Thank you Springfield

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Thank you Springfield

This will be my last entry for this blog. I am moving from Springfield at the end of this month and I do not think it is proper to post God Family Springfield when I am no longer a citizen here. Thank you for the many battles over the years. I have got many death threats, crank calls, hate mail and the like. But there has been those who have called with well wishes and support. If you like my cutting edge and God fearing post then I suggest you visit my other blog The Watchman. Which is also on blogspot.com. Also I will be sending my usual letters for small, non intrusive, God fearing Government to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. They are ultra liberal so I doubt they will be as kind as Tony has. But thank you all for the 10 years I have called Springfield home.

Hindu prayer is an abomination

Thursday’s prayer by a Hindu guest chaplain sponsored by Sen. Reid-D was an abomination to God and an insult to the fabric on which this nation was founded. This nation was not founded on Buddha nor Mohammed, but on the God of the Christian Bible. While these religions are free to practice without state interference, they have no right to defile the chamber built on the principles of the one true God. History was made Thursday, but it was also erased as well. This nation in its conception decided that every session would begin with a prayer offered to God. As this nation was battling inner factions Benjamin Franklin offered this piece of sound advice from the Holy Bible. “Unless the Lord builds it they labor in vain“. The Lord is not Buddha or Mohammed. The Lord is Jesus Christ. So Sen. Reid-D has sealed the fate of this nation. We should prepare for events worse than 9/11 and Katrina. God will not let His name be blasphemed so flippantly by Zed or Sen. Reid-D. With the 2008 election just around the corner, maybe faith should play a major factor on who we put in power. God forgive our nation.

Falwell was Right

Woe to you, you leftist hypocrites! You cast stones in glass houses and blame the Christians as Rome burns. Why is that God haters came out of the woods when the Rev. Falwell passed away last week? The left wing politicos were quick to remind everyone of Falwell’s so-called bigoted statements, but how is that any different then their bigoted rebuttals this week. Does the media ignore Christian bashing rhetoric when they feel it is well founded? Why does Bill Maher get away with joking about the death of Falwell and a monologue that assaults Catholics and Fundamental Christians on his HBO show. Funny how just a few months ago, Don Imus was fired for a bigoted tirade, but because Maher’s target is those pesky Christian’s, it is ok to speak hate about them. I guess freedom of speech does not apply to a preacher who is suppose to speak out against the sins that we all commit. I guess Springfield just wants Roger Ray and Rick Warren in the pulpit so that they are not convicted of their sins. A punishment worse then 9/11 is coming if we (society) do not turn from our wicked ways. God help us!

Virgina Tech is a sign of things to come

America, not guns caused the tragedy last week. We as a nation have forsaken Christ for the last time. Our children are reaping the fruits of what we have sown before them. In the 1960’s, we kicked Christ out of our schools. In the 1970’s, we legalized (unconstitutionally) the murder on demand of the unborn. And since then, we have began to reap what we sewed, when Oklahoma City was rocked and Columbine was violated. Not much has changed.

School violence is becoming common. Abortions are still legal. And Christ is still unwelcome in schools. Jesus , or any mention of His name, was missing from the “invocation” the day after VT’s tragedy? All those so-called ministers of God never once encouraged the people to find hope in Jesus. So America, you will keep reaping violence until you get a clue and restore Christ. May God have mercy on those so-called clergymen. You are not His priest.

Hosea says it best, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Hosea 4:6

Is it lawful to pay taxes?

Taxes- Are they Christian?
Tax day is here and for many of faith we are like so many others required to fund the civil government with the sweat of our brow. While my political opinion is that taxes on labor is unconstitutional and unethical; as a Christian I know I have a commandment from my Lord to be civilly obedient as long as it does not violate the Word of God. So what is the Word of God on Taxes? If we remember, the Pharisees tried to trip Jesus up with this very question. Jesus’ answer is priceless. “Who’s picture is on the coin“, he asked? So then he said, give to Cesar what is Cesar’s and what is God’s to God. So what do we owe Cesar?

Paul expounds on this in Romans 13. In this chapter he explains the civil government is a tool of God to maintain order and that we are to obey and honor them. And that includes taxes. In verse six it says, “because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting them to this very thing” What is “this” in that verse? It is the fact we are to obey the civil magistrate as long as they do not violate God’s law. So sad to say we have to pay taxes no matter how unconstitutional they are. Remember the magistrate does not yield the sword in vain (Romans 13:4). Break the law (even though there is no law to pay Federal income taxes) you should be prepared to pay the consequences. So, as verse five says “Therefore, it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath (the sword), but also for conscience sake.” So be a good Christian and pay your taxes, God loves a cheerful giver and so does George W.

Elaboration on my letter to the editor this week.

Disclaimer: This is a biblical explanation. If you are not a Christian or do not believe the Bible is our guide for teaching then do not bother reading this because it will make no sense to you. You have been warned. There are many who read my letter that just do get what I am saying and what I tried to say. I only had 200 words to fully explain something that their has been books written on. So I will try to explain it a little more thoroughly now. God has gender roles for both sexes. One cannot start a company without roles being set forth. A football team cannot win a game if the positions are not carefully determined before the game. Our government cannot work (as is proof by its demise now) without each branch keeping their roles in perspective. God’s plan for the home as been undermined by this idea that a women must find fulfillment, self-worth outside the home. Society tells them they are just slaves if they simply stay home and keep the house. Then others are tempted by the desire for material things. They do not accept God’s provisions in their life and work so that they may have more things. These temptations from society has destroyed the union of marriage. We have kids who lack discipline and directions. We have a society that does not know God. Women who feel the need to work outside the home leave their kids for hours in daycares where someone else is shaping that kids life. Then they ship them off to a public school where they are taught that there is no God and that you can do whatever makes you happy. Women no longer are keepers of their home. They are rebellious to God and family just so that they may find what they feel is worth and for material things.

Lets look at my scripture proof. Titus 2:4-5. Titus 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children. Lets break these phrases down. First women are to teach the young be sober. In Greek this is what is called a purpose clause. That is to say it is present and active. That means it is to be done and to keep on doing it. Women no longer are teaching this. They now say go out and get what is yours. This is not a sober spirit. Sober has nothing to do with drinking. It means to have a clear mind. To keep ones senses. Women are suppose to teach the younger women to keep their heads by doing the following, which is the purpose of teaching sobriety. The next thing is that women are to tech the younger to love their husbands. This phrase, in Greek, is accusative. So it is straight forward but to the original reader it would say to them love their husbands and no other man. Society teaches you can love whatever and whomever you want. Love is disposable in today’s world. No fault divorce has killed marriage. A common excuse is well I just want to be happy and I do not love him anymore. The Bible in 1 Corinthians 13 says love never fails. So you obviously ignored God and married the wrong person if you do not love them anymore. Real love is unconditional and never ending. You will love your husband and no other man, ever. That I am sure will make some boil but that is truth. Next women are to teach younger women to love their children. We should say duh, but you will be surprised. We freely allow the murder of our unborn children for the sake of convince. We ship them off as soon as maternity leave is up. We let TV baby-sit as we strive to get what is ours. I think everyone needs to read 1 Corinthians 13 and really learn what love is. What we call it now is far from Godly love.
(5) To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. The next verse is continuing with this purpose of teaching. Women are to teach the younger women to be discreet. We do not use this word to often in its context. Discreet in Greek means to curb one’s desires and impulses. To be self controlled and have temperate. Well if one is working outside the home they are surly not controlling their impulses or desires. With credit card debt in today’s society crippling budgets, it seems neither men or women are very self-controlled. And it all plays right into the destruction of the family because we have forsaken the roles God set up. Next women are to learn to be chaste. This word is so much more then chastity. It also means extreme reverence as well as purity. Some women get the purity part but they forget reverence. For example the do not revere the Word of God when the ignore his commanded gender roles. There is more that could be said about that, but I am sure you won’t care anyways. Now is the phrase that has caused all the hoop-la. Women are to be keepers/workers at home. What does this mean? The Greek work oikouros has a vary unique meaning. Its root word orous means guard. So women are to be guards of the household. If a women is out working, who is guarding the house? Women are to keep the house and this done not just mean laundry, vacuum, dishes. Chores are not just the women place, men CAN and SHOULD do them as well. One of the definitions is keeping at home to care for the household. The key phrase is keeping at home. If they are suppose to guard the home they cannot do it from a job outside the home. Women have left their post and the home has been destroyed in many families. Next women are to be good/kind. This means they are to be good natured. They are to have good attitudes. Found to be respectful by others. This one is not to hard. Many women do this. But there are some out there that there demeanor is very un women like. This next phrase is going to anger some as well. Women are to be obedient/subject to their husbands. Just as Christ is head of the church, man is the head of the wife. But the word subject does not mean to rule over. It means to bring under ones authority. It is a military term. A women is to bring herself under a man’s authority. This is why I said a women should not supervise. That contradicts God’s line of authority. In the military there are ranks and on the field those ranks are kept tight so that the chain of command is not broken. God is our General. But, like in war, Generals are not there on the front lines. They make the plans. So they place others to be in command. All are needed to win the war but some are needed to lead it. The man is the leader. He is responsible to see the Generals orders are carried out. Submission is being under one in the same mission. Men are not to be tyrants. They are to be leaders. They are not to be masters and the women slaves. The husband and wife are to be one flesh striving to fulfill one mission. So women are to teach the younger women that a man has authority and headship and they are to bring themselves under that authority just as we all bring ourselves under Christ authority. Lastly is another purpose clause. Why do we do these things? So that the Word of God is not blasphemed. So when we do NOT do these things we are blaspheming the Word of God. When a women does not follow these God prescribed directions they are blaspheming they very Word of God. This is not my opinion, this is what the Bible says. So you can disagree with me all you want. But the fact of the matter is, your relationship with God is hindered if you are continually blaspheming His Word. I hope this makes more sense. I am sure you all will still disagree and call me all sorts of names. But I will not waver in my conviction and blaspheme the Word of God so that we can have more stuff. My wife is doing her duty by guarding our home. She is happy and we are all happy. You see I needed 1400 words not 200 to properly explain it all.

Go, Preach, Make Diciples

In America today, and even more specifically here in the Ozarks there is a message. A message that has stood the test of time. A message that has been passed down for generations. That message is not purpose driven. That message has nothing to do with you best life now. That message was started by Jesus, and spread by the apostle Paul. Now that message is yours. What will you do with it? Unfortunately, this day and age, that message has been forgotten. One of our Lord’s greatest commandments, forsaken for the sake of filled pews with transferred sheep. That message is the Great Commission. Go, preach, and make disciples has been traded in for a gospel of greed and self happiness. The time is now that we go back to Paul’s claim of knowing nothing but Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). It is time we fulfill that Great Commission.

The sweet message of the Gospel has been the same for years. Great evangelist from Whitefield to Billy Graham have brought thousands upon thousands to Christ with that simple message. So why have we forgotten it as of late? Who will do the work of the evangelist? We should all be saying “here am I Lord send me”. Jesus told his disciples while He was still on earth “behold…look on the fields for the are white for harvest” (John 4:35). So, I have some observations for you all this month. And a challenge to rise up and be an evangelist.
First, why is evangelism so important? Billy Graham gives us some great reason why. First, life’s needs are never met by social influence or material affluence. Look at those who are in power and who are wealthy. They seem happy. Yet how many well to do stars and power players have met a tragic end? Jesus is the only answer. Second, there is an emptiness in all humanity. No amount of money can by the happiness that comes from knowing Christ as Savior. How true that is in light of the recent passing of Anna Nicole Smith. On the outside she seemed to have it all. But on the inside her life was empty and meaningless. So much so that she was wanting death just so she could end the pain. Society needs Jesus, not prosperity. Third, there is what is called a cosmic loneliness in the unsaved. They try to fill the emptiness with sex, drugs and alcohol. They think a spouse can make them fill whole; yet the divorce rate is proof that that is not what they need. They need Jesus, and they need you to deliver it to them. Fourth, the unsaved are wrapped in a sense of guilt. Prozac is prescribed like candy to hide this feeling of guilt. Little do they know that an encounter with a loving Savior can take it all away. Lastly, there is a fear in all of death. People fear the unknown of death. This is why shows like “Crossing Over” and the “Ghost Whisperer” have seen great success. They feel that there is life after death and it is not heaven or hell. We must show them that there is a hell and a heaven and the message of the Cross is Christ has defeated the grave and you can have eternal life! Most Christians do not fear death because they know where they are going. You can see this difference whenever you attend a believers funeral. Next month I will continue with this message of the Great Commission, the forgotten commandment. Until next month this has been One Man’s Opinion, I hope you share it.

IS your President Candidate a Christian?

What does it mean to be a Christian?

The last few weeks have seen a great deal of debate on what it means to be a Christian and what our responsibility is. For a while now, a local pastor has used the pages of this paper to spread what is commonly referred to as the Social Gospel. Just this week, the News-Leader’s own, Brian Lewis, challenged Christians on what the purpose of a Christian is. So what is it? This debate is certainly not special to the Ozarks. In fact,because of the fast approaching ‘08 elections, this debate is only getting started nationally. On the fore front of this debate is one, Senator Obama. A Clintonesque candidate with a social agenda. At a recent church conference by Rick Warren on AIDS, he had this to say. “My faith also tells me that – as Pastor Rick has said – it is not a sin to be sick. My Bible tells me that when God sent His only Son to Earth, it was to heal the sick and comfort the weary; to feed the hungry and clothe the naked; to befriend the outcast and redeem those who strayed from righteousness. Living His example is the hardest kind of faith – but it is surely the most rewarding. It is a way of life that cannot only light our way as people of faith, but guide us to a new and better politics as Americans.” Well Senator, God sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins, not to be a social worker. So you may want a refund on that Bible you have. You see, Christ did not come to do all those things. He came to seek and save the lost. All those things were a by-product of His love. If Jesus only came to heal the sick and feed the poor, then he would not have had to die on the cross. So when pastors like Rick Warren and Roger Ray lower Christ to nothing more than a social worker, they are in essence ignoring the very gift that is suppose to save their souls. Christians should be appalled by such behavior from the pulpit. To say Christ came to feed our bodies but not our souls is heresy in the grandest degree. It seems when churches become more “purpose driven” and less cross driven, the identity of a Christian becomes very clouded.

Keep trying SBC

The Southern Baptist Convention took up probably one of the boldest and most needed resolutions in America Today. Roger Moran, a member of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee and a leader in the Missouri Baptist Convention, and a Houston author, asked the convention to propose that all SBC parents remove their kids from the public school systems. It is their beliefs that this system is destroying their children’s well being. They cite the state of the current cultural clashes (homosexuality and creationism) as evidence enough. This has been on the Convention calendar for several years now, but they have yet to respond with a full denominational backing.

The SBC has refused to back this resolution. They believe students need to be a “godly influence” to the others in the school system. With that rationale, I guess men can be a godly influence at strip clubs and bars. I hope the SBC will lay aside their complaints and lead this country to a cultural reformation. Why has the Assemblies of God not made such an attempt? What if both denominations were to make such proclamations? Is it even their job? Should parents follow their spiritual leaders advice on this familial issue?

I believe the SBC made the wrong choice not to back an exit strategy for their kids from the public schools. The State’s indoctrination centers are teaching the kids their liberal agenda with stealth like devastation. The kids are growing up believing that there is no God and that life began as primordial sludge. They are taught a second rate history, if any at all; where heroes are transformed into godless pimps of diversity and tolerance. Kids are ridiculed and ostracized for holding fast to Jesus and His teachings. When schools band together to defy activist judges, they are demonized by the public and media.

It is my opinion that if you are sending your child to the public schools you are committing child abuse of the worse kind. God’s Word charged the parents and not the government to educate their children (Deuteronomy 4:10, Psalms 34:11, Titus 2:1-15). Christian children need Christian education. The public schools, because of the ACLU and the NEA, can only teach liberalism and secular humanism. Is this what you’d have your child knowing? So, I hope Christian parents remove their kids ASAP. Their spiritual lives and well being depend on it.

Dirty Word "Jesus"

I found it very interesting that, over the Christmas season, so many Christians were enraged that a private business refused to wish them a Merry Christmas; when their preacher’s, more than likely, have not preached Christ in the last year. Christians were quick to rally against the outside world, yet sit quietly in the pews as their ministers do the same thing. We must preach Jesus every chance we get. To avoid offending a culture who has decided to live a Christless existence, the retail industry has marketed Christmas as simply a holiday season. While this should enrage you, you should be more offended at the fact that Jesus is rarely mentioned in the pulpits of our churches. If the church would do its job in the pulpit and in society, the name of Christ would be boldly proclaimed. Preachers have decided to take the “man upstairs” approach with the name of Jesus. By voiding the power in Christ name, we have effectively rendered our witness to a dying culture, useless. Sermons about how to be happy and how to find prosperity have replaced sermons about Christ and his ultimate sacrifice for us.

In a movie called “Time Changer”, the main character had to take a time machine to modern day America to see what would happen if we taught morals and our faith apart from the Name of Christ. What he found is what you will find today, which are churches bragging about programs, golf teams, and trips to see a baseball game. Also, pastors preaching lifeless messages voided of any hope. A Christian culture desensitized by movies that freely blaspheme the name of Christ and call it a good movie because it was “moral film”. What kind of morals do we have when we are not deeply offended by Hollywood’s obvious agenda to destroy Christ and his name. With more and more Christian films being produced, I hope we can send Hollywood a message saying, stop blaspheming our Lord or we will not attend your films.
Churches and Christians are blatantly allowing abominations towards God to happen. They hold fast their addiction to political correctness, and remain silent because they do not want to force their opinions on someone else. Jesus Christ is not an opinion. If you are a true Christian, you have a duty to your God and your fellow man to share Jesus with everyone you meet. To keep silent and not mention Christ, and what he has done for you, is wrong and unchristian like. Paul claimed to preach nothing but Christ and Him crucified. Are we better than Paul? This has been One Man’s Opinion, I hope you share it. Thank you all for the positive e-mails I have been getting about this series. I hope to finish the book soon and will let you all know when it is done. God Bless.

American Idols

American Idols: How the American Church Has Turned To Idol Worship
I will finish up the seven dirty words, but I just wanted to share something I feel has been put on my heart for the church. While working on the word righteousness for the seven dirty words, I kept coming to this idea that the church has forsaken righteousness because they cannot seem to let go of their American Idols. No, not the television show, but the idols America has seemed to fall for. This month is probably the granddaddy of them all, the Super Bowl. Never, in all my wildest dreams, would I have ever thought churches would close or stop services for the Super Bowl. But that is exactly what has happened in many of our churches. Then the churches that do not close seem to hold some sort of Super Bowl special where they show the game on the same screen that usually holds the songs of worship. This friends, is not glorifying God in any way. “Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE (2 Corinthians 6:16)”. We should all repent of this and ensure that, in the future, we put God ahead of football. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth, Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God (Exodus 20:3-5 KJV).” You see, God is a jealous God and will not share your heart with anything. If you feel you cannot miss a football game to worship the one whom you call Lord, then I am afraid you have an idol in your life. We should avoid such things in our lives. “Little children, guard yourselves from idols (John 5:21).”

So what are the American Idols? Besides football and other sports, there is of course television. There are some who cannot miss a single episode of their favorite program. So when the show’s time is changed to a church night, suddenly that person is no longer there. Some find themselves entrapped by celebrity watching. They get so obsessed that they often change their entire lifestyle to mirror that of their favorite celebrity. In fact, they can quote People magazine better than they can quote the Bible. These are all idols that can deeply affect your walk with the Lord. Do you find yourself planning events around God or around the TV Guide? Is deer season more sacred than communion with God? Is the Super Bowl or the Cardinals so important that you are not willing to skip it to be in church? If truth be told, I must say that the American church has forsaken it’s first love for idol worship. Just look at the pews next time there is a big game on. This is One Man’s Opinion, I hope you share it