The Chip

Of course, we knew this was coming. It's only logical, but the real question is this: Does it in some way fulfill biblical prophecy?

Hey, I grew up on this stuff, but I think I'm as much concerned about the backlash of indifference to the Late Great Planet Earth/Y2K/Gulf War prophetic hype as I am to the concern of being overly fearmongering.

So, what do you think? Is this guy crazy? Do articles like this concern you at all? Are you looking up for our redemption?

Here was a video/CNN report on the same subject three years ago.



So, where will be three years from now? Oh, I forgot...2012.:))))

Putting Preachers in Their Place

Here is another video from Mark Driscoll. I was unaware of this until a pastor emailed me this last week. Thanks, George.

It comes from early 2008, is a message to pastors, and is a strong defense of a somewhat traditional view of Church, particularly as it deals with the proclamation of the Word. Toward the end, Mark takes on George Barna (and the house church movement) as well as his frequent target, the Emergent Movement.

It's not a short message, but if anyone is able to listen to this while you are multitasking, I'd love to hear your feedback.

Weekend Inspiration: Title or Testimony

I found this inspiring video of Tony Campolo over at Jeff Leake's blog not too long ago. The great part is the last half.

The Bumperstickers

I'm not sure, but it seems likely that the relatively new bumper sticker above (Psalm 109:8) is a response to the bumper sticker below (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

So, if one of your Christian friends had either of these on their car, what would you say? And if we have to choose which covenant to live out of (Old or New), which would it be? Both?

You'll notice that I included verse 9 in the link above to Psalm 109:8. Is the context relevant?
On a related note, I, for one, am glad that the Presidential Prayer Team has been non-partisan enough to continue their work after the Presidential transition.

Hell to Pay Off

Interesting article in the Boston Globe. We've known historically that there was a connection between Protestantism and the western work ethic.

Now a recent study shows that there is a clear correlation in developing nations between financial prosperity and the belief in hell (more so than a belief in heaven).

Maybe that's the problem with our economy. Not enough preaching on hell.

I'm more than half serious.

Thanks, Phil3.

Midweek Funny: Progress is Overrated, Episode 1

Okay, so Ruth, who doesn't live in State College, didn't know that I had just started a series based on Zechariah 4:6, in which I said in the intro message that sometimes progress is overrated.

Or did she?

Anyhow, she alerted me to this series of humorous videos. I think I'm going to run them for awhile.

Feel free to make Kingdom application, or just laugh.:)

For Women Only: The Quiverfull Movement

I'm not sure where I've been the last 30 years, but I had not heard of this movement for Christians to have as many children as possible--a reaction to the feminist movement.

Here is a video (and accompanying link) from a Christian "breeder" who has left her husband and the movement.

I'm asking for only women to comment on this one.

Tomorrow's post will be funny. I promise.

How Low Should He Go?

On Saturday, the LA Times asked the question about President Obama's bowing before other world leaders, "How Low Will He Go?"

So, I'm asking you, should a U.S. President demonstrate humility? Should they ever apologize when America has done wrong in the past? If America should be more Christian, do these Christian virtues of apparent meekness and humility fit with the Commander-in-Chief, or should they only be demonstrated toward Americans, or ever?

And if not, why not?

Weekend Inspiration: Hannah's Prayer

Yes, Hannah is an preacher and intercessor already. Here's a video over with over half a million Youtube views already. It's precious. Thanks, Deanna.

Fatal Attraction and that Mistress of Yours

After a rather provocative post on Monday, I decided to end the week with a related post, thanks to an email from Phil2 (different Phil than the one who contributed to the Monday post).

Phil2 alerted me to a major article in the December 2009 Atlantic Monthly which proposes that the housing bubble crash might be due to pentecostal churches, particularly those who preach a prosperity gospel.

Now I believe that's quite a stretch, but it confirms concerns I've had for quite sometime.

Here it is in a nutshell: When societies hit very hard times (we're not there yet), they inevitably look for a scapegoat. With the Germans, it was the Jews.

So, if America's economy were to collapse due to housing speculation and the over-the-top costs of wars that were ill-advised and/or ill-administered, who do you think is going to get blamed?

Universities, Homosexuals, Republicrats, Latinos, Jews, Mainstream Media, Car Dealers, Muslims, Wall Street, Jehovah's Witnesses, the NFL...?

Might it be the group that, as a whole, was most enthusiastic about following G.W. Bush (seen as today's Herbert Hoover)? Like conservative Christians?

My concern goes so far as to wonder if Christians took seriously my plea for repentance for acting like non-New Testament Christians, would the Republicans turn on evangelicals?

In short, are we in virtually the same position as the troops in Afghanistan (and maybe Iraq)--can't stay in and can't get out? Maybe persecution is inevitable. I truly hope not. I hope we can repent and save our skin, so we can save others' souls.

No, I didn't see the movie, but I sure get the concept. The world is like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. Once you sleep with her, there's hell to pay, either way.

Lord, have mercy on us, I pray.

Two Christian Leaders on Afghanistan and 'Just War'

Here's two links to brief and current discussions about Christians' involvement in war, and particularly in Afghanistan.

The first is from Stanley Hauerwas, who is one of the most articulate American theologians for pacificism. Not a lot of news there.

The second is from Chuck Colson, who is probably one of the most hawkish of respected evangelical leaders. What is news here is not only that he is questioning a continued war in Afghanistan, but that he reveals his level of heartburn and regret for supporting the pre-emptive invasion of Iraq based on what he was personally told by Donald Rumsfeld. I think it's well worth a read.

I have a moderate-to-high level of respect for both men, but I am particularly heartened to see that Colson has not totally sold out his principles for unthinking patriotism. There is hope.

Any thoughts?

Not Funny: Veterans Day and Spiritual Thoughts About Fort Hood

I didn't want to jump in immediately about the terrible massacre in Fort Hood, but enough facts are now starting to emerge that I hope that we can discuss the spiritual dimension of this.

Feel free to post your biblically-based thoughts in general, but here are a couple questions I would pose:

1. We know that Satan (not God) was the ultimate architect of this horror (John 10:10). Do you think you have a sense of what is his game plan? Is it something beyond the destruction of these individual lives and their families?

2. I can see great reason why some are apprehensive about devoted Muslims serving in the U.S. military, but does it make sense to anyone that a Muslim-free military would be used to establish Muslim democracies on the other side of the world? Does anything that is happening before our eyes make spiritual sense?

How Manly are Christian Men?

Read this brief article and see if you disagree with the writer. I basically don't. If what he says is true, then what is the cause? And what is the cure?

But then, is it important that Christian men be 'manly', or are we just measuring ourselves by worldly standards?

About That Mistress of Yours, Part 665

Okay, it's been literally weeks since I've posted anything as provocative as this. Before you read on, to understand the title as well as what follows, I suggest you first read James 4:4 again:

You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

Now, assuming you are a biblical Christian, we can move on.

I need to share some things about that mistress of some of you. I know she is beautiful, everyone wants her, she seems quite wealthy, she's more famous than Jesus, I know, I know, I know. She certainly is all that. She looks good in an evening gown holding a torch as well as in less ('Liberty Leading the People').

In fact, she's kinda like Carrie Prejean, isn't she? Kinda Christian; kinda maybe not so much.

Actually, this post is a test. You see, the test is simply this--which riles you up more, critique of the Church or critique of America?

So, which do you love more? Do you protect your mistress because she really is close to perfect or because you feel guilty that you are madly in love with her? Keep those thoughts in mind for the next 20 minutes (if you haven't kicked in your computer screen yet).

If the spiritual adultery doesn't bother you, maybe you'll listen when I say that your mistress may have AIDS (Acquired Insight Deficiency Syndrome), which you probably already know is an STD (Spiritually Transmitted Disease).

First, I received an email from Phil (an old Christian college classmate who is now an attorney in NJ), with a link to this article by Glenn Greenwald, a journalist who is best known (at least by me) for tracking the infiltration of Moonie influence at very high levels in Washington, including a ceremony a few years ago attended by numerous congressmen where Sun Myong Moon was crowned the heavenly/earthly "King of Peace," after having funded a campaign to get over 300 inner city Christian churches to toss their crosses into the waste bins (in order to clear the way for 'world peace.')

But I digress. This particular article deals with the degeneracy that apparently allows Americans to torture innocent people with no legal consequences. The case is Arar vs. Ashcroft. It reminds me of the biblical passages where the Apostle Paul gets his torturers' attention by telling them that he is a Roman citizen. So little has changed.

And please note that there is no doubt whatsoever that America is outsourcing Syria (!) to do torture. But I thought they were our/Israel's enemy? Guess that lady is sleeping around... You didn't know?

But if your time is limited, just jump to the second and more troubling report about your mistress. You see, the former UK Ambassador to Uzbekistan is charging that the CIA were paying Uzbek authorities to torture children in front of their parents, boil people alive and use broken bottles to rape people in order to produce false confessions.





If you can discredit these reports, please do (see what happens to those who venture to speak the truth here and here--that's why we keep silent, isn't it?), but I'm just telling you what the word on the street is about that friend of some of yours...

You see, I care about you, and I hate to see this woman use and abuse you. Do you not know that she sees you as a useful idiot? If you'll commit adultery with her, she assumes you'll murder for her. Is she right?

You see, I'm not trying to save America. I'm trying to save as many of my brothers and sisters as possible--at least a part of the Church in America. Why do I not blog like all the other good Christian pastors? Why do I get into all this? Well, sometimes you have to get wet to save a drowning person, even when you've tried to dress up in your Sunday best yourself.

And, actually, saving the Church in America could end up saving America, but I doubt the rest of us can convert the mistress while you're still in bed with her.

My concern is that if we do not soon repent, it will get worse. After all, that's exactly what Jeremiads are intended to prevent.

Weekend Inspiration Extra: If At First You Don't Succeed...

A 68 year-old woman in South Korea finally (and barely) passed her driver's test...after failing 949 times! Check it out here.