Tag Archives: voting

by | November 5, 2020 · 9:03 am

For Such a Time As This

As I woke this morning, names started coming to mind.

I would like to share them with you.

Of the following names, try to think what is common among them all.

Deitrich Bonhoffer
Jim Elliot
Joseph (the one with the coat of many colors)
Brother Andrew
Cory Ten Boom
Harriet Tubman
Frederick Douglass
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Casey Jones (the railroad engineer)
Todd Beamer (flight 93)
Abraham Lincoln
William Wilberforce (member of Parliament)
Sir Winston Churchill
Horatio G. Spafford (It Is Well With My Soul)
Rosa Parks
William Wallace
Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, Col. William Travis
Oskar Schindler
Moses
Esther

If you haven’t figured it out, there may be other similarities, but all of these names have at least one thing in common: You would have never known them had it not been for their moments of adversity, the challenges forced on them, or the stands they took in the face of injustice.

Consider the words of Mordecai to a fearful and hesitant Esther:

Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” – Esther 4:13-14 NLT

Dear friends, whatever the future of this country, God has us here “for just such a time as this.”

Leave a comment

Filed under America, Church, current events, History, politics, Struggles and Trials

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | November 4, 2020 · 5:34 pm

My Initial Thoughts On the 2020 Election Results

You have your opinions. I have mine.

It is hard to believe that I live in America. By that I mean it is hard to believe that the America I grew up with – one where people were patriotic, respected the office of leaders, and never considered sabotaging the whole electoral system – is the one in which people are so divided and the party platforms are so morally different.

Now that I think about it, there was a time when this country was equally divided, even more so, and that was a time when we took up arms to kill our brothers at the other end of our carbines and canon. Some have said that’s where we are headed once more. I hope not.

But I wonder, without scouring the history books (that haven’t been revised by modern liberals), I wonder if the people of our nation back in the 1860’s were as angry, manipulative, disrespectful, self-serving, God-hating, perverse, and vindictive as they are today? I kinda doubt it.

I mean, from the history that I’ve read, both the North and the South had men and women of honor and principle who differed to the point of war, but did so with integrity. How else did we become the most powerful nation on Earth? A nation that could never move past a political defeat, or even a military one, could never later unify as a patriotic people to defeat the Nazis, the Imperial Japanese, and even the Russia of the Cold War.

So, for four years after an embarrassing and unexpected defeat, the Democrat Party and RINOs (Republican In Name Only) have done nothing but seethe with anger and resentment for President Trump and have sought, through any means necessary, to undermine the President, even at the expense of the American people.

The reason we are where we are today is not because of differing ideologies or political worldviews. The reason we are in the shape we are in this very moment, a state of utter confusion and distrust of the political and electoral system, is not because Donald Trump talked dirty in a locker room or tweeted something “un-presidential.”

The reason we are boarding up our stores, banks, pharmacies, and places of worship is not because we are being invaded by an army of locusts or facing down the barrel of a Cat5 hurricane.

The reason we are in this mess the day after the election is not because President Trump colluded with a foreign power, was an inept leader, or that he has been the worst and most embarrassing president ever.

The REAL reason we are where we are today, right this moment, is because an uninformed, maliciously-educated, biblically-illiterate electorate was lied to, mislead, manipulated, used as pawns, incited, and incentivized by a perennially-corrupt, morally-bankrupt, socially-manipulative, traitorous main-stream media whose sole purpose for the last four years has been to overturn the election of a man they knew would not push forward a socialistic, barbaric, evil, “progressive” agenda.

There is NO reason, other than because of fomented hatred for the current President, that a sane, informed, patriotic, educated, God-fearing public would vote to have a bona fide corrupt politician with cognitive disabilities, along with Che Guevara’s dream groupie, lead them!

If the main-stream news media, along with the supporting entertainment industry, both nothing more than extensions of the Democrat Party, would have given credit where credit is due, then a three-time Nobel Prize-nominated, promise-keeping, job-creating, peace deal making President would have no problem getting re-elected. But all the average person hears is “Orange Man Bad!”

Mark my words, the media that will side so heavily with one party to corrupt the perceptions of the general populace in order to secure power and force a corrupt and immoral agenda will find no security in the eventual government they hope to bring about.

If you set a trap for others, you will get caught in it yourself. If you roll a boulder down on others, it will crush you instead. A lying tongue hates its victims, and flattering words cause ruin. – Proverbs 26:27-28 NLT

That’s my opinion, and I’m sticking to it.

14 Comments

Filed under America, politics, voting

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | November 2, 2020 · 4:26 pm

14 Reasons Why I Will Vote

NOTE: The following is a politically-inspired post. Even though I am a minister of the Gospel, it is my right as an American citizen to express my opinions on this matter. I make no apology for doing so.

Election Day

Woo HOO!!! Tomorrow is the day we get to go to the polls and select who will be our next President!

Wait… Maybe I should start over.

GOD HELP US!! Tomorrow is the day we must go to the polls and choose who will be our President for the next four years.

Yes, I am going to the polls tomorrow, and I just wanted to take a moment to tell you why.

My Reasons for Voting

  1. voteBlood. People died so that I could vote. That should be good enough.
  2. Complaining Rights. I want to be able to complain should the one I vote for lose. Those of you who don’t vote should keep your mouth shut on the 9th.
  3. Responsibility. I have been given a gift to live in a representative republic. The right to vote is not only a privilege, it is a responsibility. Scripture is very plain about being good stewards with what we have been given, and it would be poor stewardship to throw away an opportunity to make a difference for good.
  4. My Daughter. She wants a woman President – just not this one. Face it, 2 days after the smoke settles, the real President will be Kamala Harris.
  5. The Supreme Court. One of the major concerns facing voters in the last election was the possibility of whomever was elected to put up to 4 justices on the bench. We got THREE – NO BAD! But now it’s different: Democrats promise to pack the court (because they are crybaby bullies).
  6. Religious Freedom. Believe it or not, our religious liberties are on the line. There is no question there will be riots if Trump is elected to a second term – the Left has already promised as much. Yet, if Biden is elected, rest assured the Church in America (at least the ones who believe the Bible is the inerrant and inspired Word of God) will experience retribution, intimidation, and bullying the likes none of us have ever witnessed – except in former Communist countries.
  7. Stickers. The inner child in me likes stickers. I want an “I Voted!” sticker.
  8. Guns. I am a red-blooded American, and no matter what Mr. Biden says, I believe he will do everything possible to make it more difficult, if not impossible, to buy or own a handgun. Even though he says he doesn’t want to take away our guns, he’s not exactly the poster child for honesty.
  9. Email.  It was Hillary’s email four years ago, now it’s the Biden crime family syndicate. Joe Biden, are you the “Big Man”? 
  10. Benghazi. Four dead Americans no longer have a voice. I will vote in their memory because Hillary is still alive and it STILL MATTERS! 
  11. Partial-Birth Abortion. I oppose abortion, but especially late-term, partial-birth abortion that masquerades as a procedure meant to protect a mother’s health. Give me a break. No matter what kind of faults Trump has, at least he can recognize partial-birth abortion is an unnecessary, unacceptable, in-humane, murderous act worthy of Joseph Mengela. The Democrat Party thinks it’s perfectly acceptable.
  12. Health Insurance Premiums. Remember, Obama promised we could keep our doctors, keep our plans, and that we would experience lower premiums. Therefore, whatever Biden and Harris promise is probably a bold-faced lie, too. 
  13. Dead People. I must cast my vote to offset the dead voters who are resurrected to show up and vote Democrat at every election.
  14. I am an American.

Seriously, don’t stay home. Vote!

9 Comments

Filed under America, politics, voting

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | October 30, 2020 · 8:11 pm

Do Your Duty…Vote…or NOT!

This Tuesday will be the day we go to the polls to vote.  Unless you were one who voted early, Tuesday will be the day you should do your public duty as a citizen of the United States.  VOTE!

But WAIT!!!  Do you know what you are doing?

Do you know who you are going to vote for?  If not, why? If you go to the polls November 3rd just so you can push a few buttons, or check off a few marks, what good did you do?  If you only go to fulfill a responsibility, without knowing any details, what kind of steward of this blood-bought gift are you?  

If you don’t know the difference between liberty and liberalism, democracy and democrats, or socialism and social networking – DON’T VOTE!  Just stay home and watch Oprah or Dr. Phil.  

When others are heading to the polls that evening, just veg out while you enjoy another episode of some cake-baking, tatoo-designing, dance-off competition.

For over 200 years men and women have been shedding their blood for the freedom we enjoy.

More will die to preserve it in the future, that is, if we still have freedom to defend. If the uneducated, illiterate, uninformed and apathetic continue to vote for more government, all so that they can receive more “freebies,” not to mention tax-payer funded health care, then blood was shed in vain.

Stay at home, ye who do not know what is going on.  Stay at home, all ye who will vote simply to remove “Orange Man” from the White House.  Stay at home all ye who said “anything is better than what we have.”  

Please, for the love of God and country, STAY HOME!  

Let the people who have strong ideals go vote.  Let the mature, the concerned, the alert, the forward-looking, the reader, the listener, the active citizen (as opposed to the apathetic moocher) go vote.  We know the importance of what we are doing and take it seriously.  We can handle the responsibility…

Yes, we can!

People all over the world would, have, and will die for the opportunity to have what we have.

Take it seriously.  Make yourself a student, at least a “C” student, of what and Who made this country a “shining city on a hill.”  Read the Constitution.  Read the Bible.  Take responsibility for your own actions.  Know what the candidates truly stand for, then make a decision.  

But if you’re wondering if it’s worth taking the time to drive to the poll…if you have to watch CNN right before you walk out the door to help you decide who to vote for…please, we’ll send you a “I Voted” sticker, just stay home.  

It’s your patriotic duty.

2020 VOTER GUIDE
But if you want to know what’s at stake, this will help.

3 Comments

Filed under Christian Living, Culture Wars, General Observations, Uncategorized, voting, World View

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | April 20, 2020 · 7:40 am

Is It Perception Or Deception?

The Way We See It

If I have heard it said once, I have heard it said a thousand times, “perception is reality.” And if I have puked once…well, you know the rest.

What is it with man’s twisted view of reality and truth? Where do we get the idea that reality is what we perceive it to be? Is truth really relative to our own perception of the way things are? Just because a person believes something to be true doesn’t make it true, only believed.

Have you ever argued with someone who is color-blind over the color of a tie? Have you ever tried to convince someone dying of thirst that it’s not really water, but a mirage? Have you ever tried to convince a 3-year-old that germs are real and that hands need to be washed before eating? Some people think they know what they see, but they don’t.

Have you ever tried to argue with an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) about the letters on the wall? Yes, a “B” may appear to your flawed eyes as a “D”, but that doesn’t change what is on the wall.

Hot or Cold?

Sure, there are certain times when it seems like truth is relative, and here is a good example.

When my wife and I walk into a room, both of us will perceive a different sensation. If the temperature on the thermometer reads 70 degrees, then my wife is going to exclaim, “Why is it so hot in here?” On the other hand, I am going to say, “I think it feels fine.” I may, depending on how hot the temperature is outside, think that what my wife perceives to be hot is actually cool.

Both are correct based on our individual experiences and perceptions, but in reality the truth of the temperature is still 70, regardless of how we feel about it.

Clean Drunks

Several years ago I was unfortunate enough to transport a bunch of college kids to a party. It was unfortunate because long before some of them ever got on the school bus they had already been drinking.

The place they were going to was up a mountain. About 5 minutes into the trip, about the third or fourth curve, one girl decided to vomit on the window, down the inside wall, and between the seats. It was all liquid, all alcohol, and all nasty. A few minutes later she felt she was ready to go party some more, for, in her eyes, she was perfectly clean. The only problem was that we (everyone on the bus) could tell she was soaked…in other words, we weighed the “spirits.”

God Sees Everything

When it comes to self-perception, reality is what God sees. He not only sees the outside, but the heart is bare before Him. As the proverb says, a man may consider himself clean, which is his own perception of reality, but the Lord knows what’s really going on.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

It is foolish for men to try to justify their sinful, dirty actions before a holy God. It is foolish to depend on our own perception of what is right and wrong. Our eyes only want to see what makes us look good, not evil.

That is why we need God’s wisdom.

14 Comments

Filed under General Observations, Life Lessons, voting, wisdom

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | November 6, 2018 · 6:00 am

I’m a “5-Issue” Voter

Today is election day in America.

Today is the day we Americans – the ones who care – take advantage of a blood-bought privilege to determine who will represent us in the governance of our nation, from local races all the way to Washington, D.C.

Now, it’s only a “mid-term” election, but it’s still very, very important. That is why I will head to the polls with as much gravitas as I would should this be an election to determine the President of the United States.

Some people will vote solely along political party lines. Others will vote based on “who’s best for the job.” They are the ones who claim to put person over party,”principle over politics.”

But let’s be honest, folks: this election (as was the last one) is far more complicated than simple either/or choices. No one is perfect, so it’s not always easy to say there’s one candidate that’s clearly better than another. And, to be fair, depending on where you live and who’s in charge, party affiliation isn’t always a black-and-white issue.

However, there are some issues that help guide how I will vote in each election. Some folk like to think of themselves as “single-issue voters.” I, on the other hand, am more like a “5-issue voter.” Therefore, I thought I would share them with you this morning, just in case you are looking for any last-minute advice.

5 Deciding Issues

1 The First Amendment. Without a doubt, the Constitution is always under attack. One reason is because so many are woefully ignorant of what’s in the Constitution – most have never even read it! But when it comes to whom I vote for, I will NOT vote for someone who threatens to dismantle my right to free speech and my right to worship. To be specific, I will oppose a candidate who wants to enact legislation meant to silence the pulpit, chill open discussion of ideas, or restrict Christians from participation in the public square.

2. Right to Life/Life of the Unborn. Let me be very clear, I will not vote for any man or woman who condones abortion on demand. Granted, the choice might get complicated if both candidates believe the same on this issue, but differently on others, but as a general rule, if there is any other choice, I will not vote for a person – or a Party – that supports and condones the willful and unnecessary destruction of innocent human life in the womb.

3. The Second Amendment. This is America, not Europe or Australia. I will not vote for someone who wants to take away my right to bear arms. George Washington said: “Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people’s liberty teeth and keystone under independence.” For a more amplified defense of this position, I would refer you to an essay by Walter E. Williams of George Mason University (the source of the above Washington quote) entitled “Constitutional ignorance.”

4. Originalist Judges. It is tragic that so much power is now placed in the courts. Yet, knowing the way things have been going as of late, it’s probably not going to change any time soon. Therefore, it is more important than ever for an informed voter to cast his vote for a candidate who will support the selection and nomination of judges who will not seek to write law but enforce it. It is also important that the candidate support the selection and nomination of judges who do not try to imagine what the Founders were thinking, but what they wrote. It is not the responsibility of the judge to change law based on his or her opinion of it; it’s the job of the branch that writes the law in the first place – Congress.

5. Freedom. Believe it or not, most people are clueless as to what a genuine “right” is. That is why we have seen laws like the Affordable Care Act passed. Because many claimed healthcare to be a natural human right, Americans were forced to give up actual rights in order to keep from being fined. Any “right” that imposes a “duty” on another is not a true human right because it cannot be enjoyed simultaneously by both individuals. For a great explanation of what is a legitimate human “right,” I would encourage you to read the following piece by Professor Charles W. Baird: “#10 – ‘I Have a Right!'”

So there you have it. These are the issues that help guide how I will vote in each election. I hope they help.

Now, go vote!

2 Comments

Filed under Abortion, America, community, current events, politics, voting

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | June 3, 2017 · 10:41 am

The Perception Deception

It Started With a Comment

Just the other day someone commented on my blog and asked me to check out something he had written. I did, and it became clear that this person had come to the conclusion that everyone has his own version of the truth, and there’s no way to determine which religion is true…because not all truth claims are testable.

Well, when it comes to the truth claims of Jesus Christ, I respectfully disagreed.

That led me to remember a couple of posts which deal with the subject from slightly different perspectives. Here is the first one, and the second will be re-posted right after this one.

The Way We See It

If I have heard it said once, I have heard it said a thousand times, “perception is reality.” And if I have puked once…well, you know the rest.

What is it with man’s twisted view of reality and truth? Where do we get the idea that reality is what we perceive it to be? Is truth really relative to our own perception of the way things are? Just because a person believes something to be true doesn’t make it true, only believed.

Have you ever argued with someone who is color-blind over the color of a tie? Have you ever tried to convince someone dying of thirst that it’s not really water, but a mirage? Have you ever tried to convince a 3-year-old that germs are real and that hands need to be washed before eating? Some people think they know what they see, but they don’t.

Have you ever tried to argue with an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) about the letters on the wall? Yes, a “B” may appear to your flawed eyes as a “D”, but that doesn’t change what is on the wall.

Hot or Cold?

Sure, there are certain times when it seems like truth is relative, and here is a good example.

When my wife and I walk into a room, both of us will perceive a different sensation. If the temperature on the thermometer reads 70 degrees, then my wife is going to exclaim, “Why is it so hot in here?” On the other hand, I am going to say, “I think it feels fine.” I may, depending on how hot the temperature is outside, think that what my wife perceives to be hot is actually cool.

Both are correct based on our individual experiences and perceptions, but in reality the truth of the temperature is still 70, regardless of how we feel about it.

Clean Drunks

Several years ago I was unfortunate enough to transport a bunch of college kids to a party. It was unfortunate because long before some of them ever got on the school bus they had already been drinking.

The place they were going to was up a mountain. About 5 minutes into the trip, about the third or fourth curve, one girl decided to vomit on the window, down the inside wall, and between the seats. It was all liquid, all alcohol, and all nasty. A few minutes later she felt she was ready to go party some more, for, in her eyes, she was perfectly clean. The only problem was that we (everyone on the bus) could tell she was soaked…in other words, we weighed the “spirits.”

God Sees Everything

When it comes to self-perception, reality is what God sees. He not only sees the outside, but the heart is bare before Him. As the proverb says, a man may consider himself clean, which is his own perception of reality, but the Lord knows what’s really going on.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

It is foolish for men to try to justify their sinful, dirty actions before a holy God. It is foolish to depend on our own perception of what is right and wrong. Our eyes only want to see what makes us look good, not evil.

That is why we need God’s wisdom.

3 Comments

Filed under General Observations, Life Lessons, voting, wisdom

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | November 7, 2016 · 11:12 pm

The Sound of BB’s (Election Day Edition)

Just a little something before you head to the polls to vote for President.

The attached video is not graphic, but should be terribly disturbing. It is not gross and disgusting, only sobering.

Please listen to the sound of BB’s in a tin can.

I agree with the author of this video – God help us!

NOTE: Keep in mind that when you knowingly vote for a person who personally endorses the killing of babies in the womb, especially when you do have an option to vote for someone who doesn’t, you have a part in continuing the holocaust.

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Abortion, America, current events, Relationships and Family, Uncategorized, voting

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | October 28, 2016 · 6:10 am

The Perception Deception

The Way We See It

If I have heard it said once, I have heard it said a thousand times, “perception is reality.” And if I have puked once…well, you know the rest.

What is it with man’s twisted view of reality and truth? Where do we get the idea that reality is what we perceive it to be? Is truth really relative to our own perception of the way things are? Just because a person believes something to be true doesn’t make it true, only believed.

Have you ever argued with someone who is color-blind over the color of a tie? Have you ever tried to convince someone dying of thirst that it’s not really water, but a mirage? Have you ever tried to convince a 3-year-old that germs are real and that hands need to be washed before eating? Some people think they know what they see, but they don’t.

Clean Drunks

Several years ago I was unfortunate enough to transport a bunch of college kids to a party. It was unfortunate because long before some of them ever got on the school bus they had already been drinking.

The place they were going to was up a mountain. About 5 minutes into the trip, about the third or fourth curve, one girl decided to vomit on the window, down the inside wall, and between the seats. It was all liquid, all alcohol, and all nasty. A few minutes later she felt she was ready to go party some more, for, in her eyes, she was perfectly clean. The only problem was that we (everyone on the bus) could tell she was soaked…in other words, we weighed the “spirits.”

God Sees Everything

When it comes to self-perception, reality is what God sees. He not only sees the outside, but the heart is bare before Him.

All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. – Proverbs 16:2

As the proverb says, a man may consider himself clean and his motives pure, which is his own perception of reality, but the Lord knows what’s really going on.

It is foolish for men to try to justify their sinful, dirty actions before a holy God. It is foolish to depend on our own perception of what is right and wrong. Our eyes only want to see what makes us look good, not evil.

That is why we need God’s wisdom.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12

1 Comment

Filed under General Observations, Life Lessons, voting, wisdom

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | February 18, 2016 · 6:00 am

When You Vote…

Your VOTE should be more than a calculated bet.

Your VOTE should be more than a strategic move to benefit a party.

Your VOTE should be, if possible, more than a compromise; it should be a statement.

Your VOTE should be – it SHOULD be – your stamp of approval, one that signifies the person for whom you are voting is the best possible choice.

Your VOTE should NOT be based on statistics.

YOUR vote SHOULD be based on YOUR understanding, NOT public opinion.

voteYour right to VOTE is NOT a true right; it’s a PRIVILEGE. Certain inalienable rights are given by God (i.e., life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness); the privilege to vote was bought with human capital (the blood of our soldiers). DON’T waste the opportunity afforded to you by the lives of others!

Remember, our Forefathers pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor so that you could have a voice in who governs you. However, those for whom you vote these days have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Hold them accountable!

Your VOTE is a sacred trust. DON’T betray it.

Leave a comment

Filed under America, voting

Tagged as , , ,