Something to think about in 2012

In 3 hours and nine minutes (at least when I started this post) it will be the 2012.....and just a few seconds ago, I was looking at an older blog entry that had one of my favorite quotes from Chuck Colson:

"The role of the church is not to make men and women happy, it is to make them holy"

As we know, the church is not a building, but you and I who make up the church, individual beings living together in this world. So let me re enter the quote and make a substitution:

"The role of you and I is not to make men and women happy, it is to make them holy"

So the question then becomes, how can we make men and women holy, if we ourselves are not holy? So how do we become holy? I think the answer comes from Luke 9:23 "Then he said to them all 'If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny (to say no to something) himself , and take up his cross daily (emphasis mine), and follow Me." But let me quote the last half of that verse in The Amplified Bible: "conforming wholly to my example in living and if need be in dying also". In other words to follow the example the Lord gave in His life here on earth.

So if we are to take on the task of ministering to others in 2012, we need to first remember to take on the identity that we have been given: "Christ"ians. As it has been said: "Be ye holy, as I am holy"and to be holy we need to follow the example that Jesus gave and when we do that it becomes easier to make those that we come in contact with holy, because we will have given them the example of what it means to be a follow of Christ?

Will you make that your goal in 2012?

Hanukkah: Is It Really a Minor Festival?

In a few days, Hanukkah or the "Fesitval of Lights" will be celebrated....as a believer who goes to a Messianic Jewish Congregation, the holiday has a more significant meaning than it might to most....the reason I say that is because if it were not for Hanukkah and the Lord saving the Jewish people through the Maccabees, then we would not have Christmas, Resurrection Sunday, et. al....As believers, we should have more of an appreciation for days such as this....especially if it was one that was observed by Jesus....

I included a article orginially written in 1984, but still holds a great amount of significance reminding us of what the holiday is.....Hanukkah: Is It Really a Minor Festival? - http://www.jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/3_5/hanukkah/

Bashing Religion Just in Time for Christmas

Instead of sharing my own words, I thought I would share the following; it was originally published last year, but I think that it bears repeating:

Bashing Religion Just in Time for Christmas

By Marcia Segelstein|Published Date: December 07, 2011 A former producer for CBS News, Marcia is an Anglican, a mom, and a reluctant rebel against the mainstream media, the Episcopal Church (and others who make up the rules instead of obeying them), and the decaying culture her children witness every day. Aggressive atheism is rearing its anti-religious head again this pre-Christmas season. And this time it's more combative and belligerent than ever. This year we'll see the gospel of unbelief spread far and wide on billboards, in newspapers and magazines, and even on television. The most expensive campaign is being launched by the American Humanist Association. Last year, the AHA was responsible for ads exhorting people to "Be Good For Goodness' Sake." This year, its advertising is much more pointed, and unapologetically negative. By its own description, the "Consider Humanism" campaign is intended to hit harder. "This year, we're going further in our attempt to challenge the intolerant view that atheist and agnostic humanists can't be good without Bible-derived morality. We're taking a hard look at what is included in religious texts,” according to the website devoted to the ad campaign. Scheduled to run in major newspapers such as USA Today, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the AHA's ads will be made up of two parts. One will be a quote from the Bible or the Quran and will be marked with the words, "What some believe." The other part, identified as "What humanists think," will contain a quote from what the AHA calls "humanist documents." For example, one ad will juxtapose this Bible verse from Hosea 13:16 with a quote from Albert Einstein: "The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open." Einstein's quote reads as follows: "I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own -- a God, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty." In another ad, Katharine Hepburn is quoted from a Ladies Home Journal article: "I'm an atheist, and that's it. I believe there's nothing we can know except that we should be kind to each other and do what we can for each other." The juxtaposed Bible passage quotes Jesus from the book of Luke: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life -- he cannot be my disciple." One ad on homosexuality will contrast the AHA's position affirming "sexual equality" and the legalization of same-sex "marriage" with the verse from Leviticus that calls the act of a man lying with another man "detestable." American Atheists have come up with a billboard ad to run in the New York City area featuring a Nativity scene which reads, "You Know it's a Myth. This Season Celebrate Reason." According to The New York Times, "The idea of the campaign is to reach people who might go to church but are just going through the motions." David Silverman, the president of American Atheists, is quoted as saying, "We're going after that market share." The Freedom From Religious Foundation, based in Madison, Wisconsin, has come up with what it calls the "Out of the Closet Campaign." In a dozen or so cities, billboards will feature regular folks proudly declaring their unbelief. One will feature a young woman named "Katie" holding a plate of cookies, wearing a "Godless Goddess" T-shirt, with the quote: "I like baking, biking & sleeping in on Sundays." Bus ads by the United Coalition of Reason read "Don't Believe in God? Join the Club." By all accounts this year's campaigns by atheists are, as David Gibson wrote for PoliticsDaily.com, "more explicit in their aims of converting believers and rallying nonbelievers." I guess I just don't understand. Christians (along with Jews and Muslims) gather in groups to worship. Atheists don't gather not to worship, so why seek out members? What's there to be a member of? And why should atheists care about stopping worshippers who are just "going through the motions"? Do they think they might get their hands on money once pledged to churches? Trying to tear down the belief system of the world's foremost religion -- Christianity -- is what seems intolerant to me. Placing prominent ads declaring the birth of Christ to be a myth seems downright hostile. To my mind, these campaigns feel defensive, as though atheists are weighted down with chips on their shoulders, or feel left out of some club. Christians I know don't go around declaring that only fellow Christians can be good. And if they do, they're wrong. Maybe Christians should launch a kinder, gentler campaign in response. They could quote Timothy Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC, from his book The Reason for God on the subject of common grace: "[E]very act of goodness, wisdom, justice, and beauty is empowered by God....He casts them across all humanity, regardless of religious conviction, race, gender or any other attribute to enrich, brighten and preserve the world." God bless us, every one.

Another Christmas rant.....

That's right folks....a rant....just thinking about the post: "What kind of tree?"
 http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2011/11/what-kind-of-tree.html
and the decision another state did to name the Christmas tree a "holiday tree"....and it got me to thinking of what would happen to some of the songs that we sing around this time if the PC group had their way....maybe it would go something like this:

• "O holiday tree, O holiday tree..."
• "Go Tell it on the mountain, but make sure that you have permission from green groups"
• "Have a holly, jolly, holiday season"
• "I'll be home for the holiday season, you can count on me"
•  "I'm dreaming of a multicultural holiday season"
•  "Do they know it's the holiday season at all"
• "Grandma got run over by a reindeer and is suing Santa for having his reindeer unattended"
• "Simply having a wonderful holiday season time"
• "Oh you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm tell you why...because the representation of Nicholas has hired the CIA to watch over you and he's coming to your town...."

see how silly it all is....But all of this is because they want to take the real meaning for the season out...and that is the birth of Jesus....by simply calling it a "holiday" in which there is no specificity and everyone can celebrate it, you water down the impact of the birth of the Messiah and what He came here to do...to borrow correctly from another song..."to save us all from satan's power when we had gone astray"...If there is no real reason for the season, then why celebrate it?

So either we celebrate "Christ"mas with Jesus as the focal point of the season that brings hope, or celebrate "warm fuzzimass" where there is no focus except for emotionalism (and trying to outfight everyone for that present that may not be necessary) that brings nothing....Don't know you, but I would rather have real hope than any present that people can buy....

The truth about Thanksgiving

It's the night before Thanksgiving and all through the house, I am the only creature not stirring (or baking or cooking or whatever). However, I do know that there are knives being sharpened, but not for Thanksgiving turkey, but for Thanksgiving itself.....the PC crowd is getting ready with their barrage of comments about Thanksgiving....well when they do; you can hit them back....I came across this on Doug Phillip's blog (and I thank Adam McManus for letting me know about this link on the e-mail that he sends) entitled: Refuting the Seven Myths of the Radical Left About Thanksgiving http://www.visionforum.com/news/blogs/doug/2011/11/9747/

And if you look at more of the blogs that Doug has written for this week: http://www.visionforum.com/news/blogs/doug/ you learn a lot more that you may not have known about the Pilgrims http://vimeo.com/11756882 and what kind of people they were.....

Remember there is a war of values going on and the thing that will give you confidence is the truth and the truth will be that rock that you can stand on when the PC "hot air" surrounds you.....

Thanksgiving or money-making day?

In 10 days here in the US, we celebrate Thanksgiving....however, more and more stories are appearing on how some stores will be opening their doors on Thanksgiving evening. It seems that in order to make more money, Thanksgiving Day has become just another day to make money....

The question is...is that all Thanksgiving has become...From the PC crowd bombarding us with message about we shouldn't really be celebrating because of what happened to the Native American tribes...to this, it seems that the true message of Thanksgiving has been lost....

Something from Wallbuilders (http://www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=17984) about Thanksgiving that you may not know about.....(I'll put in some comments of my own)....
That summer, the Pilgrims, still persevering in prayer  (wonder how many of us have a prayer service on Thanksgiving) and assisted by helpful Indians (wonder what the PC crowd would make of this?),  reaped a bountiful harvest.  As Pilgrim Edward Winslow (later to become the Governor) affirmed, “God be praised, we had a good increase of corn” (praising God? wonder what the ACLU would think?); “by the goodness of God (God mentioned twice in the same sentence? today the libs and PC crowd would call this guy a religious fanatic), we are far from want.”  The grateful Pilgrims therefore declared a three-day feast (three days, can you imagine being allowed to eat that long, wonder what Michelle Obama would think?) in December 1621 to thank God and to celebrate with their Indian friends (that's friends, not victims PC crowd)  – America’s first Thanksgiving Festival. Ninety Wampanoag Indians joined the fifty Pilgrims for three days of feasting (which included shellfish, lobsters, turkey, corn bread, berries, deer, and other foods [I'm just gaining weight thinking about that]), of play (the young Pilgrim and Wampanoag men engaged in races, wrestling matches, and athletic events), and of prayer. This celebration and its accompanying activities were the origin of the holiday that Americans now celebrate each November.

So how have we gone from three days of feast and prayer to half a day of stuffing your face and then going to the store and shopping? Have we really lost focus on what Thanksgiving REALLY is all about? Or maybe we have done to Thanksgiving what we have done to other holidays (holiday's root is "holy day") and removed what the focus originally was supposed to be on....something related to God....

So let us get back to the original meaning of Thanksgiving....a feast dedicated to thanking God for His blessings, maybe having a prayer service on that day....who knows maybe it can be a new tradition for your family...and at least on Thanksgiving do like Jesus did....drive out the money changers.....

What kind of tree?

There has been controversy over the decision by Wisconsin's governor to change the name of the Christmas tree back to "Christmas tree" from "holiday tree"....the reaction of one group made me laugh out of pity....it was from an atheist group who said that changing the name back to Christmas tree was offensive to non-Christians....

If you look at that statement, you can see why I gave the pity laugh....the first being "holiday tree"....what holiday are you celebrating with a tree? Valentine's Day? St. Patrick's Day? Cinco De Mayo? There's only one holiday that is symbolized with a tree and that is Christmas...and secondly, what non-Christians celebrate Christmas??? If you're Jewish, you don't celebrate Christmas-If you're Muslim, you don't celebrate Christmas. And ESPECIALLY if you are atheist, you don't celebrate Christmas....

Unfortunately, all of this hullabaloo is because of the desire that some have to eliminate Christmas altogether...as least the "Christian" Christmas, keeping the peace on earth, goodwill to men and other emotions, but removing Christ from it in any way shape or form. Paul wrote about this well, when he mentioned to Timothy about mankind having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.

And a Messianic Gentile, I know that the birth of our Lord was more in the autumn months (maybe during the Feast of Tabernacles). And as a believer, I know that a lot of stuff about Christmas is over-commerialized and overblown and have nothing to do with Christ, but in the end we have to remember that Christmas is for remembering that Christ came to the earth and the reason that He came to the earth was to save us from sin....

So in the words of A Christmas Carol: "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year".....no matter what kind of tree you have.....

95 theses

 

http://www.conradaskland.com/blog/2008/11/martin-luthers-95-theses-in-latin-and-english/

Rather than celebrate a pagan holiday, October 31st should be remembered for something else.....On this date in 1517, Martin Luther posted on the door of the Castle Church of Wittenberg, Germany what is called "The Ninety-Five Theses" which objected to the Catholic church's use of the sale of indulgences,(remissions of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven-in essence, buying a "Get out of hell for a price" deal) and other abuses by the Catholic clergy.   This was viewed as many as the start of what was called "The Protestant Reformation" in which there was a break from the Catholic church on many issues....especially in areas related to faith...

However, if you were to ask the modern-day church member what "The Ninety-Five Theses" were about, I doubt that many (than includes myself) would know about it...as a matter of fact, some might even think that when you say "Martin Luther", they would probably think "King"...The reason that I bring this up today is, how many of us know about the history of the church and the struggles that it went through....to remember is to appreciate, and to forget is to in a sense, "spit upon" the works of these men and women and take for granted the work that they do.....

I know to many history may be dull and unexciting, but if we do not learn where we come from, then
sooner or later, the foundations crumble and the house that we have built over the past 2,000 years just may crumble to dust.....

Question

http://worldviewchurch.org/columns/featured-column/960-total-capitulation-the-evangelical-surrender-of-truth

As someone who is concerned about what is going on in reference to truth, I found this to be an interesting column by Albert Mohler...especially the first sentence: Evangelical Christians will either stand upon the authority and total truthfulness of the Bible, or we will inevitably capitulate to the secular worldview.

Pastor appreciation month

This month (October) is Pastor Appreciation month....there are a couple of posts where I mention about what Pastors have done in my life....
http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2010/10/not-forgotten-man.html
http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2011/07/solid-thought.html

And I want to ask have you truly appreciated what your pastor (congregational leader) has done for you and the other members of your congregation? Do you really appreciate the hours spent preparing messages, visiting the sick, counseling, prayer, etc....and the fact that the scripture says in Hebrews 13:17:...for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account...."

Have you prayed for your congregational leader....at the end of this month, while the world focuses on the candy and "trick or treats", that those who follow the devil intensify their prayers and one of the main things that they pray for is for ministers to fail and fall? We know that we are all in a spiritual warfare...and as hard as it is for us, just imagine how much MORE harder the warfare is for pastors, for they have their own warfare to think of, but the warfare of those that are under them!

So let me suggest something (and not only during this month, but whenever you get the chance), go to your pastor or congregational leader and thank him for the ministry that he does in your life....maybe even take him out to eat or do something to let him know that his work is not in vain.

from testimony to byword?

Tonight is Rosh HaShanah and this period is usually referred to as the "Days of Awe", during which a person looks at his life and inspects it. Which got me to thinking about a question....Are you still being a testimony in your life or are you being a byword in your life?

When the Lord was instructing the people just before they went into the land to possess it, He gave them a strong warning that they were to be a different type of people to be a testimony of who God was and how He wanted them to live. He also warned them about what would happen if they didn't and in Deuteronomy 28:27, He told them the following: "And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the Lord will drive you."

I had wondered why "byword" meant, so I looked it up in the Strong's concordance and it mentioned "'something sharp' like a jibe, taunt". Then I looked up "taunt" and it came up with: a sarcastic challenge or insult....in other words, the Lord was saying that if the people didn't follow His laws, they would end up being to other people an insult of God, which they could be sarcastic toward.

Now I think about it in my own life, I know that in 2008, I was a testimony of God's power and His saving grace, but after I left the hospital, I started slipping a bit (see the "Fat Man" blog posts) and started going down the path of living a life that was an insult to God rather than a cause for praise. And that is something that scares me...Now think about your life, are you being a praise to God by following His commands in your life or are you being an insult to Him by living your own life? What do others say when they see you, by the way that you live...does it attract them to God or does it make them be sarcastic toward God?

Look at your life now and see where you stand...it doesn't have to take a "high holy day" to do so, but look at yourself to make sure where you stand...are you on firm ground being a testimony or on shaky ground by being a byword?

9-11 ten years later

As I write this it is only a few hours away from the 11th of September. What makes this September 11th different is that it is the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the United States. We will hear all the speeches and all the opinions from different people....of how we have changed as a nation and as a people. But the question is, have we changed spiritually since 9-11?

The reason that I ask this is that the mayor of New York City has prohibited prayer at the ceremonies commemorating what happened ten years ago...Why? At the ceremonies at the National Cathedral, there are representatives from all sorts of different kinds of faiths, but none from evangelical types of faith. Again, why? We have atheists attacking a cross made of two beams from the remains of the WTC....again I ask, why?

I remember after 9-11 churches were full and people were getting closer to God because they had seen the tragedy and knew that it was not only terrorism, but evil that had attacked us and people were growing closer to the One who defeats and will defeat all evil. But now, have we forgotten this faithful Friend who sticks closer to us than a brother? Have we gotten so complacent that we forget that evil still lurks in the heart of men everywhere? Do we believe that we no longer need God? It seems that the answer is that the majority have forgotten God...for if we had not, we as a nation and a people would not be"prohibiting" ourselves from seeking Him, seeking His wisdom and His guidance.

As we remember what happened on September 11th, even if the government won't allow it "officially", let us who are His fall upon our knees and ask God to protect us from evil and to turn our hearts as a people and a nation back to Him in true revival, so that this may never happen again....

Dear Heavenly Father: I pray at this time, as we remember what happened on September 11th, that we may be reminded that this attack was part of a spiritual war and that it was the forces of the evil one who attacked. Lord, we know that You have already defeated the evil one, but we ask that our hearts may return to You and Your covering so that we give no room for the evil one to attack again. May we who are called by Your name use this opportunity to bring true revival back to the United States. In the strong and mighty name of Jesus, we ask this, Amen.

perspective on tragedy

Normally, I would be focusing on Labor Day, but there is something that I want to share that is close to my heart....as some may know we have had a severe drought here in Texas...and because of that we have had several fires break out. And fires are dangerous and tragic things, but I just found out today, that a family in our congregation has been forced from their home because of the fire.

Usually when you hear of tragedy, you think "how sad", but when it happens to someone you know; it becomes greater....in a sense to paraphrase C.S. Lewis... "Pain is God's megaphone to rouse a deaf believer"....our prayers become deeper and more intense, our desire to help becomes more purer, our focus becomes more clearer....all of these things because we genuinely see that we are not isolated from anything, but that it can happen to us and to those that we love.....

So I hope that those who are reading this on the East and went through Irene, those of us here in the Southwest are going through the fires, that if we know someone that has been affected by either, that we who are their friends can have ourselves motivated to help in one way or another, so that we can be Jesus to them and that they can see that He is there, even in the midst of tragedy....

Where have I seen this before?

The above question is usually asked when something happens that has happened before.....Well, while on an unrelated search for something for my message on the 27th...I came across something that verifies the old adage "Everything old is new again".....

In the book, Quotable Quotations, Lloyd Cory quotes Edward Gibbon, the author of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and Gibbons gives five major reasons that caused the decline and fall of the empire:

1. An undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis for human society.
2. Higher and higher taxes, and spending public money for free bread and circuses for the populace.
3. A mad craze for pleasure, with pastimes becoming every year more exciting, brutal, and immoral.
4. Building great armaments, although the real enemy was within-the decay of individual responsibility.
5. Decay of religion-faith fading into mere form, losing touch with life and losing power to guide the people.

Now Gibbon wrote his book in the 1770's and he was talking about the Roman Empire, but if you look at the above, to some it may seem that he is talking about the 21st century West:

1. How often do we see the "traditional" family ridiculed today? In countries like Germany and Sweden, prosecution comes against those who try to homeschool their children and in Sweden's case, they have even taken a child away from their parents to be raised by the state. We see marriage reduced to two people who love each other; no matter the persuasion.
2. We see our taxes raised and raised almost yearly and where does it go? Welfare, social security, programs for art and culture; etc...(and woe to the politican who tries to take a stand against lowering the benefits) and many have gotten addicted to these governmental benefits, making no effort whatsoever to free themselves from the addiction....
3. Need more evidence....watch your televison sets and see what the programming offers; go to the movies (If you saw the blog entry "Darker?" http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2011/07/darker.html, then you know I'm talking about)...Would we have even tolerated a "Jersey Shore", "Desperate Housewives", etc....a generation ago???
4. Some liberals may say "yea" about the armaments, but how about taking care of things in society, like gangs, abortion, homelessness, drugs, etc.... and I'm not talking about spending money on them, but taking care of them BEFORE they even happen???
5. And the church? Is it still the church? What is eminiating from the pulpits....I wrote earlier about the teaching that I recieved growing up in the church http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2011/07/solid-thought.html; is it still being taught? Or have we become a oasis for people to come and feel good about themselves and be entertained.....Do we remember as Chuck Colson has said: "The role of the church is not to make men and women happy, it is to make them holy"? Do we preach Jesus as Savior who died for our sins or are we afraid to offend?

We all know how the Roman empire ended...being swallowed by the barbarians,...if we don't change what kind of barbarians will swallow us up? Will it be the "muslim barbarians", the "chinese barbarians", the "secular barbarians"? If we don't turn around, future generations may study us the same way we did the Romans and wonder "Where have I seen this before?"

Darker?

I had planned on doing a post on my spiritual birthday (which is today-31 years!), but then I saw something that grabbed my interest....it was an article on AOL that asked the question: ""What's Hollywood Trying to Tell Us?" about the summer movies now becoming "darker"....and it got me to thinking....maybe it's not the movies that have gotten "darker", but the people behind the movies that have become that way...and that the movies are just a reflection of their darker attitude....

You see...the darker attitude that I talk about comes about with the rejection of the Truth, which brings true satisfaction and peace into people's lives...and when that happens; people look for something to fill the void...such as sex, alcohol, drugs, etc....and the problem is that usually those things both don't fill the void and end up destroying the person.....and in those cases where the person is not destroyed; they still feel empty no matter how "happy" they feel and look on the outside. So what happens then? They then try go "harder" and "darker" in order to fill that need, the problem...the further away you get from the Truth the emptier you become and those "harder" and "darker" things don't satisfy and the vicious cycle begins again....The other thing that happens is that a "callous" starts to form, keeping  them from the Truth and rejecting it in every form.....

The cycle continues until one of two things happen, total destruction that is beyond repair or the callous gets ripped off and the person comes to the truth.....But what is true of a person who goes through this cycle is true of a nation...If you notice in the 1960's we decided to reject the Truth in many different ways....and decided to "experiment" with many different things to try to give us a feeling of euphoria and feeling of peace....However if you look at the results of said "experiments", they have failed and we are reaping the results of those failures....So what did we do? We fulfilled a saying that I grew up with: "What one generation allows in moderation, the next excuses in excess"....

The things that "satisfied" in the 1960's didn't "satisfy" the people of the 80's, so they decided to go further in their "experimentation"....and now we are reaping the results of those failures, and the "callous" started to form against the Word, Truth, etc...(of course, we [believers & the church] didn't help when our focus started going toward being entertained, our leaders got involved in financial and sexual scandals, etc....) And now the cycle continues here in the early 21st century...the things that "satisfied" in the 80's, don't do the "job" now and the time that was before the rejection of God has been ridiculed and thought of as being from "another world".....And the callous has gotten harder...anytime one tries to bring up the Truth (or "truth-lite" that is taught in a lot of churches today), they are ridiculed, called names, their intelligence is questioned, etc....(and we don't help things when we compromise with the world, teach doctrine that has nothing to do with the Word [thinking of a congregation in Kansas], etc...)

So there is going to come a time soon where one of two things are going to happen....either this country (secular and spiritual) is going to have to rip the callous off....or we are going to face total destruction....the choice is ours, which one are we going to choose?

A solid thought

Yesterday was the reunion of all of the people from the old San Antonio Bible Center (later Church) and in the midst of all the fun, revelry, and catching up, came something that was best said by Lee Patton, and that was it is getting rarer that we are having solid Biblical teaching being brought from the pulpit...and now that I look back over the past 30 years of my Christian walk, I find that in all the churches that I have been a member of, there has been one constant, and that is solid Biblical teaching being brought from the pulpit...

I don't remember any "entertainment" or "things that please itching ears" ever being brought by Richard Haynes at San Antonio Bible Church, by Pastor Diaz at Theo Avenue Baptist Church, or by Randy Shapiro at Beth Simcha....all that was brought was solid teaching brought from the Word of God. Now there may have been a difference in style of bringing the Word, but never a difference in the fact that it WAS the Word of God being taught....

And you know, thinking about it, maybe it was because of these influences, that whenever I am privileged to bring the Word, that it is solid teaching that I choose to do....like I said, it may be in a different style than the men I mentioned, but when it comes down to it, what is most important is that it is the WORD that is brought forth; not my opinion or what I think people want to hear, but what the WORD says that people need to hear.

And also, had I been "entertained" or catered to, I don't really believe I would have survived 2008...I probably would have been angry at God, maybe suicidal...who knows, but because I was on a firm foundation of teaching....the winds may have blown, but I was not blown over....so thank you all who remained faithful to solid teaching!

And my advice is that if you are reading this and are not getting solid Biblical teaching....get to a place that does....so that your faith will become firm and be able to stand against the winds of change, doubt and crisis.....

Reunions

In the next two weeks or so I will be attending two reunions...on the 16th I will be attending a gathering of old friends from San Antonio Bible Church (the first church that I ever attended....has it really been 30 years????) and then on the 30th I will be attending the 20th anniversary of CBS, my current home congregation...in which we should have some of the old CBS people stopping by.....

But this is just a warm-up for the ultimate reunion, when all of us gather before the throne of Jesus and have a celebration such as never having been seen....just think of all the people that will be there and stories that we will be listening to.....from those who everyone will want to hear from, Peter, Paul, John and the other disciples, to people that we knew-in my case men like Richard Haynes (my first pastor),  Doug Kuehn, Michael Adler (who just went to be home with the Lord last week), Billy Ray Thomas, etc...

And the great thing is that unlike those other reunions, I won't have to wear a name tag so that people would remember me....we all will be known as we are known....and the other thing is that we won't have to worry about pains, bad eyesight, memory loss etc....because as it says in Revelation: "the former things (all of the stuff that we are going through now) have passed away....What joy is that!

and to get you ready for it....here is "Family Reunion" by DeGarmo and Key....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDrLhgBPxSg

being still

Last week I was on vacation, visiting my sister who was graduating from culinary school. So my parents and I drove up to DC to see her graduate and to have her come back with us. And while we were traveling through Tennessee and Virginia, we drove through some of the most wonderful country (outside of my home state of Texas) and I was pleased that we weren't rushing through it and taking time to see the majesty of God's creation.

The question that I get from that is how often do we slow down and take time to see the majesty of God's creation? First off, there is the fact that you are alive, breathing, etc...that is part of the majesty of God's creation...The fact that there is a sunrise and sunset...part of the majesty of God's creation....to those who are parents, how about your children? Part of the majesty of God's creation....

How often do we pass by the majesty of God's creation because we are so busy with our lives....every once in a while follow the advice of the Psalmist...."Be still and know that I am God" and by knowing that He is God and He created all things and keeps them in balance, shouldn't that deepen your appreciation and worship of God?

Memorial Day

This coming Monday in the United States is Memorial Day, where we honor those who have sacrificed themselves in their country's services....you know, when I was younger and Memorial Day was mentioned, I would think of older people, such as my father's uncle, who served in the Navy during the Second World War and Korea (I remember going over to his house and going through the old VFW magazines...).

But now I am the older people and when I think of Memorial Day now, I think of my brother who served in the First Gulf war and others and seeing how so many of them are YOUNGER than I am and how some of them will never even live to 1/2 of the age that I am right now....

But the same thing is in both generations, and that is the willingness to volunteer to fight for the rights of their countries and other countries that either do not or never had the freedoms that we take for granted in this country and to borrow from Lincoln...to give the last full measure of devotion.....the sacrifice of their lives.

We honor them because of this and rightfully so, but where did that desire to give their lives come from? It is very simple, it is found in the words of Jesus, who not only said these words, but would in the next day after He said them would example them in giving the last full measure of His devotion in giving His life for an entire world....Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)....the desire to give ourselves for one another comes from the example of Christ on the cross and shows that divine spark which is in each and every one of us, whether we choose to accept it or not.....

And that is what I pray that we will remember on Memorial Day....those who gave their lives for their country and for others....and the example from which it comes from....

elections and God

No- this will not be one of those blog entries where I pound political beliefs...but rather pound something spiritual.....

Saturday was the elections here in San Antonio for our mayor and city council, so I woke up at 6:45 (a little earlier than usual) and walked all the way from my house to the voting places and all the way back (actually I got there so early that I was the first one to vote in my precinct).

But on the way back, I began to think....its interesting that I got up earlier than usual to perform a civic duty (which is very important, I encourage you to vote, no matter how you lean), but how often do I get up early to do something which is not a duty, but rather a privilige;  namely spending time with God in prayer and reading His Word? 

David wrote in the Psalms "O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee." (Pslam 63:1). And we also read of Jesus.."And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.".....Now if spending time in the early part of the day praying and seeking God was important to David and to Jesus, how important is it for us to do so as well?

I remember that while in the hospital; one of the first things that I would do is spend time in the word and I believe that is one of the things that would allow me to get through the rest of the day, becuase I would have my mind adjusted and given a fixed focus on the relative unimportance of everything else in comparison to God.

So if you get a chance, get up early and seek after God in prayer and in His Word....it is a choice more important than any political ballot you may fill out......

Mother's Day

Last  year, I wrote about my mother....http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2010/05/mom.html

But I ask....how is your relationship with your mother? How do you remember her? One of the great things that I have seen this week on Facebook is how many of my friends there are putting pictures of their mothers on their profile page. That shows me how many of them had a close relationship with their mothers and remember all that they did for them.

And how about grandmothers and (in my mother's case) great-grandmothers....? To be able to share what they have learned and the experiences that they went through; sharing them to be able to help their sons and daughters raise their children.....

Being a mother is the hardest job that I can think of and they do it all alone in most cases....so let's appreciate and remember our mothers not only today, but every day!

National Day of Prayer

Today is the National Day of Prayer here in the United States....and while many of us have been or will be on our knees today...there are some who mock, ridicule or don't believe in prayer; deciding to trust in reason....well, I just thought I would provide a link to an earlier blog entry to let people know what I think about "reason".....

http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2010/04/no-reason-at-all.html

Yom Hashoah

This evening marks Yom HaShoah...Holocaust Remembrance Day...actually my friend Chad Elliott says it better than I can in his blog entry..http://chadelliott.wordpress.com/2011/05/01/never-forget/

The key word however is Remembrance "to remember"...Remembring gives us the opportunity to teach the next generation of the things that happened, of the lessons learned, of testimonies of friends and loved ones...it helps us to combat the naysayers with proof of the things that happened, it helps us to keep the memories of loved ones alive, so that they never really die....

So on this day of remembrance, I encourage you to visit a Holocaust museum (if there is one near you) or go online and learn of these things so that the words "NEVER AGAIN" will not just be a slogan, but  something that will be part of your life....

Resurrection Sunday message at 1:30 a.m.

Last night, there was a party going on....one of those last until 2:00 a.m., loud music, loud people, etc...type of parties that I absolutely detest with every fiber of my being....And as annoying as those parties are on normal weekends, this one touched my "Pharisee" side because it was this weekend, the weekend that we remember the resurrection of the Lord. And the reason I say it touched the "Pharisee" side of me because I was thinking..."Don't you know what this weekend is? Why are you celebrating with loud parties and drinking?"

But then something happened that can only come from the Lord, because it happened at 1:30 a.m. in the morning, right when I was getting ready to finally fall asleep with pillows covering my ears....the pillows may have been covering my ears and shutting out the noise from outside, but it didn't shut out the still small voice of God.

He spoke to me in two ways....First, He reminded me that they probably didn't know the Lord, even if it were a "holy weekend"; they still were in their "normal" unsaved state and don't know Him....and then 2nd and the shot to my "Phariseeism"...the question was: "Yes, you know what today is about, but what are YOU doing about it? Are you sharing it with those unsaved people? Are you being joyous in spite of the loudness by knowing that you have eternal life with God? Are you praying for them that they will come to know Jesus as Savior? Is your heart broken that they don't know me?".....

So while I am still annoyed at the parties that go on and "disturb my sleep", I think the Lord has shown me how to turn lemons into lemonade by turning that which annoys me into something that can be used for spiritual motivation......

Earth day vs Good Friday

I had planned on writing a post on a little talked aspect of the Resurrection, but then something has caught my eye.....

Today on the calendar is "Earth Day"...where everyone "celebrates" the earth and tries to propagandize us into conserving and re-cycling and saving the planet for future generations. While I believe in conserving and being a proper steward of the resources that God has given to us, there is something that is worth saving more than the earth.....

And that is what is also being noted today....the day that is called "Good Friday"...what is so good about the crucifixion of one who was innocent and taught such wonderful things you may ask...? Very simple, it is the culmination of the plan God had to redeem mankind from the time Adam sinned in the Garden. Jesus even talked about it when He was talking with Nicodemus in John chapter 3....

When Jesus said in verse 16 (the verse many of us are familiar with): "For God so loved the world..."; he was not talking about the planet but rather the people on that planet that He created; that is why "He sent his only begotten son, that whosoever (you and me) believes in Him should not perish (die by being separated from God forever), but have everlasting life (life together with God forever)." That is what gave me hope in the hospital...that is what comforted me at the funeral of my friend Felix; that is what we should celebrate today....because while the earth eventually one day will perish...the life that we have together will never perish!

clean, clean, clean

In a few days Passover will begin...and one of the things that takes place is that the house is cleaned and all leaven(items with yeast)products are removed from the house...

When we take of the Lord's supper we are encouraged to " let a man examine himself, and then let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. (1 Cornithians 11:28)" and the word "examine" in the Greek means "to throughly examine"....in other words, to throughly examine himself before they took of the Lord's supper......

But the emphasis in both is the sense of being clean.....In the Bible, leaven was a symbol of sin and impurity, therefore it was to be removed so that the house would be cleaned and worthy of celebrating the Passover Seder.....And when we take of the Lord's supper, it is the same, the reason we need to throughly examine ourselves is to make sure that we are clean and that we are worthy of taking of the body and blood of the Lord...in the next verses of 1 Corninthans 11, Paul warns of the consequences of what happens when one doesn't examine himself and partakes of the Lord's supper.

I remember well the emphasis on cleanliness while I was in the hospital...people who had illnesses couldn't come in to visit me and I remember there were times where people had to come in with masks and robes because I had an illness that the doctors and others didn't want me to give to others....

Now if the doctors and others would take care to make sure that everything was clean and making sure that disease didn't spread...what about us? Are we making sure that we are clean, getting rid of all the things that are not of God in our lives? We have to remember that things that we have in our lives that are not of God can spread to other people and infect them as well; things like bad attitudes, gossiping, etc...

So if we are to be children of God and examples of Him to other people, we have to make sure that we have that we are the best ones possible. So each day, let us take a spiritual "bath" by examining ourselves against the Scriptures to make sure that we are clean, being a fresh aroma to others, not a garbage heap.....

warning

You know, it's interesting what the Lord puts on my mind when I am at the DGD (for those who are new that is the Diabetes and Glandular Disease Clinic)...for my check-up...maybe it was because of the fact that I hadn't done as much for my health as I should, or for another reason, but the following verse came to mind:

James 4:17 (Complete Jewish Bible) "So then, anyone who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it is committing a sin".

So often, we hear about the things that we should not be doing that we forget that there are things that we ARE supposed to be doing. God plainly commands us through His word with commandment after commandment of how we are to be as believers...and yet for whatever reason we choose NOT to do them? How crazy is that?

And lest we think that it is "no big deal" comes this verse that comes directly from the mouth of God...that if we fail to do His commandments, it is SIN! Samuel, when he confronted Saul, said the same thing:

1 Samuel 15:22b-23a (Complete Jewish Bible): "Surely obeying is better than sacrifice, and heeding orders than the fat of rams. For rebellion (failing to obey) is like the sin of sorcery (some translations may have "witchcraft") and stubborness (wanting to do things our way) like the crime of idolatry." (Side note: I love the way in the CJB the word sin is rendered "crime" because when we do something against the Lord isn't it like committing a crime, and crime has to be punished...)

So before we start condeming others for their sins of commission, let's make sure that we aren't committing the crimes of omission.....that is why Paul tells us that before we take of the body and blood of the Lord, "let a person examine (in the Greek, the meaning was "thoroughly examine")  himself first" (1 Corninthians 11:28).

Diabetes testing

As one who suffers from diabetes and has had to make some changes to his life, just want you as a reader to make sure that you are safe, so if it possible go to this link and take the test to see if you are at risk for this disease.....

http://stopdiabetes.diabetes.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SD_homepage

It is better to take time out now and check yourself out and prevent disease than have to fix yourself after the disease has broken out....

A thought on the third anniversary

Today is the 3rd anniversary of when my appendix burst, the day that I almost died (because I see on the Aetna insurance papers that I downloaded the words "Heart Failure" which is usually one step before they do the "pronounce the time of death" and put the toe tag on you). But the question one may ask is why....why were you kept alive?

And the answer came to me from above when I was sharing my testimony yesterday....and it was so simple.....

TO MAKE CHRIST KNOWN!!!!

By being kept alive, it is an opportunity to share the Gospel with those who don't know Christ (making Christ known), to be a testimony to others (making Christ known), to let others know that there is healing (making Christ known)....others may argue "What about the doctors, etc...?" Let me give you a word from Dr. John Metersky...the surgeon who performed the operations on me. He told me once that he had never seen anyone as messed up as I was...When the doctors admit that and yet I am still here, it is not medicine, but God....

So to my brothers and sisters in Christ, I ask the following question....How are you making Christ known? It may not have to deal with a big testimony or a major miracle...it can be in the ordinary everyday way you live your life, raise your children, do your job, etc....Are you making Christ known to neighbors, co-workers, friends, etc....If not, start doing so today!

seatbelt warnings and the Holy Spirit

Just this Saturday, I had the opportunity to spend some time with our congregational leader Randy Shapiro. It was a wonderful time of food and fellowship, something that I don't get to do as much as I should. There was one thing, though that struck me as funny/thoughtful and that was the warning sound that was made when the seat belt was not put on.

Now the seat belt sound was a warning to put something on that could save your life and make sure that nothing happened to you. That is what seat belts were designed to do. Who knows how many lives would have been saved if people would just take a few seconds out of their time to put on a seat belt?

Well spiritually we have the same kind of thing that gives us a warning. It is called the Holy Spirit...the third person of the Trinity. What the Spirit does is gives us warnings that could save our lives spiritually and make sure that nothing happens to us. He reminds us that we are in a war and we need to put our armor given to us by God (Ephesians 6:10-18), reminds us when we going the wrong direction (John 16:7-11), gives us direction from God (John 14:26). The key, however is for us to take time and take heed to what the Spirit is trying to tell us.

Who knows how many lives spiritually speaking would be saved if people to listen to the Holy Spirit and would just take time to make the adjustments that He directs? So when you hear the "warning sound" of the Holy Spirit, pay attention! It could just save your life!

giving notes of thanks

Sometimes you have a problem about not having enough things to write about....in my case today, I had too many---there were about three or four ideas for blog posts to write about. But at about 8:30 this evening, I had my mind made up for me. On Sunday is the third anniversary of my appendix blowing out, and I wanted to write a note of appreciation to the surgeon who God used...Dr. John Metersky.

But while I was writing my card expressing my gratitude toward him, God also prompted me to write a note of appreciation to the folks over at Lifecare Hospital, who were the ones who handled my long-term care. Dr. Flores who was on staff at the time; showed graciousness and compassion and was a ray of sunshine every time she came in. The nursing staff also was gracious not only to me, but also to my parents as well. And the most important group there was the PT group (led by Charles Robinson) who got me back on my feet and out the door....

But the question remains...how often do we write, phone, e-mail (whatever form of communication you use) the people that God has used in your life? In October, I wrote a blog entry (http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2010/10/not-forgotten-man.html) about the pastor that God used to bring me to where I could hear the Gospel and believe in Jesus as my Savior. But there are so many more:
-my uncle Jesse Gonzalez, who said "Yes" to God's vision in seeing his in-laws coming to know Jesus as Savior
-Dale Daffin, who was the one who shared the Gospel with me....
-Jim Eng, who was my first youth pastor
-Jonathan Godsey, who as minister to the children at SABC, allowed me to bring object lessons, which was my first experience at teaching...
-to those at Theo Avenue Baptist Church who allowed me to chance to sharpen my skills by teaching in their classes....
-and to Randy Shapiro and all those at Beth Simcha who have been gracious in allowing me to minister there as greeter, PowerPoint person, in bringing messages there, and in becoming a shammash....

So if you have had the opportunity to thank the people in your life who either led you to the Lord or allowed you to become a better believer, do so while you have the opportunity and let them know that " knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV)

sitting in the lobby

On Monday, I was at the DGD (Diabetes and Glandular Disease) clinic having my blood work done and waiting to see my nurse-practitioner Karen Scott when I was sitting in the lobby/foyer of the clinic and there was a couple of observations that was put upon my heart while I was waiting....

What being a diabetic has reminded me of:

• The need to help others-As I was in the clinic, I noticed all sorts of people walking in and out for their appointments...
• -the young and attractive
• -The elderly and those who had been through life
• -People who brought their families with them

However they all had the same affliction and the same  need...and it is the same way here in the world. We see people everyday and they have the same affliction (sin) and the same need (a Savior-someone to take care of them) and the question is to borrow from Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan....Are we like the priest and Levite who went on the other side of the road  or are we like the Samaritan who didn't care about cultures and differences, but took pity on the person and cared for the person and provided for them? There is a saying....

People will not care how much we know until they see how much we care.

Do others know how much we care, can they see Jesus who was the ultimate example of caring for others needs and afflictions? And if not, why? Have we gotten too hard of heart or too busy to care? If so, then let's slow down, lets break down that hardness and see that there is a world of people who will never know what Jesus is REALLY like until they see it in us.

• The need to take care of myself-

I have admitted in several blog entries to the war that I am fighting against "The Fat Man" (my name for my old nature) and to the fact that at times, I have actually sabotaged myself, by "aiding and abetting" the enemy, by giving in. However, there is a cost to giving in and that is eventual damage to my health leading to death. And it is the same thing spiritually...when we give in to the devil and his temptations there are costs that we may not see at the time, but the will eventually come. The damage to our spiritual health will be in listening less and less to the Father, less time in prayer and fellowship, and going back to our old lifestyle which eventually causes death.

However, if I take care of myself and get my self in shape, I can counter the effects of diabetes and live a longer life and not as much medication. It is the same spiritually, when  we take care of ourselves by being in the Word and spending time in prayer, being in fellowship with other believers who are able to help us; we are able to be stronger and counter the schemes and plans of the enemy, which leads to a longer and stronger spiritual life and not have need of "feel good" medication.

But as with everything, God doesn't dictate to us what to do, He leaves us the choice of what to do...so to borrow from Chuck Swindoll....."Choose for Yourself!"

Valentine's Day

On Monday it will be the most over-hyped day of the year....Valentine's Day. It's not that I am not a romantic, but this day overemphasizes only one type of love. And then of course, millions of dollars are spent (and made by merchants) by people to pursue this one type of love. And it starts in the school and works its way up from there.....

Now some might say "Edward, are you writing this because you didn't get a Valentine's Day card at school?" or "Are you writing this because you are 45 and single (hmmm....sounds like a TV show that was on a few years back)". No, I am writing this because there seems to be little or no mention of the best type of love that there is...

We are told that there are three types of love in the Greek:

• Eros: the kind of love of man for a woman (the one that is over-hyped)
• phileo: the kind of love that you have from a deep friendship
• and finally agape: the unselfish esteem of the object that is loved.

This final type, agape, is the one that describes the type of love that God the Father showed toward us. As it says in Romans 5:8-"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Just think about that, "while we were still sinners"! While there was nothing in us that commanded that the Creator of the universe should come down and rescue us. Christ did not have to die for us, He could have very well allowed us to be separated from Him for all eternity. Yet he chose to endure the cross to pay for the redemption of all mankind. He even did it for those; who in this age that we live in, mock Him, ridicule Him, water down His message or try to make it fit their agenda, don't believe in Him, or don't want anything to do with Him.

Just think about that, a love so great, that it is willing to lay down it's own life for someone that they don't know....and is willing to give that gift of redemption for free, if we just ask? Just think about it...free (the thought of giving something for free would make a merchant's head explode). And without great hype and commercialism....(which would make promoters and ad executives cringe).

So while you are all out there, buying your expensive perfumes, candies, etc....I hope that you make room in your heart for the one type of love that will outlast all of that stuff. The Greatest Valentine Day's gift every given: The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross to pay for our sins for all time.....

a year of bird blogging

This is not going to be a deep entry...I just noticed that this blog has turned one year old. And in that one year there has been 56 (as of this entry) entries, some viewed and responded to and some just viewed. And I have no problem with either...the one thing that I found very interesting is the fact that there were a couple of views from people in other countries.

It used to be that if I wanted to speak to other countries, I would have to either have a "pen pal" (for those of you that are younger and don't understand this term; it's when you used to write letters back and forth to a friend that was from another place) or have to run up expensive phone bills to talk to them. Now however, with the internet; I can talk with, share thoughts with, and communicate thoughts and experiences with people from not only all over the United States, but throughout the world.

So when things are used in a good way, technology and other things such as these blogs can be very beneficial to mankind in general; however it is when it is used for evil or other such excesses that it becomes a threat to humanity. It is not because of the technology, but rather the heart, mind and soul behind it that causes it to be either beneficial or harmful to mankind. That is what so many fail to understand; that even if we were to live in a perfect "Utopia", there will still be the threat of something that can destroy it, because we have never learned how to permanently tame the savage heart of man.

But notice I said "we", when I say that I mean we as humans, because we as humans can get around the programming and training used to calm us down. There is only one way to tame our savageness and that is though the sacrifice of the cross and what Jesus did for us. And in the end, when all is said and done, I hope that this blog has been a way to point to Him and His work, not only in my life, but also in the lives of others.

tribute to a friend

On Wednesday evening, my family lost a dear friend when Felix Castillo went home to be with the Lord. His testimony and what he went through was something that the Lord used; for it makes what I went through look like a bed of roses.

Felix was a up-and-coming boxer who had won the regional Golden Gloves title in 1978. He was also going to be on the United States boxing team in 1980 when President Carter boycotted the Moscow Olympic games. From there; he had gone undefeated in 22 professional bouts and was well on his way to a world title shot when he contracted lupus, which basically destroyed his career. (To learn about lupus; go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupus). At that time the doctors only gave him two months to live...however the Lord helped him to win the biggest bout of all, during that time Felix called on the Lord and was delievered out of his bed. He fought a few more times, but then decided that the work of the Lord was more important.

Was it easy for him? Not quite, he then went through a kidney transplant, left and right hip replacements and three heart attacks (things I cannot imagine going through) and yet continued to give his testimony and shared what the Lord had done through him. While he was at Theo Avenue Baptist Church, I got to know him and become somewhat of a good friend of his. And now he is home....

Whereas he may not have won a  championship"title" while here on the earth, he now has something much more valuable than that, something that can never be taken away. And while the trophies and titles may rust away, he has something of greater worth:  the presence of the Lord, a home worth more than all the mansions of titleholders combined, and a body that will never betray him or fall to any disease. Felix, may the Lord bless you on your journey Home and bless you with the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Some thoughts on the birth of a baby boy

For the second time in 9 months, I am a grand-uncle...Jacob Albert Lozano Jr. (or simply known as JJ by my sister and me) made his presence into the world at 12:13 p.m. this afternoon. As with his older sister, I have a goal that I need to get to, a goal that I stated in an earlier blog entry... (see http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2010/04/grand-uncle.html)


But seeing the newest member of my family got me to thinking about a story that was in the news last week. In that story, they arrested a man who killed babies who had survived abortions with scissors. This article just sickened me to death thinking about such a thing being done. I wrote an article last year mentioning what I think about abortion  (see http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2010/01/real-date-that-will-live-in-infamy.html) and let me emphasize my point even further by mentioning that anyone who practices this procedure should no longer be called "Doctor", because they are no longer in the practice of saving lives, but of ending them before they even begin.

I remember my time in the hospital and if the doctors there were as committed to death there as this man was, then I would be part of the ground of San Fernando Cemetary. If the first part of being a doctor is the phrase "First do no harm", then why is that some have decided to harm? It seems oxymoronic to me that people commit themselves to this kind of task and that others would consider unborn children "non-people" and abandon this first ideal of not doing harm....

So as I look at the picture of Jacob and see the continuing growth of Kayla,

I recommit myself to the end of this grisly practice and hope that one day when birth or adoption are the norm rather than death.....

some thoughts of what happened in Arizona

I apologize for the fact that it has been eleven days into 2011 and I have not done a entry....but I have some thoughts on what happened this weekend in Arizona....

The first thought I have is rejoicing over the continual healing of Congresswoman Giffords. Just today I am hearing the good news that she is breathing on her own. Having gone through that struggle in 2008 (and needing a tracheotomy to help breathe); I can only say that it is so wonderful that he is breathing and is recovering step by step. I can only imagine what her family is going through, it is probably the same struggles that my family went through. If so, I pray that people will come and stand by her family's side and support them in whatever way they can.

The second thought is about the prejudice that many have shown in this matter. For years we have screamed about tolerance and equality and in less than a week we celebrate the life of a man who stood for true tolerance and peace. Yet it fit some to smear and label all people who stood against them even before all the facts were in. Have we strayed so far from Dr. King's ideals that we no longer recognize them?

Third thought...as bad as those on one side are, those on the other are just as guilty and by that I mean Westboro "Baptist" "Church"...I cannot believe that you will use the funeral of a NINE year old girl to publicize your agenda...I have written about them before- http://1ncisfan.blogspot.com/2010/04/support-snyders.html -and cannot comprehend how those who claim the name of Jesus can act in such a un-Christlike manner...Do they think that when they stand before the judgement seat  that the Lord will approve of the actions that they have performed? I don't think so, I actually think that the Lord will condemn them the same way He did the Pharisees. It is time for these people to use the items that the Lord has given (a brain and common sense) and realize that what they are doing is keeping people away from the Kingdom.

There is a song that says "Clowns to left of me, Jokers to the right...Here I am stuck in the middle with you".....after seeing the last few days I think that is where I am finding myself today...but hopefully that middle is where I am closest to God and if not, I pray that He may give me the wisdom to know which way to move.....