Hold a Bonfire on 9-11

Don’t burn any books on 9-11, fire up your heart instead. Hold a prayer vigil and a fast for the church in America.

Who knows where we are in God’s timetable. A couple more 9-11 types disasters add a few hurricanes and a good earthquake, bye bye USA.

I pray it never happens for the sake of our children, but what would we do? Dare we think we’re immune to such things here.

Picture riots and martial law everywhere as Washington DC burns. Imagine mobs trampling on all our sacred documents with the capital in ruins.

I love this country and I pray God will spare us once again.

But all of you who know history and who study your bible know that anything is possible.

Will we be ready as a church for what happens?

Praying for Schenectady

It’s certainly been a crazy year for those of us with children in the Schenectady School District. There are two things that keep me from totally giving up on this city altogether. One is, as a person of faith I know how prayer changes things. And two,

after seeing how much the Obama administration is train wrecking everything in sight it just goes to show our city government isn’t so bad after all.

Fecal Matter

Image by elventear via Flickr

When I recently listed my favorite topics to blog about, there’s one I didn’t mention. Besides, Religion, Politics, and Local Topics, there’s one more.

Crud!

It’s crap!  It’s raw sewage and all the other G Rated words I use to describe pornography.  Especially the kind available on the internet.  To think that much of what’s available on the web was illegal just a few short years ago.  Come to think of it allot of it still is illegal.

Do these devils care?  No way!  They will drag your soul down to the deepest part of hell itself.  They will suck all the money from your wallet your bank accounts and put you debt so fast you won’t know what hit you.  You’ll sell your car and lose your house just to get your fix.  Porn is just like any other addiction.

So what are you waiting for good Christian brother?  Why do you still get up at at 3am to do what you got to do when no one but Jesus can see what you’re doing?

(BEEN THERE- DONE THAT!)

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Desperation? Or Pure Evil

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

When I first heard how an orphanage in Uganda was burned down by an arsonist my first reaction was,

“This is an act of pure evil!”

But when I realized what else happened that night I began to wonder.  Because while the fire was being put out in the confusion a group of villagers came and stole a bunch of clothing.  Was this evil or a desperate chance to get clothing for their own children.

Either way the dormitory for the older girls at the Canaan Children’s home in Buziika Uganda is a total loss.  Now it will have to be rebuilt and all the beds replaced.

Just something to think about when you feel like complaining.  And while you’re at it you can watch this video.

Wake Up America!

How much will it take before Americans wake up and understand the threat of radical Islam? There is no halfway with this religion. Their sacred book makes it that way. You’re either a secular Muslim or a radical.

The Koran demands that all non Muslims and all non conforming Muslims convert by force or be put to death. There is no middle ground here.

This is why you never hear of Muslims condemning terrorist attacks like 9-11. They would risk being killed.

So what will it take to wake America up? What about the case of young Rifqa Bary?

She is a teen who after converting to Christianity feared for her life from her radical Muslim family.  Rifqa fled to Florida where she was taken in by a Christian family.

Now the courts have become involved with experts on both sides stating their case with this poor young girl caught in the middle.

Now it appears as though the parents may win. The court may decide on Tuesday to return Rifqa to her family.

If this happens what will become of her? Will her death be the wake up call for America?  Or will it be just another news story thrown amongst all the others!

May it not be, Lord!  Dear God.  May the court in Florida grant custody to the Christian family.  May this case finally shed light on our sleeping nation.

-In the name of Jesus, AMEN.

Is Schenectady Cursed?

Image via Wikipedia

Sometimes I have to wonder with all the bad news from here. If it’s not the school board it’s the police department. Or it’s the crime rate or like today, it’s the city budget.

It’s like the same mantra year after year, like a steady cycle of defeat.  They cut services down to the bone and raise taxes to the breaking point.  Just as soon as we the taxpayer get ahead, they cut services and raise taxes again.

If you’re a person of faith, who actually likes where you live and still believes in our city.  If you like the great things that are happening in the schools (My two are thriving at their magnet school) then you know it’s time to pray.

Pray for those who understand they are public servants to keep doing the right thing.  And for those blocking the way for self serving reasons that they move or get run over.

Now’s the time for Moses to part the Red Sea.  The Red Sea of debt and taxation.

Praying For Our Troops

With much of the media focused on health care reform and the deficit sometimes it’s easy to forget our nation is still fighting two wars.

Even as we speak there are men and women putting themselves in harms way every minute of every day. We still need to keep lifting them up in our thoughts and in our prayers no matter what the media is blathering about.

It’s something we all know deep down but it never gets old bringing up time and time again.  Of course for everyone with a loved one overseas it’s something that’s always in the back of their minds.

So here’s hoping and praying that they all can come home soon safe and sound and start doing again what young couples are really good at.

-Making babies! 

Selective Memory

We have a selective memory in this country. This is why we need to be reminded of a few things over and over.

Our nation is a republic and not a democracy. The founders knew in a pure democracy a small minority could drive the agenda for the whole nation.

For example despite the fact that most Americans believe in God we have to be careful not to offend the few who don’t. We forget the infamous phrase “Separation of church and state” is not even in the Constitution.

And just because of one isolated Supreme Court case every woman now has the right to kill off her preborn baby anytime she wants. A fact the woman involved in the case now deeply regrets.

So now even though most Americans have access to health care we have to create a giant new monster government program for the few who don’t. All that’s needed are few common sense solutions. These were the papers the Republicans were waving during the president’s lecture last week.

Meanwhile what about in 2005 when it wasn’t one congressman speaking out, it was almost half the chamber booing president Bush? No one said a word about that. Yet another case of selective memory.

Never Take Freedom For Granted!

Millions of us will gather in places of worship of all shapes and sizes this weekend without fear of persecution.  We go where ever and when ever we want.

That’s not case for millions more around the world.  They face the possibility of raids, harassment, imprisonment, torture, and death.  All for the chance to gather with other believers and worship Our Lord Jesus and hear the preaching of His Word.

Take for example Shouwang Church in Beijing China,

http://www.chinaaid.org/qry/page.taf?id=105

“China Aid learned the Chinese government recently issued a secret directive calling the government agencies to dismantle at least six major house churches before the end of August. ChinaAid believes these actions have been taken in preparation for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the CPC’s rule in China. Reliable sources told ChinaAid that the Beijing Huajie Plaza received an order from the PSB to terminate its rental contract with the Beijing Shouwang house church. One of the largest house churches in the area, Beijing Shouwang Church has been renting two floors for their worship and Sunday school services in Huajie Plaza for a few years. The church has over 1,000 church members, and most of them are intellectuals from universities. This is the most recent action against Beijing Shouwang Church since government officials forcibly shut down their church website on April 13, 2009, and raided the church on May 11, 2008.”

Of course I never will  understand why governments have a problem with a religion that encourages it’s followers to obey the law, be productive, and be a peaceful citizen.  But we know it’s the enemy clouding their thinking.

As believers in a free country what can we do?

Here’s what I will do.

China Aid urges Christians around the world to speak out on behalf of these believers, to urge that their freedoms not be thwarted.

Contact the Chinese Embassy with your concerns;

Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong
3505 International Place, NW, Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: (202) 495-2000
Fax: (202) 588-9760″

Photo from shchurch.com: Over 1,000 believers worship at Beijing Shouwang Church every week.

*

Don’t forget to thank God for your freedom this weekend and pray for those in China and elsewhere.

I’ve got my eye on YOU!

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

When I began this blog, one of my biggest goals was for it to be about prayer. Let’s face it bloggers ranting about how messed up the world has become are a penny a dozen.  But what if instead of just complaining about things we tried to do something about it.  They say prayer changes things and if nothing else prayer offers a fresh perspective.

There are five ways to get on my prayer list.  The first way is the traditional way.  If someone is in authority they’re on this list.  That’s everyone from the world and national stage all the way down to the local zoning board.

The second way is for someone who is trying to do the right thing.  For example there’s Schenectady mayor Brian Stratton who’s trying to get rid of a den of iniquity adult bookstore in the city.

Or there’s Schenectady school board VP Diane Herrmann being the only no vote in a very shady move by the school board.  More about that later.

And let’s not forget our men and women in uniform all around the world putting themselves in harms way for our sakes.

The third way is someone in Christian service, like missionaries serving The Lord in a troubled nation like Honduras.  Or there’s the christian rock band “Mercy Me”, whose tour bus was recently involved a a fatal crash.

The fourth way is a celebrity who’s fallen on hard times.  For example there’s former congressman John Sweeney facing his second DWI charge in less than two years.  Perhaps God is trying to get his attention.

The fifth way is to be an enemy.  This is someone who clearly is not serving the public interest they’re an enemy!  There are a whole lot of people at The New York State level on this list!

But to be honest it’s also anyone who’s just really ticked me off.  And this is where I can try to offer a fresh perspective.  People say there’s allot of hate speech going around.  Well how about some LOVE speech?  Can we be angry about something but still try to be kind and civil about it?  Can we still pray for the people involved?

Case in point, is the ever loving Schenectady school board.  They recently filed a vacancy by appointing someone from their “good ole boys” club.  The only no vote came from the newest member Diane Herrmann.

(Super-kudos to her)

I’m not ready to call the school board “The Enemy” just yet.  After all the person who was next in line based on the last school board election conceded that the person they picked was the best choice.  Still things are a bit shady and we at the “Soapbox” are keeping the school board on a short leash.

Schenectady School Board!  I’ve got my eye on you!

And yes, I’ll be praying for all of you every step of the way.