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Friday, June 26, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
I Met a Man (or Woman)...
Sometimes I find it is easy to grumble and complain about the things that, for the most part, are simply distractions to an otherwise great life. I complain because my feet hurt, but I'm sure the extra 30 pounds they are supporting doesn't help. I grumble because we can't afford to go out and each at a nice restaurant as often as I would like, but consider the fact that I could buy that same steak and potato and eat at home for half the price. I moan and groan when it gets cool and wet outside and I have to give up my lawn work or golf game. For the most part we are a society of groaners and grumblers.
About a week ago I was working early, about 5:00 a.m., and a fellow walked in with a back pack, worn out running shoes, unshaven, unshowered, and about anything else you can think of. He asked, "Do you have any work I could do for a cup of coffee? I'm trying to stay sober." Of course, I simply said, "Let me buy you a cup." We spoke for only a minute and he was gone. I had never seen him before and doubt if I will see him again.....at least in this life. I thought, wow, I'm glad I'm not like that man. I had a shower, a breakfast, all the coffee I wanted and more than I needed. I had clean clothes, drove a car, so I sure wouldn't want to trade places. I suddenly remembered several scripture verses that convicted me. One was "be careful in entertaining strangers for in so doing some have entertained angels without knowing." I remembered how, by the well, Jesus was thirsty and again from the cross. And I thought, what if that man was Jesus? In a sense he was, because he made me see how little I had to grumble about. In fact, when I began to think of my blessings the other things faded into nothingness.
Almost everyday on West "O" Street there is an old gentleman holding a sign asking for help. He is obviously homeless and without money. Sure, he probably gets fed at the City Mission and other places, but when I get home I have a soft sofa to relax on. I take a hot shower, have a fresh cup of coffee or tea and then eat a great meal prepared by my wife. Man, I am glad I'm not like that guy. But what separates us? One paycheck, one tragedy in life? And what if that man is the Christ?
When you look at the old, the sick, the poor, the dying, the homeless, the hungry, the drunk, the drug addict what do you see? Open your spiritual eyes and catch a glimpse of the Christ who took our sin upon himself and carried it to the cross. He became the drunk, the addict, the sick, the leper, the orphan, the homeless, etc. So when you see these people they may be closer to the real Christ than the artist's impression. He was often dirty, had dirty clothes, had no home to call his own, we was a traveler. He was one of us. He is the soldier wounded in action, the grieving widow at home, he is the student who has given up, the teen who is tempted. Where will Jesus come first when he returns? The Jews believe that he will come first to the Mount of Olives. Some believe he will surely show up in on of the high steeple, few people churches. But I would suggest he might show up at the bar, at the crack house, at the track, at the children's hospitals, etc.
If we really want to serve Jesus, let me suggest that we get out of our pews and onto the streets. Find the street corner Jesus, find the drunk, find the sick, the near homeless, the little child. Go to the mission and volunteer. Offer to help your church in it's ministry to the poor and hungry. But you gotta get up from the pew and as the master said, "Go out into the alleys, the countryside," and find those who need a kind word and who will let you see Christ a little better.
I am reminded of a song that says, "I once had to food to eat then I met a man who had no teeth. I once had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet." Lord, forgive me when I grumble and whine and complain. Help me to remember that you suffered unbearable pain for me."
God Bless You and God Bless America!
About a week ago I was working early, about 5:00 a.m., and a fellow walked in with a back pack, worn out running shoes, unshaven, unshowered, and about anything else you can think of. He asked, "Do you have any work I could do for a cup of coffee? I'm trying to stay sober." Of course, I simply said, "Let me buy you a cup." We spoke for only a minute and he was gone. I had never seen him before and doubt if I will see him again.....at least in this life. I thought, wow, I'm glad I'm not like that man. I had a shower, a breakfast, all the coffee I wanted and more than I needed. I had clean clothes, drove a car, so I sure wouldn't want to trade places. I suddenly remembered several scripture verses that convicted me. One was "be careful in entertaining strangers for in so doing some have entertained angels without knowing." I remembered how, by the well, Jesus was thirsty and again from the cross. And I thought, what if that man was Jesus? In a sense he was, because he made me see how little I had to grumble about. In fact, when I began to think of my blessings the other things faded into nothingness.
Almost everyday on West "O" Street there is an old gentleman holding a sign asking for help. He is obviously homeless and without money. Sure, he probably gets fed at the City Mission and other places, but when I get home I have a soft sofa to relax on. I take a hot shower, have a fresh cup of coffee or tea and then eat a great meal prepared by my wife. Man, I am glad I'm not like that guy. But what separates us? One paycheck, one tragedy in life? And what if that man is the Christ?
When you look at the old, the sick, the poor, the dying, the homeless, the hungry, the drunk, the drug addict what do you see? Open your spiritual eyes and catch a glimpse of the Christ who took our sin upon himself and carried it to the cross. He became the drunk, the addict, the sick, the leper, the orphan, the homeless, etc. So when you see these people they may be closer to the real Christ than the artist's impression. He was often dirty, had dirty clothes, had no home to call his own, we was a traveler. He was one of us. He is the soldier wounded in action, the grieving widow at home, he is the student who has given up, the teen who is tempted. Where will Jesus come first when he returns? The Jews believe that he will come first to the Mount of Olives. Some believe he will surely show up in on of the high steeple, few people churches. But I would suggest he might show up at the bar, at the crack house, at the track, at the children's hospitals, etc.
If we really want to serve Jesus, let me suggest that we get out of our pews and onto the streets. Find the street corner Jesus, find the drunk, find the sick, the near homeless, the little child. Go to the mission and volunteer. Offer to help your church in it's ministry to the poor and hungry. But you gotta get up from the pew and as the master said, "Go out into the alleys, the countryside," and find those who need a kind word and who will let you see Christ a little better.
I am reminded of a song that says, "I once had to food to eat then I met a man who had no teeth. I once had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet." Lord, forgive me when I grumble and whine and complain. Help me to remember that you suffered unbearable pain for me."
God Bless You and God Bless America!
Six Degrees of Separation? Rethink That Please!
I want to offer you a website today that every American should do to. It is http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/. You will be absolutely shocked and baffled when you see what's there. It is of little wonder to me that nobody has been able to fully connect all the ACORN dots, at least until now. There are literally hundreds of splinter groups that all come down the yellow brick road and stop at ACORN's front step. Further more, you will be shocked at some of the funders. Try the Carnegie Corporation, Allstate Foundation, Streisand Foundation, and the Lear Family Foundation to name just a few. One of the groups is Progressive Democrats of America which is probably closely linked to the socialist leaning Progressive Caucus and is supported by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She was named to that groups Executive Committee in 2002.
Next simply go to individuals and type in Barack Obama. You will see that there is compelling evidence that he is not a natural born citizen of the United States. His grandmother insisted that she was present when he was born in Kenya. There is also the question of a registration document from the Madrassa he attended where it states he is both Muslim and Indonesian. You will probably be surprised to learn that the group Democratic Socialists of America is linked to him, as is the Arab American Action Network, ACORN, Rainbow/PUSH Foundation and many more. I am not saying that he is impacted by these alliances, but it would seem as if he could be.
It is so hard to make all the connections between groups, individuals and givers because they keep morphing all over the place. You'll notice on the maps how they keep floating around. That's a sign of their disguise and it is intentional. Not all the groups or individuals are bad, but this website helps you make your own conclusions and I am grateful to the sponsors of this site for their hard work and diligence. Give it a try.
God Bless You and God Bless America!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
The Champion
I met a man, the most incredible man, who must remain nameless for now. I met him at table breaking bread together. I didn't know him, but was drawn to him like metal is attracted to the magnet, or the other way around. I really knew nothing about this fellow. I had never met him before. He spoke to me with a Spanish accent and was obviously of Hispanic origin. Since I don't have his permission, I will only tell you that in Spanish his name means "The Champion." He told me something very interesting, however. A true champion is not someone who always wins or never gets knocked down. Rather, he said, "a real champion is the one who gets back up after being knocked down." Turns out, this man has been in prison twice. His father had murdered his mother. He had been in gangs, wandered around as one without any hope and lacked purpose in life. Somewhere along the line he discovered Christ and his grace and mercy. I instantly fell in love with "The Champion," who by the way had also been a prize fighter. I don't know exactly what first drew me to him, but none-the-less we are forever friends although our backgrounds are vastly different.
Why do I share this story with you? It is because it was on the road to Emmaus that two men, two disciples, met up with the risen Christ, but failed to recognize him. They walked and they talked, but had no clue they were walking with the Lord. It was a considerable distance from Jerusalem to Emmaus and so when it got late they ask this stranger to come in and eat with them. It was when they were at the table and the bread was broken that they realized this was the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth. I would suggest that through the breaking of bread, the sharing of a meal, we truly get to know another. When we are at table together we discover the worth, the value, the uniqueness, the beauty and the Christ in those at the table with us. I remember Sunday dinners (at noon but it was such a feast we called it dinner) at my fraternal grandmothers. It just went without saying that every Sunday at noon the entire family would gather around grandma's table for a feast. Usually fried chicken, round steak or roast beef, fried potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, etc., etc. filled the table. Everyone, young and old, three generations would eat until we couldn't move. But more than that, we had family conversations around that table. That's where we learned all that had happened to each other during the previous week. Being a teen, I am sure I only told part of the happenings, but I listened intently to my parents and grandparents. I found something valuable at that table. I found my identity as a member of the family. Friends, it is when you sit at the table with others and invite the stranger on the Emmaus Road to eat with you that you find your identity as a child of God and as a brother or sister to others at the table.
My grandmother's table was open to anyone, anytime. She used to run a cafe, called the Victory. It was started at the onset of WWII. Growing up I saw her go the the cafe at 4 a.m. to bake pies and cinnamon rolls. Then I watched her give more away than she ever charged for. The police, firemen, etc. never had to buy a roll or coffee. I saw her fix chili and sandwiches for the firemen after a fire......never charging for that meal. I saw her fix sandwiches for Rodney and others who were poor, down on their luck or just needed a homemade meal. I saw her deny herself to help others, yet she always had more than enough. I am not telling you this to glorify my grandmother, although to me she was a saint, but to make a point. The point is that Jesus invites everyone to his table. Not just the rich and powerful, but the poor, the lame, the leper, the criminal, the heathen. He wants to break bread with us and reveal himself as our Savior.
He also wants us to do likewise. He wants us to invite the outsider to our table. He wants us to take time to know that outsider, what their hurts, their fears, their frustrations and their joys are. He wants us to invest ourselves in other people and that's true discipleship. Remember, in the breaking of bread you will discover the Christ in the the stranger.
God Bless You and God Bless America!
Why do I share this story with you? It is because it was on the road to Emmaus that two men, two disciples, met up with the risen Christ, but failed to recognize him. They walked and they talked, but had no clue they were walking with the Lord. It was a considerable distance from Jerusalem to Emmaus and so when it got late they ask this stranger to come in and eat with them. It was when they were at the table and the bread was broken that they realized this was the Messiah, the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth. I would suggest that through the breaking of bread, the sharing of a meal, we truly get to know another. When we are at table together we discover the worth, the value, the uniqueness, the beauty and the Christ in those at the table with us. I remember Sunday dinners (at noon but it was such a feast we called it dinner) at my fraternal grandmothers. It just went without saying that every Sunday at noon the entire family would gather around grandma's table for a feast. Usually fried chicken, round steak or roast beef, fried potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, etc., etc. filled the table. Everyone, young and old, three generations would eat until we couldn't move. But more than that, we had family conversations around that table. That's where we learned all that had happened to each other during the previous week. Being a teen, I am sure I only told part of the happenings, but I listened intently to my parents and grandparents. I found something valuable at that table. I found my identity as a member of the family. Friends, it is when you sit at the table with others and invite the stranger on the Emmaus Road to eat with you that you find your identity as a child of God and as a brother or sister to others at the table.
My grandmother's table was open to anyone, anytime. She used to run a cafe, called the Victory. It was started at the onset of WWII. Growing up I saw her go the the cafe at 4 a.m. to bake pies and cinnamon rolls. Then I watched her give more away than she ever charged for. The police, firemen, etc. never had to buy a roll or coffee. I saw her fix chili and sandwiches for the firemen after a fire......never charging for that meal. I saw her fix sandwiches for Rodney and others who were poor, down on their luck or just needed a homemade meal. I saw her deny herself to help others, yet she always had more than enough. I am not telling you this to glorify my grandmother, although to me she was a saint, but to make a point. The point is that Jesus invites everyone to his table. Not just the rich and powerful, but the poor, the lame, the leper, the criminal, the heathen. He wants to break bread with us and reveal himself as our Savior.
He also wants us to do likewise. He wants us to invite the outsider to our table. He wants us to take time to know that outsider, what their hurts, their fears, their frustrations and their joys are. He wants us to invest ourselves in other people and that's true discipleship. Remember, in the breaking of bread you will discover the Christ in the the stranger.
God Bless You and God Bless America!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
We Owe No Apologies!
It seems as if every time I turn on the news, I mean real news which does not include CBS or NBC, I hear our President offering an Islamic nation an apology for America's actions. On his foreign visits and when meeting with world leaders, our President apologizes for our post 911 responses. Today, in Cairo, Obama told the world and the Islamic nations that after September 11 America did not act according to our traditions and ideals. I would say to him that we absolutely acted according to our traditions and ideals. The people of the United States have always stood with those who have been victimized by the acts of others. Our ideals tell us that when a bully hits us we will retaliate against that bully. That's exactly what we did and I will make no excuse or apology for America or for supporting our post 911 actions! I am proud to be an American and if you kill my neighbors I will come against you with everything I have. I will honor the fallen by defeating evil wherever it raises it's ugly head.
During his speech, Obama made several references and even quoted the Koran. Don't take me wrong. I have a deep respect for Muslims and their faith. I have read much of the Qur'an and it has many of the same teachings that Christians have. And the same way in which some people can make the Bible say what they want, others, extremists, can make the Qur'an say what they want. But Obama seems much more familiar with Islam than with Christianity. After all he was schooled at a Madrassa. Do some research and you will see that these schools tend to be more militant. Some would argue that they produce terrorists. Whether or not that is true I will leave to your opinion. All I know is that I am sick of hearing our President apologize for our actions. Would it have been different if Michelle or his daughters had been in the Twin Towers?
Even Billary Clinton, back in January of 2007, stated that Obama had attended a Madrassa, something he would rather you not know. To me, I don't really care, but I will tell you it seems like he has a love affair going on with Islam that is causing him to apologize all over himself for America's response to September 11. In fact, so much so that in this speech he never mentioned terrorists, terrorism, etc. He said that Iraq was a war of choice. He has said that Iran has every right to nuclear technology for generating power. That's their intent!! They are building bombs that will generate power over Israel and God knows who else. He is more interested in the rights of the GITMO inmates than in the rights of Americans to end terrorism.
Truthfully, I am ashamed of our President. He can't speak without a tele-prompter. He bows to Muslim leaders and looks down his nose at us. Don't believe me, look at how he holds his head when speaking to Americans. I would say that he is a joke, but there is nothing funny about it. God help us if we are attacked again. He'll make all sorts of excuses, but take no action for fear of offending foreign leaders. This man is not fit to be President. And I will not only say, God Bless American, but also God Help America and get us through his administration in one piece.
God Bless You and God Bless America!
During his speech, Obama made several references and even quoted the Koran. Don't take me wrong. I have a deep respect for Muslims and their faith. I have read much of the Qur'an and it has many of the same teachings that Christians have. And the same way in which some people can make the Bible say what they want, others, extremists, can make the Qur'an say what they want. But Obama seems much more familiar with Islam than with Christianity. After all he was schooled at a Madrassa. Do some research and you will see that these schools tend to be more militant. Some would argue that they produce terrorists. Whether or not that is true I will leave to your opinion. All I know is that I am sick of hearing our President apologize for our actions. Would it have been different if Michelle or his daughters had been in the Twin Towers?
Even Billary Clinton, back in January of 2007, stated that Obama had attended a Madrassa, something he would rather you not know. To me, I don't really care, but I will tell you it seems like he has a love affair going on with Islam that is causing him to apologize all over himself for America's response to September 11. In fact, so much so that in this speech he never mentioned terrorists, terrorism, etc. He said that Iraq was a war of choice. He has said that Iran has every right to nuclear technology for generating power. That's their intent!! They are building bombs that will generate power over Israel and God knows who else. He is more interested in the rights of the GITMO inmates than in the rights of Americans to end terrorism.
Truthfully, I am ashamed of our President. He can't speak without a tele-prompter. He bows to Muslim leaders and looks down his nose at us. Don't believe me, look at how he holds his head when speaking to Americans. I would say that he is a joke, but there is nothing funny about it. God help us if we are attacked again. He'll make all sorts of excuses, but take no action for fear of offending foreign leaders. This man is not fit to be President. And I will not only say, God Bless American, but also God Help America and get us through his administration in one piece.
God Bless You and God Bless America!
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