while some West Coast earthquakes have been preceded by smaller earthquakes and other seismic activity, many large earthquakes do not bring with them early warning signs.
"The lack of signals that a large earthquake is about to occur is why all people living in areas that are prone to earthquakes (including the TriCounty area) need to be prepared," she said.
The 2.8-magnitude quake falls into the category of minor earthquakes, which are generally not felt but are recorded via seismographs. There are about 1,000 minor earthquakes per day globally. ©2010 WCSC. All rights reserved.
We have come a long way from World War II, and the end of the age still has not come. We should listen to the Lord and stop listening to false teachers. We will hear about wars and rumors of wars, but we should not be troubled because all these things will come to pass, and still it will not be the end of the age. We should also keep in mind that man will never solve the problem of war, or the economy, or hate, or crime, or whatever. The League of Nations could not solve this problem, and the United Nations will not be able to solve it either. There will be no peace until the Prince of Peace comes.
Are you ready? It sure would be "a good day to fly!"
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Jerusalem Watch
Today's news concerning Israel is not good! President Obama has taken a position with Russia, the European Union, and all of the Arab world which, calls for a nuclear free Middle East. This is simply a back door approach to disarming Israel, and it is the first time in the history of modern Israel that the US has taken this position.
Israel is the only truly democratic nation in the entire region. We know that they will stand alone in the last days. Are we witnessing the fulfillment of prophecy? This sure would be a good day to fly!
Israel is the only truly democratic nation in the entire region. We know that they will stand alone in the last days. Are we witnessing the fulfillment of prophecy? This sure would be a good day to fly!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Where Are We Headed
In watching the news this morning, it has become somewhat discouraging.
On Fox and Friends this morning there was a story about a student in California that drew a flag and the teacher told her it was offensive.
And there was another about a nurseing home, I didn't catch where, that the residents can't say the blessing any more because the meals are federaly funded.
And than I was reading one of my websites that was talking about Franklin Graham. This is what Graham was quoted as saying, "In the United States) we see everyday our rights being eroded. Just a little at a time, but its happening. Everyday. So let’s preach while we can. Let’s stand up and holler ‘Jesus Christ! King of Kings, Lord of Lords!’to the top of our voice... The secularists are going to get ticked off, the news media’s going to hate it. I don’t know, maybe the people in the White House are going to be mad. But you know what, I don’t care. Because God has called us to take the Gospel -- His Gospel, the power of God and His Salvation -- unto the ends of the Earth.
This is what the web site said: "In some ways, I think it is the proverbial militant preacher that is preaching 'Jesus Christ! King of Kings, Lord of Lords' at the top of their voice that somehow is causing much of the turmoil and 'rights reduction' in America. Don't get me wrong... America was based on religious freedom, and we need to protect our right to proclaim the gospel without government intervention; but purposefully ticking off the people who are the ones who are in power over making the rules doesn't make sense to me either."
Every week as Cristians, if we attend church as we should, we have a "mountain top experience." Monday mornings are much different. I believe that is when we begin our walk through the "valley."
The bad news is that we have to go through the valleys. The "good news" is that we can prepare ourselves for what lies ahead.
First, we must refuse to become discouraged. When we place our confidence in the Shepard, we don't have to fear. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Tomothy 1:7.
Second, we must recognize God's presence. "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee," Isaiah 43:2.
Third, we must rely on God's protection. "thy rod and thy staff they comfort me,"Psalm 23:4. We need to walk through the valley with complete confidence and trust that God's will be with us and protect us.
It would be a great day to fly.
On Fox and Friends this morning there was a story about a student in California that drew a flag and the teacher told her it was offensive.
And there was another about a nurseing home, I didn't catch where, that the residents can't say the blessing any more because the meals are federaly funded.
And than I was reading one of my websites that was talking about Franklin Graham. This is what Graham was quoted as saying, "In the United States) we see everyday our rights being eroded. Just a little at a time, but its happening. Everyday. So let’s preach while we can. Let’s stand up and holler ‘Jesus Christ! King of Kings, Lord of Lords!’to the top of our voice... The secularists are going to get ticked off, the news media’s going to hate it. I don’t know, maybe the people in the White House are going to be mad. But you know what, I don’t care. Because God has called us to take the Gospel -- His Gospel, the power of God and His Salvation -- unto the ends of the Earth.
This is what the web site said: "In some ways, I think it is the proverbial militant preacher that is preaching 'Jesus Christ! King of Kings, Lord of Lords' at the top of their voice that somehow is causing much of the turmoil and 'rights reduction' in America. Don't get me wrong... America was based on religious freedom, and we need to protect our right to proclaim the gospel without government intervention; but purposefully ticking off the people who are the ones who are in power over making the rules doesn't make sense to me either."
Every week as Cristians, if we attend church as we should, we have a "mountain top experience." Monday mornings are much different. I believe that is when we begin our walk through the "valley."
The bad news is that we have to go through the valleys. The "good news" is that we can prepare ourselves for what lies ahead.
First, we must refuse to become discouraged. When we place our confidence in the Shepard, we don't have to fear. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Tomothy 1:7.
Second, we must recognize God's presence. "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee," Isaiah 43:2.
Third, we must rely on God's protection. "thy rod and thy staff they comfort me,"Psalm 23:4. We need to walk through the valley with complete confidence and trust that God's will be with us and protect us.
It would be a great day to fly.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Placed In The Light
When you stop and look at what is happening in the world today, you realize all the problems stem from "sin." When Adam and Eve decided not to follow what God had told them in the Garden, they rejected God in their lives. Even before Gid created man, He planned for man's redemption.
To mistake conscious freedom from sin for deliverance from sin by the Atonement is a great error. No man knows what sin is until he is born again. Sin is what Jesus Christ faced on Calvary. The evidence that I am delivered from sin is that I know the real nature of sin in me. It takes the last reach of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, that is, the impartation of His absolute perfection, to make a man know what sin is.
The Holy Spirit applies the Atonement to us in the unconscious realm as well as in the realm of which we are conscious, and it is only when we get a grasp of the unrivalled power of the Spirit in us that we understand the meaning of 1John 1:7, "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin." This does not refer to conscious sin only, but to the tremendously profound understanding of sin which only the Holy Ghost in me realizes.
If I walk in the light as God is in the light, not in the light of my conscience, but in the light of God - if I walk there, with nothing folded up, then there comes the amazing revelation, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from all sin so that God Almighty can see nothing to censure in me. In my consciousness it works with a keen poignant knowledge of what sin is. The love of God at work in me makes me hate with the hatred of the Holy Ghost all that is not in keeping with God's holiness. To walk in the light means that everything that is of the darkness drives me closer into the centre of the light.
When we remember what God has done for us, it makes it "a good day to fly."
To mistake conscious freedom from sin for deliverance from sin by the Atonement is a great error. No man knows what sin is until he is born again. Sin is what Jesus Christ faced on Calvary. The evidence that I am delivered from sin is that I know the real nature of sin in me. It takes the last reach of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, that is, the impartation of His absolute perfection, to make a man know what sin is.
The Holy Spirit applies the Atonement to us in the unconscious realm as well as in the realm of which we are conscious, and it is only when we get a grasp of the unrivalled power of the Spirit in us that we understand the meaning of 1John 1:7, "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin." This does not refer to conscious sin only, but to the tremendously profound understanding of sin which only the Holy Ghost in me realizes.
If I walk in the light as God is in the light, not in the light of my conscience, but in the light of God - if I walk there, with nothing folded up, then there comes the amazing revelation, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses me from all sin so that God Almighty can see nothing to censure in me. In my consciousness it works with a keen poignant knowledge of what sin is. The love of God at work in me makes me hate with the hatred of the Holy Ghost all that is not in keeping with God's holiness. To walk in the light means that everything that is of the darkness drives me closer into the centre of the light.
When we remember what God has done for us, it makes it "a good day to fly."
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Could We Be The Next Greece
One would have to have their head in the sand to miss what is going on in the world right now. One of the biggest is the protests going on in Greece.
Watching the news the other evening. there they were, at the wall under the Parthenon on May 4, unfurling their giant banners urging "Peoples of Europe - Rise Up." The banners were emblazoned with a red-colored communist hammer and sickle.
The location, was fitting, since they were standing beneath one of the most famous ruins in the world. After years of socialist policies, Greece is in economic ruins and is threatening to bring down the European economy with it. The government has been forced to announce austerity measures that are not sitting well with a people accustomed to socialist illusions.
It doesn't matter to them that the budget deficit is as high as 14 percent of the gross domestic product -- a whopping 11 percent higher than the European Union requires its members to observe. Led by the public employee unions, a general strike ensued on May 5, and it quickly turned murderous. Three people burned to death inside a bank that protesters had torched and then had blocked firefighters from saving them.
Socialism is an ideology built on illusion and envy. It's about "spreading the wealth" by taking from some to give to others. And its inevitable result is poverty, accompanied by force. That's because socialism is based on dishonest assumptions that transgress economic laws that are as immutable as gravity.
In Greek mythology, there were a lot of ornery personalities among the gods on Mt. Olympus. Life for the folks down below could be quite arbitrary.
The Bible, by contrast, assures us that there is only one God to answer to -- the Creator of the universe. The Scriptures present a wealth of guidance about economics and every other aspect of life, and make it clear that faith, strong families, and hard work are at the heart of economic success.
The Greeks, like the Romans, thrived when their pagan philosophers at these societies' zeniths most closely championed the precepts found in the Bible. Aristotle, for instance, preached natural law and virtue and warned of the misery spawned by the "'tribeless, lawless, hearthless one,' whom Homer denounces." And Rome's Cicero warned of the power of corrupt elites, that "the men of upper class who do wrong are especially dangerous to the State, because...not only are they corrupt, but also because they corrupt others."
Many of the Greek elites bought into the easy lies of socialism and wound up corrupting the populace with the promise of a free ride.
Hummmm....does that sound like America, today?
Because God's laws -- including the laws of economics and the consistency of human nature -- do not change, people and societies thrive if they follow biblical advice about safeguarding property rights and inheritance, working hard, and pursuing honesty in business dealings.
The Bible acknowledges healthy self-interest as well as the sinful nature of man. At war with God since it began metastasizing in the 19th century, socialism began with the mistaken assumptions that man is on his own here, is basically good, and needs only a strong government to perfect him.
Until we return back to God, socialists can actually believe that governments created by flawed men will solve all the flaws. And that government authorities are inherently altruistic (with other people's money), and are not subject to the corrupting influence of envy -- wanting what is not yours.
In the midst of all of this, there is hope. But that hope is only found in God's Son, Jesus Christ.
Every day, it looks more like "a good day to fly."
Watching the news the other evening. there they were, at the wall under the Parthenon on May 4, unfurling their giant banners urging "Peoples of Europe - Rise Up." The banners were emblazoned with a red-colored communist hammer and sickle.
The location, was fitting, since they were standing beneath one of the most famous ruins in the world. After years of socialist policies, Greece is in economic ruins and is threatening to bring down the European economy with it. The government has been forced to announce austerity measures that are not sitting well with a people accustomed to socialist illusions.
It doesn't matter to them that the budget deficit is as high as 14 percent of the gross domestic product -- a whopping 11 percent higher than the European Union requires its members to observe. Led by the public employee unions, a general strike ensued on May 5, and it quickly turned murderous. Three people burned to death inside a bank that protesters had torched and then had blocked firefighters from saving them.
Socialism is an ideology built on illusion and envy. It's about "spreading the wealth" by taking from some to give to others. And its inevitable result is poverty, accompanied by force. That's because socialism is based on dishonest assumptions that transgress economic laws that are as immutable as gravity.
In Greek mythology, there were a lot of ornery personalities among the gods on Mt. Olympus. Life for the folks down below could be quite arbitrary.
The Bible, by contrast, assures us that there is only one God to answer to -- the Creator of the universe. The Scriptures present a wealth of guidance about economics and every other aspect of life, and make it clear that faith, strong families, and hard work are at the heart of economic success.
The Greeks, like the Romans, thrived when their pagan philosophers at these societies' zeniths most closely championed the precepts found in the Bible. Aristotle, for instance, preached natural law and virtue and warned of the misery spawned by the "'tribeless, lawless, hearthless one,' whom Homer denounces." And Rome's Cicero warned of the power of corrupt elites, that "the men of upper class who do wrong are especially dangerous to the State, because...not only are they corrupt, but also because they corrupt others."
Many of the Greek elites bought into the easy lies of socialism and wound up corrupting the populace with the promise of a free ride.
Hummmm....does that sound like America, today?
Because God's laws -- including the laws of economics and the consistency of human nature -- do not change, people and societies thrive if they follow biblical advice about safeguarding property rights and inheritance, working hard, and pursuing honesty in business dealings.
The Bible acknowledges healthy self-interest as well as the sinful nature of man. At war with God since it began metastasizing in the 19th century, socialism began with the mistaken assumptions that man is on his own here, is basically good, and needs only a strong government to perfect him.
Until we return back to God, socialists can actually believe that governments created by flawed men will solve all the flaws. And that government authorities are inherently altruistic (with other people's money), and are not subject to the corrupting influence of envy -- wanting what is not yours.
In the midst of all of this, there is hope. But that hope is only found in God's Son, Jesus Christ.
Every day, it looks more like "a good day to fly."
Friday, May 7, 2010
Does America Always Help Israel?
Ultimately, Israel must understand that it can only ever fully depend on God. [Ludwig Schneider, Israel Today]
Top US officials stationed in Israel have taken it upon themselves to monitor Jewish construction in Jerusalem and other areas claimed by the Palestinian Arabs.
According to the Israeli newspaper Makor Rishon, the US ambassador to Israel, the US consul general in Jerusalem and other officials demand regular updates from Israeli ministers associated with building committees.
As a result of that pressure, building permits for thousands of new housing units in Jerusalem have been held up indefinitely. Government and municipal officials have confirmed that there is an unofficial Jewish building freeze in Jerusalem because of the American pressure.
In related news, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday told London-based pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that Washington had guaranteed him there would be no "provocations" by Israel during the start of US-hosted indirect peace talks scheduled to take place next week.
The Palestinians view Jewish construction in most of Jerusalem as a provocation, and in response have refused to negotiate with Israel.
US President Barack Obama is working closely with Russia and Egypt on an effort to rid Israel of its supposed nuclear weapons arsenal, according to several mainstream media reports this week.
Most prominently, the Wall Street Journal reported that Obama is keen to adopt an Egyptian proposal to declare the Middle East a nuclear-free zone. A follow-up regional conference would put heavy pressure on all nations to comply.
Being the only country in the Middle East believed to possess nuclear weapons, Israel would be the clear target of such a move. Washington is suggesting that by pressuring Israel to give up its nukes, it has a much better chance to convince Iran to halt its defiant nuclear program.
That angle has become a major topic of discussion at the current Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference taking place at UN headquarters in New York. Arab and Muslim nations have enthusiastically joined and pushed the discussion on Israel's nuclear program in an effort to divert attention from Iran.
Former US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton warned that Obama was playing right into the Muslims' hands, and threatening Israel's long-term security. "The president is not happy with Israel's nuclear capabilities. I think he would be delighted if Israel gave up its nuclear weapons," Bolton told Israel's Army Radio. "The only unknown answer at this point is exactly how much pressure he would exert on Israel to do just that.
Part of that pressure is being exerted right now by even considering the possibility of a conference on a nuclear-weapons-free Middle East."
Israel has never confirmed nor denied that it has nuclear weapons, though most believe the Jewish state to be in possession of at least a couple hundred warheads. Those weapons, if they exist, are the primary deterrent against yet another region-wide Arab attempt to overrun and destroy Israel. Prior to Israel's nuclear program, its Arab neighbors launched three full-scale wars aimed at annihilating the Jewish state.
Right now, the whole world is looking to the President of the United States, including Israel. But the question we are asking here is, will Barack Hussein Obama be good or bad for Israel, especially in light of his familial Moslem ties and friendship with some very anti-Israel figures?
It is said that the US has always helped Israel and without the US, Israel would never have been able to survive. However, despite the great friendship the US has exhibited over the years, the idea that Israel would not have survived without the US is a myth. Ultimately, the God of Israel is the reason His nation has survived against all the odds.
Although the US endorsed the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947, America did not provide Israel with any resources for self defense during the War of Independence in 1948.
Wouldn't it be "a good day to fly?"
Top US officials stationed in Israel have taken it upon themselves to monitor Jewish construction in Jerusalem and other areas claimed by the Palestinian Arabs.
According to the Israeli newspaper Makor Rishon, the US ambassador to Israel, the US consul general in Jerusalem and other officials demand regular updates from Israeli ministers associated with building committees.
As a result of that pressure, building permits for thousands of new housing units in Jerusalem have been held up indefinitely. Government and municipal officials have confirmed that there is an unofficial Jewish building freeze in Jerusalem because of the American pressure.
In related news, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday told London-based pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that Washington had guaranteed him there would be no "provocations" by Israel during the start of US-hosted indirect peace talks scheduled to take place next week.
The Palestinians view Jewish construction in most of Jerusalem as a provocation, and in response have refused to negotiate with Israel.
US President Barack Obama is working closely with Russia and Egypt on an effort to rid Israel of its supposed nuclear weapons arsenal, according to several mainstream media reports this week.
Most prominently, the Wall Street Journal reported that Obama is keen to adopt an Egyptian proposal to declare the Middle East a nuclear-free zone. A follow-up regional conference would put heavy pressure on all nations to comply.
Being the only country in the Middle East believed to possess nuclear weapons, Israel would be the clear target of such a move. Washington is suggesting that by pressuring Israel to give up its nukes, it has a much better chance to convince Iran to halt its defiant nuclear program.
That angle has become a major topic of discussion at the current Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference taking place at UN headquarters in New York. Arab and Muslim nations have enthusiastically joined and pushed the discussion on Israel's nuclear program in an effort to divert attention from Iran.
Former US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton warned that Obama was playing right into the Muslims' hands, and threatening Israel's long-term security. "The president is not happy with Israel's nuclear capabilities. I think he would be delighted if Israel gave up its nuclear weapons," Bolton told Israel's Army Radio. "The only unknown answer at this point is exactly how much pressure he would exert on Israel to do just that.
Part of that pressure is being exerted right now by even considering the possibility of a conference on a nuclear-weapons-free Middle East."
Israel has never confirmed nor denied that it has nuclear weapons, though most believe the Jewish state to be in possession of at least a couple hundred warheads. Those weapons, if they exist, are the primary deterrent against yet another region-wide Arab attempt to overrun and destroy Israel. Prior to Israel's nuclear program, its Arab neighbors launched three full-scale wars aimed at annihilating the Jewish state.
Right now, the whole world is looking to the President of the United States, including Israel. But the question we are asking here is, will Barack Hussein Obama be good or bad for Israel, especially in light of his familial Moslem ties and friendship with some very anti-Israel figures?
It is said that the US has always helped Israel and without the US, Israel would never have been able to survive. However, despite the great friendship the US has exhibited over the years, the idea that Israel would not have survived without the US is a myth. Ultimately, the God of Israel is the reason His nation has survived against all the odds.
Although the US endorsed the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947, America did not provide Israel with any resources for self defense during the War of Independence in 1948.
Wouldn't it be "a good day to fly?"
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Learning To Listen
Today, we celebrate the National Day of Prayer. Let’s not take for granted that we will always have the freedom to participate, but let us pray that we will. Pray that we as Christians will rest in the Lord and not fret over the short-lived success of evildoers. God tells us in His Word what to do when things like our current events take place. He calls us to be the light of the world, to focus on Him, and watch as He wins the victory on our behalf. When we respond God’s way, we won’t fall into the trap of reacting in a worldly way. (See 2 Chron. 20:3, 12, 15, 22; Psalm 37:7-8; Prov. 3:5-6; Matt. 5:43-48; 10:16-22; and 1 Peter 2:13-20.)
God is speaking all around us and actively at work in our world. Not only that, but He invites us to walk with Him and obey Him when He speaks to us. Are you hearing God’s voice on a regular basis? Would you like to?
“The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice" (John 10:3-4, ESV).
We must learn to hear the voice of the Lord and walk in confidence that He is directing our path. When we devote ourselves to listening and discerning God's voice, He will open the doors to marvelous and miraculous moments of His divine work in our midst. No doubt the days ahead will grow darker and the struggles around us will increase. But when we follow the leading of the Lord, we will represent truth, hope, and the light of Christ to a lost and fearful world.
Jesus Himself was devoted to saturating Himself in prayer and the truth of the Word. The evidence of this became especially clear just prior to His darkest moment in life. Because He was so intimately connected with His Father, He knew the prophetic events to come in His impending death. He prepared His disciples by telling them how they would respond - that they would scatter in fear and leave Him alone.
Jesus prayed with confidence and assurance as He prepared both Himself and His beloved disciples. In John 17, He prayed that the Father would be glorified through His life. He prayed for the care, protection, and unity of the disciples. He prayed that the love of God would saturate them. And He prayed for us, as those who have also found faith in Him. Jesus' prayers are still being answered in our day!
In the same way, we must prepare ourselves to fulfill God's Kingdom purposes by listening to the Lord and walking in obedience to everything He instructs us to do. To learn to truly hear His voice, we must saturate ourselves with the truths of His Word. We must deepen our intimacy with Him by spending much time alone in fellowship with Him through prayer, as well as corporately in community with other believers in Jesus Christ.
As we walk in communion with God we can know that today would "be a good day to fly."
God is speaking all around us and actively at work in our world. Not only that, but He invites us to walk with Him and obey Him when He speaks to us. Are you hearing God’s voice on a regular basis? Would you like to?
“The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice" (John 10:3-4, ESV).
We must learn to hear the voice of the Lord and walk in confidence that He is directing our path. When we devote ourselves to listening and discerning God's voice, He will open the doors to marvelous and miraculous moments of His divine work in our midst. No doubt the days ahead will grow darker and the struggles around us will increase. But when we follow the leading of the Lord, we will represent truth, hope, and the light of Christ to a lost and fearful world.
Jesus Himself was devoted to saturating Himself in prayer and the truth of the Word. The evidence of this became especially clear just prior to His darkest moment in life. Because He was so intimately connected with His Father, He knew the prophetic events to come in His impending death. He prepared His disciples by telling them how they would respond - that they would scatter in fear and leave Him alone.
Jesus prayed with confidence and assurance as He prepared both Himself and His beloved disciples. In John 17, He prayed that the Father would be glorified through His life. He prayed for the care, protection, and unity of the disciples. He prayed that the love of God would saturate them. And He prayed for us, as those who have also found faith in Him. Jesus' prayers are still being answered in our day!
In the same way, we must prepare ourselves to fulfill God's Kingdom purposes by listening to the Lord and walking in obedience to everything He instructs us to do. To learn to truly hear His voice, we must saturate ourselves with the truths of His Word. We must deepen our intimacy with Him by spending much time alone in fellowship with Him through prayer, as well as corporately in community with other believers in Jesus Christ.
As we walk in communion with God we can know that today would "be a good day to fly."
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Last Night's Handouts
Please discard the article, The Great Falling Away Of Traditional Or Mainstream Christianity, it was printed by mistake. I do not believe the doctrinal positions found in this article. Thanks, FMY
Praying For Our Nation And The World
A US District judge ruled the National Day of Prayer to be unconstitutional in mid-April, much to the consternation of large numbers of Americans. Since enforcement is suspended until the case goes through the appeals process, however, the National Day of Prayer is still officially on for Thursday, May 6th. President Obama signed a statement on Monday proclaiming May 6th the National Day of Prayer, following the tradition of presidents since 1952. Rather than holding a big prayer gathering in the East Room of the White House the way President Bush used to do, Obama has declined to pray in public, saying he will honor the day in private.
Today, Thursday, May 6, there will be a community prayer service at the Myrtle Beach Race track at 7:00 PM. I hope to see you there if you are in the area. No matter where you are, this would be of upmost importance to be in prayer for our nation at this critical time in our history and the time of our world.
USA Today has a very interesting article, in the Religion section, concerning Franklin Graham that you might be interested in reading.
Click here: Franklin Graham wants Obama to step in on Prayer Day slight - USATODAY.com
Another note of interest comes from Christianity Today; A Christian street preacher in Britain will stand trial for telling a passerby -- in earshot of a policewoman -- that God views homosexuality as a sin. Police arrested Dale McAlpine, a 42-year-old Baptist, under Britain's Public Order Act 1986, which forbids "using threatening, abusive or insulting words ... tending to and causing harassment, alarm or distress."
McAlpine told The Daily Telegraph newspaper that he was arrested after a part-time police officer said she heard him reciting a list of "sins" against God, including blasphemy, drunkenness and same-sex relationships.The preacher denied mentioning homosexuality, but he did concede he had told a passing shopper that it was a sin in the eyes of God.
At a magistrates court hearing in Workington, England, on Friday, McAlpine pleaded not guilty to the public order offense charge but was arraigned for trial at an unspecified date."My freedom was taken away on the hearsay evidence of someone who disliked what I said, and I was charged under a law that doesn't apply," he said.
The newspaper report said McAlpine was fingerprinted, given a DNA swab and retina scan, and was locked in a police cell for seven hours on April 20."I am not homophobic," he insisted, "but sometimes I do say that the Bible says homosexuality is a crime against the Creator."McAlpine's arrest comes days after a top British judge was criticized for ruling that Christian beliefs are not entitled to special protection under the laws of the nation.
Are we coming to a time where calling sin, sin will put us behind bars for telling what we as Christians believe. One important sign of the End Times is the freedoms we enjoy being taken away from us. especially our religious freedoms!
Truly, we are living in the most wonderful time that we could ever be in. It certainly would be a "good day to fly." Will you be going with me?
Today, Thursday, May 6, there will be a community prayer service at the Myrtle Beach Race track at 7:00 PM. I hope to see you there if you are in the area. No matter where you are, this would be of upmost importance to be in prayer for our nation at this critical time in our history and the time of our world.
USA Today has a very interesting article, in the Religion section, concerning Franklin Graham that you might be interested in reading.
Click here: Franklin Graham wants Obama to step in on Prayer Day slight - USATODAY.com
Another note of interest comes from Christianity Today; A Christian street preacher in Britain will stand trial for telling a passerby -- in earshot of a policewoman -- that God views homosexuality as a sin. Police arrested Dale McAlpine, a 42-year-old Baptist, under Britain's Public Order Act 1986, which forbids "using threatening, abusive or insulting words ... tending to and causing harassment, alarm or distress."
McAlpine told The Daily Telegraph newspaper that he was arrested after a part-time police officer said she heard him reciting a list of "sins" against God, including blasphemy, drunkenness and same-sex relationships.The preacher denied mentioning homosexuality, but he did concede he had told a passing shopper that it was a sin in the eyes of God.
At a magistrates court hearing in Workington, England, on Friday, McAlpine pleaded not guilty to the public order offense charge but was arraigned for trial at an unspecified date."My freedom was taken away on the hearsay evidence of someone who disliked what I said, and I was charged under a law that doesn't apply," he said.
The newspaper report said McAlpine was fingerprinted, given a DNA swab and retina scan, and was locked in a police cell for seven hours on April 20."I am not homophobic," he insisted, "but sometimes I do say that the Bible says homosexuality is a crime against the Creator."McAlpine's arrest comes days after a top British judge was criticized for ruling that Christian beliefs are not entitled to special protection under the laws of the nation.
Are we coming to a time where calling sin, sin will put us behind bars for telling what we as Christians believe. One important sign of the End Times is the freedoms we enjoy being taken away from us. especially our religious freedoms!
Truly, we are living in the most wonderful time that we could ever be in. It certainly would be a "good day to fly." Will you be going with me?
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Prayer Of Trouble And Sorrow
It is very rewarding when you read through the Book of Psalms. There are so many gems in the verses. and this is true with Psalm 102. Encased in these verses is the truth that in the time of national disaster and distress, faith drives the soul to communion with God. And in the time we are living, there is nothing any better than to be held in the strong arms of our Heavenly Father.
Psalm 102 is a messianic psalm that pictures the Lord Jesus in Gethsemane. The writer of this psalm is not mentioned, but if I were guessing, it would be David. This psalm pictures the affliction and humiliation of our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane.
What a glorious and wonderful psalm this is! We see the deepest woe and agony that man can have: “Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me” [Ps. 102:8].
As I was reading this verse, I was thinking of what was happening yesterday when Iran's President Ahmadinejad's addressed the United Nations. In his speech, Ahmadinejad accused the United States of committing "acts of terror" and once again targeted Israel -- the very country he has threatened to "wipe off the map" -- as the obstacle to peace.
Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down [Ps. 102:10]. The words indignation and wrath are the strongest terms you can use in the Hebrew language. The Lord endured this. Why? He did it ". . . for the joy that was set before him . . .'' (Heb. 12:2).
But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come [Ps. 102:12-13].
He will have mercy upon Zion! And so it was ". . . for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame . . .'' (Heb. 12:2). He died, you see, for the nation Israel. John 11:50-51 mentions that it was necessary for one to die for the nation. And Christ did die for that nation. And He is going to build Zion again when He appears in His glory -- which will be at His second coming. When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory [Ps. 02:16].
Our Lord knew that through His sacrificial death Zion would ultimately be redeemed. Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end [Ps. 102:25-27].
The Holy Spirit quotes this passage in Hebrews 1:10-12, and we would not have known that Psalm 102 was a messianic psalm if it hadn't pleased the Author of the Bible, the Spirit of God, to reveal the meaning of this section in the first chapter of Hebrews. Psalm 102 applies to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is His prayer of trouble and sorrow. This is the King in Gethsemane.
We are living in difficult days. If we are not careful, our vision will be lead away by the circumstances around us. May we keep focused on Him who is able to make a way through the desert, and into the very presence of God.
Even with the clouds outside right now, this would be "a good day to fly."
Psalm 102 is a messianic psalm that pictures the Lord Jesus in Gethsemane. The writer of this psalm is not mentioned, but if I were guessing, it would be David. This psalm pictures the affliction and humiliation of our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane.
What a glorious and wonderful psalm this is! We see the deepest woe and agony that man can have: “Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me” [Ps. 102:8].
As I was reading this verse, I was thinking of what was happening yesterday when Iran's President Ahmadinejad's addressed the United Nations. In his speech, Ahmadinejad accused the United States of committing "acts of terror" and once again targeted Israel -- the very country he has threatened to "wipe off the map" -- as the obstacle to peace.
Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down [Ps. 102:10]. The words indignation and wrath are the strongest terms you can use in the Hebrew language. The Lord endured this. Why? He did it ". . . for the joy that was set before him . . .'' (Heb. 12:2).
But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come [Ps. 102:12-13].
He will have mercy upon Zion! And so it was ". . . for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame . . .'' (Heb. 12:2). He died, you see, for the nation Israel. John 11:50-51 mentions that it was necessary for one to die for the nation. And Christ did die for that nation. And He is going to build Zion again when He appears in His glory -- which will be at His second coming. When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory [Ps. 02:16].
Our Lord knew that through His sacrificial death Zion would ultimately be redeemed. Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end [Ps. 102:25-27].
The Holy Spirit quotes this passage in Hebrews 1:10-12, and we would not have known that Psalm 102 was a messianic psalm if it hadn't pleased the Author of the Bible, the Spirit of God, to reveal the meaning of this section in the first chapter of Hebrews. Psalm 102 applies to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is His prayer of trouble and sorrow. This is the King in Gethsemane.
We are living in difficult days. If we are not careful, our vision will be lead away by the circumstances around us. May we keep focused on Him who is able to make a way through the desert, and into the very presence of God.
Even with the clouds outside right now, this would be "a good day to fly."
Monday, May 3, 2010
We Could Fly Today
I was just spending some time catching up on the main headlines this morning. Take a look:
Authorities searching for drug smugglers who shot and wounded an Arizona sheriff's deputy in the desert south of Phoenix said they captured 17 suspected illegal immigrants Saturday.
Republicans are on offense in scores of House and Senate races as persistent economic woes and lukewarm support for President Barack Obama continue to weaken Democrats' hold on Congress.
A Christian attorney is reminding his fellow Californians that all that is needed for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against a Michigan judge who was accused of violating a woman's right to practice her religion when he told her to remove her Muslim headscarf.
Police found an "amateurish" but potentially powerful bomb that apparently began to detonate but did not explode in a smoking sport utility vehicle in Times Square, authorities said Sunday.
Heavy thunderstorms lashed parts of western Tennessee with almost a foot of rain, leading to the deaths of five people and flooded neighborhoods, roads and waterways.
Obama tells Palestinians that Israel is to blame.
Obama preparing to force Israel's hand.
France joins US in blaming Israel for lack of peace.
Do you think that the first six have anything to do with the last three.
There is no doubt, we are living in the last days. As you read the words of our Lord in Matthew 24, there can be no doubt. One can also read from Micah 7:1-8, and Ezekiel 29:5-7. Be not deceived. Several things are happening at this moment. There is the alignment of the nations against Israel.
In 1979, Israel and Egypt signed their famous peace treaty under U. S. President Jimmy Carter, between Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat. Thought strained, this agreement has stood for three decades. But with recent shift in U .S. support from Israel to Egypt, it appears about to go under. One day, I believe soon, it will break like a fine reed and Israel will struggle to remain standing.
Israel has depended upon a series of frail treaties that could stand only with the backing of a major power like the United States.
As we read our Scriptures, we realize that all these "peace processes" are doomed to fail. Prophecy says so. And we are watching it happen before our very eyes.
It sure would be a "good day to flly."
Authorities searching for drug smugglers who shot and wounded an Arizona sheriff's deputy in the desert south of Phoenix said they captured 17 suspected illegal immigrants Saturday.
Republicans are on offense in scores of House and Senate races as persistent economic woes and lukewarm support for President Barack Obama continue to weaken Democrats' hold on Congress.
A Christian attorney is reminding his fellow Californians that all that is needed for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against a Michigan judge who was accused of violating a woman's right to practice her religion when he told her to remove her Muslim headscarf.
Police found an "amateurish" but potentially powerful bomb that apparently began to detonate but did not explode in a smoking sport utility vehicle in Times Square, authorities said Sunday.
Heavy thunderstorms lashed parts of western Tennessee with almost a foot of rain, leading to the deaths of five people and flooded neighborhoods, roads and waterways.
Obama tells Palestinians that Israel is to blame.
Obama preparing to force Israel's hand.
France joins US in blaming Israel for lack of peace.
Do you think that the first six have anything to do with the last three.
There is no doubt, we are living in the last days. As you read the words of our Lord in Matthew 24, there can be no doubt. One can also read from Micah 7:1-8, and Ezekiel 29:5-7. Be not deceived. Several things are happening at this moment. There is the alignment of the nations against Israel.
In 1979, Israel and Egypt signed their famous peace treaty under U. S. President Jimmy Carter, between Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat. Thought strained, this agreement has stood for three decades. But with recent shift in U .S. support from Israel to Egypt, it appears about to go under. One day, I believe soon, it will break like a fine reed and Israel will struggle to remain standing.
Israel has depended upon a series of frail treaties that could stand only with the backing of a major power like the United States.
As we read our Scriptures, we realize that all these "peace processes" are doomed to fail. Prophecy says so. And we are watching it happen before our very eyes.
It sure would be a "good day to flly."
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Obama Preparing To Force Israel's Hand
The headlines continue to grow everyday about how our country is trying to force Israel to give away land that was given to them by God, beginning with Abraham.
Israeli officials told Ha'aretz on Thursday that US President Barack Obama recently assured European leaders that if the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is not moving forward by September or October, he will convene an international peace summit.
The purpose of convening an international peace summit could only be to impose a peace settlement on the two sides, and if Obama's policies of late are anything to judge by, that peace settlement would greatly favor the Arabs by incorporating nearly all their demands.
Palestinian officials this week also said they had received assurances from US Middle East envoy George Mitchell that if Israel did not start complying with US-backed Arab demands soon, Obama would act to force Jerusalem's hand.
The Palestinians are also threatening to unilaterally declare independence by October if Israel does not start meeting their demands. Israeli officials fear the UN would recognize such a declaration, and that the Obama Administration would do little or nothing to block it.
Recent history has demonstrated that such reports, which are often leaked as a pressure tactic against Israel, actually further delay peace negotiations as the Palestinians are all too happy to remain defiant and wait on the international community to strong-arm Israel.
The US and Europe remain mum on the fact that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said he is ready to immediately restart direct bilateral negotiations, while the Palestinians refuse to sit with the Israelis and discuss anything.
One wonders if the disasters of the past few weeks have and are coming upon us because we are turning our backs on Israel, and in essence turning our backs on God.
It is looking more like a "good day to fly."
Israeli officials told Ha'aretz on Thursday that US President Barack Obama recently assured European leaders that if the Israeli-Palestinian peace process is not moving forward by September or October, he will convene an international peace summit.
The purpose of convening an international peace summit could only be to impose a peace settlement on the two sides, and if Obama's policies of late are anything to judge by, that peace settlement would greatly favor the Arabs by incorporating nearly all their demands.
Palestinian officials this week also said they had received assurances from US Middle East envoy George Mitchell that if Israel did not start complying with US-backed Arab demands soon, Obama would act to force Jerusalem's hand.
The Palestinians are also threatening to unilaterally declare independence by October if Israel does not start meeting their demands. Israeli officials fear the UN would recognize such a declaration, and that the Obama Administration would do little or nothing to block it.
Recent history has demonstrated that such reports, which are often leaked as a pressure tactic against Israel, actually further delay peace negotiations as the Palestinians are all too happy to remain defiant and wait on the international community to strong-arm Israel.
The US and Europe remain mum on the fact that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said he is ready to immediately restart direct bilateral negotiations, while the Palestinians refuse to sit with the Israelis and discuss anything.
One wonders if the disasters of the past few weeks have and are coming upon us because we are turning our backs on Israel, and in essence turning our backs on God.
It is looking more like a "good day to fly."
Saturday, May 1, 2010
For the Lord, Not Men
There is an important difference between doing something for people and doing something for God. God always deserves our best effort. People will disappoint us, betray us, neglect us, and mistreat us. Some will constantly ask for what we can give while offering nothing in return. From our human perspective, these people deserve our minimal effort at best.
What then should motivate us to serve people, except our love for God? God deserves our love, and He demands that we love others in the same way He does. We are to love our spouses, not as they deserve, but as God commands (Eph. 5:22–33). We are to treat our friends, not as they treat us, but as Christ loves us (John 13:14). We are to labor at our jobs, not in proportion to the way our employer treats us, but according to the way God treats us. God is the One we serve (Eph. 6:5).
Mediocrity and laziness have no place in the Christian's life. Christians must maintain integrity at home and in the workplace. Working for God, as opposed to working for other people, changes our perspective as we view our endeavors in light of what He has done for us. Our toil then becomes an offering to God.
We not only worship God at church on Sunday, but our labor throughout the week is an offering of worship and thanksgiving to the One who has given us everything we have. When people do not measure up to our expectations and we feel our efforts are being wasted, we must keep in mind that we are toiling for holy God. He is worthy of our best effort.
After we have done our best for Him, then we can say, "it is a good day to fly."
What then should motivate us to serve people, except our love for God? God deserves our love, and He demands that we love others in the same way He does. We are to love our spouses, not as they deserve, but as God commands (Eph. 5:22–33). We are to treat our friends, not as they treat us, but as Christ loves us (John 13:14). We are to labor at our jobs, not in proportion to the way our employer treats us, but according to the way God treats us. God is the One we serve (Eph. 6:5).
Mediocrity and laziness have no place in the Christian's life. Christians must maintain integrity at home and in the workplace. Working for God, as opposed to working for other people, changes our perspective as we view our endeavors in light of what He has done for us. Our toil then becomes an offering to God.
We not only worship God at church on Sunday, but our labor throughout the week is an offering of worship and thanksgiving to the One who has given us everything we have. When people do not measure up to our expectations and we feel our efforts are being wasted, we must keep in mind that we are toiling for holy God. He is worthy of our best effort.
After we have done our best for Him, then we can say, "it is a good day to fly."
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