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  • Do I Drive a Ford Mustang?

    In 1987 I was 26 years old and I drove a 1985 Ford Mustang GT Convertible:

    I cannot even hazard a guess today as to the number of speeding tickets I received in that car. Let’s just say there were jokes amongst family members and friends about wall-papering my room with them. At one point I even thought I was going to lose my license and go to jail. I was clocked on radar at well over 120 MPH in Massachusetts. Fortunately for me the Police Officer that stopped me was more interested in putting the fear of God into a reckless young individual than he was in ruining a life.

    There was a co-worker in the car with me at the time I was stopped, and that individual actually paid the speeding ticket and court fines on my behalf. There had been a conversation in the car as to whether I could get us back to the office within a specified amount of time or not. And my co-worker felt that he had goaded me into speeding and that he was therefore responsible for the costs.

    But let me just say that I knew full well who was responsible for doing over 120 MPH in a 45 MPH zone at the time. I was. No one else. Just me. I was the one driving the car, my hands were on the steering wheel and my foot was on the gas pedal. So just like there was no one else responsible for eating of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden other than Eve, there was no one else responsible for my speeding ticket. However, just as Jesus Christ stepped in and told the entire human race that he was going to pay the debt for sin in full, my co-worker insisted (and ultimately did, despite my protests) on stepping in and paying my speeding ticket and fines. Which is interesting because I don’t believe he was a Christian believer and would get the analogy. That was 35 years ago though and perhaps things have changed. However, I digress. None of that is the topic of this post. Putting up that photo just reminded me of that incident.

    As I was saying before chasing that rabbit, in 1987 I drove a Ford Mustang GT convertible. And there wasn’t a person I passed on the road (or that passed me) that didn’t see that car and instantly think “Mustang!”. My family knew I drove a Mustang. My friends knew I drove a Mustang. My co-workers knew I drove a Mustang. And people at Church knew I drove a Mustang. And I could be wrong, but I’m willing to bet that the majority of visitors to this BLOG who looked at that photo, immediately thought “Mustang!”. It was indisputable. That car was a 1985 Ford Mustang GT convertible 5.0-liter V8 big block.

    But that was 35 years ago. And my question was not “DID I drive a Ford Mustang” but rather “DO I drive a Ford Mustang”. And I’ll save you some suspense, No, I do not have that car today.

    I retired at the end of 2021 and we wanted to consolidate down to one vehicle and we wanted a new vehicle that would last us through retirement. Probably the last vehicle we will ever buy. So, a few weeks ago we purchased a brand-new vehicle and traded in our 2 previous vehicles. But was it a Ford Mustang? Well, here it is:

    That is our brand new 2022 Ford Mustang GT Performance Edition. The MACH-E 4x. So yes, I drive a Ford Mustang.

    Except that my friends, family, co-workers, and even Church members don’t quite see it that way. And you may have your own doubts looking at those pictures. I’ve heard a variety of explanations as to why I do not drive a Ford Mustang. HINT: Mustangs have 2 doors. A Mustang is a muscle car not a cross-over. That doesn’t look like a Mustang. Is that thing electric? Mustangs aren’t electric. I’m sorry, I can’t accept that as a Mustang. And once I was even told Yes, and No. All to the question of Do I Drive a Ford Mustang?

    And I understand all of those comments/responses. People that have grown up with Ford Mustangs have developed certain expectations of what a Ford Mustang is. And an electric cross over does not meet those expectations.

    But here is what we all need to understand. Ford Motor Co. owns the Mustang brand. Ford Motor Co. invented the Mustang brand. Ford Motor Co. and Ford Motor Co. alone decides what vehicle will bear the Mustang logo and branding. And Ford Motor Co. has said that my vehicle is indeed a Mustang. And I purchased it from an authorized Ford dealer from Ford stock. So, plain and simple it is a Mustang, ergo I drive a Ford Mustang.

    Some people approach this problem with the argument that they are the consumers of Ford products here. Don’t they get a say? And the answer to that is No, they do not. Consumers may influence Ford through their buying actions, however only Ford executives get to decide what the product branding will ultimately be.

    So why do you care? Why would anyone in the world care if my car is a Mustang or not?

    Here is the thought I’d like to leave you with. Let me phrase the question a little differently. Don’t we all have our own ideas about what is, and is not a reality in our lives? Don’t we even do this with the Bible, the Word of God? We decide what we want it to say and what we want it to mean rather than what God wants it to say and what God wants it to mean.

    When it comes to Scripture, God is the only authority that can establish the meaning and the application. When we just suddenly decide that the car is not a Mustang because it doesn’t fit our mental image, or our definition, or our expectations. We need to remember that Ford Motor Co. owns the Mustang brand. And likewise, God owns His own Word, the Bible.

    Think about it.

  • Are You “Woke”?

    There is a prevailing movement alive today, that (supposedly) started a few short years ago, and purports to be ‘alert to racial prejudice and discrimination’ (see this Wikipedia article). This movement is the WOKE movement and in reality, it is just another “ME” movement.

    A “ME” movement is how I like to refer to movements that are all about the individual “me’s” in the group and have nothing to do with God. They always divide the people and are what Satan is using to drive people further and further away from the Gospel of Jesus Christ in America today.

    It is amazing to me that the idea that people had somehow gone to sleep and suddenly become oblivious to racism, inequality, gender bias, or sexism and now need to “wake up” (become woke) has even been accepted by our society. I am not exactly sure what drugs these people are taking to cause them to go to sleep and turn a blind eye to racism but if I were them, I’d seriously consider getting this condition looked at before it started to affect my health and mental well-being.

    I guess I was ‘woke‘ before ‘woke‘ even became a thing because I have been aware of prejudice and racial inequality most of my life. And I’m not exactly sure how stupid these people really are, but if they think that racism and prejudice just suddenly sprang up while they were asleep, then this sickness is much worse than I imagined. Racism, prejudice, slavery, and all sorts of human atrocities have been around since the beginning of human history. Long, long before any of us were ever born.

    And I get it. These people are spreading the idea that we should all be ‘woke‘ and thus aware of prejudice and racism around us so that we can all do something about it and make the world a better place. But I have a question … “How’s that working out for you?” Because I do not believe that your movement has changed one heart or saved one life. And the reason it has not is because the movement is not about focusing people’s attention on God, but rather on themselves. In other words “It’s all about ME”. Thus they are a ME movement.

    And we can tell that these movements are ME movements because they are very, very selective. This is more than evident in the ‘woke‘ movement Black Lives Matter. This movement will almost always violently react to any other “Lives Matter” suggestion. And yes, there are extremists in the group that really believe only Black Lives matter (and no other lives). But even the non-extremist supporters will argue that if we were to have another “Lives Matter” movement that it would detract from Black Lives Matter and thus dilute the really important message of the day.

    These ME movements are so selective that they even refuse to acknowledge or recognize racism, prejudice, or injustice within their own groups. Thus they do not even recognize their own prejudice against not only other people groups, but even against their own, and then blame these incidents on others.

    The idea that I could be responsible for your prejudice or racism, or you for mine, is completely insane and defies all logic and reason. These groups refuse to take personal responsibility for their own actions and believe that they have no recourse or obligation to change their own circumstances but rather rely on the notion that others must conform to their desires and their way of thinking (which is happening more and more by-the-way). Thus they are ME movements which end up dividing people and creating segregated cultures and counter cultures that are driving us down a path that some believe will end in the destruction of America (or at the very least American Values as established by our founding fathers).

    I have another idea for people. Instead of another “woke” movement why don’t we try an “ALIVE” movement? I tend to believe that the more “ALIVE” people we have, the more awareness of racism and prejudice there will be. I also tend to believe that the more “ALIVE” people we have, the more changed lives we will have which will lead to a change in our cultures and a change in our country.

    So how do you join the “ALIVE” movement? Well, I believe you’ve taken the first step with your curiosity and interest. The mere fact that you are seeking to be “ALIVE” is a good thing. Your desire to be a part of the “ALIVE” movement is the start to a changed life and a new opportunity to be part of the solution.

    The next step to being a part of the “ALIVE” movement is to first recognize that you are dead to begin with. Don’t be too surprised at this. After all, one cannot become part of the “ALIVE” movement unless one is first dead. If you are already “ALIVE“, then you have no need to join a movement you are already a part of.

    In order to recognize you are dead, I recommend you look at Romans 6:13, Ephesians 2:1, and Colossians 2:13. You should come to the realization that all people (you and I and everyone else) are immersed in sin and that our sin has Spiritually killed us and rendered us dead in sin.

    But that leaves us with a problem. If we are already dead, and we recognize that we are dead, how can we be a part of the “ALIVE” movement? Well fortunately there is something that can be done to cure Spiritual death. To understand the cure, I recommend you check out Romans 6:23. You should come to the realization that there is indeed a price (a wage) that can be paid for sin. Death. Death will pay the price for sin in our lives. The astute seeker will now recognize a conundrum. How can I, being dead in my sin, pay the price of death for that sin?

    Well, that is the next step to being a part of the “ALIVE” movement. Do you see the word “but” in Romans 6:23? You can replace that with “however“. And the “however” is that there is a gift from God that will indeed provide us life, making us part of the “ALIVE” movement. So the next step is to recognize that there is a gift from God and that it is available to you and to me.

    The last step to being a part of the “ALIVE” movement is to accept that gift. For that part I recommend you look at John 3:16. You should recognize that accepting God’s gift of eternal life is to believe on the name of Jesus Christ. To believe that He is indeed the Son of God, that He died on the cross for your sins and for mine, that three days later He rose from the dead and walked out of the tomb He was laid in of His own accord. And that today He sits at the right hand of God the Father and intercedes for you and for me. If you believe, really and truly believe. Believe with all your Heart, and all your Mind, and all your Soul. And it is OK to ask for help with your unbelief (Mark 9:24). Then He will make you “ALIVE” (Colossians 2:13) by forgiving you of your sins and making you a part of His family. A new family. One that will last for all of eternity.

    And if you followed those steps to be a part of the “ALIVE” movement, I believe you can forget about the “Woke” movement at this point. Because now you have a new focus and a new purpose in life. That of following Jesus Christ our Lord. And that will make all the difference.

  • Is Jesus Christ God?

    The other day I was watching this video on YouTube:

    It is an hour and forty-one minutes long, however there are some very interesting questions asked with some perspectives given from both a Jewish point of view, and from the point of view of a Gentile.

    A gentile is easy to define as they are the group of people on Earth that are not of a Jewish linage. A Jew is a person of the linage of Abraham (the definition given defines the roots of the ancient kingdom of Judah, but we will go with the linage of Abraham here). A distinct characteristic of the Jewish people is that they were directly established by God, and are identified as the people of God, and the nation has the sole purpose to carry out the plan of God. (One may argue that all people fit that last criteria, and from a holistic perspective that would be correct, however God specifically identified the Jewish Nation as the Nation whereby the world would be cursed, or the world would be blessed).

    So the point of the discussion is views based on the perspective of God’s people, versus everyone else (at least as these two individuals represent those groups and express their own personal views). And if you are unaware, Dennis Prager is the Jew here, and Jack Hibbs is the gentile.

    There were many interesting aspects of the discussion, however there is one point I’d like to pick up specifically. During the questions and answers, the question was asked: “Is Jesus Christ the Messiah?” A very important point to a Jew, since the Messiah, was promised to the Jewish people, by God, as a savior or deliverer. And if Jesus Christ was indeed the Messiah, then the Jewish Nation would expect the Kingdom of God to be established here on Earth today.

    The way Dennis Prager answered this question however, is quite interesting (and very eye opening). Dennis answered the question by saying (and I paraphrase) ‘The question to most Jews is not whether Jesus Christ is the Messiah, but whether or not he is God.’

    This is an extremely important distinction. To the Jew, the people of God, God is to be revered above all else. And the entity of God, Yahweh, Jehovah, Elohim, or simply “I AM”, is crucial to the Jew above all else. Even the name of God is to be reverenced (I am somewhat amused by people that run around and constantly try and “correct” everyone else on the correct name and pronunciation of the name of God. We should all be mindful of the fact that God did not hire any of us to protect his name – he is perfectly capable of that on his own and trying to correct someone on the pronunciation of the name of God is not being very respectful of the name of God). Asking, stating, or implying that Jesus Christ is God is the highest order of blasphemy and of the gravest of sins.

    So, is Jesus Christ indeed God? Probably the most important question one can ask (and discover an answer for) in a lifetime. So much hangs on this question it is a defining point between Heaven and Hell. It establishes eternity in its answer and separates all of human history in its asking.

    Is Jesus Christ God? Well first of all he said that he was. In John 14:8-9 Jesus clearly stated that if you had seen him, you had seen the Father. In this exchange the reference is clearly to God the Father. Jesus was saying that he and God the Father were equal, one in the same, if you had seen one you’ve seen the other. This line of reasoning extended to his claim to be the Son of God as well. In the Jewish culture the son represented the father. Indeed, in many parables if the son were acting on behalf of the father, it was if the father were carrying out the act himself. In John 10:30 He stated that he and the Father were one. And in John 8:58 He directly used a significant title of God.

    Secondly, God recognized Him as His own Son. In the Gospels are recordings of a voice from Heaven identifying Jesus Christ as His Son. In Matthew 17:5 a bright cloud appears and a voice from Heaven identifies Jesus Christ as His Son. In a Jewish context this would have equated Jesus Christ to God. And how would a voice be heard from Heaven more than 2,000 years ago? There were no special effects crews standing on the banks of the Jordan river. And yet hundreds of people heard a voice from the Heavens. The people of the time recognized this as the voice of God.

    Thirdly, those that followed him, the apostles and disciples recognized him as God. In John 1:1-3 John was referring to Jesus as “The Word” (meaning The Word of God) and clearly states that He was with God and was God. These are the claims that lead to Jeus’s crucifixion and were what set the religious leaders of the day against Him. And this claim is also what sent the vast majority of the apostles and disciples to their own exile and deaths. The only thing they needed to do to avoid torture and persecution was to deny the claim of Jesus Christ to be God. And yet these individuals were willing to be put to death rather than deny Christ.

    Lastly, Jesus Christ did what no other could do, he raised himself from the dead. In John 2:18-20 Jesus said, “I will raise it up“. Jesus Christ said that He and God were acting as one, in accord, in raising Him from the dead. And if Jesus Christ is not God, then God has allowed an imposters reputation to stand, and spread, all of the world, for more than two centuries.

    If there is still any doubt in your heart as to whether Jesus Christ is God, then I have this suggestion to both you and Dennis Prager, Ask Him. Just ask God to show you if Jesus Christ is indeed His Son and part of the Godhead. And sincerely, earnestly, honestly, and expecting an answer. And I believe that is one question God is guaranteed to answer.

  • Have You Heard The Voice?

    Have you seen the NBC show The Voice? If you have, you are (kind of) one up on me because I have not watched even one episode (at least not a complete episode). What I have watched however are quite a few YouTube compilations of the “best” auditions (at least in the opinion of those posting the YouTube videos).

    One I recently watched is this one:

    One of the interesting things about this particular compilation is all of the acts are groups. I believe they are all trios except for one. I had to Google this to be sure, but I believe the very first group up, A Girl Named Tom, (anyone else convinced that has to be a twist on A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash?) were the winners of the American competition of The Voice in 2021 and were the first trio to win. Kelley Clarkson, who seems to have quite a few winning teams on the show as a coach, practically begged the group to pick her as she pointed out she was the first to say she wanted them.

    There is something completely captivating about a harmony. When voices come together in a harmony smoothly and perfectly on pitch, it immediately gets your attention. I just love harmonies and every so often when a particular set of voices join together to create a harmony that is so breathtaking, you just know there will never be a repeat of that sound again ever in human history.

    Here are couple of my all-time favorites:

    What is especially captivating about the Gaither video (besides the fact that I just love the song) is the way they build by adding and subtracting parts and different voices throughout the song. Who just doesn’t appreciate a good harmony?

    A voice is a powerful thing. And when several voices come together in perfect harmony they are amplified and even more powerful. Voices can convey many different feelings and evoke many different emotions within us. They can touch lives, tear down lives, bring hope, or bring sorrow.

    I don’t know about you, but my parents had a simple little saying they taught us when I was a child. You have probably heard it. “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me“. The idea was that when someone said something we did not like, when an insult was shouted at us, or an angry challenge was directed our way, that we should just ignore it and walk away. And while I understand the message that was trying to be conveyed, there is nothing further from the truth of “words will never hurt me“. The Holy Scriptures teach that words are really powerful and that we should be careful as to how we use them. And while I do believe that we are all individually responsible for how we receive words and what we do with them, that does not negate the fact the voice is a powerful thing and we had better use it responsibly.

    When people do not use their voice in a way that glorifies God and the Lord Jesus Christ, I recognize that I can either allow that to rule my circumstances or I can take my hurt and pain and leave it at the foot of The Cross.

    And I realize that there are people out there that will just insist that I cannot possibly know the pain they feel or the depths of despair they sink to whenever they hear a discouraging voice. I know that there are those people that want to believe that they, and they alone have felt the extreme depths of pain and despair and no one else understands what they are going through. All because of something someone said. All because of a voice out of harmony with their own.

    And I’ll admit, whenever I hear this sentiment expressed by my friends, I am in disbelief and wonderment as to whether or not they have heard The Voice.

    And I’m not talking about the NBC TV show here. I am talking about The Voice. The only Voice that matters. The Voice that is all powerful, in perfect harmony, and immediately demands your attention.

    I am, of course, referring to The Voice of God. The Voice that was heard in Mark 1:11. Interesting isn’t it that 2,000 years ago, when people did not have Internet, or recording studios, or amplifiers, or any of the modern wonders you and I know that will enhance the voice, a large group of people, gathered together on the banks of a river (the Jordon River) all heard a Voice coming from Heaven.

    That’s The Voice I’m interested in knowing whether or not you have heard. Have you heard The Voice from Heaven? I’ve had people tell me that God has spoken to them but let me tell you what I look for in identifying The Voice from Heaven.

    The very first thing in identifying The Voice is that it immediately takes you to The Son. That is the person of Jesus Christ. If The Voice doesn’t foremost and immediately take you to the person of Jesus Christ, then I am immediately skeptical of the voice you heard. The second thing I look for in identifying The Voice is where the preeminence is placed. If The Voice doesn’t immediately take you to The Son and immediately shower The Son with LOVE (note that The Voice doesn’t just take you to The Son but takes you to the Beloved Son), then I am immediately skeptical of the voice you have heard. And the third thing I use in identifying The Voice is in knowing where the pleasure lies. If you tell me about the voice and your displeasure all in one sentence, I am immediately lost because I don’t think you are listening to The Voice of God.

    There is ONE VOICE the world needs to hear today. The Voice that leads us to The Son, Jesus Christ, shows us His Love and reinforces that we are here for His Pleasure and not He for ours.

    How about it? Have you heard The Voice? If not, I pray that you would today, and that you would respond to Jesus Christ. Because I believe that once you do, all other voices will be heard in a different light.

  • So, You Want to Be Free?

    Remember when Queen told us this (and yes, this is the official music video – just so you know what they wanted to break free from):

    The song, released on April 2nd, 1984 (missing April Fool’s Day by one day, in a rather ironic twist) tells us they want to break free as if they are being held prisoner against their will or are somehow enslaved. The subtle undertones of the music video imply that there is a social or cultural slavery going on (even if not found in the words of the song). And this cultural slavery is keeping them down, oppressing them somehow, and they just need to break free of the chains that bind them so that they may finally be happy.

    What about these freedom fighters in Canada? Do truck drivers who believe they are being oppressed by their government deserve to be free? At what point do laws, mandates, and government leaders actually become oppressors, eventually prompting people to want to break free?

    Remember the riots in Seattle, Washington just two years ago? We were told these people were free to protest and express their views. Even though the looting and rioting certainly seemed threatening to the freedoms of peaceful business owners and families living in the area.

    And we should not forget that we are told that freedom is not free:

    The world exists today, full of people, who have never experienced a day of slavery in their lives, and yet they constantly enslave themselves. They enslave themselves to the culture, to others around them, to perceived threats to their way of life, to governments, to employers, to drugs and other addictions, and even to religions. Most of all though, the world is full of people enslaved to lies that they do not recognize as lies, or even where those lies come from. And all of us just want to be free.

    The real irony of it all is that one person’s freedom is another person’s slavery. There is always a master and a slave. After all, that is how one becomes enslaved in the first place, by being ruled by the master. If drugs are your master, then drugs will rule your life and rob you of your freedoms. And far be it for me to be judgmental here. Jesus did not come into this world to condemn the world (John 3:17), and I have no place passing out condemnation either. I am still chief amongst sinners here and I need the Salvation of the Lord more than anyone else. But that does not change the Truth. Truth still stands and there is still light and dark in the world, and we all need to be aware of that. Sometimes we all feel a little condemned by the Truth and that causes us to embrace the chains that enslave us. No matter what those chains are.

    We all want to be free of something. To the point even of arguing who is the greater of the oppressed. Consider the Black Lives Matter movement. Does God consider the worth of one life over another? Of course, He does not. When people argue that black lives should receive a special pass because they have somehow experienced a greater degree of discrimination or oppression, they are simply putting themselves at the forefront. It becomes all about them. And when life become all about you … it is not all about God. The sheer craziness of these movement is that they enslave themselves. Christians are oppressed all over the world and all the time. Yet there is no Christian Lives Matter movement (and I sincerely hope there never will be). Why? Simply because Christians are not enslaved to their oppressors. And they do not bring any attention to their oppressors because to do so would be to take away from their freedom.

    You may be an African American today supporting Black Lives Matter. You may be a supporter of abortion (and the, so called, rights thereof). You may be an anarchist decrying the government. You may even be a Christian (or just a theist) and just feel like the whole world is against you. You believe (perhaps without recognizing it) that you are enslaved by the world. You are oppressed. It is discrimination, or threats to your perceived rights, or the government, or others that are taking away your freedoms and keeping you down. And so, we all reach a breaking point where we just want to break free (pun intended). But in doing so we put ourselves at the center of attention, and we (by necessity) put down everyone else. After all, Black Lives Matter could never ever allow ‘White Lives Matter’, or “Asian Lives Matter’, or ‘Jewish Lives Matter’, or ‘Hispanic Lives Matter’, or …. Because to do so would detract from them and would dilute the attention that they believe they so richly deserve (because they are enslaved and no one else – or at the very least, they are enslaved with the heaviest chains).

    So why is it that we all feel enslaved by something, even if it is just a tiny little annoyance? Why is it we all feel the weight of the chains to the point we want to cry out that we just want to be free?

    I believe the answer to this lies in the understanding of just who it is that enslaves us and who it is that sets us free. 2 Timothy 2:24-26 tells us that Satan has taken us captive at his will. But John 8:35-36 tells us that Jesus is the one who can set us free.

    And when Jesus sets us free, we are told that we are free indeed. Meaning we are truly and completely free. And when Christ has made us free, we need not be oppressed by the bondage in this world (Galatians 5:1). We can put off the yoke of bondage that is keeping us down (whatever that is) and be free indeed.

    Freedom is a person. And that person is Jesus Christ. And freedom is free. It is His free gift to you. But my freedom does not serve myself. My freedom is nothing more than a vessel to serve Jesus Christ. Colossians 3:10-11 tells us that in Christ there is no bond nor free, no Greek or Jew. But rather Christ is all in all.

    When your freedom is all about the Glory of God and uplifting Jesus Christ for all the world to see, then you are truly, and completely free. Do you want to be free today? You need look no further than the person of Jesus Christ.

  • Who Do You Respect?

    There is a common adage that is found throughout a number of cultures that I am sure most people are at least aware of, even if they have not encountered it in quite the same way I am about to pass it along here. The adage is usually phrased:

    “Respect is Earned Not Given.”

    One culture this adage is commonly found in is the Armed Forces (prevalently within the U.S. Armed Forces).

    The adage basically says that I, as an individual, should be free to respect whom and what I wish, and that I need not give out that respect indiscriminately without some sort of valued exchange between myself and the person I am imparting my respect to. At least that is my oversimplified explanation, for now.

    The blog site TypingAdventure has an interesting take on the adage that may be found here.

    I’ll give TypingAdventure kudos for at least recognizing that even though the adage (or idiom, as they refer to it) is expressed in terms of an absolute, even though it does not always make sense as an absolute. Believe it or not, a lot of people that use this phrase (I might say “fire off this phrase” – meaning that they use it as a retort to another individual they are either putting down or are demanding that they live up to their standards) never comprehend whether or not the statement is an absolute, and if not, exactly where the lines are for how and why they use it.

    There is a hubris to the way that this adage is used. As if you must first meet my standards before I extend to you, my respect. When indeed, I should respect all people equally. There is little to no consideration as to whether or not I meet your standards, only that you earn my respect.

    Perhaps we may understand this better by looking at exactly what is meant by respect. The key words in the definition are worth, esteem, honor, and excellence. These are value words in that they express the merit or importance of an object. And perhaps this is where the adage had its origins. The idea of I am not going to extend to you something of value (even if that something is as simple as recognizing your value) until you first show me that you are worth that value (in my own estimation of course). And thus, people use the adage not to build people up, but rather to tear them down. When I tell you that you must earn my respect, I am telling you that you need to prove your worth to me in such a way as I see fit. And in doing so I have tied my respect to my expectations. Which are two separate things. Whether I have high, or low expectations of an individual should have nothing to do with my respect for them. All people are deserving of my respect, whether they have earned it or not.

    If we consider this from our three base world views, we arrive at three very different outcomes.

    If you are atheistic in your world view, I would argue that whether you receive or give respect is meaningless. If you do not believe in any god, let alone The One True God, then you seriously need to consider the fact that there is no design, rhyme, or reason to the universe (I guess I should make that multiverse in today’s world if you want to apply credence to String Theory allowing for infinite possibilities). The simple fact of the matter should be that everything is just the result of the natural laws of the universe (that we express in terms of physics, chemistry, biology, etc.). There is no free will, no expression of thought, and certainly no individuality. It is all just happening (including yourself) in whatever predetermined order was set in motion when it all started (the Big Bang, if that is what you ascribe to). It is all meaningless. Including whether or not you respect someone or are respected by them. For the atheist, having someone earn their respect should not be that big a deal. The outcome is the same either way. And that outcome is that atoms continue to bump into each other, and the universe goes on.

    If you are agnostic in your world view, one would at least hope that in your live and let live world you would see the importance of respecting others in the hope that they would in turn respect you. The agnostic truly can claim to strive for harmony through some semblance of equality in that they need a somewhat level playing field for their world view to stabilize. That is the agnostic is simply trying to get through life regardless of the outcome on the other end.

    If you are theistic in your world view, I would argue that you have an obligation to respect others. The theist recognizes that we are all part of the Creator’s bigger plan. That we were all made by Him and that we were all created equal. By respecting you, I am respecting the work of the Creator and acknowledging that He has a grander plan. Most major world religions teach this as a basic foundation.

    There is one religion however, Christianity, that makes it very clear that we are to respect all people. In Philippines 2:2-4 Paul writes:

    Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” (KJV)

    Paul was very likely familiar with Jesus’ own teachings as recorded in Mark 9:33-37. Jesus told his disciples that they should be servants of all. And Paul tells us we should esteem others better than ourselves. This is the very essence of respect.

    For the Christian, understanding that God, our very Creator, demands respect, and one day every knee shall bow at the name of Jesus. And if I, the creation, am obligated to the point of all of creation being compelled, to show my respect to Jesus Christ, the Creator, who am I to withhold my respect from any other of His creation?

    Respect is not earned. Respect is demanded of the Creator for all of His creation and flows from Him and through Him, and ultimately results in His Honor and His Glory, and His Praise. Forever and ever.

  • Are You Enslaved By The Democrat Party (III)?

    Joe Biden. Racist. Telling African Americans that if they can’t figure out who they are for between himself and Trump then they are not black. And if you don’t believe that is a racist comment then just try imagining President Donald Trump saying “If you can’t figure out if you are for me or Biden then you ain’t white”. Or what if President Trump had said “If you can’t figure out if you are for me or Biden then you ain’t Asian”? What if he had said just what Joe Biden said? What if President Trump had said “If you can’t figure out if you are for me or Biden you ain’t black”?

    Would any of those, if spoken by President Trump have been racist? The liberal Democrats are going to tell me that it is different. It is more pure when Joe Biden says it. A good friend once told me “If it were not for double standards, liberals would have no standards at all.” You want to know who was offended by Joe Biden’s comment here? African Americans who voted for Donald Trump. And I know quite a few of them. And if you hold to your defense that the comment is not racist, then my African American friends would like you to explain to them how they lost their blackness because they voted for Trump (and no I didn’t ask them – but I’m pretty sure they’d want to know).

    The truth is Donald Trump did not say any of those things and yet Joe Biden did. Why? Clearly because Donald Trump is not a racist and can control his speech (as much as any of us can) and Joe Biden is a racist and cannot control his speech. The truth also is Democrats have to be in control. The Democrat Party will tell you what is OK to say and what is not OK to say. The Democrat Party will tell you when you’ve been offensive even if you mirror their words. And that brings me to a final reason of how the Democrat Party enslaves America:

    CONTROL – If you belong to the Democrat Party you belong to the Party of diminishing freedoms. The Party of control. Lets take a look at the Democrat Party Platform (you can find it online here). I’d like to refer to the section “Protecting Americans’ Civil Rights“:

    Democrats are committed to ending discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, language, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability status. We will appoint U.S. Supreme Court justices and federal judges who look like America, are committed to the rule of law, will uphold individual civil rights and civil liberties as essential components of a free and democratic society, and will respect and enforce foundational precedents, including Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade. Democrats are committed to restoring the full power of the Voting Rights Act and ensuring every citizen can access the ballot box. We will enforce and strengthen the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and will end racial and religious profiling in law enforcement.

    President Trump’s words and actions have given safe harbor and encouragement to racists, anti-Semites, anti-Muslim bigots, and white supremacists. It’s time to root out domestic terrorism in all its forms. We will use federal law enforcement tools and resources to address domestic terrorism, and if necessary work with Congress to pass a domestic terrorism law that is consistent with the Constitutional right to free speech and civil liberties.

    Yes, those words are from the Democrat Party platform. Look at them. They make the utterly ridiculous statement that Trump’s words and actions give safe harbor and encouragement to racists. And yet we clearly see Joe Biden making the racist comments time and time and time again. It is beyond doubt that Joe Biden is the racist here, and yet the Democrat Party is fine with that. And why is that? Obviously CONTROL.

    For the Democrat Party free speech goes only as far as what THEY define free speech to be. So if Joe Biden says ‘you ain’t black if you don’t vote for me’ its perfectly OK. Because Joe Biden is on their side and thus they can turn a blind eye. But President Donald Trump, who did not say anything close to that, (nor anything racist during his time as President that I am aware of) is accused of encouraging racists. So Donald Trump, who is not a racist is bad, but Joe Biden who is a racist is good.

    And not that I care that Joe Biden is a racist either. I just note that his actions and his words prove that he is. He is free to be whoever he wants to be. In reality, the person he is hurting the most is himself. What I care about is the Democrat Party wants to CONTROL you and me and everyone else in this country. They are the antheses of freedom. And the reason we are the greatest country on this Earth is because we are FREE. And to see a political party come along and tear that down is heartbreaking.

    Look at the words from their platform again. They want to end discrimination against religion. As long as a bake shop owner in Colorado makes a cake for a gay (same sex) weddings. Even though he expresses that it is contrary to his religion. I wonder what would happen if a Christian were to walk into a bake shop owned and run by a Satan worshiper or a witch and ask for a resurrection day cake with an empty tomb and a cross in the background? Would that shop owner be obligated to make the cake? More than likely the Christian would be ridiculed by the shop owner. Would that be OK?

    And the Democrat Party platform says they are all about free speech and civil liberties. And yet condemn President Donald Trump in the exact same paragraph. How can they do this? Because in the Democrat Party vernacular, free speech is what they define it to be.

    The problem is, when the Democrat Party begins to define what is free speech and what is not, what are civil liberties and what are not, and what is religious freedom and what is not, they automatically discriminate against someone. It is a given. Their unfounded discrimination against Donald Trump is more than evident.

    So if you belong to the Democrat Party today, just give some thought to the fact that if in numbers only, you support the political party of SALVERY, MURDER, and CONTROL. Its in their platform. And is that really OK?

  • Are You Enslaved By THe Democrat Party? (II)

    Remember when Joe Biden warned a group of supporters that ‘they‘ (Republicans/Conservatives) were going to “put y’all back in chains“? All the while planning on tightening the chains around all of America (Black, White, Hispanic, Latino, Asian …).

    Well today I’d like to continue my thoughts on how the Democrat Party enslaves people and keeps them in chains. Because if you belong to the Democrat Party, you support some pretty horrific ideals that you lend credence to if only by shear numbers.

    MURDER – If you belong to the Democrat Party, you belong to the Party of murder. I usually follow the social norms and refer to the Democrat Party as the Party of Death. Democrats relish in it. They defend it with all their might. And they fight to expand it to new societal levels of inclusion. But today, I’d like to call it what it is. Murder. Abortion is the murder of innocent pre-born human babies. It is the taking of a human life.

    Now I am sure a lot of Democrats take great offense at being referred to as murderers, and they should. They should take such offense that they should examine their Party’s values and probably leave the Party. I know I would if I were a member of the Democrat Party. But if you are a member of the Democrat Party and you take offense at being labeled a murderer, then please convince me that you are not.

    Abortion is quite simple and it only becomes complicated when people want to defend it. Since people know that killing little babies is wrong, they suddenly claim that abortion is simply removing a “fetus“. Note the definition references “when the body structures are in the recognizable form of its kind”.

    But here is the duplicity and hypocrisy of the Democrat Party. Their definition only applies to human development. Bring any other kind into the conversation and suddenly not only does their definitions change, their rules become much more draconian. Everyone is horrified by bad treatment of cats, dogs, birds, dolphins … but only the Democrat Party Platform is OK with bad treatment of humans. If you disturb a Bald Eagle egg, you are breaking the law. If you abort a human fetus it is perfectly OK.

    Furthermore, there are about 30 States that have unborn fetal homicide laws. In the Democrat Party’s mind these are unrelated issues (this argument has been made many times and rather than supply just one reference, I leave it as an exercise to the reader to research). In the Democrat Party’s mind it is OK to abort the fetus if the mom chooses to, but if a pregnant mom is killed in a car accident, then suddenly it is not OK that the fetus died.

    Clearly, in Democrat Party logic parlance, it is OK to kill a human fetus in one instance, equating it to a non-human but not granting the same considerations as a cat, or a dog, or a bald eagle. But suddenly in the other situation the rules change and the Democrat Party agrees with the Republican Party that a life has been taken. Suddenly the Democrat Party grants the human fetus the same considerations as the cat, or dog, or bald eagle.

    The problem in the Democrat Party tangled web of non-logic foolishness is in defining when human life really and truly begins. Christians widely believe that human life begins at conception. That is, a Holy God performs a miracle, and creates a brand new life out of a physical act between two humans. We can all agree for the most part that it takes a male and a female of the human kind to procreate. The fuzzy part comes in agreeing on when the physical part gains the spiritual part. When does the soul and the spirit become relevant? And admittedly, not everyone agrees with the Christian world view that it is immediately at conception. And it is a pretty important point because in Democrat Party logic parlance, it literally defines when it is OK to kill and when suddenly it is not OK to kill.

    But I’m not here today to convince you that you should accept the Christian worldview. The Christian worldview has already been defended in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Bible. I’m here today for you to convince me that your worldview is defensible.

    By what measure do you decide when human life begins and a person becomes a person? And be careful how you answer. Because your criteria could potentially be used across an entire human lifespan. How do you know that a person is a person? And how do you prove that? A lot off people have offered a lot of answers to that question. And every time they answer they immediately validate hundreds of thousands of abortions murder. For example, I once had someone tell me their criteria was brain waves. Now never mind the difficulty in trying to establish the fact that measurable brain waves does indeed equate to a person being a person, measurable brain activity can indeed be detected in the womb at about six weeks. And this is fairly consistent medical knowledge. The problem is, more than 50% of abortions occur after week 6 (week 7 and up). So if you choose brain activity as the criteria for defining when a person is a person (as my friend did) then more than 50% of all abortions in the USA are murder by your definition.

    The Republican Party simply says that science and medicine today does not know enough to definitively say when a person is indeed a person. And since we do not know, the Republican Party chooses to err on the side of caution and preserve all life. And respect all life. Something the Democrat Party does not do.

    So how does championing the murder of unborn children enslave people? Look at the statistics. The majority of abortions occur amongst the African American community. Seems to me that if the majority of abortions are occurring amongst the minority of people, something is wrong. One of the first things Joe Biden did was restore funding for abortions in foreign countries. Our tax dollars taken to fund murder overseas. If that isn’t being enslaved, then we need a sanity check.

  • Are You Enslaved By THe Democrat Party? (I)

    Remember when Joe Biden made this offensively racist comment?

    And had the audacity to tell people to look at “their” values while doing it? Well have you ever considered how the Democrat Party really does have you in chains? Because I believe it is important that we do, And if you are an American citizen who is registered with the Democrat Party, I believe it very important that you carefully consider what it is that you actually support.

    SLAVERY – If you are a member of the Democrat Party, you belong to the party of slavery. Which is why it is so ironic that Joe Biden would even make such a stupid comment as the one referenced above. Hey Joe! LEARN YOUR HISTORY (if your mind isn’t overcome with dementia that is). It was the Democrat Party that kept slaves in the South, and were willing to go to war in order to keep them. It was the Republican Party in the North, led by President Abraham Lincoln, that issued the Emancipation Proclamation. LEARN YOUR HISTORY. President Abraham Lincoln is not the hero of the Democrat Party, he is the hero of the Republican Party. And now, the modern day Democrat Party is so incensed by that, they are going to great lengths to remove President Abraham Lincoln from history. They are tearing down statues raised in his honor, they are removing his name from schools, one wonders how much time we have before the Lincoln Memorial is torn down or Mount Rushmore defaced.

    But … but … but … that was a long time ago. That is not how things are today. TODAY’S Democrat Party is the champion of the downtrodden and enslaved. It is the Republican Party that is evil and wants to “put y’all back in chains” (according to Joe Biden).

    It astounds me that people believe that lie. In order for you to believe that myth you would have to consider that sometime after the end of the American Civil War, perhaps after WW-II but prior to the 1960’s, everyone that was a proponent of the Republican Party Platform (that ALL people are created EQUAL) thought to themselves, “Hey, we should switch parties and go join the Democrat Party”. And pretty much about the same time, everyone that supported the Democrat Party Platform (“put y’all back in chains” – I’ll explain in a minute) thought to themselves, “Hey, we’ve seen the error of our ways, lets go join the Republican Party!”. And then, miraculously, they left their values behind with the other party. And POOF!!!! The Democrat Party suddenly became the Party of freeing slaves, and SHAZAM!!!! The Republican Party became the Party of ensuring people were slaves.

    The truth is, the Democrat Party is still pretty much the same as it was during the American Civil War, and the Republican Party is still pretty much the same as it was during the same period of time. And I can just hear the outcries now, “Why you can’t know that! That is a gross generalization! That is NOT TRUE! How dare you?” Well I am so glad you asked (finally). Here is how I know that to be true (beyond the fact that it is readily apparent if you look at history). Championing people’s freedoms or enslavement is a WORLD VIEW. It is influenced by values. And values are taught. Most people become part of a Political Party simply because it was the Party of their parents. They blindly and naively follow in footsteps before they have even thought about it or considered the best choice for themselves.

    And I know, most members of the Democrat Party are going to scream that they are against slavery. But here’s the problem, none of you ever changed the values of the Party. It is still the Party of slavery. The values and practices of the Democrat Party are keeping people in chains still today.

    Just look at our inner city welfare housing. Generation after generation trapped in sub-standard living, barely existing above the poverty line, in high crime areas, that are poorly maintained and subject to vandalism and defacement. That was invented by the Democrat Party, and is perpetuated still today. Welcome to the chain gang. Because that is what the Democrat Party delivers. People trapped in chains that they can never quite break free of. And when they do, they are held up as shining examples of success and examples of how the Democrat Party is moving people ahead. But I’d challenge you to look at the ratio of those who have broken free of our inner city welfare projects compared to those that are left behind. It would seem to me that the inequity is just a little too large to justify continuing that failed experiment.

    And people will then ask what the Republican Party solution is? After all, we know that if you give a person a fish they’ll eat for a day, but if you teach a person to fish they’ll eat for a lifetime. The Republican/Conservative solution will tell you to give the person the opportunity to fish. Give them the same access to the fishing tackle, the boats, the oceans and rivers and lakes, and let them fish. And if they want fishing lessons, well ensure they have access to that as well (although the Conservative point of view would hold that the free market would avail itself to all opportunities are fill the gaps). But the Democrat Party is the Party of fear and will tell you that you have to give a person the fish in the first place so that they don’t starve while they are learning to fish. I have a question … “How is that working out for you?” Republicans/Conservatives believe that people can be motivated. And hunger is a pretty strong motivation. A person becomes hungry enough, and they’ll learn to fish very, very quickly.

    Are you a member of the American Democrat Party? Look at your Party’s Platform. You belong to, and support with your numbers, the Party of slavery. Is that what you really want to support?

  • Rush Limbaugh Passed Away Today

    Rush Limbaugh finally succumbed to lung cancer and passed away this morning. And I cannot tell you of the wave of grief that swept over me upon hearing the news.

    Many people are paying tribute to Rush and many are telling what Rush meant to them.

    And I just want to take a moment here and record what, and who Rush Limbaugh was to me.

    First of all, if you do not know who Rush Limbaugh is, well then let me say you should. It most parts of the world it would be hard not to know who Rush Limbaugh is and was. You should know who Rush Limbaugh is because of the great light of truth he let shine forth from his life and his work. You should know who Rush Limbaugh is because of the transformational way he approached his chosen profession and because of the astounding changes he was able to make within that profession over the course of his career.

    But many, many others are, and will, heap accolades on Rush for all of these things and what he meant to his community. And I’ll let them do that as they can handle it much better than I can.

    What I’d like to do is tell you who Rush Limbaugh was to me in a way that I don’t believe anyone else will.

    Rush Limbaugh was the greatest Pastor to ever live (and probably ever will live). And I am a Pastor, so I can say that with all sincerity and meaning. But here is why:

    Rush Limbaugh had the largest flock of any Pastor I’ve ever known. Some 25 to 30 million people tuned in to his broadcast every single weekday and sometimes on Sunday. He had a huge congregation. Bigger than anyone else, probably in all of history. And that is completely astounding when you think about how effortlessly he pulled it off.

    Rush Limbaugh captured the attention of his audience almost every single day. Most Pastors have difficulty retaining the attention of our congregation 2 or 3 times a week. Not Rush. Every time Rush began his broadcast, millions and millions were waiting to tune in to hear what he had to say. And for every listener he lost, he gained two more. He was constantly adding to the fold.

    Rush Limbaugh had the longest sermons at the greatest retention rate. Rush would sit behind the golden EIB microphone and preach for three hours a day. Now to be fair, most preachers out there can preach for three hours (although I doubt they can sustain it for five days a week on an ongoing basis). But most preachers preaching for three hours usually find themselves preaching to empty pews.

    Rush Limbaugh preached the truth. He coined the term Truth in Broadcasting and referred to himself as the Truth Detector. And isn’t that what Pastors do? Preach truth. Now I can just hear the screams of heresy shouted my way. But hold on a minute. The Truth of the Gospel is the Truth of conservatism. Lets face it, Rush was hugely Pro Life. Christians are (or should be) Pro Life. The Bible teaches a Pro Life message. Rush was all about Freedom. And the Bible teaches true Freedom. But Paul! Rush didn’t teach from the Bible! He didn’t expound upon Scriptures. He didn’t … Let me tell you something, Rush Limbaugh has been more of a shining light than all of the Pastors in this country combined.

    Rush Limbaugh changed lives. And isn’t that the goal of Pastors? At least in their preaching? To change lives? I am pretty sure that some people who listened to Rush over the years actually were prompted by the Holy Spirit and sought out Salvation. So yes, I think it very likely that Rush Limbaugh led come people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. But here is something Rush did that may have been more impactful than that. He changed Christian lives. Rush changed peoples minds. Where people were stuck in darkness and untruth, Rush shone the light of truth and people actually switched over to the other side. And that is even more astounding because those changed lives will go out and change more lives and those will go change even more. Rush helped spread the message. And that is something we so often fail to do.

    Rush Limbaugh mastered all mediums. I can’t tell you how many Pastors I’ve heard talk about throwing the seed by any means possible. Well Rush Limbaugh mastered Talk Radio, Printed Word, Television, Live gatherings with stadiums full of people. Rush was a master at whatever method was available for getting the message out. And he was better at it than any Pastor on the radio I know, or TV, or Evangelist, or author. Rush knew how to communicate. He knew how to connect. And that is a trait that every single Pastor should aspire to.

    So Rush Limbaugh had a larger congregation, for more times a week, for longer periods of time each time than any other Pastor alive today or in recent memory. Rush Limbaugh was highly successful in Talk, Print, Video, Face-to-Face, large gatherings, small gatherings, any gatherings. More so than any Pastor anywhere in the land today. And he did it with ease and made it look like he was having fun.

    And here is the saddest part of it all. We Pastors, for the most part, refused to learn a single thing from him. Oh, I know Pastors from all over tuned into Rush’s show and I’m sure we all learned a lot about the topics of the day from that. What I mean is we never learned how to be a Pastor from Rush. We never learned how to preach the way Rush preached. We never learned how to share the way Rush shared. We never learned how to connect to people the way Rush Limbaugh connected to people. And that is very, very sad.

    Who was Rush Limbaugh to me? A great Pastor, a great Communicator, a talented giant greatly blessed of God who kept half of his brain tied behind his back just to make it fair to the rest of us.

    “Where never lark, or ever eagle flew –
    And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
    The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
    Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.”

    High Flight – John Gillespie Magee

    Go in peace Rush Limbaugh and may God bless your soul. You will be greatly missed.