Waxing on Presidents and Prophecy

As many know,President Barack Obama spoke directly to the Iranian people Friday, March 20, following through on his campaign promise of attempting to engage Iran in direct talks. He wished Iran and its leaders a Happy New Year at the start of the Persian holiday Nowruz which marks the beginning of Spring and the Iranian new year. He even spoke a little Farsi. Impressive.

The Iranian's do not appear impressed. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded by demanding that the U.S. terminate "unconditional support" for Israel. During the Ayatollah's address in the northeastern city of Mashhad, the crowd gathered around him chanted "Death to America."
He also demanded an end to questions of Iran's nuclear ambitions, and an end to all sanctions against Iran.

Obama called for Iran to "take its rightful place among the nations." The problem is Iran believes its rightful place is at the head of an Islamic coalition that would force the world to convert to Islam or die. It is that simple. To think that we will convince Iran to think any other way is utterly naive, at best.
Iran wishes death to America because we have supported Israel. To them, we stand in the way of their radical goals.
Iran’s leaders have labeled Israel a “rotting corpse” and wish to see Israel “wiped off the map.” The President of Iran recently called Israel “a stinking corpse that will soon be erased.”
I write this first as a warning to our nation. The day America turns against Israel will be the day that we invite the judgment of God to begin if it has not already began.
Secondly I write this to the true Christian. Do not be dismayed or alarmed by the rhetoric of Iran. Do not be concerned that our President is acting foolishly in his vain attempts to pander to Islam.
Our God has not moved nor will He ever. He alone sets up Kings and deposes Kings. His word will be completely fulfilled. He will preserve Israel because He said He would. Just as He said He would bring His people back to the land that He promised to give the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, so He has done.
No people in the history of the world have been so oppressed and completely displaced as the people of Israel but even though they were scattered in AD 70. in 1948, they officially had their land back. And they have been coming back to the land of Canaan ever since. Blessed be the name of the Lord!!
And lift up your heads Church, because the Day of the Lord is drawing nearer. Iran refuses to slow down in its goal to obtain nuclear weapons. Iran is openly declaring its desire to destroy Israel. The whole world knows that America is severely crippled by both an economic and leadership crisis.
The American people are totally focused on our own problems. We are a war -weary and cynical people. We have lost our will to fight for what is right as we have given ourselves to what we have been told are our "rights."
We want comfort and security and a restoration of the "American Dream" so we will not intervene in Iran's actions against God's chosen nation of Israel. Iran knows that. Israel knows that. I believe Israel will strike Iran's nuclear facilities because they believe they have no other option. This may cripple Iran's nuclear capabilities but could very quickly begin the conventional war of Magog and Persia against Israel as prophesied in Ezekiel. Crazy you say? Read the Bible. Study the prophecies and check it out for yourselves. The word of the Lord is being fulfilled in our day. Wake up O sleeper and Christ will give you light!

Ezekiel 38:22-23
22 With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him, and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples who are with him torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulfur. 23 So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

Waxing on The Love of Music

This past Sunday afternoon my daughter, Jordyn (second on the right in red) won first place in the instrumental competition sponsored by the Hopewell/Prince George Lyons Club. Jordyn competed against 15 other pianists and the competition was very tough. The students amazed me with their composure, performing their selected pieces without written music while being judged partly by how correct they played according to the written score. Jordyn played Moonlight Sonata (my favorite classical piece). She was flawless! I know, I know...spoken as only Dad could but hey, she won! I am very proud of Jordyn, win or lose, but I am thankful that she was rewarded for her hard work. I am also thankful that I was reminded of the simple love of music on Sunday. The contest was 4 hours long and all I had to do was sit there. That is an odd place for a Pastor and it was a good time for me to stop and listen...just listen. Just enjoy the gift of music. It was pretty sweet.
Jordyn and I both love the movie, "The Pianist" and before she went up to play, I encouraged her to remember the movie's main character, Polish Pianist, Wladyslaw Szpilman, forced to hide from the Nazis as a Jewish refugee, and when he was finally able to play piano again, he played not for the crowd, or for money but just for the love of music.
I didn't know if Jordyn was paying any attention to me and wondered if I only added to her nerves but when she began to play Sunday, I believe, that by the grace of God, Beethoven himself would have stopped to listen to his masterpiece...it was just one of those moments.
She deserved to win and I am glad she did but I am even more pleased that she has been given the gift of music appreciation. She loves music and I do too! She told me on the way home that she did think of Szpilmanand imagined that she was all alone, just playing for the love of it. We got home Sunday night and I flipped on the TV. "60 Minutes" was on, as a story was beginning about Nathaniel Ayers. A homeless man in L.A. suffering from Paranoid Schizophrenia. Once a Julliard Academy music student, he has long since left Julliard, and suffered through shock therapy and other failed attempts to help him. He now lives in the streets, with thousands of other mentally ill people but he still has a love for music. He sits in the park, or on the street playing the Cello, the Violin, or the Trumpet, not for money...but for the love of music.
"Music is saying, you know, life isn't that bad, you know?" Mr. Ayers explained.
I would have to agree with Mr. Ayers and even take it a little further. Life is not that bad... as a matter of fact, life is good!
Thank you Lord for life and thank you for the gift of music!

Waxing on No More Worries

Like most people, the problems America is facing have concerned me lately. Many different specific problems that I could go on and on about but the major issue being an obvious moral collapse. Of course this has led to economic collapse and because the corruption in our government is more apparent everyday (AIG), real leadership has been scarce. As our nation continues to be at war in 2 countries, and threats from China, North Korea and Iran are commonplace.
As the United States faces a new Russian Empire that is showing off its latest War Ships in the Caribbean...as be-headed victims of the Mexican Drug War are discovered ever closer to the US border and illegal immigrants continue to flood, unchecked, into our country... as the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, declares enforcement of Immigration Law to be "un-American"... as unemployment rises and the stock market falls...as America falls further and further into the abyss of confusion and a seeming inablility or lack of desire to do anything to change our course... stories of American citizens arming themselves to the teeth...protesting in increasing numbers...becoming more and more angry at our leaders, are heard daily. As all of these problems face us, we look to the President for leadership...for a "sense of purpose"...or a "clear direction" and "focus on the task at hand." You know all those little cliche's and catch phrases we hear during the campaign? Promises of vision and change.
The American people are looking for leadership and good news America... it is official! All is well!
President Obama knows College Basketball! That's right, don't worry about losing your home or your job. Don't worry about Gitmo Terroists being released and Mexican Drug Cartels kidnapping US citizens. Don't worry about Kim Jong Ill. Don't worry about that madman in Iran steadily enriching uranium and daring anybody to stop him. That seems harmless enough. Maybe we should sit down and chat with him! Maybe talk some basketball, or camel racing! Wonder if they have a tournament? Don't take seriously when he says stuff like: “Anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation's fury,”. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Don't worry. All is well. Our President can make serious predictions for the NCAA Basketball Tournament! I saw him do it on ESPN! Yes! It was so neat how he revealed his knowledge and love for the game. He apparently follows it closely and he should! What else should he be doing? I mean, come on...give the guy a break! And if that doesn't put your national worries at ease, The Prez will be on Jay Leno's show tonight! Cool! Wow! What were we worried for? Thanks Mr. President!

Waxing on More Madness in The News

Monday's are very reflective for me as I look back on a weekend of ministry. I am very thankful to the Lord for His mercy that allows me to be in ministry as a full-time pastor. Today I was able to get some house cleaning done while Becky and Jordyn were in Richmond for Jordyn's weekly humanities class. I was also able to spend some quiet time reading and had a couple of uneventful phone conversations...so today was mostly serene....then I turned on the news.
Now I need to vent. I am sure that venting is the main purpose of my blog but if someone out there actually reads this and it helps you feel a little better (or worse) let me know. I would love to hear your comments. So what is it that made me so steamed?
Here's the rundown of what I see as another day of absolute insanity:
1. President Obama spoke to representatives of small-business owners today acknowledging that small businesses were the "heart and soul" of the ecnonomy providing at least half of all jobs. Seems like I remember hearing something about the importance of small business during the Presidential Campaign...from the other party...but anyway, that is history. The important thing is now the President has a plan to save small business jobs...you know that provide half of all employment in our nation.
Here are the two reasons I think the plan is insane:
a. More debt is never the answer.
b. If you actually think that debt is the answer (as Obama apparently does) and you actually believe that small business is the "heart and soul" of the economy, why then would you think that a paltry 15 billion dollars in loan guarantees would do anything to solve the problem when hundreds of billions of dollars have been given to single corporations.
AIG received 150 billion from the federal government and small businesses who are the "heart and soul" of our ecnonomy will receive 15 billion. Don't misunderstand me...again, I personally do not think that government loans or loan guarantees are the answer to any of our economic problems but how ridiculous is this whole thing? 150 billion to AIG!! And oh yeah, at his small business speech today, the President said he was going to get "his people" working on doing something about the 165 million in bonuses that AIG execs got from the bailout money! Yes, after AIG lost billions and the Bush Administration took our money and gave it to AIG, they had the audacity to pay there execs bonuses! Bonuses for what? Their extraordinary ability to lose money? I mean I know I am an uneducated kind of guy who learned most of his economics from working as a meat manager in the grocery business but even us simple-minded types knew that if we did not earn a profit we NEVER got a bonus! Here is another good piece from today's news:
2. Bernie Madoff's wife will probably get to keep her 11 million dollar Florida home...if she files for bankruptcy protection!! Yes, let's protect the stolen money!! Absolutely!
3. And speaking of protecting...while our Armed Forces are repositioned in extreme conditions in outposts in Afghanistan, with no electricity or running water...building protection fences with their bare hands...the International Red Cross released a report today of their serious concern for how the CIA treated suspected terroists leaders.
The admitted mastermind of the USS Cole bombing. The self-declared "architect" of the 911 attacks on our country and one of Osama Bin Laden's Chief Operatives were not treated "fairly" by the Bush Administration. They suffered extreme temperatures, sleep deprivation and "water-boarding." By the way, the awful act of waterboarding is credited for foiling the plot to blow up The Brooklyn Bridge. Investigators found explosives and detailed plans for the operation after the successful interrogations. Yeah, I know, not much news on that...the media would rather report on the horrors of CIA operations and mistreatment of people who include in their daily mantras, "Death to America."
So today's top stories include:
The President's plan to do little to nothing for the "heart and soul" of the ecnonomy.
AIG execs receiving millions in bonuses of our tax dollars for their great ability to lose billions.
Bernie Madoff's wife will get to keep (through bankruptcy protection) an 11 million dollar mansion in Florida, paid for by the worst swindler in US history.
The International Red Cross is still "concerned" that mass murderers and self-proclaimed master minds of terror and haters of America and Israel, bent on the destruction of both, were not treated "fairly" by the Bush Administration.
Maybe we should get a comment from Vice President Biden...uh-oh...better turn the microphone off first!
It would be funny if it were not so serious. My venting does feel good but my real peace remains in Christ. I am very interested in the news and I am very aware that corruption and ridiculous leadership is the "order of the day" but I do not fret as one with no hope. Let us remember, brothers and sisters that according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:13).

Waxing Surreal

I went outside tonight (barefooted in shorts) quickly closing the door to keep the bugs out and it hit me; exactly one week ago it was freezing outside and snowing heavily. Becky and I went for a walk last Sunday night (she loves snow) and our faces hurt from the bitter wind and driving snow...and tonight there are no snow flakes to be seen in the light, rather I see moths and other assorted winged creatures gathering around the glow. It just feels surreal.
Yesterday afternoon I was washing the car (pretty surreal in itself) and a huge bullfrog came hopping across the driveway! It has hit 80 degrees for 2 straight days! I am certainly not complaining just making this surreal observation.
I guess it is really not that rare for weather to change so drastically, it just feels abnormal...no adjustment period. Climate shock. The change is just too drastic to ignore.
I started thinking about other observations that I have made the past couple of weeks that are quite surreal as well. Unfortunately they have a much greater impact than the weather....just a few:

1.Our Federal Government is budgeting...budgeting mind you...to be 1.9 TRILLION dollars in debt THIS YEAR! What insanity is this? Is this implosion by design?
2. I saw "Christian" television selling "financial blessings" for $900.00 donations! What? Is there no fear of God left? Not even on "Christian" television?
3. A woman called 911... 3 times... because McDonald's did not have "Chicken McNuggets!"
4. The owner of a Muslim TV Station in Buffalo that was reportedly started for the purpose of promoting the "understanding of Islam" and to "break stereotypes of extremist behavior" in America, beheaded his wife! He cut off her head! In Buffalo NY! And get this...most of the American media ignored the whole thing! And in a related story, number 5....
5. Chris Matthews of MSNBC referred to Pro-Life activism as "TERROISM!" You can't make this stuff up! He called people who do not believe that the mass slaughter of unborn children is a good thing, TERROISTS!! By the way, this was in the context of discussing the Presidents latest Cabinet Appointment. President Obama said that his choice for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius was a person of "unquestioned integrity." The fact that Pro-Life Activists had the "audacity" to notice Ms Sebelius record of consistently supporting the radical pro- abortion agenda (including late-term abortion and no parental notification) made them "terroists" in Mr. Matthews opinion. What exactly is "integrity?" What exactly is "terrorism?" Is this the "Twilight Zone?"
6. And today, a man walked into a Church in Illinois and shot the Pastor to death in the pulpit!
Shocking...surreal...sad...sobering.

Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly!
They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
(from Isaiah 1, the warning of God to His people Israel)