Category Archives: America

A Bible and a Belt

Just doing some scrolling through Facebook, that’s when I came across the following video by a wonderful couple, the wife now gone on to be with the Lord. I think it’s worth watching.

You see, I am from a different time…a different era…a different generation. I came along before “seeker friendly” was a thing, and when “time out” was only something you took between work …or between rounds.

We look at our communities these days and wonder what to do. As I drove my school bus this afternoon I can’t tell you how many gang signs and hand shakes I saw exchanged. There wasn’t a single respectful word returned in exchange for anything I said, not even when I said, “Good morning.” And all I hear talk about is more programs and tax dollars.

We’ve got a victim-minded society that is rearing self-indulgent, over-entitled, spoiled, angry, unloved, snotty-nosed brats with no moral compass and a hatred for anything wholesome. Then, when one of the little darlings doesn’t get his way we blame the gun he uses in the crime he commits and attack the cop who arrested him.

What’s wrong? Maybe we should quit depending on the village to raise our kids and get back to using a Bible and a belt. It worked for my generation. It’ll work for this one.

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Filed under America, clothing, General Observations, Life Lessons, music, Parenting, Relationships and Family, Uncategorized

Oppressed?

Please forgive me, Mr. Kaepernick, but I find it hard to understand how a group of people who are allowed to openly protest, disrupt with near impunity, obtain special status in nearly every institution, have the freedom to speak whenever and wherever, and are allowed to openly dinigrate other groups as a whole can rightfully claim to be oppressed by their government and/or police forces who protect their said rights.

I guess spending some time in Africa gave me a different perspective.

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Filed under America, Countries, current events, General Observations

Equal Access Relief Room

Here I am in the terminal of the Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. As of this writing I still have an hour or two before boarding a 777 in route to Ethiopia, then Zimbabwe. 

Please make sure to check out the guest posts which I’ve scheduled over the next week or so. 

Now, the reason I’m writing this post while sitting in the airport is because I saw something I’ve never seen before. 


I guess when men and women can use the bathroom of their choice, depending on how they identify at any given moment, I’m glad our animals now have a place to relieve themselves. 

But what if, after all this travel, I feel DOG TIRED? 

Just a thought. But how do you flush that hydrant? 

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Filed under America, animals, Culture Wars, Uncategorized

The President Is a Feminist. He Said It, Not Me

Glamour

The President of the United States wrote a lengthy and heart-felt essay for Glamour magazine. In it he…

wait…

Vintage Obama, per the Glamour essay.

Vintage Obama, per the Glamour essay.

Stop and think about what I just wrote, OK? The leader of the free world, arguably the most powerful man on Earth (arguably), just wrote a lengthy essay specifically for Glamour. Is there nothing about that very thought that turns your stomach, or am I the only one who feels that way?

Anyway, President Barack H. Obama wrote a lengthy, heart-felt essay for a women’s magazine…

wait…

I mean, handbags…holographic fingernails…makeup…”weed” tampons (I’m not joking)…outfit ideas…Kris Jenner’s closet…and not to mention dating and sex advice…and this is the one place the President choses to submit an essay? I just don’t get it.

Where have all the men of this country gone to? Where the heck are they going? What was the purpose of this lengthy, heart-felt essay?

President Obama took the time to submit a lengthy, heart-felt essay explaining how he, the President, is a feminist.

Gag.  Me.  With.  A.  Spoon.

What Women Want?

Besides earning brownie points with all his Hollywood BFF’s, Obama made it clear his feminism has set the standard for what all girls should expect out of a man…a world leader…a petty dictator…and all fathers.

“Michelle and I have raised our daughters to speak up when they see a double standard or feel unfairly judged based on their gender or race—or when they notice that happening to someone else. It’s important for them to see role models out in the world who climb to the highest levels of whatever field they choose. And yes, it’s important that their dad is a feminist, because now that’s what they expect of all men.” – President Barack Obama

God in heaven help us. Whatever happened to “where the men were men and the women were glad of it“?

A Few Points

First, however you want to define it, the most important thing for a daughter is to have a godly, consistent, faithful, wife-cherishing provider who will charge hell with a water pistol in order to protect his little girl. She doesn’t need a mom-jean-wearing pansy who’s just “one of the girls.” Daughters need a father who’s a man, a real man, and not ashamed of it.

Secondly, I certainly hope the women of the future wise up, because if a feminist is all they expect out of a man, there are going to be a whole lot of disappointed females looking for love in all the wrong places.

Third, the biblical model for manliness is one of ultimate self-sacrifice and total, unwavering faithfulness. It is one that sets the highest standard for unconditional love and respect. Mr. Obama, if you really, really cared for your daughters and all the women of the world you would point them toward God’s design for men and women, not Gloria Steinbeck’s.

Now, I think it’s time for a Clint Eastwood movie.

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Filed under America, current events, General Observations, Parenting, politics

Common Sense Vehicle Control Needed

Tragedy

Make no mistake, what happened in Nice, France, was an incredible tragedy. My heart breaks for the families of those killed or injured, and I can only imagine the fear that so many there Thursday night were experiencing.

Yes, it was a tragedy, as are all the times innocent lives are taken and innocent people are wounded and scarred for life. But let’s be honest, it was far more than a just a tragedy; it was a symptom of a disease much greater than isolated “lone wolf” outbreaks.

Now, in order to make a point, had what happened in France this week been the result of one using a gun, then the media in the west, especially the White House, would be all over it. Just like when the assassin killed 5 police officers in Dallas, or a year ago tomorrow when a radical Islamic thug killed 5 of our servicemen here in Chattanooga, had the killing in Nice been associated with a gun, the President would have quickly jumped past the condolences and straight to the issue of gun control.

It’s like what Obama’s former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel once said, “Never let a tragedy go to waste.”

The Obvious

Well, then, if guns are to blame for all shootings, then what about automobiles? Believe it or not, far more people die because of auto accidents in America than from being shot with a gun of ANY kind. Why don’t we talk about that?

Here are some questions for you…

  1. Did the driver in Nice have a license to drive that truck?
  2. Did the driver in Nice acquire that truck legally, or illegally?
  3. If the truck was stolen, should the owner of the truck be held responsible?
  4. Who made the truck? Should the maker of the truck be held responsible because of it’s killing capabilities were not limited?
  5. Is it too easy for people to acquire a vehicle legally?
  6. Should vehicle owners be required to store their trucks and cars when not being used?
  7. When not being used, should vehicles be required to have mandated steering wheel locks?
  8. Should used car lots be required to perform background checks on all buyers before handing over the keys? What if they sold a car for $5,000 to a guy with a drunk-driving record?
  9. Should the government be able to require that all vehicles have technology that restricts its use to only the legal owner, and no one else?
  10. Should all auto owners be placed on a criminal database?

The answers to the above questions should be obvious. It should also be obvious what gun control is really all about, and it’s not about saving lives.

If it was about saving lives, we would have more common-sense vehicle control.

 

In all seriousness, may the God of peace bring peace and comfort to the hurting and afraid in Nice, France. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this time.

 

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Filed under America, current events

Standing Sure In a Crumbling World

imageOriginally written in 2014, I’m re-posting this in memory of the innocent lives lost in France on Thursday.

World Events

Let’s get real for a moment, shall we? The world seems to be coming apart at the seams right now. Russia and Ukraine are fighting; Israel and Hamas are fighting; ISIS is trying to take over the world; airplanes are crashing or being blown out of the sky; new diseases are popping up everywhere; and more former Disney child stars are choosing to cry out, “I don’t want to be a role model!” while exposing their bare behinds.

Face it, the world is going to hell in a hand basket and Toto has already jumped.

But seriously, as bad as the world is, it’s not like we have Nero for a president. Oh, but wait! America isn’t the only country in the world, you know, and Christians are being killed as often today as they were in the first and second centuries (along with anyone who refuses to yell “Allah Akbar!” as he beheads his sister).

Life Goes On

But even as we look around at a world in turmoil, does that mean we must forget about living? Sure, the temptation might be to down a bottle of Prozac and curl up in a ball, all the while waiting for the first warhead to hit your town.

However, kingdoms rise and fall and nations come and go, yet children still need moms and dads, strangers still need a kind word, and the way we live is still important.

As a matter of fact, right before another group of people’s world was about to be turned upside down, Jesus Christ gave some timeless instruction on living from a hillside (The full text can be found in Matthew, chapters 5-7). His words still apply today. Below are a few excerpts:

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” 

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 

Jesus then concluded his sermon with the following encouragement…

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” – Matthew 7:24-25

Though the world might be falling apart, we don’t have to. 

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Filed under America, Christian Living, current events, the future

All Lives Matter. Period. Including Police.

A Re-Post

The following is a re-post of something I wrote not long ago. The reason for re-posting it should be obvious – multiple Dallas, Texas police officers shot and killed tonight (July 7th, 2016) at a Black Lives Matter demonstration.

From NBCnews.com. Dallas Police swarm city looking for snipers.

More deaths of blacks have happened at the hands of police in the last day or two, and that is horrible. It’s horrible on several levels, not just that cops killed blacks, but that people, whatever the color, were killed. It’s horrible because even if the police did something wrong, activist groups are rising up and calling for civil chaos and blaming ALL police for atrocities. It’s horrible because we don’t know the whole story behind any of these deaths, because even when information is available, the hate in the black community has already assumed to be judge, jury, and now…from roof tops in Dallas…some have become executioner.

Folks, hate the police all you want, but try to go a week without any on the streets and see what happens. Go to the places where cops fear to tread and look at the quality of life. BLUE LIVES MATTER, too!

Because ALL LIVES MATTER!

So, here’s my previous post, and it’s never been more timely. You might also like to go to the sermon archives page and listen to a message I preached back in September of 2015. The idea there was that all lives matter, and the proof is John 3:16.


A Prayer

Lord, please help me. Help me, dear God, to say, or rather write, something profitable, something worth reading on this most difficult topic of race.

I need wisdom. I need guidance. May my words contribute to healing, not hate.

My Thoughts

I have not been writing as much as I would like, but I felt it necessary to take a few moments to address the whole idea around the rallying cry of “Black Lives Matter.”

Folks, being that I am not black, brown, or transgender (somehow gender has been added to the mix – just check out the website), I admit there are things I don’t understand. But there is one thing I do understand, and my race has nothing to do with this truth: ALL lives matter, not just ones with a particular color or sexual preference.

Let me reiterate. ALL LIVES MATTER.

Yes, I said it, and I will not back down. Why? Because to do so would be un-biblical and un-Christlike. Regardless how one might want to politicize the issue, as a follower of Jesus, as one who believes God made all mankind in His image, I must stand firmly on Truth, not catchphrases.

Racism is wrong. Bigotry is wrong. And taking a statement that excludes the inherent value of all human life as your mantra is also wrong.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and I would not have agreed on several things, particularly in areas of theology and what is called the “social gospel.” Nevertheless, I believe Dr. King and I would have seen eye-to-eye regarding the “Black Lives Matter” thing. He would have said, “NO! NO! NO!” to all the violence and hatred. I believe he would be heartbroken at all the calls for unrest. He would certainly be ashamed of those who have used race as a tool for their own gain. Was it not Dr. King who envisioned a “color-blind” society?

If a person can’t say that “all lives matter” in public without being condemned, without being forced to apologize, then what does that say about the lives of others? What about my family? What about the Asian family down the road? Or the Indian woman that walks down the street with her husband and son? What about the Native American?

I guess one could argue the phrase is only meant to bring attention to the plight of the black community in America. One could also argue that by saying “all lives matter” one is, in a way, saying racism in America doesn’t exist. Possibly. But that’s a matter of opinion.

The truth is that black lives do matter, but so do white lives, brown lives, yellow lives, and red lives; “red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.” The proof was when Jesus offered Himself as a ransom so that every tribe and nation could be reconciled with God.

All lives matter. Period.

 

 

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Filed under America, current events, General Observations, Life/Death

BREAKING: My Immediate Response to the FBI Announcement Regarding Clinton Emails

If You Care

First, I don’t know if you care what I think, or not. Honestly, you are probably going to think and believe whatever you think and believe right now, regardless of what I say. Nevertheless, I have a blog, therefore I will speak my mind.

Secondly, I don’t know if you care about what the director of the FBI just said about the presumptive presidential candidate for the Democrat Party, Hillary R. Clinton. Regardless, this is my cyber-pulpit, so I’m going to speak.

Thirdly, I don’t know if you care one drop of spit for what goes on in our legal system. For all I know, you trust the justice departments, both locally and nationally, implicitly. Maybe you don’t trust any government or authority figure at all. That doesn’t matter today – I’m going to give you my two, small, worthless cents.

If you care, keep reading.

Faith and Trust

Folks, it all comes down to trust. Can you trust your legal system, your representatives, your congressmen and senators? Can you trust the policeman on the corner, the judge ruling on a case, or the word of the one who says, “Don’t worry, I have your back”?

Trust was the issue in the following verses. Actually, you can take it even farther and say that FAITH is the issue. God has set the standard for government and law enforcement.

Lev 19:36 – Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I [am] the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Deu 25:13 – Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.
Pro 16:11 – A just weight and balance [are] the LORD’S: all the weights of the bag [are] his work.
Pro 20:10 – Divers weights, [and] divers measures, both of them [are] alike abomination to the LORD.

Should the language of the old King James be too difficult for you to understand, maybe the following from the New Living Translation (NLT) will make is simple.

Lev 19:36 NLT – Your scales and weights must be accurate. Your containers for measuring dry materials or liquids must be accurate. I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Deu 25:16 NLT – All who cheat with dishonest weights and measures are detestable to the LORD your God.
Pro 16:11 NLT – The LORD demands accurate scales and balances; he sets the standards for fairness.
Pro 20:10 NLT – False weights and unequal measures–the LORD detests double standards of every kind.

Did you get the last part of the last verse in the NLT? It says, “the LORD detests double standards of every kind.” In other words, it is an “abomination” when people can’t count on recognized standards to be consistent.

From our United States Constitution:

Article IV, Section 1:

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

So here’s the problem presented in a question:

How can the government be trusted on any level when at the very top it’s leaders are not held to the same standards as their fellow citizens, the ones they are supposed to represent?

The answer is simple: They can’t. And why was this such a big deal with God? Because He is the Righteous Judge, and all institutions acting under His authority should reflect His character – the LORD does NOT approve of weighted scales.

valueSince the 1990’s the American people have witnessed the Clinton’s Teflon-like machine avoid judgment for anything. Did they do all the things they’ve been accused of doing? Who knows? All we people really know is that in the last week all the people involved in the current scandal have given off the appearance that something very weighty was placed on one side of the scales of Justice. From Jessica Flowers to Monica Lewinsky; from cattle futures to emails: the weights in the bag are always changing (Deut. 25:13).

So, whether the DOJ, the FBI, the White House, or the State Department are telling the truth, or not, there’s no way to know, because the scales and balances have been questioned for so long! Just consider the fact that General David Petraeus, former head of the CIA, was forced to step down in disgrace, and all he was charged with was “mishandling classified information.” What did the Director of the FBI say of Mrs. Clinton in today’s briefing?

“To be clear, this is not to suggest that in similar circumstances (i.e., if someone else were being weighed on these scales), a person who engaged in this activity would face no consequences. To the contrary, those individuals are often subject to security or administrative sanctions.”  – FBI Director James B. Comey (click here for link to full statement)

But that is not what we are deciding now,” he said. No, the decision on whether or not to prosecute, or even slap a wrist, is going to be left up to the lead prosecutor in the country, Loretta Lynch, who just last week had a lengthy, private conversation with former President Bill Clinton on her airplane. And they only talked about their grandchildren. Of course.

If Justice was truly blind…if we are supposed to place our “full faith and credit” in a government which is “of the people, by the people, and for the people”… then maybe THIS circumstance should be treated the same as all other “similar circumstances.” If that would happen, maybe, just maybe, faith and trust wouldn’t be in such short supply.

The LORD ain’t the only one who hates double standards.

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Filed under abuse, America, current events, General Observations

The REST of the Story

Happy Independence Day, Everyone!

Today I want to share a video recorded a long time ago, long before iPhones and iMovie. It is a video of the radio personality most of America came to love and trust, Paul Harvey.

In this video Mr. Harvey eloquently – seriously, you just have to love how he speaks – describes “the rest of the story” behind the phrase, “Our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”

THIS is the kind of stuff that made America what it was, what it is ceasing to be, but what it could be again.

 

A Few Quotes

“For my own part, I sincerely esteem it [the Constitution] a system which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests.” – Alexander Hamilton (1787 after the Constitutional Convention)

“The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.” – George Washington, 1789

“We have this day restored the Sovereign to Whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in heaven and from the rising to the setting of the sun, let His kingdom come.” – Samuel Adams, 1776 (at the signing of the Declaration of Independence)

“We Recognize No Sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!” – John Adams and John Hancock (April 18, 1775)

“I do not believe that the Constitution was the offspring of inspiration, but I am as satisfied that it is as much the work of a Divine Providence as any of the miracles recorded in the Old and New Testament.” – Benjamin Rush

And this last one is key…

“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here.” Patrick Henry

God Bless America!

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How Am I Doing?

The Question

It came from Africa.

No, it wasn’t an animal trying to eat me, or a disease for which no one has a cure (which is more scary). It was a question, one asked by a Facebook friend in Uganda.

Pastor Ndahayo Shine asked: “How are you?”

imageHow am I? How does an American answer that question? I mean, seriously? What do I have to complain about?

Honestly, at the very moment Pastor Shine’s question popped up on Facebook Messenger I was eating a warmed-up piece of apple pie (as American as it gets).

Pie, I tell you!

I’m eating pie, and I get a question regarding how I’m doing from a man in Uganda. Africa! The place where famines kill more people than the NRA is blamed for!

So, I replied with the following answer:

“I am alive, not hungry, and not hurting. I have a roof over my head, a car in the driveway, and children who love me. My wife is faithful, the police are not after me, and the dog hasn’t chewed anything important in a long, long time. I guess you could say I’m doing better than I deserve.”

Am I Blessed?

So many times we answer questions like “How are you doing?” with things like, “I’m fine,” or “I’m blessed.” However, to be honest – which I try to be most of the time – I’d rather admit to being “fine” than “blessed.”

Why is that? 

Saying that I’m blessed has a sneaky way of implying that those in other places – like Africa – are NOT blessed, at least not as much as me. I mean, what does it say about Christianity and the character of God when those who are “abundantly blessed” are the ones who rarely feel the need to trust God for their next meal? What I own or what’s parked in my driveway is not a mark of spirituality, nor should it insinuate I’ve lived a life more worthy of blessing than my brothers and sisters living in poverty.

If I am blessed at all, it’s not because of anything I’ve done or deserve; I am simply the recipient of God’s grace. I have been allowed, according to God’s sovereignty, to live in a country where leftover pie in a functioning refrigerator is commonplace.

Jesus made it pretty clear who the “blessed” really are. They are the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers (Matthew 5:3-9). And if that’s not enough, “…Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord…” (Revelation 14:13).

What I Don’t Deserve

While saying “fine,” I’d bet the temptation to answer the question “How are you doing?” with complaints is almost overwhelming for most. Oh, admit it – you say you’re “fine” because you don’t think the person asking is really that interested in hearing your list of ailments, worries, and irritations.

You probably answer with “fine” because you don’t want to sound like a cry baby or a hypochondriac, right? Because, admit it, you feel you deserve better than what you have; you don’t really feel “blessed,” do you?

Well, I don’t know about you, but I don’t deserve anything but hell. Yet, for some reason God has allowed me to be the recipient of many good things which I don’t deserve, even if I have worked for a lot of it.

I don’t deserve a faithful wife, loving children, and a devoted dog. I don’t deserve to be a pastor, have a regular job, or to be respected in my community.

I don’t deserve electric appliances that make life easier, or even the split-level brick home in which I live. I don’t deserve the freedom to come and go as I please, not having to rely on public transportation or worry about being stopped by thugs demanding to search my car.

How am I doing? What can I say? I just ate pie…because it was there…and I wasn’t even hungry! If I’m blessed, it’s above and beyond what I need.

God is good, but His grace is Amazing! 

 

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Filed under America, Christian Living, Life Lessons, Thanksgiving