Environmental Socialism ...

Lone Star Showdown II: Texas vs. the EPA
by Chris Bounds on September 20, 2010

As we have said before, being the strongest state in the union has put a huge target on the back of Texas. Texas is already battling the Obama Administration for its lack of support at the Mexican border, ObamaCare mandates, and being the only state singled in the $26 billion bailout bill. Last week the Lone Star State opened up another front in its defensive battle against the ever-increasing oppressive measures from Washington by suing the Environmental Protection Agency.

Top 20 Socialist sound bites: Watch Here

Last Tuesday, Attorney General Greg Abbott filed a lawsuit against the EPA stating that the mandates it is imposing are illegal and will cost Texas thousands of jobs by driving up energy costs. In addition, he explained that the EPA used “flawed science” based the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an organization formed by the United Nations. WOAI explains:

“The state explained that the IPCC, and therefore the EPA, relied on flawed science to conclude that greenhouse emissions endanger public health and welfare,” Abbott said. “Because the Administration predicated its Endangerment Finding on the IPCC’s questionable facts, the state is seeking to prevent the EPA’s new rules, and the economic harm that will result from these regulations, from being imposed on Texas employers, workers, and enforcement agencies.”

…”The IPCC had the objectivity, reliability, and propriety of its scientific assessments called into question after a scandal erupted late last year,” Abbott said.

…”Today’s court filings challenge the EPA’s attempts to ignore federal law, impose their federally mandated deadlines and force Texas to spend millions of dollars advancing the Administration’s regulatory agenda,” Abbott said.

The scandal Abbott referred to is the same scandal that must have sent a cold chill down the spine of Al Gore – ClimateGate. Of course that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to make a few million bucks off the eco-fraud. But I digress.

Looking at the rules the EPA is imposing on Texas, the biggest impact will come from the regulation of carbon dioxide by extending clean air standards to tailpipes of personal cars and trucks. The “Tailoring Rule” would require Texas to comply with all clean air regulations by January 2, 2011, less than five months away, or the EPA will step in and enforce it.

Texas Governor Rick Perry is in lockstep with the attorney general. Governor Perry called the EPA’s measures “sweeping mandates and draconian punishments undoing decades of progress, painting entrepreneurs as selfish and destroying hundreds of thousands of jobs in the process.” He even pushed back at Washington, suggesting they get on board with Texas in its effort to solve energy and environmental efforts by taking the state’s “all-of-the-above approach” – encouraging the development and use of all types of energy sources from coal to wind. Given the Obama Administration’s attitude towards conventional energy products, Perry’s words likely fell on deaf ears.

Washington may feel obligated to lower the success of every state in order to achieve a socialist utopia, but I firmly suggest they take good notice of the slogan “Don’t mess with Texas.” While Texas is not alone in the fight against the EPA since Virginia and Alabama filed separate suits, Texas is certainly a leader in the stand against tyrannical moves by the government that suppress constitutional rights reserved to the States and to the People. Win, lose, or draw in this showdown with the EPA, the Lone Star State is set to leave a Texas sized bruise on the backside of the federal government come November 2nd. Let’s do-si-do!

Jesus Is The Light

1 Peter 5: 6-10 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Why do we need to talk about evolution on my blog? After all, most of my readers are believers and have already rejected evolution. The verses above make the reasons we need to stand up to evolution very clear. God is under relentless attack. The cause of Christ and the Bible are at war on multiple fronts. I will continue to focus on the promises of God for believers in Christ. That is where our hope, peace, joy, rest, and victory is found. But we must not forget that our enemy never sleeps. He is lurking in the shadows and determined to discredit God, Jesus Christ, the Bible and rob all believers of their meaning and purpose, and their witness. Evolution is our enemy's plan and is at the front line of the battle for our minds. I will also focus on the other key areas where our beliefs, freedoms and way of life are under attack. That means I will be talking about false teachings within the church, Islam, Politics, Media, Illegal Immigration, Evolution and any other issue where Christianity is under attack or being misrepresented. We must know our enemy and “resist him, and stand firm in our faith.” I will do my best to balance these topics which tend to be negative, with Biblical teachings and insights that will encourage all of us in our walk with Christ.

I fully realize that most Christians naturally don’t want to read about this. It is negative. But that is the problem. We are called to give testimony for Christ. Most Christians are afraid to talk about creation, because scientific evolution has taken such an anti-God stand. Christianity has allowed the evil one to step in and totally take over the debate. We are told 90% of Americans believe in God which is confirmed ... in this CBS poll was conducted November 18-21, 2004. Americans do not believe that humans evolved, and the vast majority says that even if they did evolve, God guided the process. Just 13% say that God was not involved. But most would not substitute the teaching of creationism for the teaching of evolution in public schools. In other words, the majority of those who believe in God are intimidated by the intelectuals, and have chosen to give the devil and atheistic evolution the pulpit in educating their children. The poll also showed that 65% of Americans do support teaching both creation and evolution in our public schools. But like our politicians who think they know what is best for the unknowing masses, the educational system also thinks we are the ignorant masses and need to be programmed with their atheistic dogma whether we agree with it or not. Atheistic evolution is presented as legitimate science and therefore not religion ... they say. But I would contend that evolution is being delivered with more than religious fervor, and it influences the values of it's followers just like any other religion would. Additionally it surely is being followed by faith in Darwin's teachings, rather than scientific proof. Is it any wonder that we are living in a values neutral society?

Listen to what scientific atheists have to say: Sir Arthur Keith writes in evolution and Ethics; “Christ’s teaching is … in direct opposition to the law(lie) of evolution and, Christian ethics are out of harmony with human nature and secretly antagonistic to nature’s scheme of evolution and ethics; … and the law of Christ is incompatible with the law of evolution … Nay, the two laws are at war with each other. If we follow evolutionary ethics to their strict, logical conclusion, we must abandon the hope of ever attaining a universal system of ethics because the ways of national evolution, both in the past and in the present, are cruel, brutal, ruthless, and without mercy. The sermon on the mount is in condemnation of the evolutionary ladder.” The conclusion is that Christianity has failed because it is anti-evolutionary.

Atheistic Darwinists are clearly anti-Christian. More Babble: “What I want to urge upon you is militant atheism … My approach to attacking creationism is to attack religion as a whole. Children are especially vulnerable to the infection of religion … It’s time to question the abuse of childhood innocence with superstitious ideas of hellfire and damnation … such labeling of children with their parents’ religion (Christian child and Muslim child) is child abuse.” Richard Dawkins. Like many of Dawkins’ statements, this one is not totally untrue. If atheistic Darwinism were actually legitimate scientific truth and there was no creation, his statement could be totally true. but when he lumps Islam and Christianity together ... he is 50% correct at best.

“Evolution has become far more than a scientific theory. Evolution has become a unifying materialistic philosophy that has most of the elements of a religion.” Sir Julian Huxley UNESCO’s first director General wrote that “our present knowledge indeed forces us to the view that the whole of reality is evolution … a single process of self transformation.” It is no wonder that the UN is at odds with the US and our Christian ideals on most issues. “UNESCO's general philosophy should be scientific world humanism, global in extent, and evolutionary in background."

“The implications of modern science however are clearly inconsistent with most religious traditions … No inherent moral or ethical laws exist, nor are there absolute guiding principles for human society. The universe cares nothing for us and we have no ultimate meaning in life.” Professor William Provine, Cornell University. No meaning in life? Is this the type of babble we want our children and the current and future leaders of America taught? Unfortunately, people today are choosing their values, often with little or no regard for the welfare of others.”

If you still think that evolutionists do not wish to replace God and the Bible with evolution, how about this? “Evolution is a general postulate to which all theories, all hypotheses, all systems must henceforward bow and which they must satisfy in order to be thinkable and true. Evolution is a light which illuminates all facts, a trajectory which all lines of thought must follow.” Roman Catholic priest, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Clearly, this priest fell and hit his head. I have a different Light that I am following and my Light doesn’t bow down to Darwin or stoop to satisfy the theory of evolution. “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

The problem is that there are two contrasting worldviews that shape our thinking. Let’s look at the conflicts between atheistic Darwinian materialistic Evolution, and Biblical Judeo/Christian Creation.

Materialistic View: “Ultimate reality is an impersonal matter. No God exists. The universe was created by chance events without ultimate purpose. Man is the product of impersonal time plus chance plus matter. As a result, no man has eternal value, or dignity, or any meaning other that that which is subjectively derived. Morality is defined by every individual according to his own views and interests. Morality is ultimately relative because every person is the final authority for his own views. The afterlife brings eternal annihilation (personal extinction) for everyone.”

Christian View: “Ultimate reality is an infinite personal loving God. The universe was lovingly created by God in His image and is loved by Him. Because of this, all men are endowed with eternal value and dignity. Their value is not derived ultimately from themselves, but from a source transcending themselves, God Himself. Morality is defined by God and is immutable because it is based upon God’s unchanging Character. The afterlife involves either eternal life with God (personal immortality) or eternal separation from Him (personal judgment).”

How has evolution influenced the world’s religions in the past 150 years? Here are some of the philosophies or religions that have assumed or incorporated evolution into their beliefs: naturalism, existentialism, materialism, Marxism, atheism, humanism, occultism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, liberal Judaism and Christianity, some Islam and Catholicism, and most cults, new religions and the new age movement.

Question: If all of these philosophies and religions in some way embrace evolution, then why is evolution not a violation of church and state? Answer: Because they are peddling it as legitimate proven science.

Another Good Question: Since evolution offers no hope, purpose or meaning, why would anyone willingly embrace it?
Answers: Ignorance, pride, lust, and evil desires are very powerful forces controlled by the evil one.
Also,people want to be the god of their own life.

Fortunately, not all scientists are on the same page. “One cannot be exposed to the law and order of the universe without concluding that there must be a divine intent behind it … speaking for myself, I can only say that the grandeur of the cosmos serves to confirm my belief in the certainty of a creator.” Wernher von Braun, former Director of America’s space program.


Evolutionists would be wise to remember “Pascal’s Wager” which says; “If a Christian bets his life on God’s existence and His promise of eternity in bliss with Him ... and is wrong, he has only lost his life, which atheists claim is a meaningless delusion anyway. But if an atheist bets that there is no God and thus no eternal judgment after death and is wrong, he will suffer his error for eternity.”

So what are the mathematical odds of evolution being true and correct: 1 trillion to 1.

There is an ongoing battle for the minds of men. And the author of this lie called evolution is the prince of the world forces of darkness and the spiritual forces of wickedness. But we can be strong and courageous because our God is the God of all grace, and He has called us to His eternal glory in Christ, and He will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish us.

God Bless you my friend, Bob
Ref: Darwin’s leap Of Faith, by Ankerberg/Weldon

The Stumbling Man

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

A number of years ago a friend of mine told me that he could accept the Bible if it wasn’t for the first few chapters of Genesis. He is an anthropology major and educator and has spent his entire life in the public school system. Well, my friend wasn’t being totally honest … was he? You see I could have pointed out hundreds of truths in the Bible that are not in the first three chapters that he doesn't agree with. This is the same friend that thinks he has great knowledge of the Bible. How do I know? I once heard him make an offer to a pastor friend to speak at his church. Can you imagine the arrogance of an atheist making such an offer? I do think he was sincere. He has been teaching his opinions and principles in the school system for years unquestioned, and sees himself as an authority of sorts. In reality, he has clearly never studied the Bible.

I believe that this conversation with my friend is at the heart of what is wrong with Christianity today. People approach God as if their opinion is relevant or important. This first verse of Genesis is true whether my friend can accept it or not, and for sure there is no way you can reject the first three chapters of the Bible and accept the rest.

Okay, now I will ask you a vital question. Is “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” true, or is it a lie? Do you believe the theory of evolution is true or is it false? The answers to these questions determine what our beliefs are likely to be on a whole list of issues that would include your purpose and meaning in life, abortion, environmentalism, euthanasia, and personal values. This is why there is no possible resolution on these issues politically. Christians not wanting to make waves or look foolish ... say nothing, and before you know it they and their children come to believe the lie.

By the way ... What do your children believe? Never, Never, Never ... allow atheists to train your children on this subject!

The problem is that like my teacher friend, millions of Christians have accepted the teaching of evolution as truth. The difference between my athiest friend and many Christians is that he is honest. That means they have to either deny Genesis 1:1 and conclude the Bible is a lie or they just have a compromised belief system. This dilemma has resulted in as many as 7-8 out of 10 professed Christians who are not sure what they believe on creation.

If the Bible is false on creation, why should anyone believe any of the other Biblical teachings? This is not an issue up for discussion. Jesus claimed to be God. Was he telling the truth? Jesus said I am the way and the truth and the life. I have accepted Jesus and his promises as truth. If I choose not to believe Genesis 1:1, why would I believe in the Savior who claimed to be indwell-ed by the creator? John 14:10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” If there is no creator, my entire belief system is destroyed.

Darwinian Evolution is an atheistic lie which has been and is being taught to our children as scientific fact. My teacher friend is right. Christians who say they believe in evolution are hypocrites. One belief or the other is false. They cannot both be true. I am convinced that the evidence for creation far outweighs evolution and in the weeks ahead I will demonstrate this fact.

Evolutionists who believe that evolution is scientific fact have been clearly deceived as we will also demonstrate.

I will start by saying that we clearly won’t resolve this question, but we each must resolve the question in our individual minds. I will begin by saying that even long before I was a Christian, evolution made no sense to me. The idea that our life has no meaning and purpose is foreign to me. When you think about it, most people who believe in evolution think life has meaning and purpose. They only believe in evolution because it has been accepted as fact in their high school and college science classes and to not agree brings ridicule by atheists. If you ask them; so do you really believe you evolved from a slug and your entire life has no meaning whatsoever?" ... What fool would actually say; "yes, I evolved from a slug"?

First and foremost, let’s make one thing clear. After 1859, atheists took over modern science and converted modern science from the belief that we lived in a universe that has been created by a “God of order” to an atheistic worldview with an agenda consistent with their "NO god" beliefs. Modern day science considers everything they do in the context of evolution as scientific law and anyone questioning evolution as fact is quickly and totally disregarded as unscientific and ignorant. Although atheists cannot deny the order of the universe, they refer to the order that is everywhere as the "appearance of order". This is an insult to legitimate science and to God. God’s word says: “I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command.” Isaiah 45:12.

Have you ever imagined how much money has been wasted focusing on space exploration? The more we have learned, the more we have concluded that space travel into the cosmos, outside our solar system, is not only virtually impossible … it is absolutely impossible. It is estimated that there are 100-500 billion suns in our galaxy and a trillion other galaxies. Hello ... clueless. We are wasting our time and money. Growing numbers of space scientists are concluding that sending messages into outer space is a pointless pursuit. Why in the world would intelligent people send radio messages, at the cost of billions of dollars, to stars in space that if received and answered it would take 50,000 years to receive a reply? Science is out of control. Atheists trying to prove their ideas and reach their goals, and further their plans.I certainly look forward to exploring the heavens when I receive my heavenly body and supernatural abilities, but humans are way out of their league.

Talk about the ignorance and arrogance of atheistic science in our world today … Richard Dawkins, leading atheist, Professor of Public Understanding of Science, Oxford University has told us “Darwin explained everything about life here on earth.” And he also said” but it is also possible that we are really alone in the universe” In other words, we know everything we need to know … but in reality, we know nothing. Professor of understanding ... what a sick joke. The fact is that Darwin didn’t really explain anything about life. Unless, of course you want to believe life has no meaning and our survival of the fittest existence leads nowhere and has no purpose beyond comforting ourselves. Is there anything to follow death? My atheist friends say: DIRT. Atheists don’t talk about what makes a human being different from a monkey or a caterpillar, and what is different between mankind and every other living creature? How did life begin? The atheists “spontaneous” answer is both insultingly absurd and scientifically laughable. 150 years ago Louis Pasteur proved that “spontaneous generation” was pure superstition. The law of biogenesis was established as irrefutable scientific fact. This law inarguably states that; "life only comes from life."

Although atheists admit that this law is not debatable, they object that unless there is at least one exception, they are forced to admit that life could have come about only through a supernatural act of creation. Since this is not possible in their world … they conveniently disregard the established law of science. They somehow think that this irrefutable law must have somehow been mysteriously overturned millions of times throughout the world. Not only is this unscientific … it is the opposite of science … it is scientific heresy. This same type of unscientific science is now being applied to the creation and promotion of the global warming hoax. And if you say … no way, I say … why would they not violate the rules of science, when rules and values have no meaning to slugs and gorillas? … this is survival of the fittest my friend. I can hear it now: "We need that money for our new project; and besides even if it’s not true, it will improve the environment. Besides all that, I need to pay for all of my stuff."

In closing, Nobel Prize winning physicist Erwin Scrodinger one of the architects of quantum physics and an atheist, made this realistic admission: “The scientific picture of the real world around me is … ghastly silent about all … that is really near to our heart, that really matters to us … It knows nothing of beautiful and ugly, good and bad, God and eternity … Whence came I and whither go I? That is the great unfathomable question, the same for every one of us. Science has no answer for it.”

The consensus of scientists throughout all fields is that science cannot answer the WHY questions of life.
Darwinism is in fact mankind stumbling in darkness.

The truth is that all men were created for a purpose by an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent God who created all and who is Lord over all. As a Christian, I believe this by faith. Atheistic science believes in Darwinism by faith also. Darwinism is not legitimate science ... it is another form of religion ... unfortunately a false religion that has deceived millions to embrace an evil lie.

The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.

A MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION: What do your children believe? ... email them this post ... begin a dialogue ... their eternal life is in the balance.
Ref: Cosmos, Creator, and Human Destiny ... Dave Hunt

God Bless you my friends, Bob

Unvarnished Truth

How do we answer out of control Unions? The Truth ... Unvarnished.

NJ Gov. Christie Clashes with Teacher at Town Hall

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is known for telling it like he sees it. At a town hall meeting yesterday in Raritan, NJ, he made sure to bolster that reputation. The fireworks start in the beginning and go until about 1:53.

Governor Christie explains how the teacher‘s union in the state refused to compromise to save the state’s crucial education dollars and the specific facts that are often not explained in the multi-million dollar ads bought by the teachers unions. The reality is that the union brought their lay offs on themselves by refusing to be reasonable.

">WATCH THIS ONE

Floyd Patterson, Call Your Office

by Peter Wehner - 09.08.2010 - 6:51 PM

In his remarks in Cleveland today, President Obama said so many things that are so misleading that it will take time to sort through the entire mess. But some claims — like “I’m committed to fiscal responsibility” — belong in a remake of The Twilight Zone.

What Obama said is not only untrue; it is the very opposite of the truth. And for the president to warn that “if we don’t get a handle on [the long-term deficit] soon, it can endanger our future” is particularly ludicrous, given that in 20 months, he has done so much to make our fiscal situation worse, from wasteful and expensive stimulus legislation to double-digit increases in non-defense discretionary spending to a huge new health-care entitlement. It is as if the president takes particular delight in not only saying things that are misleading but in saying things that are audaciously misleading.

Obama also has a habit of deriding not just the policies but also the motivations of his opponents. He almost never acknowledges the good faith of his critics; they are people to be mocked, ridiculed, derided. The only reason they oppose Obama is “politics pure and simple.” Republicans “prey on people’s fears and anxieties,” he said today. There is no room for genuine philosophical differences. It is as if Obama believes his ideas are so transparently brilliant and wise and beyond challenge that only the malicious and malevolent can oppose him.

And what is striking is how Obama, under growing political pressure, increasingly feels sorry for himself. “They talk about me like a dog,” the president told a crowd in Wisconsin earlier this week. “That’s not in my prepared remarks, it’s just — but it’s true.” And echoing the remarks made this morning by his top aide David Axelrod — who insisted “we didn’t create the mess we’re in” — Obama in his Cleveland speech said, “When I walked in [to the White House], wrapped in a nice bow, was a $1.3 trillion deficit sitting on my door step — a welcoming present.”

What’s so revealing about Obama is that comments about how terribly unfair life has been for him since he assumed office are extemporaneous, off the cuff, from the heart. For example, neither Obama’s claim that “they talk about me like a dog” nor his statement in Cleveland about his “welcoming present” were in the prepared text. (Here’s the “As Prepared for Delivery” version of the Cleveland remarks.)

What we are seeing, then, is Barack Obama unplugged. He is a man used to being cosseted and who believes negative comments about him are a violation of an unwritten moral code.

“This is more than an inconvenience,” David Axelrod wrote in a memo to Obama on November 28, 2006, in raising concerns about Obama’s thin skin. “It goes to your willingness and ability to put up with something you have never experienced on a sustained basis: criticism. At the risk of triggering the very reaction that concerns me, I don’t know if you are Muhammad Ali or Floyd Patterson when it comes to taking a punch. You care far too much what is written and said about you. … When the largely irrelevant Alan Keyes attacked you, you flinched.”

He did then, and he still does to this day.

It turns out that the president is more like Floyd Patterson than Muhammad Ali.

Peter's Problems

Mathew 16:13-19; 22-23 He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

……… Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

Can you even imagine the excitement and pride that Peter must have been experiencing when he was first highly commended for answering Jesus’ question correctly, and then to be told that God would be using him in an extremely important role; and then fast forward a few days later ... the shame as he is told; "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

Now think about this for a minute. Are we guilty (just like Peter) of rebuking Christ when we consciously or unconsciously choose to not follow God but rather to run after "the things of men" ... the priorities of the world.

Can you relate to Peter? I sure can. One moment I am a devoted disciple of Christ, studying, praying, teaching and following; and then without warning … the next thing you know, I’m back to my old foolish self-centered ways. "The things of men" are lurking ... waiting to seize the moment, to take over, to control our speech, thoughts and actions. Christ always brought Peter back in line, and He always brings you and I back in line also. But the question is: "How can we transform our mind to alter this inevitable moment? Answer: prayer and meditation on the Word and listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Paul was no different as he made it clear when he said;
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” and then concluded ... O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus chose Peter, considering his obvious flaws? God clearly could have moved upon and chosen anyone He wished to fulfill His purposes and build his church upon. Well the truth is that for the most part, Jesus chose everyday ordinary people. Peter’s problems were very similar to yours and mine.

So, if we want to see our flaws and change, we just need to look at Peter or the others more deeply. God will show us our flaws. What were Peter’s problems? Focusing more deeply on a specific person or topic is a form of meditating on the word … are you looking deeply for truth and application? We can do this on basically any person or topic in the Bible. This is how God speaks to us and brings growth. We are called to meditate on the word. A good sermon or Bible study is another form of meditating on the word, but unfortunately quite often the teacher is regurgitating worldly ideas, and being "mindful of the things of men" rather than meditating on God's Word. But even great teaching or sermons should never replace your personal meditation time with the Lord. The primary reason that we become too busy to meditate is that from a human perspective, we do not want to see our flaws … we do not want to change, we want to unconsciously hang on to control of our lives and do, or not do, as we please. Our old nature is very powerful.

It would clearly take a hundred pages to search the depths of Peter, but let’s take a deeper look and see what we uncover. Peter did not have the benefit of the Holy Spirit at this point as we continually do, but Jesus makes it clear that God revealed to Peter the answer to His question. So at that moment God spoke to Peter in his spirit, or maybe got the truth directly from Jesus previously … but the key here is that Peter was listening. Have you considered the fact that you have the ability to call upon the Lord in the Spirit every minute of every day, and He will speak to you? He will give you the steps ... He will make your path straight. Are you asking God for the answers, and for the steps He wants you to take, or are you just unconsciously plowing ahead as Peter did much of the time? Interestingly, in this verse, Peter apparently waited as others answered. Could it be that he was meditating for an answer from God and got a quick reply? The good news is that listening to God brought not only the desired answer, but also praise and rewards.

Another key point to this verse has been set up by Jesus. Note that he asks two questions. The questions could be paraphrased like this: “what does the world say about me? And the second could be; “what is the truth about me?” Do you see what a difference it makes when we look deeper? Peter was focused on the truth … not on what the world thought about Jesus. Later, when Jesus predicted His own death and persecution, Peter’s defense mechanisms immediately sprung into action. His man of flesh jumped into the conversation. He was no longer listening to God, but rather the voice of Satan. Can you imagine: one moment, recognizing Jesus as God, and then turning around and rebuking Him? Peter must have taken the praise that he had received earlier, very personally. We are all guilty of this … God provides success or wisdom, and we somehow unconsciously conclude that it is our own doing and our pride takes over. Do you see the subtle transition here? The unconscious transfer of focus is often instantaneous. The same thing can and does happen to you and me … every moment of every day, as long as we are still here in our human form. Our enemy Satan is a cunning stalking lion, waiting patiently to seize the moment, and to make us look or act foolish. But unlike Peter, we have the Holy Spirit and the written Word to rescue us. We have a way of escape from our old habits, and lust and pride, and our enemy and his demons.

Six days later, Jesus chose Peter and a few others to go on a walk up the mountain. Wait a minute you say; why did he choose Peter? Wasn’t Jesus angry with Peter from the few days before? … no, of course not. Jesus wasn’t speaking to Peter literally when he said “Get behind Me, Satan, you are an offense to me.” He was speaking directly to the spirit of the devil who was attacking Him through Peter. He was ministering to Peter as He rebuked the spirit of evil. Jesus had forgiven Peter. Now he is taking Peter on a lesson walk. At the transfiguration, Peter is humbled to the point that he wants to do something … although His plan was typical of our old nature. Rather than watching, listening and learning from the things of God; a natural tendency is to take charge and do something. In this case Peter was ready to start building before He even clearly understood all of the facts. God will make it clear to us ... what we need to do, and when we need to do it. We need to release leadership to Christ. He is God and perfectly capable of leading and guiding our lives.

There is so much more here but let’s finish this post at the “Last Supper” Jesus had brought the disciples together to teach them all of the most important things they needed to know and remember before He was to be crucified. The first lesson: Jesus washed the disciple’s feet. Why didn’t any of the disciples offer to do the foot washing or to assist Jesus? Obviously, Jesus knew they were still prideful men. Peter once again, rather than following Jesus’ lead; challenged Jesus … in a more respectful way. Peter saw the foot-washing from a human perspective … he did not understand that the washing was a symbol of spiritual cleansing, and that Christ was modeling humility … the first lesson. Instead of asking; “why is Jesus doing this and what is He saying to me?” All Peter saw was: Jesus washing feet ... and thought: NO. He certainly did not see the real message: Peter washing feet. Are you the humble man or woman God wants you to be? Will you stand in your pride until God humbles you for your own good, or will you humble yourself like Peter finally ... sort of, did when Jesus made the truth clear to him? If you are not meditating on the Word, your answer to God is: NO.

Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”
God Bless you my friends, Bob

Simple Math ...

Questions?
Do we REALLY need another 50 billion for infrastructure?
I don't think so.

How big is the $871 Billion that was provided in the stimulus plan?

Well if you put $871 billion into a fund to stimulate jobs ... you could make
8.7 million small business loans for $100,000 each.
How many Jobs would that create? Well if each business employs
the owner plus 1 employee on average, that would create 17.4 million new jobs.

What other benefits would this create?

1. 17.4 million workers not collecting unemployment.
2. 8.7 million loans that are being paid back.
3. 17.4 million additional new taxpayers.
4. And the biggest increase of all would come from
a real stimulus plan ... new job production creates
new production and a resulting multiplying effect.

In other words when people have a job they hire a
contractor who goes to Home Depot and buys supplies ...
and on and on.

Newly employed people buy houses and furniture etc.
employing many many more. That's called a recovery.

The most truthful statement I have heard
from a politician this past year: ... Y.O.U. ... L.I.E.

Any Questions?

What did we get instead? Recovery summer ...
Now ... that's a big whoopee ... doo!

Somehow Obama's numbers just don't add up!

YOU DO THE MATH ...

THE BIG QUESTION: WHY WOULD THIS PLAN NEVER WORK FOR OBAMA???
ANSWER: THAT'S EASY ... THERE ARE NO UNIONS INVOLVED IN SMALL BUSINESSES,
AND OBAMA IS 100% SOLD OUT TO THE UNIONS ...
ANY TALK ABOUT STIMULATING SMALL BUSINESSES IS ELECTION YEAR CAMPAIGN RHETORIC.

Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.
God bless you my friends, Bob

Churning part 2

Part 2 from Paula at "Along a Narrow Way". I wanted to share it with you because I had a very positive response on Churning part 1. http://alonganarrowway.blogspot.com/2010/08/churning-part-1.html Enjoy ... Bob

Earlier this week I posted about what it means when God begins to stir the waters in our lives. I wrote specifically about what God showed me about churning process, and how it will bring back to the surface things that we had allowed to settle so that he can remove them from our lives once and for all.


But that is certainly not the only reason that God stirs up the waters around us. He also reminded me that moving water moves us and moving water brings life! He brought me to the book of Ezekiel when the angel of the Lord showed him the river of God flowing from the temple, and one particular passage stood out to me:


"Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes ... But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt." - Ezekiel 47:8-9, 11


This verse speaks about the life that be found in the flowing waters, a life that heals the water of the sea, a life that draws as supports a great multitude of fish. But it also says that in the stagnant places - the marshes and swamps - that healing isn't found. Why? Because healing involves change, and change cannot take place in a pool of stagnant water. In fact, when water does not move, when it is not constantly flowing it becomes a breeding ground for disease and decay. That's certainly not what I want for my life, and I know that it's not what God wants for us either!

So often we ask God to change things for us - change our lives, change our hearts, change our circumstances. Why is it, then, that we get so upset when things around us begin to move? Without movement, where will the change come from? Imagine for a moment that you are standing in chest deep water and you want to reach a destination a mile away. What options do you have? If the water is still you can try to walk through it, which is a slow, labor filled, and exhausting process. You could pick up your feet and swim ... it's certainly faster than walking, but again it requires that you do all the work. But if the water is moving ... if there is a current, you don't have to do anything at all. Pick up your feet and the river will bring you where you want to go!

God stirs the waters to move us along! But so often we fail to recognize his hand in what is happening. We see the waters churning and we become afraid. We take our stance, plant our feet and think "I have to survive this. God please help me survive it!" Have you ever tried standing still in the midst of a strong current? It's HARD! But God doesn't stir the water to test our strength ... he doesn't want us to try to stand against it at all. He wants us to recognize that he is the one who is stirring the waters because he wants to move us from the place we've been to a different (and better) place. It is his hand that guides us, his wing that shelters us, and his plan that will move us, if only we will get out of our own way! All we have to do is let go of our fear, stop trying to control our own lives, pick up our feet, and allow God to carry us to somewhere new. And the best part is that if we can do that, if we submit to the flow and give up control we will find ourselves healed along the way.

So don't get stuck in stagnation. When the waters of your life begin to move, when everything seems impossibly uprooted and things begin to swirl out of your control don't be discouraged. Know that God is on the move. He is right there in the midst of the storm, and he is orchestrating all that you are going through to remove those things that don't belong in your life, to carry you to new places, and to create an ending that will bless your life and bring Him glory!

God bless you my friends, Bob