Arrogance

From My Perspective - - - -

One has to wonder at times whether or not the USA is losing its way. There seems to be a growing absence of logic in thought and proclamation, whereas there is a more evident bloviation (one who discourses at length in a pompous or boastful manner) and reaction response (counter-point) present on-stage every day. One of the candidates for the Presidency personifies what it means to be pompous and arrogant. His supporters would say it is “confidence” but the casual observer would disagree. In a June 26^th, 2008 article in the Wall Street Journal, Karl Rove writes the following: “It's All About Obama - Many candidates have measured the Oval Office drapes prematurely. But Barack Obama is the first to redesign the presidential seal before the election. His seal featured an eagle emblazoned with his logo, and included a Latin version of his campaign slogan. This was an attempt by Sen. Obama to make himself appear more presidential…" Also - "Consider his treatment of Jeremiah Wright. After Rev. Wright repeated his anti-American slurs at the National Press Club, Mr. Obama said their relationship was forever changed – but not because of what he'd said about America. Instead, Mr. Obama complained: I don't think he showed much concern for me.”

However, it’s not just in the Political Arena where arrogance and pomposity is present. Consider this appeal reported in the Boortz Report: “In May an illegal alien by the name of Joel Sanchez-Jacobo was found guilty on two counts of aggravated murder and one count for soliciting two murders. In other words ... this illegal alien came into this country and got involved in drugs and murdered people as a result. Now Joel Sanchez-Jacobo is complaining that his constitutional rights have been violated…Through an interpreter, Sanchez-Jacobo told the judge that the only reason he is on trial is because "the American justice system has failed to protect my rights." He claims he was denied his right to an impartial jury because Mexican-Americans were excluded from the jury. He also cited violations to his constitutional rights to due process, a fair trial, his right to testify on his own behalf and a full disclosure of information to be presented in court. And finally, his right to counsel was violated because the government appointed attorneys didn't speak Spanish. And if that isn't bad enough, he complained that the jail's law library books weren't written in Spanish, therefore he couldn't do his own legal research…After presenting this information to the judge, Sanchez-Jacobo was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole for the first murder and life in prison with a minimum of 25 years for the second murder…”

And someone wrote this letter expressing frustration with the system by which redistribution of money takes place regularly in this nation. He writes: “Like a lot of folks in this state, I have a job. I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to get that paycheck, I am required to pass a random urine test with which I have no problem. What I do have a problem with is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass a urine test. Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare check because I have to pass one to earn it for them? Can you imagine how much money the state would save if people had to pass this test in order to get a public assistance check?”

In Jeremiah 9:23-24, we read: “Thus says the Lord - Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” Love, Justice and Righteousness in the land – where can we look for it? Where will we find it? The context of Jeremiah 9 indicates it is not in an outward action of the flesh but through an inner yieldedness of one’s heart to the Lord God. Anything less than that perpetuates the Pomposity and Arrogance that is on display in our culture.

Think about this with me - - - -

Bankruptcy

From My Perspective - - -

In current times, the number of both Foreclosures and Bankruptcies has been steadily rising. To be Bankrupt means: “(Law) A debtor that, upon voluntary petition or one invoked by the debtor's creditors, is judged legally insolvent. The debtor's remaining property is then administered for the creditors or is distributed among them.” There are six types of bankruptcy under the Bankruptcy Code, located at Title 11 of the United States Code: (1) Chapter 7: basic liquidation for individuals and businesses; (2) Chapter 9: municipal bankruptcy; (3) Chapter 11: rehabilitation or reorganization, used primarily by business debtors, but sometimes by individuals with substantial debts and assets; (4) Chapter 12: rehabilitation for family farmers and fishermen; (5) Chapter 13: rehabilitation with a payment plan for individuals with a regular source of income; (6) Chapter 15: ancillary and other international cases. The most common types of personal bankruptcy for individuals are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. (As much as 65% of all U.S. consumer bankruptcy filings are of the Chapter 7 variety.) Corporations and other business forms often file under Chapter 7 or Chapter 11.

If you are the Federal Government, how would you view the condition of Bankruptcy? The solution is simple: (1) print more money (which devalues the dollar in world markets); or (2) increase the National Debt Level (let those who govern in the future pay the Debts being accrued today). Interestingly, this is what the Congress of the United States has just enacted. Housing Legislation was passed that proposes to do some of the following: “The legislation…aims to spare an estimated 400,000 debt-strapped homeowners, many of whom owe more their houses are worth, from foreclosure by allowing them to get more affordable mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration. The FHA could insure $300 billion in such mortgages (Banks would first have to agree to take a large loss on the existing loans in exchange for avoiding an often-costly foreclosure)…The Treasury Department gains unlimited power, until the end of 2009, to lend money to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or buy their stock should they need it… Democratic leaders, recognizing that the measure could be one of the last items to become law during what's left of their abbreviated election-year schedule, tacked on an $800 billion increase, to $10.6 trillion, in the statutory limit on the national debt.

The nation will now have a National Debt of almost Eleven (11) Trillion Dollars. To understand what One Trillion is equivalent to, “If you had gone into business on the day Jesus was born, and your business lost a million dollars a day, day in and day out, 365 days a year, it would have taken you until October 2737 to lose a trillion dollars.” Our Government (US Senate) increased the nation’s debt by almost One Trillion Dollars this past Saturday. Our current Total Income Taxes cannot service the Interest on the National Debt. Our nation is fiscally Bankrupt!

The Word of God warns about carelessness with ones finances: Proverbs 22:26-27, “Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should your bed be taken from under you?” And then, the rhetorical questions in Proverbs 6:9-11, “How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” As tritely as it may sound, if one wants to be totally responsible and fully blest by God, there are certain Financial Factors one needs to have in place: (1) Tithe no less than 10% of one’s Gross Income on a regular basis; (2) Save 10% of the Gross Income in an Interest Bearing Account in an FDIC Bank; (3) Budget the Balance of the Income in a regimented and frugal way for housing, utilities, food, medical, transportation, et. (And try NOT to exceed the designated amounts); (4) care for the genuinely poor and needy in a charitable manner (invite them to share a meal in your home; or bring them a meal rather then send them to a restaurant – this is called in Scripture: “Show Hospitality!)…

Think about this with me - - -

Second Chances

From My Perspective - - -

What if there was no such thing as second chances? What if we had to have it right from the beginning and there was no room for error? How many of us would survive? How many of us would be doing what we are doing today? Have we ever had a second chance? I would like to think there are certain things that are operative. It is chilling and sobering to read in Ecclesiastes 7:20, “…there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” This indicates that all of us in one way or another exhibit inconsistencies, foibles, and failures. When that occurs, I hope there are those who would come alongside and lift up the fallen; show compassion to the one who has floundered and failed; encourage the one who has faltered - and show that God’s Grace is able to enfold such a one and grant a second-chance.

Sometimes there are mitigating circumstances that were never part of ones psyche or goal – “stuff” just happened – insufficient skill; lack of funds; no support group; no accountability; strong-will; a determination of “my way or no way”; etc. Sometimes it’s just plain stubbornness and/or stupidity. It’s always good to know what one does not know! Life’s journey should not just be an on-going experiment – there ought to be achievable and realistic goals, as well as a sense of accomplishment and accountability. We need more men like the servant Barnabas who was willing to run the risk of reaching out and attempting to help those who were suspect, and some who had failed. Barnabas is known as “the man of encouragement” – the man who came alongside Saul of Tarsus to get him on the right track; and who later would take John Mark and help shape and hone his life so he would be more useful for ministry.

If the Lord God operated the way we sometimes do, no one would have a second-chance. We would zap them all! After all – they didn’t do it “our way”; or they were disgustingly human and failed! It’s so easy to set standards for others and to measure people by a standard before which we ourselves falter and fail. I think of King David and the odyssey of his life. The Bible states he was “a man after God’s own heart” and that he and his heirs would reign over God’s people. And yet – David failed miserably! By our standards, he would be finished! We’d say – “you had your chance and you blew it – now you’re done!” I love these phrases in II Peter 3:9 (The Message), “God isn't late with his promise…He is restraining himself on account of you…He's giving everyone space and time to change.” The words – “space and time to change” are like music to ones ears. There is the potential and possibility of a new day and new opportunity. God has given me opportunity to learn from my past inconsistencies, foibles, failures. Just as Jesus said to those whom he called to be disciples – “I will make you…” – he is still remaking and remolding and recycling those who have stumbled and fallen. I’m thankful for the second chances extended to me.

Someone shared the following thoughts with me: “Seeing how God has humbled a man though his first experience…and how this man has reacted by God’s grace - having learned fundamental lessons en route, I think that he is a much safer choice (for ministry) than someone who is untried. Ministry is not for sissies or those who are full of themselves; it is tough and requires full dependence on God’s grace in humility.” It’s difficult to have a second chance. Some love to hold another down and measure that one only by a past failure. It behooves us to reach out to those who have tried and failed – and especially to those who have learned valuable lessons as a result – and grant them an opportunity to be restored and to have a second chance. In 1 Corinthians 15:9-10, Paul shares these brief words of testimony: “For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God (a second chance) that is with me.” Second Chances – we’ve all had them; we all need them!

Think about this with me - - -

Family Matters Matter

From My Perspective - - -

Every older generation looks at the current generation with considerable subjectivity, namely, “what’s happening with the youth of today…we never got away with that…etc.” Maybe we need to become more introspective and ask why we haven’t been a positive, assertive and responsible example to the children we birthed and are in process of shaping.

A recently published book: Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World, copyright 2008 by Jill Rigby states some ways children can be raised today to prevent them from becoming self-absorbed and self-centered. Here's how you can raise unselfish children in a self-absorbed world:
REPLACE A MIRROR WITH A WINDOW. Help your kids see beyond themselves to other people….Aim to raise your kids to become selfless adults who function well in the world because they have self-respect, rather than self-absorbed adults who can't function well because they feel entitled…
TAKE A HARD LOOK AT YOURSELF. You're an important role model for your children. Honestly evaluate in what ways your own lifestyle is either selfish or selfless….
ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND MAKE A PLAN. Take full responsibility for your parenting so far -- and how that has affected your kids -- instead of blaming others like your children's friends, teachers, or neighbors; the media; or society…
TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR KIDS. Realize that children need parents who make decisions for them until they're mature enough to make decisions for themselves…
MEET ALL OF YOUR CHILDREN'S NEEDS, BUT NOT ALL OF THEIR DESIRES. Refuse to overindulge your kids in ways like: doing for your kids what they can do for themselves, buying them too much stuff, not expecting them to do chores, not having clear rules…etc.
ENCOURAGE YOUR KIDS TO PLACE THEIR CONFIDENCE IN GOD RATHER THAN IN THEMSELVES. Help your kids know who they are and Whose they are, learn not to think more highly of themselves than they should, choose to be obedient to God regardless of what it costs them…
CULTIVATE COMPASSION IN YOUR CHILDREN. Fill your kids' hearts with love so that, secure in the knowledge that they are loved themselves, they'll be able to love other people…Help your children learn to look at situations from other people's viewpoints. Teach them to love others. Practice hospitality,,,
BUILD FAMILY TOGETHERNESS. Strengthen your family's relationships to help your kids increase their sense of security, which will give them the confidence to reach out to others in love. Let them learn from their experiences in your family -- through good and bad -- that love is choice rather than just a feeling…
HELP YOUR KIDS LEARN HOW TO FORGIVE. Teach your children how to show remorse, repent, and apologize to others they've wronged. Forgive your kids when they do wrong. Forgive others when they offend you. Ask your kids for forgiveness when you wrong them.
CULTIVATE GENEROSITY AND GRATITUDE. Help your kids learn how to live with open hands and open hearts by giving them plenty of opportunities to give to others. Nurture gratitude in your children…
GIVE YOUR CHILDREN OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY. Incorporate community service into your lifestyle on a regular basis…Consider participating in projects like: hosting a neighborhood Bible club, collecting and delivering needed items for a homeless shelter, visiting elderly people in your area who have difficulty getting out…
PARENT WITH ETERNITY IN VIEW. Remember that it's not your job to make your kids happy, but it is your job to point them to the One who can make them holy.

Proverbs 22:6 [NLT] is central and vital: You must “Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it.” Training up of a child is an adult decision! Be involved in this teaching process and leave a godly imprint in the child’s life. Don’t rationalize or compromise - Just Do It!

Think about this with me - - -

Budget-Busting

From My Perspective - - -

USA Today projected a financial reality in October, 2004 as it pertains to 2008. The authors, Dennis Cauchon and John Waggoner stated the following: “The long-term economic health of the United States is threatened by $53 trillion in government debts and liabilities that…come due…when baby boomers begin to retire. The ‘Greatest Generation’ and its baby-boom children have promised themselves benefits unprecedented in size and scope. Many leading economists say that even the world's most prosperous economy cannot fulfill these promises without a crushing increase in taxes — and perhaps not even then. A USA TODAY analysis found that the nation's hidden debt — Americans' obligation today as taxpayers — is more than five times the $9.5 trillion they owe on mortgages, car loans, credit cards and other personal debt. This hidden debt equals $473,456 per household, dwarfing the $84,454 each household owes in personal debt….”

This projection is frightening when one considers the Mortgage and Investment Meltdown occurring in the markets. Escalating Food and Fuel Costs are only the tip of the iceberg. Some banks are closing and people have been lined up to withdraw their funds. Uncertainty will always stir a measure of panic. There is an interesting presentation by Steve Scalici who is a Certified Financial Planner. He highlights some unexpected events of the past decade that result in economic uncertainty…

• 2000 -- Tech bubble bursts in March, 2000
• 2001 -- World Trade Center attacks on 9/11.
• 2002 -- Enron, Arthur Andersen, Tyco, Qwest, Global Crossing, ImClone, and Adelphia-- hiding debt and misrepresenting earnings
• 2003 -- War waged by the U.S. and Britain against Iraq begins; North Korea withdraws from treaty on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons
• 2004 -- Spain rocked by terrorist attacks; UN Atomic Energy Agency tells Iran to stop enriching uranium
• 2005 -- Hurricane Katrina; Rising interest rates
• 2006 -- Political corruption scandals; Interest rates rise; Housing market starts to slump
• 2007 -- Housing market meltdown
• 2008 -- Credit crisis hits financial sector, oil prices drastically rise…

Steve Scalici goes on to state some principles of personal management that should see most people through the various crises that may arise…”. I have found that there are five basic principles that you can apply that work in any economic environment – (1) Spend Less Than You Earn; (2) Avoid The Use Of Debt; (3) Save Money For Provisional Purposes; (4) Set Long-Term Goals; and (5) Believe That God Owns It All. He also shares some basic Biblical Principles and Guidelines: Proverbs 6:6-8, “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” A basic truism is found in Proverbs 22:7, “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”

Many years ago, someone stated: “If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall.” One would be wise to follow the Biblical principles of stewardship. At the end of the day – if these principles are embraced and implemented – one should be able to identify with The Psalmist and echo his words in Psalm 37:25-29, I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing…For the Lord… will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever…The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.” God is always faithful – He can and will do this for you.

Think about this with me - - -

Monuments To Me

From My Perspective - - -

We are witnessing an interesting phenomenon today in the political arena, namely, the public persona of one candidate for the office of President of the United States. It is sometimes near cultic dimensions in terms of the response. It causes one to ponder the degree to which this becomes egocentric (having little or no regard for interests, beliefs, or attitudes other than one's own) and/or narcissistic (inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity. In Psychoanalysis, narcissism means erotic gratification derived from admiration of one's own physical or mental attributes, being a normal condition at the infantile level of personality development). Could it be that we are allowing ourselves to be duped by personality rather than informed and persuaded based upon content?

In today’s issue of The Wall Street Journal Online, John Fund has a column entitled: “Congress's Edifice Complex”. It lists some of the political figures who secure earmark funds so buildings can be named for them in their districts. For instance, he mentions: “Now it seems almost every committee chairman gets some "Monument to Me" named after himself with the tab going to the taxpayer. There's a navigation lock in Pennsylvania named after Rep. C.W. "Bill" Young, the former GOP chair of the House Appropriations Committee. He represents St. Petersburg, Fla. -- his only connection to Pennsylvania is that he happened to be born there…. Indeed, the NIH campus is replete with monuments to the congressional patrons who shoveled cash to it. Buildings there honor still-living pols such as Mark Hatfield, Louis Stokes and Lowell Weicker. Attempts in 2006 to have the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta name its "Global Communications Center" after Sen. Tom Harkin (D., Iowa) and its operations center after Sen. Arlen Specter (R., Pa.) were blocked at the last minute by Congressional grinches such as Jeff Flake (R., Ariz.) and John Campbell (R., Calif.)… If longevity in Congress is linked to the number of projects named after a living member, the Immortality Prize clearly goes to Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia. John Stossel of ABC News found the Democrat's name attached to three dozen taxpayer-funded entities in his state, including a highway interchange, education and technology centers and even a telescope… Indeed, Mr. Byrd is unrepentant, telling Congress in 2001: "Pork has been a good investment in West Virginia, if you look around and see what I have done." Taxpayers for Common Sense notes it's easy for him to say that when he's spending other people's money, and asks what's next: rechristening the state "West 'Byrd'ginia?"…”

The amazing thing is that as appalled as we say we are about this type of spending, we still elect these same people to continue their extravagant and narcissistic ways – which the taxpayer is funding! And now, there is an apparent stampede toward a person who is totally inexperienced at worst and basically elitist at best. We are caught up in the web that is being woven…

We can easily critique the political arena and project outwardly but what would we discover if we were to critique ourselves spiritually and project inwardly? It would be good if we found a good measure of humility and some degree of self-abasement. One is reminded of the focus and commitment of The Apostle Paul when he wrote in Philippians 3:7-8 [The Message], “The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash - along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant - garbage. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ…” It would be good if this was our persuasion and motivation. The theme of our lives being the words of a Hymn – “Not I But Christ, be honored, loved, exalted; Not I, but Christ, be seen be known, be heard; Not I, but Christ, in every look and action, Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.”

Think about this with me - - -

Flip-Flops

From My Perspective - - -

In both political and religious circles, we hear the similar designation of one being either Liberal or Conservative (there are other designations such as Libertarian. Moderate, etc.). In the religious circle one can be a Denomination affiliate (Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterian, etc.). And within that generally defined circle, one can be an Arminian or Calvinist; Charismatic, Holiness, etc. There are so many refinements to “Who” we are and “What” we believe that a clear identity is blurred at best.

When Abraham Lincoln wanted to clarify political issues and camps, he stated: “But you say you are conservative - eminently conservative - while we are revolutionary, destructive, or something of the sort. What is conservatism? Is it not adherence to the old and tried, against the new and untried? We stick to, contend for, the identical old policy on the point in controversy which was adopted by “our fathers who framed the Government under which we live;" while you with one accord reject, and scout, and spit upon that old policy, and insist upon substituting something new. True, you disagree among yourselves as to what that substitute shall be. You are divided on new propositions and plans, but you are unanimous in rejecting and denouncing the old policy of the fathers.” Abraham Lincoln drew the line of sharp distinction clearly. No vagueness! No blurring of identities! Too much was/is at stake for vagueness and vacillation!

In the current political debate, there is the suggestion and accusation regarding one candidate or another “flip-flopping”! One who “flip-flops” can mean many things, but the intention of the charge is to have one believe about another candidate that he/she is: “making a sudden or unexpected reversal, as of direction, belief, attitude, or policy; to execute a backward somersault.” Is it possible that political candidates would succumb to such an action in an attempt to deceive you and to secure your vote? Say it isn’t so (a lot of tongue in cheek here)! Only the naïve would be duped! There is no way that a candidate who is known to have the most liberal voting record up to this point would suddenly have a conversion experience to become a Moderate/Conservative.

There is a fascinating Biblical passage – II Peter 2:17-22 – that describes the possible state of many political types (and religious ones as well). Peter writes: “These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity…If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: A dog returns to its vomit, and, A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”

Gullibility and Naiveté should not be ones DNA. We are to give prayerful thought to (a) what the Word of God requires of us, and (b) make consistent application of it in all areas and arenas of ones life. Flip-Flopping should be far removed from any person of character and integrity. Abraham Lincoln framed the issue correctly when he asked: “Is it not adherence to the old and tried, against the new and untried?” Our Foundations should be forever! Tampering with the Foundations will always compromise and jeopardize the structure. Note Ephesians 2:19 through 22, “…you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Don’t tamper with or attempt to alter this foundation!

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Manipulation

From My Perspective - - -

The American Heritage Dictionary gives an apt definition for the word, Manipulation: “Shrewd or devious management, especially for one's own advantage.” This tends to be very prominent in the Political climate of our times. Some speak of it as “talking points”, whereas others indicate it is a more blatant “spin” (or intended to make one believe something is true when in fact in may contain a deliberate partial truth). We see this in professional sports and people who are professional actors. Their “handlers” publicize what they want the public to know and think. It is particularly appalling when manipulation occurs within religious groups and denominations. It is especially painful to witness and experience manipulation – the shrewd or devious management as details are blurred and a rationale for actions taken fails to conform to defined procedures and practices – rules and regulations are set aside and personal preferences are substituted.

One of the many problems with Manipulation is that it tends to be dominated by the “devious”. It was Sir Walter Scott who is credited with writing: "Oh! What a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive." Devious is defined as: “not straightforward; shifty or crooked, insincerity or deceit; evasive, indirect in departing from the accepted or proper way; misleading…” It is an effort to paint a picture that is less than accurate regarding a person, place, thing, historical event, etc. To get a sense of this, all one needs to do is read the Daily Newspaper objectively and logically (maybe even skeptically) – and it will become very obvious that opinion has replaced fact, as well as redefinition replacing historical narrative and accuracy.

We get a picture of the devious and manipulation in I Samuel 15. The Word of the Lord is clear to King Saul regarding the Amalekites, namely, “Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” It’s difficult to understand the modification Saul allows for the very clear directive: “But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction.”

Saul’s approach was not the best “spin” because he stated to Samuel: “Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” Of course, there was a twofold matter that had not entered into the calculation of Saul, namely (1) the perception of Samuel, and (2) the immediacy of evidence to the contrary. Saul’s explanation for his modification and the contraband was: “And Samuel said, What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear? Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.” The only way to deal with the “spin” and the “devious” is to do what Samuel did: “Then Samuel said to Saul, STOP! I will tell you what the Lord said to me this night.” Samuel then asks: “Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?” Saul begins to manipulate and spin: “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” Basically, Saul was told he compromised his integrity and he would no longer be King over Israel.

What a sad ending because of the devious and manipulative! What kind of tangled web have you allowed to be woven in terms of your life? Is your life lived with integrity and forthrightness? It would be best to change before it is too late!

Think about this with me - - - -

Government Regulation and Control

From My Perspective - - -

Last week, our nation celebrated the 232^nd Anniversary of its Declaration of Independence. As our nation has evolved, How “free: and how “independent” are we today? Are we a government “of the people, for the people, by the people” or have we relinquished our freedom and independence for self-gratification purposes?

In his Breakpoint Devotionals, Chuck Colson shares about a friend who was trying to develop a camp program for needy children, with this observation: “In order to proceed with the camp, numerous permits, clearances, and approvals were required by an astonishing number of government agencies. These ranged from a County Planning Commission to the state's Historical and Museum Commission to the Environmental Protection Agency to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers…My friend was required to get a permit to cross a "wetland" with a truck. This "wetland" was a damp area some 18 inches wide…In the end, the various government bodies delayed the project for two years and cost my well-meaning friend millions of dollars….This was a case-all too common today-of regulatory agencies making it almost impossible to do anything because they have overlapping jurisdictions.” Colson summarizes: “…There is a profound Christian question at stake here. Scripture says government has just two objectives: to preserve order and do justice. How did we get from that simple function to a government that requires 18 different permits before you can build a new bathroom-or expand a campground for needy, inner-city kids?...We need to work to keep government doing its right roles and no more, because if we do not, it will eventually cease to function at all.”

Someone humorously wrote about the difficulty if Noah was given the assignment to build the Ark within one year. The parody states: “…Exactly one year later…The Lord saw Noah sitting in his front yard weeping. Noah. He shouted, Where is the Ark? …I did my best but there were big problems. First, I had to get a permit for construction and your plans did not comply with the codes. I had to hire an engineering firm and redraw the plans. Then I got into a fight with OSHA over whether or not the Ark needed a fire sprinkler system and floatation devices…my neighbor objected, claiming I was violating zoning ordinances by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the city planning commission…The Fish and Wildlife Service won't let me catch any owls…The carpenters formed a union and went out on strike. I had to negotiate a settlement with the National Labor Union. Now I have 16 carpenters on the Ark, but still no owls. When I started rounding up the other animals, I got sued by an animal rights group…Just when I got the suit dismissed, the EPA notified me that I could not complete the Ark without filing an environmental impact statement on your proposed flood…Then the Army Corps of Engineer demanded a map of the proposed new flood plain…I am trying to resolve a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that I am practicing discrimination by not taking godless, unbelieving people aboard! The IRS has seized all my assets, claiming that I'm building the Ark in preparation to flee the country to avoid paying taxes. I just got a notice from the State that I owe some kind of user tax and failed to register the Ark as a 'recreational water craft.' The ACLU got the courts to issue an injunction against further construction of the Ark, saying that since God is flooding the earth, it is a religious event and therefore unconstitutional… The sky began to clear, the sun began to shine and the seas began to calm. A rainbow arched across the sky. Noah looked up hopefully - You mean you are not going to destroy the Earth, Lord? No, said the Lord sadly - The government already has!"

In the Christian Community and ministry effort, we are almost as complicated. Matthew 28:19-20 states: “Go…Make Disciples…Teach them God’s Law/Word…” It would be perhaps as difficult – or more difficult - for a William Carey, Martin Luther, Mary Slessor to be appreciated and approved for Christian endeavor today. We would still have people in the Churches who would not be engaged in the task to: “Go…Make…Teach…”

Think about this with me - - -

Danger Ahead

From My Perspective - - -

We all see warning signs every day. In some instances, those signs are so ordinary and common place that we hardly notice them any more. For instance, Railroad Crossings used to have this warning: “Stop, Look, and Listen.” We don’t have as much railway traffic as in previous years and the only thing that modifies our speed at such crossings is the uneven terrain when crossing the tracks. Another sign one often sees when driving is: “Watch Out For Falling Rocks”. I doubt anyone pays much attention to that warning of possible danger. Few slow down for Curves; many do not make a complete Full Stop at an intersection. We just don’t take Danger Warnings seriously.

Regrettably, the matter-of-fact attitude permeates our culture, and with that attitude, detachment from the realities and lurking dangers. I think of two areas in our nation currently. First, economic instability. The following report should serve as a Major Warning of Danger: “The total unfunded liabilities for Social Security and Medicare amount to $41 trillion dollars. Our government has promised $41 trillion dollars to Social Security and Medicare recipients without any plan to raise the needed money. So... just how much is a trillion? Have you ever asked for something from someone and had them reply "Just give me 5 minutes." Fine --- but what if he says "Just give me 1,000 minutes...or a million? Or a billion?" Here's the breakdown: 1000 minutes would equal just less than 17 hours. You'll get what you asked for before the day is out. 100,000 minutes would be almost 70 days. One million minutes? Look for whatever you need in just less than 2 years. One billion minutes? Try 1,900 years. One trillion minutes? Well, today is 2008. Your wishes will be fulfilled in the year 1,903,377. That's 1,901,369 years from now.” One wonders about the devalued dollar; the higher price of gasoline, the increasing costs of basic necessities – the basic truth is our outgo has greatly exceeded our income – therefore – our upkeep as a nation is leading to our downfall!

Secondly, the very considerable realities of terrorism. Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel of American Center for Law and Justice writes: “Christians are under attack. In Iran, a couple is tortured for reading the Bible. Two men are tried and convicted for possessing Christian books in Algeria. This is serious. Right now, there is a radical proposal being pushed before the United Nations that will make expressing your faith an international crime. Speak out for Christianity and you might face the death penalty. In countries around the world, Christians are under attack as never before. There are examples of a growing global crisis - Christians targeted, facing the harshest of penalties - often death. Why? For simply sharing their faith or even reading a Bible! Now, one of the largest organizations inside the United Nations has made a bold move. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) at the U.N. is pushing a dangerous resolution - making speaking out against Islam - including proclamation of Christianity - an international crime. It's an anti-Christian measure and it clearly endorses what's taking place in many Muslim countries - where those who even speak out about Islam are severely punished with imprisonment and even death. I firmly agree with Justice Scalia who said in his recent dissent on the Supreme Court ruling on Guantanamo Bay, ‘American is at war with radical Islamists’.”

Despite these very real dangers, we read in I Peter 3:14 that must learn to cope with the degrading circumstances and press onward. Peter writes: “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." No fear! No fright! We must function responsibly. We must live and model righteousness in the midst of chaos and darkness around us.

Think about this with me - - -

Is God Speaking In Nature?

From My Perspective - - -

Many of the Psalms were written by David. He was an outdoorsman – a shepherd caring for his flock of sheep – protecting them; leading them beside still waters; bringing them to verdant pastures – seeing to it that they were nourished and preserved from harm. It’s not surprising then to read in the Psalms about God’s handiwork in nature. In Psalm 8:3-9, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!” In Psalm, 19:1, David writes: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.”

I wonder what the Psalmist would write about today if he was shepherding his sheep in the United States of America. In the given news cycle, we have fires raging in the West, floods impacting mid-America, a section of our country (Louisiana) still not fully restored following the hurricane Katrina (August 2003), Levees collapsing, rising fuel and food costs, the prospect of a famine as crops have been wiped out and some food sources are being used to produce ethanol, drought conditions in the southwest and other parts of the country. Would the Psalmist remind us that God will attempt to get our attention by one means or another. If we ignore His Word and His Gospel, will conditions be permitted to deteriorate until we cry out to Him in repentance on the one hand, and seeking His face on the other?

Max Lucado in his Upwords devotional for today (MaxLucado.com) raises the theme: In God We (Nearly) Trust? He writes about a beautiful day and a cruise on a friend’s boat. All is going well until the winds start blowing and a storm begins – and they are totally dependent on their friend – the Captain of their boat. He applies that experience to life and asks: “Does God know what he is doing? Can he get us out? Why does He allow the storm? Can you say about God… I know God knows what’s best. I know I don’t. I know He cares. Such words come easily when the water is calm. But when you’re looking at a wrecked car or a suspicious-looking mole, when war breaks out or thieves break in, do you trust him? In regard to God and life… look toward the Captain and resolve - he knows what’s best.”

I always find comfort and reassurance in the words of the Hymn based on Mark 4:35 through 39 - - -

Master, the tempest is raging! The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness, No shelter or help is nigh;
Carest Thou not that we perish? How canst Thou lie asleep,
When each moment so madly is threatening A grave in the angry deep?

Refrain

The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will, Peace, be still!

Whether the wrath of the storm tossed sea, Or demons or men, or whatever it be
No waters can swallow the ship where lies The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies;
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will, Peace, be still! Peace, be still!

Think about this with me - - -

Freedom Is Not Free

From My Perspective - - -

Lee Greenwood wrote the stirring words to, “I’m Proud To Be An American”… Some of the lyrics express the following:

If tomorrow all the things were gone I’d worked for all my life,
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today,
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom
and they can’t take that away.

From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee,
across the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea,

From Detroit down to Houston and New York to LA,
Well, there’s pride in every American heart,

and it’s time to stand and say:

I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land

God bless the U.S.A

Freedom isn’t free. It carries a price of commitment and sacrifice to preserve that freedom and to pass it on to future generations intact. In order that Freedom will become a reality, our nation needs to return to its spiritual heritage and to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are two basic considerations shared with us in Galatians 5, (1) vs. 1: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery, and (2) vs. 13: You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” The price for our freedom was the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sin. The price of our obligation in the freedom we enjoy is to serve one another in love.

A nerve was touched when words resonated across our land as Martin Luther King gave his “I Have A Dream” speech in Washington, DC on August 28^th, 1963. The familiar words are - - -

And so –
Let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.
Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.
Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:
Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside,
Let freedom ring.

For the Church and the individual professing Christian, there must be the commitment to make our freedom in Christ be genuine and working at its best and finest - everywhere. We can no longer live for ourselves and by our own set of rules. Submission to authority is not easy but it is the responsible way to live and interact. No one is ever really free in this world and lifetime – there are guidelines and expectations ranging from civility on the secular plane to yieldedness on the spiritual plane. The restrictions God places on our freedom are not infringements on our liberty – they are protections against evil.

Think about this with me - - -

Wandering Sheep

From My Perspective - - -

A Hymn written by Horatius Bonar in 1843 describes beautifully the state of lost and wandering sheep… It reminds one of Isaiah 53:6, “all of us, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned to our own way…”

I was a wandering sheep, I did not love the fold;
I did not love my Shepherd’s voice, I would not be controlled.
I was a wayward child, I did not love my home;
I did not love my Father’s voice, I loved afar to roam.

Thankfully, there is One Who came to be The Shepherd Who would seek for His sheep. The Scriptures paint a very beautiful picture for us. Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my Shepherd...” and John 10:11 where Jesus states: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…”

The Shepherd sought His sheep, The Father sought His child;
They followed me o’er vale and hill, O’er deserts waste and wild;
They found me nigh to death, Famished and faint and lone;
They bound me with the bands of love, They saved the wand’ring one.

Sometimes a sheep will wander far from the fold. The lamb/sheep are so vulnerable and fragile (and a little bit dumb). They believe they can go places that are neither wise nor safe for them. Sometimes there are wounds and pain…

They spoke in tender love, They raised my drooping head,
They gently closed my bleeding wounds, My fainting soul they fed;
They washed my filth away, They made me clean and fair;
They brought me to my home in peace, The long sought wanderer.

In Luke 15:3-6, “Jesus told them this parable: Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.”

Jesus my Shepherd is: ’Twas He that loved my soul;

’Twas He that washed me in His blood, ’Twas He that made me whole.
’Twas He that sought the lost, That found the wand’ring sheep,
’Twas He that brought me to the fold, ’Tis He that still doth keep.

In Luke 15, Jesus is telling His disciples about valuables that become lost – the lost sheep; the lost coin; the lost son - and the effort that is put forth to find those valuables. Sometimes it will take a while before the lost is found, but perseverance and patience and awareness must be constant. Like the father of the prodigal son, one must faithfully and earnestly keep looking down the road for the son to return. It is said of the Prodigal – “When he came to his senses” – he began his long journey home. Many voices may have been inwardly trying to discourage him – but – he did come home. And when he did, he had a new perspective and commitment - - -

No more a wandering sheep, I love to be controlled;
I love my tender Shepherd’s voice, I love the peaceful fold.
No more a wayward child, I seek no more to roam;
I love my heavenly Father’s voice, I love, I love His home!

Keep looking faithfully for your lost and wandering sheep/lamb… One day there will be rejoicing when that lost and wandering sheep/lamb returns to the fold – comes to his/her senses and returns home - no more to roam! May God grant that it be soon!

Think about this with me - - -

Liberty and Fractured Freedom

From my Perspective - - -

The Liberty Bell has been visited by millions of people who journey to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to see this symbol of our heritage. We rely on History and Tradition to get a sense of the reason and significance of this symbol. “The Pennsylvania Assembly ordered the Bell in 1751 to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of William Penn's 1701 Charter of Privileges, Pennsylvania's original Constitution. It speaks of the rights and freedoms valued by people the world over. Particularly forward thinking was Penn's ideas on religious freedom, his liberal stance on Native American rights, and his inclusion of citizens in enacting laws.” Of special significance is the Inscription on the Bell: “…As the Bell was created to commemorate the golden anniversary of Penn's Charter, the quotation "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof," from Leviticus 25:10, was particularly apt. For the line in the Bible immediately preceding "proclaim liberty" is, "And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year." What better way to pay homage to Penn and hallow the 50th year than with a bell proclaiming liberty?”

Another reference indicates about the Bell: "Tradition tells us…it continued tolling for the First Continental Congress in 1774, the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775 and its most resonant tolling was on July 8, 1776, when it summoned the citizenry for the reading of the Declaration of Independence produced by the Second Continental Congress…and to hear the first public reading by Colonel John Nixon…” The Bell was often used “…throughout the period from 1790 to 1800, when Philadelphia was the nation's capital, uses of the Bell included calling the state legislature into session, summoning voters to hand in their ballots at the State House window, and tolling to commemorate Washington's birthday and celebrate the Fourth of July…”

Liberty is defined as: “The condition of being free from restriction or control; the right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one's own choosing.” Most of us have become familiar with the Bill of Rights contained in the first ten (10) Amendments to the Constitution of the United States. In our complex culture and society, it becomes a fair and valid consideration: How Free Are We In This Nation. When we remember the inscription on the Liberty Bell: "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof…”, we are caused to wonder when we read on June 30, 2008: “An evangelist convicted of federal crimes for preaching on a public sidewalk in front of the Liberty Bell is appealing his case. Repent America director Michael Marcavage was sentenced to a year's probation and fined by a federal magistrate for refusing to leave a public sidewalk near where the Liberty Bell is on display outside Independence Hall. Marcavage is now appealing the conviction for "obstructing agency operations" to the U.S. District Court. "We weren't obstructing anyone. In fact, the government even stipulated, during the trial, that we were not obstructing or blocking anyone and that I was not acting disorderly…”
(http://www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=157564)

It seems as though more than the Liberty Bell is cracked. We mouth the words in our Pledge of Allegiance to The Flag: “…one nation, under God…” while preventing the mention of and the praying to God in our schools and many public forums. Students have had their diplomas withheld, and microphones turned off, when they attempted to give their testimony about Jesus Christ and their relationship to Him. It seems as though Liberty and Justice are selectively applied. “Proclaim Liberty…” – by whom and to whom - well – not by a minister standing by The Liberty Bell in A.D. 2008, and not by our public school children today…

Think about this with me - - -