political ramblings of an uninformed religious nut

So I have been listening to a lot of talk radio (dangerous I know) and have read a few articles about President Obama's use of executive orders. Specifically the use of executive orders concerning gun laws and right to bear arms. Let me say that I believe that the 2nd Amendment wasn't written to ensure the hunting rights of American Citizens, it was to ensure that Americans would have the ability to defend themselves from the possibility of a tyrannical government and anyone who attempts to take away their right to pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The right to bear arms, I am for it. So this leaves me with my real problem. The hypocrisy and memory loss of those that are fighting in this issue. The use of executive orders seems to me to be the center of the argument. Obama is being accused (rightly or unfairly) of using executive orders to override the will of the Congress and the people. This hasn't happened yet by the way. I want to share a couple of opinions concerning the use of executive decisions. First, executive orders or proclamations have been in use since the founding of our country. The great patriarch of presidents, George Washington himself, used the proclamations to establish desired standards within the government. Secondly, our last President used executive orders to create the Department of Homeland Security, which is one of the largest and and more powerful departments in our government, big brotherish even. At the time when this executive order was written I recall little outcry from either side that government was getting too invasive into the lives of the people. The desire of the President (I assume) originates from the same place, security. For the sake of security people are willing to abdicate personal freedoms and charge the government to provide protection and security. I disagree with the idea that the President (either party) can bypass the Congress and create law (while not calling it a law). It AMAZES me how many conservatives are ready to get up in arms (pun intended) about gun rights but rejoiced at the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. The argument for both ideas are the same! Yet we are blinded by our political ideologies. My point (so far and can change at any moment, remember the title above)is that it is so obvious that we are hypocritical when it comes to politics. Bush is good and his executive orders are good (if you are a Republican) and Obama is bad and his executive orders are bad (if you are a Democrat), and vice-versa. Bush created an entire department of government to determine threats, watch them, report them, and deal with them. Here's the rub "threat" can mean anything to anybody. Threat could mean so many things, huh? Little historical context, the Jews were a threat to Germany. It is the opinion of many conservatives that if Congress blocks the Obama administrations gun control laws, he would simply bypass them through issuing an executive order. The same arguments are being used as with the creation of Homeland Security, we must protect and secure our citizens. If we remove guns THEN our lands will be safe again. If we create a department of government to watch all potential enemies then we will be safe. I realize this is a simplistic view but can you see it? So all I have done so far is complain and not offer any solutions. Here's the truth. There isn't a solution. There isn't a political party or philosophy that will solve the issues of our day. If you take away guns people will kill each other with sticks.There have been attacks on America since the creation of Homeland security. Executive orders are not the answer to our problems. Demonizing the other side of the aisle, now that will get the job done, no wait...... it doesn't. On another level I am disappointed. I am disappointed with the American Christian who puts their trust in either party. They will tell you that they don't but just look at their posts of FB. Listen to how they talk about the other side, as if Satan himself possessed Bush or Obama. Remember how upset the Right was when the Left called Bush, Hitler? Now Obama is the Abomination of Desolation? What happened to respecting the office. Even further what happened to Christians following Christ's example and loving His enemies and dare I say even die for them? We criticize instead of pray, we tear down and belittle instead of correct and preach in love. This doesn't mean water down or give in. Jesus never did either of those things and yet his message literally revolutionized the entire world! I realize that I changed subjects a little, so let me get back to my main point. Wrong is wrong no matter the party aisle or our own personal agenda. If an executive order takes away the rights of the people,then it is wrong. Regardless of political orientation. If name calling and disrespectful comments are wrong and they are by the way, for one side then it is wrong for the other. Finally, shame on Christians for behaving in this manner. We are called to be salt and light. Not for America but for Christ! We should pray for America, her leaders, and her people. We should represent Christ in America. This includes speaking out against unrighteousness and inequality. I thank God for this country and I believe that He has most definitely shed his grace on her. Yet America has forgotten where her real security, protection, and prosperity came from. She has turned to other gods, and they are many. So I pray that she will turn back to God. I pray that she will turn from and repent of her sin so that God will hear our prayers and heal our land. God bless.

Review of In Constant Prayer by Robert Benson

I have been a Christian for many years now and one of the areas in which I have struggled is establishing a steady prayer life. I found this book to be a good tool to encourage prayer in a new way. Well, at least new for me. He uses many ancient practices and books to discover what was a center piece for prayer throughout the early years of the church. The principles that he points out are not new and therefore, at least to some, the book could be considered old news. I found them refreshing. The tone of the book is conversational and intimate. It seems that he is allowing us to see his struggles and how prayer books of the past as well as set times were an avenue into a deeper understanding and practice of prayer. Is it possible that when the Reformers left the Catholic Church did they leave behind powerful means of encountering God? Did they throw the baby out with the bathwater? Throughout the generations many of the great practices of prayer that were life nourishing and empowering were neglected. He points out that one of the obstacles that we must get past our ignorance and fear of anything that is associated with Catholicism and begin embracing prayer through the ancient practices.These practices are a way to restore and strengthen the church. Because of my Protestant and Evangelical background I found some of the things that are mentioned in Benson's work uncomfortable and challenging. I might not be up for going all the way that he has and encourages but I have learned to value the faith and disciplines of those that have come before me.

At the beginning of May a friend of mine challenged me to read a chapter of Proverbs a day for the month. There are 31 days and 31 chapters. I have really enjoyed the very practical nature of this book. It seems sometimes as I read through other books of the Bible I find that the spiritual nature is so far above me in understanding and application, but Proverbs is plain and very straight forward. I was reading chapter eleven today and there were two verses that really stood out to me. Verses ten and eleven deal with the interaction of the righteous and the wicked and their cities. "When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices; And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked." Proverbs 11:10,11 Many people from many different philosophical,theological,and cultural backgrounds are sounding the alarm that this great nation is in trouble in many ways. Inflation is rising, jobs are hard to find, violence is up, the general attitude of this land is becoming more and more skeptical and cynical. Morally, we have become relativistic, what is right and true for you is not necessarily right and true for me. When morality becomes relative immorality becomes an accepted norm. This is easily observed in what passes for entertainment today, but it doesn't end there, immorality is spreading to every aspect of American culture (the church in America is not excused from this by far). My understanding of the text quoted above is very simple, as the righteous and upright go so does the city or nation. Who are the righteous and upright? The righteous are the ones who have been declared to be in right standing with God. We are declared right in the sight of God when we repent of sin and declare Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior. The upright are those who live lives that are a reflection of God's law and will. Living uprightly is the outward display of the righteousness imparted to those in relationship to God through Jesus Christ. Righteousness and uprightness are not well received in our world today. To stand upon the statutes and principles of the Word of God is not a popular view point. So the righteous and upright have begun to hide and fail to speak out against the very things that are destroying our future. For example, in the spirit of free speech music artist have been allowed to promote all kinds of filth and we allow our greatest hope and our greatest blessings, our children, to hear and mimic it. Then in great disgust we turn on the children and complain that they are far worse than any generation before them. Let me just say that I do not oppose free speech and the opportunity for these individuals to share what is in their hearts. I would say that it is interesting that we as a society can tolerate and even promote actions that offend a large section Americans but find their rebuttal of said behavior intolerable. These verses stand as a warning against forsaking righteousness and uprightness. They serve as a reminder of what is the outcome when wickedness is the sponsored religion of the city. The wicked perish and the city is overthrown. We are seeing a great decline in America's ability to sustain it's position in the world today because our politics, culture, ideology, theology have become stained with wickedness. It is interesting that as Judeo-Christian values are replaced with moral relativism that depression,cynicism, skepticism, sexual deviancy, divorce, violent crimes (including juveniles), business fraud are all on the rise. Those that practice these things would say you're just making this up but if we truly look at the world around us, I ask who really has their head in the sand? The righteous must begin to speak out IN LOVE to a world that has called evil good and good evil. If restoration is even possible and apart of God's plan it is going to take the people of this once great nation to repent and to return to the God who brought such great prosperity and favor in the past. God bless!

Redeeming Religion

The word religion is a very interesting word that should be used with extreme caution. When it is invoked many different definitions, feelings, ideologies, etc. surface. As Christian and a minister I have seen this word become almost profanity in many Christian circles. Religion it seems has become synonymous with legalism. Religion is cold, bitter, self-seeking, arrogant, demeaning to others. At least, that is how it is portrayed by many. I must confess sometimes I have even used the word religion in this manner. Religion however, is not synonymous with legalism. Legalism, in a nutshell, is believing that if one abides by the rules then one is right with God. It even goes farther in that in order for one to be right with God one must follow an individuals rules. Legalism is displayed in all groups within Christendom. This is not what religion is. The most basic definition for religion that I can give is, it is man's attempt to reach God. Now we know that man cannot reach God by ourselves, therefore religion itself cannot attain its desire and can very quickly become legalism. The idea of man attempting to reach God is really an awesome point to start from. Paul springboards off of this idea at Mars Hill and reveals to pagan Greeks the unknown God they had built an altar to. He told them that they are worshiping someone they don't know and instead of condemning their empty religion, he reveals Jesus Christ. Religion can be great place to start from for many people. Man reaching out for God has its merit. Jesus himself promises that if you seek you will find, if you knock it will be opened, and if you ask you will receive. Understanding that religion cannot save is vital. Being a moral and a good person (in our own estimation) does not give us access to God and eternal life. It is in a way a Tower of Babel and we cannot approach God in our righteousness and estimation of self. The tower must crumble. While religion can be that springboard to truth, it isn't truth. We must use the gate that has been provided. Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No comes to Father but through me." We dare not change the method one enters into heaven, but should not destroy a tool God can use to bring them to the way. Religion within Christianity is not altogether malignant either. James says that true religion or true faith is taking care of widows and orphans. Boiling it down, true religion is action. So again the definition changes. Religion and faith become synonymous in James' epistle. True faith is more than joining a church, getting baptized, going to an altar and reciting a prayer. These can and should be a part of the faith, but coupling faith and action is true faith or true religion. We do a disservice to the Kingdom of God when we make blanket statements about religion. It is important we put it in context. We must not use this word as a synonym for legalism. To those outside the faith it can be a powerful tool to bring them into the right gate. Someone searching for truth, meaning, reality, for purpose and who is reaching out into the unknown can be reached if we don't demean the efforts they have already put forth. Religion and faith according to James are necessary to please God. It is time that we as the body of Christ redeem this word. At the very least it is far more than legalism. Religion pointed in the proper and right direction is actually pleasing to God. When it is only used in a negative way we miss out on the beauty of another far more important meaning, that is, reaching out and following Jesus Christ.

A Little Reflection

When I first gave my life to Christ there were many things that took place that I really wasn't prepared for. I knew in a way they were coming but really wasn't ready for any of them. Honestly a lot of them were negative. Most of my friends, I found out weren't really friends at all. They were more like party pals and once the party stopped they stopped being pals. My family didn't quite understand or know what to do with me. My whole nature changed. The way I talked, what I watched, listened to, etc. all changed. Not only that I was very naively zealous, which also attributed to the fact that my former circle didn't want to be around me. For me there was no middle ground, no simple conversation, it was all about winning them to Jesus. Ironically in that very desire I regretably alienated people. Another negative for me was that I now had to be honest, loving, kind, joyful, etc. and those things do not come natural (even ten years later). Being honest is okay when it suits you, but when you mess up and then have to tell the truth on yourself, the outcome can be very undesirable. Gaining the desire to do the right thing and the conviction of the Holy Spirit and yet now always doing it. These are negative from only my natural or fleshly perspective.
On the other hand I have to look back and say that there have been tremendous positive events that have taken place in my life since Jesus saved me. Outside of the obvious testimony of the assurance that has been granted me concerning my acceptance into the Kingdom of God and thus gaining eternal life there have been some other develops that I would like to focus on. Let me just say that the idea of being at peace and reconciled with God is amazing, and I don't mean to downplay that relationship because out of that flows what I am sharing.
One of the most positive events in my life has been meeting and then marrying my wife Lynette. We met at Messenger College. God led me to that place to learn more about the Bible and ministry and while in that process I met the person who would experience this life with me. I never would have met her had I not come to Christ. Then we began to have children. We have five beautiful children that mean everything to me. Again only possible because of Christ. I learn lessons about a father's love through my relationship with my children. I learn about hope and future through them. It is only because of Jesus. Through my wife I have learned unconditional commitment and love. I have learned to only a small degree the relationship between Christ and His bride. Through Christ I have also become a minister, feeling called to teach others and lead others to Christ. In this role I have been able to learn about healing, the depth and pain of sin and bad choices, about redemption and restoration, and I have seen the best and worst of humanity. Being a follower of Jesus has been far more than "getting saved." It has been an awesome journey that I have only been on for a short time. I expect the negatives to come, but I can also expect to make it through, to learn, and see God turn them to a positive. If someone were to ask me why should I become a Christian, what makes Jesus so special? The answer would be endless and yet at the same time simple. He gave me life and life more abundantly.

Late night thought

Was reading some statistics about the state of the church in America and how Christianity is losing numbers by the thousands. This little thing came to my mind. Not sure if it's a poem or whatever but wanted to share. Tell me what you think.

We have an obligation today, the church has a responsibility that has been neglected for many years now.

We have watched the walls crumble, the door posts rot, fire has ravaged the temple, and we have watched.

You might ask me why am I so gloomy and harsh, I tell you that I am tired of watching the city burn

My heart aches for the dying and the broken, while my church, my body watches says the LORD.

We argue and we fight over who is right and yet we have all missed it, we are all wrong.

So it is time for the church to repent, it is time to put on sack clothe and ashes and mourn for the dead.

The dead we could have offered life.

Yet we are too busy fighting, too busy determining who is the most important.

Too busy building monuments to ourselves, attempting to impress the umimpressable.

So our Master calls out, “who will rebuild my walls? Who will repair the doorposts? Who will reestablish my temple?

Just as Nehemiah was commissioned and called to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls we are called to rebuild the church in America.

I say America because in other parts of the world there is revival, there is outpouring, there is renewal, and there is life,

It is not too late, the job is daunting and dangerous. We will be rejected by even those who call themselves the church.

The ones who play the fiddle while the city is burning.

Yet there is a work to be done, there is a job to do. Will you answer the call?

Do you hear the LORD commissioning you? To speak peace to those in constant conflict, to speak hope to the desperate, to speak love to the hated, to speak blessing to the poor, and to speak life to the walking dead?

He is calling, now what will you do?

The Final Summit Review

This was the first book that I have read by Andy Andrews and I have to be honest that I didn't find it as insightful or inspirational as those that were in the praise introduction. There were some shining points in a book that overall was boring and bland.

The shining points were the answers to the question that the travelers came up with. They were right on point and could most definitely be applied to our society today. The other interesting aspect of the book was the introduction of Eric Erickson and his role in WWII. I also like the fact that the author took the time to explain more about him at the end of the book.

I had a really hard time staying interested in the dialogue, the answers that they came up with were very applicable but seemed to have been reached too easily. The weight of their answers and the risk of being wrong wasn't brought out strong enough for me.

The premise of the book itself struck me as odd also. The idea that the Creator would call an assembly of all the greatest minds together to "solve" the worlds problem seems incongruent with the identity of the Creator being used in the book. The Creator has already solved the problem and clearly reveals that all of human wisdom, actions, etc cannot resolve or solve this problem. The answer that the time travelers come up with is also very general. To simply do something is not only wrong but also can be dangerous. Many people have done things that they thought were right but lead to devastating results.

The answer to the question leaves us needing more, we need to seek God for the answer because God is not seeking an answer from us. He desires a response from us to the answer that He has already given us.

I realize that this book is a work of fiction and not intended to be a work of theology. At the same time it should represent the true nature of the problem and the only answer that will restore humanity.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”