How Well Are You Doing Raising Your Children?

"For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it." ~ Hebrews 12:11, ESV

This verse popped into my head as I was talking to my beautiful sister on the phone a bit ago and we were discussing how obvious it is that man is depraved from birth. For instance, consider a new born infant.   What is the first thing that baby does after it's gone through the birthing process and been poked and prodded, swatted and swaddled, and lets us know its displeasure?  I mean after you get the baby home and the loving and doting attention it receives begins?  The baby screams at you, makes its demands because its inherent inclination is to let you know it's hungry or needs cuddled; complains about its discomfort over a dirty diaper; throws a hissy fit when a toy is taken away, and I'm sure we can think of many more examples.  And as the child grows, he or she begins to figure out that pouting, crying, or a temper tantrum will oftentimes get them what they want, especially in today's culture where parents are forbidden to immediately address such behavior, or have fallen for the ill advice received from "experts" who probably never raised children, or even from well-meaning parents.

 So, when do we begin the godly discipline process to insure that our children become responsible, honest and, more importantly, respectful adults? Some of you may disagree, but it should start from the beginning.  This is not to say that the discipline you mete out isn't different for an infant, a toddler, or a juvenile.  The method varies in degree by age and maturity in understanding their offense and how well they are able to grasp the instruction and discipline we give them.  It begins with words, then redirection and, if necessary, a good old-fashioned swat on the backside followed up by a heartfelt explanation why it was necessary.

You see, we don't give babies or toddlers enough credit for being as smart, manipulating, and conniving as they can be.  Through careful study, it's determined a child develops their personality by the time they are 3 years old. That's one year after the dreaded "terrible 2's" so many parents suffer through.  We all remember that stage of our child's life.  We are only given a very narrow window of opportunity to set the stage and it's critical that we pay very close attention to them during that time and gently correct them when necessary.   If we fail to do that, instead of the "trusting 3's" and "pleasing 4's," the "terrible 2's" are apt to become the disappointing 3's, the shocking 8's, or the horrific teens.

In other words, it's what we put into our children that spills out of them as they grow.  If you teach your children they are the center of the universe, if you allow them to manipulate you, control you, and answer to all of their demands, they will continue that pattern throughout the rest of their lives and yours, and they will more than likely recreate the same attitude with their own children because that’s what they were taught.   Once this behavior is established, there will be no turning back and undoing the grave errors parents made when they had the opportunity to make the right choices and choose the proper discipline.

Why did I add the above verse to this post? Most Christians would apply it to the discipline God finds necessary to dole out upon adult Christians who are straying from the truth, not heeding His Word, or discipline being used to draw them back into the fold.  But it can also be applied to our children.   If we faithfully train our children with the instruction God has given us, then the harvest we see when they are finally grown will be fruitful, righteous, and pleasing to the LORD, and to ourselves and everyone the child comes in contact with, whether it's with family, at school, in play, or at work. And society will be much better for it.

But if we fail to raise them as they should be, if we fail to teach them proper godly behavior and refuse to discipline them when they demonstrate the depravity they were born with, we not only have failed them, we have failed ourselves by creating the proverbial monster our society is being plagued with.

I’ll end with one of the most important proverbs relating to raising a child in the Word of God, Proverb 22:6, and I hope all young parents will take it to heart.   I’ll be praying and trusting in God to make it so.

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."

Yes, Bruce Jenner Is Still A Man, But Are You Praying?

I don't think I've ever witnessed such a massive media campaign such as that over Bruce Jenner and the world's attempt to convince the masses that what he did to himself is acceptable, and even "courageous" by our President, who "tweeted" the same; that we should celebrate his "transformation" and believe that he is now what he was intended to be.   I won't post pics and articles or link quotes to specific websites about Bruce Jenner and how he mutilated his body trying to "fix" his self-perceived notions that there was some cosmic "mistake" made regarding his gender.  The media has infected our minds with enough images.

Bruce Jenner is still a man.  He may have gone to every possible length to alter his outward appearance, but he's still what God created him to be and nothing he does to himself will ever change that.

For the rest of Jenner's life, he will be forced to continue taking hormones in order to maintain this false and deplorable persona.  He will heavily rely on cosmetics, plastic surgery, and photo-shopped images to blur the reality of his true self.  And the notoriety he received as an Olympic champion and anything else he accomplished in his life will be overshadowed by gawkers and sensationalism-seekers with their own twisted and perverted sins.  In my opinion, all Jenner accomplished was admitting himself into a carnival side-show and sadly, one day, the world will grow tired of him and cast him off as just another "freak" unworthy of their attention.

Tragically, what Bruce Jenner and the world is not being told is that the majority of the people who undergo "gender-realignment surgery" are thrown into even greater depths of darkness.  As this article portrays, they come to the realization that changing their bodily structure did nothing to alleviate the turbulence and unrest they previously experienced in the body God gave them.   It only drove them deeper into their depravity because of failed expectations, often driving them to suicide.

And as the world turns, it becomes more insistent that Christians who oppose homosexuality and gay marriage on Biblical grounds become more "tolerant" to the practice.  We are told we must accept it as an inevitability and that to not accept it makes us "homophobic," unloving, judgmental, and hateful.  Dr. James White, a highly respected theologian, recently answered the question in this short video where he thought the church would be in 5 years in regard to persecution.  It is well worth 7 minutes of your time to view it because he impresses that laws will be passed in order to silence the Gospel and Christian witness of God's truths, especially in regard to homosexuality and gay marriage.

As further evidence and as this map portrays, I don't need to remind my readers that the homosexual agenda has become militant, not only in our own nation, but around the world.  While I sit writing this, the United States Supreme Court is ruling on the argument for "marriage equality."  Recently, Ireland, a historically staunch defender of marriage between a man and a woman, overwhelmingly passed a referendum to allow gay marriage.  A push in the State of Israel to overthrow the ban that prevents legal gay "marriage" is gaining ground.  Pastor Conrad Mbewe of Zambia wrote a blog post on the influence the West is having through financial means to push the homosexual agenda there.  Italy, which is the last Western European holdout against gay marriage, has become the latest target.  It was also reported by a former U.S. Congressman, Steve Stockman, that the United States refused to give aid to assist Nigeria in recovering the 250 women and girls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram (now reportedly all murdered) because of their long-held stance against gay "marriage."  To me, and if this is true, it demonstrates the depth of depravity of the Obama Administration that they would hold hostage innocent people to further their depraved agenda.  The list of nations being pressured by the United Nations to accept the homosexual lifestyle and marriage "equality" is growing exponentially, and when poorer nations who rely upon western money to survive are being threatened, it won't be long before the entire world caves to that pressure.

So what do Christians do about this ever-increasing problem?  We do the same thing we would do for anyone involved in any sin.  We pray, and we pray remembering that we, also, were once slaves to sin.

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,  to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.  For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.  But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,  He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ~ Titus 3:1-7

Like all men and women who are caught up in the sin of homosexuality, and who think that by mutilating their bodies it will soothe the turmoil they have allowed to consume them, it's not their outward appearance that needs changing.  It's their deceitful and hard hearts.  As my sister, Dana, reinforced yesterday in a phone conversation, these people don't need tolerance and acceptance for their bad behavior, or ridicule and an outward expression of disgust - which, if we would all be honest, we harbor - but prayer for them.  We need to demonstrate through our witness the LORD Jesus Christ with love and kindness, but with a firm commitment to never compromising God's Truths regarding sin and the eternal consequences of an unrepentant heart.  Jesus is the ONLY answer for a sinful world and nothing else will turn people like Bruce Jenner into what they were truly intended to be.

Albert Mohler wrote a chapter in John Piper's book, "Sex and the Supremacy of Christ," entitled "Homosexual Marriage as a Challenge to the Church: Biblical and Cultural Reflections,"  that impresses upon Christians the need to fight against the "yuck factor" because "it is an attitude of disgust that lacks any moral argument."   Because of who we are, that's a hard thing to realize.  We hate sin and when it's outwardly manifested and we are forced to see it, our first reaction is complete disgust bordering on hatred.  The sin of homosexuality goes so far beyond God's purpose for creating man and woman that to even consider the practice causes us great distress.  But as Mohler impresses upon us, we need to love the homosexual more than the homosexual loves his homosexuality.  By choking down the bile that rises in our throats each time we are forced to view and read about this behavior, we move a little closer to accomplishing the daunting task of putting out of our minds the images and outright debauchery of this practice and enabling us to more appropriately respond.  However, he also stresses that Christians must never accept the very concept of homosexual marriage because it is contrary to God's law and will for mankind.  The truth must be told in its entirety, leaving nothing to conjecture or debate, in spite of the negative reaction we may receive.

Bruce Jenner didn't need a sex "transformation."  He needs his heart transformed.  The only way that Jenner and other homosexuals will ever have peace of mind is if they are brought, with the Holy Spirit's help, to a realization that they have grievously sinned against a Holy God and repent, ask God for forgiveness, and place their faith and trust not in man or themselves, but the LORD Jesus Christ.  They need to know that the turmoil and confusion they have created over their sexuality and their lust for people of the same sex can be overcome, not through their own efforts, but through Him.  It is only through His power and His grace that they will find freedom from their sin, and ultimately peace in their minds that the gender in which they were created is exactly what God intended for them

Our responsibility as Christians does not lie in condemning Bruce Jenner and others with the same proclivity.  Our responsibility lies in praying for their deliverance and giving them the Gospel of salvation.  Yes, Bruce Jenner is still a man.  But as my sister asked on a Facebook post, and I would like to reiterate here:  "Are you praying?"

The Expectation of Thanks

For the last twenty years, I have been watching a growing problem in society.  Well, let's say that it's just one of many that rubs me the wrong way.  None of us are so blind that we don't see the degrading of Godly morals and values and the world's population becoming more centered on self.  As is commonly opined, when society begins to crumble, the first place to look is in the home and how it's structured and how our children are being raised.  And the problem I will be referring to begins there.

Gratitude and thankfulness for the things we do for others is on the wane.  I am seeing it far too often in today's youth.   I can't tell you the number of times my husband and I have done things for family members that puts a strain on our pocketbook, only to receive no thanks.  What's worse is when we do get that telephone call, only to find out later that the caller had to be reminded to make it.  When that happens, it causes me to wonder if the response was genuine, or if it was only uttered to silence a harping parent.  However, if a child is raised right, a reminder shouldn't be necessary, even if the thanks you receive is only viewed as a duty.

I don't give gifts because I want gushing praise.  I don't expect anything, except that the recipient understand how much I love them, regardless of the size or cost of the gift.  A gift is an expression of how much that person means to me.  And the response I receive - a phone call or silence - may tell me how much I mean to that person.  Others I know have expressed the same disappointment and, sadly, this behavior is a heart problem.  As Charles Spurgeon once said, "For the most part, nothing is more easily blotted out than a good turn."

I don't expect others to shower me with gifts.  Money and things aren't important to me.  A simple card with a hand-written note, or a phone call just to let me know I am loved, lifts my spirits more than material things ever could.  They are ways of letting me know that I am important to that person, and they are more than enough.  But when the occasion to exchange gifts becomes a one-sided event with nothing in the way of reciprocation, it can be hurtful.  To draw once again from Charles Spurgeon, "The foal drains his mother, and then kicks her.  The old saying is, 'I taught you to swim, and now you would drown me,' and many a time it comes true. The dog wags his tail till he gets the bone, and then he snaps and bites at the man who fed him."  Spurgeon's metaphor describes the harshest response and, sadly, I have been the recipient of such heartlessness.  As I did with my children, my parents instilled in me a heart of gratitude, especially when it came to thanking others for their thoughtfulness.  But today's youth are either not being taught the proper response, or are, and just don't care.

So, with that thought in mind, let's move on to how God may feel about how we respond to the gifts He faithfully and continually bestows on us.  When His providence continues without fail, do we thank Him, or are we the "dog [that] wags his tail till he gets the bone, and then...snaps and bites" His gracious hand?  Do we even acknowledge the fact that, without Him, we couldn't draw a single breath?  When we rise in the morning, do we thank Him for giving us one more day?  As meals are being prepared, do we pause to consider that if He had not provided the ingredients, we would go hungry?  The roof over our head?  The clothes on our backs?  The job that guarantees our family will be cared for?  Even things as simple as the weather and His creation that surrounds us?  The bounties God pours out upon us are endless, yet how often do we thank Him for the simplest and most basic things?

Not often enough.  And I am just as guilty as the rest who daily fail to recognize His magnificent beneficence.

What is even more astounding is the fact that God provides life and its necessities even for those who hate Him:

"For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."

 (Matthew 5:45)

Now that is definitely something worthy of serious thought!

But there's one difference between how we respond to gifts we receive from others and the response God desires when He gives them.  We may not get the thanks we think we should get, but we can live with it.  God, however, wants to be thanked for the gifts He daily pours out upon us.  He wants to be praised for His benevolence in giving the gift.  He wants to receive the glory He so richly deserves when we acknowledge that it is Him, and only Him, that makes the gift possible.  We were created for His glory, and God is greatly honored by our reciprocation and delights in it.  King David, as well as others, understood that God deserved all of our worship and praise for everything from deliverance from trials and tribulations to merely living and breathing.  The book of Psalms is replete with words of thanksgiving and are too numerous to mention here.  But here is one very small example that sums it up quite nicely:

"Praise the Lord!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
    for His steadfast love endures forever!"

 (Psalm 106:1)

Throughout the entire Bible, men gave praise where praise was due, for they knew from whom it was the gift came.  Just a couple more examples:

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 

(Matthew 7:11)

 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

 (James 1:17) 

  

When we receive gifts, although we desire it, there should be no overabundant expectation of thanks, especially in light of today's messed up civilization and the lack of parental guidance.  A hug and the simple words, "thank you," should be sufficient.  But with God, there is an expectation of thankfulness.  After all, He is the giver of all things and His greatest desire is that we acknowledge the tremendous love He has for man and all that He does for us.  When He honors us with a gift, whatever that gift may be, small or large, our response should be continual overwhelming gratitude.

The gifts we give our children and grandchildren are only material things that will not last.  But God the Father gave to mankind the ultimate gift that will last forever:  His Son Jesus Christ.  Through His death and resurrection, Jesus secured us a way back to the Father.  He is the Giver of Life, our Provider, our Protector, our Comforter, and the only way to have eternal life.  We may not receive much in the way of thanks from others, but our deep gratitude and sincere thankfulness to God should be such that there is never any question where we stand.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

 (1 Thessalonians 5:16)

 

There is an old song from Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, "Teach Your Children," that parents should take to heart.  By instilling in yourself and your child a heart of gratitude towards God and others, you will know they love Him and you.

May grace and peace, and a heart of gratitude, abound to all who have visited. 

 

 

The Men In the Shadows of Obama's Spirituality

Have you ever wondered who advises our President, Barrack Hussein Obama, on spiritual matters?

In America's past, our Presidents have often, if not always, had someone they went to for spiritual counsel.  The likes of Billy Graham and his son, Franklin Graham, probably top the list.  But it goes without saying that the job as President of the United States carries with it a burden unlike any other and when that burden becomes too great, men in that position need someone they can turn to for spiritual guidance.

But who is it that our current President seeks out for spiritual help?

Because of Obama's far-left leaning, tendencies, dictatorial behavior, and his incessant drive to change the very foundation of America into a progressive social state and alter its landscape, for Christians, that's a question that begs an immediate answer.

While digging around on the internet for the answer over the past several months (yep, it's taken me that long to complete this), the amount of information I found made it evident that this post would be very long (even longer than Matt Walsh's posts!).  Because of its length, I considered dividing it into two parts, but eventually chose not to and I sincerely hope the information it contains holds your attention and interest.

Before I begin, however, I would like to assure my readers that I am not making any assumptions on whether or not Obama and those he surrounds himself with are Christians in the truest sense of the word.  I don't know their hearts.  Even more, I'm not God, nor do I have some special insight into who it is He has chosen for salvation.  I leave that important work solely to Him.  I can only enlighten you by examining what these people have written, spoken of, and demonstrated in their walk and talk - in other words, their fruit.  I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions.

From the Outside Looking In

America's President has publicly stated many times that he is a man of faith and professes to be a Christian.   However, over the past six years, it has become obvious that Obama is not overtly religious.  That is, unless it suits him in a particular moment to give the appearance that he is.  It's similar to his choice of accents and the vernacular he assumes to blend in and impress within certain circles.  He can be both a black man and a white man at whim; a Southerner with a twang, or a northerner; a Christian or a Muslim. He gives the perception of being whichever person is required to continue to baffle, and possibly deceive, his hearers.

 
It's no small wonder that Americans are confused over who Obama truly is and what he believes.

I would go so far as to say that Obama's childhood involvement in the religion of Islam, mixed with a flood of Christian social justice and Black Liberation Theology (both to be briefly addressed below), have confounded his convictions and confused his mind as to what true belief in Jesus Christ and a correct interpretation and understanding of Scripture actually entails.  If more evidence is needed, simply recall his visit to various places in the Middle East where his speeches exalted Islam and its false god, Allah; where he spoke of the Koran as being a "holy" book, calling the Shahada (the Muslim declaration of faith) "one of the prettiest sounds on earth," including his lack of protocol by bowing to foreign dictators.  I sincerely do not know of a true Christian who would go to those extremes, by exalting a false god and his lies over the True God and His Holy Word.  Yet, Obama and the media continue to mock those who insist he is a Muslim because of his actions.

Obama has attempted to lay foundation upon foundation, adding and blending his perception of the meaning of religiosity.  The false dichotomies he has espoused have caused the waters to become so muddied it's unclear just exactly what he believes - if anything.  The deeper I dig, however, the more convinced I am that Obama is a pretender in the biggest sense of the word.

Unlike some past Presidents, the Obama family rarely attends church services. I'm thinking taking a couple of hours to worship at a church every Sunday may mess up his tee time at the golf course.  However, they have made appearances for appearance's sake.  Although it's reported that the Obamas occasionally float from church to church around the White House area, their most recent participation with Easter Service last year was at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington D.C., where the Reverend Luis Leon chose to take the opportunity to "preach" his brand of social justice, and ranted about the "captains of the religious right" and their racism and oppression against blacks, women, and immigrants, instead of exalting our risen Savior Jesus Christ.  Considering Obama's misguided tossed salad of beliefs and false perception of Christianity, he probably felt extremely comfortable worshiping in that style.

Will the real Barrack Hussein Obama please stand up?  Or perhaps he already has.

A Look Back

As a young boy, Obama grew up in an atmosphere of confusion when it came to religion.  His mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, was described in Obama's book, Dreams of My Father, as  "a lonely witness for secular humanism, a soldier for New Deal, Peace Corps, position-paper liberalism...".  In his 2006 book,  Audacity of Hope, Obama wrote:

"I was not raised in a religious household ... My mother's own experiences ... only reinforced this inherited skepticism.  Her memories of the Christians who populated her youth were not fond ones ... And yet for all her professed secularism, my mother was in many ways the most spiritually awakened person that I've ever known...Religion for her was just one of the many ways—and not necessarily the best way—that man attempted to control the unknowable and understand the deeper truths about our lives..."

Once asked if their mother was an atheist, Obama's sister,  Maya Soetoro-Ng, described their mother's spirituality in this way:

"I wouldn't have called her an atheist. She was an agnostic. She basically gave us all the good books—the Bible, the Hindu Upanishads and the Buddhist scripture, the Tao Te Ching—and wanted us to recognize that everyone has something beautiful to contribute...Jesus, she felt, was a wonderful example. But she felt that a lot of Christians behaved in un-Christian ways."

 However, Dunham's best friend while attending High School revealed in an interview that "[Dunham] touted herself [then] as an atheist, and it was something she'd read about and could argue. She was always challenging and arguing and comparing. She was already thinking about things that the rest of us hadn't."

In regard to Obama's muddled upbringing, he insisted he was a Christian merely because he had been brought up by a mother who claimed to be a Christian, but rejected the truth of Scripture and created her own brand of religiosity by seeking all paths, instead of the only Way, and by grandparents who were "non-practicing" Baptists and Methodists who later attended a Unitarian Universalist church.  Obama's biological father, Barack Obama Sr., was a Kenyan Muslim who mixed Islam with animism and Hinduism.  Following his mother's divorce from Barack Sr., Dunham moved her son to Indonesia and married another Muslim, Lolo Soetoro.  Obama was enrolled for two years in a Muslim school where he studied the Quran, and for two years in a Catholic school, receiving additional indoctrination into false religious systems.

During his 2006 campaign speech, Obama attempted to hide his connection with his grandparents' church and his Muslim roots:

"I was not raised in a particularly religious household, as undoubtedly many in the audience were.  My father, who returned to Kenya when I was just two, was born Muslim but as an adult became an atheist.  My mother, whose parents were non-practicing Baptists and Methodists, was probably one of the most spiritual people and kindest people I've ever known, but grew up with a healthy skepticism of organized religion herself.  As a consequence, so did I."

As a teenager growing up in Hawaii with his grandparents, Obama was encouraged to take it one step further by seeking out radical mentors, including his grandparents' friend, Frank Marshall Davis, who was, among other things, a card carrying member of the Soviet-backed Communist Party USA.  Through the long hours spent with Davis, Obama's growing intellect and belief system was exposed to Marxism and its destructive agenda against Democracy.  When he eventually attended college, Obama carried forward his radical idealism, Utopian philosophy, and world vision.  From an early age, the stage was set for Obama's move into the political scene, bringing with it a belief system that would eventually begin to reveal itself in later years.

                                                                                                         Obama Sets the Stage

Prior to and following Obama's election to the Presidency, the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago  was named as the church he attended while living in Chicago, Illinois.  As we all know, the infamous Reverend Jeremiah Wright held the position of pastor at the church.  How could we forget Wright's entrance onto the scene?  Obama claimed to have first met Wright in the late 1980's while working as a "community organizer" before attending Harvard Law School and greatly respected Wright's view of theology.  Wright officiated at Barrack and Michelle's wedding, and also baptized their two daughters.  It should also be noted that Obama based the title of his second book, Audacity of Hope, on Wright's sermons, appointed Wright to his newly formed "African American Religious Leadership Committee" (AARLC) that included over 170 black religious leaders who supported Obama's bid for the Presidency (in 2008, Wright's name was removed from the list as no longer serving), and Obama also used Wright's sermons as a backdrop for his 2004 keynote address to the Democratic National Convention.

Wright's penchant for debasing the white man and spewing vile and hateful diatribe from the pew didn't go unnoticed by the media, or Obama. (See: http://www.boycottliberalism.com/Jeremiah-Wright-Quotes.htm for a list of some of Wright's most virulent utterances)  Because of the public outrage that ensued, it became apparent Obama needed to distance himself from Wright and his overt preaching of Black Liberation Theology that Obama, himself, embraced.   Shortly after Wright was removed from the African American Republican Leadership Council, and prior to the general election, on May 31, 2008, Obama's campaign headquarters released this statement for political expediency:  "Our relations with Trinity have been strained by the divisive statements of Reverend Wright, which sharply conflict with our own views", and the Obamas withdrew their membership from the church.

Although Obama had sat under Wright's teachings for nearly two decades, following his withdrawal from Trinity, Obama denied he had ever heard Wright preach such inflammatory hatred and he feigned outrage each time Wright opened his mouth.  I guess he has a selective memory.

In an attempt to convince Americans he was not what Wright represented, Obama swept all connections with Wright under the rug, and a new "spiritual adviser" by the name of Jim Wallis entered the scene.

Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire

Born in 1948, Jim Wallis is best known for being a Christian writer (see link for a list of his books) and a political activist.  While attending Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois, he became a member of the Students For a Democratic Society (SDS) and was instrumental in establishing the "Sojourners Community," that began with a group of students at Trinity in the early 70's.  Soujourners mixes a brand of Christianity and politics, racial and feminine equality, and espouses social justice within the church.

The SDS claim to fame was its militancy and activist attitude against the Vietnam War, and for breeding the "Weathermen," or "Weather Underground," which was made up of terrorist-driven radicals during the 60's and 70's.  Included in their notorious membership were the "unrepentant terrorists" and later BFF's to Obama, William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn. (see also http://www.wnd.com/2013/04/bill-ayers-confirms-what-obama-has-denied/)  The early SDS went into obscurity at the end of the 70's, but there was a reemergence of the organization on January 16, 2006, and by 2010, membership grew to 150 posts around the United States and, to date, has held 5 national conventions.

However, Wallis' position as founder and editor of the progressive "Sojourners" magazine has brought him the most notoriety.  He labels himself a "progressive evangelical."   Although Wallis claims to believe in the sanctity of life and considers himself to be a pro-life advocate, he calls for a "reduction" in abortions and looking for a "common ground" between pro-life and pro-choice groups.  In Wallis' own words, he demonstrates he is merely a fence sitter, residing in the gray area between darkness and light:  "I support the president’s call for a new dialogue on the best ways to achieve abortion reduction while retaining his position on choice."  In other words, Wallis may claim he's pro-life, but his words reveal he is neither hot nor cold and is about to be spit out of Christ's mouth (Rev. 3:15-16).

By taking a little time and digging through the Sojourners website, it becomes evident that Wallis' theology is far from being Biblical and sound.

This link is to Sojourners' "Diversity Statement" which, I assume, replaces the normal Statement of Faith that most, if not all, Christian denominations or organizations (including even Christian cults) display on their websites.   It reeks of ecumenical diversity and a push for a more equitable system of justice, i.e., social justice, borrowing misapplied and misunderstood Bible verses to support itself.  To put it simply, you rob Peter to pay Paul to insure that all classes are socio-economically equal in status, and throw out the Constitution and pattern our current government after a Marxist form of rule.  That may sound a tad conspiratorial, but the very basis of Wallis', et al, political activism points in that direction.

The grave danger is that Jim Wallis is a far-left, liberal-thinking, preaching, deceiving wolf who has inserted himself and his brand of religion into the political scene to insure that his progressive idealism and philosophy moves forward in the church without a hitch.  And so far, he's been very successful.  By aligning himself with Obama, Wallis' devilish influence has far-reaching tentacles.  Obama's relationship with Wallis affords him the luxury of blending together his false brand of Christianity and his Muslim roots by remaining obscurely somewhere between them both, causing Americans to scratch their heads in befuddlement or, more accurately, discern that he is not a Christian in the truest sense of the word.

Wallis has a much deeper agenda than merely addressing issues such as  "alleviating AIDS in Africa or conflict resolution in Darfur."  In 2009, the Obama administration announced the formation of a new "faith-based council" with Wallis at the helm.  Included in the list of appointees were Rev. Joel Hunter (this link reeks of liberal progressive theology that has permeated the church), Rabbi David Saperstein (another liberal-thinker), former Southern Baptist Convention Rev. Frank Page, and Judith Vredenburgh, President and CEO of Girls Inc.  An additional 20-25 members were reportedly added (see link for list).   This obscure and rarely seen or mentioned Council appears to be nothing more than another costly ruse created to give the appearance that Obama is a religious man.  In reality, its nothing more than an extension of Obama's and Wallis' community organizer days and their desire to further a socialist agenda.  The Council was disbanded in 2010 but remained active until 2012, and has been given the green light by Obama to continue its fruitless inactivity until 2015 at the tax payer's expense.

But Wallis doesn't come without his own critics.

Gary North, an outspoken opponent of Wallis, could be considered to be a "radical" in his own right.   He is a proponent of eliminating the Federal Reserve System and a return to the gold standard; he also opposes the Department of Education, calling it a "cartel" bent on the liberalization and secularization  of higher education and driving up its costs.  Mr. North is a supporter of Ron Paul, Republican Congressman and former contender for the Presidency which, I assume, makes him a Libertarian.  He has also been labeled, whether by others or through self-identification, a "Christian Reconstructionist", and is a member of the Presbyterian Church In America.

Regardless of Mr. North's stand on politics and religion, he has made a career out of exposing Jim Wallis and his "social justice" agenda,  and he has done so with a vengeance.  However one may feel about Mr. North, the information he has dug up about Wallis clearly identifies who Wallis is and, along with other information available, has afforded us the opportunity to form our own opinions.

Wallis Has Competition

Dubbed Obama's "pastor-in-chief," Joshua Dubois was, according to this article, an opponent of Obama's stance on contraception and "women's health."  At one point as head of the Faith-Based Council, he found himself questioning his participation over the "balance between religious liberty and the rights of women...questioning [the Council's] motivations."  Unfortunately, rather than parting company with the likes of Wallis and others who speak out both sides of their mouths, Dubois, after "struggling internally," struck a compromise.  The question remains whether or not he was listening to that still, small voice in his head, or chose to interpret it to meet his own desire to remain in good standing with Obama.

Dubois penned a daily devotional for Obama that, according to him, includes "grounding [Obama] in the knowledge of God's love for us," and "how to love others - especially one's enemies."  All good things, but the book also reportedly contains partisan topics and feeds Obama's inflated ego.  And, of course, the group, Americans United For Separation of Church and State, accuses the Obama administration of using tax dollars to pay for Dubois' services.

Joshua Dubois is confident Obama is what he claims to be - a Christian - by using the example that no one knows the heart of another.  However, if Dubois is as close to Obama as he claims to be and is a Christian in the deepest sense of the word, he should know Obama by his fruit.  I'll leave that for Mr. Dubois to sort out.


It Gets Worse...

Perhaps the most volatile and outrageously hateful rhetoric Obama has consumed in his past came out of the mouth of Dr. James H. Cone, a "Distinguished [their term not mine] Professor of Systematic Theology" at New York's Union Theological Seminary (a racist think-tank breeder of Black Liberation graduates, by the looks of this link), and a proponent of the "Critical Race Theory" that teaches, to sum it up in a nutshell, that America is inherently a racist nation and oppresses the black man.  Whether or not Obama openly associates with Cone is something you can determine on your own.  However, Obama's former mentor, Jeremiah Wright, considered Cone to be his mentor and preached from Cone's Marxist playbook, and Obama and his wife, Michelle, absorbed the racist and hateful diatribe every Sunday until they parted company with Wright.  Mixing Cone's twisted form of Christianity and his vehement stance on race puts a much brighter light on the Obama's and their worldview.

                                                        Is Obama A Muslim?

Obama dons a "kafti" which is only worn by devout Muslims

The answer to that question is, "who knows?"  If he is, he's certainly not admitting it.  According to most of the articles I read, the accusation that our President is a Muslim are false.  But I would like to add that noted journalists and websites have no more of an insight into Obama's spirituality than you or I do.  They are basing their conclusion on what they have heard from those who are supposedly in the know and Obama's ability to deny, deny, deny, and to scoff and sneer at those who label him as such.

Factor in Joshua Dubois' insistence that Obama is a Christian, and those who are members of his inner circle, and who have also risen to fame in certain so-called Christian circles, Obama has been successful, at least on occasion when it suits him, at giving that appearance.  But Obama is also an accomplished liar.  That truth cannot be questioned or disputed (this link from PolitiFact.com provides 4 pages of examples). He may have succeeded in surrounding himself with people who will take the fall for him, but the evidence that the buck stops at the White House is glaring.  At the least, Obama condones the spread of falsehoods, which makes him as culpable as the one uttering the deception (Revelation 21:8).

From the very beginning of his Presidency, Obama has shocked not only Americans, but foreigners with his behavior when he's in the presence of foreign leaders.  He has broken protocol by bowing to the Saudi King, to the Emperor of Japan, a slightly less bow to the Queen of England, and of all people, to Nancy Pelosi.  Maybe he just has a habit of doing that.  But showing reverence to our enemies, like Saudi Arabia who funds terrorism, should compel him to forgo that habit.

Perhaps Obama's biggest reveal that he is a Muslim was when he called the "Shahada," the Muslim call to prayer and the Muslim statement of faith to Islam, "the prettiest sound on earth."  (I beg to differ.  Ask any non-Muslim in the cities around this world who live next to a mosque if they like hearing that mumbo jumbo blaring around their neighborhood five times a day.  I can't bear to hear it on TV.)  During a televised speech, he then went on to recite it.  In another link from noted expert on Islam, Daniel Pipes, he lists five evidences that Obama is what he claims not to be.

Former Muslim Brotherhood member who converted to Christianity and is considered to be a Bible scholar, Walid Shoebat, holds nothing back in his insistence through Obama family ties that Obama is clearly a Muslim.

Recently, Obama once again shamed America when he spoke before the United Nations and praised Sheikh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, the Muslim cleric who called for a fatwa against American troops in Iraq.  The Sheikh disguises himself as a humanitarian and a proponent of peace and solidarity.  However, he also has rumored ties to Hamas and a supporter of terrorism.

In July of this year, and in another speech before the world, Obama thanked Muslims for "building the fabric" of our country.  A brief glimpse into the history of America provides absolutely no basis for this claim.  In fact, it was widely recognized from its foundation how serious the threat of Islam was to America and it's interests.

Although it's hotly debated as to his true intention, Thomas Jefferson read a Quran in order to better know his enemy and combat the increasing threat of Tunisian terror raids and piracy of American cargo ships off the Barbary Coast of Africa.  Muslims only claim to fame in "building the fabric" of America was September 11th and the death of over 3,000 people, and other instances of isolated terrorism that is increasingly sweeping across our nation and literally tearing down the "fabric" of America.  If Obama's memory has failed him, I'd like to remind him how Islam celebrated worldwide the success of the terrorists on 9/11.

Following George W. Bush's lead, Obama has also invited Muslim leaders to the White House, recognized the Muslim holiday, Ramadan, by holding dinners to celebrate the beginning and end of its month-long ritual, and hosted a meeting with a senior leader of the Muslim Brotherhood.  It appears he enjoys the company of his Muslim brothers (I'm being snarky).

A Blurry Conclusion

In spite of all the information I have found, the question of Barack Hussein Obama's spirituality at any level remains to be known.  Looking into the past and present evidences of this question is like looking into a mirror that's surface has been marred and scratched.  What one sees is not a true representation of the man standing before it.  

Although our eyes cannot always see it, the image of a man is often distorted and warped.  It can be dark and ominous, belying any smile or sentiment of good will it is intended to give.  We can't see into Obama's soul.  I'm not even sure we would want to have that opportunity if given to us.  To know our own hearts are wicked and full of sin is enough to keep us from judging the hearts of others.

But God has given us a way to determine the true character of a man: his walk and his talk or, more accurately, his fruit.  In the book of Matthew, chapter 7, Jesus uses the analogy of trees bearing good or bad fruit as a means to determine whether or not false prophets, or "ravenous wolves," are among us and teaching a false and damning gospel.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.   You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?   So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus you will recognize them by their fruits." (Matthew 7:15-20)

This teaching can also be applied to any man or woman claiming to know Christ Jesus and His Gospel.  Regardless of fine-sounding speech, if the man's "fruit" is good, we will know him to be a true disciple of Christ.  If the man's "fruit" is bad, we will know him as a deceiver and a liar:
 

"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing...By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples."  (John 15:5, 8)

There is no greater responsibility as a Christian than to bear good "fruit."  And the greatest "fruit" we have to give and demonstrate is an understanding of and solid belief in the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, including sharing it with the world, both in our speech to others, and how we live our lives as we walk this earth.

A true Christian stands on the firm foundation that there is only ONE way, ONE truth, and ONE life:  Jesus Christ. To insist that other paths lead to salvation is a damning and destructive heresy that will bring sure condemnation and eternal wrath.

To bow to any other god but the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is a grave insult and a futile attempt to crush and subjugate the ONLY living God who is the Creator of the Universe and all that is in it.  Yaweh alone is to be worshiped and praised for all eternity, "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God" and will share His glory with no other (Deuteronomy 4:24; 6:15; Isaiah 42:8).  Not Allah.  Not Buddha.  Or any of the millions of false gods man has conceived over the centuries.

A true Christian will cling to and proclaim the Bible as the ONLY inspired Word of God.  He won't seek after the contortions and warped interpretations, such as the Quran and others man has devised throughout history that do nothing but draw lost souls off the strait path and narrow way to salvation and lead them to hell.

He knows with every fiber of his being there is only one entrance to eternal life:

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."  (Matthew 7:13-14)

And he also knows Who it is that holds the keys to the gate and the kingdom that awaits him and other true believers.

Nor will a true believer deny his position of faith.  Rather, he will proclaim the LORD Jesus Christ in every situation available to him.  Granted, the office of the Presidency includes assuming a persona of tolerance and acceptance of all faiths.  But when the rubber hits the road, a Christian will always stand in defense of his Savior Jesus Christ, knowing that to deny Him is to bring shame and judgment upon himself:

"So everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before My Father who is in heaven."  (Matthew 10:32-33)

If we take the little bit of evidence I have provided about Obama and those who advise him on spiritual matters, our only conclusion is that Obama is a pretender.  His understanding of God and His Son, His covenants and His atonement, are limited by the influence he received during his entire lifetime.  Like many, he was, and is being, deceived by fine-sounding philosophies; he was misled by a mother who rejected the fundamentals of Christianity and grandparents whose lives reflected a void of understanding.  And his head was turned by men and women who were and are driven by agendas that defy God's social and moral order for mankind, His Gospel, and His plan of redemption.

For example, Obama has a penchant for misquoting Scripture:  here, here, here, here,  here...(sigh)...here...here...I think you see my point.  He does it often and someone should tell him to stop it.  Even worse is when he creates his own verses and attempts to convince his listeners they are actually in the Bible.  Somewhere.  Or so he thinks.  Obama's obvious problem, like a lot of professing Christians want to do now days, is that he seems to want to make Scripture fit his twisted agenda, rather than read it as the divinely inspired Word of God and apply it accordingly.  If his so-called "spiritual counselors" were doing their job, they would at least help him get a little closer in his deception.  But Wallis and Wright and the others are cohorts, so how could we expect any less?

If we examine him closely, Obama displays nothing of the characteristics that define a true Christian.  I would even go so far as to say that he defies the very definition of the word.  His stand on the sanctity of life, on marriage, homosexuality, his view of social "fairness," his racism and alignment with those who perpetuate it, and, more recently, his demonstration of hatred for the nation of Israel, all reflect an image of a man who embraces the world and all it has to offer.  But it speaks nothing of being a man seeking after God's will for not only his life, but for the lives of the people he represents.

The apostle James said, ^"You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!"  (James 2:19-20)  I will go so far as to say that I think Obama believes there is a God.  But his god is a little god, one comprised of many gods of his own making, and one he doesn't fear.

Some may say he has only strayed off course because he hasn't been rightly taught.  But I will say Obama knows exactly where he's placing his feet, and they are on a roadway to destruction.

We are called to obey those who are in authority over us (Romans 13:1-7).  However, in light of all we have experienced with Obama at the helm, that's a hard teaching.  These verses speak of governing authorities appointed by God who should only have our best interest in mind: punishing the bad and rewarding the good.  We are also called to pray for our enemies, which is another hard, but valuable, teaching (Matthew 5:43-48).  But we are not called to blindly follow someone who will lead us into spiritual harm.  When the laws established by the authority God has placed over us contradict His moral and social law, Christians must draw the line in the proverbial sand.  Regardless of whom a man surrounds himself, people who give the appearance of Christianity, but by their fruit demonstrate a contradiction, we are to obey God, and not them.  And it's my belief that Obama's agenda contradicts the will of God Almighty.

In conclusion, we must not narrow our lens, but look at the broader picture of Obama's spirituality, or lack, thereof.  Since Obama's elections into the Presidency, America's "fabric" has been rent, and through the politically correct and tolerant-pushing minority, its morality crumbling at a rapid rate.  There doesn't seem to be anyone, or anything, that can, or has the will to, stop Obama.  I believe that God is abandoning America and removing the blessings with which He once graced this great nation.  It's heart-breaking to watch, especially if you believe God created this nation for His purpose: to spread His Gospel to an unbelieving world.  But like the Jews who demanded a king and got Saul, so has God given us what was demanded:  Barack Hussein Obama.

I would like to thank you for visiting this blog and taking the time to read this long post.  I hope it gave you a glimpse into the man leading this nation, his worldview, and of the people with whom he has surrounded himself. 

The question remains: Is Obama and the men who counsel him what they profess to be?  Are they genuine believers in the LORD Jesus Christ and His Gospel?  The evidence is overwhelmingly against it.  But murky conjecture is all we are truly left with, and because we know God is sovereign in His choices of who will receive salvation, for us to use conjecture can be dangerous. 

However, I will leave you with one question to ponder, and I hope you will consider it in deciding for yourself: 

If we had a genuine Christian believer running this country who was being counseled by true men of faith , would we even be asking the question?