A Rising Anti-Government Tide

See this article by Newt Gingrich:

http://www.americansolutions.com/economy/2009/05/a-rising-anti-government-tide.php

Another great quote by Ronald Reagan:

Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.

Priceless

In case you haven’t see this.  Pass it on.

Liberty and Tyranny

This is the title of the latest book by Mark R. Levin, constitutional lawyer and nationally syndicated conservative radio talk show host.  In fact, Liberty and Tyranny has been the best selling hardback non-fiction on the NYT best seller list for the past 7 weeks. 

The subtitle of his book is “A Conservative Manifesto”.  I just finished this book and it echoed my concerns  about the direction our country has been going.  Since FDR, we have been going away from the principles that were the very foundation of our consititution.   Depending on the administration in power, we speed or slow the process.  He talks about principles such as liberty for all,  faith in our Creator, federalism and states rights, the free market.  He talks about how the welfare state, enviro-statism, immigration policies since the 60’s have pushed those founding principles in the background.    With the current administration, we see the constitutional principles trampled on more than ever.  We are literally on the verge of become a socialist country.  

These are the things he talks about on his radio show.  And now this book is reaching a lot of people as evidenced by its best seller status for so many weeks.  I urge everyone, especially conservatives to buy or borrow this book and read it and decide if you agree with his 10-point “Conservative Manifesto”.   And if you do, get active and become a part of the solution.  

He ends the book with a quote from President Reagan:  ”Freedom is never more than a generation away from extinction.  We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream.  It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

Wow!  We conservatives really do need to get busy.

Easter Morning

Sue and I decided to do something a little different this Easter.  We wanted to have our own sunrise service.  I did some research and found that the sunrise on Saturday was at 6:05 and so we wanted to be in place before sunrise.  Checking most of the parks with mountains, the gates open at 6AM.  So I was left with trying to find a place that we could get into earlier.  We settled on going to Saguaro Lake and watching the sun come up over the water.  

We got up about 4:30am and pulled into the very dark parking lot at Saguaro Lake at about 5:30.  There was only a van parked down at the end of the lot.  It was very dark and very quiet, much like when we go camping.  The lake surface was like glass and there was no movement.  As the sky began to lighten, I could tell that we would not be able to actually see the sun come up over the horizon.  But the beauty of the sunlight shining on the mountains on the east side of the lake make the trip worthwhile.  

At about 6AM, we prayed, we took communion, we discussed what the crucifixion means to each of us.  As the sun came up, the only activity on the lake was the ducks quacking as they jumped on the water from their hideouts in the bushes.  That was very cool.  Only one boat entered the lake and, thank goodness, he did not speed out fast but took his time getting out quietly, to his favorite fishing hole I’m sure.

Soon a truck came up and parked near one of the small fishing docks.  As it got lighter, they all went out on the dock and began the morning, hopefully catching a meal for later.

Sue and I left as the deputies were just starting to work at the gate.  The next part of our plan was to have breakfast at one of our favorite places.  Unfortunately, all of them were closed and we had to settle for IHOP.  But we got there early enough to beat the rush.

While we were there, three young men were seated in the booth right behind me.  They were very loud and, possibly had been drinking or otherwise “partying” all night.   They were joking with the waitress and really just making jerks of themselves.  They continued even after several families with small children were seated nearby.   One made a comment about going to church that morning and another that he was a veteran of the Iraq war.

We finished our food and left but I kept thinking about these young men.  They seem to be so typical of the younger generation, of which our daughter is one.  God or religion is something to make a joke about and those believers are just people they can ridicule.   But we have to remember that God loves them too.  I pray that God shows Himself to these men in a way that He will be irresistable to them.

A Message from Thomas Paine

Be sure to find a Tax Day Tea Party near you on April 15 and make sure your voice is heard.

Prayer for our Nation

In today’s environment where we find our government siezing power in a way it never has before, we stand at a crossroads as a country. We are seeing the rise of a version of ’statism’ that most of us have never seen. Our leaders are driving this train down a track that seems to be leading down a steep hill and we don’t know what is at the bottom. It is kind of scary. While I think its very important for those of us who disagree to make ourselves heard in every public arena we can, we should also seek God’s will. 

Commentator Paul Harvey aired this prayer on his radio program, ‘The Rest of the Story,’ and received a larger response to this program than any other he has ever aired. With the Lord’s help, may this prayer sweep over our nation again and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called ‘One nation under God..’

Billy Graham’s Prayer For Our Nation

‘Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics…. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!’

A Land of Swedes

Thats the title of the latest Serious Times newsletter by James Emery White.  In this newsletter, he quotes several news sources that state that the percentage of Americans that state that they subscribe to no religion has increased from 8% to 15%.   

As always, Mr. White eloquently quotes other sources to try to explain why this is happening,  what does it mean, and what can be done.

He says that America is becoming like Sweden, a society without God.  Are we really destined for that?  

I believe that God still loves us.  I think that, if Jesus does not return soon,  that we will become a mission field for believers from the rest of the world.   We already see signs of God moving in the Asian and Middle Eastern countries because of the persecution that exists for Christians.  I’m afraid that until we see persecution here, the church will probably continue to decline in numbers.  Will it be in my lifetime?  I don’t know.  But I believe that God has a plan and it will be accomplished in His good time.

Change Me, O Lord, Not Thy Will

*~Change Me~*

Dear Lord change not Thy will in my life,
Or trial and sorrows to be;
Renew my faith and make me strong,
Change not Thy will, change me.

Though teardrops fall when trouble comes,
Like storms on a rolling sea;
Let Thy beacon guide my ship to port,
Change not the storm, change me.

When Thy Holy Word I don’t understand
And Thy glory I cannot see;
Teach my eyes, give me sight and wisdom,
Change not Thy Word, change me.

If the fruit Thou hast given me to eat,
Taste bitter and sour, I plea;
Let not my will but Thine be done,
Change not the fruit, change me.

If sometime I murmur and grumble, dear Lord,
About the cross I carry for Thee;
Keep it firm on my shoulders, but hold my hand,
Change not the cross, change me.

If You change Thy ways to please me, dear Lord,
I would soon grow cold and turn from Thee;
That You may hear my prayers, dear Lord,
Change not Thy ways, change me.

There’s a valley that I must cross,
Someday Thy face to see;
Lest I forget what power is Thine,
Change not the valley, change me.
Author Unknown

Jesus Has Left The Building

This is the title of a book written by Paul Vieira.  A former pastor and musician, Paul writes about his search for an authentic expression of Christian spirituality.  He has put selected readings from the chapters of his book in podcast form that have been a real blessing to me.  You can listen to them on http://paulvieira.podbean.com/ .

Golden Compass

Scheduled to be in theaters December 7 is another movie that is a blatant attack on Christians. This is no hoax according to the below website.  I advise Christians with children to stay away from this one and the rest of the trilogy.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp