Wednesday, October 29, 2008

We’ve Been Warned

An ancient writing records the words of a man called Peter speaking prophetically almost 2000 years ago:

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:1-7 NIV

Does this sound like our current political climate or what?

Peter's words suggest what our response to such people should be: “Have nothing to do with them.” The evidence of a number of recently convicted political figures serves to prove that we need to clean house (actually the House of Representatives and the Senate) of such dilatants as Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Hillary Clinton to cite a few, pour encourager les autres (to encourage the others) as a means of bringing a cautionary note to those inclined to follow their base desires.

We must speak up to our so-called representatives to let them know that we will not tolerate the continuance of their proclivity to listen to the entreaties of lobbyists serving special interests.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Important Thoughts of or Attributed to Edmund Burke

Edmund Burke (1729-01-12–1797-07-09) was an Irish political philosopher, Whig politician, and statesman; he is regarded by many as the "father" of modern conservatism.

  • The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.
  • Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fits them all.
  • All men that are ruined, are ruined on the side of their natural propensities.
  • No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.
  • I am convinced that we have a degree of delight, and that no small one, in the real misfortunes and pains of others.
  • When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.
  • To tax and to please, no more than to love and to be wise, is not given to men.
  • It is not, what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason, and justice, tell me I ought to do.
  • All who have ever written on government are unanimous, that among a people generally corrupt, liberty cannot long exist.
  • Taxing is an easy business. Any projector can contrive new impositions, any bungler can add to the old.
  • They defend their errors as if they were defending their inheritance.
  • A man full of warm, speculative benevolence may wish his society otherwise constituted than he finds it, but a good patriot and a true politician always considers how he shall make the most of the existing materials of his country. A disposition to preserve and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman. Everything else is vulgar in the conception, perilous in the execution.
  • But what is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint.
  • There ought to be system of manners in every nation which a well-formed mind would be disposed to relish. To make us love our country, our country ought to be lovely.
  • We must not always judge of the generality of the opinion by the noise of the acclamation.
  • By gnawing through a dike, even a rat may drown a nation.
The above are worthy of reflection by thinking people! They each apply to our present political conflict.


Monday, October 13, 2008

If My People . . .

The Bible records the exhortation:

. . . if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

As a nation, we must turn to God to restore us to the place of respect we once held in the world. We have failed in our duty to serve and obey Him and, instead followed “wicked ways.” We have allowed our moral senses to become dull and perverted, seeking our own pleasure rather than the joy God gives faithful people. We have allowed many “gods” to have voice in our nation in place of the true God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We have selected leaders unworthy of leading this once great nation.

Now is the time to say “no” to the sin that has so easily entangled us. We must insist that men and women we elect to government office lead us on a moral path that brings honor to God instead of Mammon!

Preamble to the U.S. Constitution

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

We the people established this country to:

·         Form a more perfect Union

·         Establish justice

·         Ensure domestic tranquility

·         Provide for the common defense

·         Promote the general welfare

·         Secure the blessings of liberty

In all these things we are failing miserably.

From the Declaration of Independence

. . . .We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. . . .

Our own Declaration of Independence asserts that “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” The just powers of our government have been subverted by unscrupulous men and women sent to Washington to lead us. This must stop!

We need not worry because in the long run there is a God who will help us recover from the mess our inept, corrupt, immoral federal leadership has gotten us into. But only God can help us if Barak Obama is elected President.

Ancient writings record that we need not live in fear. But Christians can no longer remain complaisant, we must speak out and vote into office those worthy of leading us. And we must vote out of office those who have proven themselves to be self-serving, unrighteous, and even evil.

"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. "I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. Luke 12:4-9 NIV

Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:22-34 NIV

God will take care of those who are part of his family and choose to serve Him!