Radioactive Grasshoppers

“...we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them."

(Numbers 13:33) 

When I was a young boy I stumbled across a scary movie one night and of course watched it. It was an old black and white science-fiction movie with these giant radioactive grasshoppers that were attacking the country and the military was blasting away at them with all they had. Bazookas, hand-grenades, machine guns, flamethrowers and tanks and they still couldn't stop them. I mean these things were huge 3 times the size of the tanks. That movie scared me to death. I know the effects were terrible, but big, fast insects that eat people, scare me. They are what I thought of as I read through Number 13 and the Israelite's first chance to enter the promised land as they sent in the 12 spies to checkout the land. 

After 40 days of spying the 12 return. Two gave a good report and ten gave a bad one. Caleb and Joshua are all for going in, they knew that God did not lead them that far to fail them. But the ten looked at it differently. They saw their problem as bigger than them, they saw it as overwhelming and they saw no way to win. They went as far as saying that there were giants in the land and in their own eyes, they saw themselves as grasshoppers before them.

First, I'm not too sure that the people were actual giants. The Bible does say that they gave a “bad report”. They also said that they saw the sons of Anak in that land and that they were descended from the Nephilim. If I'm not mistaken the Nephilim were pre-flood, and died out in that flood. So the people they saw were not descendants of the Nephilim, but were descendants of  Noah and his children, seeing that they were the only humans saved. So it looks to me like they exaggerated a little. But never the less, they didn't pull into the equation what Caleb and Joshua did. See, the ten spies saw themselves as grasshoppers and the people as a giants that would squash them. Because they were doing the “us against them” deal.

But they should have been doing the “us and God against them”. Faith in God would have changed their view of themselves. They would have known that He would overcome for them and that they were not just grasshoppers. 

 So today if you are walking with God, when you look at your life and see gargantuan troubles, remember that God is with you and that He will make you more than a grasshopper. He will make you a giant radioactive grasshopper that doesn’t back down, is bazooka proof and eats tanks. Well you get my point. 

Vern

  

The Den Should’ve Been Full

“When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.”

(Daniel 6:10)

In Sunday School  a few Sundays ago, we were discussing a lesson on “Daniel and the Lions Den”, a very well know story to most who have attended church or vacation Bible school in their life time. But something was said in our class that really made me think, honestly something that had never crossed my mind. I mean my whole life I have known this story and have never thought about this one thing. That den of lions, should have been full of God’s people.

When you read back over the Jewish exiles that were taken to Babylon, there were thousands. Thousands of people who knew who God was. Thousands of people who were suppose to be God’s chosen people. Thousands of people who should have been petitioning God daily for their return to their homeland. 

The law that King Darius so foolishly signed was this, “...whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions”  (Daniel 6:7). That was a very broad law. It would have covered all in the kingdom, all the exiles would have been under this law also. But none were turned in. 

Now it could have been that the men making the law couldn't care less if anyone else broke this law, and they were just focused on getting rid of Daniel. Even so, it makes you wonder if anyone else was breaking that law, other than Daniel. 

What if that law was passed in America today? Would the den be full? I pray it would. I pray that we would be as bold as Daniel. But I pray more that we would just pray like Daniel. See he didn't wait until their was a law saying that he couldn't pray, he prayed three times a day, everyday. He petitioned God daily out of love, obedience and faith, not to defy an unjust law. He didn't picket or protest the law, he just did what he did everyday, he talked with God. 

Vern

The Flying Bible

“…but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

 (Psalm 1:2)

Teaching youth Sunday school can often be tough. You honestly only have a certain amount of time before you lose their attention or they lose consciousness. Especially when the lesson is on the importance of spending time reading what many of them think is an ancient and outdated book that they can't understand. 

One Sunday morning I was teaching a class of  10th- 12th grade, youth boys like I had for  years. With questions like “Why does the Bible matter” those boys looked like street gang members who were forced to take part in a knitting class. Eyes rolling back in their heads, yawns and head bobs gave an indication that they couldn't care less. 

While in that situation, something came to mind, a little odd and uncomfortable for me, but I felt as though it was Spirit lead. I took my Bible and threw it like a football across the room. As it hit the concrete floor ever boy had their eye on that Bible as it slide to the wall on the opposite end of the room. Then every head turned to me, eyes and mouths wide open, looked like they had seen a squirrel with four heads. They were murmuring amongst themselves, greatly shocked that their Sunday school teach seemed to have just snapped. 

I looked at the boys and said, “Did that bother y'all, that I threw the Bible?” Their reply was a resounding “YES!! You’re not suppose to treat the Bible like that!!” So I stood up, went across the room picked up my Bible, brought it back to my seat, laid it in the floor and stood on it. Jumped up and down on it a couple of times. I thought they would lose their ever-loving minds. Gasp went up, some said “WHAT ARE YOU DOING, THAT’S THE BIBLE!!” I picked it up, dusted it off and sat down.

I told them that the book I had in my hand was no different than any other book as far as,  It had a leather outside cover, it was filled with paper pages and the pages had ink printing on them. 

I asked them “What makes this book unique?” They thought for a moment and one said, “Because it’s the word of God”. He was correct. I then asked the boys, “Why did it bother you so bad that I threw, stood on and jumped on this book?”  Again one said, “It's the word of God”.  So I asked them all, “Is this book the word of God?” They all quickly sad “Yes!” Then I told them, “I would bet that not one of you have picked up your copy of God’s word and studied it this week. Some of you haven't read it in a month. Some may have never read it at all and possibly some of you don't even know where your’s is. But yet it bothered you that I threw what you call the word of God”. Needless to say for the rest of the class time they were wide awake and attentive. 

What have you done with God’s word? Do you study it? Does it make a difference in your life? When is the last time you picked it up? Do you know where it is? 

Psalm 1 tells us that the person who is blessed, meditates on God’s word day and night. That doesn't mean they sit and read all day, it means that what they study, they think about, they apply it in their lives and they allow God to word through it to change their lives. It also says that that person is like a tree planted by streams of water and that that person will bear fruit and prosper. 

Are you missing out on the fruit bearing and prospering? Are you struggling in your faith and your walk with God? Pick up His word and make studying it a vital part of your life. 

Vern

It's Yo Birthday

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David
a Savior, who is Christ the Lord"

(Luke 2:11)

Imagine that you just woke up to a bright, sunny day. You stretch as you get out of bed, and you remember that this isn’t just any ordinary day, it's your birthday. Excitement fills your heart. You look forward to all the celebration that comes with this special day, as people celebrate the day you entered the world.

When you walk into the kitchen you hear your spouse and kids softly talking, but quickly stop with sheepish looks on their faces when they see you. Then you know something is up. Maybe they are planning you a surprise party. Your excitement builds as you get ready and head to work. 

As you walk into work you notice everyone bunched up talking. But just like at home when they notice you, they all just go quiet and scatter. “Well, well“ you think, “This is going to be a big party” and again your excitement grows. 

All day long you feel like a kid inside and you can't wait to get home to a surprise party. Just before you leave work, your boss asks you to stay over for a few minutes, he never asks that. And oddly enough your wife calls and asks you to pick up milk and bread on your way home. But you just got milk and bread two days before. Oh well, you just play along, you know it's all about your surprise party. 

You finally pull into the neighborhood and you are now ecstatic, you can hardly contain the childlike laughter and giggles. When your house comes into view you see cars filling the drive and flowing out into the street. You see the lights are all on and through the window you see a full house. You laugh to yourself, “I got here a little early than they thought. Believe I'll give them a surprise as I walk in”. 

You get to the door and you hear everyone talking and music playing, you burst in the door and to your surprise, everyone is eating and drinking. They are talking and dancing, pretty much ignoring you. Now some do acknowledge you with a head nod, some speak, but for the most part everyone acts like it's not even a party for you. Your heart breaks. You’re beside yourself. You think “Don't they know who's birthday it is? I mean they are in my house!!” 

Finally you say loudly, “Hey!! What's going on! I thought this party was for me??!!” All the guests stop, the music stops, and one of the guests says “It is. We know it's your birthday”. You reply, “Then shouldn't I be brought in, a silly party hat put on my head and then have everyone singing the Birthday song to me? Shouldn't I be the center of this celebration?”  The guests all just laugh and one says, “we don't need you to celebrate your birthday”. And everyone just laughs again. You stand there amazed  at what you just heard. You feel like at anytime the Twilight Zone theme song will start playing. You are heartbroken. Celebrating YOUR birthday, without YOU? Crazy huh? 

The overwhelming majority of people this year will celebrate the Christmas season, without even a head nod at Jesus. When you celebrate Christmas this year, keep the reason for the celebration, the center of the celebration. On Christmas we celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus. The Way, the Truth and the Life. God’s gift to this world. 


Vern 

Believe It Or Not

"So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer."

(Galatians 3:9)

What actually saves us? The first step to true salvation, is understanding what true salvation is.

In Galatians 3 Paul gives us an accurate explanation of what truly saves. He uses Abraham as his example.

Back in Genesis 15, God informs Abram that He was going to make a great nation out of him. He took Abram outside and said, 

"Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them’ And He said to him, ‘so shall your descendants be."

The next verse is the key,

“Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” 

God “reckoned” him or believed him to be righteous or justified before God. In other words, he was okay with God. God gave him a stamp of approval.

But why does it say that God called him righteous? It says, because he “believed in the LORD.” His belief in what God told him was what saved him. Hebrews 11:1-2 says,

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval”. 

Paul tells us that God saves us the same way.

In Galatians 3:8 it says, 

“The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU." 

God knew that this promise to Abram would be the way that Gentiles and Jews, would be saved. God made a promise to all of us, just as He did to Abram, and like Abram, we are found righteous when we believe.

Wait! That’s too simple, that’s dangerously too simple. What if people think that all they have to do to be saved is…believe? 

Well, true salvation will make you free. Free from the law and if someone teaches anything other than salvation through faith alone, they are not teaching true salvation. But with that said, I guess Calvin said it best,

“Faith alone saves…but saving faith is never alone”. 

This is what James was speaking of when he said, “Faith without works is dead”. Now, isn’t that in conflict with what Paul is talking about here? Not at all, Paul is speaking about the root of salvation and James is speaking about the fruit of salvation. Paul is speaking on how to be saved and James is speaking on the evidence of true salvation.

When a person truly believes that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, realizing that they are a sinner and they repent, turning to God for salvation, then that is the only way to be saved. That person at that time is indwelled with the Holy Spirit and that person’s life will be changed. If there is no evidence of salvation, then there is no salvation. 

We worry so much about whether someone truly accepted Christ, so much so that we try to put restrictions on them accepting Christ in the first place. We sometimes turn it into a works process; you have to do these certain things to be saved. But we need to remember that to truly be saved we need to purely believe, believe the promise that God gave us in His Son Jesus Christ, that He is our only hope and salvation, there is no other way.

I use to love this show called “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” They would show all kinds of bizarre things & most were very hard to believe. At the end of each clip and Jack Palance was the best at this, in his tough, raspy voice, he would look into the camera and say “Believe it or not”. 

God made us a promise, one that seems a little bizarre, one that seems too good to be true. One that is honestly, hard to believe. That He would give His one and only Son to pay the debt for those who continually turn from Him and mock His name. That he would give salvation freely to those He knows will outright reject His more than generous offer. But still He holds out His gift to you and me with these words, “Believe it or not”.

Vern

Your Manger Matters

“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” 

(Luke 2:7)

This morning I was out making a manger for a friend’s Christmas yard decoration. Now whether or not it would be the exact type that Jesus was laid in or what, I don't know, but it's just a decoration, (that's for the people that think way too deep).

While making this manger, I was listening to Pandora Radio on my phone and to get into the Christmas spirit, I had it on the Traditional Christmas station. I love old Christmas songs sung by the greats, and I can't stomach “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” for even a second. LOL 

Nothing feels more Christmassy than constructing a manger with joyful Christmas songs blaring in the background. 

As I was on my knees staining my project, a beloved instrumental came on, “Silent Night” , my brush froze. I froze. I stared at the manger, with one thought on my mind. This is what my King was sleeping in. This was my Savior’s crib. But then I wondered, “What was the guy who built the manger Jesus was laid in thinking when he constructed it?” Probably how mundane the work was. Probably not thinking anything at all other than that the animals needed it to eat out of. 

But then one night maybe he heard some shepherds talking. They seemed very excited and were praising God like he had never heard. They were talking about their experience in the field and how the angels lit up the night sky, giving them the news of  the savior being born in Bethlehem. Then one said, “Can you imagine, the King of the world, the messiah lying in that manger?” He may have said to them in a shocked voice, “What manger? Which stable?” And when they pointed the way, he may have went to see for himself thinking, “Imagine, a feeding trough that I made with my own hands…a crib for the Savior of the world?”

When he was building it he thought it was just a feeding trough for the animals, but God through his hands was building a crib for His Son. 

Remember that the work you do, even when it seems meaningless or like it's menial work, that the man who built the manger may have felt the same. Let all of your work be for Gods glory, no matter the task, because your manger, matters. 

Vern

Sitting In the Dark

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

(John 3:16)

I like simple. Everyone does, from our Keurig coffee makers where you just pop in a K-cup and out comes a great cup of coffee to our iPhones where the world's information is a finger tap away, we love things to be simple. The simple things are easy to understand, easy to use, they are not complex. 

God made our way to salvation, our path to eternal life, just that...simple. When you look at verses like John 3:16 or Romans 10:9, the simplicity is amazing. The God of the universe that created all things, like the human body with all it's complex cells and organs, brain waves, etc... and the earth itself that has all that is needed to sustain life, from the right distance from the sun to the production of life giving food and water, this same God, made the Good News simple to understand. 

God didn't say, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever will believe in Him and know the Bible from cover to cover, will not perish but have everlasting life". No, He made it simple. 

Many think they can't come to Jesus unless they understand God, the scriptures or maybe the trinity, so they stay away. 

Vance Havner an evangelist   said it best about someone waiting until they know everything about God before coming to Jesus, when he said, 

"I don't understand everything about electricity, but I ain't gonna set around in the dark till I do" 

Wise words. There is no need to sit in the dark until you understand electricity, anymore than sitting in the dark until you understand God. Stop sitting in the dark and come to the light. The light of Jesus Christ. 

Vern

He Changed My Mind

"And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid." (Mark 5:15)

I was looking through the Bible checking out the people that came in contact with Jesus and had a life change. I came across a man that was demon possessed in Mark 5:1-20. This dude was insane, out of his mind, loopy, he was wound too tight, his elevator didn't go to the top & his stairs were out of order, he was Loony Toons, crazy as a outhouse rat, he was several fries short… oh you get the point, he was crazy. The people in the city were scared of him. They tried to tie him up with ropes & chains, but he broke them all.

This guy lived up in and around the tombs, screaming in the night, running around naked, cutting himself with stones. This man was freaky with a capital "F". Just imagine, now in our time, some guy living in a graveyard, butt naked, long hair, nasty, scared and bloody from cutting himself, oh man, Halloween around this town would have been wild. With Halloween in mind, the towns people avoided this dude the way we avoided the Raisin Lady's house while trick or treating. 

Those people had given up on him. He was no good, too far gone & worthless, he was not worth killin'. At least that's what everyone thought, everyone that is except…yep, you guessed it, Jesus. Jesus knew who this guy was, and even though he seemed out of his mind he was still a creation of God. 

Jesus proceeded to cast the demons out of this man & when word got back to the towns people they came to see. They found the man sitting, clothed and in his right mind. Did you catch that? His right mind. Yea, no longer crazy, no longer cutting himself with stones, no more screaming, just a normal man. 

When God got a hold of me, I was not in my right mind. A right mind doesn't do things like drugs, alcohol & premarital sex, things that would harm the body & in most cases destroy it. When God saved me he also put me in my right mind. Are you in your right mind? You can be. 

Romans 10:9.

"Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved". Yes, you too can be saved. Place your faith in Jesus today. 

Vern

Free State of Jones

“But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”

( 1 John 2:11)

Just finished a great movie “Free State of Jones”. Here is the description of the movie from, “Google”,

“In 1863, Mississippi farmer Newt Knight serves as a medic for the Confederate Army. Opposed to slavery, Knight would rather help the wounded than fight the Union. After his nephew dies in battle, Newt returns home to Jones County to safeguard his family but is soon branded an outlaw deserter. Forced to flee, he finds refuge with a group of runaway slaves hiding out in the swamps. Forging an alliance with the slaves and other farmers, Knight leads a rebellion that would forever change history.”

In the movie an awesome quote was given from the main character Newt Knight, 

When he asks his African American friend,  Moses, “What are you?”, to which Moses replies, “A free man, captain”

Newt asks, “Why’s that?” Moses replies a second time, “Because you cannot own a child of God”

Then Newt says,

“You can own a horse, you can own a mule, cow, or ox, but you cannot own a child of God."

No doubt, you cannot own a Child of God. But in those days there were men who did. An awful time, a horrific time in American history, a sickening thing. Praise God for those that stood to put an end to it. Black men and women, white men and women, who laid down their lives for the lives of those who as some in the world at that time called them, “not human”. And they won their freedom. 

In our nation today there is still racism. There is still inequality and still people calling others not human. Still as sickening and horrific as in the past. But it has a new face. It actually celebrated it’s 100th birth day a few days ago. 

Many people do not know the name Margaret Sanger,  her part or her motives  for abortion.  Margaret Sanger the founder of Planned Parenthood. An organization hiding behind the cloak of “women's reproductive rights” but who's main business is that of abortion and we now know, the selling of baby body parts. An organization that has placed 79% of it’s  “clinics” in minority neighborhoods. 

Minority women constitute only about 13% of the female population (age 15-44) in the United States, but they underwent approximately 36% of the abortions.

According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, black women are more than 5 times as likely as white women to have an abortion

On average, 1,876 black babies are aborted every day in the United States. There seems to be an attack on the black population in our nation, in the form of abortion. When you look at the mindset of Margaret Sanger the founder of PP, it makes it easy to connect the dots. 

 In one quote from Sanger, when She is using the black ministers to help push her abortion agenda she states, 

"We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population”

Margaret Sanger, was as racist  as they come. She spoke at a gathering of the female branch of the KKK, (You can find the video at the bottom from her autobiography)

Her quote was, 

“Always to me any aroused group was a good group, and therefore I accepted an invitation to talk to the women’s branch of the Ku Klux Klan at Silver Lake, New Jersey.”

She was well accepted by the crowd, so much so that she received many other appealing engagements from the group and spoke at them. 

Planned Parenthood was started by a racist, bigot who looked at black people as less than human. Yet the Democratic Party wants to continue funding PP with millions every year. And the odd thing is, that the majority of the Black population, vote Democratic. 

Will we continue to stand by and watch millions more innocent lives be taken by abortion? Children of all nationalities are at risk. Millions of human beings are described as “not human” or “Unwanted”. Praise God that there were men and women during slavery that stood to make it illegal. Will we be seen in history books as those who quietly stood by while millions were slaughtered, or will we be seen as brave and bold men and women, who God used to put bring an end to the American holocaust? 

This is a fight that we of all colors need to come together on and say no more. 

I'm Not Voting

I believe that if you do not vote, you will be doing a grave injustice to the unborn child. 

I am not a fan of Trump, he was not my pick for president. I find his attitude at times uncalled for. But I truly don't see him a threat to America as I do Hillary Clinton. 

She has made it more than clear that she is proudly for and will push for abortion. 

She has made clear that she will pick a Supreme Court justice who is viciously pro-abortion. 

 “I would not appoint someone who didn’t think Roe v. Wade is settled law,” 

(Hillary Clinton)

She also said that she was proud of her husband Bill that when he was president, he vetoed a bill that would ban partial birth abortion. She claimed it was too restrictive and didn't take into account the life or health of the mother. This is a huge LIE. The bill was HR1833, which stated,

"Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1995 - Subjects any physician who knowingly performs a partial-birth abortion in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce to a fine or imprisonment for not more than two years or both, except where such an abortion is necessary to save the life of a mother endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury, provided that no other medical procedure would suffice." (1st paragraph of bill HR1833)

This clearly shows that she is for abortion from conception all the way to seconds before birth. 

She is also pushing for our tax money to pay for free abortions. 

“We will continue to oppose — and seek to overturn — federal and state laws and policies that impede a woman’s access to abortion, including by repealing the Hyde Amendment,” (Hillary Clinton)

Hyde Amendment:

"Codification Act - Prohibits the expenditure for any abortion of funds authorized or appropriated by federal law or funds in any trust fund to which funds are authorized or appropriated by federal law .

Prohibits the use of federal funds for any health benefits coverage that includes abortion. (Currently, federal funds cannot be used for abortion services, and plans receiving federal funds must keep them segregated from any funds for abortion services.)

Excludes from such prohibitions an abortion if: (1) the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest; or (2) the woman suffers from a physical disorder, injury, or illness, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, that would place her in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, as certified by a physician."

She is an evil woman and does not need to have power. She is a hero to Planned Parenthood. Even though they abort babies and sell their body parts. 

“I will always defend Planned Parenthood and I will say consistently and proudly, Planned Parenthood should be funded, supported and protected, not undermined, misrepresented and demonized..."

"As your president, I will always have your back.”

(Hillary Clinton)

You can not turn a blind eye to this. Saying you won't vote makes Hillary a sure winner. Her supporters will vote. 

Do you have to love Trump to vote for him? No. But to keep Hillary Clinton and her policies to further abortion out of power, we have no choice. 

As a Christian to Christians, shout the alarm. We have to not allow her a chance to place one and more than likely three Supreme Court justices into that court. 

She will also have power to veto laws on abortion and God forbid she will have executive order powers. 

We have already aborted more babies than the nations of the Old Testament would have sacrificed to false gods. God destroyed and sent nations into slavery for less than we are doing now. 

We have sacrificed 60 plus human babies to the false god of self. 

Please change your mind on voting. I believe our nation and the unborn depend on it. 

Vern

No Shame In This Game...But Maybe There Should Be

Many at this point are already sick of hearing about politics, myself included. But we are just getting started about three and a half months to go. 

I for one am disgusted with both candidates for different reasons. 

Trump, for his often unneeded remarks and an attitude I frankly do not like seeing from a president. As for his policies, the overwhelming majority of them, he is dead on. He has been lied about numerous times on what the media said that he said. I have seen many interviews myself and can't fathom how they twisted his words into what they report. But for the most part my issues with Trump are minor character issues to say the least.    

Now moving on to Hillary. I have more issues with her policies, actions and ethics than I can name in one sitting and it has nothing to do with Republican or Democrat. But one stands out to me that is by far the one that bothers me the most and should every person who claims to be a Christian. It's abortion, surprise. 

It's not her, just being pro-choice that bothers me, but her stand for abortion. Her prideful stand.  She believes that every woman in every circumstance should have the right to abort their child. Even if that mother just decides she doesn't want a family right now. 

One of the things that is very disturbing is the fact that she speaks victoriously about what her husband Bill did when he was president, when he vetoed the partial-birth abortion bill HR1833. 

Hillary: 

"I’ve said … that there can be restrictions in the very end of the third trimester, but they have to take into account the life and health of the mother. My husband vetoed a very restrictive legislation on late-term abortions, and he vetoed it at an event in the White House where we invited a lot of women who had faced this very difficult decision, that ought to be made based on their own conscience, their family, their faith, in consultation with doctors. Those stories left a searing impression on me.”

Wow, it sounds like Bill and Hillary really stood up for women's rights and health. But there is one huge issue, the bill HR1833, took the health of the mother into consideration. 

"Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1995 - Subjects any physician who knowingly performs a partial-birth abortion in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce to a fine or imprisonment for not more than two years or both, except where such an abortion is necessary to save the life of a mother endangered by a physical disorder, illness, or injury, provided that no other medical procedure would suffice." (Taken from 1st paragraph of Bill HR1833)

Now what does it sound like? Sounds to me like Bill and Hillary are strong defender of abortion, all the way up to the birth of the baby. But let's say it like it should be said. 

Bill and Hillary Clinton supports the murder of a human baby from conception to seconds before birth. How does that make you feel? Still voting for her? You know she is the first female candidate? She has broken the glass ceiling! Did you know if you don't support her or vote for her you are sexist? Remember Barak? If you disagree with him or didn't vote for him then you were racist. Well now you will be shamed into not wanting to look sexist. 

Isn't it silly that we worry about someone calling us racist or sexist. We care about what people think about us, but we don't carry what God thinks? Maybe we should stop feeling ashamed about how people think of us and start feeling ashamed of what God thinks of us.

I totally understand if you are not a person who claims to be a Christian and you support abortion and Hillary. But I do not understand anyone who claims the name of Jesus Christ and would support a candidate for president who says that she is a strong supporter of abortion, even partial-birth abortion. 

“If you believe we should protect a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions, then join with us,” (Hillary Clinton)

No one would argue that a woman should not have a right to make her own "health care decisions", but murdering a child, is not a "health care decision". 

Please take just a few minutes and watch this short interview with Dr. Anthony Levatino, an ex-abortionist. He explains so well how the health of the mother never comes into play.  

A Few Things Said At The DNC That Grate My Nerves And Bother Me Spiritually

A few things said at the DNC that grate on my ever-loving nerves and bother me spiritually. But before you read on, here is my disclaimer:

I love those who have had an abortion. Yep that's what I said and that is what I mean. I also believe we as churches (when I say the church, I greatly include myself), need to step up and offer a helping hand to those who are broken due to having an abortion. We also need to give a helping hand and possibly a home to those young ladies that are in a bad situation due to their unexpected/unwanted pregnancy and are often facing this tough time alone and sometimes feeling shame, guilt and like no one cares. These are the ladies that the godless abortionist prey on.  I love and have compassion for these ladies. 

Now that's my disclaimer so please don't give me the, "you can't judge me" or the "you hate women" speech. 

We also do not need to discuss, rape or incest or the life of the mother, because of the abortions done in America, that makes up almost 1%.

Ilyse Hogue is the leader of the National Abortion Rights Action League, also known as NARAL Pro-Choice America and here are a few of the sick comments made last night:

“I was fortunate enough to have these things (speaking of abortion rights), when I found out I was pregnant years ago. I wanted a family, but it was the wrong time. I made the decision that was best for me—to have an abortion and get compassionate care at a clinic in my own community.”

The mindset is "I need to have an abortion because the TIME WASN'T RIGHT for me to have a family". Maybe think about that before you decide to have sex. "Not the right time to have a family" is not a good excuse for murdering, pulling apart a baby in the womb. It's ok to kill a child if I don't want it? If I'm not ready for it? 

So a child's worth is based on whether he/she is wanted by another human being? Extremely dangerous mindset. 

Ilyse goes on to say,

“If we want families to succeed, we start by empowering women. Give us accurate information and access to health care. Keep politicians out of our business when we’re not ready to parent and support us when we are. That’s what gives our families the best chance to get ahead and to stay ahead,” 

There are many services that are provided for women other than Planned Parenthood. Many that do not provide abortions. Ben Carson made that very clear. 

"Keep politicians out of our business when we’re not ready to parent and support us when we are."

So when we want to murder a baby in cold blood, shut up and stay out my business. But when we want to have children, then you need to support us?? 

We are not talking about a puppy. We are talking about a live human child. But of course with this crowd, if we were talking about a puppy, the puppy's life would be seen as more valuable. 

Ilyse also said, 

"We need a President who knows that women's rights are human rights" 

"Women's right to kill? Let that sink in, KILL, an innocent child (not a fetus, stop calling them a fetus, I know what the word means, it is a baby that is in the later stages before birth. But it is a baby, a human child, made in God's image, so call him/her a baby), women's right to kill a baby is now human rights. Really?? What about the human rights of these children, the 60 plus million of them that have been torn apart and many sold for their body parts!! Where are their rights??

Oh, never mind. Hillary Clinton said that the unborn baby had no rights. 

We Christians need to wake up! There is a time to say No. There is a time to stand against an evil and do all we can to stop it, even help those caught between a rock and the hard place of abortion. It might cost us something...but it's costing the babies much, much more.

Naked Job

 "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."  (Job 1:21)

Who are you? What makes you…you? Ever really thought about it? 

Maybe you are a great athlete, good at the sport you play. Maybe you are an amazing student, with a very high IQ. Maybe you are both.

Maybe you are a hard worker. Maybe a strong business person who is headed up the corporate ladder like a rocket. Maybe the CEO or owner of a successful company. 

Maybe you have the  "He/She who dies with the most toys wins" attitude. You take pride in your home, your cars, your clothes. You may act humble, but inside, you just like to show off what you got.

Maybe you are a Health enthusiast. Maybe you love the feeling of feeling good, working out, eating healthy and showing of your bod on the beach. 

Maybe you are a preacher. Maybe you can break scripture down, making it exciting and understandable. Maybe you are loved by all those who are in your congregation.

Maybe you are a parent, a mom or dad. Proud of your children and all that they are. Maybe your chest couldn’t  be more puffed up or your heart more swollen up with love for those children. You are so thankful for the  joy and warmth they bring to you. 

Maybe you are even better, a grandparent! The  love you have for your grandchildren is so strong.  You  take pride in them and drive people crazy with all the pics you show them at the drop of a hat. 

What is it that makes you, you? What do you do? What do you own? Who are your kids or grandkids? Who would you be…if it was all gone? That's what happened to Job.

Think for a moment. Think what it would be like if in just a short amount of time, you had nothing. You were standing naked before God, all of what you find your identity in has been taken away. Your home, your car, your job, your things, your children and your health…gone. Hard to imagine, right? But do for a second, imagine it. Who would you be? Who are you,  when “you”, is all there is? 

Job lost it all, no one to give him comfort, no one to make it better. He had his times, but one thing remained the same, Job’s trust in God. Yea at times he struggled with understanding, but he always came back to the only thing that would never leave him and couldn't be taken away…God.

 Job learned to find his identity in God and God alone. Job learned that God was all he really had and all He really needed. Do you realize that? Do you find your identity in anything other than God? 

Vern

Mature Transgressions

“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

(James 1:15)

There are somethings we love to see grow, our children and grandchildren, our spiritual life, flowers, our bank accounts. So many times growth is good and healthy. But there are many things that we don’t like to see grow, the national debt, laundry, our grass, black mold, cancer, etc… Sin for a Christian should be another. 

Did you know that sin grows? In James 1:15 we are told that “…sin when it is fully grown brings forth death”. Sin isn't just a one time thing that you can tamper with and be ok, it latches onto you and grows. 

This may bother some, but Alcoholism, isn't a disease. It's a result of sin, that has grown. No one has ever returned from the doctor’s office  and had to make the sad  announcement to their family that the doctor just diagnosed  them with a case of alcoholism and then they start drinking. No, it started with that first drink. That first decision to get drunk and it grew from there. 

All sins grow as long as you continue to nurture them, as long as you feed them and they all start off normally small. When you look at the life of Ted Bundy it's a classic example of a person tampering with what some consider a small sin and it growing due to that person continually feeding that sinful desire. He went from looking at dirty magazines as a young boy, to harder porn, to murdering  many women to fulfill his sinful desires. The saying is true, “Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay”. (I added the interview video please take the time to watch)

Vern

https://vimeo.com/96877731

Problems Solved... Follow Me

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

Isn’t it odd how people, when things go bad, wonder why God doesn't fix it? Why God allows all these terrible things to happen? We often ask, “God, why don’t you show up and make all this right and fix it?”

I saw a video today that sort of hit on this a bit. So it made me think, hasn’t he already done it? Hasn’t He already given us the solution for all problems? 

When Jesus was born in that stable He was the gift, the plan, the cure, the way, the truth and the life. He was and still is the perfect solution to all our woes. When He died and was  raised again, he was the fix  for the worlds deepest issues. The problem isn’t God and His lack of concern for this world, the problem is the worlds lack of concern for the Christ. 

Let's not “ imagine what it would be like if God just swooped down and fixed everything”… He has, but most are just not taking hold of His solution for the cure. He even gave us a book that explains it all and what we need to do, but most laugh at it. Then they whine and complain about all the troubles in the world, the whole time shunning the very maintenance manual that God gave us to live by. 

Think…what would the world be like if all people honestly placed their faith in Jesus Christ and lived and obeyed Him? See what I’m saying? The problem isn't God, it's man and his disobedience. We have troubles, violence, crime, terrorism, etc… because man disobeys God. God has given us Who we need to fix it all and given Him as a free gift. 

We scream, “GOD!! FIX THE PROBLEMS!!!” 

God says, “Problems solved…follow Me”

Vern

The Ally of Darkness

"And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil." (John 3:19)

There is a scene in "The Dark Knight Rises", where the bad guy Bane and Batman are fighting. Batman shuts the lights off and Bane, who has a very creepy voice by the way, says, 

"Ah you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but blinding!" 

This quote made me think of John 3:19-21. Like Bane, we start off in darkness. We are born lost. And the longer we reject Christ, the more we become comfortable in that darkness and the more light becomes hard to tolerate. We can get so comfortable in the dark that light is just what Bane said, "blinding". We can come to hate it. It hurts. 

Have you ever been dead asleep in a dark room and someone come in and flipped on the light? Dude that is painful. It makes your eyes truly hurt. But think about this, that pain is only temporary, it goes away. In darkness we may find comfort, but we are very limited in what we can do in the dark, because our sight is limited or nonexistent, depending on the amount of darkness. But in the light, there is freedom. We can see clearly and enjoy so much more. But to get to the light, we have to come through the pain of the light. 

When we come to Christ, when we realize our brokenness and emptiness  and our disobedience to a God who loves us, it is painful. But that pain, bring great joy and freedom. 

Don't let the darkness be your ally, make the light your Lord. 

Vern

Wives Submit

 "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:22) 

Yea, that verse more than likely just enraged you as you read it, or puffed you up, probably depending on your gender. This verse often infuriates many of the female class because the word submit which in this case means "to yield oneself to the authority or will of another :surrender" (Webster), doesn't fit with today's feminist mentality. Most women even in the church are bothered by this verse. But why? Often it is because the verse has been misused within the church. In some churches it is taught that the woman is to be quiet and never should speak. That she should be in submission to her husband even if he is an ungodly man. 

This verse has also been one that puffed up the chest of many "men" who want to be the head of their family, but have never earned that right. Some think, “Heck, submit to me like she would the Lord, that’s awesome, preach it pastor! Hope she’s listening.”  It's nice when you can point to a scripture that will back-up your macho, male agenda. For decades a lot of churches put a great amount of emphasis on verses 22-24, but in truth, is that the way these verses should be used? 

I honestly believe that where overbearing men and feminist get it wrong, is that they never seem to make it past verse 24. Because if they did, they would see that there may be 3 verse that instruct women on how to be toward their husbands, but there are 7 verses that give instructions to the man on how to be toward their wives…and the verses for the men, are much tougher. 

Women are to submit themselves to their husbands, but men are to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Not sure if you are familiar with how Christ loved the church? But, He loved her when she was unlovable. He loved her when she was right and when she was wrong. He loved her with an unconditional love. He protected her and comforted her. Sheltered her and clothes her. He never asked for anything in return. He was selfless. With a selfless love for His bride. He gave her someone, she could trust in good times and bad times. He would never leave her or forsake her, no matter her response. He  was beaten and bruised for her,  nailed to a rugged, splintery cross and was gouged in the side with a spear for her. He gave it all for her…He died for her. Men, love your wife as Christ loved the church, so that she will feel safe in submission to you as she is to the Lord. 

So if you are a feminist type of a “lady” who can’t find it in your heart to submit to your husband, even though your husband is striving to be like Christ and love you as Christ loved the church, then you truly need to drop to your knees and repent. You are one of two things, away from God or not His at all. 

For the “man”, who wants a wife who will follow,  but expects her to, despite  his ungodly lifestyle and lack of Christlikeness toward her, then you too need to drop to your knees and repent. You are one of two things, away from God or not His at all. 

“However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33)

Vern

“Wooly Bully”

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?” 

(Luke 15:4)

In Australia a sheep was found looking to be about five to six years old, they believe he had never been shorn. It was kind of funny looking, you could hardly see his legs and all you could make out of his face was his mouth and nose. They gave him the name “Chris”, and placed him under anesthetics so that they could shear him of his 93 pounds of wool. Enough they said to knit about 30 sweaters.

Tammy Ven Dange who rescued Chris, said that he had suffered skin burns from urine trapped in his fleece and could have died within weeks if left in the wild.

When I read this story my mind immediately went to the parable of the lost sheep, in Luke 15 where the Tax collectors and sinners were drawing close to Jesus and the Pharisees started grumbling about Jesus being around them. When Jesus heard them he gave this parable,

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”  

When we are away from Jesus, we are a lot like Chris; we are weighed down with all our baggage that only He can relieve us of. God also created us with a plan and purpose in mind and when we are not His, we are wasting those gifts that God gave us.

When they found Chris, he had enough wool to knit 30 sweaters…THIRTY! Just think how good he felt after he was shorn and all that extra weight, that 93 pound burden was lifted off of his back. The feeling he had of freedom must have been amazing. Imagine how useful Chris would have been if he had just gone to the shepherd. All that wool could have been put to good use.

Ven Dange also said that Chris would have died within weeks if he would have stayed in the wild. We are told in scripture that without Christ, we will die, that those who have the Son have life, but those without the Son do not have life. (1 John 5:12)If we stay in the wild, we will also die.

Jesus doesn’t want you weighed down with baggage and guilt. He has great plans for you; He has had them for a long time. He also wants you to come to the Good Shepherd and live…forever.

Vern