March 4, 2010

Just when you thought our nation's capital couldn't do anything worse, on March 3, 2010, Washington D.C. surprises us by legalizing same sex marriage.

Didn't God make Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve?  Excuse me, where did we get the idea of marriage from anyways?  That's right: The Bible!  So, let's check our Bibles real quick...yup, I'm right...yes, indeed, no gay marriage in there...not anyplace...except for that one vacation spot that was a little too hot too keep the tourist traffic going.  You know the place, Sodom?

I could say all of the things pastors and born-again Christians should say.  Indeed, legalizing same-sex marriage is as destructive as it is wrong.  The Bible's against it.  I'm against it.  Even my 5 goldfish know better!  However, before pointing fingers at the gay rights lobby or government officials whose votes are almost entirely bought and sold by the winds of popular opinion and the treasuries of the special interests, let's not miss who is really to blame for the erosion of the traditional (and more importantly, Biblical) family.

• It isn't the politicians (they'd let onions marry tomatoes if it meant re-election!)
• It isn't the homosexual crowd either
• It isn't even Oprah Windbag or Dr. Filled-with-nonsense

You don't hear this often enough, so let me say this as loudly and clearly as I can: PROMISCUOUS HETEROSEXUALS AND THEIR DISREGARD FOR MARRIAGE HAVE BROUGHT THIS ON US.

What do you mean?  How can heterosexuals be to blame for the rising number of homosexuals and their demand for "equal treatment?"  Simple, as a group, for the last 50 years or more, "straight" people have destroyed the worth of marriage through frivolous frequent divorce, an epidemic of pornography, rabid fornication, and reckless, frequent adultery.

Sexual activity of any kind outside of marriage is a sin.  Sin has consequences. One of the biggest consequences of sin is that it always gets worse!  Read the first chapter of Romans!

Lust is an appetite that grows hungrier the more it's fed.  Eventually, unfettered lust and the sin that satisfies it, leads to the general erosion of morality, so more exotic sins become prevalent.  And that's just what happened!  How can heterosexuals who don't respect the marriage between a man and a woman claim any moral authority in condemning gay marriage?  Sleeping around with someone of the opposite sex is sinful, too, right?! God didn't make Adam, Eve, Evette, Evon, Evelin, and 13 other partners, did He?

Gay marriage should be illegal.  It is a line in the sand worth defending, but when gay and lesbians hear the straight crowd condemning their desire to be married, all they hear is hypocrisy.  Christians should be protesting adultery and pornography, too, right?  In general, marriage has been trashed already by "regular" people who think it's not a big deal to give away their virginity at 16, live in sin for 5 or 10 years, and get divorced because they can't agree on a brand of toothpaste!

Sanctioning gay marriage undermines the definition of marriage and family and destroys traditional values, but in reality, America has been doing a great job ruining the definition of marriage without the homosexuals.

We need a revival of Biblical thinking.  The way to please God is the narrow way.  There are all sorts of ways to dishonor the Lord and His purposes for us. Christians have to set a high moral tone and condemn all sin as sin.  If we accept any path but the narrow path, we will be on the broad road in no time, and when we get to the end of that road, it will probably be Washington D.C.

January 27, 2010

Over the years I have read more than one survey that ranks nations according to their charitable giving. These numbers are NOT based upon actual giving, but based upon a percentage of wealth each country gives to charity. Every survey I've seen indicates the same simple truth the Word of God teaches: Jesus Christ's influence on a society is always positive.

For example, the United Kingdom Charities Aid Foundation published an "International comparisons of charitable giving" in November 2006 that ranks donations to charity according to each nation as a percent of each GDP. The top five percentages in order are:

USA - 1.67%

UK - 0.73%

Canada - 0.72%

Australia - 0.69%

South Africa - 0.64%

Look at all of those Muslim nations that made the top five! Wait a minute. It appears the more Christian (or less Muslim) a nation is, the more it gives.

I believe the recent horror in Haiti highlights, again, the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. While I am certain individuals of many different faiths and from different countries have sacrificed to send aid to those in need in Haiti, "Christians" (western nations influenced by the gospel along with those peoples who are truly born-again), in general, have given or pledged much more than their Muslim counterparts.

According to Fox News:

"The United States leads the way among developed nations with $114.5 million donated as of Wednesday, according to the U.N....[while] Saudi Arabia stands alone..[as] the country [that] has neither donated nor pledged so much as a penny or a Band-Aid."

Although middle eastern governments and royal families have been made rich from oil profits, some of these nations, like Iran and Saudi Arabia, have still given nothing, absolutely nothing, to the needy people of Haiti. According to the same Fox News report, Oil-rich Venezuela hasn't given any money either. I guess Carl Marx and Muhammad may have something else in common.

Our church, the Southeast Bible Baptist Church, took up three offerings to send to our missionary in Haiti. We raised quite a bit, considering, and it is a bittersweet thing to realize that our humble church has officially given more than an entire region!

Why is America so different? The teachings of Jesus Christ and the Koran are opposites. Jesus teaches love your neighbor. Muhammad teaches kill your neighbor...unless he is a Muslim. You may say I'm being simplistic, and perhaps I am, but facts are facts. Wherever the gospel of Christ has been received, people are more generous. After all, our Savior not only taught the message of giving to others, but He lived and died the message as well!

Frankly, charitable giving is far too low everywhere you look; however, the next time someone says Christians are selfish, go ahead and agree, but then tell them that we are a whole lot less selfish than all the rest.

January 23, 2010

As a Bill's fan this off season was the "scheduled once every three year search for a new head coach."

I wanted Cower.

I wanted a wrecking crew.

I wanted a master architect.

I wanted BIG change, and I wanted it NOW; but what I got was Buddy Nix, a GM promoted from within the organization, and Chan Gailey, a retread head coach. Could I ever be happy with this? How could I accept it? Well, somehow I have.

I feel like the poor kid down the street from the expensive mansion. I see the fancy car, and I wish I could have one. I spend the afternoon leaning on my hockey stick admiring the shiny paint and tinted windows. But when mom comes home with the second hand bike, I'm still pretty excited about taking it for a ride.

Why?

Reality is a strange thing. And reality for the Bills is pretty bad right now. The big name head coaches who could work near miracles won't even drive down our street. Shanahan wouldn't come to Buffalo. Cowher wouldn't come to Buffalo even for 10 million plus a year! Jon Gruden (at least rumor says) rejected an offer. Jim Harbaugh and a slew of other coordinators wouldn't come. My wife's Aunt Rose even said, "No!"

Sure, I wanted a brilliant, experienced coach and a top-notch personnel guy all in one package to come and recreate the Buffalo Bills in a brilliant whirl wind. Cowher, Shanahan, and Gruden could have done that. But, the fancy car won't park at One Bill's Drive.

I think we have a nice used bicycle in Gailey. He has won as a head coach. He has won as a coordinator. And I have to face it: he's the best we were going to get.

Can Nix, the new GM, and Gaily, our new coach, create a playoff ride? Maybe not, but I'm hopping on and hoping for the best.

December 31, 2009


The world wants to push Jesus right out of the Christmas season, but He
won't go quietly. As a matter of fact, from what I can tell, He won't go
at all. I saw the atheists and liberals shaking nervously everywhere I
went this year. While some people have succumb to the pressure of
political correctness, a growing number seem to be increasingly
resentful. Christians of all stripes seem to be saying, “I have to keep
my mouth shut the rest of the year, but not during Christmas!” And to
that I say, “Amen.”


Personally, I loved saying “Merry Christmas” to strangers wherever I
could this year. Most of the time I got a smile and a look that said,
“Good for you!” Occasionally, I got a sigh or a facial expression that
looked more like constipation than holiday spirit, which, frankly, I may
have enjoyed more!


Christmas has come and gone, and I am thrilled to say that Jesus was
exalted at my church, in my home, and at many a believer's home as well.
Santa exited stage right, and the Savior was under the spotlight!


Along the lines of Christ keeping His rightful spot in the season and in
the “I can't believe this is real category,” I came across a story the
other day about a boy, who, in the spirit of Christmas, drew a picture
of Jesus Christ dying on the cross and was expelled from his public
school for it. “Out of the mouth of babes” Jesus will not go away!


When I read this story about the boy the first time, I thought it was a
hoax, so I tracked it down and sure enough, a father is accusing his
son's school of forcing psychological testing for draw a picture of a
Jesus dying on the cross. (You can't get rid of Him, people, so just
give up!)


Fox News reports: “A Massachusetts father, Chester Johnson, says his
young son, a second-grader at Taunton Elementary school, drew a stick
figure of Jesus on the cross...the teacher thought the picture was a bit
too violent and ordered the boy to undergo a psychological exam and be
suspended from school.”


The school has since come out denying the claim, but Fox News quotes the
father as saying, “I wouldn’t make nothing up. This is the holiday
season — I don’t have time for that.”


Well, in the world of political correctness, it wouldn't surprise me if
this story had merit. We have lost our minds as a culture. When America
was founded, Christ was woven into the warp and woof of our EVERY DAY
society. Now, He fights to remain visible in the Christmas holiday that
was named after him! I wish the rest of our country would see how far
they've slipped. I'm glad Jesus is still in Christmas, but think about
it: he used to be EVERYWHERE, ALL OF THE TIME.


But, I will take what I can get.


Well, in the spirit of rebellion against the modern establishment: I
hope you had a MERRY CHRISTMAS (emphasis on the Christ!) and a happy New
Year!