Month: September 2015

TOTO, We’re Not in GITMO Anymore

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1496_DorothyHoldingToto_75yrs_28Based on the latest statistics from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, 196 of the former Guantanamo (GITMO) detainees are either confirmed or suspected of returning to Jihadist activity

There are still around 116 terrorists incarcerated in GITMO.  If President Obama gets his way, this will change.  Since he was re-elected, Obama has been wearing ruby slippers and clicking his heels together in an effort to move the remaining GITMO detainees to facilities in either Kansas or South Carolina.

I find it interesting that some of Obama’s most outspoken critics are from the ranks of politicians from Kansas and South Carolina.  This is another example of poor judgment and retaliatory measures on the part of the president.

I seriously doubt that many in either Kansas or South Carolina will welcome these Jihadists with open arms.

Recant or “I can’t!”

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isisI have often wondered what I would do if my faith was put to the test.  If I was order to recant or die, would I recant or would I be willing to die the death of a martyr?  This dilemma is more than a question to the Christians living in the city of Al-Qaryaten:  It’s reality.

To live, they must agree to pay a tax and sign a contract that states they will live in accord with each of the 11 points of the document below.

  1. Christians may not build churches, monasteries, or hermitages in the city or in the surrounding areas.
  2. They may not show the cross or any of their books in the Muslims’ streets or markets, and may not use amplifiers when worshiping or during prayer.
  3. They may not make Muslims hear the reciting of their books or the sounds of church bells, which must be rung only inside their churches.
  4. They may not carry out any act of aggression against ISIS, such as giving refuge to spies and wanted men. If they come to know of any plot against Muslims, they must report it.
  5. They must not perform religious rituals in public.
  6. They must respect Muslims and not criticize their religion.
  7. Wealthy Christians must pay an annual jizya of four gold dinars; middle-class Christians must pay two gold dinars, and the poor must pay one. Christians must disclose their income, and may split the jizya into two payments.
  8. They may not own guns.
  9. They may not engage in commercial activity involving pigs or alcohol with Muslims or in Muslim markets, and may not drink alcohol in public.
  10. They may maintain their own cemeteries.
  11. They must abide by ISIS dress code and commerce guidelines.

When I think of the predicament these Christians are facing, I think of what Peter said about persecution:

“Although you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials.  Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold—gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away—and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.  If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you . . . those who suffer according to God’s will should, while doing what is good, entrust themselves to a faithful Creator (I Peter).”

Two Notes:

  1. This 2 minute video will help to answer the question: Who is ISIS?
  2. MEMRI’s Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) is the source for the contract above and photo I used.

Duty Done: Hitchin’ A Ride Home

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army-deployment-plane-military_82981_990x742The picture to the left was taken about a year ago today.  When it was snapped, member’s of the Army’s Fourth Stryker Brigade Combat Team had hitched a ride on a C-17 transport, and they were returning home after a nine month tour of duty in Afghanistan.

While you are enjoying the blessings of freedom, remember the members of the USA who stand in harms way to sacrifice and serve.

Give thanks!

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

~ 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Get Buff and Boogie

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SONY DSC

SONY DSC

Tom Tom has started selling a fitness watch, so you can get buff and boogie at the same time.  When I read the article describing this newer addition to the fitness craze, I wondered if the Apostle Paul would have worn one.

Which one of the following songs do you think Paul would have had on his playlist?

  • Onward Christian Soldiers
  • Victory in Jesus
  • On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand
  • I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

Paul didn’t have all the gadgets that are available today, but he did know the importance of training and being fit:

“We all know that when there’s a race, all the runners bolt for the finish line, but only one will take the prize. When you run, run for the prize!  Athletes in training are very strict with themselves, exercising self-control over desires, and for what? For a wreath that soon withers or is crushed or simply forgotten. That is not our race. We run for the crown that we will wear for eternity. So I don’t run aimlessly. I don’t let my eyes drift off the finish line.When I box, I don’t throw punches in the air. I discipline my body and make it my slave so that after all this, after I have brought the gospel to others, I will still be qualified to win the prize.”  ~I Cor.9:24-27

Like Paul, we need to live a disciplined life and “strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).”

The Deaf Ears of the Well-Oiled

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MANAMA, BAHRAIN - NOVEMBER 3: Khalid Abdulla Alhajeri looks at a natural gas pipe November 3, 2002 in Manama, Bahrain. The country was the first in the Arab side of the Gulf to discover oil. The country is the home port for the United States Navy's 5th Fleet, the battle group that patrols the Gulf. The kingdom is a crucial link in any war with Iraq. The Navy has had a base there since 1948. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Immigration is one of the focal points of discussion now that the political campaigns have begun.  A question being asked is: “What should be done about the border dividing the USA and Mexico?”

The scope of the immigration question is not limited to the USA. The European Union (EU) is trying to resolve the same dilemma, and it is perhaps even more difficult.

The decisions of some countries will be influenced by the atrocities of the Ottoman Empire when their army of Muslims conquered Hungary and other nations.  Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary, has attacked EU policy.  He believes the influx of Muslim refugees is a threat to Europe.

The Washington Post has reported that, “Some European countries have been criticized for offering sanctuary only to a small number of refugees, or for discriminating between Muslims and Christians. There’s also been a good deal of continental hand-wringing over the general dysfunction of Europe’s systems for migration and asylum.”

Why is Europe and even the USA being criticized?  The solution to this problem and the responsibility to act, falls directly into the lap of Syria’s Muslim neighbors. Countries like Saudi Arabia and the other wealthy Arab states along the Persian Gulf have a vast supply of oil, but they have turned a deaf ear to Syria’s squeaky wheel.

As I think of the plight of these downtrodden families who are trying to escape the horrors of war, I’m left with two questions: Is the EU practicing discrimination when they try to limit the number of Muslim refugees from Syria, or is the action of the EU discriminating wisdom?

When the EU opens the door to their borders, they open them to more than innocent migrants.  They also open the door to terrorist wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing.

Is it just me or do you also think it’s odd?  The same countries that refer to the USA as the Great Satan are now appealing to our Christian values to help their outcasts?  Since Saudi Arabia has been blessed with the oil can, they should oil the squeaky wheel of their neighbor.

Gentle Answers and Harsh Words

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confused-by-creditThere was a time in my life when I suffered from a severe speech impediment, but I slowly overcame it when I quit sticking my foot in my mouth.

Foot-in-your-mouth-itis must have been a common affliction in New Testament times because it was a large focus of the book of James:

We all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a mature man who is also able to control his whole body. ~James 3:2

Other than the book of Proverbs, you’ll find more about the tongue and communication in James than anywhere else in the Bible.  James is full of practical principles for life.  Here’s two of them:

  • The tongue is the index of the heart. What you say reveals what is hidden deep down inside of your heart.
  • Your emotions act as a barometer and reveal your level of maturity. When people get angry, they stumble in many ways and often say things they later regret.

Thanks to James, I’ve noticed three patterns of communication that are characteristic of most people:

  • Some people implode. When they get angry, they say very little, withdraw, and hold everything in.
  • Other people explode with salty language, and they let everything out. These people can be as volatile as the Iran nuclear deal..
  • There’s a third pattern in which a person reloads and wises up. James describes this person in the words below:

Who is wise and has understanding among you? He should show his works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness . . . the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who cultivate peace.  ~James 3:13-18

Which pattern defines you.  Do you implode, explode, or reload?   You may see your pattern in these wise words from Solomon?

A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge attractive, but the mouth of fools blurts out foolishness.

~Proverbs 15:1-2

Are You A Giver or a Getter?

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Helping Hands against blue sky

The life of some people can be defined by their focus on giving or getting:

  • Givers ask: What can I do to help you?
  • Getters ask: What can you do to help me?

When I think of giving and getting, I think of the words of two wise men:

  • President Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country.”
  • Solomon: “A giving person will receive much in return, and someone who gives water will also receive the water he needs (Proverbs 11:25).”

Think about the people you know.  Are there some among that crowd that sap you of strength due to the demands they make?  Are there others who are a delight to be around because they refresh and re-energize you?

This was the topic of discussion when Paul wrote his second letter to the church at Corinth:

In the midst of all that has happened, though it has been difficult, we are comforted and encouraged. When we saw the relief and joy on Titus’s face, we celebrated even more because his spirit had been totally refreshed by you. Now if I have bragged in the past about you to Titus, I have nothing to be ashamed of. Just as we’ve spoken the whole truth to you, I’m glad to know that our boasts to Titus about you have proven true as well.  His love for you overflows even more as he recalls your obedience and how you respectfully and somewhat nervously, with fear and trembling, took him in.  I have great joy now because I have great confidence in you.                     ~2 Corinthians 7:13-16

Titus isn’t the only person who has been refreshed by a friend.  Paul said that Philemon was a source of joy to him: “Because you are out there encouraging and reviving the hearts of fellow saints with such love, this brings great joy and comfort to me (Philemon 7).”

Think of today as your day to be the giver who makes a difference in the life of another.  Give someone an encouraging word; share an act of kindness; and, revive someone who is struggling through life.

A Blue Denim Gospel

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IMG_0623I’m a blue jeans sort of guy, and I’ve never been much for pomp and circumstance.  Most days of the week, with the exception of Sunday, you’ll probably see me wearing a pair of blue jeans crafted by Lee.

When I slip my britches on of a morning, I see the label to the left.  It speaks of over 125 years of craftsmanship and authentic quality.  When I read this label, I’m reminded of the way God works in the lives of His children.

“We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” ~Ephesians 2:10

Each of us are the unique creation of the Master Craftsman.  We reflect the authentic quality of His love, and we are the instruments through which His grace and mercy flow into the lives of others.

When you look at this verse in the words of The Voice, you get a better understanding of the workings of God: “We are the product of His hand, heaven’s poetry etched on lives, created in the Anointed, Jesus, to accomplish the good works God arranged long ago.”

You aren’t some barely legible and hastily scribbled note on a brown paper sack.  You’re a carefully etched piece of poetry written by the hand of God, and the rhyme and rhythm of your life is the evidence of His workmanship.

You truly are a piece of art.