HAVE A ----- CHRISTMAS

Christmas is not always a happy time. For many people it's a time of great stress, problems, and disappointment. Some of that we can avoid and there are things we can do that makes it a pretty wonderful time. Here's my suggestions:

I've found that the joy is in giving and not so much in the receiving. If there is something you really would like to receive then go get it for yourself. Hints can be misunderstood, and what do you do with someone who won't give you a clue to what would make them happy? If you don't guess right ---------well you know what comes next.

Here's an off the wall idea. There are 10 million people who live alone in the United States and 175,000 more join them each year. Old age is a time of painful changes. Here's how one old man expressed it.

I spent many long years as a pastor. Every church has their group of old people. I've always loved them and would make it a point to try to enter their world. That means listen to them talk - usually about the better times in their life. One of them wrote this to describe what it's like for the old people all around us.

It late - not just 1:31 AM, but late in my life. Many of my opportunities have been used up - wasted on people who didn’t care - lost to people who not only didn’t help but tried to make sure I didn’t make it. Everything is changing, and I feel like a man in a foreign country; betrayed by a new world I can’t understand, and often find repulsive.

I long for the old familiar things; music, caring people, honesty; a belief that integrity still existed; a time filled with pride, hope and happiness. In my world there was time to just sit on the porch and talk; go fishing with friends, time for leisurely visits, warm letters, phone calls that said: “I need your help,” and a feeling that there was a time and place for everything.

My world had been filled with family and loving relationships. We enjoyed many wonderful meals in the homes of our friends, and of course we reciprocated. There was time to eat, laugh, talk, and enjoy a leisurely meal in a warm, snug safe haven from all the problem of life. There were no interruptions, or someone jumping up to leave because they had to go somewhere.

Now, my options are dying, only a few left----like the last gasp of air in an old man’s lungs as he struggles to complete his final exit. My hopes have long ago faded, turned from bright yellow, red and green to a sickly brown and finally the dark color of death.

I look back and see so very little that I’ve done that has been worth while. Where there use to be respect and praise, now there’s only contempt and impatience; a poorly disguised wish that I would hurry up and get out of the way; stop being a bother and make way for youthful and more important things.

I feel like a tired old traveler, walking down a dusty road. I don’t want to show that I need help as everyone speeds by me on their way to urgent and more important things that won’t wait. I’ve reached a time when I’m always last on the list of priorities of those I know. I accept the fact that I’m used up; have no real value left; and need to be discarded.

Once I was needed, and others depended on my hard work, skills, and dogged determination to make it no matter how much it took out of me. Now, I’m a relic of an age gone by; lost forever in the dim mist of what use to be; and as it is slowly buried in the dust of time--maybe never was.

I’m not afraid of the final act, only glad that there will be one; hoping that those who have been my only reason for living can go on with their lives; free from the depressing burden of an old man who wore out their patience by living too long.

Like moving from an empty old house, I know that it’s time for me to walk away; accept the fact that it’s ended, and stop dreaming of better days that will never come again. It surprises me that those I love can go longer and longer without seeing, talking, or trying to make time for me. I also feel the bonds of affection, care and concern from them growing weaker.

Perhaps that’s as it should be. It would hurt too much for the end to come with strong feelings of attachment still in place. So, life and circumstances administer a powerful anesthetic so that there is little pain when the bonds are finally broken.

We don’t always reap what we sow. All of my life I loved and took care of older people. I made it a point to include them in the things we did, I went to see them when I was busy and had many other things to do. I listened patiently as they talked about “nothing” and prayed with them about their needs. I would call them on the phone and took time to listen when they called me. I felt impatient then at the interruption, but tried to understand that they needed to talk to me. I consciously practiced the grace of “giving.”

Their world was dying, and I knew they needed me much more than the younger, energetic and strong people I knew. I don’t regret what I did. I’m glad I took the time, and it was comforting to know that my “old friends” loved me. I gained something precious from them. I learned, many years before I needed it, how to grow old and prepare for the end of life here.

No, I’m not reaping what I sowed. I’m reaping something else that I never thought about, or dreamed that I would need if I lived long enough. It’s the ability to quietly let go, surrender to the inevitable, and look forward to moving to another world. I call it “my Father’s house.” Oh, we will keep on going through the motions, walking on down the sometimes lonely road that only seems to lead to nowhere. What else can we do? We can’t go back because our world is gone.

Morbid? Probably, but sometimes we need a different perspective to understand what will one day most certainly come to us. Someday we will all be old.

That pretty much describes it.... now the question is this: "If you really care about them how would you find the time to visit and the creative ideas to respond to the world they live in?

I would love to hear your suggestions,

Pastor Ken

IS IT GOD'S WILL?

Apparently many people think that whatever happens "must be God's will." Otherwise he would have prevented it. There is a growing foolishness circulating on the Internet. The General Superintendent of a major church denomination helped start it and their local State Overseers dutifully sent it to all their churches. Others on the Internet are promoting it.

It goes something like this: "(Rom 13:1-4 NIV) "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. {2} Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. {3} For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. {4} For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer."

The e-mail I received put it simply like this: Romans 13:1-4

Barack Obama's presidency is appointed by God. (v 1)
Christians should lead the way in supporting Barack Obama's presidency. (v 2)
Barack Obama's presidency can be a force for good and a deterrent against evil. (v 3)
As president, Barack Obama is God's minister to you for good. (v 4)

Let's take a look at each of these Scripture verses. (Rom 13:1 NIV) "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God". God established government for the benifit of people. The long story of Moses and the Jews who were delivered from slavery in Egypt is filled with the creation of an honest government for these people.

This is not to be understood as meaning that every individual ruler is ordained of God. That would make God responsible for many acts of despotism and oppression.

Hitler was elected to high office by the German people in 1933, but no Christian can argue that he represented God's preference for the post, that somehow God was enthused and delighted about the prospect of a German ruler who would gas six million Jews and cause the deaths of 25 million people.

Adolph Hitler's elevation to power represented the will of the German people, not the will of God. And the German people paid a bitter and self-destructive price for choosing poorly. Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin comes to mind along with the incredible millions of Men women and children who were tortured, enslaved, and murdered by them. It was God who destroyed the selfish, sinful rulers who became despicable in his eyes.

The Holocaust (from the Greek ὁλόκαυστον (holókauston): holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt"), also known as (Ha)-Shoah (Hebrew: השואה), Churben (Yiddish: חורבן) is the term generally used to describe the genocide of approximately six million European Jews during World War II, as part of a programme of deliberate extermination planned and executed by the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazi) regime in Germany led by Adolf Hitler.

Taking into account all the victims of Nazi persecution, the total number of victims would be between nine and 11 million. No true Christian could ever say that God appointed this mass murderer to destroy families, children, and an entire population of Jews. Add another 20 million innocent people killed by Joseph Stalin in Russia and you have an incredible picture of what a leader elected by the people can do. In Russia it was the communist party that place a mass murderer in power - not God.

{Romans 13:2} Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. {3} For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. {4} For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." (Paul knew well the awesome and cruel power of the Roman Government. He seems to be saying: "Unless God requires it - there is no need for senselessly courting death and disaster.)

The Bible does not teach the doctrine of passive obedience or nonresistance. However our resistance should be clearly directed by God. Wicked Rulers and leaders of any kind need to be opposed. At Babylon, Daniel resisted the reigning power. The royal mandate was issued, but Daniel did not obey it. “He kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”


The Apostles Peter and John declined to obey the Jewish council at Jerusalem when they were commanded to speak no more in the Name of Jesus. They boldly answered, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and hear". Where the law of a nation or the command of an earthly ruler conflicts with the law of God, then it is clearly the Christian’s duty to obey God rather than men”.

If by the "will of God," we mean "what God desires," then it is impossible to imagine that God wants our president - the most powerful and influential man on earth to support infanticide, unimaginable and grisly "partial birth abortions and to support and promote the normalization of homosexual behavior. We have a Christian duty to oppose the things that God has declared sinful in the Bible.

It doesn't take a biblical scholar to discern that the Judeo-Christian Scriptures teaches us that homosexual behavior is "contrary to nature," that homosexual liaisons are driven by "dishonorable passions" and consist of "shameless acts" (Romans 1:26-27), and that marriage is the union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:26, Matthew 19:4-6, 1 Corinthians 7:2).

There was no naive assumption that an evil king represented God's desire for the leadership of his people. The exact opposite is true. He sent his anointed prophets to confront those who abused the authority God had given to them. Evil kings came under withering censure because they knew better.

The Apostles Peter and John declined to obey the Jewish council at Jerusalem when they were commanded to speak no more in the Name of Jesus. They boldly answered, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and hear". Where the law of a nation or the command of an earthly ruler conflicts with the law of God, then it is clearly the Christian’s duty to obey God rather than men”.

Because of Corporate Greed and unimaginable fraud and corruption in our Govenment, and by people in high places, we are now looking at a world wide disaster. In 1873 The United States de facto standard for the value of our money was at 20.67 dollars to 1 troy oz (31.1 g) of gold. As we watch prices rise - and the government prints trillions of "paper dollars" it's anyone's guess as to what a dollar will be worth in the future.

Looking back over a long life I know from my experiences that God is watching over us and cares about each of his dear children. That gives me perfect peace when I go to sleep at night.

GOD'S PRESENCE

(Exo 3:2-6 NIV) "There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. {3} So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight--why the bush does not burn up." {4} When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am." {5} "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." {6} Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God."

QUESTION? Does God ever do that today? The answer is yes. I almost never talk about it but I was 11 years old, in the bed by myself, totally uninterested in "Church" or "Christianity" when God's presence overwhelmed me. I secretly cried, struggled, and tried for three long weeks to resist what I knew God was asking me to do. God's presence was overpowering and finally I surrendered. God wanted me to be a "minister" and not a Military pilot. I struggled for years to keep my commitment to God.

In my lifetime I've had numbers of experiences of God's presence. It's a powerful and awesome experience when it happens. I always knew... and so did everyone else that God was asking me to do something that seemed to be impossible. This usually happens when I'm totally unprepared for the encounter. I learned to listen carefully and do exactly what God was telling me to do. The results were so spectacular that many people called them "miracles." (With God there is no such thing as a miracle. It's just business as usual for God)

Looking back it hasn't been easy. It's not easy today. Sixty years of preaching, traveling all over the world, struggling, praying, and doing things others would not do is still a part of my lifetime commitment. At 76 years old I know I'm close to the end of my life but still I'm determined to keep listening for God's voice and the power of his presence.

There is a nagging problem for me. There is no way I can tell anyone how to have that kind of "Divine encounter with God." I passionately wish I could. It's God's choice - not mine. I see the urgent need for many of God's people to have that experience as our world goes spinning out of control. Churches desperately try to somehow "lead people to worship and experience God's presence". Most of the time it's a failure and a sad exercise in futility. Only God can draw near to us and make it happen.

When God sent Moses back to Egypt to tell Pharaoh to let the Hebrew slaves go free, Moses asked: "(Exo 4:1 NIV) "Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The LORD did not appear to you'?" Good question!!!

(2} Then the LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" "A staff," he replied. {3} The LORD said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. {4} Then the LORD said to him, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail." So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. {5} "This," said the LORD, "is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob--has appeared to you."

Unfortunately when Moses showed Pharaoh the stick/snake miracle the Magicians of Pharaoh's court came out and did the same thing. Yes, Moses snake ate up their snake... but they kept matching the miracles of Moses. God raised the bar and eventually they couldn't match the miracles of Moses. Was God having fun when he sent the next plague of Gnats, flies, and lice into the Egyptians homes "but not in the houses of the Hebrew slaves"?

Pharaoh begin to compromise. "Take you people out into the desert and worship your God". But almost immediately Pharaoh harden his heart. (Don't go too far" (we want you back at work as soon as possible). Sound familiar? People often pray and the minute they get out of trouble they forget God and their promises.

The next plague was on the animals. ((Exo 9:3 KJV) "Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain." This word "murrain" means a plague. The Egyptians held in idolatrous reverence almost every animal, but some they held in particular veneration; as the ox, cow, and ram.

Among these, {Apis} and {Mnevis} are well known; the former being a sacred bull, worshipped at Memphis, as the latter was at Heliopolis. A cow or heifer had the like honours at Momemphis; and the same practice seems to have been adopted in most of the Egyptian Nomes. Each Nome, or province, of ancient Egypt had its own god or totem, its own capital, frontiers and coat-of-arms. By the infliction of this judgment, the Egyptian deities sank before the God of the Hebrews.

Next came festering boils, that broke out on men and animals. Then a hail storm, the worst that has ever happened in Egypt since the beginning of time. (Not a hail stone fell in Goshen where the Hebrew lived). Next came a plague of Locusts, everything in Egypt was destroyed... but Pharaoh hardened his heart. Then came three days of darkness - so horrible it could be felt...

Pharaoh still refused to bend, and told Moses "I will kill you if I ever see your face again." So be it... Hard hearted sinners seldom repent. Then God said to Moses: " (Exo 11:5-7 NIV) "Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. {6} There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt--worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. {7} But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal.' Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel."

There is no question that America was founded by Godly Christian men and in spite of a corrupt supreme court - Christian monuments are everywhere in Washington D.C.

This is Moses holding the ten commandments in the rotunda of the Library of congress. Monuments of our Christian Faith are everywhere. Here is one on the door of the U.S. Supreme Court. I wonder if the Chief Justices ever feel like hypocrites when they make ruling that defy the laws of God? This carving of the Ten Commandments is on the door that opens to the U.S. Supreme Court.

There are many of these scattered all over Washington but here's another one in the chambers of the Chief Justices of the United Supreme Court. This is where they make rulings that defy the laws of God and refuse to allow children to pray in Schools.


How and when did this get inside the United States Supreme Court???? It's Muhammad inside the U.S. Supreme Court. What message does that send? (Hint: He's holding a sword)


The Council on American-Islamic Relations in 1997 protested the Supreme Court's Muhammad sculpture and said it was concerned that Muhammad "was shown with the Quran, Islam's Holy Book, in one hand and a sword in the other, reinforcing long-held stereotypes of Muslims as intolerant conquerors." (Imagine that!!!) Chief Justice Renquest responding to the complaint told CAIR the image could not be changed and explained that swords also were used throughout the court's architecture as symbols of justice.

"Altering the depiction of Muhammad would impair the artistic integrity of the whole," Rehnquist wrote. "Additionally, it is unlawful (under the U. S. Code) to remove or in any way injure an architectural feature in the Supreme Court."

In response, protesters in Turkey marched outside the Danish consulate, terror groups in the West Bank threatened Danish and European interests, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades – an offshoot of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party – briefly kidnapped a German and thousands of Muslim demonstrators in Beirut clashed with police Sunday, storming the city's Danish consulate and setting it ablaze. A nearby Maronite Catholic church also was attacked, prompting fears the protests could turn into a sectarian clash.

In Damascus , the evacuated Danish and Norwegian embassies were burned during protests that also damaged the Swedish embassy. Rioters reportedly tried to storm the city's French mission but were held off by police. Feel safer now?????

(Psa 9:17 KJV) "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God."

What can save us? We need to abandon the lust for huge buildings and impersonal churches...the driving ambition for success and recognition. Ambition to build a multi-million dollar church building will absolutely guarantee that you will have to compromise your spiritual integrity to do it. The love of money is the root of all evil. Strange isn't it that Jesus - with all his spectacular power and miracle working abilities said: "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." You can search all you like for a building and a piece of property that is "His church" and you won't find it. It is his power that builds "His" church in the heart of those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.

Anyone who listens to the news knows that the whole world is in trouble. We desperately need to have a "Divine encounter" with God to give us his spirit and power.

Unfortunately Satan can create a counterfeit religion call it "Christianity" and deceive God's people. In Second Peter 1:18 (NIV) we read: "We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain." (Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9)

Peter goes on to write: (2Peter 2:1-3 NIV) "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them -- bringing swift destruction on themselves. {2} Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. {3} In their greed these teachers will exploit....(Make merchandise of you "KJV")... with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping."

We need millions of American Christians to have the experience of the "presence of God." I can't tell you exactly how to have it - but I can tell you that your heart will have to "hunger and thirst" for the experience. If you have ever been really hungry or thirsty then you know how powerful those feelings are. They become your absolute priorities. To do that you will also have to stop reading, listening to and trying to use the lying false teachings of greedy preachers who all feel the need to be multi-millionaires.

Here are several links that will tell you what they believe...and teach. I've known many of these people personally ...and steered clear of their ministry and phony unscriptural teachings.

False Preachers Page - Forgotten Word Ministries

For you who don't feel comfortable at the church you may be attending...let me encourage you to pray and ask God to visit you. In my years as a pastor visiting church members on a regular basis was something I enjoyed. Someone once told me: "When you are talking you ain't learning nothing." I took that advise and always made it a point to get people to talk to me - while I listened carefully. It was amazing what I learned - often from the old saints who had lived a lifetime.

I was astonished how many of them opened up and finally told me of great and wonderful experiences of their encounter with God. Aunt Nanny was 98 years old when she told me how things were in the glorious and spiritual early days of the church. She said: "I was washing clothes in an old wash pot over a fire in the front yard. I had just taken the towels out of the wash pot and hung them over the bushes in front of the house.

Suddenly, God spoke to me that a dear friend in the church was sick and needed help and prayer. I dried my hands, put on my walking shoes and walked the three miles to her house. When I knocked on her door I heard her moan as I entered. She was alone, desperately sick and needed help. I prayed for her and in minutes I knew she was better. I stayed with her until she was rejoicing in the Lord and felt normal. "Pastor, I miss those days when that sort of thing was a common experience."

One night in a church we pastored I was about to preach. A minister friend that I knew well was in the audience. I heard the message loud and clear.... "Ask D.C. to pray." So I did exactly that. He stood and prayed, and prayed, and kept on praying, until people were crying, running to the altar to give their hearts to the Lord. He kept praying until his own Brother in Law was saved, and everyone in the church was touched by the presence of God. The long lasting effects of both of us being used by the Lord changed many lives that night. Nothing was out of order, nothing was contrived, we didn't take an offering, we simply had the experience described in the Old Testament.

(Ezra 3:11-13 NIV) "With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: "He is good; his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. {12} But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. {13} No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away."

I'm absolutely certain that many people are tired of carefully orchestrated programs planned weeks in advance... of lifeless shows, of sermons contrived to give the appearance of "progress being made..." Maybe we should talk to each other about it, listen carefully to the "voice of the Lord" and allow God to use us to change our country and the world.

Send me an e-mail - I would like to know what you think.

THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT

Everyone has tough times. We need someone or something to "comfort us" and help us to get back on our feet. The word comfort occurs 66 times in the Bible. Use the word "Comforter" and we get another 8 Bible verses about comfort. Four of those verses were in the teachings of Jesus. This verse explains what we need in tough times. (Lam 1:16 NIV) "This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears. No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed."

Jesus taught, (John 14:16-18 NIV) "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another (Comforter KJV) Counselor to be with you forever-- {17} the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. {18} I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

O.K. What does the picture have to do with any of this? My beautiful and wonderful granddaughter Amie is holding the dog she bought for a very low price. The pet store thought he was a poodle... but turns out he is a "bichon." She named him "Sammy". He's the most intelligent, loving and comforting pet I've ever known. It wasn't long until everyone in the family was the object of his love and concern. The "dog whisperer" you see on the National Geographic TV show training bad dogs would go out of business if all dogs were like Sammy. Everyone who comes in the door of the house gets his loving attention.

I believe that Jesus intended for all of us to be "loving comforters" and we can learn a lot from Sammy. When Amie brought him home my daughter Debbie and son in Law Ron had a poodle that was dying. Once Sammy was comfortable with the house he began to care for Bandit. I saw him go over to "Bandit" who was dying, and carefully and quietly lay down beside her. I was astonished at how Sammy cared for Bandit, standing back and waiting for her to eat or get a drink of water. When Bandit died, we all wept over her. Sammy seemed upset as well and wanted to be close to all of the family.

There's something you need to know about Sammy. The vet told Amie and family that Sammy had obviously been mistreated by someone. This person must have assumed he was a poodle and cut off his tail. During that process his back left leg was broken and never healed right. He also had damage to his spine. He runs like the wind on three legs by holding up his back left leg. I've watched him run like a bullet up the 15 steps to the second story of their home. I don't know how he does it with all the pain he endures. Sometimes the pain does overcome him and he sits quietly and shakes. When he is "shaking" the family has to give him powerful pain medication.

In spite of his physical problems and obvious pain, he is the most loving, cheerful, happy little fellow I've ever seen. Let me brag a little bit. I have the greatest son in law in the world. He takes care of his family and welcomes everyone into his home. Ron and Sammy have a special relationship. They have lots of games they like to play. Ron is the traffic manager for Roadway Express and comes in tired. Sammy meets him at the door excited and ready to play. So Ron will get down on the floor, and play all kinds of games with Sammy. It's their special time together. It's a delightful time for the whole family who watches.

At Thanksgiving and Christmas my wife and I spend time with Debbie and her family. Anytime we eat I feel the soft touch of Sammy's little paws on my leg. He learned quickly that I'm a pushover for giving him part of my meal. A tradition in the family is to give Sammy a "Holiday" plate of food. Ron gets on the floor and growls and fusses with Sammy before letting go of the plate. Sammy wins and Ron laughs while we all stand around and watch.

There's no problem about who is going to keep Sammy if Ron, Debbie or Amie is going to be out of town. Jamie my grandson who is a commercial photographer will gladly keep him at his big house. When my grandson Ken comes home from his job as Senior Music director of a large church he brings his dog Jolie. She is a 70 pound "Samoyed" who was trained entirely in French by Ken. There's no problem between Jolie and Sam. They get along just great.

Does Sammy have fun in spite of his physical problems? Yes! He scares us all to death by going out the back door... and occasionally running the length of the neighbor's wooden fence. They have three dogs the size of small pony's and it drives them crazy to see Sammy running the fence. One of them broke the fence completely off down near the ground trying to get to Sammy. Everyone is trying to break Sammy's bad habit but he runs so fast with his ears flying in the wind... it's hard to stop.

If only Sammy could talk I would like to know what's in his head. He tries to talk at times .... but can't so I'll just have to guess. Obviously he had some terrible mistreatment. Amie had gone through a painful divorce and needed Sammy. He needed her love and affection. They helped each other. That's what life is all about. Do that and no one will ever have to suffer alone.

I know the story of the book of Job very well. There are things I don't understand about it. Here is the real heart of that story. Why did God allow Job to loose everything? Why did God allow his only beloved son to suffer and die on Calvary? Both of these sad stories required suffering.

The suffering of Job was terrible. He had boils: something called black leprosy by the Arabs, termed Elephantiasis by the Greeks, from its rendering the skin, like that of the elephant, scabrous, dark coloured, and furrowed all over with tubercles. This loathsome and most afflictive disease is accompanied with the most intolerable itching. Poor Job scraped his skin with broken pottery.

In Job's story he is suffering also because he has lost everything. His wife tells him to curse God and die. The name Job means "the persecuted one" His three friend come to "comfort him" and end up accusing him of sin and wrong doing. Their behavior is an excellent story of "how not to do it". In their ignorance and arrogance they only made it worse for Job.

(Job 16:1-5 NIV) "Then Job replied: {2} "I have heard many things like these; miserable comforters are you all! {3} Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing? {4} I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you. {5} But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief."

Then God weighs in on the problem: "(Job 42:7-8 NIV) "After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. {8} So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."

They ask Job to pray for them - God accepted Job's prayer... and gave to Job double what he had lost. The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. {13} And he also had seven sons and three daughters. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers."

How can I comfort someone who is hurt, struggling to keep their balance, worried because they don't know what to do? What can I do when I don't know how to solve their problems.

Maybe we should ask Sammy how to do it? If he had a Ph.D and could talk Sammy would probably say: "Don't say anything most of the time. You can't change emotions with logic or an argument. You can only change emotions with emotion. Show some love, affection, or give a big hug. Do that often with great sincerity. Keep it going. I know it's hard but try to be warm and cheerful. Don't expect too much at first... a little progress is great. Give it time. Try to listen and give them lots of the love and affection they need and really want.

I'm pretty sure that Jolie would agree.

IS Barack Hussein Obama a Muslim?

If you search the Internet you will find a ton of sites proving that Obama was schooled and raised as a Muslim. You might want to start with this one:

http://www.newswithviews.com/Ryter/jon212.htm

Of course we have to decide whether or not the sites are credible. How can we do that? In this case we can use some simple deductive logic. We can ask ourselves what he would do if he was a secret closet Muslim.

There's one thing that comes to mind almost immediately. He would most certainly be against the war in Iraq. He can talk about the sanctuary and hides out locations of the rabid "Islamic" leaders of the terrorist war in Afghanistan and Pakistan... but talk means nothing without an Army to back it up. Would Obama send troops to do that job? That would be a direct contradiction of his opposition to the war in Iraq.

The most dangerous threat to the entire world is the spread of "Wahhabi" radical teaching of Islamic terrorism against anyone who opposes their murderous crusade of Islam to "butcher" anyone who opposes their dark age religion. Saudi Arabia is the leading country that teaches that murderous form of Islam. There's no question that they have exported their "terrorist" religion to France and England with marches promising a hideous death to anyone who opposes them. Now the same terrorists who killed 3,000 people in the world trade center bombing are beginning their next step to take over America.

Would you believe that our U.S. Congress has already passed a bill to recognize (celebrate) the Muslim religious day of Ramadan? NO? Then take a look at it: (Copy and Paste this link in your browser or try clicking on the link below).

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hr110-635

I'm wondering if the Christians in America could get a bill passed to have anything Christian recognized by Congress????? Our "do nothing" congress would fight for weeks to strip anything that sounds like Christian values from a bill because they buy votes by catering to sleese bags who oppose Christianity. Have you noticed that our Federal Government is refusing to enforce the laws of our nation? They are more interested in holding on to their jobs and perks.

http://ohioagainstterror.blogspot.com/

Unless you have a very strong stomach you probably shouldn't look at this site of photos about the wicked, brutal, and inhumane practices of Islam.

http://www.faithfreedom.org/gallery.htm

Or you may want to try to read some of the Quran by going to this site.....I've studied "Islam" for years and the more I dig into it the more concerned I become. Unfortunately this problem started in the book of Genesis, chapter 16 in our Bible. The angel of the Lord described

Hagar's Child:

(Gen 16:11-12 NIV) "The angel of the LORD also said to her: "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery. {12} He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."

Strongs Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible gives this description of a "wild" man.

"The word rendered "wild" also denotes the "wild ass;" the description of which animal in Job 39:5-8, affords the very best representation of the wandering, lawless, free booting life of the Bedouin and other Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael".

http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/quran_teaches.htm

This has been floating around the Internet for some time now. No one has come up with any proof that is is not factual and correct.

It would take a very large book to list all of the problems with having an Arab with mixed heritage and loyalties as the next President of the United States.

When he failed to win the election his blood-thirsty followers went on a rampage and burned to death a large number of women and children who sought refuge in an Assembly of God church. Only people possessed by pure evil could do that. This cancerous evil is spreading over the globe.

I've seen Islamic protest with violent threats of death to those who oppose Islam in Spain, France and England. I've often wondered why the government didn't stop them. Now a friend sent me this video showing one of those same kinds of marches in NYC. When? On October 12, 2008. No one I've talked to has seen any of this covered by the "Media or Press". Why has the news media kept deathly silent about this? If it was an American religious group of any kind doing this it would be all over the TV and Newspapers. Islam has sworn to take over the world especially including America and force everyone to live under Muslim Sharia Law.





I had much rather write inspiring, uplifting and helpful things but everything we do has consequences. Our country is in dire peril and every American must get involved in the solution. At the very least we must make our voices heard in a few weeks when we have the liberty of casting our votes.

Benjamin Franklin wrote that the price of freedom was eternal vigilance, and by that standard our freedoms have been mostly lost, because people don’t pay attention, or they don’t care. The federal government, intended by the Founding Fathers to play a strictly limited role in the affairs of the United States, is out of control – an ever-expanding bureaucracy that seeks to regulate, prohibit, or tax almost every aspect of peoples’ affairs, from birth to death, in furtherance of a socialist agenda for which there is no mandate.

Edmund Burke ( January 12, 1729--July 1797 - was an Anglo Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher who served for many years in the British House of Commons. He is mainly remembered for his support of the American colonies in the dispute with King George the I I I and Britain that led to the American Revolution.

He wrote: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Hopefully millions of good people in America will do something in this coming election to move our country back to the vision of our founding fathers.

OBAMA NEEDS TO TELL US WHO HE REALLY IS

Honesty is always the best policy. Obama would help himself if he could tell us who he really is. Most people have a pretty good track record of being able to spot the tiny clues that let us know when we are being conned. It's easy to win the confidence of people when we are being honest and very, very, difficult when we have something to hide. Unless of course, you have some other "kinky" reason for wanting to vote for him.

He seems to keep telling us that he is going to give us change. Does that mean nickles and dimes or a quarter every so often? Everyone wants to know the specifics of what he means by "change."

America has the best track record of any nation on earth of accepting people from different nationalities, ethnic origins and religious beliefs. There are 259 different Churches listed in Atlanta Georgia. Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Nazarene, Baptist, Methodist, church of God and so on. It's a very long list.

The Internet is full of articles, post, and websites stating very emphatically that Barrack Obama was raised as a Muslim. Yet he goes to great length to say that he is not a Muslim, never has been one and is a "Christian". He went to great length to say that he had been a member of the Church of Christ for over 20 years, and didn't know that Jeremiah Wright, his pastor and mentor was a radical racist who hates America and shouted on Television: "God damn America". Rev. Jeremiah Wright pastors a church that gladly accepts "Muslims" as members.

It seems to me that with America spending it's "blood and treasure" to fight Muslim extremist and terrorist in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan...to say nothing of the 3000 people who died in the World Trade Center in New York - that Obama needs to make it very clear where his allegiance is going to be as President of the United States. I've read on the Internet where he said: "If there has to be a choice I will side with my Muslim brothers".

Obama's official campaign site has a page titled "Obama has never been a Muslim, and is a committed Christian." The page states, "Obama never prayed in a mosque. He has never been a Muslim, was not raised a Muslim, and is a committed Christian who attends the United Church of Christ."

Yet the accumulated research from primary sources who knew Obama from his childhood indicate that he was a devout Muslim, the son of a devout Muslim, the step-son of a devout Muslim and the grandson and namesake ("Hussein") of a devout Muslim. He was registered in school as a Muslim and demonstrated his ability to chant praise to Allah in impressive Arab-accented tones even as an adult. Just as he has not disavowed his "uncle" Jeremiah, neither has he disavowed his Muslim faith that he was born into, raised with, celebrated and never abandoned. He just covered it over with a thin veneer of his own self-styled "Christianity."

In his autobiography, "Dreams From My Father," Obama mentions studying the Koran and describes the public school as "a Muslim school."

February 28, 2008. Kristoff from the New York Times a year ago: Mr. Obama recalled the opening lines of the Arabic call to prayer, reciting them with a first-rate accent. In a remark that seemed delightfully uncalculated (it'll give Alabama voters heart attacks), Mr. Obama described the call to prayer as 'one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.' This is just one example of what Pamela is talking about when she says 'Obama's narrative is being altered, enhanced and manipulated to whitewash troubling facts.'

In an interview with Nicholas Kristof, published in the New York Times, Obama recited the Muslim call to prayer, the Adhan, "with a first-class [Arabic] accent." The opening lines of the Adhan (Azaan) is the Shahada: "Allah is Supreme! Allah is Supreme! Allah is Supreme! Allah is Supreme! I witness that there is no god but Allah I witness that there is no god but Allah I witness that Muhammad is his prophet...."

According to Islamic scholars, reciting the Shahada, the Muslim declaration of faith, makes one a Muslim. This simple yet profound statement expresses a Muslim's complete acceptance of, and total commitment to, the message of Islam. Obama chanted it with pride and finesse.

Obama wants it both ways, has always wanted it both ways. Black and white, Indonesian and American, Muslim and Christian. He loves playing one off the other, using one to hide the other even as the traces of the truth may be assembled to reveal the whole cloth of deception and self-promotion he has been weaving so skillfully since his childhood. No wonder he is a man of change. He IS a changeling, a veritable chameleon, adapting and amending his life story to fit the circumstances.

An American Expatriat in Southeast Asia blog, written by an American who has lived in Indonesia for 20 years and has met with both the Taliban and al-Qaeda, contains the following:

"Barack Hussein Obama might have convinced some Americans that he is no longer a Muslim, but so far he has not convinced many in the world's most populous Muslim country who still see him as a Muslim and a crusader for Islam and world peace."

"Barack Hussein Obama's race, his staunch opposition to the war in Iraq, his sympathy to Islam and Muslims worldwide and his Muslim heritage receive the Indonesian media coverage. There is no mention of his apostasy."

"A good example of how some of the Indonesian media is reporting on Obama's religion can be found in the following."

"What I found interesting in the article was the use of the word 'mengaku' when refering to Obama's conversion from Islam to Christianity. The word 'mengaku' in Indonesian means "claimed" and as such leaves the insinuation to the native Indonesian reader being that Obama might actually still be a Muslim.

But this is how Indonesians see Obama, they don't see him as an apostate at all, they see him as a crusader for the cause of Islam."

I still remember very well traveling across Indonesia by myself. I got the courage to do that because the Missionary I was going to work with didn't get my cable. I couldn't get a hotel room because the Politicians had booked every room in Jakarta. A man in the airport put me in a Taxi at four o'clock in the morning to take me to a bus that would drive all day to Bandung. I couldn't speak a word of the language and was overjoyed when I arrived at the Missionary's house.

The next day I was talking to Reverend Mcgraw and a military plane flew so low over his house that I thought it was coming through the roof. He explained to me that it happened every day. The government didn't want any foreign Missionaries in their country and used all kinds of harrassment to drive them out. When I finished with several weeks of nightly church services I must say I was glad to leave.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama promised an audience in a Jewish synagogue an "unshakable commitment" to Israel if he is elected. Obama also asked the crowd not be put off by his "funny name" and said that it was equivalent to the Hebrew "Baruch." He denied that he was raised as a Muslim, brushing aside his many anti-Israel friends: "There is not a single trace of me ever being anything more than a friend of Israel and a friend of the Jewish people," Obama said, warning the crowd not to believe fliers and e-mails that suggested otherwise. "Judge me by what I say and what I've done. Don't judge me because I've got a funny name. Don't judge me because I'm African-American."

The questions from the B'nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton Florida touched on Obama's policy proposals and his personal life. When asked about his Muslim name, Obama said it had the same roots as "Baruch" and meant "one who's blessed." Some in the audience wore buttons that spelled out Baruch Obama in hebrew letters.

"Israel has many friendships, but none is deeper than the bond between Israel and the United States of America," Obama said, drawing applause from a packed auditorium at the B'nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton. "A broad majority of Americans understand this special relationship, and when I am in the White House, I will bring an unshakable commitment to maintaining that bond."

One questioner, Michael Ackerman, began his query by listing people linked to Obama who had been hostile to Israel, including a professor of Arab studies at Columbia University, Rashid Khalidi. asking the senator to name close friends who were Jewish and pro-Israel. "I hesitate to start listing them out," Obama said, saying it made him recall the old stereotype in which people say, "I'm not prejudiced. Some of my best friends are Jewish." (Why couldn't he name just one???)

Then Obama got himself into hot water, again suppressing the full truth and ignoring well-documented facts: "You mentioned Rashid Khalidi, who's a professor at Columbia. I do know him, because I taught at the University of Chicago. And he is Palestinian. And I do know him, and I have had conversations. He is not one of my advisers; he's not one of my foreign policy people. His kids went to the Lab school where my kids go as well. He is a respected scholar, although he vehemently disagrees with a lot of Israel's policy."

But Aaron Klein, the Jerusalem bureau chief of World Net Daily, points out that Obama's association with Khalidi, go far, far beyond a "conversation." Khalidi's deep personal ties to Obama were first exposed by WND in a widely cited article. According to a professor at the University of Chicago who said he has known Obama for 12 years, the Democratic presidential hopeful befriended Khalidi when the two worked together at the university, that the two families dined together a number of times, and that the Obamas even babysat the Khalidi children.

Khalidi in 2000 held a successful fundraiser for Obama's failed bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and an anti-Israel Arab group, the Arab American Action Network -- AAAN -- run by Khalidi's wife, Mona, received subtantial funding -- $75,000 over two years -- from a Chicago nonprofit, the Woods Fund, for which Obama served as a paid board member in both years. What a coincidence.

I'm amazed at all of the "post on the internet" about Obama that show him saying whatever it takes to please the group he is with. He obviously desperately needs the "Jewish Vote" and will do whatever it takes to get it.

It must be terrible to know that the only way he can be elected is to carefully deceive the various groups he speaks to. I'm absolutely baffled that so many people who seem to be intelligent are willing to vote for a man who has so little regard for the truth.

Obama wants it both ways, has always wanted it both ways. Black and white, Indonesian and American, Muslim and Christian. He loves playing one off the other, using one to hide the other even as the traces of the truth may be assembled to reveal the whole cloth of deception and self-promotion he has been weaving so skillfully since his childhood. No wonder he is a man of change. He IS a changeling, a veritable chameleon, adapting and amending his life story to fit the circumstances.

It would take a large book just to record all of the false statements, half-truths and contradictory positions he has taken in this campaign.

Sarah Palin Republican Vice President

As a Christian Minister for over 60 years I know that I must be careful, fair and honest in anything I say about a political contest. I also know that political parties have a moral and ethical agenda and as an Ordained Minister I have a duty to support Christian Values. Our country was founded by decent and Godly men who used the Bible and Christian values to create our nation. I could write a large book supporting that fact.

John Adams, our Second President, also served as Chairman of the American Bible Society. In an address to military leaders he said:

“We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and true religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

At the time of our Nation’s Bicentennial in 1976, Political Science Professors at the University of Houston began to ask some key questions:
· Why is it that the American Constitution has been able to stand the test of time?
· Why has it not gone through massive revisions?
· Why is it looked to as a model by dozens of nations?
· What wisdom possessed these men to produce such an incredible document?
· Who did they turn to for inspiration?

They found that an incredible 94% of all the quotes in these 15,000 documents were direct quotes from, or references to the Bible. The Christian Faith has made America great. The destruction of that faith will bring about the destruction of America.

The Washington Post printed this dirty, cowardly and blasphemous cartoon about Sarah Palin and Almighty God. The Editor of the Washington Post said they didn't "review" his work before publication.

The Washington Post owes the Christian Faith in America a profound apology. This cartoon pictures the God of our Christian Bible as a fat, cursing, frustrated old man. It's disgusting trash and no decent person - religious or otherwise would approve of it.

Before I took a Missionary/Preaching trip around the world I studied all of the religions of the far east. It was enormously helpful to show respect for their religion before I shared with them my Christian faith.

A world famous Buddhist Monk in Burma became a Christian while traveling with me to Mandalay to preach to the young novice monks in their monastery. I did nothing but answer his questions, consoled him as he cried and rejoiced with him when he gave his heart to Jesus Christ. He carried an oilcloth umbrella with special design and markings on it during the torrential rains. No one but the Buddhist Monks could use that design. He gave it to me as a gift before we parted and I continued my trip. One month after we parted the Government of Burma closed the country to all foreign missionaries.

I pastored four different Assembly of God Churches years ago. My best guess is that less than 5 % of the members had ever spoken in tongues. Most of the members would say they believed in this "gift because it's in the Bible." You can read about it in Acts 2:4. On the day of "Pentecost" (The word "Pentecost" means 50 days after the passover) ...(Acts 2:4 NIV) "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."

Bible scholars wonder if this was a Miracle of speaking --- or a miracle of hearing? You decide. Here's the Bible text: (Acts 2:6-12 NIV) "When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. {7} Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? {8} Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? {9} Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, {10} Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome {11} (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" {12} Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

For millions of people who attend Pentecostal churches it means that "GOD CAN WORK MIRACLES IF HE WANTS TO." End of the subject! Of course nominal (in name only) Christians often have a problem. They believe God can't work a miracle because they say so.

Is Sarah Palin qualified to be president if something happens to John McCain? No one has ever been elected for their first term of office to be President of the United States with prior experience! What kind of "stupid question is that?" It seems to me that being Governor of her State requires a lot of executive experience. That's probably more than being a junior Senator with only 145 days in office. Sarah has the personality and temperament to take advantage of the advisors, and Cabinet level people that would most certainly be available to give her all the information she would need to make good decisions and to be a great leader.

I confess!!!!

I like Sarah Palin, her husband and family and would love to see her become the Vice President of the United States. I'd like to have them for neighbors. I might ride a ski-mobile with her husband. I'd probably want a lot more information about flying in his airplane. In an Interview with Charlie Gibson Sarah said it was a Piper Cub. Having a pilots license for over 50 years I'm not sure it could get off the water with floats. Maybe Sarah "mis-spoke" because she said she had only flown in it one time. Or maybe it has a very large engine and could do just fine. It's ridiculous to think that anyone can talk about any subject or event without ever being mistaken in the smallest details.

I use to tell my church members that I made a mistake once. I thought I was wrong then found out I wasn't. (Everyone would laugh at that dumb joke.) My wife only flew with me in my Cessna Skyhawk one time. She couldn't get it right if someone asked her about the engine... or the landing gear... or where the fuel tanks were. But, she is a wonderful, amazing lady who wrote a marvelous song while I was traveling all over the world. It's been recorded by dozens of singing groups for over 40 years and I've heard it played on TV and radio around the world. She is the best person on this planet for meeting people, loving and praying for them and winning their love and affection.


Want a CD of Maggie's Song's for Troubled Hearts? Contact us!

COMPASSION

When I first saw this photo I felt a wave of admiration and compassion for her. She is making a photograph of the massive storm damage to her home and neighborhood in China. It broke my heart and I desperately wanted to give her a big hug and find a way to help her and her family.

Every major Religion teaches compassion for those who can't help themselves. It's the very nature of God. (2 Cor 1:3-4 NIV) "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, {4} who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."

When Pharaoh's daughter saw baby Moses pulled from the river he cried and she had compassion on him knowing he was one of the Hebrew children. (Exodus 2:6) Compassion is mentioned 41 times in the Bible. (21 times in the New Testament.) O.K. How do we do it?

(1 John 3:17-18 NIV) "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? {18} Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

Islam teaches compassion and mercy. In the Muslim tradition, foremost among God's attributes are mercy and compassion or, in the canonical language of Arabic, Rahman and Rahim. Each of the 114 chapters of the Quran, with one exception, begins with the verse, "In the name of God the Merciful, the Compassionate".

The Muslim Quran urges compassion towards captives as well as to widows, orphans and the poor. A good Muslim is to commence each day, each prayer and each significant action by invoking God the Merciful and Compassionate, i.e. by reciting "Bi Ism-i-Allah al-Rahman al-Rahim". (الرحمن Ar-Rahman) The Arabic for compassion is rahmah.

Unfortunately Muslim extremist have ignored this part of the Quran. They have gleefully killed, and brutally murdered innocent men, women and children. They seem to delight in providing video tapes of beheading and murdering people around the world. WHY?

Compassion is a wonderful thing. However in my almost 60 years as an Ordained Christian minister I've seen very little of it being practiced by many who claim to be a follower of Jesus. I wonder if the problem is because preachers are often so focused on being a "success" (huge churches and lots of money) that they constantly search the Bible for "desert" text. "Be a Christian, have faith and God can't wait to give you everything your heart desires".

"Those empty promises sound good, they appeal to the carnal nature but they are not based on the Teaching of Jesus. If we really want to know what Jesus taught we need to carefully read "Matthew 25".

He talked about people being invited to a Wedding... and through careless lack of preparation they missed the joy and delight of their friend.

He talked about servants who were given an opportunity to make a handsome profit for their master. One, out of fear, did nothing and was rejected by his master.

Then Jesus gave a shocking teaching about a shepherd separating the sheep from the goats. Sheep were the good people, and the goats were the bad, selfish people.

Jesus said to the good compassionate people: "(Mat 25:35-40 NIV) "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, {36} I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

{37} "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? {38} When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?

{39} When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' {40} "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Then he said to the bad, selfish, people: (Mat 25:41-46 NIV) "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

{42} For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, {43} I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

{44} "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' {45} "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' {46} "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Sorry, we may not like this... but it's in our Bible. Let me explain some of it for you.

(Mat 19:23-24 NIV) "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. {24} Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

The Health, wealth and prosperity doctrine that is preached every Sunday all across America is dangerous, false, and unscriptural. It panders to the selfishness and greed of millions. How do I know that? I've personally known dozens of multimillionaires who called themselves Christians. They worked every day to turn their ten million dollars into a hundred million dollars. (They love money and can never have enough of it.) The poor waste their money buying lottery tickets trying to get into that exclusive club.

They give away tiny amounts of "their" money - well publicized of course, and usually poor elderly ladies living on a meager Social Security check will out give them. Ten percent of a Million dollars would be $100,000.00. Ten percent of a $500.00 a month social security check would be $50.00. If I can figure that out - do you suppose God will also understand it?

I pastored a church years ago and rarely talked about tithing. I knew the poor would often give God their best... and the multimillionaires in the same church would give ten percent of their "coffee money". (Pocket change for meals, and what ever else they wanted. They called it "tithing". )

Several years later I was a Missionary Pilot and needed money for maintenance, upkeep, fuel for my plane and the free Christian Literature we were giving away. I received no salary, and my wife and daughter trusted God to provide for our meager daily needs. We accepted with thanksgiving what God provided.

A former church member wanted to help us and got these wealthy church members together so I could tell them what we were doing. They owned very large and prosperous businesses. I'll never forget it. I met in a hotel banquet room with a dozen very wealthy men who called me their pastor. I told them the vision and calling I had for this missionary work. They were warm and friendly, asked questions and seemed interested. They took up an "offering" to help with the work. At the end of the night I was presented $50.83. Was I angry? Of course not.

I wasn't surprised. I've never been good at asking for money to support us. God assured me that he would take care of that and he has. What happened to them? They long ago passed away. The hurricane's have completely wiped away the businesses they owned. Sadly they owned nothing but the life God gave them. They missed a golden opportunity to be compassionate and help people who had never heard the good news of Christianity.

Compassion creates a wonderful feeling of joy within us. Take a tiny step and try it.

Luke 16:19-31. "gives us a clue". Jesus did something most Christian Ministers have never done and probably never will. He preached a sermon about Hell and the meanest man in the world whose only sin was indifference. Jesus clearly taught that there is a heaven to gain and a place called Hell to avoid at all cost

Luke 16:19-22 NIV. There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. {20} At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores {21} and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. {22} "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried."

(Luke 16:23-25 NIV) "In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. {24} So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' {25} "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony." (Remember Jesus is preaching this sermon).

There is absolutely nothing in this story showing that the Rich man ever did anything mean and hateful to Lazarus. He didn't run over his feet with his chariot wheels, never told his kitchen staff not to let Lazarus have the crumbs that fell from his table. He just ignored him. He had no compassion for this poor man struggling to survive from day to day.

You can see in this story that the rich man had absolutely no compassion for Lazarus. He wanted Abraham to send Lazarus to be his servant in Hell. "Lazarus bring me a drink of water". "Lazarus go back to earth, die at the gate of my seven brothers and try to warn them not to come to this place".

If someone told him he was the meanest man on earth he wouldn't believe them. "Why I've help lots of people climb the ladder to success and I've always thrown big parties for my influential friends."

In 1990 my wife and I were weary of Pastoring churches. In every church there are many good people who do their best to live a Christian life. They are always a joy. But there are always those "nominal" (in name only) church members who can cause terrible suffering and trouble in a church. They think the church is "some kind of business" and want to run it to suit their carnal mind. We had suffered many things at their hands. We wanted a simple ministry as close to the life of Jesus as we could be. So we started "Christian Ministries."

We made a decision to take what God supplied through kind and compassionate friends, and to freely give ourselves and our resources to those we meet who need help.

Over forty years ago my wife Maggie wrote a song called "I don't need to Understand". It's been recorded and sung around the world. It's on a CD I made of her singing "Songs for troubled hearts" and thousands of people have been blessed by her singing". I write, design and print full color illustrated booklets on a variety of subjects and we have given away literally thousands of CD's and booklets to needy people. The compassion and kindness of generous people who know us has made it all possible.

We would love to have you join with us in this ministry. You can be sure we want to keep our ministry as close as possible to the example of the life of Jesus. We love going anywhere there is someone to talk with - starting a conversation and sharing the love of Jesus. We make it a point to be compassionate to everyone we meet. We encourage you to read about the ministry of Jesus - join us and pray for us as we follow his example.

You can read about the ministry of Jesus on our blog at:

http://pastor-ken.blogspot.com/2007/06/ministry-of-jesus.html