T.O.ttitude

He's at it again...this time in Dallas. Now the Cowboys are going to understand everything that the Eagles went through just before they got rid of T.O.

After losing to the Redskins this past Sunday T.O. stood at a press conference and said that he didn't get the ball enough. He must think that none of the reporters watched the game. Owens had plenty of opportunities to produce in this game - in fact, an anonymous source for the team said it seemed they were doing too much to get him involved. What the Cowboys will have to focus on now is not allowing his attitude (the T.O.ttitude) from going through the rest of the team.

People like this drive me nuts. You simply can't do enough to satisfy their need for gratification. You see it in all kinds of places. It's in the office, someone in your family, among your circle of friends, and sometimes (unfortunately) in the church. People who are never satisfied. You simply can't do enough for them. You don't call enough, visit enough, applaud them enough, etc. You even find yourself going out of your way to make them "feel" appreciated and it comes back to slap you in the face.

The best thing T.O. can do is thank God for the opportunity to play the game and go out and play. The best thing people in the church can do is thank God for their salvation and get involved. If we would spend more of our time using our gifts and talents to serve the kingdom we wouldn't have time to complain or wonder if anyone is noticing.

When you read the Word you will find concerning good works that we shouldn't let our left hand know what our right hand is doing. I love what Oswald Chambers said when he asked, "Can you be a doormat for Christ?" Can we be used without being noticed and be o.k. with it? Think about it the next time you are asked to serve.

Don't walk around with a T.O.ttitude.

When the Majority is the minority

For all of you following the current economic crisis & potential bail-out being argued in Washington I have a question:

If the Democrats control the House & the Senate why are they blaming Republicans for blocking the bail-out plan from yesterday?

Republicans did the same thing when they had control of both houses as well.

If both of these parties think they are the right ones to make things happen for America then why don't they push their proposals through?

Only in America can a Majority be a minority...think about it!

The Sky is Falling

Many of us know the story of "Chicken Little". For some of the younger readers we will use the Disney version (LOL). In the Disney version of "Chicken Little" we find that the main character was struck on the head by something he could not see. This is where the famous phrase "the sky is falling" comes from. What we do know is that he felt the pain of the hit - he saw something - but wasn't really sure what to make of it. In his panic, Chicken Little tried to warn everyone of the impending doom.

Let's compare this story to the unfolding events of this week. We have witnessed the crashing of banks, the falling of stocks in the market, and a needed bailout for some of these mortgage companies. There is great panic in the world today as people feel the pain of the hit - we are seeing things falling around us - but we really aren't sure what to make of all of this. In our panic we warn of the impending doom.

In Disney's version of the story there was an actual threat. It wasn't the sky but another outside force that created the problem Chicken Little faced. We have heard our president address the nation over our current crisis, we have hear the political pundits try to spin all of the information for one party or the other, and we have heard what Congress has had to say - unfortunately no one has figured out (or admitted to) the cause of the pain we feel.

As a person who believes in conservative values and our free market, I'm confident that we can get out of this mess if we handle things properly. Now is not the time for people to be screaming "the sky is falling." No, now is the time to figure out a plan.

Too often we can become reactionary in our decisions. In other words we react with our emotions rather than our intellect. We see a child nearing a cliff and we scream at them to come back. Instead of securing them we startle them and they fall off the edge. If our leaders don't take the time needed to hammer out the best plan we can end up with an outcome that we were trying to divert in the first place.

I share this with you today because I have the same concerns as many of you. I hear that something must be done and it must be done NOW. However, there is time to do it right. Our market has not crashed completely. I know that some banks are failing and there is concern about small business, etc. But we cannot rush this to the point that Americans feel the heat later.

If our country is going to have to spend this gross amount of money to help these companies then let's ensure that it is done as a loan. Let's ensure that a plan is in place for that money to come back into the reserve. And let's take the steps to ensure that this junk does not happen again.

I heard a report today about some of these small business that would not be able to take out loans to make payroll. But I have never understood why companies operate in that manner. Why do they have to take out a loan or line of credit to pay their employees? Should they not have expected to pay their employees from the money they make when selling a product? And let's look at the housing market because people are also talking about the difficulty in borrowing "right now" to buy a house. But didn't we just hear that new home sales have been down in recent months? It just doesn't make sense.

Who knows what will happen today? We may see a huge mismanagement of taxpayer money or we may see a plan that doesn't put our future economics in jeopardy. I vote for the latter. Does anyone in Congress hear that? Do what is right for the nation in the future! Don't be so short-sighted that you agree to something we are going to have to bail-out in a couple of years. And right after you sign whatever it is into law, start working on proposals to get more money back into the economy, cut the spending in Washington, remove the earmarks that have been built into defense bills and the like, allow our country to start producing some of its own resources for energy so the money stays in our economy, and make the necessary legislation that guarantees the free market will not be hampered.

Now is not the time to be reactionary. It's time for our leaders to be visionary. Look ahead - not just 1-2-or 3 months but see the big picture. There are things that are falling but it's not the sky.

May God grant our leaders the wisdom and temperance they need to do what's right for our nation. May God bless America.

Doing What is Right

"Fireproof", a movie that will debut this week, comes to us from the wonderful people who produced "Flywheel" & "Facing the Giants." The movie is about a fire fighter who is a hero in his community but a real "jerk" in his home. The movie trailer says it all when one of his buddies conveys that he is willing to go into a burning building to save the lives of strangers but does nothing while his marriage is burning to the ground. Kirk Cameron (Growing Pains, Left Behind) stars in this action-drama.

In a recent interview Cameron stated that during a kissing scene that he is not kissing his co-star but actually kissing his wife. Through "movie magic" Cameron's real wife is dressed as his movie wife and the scene is shot in silhouette. He said that in the movie he and his wife are honoring their wedding vows behind the scenes.

I'm sure there are people out there who think this is ridiculous, but Cameron - a devout Christian - believes it's the right thing to do. He has chosen to honor his commitment to his wife by not kissing anyone other than her. I don't know about you, but I'm glad to hear of Christians who do what they believe is right.


In a bold move yesterday John McCain, Republican Presidential Nominee, suspended his campaign to go to Washington to provide leadership over this bail-out proposal in Congress.

Today you will hear a lot of political pundits out there who will say this is strictly political. But I truly believe that McCain does what he says. His campaign slogan is "Country First" - today he puts his country first by trying to get something done in Washington.

I'm so glad to see someone in Washington act as though they work for the American people. Far too often we hear these people say that they are on our side but never see any results once they make it to Washington. This move should put everyone in Congress on notice: We elected you and you work for us!

Regardless of your political persuasion - John McCain has risked his run for the White House to do what is right. He should be commended rather than criticized.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Every day we are faced with decisions...how to respond in certain situations, when to speak and keep silent, whether or not we are going to share the gospel with someone...what will we do? Will we do what is right and honor our commitment to God? Or will we shrink away from those things that seem to be unpopular or polarizing? Stand up believer for what you think is right.

Times of Refreshing

Acts 3:19, "Repent and return...that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."

I shared with you yesterday about the need for REVIVAL but I don't want this to simply become a "lofty" goal...no, I hope to see this become a necessity in the church. We (the church as a whole) has spent too much time and energy focused on how to advance our churches through buildings and finances rather than seeing God's Kingdom advance through revival among God's people.

Acts 3:19 shows us what we need to do to receive times of refreshing:
1) Repent
2) Return

Monday evening I was preaching a revival service in Galax and the text I used was Revelation 2 when Jesus was speaking to the Church in Ephesus - the church that had left it's first love. Jesus said to Remember from where they had fallen, Repent and do the first works. Remember - Repent - Return. Over and over again Scripture makes it perfectly clear: if we want to see God move in our midst we need to repent and return to Him.

My question is "When did we leave?" What is it that got the church off course? When did we begin to follow after things that were not of God? Sure, we see this in individual lives quite often but Jesus was speaking directly to the church in Revelation. It's the church that needs to repent. Then and only then can we expect to see times of refreshing from the Lord.

The church may not notice (and more often than not will not admit it) that they have wandered into a desert. It's DRY - there's no water. It's DESTITUTE - there's nothing to sustain life. It's DEAD - there's no life out here! And yet here comes the leadership trying to say "Everything is good." Is it any wonder that multitudes choose to ignore our invitation? Is it any wonder that we can't get people interested in the things of God? The reason many of them would rather go somewhere to have fun is because they don't view church as a place that fulfills any particular need in their life. OH how we must become fountains of living water again! They are thirst but can we offer them a drink? They are hungry but can we offer them the bread that satisfies?

The time has come for the church to experience times of refreshing so that we can lead others to the water of eternal life. It's time for the church to see an outpouring of God's Spirit. Lord, let it rain...let it rain...open the floodgates of heaven!

Fellow believer please hear this plea - cry out to God for times of refreshing among His people. Repent of the things that hinder God's movement in your life and Return to the Lord. God longs to revive and refresh His church. Will we long for Him?

What America REALLY Needs!

In the fall of 1904 a revival broke out in Wales. Before this awesome event church membership had declined, people had become indifferent to religion, and churches has become extremely formal.

Enter into the story a young man by the name of Evan Roberts. Roberts was a coal mine worker who had a great burden for revival. For 13 years he prayed for a great outpouring of God's Spirit. Leading prayer meeting with different groups became a major emphasis in his life. In 1904 Evans answered the call to preach and on October 31, 1904 following a Monday night prayer meeting 17 young people stayed to hear a message asking people to put away unconfessed sin & any doubtful habits, obeying the Spirit of God promptly, and confessing Christ publicly. That night all seventeen responded to his preaching.

Night after night the crowds continued to roll in. The Spirit of God was poured out on the nation and God's people returned to Him. The lost were saved in huge numbers - 70,000 in two months, 85,000 in five months, and over 100,000 in the six months following that October meeting.

The commitments that were made during this time were life changing. Taverns had to close because of a lack of business. The crime rate dropped. People paid old debts and made restitution for thefts. There was even a slowdown in the coal mines as the mules had to learn a new language!

With all of our political talk over the next few weeks and concern about the leadership of our nation...what America REALLY needs is a revival among God's people and a Spiritual Awakening in our United States.

Revival is the act of God in bringing His people back to a place of spiritual vitality. This usually happens after a time of spiritual decline. Are our churches in decline?

Spiritual Awakening happens when a large number of people (or large % of people) experience salvation in a short period of time. Do we need to see an awakening in our communities and our country?

I bring this up today because our country is in a mess. We are in a mess financially, socially, and morally. The citizens of this country have place too much faith in government and not enough faith in God. It's not the role of government or the President to lead our nation in true faith - that's the mission of the church. Why isn't this happening? Because our churches are in desperate need of Revival. And until our churches experience an outpouring of God's Spirit we will never see the Spiritual Awakening that we long for.

Regardless of who gets elected in November and whether or not our Congress passes a huge bailout for the housing markets - we need Revival. Believers, this is a call to prayer. We need to join together and ask God for a revival among His people and an Awakening that will reach every state and every person. May God grant our requests and may Jesus be glorified in His church.

**Information about the Spiritual Awakening in Wales comes courtesy of "Fresh Encounter" by Henry Blackaby & Claude King.

A Cup of Joe...

Yesterday I decided to share with you some of my political views. One of those views had to do with taxes. How fortunate for me that Joe Biden made this statement on ABC yesterday when asked about increasing taxes on those who make $250,000 or more: "It's time to be patriotic...time to jump in, time to be part of the deal, time to help get America out of the rut..." I know this may bother some of you but I do agree with McCain on his statement, "Raising taxes in a tough economy isn't patriotic...it's just dumb policy."

The point here is that raising taxes isn't good for the economy - cutting spending is. Why is it that we never hear those words. Why is the American taxpayer constantly forced to flip the bill for things that we do not want? We find ourselves today bailing out more and more companies on wall street, possibly even covering mortgages that should have never been given out anyway, and paying for ridiculous programs and bills that Congress places in the budget.

Allow me to introduce the "Fair Tax" again. Go to www.fairtax.org and you can read the plans to get rid of our current tax system in favor of a national sales tax. Think about it folks - keeping your entire paycheck because there will be no more payroll taxes,and no more putting money into medicare & social security. How are taxes paid? When you and I make purchases. Not only that but it's the best flat tax plan out there. Consider this: whenever someone comes to this country to visit they must buy things. Every time they buy something they help to fuel the budget of the United States.

Some on the outside might say - But what about the check I get during tax season? There will still be money coming to you based upon your income bracket, size of family, etc. You have to look into the details in the plan to understand that not all of the money that will go to the federal government will stay there. What about prices? Well, under the fair tax plan you will also be removing taxes on corporations and when you remove taxes on corporations prices will drop. Think about all of the anger in our society over jobs that have gone overseas. If the United States adopted this plan it's been my understanding that most (if not all) of those companies would move their operations back to the states which means more jobs for the American worker.

We have heard over and over again that our system is broke (doesn't work). If it's broke then why don't we stop trying to patch it up? Let's replace a broken system with one that guarantees a boost in our economy and a boost to your financial progress.

I'm fortunate that Joe Biden made his taxes comment because it gave me a platform to share this with you today. However, it won't be fortunate for our economy if Obama wins the presidency and implements it. There is a difference in strengthening the economy and fattening the purse of government. Don't link government being able to fund all of its programs with economic strength.

Have a great weekend and remember this - "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do no break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

Let's Go Ahead & Put It Out There

I have given considerable thought this morning as to what I would blog about. There is so much news out there that it's hard to keep up with it all. Do I jump on the news coming from Wall Street, the campaign trail, problems at home, or just get on here an rant about any subject. My conclusion: None of the Above. What I am going to do is go ahead and let you know where I stand politically.

I am Pro-Life. God is pro-life and so am I. One of the first things I look at when deciding who to vote for is their position concerning abortion.

I am for limited government. What many people of this nation has forgotten is that government was created to work for the people and not against them. There is too much government oversight in many areas and not enough oversight in others. Our Congress right now is fighting over where we can/cannot drill for oil but talking about taking a break rather than deal with the current crisis on Wall Street. To Congress: We voted you into office to work - GET TO WORK!

Our Government needs to cut spending. Right now our federal government is out of control. We are putting millions of dollars into programs on a federal level that should be left up to the states. We have millions of dollars going toward the arts to help people who can't sell a painting in the free market. I don't remember voting for that one do you? We are giving millions of dollars to countries that do not support us. Once again - I didn't get a vote on that one either. Whoever goes into the White House needs to cut out ridiculous spending.

I am Against Same Sex Marriages. It is morally wrong. I stated my stance on homosexuality yesterday.

I am For a Strong Military. I don't have a problem with the United States being the lone superpower in the world. It doesn't bother me that we have the largest military on earth nor that we spend a lot of money to fund it. The greatest role of government is to protect the American people.

I am For Energy Independence. We have oil here - let's use it. We have natural gas here - let's find a way to fuel our vehicles with it as well. Let's use wind, solar, water, bio-fuel, & nuclear energy. We are American and we can do it.

I am for the Fair Tax plan. Have questions - go to www.fairtax.org and see what it's all about. Basically promotes replacing our current tax system with a national sales tax. It is the best tax policy out there folks and keeps taxes even among all income groups (no more class warfare). I look forward to a day when our elections are not going to be about cutting taxes/raising taxes but rather which leader is going to be the best for our nation. This needs to become a ballot issue.

I am for protecting our borders. If it means a wall, putting the national guard on our borders, etc. Our country needs to do something to STOP illegal immigration. I am for LEGAL immigration. There is a way to come to America the right way (the legal way). If you follow our rules then you can live here.

I am a firm believer in our right to bear arms. Yes, the constitution gives us the right to own a gun(s).

I believe "One Nation Under God" should be our national motto, "In God We Trust" should be on our currency, and that we should keep God in the Pledge of Allegiance.

These are just some of my personal beliefs/convictions when it comes to politics. This is a part of my worldview..."The Neal Doctrine". Some of you might notice that the Bible and my personal religious beliefs have shaped my worldview. Does that seem strange to you? If I'm being honest here (sounds like Simon Cowell doesn't it?) I don't understand how a believer can vote in any election without being guided by their moral compass. How can a believer support abortion on demand? How can a believer support gay marriage? These are some serious issues. I have heard people say that they vote to help the economy and that you can't allow your morals to come into play. Give me a break! We are to allow our morals to guide us in everything else but how we vote? God's Word says that righteousness exalts a nation NOT economic stability.

My hope for this election is that believers will continue to come out and make their voices heard. God has blessed us to live in a free society where we can vote for those who lead our nation. WAKE UP CHURCH and stand for what is right. You and I may disagree with some of the points that I made earlier but we must find agreement on matters of morality.

Want to know more? I will answer your questions to the best of my ability. Click on the comment link and ask me a question - You don't have to register. Or feel free to email me at this address: pbcpastor08@gmail.com - this is the email address for the blog and won't fill up any other personal emails. Look forward to talking to you.

Disturbing

Dear Friends,

I have just been made aware of some disturbing news today. A very well known artist in Christian circles has just went public with his closet lifestyle. At this point I do not want to mention names (if people feel the need to know they will find out easy enough).

I admit that I am deeply saddened by this news. This individual was married, had kids, was involved in mission work over the years, and has spent around 2 decades in music ministry. Now this person attends a "church" that embraces the homosexual lifestyle and performs for them.

At this point in our conversation I want to say that the Bible is very clear in regards to homosexuality. It is a practice that is condemned repeatedly in scripture (Lev. 18:22, Rom. 1:26-27, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, 1 Tim. 1:9-10 just to name a few). In his book "A Strong Delusion", Joe Dallas - former homosexual - examines and critiques the arguments posed by pro-gay theology so the church will have a better understanding when dealing with those who are trying to portray this as a "normal" lifestyle.

My advice to those of you who are in constant debate over homosexuality is this: show your concern for the individual & let scripture stand on its own. The Bible does not need our defense. God has promised that His Word will not return to him void but will accomplish what He has sent it out to do. You see, homosexuals who are trying to line the Bible up with their lifestyle are doing the same things cults have been doing for years. When the Bible disagrees with what they believe to be true they either change the Bible or interpret it to say something that it does not.

I realize that this is a hot-button issue. There is a lot of emotion about this very topic. Not only that, but there is a large group of people in this nation who want to legalize gay marriage. I may even take some heat since I'm online talking about the issue but scripture is clear. Homosexuality is wrong. It is a sin condemned in the Word of God. The only way any of us can be accepted by God is through forgiveness in Jesus Christ.

Please - pray for the individual that I spoke about in the beginning. God knows who this person is and I'm sure that He is already reaching out to the individual. God longs to redeem all who have gone astray. God longs to bring back all of the lost sheep. But they must come through the door of repentance like anyone else. The blood of Christ can cover all sins.

Born Alive

We are all endowed by our creator with the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Life is one of our most basic human rights according to our Declaration of Independence, however, thousands of unborn children every year are denied what God has granted.

Gianna Jensen (pictured) is one of the few people in this world that has survived an assassination attempt on her life. The interesting part of her story is that she wasn't a president of a country, a popular political figure, or a civil rights activist. No, Gianna was simply an unwanted fetus in the womb of a 17 year old.

The story is horrific yet remarkable. A 17 year old goes to an abortion clinic in her 3rd trimester to have an abortion. The tool used is saline. Saline, which is safe for the individual having the abortion, acts as liquid fire upon the unborn child. For 18 hours this baby is burned alive before being delivered in the clinic. Thankfully, for this baby, the abortionist wasn't there when she came out of the womb and the nurse rushed the 2lb child to a hospital where she was kept in an incubator. The trauma caused the child to have cerebral palsy and doctors said that she would never walk or hold her head up on her own. However, by age 3 Gianna began to walk with the help of braces and today runs marathons!

What I truly love about Gianna's story is that she is unashamedly Christian. She exhibits a remarkable joy about her life and talks about her "gift" of cerebral palsy. On Hannity & Colmes last night, when Sean Hannity asks about the abortionist not being present she simply says, "Hallelujah!". Had he been present when she was delivered then she probably would have been choked to death.

Her story is told on the website www.bornalivetruth.org

Why do I share this with you today? Simply this: during our election cycle we are going to hear a lot about the war on terror and in Iraq, the economy, oil prices, wall street, and health care. But let us not forget about one of the greatest scars upon our nation which is the thousands of unborn children who are aborted. Our nation - the land of the free and home of the brave, a beacon of freedom from tyranny, a nation that claims the national slogan of "One Nation Under God"...and yet we continue to hear the stories of those who never had the opportunity at life. Mass murder is committed every year in our nation under the label of "A Woman's Right to Choose" and we must right this wrong.

Pray that we see our nation return to this fundamental right - the right to life.

Reading vs Listening / We Have to Pay Attention!

This is a rare Monday blog entry. I had to stop by and use the only cpu I have available with Internet. I'm going to make a political point but it's one that is true in every area of life. Friends, we must learn to read for ourselves. Just because you hear something doesn't make it true.

Case in point: Sarah Palin was just interviewed by Charlie Gibson of ABC. Charlie and the officials at ABC have just cemented this view for me today. When one listens to the interview you could very well see Palin as weak in some areas or not as informed on others. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said this week concerning Palin that she gave a "cliff-noted performance". Well, when you consider the editing done by ABC it's easy to figure out why.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/p-j-gladnick/2008/09/13/abc-news-edited-out-key-parts-sarah-palin-interview

Copy the above link and put it into your address bar - read the parts of the interview that were taken out of the televised portion and come to your own conclusion. Not only does Palin sound more knowledgeable but confident in her answers. The question is: Does ABC want Palin to sound bad? Of course they do!

Folks, this isn't just true when it comes to politics but in everyday life. How often has someone heard a preacher say something from the pulpit and come away saying it was truth without ever reading for themselves. How often has a teacher taught something in a school room without a child researching for themselves? How often do people listen to the "drive-by media" and think that what is being said is true because it was on the news?

Become an educated voter, educated student, educated believer, and an educated citizen. This, of course, means you are going to have to read for yourself. Don't let someone else do all the work for you. Too many people in this world have an agenda that is far different than the one you have. The teachers in our government schools may have an agenda for your kid than what you have. So you must be involved in their lives and ensure that they understand your worldview.

With the race for President heating up in this country I hope that people will begin paying attention to what is being said but more importantly to what is believed by these candidates. It doesn't matter how eloquently one may present the material - you may have to look into their policies for yourself. You may have to look at a budget plan, a policy, or a voting record.

That's the great thing about freedom...you don't have to take everything they say as truth without ever looking into it. The freedoms afforded us by the Constitution of this United States allow us to ask questions and look at facts for ourselves. We are only robbing ourselves if we do not.

Have a great week!

Celeb Buzz & Worldview

I want to be the first to say that I could care less what people like Kid Rock, George Clooney, Pamela Anderson, Matt Damon or any other "celebrity" thinks about politics or anything else. However, because these people are famous every statement made gets reported.

I don't care because many of the actors in Hollywood are left leaning, abortion promoting, tree hugging, American hating people who treat marriage as if it's an audition, sex as if it's a new exercise regiment, and God as if He if he were Morgan Freeman in "Bruce Almighty". Many of these celebrities left their traditional family roots a long time ago to begin their quest for fame and glory in Hollywood. They learned long ago that they had to be willing to do and say anything to be accepted within their circles. So when Matt Damon compares Sarah Palin's VP bid as a "bad Disney movie" or Pamela Anderson uses a vulgar comment to express her hatred for Mrs. Palin - sure it makes "news" - but WHO CARES!

#1 - I Don't Look to Hollywood to Decide My Values for Me.
I like many of you can appreciate the work an actor does on a film. I can appreciate a great performance, a moving dialogue, etc. But when it comes to personal political/religious/social statements I recognized long ago that my beliefs and Hollywood don't mix.

#2 - I Can Think for Myself.
I often get criticized for my conservative values and beliefs. I often get placed in the Republican camp although I do not consider myself a republican. I'm a believer in Jesus Christ who has very serious views about politics, personal faith, and problems in society. I don't need Brad Pitt to teach me how to dress, Tom Cruise to teach me how to believe, or any other celebrity to give me their take on the issues of the day. I am an individual that God created with a brain that can analyze policies and values on my own. Not only that - but I have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling inside of me that guides me into all truth.

#3 - I Am Not a Celebrity Worshiper.
Once again I will say that I can appreciate the works of an actor/actress, musician, or comedian. But just because some idiot comedian from another country thinks I should vote for Obama for the good of the world or that promise rings for young people are ridiculous, I'm not going to bow down and tow their line. (MTV music awards reference)

To be quite honest (as if I haven't been already) there are many people in the movie and music industry that I have lost a great deal of respect for because of their actions and the words they spew. Many of you have had the same feelings. Consider the fall-out a few years ago when the lead singer of the Dixie Chicks decided to stand on stage in a foreign country and mock our president. Or go back even further when Jane Fonda decided that she needed to have her picture taken with the enemy of our country while our military suffered great losses.

Here's the problem: Actors/Actresses, Musicians, etc. think that they can get away with any and every statement made and the American people will continue to fawn all over them. I say "Enough!" It's time for our young people to once again look into their own family trees, communities, and churches to find their heroes. It's time for the people of this nation to stop idolizing these people (many of whom couldn't hold down a real job) and realize that they are just actors playing on a stage. And for a great majority of them controversial statements mean that they are once again "news."

As I look over my life I cannot think of one celebrity that I wanted to be like. I can't even think of one athlete that I wanted to be. Sure, we all pretended to be somebody when we played those invisible basketball teams, or stood before those pretend crowds and sang but the fact of the matter is I wasn't going to be any of them. I may have worn a "Beat It" jacket and a glove but I wasn't going to be Michael Jackson (and please don't hold that horrible piece of history against me). I can only be me doing whatever God allows me to do. But in the end I do hope that my son will look up to me one day and say "Dad, I hope that I can carry myself in life the way you do." I hope that my daughter will look to me and say, "Daddy - I hope that when I have a husband that he will love me the way you love mom." Why do I say that? Because I don't want my kids to grow up and be like Hannah Montana or one of the Jonas Brothers. I want them to grow up and be who God created them to be in spite of what Hollywood or anyone else tells them.

My reasoning for today's blog is simple: I'm tired of the celebrity and Hollywood culture's influence on this country. We have heard so many attacks on our nation and our leaders of the last 30+ years of my life that it's getting insane. Not only that, but I just read an article today about a young female (I cannot use the words woman or lady because it doesn't fit) who graduated from Sacramento State that wants to auction off her virginity to help pay off student loans. America's worship of the celebrities of this world is crippling the values of our nation and I'm sick of it. We need to understand that our choices have consequences once again. This 22 year old may be able to pay off her student loans but she will never be able to regain her innocence. We cannot hit the rewind button in life and do it all over. However, God does have a "delete" button when it comes to our sin and it's called forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

We Remember

9/11/2001 AD - Can you believe it's been seven years since that horrible day? I still remember riding in a delivery van listening to the scene unfold after the first tower was hit. I also remember sitting in front of the TV later that evening thinking what kind of a world my children had been thrust into.

The above picture is the only clipping that I retained after the 9/11 tragedy. It's still one of the most symbolic pictures that can be found. As the Star Spangled Banner is played throughout this day - it was true on September 11 2001 - our flag was still there.

This is not a day for politics but rather a day to remember the families of those who lost their lives. It's a day to remember the heroism of firefighters and other emergency workers, public safety officials, and regular men and women. It's a day to once again retain the resolve that this nation portrayed after the worst attack in history on American soil. Even today we hear of a new offensive to find those responsible and to rid ourselves of those who seek to impose fear and death upon this country. Good! I just hope that the people of this nation will remember the pain and anger we felt 7 years ago.

I still find myself being moved to tears as we relive those moments. I still find myself praying for the president of our nation as he does what he can to ensure the defense of the United States. I also find myself thankful that for seven years we have not seen another attack on our soil.

May we never forget and may we never give up.

This morning, as I was reading God's Word, I came across 2 Kings 9 when Elisha called one of the sons of the prophets to go and anoint Jehu as King of Israel. The reason for this anointing was to strike down the house of Ahab because of the wickedness done against God's people. I then went over to Psalm 108 and it was during the last verse that I gained great comfort, "Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies."

On this day, let us not forget to pray for the men and women who are fighting against the enemies of this country. As God allows we will continue to see the defeat of our enemies. Through God we will be able as a country to do valiantly. And my prayer during this time is that we will soon hear of the defeat of those responsible for 9/11. We owe it to our nation (believers) to pray like never before. Our victory in this battle is important for our generation and the ones to follow.

May God grant wisdom to our leaders.
May God grant victory to the men and women who fight for this country.
May God grant peace to the United States of America.

We Remember.

Staying Fit

This has nothing to do with exercise so everybody can take a sigh of relief (WHEW!).

I was reading Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for His Highest" this morning and want to share with you some of his words. Chambers said, "A private relationship of worshiping God is the greatest essential element of spiritual fitness...If you have not been worshiping in everyday occasions, when you get involved in God's work, you will not only be useless yourself but also a hindrance to those around you. God's training ground, where the missionary weapons are found, is the hidden, personal, worshiping life of a saint."

I must admit that a part of me wanted to save this for our Missions Pastor's blog but it was just too good to pass up (sorry Ron).

When you think about worship what comes to mind? Is it an exercise that only takes place in the public sphere of the church? Is it simply the practice of singing songs together as a congregation? Or do you think of your own private times of getting before the Lord and reading His Word, praying, and singing your own praises to God? I truly believe that genuine worship is a lacking ingredient in the life of many churches because the people of God have not learned how to build up their own lives in private celebration of who God is and what He has done for them.

If we never learn the importance of worship by ourselves then we can never truly engage God in worship as a corporate body. In fact, many believers only sing to God on Sunday morning, only read His Word along with the pastor before the preaching, and only pray in connection with the body of Christ. What happens next in our services is that worship becomes a dry/dead experience with a group of people rather than an exciting engagement with a holy God. Not only that, but our personal lives are never enriched apart from our experiences within the church environment.

David became a man after God's own heart long before He entered the public position as King of Israel. It was during his time of watching over the sheep that he learned to pray and sing praises to God. Can't you just see David sitting upon a large rock penning those famous words: "The Lord is my Shepherd..." It is during the private times with God that we are able to experience God in a way that is different than the corporate experience. God has our undivided attention to speak, to move, and to mold our lives. I agree whole-heartedly with brother Chambers that it's in the private relationship that we find the greatest element of staying spiritually fit.

Dear brothers and sisters - learn to worship God without the help of a praise leader...learn to dive into God's Word without the help of the preacher...learn to pray without the need of someone telling you to bow your head. God's training ground is always found in the hidden, personal, worshiping life of the saint. Paul knew that when after his conversion and God raised him up to be one of the most influential of all the apostles.

If you and I want to be of use to God's kingdom and if we really want to know what genuine communion with God is all about then we must take the time to turn our private times into incredible moments of worship.

Here are some spiritual exercises that I want you to try out:

Read His Word Daily - take some time to give your spiritual body the nourishment it needs. Jesus said that man shall not live on bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Pray Daily - I have found that people who do not pray privately will never pray openly. Not only that, but a lack of prayer is one of the greatest hindrances in the life of a believer and the church.

Sing Privately - For some of you this isn't a problem because you would much rather be alone when it comes to singing. But I want you to understand that it's not about the noise but the words that we sing. Sing to the Lord from a heart that is thankful for the goodness of God. Learn to express yourself in song to the Lord. If there isn't a song that you know that works then make one up.

Learn to Express Your Worship - Lift those hands, clap, dance, etc. Don't be ashamed to get excited when the Lord speaks to your heart. Get up on that mountain top and shout your praises to God. Get in that vehicle and make it a place of great communion with God. Take that study/office in your home and turn it into a tabernacle of praise.

Chambers also says, "If your worship is right in your private relationship with God, then when He sets you free (to do His will), you will be ready."

May you experience His presence today! Don't wait until Sunday.

I'm Back...Again!

O.K. I know that I have been away for a while - this time on vacation - but it is good to be back. Took the family to Disney World and had a blast.

When I'm gone there always seems to be plenty of news out there that I would love to comment about. Rather than comment one one thing lets take a look shall we:
McCain picks Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for VP
RNC Convention - Nation tunes in to hear McCain & Palin
Convention Bounce - Palin gives McCain a huge bounce following RNC
Dems Smear Palin - This topic has been covered by several news agencies (nothing new)
Hurricanes Just Keep on Coming
Federal Govt. Bails out Fannie May & Freddie Mac (I thought these were govt. loans anyway)
Caylee Anthony - Will somebody please get to the bottom of this?
Tom Brady Out for the Season - I don't know who is more upset - Patriots or the NFL?

These are just a few of the headlines that I had waiting for me when I came back home. If you think those are interesting - it's only going to get more and more interesting/ridiculous.

Since starting this blog I have made it a point to share various topics because I want all of you to know the things that interest me - politics, sports, family, faith, etc. Sometimes I am very sharp in my criticisms when it comes to politics and current issues (to the disdain of my wife) but it's the way I'm wired. You can call me opinionated if you like but at least you know where I stand. As long as we live in a free country that defends free speech then we can talk about all of the issues. Right? I thought you would agree.

To address all of the McCain/Palin items would take several days and I simply don't want to do that. However, I will admit to being impressed by Alaska's governor and have been for some time. How often do you hear of a woman (a woman governor for that matter) who knows how to shoot a gun and does so to hunt, has 5 children one with special needs, goes to church, takes on political corruption, all the while wears a dress to speak in public unlike other women who feel the need to put on the pant-suit? I'm impressed by her convictions, how she carries herself, and her determination. If you are a fan of politics (which I'm not) John McCain just pulled a great one. Sarah Palin gave him the bounce he needed AND finally energized his party to give him the backing he needs. This is going to be an interesting election year. As far as Palin is concerned the smears against her have been ridiculous and hideous. If they want to take her on over policy then go for it - otherwise give it up.

A few words about the recent bail-out by the federal government for Fannie & Freddie. WHAT??? There used to be a time when banks and loan institutions only lent out money that could be covered but not anymore. And why did Wall Street find the government taking over housing loans as a means of security. The government can't handle social security, their own spending, nor the deficit. Why in the world do we trust them to handle mortgage loans? If I'm not mistaken isn't Freddie & Fannie a direct result of the government saying that we need to make home loans accessible to everyone even if they can't afford a home? The fact of the matter is that whoever wins the White House will have this thing sitting on their desk when they get in office and they will have to deal with it. ***I'm not saying that everyone who gets a loan through these two institutions should not have a home - I'm simply stating that the reason so many have loans through them is because government thought lending should be open to everyone.

Hurricanes. This isn't because of global warming. It's Hurricane season. You can count on it every year around this time. The change in the seasons always bring about the possibility of hurricanes. We simply pray for those who are in the path that we don't see great loss of life or damage to properties.

Caylee Anthony. I'm sure that many of you have heard about this story. I have my own opinion that I do believe her mother knows exactly what has happened to her and she's is not telling. I do pray that something is found out quick and that justice is served.

The NFL. I'm a fan of pro football. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a Steelers fan (no apologies). The NFL over the past few years hasn't been able to market itself without the use of a big name player. With Tom Brady's season ending knee injury there has been as much talk on the sports shows about how it impacts the patriots as well as the NFL. #1 - I don't like to see any player have to endure these types of injuries. But don't you think the NFL will survive? Sure it will. I guess they will simply have to find someone else to place all of their hopes on.

Now that I have caught up on a few things, allow me to share with you a verse of scripture that got my attention while I was away.
Jeremiah 24:7, "Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart."
I'm not going to get into a great discussion about the verse other than to say that I pray the Lord will do this for His people today. Oh, how our churches need to have a heart to know Him. If we have a heart to know Him then everything else will fall in to place. If we have a heart to know Him then we won't squander opportunities, we won't be so easily entangled with everything else, we won't be concerned with our own agenda. I pray today that God gives you that heart. The Bible tells us that He will be found by us if we will seek for Him with all of our heart!

Have a blessed week.