Am I Lost Because If Find It Difficult to Love Them?

I was asked by a reader of my Sunday Messages, “How do I love someone I don't like, and if I can't love them does it mean I do not love God?” I decided to tackle this question because there are many Christians who find it difficult, if not down right impossible, to love those they don't like. We are told by John that, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1John 4:8 John goes on to write that it is impossible to love a God you cannot see, if you do not love your earthly brothers. 1John 4:20 As Christians, we need to understand that if God loved the world and gave His only Son to become a propitiation of our sins, then we should also love one another. John 3:16 & 1John 4:10 So we wonder by reading such passages how we can love the way God loves us. Allow me to first give some background on the apostle known as John.

If you had known John when he was still following Jesus as a young man, you would be stunned by the transformation of his heart. I refer to the day that Jesus sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan town to prepare a place for them to lodge. They were told by the elders of the town they would not be welcomed and thus Christ and His disciples were turned away. This must not have sat too well with the two brothers James and John, because they asked Jesus for permission to call down Fire from Heaven to consume and destroy the city. Jesus not only denied their request but rebuked them for their evil hearts by pointing out what manner of spirit they were to be. Luke 9:51-57 This little exercise in hatred earned James and John the name Boanerges, which in Greek means, "Sons of Thunder". However, by the time John was an old man and had written his gospel, epistles and the revelation of Christ, we clearly see the Lord had done some major overhauling in him, because we now know John as the “Apostle of Love”.

There is another incident that we can look to for answers to this question. It was recorded by John in his gospel and it took place when Jesus revealed Himself to the apostles at the Sea of Tiberias. John 21:1-18 After they had eaten some fish the apostles caught, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. Remember, Peter had denied Jesus three times when He was being mocked, beaten, and illegally tried for blasphemy. Matthew 26:69-75 Jesus was reminding Peter of his three denials by asking if he loved Him three times. John 21:15-18 One can only imagine the sinking feeling Peter had when Jesus asked the first time if he loved Him more then the rest, because it was when Jesus revealed that they would all abandon Him that Peter spoke vehemently saying, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" Mark 14:27-3

Now before I continue, it is important to understand that the English translation of the Scriptures hides a very telling part of the three questions by Jesus. The first two times Jesus asked if Peter loved Him, He used the Greek word “agape” for love, while Peter would only respond with the Greek word “phileo”. There are four different Greek words used for love, but for the purpose of this message I will deal only with the two, “agape” and “phileo”. “Agapê”, is a sacrificial kind of love that asks for nothing in return. This is what God showed us when in spite of our many character flaws and weaknesses He still loved us enough to sacrifice His only begotten Son to give us a chance at eternal life with Him. Now “phileo” is the kind of love you show a brother, not a brother in the sense of family, but in the sense of kinsmenship. This is also the root used in the word Philadelphia, thus the reason they call Philadelphia the City of Brotherly Love.

What John reveals to us here, is Peter admitting that he does not have it in him to show an “agape” or sacrificial love that Jesus is asking of him. However, the third time when Jesus asked Peter if he loves Him, He does so by using the level of love that Peter is at, “phileo”. When He does, Peter breaks down and tells Jesus, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." and Jesus then tells Peter;

"Feed My sheep. Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” John 21:17-18

What Jesus is telling Peter, is that He will work with the level of love that Peter confesses, and lets him know that a day will come when he will have that agape or sacrificial love in his heart. We know from the wittings of such early church leaders as Ignatius of Antioch, Dionysius, Irenaeus, Origen, Tertullian and others that Peter would experience the kind of love Jesus asked of him when he was crucified in Rome by Nero. All one needed to do to save ones life was to deny Christ and worship the Roman's Gods or Nero as Lord, but Peter would do something he had failed to do when he was much younger. This time he would not deny his Lord. This time he would show his “agape” love for Christ and die for Him as Christ did for us.

So you see brothers and sisters, you may not yet have the capacity to love those whom you don’t like, but as Peter told Christ, “Lord, You know all things”. God knows where our hearts are and He knows where they will be in the future. Jesus promised to continue the good work He began in us when we accepted Him into our lives. Philippians 1:6 & Hebrews 12:2 If John and Peter could spend three years in the presence of God while displaying an anger that would destroy a city, or even still have a limited love that was far short of what God called for, well then my friends, I would just advise you to give it to Him in prayer, and He will work on that part in your life that finds it difficult to love those you dislike. For those who do not know Him I would ask you to also pray and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. I promise that if you are sincere in your request that He will give you a heart to know Him. Jeremiah 24:7 In time, you will see that He is true to His word; maybe one day you will even be surprised to find yourself sacrificing for someone you used to hate.

I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Am I Lost Because If Find It Difficult to Love Them?

I was asked by a reader of my Sunday Messages, “How do I love someone I don't like, and if I can't love them does it mean I do not love God?” I decided to tackle this question because there are many Christians who find it difficult, if not down right impossible, to love those they don't like. We are told by John that, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1John 4:8 John goes on to write that it is impossible to love a God you cannot see, if you do not love your earthly brothers. 1John 4:20 As Christians, we need to understand that if God loved the world and gave His only Son to become a propitiation of our sins, then we should also love one another. John 3:16 & 1John 4:10 So we wonder by reading such passages how we can love the way God loves us. Allow me to first give some background on the apostle known as John.

If you had known John when he was still following Jesus as a young man, you would be stunned by the transformation of his heart. I refer to the day that Jesus sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan town to prepare a place for them to lodge. They were told by the elders of the town they would not be welcomed and thus Christ and His disciples were turned away. This must not have sat too well with the two brothers James and John, because they asked Jesus for permission to call down Fire from Heaven to consume and destroy the city. Jesus not only denied their request but rebuked them for their evil hearts by pointing out what manner of spirit they were to be. Luke 9:51-57 This little exercise in hatred earned James and John the name Boanerges, which in Greek means, "Sons of Thunder". However, by the time John was an old man and had written his gospel, epistles and the revelation of Christ, we clearly see the Lord had done some major overhauling in him, because we now know John as the “Apostle of Love”.

There is another incident that we can look to for answers to this question. It was recorded by John in his gospel and it took place when Jesus revealed Himself to the apostles at the Sea of Tiberias. John 21:1-18 After they had eaten some fish the apostles caught, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. Remember, Peter had denied Jesus three times when He was being mocked, beaten, and illegally tried for blasphemy. Matthew 26:69-75 Jesus was reminding Peter of his three denials by asking if he loved Him three times. John 21:15-18 One can only imagine the sinking feeling Peter had when Jesus asked the first time if he loved Him more then the rest, because it was when Jesus revealed that they would all abandon Him that Peter spoke vehemently saying, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" Mark 14:27-3

Now before I continue, it is important to understand that the English translation of the Scriptures hides a very telling part of the three questions by Jesus. The first two times Jesus asked if Peter loved Him, He used the Greek word “agape” for love, while Peter would only respond with the Greek word “phileo”. There are four different Greek words used for love, but for the purpose of this message I will deal only with the two, “agape” and “phileo”. “Agapê”, is a sacrificial kind of love that asks for nothing in return. This is what God showed us when in spite of our many character flaws and weaknesses He still loved us enough to sacrifice His only begotten Son to give us a chance at eternal life with Him. Now “phileo” is the kind of love you show a brother, not a brother in the sense of family, but in the sense of kinsmenship. This is also the root used in the word Philadelphia, thus the reason they call Philadelphia the City of Brotherly Love.

What John reveals to us here, is Peter admitting that he does not have it in him to show an “agape” or sacrificial love that Jesus is asking of him. However, the third time when Jesus asked Peter if he loves Him, He does so by using the level of love that Peter is at, “phileo”. When He does, Peter breaks down and tells Jesus, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." and Jesus then tells Peter;

"Feed My sheep. Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” John 21:17-18

What Jesus is telling Peter, is that He will work with the level of love that Peter confesses, and lets him know that a day will come when he will have that agape or sacrificial love in his heart. We know from the wittings of such early church leaders as Ignatius of Antioch, Dionysius, Irenaeus, Origen, Tertullian and others that Peter would experience the kind of love Jesus asked of him when he was crucified in Rome by Nero. All one needed to do to save ones life was to deny Christ and worship the Roman's Gods or Nero as Lord, but Peter would do something he had failed to do when he was much younger. This time he would not deny his Lord. This time he would show his “agape” love for Christ and die for Him as Christ did for us.

So you see brothers and sisters, you may not yet have the capacity to love those whom you don’t like, but as Peter told Christ, “Lord, You know all things”. God knows where our hearts are and He knows where they will be in the future. Jesus promised to continue the good work He began in us when we accepted Him into our lives. Philippians 1:6 & Hebrews 12:2 If John and Peter could spend three years in the presence of God while displaying an anger that would destroy a city, or even still have a limited love that was far short of what God called for, well then my friends, I would just advise you to give it to Him in prayer, and He will work on that part in your life that finds it difficult to love those you dislike. For those who do not know Him I would ask you to also pray and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. I promise that if you are sincere in your request that He will give you a heart to know Him. Jeremiah 24:7 In time, you will see that He is true to His word; maybe one day you will even be surprised to find yourself sacrificing for someone you used to hate.

I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Fearless Cat Chases Away Bear

A woman in Mont-laurier Quebec Canada is holding her toddler as she films a 3 or 3 year old bear from inside her home as the bear goes for her garbage. She attempts to shoo it away, but obviously the bear does not even know she is inside watching through a window. It seems the bear wants her garbage, and the moment the bear gingerly grabs a plastic bag of garbage a cat named mimine appears and confronts the bear. What we have next is a standoff that the bear is not sure he wants to get into. Eventually he does get the garbage bag, but he takes all precaution to avoid the menacing cat who does an admirable job of protecting the home front. It seems from the updated information I jusut recieved that the cat was actually protecting her newly born kittens.

Witch Doctor Renounces Voodoo in Haiti

When we hear and see the devastation left by the earthquake in Haiti, many will inevitably wonder how anything good can come out of it all. We feel that way when personal disasters strike, whether it follows a car accident, a house burning down, or even the sudden death of a loved one. However, as Christians we are told that it is not this world we are promised, but the next one that Christ will bring when He returns to judge the world. So we as sojourners here on earth, must look at this world as a place that is here today and gone tomorrow. So while I agree that seeing the destruction and human suffering in Haiti can test ones faith in God's promise to care for, and comfort those who are suffering, if you look beyond what the MSM wants to show us, you will see miracles happening all over Haiti. It is those miracles which should assure you that God is fulfilling the promises He has.

A little history on Haiti and its Voodoo problem will help me introduce you to a certain little old lady named Anne Marie Polestier, and the miracle God is performing with her and others all over Haiti. Let me take you back, back to a time when Europe was at war and America was doing all it could to avoid being brought into it; a time when few if any of your grandparents even knew of Haiti, let alone the existence of Voodoo and black magic. The time was 1941 and a young teen girl was becoming enamored with the power she saw in the practices of Voodoo. The Catholic Church started to come down hard upon those who practiced the black arts, they even put pressure on the government to outlaw Voodoo and disband the practice. There were two other times the church attempted to eradicate the practice of witchcraft and mysticism, once in 1896 and again in 1913. However, in 1941 the church began a campaign of intolerance that led to the dismantling of hundreds of Ounfos (voodoo temples), the burning of thousands of parchments, and the destruction of paraphernalia used in black magic rituals.

Haiti was a poor country then as it is now and produced barely enough food to feed its own people. Like most of Latin and South America the Catholic Church was the dominant Christian influence and its influence spread to those in control of the Haitian government. So when the government helped the church to eradicate the religion of Voodoo from the island, it helped to destroy hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of items and buildings. The heavy financial loss was especially hard on those who were already struggling and using voodoo as their means of sustenance. Many of those involved were willing participants who helped to destroy their own livelihood as they accepted Christ by the thousands throughout the crackdown. What happened should bring to remembrance to any regular reader of the Scriptures the incident Luke wrote about the chapter 19 of the book of Acts.

And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.Acts 19:18-20

As I said, during the crackdown many thousands would came to know Christ, but others just melted into the jungles continuing to practice their rituals in secret, away from the prying eyes of the government and the church. We may never know exactly why Anne Marie Polestier set it upon her heart to become a voodoo mambo or a priestess. Maybe she was a daughter of those who melted into the woods after the pressure of the Church and government became unbearable. Perhaps she was met with Christians who failed to show the love of Christ and instead was repelled by their anger over the evil they saw. Sometimes without realizing it, a Christian's hatred for evil can come off as hatred for the one practicing it. We are told to love the sinner and hate the sin, but too often the sinner and the sin both feel the wrath of the righteous. Regardless the reason, 83 year old Anne Marie does remember that she chose willingly to become a practitioner of Voodoo's black magic.

As you will see in the accompanying video that I edited from a report done for CBN, Polestier would become a well known witch doctor of voodoo, and in time would move to a neighborhood in central Port-au-Prince where she would gain quite the reputation for her knowledge and understanding of the many practices of voodoo and mysticism. Then one day a Christian Pastor decided to open a church in her neighborhood and spread the Gospel of Christ. Camille Desravines, was not met with joy and enthusiasm by the voodoo priestess, who considered the neighborhood to be her domain and the people to be her flock. She even told the new preacher that he had one year to get out of the neighborhood or else she would put a curse on them that would kill him and all the members of his church. It was not a threat to be taken lightly, after all the jungles are full of the bones of those who crossed the paths and made enemies of voodoo priestesses. Many, even in the Christian communities of Haiti, tend to keep their distance from such women and their black magic curses.

Voodoo priestesses may be scary, but in Christ we know no fear, because greater is He who is in us then he who is in the world. 1John 4:4 Pastor Desravines did not back down. He may have feared for the lives and welfare of his congregation but he knew that God would protect those who truly put their faith in Him through Christ. Well it was less then a year from the time she threatened them when the earthquake struck Haiti. When the quake hit, Anne Marie was in the living room with her daughter. She managed to get out, but lost her daughter who died and her home. A few yards away, her hated enemy, Pastor Camille would experience a similar fate. His church and home were destroyed and just like that, both he and Anne Marie were homeless.

It is important to know as a Christian, that calamity and death will visit both the righteous evil person, and it is how we react and what we do when such devastation and loss of life comes that shows the world who our God is. In the wake of the devastation, Pastor Camille's church invited Anne Marie to join them. Oh there is no building left ,but the church is not a building, the church is a community of God's children. Anne has learned what it means to be forgiving because those she threatened with a curse, are now the ones who are giving her aid and comfort at a time when she has no one and nothing left in this world. Anne Marie and Pastor Camille are becoming good friends, and Anne has even renounced Voodoo magic. She has yet to accept Christ as her Lord and Savior, but Pastor Camille is convinced that day will come shortly. Anne said of Voodoo:

"I'm going to leave it. I'm going to leave Voodoo, It has brought me nothing but anguish."

Pastors and Christians all over Haiti are reporting the same kind of miracles as the one that was visited upon Anne Marie. Almost every day following a service and meeting, more people come forward to declare they too want to trust Christ with their future and souls. They have a new found faith and it is a faith in Christ that many are beginning to understand as they witness the devastation that Voodoo could not keep from visiting their door. See, Christ does not promise that you will be free from trials and tribulations, what Christ offers is freedom from the second death as he told the Church of Smyrna when he told them they would face persecution:

Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." Revelation 2:10-11

The current troubles, brought on by the earthquake, only add to what the Haitians have suffered from years of political and spiritual corruption. That lethal combination has kept the people in such a state of constant poverty that many turned to Voodoo to help explain and deal with their suffering. Now some are looking to a different God, and the answers they are getting make more sense and offer better choices than the religion of Voodoo. Sometimes God's greatest miracles are most evident when people are suffering greatly. At a time when every person in Haiti has been touched by this tragedy, a miracle of rebirth is taking place. Both young and old are looking to Christ for answers and salvation that only He can offer.

I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen

UFC Champion Compares Canadian Health Care to That of The Third World

by OneVike

Audio of Lesnar Interview with Heyman Hustle

Video of ESPN interview
down below this article

Thinking he might need surgery to fix a bad case of diverticulitis, Brock Lesnar postponed a fight to defend his Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title. If you know who Lesnar is you have one of two opinions of him probably. You either think he is an egotistical maniac, and you wish someone would come along and shut him up, or you think he is maybe the greatest all around fighter to ever grace the sport of ultimate fighting. Well, Brock was not just unable to train for the defense of his title, he was considering the reality that he may have to retire at the young age of 32.

A former champion the WWE, Lesnar used the same tactics he used as a wrestler to help draw fans to the UFC. They say that Lesnar is the best thing that ever happened the UFC, but after his medical problems, they were worried the 1.6 million pay per views they gained due to his attraction was in jeopardy. Well they can now rest assured that their money maker will return to the ring, because Lesnar has had a miraculous recovery. However, up until just this past Tuesday it was not so. You may be asking yourself, since when have I cared about ultimate fighters and their future ability to beat each other up? Well the reason this is news is not because he is a fighter, but because of what happened after he ended up in a Canadian hospital.

See, Lesnar was beginning to suffer from depression due to the news he may have to retire from a new career he thought was going to allow him to fight one or maybe two times a year, while spending the rest of the year at home with his family. When he was a wrestler he was not able to see his family much because he was on the road all year, fighting two or three times a week. Well Brock was dealing with a bit of a case of depression and he decided to go to Canada on a hunting trip. Nothing helps the doldrums of depression like a good hunt and maybe some fresh venison.

While there he had such a painful diverticulitis attack, that he was hospitalized. While in a Canadian hospital you would think he was getting the best care in the world. After all, we are told by liberals in America that the Canadian health care system is almost as good as that of Cuba. That's why we are told by Obama and the Democrats they want to take over 1/7th of the American economy, they want to make it as good as Canada's. Just one problem, Democrats can only tell lies about our health care system and that of the rest of the worlds'. The lie is that the only way for us to improve the system in America is to make it like that of other countries who have Socialized their health care systems.

So what does Lesnar have to say about that great Canadian health care he was getting? Brock was not impressed, matter of fact he was quoted in an interview as saying, “They couldn’t do nothing for me. It was like I was in a third world country.” It was so bad that his wife Rena, had to rescue him from the hospital. She loaded him into their car and drove sometimes as fast as 100 miles per hour to get her ailing husband back to America where she admitted him into the MedCenter One hospital in Bismarck, N.D. There, doctors were patient, they didn’t immediately perform surgery and slowly nursed him back to some form of health. Brock's wife was so afraid her husband was going to die in the Canadian hospital she had no choice but to perform what was tantamount to a prison break to save his life.

So for you liberals who are angry that Scott Brown won the election and killed ObamaCare, I ask you. Are you sure you want what Canada has? Personally, I have yet to hear one person tell me that they had better care in Canada then they have ever received in America. Fact is, no one who knows the truth is surprised and I thank God that the people of liberal Massachusetts even know it. Come November, those who are still hoping that Obama and the Democrats can still change America into the Socialist utopia they want, are going to be shocked.

The way I see it, there was a small earthquake in the Ocean on Tuesday, and that little ripple in the water you see is going to be such a huge tsunami come November that I would not be surprised if the Democrat party becomes insignificant and powerless to the political process for years to come.

Yellow Lab Senses Earthquake, & Runs For Safety before It Hits

As early as 373 B.C. when historians recorded that residents saw various animals from rats, snakes and weasels, deserting the Greek city of Helice in droves just days before a quake devastated the place. Accounts of similar animal anticipation of earthquakes have surfaced across the centuries since. Catfish moving violently, chickens that stop laying eggs and bees leaving their hive in a panic have been reported. Countless pet owners claimed to have witnessed their cats and dogs acting strangely before the ground shook—barking or whining for no apparent reason, or showing signs of nervousness and restlessness. All these and many more instances give rise to the question of whether or not animals have a special sense given to them by God to get out of dangers way.

In December 2004, when an earthquake accrued under the Indian Ocean a tsunami devastated many areas around India and Indonesia. While thousands of people were killed and injured from the ensuing tsunami, wildlife officials at Sri Lanka's Yala National Park have reported no mass animal deaths. It would seem that that hundreds of wild animals including elephants, leopards, and monkeys were able to sense the danger long before humans. The theory is that the animals took precautions upon themselves that kept them from harms way at the wildlife reserve.

Researchers around the world continue to pursue the phenomenon of erratic behavior among animals prior to earthquakes such as excessive barking or biting by dogs, cats scratching their owners while in their laps before hand, and wildlife running as if they are evacuating from a forest fire. However geologists, in tandem with many animal behaviorists have dismissed these kinds of reports, calling such assurances a simple case of "the psychological focusing effect". This is what happens when people remember strange behaviors only after an earthquake or other catastrophe has taken place. If nothing had happened, they contend, people would not have remembered the strange behavior.

Well on January 9, 2010 an earthquake hit Eureka California. This 6.5 quake did an estimated $12.5 million in damage to Eureka in widespread damage, with homes and businesses throughout the city being effected by the shaking. Humboldt County officials reported that in the whole county there were only 27 minor injuries and one severe injury of a resident who broke a hip. As the days went by however, reports began surfacing about strange animal behavior, from wildlife to pets. Residents reported that just seconds before the quake struck they saw their pets running to get away from something as if they were being chased by a predator.

In this video taken from a surveillance camera inside the Times-Standard Newspaper, you will see firsthand evidence of a yellow lab named Sophie bolting to find her owner moments before the earthquake struck Eureka. I would say that this is proof positive that animals know when the earth is moving before we do. I suggest that the geologists who claim people remember events out of sequence thus we think animals know ahead of time need to reasess the conclusion of their study. It is not, as they say a, "the psychological focusing effect", it is in fact an ability to sense oncoming danger. Whether they felt the quake beginning from deep inside the earth before we did, or they were told by God to run, animals do listen to their instincts.

Men may have instincts also, but more importantly we have knowledge of the world. Thus we can determine if an area is prone to earthquakes, floods, hurricanes or even tornadoes. Unfortunately we are fools, I say fools because even with a higher intelligence we still continue to build our homes and cities in areas that constantly get devastated by natural disasters. Then we accuse God of being cruel for allowing humans to be killed and maimed from our foolish decisions. Well, enjoy this short 26 second video of a dog who listened to the instinct God gave her.

Today Massachusetts, November Congress, & The White House in 2012

by OneVike

It would seem that Scott Browns surge in the latest polls have him up over Kennedy's would be replacement by an insurmountable lead. Even the shenanigans they pulled off in Minnesota will not save the swimmers seat for Obama to take over 1/7th of the American economy, (Health care). What I have for you, are five polls that show Obama's best chance, Democrat Martha Coakly, of taking over health care losing in a free fall with the Massachusetts voters.

Check out these poll numbers of Republican Scott Brown and Democrat Martha Coakley, on the eve of the special election to fill the late Ted Kennedy's seat.


Politico/InAdv: ---------- Brown 52, Coakley 43 ----- Brown +9

PJM/CrossTarget: ------ Brown 52, Coakley 42 ------ Brown+10

PPP: ---------------------- Brown 51, Coakley 46 ------ Brown +5

Daily Kos: ---------------- Brown 48, Coakley 48 ----- Tie

Any of these polls could be off, but taken as a whole it does not look good for Obama. Except for the far leftist site Daily KO's the facts are in, and the facts state that Obama is in huge trouble. Even Jimmy carter did not lose safe seats like Massachusetts when he was in a tailspin before his historic loss to Reagan. What is real bad is that the Washington Examiner, is now saying that Coakley's own internal polls has her losing to Brown by five points. Many considered Massachusetts the most liberal of all states and as such it has three times the number of registered Democrats than Republicans. Consider this, In 1972 Massachusetts was the only state that the leftist Democrat, George McGovern, won in his bid to defeat the hated Richard Nixon.

In a political sense, loosing Ted Kennedy's seat to a Republican would be like Pee Wee Herman knocking Mike Tyson out in the first round of a heavy weight boxing match. The left will attempt to make all kinds of excuses, and we are now even hearing some. However, it is a loss that will be heard around the political world for many years to come. Mark my words, this loss will reverberate into the off year elections and I would not be surprised if the republicans not only regain both houses of Congress, but gain a super majority in the process. Just think what that really means if the safest democrat seat in the Senate goes to a republican? There will be no safe seat in 2010 for the Democrats, and that my friends is why so many Democrats are now stating that they are retiring.

Video of Kirk Cameron Giving Away Free Copies Of "Origin of Species"

Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort have found a loophole and decided to exploit it for Christ. It would seems that Charles Darwin's book, "Origin of Species", is considered public domain by the law. So what Kirk and Comfort have done was open a hornets nest by distributing hundreds of thousands of free copies of Darwin's book with Christian material and messages as a forward. Then they distributed them for free at universities across America and Europe. The 50 page introduction picks apart aspects of Charles Darwin’s work and links it to everything from Nazi eugenics to the scientist’s alleged ‘disdain for women.”


Now you can watch the video below that was of put out by their "Way of The Master" organization that headed up the bold plan of taking on Darwin and his book. Cameron had said before the plan was carried out on November 18, 2009 that,

“Atheism has been on the rise for years now, and the Bible of the atheists is The Origin of Species. We have a situation in our country where young people are entering college with a belief in God and exiting with that faith being stripped and shredded. What we want to do is have student make an informed, educated decision before they chuck their faith.”




Kirk Cameron says, “I am proud to bring this to people’s attention. You see things in the world that are truly distressing and you think, ‘What can I do?’ Well this is something I can do.”

Don't Blame God, Tragedies Happen

After the Earthquake that devastated Haiti, Pat Robertson was accused of saying that God was punishing Haiti because of the evil practices of its people. At first I must admit that I cringed and even stated that he was out of line and the statement was ignorant on his part, especially when the Scriptures go directly against such foolish beliefs. Then I looked into what Pat actually said, and found this statement put out by CBN:.

”Pat Robertson's comments were based on the widely-discussed 1791 slave rebellion led by Boukman Dutty at Bois Caiman, where the slaves allegedly made a famous pact with the devil in exchange for victory over the French. This history, combined with the horrible state of the country, has led countless scholars and religious figures over the centuries to believe the country is cursed. Dr. Robertson never stated that the earthquake was God’s wrath. If you watch the entire video segment, Dr. Robertson’s compassion for the people of Haiti is clear. CBN

So Pat Robertson did not say what he was accused of saying, yet I still have a problem with the so called scholars whom he quoted and it is their belief that I want to address today. I must question how well learned these scholars are for making such a claim. After all, a simple reading of the encounter that Abraham had when he was visited by three angels on their way to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah should be enough to dispel such nonsense. 16Genesis 18:16:33 God was willing to spare the whole of Sodom and Gomorrah if, as
Abraham pleaded, He found 10 righteous individuals. Well, God did not find 10 righteous people and so, destroyed both cities. Regardless of how evil the men of Sodom were, God was willing to spare them. I could probably list many of the evils things that have been going on in Haiti, from their supposed deal with the devil in 1791 all the way up their current practices of Voodoo. However, I could probably find and list the names of Haitians who practice their Christian beliefs as good or even better then many Christians I know in America. That would be hundreds of times the number of people God was looking for to spare Sodom and Gomorrah..

What many Christians fail to understand is that God did not target the people of Haiti for their sinful ways no more then He specifically targeted Indonesia in 2004 when it was devastated by a tsunami, or America on September 11, 2001. I can think of a certain few cities in America that are just as evil in God's eyes, if not more so, because they have more access to the truth than many people in Haiti do. Last time I looked San Francisco is still among the cities of America.

Furthermore, we live in a dispensation of time that was ushered in by Christ. This new dispensation makes each individual person responsible for his own sin. There is no corporate punishment for countries or societies like there was in the Old Testament times. Other than the final judgment that is spoken of in Revelation when God will finally judge all mankind, there is no such thing as God punishing nations. Like it or not that is a fact. Christ came as the Lamb of God the first time to usher in His church and die for our sins. The next time He comes it will be with a sword, and He will usher in His Kingdom.

Now as far as disasters are concerned, it's easy to think of nature as serene and safe--the way that many people who enjoy the comforts of the modern world experience it. We in America are used to nature when and how we like it. But natural disasters are faith-shakers. It may be that we in the west should ask why we do not suffer more faith strengthening natural disasters. Katrina should have been a faith building disaster, but we allowed too many to use it for political purposes and in the process too few realized the moment to trust fully in God as they should have. We would be wise to study the actions of the early Christians who suffered many tragedies for their faith. For them, suffering was not a metaphysical problem needing a solution but a practical challenge needing a response of faith. Apparently it never occurred to them to question their belief in God or his goodness because they were unjustly suffering from either man made or natural disasters. Rather, their faith gave them direction in the face of persecution and general misfortune. God did not cause the earthquake nor did he step in to stop it, because he expects us to use those moments of trouble to look to Him.

There will come a time when we will all collectively be tested by persecution and tragedies because of mankind's sin, but depending on what your understanding of the end times is, the way, and time will happen when God is ready. Ones understanding of how and when the end will come has no bearing upon the salvation of ones soul. Acceptance of Jesus as your Lord and Savior will save you, not your understanding of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the lord Jesus Christ.

Amen

While Some Blame God, Danny Glover Blames Global Warming for Haiti's Earthquake

by One Vike

Whenever a disaster occurs, there are always people trying to capitalize on it to get rich, famous, or just to attack others for political gain.  The earthquake in Haiti is a prime example of this.   Pat Robertson came out this past week and claimed that the earthquake and many other troubles throughout their history is a result of their making a pact with the devil in exchange for victory over the French. Thus Pat Robertson said that countless scholars and religious figures over the centuries believe the country is cursed and so he says this is why the earthquake happened.  Basically God is holding a 200 plus year grudge against them. 


Then we have the MSM deciding to use the moment to personally attack Rush Limbaugh for saying he does not think we should give our money to Obama to help the Haitians. While we will inevitably see Obama eventually use this disaster to prop up his god complex by pointing out how much better he is then Bush was at responding to disasters. Eventually his sycophantic followers will point out that we need to continue worshiping and praying in his name for good things to happen. 

Then we have Danny Glover who would like to claim that the earth is angry because we failed to get a comprehensive global warming treaty signed at Copenhagen. Take a look at this video of Danny Glover & Marie St. Cyr are speaking on the phone with Laura Flanders of GRITtv about the disaster in Haiti. The way I see it, if I was going to blame anyone for this disaster, I prefer to think God might be angry before I would think the earth is. Also, if I am going to give my hard earned money away to help the efforts of the Haitian people, I think I would prefer donating to a Christian charity instead of Obama's administration website.

 

I plan on writing about the Haitian disaster and God's part in it tomorrow when I write my Sunday message. However allow be to say categorically that God does not target geographical areas of the world to punish the sin of men. He will one day return with a sword and separate the wheat from the chaff, but that is in the end when all men will see the wrath of the lamb.  Otherwise I want someone to explain to me why San Fransisco still exists. Like I said watch for my Sunday morning message tomorrow or check out my blog Gate of the City after 6:00 AM.

Ice Fishing In Russia (Warning, Video could be brutal for some)

(If you like this video, check out the one of a kitty cat chasing away a bear)

Many of us have either ice fished or at least seen pictures or videos of ice fishing. However, you really need to check out this video of a few guys ice fishing in Russia. While watching this video, I ask that you think about these three questions. First question is, when was the last time you saw this many fish caught by a few guys while ice fishing. The second question would be, if this was filmed in America, how many laws do you think they would be in violation of. Finally I want you to ask yourself, when did us Americans end up being less free then the Russians?

Just to set the record straight, I do not recommend we all start fishing like these guys are doing, but it does make one wonder about the many laws we have in this (America) so called free society of ours. In California alone, the laws we have to protect the so-called existence of fish far outweigh the laws in place to protect the existence of humans.

It also makes you wonder if and when PETA will get a hold of the full version of this video and use it for their wacko purposes. God I hope not though, because it's those idiots who control the Dept of California Fish and Game.

Drive By Attack On Dog, By A Cat

Ever notice how cats just have this greater then thou attitude towards dogs? Kind of reminds me of the way many liberals in the MSM, academia, Hollywood, and politicians (on both sides of the isle I might add) have anointed themselves as superior to us common folk in the hinter lands. They are always looking down upon us with their collective noses in the air.


Well take a look at the way this cat is riding a Roomba vacuum while taking pot shots at the boxer in this video. Doesn't it remind you of the way the MSM will drive by and take pot shots at conservatives, gives a whole new to drive by hit pieces. Whether you are a cat person or a dog lover, this video is bound to make you laugh your butt off. While watching the video you will most likely begin to think, "There is only so much that dog will put up with before he nails the smarmy cat." Which is going to happen to the MSM's darling Democrats this November. We Americans have had enough of their smarmy drive by, greater than though attitudes, and we are ready to knock them off their tax sucking, fascist pushing, un-American pedestals.

Drive By Attack On Dog, By A Cat

Click on the picture above and it will take you to the video.  I accidentally put the video on the wrong blog.  I appoligize for the inconvenience.

Ice Fishing In Russia (Warning, Video could be brutal for some)

Click on the picture above and it will take you to the video.  I accidentally put the video on the wrong blog.  I appoligize for the inconvenience.

Rino Senate Candidate, Linda McMahon, explains Donations to Rahm Emanuel & Liberal Democrats

 by One Vike

We are a week away from an historic day.  A day that I believe Scott Brown will assume the senate seat vacated by the death of Ted Kennedy.  Then just last we heard that Chris Dodd decided not to run for re-election in Connecticut.  Along with the other retiring members of the Democrat party it would seem that the Republicans could actually retake the Senate.  Even ABC is reporting that the future of the Democrats control of the senate is shaky.  So now we have an interesting summer to look forward to as the many possibilities abound as to what will happen in November.

Which brings me back to Chris Dodd and the seat that will be vacated by his retirement.  One of the bright stars on the horizon that I have been hearing of lately is non other than the wife of Vince McMahon.  Linda and Jim started and ran the operations of World Wrestling Entertainment since its establishment in 1980.  Well, it would seem that Linda has been a donor to non other then Rahm Emanuel in 2006 when he came to the WWE's Stamford headquarters and personally received a five figure donation from McMahon herself.  Money she claims was not for political reasons.  Yea right.  Are we to believe that when Rahm Emanuel is donated money that his intentions are not politically motivated?


Well, if you are in from Connecticut then you may want to check out this video of Linda explaining her self in front of a voter forum in Connecticut when asked about the contributions. The way I see it, she is no different then any other Rino who will side with the Democrats if she gets elected.  You people in Connecticut better find a better candidate to go to Washington as your Senator, or things will continue as they always have. 

Snowmobile Traffic Jam, Venison Anybody?

These pictures were emailed to me by a friend, I don't know where it is but I wish I was there with a good rifle. I love venison, don't you?

Judging Others

I am always amazed how those, when told by a Christian that they are sinners, accuse the Christian of being judgmental. They claim that the Bible, a text that Christians claim is the inspired word of God, says we are not to judge others because of what Jesus said in Matthew 7:1

"Judge not, that you be not judged".Matthew 7:1

First off, it would be wise to know that originally there were no such things as chapters and verses in the Greek and Aramaic texts. They were added later to facilitate ease of use. It was not until Cardinal Hugo de Sancto Caro began to create a concordance of the Latin Vulgate, that he found the need to use chapters and verses. These made it easier for others to cross reference verses and look up the information that he was listing in his concordance around 1244 to 1248 A.D. The original manuscripts that made up the Bible were fragments of letters written by the authors. Many of which were but copies of the original letters passed along from church to church for the defense against heresies, education, and edification of the many followers of Christ. Others give credit to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Stephen Langton, who started his listing and categorizing 1227 A.D. When Wycliff translated his English version of the Scriptures he used Langton's verses and chapters as a guide in 1382.

So now we get back to the present day when we see those who wish to live immoral lives, attack Christians for judging their immoral behavior by citing Matthew 7:1. Is it any wonder you never hear them add the rest of the thought process of Jesus into their accusation? That is correct, I said the rest of the thought process of Jesus, because the verse separation divides a statement by Jesus into two versus. In reality, if they had known in 1200 that men would attempt to use the Bible to justify their immoral behavior, then maybe they would have ended Matthew verse one after the statement by Jesus in verse two. If they had, Matthew 7:1 would say;

"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

The key to accurately interpreting this passage would be to first recognize that the phrase "Judge not" is a part of a larger context which includes, "When you judge....". Further more, the very structure of the language which was originally in Greek reveals that the intended meaning of this whole statement by Christ was to prohibit the constant use of judgment as a way of life. It was not meant to stop judgment of evil, or wrong doing, but rather to warn against a judgmental attitude towards every little thing in life, especially when you are guilty of the same things you judge others of as the Pharisees were.

Now, I will inevitably be asked what exactly I consider to be legitimate judgment. Judgment is legitimate when it follows what Jesus told the people in John 7:24, where He was accused of working on the Sabbath by healing and performing miracles, to which Jesus said to them;

"I did one work, and you all marvel. Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment." John 7:21-24

Righteousness in the New Testament is the equivalent of the revealed will of God in the Word. So judgment is righteous, and warranted, when it agrees with Biblical principles. Judgment that is a matter of personal opinion or that is antithetical to (against) Biblical principles is the type of judgment that is forbidden by the statement Jesus made in Matthew 7:1-2. Paul touched upon this when he wrote to the Corinthians about spiritual wisdom and our need to watch out for false prophets who would lead us into all kinds of evil practices. Paul told them, thus he tells us that;

the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ, 1Corinthians 2:14

So on one hand, we are commanded by our Lord Jesus, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged" Matthew 7:1. On the other hand, the Bible also exhorts us to beware of evildoers and false prophets and to avoid those who practice all kinds of evil. How are we to discern who these people are, if we do not make some kind of judgment about them?



There is a righteous kind of judgment we are supposed to exercise with careful discernment. In Matthew 7:2-5, Jesus warns us against judging someone else for a sin we too are committing, or if we are committing a worse sin. That is the kind of judgment Jesus commanded us not to do. If a believer sees another believer sinning, it is his or her Christian duty to lovingly and respectfully confront that person about their sinful behavior. Matthew 18:15-17 This is not judging, but rather pointing out the truth in hope that the ultimate goal would be to bring repentance in the other persons life and to restore them back into fellowship. We are to speak the truth in love, and we are to proclaim what God's Word says about sin. Paul gives us an excellent example of how to do this when he told the Corinthians to expel a brother from the church for sleeping with his fathers wife.


Which leads to the fact that a majority of Americans still call themselves Christian, and it is our duty to judge such men who claim to be in fellowship with Christ. We can do nothing but take their word for their faith and by doing so they lay their lives open to be judged by other brothers and sisters of Christ. If we do not, then we are at fault for not correcting a brother or sister. As for judging the world of sinners who are not walking in the way, we are to let them know that they are wrong in their behavior and offer them the gospel of Christ Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6 If they refuse to accept the message then we are to follow the guideline of Christ when He sent out His disciples by twos, saying;

And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"

So when we judge we should judge evil with a righteous judgment that can only come from those who themselves are not living a life of unrighteousness. We should judge those who are in a position to influence our children, our friends and our country. As a Christian, I would be sinning if I allowed my child to go off with an individual I thought was doing drugs. As a Christian, I would be sinning if I allowed my friends to be ripped off by a person I knew was a con artist. As a Christian, I would be sinning if I allowed anyone I know to have their money stolen, their car damaged, or their lively hood to be diminished, especially if I knew it was happening. So judge I will, but I will do so righteously and with an understanding that it is my duty as a Christian to be upfront and honest about my intentions for any and all rebukes. It is a fine line we Christians must walk while in the world, but it is a line none the less if we are to be the light that shines the love and truth of Christ on a dark and lost world.

I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

The World's Shortest Books

by Onevike

Every now and then we just need to laugh. This was emailed to me and
I figured I would just pass it on. Well, I hope you enjoy the laugh






"THINGS I DID TO DESERVE
THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE"
by
Barack Obama
*******************************************************
"THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY COUNTRY"
by
Jane Fonda and Cindy Sheehan
Illustrated by Michael Moore
*******************************************************
"HOW I HELPED AFTER KATRINA"
by
Rev Jesse Jackson and Rev Al Sharpton
*******************************************************
"MY CHRISTIAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS"
by
Rev Jesse Jackson and Rev Al Sharpton
Introduction by Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr
*******************************************************
"THE DAY I STOOD UP TO CASTRO"
by
Janet Reno
*******************************************************
"THE CHILDREN I RESCUED FROM
DAVID KORESH'S COMPOUND”
by
Janet Reno
*******************************************************
"THINGS I LOVE ABOUT BILL"
by
Hillary Clinton
*******************************************************
"THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HILLARY"
"THE SEQUEL"
by
Bill Clinton
*******************************************************
"THINGS I CANNOT AFFORD"
by
Bill Gates
*******************************************************
"THINGS I WOULD NOT DO FOR MONEY"
by
Dennis Rodman
*******************************************************
"THINGS WE KNOW TO BE TRUE"
by
Al Gore and John Kerry
*******************************************************
"OUR MANY PATRIOTIC SONGS"
by
The Dixie Chicks
*******************************************************
"AMELIA EARHART'S GUIDE TO THE PACIFIC"
*******************************************************
"A COLLECTION of MOTIVATIONAL SPEECHES"
by
Dr. J. Kevorkian
*******************************************************
"TO ALL THE MEN WE'VE LOVED BEFORE..."
by
Ellen de Generes and Rosie O'Donnel
*******************************************************
"THE AMISH PHONE DIRECTORY"
*******************************************************
"MY PLAN TO FIND THE REAL KILLER(S)"
by
O. J. Simpson
*******************************************************
"HOW TO DRINK & DRIVE SAFELY"
by
Ted Kennedy
*******************************************************
"MY BOOK OF MORALS"
by
Bill Clinton
introduction by
Rev. Jesse Jackson
*******************************************************
"COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF MILITARY STRATEGY!"
by
Nancy Pelosi
introduction by Rev. Jesse Jackson
*******************************************************
And in the spirit of the season (NFL playoff season that is)
*******************************************************
"OUR MANY LOMBARDI TROPHIES!"
by
the Minnesota Vikings and the Buffalo Bills
*******************************************************
"MY FAVORITE QUARTERBACKS"
by
Terrell Owens