Category Archives: Future

by | October 4, 2011 · 10:22 am

Technology Smechnology

The Old Days

Do you remember the old days? “Which old days?” you ask. The old days when a “cell phone” was what a wealthy, white-collar prisoner might have. The days when a telephone had a cord and an actual dial. The days when if you missed a number when your finger slipped, you had to start all over (God forbid it was a long distance number).

Do you remember the old days of cell phones? Do you remember when the coolest thing on earth came in a bag and had a 6 inch antenna? And oh, it had a cord, too. Those days were not that long ago.

I remember the first cell phone I ever used and where I used it. It was in a Ford Racing team truck. It was attached to the floor of the truck and had a spin dial. It cost 25 cents a minute.

My first cell phone, back in the “old days,” was a bag phone. I could barely afford the minutes, so I didn’t use it much. On the other hand, I would drive down the road at night with the receiver up to my left ear. The buttons on the handset were on the outside, so the green glow could be seen by passing motorists. They only thought I was talking. I was way cool.

The greatest thing about a cell phone back then was the fact that one didn’t have to stop and use a pay phone. No one even dreamed about surfing the internet or emails. Most people had never even heard of something called GPS. For crying out loud, we weren’t too far removed from the “science fiction” flip phone communicator from Star Trek!

The New Days

Forget Star Trek. Captain Kirk would have been speechless if he had possessed a true Android. Spock would have become emotional if handed an iPhone4. Now, even the most technologically advanced iPhone 4 (my phone) is being relegated to the “has-been” stack of old technology. But geez, how much technology do we really need?

Today the iPhone 5 will be revealed. As of this writing, I have no idea what it will be like. Do I care? Well, maybe a little…but I shouldn’t. What more do I need in a phone?

Technology in Action

Right now, without a hesitation, I can use my little communicator to take HD pictures, check email, shoot quality video and post it to the web, play incredible games, surf multiple pages on the internet, and believe it or not, make a PHONE CALL! What more do I need?! REALLY?

We are progressing way too fast, people. Way too fast. Maybe we should really be thinking of the truth of Daniel 12:4 – “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” The end may be nearer than we want to admit.

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by | July 27, 2011 · 12:36 pm

Where Do You Stop When You Start to Slide?

I should have known I couldn’t keep my mouth (keyboard) shut for a week. Who was I kidding? But, in order to keep things in perspective, I will make this short….no pictures or fancy editing….no thinking of just the right words to express my thoughts…I’m already taking too much time.

 Slippery Slope Argument

For years it has been argued that once some aberration (the fact or an instance of deviating…from a moral standard or moral state) is allowed to be accepted as the norm, then there exists a danger for society to continue down an ever-increasing slope. This “slippery slope” argument has been debated and maligned by others who say that rather than a slope, it is a “straw man” or “red herring.” Those who would challenge accepted cultural norms in Western society would say that it is not a “slope” into perversion, but a ladder to heaven. I tend to disagree.

I believe that the “slippery slope” argument is perfectly valid in this case, even when many of the doom-and-gloom forecasts are not entirely accurate or timely. The fact is that when one has a moral standard that is dashed at one level, it falls down to the next. Each concurrent level then bears the weight of the upper levels, thereby making each still holding that much weaker.  Eventually, all moral standards fall through the floor like a multi-storied building with no inner support.

Still, others who would differ with me say that the redefining of societal standards is a progression in understanding and tolerance. I guess that all depends on where you’re standing and how you define up, down, backwards, and forwards. If one only has “self” and “desire” as his guides, then one man’s slope could be another man’s ascent into paradise.

My Standard

The standard by which I judge morality and what is to be considered acceptable behavior is based on objective truth. I do not try to make my own truth, but rely on the Word of God to set the standard of behavior. My selfish desires based on what I want for myself may change with the direction of the wind, but God’s Word never changes. It is the highest standard of morality from which every perversion is a slide downward and away.

With that being said, I came across a news story when I was checking my email. It caused me to want to write because it struck so close to home. The story is about a lesbian who was told, as she was entering Dollywood (a theme park in Nashville), to turn her t-shirt inside out. Why? Because park officials thought it might be too offensive to other patrons in the park. What did it say? It said, “Marriage is so gay.” (click here for article)

To make a long story short, the lesbian couple is going to take Dollywood to court over this. They are probably going to win, along with make a lot of money. She and she will probably go back to the park with matching t-shirts that say “Marriage is so gay…and Gay is soooo profitable.”

Where will it end?

Without getting into the whole argument over whether or not the definition of “family” should be changed to reflect male/male or female/female couples, I would just like to ask “where will it end?” This is where the “slippery slope” argument comes into play.

In the above article, Ms. Tipton said, “Families come in a wide range of definitions these days and we were with our family.” OK, so fine, that was YOUR family, Ms. Tipton; but what about other definitions? Should we just stop with gay, lesbian, and transgender families? If we are going to redefine marriage and family, as so many want to do, would it not be equally unfair to exclude every other form of perversion? In other words, if not traditional marriage, then does anything go?

Not long ago I saw a special documentary about people who were in love with inanimate objects such as – no kidding – amusement park rides (click here for more info – caution, though).  As a matter of fact, a woman married a particular ride after “courting” it for ten years and 3,000 rides. Sadly, this woman has been called “sick.” She has been diagnosed with objectophilia. But why is she sick? What is so wrong with her? She should be allowed to wear a t-shirt. “Families come in a wide range of definitions these days…”

Oh, some of you are reading this and calling me ridiculous; but seriously, where do you draw the line when you say that perversion of the norm is acceptable? Without objective standards, such as is the Bible (the document on which most moral standards in Western culture are founded), where do you go but down a slippery slope? How can you justify allowing one perversion, and not another?

My Prediction

I know, it is dangerous to make predictions, because if they never come true it make’s one a false prophet (but tell that to the ones in Hollywood). On the other hand, let me make a prediction about the future of this country. If people don’t wise up and see the fallacy of their anti-slippery slope argument, the following things will almost certainly become acceptable, if not promoted as the new norm- polygamy, polyandry, pedophilia, exhibitionism, bestiality, etc. If not, then t-shirt-wearing activists everywhere should be ashamed for their hypocrisy.

 

Romans 1:24-25 NLT – “So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.”

 

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by | June 13, 2011 · 9:12 pm

“One Man’s Sunset; Another Man’s Dawn”

Over a two-week period, just over 20 years ago, things started to get a little weird.

I can’t recall all of the moments that led up to me concluding something bad was going to happen, but a couple stand out above the rest.

The Revival Service

It was in June of 1991. The church that I attended was having a week-long series of meetings. My mother and father did not attend the same church as I did, but on the last night of the revival, which was a Friday, my dad came. The evangelist preached on heaven that night, and said something that hit me like a brick. He said, “Heaven will never be real to you, until there is someone there you want to go see.”

The Movie

In that very same week, my family went to see a movie. It was a new animated film called An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. In one particular scene, an old hound dog, the retiring sheriff, sat watching a sunset with the little mouse, Fievel. The legendary actor, Jimmy Stewart, speaking as Wylie Burp, said to Fievel,

“Just remember, Fievel – one man’s sunset is another man’s dawn. I don’t know what’s out there beyond those hills. But if you ride yonder… head up, eyes steady, heart open… I think one day you’ll find that you’re the hero you’ve been looking for.” – Wylie Burp

The moment he said, “one man’s sunset is another man’s dawn,” I felt a chill and a heaviness that took breath. I knew my dawn was coming.

Sunset

Early on Monday morning, June 11, 1991, while working 3rd shift as a security guard in a high-security nuclear facility, my dad felt sick. He asked a cleaning person which bathroom was clean, then went in, took off his gun belt, bent over a sink, and died.

It had only been since Friday the 8th that I had heard that message about heaven. That Monday was when heaven became more real than I could have ever imagined. My dad, Terry L. Baker, went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He surrendered his badge, took off his gun belt, and laid down – literally.

Dawn

As the sun rose over the horizon, I sped my 280z toward the hospital. When I got there, I asked for my dad, but was led to a room where my mother was sitting. In a sobbing cry she looked up to me and held out a little plastic bag containing my father’s personal items. She said, “This is all I have left…” That was the exact moment when I found out. That was the exact moment it became dawn.

It may have been my dawn, but it was one of the darkest moments in my life. My dad and I were terribly close. We worked together, played together, worshiped together, and preached together. In the week before my daddy died, I went up to him and told him that I really felt like something was going to happen. He told me that he would outlive my grandchildren. But in case he didn’t, I had to make sure of one thing – would I preach his funeral?

The Funeral

Some people could not understand how I did it, but I did preach my dad’s funeral. You see, I was 24, but I had accepted the call to preach when I was 16. My dad had been a pastor, a lay preacher for years. It may have been just guy talk at the time, but in a moment of male-bonding my dad and I agreed that whoever died first, for whatever reason, the other would preach the funeral. That is why I asked my dad that question. I needed to be sure he was serious. His response was, “Of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” So I did.

My dad presided over a lot of funerals, and he even carried in his Bible a sermon that he used more often than not. The title of the sermon was “The Times I Need Him Most.” So, from his own Bible, from his own outline, I preached his funeral. And unlike I usually do today, I even gave an altar call. Believe it or not, right there to my left, beside the casket, a friend of the family came down to the altar and asked Jesus to come into his life. Never once had my dad led a person to the Lord when he preached a funeral sermon, but this time was different.

The Family Car

There will always be those who think the following is crazy; only coincidence: but God showed up in the limousine as we went to the grave yard. As soon as I got into the car, I asked the driver, who was a Christian friend, to turn the radio on. I wanted to hear some encouraging music. When he did, the DJ on WAY FM out of Nashville played a song by Wayne Watson, The Ultimate Healing. Right after that, the DJ came on the air and said, “I know we usually have songs pre-planned according to a particular format, but I just really feel led by God to play this next song – I don’t know why.”  The song was Where There is Faith, by 4Him. The second verse goes like this:

There’s a man across the sea
Never heard the sound of freedom ring
Only in his dreams
There’s a lady dressed in black
In a motorcade of cadillacs
Daddy’s not coming back
Our hearts begin to fall
And our stability grows weak
But Jesus meets our needs if only we believe

CHORUS
Where there is faith
There is a voice calling, keep walking
You’re not alone in this world
Where there is faith
There is a peace like a child sleeping
Hope everlasting in He who is able to
Bear every burden, to heal every hurt in my heart
It is a wonderful, powerful place
Where there is faith

Today

Today I went to the grave where my father’s body is waiting for a trumpet to sound. I am comforted in the fact one day we will see each other again (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). But in the meantime, I must carry on in the task that I have been called to do.

I went to the grave, and even though I know my dad is not there, I read Proverbs 4 aloud. What better words could have been said in remembrance of a committed, consistant, caring, God-fearing, humble father? They were words that I wanted to say out loud because they were being fulfilled.

“He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.” – Prov. 4:4-5

“Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. … Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. … My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. … Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.” – Proverbs 4:10-11, 14, 20-21, 25-27

Dad, I just want you to know that I am still in the fight. I haven’t given up. I wasn’t a fly-by-night wannabe, but a real man of God. My Sword is still sharp. My aim is still true. I even have some “arrows” in my quiver that you will meet one day.

Don’t worry, even though I know you won’t – I will keep pressing on and fighting the good fight, until the time of my own sunset. Then, when this life is over, I hope I can stand there beside you when Jesus says to you, “Well done.” You did good, Daddy. I’ll make you proud.

Your loving son,

Rev. Anthony C. Baker

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by | June 12, 2011 · 5:06 pm

Faith? Just Go to the Store.

Have you ever gone to the refrigerator and said to yourself, “There’s nothing to eat?”

As a child, especially as a teenager, I remember being told to shut the door of the fridge. For five minutes I would just stand there staring. Who needs an air conditioner when you have a picky, hungry, spoiled teenager?

Adults do the same thing.

With my mother-in-law coming over for dinner (that’s a whole ‘nother story), I went to the fridge to see what to make. Upon opening the door, this is what I saw: milk, soft drinks, cheese, sweet pickles, and sour cream. There was literally nothing in there, or in the cabinets, with which to make an evening meal. So, I stared….and whined….didn’t want eggs….or carrots….or yogurt….especially with biscuits….until my wife said…

“Just go to the store!“

Wow! What a blessing we take for granted! “Just go to the store,” she says. No food? No problem – JUST go to the store. Somewhere a cow had given its life and was waiting for me to come pick out its remains from a cooler.

I go to the store, just like my wife suggested, and found everything we needed to grill some wonderful, 20% fat-filled, high-cholesterol comfort burgers on our Weber grill (cheap little one). On top of that, I picked up an onion, some buns, and a fresh, ripe tomato. Problem solved. No faith required.

“Give us this day our daily bread. … Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink…” – Matthew 6:11, 25a 

“God will provide.” Easy to say – hard to live.

In the early 90’s, when Romania was just beginning its walk with freedom, food was still a scarce commodity. Yet, whenever a guest like me would enter a home, the hosts would bring out the very best they had – ALL of it – and prepare a meal fit for, well, an American.  They really couldn’t afford it. In many cases, there was literally nothing left for the next day. So, in an effort to stop the madness, I tried to talk some sense into these over-hospitable people.

“Look,” I said, “you don’t need to do this…we’re fine…save this food for yourself…we won’t eat it all, so it would be a waste.”

“No problem,” was the reply – from a teenage girl, no less – “God will provide.”

In my smug, self-righteous, experienced-in-the-terminology-of-the-faith kind of way I responded, “But you don’t understand…”

“No, YOU don’t understand” the young girl said with almost a sad look on her face. “Don’t worry about us, because when this food is gone, there will be more.”

She said, “You see, the food you are eating now was not here yesterday, and we didn’t even know where it was coming from. We ate all we had yesterday, but God provided us with food for today. So, there may be nothing left after today for tomorrow, but that is no problem. He brought us food for yesterday and today, and He will take care of tomorrow.”

That’s what I call faith! We just go to the store.

“O [we] of little faith…” – Matt. 6:30

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by | June 6, 2011 · 1:16 am

Beware of False Cookies

The Chinese Restaurant

This afternoon, after Sunday morning services, we went to a Chinese restaurant. There with some of our youth and their parents, we made multiple trips back and forth to the only kind of bar a Baptist is expected to frequent – one that has food.

Usually I eat a little of everything at a Chinese restaurant, except sushi – that stuff is just plain nasty. But today, because I decided I had not eaten fish in a long time, I felt compelled to stay with just one subset of the universal set of oriental cuisine: seafood…(how’s that for a math reference?). I’d had my share of deep-fried battered chicken, beef, and whatever.

Sweet and Sour What?

On a side note, have you ever stopped to think about how much trust one puts in the food he is eating? Just because a label says “Sweet and Sour Chicken,” does it mean “Sweet and Sour Rat, Cat, Snake, Penguin, Leopard, Iguana, etc.” taste any different? From what I have been told, everything not pork, beef, or duck tastes like chicken. Put enough breading on little pieces of meat and it’s all the same.

I say let’s become legalistic about this issue, if nothing else. Certain meats should have certain shapes, or at least keep the skin on it. How else are we supposed to know what has been deep fried and covered in some exotic sauce that smells so good you forget your neighbor’s chihuahua went missing. Everything chicken should look like a chicken or have a feather sticking out of it. If I’m gonna be eating rattlesnake, at least give me a rattle to take home and play with. If they don’t start doing this, I may have to quit eating at Chinese restaurants and stick with the BBQ place – you know, the one conveniently located next to the emergency animal clinic?

Edible Fortunes

Seriously, I can’t stop eating at the the  Numba Won Happy Mandarin Peking Garden of Panda Love Restaurant. Where else could I find a cookie with wisdom? Chinese Restaurants are the only places I know with fortune cookies, and somehow they really know me.

Now, some people open up a fortune cookie only to find stupid stuff like, “The sky will be blue for you today, unless you cloud it with doubt.” Riiiight. Like, could you be any more vague?

On the other hand, my wife got one today that said, “Soon you will inherit land.” What? From whom? If she has a relative that has land to give away that’s not already promised to whiter sheep, then I’ll be really amazed. But mine are different. Mine are…

Scary Fortunes

One time I was just finishing up my road training before I started driving school buses in Tennessee. I went to a Chinese buffet for lunch, after which I got a fortune cookie. I am not lying, the piece of paper said, “You are about to enjoy success at a new job.” But what was more creepy was the Chinese word of the day was the word for “school bus.” N o  j o k e !

Today was another example of scary cookie wisdom. Would you believe that it knew I was a pastor? Would you believe that it knew I like to speak in front of large crowds? Amazingly, it knew that I am “the center of attention” whenever I am in a crowd (which is true at least three times a week). What is it supposed to mean?

False Cookies

It means that even a stupid cookie can get something right every now and then, especially if the statement enclosed is vague enough. On the other hand, it should be a reminder that there are forces at work in this world trying to deceive those with “itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3).

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” – 1 John 4:1

“For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.” – Mark 13:22

Don’t believe ’em, just eat ’em.

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by | May 20, 2011 · 10:45 am

Venting Before the End of the World

The following are random issues on which I am going to vent for the last time – unless the end doesn’t come tomorrow.

Idiots that Predict the Second Coming of Christ

Poster in Kendall Square, Cambridge, Massachus...

Image via Wikipedia

I am not going to take a lot of time with this one, but when will people learn? If you haven’t heard, a well-intentioned fool has predicted the Rapture to take place tomorrow, May 21st, 2011. You can click the link below and go straight to the source of all this nonsense. Or, if you are wise, you could just stick with the words of Jesus:

Matthew 24:36 KJV – “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”

Mark 13:32 KJV – “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”

If the words of Jesus aren’t convincing enough, then here’s where you can learn that Jesus was wrong: ebiblefellowship.com.

Idiots that Take Advantage of Stupidity and Show Their Own Foolishness in the Process

Believe it or not, there are folks out there that are making money off of those who believe in the rapture, and I’m not talking about Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins (no offense, guys…I bought your books). I’m talking about people who sell pet insurance to people who want their pets to be taken care of in the event that the owner is raptured. If you don’t believe me, just check them out: http://eternal-earthbound-pets.com/.

There are a couple of things about this that irritate me. For one, these folks are truly going to be lost without hope if the rapture comes any time soon. For that matter, they are lost without hope because they deny faith in Jesus Christ, regardless of the their eschatology. I believe the day will come when the trump of God shall sound and all the dead in Christ shall rise, the living to meet them in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). I also believe that cars crash, hearts stop, cancer kills, and spiders bite. These folks could meet their Maker unprepared at any time, regardless of some fool’s predictions.

Secondly, I am irritated that these folks have made me sad for my little dog! What if the rapture comes tomorrow, or next week, what will happen to Nugget? Do you suppose that God will mercifully take the lives of the pets of Christians in order to keep them from suffering in a post-resurrection world? Who knows? Probably not. That’s sad. On the other hand, I have plenty of family and friends, not to mention church members, that will probably still be here when that time comes.

I just wish that I had a parrot that said, “Told you so, told you so, told you so…”

Hypocritical Liberals

San Fransisco just approved a measure to be put on the ballot for the November elections. Up for a vote is whether or not to ban circumcision.  Click {here} for story on ballot.

Yes, without any measure guaranteeing religious freedom, voters will attempt to ban the age-old procedure because it is painful to little boys and denies their rights as individuals to decide. EXCUSE ME!?

Correct me if I am wrong, but aren’t these the same, caring, loving, considerate, pro-choice folk who, given the opportunity, would see nothing at all wrong with chopping a baby to bits only eight days earlier? So let me get this straight, it is OK to kill a child by poking scissors into it’s skull and sucking out it’s brain, or by letting it die of “natural causes” on a metal table, but it’s a crime of abuse to circumsize only eight days later? You’re kidding, right?!?

Forgiving Egyptian Debt

Brilliant! Just brilliant, President Obama. We have bridges that are falling apart and miles of southern acreage destroyed by tornadoes, but you’re willing to give a Billion dollars to the Muslim Brotherhood? The very same people who will turn right around and say thanks with a bomb or a knife to the throat? The least you could do is tell them all debts would be forgiven if they stop butchering Coptic Christians. Oh, but that would be to much, wouldn’t it. We wouldn’t want to offend the fledgling Islamic state, would we?

Just look, it takes an Australian paper to say something: The Australian accuses West of ignoring Coptic Christians.

The End?

I feel better, now. Hope to see you in Heaven on the 21st, if you are one of the “elect,” of course. But if the rapture doesn’t take place on Saturday, I will be in church on Sunday worshiping the One who is not slack concerning His promises, but is longsuffering and “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:9

P.S.

To all the atheist planning “after judgment” or “rapture” parties,  please take note: rapture or not, this life on earth will end.

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” – Hebrews 9:27-28 KJV

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by | March 18, 2011 · 3:29 am

Speak Out While You Still Can

What I am about to write is definitely dangerous.

I am having a hard time finding the words to say. I have written and re-written stuff for the last 5 hours. The problem is that there is no easy way to say what I want to say. I am not a radical. I am not a conspiracy kook. What I am is someone who watches what is going on in the world, in light of history, and is terribly disturbed by what potentially lies ahead. Please watch the following video, and then read my thoughts on the matter.

Nobody wants to label the whole religion of Islam as dangerous. To do so runs the risk of being labeled “Islamaphobic.” But just in case no one noticed, the reason the police didn’t stop the peaceful Muslims from clogging the streets of France is because of the fear that some radical will burn a police station, behead a cop, or start a riot that leaves the city in ruin. Why shouldn’t that make me nervous? Since when did the police of any country run in fear of Christians?

The Norm?

What will we allow to become the norm in this country? Sure, there are the humanists and the atheists who would like to see no public display of religion; but most Americans would just prefer that a person be able to hold whatever belief their conscience dictates, exercising their faith in peace. However, if the norm becomes fear of speaking out or questioning anything about any religion; fear to enforce certain laws because it may offend a Muslim; or fear to even draw a cartoon depicting a particular “prophet” (that got a lot of people killed, you know); then freedom will cease to exist. That is not the norm I want to get accustomed to.

Another video.

You see, it is coming to a point where we are going to have to speak out for freedom, or we will not be able to speak out at all. Fear and intimidation is running rampant all over the world.  Just look at how people are being jailed for speaking out in Europe against Sharia law.

<object style=”height: 390px; width: 640px”><param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/sPmURANLiHw?version=3″><param name=”allowFullScreen” value=”true”><param name=”allowScriptAccess” value=”always”></object>

No Sharia!

To not speak out in this conflict of cultures is to allow Islam the opportunity to replace our Western form of government with a system of laws that go against everything our forefathers fought for.  There will be no place in an Islamic state, should it go that far, for those who seek freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of thought, or equal rights for all. Freedom of religion is a core value in American society, but we should beware of those who would use that freedom to usurp the freedom of all others. Already, intimidation and the fear of retribution is robbing us or our of public discourse in the arena of ideas.

A concluding thought

As a concluding thought, the above videos spoke of laws in other countries that limited religious expression outside of the home, church, synagogue, or mosque. We should be thankful we are still allowed to express our faith anywhere, not just inside the walls of our own homes and churches. But make no mistake, there are those in this country who would love to have us be just like France and Austria. They have already succeeded in removing many expressions of faith from the public arena in the name of “separation of church and state.” Understand that unless we have the right to full, unrestrained discussion, only the most intimidating bullies will be aloud to speak. Speak out while you still can.

Related Articles (just in case you want to read the other side of the argument)

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by | March 1, 2011 · 9:34 pm

Life Lessons from the School Bus #4

“Till the Storm Passes Over”

Yesterday a strong storm front moved through our area around 2:25 p.m., EST. I was in the bus. NOT a good idea.

On a normal day, schools get out at 2:15. Yesterday, because of the coming storm, school dismissal was delayed until 2:30. That was a smart move. It would have been really dangerous to be on the road with a bunch of children and a tornado coming.

Because I knew that rain and high winds was on the way, I went outside of the school building and onto my bus to put up the windows. That was at 2:15……2:17, it was still calm……2:18, the storm hit like a bull catching a matador.

The following is what I posted on Facebook from my iPhone:

  • 2:18 pm “Storm is on us at lookout valley. In bus. Not good. Think was a bad idea.”
  • 2:21 pm “Laying on floor.”
  • 2:21 pm “Just a little scared.”
  • 2:23 pm “Hail.”
  • 2:24 pm “Hope somebody is praying.”
  • 2:30 pm “Whew! Bad stuff is over. Kids will be getting on bus soon. They held them in the school until the storm passed. Was scary.”

The reason I got down in the floor, as opposed to sitting in my seat, was because I was afraid that broken glass might start flying around. I also thought that I might be safer on the floor if a tree came looking for my head. Who knows? All I know is that while I was on the floor – while the bus rocked and the wind roared – I prayed.

I didn’t get off the bus because the wind was so intense, and opening the door would have been difficult, if not impossible. Not to mention, I had no idea if I would have been blown away or hit by a head-seeking oak branch. At least in the bus there was some metal protecting me. But on the other hand, it would have been a lot safer in the building. The bus was a bad idea.

As a result of the storm, there were hundreds of calls to the police for help. Trees were down everywhere, blocking roads, taking down power lines, and even crushing cars and damaging houses. As a matter of fact, I had to wait for nearly an hour for a power line to be cleared, just so my bus to get down a little back road. It was a mess.

Life Lesson

Sometimes storms come when you least expect them, even when you expect they will come. When they do, it is best to find shelter in a place that can weather the storm.

The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. – Psalms 18:2

When the storms of life hit, the best place to be is within our Saviour’s protective hand. The flimsy philosophies of this world are no better than a school bus in gale force winds. Till the storm passes over, resting safe within His arms is the best place to be.

“Sheltered in the Arms of God”

I feel the touch of hands so kind and tender.
They’re leading me in the paths that I must trod.
I’ll have no fear for Jesus walks beside me
For I’m sheltered in the arms of God.

So let the storm clouds rage high,
The dark clouds rise,
They don’t bother me;
For I’m sheltered in the arms of God.
He walks with me,
And naught of earth shall harm me,
For I’m sheltered in the arms of God.

– Dottie Rambo

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by | February 21, 2011 · 10:30 pm

His Kingdom will Stand

Late in the evening, and time to retire (go to bed, that is), I am thinking of all that has transpired today. Am I worried? I shouldn’t be. I serve the King of the Universe who is still on the throne. His scepter shall not be given to another.

Thy kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion [endureth] throughout all generations. – Psalm 145:13 KJV

With so much unrest in the world, it is a wonder anyone has any sanity left, especially those who continually bang their heads against the wall trying to figure it all out. What kingdom will be the next to fall? What riot today will lead to anarchy tomorrow? Who knows, but nothing suprises God. Jesus is the Sovereign King of Kings.

“I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed. – Daniel 7:13-14 NKJV

Am I nervous? Maybe a little. I would prefer peace and tranquility. But we are not promised those things, are we. Things could get really bad all over the world, even in America.  But one thing remains true: “this world is not my home – I’m only passing through…”

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. – Hebrews 12:28 NKJV

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by | January 31, 2011 · 11:24 am

Be “Careful” for Nothing…

I am sitting at my computer and thinking of all the things about which I want to write, but all of them really seem trivial at this point. Life must go on, but sometimes world events make everything personal seem, well, trivial.

At the time of this writing, Egypt is in a state of turmoil. The people, led by students (like always), are demanding the president of

Unrest in Egypt

Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, to give up power. Muslims all over the world are taking their side, even burning pictures (like always) of the president in the streets. The leading opposition group in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood, is calling for the government to be handed over to them (like always). And once again, the world is feeling the tremors of this shake up in the price of oil and the falling stock markets. Things are getting really tense all over the world.

 

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110131/D9L39P7O0.html

In case you are reading this and have no idea of the ramifications of what is going on, let me just tell you what could potentially happen.

1)   Egypt, one of the few Arab countries at peace with Israel, is about to change its form of government, from a “dictatorship” to a hastily formed “unified” government, not a democracy.

2)   The government that is being called for by the “people” of Egypt will, in essence, be nothing more than a theocratic-themed, Islamic-controlled, religiously-based government. Even though the protesters on the street just want an end to the 30 year reign of Mubarak, the Muslim Brotherhood wants anything but a democratically-elected, religiously open-minded, pro-Western government. They want one more domino to fall in the long stack of countries they want to conquer in the name of Allah.

3)   If Egypt falls into the hands of Muslim extremists and jihadist-sympathizers, then they will have the ability to control all traffic through the Suez Canal. It is through this waterway that a majority of the world’s oil is transported. To cut access to the Suez would cripple the United States economy overnight.  Oil prices would go through the roof, along with every thing that the increased prices could affect. Everyday staples, such as food and electricity would be triple in cost, if not more. Businesses would fail.

4)  If Egypt falls into the hands of Anti-American extremists, Suadi Arabia will be in trouble.  The Muslim Brotherhood has already stated that it wants to see the Saud family removed from power. If that were to happen, then the majority of the world’s oil would be in the hands of those who want to see America and the West fall. Because of the demands and restrictions placed on our energy-making industries by Liberals and global-warming nuts, we will not have the capability of meeting the fuel and energy demands of this nation. Our economy will come to a standstill.

5) If the economy of the United States comes to a halt, there are plenty of groups poised and ready to bring riots to our own streets, just like has been seen in Europe (France, England, Greece, etc.) and the Middle East.  At that point, say good bye to the America of our forefathers (what’s left of it, anyway).

6)  Of course, don’t forget, before the world economies give up in defeat to the folks in the desert, there will be, as the protesters call it, “blood for oil.” War in the Middle East over the control of its stock of resources would no doubt include the self-interests of every major power, including China and Russia. Very easily, we could be on the brink a major global conflict.  Worried, yet?

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God (Phl 4:6 KJV).

What does it mean to “be careful for nothing?” Well, the word translated “careful” in the KJV is a Greek word that means:  to be anxious; troubled with cares (merimnaō – Strong’s G3309). To “be careful for nothing” would mean to not be anxious, or overly troubled by anything. Now, with all the bad news above, how in the world are we supposed to not be anxious? “By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let [our] requests be made known unto God.”

What happens when we put our faith and trust in the God of the Bible?

[The] peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phl 4:7 KJV).

But my problems are not trivial. They are real – as real as the problems in Egypt. I’ve got my own issues that tend to make me anxious.

Yesterday, my wife and one of our girls drove to Chicago. They went there because of a family emergency. Lo and behold, Chicago is expecting up to 2 feet of snow and winds close to 60 miles an hour – a blizzard.  Do you think that makes me happy? Not only is the world falling apart, but MY world is in danger.

What am I to do?

Pray and give thanks to the God who made this world and holds it in the palm of His hand. Only His peace can keep our hearts in these troubled times. Only He can give the peace that passes all understanding. I resolve “to be careful for nothing.”

Phl 4:4, 6-7 NLT – Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again–rejoice! … Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

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