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?

 

TMI: A Dangerous Acronym

I have recently been bitten by the "TMI" bug, and the cause of this malady has made my blog suffer for it.  To my faithful reader (note the singularity), I apologize.  But I have what I see as a reason for my absence.

For those of you who "Tweet" (a subject for a future post), or regularly use social network sites like Facebook, the acronym "TMI" should be recognizable.  But for those who aren't up-to-date on what I deem to be mere laziness (abbreviating) or an unhealthy obsession with technology (another subject for a future post), "TMI" simply means "too much information."

To give one example: we all know people who have no qualms about relating something to us and describing every boring or lurid detail, in living color.  The account could have been summed up in one simple sentence, leaving us to fill in the blanks - that is, if we really wanted to know.  In other words, when we are filled to the brim with too much information, what we end up with is a mind full of vivid, ugly, or disturbing pictures that stick like glue.  Our focus oftentimes then becomes fixed on unhealthy, non-productive, or worrisome thoughts that spill over onto our lives and draw our attention away from what should matter most.

I used to be a faithful watcher of the news.  Whether it was on or off, my television was always tuned to FoxNews during the day, and nothing escaped my notice (as Todd Friel of Wretched often quips with a wink, "Christians watch FoxNews").  If I missed something on TV, I'd catch it on Facebook.  If I missed it there, a relative or friend would fill me in.  But a few months ago, I suddenly realized what was happening:  I was being consumed by all the escalating bad news, and it was making me a nervous wreck, or worse, angry.

Granted, an abundance of information on current events should fuel my imagination for frequent posts, but the effect has been quite the opposite.  There could have been posts about the rise of Islam (note I didn't use the term "radical" that is being shoved down our throats) and the atrocities Muslims like ISIS, Boko Haram, Hamas, Hezbollah are committing (I chose this specific Israeli Defense Force website for Hamas and Hezbollah because I don't trust others, like the United Nations or the liberal media, to give the truth), and a host of other Islamic groups recognized by the world as terrorist groups who have risen from the ashes of barbarianism and world domination.  The comprehensive list on this last link (you really should take a look at this!) is daunting and should be evidence enough that, as long as political correctness, tolerance, complacency, and apathy continue to rule over the foolish minds of the world's citizenry, Islam and its influence will continue to spread like a cancer.

I could have written about the isolated terrorism in Canada where a lone Muslim shot to death a defenseless guard, Nathan Cirillo, (it's common practice for the guards not to have a loaded weapon) at their Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, then proceeded to the Parliament building where he was shot dead by a brave Sargent At Arms, Kevin Vickers.   Vickers is a hero in my book.  I also might add that, within hours of the attack,  Canada's Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, called it what it was:  terrorism.  No "work place violence," or "mentally ill individual," or what really fries my bacon, "Islamic extremist."  He gave it the label it should have been given.  Harper should be applauded for not borrowing from Obama's politically correct (or politically inept) playbook.

The recent hatchet-wielding Muslim in New York City, who severely wounded two police officers, could have become a topic here on this blog.  But, according to the liberal media and the Obama administration, he was just a "mentally ill" man (see above).

I could have addressed the Ebola threat that has been, in my humble opinion, idiotically allowed to enter the United States, and the Obama Administration's apparent ignorance (or worse) in mishandling the situation (no travel ban established, no border security, no forced quarantine of incoming travelers, and Obama's latest brilliant idea, bringing into the U.S. foreigners who have contracted the disease...is he completely clueless???)  Or I could have ranted about the new "Ebola Czar," the liberal political hack Ron Klain, that Obama appointed (unconstitutionally, by the way) to oversee the institution of the Center For Disease Control's (CDC's) ever-changing protocols (because they really have never completely understood this dangerous virus and how its transmitted) on the loose suggestions made by Obama in-between tee times.

Or what I see to be the piece de resistance: sending 4,000 of our troops to West Africa to help "combat" the Ebola virus (Obama originally said 3,000 but, you know, he changes his mind at his whim).  Our soldiers are trained specifically for battle and defense.  So the question remains: can you shoot a virus?? (utter lunacy)  It's more likely that they will end up contracting the virus and their ashes coming home to their families and loved ones in an urn. 

I could add to this list of growing troubles and woes that are occurring around the world, but then I would just fall into the trap of giving you too much information.  Besides, things are happening at such a rapid rate with no seeming end, this post would never get published.  Most of it you've already heard and fretted over because you, also, have been made a victim of "TMI."

The problem on the flip side is that we are only spoon fed what the "powers that be" want us to know, not providing us with enough accurate information to truly educate us.  We go from one tragedy or terror act or skirmish on the other side of the world to another and quickly forget about the previous news stories, making us complacent and having an attitude that nothing surprises us, anymore.  FoxNews "News Alerts" used to make us sit up and take notice, but are becoming mundane from over-use.  It seems everything, now days, is considered an "alert," even if it isn't.  And when you consider that Obama's press secretaries are nothing more than hired liars who divert, deflect, and deceive, what can we believe?

And so we fall into slumber.

My hope is that you will do what I have done:  turn your focus back on Jesus Christ and what He desired for us while we tarry here and await His return, giving His Gospel to a dying world and making disciples of men; including, but not limited to, the unbelieving, rabid Muslims who are causing so much terror and grief around this world.

The only information we truly need is found in the Word of God.  There is nothing happening now that wasn't written about long ago as a warning of Christ's imminent return and God's wrath to come.  It's reliable and trustworthy, for God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19).  And if you are a true believer in the LORD Jesus Christ, you understand that these things must take place before our eyes behold our Savior:

"...And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once."  Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences [plagues, viruses].  And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven [raging, unpredictable weather].  But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for My name's sake [Christian persecution].  This will be your opportunity to bear witness.  Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer,  for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.  You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death.  You will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head will perish.  By your endurance you will gain your lives." ~ Luke 21:9-19

I went on a news hiatus for a few months.  That's not to say I am completely unaware of what's happening at such break-neck speed, both in our nation and around the world.  It just means that I stopped watching the news so often.  I purposefully refocused my mind back onto my Savior Jesus Christ and the cross.  When I did, my blood pressure dropped, my anger subsided, my fascination with worldly things decreased, and I was able to know the peace Christ Jesus faithfully pours out upon His children in times like this by returning to His Word and, more importantly, believing and trusting it:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:4-7

We need to remain informed, to be faithful "watchmen on the wall" (Isaiah 62:6-12), so that we can sound the clarion call and proclaim our King of kings and LORD of Lords to this unbelieving generation.  But if we allow the world to inundate us with too much information, we allow the enemy to divert our attention away from our responsibility as Christians.

"JICBS" - Jesus is coming back soon.  I think He's coming back very soon.  That's the only information we need and that matters, because the rest falls into perfect unity with it.  It's not a dangerous acronym, unless you remain in unbelief (John 3:36).  It's the truth, and the truth is the information this world desperately needs to hear.

Give the Gospel to the lost and faithfully preserve God's Word (2Tim. 4:2).  Keep your eyes fixed heavenward.  Keep watch for the signs and remain diligent and ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within you (1Peter 3:14).  Guard your hearts and minds by remaining in God's Word (Prov. 4:23).   And keep looking up in excited anticipation of the LORD's return - the Rapture of Christ's church (Matthew 24:30-36; Matthew 24:40-41; Luke 21:28; John 14:1-3; 1Cor. 15:51-52; 1Thes. 4:16-17).  It's going to be glorious!  And if you need more information, just ask someone who knows and they'll fill in the rest.

All these things will bring peace of mind and comfort knowing that God is in absolute control, regardless what happens next.

I hope this is a TMI you can relate to.

Sin In Small Doses

Buried beneath the earth is a chemical element of creation called "arsenic" that, by its very nature, is deadly.   The origin of the word comes from the Syriac (Middle Aramaic) word "(al) zarniqa," which is derived from the Persian word "zarnikh," meaning "yellow," or literally, "golden colored."  Because arsenic is belched from the earth in the form of volcanic ash which dissolves in groundwater, it is found in the water, soil, and air.  Since it is absorbed by all plants, especially leafy varieties, this deadly mineral takes up residence in nearly everything we drink and consume for food, including seafood.

Since the discovery of arsenic in ancient times, its application and use has been broad.  Originally, man's ignorance compelled him to mess around with the stuff by adding it to bronze to strengthen the alloy, and in the Victorian Age, women actually mixed it with vinegar and chalk, foolishly thinking that by ingesting the poison, it would improve their complexion.  

During World War I, the United States stockpiled 20,000 tons of a chemical weapon called "lewisite" that included arsenic, and that was used against the enemy as a blistering agent and lung irritant.  Eventually in the 1950's, the chemical weapon was "neutralized" with bleach and dumped into the Gulf of Mexico.  During the Viet Nam War, "Agent Blue," a chemical weapon containing arsenic, was used as a herbicide to kill the foliage cover and rice paddies that hid the North Vietnamese soldiers.

Arsenic is found in our car batteries, in bronzing and pyrotechnics, in lead shots and bullets, is used to prevent corrosion, in electronic circuitry, in wood preservation, and for the last four centuries has been used in medical compounds to treat ailments, such as syphilis and psoriasis.  Its most recent application is in the battle to fight cancer.  In 2000, the Food and Drug Administration approved "arsenic trioxide" for the treatment of a form of leukemia, and even more recently, the injection of "arsenic-74" has replaced "iodine-124" to locate tumors using PET scans to eliminate the "noise" that iodine causes and the scan picks up as it travels to the thyroid gland.

Some may think that, even though arsenic is dangerous, the element has some usefulness, as long as it is handled properly and the allowable limits of its concentration set by the FDA are strictly adhered to.  But as history has proven, ultimately, mankind quickly learned of its poisonous properties.  It then became a useful and effective method of murder.  Our history books are replete with accounts using arsenic or other poisons to rid a throne of a despot, and disgruntled spouses secretly slipping small doses of the poison into the pot roast dinner.  Unless the unlucky recipient of continued exposure and ingestion of this toxic cocktail undergoes screening of blood, urine, hair, and nails to evaluate its presence, and is put on a drug regimen to cleanse the body of arsenic, eventually a painful and untimely death, resulting from multi-system organ failure, is realized.

Now that I've educated my readers, as well as myself, on arsenic, you may be wondering why a Christian blog is spending so much time on the subject.  If you will bear with me for a few more lines, I'll try to draw my thoughts to a conclusion you can appreciate.

We have already established that death can be brought about by continued exposure to arsenic.  Taken in small doses over a period of time, or massive doses in one fell swoop, life here on earth will end.  But there is an even more dangerous toxin that can not only bring life to a sudden end in this world, but will insure an eternity of pain and suffering in the next:  unrepentant sin.

When arsenic is viewed in its natural state, its appearance is appealing, even beautiful.  The crystals form into a variety of geometric three dimensional shapes and vary in color, from whitish gray and black, to brilliant hues of yellow, orange, and blue.  But it's what is hidden in its anatomical structure, unseen to the naked eye, that is extremely dangerous.

The same can be applied to what many foolishly refer to as "little sins" - those seemingly innocuous, harmless acts of disobedience mankind refuses to acknowledge are a grievance to God and an affront to the Son who shed His blood for each and every one of them.  Far too many confessing Christians love their sins, examining them on the surface only and finding them appealing to their senses which causes them to not want to let go of them.  Often the excuse to continue in their sin is that the person repented when they responded to that altar call and, therefore, wrongly believe there is no need to continue to feel guilty over a continued pattern of behavior.

When sin is willingly and presumptuously taken in small doses, the poison it harbors spreads like a cancer, affecting one's entire life, until the person is completely consumed by it.  What once appeared pleasing to the senses, suddenly becomes dark and ominous as its true purpose becomes evident: the destruction of the soul and a guarantee of an eternity full of misery and separation.

Like arsenic which, when a person is exposed to it, requires immediate medical attention or death is a certainty, there is a cure for sin, as well.  Acknowledging that we are sinful and in constant need of repentance is required of us.  In 1John, we are reminded that, until we receive our glorified state in heaven, sin is present and repentance is a necessity.  John puts it this way:

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.   If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."  (1John 1:8)

The apostle Paul is even more clear regarding the depraved state that he knew lurked within him:

^"Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.  For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.  For I do not understand my own actions.  For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.  Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good.  So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.  For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.  Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

"So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.  For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,  but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!  So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin."

Paul recognized his sinful state while he dwelt in his earthly body, and he also understood his need for continued repentance.

If you have become aware that you are attempting to hide sin from God, or even if you are overconfident that you are in good standing in spite of your sins, go to God's Word.  Pray for discernment.  Study it and apply it.   And if you are convicted that you have taken sin in small doses and the venom is about to consume you, go to the One who was sinless, our Great Physician who has the cure, and ask Him to cleanse your heart, mind, and soul of the poison that's coursing through your veins.

As God told Cain, who was angry because God found Abel's offering more acceptable, "... sin is crouching at the door.  Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7b).

Sin, like deadly arsenic, is a destroyer of life.   Recognize it, confront it, then rid yourself of it for God's honor and glory.

The Hermit Monk and the Tourist

The world is coming unhinged and it's happening with breakneck speed. 

I would assert that one would have to be a deaf, dumb, and blind hermit monk cloistered on some mountain top in the Himalayas, far too remote and secluded for even the most foolishly determined seeker of the meaning of life to discover, to not sense the turmoil and conflict that is raging around this globe.

Today's technology is such that, within mere minutes, we are receiving news that used to take days, or more, to reach us.  Cell phone cameras, computers, and the internet have given mankind the ability to convey around the world up-to-the-minute events, catastrophes, disasters, or just plane nonsense for all eyes to see.  And once this information hits the social media and bloggers' websites, sometimes long before the news agencies pick it up or deem it legitimate, we become inundated with a information overload that makes our heads spin and our minds reel.

But let us reexamine our deaf, dumb, and blind hermit monk, though, and his determination to not allow the world to disrupt his peaceful contemplation.  Unfortunately, that is how the majority of humankind behaves, especially in westernized nations that enjoy a degree of prosperity and peace and, more particularly, in America.

I live in a tourist trap.  What used to be a beautiful mountain valley where ranching, logging, and mining fed its hardworking residents, is now adorned with the allurement of recreation, entertainment, frivolity, and foolishness.  Most of the locals who have lived here for decades dread the end of the school year.  The highway that leads to our home becomes clogged with so much traffic during the summer that the highway department has to station traffic controllers at certain portions along the 100 mile route, in order that the bumper-to-bumper automobiles pulling RV's and trailers loaded down with all their toys will maintain at least a crawl, and so that those who have to divert off the main road are afforded that luxury.  Needless to say, the locals with any sense strategically plan their shopping and errands beforehand, then park their car and hide out at home while the tourists do as much possible damage to our valley and themselves as they are capable during their visit.  Woe to any of us who have to be out on the road.

You may be wondering why I have used two very distinctly different analogies.  But I have a purpose for doing so.  Let me explain.

The hermit monk and the tourists who invade us most of the year have something in common.  Something that's not recognized, but is really inherent in each.  The monk hides his head in a monastery to escape the outside world.  The tourist rushes into the outside world and hides his head in recreation to escape the doldrums and hubbub of his life.  But both have a selfish motive.  They are attempting to hide from the reality of the Creator's purpose in sustaining this universe for as long as He has done so.  God created the earth and all that is in it for us to enjoy, but His design was not planned long before time began so that man could find a false sense of meaning for why he exists, or peace, prosperity, and entertainment while he dwelt upon this earth.  His intention in creating man was so that man could glorify Him in all the things man does.  Instead, man seeks after his own glory and relegates God Almighty to second place, putting his pleasures and desires over and above his true purpose for his existence.

I often wonder about the tourists that come here: the money they may or may not have, but is being spent on such brief exercises of recreation; how many professing Christians are in the mix, and the attitudes that are seen and felt by Christians living here, instead of what we would expect if they were.  If, while briefly away from what they consider their "normal" life, they pause in thanksgiving for what they are able to do.  But what has really struck me, of late, is whether or not they truly realize and acknowledge the signs we are being given that point to the imminent return of our LORD Jesus Christ.  The turmoil in the Middle East and northern Africa.  The sinfulness that has permeated our beloved nation, America, and the threats to its sovereignty and its inevitable fall.  The building of the federation of Gog and Magog.  The unsettled weather and the disasters it is bringing.  The growing persecution of Christians.  And much, much more occurring every day.

All that was foretold nearly 2600 years ago reveals that the world is, indeed, coming unhinged (Dan 12:1-13; Matt 24:1-51).  I believe we are living in that age God has decreed, and time is very short.

The hearts and minds of both the hermit monk and the thoughtless tourist need to be opened to receive God's truths before our LORD Jesus Christ returns to remove His church (1Thes 4:13-18), and the enemy is given a brief seven year reign upon this earth before Jesus comes back to destroy His enemies and restore His kingdom (Rev 12:12; Rev 11:15).  Their eternal destination depends upon it, for the monk's monastery will crumble around him and the mountain upon which it is perched will topple; and the tourist's castle he built upon the sand of the lake shore will wash away from beneath his feet.

Are you a hermit, or are you a tourist?  It's imperative that you examine yourself, in the light of Scripture, to determine which you are.  Both are sinners who have built their lives upon self.  Both are attempting to hide from the reality of a Holy God who will bring utter destruction and death when He pours out His wrath.  Both are in need of the Savior who died so that we may live forever with Him.  Both have an eternal destination that has been determined for them.  And both need to understand that Jesus is returning at an hour none of us have the ability to expect, but He is coming soon.

To my Christian brothers and sisters,  “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.   Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.   If He comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!   But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.   You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”  (Luke 12:35-40)

But for my hermit monk, I encourage you to come down from your mountain and seek after the true meaning of Life eternal (John 17:3).   And for my tourist friend, I encourage you to examine the treasures you have amassed and where you are storing them (Matt 6:19-21).

Our Savior Jesus Christ gently calls to you both, "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”  (Matt 11:28-30)

 

Hidden Cosmic Compost

 





Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23:24, NIV 

I decided that yesterday was the day I needed to clean house.  Much to my chagrin, I don't divide my time well and have a tendency to allow housework to go untended.   I'm not a messy housekeeper, in the least, but I tend to "surface clean," which satisfies me at that particular moment.  That is, until my conscience gets hold of me and forces me into action.  Yesterday was such a day.  I figured the dog and grandbabies had tracked in enough dirt after the week of rain we had, so I dragged myself up and went at it.

Mind you, I had no intention of doing a "deep clean".  You know the kind: moving furniture and scrubbing every nook and cranny and rooting out hidden offenses - what some call "Spring cleaning," even if it is mid-summer.  But I certainly decided that the vacuum attachments should be put to use; at least jabbing around with them under the couch, chairs, and into the corners.  If there was something that had fallen in those locations, I hadn't missed them and their importance was subject to debate.

As I reached the end of that process, I noticed a ball of dust poking out from behind a particular spot I had been ignoring for some time.  It was one of those locations that's small and out of sight, out of mind.  Moving things out of the way and looking closer, I realized how bad it really was.   The originator of the term "cosmic compost" escapes me at the moment (it was from a funny book I read over 35 years ago), but that's exactly what was staring at me.  The term "dust bunny" was just too mild and benign to compare to it.  So much had accumulated, it was difficult to recognize the object it surrounded.  As it leered at me like some monster out of a horror movie, I began viciously sucking it up with the vacuum, hoping that would satisfy me until I got serious about scrubbing from top to bottom.

It didn't.

Once the small offending ball of dust, hair, and who knows what was gone, more began to appear.  It seemed endless as dust and smaller balls of "cosmic compost" drifted down from the fabric it was hiding behind, and the worst of it was that when I finally got it all, what was lurking underneath was equally as offensive.

So much for cleaning the surface, today.  I spent the next half hour making sure that I had gotten everything in that corner and decided to take a quick look in a couple more.   When I was done, I sat down and started thinking about how complacent we are over things as trivial as housecleaning.  We want to put off for tomorrow what can easily be done today.  But even more, I began to equate it with the corners of our heart that we rarely examine for a buildup of sin.

Like the ignored dust that collected in the dark corner of my home, unrepentant sin can begin as a mote of dust lying idle in a corner of our hearts and can quickly build into a disgusting mess that we are forced to deal with after it has grown into a nearly unmanageable size.  Merely giving our a hearts a quick surface check-over doesn't address the hidden problems that may be lurking there.  We need to look deeply into every nook, every cranny, and every corner for the hidden sins that keep us from having a meaningful relationship with our God and Savior Jesus Christ.  And we need to do it often.

This is not to say that God isn't aware of every spot, wrinkle, stain, smear, or ball of "cosmic compost" that inhabit our hearts.  He is our Creator and knows our thoughts and our actions, including what we may be harboring in our hearts:

 “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."   

(Jeremiah 17:10)  

 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    You discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. 

(Psalm 139:1-4)

Jesus Christ is our Savior because the blood of His atonement provided all that is necessary to clean us up for salvation.  All the needful scouring of our depraved hearts (sanctification) is performed by the Holy Spirit by shining His brilliant light into the dark recesses where sin may be hiding so that we may recognize them, repent, and our hearts prepared to receive the truth of God's Word.  We need to be eternally grateful that this cleansing process was afforded a worm such as us.  Without it, our souls would be caught up in the filth of sin and we would be judged accordingly.

If finding the mess I was forced to confront did anything for me yesterday, it convinced me that I need to ask the LORD to daily search my heart for any hidden "cosmic compost" that's lurking there.  Ignoring it won't make it go away, anymore than ignoring the forgotten corner of my home.  Sin needs to be confessed and rooted out.  After all, the Holy Spirit abides there.

Have you examined the corners of your heart, lately?  There just may be something skulking there that needs your immediate attention.  If there is, don't put it off - get after it for the honor and glory of God.

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Rev. 3:19, ESV

  

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Editors note:  This was originally published in September, 2011, but is, unfortunately, relevant for today.  I hope my words are encouraging to parents and grandparents who may be facing the same problems.  If you are, give your children and grandchildren over to the LORD and travail in prayer for changed hearts.

In 1967, a R & B singer by the name of Aretha Franklin reintroduced a  song that quickly became a hit.  "Respect" was originally released by Otis Redding in 1965, but the two versions were uniquely different.  Redding's version, a blues tune, sang about a "desperate man" pleading with a woman to respect him.  Franklin's interpretation, which had a more up-beat tempo, impressed that she deserved respect, rather than begging for it, and the sexual connotations were evident in the lyrics, "sock it to me," that are sung over and over again. 

The song has been touted as a "landmark for the feminist movement" and has continued to be one of the genre's greatest hits.  In fact, Franklin's version continues to be profiled in movies and television, including Steven Spielberg's animated television series, "Tiny Toons" that was produced for children.  "Babs Bunny," the young female rabbit in the series, lip synchs the song as the rest of the cast back her up.  So much for healthy Saturday morning cartoons.

It is disturbing to think that the word "respect" has lost its original meaning, as is evident in the example above.  When one considers how it was implied in the song that bears its title, the definition of the word is no longer used in its proper context to direct one how to either apply it or receive it.  And I think it can be safely said that there is a general, overall disregard for the necessity of respect in today's culture, especially among our youth.  They are simply not being taught the original purpose of the word and the importance of putting it into practice.   Recently, I learned that lesson the hard way through a grandchild's bad behavior and disrespect, and it prompted me to write this.

Webster defines "respect" as having high regard or esteem for a particular person, idea, situation, or thing.  To be "respected" is to have others display esteem upon your person, indicating that the level  of authority you are conveying is worthy of the application.  Everyone wants respect, some demand it, but not all of us receive it, or even deserve it, for that matter.  It can also be said that we must earn respect, and this is accomplished by demonstrating to others something within us that is deserving of the honor.

However, if we take a Biblical look at the word and see how God applies it to all of us, it is possible that we find ourselves recognizing the error in our thinking and how we may have misinterpreted and misused the application of "earning" and applying respect.

One of the most troubling demonstrations of the lack of respect in our society, and a pet peeve of mine, is the refusal of young people to grant it to their elders and those of authority over them.  I don't need to detail the evidence.  It is glaringly obvious in every aspect of society, including the media, the internet, television, schools, and their behavior outside their homes.  There's not a lot of difference between the present and what it was like when Jeremiah lamented over the sins of Israel.  The youth had no respect for the elderly then, either (Lam. 5:12), and the elderly could no longer be found at the city gates where they taught and instructed them (Lam. 5:14).  Children still want to challenge the authority of their parents, their teachers, law enforcement, and even their church leaders who are attempting to guide them.  However, the degree to which they practice disrespect has grown exponentially since the 1960's and has become a serious problem as our youth wallow in "self".

In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus told the parable about two men, one a tax collector and the other a Pharisee, who had gone to the temple to pray.  The crowd that had gathered around Him to hear the lesson considered themselves to be "righteous" and "viewed others with contempt."  As Jesus told the parable, I've often wondered how many hearts understood what He was telling them.  The contrast between the self-righteous Pharisee and the repentant tax collector was vivid.  The LORD'S conclusion to His parable can also be applied to respect or the lack of it:  "...for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

The "contempt" our children have for society, their parents, their grandparents, and others who have been placed in authority over them have thrust them into a position of "exalting" themselves over others.  It goes without saying that unless they are taught what true respect means, their attitude will never be replaced with a humble one.  If they are living in a home where the husband has no Godly love for his wife and she doesn't respect him (Eph. 5:33), if they are working in an environment where they have no respect for their employers or their job (1Peter 2:18-19), or if they have no regard for their nation and those God has put in place to govern them (1Peter 2:13-17), then we can expect them to continue to be disobedient and stay on a pathway to destruction.

When God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, the directive He gave in the fifth was aimed at the youth and included a blessing upon them if they followed it.  “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you."  (Ex 20:12).  Honoring parents and grandparents is a form of respect that is necessary for a healthy and spiritual well-being.  Without it, the child becomes selfish, disrespectful, insolent, manipulating, and demanding.  And as he matures, he will carry those qualities on into every aspect of his life and pass it on to his own children, to the detriment of society as a whole.

Proverbs were penned by King Solomon as a way to instruct his children in the ways of God.  The profound wisdom he impressed upon them would help them to mature into righteous and just men able to keep peace among his people, and the wisdom they would need to attain these things would be proved later in their lives.  As Prov 16:31 impresses, "Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life..." and, "The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old."  (Prov 20:29)  Young people need to be taught that what they mistakenly perceive to be their own fair-haired "wisdom" is nothing more than an immature and disobedient way of thinking and that those with more years and experience should be respected for what they can teach them.

It's time that parents, and even grandparents, started to demand the respect they have earned through a lifetime of experience and God-given wisdom.  If you were raised in a home like mine that taught you to respect your elders, even if you believed they weren't worthy of it, then you need to start teaching your children the same thing and enforcing the necessary discipline upon them when they don't.  When children are taught to REFLECT Jesus Christ, they will also earn the RESPECT they desire.

It's up to you to learn what Scripture can teach you about respect, not what the secular world and its music, videos, and literature want to impress upon you.  Recording artists Redding and Franklin got it wrong.  Get it right and then pass it onto your children and grandchildren.