Christmas Message 2012

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 Condensed narrative of my Sunday School lesson for Christmas Sunday 2012

Galatians 4:4-5    But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

But when the fullness of the time had come...(or, “when the set time had fully come…)

That phrase literally means “at the appointed time."  God is sovereign even in every detail of history because He is the author of history.  And, because He transcends time, even the future is as though it were past. 

Jesus came at just the exact point in time and place in history that God had determined before He created the world. 

Another phrase in Hebrews 9:27 tells us that it is appointed for men to die.  We tend to forget that our days are numbered and our deaths will occur at the exact appointed time in the precise manner that God has determined.  We live like we have control or can prolong our lives through diet, exercise, and medicine.  But God is sovereign and He has set the appointed time of our deaths. 

Jesus’ birth was precisely on time.  The arrival of the Savior in a dirty feeding trough in a strange town was no accident.  He came on schedule in the precise place and time and circumstances as God ordained and foretold in prophetic scripture.

Jesus’ did not need the convenience or help of modern technology to do His Father’s will.  God was fully aware of all the inconveniences and the schemes of Satan to destroy His Son.  In fact, He orchestrated them to bring about His plan His way on His schedule.  The set time was fully come. The apostle, Paul, assures us that the time was precisely right.

God sent forth His Son…

This phrase declares the deity of Christ.  He was not just a good man, a prophet, a religious leader, a teacher, a martyr, or a role model.

Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt.16:15-16)

When Thomas saw Jesus after His resurrection, he cried out, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

The mystery of the Christmas story is that the baby conceived in Mary’s womb, and humbly born in a stable in Bethlehem, was God in human flesh.  We are reminded at least once a month, by our pastor in our communion services, that “the Lord took a body so that He could give a body.”

It has been said that when we finally get to heaven and we see God face to face, we will be looking at the face of Jesus Christ.  In the classic modern Christmas carol that point profoundly emphasized in the question,  “Mary did you know that when you’ve kissed your little baby, then you’ve kissed the face of God?” 

Born of a woman…

 While the phrase, “God sent his Son” affirms the divine nature of Jesus Christ, this phrase, “born of a woman” affirms that he was also fully and completely human.

From scripture we understand that He grew, He hungered and thirsted, He tired, He felt real physical pain, He experienced grief and loneliness. He cried.  He is fully God and fully man at the same time.

Jesus is the God-man.    At no time did He give up any part of His divine nature.  All the time He was physically alive on earth in human flesh, He remained in complete control over His creation.  

Theologians call that the hypostatic union which means that He has the nature of deity and the nature of humanity.  But He is not two persons, nor is He divided.

Born under the law…

In his letter to the Romans, Paul tells us that all human beings are in one sense or another “under the law.” That is to say that we are not at liberty to decide what is morally right or wrong.  Jews in Paul’s time had the revealed law of God written in the Torah.   And all other peoples (the Gentiles) had a sense of God’s law written on their hearts.  Even atheists have a self-governing sense of morality; something we often call “conscience”.

In either case – whether under the written Law of God or under conscience – each and every human being has failed to follow that law and therefore we suffer condemnation and fear before God.

The reformers called that Total Depravity.  Its not that every person is totally bad but that every person ever conceived has an inherited sin nature.  And we are all caught in a continuous cycle of knowing what is right and failing to do it.  We are all guilty sinners by birth, by choice, and by practice and there is no excuse.

And that guilt results in a kind of slavery.  In verse 3, preceding this text, Paul calls it bondage (or slavery) under the elements (or the spiritual forces) of the world.“  

And from that slavery we need to be redeemed – a word that means freed from slavery, especially freed by means of someone paying a price.

But the good news is that there is one exception to the total human experience of failure before “the law.” Scripture affirms that in His humanity Jesus Christ was like us in every way, except without sin (Hebrews 4:15).   That is because, although He was born of a woman, He was also the Son of God (the God-Man).

He is, therefore, uniquely fit to be our Redeemer, being both divine and human.

To redeem those who were under the law…

Jesus did not come to earth in human flesh primarily to teach or work miracles.  In His own Words He said that He came “…to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10).

Referring to himself as “the Son of Man,” he says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45-46).

Notice that last phrase.  He came “…to give his life as a ransom for many. “

What can we say really happened on Christmas day?  Well, without trying to sound trite, I think the answer to that question is, “Easter.”  The birth of Jesus is meaningless and irrelevant without His death, burial, and resurrection. 

It’s like the nursery rhyme, “Mary had a little lamb,” That’s the Christmas part of the rhyme but the verse continues, “ It’s fleece was white as snow.”  And that is the Easter part of the rhyme; The Lamb of God would be the pure, spotless, and only acceptable sacrifice for the sins of many.

A Savior was born in Bethlehem for the express purpose of redeeming His people by the deliberate and voluntary sacrifice of his life on the cross at Calvary.  His death was in view at His birth.  That is why God ordained that He should be swaddled in burial cloths and that is why one of the gifts of the magi was myrrh; a kind of embalming fluid.  He was born to die.

It was all part of His divine plan that started “when the set time had fully come.”

…that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Herein is the true purpose of the Christmas story.

His life, death, and resurrection were for the purpose of setting captives free and to adopt them as “sons” and “daughters” of God.

Jesus is the only incarnate Son of God.  But through Him, every one of those He redeems becomes a child of God by “adoption”.

^“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:11-12)

"The claim that Christianity makes for Christmas is that at a particular time and place God came to be with us Himself.  When Quirinius was governor of Syria, in a town called Bethlehem, a child was born who, beyond the power of anyone to account for, was the high and lofty One made low and helpless. The One who inhabits eternity comes to dwell in time. The One whom none can look upon and live is delivered in a stable under the soft, indifferent gaze of cattle. The Father of all mercies puts Himself at our mercy."                             Frederick Buechner

Filling the World, He Lies In a Manger,
Maker of the sun,
He is made under the sun.
In the Father He remains,
From His mother He goes forth.
Creator of heaven and earth,
He was born on earth under heaven.
Unspeakably wise,
He is wisely speechless.
Filling the world,
He lies in a manger.
Ruler of the stars,
He nurses at His mother's bosom.
He is both great in the nature of God,
and small in the form of a servant.

Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

God’s greatest gift was not the birth of a little baby in a manger; it was the sacrificial death of His own Son on the cross of Calvary to atone for the sins of His people. 

Merry Christmas

My 2012 Christmas Greeting To Obama

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Date:         12-22-12

To:             President Barack Obama

Dear Mr. President,

During the first American revolution, there was a man, a Brigadier General in the Continental Army, whose responsibility it was to dispatch vital food and supplies to the troops at Valley Forge.  But instead, he sold wagonloads of their provisions on the black market while Washington’s men were freezing, starving, and dying.   His name was Benedict Arnold and later he sold out West Point to the British for money.  

It’s not hard to understand why he was tried and convicted of treason.  The very things that were vital for the protection of this nation’s patriots were denied them and provided to their enemies.

Mr. President, in recent days we have seen Your administration actively involved in illegally placing thousands of guns into the hands of Mexican drug cartels and providing military weapons to other nations which are not friendly to us but are, in fact, enemies of our country- actions that, in fact, have caused the deaths of some of our own citizens.

At the same time we have observed how Your administration has deprived one of our ambassadors and three other men, the protection they needed in Benghazi resulting in their torture and death.

Now You are seemingly pressing hard to deprive us of our constitutional rights to obtain and keep the tools we need to protect ourselves and our families.

Please tell me sir, how are You different from Benedict Arnold?  Perhaps Benedict Arnold should be posthumously exonerated.  What do You think?

I hope You and Your family have a merry Christmas in Hawaii and I trust that You all are much safer than we are.

Respectfully,

Ralph M. Petersen
  

“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; 

but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” 

Proverbs 29:2.

Fun "Sleigh Ride" Piano Duet

Another fun video added to my collection for the Christmas winter season.


HT to Dan Phillips who reminds us that if it's not about Christ, it's not Christmas music.

This One's For My Grandkids

Obama Admits That He Needs Prayer

Following is my first letter to Obama since the Nov. 2012 election. 

Dear Mr. President

Election Day is history.   To say that you were not my choice is an understatement.  In fact I believe that you will do serious harm to this country’s economy and our constitution.  But regardless of how I feel about the outcome, the legitimacy of your eligibility, or even the honesty of the votes, you are, once again, the president and we now must endure your administration until the next election.  Like it or not, God's Word charges Christians to pray for all those in positions of leadership and authority over us.  That especially includes you. “Pray for rulers and for all who have authority so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God.  This is good, and it pleases God our Savior” ( I Tim. 2:2-3)  

Today (Sunday, November 18, 2012) on your trip to Bangkok, you jokingly suggested that you could use some prayer.  You have no idea how right you are.  The problem is that prayer is not a joking matter.  You also quipped, "I always believe in prayer.  If a Buddhist monk is wishing me well, I'm going to take whatever good vibes he can give me to try to deal with some challenges back home."

Well Mr. President, you have declared yourself to be a Christian and have professed faith in Jesus Christ.  If that is true, you should know that “good vibes from a Buddhist monk” are worthless if not blasphemous; the Only One and True God is the only God who can help you.

If, on the other hand, your profession of Christian faith is without substance, I must tell you that the Lord God will not hear any prayer from you except the prayer of repentance from sin and a cry unto the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you and save you.  Many Christians I know are praying that He would reveal Himself to you to that end, that you might be saved.

As for your recognition that you are standing in need of prayer and in response to your asking for it, I hereby confess that I have failed to do what God expects of me regarding your presiding over the affairs of this country.  So over the next four years, I will endeavor to regularly hold you up in prayer.  Here are several specific ways that I, and many other Christians, will be praying for you:

1.               I pray that you will realize your inadequacies for the responsibilities you face and that you will recognize your personal sinfulness.

2.               I pray that you will truly depend upon God for the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and courage needed for leadership.

3.               I pray that you will reject all the counsel and advice of others that violates biblical principles.       

4.               I pray that God would enable you to resist temptations and pressures to violate your conscience.

5.               I pray that you will set aside your own personal ambitions for the sake of the best interest of the people, the good of their precincts, and the work of God.

6.               I pray that you would be quick to seek God and rely on His Word as the source of your strength and the key to real success.

7.               I pray that you will act carefully to maintain trustworthiness and righteousness in your office and that you will strive to guard the dignity, honor, and reputation of your position.

8.               I pray that you will be a good example to others in your speech and conduct while carrying out your responsibilities.

9.               I pray that you will remember that you will be held personally accountable to God for your attitudes, actions, and motives while serving your constituents.

10.            And finally, I pray that you will seek the Lord while He may be found and turn to Him for the salvation of your soul.

Respectfully,

Ralph M. Petersen

It Is Never Right To Do Wrong To Do God's Will

I am amazed at the number of professing Christians who DON’T VOTE!  Just this week, I have read several comments by people who openly brag that "it's all in God's sovereign plan and so, voting doesn't matter.  What’s wrong with you? 

And that attitude is common.  Not too many years ago, in another presidential election, a Christian friend and fellow church member DIDN’T VOTE.  I was stunned by his laziness and foolish, irrational and irresponsible behavior.  His excuse went something like this:  “I don’t waste my time with politics; God’s in control and there’s nothing we can do about it anyway.” 

Underlying that statement was his belief that God was on a predetermined course of action in this world that He foretold in Scripture.   My friend is looking forward to “the Rapture of the Church” and so by his refusal to vote, he believes he is helping God to bring about the evil dictator (antichrist) who will rise to rule the world during seven years of tribulation after which, the Lord will return to take His throne and judge the world. 

We are fast approaching another election; probably the most important one in our lifetimes, and I don’t have the time or the patience to craft this post so that you can find it palatable.  So I am going to make a few statements here that may be hard to swallow and you may get angry with me but they need to be said. 

Sometimes it is WRONG to try to help God accomplish His will.  Yeah, you read that right!  God doesn't need your help to accomplish His purpose in history.  He expects YOU to do RIGHT even if His will seems to be in contradistinction to your actions.   I know that seems paradoxical but God’s ways are not our ways and He does what He pleases for His glory.  And He doesn’t need our help; if He did, He would not be omnipotent and He would be obligated to share His glory with us.  That’s not going to happen.  

Is it right to do wrong in order to do God’s will?  NO!  God will accomplish His purposes; we must do right and you will NOT get a free pass for neglecting to do right, even if God is doing something else.   When God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for the sins of the world, it was His will and His plan for good.  Yet it would be foolishness to suggest that those who actually beat Him, and nailed Him to the cross were doing right. 

In this election, we Christians have a duty to do right at the polls.  Our choices should be determined by sound biblical values.  In our representative republic, our leaders are selected, and appointed by us to be our agents.  Look, I don’t know how to say this any clearer; if you vote for an ungodly leader who does immoral things, YOU ARE PERSONALLY GUILTY OF HIS SINS.  He is your agent.  You engaged him and you empowered him.  When acting as your representatives, they legalize and support baby killing, YOU legalized baby killing.  When your representatives destroy the institution of marriage between one man and one woman, YOU support queer marriage.  YOU cannot remain innocent of the wrongdoing of YOUR representatives any more than if you hired a hit man to kill your neighbor and then plead not guilty to murder because you didn’t pull the trigger.  That’s absurd.  God will not be mocked.  He will bring judgment on those leaders who abuse power but don't be surprised when He brings judgment on those who actually empower and enable them.

And by the way, you don’t get a pass for sitting it out either.  By most analyzes, if most professing Christians actually voted, we would elect conservative candidates.  So it follows that since far too many Christians don't vote, we are getting the leadership we deserve and we are getting the judgment from God for the sin of our inaction.   Christians are to be salt and light in this present world.  If your light is out or if you salt has lost its flavor, you are kinda worthless.

Get up off your backside and go VOTE RIGHT. 

An Accident By Design

Incredible?  No, it isn't incredible.  Incredible means to be so implausible as to elicit disbelief.
Amazing is a better word. 

Here is episode 1 in a series titled, Stories Of The Faith.  This one, Miracle at Midnight, features my friend, Dr. J. Don Jennings as he relates his experience of a near fatal "accident" that was not an accident at all but an amazing and intricately orchestrated event. 

It seems a truly amazing chain of events yet nothing is too difficult for our great God who is sovereign over all things.

Rhino Kills African Buffalo (not for the sensitive)

Barack Obama Is A Man Of His Word. Trust Him!

He Promised

He Delivered

He Responded To Terrorist Attacks

 He Blamed The Victims

The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts

 by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – 

as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. 

Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation 

as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. 

Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. 

We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech 

to hurt the religious beliefs of others.

Don't Blame Me

I Voted For The American

Watch This, Then Go Ahead And Vote For OBAMA

Okay!  There are some out there who are still undecided.  You voted for Obama and now you are disappointed BUT you aren't excited about Romney.  I get it.  And there are only about 60 days left for you to make up your mind.

So I would suggest that you consider giving your vote to Barack Obama BUT ONLY after you are thoroughly convinced by this 13 minute video documentary.  Listen to Him then trust Him.  You can know that you are doing the right thing.

If not, then go ahead and vote for the other guy.

You Didn't Make That

Children are born with good sense.  They have to be brainwashed into liberal ideology.  Hopefully they will grow out of it later in life.

The President claims that His words were, unfairly, taken out of context.  Well, IN context, His comments are stupid.  There is no mistaking what He meant.

Lefty Lunatics At Large In Frutvale Elementary School in HEMET, CA

We often become aware of the lunatic fringe on the Left when we read about their foolishness in the media or read it on the net.

 

This JUST happened…in Michigan. It was only a matter of time before Texas got in on the “terrorist threat” gravy train.

Get this: a 13-year-old student at the Cy-Fair ISD was sporting an NYPD t-shirt. She and her pals were pretending to play cops and robbers, each doing the ol’ “air gun” thing at each other. The teacher turned around and immediately thought this girl was aiming her imaginary glock at her. Fearing for her life (yes, this is what the teacher said), the hyperbolic teacher sent the fake gunslinger to the principal’s office. The result: a 3-day suspension for making a “terroristic threat.”

The district, naturally, refused to comment. Why? ‘Cause they know this is freakin’ stupid.  Beaumont Enterprise

Well sometimes it happens right under your nose; right in your own community, and that's when you know that it isn't just someone else's problem in some other remote place. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!

It was just two days ago that I reposted THIS.  The first time I posted it, I was being facetious, but today it is reality. Crazy people, incapable of rational discernment are all around us.

Tonight a friend sent me a photocopy of a disciplinary referral slip that was issued to her friend's child at school today. I will not post the photo because I want to protect the child's identity. What was his offense?  It is hard to describe so I will just reproduce the teacher's actual description.

READY?  Here it is: "MAKING GUNS WITH HANDS." That's right. The little "perp" actually pointed his finger at another student.  Its a good thing the quick thinking teacher was their to protect her other students.  That finger could have "gone off" and caused some serious damage or even DEATH.

 When I was a kid, we got in trouble for making gestures with a different finger but, today that is protected as freedom of expression. Pointing your finger like a gun is considered a threat or a hate crime.

Shame, Shame, SHAME on the teacher and administrator at FRUITVATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN HEMET. They have no sense and no discernment. This is one of the reasons so many parents are homeschooling their children these days. Imbecilic dopes who don't know the difference between guns and fingers are in charge of teaching. That's probably why so many children don't know how to read and write and count and think.

Look out folks, CRAZY people are all around us. Most of them don't even know they're crazy but lots of them are high paid, union protected, perfeshunal skool ejukaters..

If Your Son's Name Is HUNTER, He May Be The Next TARGET Of The Anti-Gun Nuts

I Knew It; I Predicted It in This Post In 2008 And Again In 2010.  Watch Out.  If You Name Your Son "Hunter" He May Be The Next "TARGET" (no pun intended) Of The Anti-Gun Nuts. 

BE SURE TO WATCH THE VIDEO 
LINKED AT THE END OF THIS POST

Warning:

Do Not Do This Near A School.
Anyone Caught With A Loaded Finger

Will Be Expelled Or Incarcerated.

When They Outlaw Fingers, 
Only Outlaws Will Have Fingers

It has been reported that nearly 40,000 children take guns to school each year. That seems incredible. I am naturally skeptical so I wonder about the legitimacy of the report. But after giving the matter some objective consideration I have concluded that the unbelievable statistic is nonsense. Most of us know the reasoning behind the law and we know what a gun is. The outrageous statistic is driven by political correctness and is based on the sheer stupidity and inane foolishness of idiots who have no understanding of language.

Under new zero-tolerance policies, children have been removed from schools for possession of squirt guns, cap guns and even miniature gun replicas on key chains. Does anyone remember the little elementary school guy who drew a picture of a gun with a crayon, cut it out, and then pointed it at a classmate? He was expelled. Another student was expelled for pretending to have a gun.

I play a game with my grandson where we point our gun-shaped fingers and fire imaginary bullets at each other. He grabs his chest; then he reels, groans, staggers and falls in an incredible death act certainly worthy of an Oscar. He will start kindergarten soon and so now I am wondering if I am teaching him something that may get him expelled. If an imaginary or make-believe gun qualifies as a weapon, then, potentially, any student who points his index finger with his thumb cocked may be found guilty and punished for the illegal possession of a gun in a school. And as ridiculous as that might sound, that very act has already been determined to be an act of unlawful intimidation or even hate-motivated threats in some schools.

Most of our laws were written with good intentions. But they must be administered by people who have some sense of wisdom and understanding. Unfortunately there is very little of that left in the world. Some of the very people we entrust to teach our children those qualities are unequipped and incapable of rational thinking or discernment themselves.

Foolishness brings joy to those who have no sense; a sensible person stays on the right path. Proverbs 15:21

IMPORTANT UPDATE

This post was originally titled, "Do Not Bring Loaded Fingers To School."  When I first posted it two years ago, I was being sarcastic.  I was doing, what Rush Limbaugh calls, illustrating absurdity by being absurd.  I really thought this kind of nonsense was unusual and rare. 

Well I was wrong.  It has happened again.  This unbelievable incident was recorded on page 15 in the May, 2010 edition of AMERICA'S FIRST FREEDOM, a publication of the NRA. 

A 6-year-old Michigan boy was suspended for two days after making a "gun" with his hand and pointing it at other students.  School officials in Ionia said the boy's actions made other students uncomfortable  The boy's mother, however, said there was no violent intention in his behavior, He's only six and he doesn't understand any of this," she told the Grand Rapids Press.

Fortunately, all my grandchildren are home schooled and, therefore, protected from the lunatics that run the public school asylums.

2012 UPDATE

THE WORLD HAS GONE CRAZY

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

 

Charles Spurgeon on UNITY

To remain divided is sinful! Did not our Lord pray, that they may be one, even as we are one”? (John 17:22). A chorus of ecumenical voices keep harping the unity tune. What they are saying is, “Christians of all doctrinal shades and beliefs must come together in one visible organization, regardless… Unite, unite!” Such teaching is false, reckless and dangerous. Truth alone must determine our alignments. Truth comes before unity. Unity without truth is hazardous. Our Lord’s prayer in John 17 must be read in its full context. Look at verse 17: “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” Only those sanctified through the Word can be one in Christ. To teach otherwise is to betray the Gospel.”

Charles H. Spurgeon

“It is our solemn conviction that where there can be no real spiritual communion there should be no pretence of fellowship. Fellowship with known and vital error is participation in sin.”

Charles Spurgeon

Chains You Can Believe In

God Didn't Save Noah Because He Was A Good Man

In the 1950s, Tennessee Ernie Ford popularized the old spiritual song,   "Noah Found Grace In The Eyes Of The Lord."   The lyrics began like this:

The Lord looked down from His window in the sky;
     He said, "I created man but I don't remember why;
"Nothin' but fightin' since creation day,
     "I'll send a little water and I'll wash 'em all away."

The Lord came down and looked around a spell,
     And there was Mr. Noah behavin' mighty well.
And that is the reason the scriptures record,
     "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."

That was a fun song but really lousy doctrine.  The problem with it is that it insinuates that Noah was a good man and it perpetuates the myth that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell.

 Look; regardless of what you have been told or what you would like to believe, God did NOT save Noah because he was the only good man on earth; in fact, there were probably thousands of people who were better than he.  But from God's perspective, Noah was just as wicked as everyone else. God saved Noah because He purposed to show mercy and grace to an undeserving, dirty, rotten, low-life scumbag.

How do I know that?  Look at the passage in Genesis 6:5-6.  "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.  And the Lord said, 'I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air, for it repenteth me that I have made them.'"

Did you see that?  The blanket indictment about man (all men, collectively) is that EVERY imagination of the thoughts of his heart was ONLY EVIL CONTINUALLY.  All mankind was wicked; every one of them and Noah was no different.  He was a sinner JUST LIKE THE REST OF THEM (AND US) BECAUSE HE WAS ONE OF THEM.

Are things any different today?  NO!  After God destroyed all life in the flood, He made a promise (Gen. 8:21) "...and the Lord said in His heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything living, as I have done." 

So even though God destroyed everyone except Noah and his sons, God's assessment was still the same; "...for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth."   Why?  Because Noah was still a man with a sin nature as were his sons.  They were still dirty rotten, low-life scumbags.  The verses that follow leaves no doubt that Noah and his sons wasted no time returning to their old depraved ways. 

Nevertheless, God promised that He would not destroy the world with a flood again for man's sake.

Here is the Good News for all of us; Noah was a sinner saved by God's grace.  He didn't deserve it and there was nothing he could do to earn it.  God looked on him with grace and verse 9 in chapter 6 goes on to say that "Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God."

There is a biblical order of events to note, in those two verses regarding Noah's saving faith, that is consistent in all those who are saved:

       1.     Verse 8 says that Noah found grace.  In a great act of mercy, God sovereignly extended His grace toward Noah.

       2.     Noah was justified or declared to be righteous by God.

       3.     Thus, Noah was perfect (made complete) in so far as God's records are concerned.

       4.     Therefore, he was able (enabled) to walk with God.

It was God's grace that made Noah aware of his dirty, rotten, sinful condition before a righteous, holy God.  And it was God's grace that made him fear God enough to believe (trust) Him and obey (worship) Him.

Biblical salvation in any age is exactly this way;  It is by God's sovereign grace, received through faith, that a believer is justified before God and declared to be complete in Him  Then, only as a result of, and on the basis of this gift of Grace can one "walk" in fellowship with God, showing the genuineness of faith by (H)is works.

John Piper sums it up like this;
"This is the meaning of grace.  We cannot obtain a right standing with God because of our works.  It must be a free gift.  We can only receive it by faith, cherishing it as our great treasure.  This is why the Bible says,  "By grace you have been saved through faith.   And this is not our own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).  Christ suffered and died so that good works would be the effect, not the cause, of our acceptance.  Not surprisingly, then, the next sentence says, "For we are...created in Christ Jesus for good works" (Eph. 2:10).  That is we are saved for good works, not by good works."

No Editorial Comments, No Accusations, No Sarcasm. Just OBAMA In His Own Words.

7-22-12 Update Note:  I don't know how this got by me- I usually verify these kinds of posts on Snopes, Verifact, or some other fact check site before I post.  Thanks to Bob English for correcting me.  The photo is real although Obama has excused it on the technicality that it was during the playing of the National Anthem and NOT during the Pledge of Allegience to the flag.   Okay, I get it and He gets a bit of a pass although the U.S. flag code does call for civilians placing their right hands over their hearts during the playing of the National Anthem.  Furthermore, the photo is a still frame from a video in which ALL the others on stage, including Hillary Clinton, are standing at attention with their right hands over their hearts.  So I want to clarify the information in this post is FALSE and I am labeling it SARCASM and JUST FOR FUN. 

Regardless of the accuracy of the content, it is my opinion, based on His policies, His actions, and His own words, that this president does not like the United States of America as it is but would rather substantively change it to a more socialistic and less free country.



No need for accusations here.  He told us in advance exactly who He was and what He planned to do.  But few of us were listening.

The following is a narrative taken from from Sunday's 07 Sept. 2008, 11:48:04 EST, televised "Meet the Press."  Then Senator Obama was asked about his stance on the American Flag.

General Bill Ginn, USAF (ret.), asked Obama to explain WHY he doesn't follow protocol when the National Anthem is played.  The General stated to Obama that according to the United States Code, Title 36, Chapter 10, Sec. 171... "During rendition of the national anthem, when the flag is displayed, all present (except those in uniform) are expected to stand at attention, facing the flag, with the right hand over the heart.  Or, at the very least, 'Stand and Face It'".

Senator' Obama replied, "As I've said about the flag pin, I don't want to be perceived as taking sides..."    "There are a lot of people in the world to whom the American flag is a symbol of oppression...."    "The anthem itself conveys a war-like message.  You know, the bombs bursting in air, and all that sort of thing."

(ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?) Obama continued, "The National Anthem should be 'swapped' for something less parochial and less bellicose.  I like the song 'I'd Like To Teach the World To Sing.'   If that were our anthem, then I might salute it.   In my opinion, we should consider reinventing our National Anthem as well as 'redesign' our Flag to better offer our enemies hope and love.  It's my intention, if elected, to disarm America to the level of acceptance to our Middle East brethren.   If we, as a nation of warring people, conduct ourselves like the nations of Islam, where peace prevails -- perhaps a state or period of mutual accord could exist between our governments ..."

"When I become President, I will seek a pact of agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity, and a freedom from disquieting oppressive thoughts . We as a nation, have placed upon the nations of Islam, an unfair injustice,which is why my wife disrespects the flag, and she and I have attended several flag burning ceremonies in the past."

"Of course now, I have found myself about to become the President of the United States and I have put my hatred aside.  I will use my power to bring CHANGE to this nation, and offer the people a new path.  My wife and I look forward to becoming our country's First BLACK Family.  Indeed, CHANGE is about to overwhelm the  United States of America."

So there you have it, folks.  The unpatriotic, America-hating Scumbag-in-Chief has spoken (Oops, sorry!  I couldn't help myself).

Revolutionary Thoughts For Independence Day

There are some things that are just absolutely and fundamentally true. In fact, they are so universally evident and understood that they don’t even need to be argued or defended. One of those absolute truths is that we are all created by God. And because He is the creator and the giver of life, no one, and no government has the right to arbitrarily take the life of another. Nor does anyone have the right to own, control or hold another person hostage. And, no one has the right to deny any other person the opportunity to pursue his dreams or ambitions. The right to life, the right to be free and the right to pursue happiness are all rights that are granted to men by God-not by government.

In order to secure and protect their God-given rights, it is the responsibility of men to organize governments for themselves whose ONLY powers are those that are granted to them by the willing consent of the people. And, with those powers, they must act righteously for the good of those they govern.

Whenever any government becomes so destructive or oppressive that it threatens or diminishes these basic rights of its people, it is the responsibility of the people to change or abolish that government and create a new one that will most effectively secure their safety, freedom, well-being and happiness.

Governments that have been well-established and that have served well over long periods of time must be wise and very careful to remember their fundamental purpose and not substantively deviate from it for frivolous or fleeting causes. History has shown that most men will endure a lot of abuse and persecution and even evil at the hands of their governments as long as they think the abuses are tolerable because, over time, they become accustomed to it. Resistance is hard work and, frankly, it is much easier to just endure government encroachment as much as possible.

But when any government becomes so abusive and oppressive; when it systematically erodes the freedoms of the very people who established it and empowered it in the first place, to the point that it becomes tyrannical or dictatorial, it is the right, - no, it is the duty of men to overthrow that government and to organize a new system to guard their future security.

The preamble of the Declaration of Independence (paraphrased by me).

Quit Your Whining! When You Vote For Socialists, You Get Socialism.

In the debate about the constitutionality of Obamacare, lefties are always quick to point out that we have Social Security and Medicare.  So then, they ask, why are we concerned, now, about another socialistic government overreach?

Well just because we allowed our representatives to make stupid, irresponsible, and unconstitutional laws in the past is no reason why we should ignore this monstrous power grab now.  It is never right to do wrong.

But, for the record, here are the facts about Social Security.  Had it been proposed then, the way it is now, we would have rejected it wholeheartedly.  Instead, socialist ideologues, like camels sticking their noses under the tent, sneaked in their agenda a little bit at a time until, here, we are entrenched in the miry muck with no way out.

Just in case some of you young whippersnappers (and some older ones) didn't know this. It's easy to check out, if you don't believe it.   Regardless of your love or hate for Social Security, after reading this you cannot deny that it was misrepresented in its inception, deceptive in its institution,  and is constitutionally illegal (that is, unless you live in the upside down-inside-out, happycrap land of lunatic lefties).

Be sure and show this to your kids. They need a little history lesson on the consequences of irresponsible actions at the voting booth and the natural tendency of government toward tyrannical rule.  It doesn't matter whether you are Democrat or Republican; both parties are taking us down the same road to serfdom.  Facts are Facts!!

Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat and big government progressive,  introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program.

He promised:

1. That participation in the program would be completely voluntary (that means you don’t have to participate).

2. That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual incomes into the program.

3. That the money the participants elected to put into the program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year.

4. That the money the participants put into the Independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the General Operating fund, and therefore, would only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other Government program, and,

5. That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income.

Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month -- and then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of the money we paid to the federal government to 'put away' -- you may be interested in the following:

·        It was Lyndon B. Johnson (with a Democrat controlled congress) who took Social Security from the Independent 'Trust Fund' and put it into the General fund so that Congress could spend it.

·        It was the Democrat Party that eliminated the income tax deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding.

·        It was the Democrat Party, with Al Gore, the Vice President of the U.S. casting the tie-breaking vote, that first started taxing Social Security annuities.

·        It was Jimmy Carter and the Democrat Party that began giving annuity payments to immigrants.  That’s right!  Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, began to receive Social Security payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it!

Now, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats have the audacity to turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away!  And the worst part about it is uninformed citizens believe it!

And, to make matters worse, congress exempts itself from Social Security and grants themselves 100% retirement benefits after serving only one term. 

To further add insult to injury, while congress has let Morgan Stanley, Lehman, and other companies go under, they poured billions of bailout dollars into AIG.  Why?  One guess - who administers that fantastic retirement program congress voted for themselves when they opted out of Social Security?  Could it be - AIG!

Freedom means self-direction, self-determination, and self-reliance without the control and interference of government.  It also means you might not get everything you think you want but if you love your freedom, you will vote for representatives who also love your freedom and want to protect it. 

On the other hand, if you feel like you are entitled and need a nanny to give you everything you want, you will vote for liberals and socialists. 

Hope that works out for ya! 

Have a nice day!.