Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Random Facts on Your's Truly
I originally had this on my Facebook, and I just copied this over to this.
1. I'm guess I'm what you would call 'tech savvy'.
2. I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior at a very young age.
3. In the last 6 years, I've lived in 6 different places.
4. I love to travel and minister to folks.
5. I've been to Haiti twice in my life. The first time on a team, the second time because I wanted to go.
6. I got pictures from the top of the London Eye on a clear day (miracles happen).
7. I've read through the Bible at least twice in my life.
8. I don't understand how people can support genocide (abortion) and/or deny the holocaust.
9. I have a niece and nephew who i think the world of. (Love you Jayda and Josiah).
10. I currently drive a '94 Geo Prizm. (The Teal Taxi)
11. I moved down to North Carolina in 2003 to go to FIRE School of Ministry.
12. I've never broken any bones in my body, but I've come pretty dog gone close to it.
13. I dare you to ask me about Jesus and what He's done in my life. :)
14. I was almost killed in a car wreck a couple years ago.
15. I've been to at least 5 different countries in my life: England, Haiti, Canada, Philippines, New York City and Japan. (ok, so NYC isn't another country... just checking to see if your paying attention. Japan was just a layover when going to the Philippines.)
16. I got a tetanus shot in Wal-Mart once. Needles don't really scare me.
17. I've done the drive between Concord,NC and Ephrata,PA more times than I care to remember.
18. I had a stomach tube put in through my nose once at FIRE for class.
19. I like to take walks a lot to listen to music on my ipod.
20. I currently have about 15 gigabytes of music on my ipod.
21. I've never gone water skiing yet... perhaps someday.
22. I have a Mennonite background.
23. I've done customer service type jobs for at least 5 years and really am tired of it.
24. I love moose tracks, chocolate chip cookie dough and strawberry ice cream.
25. I don't really do Starbucks. I can't justify spending that much for coffee.
1. I'm guess I'm what you would call 'tech savvy'.
2. I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior at a very young age.
3. In the last 6 years, I've lived in 6 different places.
4. I love to travel and minister to folks.
5. I've been to Haiti twice in my life. The first time on a team, the second time because I wanted to go.
6. I got pictures from the top of the London Eye on a clear day (miracles happen).
7. I've read through the Bible at least twice in my life.
8. I don't understand how people can support genocide (abortion) and/or deny the holocaust.
9. I have a niece and nephew who i think the world of. (Love you Jayda and Josiah).
10. I currently drive a '94 Geo Prizm. (The Teal Taxi)
11. I moved down to North Carolina in 2003 to go to FIRE School of Ministry.
12. I've never broken any bones in my body, but I've come pretty dog gone close to it.
13. I dare you to ask me about Jesus and what He's done in my life. :)
14. I was almost killed in a car wreck a couple years ago.
15. I've been to at least 5 different countries in my life: England, Haiti, Canada, Philippines, New York City and Japan. (ok, so NYC isn't another country... just checking to see if your paying attention. Japan was just a layover when going to the Philippines.)
16. I got a tetanus shot in Wal-Mart once. Needles don't really scare me.
17. I've done the drive between Concord,NC and Ephrata,PA more times than I care to remember.
18. I had a stomach tube put in through my nose once at FIRE for class.
19. I like to take walks a lot to listen to music on my ipod.
20. I currently have about 15 gigabytes of music on my ipod.
21. I've never gone water skiing yet... perhaps someday.
22. I have a Mennonite background.
23. I've done customer service type jobs for at least 5 years and really am tired of it.
24. I love moose tracks, chocolate chip cookie dough and strawberry ice cream.
25. I don't really do Starbucks. I can't justify spending that much for coffee.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Reason's to Pray for Obama, Pt. 6
Some more reason's to pray for the President-elect Obama.
Reason 15: Weakening Gun Rights. Pres. Obama will further undermine the people's Second Amendment right to bear arms and elevate the idea that the state, not the people, has the ultimate power.
If your a gun owner, watch out. Obama wants to take that gun from you and give the power back to the government.
Reason 16: International Taxation. Obama will subject the U.S. citizens to the international taxation such as the United Nations Global Poverty Tax, a new tax to fight global poverty.
I want to see global poverty erradicated as well. But do that without creating more taxes. I want people to WANT to give, not be forced to give. I hate the idea that when I'm working, part of my money is going to support abortion and other things like it.
Reason 17. Economic Statism. Obama will respond to the economic crisis by promoting a statist model for the economy that fundamentally transforms our free-market system into a state-run, European model.
Reason 18. The "Movement" presidency. Obama will continue his 'movement' based political machine that gained him the election and use that movement to change the presidency and push his agenda.
Reason 19. Rise of Liberal Theology. Under the Obama Administration, the theology of the Left will move from the fringe to the mainstream with profound impacts reaching from Capitol Hill to Main Street.
According to Obama, in a statement he uses frequently in his speeches "My individual salvation depends on our collective salvation." Funny, I don't know where that is in the Bible. Could I get some help with that? Since Obama claims to be a Christian, we'll hereby use the Bible as the final authority. No other books! And I've read through the Bible and I don't know where that's at.
Reason 20: Early-Life Experimentation. Under an Obama administration, a brave new world of early-life experimentation will be advanced, resulting in policies that promote human cloning and life-destroying embryonic research.
Obama wants to push for embryonic stem cell research, which by definition necessitates the destruction of human life.
Reason 21: Post-Christian America. Under the cover of promoting 'tolerance', Obama will seek to legitimize moral relativism while disregarding the foundational worldview and principles of the U.S.
How many out there like to be told they can't say certain things. How would you like to be told that you can't tell someone what they did was wrong according to Biblical standards? Because that might hurt someone's feelings and would be labeled hate speech. This is the kind of things we have to look out for.
Let us remember to pray for those who are in authority over us. May God give them wisdom beyond human abilities to lead and guide.
Reason 15: Weakening Gun Rights. Pres. Obama will further undermine the people's Second Amendment right to bear arms and elevate the idea that the state, not the people, has the ultimate power.
If your a gun owner, watch out. Obama wants to take that gun from you and give the power back to the government.
Reason 16: International Taxation. Obama will subject the U.S. citizens to the international taxation such as the United Nations Global Poverty Tax, a new tax to fight global poverty.
I want to see global poverty erradicated as well. But do that without creating more taxes. I want people to WANT to give, not be forced to give. I hate the idea that when I'm working, part of my money is going to support abortion and other things like it.
Reason 17. Economic Statism. Obama will respond to the economic crisis by promoting a statist model for the economy that fundamentally transforms our free-market system into a state-run, European model.
Reason 18. The "Movement" presidency. Obama will continue his 'movement' based political machine that gained him the election and use that movement to change the presidency and push his agenda.
Reason 19. Rise of Liberal Theology. Under the Obama Administration, the theology of the Left will move from the fringe to the mainstream with profound impacts reaching from Capitol Hill to Main Street.
According to Obama, in a statement he uses frequently in his speeches "My individual salvation depends on our collective salvation." Funny, I don't know where that is in the Bible. Could I get some help with that? Since Obama claims to be a Christian, we'll hereby use the Bible as the final authority. No other books! And I've read through the Bible and I don't know where that's at.
Reason 20: Early-Life Experimentation. Under an Obama administration, a brave new world of early-life experimentation will be advanced, resulting in policies that promote human cloning and life-destroying embryonic research.
Obama wants to push for embryonic stem cell research, which by definition necessitates the destruction of human life.
Reason 21: Post-Christian America. Under the cover of promoting 'tolerance', Obama will seek to legitimize moral relativism while disregarding the foundational worldview and principles of the U.S.
How many out there like to be told they can't say certain things. How would you like to be told that you can't tell someone what they did was wrong according to Biblical standards? Because that might hurt someone's feelings and would be labeled hate speech. This is the kind of things we have to look out for.
Let us remember to pray for those who are in authority over us. May God give them wisdom beyond human abilities to lead and guide.
Friday, January 9, 2009
The Love of God
Editors note: I copied and pasted this from my Facebook account to this. Some folks may not be able to view Facebook if they don't have an account. So, in an attempt to allow others to view this, I brought it here. Aren't I a nice guy?
I want to put this out here for you blogging folks to chew over. There are big disputes, or maybe we'll say 'misunderstandings' of the love of God. Granted, I'm still trying to work this out as well, but I've done a few laps around the sun by now, so I felt my input might be helpful for some.
I've done various street ministry (meaning going to the streets of the city and talking with various folks) and I've done open air preaching at UNCC. It was quite interesting. That certainly has it's place. I was on a team of folks who would go onto the UNCC campus for a time and do open air preaching and just walk around and talk to folks. But sometimes, I question the results of it and its effectiveness. I'm sure there is some fruit to it. Did Jesus do street preaching? From time to time He did. Of course, most of the street ministry He would do is healing the sick and stuff like it. He moreso challenged the religious system of the day. This isn't to say that anyone who does street ministry is wrong or bad. One of my friends from church has a 10' cross and he carries that down the city streets. Talk about a magnet to draw people into conversation.
But I think that one of my favorite techniques of ministering is around a kitchen table or quieter conversations with people, to hear whats going on with them. I would say that much of my theology is a mixture of Arminism and Calvinism. I believe the Lord gives us free will to choose the path we want to go down. He has a path He would like us to go down, but He wants us to choose Him. As far as I see it, extreme Calvinism makes God out to be a sinner and un-Biblical. It makes God to draw us into sin. Which of course He can't do. Theology and doctrine are good, but its really just man trying to figure God out.
I want you to think as judgement/correction/rebuke as this. The Lord disiplines (judges/corrects/rebukes) those He loves. I'm sure there are a few rebuke-happy folks out there. But when its done in the wrong spirit/attitude, its wrong. If and whenever I bring correction to someone, I like to do it one on one. No one else needs to hear it, or at least not at that times hopefully. But then when i get to praise someone for doing something, i love to do that in public. But I've been corrected in the past, and it doesn't feel good at the time. But afterwards, i realize that this person had my best interests at heart and they wanted to see me grow. Whenever my supervisors at work would tell me I'm doing something wrong (and they were right) i would thank them and move on. They were doing that to help me out.
My parents would discipline me growing up. At the time, it didn't feel good. but in the end, they were doing it because they loved me. I know some of you don't believe in discipline because it was done in the wrong spirit. And now whenever you hear the term discipline or Father, you recoil. You had a bad experience. Satan brings condemnation (meaning there is no hope for you). God brings conviction (you were wrong, but there is hope for you yet.)
A lot of time in ministering, I'm dealing w/ folks (young and old) who have a bad perception of God. They think He's a evil task master and just wants to discipline and hurt people. There was abuse growing up and your dealing with that and that's the filter you run it through when you hear Father. Do you realize that that's giving a bad perception of God the Father? God the Father wants the best for you. He has an awesome plan for you and He wants to love on you.... You just have to open up your heart to Him. He doesn't want to exploit you in any way, shape or form. He wants to heal those hurts and give you a correct perception of Him.
Do you realize that you can actually enjoy God? You can enjoy prayer and reading the Bible? God wants for you to enjoy those things! He wants you to enjoy life! God is a Father who wants to love you; He's Jesus who wants a personal relationship with you; and He's the Holy Spirit who wants to empower you to live life to the fullest.
I was just talking about this last night with some of my friends. When a guy and girl first start dating (and hopefully it doesn't stop), he doesn't consider the time he spends with her as something he HAS to do, he probably looks at it as something he WANTS to do. He'll ride his bike miles on end in crazy traffic, with 95 degree temps and humidity like crazy just to spend time with her (ok, so this is all either theory, or at least stories i've heard). But its not like he's dreading the time. He's looking at the end destination.
So I've spouted off for long enough, thanks for taking the time to read this.
I want to put this out here for you blogging folks to chew over. There are big disputes, or maybe we'll say 'misunderstandings' of the love of God. Granted, I'm still trying to work this out as well, but I've done a few laps around the sun by now, so I felt my input might be helpful for some.
I've done various street ministry (meaning going to the streets of the city and talking with various folks) and I've done open air preaching at UNCC. It was quite interesting. That certainly has it's place. I was on a team of folks who would go onto the UNCC campus for a time and do open air preaching and just walk around and talk to folks. But sometimes, I question the results of it and its effectiveness. I'm sure there is some fruit to it. Did Jesus do street preaching? From time to time He did. Of course, most of the street ministry He would do is healing the sick and stuff like it. He moreso challenged the religious system of the day. This isn't to say that anyone who does street ministry is wrong or bad. One of my friends from church has a 10' cross and he carries that down the city streets. Talk about a magnet to draw people into conversation.
But I think that one of my favorite techniques of ministering is around a kitchen table or quieter conversations with people, to hear whats going on with them. I would say that much of my theology is a mixture of Arminism and Calvinism. I believe the Lord gives us free will to choose the path we want to go down. He has a path He would like us to go down, but He wants us to choose Him. As far as I see it, extreme Calvinism makes God out to be a sinner and un-Biblical. It makes God to draw us into sin. Which of course He can't do. Theology and doctrine are good, but its really just man trying to figure God out.
I want you to think as judgement/correction/rebuke as this. The Lord disiplines (judges/corrects/rebukes) those He loves. I'm sure there are a few rebuke-happy folks out there. But when its done in the wrong spirit/attitude, its wrong. If and whenever I bring correction to someone, I like to do it one on one. No one else needs to hear it, or at least not at that times hopefully. But then when i get to praise someone for doing something, i love to do that in public. But I've been corrected in the past, and it doesn't feel good at the time. But afterwards, i realize that this person had my best interests at heart and they wanted to see me grow. Whenever my supervisors at work would tell me I'm doing something wrong (and they were right) i would thank them and move on. They were doing that to help me out.
My parents would discipline me growing up. At the time, it didn't feel good. but in the end, they were doing it because they loved me. I know some of you don't believe in discipline because it was done in the wrong spirit. And now whenever you hear the term discipline or Father, you recoil. You had a bad experience. Satan brings condemnation (meaning there is no hope for you). God brings conviction (you were wrong, but there is hope for you yet.)
A lot of time in ministering, I'm dealing w/ folks (young and old) who have a bad perception of God. They think He's a evil task master and just wants to discipline and hurt people. There was abuse growing up and your dealing with that and that's the filter you run it through when you hear Father. Do you realize that that's giving a bad perception of God the Father? God the Father wants the best for you. He has an awesome plan for you and He wants to love on you.... You just have to open up your heart to Him. He doesn't want to exploit you in any way, shape or form. He wants to heal those hurts and give you a correct perception of Him.
Do you realize that you can actually enjoy God? You can enjoy prayer and reading the Bible? God wants for you to enjoy those things! He wants you to enjoy life! God is a Father who wants to love you; He's Jesus who wants a personal relationship with you; and He's the Holy Spirit who wants to empower you to live life to the fullest.
I was just talking about this last night with some of my friends. When a guy and girl first start dating (and hopefully it doesn't stop), he doesn't consider the time he spends with her as something he HAS to do, he probably looks at it as something he WANTS to do. He'll ride his bike miles on end in crazy traffic, with 95 degree temps and humidity like crazy just to spend time with her (ok, so this is all either theory, or at least stories i've heard). But its not like he's dreading the time. He's looking at the end destination.
So I've spouted off for long enough, thanks for taking the time to read this.
Reasons to Pray for Obama, Pt. 5
Reason 12: New Era of Socialism. Pres. Obama will usher the U.S. into a new era of European-style socialism and big govern't collectivism under the guise of globalism and fairness.
He wants to expand government to the point of controlling the public in a bad way. It sounds well and good, but when someone lazy is getting money from me when I'm working hard, that doesn't sit well with me. I will help someone get the tools necessary to get them back on their feet. But not to reward their laziness.
Reason 13: Government-Run Health Care. Pres. Obama will weaken the world's greatest health care system by pushing a socialized, govern't-run system that increases our tax burden and limits health care choice.
Again, he wants the government to control the decision making, instead of allowing doctors to make the decisions, someone in the government will make the call.
Reason 14: Radical Abortion Agenda. He'll promote the most radical abortion agenda in the history of the American Presidency and he will start by signing the Freedom of Choice act.
He will promote 'abortion on demand' so that a woman doesn't have to deal w/ the 'mistake' (another word for 'pregnancy' according to Obama). Mind you, to show the video of a partial birth abortion would be banned on national broadcast television. It's a procedure where the doctor 'delivers' the baby feet first up to the neck and then inserts a syringe and extracts the brain, causing the skull to collapse and allow the now-dead baby to be aborted. Remember, in an interview when he was asked at what time does the baby deserve rights, his answer was "that's above my pay grade to answer that." Scary? Yeah, I know.
He wants to expand government to the point of controlling the public in a bad way. It sounds well and good, but when someone lazy is getting money from me when I'm working hard, that doesn't sit well with me. I will help someone get the tools necessary to get them back on their feet. But not to reward their laziness.
Reason 13: Government-Run Health Care. Pres. Obama will weaken the world's greatest health care system by pushing a socialized, govern't-run system that increases our tax burden and limits health care choice.
Again, he wants the government to control the decision making, instead of allowing doctors to make the decisions, someone in the government will make the call.
Reason 14: Radical Abortion Agenda. He'll promote the most radical abortion agenda in the history of the American Presidency and he will start by signing the Freedom of Choice act.
He will promote 'abortion on demand' so that a woman doesn't have to deal w/ the 'mistake' (another word for 'pregnancy' according to Obama). Mind you, to show the video of a partial birth abortion would be banned on national broadcast television. It's a procedure where the doctor 'delivers' the baby feet first up to the neck and then inserts a syringe and extracts the brain, causing the skull to collapse and allow the now-dead baby to be aborted. Remember, in an interview when he was asked at what time does the baby deserve rights, his answer was "that's above my pay grade to answer that." Scary? Yeah, I know.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Reasons To Pray for Obama, Pt. 4
Reason 7: Open Border Anarchy. Despite lack of progress on the double-layer fence, Obama will minimize government efforts to secure our borders while exposing our nation to more illegal, criminal and terrorist crossings at our borders.
Reason 8: Amnesty for Illegal Aliens. There are good chances that Obama will sign into law a plan to give amnesty and taxpayer supported benefits to millions of illegal aliens, launching the largest increase in illegal immigration in our nation's history.
Reason 9: Diminished U.S. Military. President Obama will oversee a reduction in the U.S. military while pursuing a radical agenda of nuclear disarmament as part of an overall strategy that leaves our country more vulnerable to terrorist attacks. He wants to retract everything and disarm our defenses.
Reason 10: Carbon Tax to Save the Planet. Under President Obama, the unproven theory of global warming will be codified into law, costing tax payers billions of dollars and placing an enormous burden on the U.S. Economy.
Reason 11: "Green" Energy Crisis. Pres. Obama will worsen American's energy crisis by rejecting calls for increased domestic oil and nuclear production while promoting an ideological energy crisis that forces costly 'green solutions on society.
Reason 8: Amnesty for Illegal Aliens. There are good chances that Obama will sign into law a plan to give amnesty and taxpayer supported benefits to millions of illegal aliens, launching the largest increase in illegal immigration in our nation's history.
Reason 9: Diminished U.S. Military. President Obama will oversee a reduction in the U.S. military while pursuing a radical agenda of nuclear disarmament as part of an overall strategy that leaves our country more vulnerable to terrorist attacks. He wants to retract everything and disarm our defenses.
Reason 10: Carbon Tax to Save the Planet. Under President Obama, the unproven theory of global warming will be codified into law, costing tax payers billions of dollars and placing an enormous burden on the U.S. Economy.
Reason 11: "Green" Energy Crisis. Pres. Obama will worsen American's energy crisis by rejecting calls for increased domestic oil and nuclear production while promoting an ideological energy crisis that forces costly 'green solutions on society.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Reason's to Pray for Obama, Pt. 3
I hate war, I really do. I hate the idea of innocent folks dying. But when a nation's leader or a coalitions leader doesn't step up to the plate and do something about inhumane treatment of a society, evil has won. Another reason to pray for Obama is:
Reason 5: Pullback on the War On Terror. President Barack Obama will begin a pullback of U.S. efforts in the war on terror, starting with a quick pullout of Iraq, which will probably only embolden our enemies.
Since 9/11/01, has there been any other terrorist attacks on our soil to the likeness of 9/11? Not that I can recall. We have to get over the desire to have a microwave war and have everything changed overnight. It's just not going to happen. I have no doubt that the Iraqi nation was fed false information about our troops, and therefore, they're going to fight us. But according to many troops, the media isn't letting us know about the schools that have started up and the good things that have happened since our troops went in. And of course, I only know what I'm told by others. So that's why I try and get first hand accounts from our soldiers who have fought.
Reason 6: Liberal Court Activism. Pres. Obama will usher in a new era of leftist judicial activism by nominating only judges who disregard the Constitution in favor of legislating from the bench.
It might pan out that Obama is able to nominate 2/3 of new judges to the bench. Obama believes that the Constitution should be interpreted and should be read in the context of an ever-changing world. In other words: there are no absolutes. We will interpret the Constitution to fit modern day versus interpreting for what it says and means.
Reason 5: Pullback on the War On Terror. President Barack Obama will begin a pullback of U.S. efforts in the war on terror, starting with a quick pullout of Iraq, which will probably only embolden our enemies.
Since 9/11/01, has there been any other terrorist attacks on our soil to the likeness of 9/11? Not that I can recall. We have to get over the desire to have a microwave war and have everything changed overnight. It's just not going to happen. I have no doubt that the Iraqi nation was fed false information about our troops, and therefore, they're going to fight us. But according to many troops, the media isn't letting us know about the schools that have started up and the good things that have happened since our troops went in. And of course, I only know what I'm told by others. So that's why I try and get first hand accounts from our soldiers who have fought.
Reason 6: Liberal Court Activism. Pres. Obama will usher in a new era of leftist judicial activism by nominating only judges who disregard the Constitution in favor of legislating from the bench.
It might pan out that Obama is able to nominate 2/3 of new judges to the bench. Obama believes that the Constitution should be interpreted and should be read in the context of an ever-changing world. In other words: there are no absolutes. We will interpret the Constitution to fit modern day versus interpreting for what it says and means.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
