Every day I watch as our Christian values are attacked and we are expected to make compromises in order not to offend anyone. We live in a country where being politically correct is more acceptable than being biblically correct. As a result most people in the faith have become sugar coated Christians who are afraid of offending anyone and disturbing the balance of things. Behind closed doors most Christians will proclaim their disgust but when faced with it in public they will simply keep their mouths shut or go along with society. Our Christian mind set is that we need to be compassionate and understanding to everyone and we should not say things which are hurtful, but nothing could be further from the truth. Let us take a lesson from Paul. Did Paul ever compromise his faith in order to not offend anyone? Did Paul ever put aside his beliefs in order to fit in better with society? I think we all know the answer to these questions. I have become completely disgusted with the path that our country is on and from this point on I refuse to remain silent in a politically correct society when it contradicts Christianity.

Evolution is openly taught in our public schools and colleges as being a universal truth. God has been kicked out and replaced by Darwin. A theory has replaced truth because accepting the truth means having to face the fact that all are sinners and need Jesus. Mainstream society does not want to believe that their own means are hopeless without the salvation of Christ because that would mean they would have to change the way they live their lives. As Christians we have stood by and let this happen and we have no one to blame but ourselves. We live in a country where the officials who govern are elected by the people and as a people we are electing Atheists, Agnostics, Pagans, and a myriad of people whose values are flawed and do not properly represent our own beliefs. In a country that was founded on Christian ideals and beliefs we are getting farther and farther away from what our founding fathers fought for. Amazingly this is something we could have prevented had we elected the right people to properly speak for us. The end result is a country that with each law passed is not just walking away from God, but running at full speed.

Each time we walk out or doors we are surrounded by people of all races and of all beliefs. The United States has become the largest collection of people from all countries and all religions. Daily we come in contact with Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Wiccans, Scientologists, Evolutionists, Atheists, Agnostics, Homosexuals, and the list goes on and on, but as Christians we are the only ones who are forced to compromise our beliefs and if we don’t then we are called “Hate Mongers” and “Narrow Minded”. No one is more persecuted in this country than true believing Christians and as such we are expected to simply keep our mouths shut and go along with society. When does it end? When do we start to stand up for what is right and refuse to go along blinded like a sheep led to the slaughter? How long will conforming Christians be able to hold onto their faith before it becomes so watered down that it vaguely resembles Christianity and they lose themselves completely in a politically correct world that has rejected God.

Seventy six percent of Americans identify themselves as being Christian. I use the word identify because only thirty eight percent attend church on a regular basis. Most Americans identify themselves as being Christian simply because they were raised Christian, but never practiced their faith or either they have strayed from their faith. Out of the thirty eight percent who attend church regularly, how many of those do you think are actually God fearing Christians and how many do you think are going to church just to go through the motions. I have met people who go to church regularly but in their private lives they live as far outside of Christian values as any non-Christian in society. One of the fastest growing religions in the United States is Wiccan or more commonly referred to as Witchcraft. With the decline of Christianity and rise in Pagan beliefs how much longer do we have in this country before we as Christians no longer have any voice?

I was watching the news the other day and they were doing a piece on prostitution in the United States. Police officers were setting up sting operations where they would dress up female officers as prostitutes and arrest the men who would approach them for sex. On the same note they had male officers who would pretend to be clients and lure prostitutes to hotel rooms and then arrest them. Keep in mind I do not condone prostitution, but I am simply using this to prove my point. With that said I started thinking about abortion and I made a comparison of the two. How can the U.S. government rule that abortion is legal because it is the woman’s right to choose what she does with her body and then in the same turn arrest her for selling her body? If a woman has the right to choose what she does with her own body concerning abortion shouldn’t she have the same right to sell her body if she wants? This just points out the absurdity of our governing officials who are making the laws and the double standard by which they rule. If they can justify in their own minds the legalization of taking innocent lives then it helps them sleep better at night. No matter how they want to look at it abortion is murder. Have you ever seen the look on a young woman’s face after she walks out of an abortion clinic? It’s not usually a face of relief, but a face of regret and sorrow. Intellectually it might seem alright, but emotionally they know it’s wrong.

We cannot however blame corruption entirely on the government or on the ungodly. I was reading the other day that the Episcopalian church confirmed their second openly gay Bishop. The reasoning was, “on the matter of homosexuality the Bible is vague”. Really, the Bible is vague about that? You would think a church governed by people who have been to Seminary school would know what the Bible says. Not only is the world corrupting Christians, but so is the church itself. They are setting the example for Christians in their church that homosexuality is acceptable in the eyes of the Lord. That to go on knowingly and openly sinning is alright with God. How will the children and youth of that church have their Christian beliefs distorted because of this? I am tired of hearing about Gay rights, what about Christian rights? What about our right to believe what we want to believe and to teach the truth of Jesus Christ and the values of our faith? But I cannot talk like that because that makes me a “Hate Monger”. As a Christian I love all people, but first and foremost I love the Lord and when I see Him being made a mockery of it really makes me angry. The defense of the Gay Rights movement is they cannot help themselves because they were born that way. My reply is, if you were born that way then you are saying it’s a birth defect. It’s not unlike someone who is born blind or deaf or with any other birth defect. The difference is with homosexuality if it is a birth defect then it is one they can change by a conscious decision. Do you think if a person who was born blind could have their vision they would go on living without their sight? Bottom line is homosexuality is not a birth defect, it is a conscious decision they make each and every day. Rather than admit they are living in sin they justify it to make themselves feel better about what they are doing. Rationalization is an easier path than Salvation, but rationalization won’t get you into Heaven.

“Something for nothing” should replace “In God we trust” as our motto. Our country has become littered by people with their hands out. I am not talking about people who have lost their jobs due to an unstable economy, or the people who are willing to work and can’t find jobs, but the people who are able and choose not to. People who abuse the welfare system by having more and more children just so they can get more and more money from the government and as a result cost taxpayer millions of dollars of their own hard earned money. People who spend their time and effort to come up with schemes to bilk people out of their money, often times the elderly. People who steal from others rather than earn the money to buy their own possessions. People who use natural disasters as an opportunity to loot and pillage. People who create any and every reason to try and sue someone. These are just to list a few. Where are the Christian values in our society?

I don’t say any of this because I think I am perfect. I am far from it. I am simply a man who is tired of having to sit by and watch as the country I love is being perverted and turned into a nation without God. I am tired of being told as an American I have to be tolerable of all beliefs and lifestyles. Well I’m here to tell you, as a Christian I am not tolerable of the corruptness of our nation, our people and our government and I refuse to listen to anyone who tells me my faith in Jesus Christ is misplaced. I make no apologies for my faith and if you are a Christian you shouldn’t either.

God Bless.

Technological breakthroughs once reserved for double "O" agents in the James Bond films of the mid century are now coming daily by the dozens. We are living in a time when society cannot keep up with the latest and greatest. If you buy a cell phone today, tomorrow there will be another one that is smaller and provides more options. If you purchase the state of the art computer, in a month it will be outdated.

In addition to technology improving our way of life through entertainment, we are also seeing inventions that will make our daily lives easier, but we are trading something in exchange for this freedom.

I have formed the habit as most people have in the past few years of using a nice little invention to the point of abuse. I am talking about caller identification (caller i.d.). When the phone rings the first thing I do is check to make sure I recognize the number so that I am not blind sided by a telemarketer or someone trying to solicit money for a timeshare in some remote island the used to use for testing nuclear weapons. But, lately I have started to abuse this small little led display on the back of my phone. Now if I see someone call and I simply do not have the time to answer the phone I will let the answering machine pick up and I will call them back later.

As I was looking at the caller i.d. the other day I wondered what I would do if the call showed up as "Jesus Christ 777-7777". Would I pick up or would I let the answering machine get it? I would like to think I would pick up the phone with the excited enthusiasm of a young child opening a present on Christmas Day, but I know there have been many times in the past and sadly to say even now that I hear the call of the Lord and do not answer.

It is ridiculous to attribute the call of our Lord to the telephone, but how many times have you avoided His call and just thought to yourself, "I'll return His call later"? Sometimes in our lives we are in situations of shame and we are too afraid to answer for fear that He will be disappointed with us. And the hardest call of all to answer is the initial call when He is calling to invite us into a relationship with him. For many this is the hardest call they will ever have to answer. They expect a voice of reprimand on the other end, but instead they find a voice more soothing and loving than any they have ever heard in their lives, and they are assured that they are welcome and the sins of their past are forgiven.

As Christians we put more stress on ourselves and we are harder on ourselves spiritually than God is. We complicate our spiritual lives to the point where we are afraid to speak with Him because we are ashamed.

I tell you now, if your Faith Phone is ringing, answer it. If this is the first time your phone has rung then it is the most important call you will ever receive. No matter where you are in your spiritual life, do not be afraid to answer His call it will make all the difference in the world. Don't delay; there will come a time when your phone wont ring anymore and I pray that you wont let this opportunity pass you by.

"For many are called, but few are chosen."

Matt 22:14

In the second persecution in the Book of Acts, Peter and the Apostles are brought before the council for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in his name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”

But Peter and the other Apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Hearing this outraged the council and they wanted to kill them, but a Pharisee named Gamaliel stepped in to calm them down. He had Peter and the other Apostles sent from the room so he could speak with the council in private.

And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. For some time ago Theadus rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing.
After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed.
And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it – lest you even be found to fight against God.”

Today the number of Christians is in the hundreds of millions and rising. Gamaliel in his wisdom knew that nothing of God could be destroyed and we are now seeing proof of this today. Over the centuries many religions and ideals have formed and have been swept away by the winds of time. But Christianity has flourished and spread throughout the entire world, reaching all who have a mind to hear it.
This is yet further proof that Christianity is not an ideaology started by men and ending with men. It is a fact that has been from the beginning and will be to the end.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
- Jesus (Revelations 22:13)

I overheard a group of people talking this evening and their conversation caught my attention. One of the young men was talking about how he had changed his ways because of God. He was telling the others the things in life he had given up and the things that he now did for God on a daily basis. As I listened I began to realize, often is the thought of the new believer that there is something we must do to please God. Many are still under the belief that by acting good we are doing that, which is commanded of us.

I listened to as much of the conversation as I could before I had to throw my 2 cents in and this is what it amounted to.
I proceeded to tell them, “There is nothing you can do to please God aside from worshipping Him and giving thanks for your salvation through the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross. Our vain attempts to please Him only push us farther away from the understanding of the truth. It is only when we stop trying (or give up) that He is truly able to be apparent in us. We must first be removed so that His light can be seen in us.” I told the young man to simply stop trying to do what you think God wants you to do and let Him do what He wants to do through you.
This is a strange concept, one that I have still not fully grasped, but I do find it works. When I truly surrender my will and allow Him to take over completely, I find that I am closer to Him than I ever am when I TRY to be a good disciple.

After I finished talking to them I sat there a few more minutes and listened to the conversation revert back to its original topic. It seemed I hadn’t gotten across to them, but then I realized something. It is a very hard thing to accept. It is hard to accept that nothing more is required of us than to simply believe. As humans we feel the need to “do” and not just “be”. It amazes me that so many are content to be lazy in life, but work so hard in their faith. Trying to earn your salvation is not faith. Don’t take me wrong, I know that “faith without works is dead,” but I am not talking about that. I am not telling anyone not to put their faith into action. I am saying that as humans inhabiting an inherent sinful body, we cannot possibly hope to be good little Christians by our own effort. The Spirit is given to us not only as a comforter, but also as a guide in life, that He may live through us. If we allow Him to live our lives for us we cannot fail, but if WE try to live our lives for Him we will fail every time.

(6)“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, (7)rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

(8)Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:6-8)

We are to “walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith.” It doesn’t say that He will walk in us or be built up in us, because He already is. Often times as Christians we pray for a sign from above, we pray for Christ to fill us with His Spirit, but His work in us is complete. When we became believers He came into our lives, washing away our sins and filling us with His Spirit. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He is always with us, but we are not always with Him. Therefore Paul is reminding us that we must walk in Christ Jesus and be well established in our faith. By walking in the faith Paul means, letting the Spirit live for us. By taking ourselves out of the equation God is free to do His will in our lives.

The old cliché, “Misery loves company” is as true today as it ever was. People seek to steal joy from others and destroy that which they do not understand. Until their eyes are opened they will not see the truth and they will continue to exchange the truth for lies. Through science and reasoning they try to disprove God, making Him out to be an imaginary friend for adults. In their pursuit for knowledge they have been blinded to the truth. All the knowledge in the world will not replace God and all the wisdom of the ages cannot replace the truth. But no matter how high your intellect, at the end of the day, we’re all just sinners in need of salvation.

“Are you going to heaven?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I am a good person. I don’t think God would send a good person to hell.”

Amazingly enough there are still these people in the world. They believe they can purchase a ticket into heaven simply by being a good person. Even more now than ever before people are following this line of thought. They are either too afraid of offending someone or they just dont want to exhaust the time and effort of believing in God, so instead they decide not to believe in one particular religion or another and they simply believe they are good they will get into heaven.
Unfortunately these people are in for a rude awakening.

I am not politically correct when it comes to God and I do not make excuses for my faith. I am here to tell you the truth. Good deeds will not get you into heaven. I don’t care if you are the kindest, gentlest soul who has ever walked this planet. If you do not believe in the one true God and His son Jesus Christ, you are not getting in. It’s as simple as that. The price that Jesus paid he paid for us all. He paid the price so we don’t have. God took man out of the equation when he wiped our sins clean for us with the blood of Jesus Christ.

I am writing this because of a recent interview I saw on “The O’Reilly Factor.” Mr. O’Reilly was interviewing Dr. Tim Lahay and Mr. Jerry Jenkins (the authors of the famous “Left Behind” series). During the course of the interview Mr. O’Reilly asked Dr. Lahay if a good person could get into heaven. Dr. Lahay replied with a simple ‘no, not if they didn’t have Jesus in their lives’. Apparently this was not the answer Mr. O’Reilly was looking for and he wanted to debate on the subject. Mr. O’Reilly like so many others in our society today has a problem with a Christian claiming that Jesus is the only way to God and therefore the only way to heaven.
We are living in a world where various religions are accepted openly and freely, that is unless you are a Christian. Tell someone you are a Buddhist and they seem fascinated, but the second you say to someone, “Have you heard about Jesus?” the conversation is over. Our faith does not suit today’s generation because we do not allow that you can believe what you want. It is much easier to not believe in God, live a good life and hope that is enough (just in case there is a heaven).
On the other hand we have those who are genuinely confused because there are so many faiths out there, they are not sure which one is the real. So many of us started out like this, but the people I am referring to are the ones who would rather stay in the dark than exhaust the effort to educate themselves and learn the truth. It is easier to stay in the world, blind to the ways of God than it is to actually search for Him.

I will close with this simple verse:

“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
- Jesus (John 14:6)

It’s easy to look at someone who is strong in Christ and forget that they also began as a baby in the Lord. When we trust in the Jesus and accept Him as our Lord we are automatically saved but we are not automatically full of faith. In our day and age our faith is tested daily and sometimes to the point of failing us. We are faced with trials and tribulations, sorrows and disappointment more times than we can count. Often times our faith pulls us through and other times we question whether our faith is in vain.
My faith (or lack there of) used to be a great stumbling block for me. I felt that I did not have sufficient faith to pull me through and as a result I felt like a bad Christian. As I turned to scripture for help in my daily life God lead me to examine his servant Peter a little bit closer.

Peter is said by many to be the greatest of the apostles and the Catholic Church believes that their Pope is a direct descendent of him through apostolic procession. According to the Catholic Church, he is the rock upon which Christ has built His church. We must take a closer look at this man and realize he wasn’t always the mighty Christian that he became. In the beginning he was weak, unsure and his faith was lacking. In essence he was just as we are when we begin our journey.

And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matt. 14:28-31

Many times as Christians we are able to deal well with situations in our lives, but sometimes we reach a point where it seems hopeless, our faith falters and we cry out, “Lord save me!” Just as He did with Peter he does with us as well, “immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him.” It doesn’t say that eventually He reached out to help him, but immediately. When we cry out to Him, He is faithful to help us, to save us from the mess we find ourselves in.

As we move on in Peters walk with Jesus we see on the night of Jesus’ capture by the temple guards, Peters faith falters once again.

Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied it before them all saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.

Under persecution for associating with Jesus Peter was fearful for his own life. His faith was weak and he denied Jesus, not once but three times. It is interesting to note the degree to which he denied him, “Then he began to curse and swear.” Fear had taken its grip on Peter and cast a black shadow over his faith, but when he realized what he had done he began to weep bitterly. He wept because he knew that his faith was weak and had caused him to deny Jesus.

As we move into the Book of Acts we see a whole new Peter. We see a man whose faith can heal the sick and even resurrect the dead. Was it the Holy Spirit he received on the day of Pentecost that strengthened his faith or was it something else? I tend to believe it was seeing Christ resurrected and finally being able to see what Jesus had been asking him to believe all along. He finally saw that Jesus was and is the Son of God and our Lord and Savior.
This stands true for us in our lives as well. Until we can truly say without any doubt, “Jesus is the Son who was sent to us to deliver us from sin,” we will never be truly faithful. And without faith we open ourselves up for attack from Satan and the trials and tribulations of life. We are given the Holy Spirit to help us through the hard times, but it still requires faith on part to put our trust in Him.

God Bless