Gun toting conservative here!

Just a reminder for all of you who oppose the second amendment; the purpose behind it was to give the individual the power to protect themselves from anyone or anything that threatened their life or freedom. That includes the government. Our founding fathers put as many fail safes in the constitution as possible to protect the people from the corruption and evil that always seems to creep into the central government. The last resort, in the case of oppression from the State, is an act of war by the people, to reclaim the power and freedom which was promised to them by the constitution. Our founding fathers did not give us the right to bear arms to go on weekend hunting trips; it was given to us for times such as these. Do you realize that the only reason that our government has any power at all is because they have a lot of really big guns. If you break a law and get caught, there would be no fear of going to jail without the government giving someone the means to apprehend or kill you. The sward(deadly weapon)is the only real source of power that most people respect.
NO, I am not advocating assassination, or shooting out windows at campaign offices or even threats of war or violence. I'm saying that the rifle in your gun safe or the pistol on the top shelf in your closet may be your last line of defense against this government, if they continue to steal our freedom.
Now, many of you will say that this does not align with the Christian philosophy. Poppycock! If history has taught us nothing else, it is that there can be no freedom without bloodshed. This country was liberated by war. The slaves were freed by war. Christ shed his blood so that we would be free from spiritual death. Sacrifices must be made so that freedom can survive. Remember that nothing happens outside of Gods sovereign will. The anti war movement was started and is built by those who don't have a clue who God is. God created all life and oversees all activity on earth; war is nothing new to Him and He is not bothered so much by the death of your earthly body as He is with the death of your soul. Most wars on earth have a spiritual aspect that has greater meaning than the total body count of the winners or losers.
There is a spiritual war going on right now in this nation. And the enemy is winning because we the believers have gotten lazy and comfortable. We have not sacrificed our money, or time, or strength, our pride........we have not sacrificed our lives for our neighbor. We have not loved our fellow countrymen. We say things like " Oh, well I just serve God where I'm at." And that's fine, but is there any fruit from your labor. I say this because this has been me at times, and I know there are many believers like this; in fact it is the majority of us. The proof is in the pudding; just look at our culture.
Good news though. God is taking away our pacifier. He is removing our comforts. That way, we can concentrate on sharing His love for mankind. However, be forewarned, God will test your faith with fire through this process. You will find out who or what your god really is, and you may not be able to sacrifice your false god for the one true God. Today is the day to evaluate your life, and be honest with yourself. Find out what you sacrifice your life for; and if it IS God, then you find this future easier to cope with.
I truly hope and pray that a shot will never be fired. I pray that our nation falls to its knees and repents of its rampant sin. I pray for God's mercy on our land. True believers in Christ only want peace. God doesn't need us to defend his name, and doesn't want us to shed blood on his behalf. He wants us to seize every opportunity to share His love with the world. But this is not a perfect world, and sometimes, war is necessary.

"Dude, that's%#@&ed up!"

Recently, I've seen a commercial on tv advertizing for Las Vegas where a man is standing at the gates of Heaven, waiting as the angels read his book of life. They come to a section of a few pages that are blank; they look at each other perplexed at the unusual situation while the man in judgment looks away knowing that the blank pages are the weekend he spent in Vegas. You know "whatever happens here stays here".
I began to think about the huge misconception that the world has about the day of judgment. The world continues its belief that God goes by whether your life was overall good or bad; when in reality He goes by the very first page of your book. God counts all of mans good deeds as rubbish, therefore your book will appear before him one of two ways.
Those who place their faith in his son Christ Jesus, and have cultivated a relationship with Him, will have a book with the first page stating that this man or woman is covered by the blood of Christ and is under no condemnation, free from the eternal penalty of sin. The rest of the pages will be blank.
The books of those who refuse the free gift of salvation from Jesus will undoubtedly be full of offenses most likely starting with the first conscious rebellion against their parents or God given authority. It will probably be very simple and may not even be outwardly apparent like a lie or temper tantrum. God will examine the heart of the individual and make a judgement. Based on that first offense, God will condemn that individual to hell for eternity. The latter offenses will just be burning coals that the person has heaped upon themselves for the rest of time.
Now, the non believer reading this will be outraged and say "Dude, thats #@%&ed up!" Or maybe they will be humbled by perfect standard that God has set; thinking to themselves that it is impossible to meet the standard on their own. It will seem ridiculous and unfair.
However, if you are the non believer reading this in outrage, please consider a few things. First, God is your perfect, all knowing and all powerful creator and judge that knows you and loves you. Second, He desires to have a relationship and spend eternity with you in Heaven. Finally, He intended for you to read this blog and receive the free gift of salvation that comes only from believing in His son Jesus. You cannot call God unjust and spiteful when He gives you the opportunity to escape your eternal damnation for free. However, there is a catch. Its important to know that your life here on earth will not be easy. Committing your life to Christ will change you. You will receive the Holy Spirit and with it a new heart and new desires. You will be in constant conflict with your former sin patterns. God will try to save you from the consequences of you sin, but only if you want to give them up. If you enjoy the momentary pleasure of your sin while trying to be in relationship with Christ and God, your heart will always be torn and your life will be ineffective. Following Christ is a life of true joy, hope and love. It is also a life of trial and refinement with imminent failure along the way. The good news is that the failures are forgiven if the heart is repentant. Having a real relationship with God carries with it a fulfillment that nothing on earth can touch. Not money, not marriage, not sex, not even children. Those are just perks that can bring you closer to God.
Some people will read this blog and scoff; while others will feel great sorrow knowing that they have a way out but are unwilling to give up their life of momentary pleasure and sin. And then there will be those who will trade their trinkets in this life for the treasure in the other. The good news is Gods offer does not expire until you do, or until he returns. Whichever comes first. But why wait, pray now. Your Heavenly Father is standing by.

My current favorite movie

I've had many favorite movies over the course of my relatively short life. Saving Private Ryan, The Shawshank Redemption, The Breakfast Club and Oscar; just to name a few. However the most recent is an unlikely production given my former choices. Its The Incredibles. That's right, a computer animated, children's movie. This movie has it all; it has comedy, action, a great story line and dialogue and most importantly a great moral.
I'm not sure why my tastes have changed. Maybe because I'm a dad now or the different and ever growing relationship with God, but I seem to be greatly impacted by media that is edifying to my soul. The Incredibles is a film that shows the true potential and power of a unified family. When a father is allowed to fulfill his purpose and potential with a wife that fights along side him and encourages him; then the children seem to naturally grasp the mission of the family. They continually face opposition and trial but are a brutally strong united force that is nearly impossible to defeat. They love each other deeply and enjoy their lives together as a team.
We as believers have the privilege of being tapped into the greatest supernatural force in existence. Having the Holy Spirit is having God with you at all times and yet we don't always use this power as effectively as we should. I think its important to recognize that as Christians, we are a part of the most royal supernatural family that will ever be, literally. So be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Be in Gods word and sharpen your powers. And if your are not a believer, repent and give your life to Christ, and you too can be a part of the greatest supernatural kingdom.

Country Music

I listen to Country more now than I used to. And yes, I know that if you play country music backwards you will get your wife, your dog and your truck back. Country gets a bad rap from cynical morons who don't like, nor understand the different sub cultures in our nation. The same prejudice is aimed at Hip Hop, Heavy metal and many other obscure types of music.
Country is actually quite therapeutic. There are songs for the broken hearted and lonely soles. Songs for those with faith in God. Moms and Dads, patriots, true romantics, hard working Americans, car nuts and the list goes on and on. And every song has a story set to a melody with lyrics that are easy to understand and relate to. This is music that makes you feel good down to the soul, and for the most part the moral message is good and true, and I think everyone should put their preconceived notions aside and really listen to the most wholesome music on the radio.

Tailor Made

I am a self admitted football addict. I play in two fantasy leagues and religiously watch every game I can on Sunday and Monday. My wife can attest to this fact. I never used to be this way, at least not when I was younger, and I began to wonder why ive changed so much. Finally it dawned on me while I was watching last nights game. The game of football appeals to my masculinity on a very deep level. Aside from the entertainment value, this game invokes my inner warrior. To watch men run, hit, dive, tackle, inflict pain and have a desire to win excites me, and makes me envious that I'm not involved. And on the rare occasions that I get to play in a semi organized game on the weekend or whatever it is pure ecstasy.
This is the reason I believe most men watch, compete in and obsess over sports. And even more important, this is what men were made to do. Not play baseball I mean, but use our bodies and strength and desire to win for the glory of God. He carefully designed man and woman to be function specific. Our bodies, our minds and emotional tendencies are engineered for tasks that we no longer choose to engage in within our culture.
For example, women are made to carry, birth, care for and raise children; that's it. JUST KIDDING! They are also great home administrators, compassionate and emotionally engaged nurturers. They are exhorters and conversational comforters, and that makes them great friends to have. And my personal favorite, their bodies were made to make men drop what they are doing and pay attention. But now in our upside down, feminist and broken world women are told to deny that calling and focus on competing with men. They are told to be successful administrators in the office and that the home is for weak suckers, and that children are an unnecessary burden. Oh and that men are the enemy. And now, if you follow statistics, women are more objectified, devalued and depressed than ever before.
Living a life that was not intended for us, will destroy us. This is true both for our physical bodies and our spirits. So, men, I urge you, If you work at a desk or if you are idle for most of the day, do something at least a couple of times a week that make you use the body God gave you as he intended you to use it. Be the leaders of your house and dont abuse your strength. We are warriors and protectors, and we were given a heart for our decaying world.
Ladies, use your gifts to make a successful family and home. Be the great caring friends that you naturally are. And use your words to build and strengthen the men in your lives. Sometimes I dont think that women know how much they impact the effectiveness of the men around them.
Most of all, find your confidence in God, and find your meaning in loving others deeply in every aspect of life. Make sure your actions are those that make your soul feel good and clean.

How did we get here?

In the next two weeks we will vote on the next new leader of the "free" world. So much is at stake, in fact, America as we know it is on the auction block. It will be sold to the most popular bidder. I use the term popular loosely. Once again we will be voting for the lesser of two evils, and we have been doing this for decades now. I really don't know what it is like to vote for the best candidate. I have never had the opportunity to choose between two or three potential leaders who are honest and have our best interests in mind. Leaders who make decisions for our betterment, even if it means hardship for us for a time. And I wonder, how did we get here? The answer.....we asked for it. Recognizing for a moment that our government is corrupt, the people of this nation have still always had the power and we sold it for a little money and a little bit of pleasure. The inherent flaw and weakness of man has destroyed a once great nation built on a foundation of faith in the one true God.
Whoever takes over for the next four years, I believe our nation will struggle to maintain peace within its borders. We are more divided than ever before, even beyond our division over the issue of slavery. Our disagreements are much deeper and invoke more emotion because of our selfishness and pride.
But i'm hopeful. I Pray for my leaders because they were appointed by God. And know that whatever happens in the years to come, my faith is the one thing that no man can take away from me. Our future is uncertain and intimidating because we can see where we came from and compare it to where we are now. However that is no reason not to be optimistic.