This time of year brings about a change of heart in many people across our nation. We look forward to time with family and friends, Christmas music, Hallmark shows and all the sights and sounds of the holidays. I've always been intrigued why, or should I say how, do people have such a drastic attitude adjustment without a major travesty in their lives.I mean seriously going from cussing someone out for their driving to giving up your parking spot for someone who looks like they need it worse than you do.
I have come to a realization after contemplating this for so long that it really comes down to two things.
first, the decision to be positive and not negative. You can't open a news AP, turn on a TV station or look at a newspaper without being thrust into the negativity that festers out of the media. it would appear that the only good news is negative news. No need to report on the good stuff going on. in fact most people probably wonder if anything good ever happens anymore. People this time of year naturally tend to soften and look for the bright side of things. Sure shoppers get finicky, and drivers get more aggressive as they search for the deals that will make them happy and popular. But somehow down deep we dig up the patience, sympathy, giving, and do i dare say it, "love" that gets stuffed way down to the bottom of our being the rest of the year. So deciding to be positive is in your hands and is one half of the equation.
secondly, the power of perspective. By this I mean, most of the year we don't stop to really look what is going on behind a comment or action and we respond with what is on the surface. We don't really want to get involved and after all you have your own life to live so someone else's failure or shortcoming isn't your problem. The reality is if we knew half as much as we think we do we might be halfway dangerous. For instance, it is a personal pet peeve for people to be late. If we have an event or meeting scheduled and consistently someone comes in late, either ignoring it or stringing a bunch of reasons why they are late.....again, i will more than likely say something. It feels like a disrespect to everyone else who can make it on time and is ready to go at the specified time. The reality is the person who is consistently late may have a hard time telling people no or may have some area of their life that they are really struggling and need help. They may feel like one more thing will throw them over and yet they never reveal it because they know what people will say. Everyone else made it, we all have the same struggles you do. Don't get me wrong it still is a pet peeve and most likely if someone is consistently late they are just disorganized and honestly uncourteous to others, a form of disrespect.
All that to say that during this time of year it seems we are more willing to show grace and love and for those who claim to be Christian, shouldn't this be a year long characteristic of your life?
Just something to chew on for a day or so.
Till next time
P.M.
Friday, November 29, 2019
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
We don't need no stinkin truth
Several years ago I was serving as a youth pastor for a medium sized main line church. I came a crossed a resource by a well-known youth teacher who was addressing the issue of truth, or should i say lack of, among the youth culture. He went on to teach the difference between subjective truth and objective truth, a concept that the vast majority of youth weren't familiar with.To emphasize his point he used the analogy of ice cream. Something everyone of us is familiar with. He said his favorite kind was rocky road or something like that and because you might like chocolate chip we both realize truth. The truth however is subjective. Rocky road is the best flavor is true only to those who agree with this statement. It is true to them but it is not universally true. Regardless of flavor we could have as many truths as we have flavors and people. On the other hand if I claimed that ice cream cured diabetes, it is either true or false. This is what we call objective truth. The statement is either true or false for everyone.
That being said, we face a time like no other in American history where we have more people presenting their subjective truth as objective and using the legal system as well as our tax dollars to force their truth on every man woman and child.
Many times the truth they are pushing is no more truth than I am a blue tongued alien.
At some point in our history truth became offensive and became the focus of destroying and all who push universal truth are rejected and persecuted. Add to that the mentality of the enemy of my enemy becomes our friend and you have unions of hate being developed and giving the appearance of the majority.
Listen, if you here the truth and it offends you, it doesn't make it less true. in fact it remains true regardless of how you feel about it. The difference is how we deal with this truth.
When we acknowledge truth we acknowledge an authority figure who not only reveals truth, He is truth. Yet once again we see the division of who the authority is. Some would claim to be their own authority and therefore are their own truth. Some would claim a name of an idol made with hands and claim that all that is true comes from this idol, but once again this relies on their imperfect interpretation.These are not even subjective truth as we will always let ourselves down an idol cannot rescue us.
Objective truth reveals that their is one God one truth and one authority who has revealed Himself in the Bible and walked among His people.
Some will call me closed minded and say this is subjective but even if I reject the God of the Bible it does not minimize who He is, the truth, the way and the life.
What must we do to help a blind world open their eyes and quite striving to force their perverted ways upon the rest of the world, trying to convince us their truth is objective.
We see many of these examples in our world today I will leave you with only one to validate what I am saying.
Recently many wicked men and women passed laws, permitting those who swore to protect life to murder innocent babies. They will acknowledge a heartbeat, brain waves, and even see the little person draw a breath and yet will lift their hands designated to heal, and in their wickedness kill this baby to the amount of over 900 a day.
They will claim the health of the woman, the woman's choice, which apparently didn't include, abstinence, protection or marriage, as a valid reason for murder. They will tell women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy that they have the right to make the choice and will tell them it isn't a baby yet but only growing tissue. they will call it a fetus because baby is to personal. All lies from the pits of hell, designed to mislead vulnerable people into thinking they are being treated truthfully.
This is a sickening example of only one of the agendas that we see being pushed down the throats of the American people. And after all your tax dollars aren't being used to kill babies, are they. They told us it is for helping women and babies.
I will leave you with this thought.
Where is God when these things are happening? If your God is so powerful why doesn't He do something about it? These are some of the comments I have heard but let me tell you this. "The teacher is always quiet during the time of testing, but after the test comes the grading!
You will either receive a pass or a fail, and woe to those who fail.
Till next time, seek the Truth
P.M.
That being said, we face a time like no other in American history where we have more people presenting their subjective truth as objective and using the legal system as well as our tax dollars to force their truth on every man woman and child.
Many times the truth they are pushing is no more truth than I am a blue tongued alien.
At some point in our history truth became offensive and became the focus of destroying and all who push universal truth are rejected and persecuted. Add to that the mentality of the enemy of my enemy becomes our friend and you have unions of hate being developed and giving the appearance of the majority.
Listen, if you here the truth and it offends you, it doesn't make it less true. in fact it remains true regardless of how you feel about it. The difference is how we deal with this truth.
When we acknowledge truth we acknowledge an authority figure who not only reveals truth, He is truth. Yet once again we see the division of who the authority is. Some would claim to be their own authority and therefore are their own truth. Some would claim a name of an idol made with hands and claim that all that is true comes from this idol, but once again this relies on their imperfect interpretation.These are not even subjective truth as we will always let ourselves down an idol cannot rescue us.
Objective truth reveals that their is one God one truth and one authority who has revealed Himself in the Bible and walked among His people.
Some will call me closed minded and say this is subjective but even if I reject the God of the Bible it does not minimize who He is, the truth, the way and the life.
What must we do to help a blind world open their eyes and quite striving to force their perverted ways upon the rest of the world, trying to convince us their truth is objective.
We see many of these examples in our world today I will leave you with only one to validate what I am saying.
Recently many wicked men and women passed laws, permitting those who swore to protect life to murder innocent babies. They will acknowledge a heartbeat, brain waves, and even see the little person draw a breath and yet will lift their hands designated to heal, and in their wickedness kill this baby to the amount of over 900 a day.
They will claim the health of the woman, the woman's choice, which apparently didn't include, abstinence, protection or marriage, as a valid reason for murder. They will tell women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy that they have the right to make the choice and will tell them it isn't a baby yet but only growing tissue. they will call it a fetus because baby is to personal. All lies from the pits of hell, designed to mislead vulnerable people into thinking they are being treated truthfully.
This is a sickening example of only one of the agendas that we see being pushed down the throats of the American people. And after all your tax dollars aren't being used to kill babies, are they. They told us it is for helping women and babies.
I will leave you with this thought.
Where is God when these things are happening? If your God is so powerful why doesn't He do something about it? These are some of the comments I have heard but let me tell you this. "The teacher is always quiet during the time of testing, but after the test comes the grading!
You will either receive a pass or a fail, and woe to those who fail.
Till next time, seek the Truth
P.M.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
How diversified does a Christian nation want to be?
So its been a while since the election and people are now discovering the consequences of their decisions. I am unclear when "being the first......." really became popular at the expense of being qualified but my guess is its been coming for some time now. The first African American to be elected as president, the first female Muslims to take the house, etc. From socialists to fanatics the corruption of this great country has began to wake its slumbering head and will soon begin to consume the average American citizen. This isn't just alarming its repulsive.
That being said, let me take a second to help you understand how things have gotten this way. We like to blame the millinials and I probably will anyway, ha ha but this corruption stems long before. Do you remember riding in the back of pick up trucks as a youngster as your dad drove down the bumpy roads throwing you around. If not you may be a millennial. Before all the laws were passed, we lived in a country where if you did something stupid you might die. Moms arm was the only seat belt I ever knew until high school or after. Walking down a long highway when my car ran out of gas because cell phones were a luxury not a necessity and most of us lived to tell about it. With every generation the generation before began a process of spoiling children, giving them everything they wanted because when they were little they had to do without. And we taught our children that things didn't just need to be fair, they needed to be equal. After all we are entitled to whatever we desire. Similar to the little spoiled brat on the original Willy Wonka who demanded a goose to lay golden eggs, or the little boy who got sucked into the machine because of his selfishness, or even the little girl who couldn't wait until testing was done on the meal pill that made her swell into a blueberry, we are raising the most self righteous, spoiled brats that have ever walked this land and the kids are growing up thinking this is normal. What this "normality has brought is a taste for socialism. Taking your hard earned dollars and redistributing to those who sit home perfectly capable of getting a job but take the handout instead. After all I want what they have. Even our children try to live the life their parents have right out of the nest instead of working for it. But mom and dad pay for everything so they can just be students so who's fault is this? There are some wonderful exceptions to what i have been saying but the reality is it is becoming more and more prevalent. The reason? Who is the culprit? It is none other than the enemy of your soul. We remove God from our government from local to federal and somehow begin to insert Allah. After all our God hasn't helped things become more corrupt so maybe Allah will. If you aren't familiar with how these fanatics operate it would be well worth your attention to research countries they have infiltrated and taken over. Look carefully at how they came to power and how they patiently began testing areas of change until finally they find a weak spot to come in. We have had enough of this already with the corruption of our governments systems and branches.
Those of us that are Christians ought to be concerned, not worried. Our God is the God and will only allow so much, but when a nation has turned her back on His grace and mercy and love, He will allow us to enter under a yoke of slavery. After all we serve one of two masters either through choice or default. God promises in Romans that He will cause all things to work together for the good, to those who love God, for those who are called according to His purpose. There are many great leaders wanting a chance to make America great again, isn't it time we give them the opportunity, and quite playing games with our future? For crying out loud at least elect people that back what the United States was founded on and uphold the constitution. Including being a Christian nation, a nation where i can disagree with someone without it being a hate crime, leaders who are not trying to take away my constitutional rights, and leaders who will stand firm on equality and serve based on their love for the nation rather than trying to make it like their nation of origin. Till next time, reap what has been sown.
P.M.
That being said, let me take a second to help you understand how things have gotten this way. We like to blame the millinials and I probably will anyway, ha ha but this corruption stems long before. Do you remember riding in the back of pick up trucks as a youngster as your dad drove down the bumpy roads throwing you around. If not you may be a millennial. Before all the laws were passed, we lived in a country where if you did something stupid you might die. Moms arm was the only seat belt I ever knew until high school or after. Walking down a long highway when my car ran out of gas because cell phones were a luxury not a necessity and most of us lived to tell about it. With every generation the generation before began a process of spoiling children, giving them everything they wanted because when they were little they had to do without. And we taught our children that things didn't just need to be fair, they needed to be equal. After all we are entitled to whatever we desire. Similar to the little spoiled brat on the original Willy Wonka who demanded a goose to lay golden eggs, or the little boy who got sucked into the machine because of his selfishness, or even the little girl who couldn't wait until testing was done on the meal pill that made her swell into a blueberry, we are raising the most self righteous, spoiled brats that have ever walked this land and the kids are growing up thinking this is normal. What this "normality has brought is a taste for socialism. Taking your hard earned dollars and redistributing to those who sit home perfectly capable of getting a job but take the handout instead. After all I want what they have. Even our children try to live the life their parents have right out of the nest instead of working for it. But mom and dad pay for everything so they can just be students so who's fault is this? There are some wonderful exceptions to what i have been saying but the reality is it is becoming more and more prevalent. The reason? Who is the culprit? It is none other than the enemy of your soul. We remove God from our government from local to federal and somehow begin to insert Allah. After all our God hasn't helped things become more corrupt so maybe Allah will. If you aren't familiar with how these fanatics operate it would be well worth your attention to research countries they have infiltrated and taken over. Look carefully at how they came to power and how they patiently began testing areas of change until finally they find a weak spot to come in. We have had enough of this already with the corruption of our governments systems and branches.
Those of us that are Christians ought to be concerned, not worried. Our God is the God and will only allow so much, but when a nation has turned her back on His grace and mercy and love, He will allow us to enter under a yoke of slavery. After all we serve one of two masters either through choice or default. God promises in Romans that He will cause all things to work together for the good, to those who love God, for those who are called according to His purpose. There are many great leaders wanting a chance to make America great again, isn't it time we give them the opportunity, and quite playing games with our future? For crying out loud at least elect people that back what the United States was founded on and uphold the constitution. Including being a Christian nation, a nation where i can disagree with someone without it being a hate crime, leaders who are not trying to take away my constitutional rights, and leaders who will stand firm on equality and serve based on their love for the nation rather than trying to make it like their nation of origin. Till next time, reap what has been sown.
P.M.
Friday, January 4, 2019
Here we go again.
So congress is now in session after their long well deserved break, to know me is to understand that was sarcasm. After all Trump invited the Dem's back to finish the business that was at hand, but my guess is they are still getting their paychecks so who cares if there is a government shut down?
If you aren't following the first few hours of our government elected representatives let me remind you that we now have two Muslim women, a house speaker who's first course of action was to restrict free speech, limit the presidents ability to use his powers, and do away with the electoral college votes. Every thing they can do to ensure their chances of winning the next election and beings they couldn't win by cheating they will change whatever they can to give them a fighting chance. Now here is the thing...... why are people sitting around watching these things take place instead of standing up joining the groups that are fighting for our rights day in and day out? We gripe about it but we don't do anything. It is so corrupt that many people don't even know where to turn to get the facts. We fight over what news source brings us the accurate news, all the time questioning in our own minds if we can trust it.
Thankfully we have one news source we can trust and that is even under attack because after all who wants to hear the truth? The Bible is our one true source for truth, justice, instruction, correction, understanding and guidance in this corrupt sin filled world, and yes even though we live in the greatest nation in the world, next to Israel, the corruption of your leaders, who God allows to serve at the request of the corrupt people, will secure a fight with humanity.
The fight will be the removal of your speech, right to bear arms, protect your family and property and the ability to be gainfully employed so you don't have to rely on the government. If they can force us to rely on their handouts and poor excuse for insurance they can dictate areas of our lives that we once used to have the freedom to choose. Do you remember the days when you could pick your doctor, choose the hospital, exercise free speech without it being considered a hate crime? Our children can't remember these things, to them this is how it has always been so whats the big deal. The big deal is even Hitler was smart enough to understand if you capture a generation you capture the future. The purpose of this blog was not to depress the readers but to give us the kick in the pants to wake up and reclaim our nation. Like it or not president trump is your president, you couldn't be anymore disappointed than I was with our last one, trust me. But God is sovereign and He will listen to the prayers of His children. This nation need only turn back to Him and trust Him.
Till we meet again
P.M.
If you aren't following the first few hours of our government elected representatives let me remind you that we now have two Muslim women, a house speaker who's first course of action was to restrict free speech, limit the presidents ability to use his powers, and do away with the electoral college votes. Every thing they can do to ensure their chances of winning the next election and beings they couldn't win by cheating they will change whatever they can to give them a fighting chance. Now here is the thing...... why are people sitting around watching these things take place instead of standing up joining the groups that are fighting for our rights day in and day out? We gripe about it but we don't do anything. It is so corrupt that many people don't even know where to turn to get the facts. We fight over what news source brings us the accurate news, all the time questioning in our own minds if we can trust it.
Thankfully we have one news source we can trust and that is even under attack because after all who wants to hear the truth? The Bible is our one true source for truth, justice, instruction, correction, understanding and guidance in this corrupt sin filled world, and yes even though we live in the greatest nation in the world, next to Israel, the corruption of your leaders, who God allows to serve at the request of the corrupt people, will secure a fight with humanity.
The fight will be the removal of your speech, right to bear arms, protect your family and property and the ability to be gainfully employed so you don't have to rely on the government. If they can force us to rely on their handouts and poor excuse for insurance they can dictate areas of our lives that we once used to have the freedom to choose. Do you remember the days when you could pick your doctor, choose the hospital, exercise free speech without it being considered a hate crime? Our children can't remember these things, to them this is how it has always been so whats the big deal. The big deal is even Hitler was smart enough to understand if you capture a generation you capture the future. The purpose of this blog was not to depress the readers but to give us the kick in the pants to wake up and reclaim our nation. Like it or not president trump is your president, you couldn't be anymore disappointed than I was with our last one, trust me. But God is sovereign and He will listen to the prayers of His children. This nation need only turn back to Him and trust Him.
Till we meet again
P.M.
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