It seems that all this to do about Chik Fil La's belief in the time honored, God defined marriage definition is a bit over blown. It is no surprise given this country's past, that the Bible defined much of our morals in our world until very recently. It would surprise me, considering the polls that have been done on this subject, to find that Chik Fil La is the only one who feels this way. The majority of voters uphold the traditional marriage definition. It is only a minority that believe differently.
It seems to really upset alternative lifestyle people, to the point that they have become extremely hostile, and obnoxious. Calling for boycotts and picketing of a company that is not discriminatory against anyone in their hiring practices or their service of their customers. We still live under the constitution and our opinions and our beliefs are still protected by it, even when they are different from others.
If you do choose to believe in same sex marriage that is your choice to do so. God gives us all a choice to either follow his word or not. There are consequences to our choices, if we don't choose to live by his commands. It is not ours to judge you as unbelievers or yours to judge others for not agreeing with your beliefs and lifestyle choices.
I believe most Christians would leave it at that if it were not for the push to spread your beliefs into our schools and corrupt the minds of our Christian children. We want our beliefs respected as much as you want your beliefs respected. Christians are a live and let live people for the most part, but don't mistake kindness and understanding for ignorance. We will stand for what we believe in be it politically correct or not. God still trumps government in the Christian world, and it would do the politicians to understand that come election time.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Drought Conditions In the Midwest
As I look out over the land, the grass is burnt, crisp under my feet. I have never seen it so dry here. Crops in the field have long given up the hope of a saturating rain and stand in silence, deserted. The trees are wilting during the day and some have followed the grass in their gasping for water in a last ditch effort to live.
I see less and less stock out in the fields and more of them at the livestock auction. Houses are starting to break apart, their foundations cracking and dropping out from under them, no longer able to bridge the gap as the earth contracts from lack of moisture. I'm a little concerned about conserving water at the house and pray the well continues to draw the cool liquid, we so dearly need.
I fear this country is experiencing judgement for our wicked ways, there are penalties for disobedience for the Word plainly speaks of this matter;
"I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit. If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve." Leviticus 26:18-21
However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out. The LORD will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him. Deuteronomy 28:15-20
Is that what's happening now? Will it continue? I guess that depends if we see the error of our ways, repent and pray. God is fair and just, He also rewards obedience:
" 'I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove savage beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. " 'I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating last year's harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new. I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people."
Leviticus 26:6-12
The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity--in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground--in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you. The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them. Deuteronomy 28:11-14
I ask you what do you think is happening in our country today? Would love to hear your comments.
"I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit. If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve." Leviticus 26:18-21
However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out. The LORD will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him. Deuteronomy 28:15-20
Is that what's happening now? Will it continue? I guess that depends if we see the error of our ways, repent and pray. God is fair and just, He also rewards obedience:
" 'I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove savage beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. " 'I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating last year's harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new. I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people."
Leviticus 26:6-12
The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity--in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground--in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you. The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them. Deuteronomy 28:11-14
I ask you what do you think is happening in our country today? Would love to hear your comments.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Stories of A Treasure and A Pearl
The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. One day a man found the treasure, and then he hid it in the field again. He was so happy that he went and sold everything he owned to buy that field.
Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a man looking for fine pearls. When he found a very valuable pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:44-46
Today is such that everyone is buying everything they see because of a momentary desire, we as a culture, have lost the ability to distinguish trash from treasure. We idolize celebrities, material possessions and strive to obtain the newest, biggest, and the best the moment has to offer, only to be unsatisfied tomorrow.
Our children are committing suicide in unfathomable numbers, yet they are given everything their hearts desire materially. Why are they still so unhappy? Look at their role models, what do you see? Celebrities that are in and out of drug rehab and change marriage partners like some change pants. The need to be pencil thin and sexually alluring to any gender. These are the people they look up to. Is it any wonder we are in such a mess?
Clearly we are missing the direction we need to find happiness and a stable, enjoyable life. We have taken away what is most important to their well being, God. God is the essential ingredient in happiness. We can try to fill the emptiness we have inside all of us with useless material things, but it does not satisfy us for very long. We can look inside ourselves for the answers but all we find is emptiness and a craving for more.
As stated in Matthew above we need to look for a treasure and a pearl in the world today. We also need to be able to know it when we see it and be willing to sell everything we have to obtain it. The treasure is God and the pearl is a one on one relationship with him. All the worldly treasures are but a passing fancy and will deteriorate with time. But a relationship with God will only become more valuable and refined with time and troubles. It is the basis for happiness.
Come, pursue this treasure with me, lets explore God's Word together. I look forward to any comments and your thoughts on this matter.
Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a man looking for fine pearls. When he found a very valuable pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:44-46
Today is such that everyone is buying everything they see because of a momentary desire, we as a culture, have lost the ability to distinguish trash from treasure. We idolize celebrities, material possessions and strive to obtain the newest, biggest, and the best the moment has to offer, only to be unsatisfied tomorrow.
Our children are committing suicide in unfathomable numbers, yet they are given everything their hearts desire materially. Why are they still so unhappy? Look at their role models, what do you see? Celebrities that are in and out of drug rehab and change marriage partners like some change pants. The need to be pencil thin and sexually alluring to any gender. These are the people they look up to. Is it any wonder we are in such a mess?
Clearly we are missing the direction we need to find happiness and a stable, enjoyable life. We have taken away what is most important to their well being, God. God is the essential ingredient in happiness. We can try to fill the emptiness we have inside all of us with useless material things, but it does not satisfy us for very long. We can look inside ourselves for the answers but all we find is emptiness and a craving for more.
As stated in Matthew above we need to look for a treasure and a pearl in the world today. We also need to be able to know it when we see it and be willing to sell everything we have to obtain it. The treasure is God and the pearl is a one on one relationship with him. All the worldly treasures are but a passing fancy and will deteriorate with time. But a relationship with God will only become more valuable and refined with time and troubles. It is the basis for happiness.
Come, pursue this treasure with me, lets explore God's Word together. I look forward to any comments and your thoughts on this matter.
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