Complaining or Trusting?

Thinking of whining and complaining tomorrow if the election doesn’t go your way?

As you think of all your lamenting that might go on at the water cooler, consider Jeremiah’s words: "Why should any living mortal, or any man, offer complaint in view of his sins? Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the LORD." – Lamentations 3:39-40

Be encouraged by thoughts from the mind of David: "Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb. Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness." – Psalm 37:1-3

Tomorrow, you may be faced with a hard choice…complain or trust.

Sign of the Times #6

Long May It Wave...

The sun shone brightly through my American flag this morning. The American flag, the symbol of freedom. In view of the upcoming election next week, I thought of our national anthem that we've heard countless times... often at sporting events. We know the song by heart, we can repeat the lyrics by heart, probably without even thinking through them. How often, though, have we heard the whole song? Here are the lyrics the to last verse of The Star Spangled Banner:

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace,
may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made
and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Sign of the Times #5

Simple Economics

The Bible speaks of gold, treasure and riches. It speaks of profit, gain and wealth. Consider the following passages as you think about our so-called ‘economic crisis’:

How blessed is the man who finds wisdom
And the man who gains understanding.
For her profit is better than the profit of silver
And her gain better than fine gold. – Proverbs 3:13-14

Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. – Proverbs 11:4

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what
will a man give in exchange for his soul? - Matthew 16:26

The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more
desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; - Psalm 19:9b-10a

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:19-21

Do not weary yourself to gain wealth,
Cease from your consideration of it.
When you set your eyes on it, it is gone.
For wealth certainly makes itself wings
Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens. – Proverbs 23:3-4

Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; - Hebrews 13:5

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:19

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit. Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. – James 4:13-14

For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. – 1 Timothy 6:10

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. - 2 Corinthians 8:9

For he sees that even wise men die;
The stupid and the senseless alike perish
And leave their wealth to others. – Psalm 49:6

Praise the LORD!
How blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
Who greatly delights in His commandments.
His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever. – Psalm 112:1-3

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. – Matthew 13:44

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. – Ecclesiastes 5:10

There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing;
Another pretends to be poor, but has great wealth. – Proverbs 13:7

A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,
Favor is better than silver and gold.
The rich and the poor have a common bond,
The LORD is the maker of them all. – Proverbs 22:1-2

Sign of the Times #4

Sign of the Times #3

Sign of the Times #2

Stealing the Election

In God's Word, the eighth commandment says 'You shall not steal'. That's in Exodus 20:15. Simple to remember, hard for some people to practice. Especially, now with the election just days away. Election fraud is rampant across the country. I can't believe we can put a chip in a cow and identify that animal from a satellite, but we can't figure out how to prevent voter fraud. Haven't we been dealing with this for quite some time? But here's the thing I am having trouble with: not that taking a candy bar or a bicycle or even a car is right... and I know stealing is stealing... but you're stealing something bigger than chocolate or some hot wheels... this is my America we're talking about here. How can someone register to vote 70 times?!?! Someone gets 70 chances to pull the lever and I get one chance! How does Mickey Mouse get to register? How do dead people get to register? It's outrageous that the people doing this are stealing opportunities to vote. You are un-American, you are un-patriotic. You hate what the American flag stands for. You have no conscience and you'd probably snatch your own grandmothers purse. You are thieves of the worst kind... and if you are successful in pulling off the biggest theft in history, you will get what you deserve...

John and Sarah - Will They Take Pennsylvania?

Last night I was encouraged. I realized why I think John McCain and Sarah Palin will win Pennsylvania on November 4th (and hopefully enough other states to win the election). I took my family to a Sarah Palin victory rally in a nearby town. Small town America for sure. In a Western Pennsylvania town where high school football is almost a religion and hard-working blue collar workers make up the entire economy (you know, the ones that Obama says cling to their guns and religion, and Murtha says are racist and rednecks... those people). This town rich in tradition of football and hard work, is usually a stronghold of democrats. I might be wrong, but I noticed something odd about this place during our visit last night. There were McCain campaign signs everywhere. It was overwhelming. The neighborhoods and main part of town was literally plastered with support for the conservative cause.

Then, when Sarah spoke, she connected with the crowd. This was no small crowd of supporters. The stadium where she spoke (and where Joe Namath played football) was filled to the brim with well-mannered, orderly people who knew we can't afford to have an empty suit in the White House. Governor Palin then made it clear why she resonates with regular Americans: spreading the wealth around is not for these hard-working Pennsylvanians... who, like Joe the Plumber, know how to distribute their own money better than their government officials. The other point that makes Sarah Palin so attractive to voters is the fact that she desires to have equal rights for all women, including the pre-born women. She will be a strong advocate for life, a stark contrast from her opponents in the liberal party that have no heart for the unborn.

Judging by the response of the people and by seeing this former democratic area transformed, the Republicans have a chance in Pennsylvania. Let's pray. For the sake of preserving our republic and for the sake of our precious pre-born babies, lets pray for God to be pleased to let McCain and Palin lead our nation.