Colossians 1:16 “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”

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With all of the fanfare of any Super Bowl, the big event took place last night.  It was a great game and previous controversies surrounding advertisements went pretty much unnoticed.  Because of a great game, many will forget that a group of crazies were complaining about the Tim Tebow pro-life ad.  If you saw it, then you would surely admit that anyone would have to be crazy to complain about that ad and of course there are some crazy people out there.    They just haven’t met Jesus yet.

Then there were the ads by Go-Daddy that no one complained about that were designed to send viewers to the advertiser’s website in hopes that they could see something, “too extreme for TV.”  They showed a woman about to take off her clothes.  And Planned Parenthood isn’t concerned about that?  They complained that Tim Tebow’s mother decided to have her baby rather than abort him.  See, some people really are crazy.

Then there were the beer ads controlling most all of the commercial time.  And we wonder why we have a problem with underage drinking in this country, not to mention the overage drinking problem.  Yes alcoholism is a plague, but we continue to feed it into the American consciousness without regard to its consequences.

One good message from the game was the picture of Drew Brees with his young son after the game.  You could easily tell that the Super Bowl MVP was quite moved by the moment because of his son.  That’s a great message to carry away from this game.  While there will undoubtedly be parties going on in New Orleans for the rest of the month, the real Super Bowl is to realize why God created Super Bowls in the first place.  That is to create circumstances of amazement and awe that point us to Him.

Good Super Bowl; good game and it shows us a Great God.

Romans 1:26-27 - “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

²⁷And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”

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It’s a tough task for me, but I will begin writing this from a strictly 20 year military veteran’s point of view, without my faith as the basis, although we all (believers) know that our belief system as Christians intrudes every facet of our being.  So at the risk of simply being labeled homophobic, here’s my view on the President’s stated goal of repealing the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) policy on gays serving in the military.

The United States military is not your basic organization where people are guaranteed all of their “rights,” nor should we attempt to make it so.  It takes uncommon devotion and sacrifice of some of those rights to ensure that our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are prepared to answer the call in defense of our country.  The good order and discipline of our U.S. military is the subject here.  I’ve heard no one argue about the military kicking people out because of adultery, although I’m sure that those arguments can’t be too far down the road after this one is done.

The bottom line to this discussion is that the only real defense you have of allowing everyone to serve, but requiring that homosexuals keep their homosexuality to themselves, is God’s word.  If you take that away, then there really is no defense.  Here are the only two options:

1) We sanction the sin of homosexuality as a nation by accepting it as normative and by not allowing our institutions to “discriminate” with that as a basis and therefore repeal the DADT policy

2)We as a nation believe that homosexuality is sin and not good for a society or the institutions of that society based solely on what God said and we let the inhabitants know that you can serve in our institutions, but we don’t and won’t condone your sin. (DADT policy)

This whole debate keeps going because everyone is trying to argue from a political or philosophical viewpoint.  Satan has so manipulated this thing that you don’t hear anyone in the public discourse talking about the right/wrong of homosexuality.  Even Christians are trying to defend the policy without using the word of God.   As the scripture says, “we don’t like to retain God in our knowledge,” so He has been conveniently sidelined on this issue.

The United States Military is the most respected institution we have in our country.  Somebody has decided that we need to make it more like the rest of our institutions–what a bad idea.  The government can do what they want to do and they can make things acceptable to the world, but from where God’s people sit, sin will always be sin.  We can chose to condone it as a country, but know for sure, God never will.

1 John 5:47 - “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

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It’s interesting each year to hear the stories and drama that always surrounds the battle for National Football League supremacy. If you don’t have a local team playing and if you really don’t care who wins, you usually use crazy things to decide who to root for, like the color of uniforms or a favorite player on one of the teams.  For me, it’s usually decided by “best testimonial for Christ.”  Of course that’s just my analysis and not God’s so I keep it in perspective.  This year it’s a difficult choice to make because the owner of the Indianapolis Colts is a believer.  I remember hearing him with Tony Dungy and they were both strong men of God.  And on the other side of the ball, you’ve got Drew Brees and I didn’t know that he was a believer unti I saw this youtube video.   So here it is for you also.

In the end, this is what makes the Super Bowl, “Super.”  It’s seeing how God has His people moving throughout all of life as witnesses to who He is.  We all have that opportunity every day.  We so often see the Super Bowl as the pinnacle of success in the sports world and as some great and mighty achievement, but in reality, every event and situation that God places you in has Super Bowl ramifications and implications as far as He is concerned.  Yes, we’re in the Super Bowl every day, but we don’t realize the platform upon which He has placed us to be witnesses.  It is our faith that has given us the platform and as for the victory, we’ve already won.

Today, take the cue from Drew, use the “Super” platform He has given you and be a witness.  You’re just not in the Super Bowl, you are “Super.”

John 6:27 - “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.”

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Exonerated again.   So my mom has victoriously come through all of her cancer treatments and on a followup by the doctor, he told her to go about her business and live her life.  When it came to diet, he told her to “eat plenty of meat.”    That goes well with the philosophy of Carlen the Carnivore.  For years I’ve been telling people that “everything is good to eat and nothing to be refused,” as part of my Charleston Plan health and fitness solution.   Others disputed that claim and had many “good”reasons why they don’t eat pork or they don’t eat red meat or they simply don’t eat meat at all.  Of course that’s their choice, but my view is that if God said it’s good, then it’s got to be okay for me.  We can still misuse things that He said are good for us and I put that in perspective in my plan.

The really practical part of this for my mom showed up when the doctor talked about how the chemotherapy (chemo) treatments that my mom was able to undergo with success at 76 years of age, is often a struggle for those who don’t eat meat.  In fact they usually don’t make it because their bodies can’t handle the chemo.

That’s a very practical spiritual message also.  Sometimes Christians don’t make it through “bouts of cancer” in their spiritual lives because their diet has been absent the “meat” that strengthens them for the “chemo.”   What’s the “chemo” for us spiritually?  It is that trial (treatment) that we undergo where God is taking out the “tumors” that will ultimately destroy us if left unchecked.  See God does “chemo” on us often when we don’t even realize we have a “tumor.”  If we’ve been subsisting on milk and vegetables only and not getting the real “meat” that we should be consuming daily, then we’re going to have a very difficult time with God’s “chemo” treatments.

Today, go for the meat.  It’s not just good for your body, it’s good strength for the coming trials of life and know that those trials are simply God’s way of removing “tumors.”

Acts 23:5 - “Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.”

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This verse definitely comes into play for me today as I attempt to review what happened in last night’s State of the Union address by the President.   I must say though, that my comments will be most brief because due to such an angst in my soul, I had to turn off the television.  Comments about stopping Washington D.C. politics as usual, when he endorsed the payment to a Senator from Nebraska for his vote on health care and his bold proclamation in support of homosexuality in the military, put me over the top and all of that was after he once again laid the responsibility for our current situation on a former President.  I’m not completely sure about the other military services, but in the United States Marine Corps, if you used your predecessor as an excuse even after one month on the job, you would be reassigned; “fired” in the civilian world.

I strongly disagree with most everything said by the President and much of it in the manner that he said it also.  I didn’t think there was enough seriousness about our current situation.  Additionally, every personal story was about something or someone who supported his view of the world.  I wonder how he feels about the majority of the people in this country who disagree with his current policies?

Well it calls for us to pray for our leaders, but make no mistake about it, we as God’s people need ensure that we stand boldly like the Hebrew boys in a society that is anti-God.  They can do whatever they want to this culture, but they can’t make us “bow the knee” to their ways and ideas.  We serve the one true King, but in the meantime, lets not speak evil of the king.  Perhaps it will be our prayers that bring his conversion.

John 12:40 - “He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.”

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I’m not sure that I have enough knowledge of words to articulate my disgust with the women and the women’s groups who are urging CBS to scrap the 30-second commercial that they are airing during the Super Bowl, which recounts the story of Pam Tebow’s pregnancy in 1987 with her fifth child, Tim.  After getting sick during a mission trip to the Philippines, she ignored a recommendation by doctors to abort her fifth child and gave birth to Tim and as we all know, Tim has gone on to do great things on the football field, such as winning the Heisman and two national titles for his school, but he has done even greater things off the field, doing regular missionary work around the world.

You’ve got to read this article to understand my disgust.  The responses by the Women’s Media Center, Planned Parenthood and others can only leave you with the same feeling.  If it doesn’t then you’ve got serious problems.

Though I’m a conservative with a true anti-abortion position, I’ve always felt like everyone really is “anti-abortion.”  Everyone wants fewer abortions,  but some tend to think of it as a personal issue and they don’t want to impose their personal opinions on others and that’s what the argument is about.  However, when you read this article and see what these women are saying, you realize that some people are simply “for” abortion.  Why else would they despise a woman telling her story of what God did for her in choosing to have her baby?  Why would they call that divisive?  Why would the President of the National Organization for Women call that offensive and demeaning?  Why would they then call an organization entitled “Focus On The Family” anti-equality and homophobic?  The answer can only be as Dana Carvey used to say on the famous Saturday Night Live skit, “Uhmm….Satan!”

Truly these viewpoints can only come from those who know not God.  They have been “blinded” as the verse says and there hearts are understandably hardened towards the things of God, such as treasuring the live He has created.

Today in my disgust, I’m simply led to pray for these people; that their eyes would be opened and that they would be converted and that God would heal them, because what they’ve got is truly a serious disease.

John 5:14 - “Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again.   Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”

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In the middle of my leg workout this morning, I felt a sharp, needle-like pain in my upper leg.  At first I thought that maybe I had something in my pants that was poking my leg so I tried the exercise again and realized, “no that’s a muscle or something and it’s telling me to stop doing what I’m doing.”  I heeded the message.

We really are wonderfully made and I think the body is designed to send us messages like that often and it’s a perfect picture of what God does to us spiritually.  Think about how many times He sends us a little bit of pain as a warning message.  If we heed the initial warning message and stop doing what we’re doing, then we can usually continue on without any problems, but if we fail to heed the warnings of the initial message, we often have an “injury” on our hands.

I think I’m going to be alright because I only lift with my legs once a week.  By the time I go back in there it should be okay.  That’s a lot different than when I was much younger.  I would press on and try to work past those little warnings, because I didn’t know when to stop.

The message today is that we need to know when to stop.  I’m not just talking about sin here, as the verse above describes, but I’m also talking about anything that God doesn’t want us doing.  Sometimes it’s not sin, but His warning message could be to prevent it from becoming that.  That would be the injury that none of us wants.  How can we do it?  We have to hear and see the many messages He sends us.  That little bit of pain you’re undergoing in your life right now, He could be telling you to stop.   “Stop or something worse may happen to you.“

Psalm 55:17  “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.”

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So we’ve got telephones, cell phones, emails, SKYPE and we’ve still got snail maill and yet I still have to bribe my daughters to call me every day.  My latest offering, $1 for each morning that they SKYPE me (give me a call using the SKYPE program) before they go to school.  I think they’ve each only missed one day since I implemented this incentive plan last week.  Of course after their first couple of days I let them know how shameful it was that their daddy would have to “pay them” to get them to talk to him.  Of course they said that I didn’t have to pay them, but it sure has worked to the end that I now hear from them a lot more often.

I thought about this in my own context as soon as I began harassing them about not calling me and used the words, “what’s a daddy got to do to get his children to talk to him?”  Isn’t that exactly what He’s asking us today?  He provides for us immeasurably, showers us with blessings untold and all He wants is time with His children and we, probably much like my daughters, find a million reasons why we are too busy for our heavenly Father.

Today I’m making time for Daddy.  I don’t have to use email, SKYPE or anything else and I’ll be able to see Him when I talk to Him.  And while I’ll talk to Him and we’ll have a great conversation, I’m much more excited about Him talking to me and hearing what He’s got to say.  And the beauty of it all is that He doesn’t have to pay me to do it, but knowing Him, He’s still going to supply all my needs.  You should call Him too.  He’s never too busy for His children.

Luke 4:4  “And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”

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My mom never forced us to eat our vegetables, but back in those days, when the family sat down at the table for dinner every night, the vegetables were always available.  She prepared them, along with the other items to make for a “well-balanced” meal.  She knew that we needed vegetables as well as the meat, however all of my family can clearly remember my plate with lots of meat and bread and most always, no green stuff.  I’ve gotten better over the years, but if we go to a cafeteria or through a buffet line, you’ll still see by looking, that I’m a meat and bread man pretty much.

I was using this analogy with a friend to talk about why the President is having so much difficulty right now in office.  My friend defended him by saying that “he’s got a lot on his plate.”  I responded with, “well he’s responsible for what he puts on his plate” and the truth of the matter is that he not only might have a full plate, but most Americans don’t eat or care for the things he has on his plate.

When the President was campaigning, he once said that he would be the first President to march in the Gay Pride parade.  He appointed Kevin Jennings, a controversial and openly gay man as the Safe Schools Czar and he appointed a transgender woman to a top security post.  Of course he talked about putting these things “on his plate” during the campaign which is why I opposed “his plate” and now the American people are realizing, they don’t like it either.   The American people didn’t want health care reform on their plate while the economy was in turmoil, but that was the biggest piece of meat on it.  He simply had “on his plate” the things he most liked to consume.  That’s how we are.

This isn’t just about the President and what he has on his plate, but it’s a great lesson for us today.  It’s like that commercial, “what’s in your wallet?”  Instead the question for us today is “what’s on your plate?”  Do we have what’s most important to us or do we have what’s most important to God?  Like my mom, God isn’t going to force us to put those things on our plate, but He will keep preparing them for us.  We can consume the wholesome things of life or we can skip them and put other things on our plate instead.  If we chose to first fill our plates with the candy, soda and and unhealthy items of life, we will have little room left for things that are going to make us strong and fit and whole for life.  We can expect that we will grow up unhealthy and unbalanced in our spiritual lives.

So why would we put that stuff on our plate if we know that it’s bad for us?  Well as the title says, “whats on your plate shows what you like to eat.”

Today, dump that plate go back through the line and put the vegetables of life on your plate.  God will provide the sweet stuff.

Proverbs 24:21  “My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change.”

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Even before the State of the Union address that the President will give next week, I want to take a look at “the change” that has taken place in his first year.  As is clearly illustrated by the polls and the recent election in the very liberal state of Massachusetts, most Americans, though many voted for him, did not want the type of change that he brought to our country.  I think this really puts him in a difficult place where he has to decide to either move to the center and find acceptance from more of the people, like me, who thought that he was catering too much to special interests like the gay/homosexual lobby, or he will have to shore up his base with those further left and his policies will be more disliked by the majority of Americans.  Even though his policies are hugely unpopular, check the gallup website, people still generally like him, as I do.   I mean I wouldn’t sit down and have a beer with him, but I would take him out back for some football and things like that.

Anyway, here is an impartial look at what he has accomplished in the first year.  Understand that this list consist of the things on which he weighed in heavily.  Of course he has to sign every bill so many of those aren’t included here.  I mean do we really count him signing the Digital TV delay act as an accomplishment?   How about signing the Cash For Clunkers extension?  You get my point.  You can put your own spin on this list so I will provide it with no commentary.  Oh and one point before you get to that.  This proverb says “them that are given to change” avoid them.  Of course that doesn’t necessarily apply here, but it’s something to think about.  Here’s a list and it’s not total.  If there is something that you think should be pointed out, submit a comment and we’ll talk about it.

-Passage of the $787 billion economic stimulus plan

-Expanded the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP)

-Ledbetter Law - Fair Pay Act

-Initiated Healthcare reform

-Downsized troops in Iraq

-Increased troops in Afghanistan

-Supported the UN declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity

-Relaxed enforcement of marijuana laws

-Reversed Bush decision and began funding overseas family planning organizations

-Liftd the 7.5 year ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research

-Banned the use of harsh interrogation techniques and ordered the closing of Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba

-Established by Presidential Proclamation – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Month

-Appoints first sex-change woman to the top security post

OK there’s lots more I’m sure, but you get the gist.  Change is here and it appears that we’re in for some more.  That could be a good thing.  Continue to pray for all of our leaders.

Acts 5:38-39  “And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.”

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The administration and Congress seemed to ignore the voices of the majority of American people who were noticeably against everything they were doing with the health care overhaul and then last night, with the stunning upset of a Democratic Senator by an upstart Republican for the seat left vacant by Ted Kennedy, I think they finally heard what the American people are saying about that initiative and many other things that are going on in Washington.   It appears that the American people want “change,” but not the type that Washington is currently bringing, so what does that mean?  It means that we’re going to see more “change” and that started last night.  This is all interesting because of some of the tactics and procedures the Democrats had been using to shut out the Republicans and they could do it because they had “the numbers.”  This just shows that when you think you’ve got the numbers, the power and the strength to do everything you want to do, God can change it in a flash.

With the election of Scott Brown to the Senate, the Democrats lose what is called a “super majority.”  A super majority means that one party has enough votes to pass any legislation they desire if they all vote along party lines and it also gives them the strength to override Presidential vetoes when the President in office belongs to a different party or if they simply disagree with him on passage of a particular bill.

The point here is that while Christians can and should have a part in the society’s which God places them, we need not get too excited about “change” and anything that we think hinders our lives and our purpose here, because in the end, what we’re fighting for is an agenda of  “change” from the inside.  And that “change” is not based on the work of man, but on God and God will have His way.

The world might try to overthrow our agenda, but as Gamaliel said when they were trying to decide what to do with Peter and his boys who were going around spreading that Jesus stuff, “if it is of God, we’re wasting our time trying to overthrow it.  We can’t overthrow God.”  He’s right and we need to remember that today.  God will have His way.

Psalm 10:4 - “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts”

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I’m really beginning to get worried about me.  Every day, it seems those people that I used to call radical and far right are sounding more and more logical about things.  Remember I’m already on the terror watch-list, but witness the happenings in California regarding Proposition 8, a ballot initiative passed in November of 2008 that established marriage in that state as a union between a man and a woman.  The gay marriage proponents weren’t having that, so they appealed to the state court where they were once again rebuffed and it now sits at the federal courts with a trial to begin soon.  Listen to this, as reported in Newsweek.  “The case, Perry vs. Schwarzeneggar, will decide whether California voters or the federal courts should be the arbiters of what marriage means.” Yes you heard that right.  Some forces believe that some non-elected guys and gals sitting in robes in Washington, D.C., should decide what marriage is for the people of California, who by the way, have already decided that  for themselves.  Ludicrous!

First of all, the final arbiter of what marriage means is God and the bottom line is that if the people agree with God, then there should be no more arbitration.  This is what you call a judicial system run amok and in my opinion, the only way that a Christian society can degenerate as rapidly as we seem to be, is to have processes and systems where one or two people can decide for a much larger group, like the state of California, whether or not our laws will purport with God’s decrees.  Some of these people are referred to in the above scripture.  What God says, simply does not enter into their thought processes.

Christians, we need to stay on the “right” side of these issues and for us, there is only one side and that’s the one where God stands.   The people of California agreed with God on what marriage is and they voted that way.  Arbitration is over.  Well, actually it was over thousands of years ago and now it’s just up for us to choose whether or not we want to agree with that decision.   Choose wisely.  Disagreeing with God is “always” a bad thing.  Judges need heed that warning.

Psalm 126:1-2 - “When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.  Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.”

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The problem with Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have A Dream Speech” is that most people aren’t able to contextualize its message.  The speech in it’s oratory and depth of profundity is unparalleled and that’s why you hear it played over and over again.  Yet we miss the point of the speech which is that it is not calling us simply to do what he thought we needed to do.  The speech was calling us to dream as well.  It was calling us to dream about what it would take for us individually and collectively to bring about the end of an era where people judged other people based on skin color and prejudice.  However, it’s hard to dream when you’re being held captive.  It’s hard to think about a brighter and better day when you’re trapped in attitudes and feelings of bigotry and racism.   So the question becomes, how can I be free from this captivity?

The scripture, as always, answers the call.  In Psalm 126, it talks about the Lord turning the captivity of Zion.  Many need to have their captivity turned by the Lord, Jesus Christ. This will then allow them to dream of a new life where all people are seen as creations of a holy God.  They  can then be free to love “all” people without regard to color.  They can be free to serve all people because they are made in God’s image and most of all they can be free to dream again as the unbelieving world looks out at them and sees that “the Lord hath done great things for them.”  Today, lets dream again.

Proverbs 25:11  “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

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I won’t have too much commentary on either of the videos included here today, but suffice it to say, when tragedy hits, words are exceedingly meaningful and as the proverb so eloquently puts it, the words should be “fitly spoken.”  I’m not even sure what it means when it says “like apples of gold in pictures of silver,” but it sure does sound nice.  Both of the videos created huge reactions from believers and non-believers.  God is the final arbiter and judge on the words we speak.  We should pray that they be edifying and not destructive.  I believe that Brit Hume’s were exactly that.  I’m not sure about Pat’s and I’m not even sure his history is accurate.  I mean does the media publish reports on the devil making pacts with people?  Where did he get that information?  Okay watch and think about the effect that words have on situations.

This one is Pat Robertson:

This video is of Brit Hume talking about Tiger Woods situation.

1 Timothy 6:17-18  “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;  That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.”

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There is plenty of negative and bad stuff that we can say about our country, the U.S.A., but there’s also lots of good things that we could utter as well.  One of those great things about the U.S. is happening right now in Haiti.  This article details the rapid response of Americans to the devastating earthquake that took place just 48 hours ago.

From missionary organizations to humanitarian aid groups, pretty much everyone is getting in on the help.   Frannklin Graham, as the article indicates, was on the ground early Wednesday and Convoy of Hope, a great organization that I, along with my cadets supported two months ago for a food drive for the homeless, was on the ground setting up a command center just outside of Port-Au-Prince within 24 hours.   When disaster strikes anywhere in the world, no other country is ready and willing like the great people of the United States to lend whatever support is needed.  Ya gotta love that about us.

I’m actively searching for an organization that is looking for manpower and will see if I can lend a hand.  Yesterday my searches revealed the need for money, doctors and earth-moving equipment right now.   At any rate, like many fellow Americans, I’m ready to help.

The scripture above speaks to all of us and I think says a lot about where we stand in our walk with God.  We tend to read a scripture like that it think that it speaks to the “ultra-rich” or really wealthy, but in reality it speaks to everyone reading this.  He has given us all so much to richly enjoy, but there comes that point where He then challenges us to see if we’re also willing and ready to distribute some of that which He has given us to enjoy.

Think about that today as we continue to pray for earthquake-ravaged Haiti.  Are you ready to help?

Psalm 46:1 - “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

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Those are the only words to describe what has happened in Haiti in the last 24 hours.  A powerful earthquake struck Haiti’s capital on Tuesday demolishing everything from simple shacks to palaces.  The dead and injured lay in the streets as numerous strong aftershocks continued to shake the impoverished Caribbean country.  To say that this country needs prayer even seems to be an understatement, but that’s where we must start.  We should pray and give to reputable aid organizations who can provide immediate relief in the area.

As of now, here are some of the charities that we know are responding and that are asking for your financial support:

• Operation USA - sending medical aid, water purification supplies, food supplements
• American Red Cross - has begun to send supplies and has pledged $200,000 in assistance, it is seeking additional funds
• Direct Relief International - emergency aid is being offered to its partners in Haiti to support their response to the quake
• World Vision and CARE- both are assessing the situation to determine the proper emergency response
• Convoy of Hope - is establishing an emergency command center just outside the city of Port-au-Prince where food, water and supplies will be distributed to victims

Please take the time today to pray about how you can support this country.   May we all be used by God to be a “present help” as we pray.

View more photos of the devastation here: Warning these images are disturbing.

2 Corinthians 5:18 - “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation”

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Remember the “Great Speech On Race” that the President gave during the campaign when he talked about something and said this or that about something else and then went on to talk about how we needed to confront the race problem by doing something?  I remember the talk about “how great” it was and today, I can’t remember one word of the speech and I’m sure if anyone was tasked to recall something significant from the speech, they would be hard-pressed.  I actually had to google to find out why he was giving the speech in the first place.  Remember Jeremiah Wright?  That was the guy who made some infamous racial remarks against America and also the guy he could “no more disown than his own mother.”  Of course he disowned him later and I’m not sure about the mother.  At the time, I stated to my wife, “well we’ll see if he’s serious or if this is part of his campaign’s strategic move.  I think it was the latter.

Since the revelation of racial remarks from Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, we’ve once again had an opportunity for someone to put together a plan to address race issues in this country.  Many thought that it would happen with the first African-American President, but it hasn’t.

In case you don’t remember, this is the same Harry Reid who, just a couple of months ago likened those in favor of moving more slowly on healthcare to those who were against the abolition of slavery.  He’s got something going on with race in his head and he’s probably no different than most Americans and since no one is trying to deal with the issue of race constructively, here we are.

Eric Holder, the Attorney General made the statement this past year about the U.S. being a nation of cowards when it comes to addressing issues of race.  I hope they don’t revive that statement now because that appears to be what the President is doing with the Senator Reid situation.  The President in his words has “forgiven him and it’s a closed book;” another opportunity squandered.  Another opportunity just like the one with the Harvard professor and the policeman.  Remember that racial maelstrom?  The President saw that as an opportunity to have a beer in the White House garden with the people involved and then that race issue was over.

While everyone will agree that we need better racial understanding in this country, no one seems to have the desire to address it in a constructive way.  We’ve got a long way to go on this issue and I think the only people that have the answers and the only people with the best answers should be us, the Christians.  We have the ministry of reconciliation and that should include racial reconciliation.  How do we do it?  By not being conformed to the world on matters of race.  That’s why the rest of the country is so far behind on this issue because “the church” is still separated.  We’ve got to get serious about this in the church.

Want “change” today?  Don’t look to the President, look at yourself and in the words of Sister Jean, a Caucasian nun who used to live and work in our community when I was a child, “let it begin with me.”  Be reconciled.

Genesis 45:8a - “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God…”

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In a recent 60 minutes interview, a former GOP campaign aide was asked about former Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin and her calm through all of the 2008 Presidential campaign antics.  The aide said that she truly believed that Sen. John McCain chose her to be his running mate in 2008 because of “God’s plan.”  The aide stated that when she was asked about her serenity in the face of becoming “one of the most famous people in the world,” she simply replied that she knew it was “God’s plan.”

To use the words, “God’s Plan” is really strange to the world and understandably so, but I wonder when the last time was that we (Christians) used those words to describe what was taking place in our lives.  Like Ms Palin, there is much serenity and peace to be gained by knowing that all of the “stuff” that you’re going through is all a part of God’s wondrous plan for you.

There is no better story to illustrate this point than the story of Joseph.  If we thought Sarah Palin got beat up during and after the election, think about what Joseph had to go through in his life.  At the end, his quote was much like Ms Palins as you see it in the scripture above, “it was not you that sent me here, but God…”

Today, think about why you are where you are, doing what you’re doing and ask why?  If you don’t get the easy answer, stop and search until you can answer like Sarah Palin and Joseph, “I’m here because of God’s plan.”  Like the two of them, it doesn’t mean you’re going to necessarily find comfort, fortune, fame or acceptance, but you will find a serenity, peace and joy that can be found nowhere else except in God’s perfect plan.  Lets get there.

1 John 5:4 - “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

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I was a little more tactful than Lee Corso, ESPN Sports Analyst.  He repeatedly called it “a bonehead decision.”  With the Texas Longhorns in trouble because they lost their starting quarterback, it would’ve been wise to run out the clock at the end of the first half with only 17 seconds left, but instead, they ran the “bonehead” play that ultimately cost them the entire game.

In the Texas game, without the “bonehead” decision, they would have gone into the locker room down 17-6.  Once they ran the play that allowed Alabama to score another touchdown with only 3 seconds left in the first half and the halftime score was 24-6.  That would prove to be monumental because in the 2nd half, the Longhorns fought back valiantly and held the Crimson Tide of Alabama scoreless as they closed the score to 24-21.  If that score had been 21-17 with Texas in the lead, they would’ve been able to run the clock out when they got the ball at the score 24-21 with only 3 minutes left.  As it happened, because they were behind, the young freshman quarterback from Texas threw a couple of interceptions as they tried everything possible to score and take the lead.  Immediately after seeing that terrible play call at the end of the first half, my wife heard me state , “that’s the game.  It’s over.”  That “bonehead” play at the end of the first half was indeed, “The Game-Changer.”

Now many people will say that a game in any sport, doesn’t hinge on any one particular play, but the sum of all of the plays in a game and that’s true to an extent, but there is usually a defining play or action that a person/team makes that becomes the difference between a loss and a victory and the illustration I just showed you makes the point.

We had a similar situation like that with Jesus.  We had no way to win and we were defeated by the world, Satan and sin.  I mean we had lots of good plays.   We did good deeds and fed the poor and we even went to church and all of those plays scored “touchdowns” in the game of life, but with all of those “good plays,” we were still behind.  Then Satan made a “bonehead” play.  He killed Jesus.  Well he thought he did, but that was an offensive play-call by our “Head Coach” and it was the “Game-Changer.”

Like I said during the game last night, “that’s game.  It’s over.”  Satan, the world and not even our own flesh can overcome the victory that we have in Jesus Christ and the “game-changing” play that He made on the cross.

Today, though we’ve made lots of “bonehead” decisions, God’s people can all live in victory because of the “Game-Changing” play made on our behalf.  We need only ensure that we listen to the “Coach.”  He always makes the right calls.

Luke 20:25 - “And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.”

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The family was sitting around discussing the restaurant business that I’m getting into.  My oldest was asking about her conditions of employment and wondered how much she would get paid.  I told her that she would make about $7 an hour.  She started calculating immediately how much money she could make for a given period of time.  My wife then let her know that the amount she was counting on was “gross” and not “net.”  They went on to have a discussion about taxes and soon my daughter was asking, “why do we have to pay so much in taxes?”  I responded, “a lot of us have been asking that question for a long time.  Suddenly, all of that theoretical history that she learned became very practical as she exclaimed, “that’s what the Boston Tea Party was all about.”

Yes and we could be poised for another one.  Taxes are getting really ridiculous and as Christians we remember the scripture above and even in light of that scripture, I’m saying, “Enough Caesar!”  I’ve compiled a short list of existing taxes that most of us pay and I intentionally left off some.  This is crazy.  The most interesting part about this is that 100 years ago, none and I repeat, “None” of these taxes existed and we were the most prosperous nation on the globe.  We had no national debt and only one parent worked in most homes.  I guess we were dumber then.  Well here’s that list and remember these are only some of the taxes and not all of them:

Accounts Receivable Tax, Building Permit Tax, Capital Gains Tax, CDL License Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Estate Tax, Federal Income Tax, Federal Unemployment Tax, Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Fuel Permit Tax, Gasoline Tax, Hunting License Tax, Inheritance/Estate Tax, Liquor Tax, Luxury Taxes, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service Charge Tax, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax, Sales Tax, Recreational Vehicle Tax, School Tax, State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax, Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Trailer Registration Tax, Utility, Taxes, Vehicle Sales Tax, Vehicle License Registration Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, Workers Compensation Tax.

So what does all this mean?  It means that with all of those Harvard and Yale degrees running the country and with all of our technological advances and know-how, we simply aren’t much better off.  We’ve simply made more monsters than we have slain and our tax system is a serious monster.

The real answer to my daughter about why we have to pay so much in taxes is that the American people have to support a ridiculous number of government offices and programs.  Nevertheless, we give Caesar his.  That’s why we prefer our “King” over those we send to Washington.

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