Sarah Palin

Written by Mike Johnson on Aug-29-08 3:11pm

Wow, politics is beginning to hit home a little today with the news of John McCain's running mate for Vice President. Sarah Palin, current governor of Alaska is his choice. Not only is she a woman, a Washington outsider and former runner-up in the Miss Alaska pageant, she is also Assemblies of God - the group that I'm part of. She attended Wasilla A/G while living there (where she also became mayor), and currently attends Juneau Christian Center.

While being part of your church does not make you qualified to be President, it does make your heart skip a little. Pentecostals (the Assemblies of God is the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world) have moved from the wrong side of the tracks in the first part of the last century, to being sought after (such as former Attorney General John Ashcroft and former Secretary of the Interior, James Watt). Then again, we can also claim Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and also Willie Nelson, who used to teach Sunday School in one of our churches.

Maybe "tolerate" is a better word here...

It's just a reminder that things don't always go the way that you want them to.

A recent poll by the Barna Group noted that Pentecostals make up a surprisingly large portion of Christians defined as evangelical or 'born again.' With this in mind, McCain made a good choice. Add in what some are calling a 'disconnect' among Hilary Clinton supporters, this may be an even better pick. On the flip side, Palin has been in office for two years. While she is an energy hawk, she will be accused of having a lack of experience - the same smear McCain will make of Barak Obama.

This is going to be interesting. She will be attacked on a variety of levels, including her faith. There may even be an attempt by liberals to marginalize the denomination that I've grown up in. I must admit - emotionally that will make me vote Republican.

Oh yes, I've never mentioned this before, but I'm a registered Independant. I'm from Oregon...what did you expect??

Spiritual Therapy

Philip Yancey was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1949. He is an American Christian author. Fourteen million of his books have been sold worldwide, making him one of the best-selling evangelical Christian authors. Two of his books have won the ECPA's Christian Book of the Year Award: The Jesus I Never Knew in 1996 and What's So Amazing About Grace in 1998. He is published by Zondervan Publishing.

After high school he attended Columbia Bible College, where he met his wife, Janet. Yancey graduated magna cum laude from Columbia Bible College and earned his MA with highest honors from the graduate school of Wheaton College. His two graduate degrees in Communications and English were earned from Wheaton College Graduate School and the University of Chicago.

Lord, why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me? —Psalm 88:14

I once wrote a book titled Disappointment With God. My publishers worried that it seemed heretical to introduce a book with such a title into Christian bookstores. In the process of writing it, however, I found that the Bible includes detailed accounts of people sorely disappointed with God. Job and Moses had it out with God, as did Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and many of the unnamed psalmists.

It seems strange for sacred writings to include scenes of spiritual failure, but this reflects an important principle. A marriage therapist will warn couples, “Your relationship may get worse before it gets better.” Misunderstandings must be exposed before true understanding can flourish. The psalmists do not rationalize anger or give abstract advice about pain; rather, they express emotions vividly and loudly, directing their feelings primarily at God. The anguished conclusion of Psalm 88 provides ample evidence (vv.13-18).

The psalms present a mosaic of spiritual therapy in process. Doubt, paranoia, giddiness, delight, hatred, joy, praise, vengefulness, betrayal—you find it all in the psalms. From them I learn to bring to God whatever I feel about Him. I need not paper over my failures; far better to bring my weaknesses to Him, who alone has the power to heal. — Philip Yancey

An honest talk with God is the first step in finding peace of mind.

Barack Hussein Obama

Senator Barack Hussein Obama spoke at a gathering named “Call to Renewal Conference” on June 28, 2006. In his speech he revealed some unbelievable revelations. These revelations were disturbing to me as a Christian. The U.S. main stream news media has been relentless over the past 19 months in exalting him as the coming messiah. His campaign slogan has been one of hope and change. He has espoused the notion that he is answer to the ills of not only America but of the world also. The following is a sample of the speech made in 2006.

He raises the question “...whose Christianity would we teach in the schools? Would we go with James Dobson's, or Al Sharpton's? Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is ok and that eating shellfish is abomination? How about Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount - a passage that is so radical that it's doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application? So before we get carried away, let's read our bibles. Folks haven't been reading their bibles.”

Obama continues, “...democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values. It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason...”

Friends, Mr Obama calls himself a “Christian.” ”He continues, “Politics depends on our ability to persuade each other of common aims based on a common reality. It involves the compromise, the art of what's possible. At some fundamental level, religion does not allow for compromise. It's the art of the impossible. If God has spoken, then followers are expected to live up to God's edicts, regardless of the consequences. To base one's life on such uncompromising commitments may be sublime, but to base our policy making on such commitments would be a dangerous thing.”

This man’s faith is based on “secular humanism” which believes and teaches that “man is god” and has a better insight on matters than God. Listen to the Word of God and its truth that is our guide and code of conduct. These truths are not up for debate or compromise.

John 10:7-10 7 Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. NKJV

Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." NKJV

2 John 9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.

John 17:2-4 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. NKJV.

The Green Hornet

When I was a boy the radio was the extent of my entertainment. I would lie on the floor in front of the radio and listen to programs like Gang Busters, the Lux Radio Theater, Superman, the Long Ranger, the Shadow, Sam Spade, Captain Marvel, and the Green Hornet. These broadcasts were exciting and realistic because one’s imagination was kicked into high gear and placed you right in the center of the action.

The Green Hornet is a masked fictional crime fighter. Originally created by Fran Striker for an American old-time radio program in the 1930s and 40's, the character has appeared in other media as well, including film serials in the 1940s, a network television program in the 1960s, and multiple comic book series from the 1940s to the 1990s. The Green Hornet is Britt Reid, a newspaper publisher by day who by night goes out in his masked "Green Hornet" identity to fight crime as a vigilante, accompanied by his similarly masked Asian manservant Kato and driving a car, equipped with advanced technology, called "Black Beauty". The Green Hornet is often portrayed as a fair-to-above average hand-to-hand combatant and is often armed with a gun that sprays knock-out gas (an electric stun weapon called the "hornet's sting" was added to his arsenal in the TV series).

Originally, the show was to be called The Hornet, but the name was changed to The Green Hornet so that it could be more easily trademarked. The color was chosen because green hornets were reputed to be the angriest.

Several years ago the Holy Spirit directed me to several Bible verses that indicate that every believer has a God-sent hornet to drive out enemies of the cross and enemies of followers of God’s will and plan. In the NT the Sword of Spirit is our weapon of choice against darkness. The OT introduced the divine weapon known as “The Hornet”.

Deut 7:20-21 20 Moreover the Lord your God will send the hornet among them (enemies) until those who are left, who hide themselves from you, are destroyed. 21 You shall not be terrified of them; for the Lord your God, the great and awesome God, is among you. NKJV

Josh 24:11-13 11 Then you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho. And the men of Jericho fought against you —...12 I sent the hornet before you which drove them out from before you... but not with your sword or with your bow. 13 I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.' NKJV

Luke 11:13 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" NKJV

Luke 24:49 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." NKJV

John 14:26 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. NKJV

Acts 1:5 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." NKJV