The Master's Touch

Today, we are 4 days from the 2008 election for President of the United States. Many have already gone out and voted early, not waiting for the final day to vote. Many people were advised to go vote by one candidate so they would be sure to get their vote in. It was as though there was a rush to make sure the voters didn’t have time to change their minds before they voted.

Many have taken the polls to mean that the Presidency has already been decided. This angers me. There are millions of Americans who have not voted in this election. And most will not vote until Tuesday. It is upsetting to hear the airwaves filled with ‘it’s over’, on the attempt to discourage conservatives from voting. Friends, it isn’t over until the last vote has been cast. And, then, it might not be over. Remember the ‘hanging chad’ episode in Florida? Hopefully, it won’t go that far this year, but already we have heard of lots of fraud in the voting process.

But there is one thing that keeps up the hopes of those of us backing the ‘underdog’. And that is that the Master is in control of the situation. His will for this country will be done. It could be with either candidate. I believe He wants this country to prosper. But, this nation has done so much to heap retribution upon us. We have thrown Him almost out of society, aborted millions of babies that were not wanted, forgotten the old people and the widows, and now others are calling one candidate ‘their Messiah’. How much can the Lord take before he dishes out the punishment that we surely deserve?

In His Word, he says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD." (Isaiah 55:8) We need to pray and repent and seek His face before we go out and vote. We need to know what God’s Word says about different things that are being said in the campaigns, what each stands for, and to know that we are aligned with the Word of God so we are closer to His thoughts and His ways. After all, His Words says we have the mind of Christ. (I Corn 2:16) And, when we do that, we will have done what God wants us to do – get closer to Him. Then, perhaps His will shall be our desire.

Link: The Upcoming Election
A Plea to Christians

Technorati Tags" Master, God, Christ, Election, President, Vote

Word for today

Psalms 119:105, "NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

With the world watching us as our election draws near, we need to be reading and adhering to the Word of God. If we read His Word with the anticipation of listening to Him, the Holy Spirit will enlighten us. I believe we, as Christians, can make a difference if we vote the Word. By that, I mean listening to the Lord as he speaks to us through His Holy Word. God may not call out the name of the candidate for which you need to vote. But if you read with anticipation of learning His will for our lives and our country, you will chose to vote for the one who will most closely meet the requirements. I pray we each make the correct choice.

Technorati Tags: Word, God, Will of God, Vote, Election

The real Sarah Palin

The first time I had ever heard of Governor Sarah Palin was back in April of this year. She had just given birth to her new baby,Trig, and they told the story of him having been born with Downs Syndrome. That fact stuck in my mind and I was reminded of it when Senator McCain tapped her for his vice-president running mate.

When I saw Senator McCain introduce her to the public, I was again struck at her ability to reach the heart of America. I said she was electrifying and I thought, 'now, she is one of us'. She seemed to speak on a level where everyone listening could understand. Some took that to mean, and even voiced their opinion, that she was not too bright, hadn't gone to the 'right' schools. In other words, she wasn't a graduate of an elite school, and although she was the Governor of our largest state, she wasn't prepared for the vice-presidency. They used the fact that she would be next in line for the Presidency. Some forgot the fact that Obama wasn't even ready to be the next President; yet, there he is, having been on the campaign trail longer than he had been in the Senate! There seemed to be a double standard for the candidates.

Sarah Palin has really electrified the people coming out to her rallies. She has drawn thousands in every rally by herself. People realize the change she brought to Alaska and they want that kind of change in the entire United States. They want someone who will stand up for them and take on their case, not someone who will adhere to their own opinions to what this country needs.

Gov. Palin is a person who has the ability to mix family with work and do justice to each of them. You can tell by looking at the faces of her children and listen to her husband talk. They are a normal family and just happen to have a wife and mother who is gifted. I see no reason to disqualify her simply because she has five children. Some want to send women back home to keep them barefoot and pregnant 'where they belong'. I happen to be a woman who thinks there are women suited to being homemakers and there are others who are more suited for both. They have the ability to have the right mix of family and work. And Sarah Palin seems to be one of those woman. Plus, she has an understanding husband who enjoys seeing her succeed. He is also comfortable in being a house daddy and takes care of the children when he has to and doesn't seem to mind it in the least. And she also has a very supportive family living there near her home, able to help in a short notice.

When I heard her speak at the convention, I had this feeling that she was just the person for 'such a time as this'. As the weeks went on, I heard others talk about how she electrified the people she spoke to and they spoke of her also being the person for 'such a time as this'. She seems to have not noticed that others have downed her so and just keeps right on the campaign trail, speaking to those who follow her rallies. She is drawing in more to her rallies than most of the others. Her appeal is on the level with the working people, with the Moms who identify with her, with the average person who will vote in this election. She keeps a smile on her face regardless of what she faces, even with the hard questions put to her by the bias media. She hasn't stopped when she was told she needed to go back home and raise her children. Even some conservative talkers such as Peggy Noonan, Kathleen Parker, among a few, have not stopped her from going on her merry way, and doing her job in this campaign. It hasn't stopped those who first fell in love with her from listening to her speeches or even praying for her.

Some just do not get it! Sarah Palin is REAL! She is one of us - a woman who really cares for her country and will not let anyone stop her from doing the best she can to bring the right change to our country. The change that she and McCain want to bring back to America is to have the people of this great country again being able to run their lives, not the federal government! I pray that they get the chance to show America that they are truly 'for the Country' and have the best interest of the people in mind.

Technorati Tags: Sarah Palin, Governor, McCain, America, Campaign, Republican

Put your trust in the Lord

This is certainly a time in the history of America that has most people scared. They don't know which way to turn. The economy looks bad and we have a Presidential election about to be held in a couple weeks. The truth is being misrepresented and the true facts are not getting out. Most of this is simply because the media is one-sided and refuses to give both candidates equal time or vetting. So it is a time for worry.

But worry is of the devil. It is one of the main things wrong with the church today. Rather than resisting the devil and telling him to flee, we start worrying. We forget there is a GOD big enough and able to take care of anything, period! He tells us in Isaiah 55:8 that his thoughts are not our thoughts and our ways are not his ways. Yet, we seldom just turn everything over to him and let him handle the 'circumstances' that we see that aren't aligned up just the way we would like them to be.

• Psalms 4:5, "Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD."

He tells us to put our trust in Him. He doesn't tell us to put it in man. Man can't do for us what God can. He can only make empty promises, most of which are never kept. He can't give us peace amidst the storm, life where the doctor says there is no cure, or give us hope when there seems to be none. But, God can do all this.

• Ephesians 3:20, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,"

The Word says all things are possible with God. We need to begin to have greater expectations, to expect that God means what He says and He will do what He says. But we need to seek the Kingdom of God first (Matthew 6:33) and make sure we are in line with the Word of God. Proverbs 3:5 says to trust in the Lord with all our heart and to lean not to our own understanding. If we could remember that one challenge, our life might be so much different. Trust in the Lord, let Him do the worrying (I really don't think He worries because He knows our end), and have the patience of Job!

Technorati Tags: Trust, Lord, God, Power, Righteousness

When problems arise

All of us find ourselves in situations we never wanted to be. Many times the problems are so terrible that we have a hard time coping with them. That is what has happened to us here at my house. There was property beside and behind us that we had tried to buy a couple times - only 5 1/2 acres. Well, the people wouldn't sell it to us. But money reared it's head and it was sold to a group of men that have businesses we don't like. We have been told lies for over two months about what was going in that property. A big excavating, building company came in yesterday, hung their signs and started clearing it out. Finally, one of the guys told my husband when he asked, that they were building a Bingo hall there. You can imagine our reaction, considering the parking lot is going to be right behind our house. We have only 60 feet from the corner of our house to the end of our property on the back although we own lots of land. But there is a 55 yard spot that we had tried to buy to keep anything like this from happening. They tell us they are leaving about 15 feet of trees for a buffer zone and then will put up a 10 foot lattice fence for privacy, not that it makes us feel any better. And, on the front, I pray they will put one there facing the end of our house considering that you can see right into our garage from that view!

Well, I've been praying and passing around a prayer request that God would stop this building before it gets started. The builders told my husband this morning that it would only take them six weeks to finish the job if the weather held up. Well, I've been really upset over this, but tonight God reminded me of a song: Leave it there

Here's the chorus:

Leave it there, leave it there,
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out.
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.

When we begin to go through these problems in our lives, we quickly wonder what WE can do. Our first thought should be, what can God do - what WILL GOD do? He will do whatsoever we let Him Do, easy as that! We so often bind his hands when he would be so happy to help his child. I'm trying my best to just give this all over to the Lord. I've prayed and asked God to remove this building, not to let it be built, no matter what it took. But now I know He will do whatsoever He feels is right for the situation. I have to leave it all in his hands and trust that he knows what is best in this situation. So I've taken my burden to the Lord and I'm going to leave it there and not obsess over the outcome. Have you ever been in a situation like this where you were so worried that it was hard to turn it over to the Lord? I'm reminded of the following verse:

Ephesians 3:20, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,"

Technorati Tags: Problems, Lord.Burden

Government, take back the money!

You would think that a company like AIG, which was about to go under, would have the common sense to watch their spending after the government agreed to bail them out with $85 billion to keep them from collapsing. Apparently, the executives in that company see it as a 'give away', and they don't have to protect what they have.

AIG executives spent $500,000 at an exclusive resort just days after the U.S. government agreed to spend $85 billion to protect the giant insurer from collapse, according to Rep. Henry Waxman, the California Democrat who chairs the House Oversight Committee.

This is going on while the average taxpayer is losing money on their 401K's, losing their jobs and their homes. Apparently, the average Joe doesn't matter to these executives, just as long as they continue their high living! They need to get a grip! This nation is in a crisis!

Last month, the taxpayers bought out AIG in an $85 billion bailout. This was a direct result of the mistakes made by Mr. Cassano. Yet even today, he remains on the company payroll, receiving $1 million a month.

The federal bailout occurred on September 16. Less than one week later, AIG held a week-long retreat for company executives at the exclusive St. Regis Resort in Monarch Beach, California. A photograph of the resort is on display.

Rooms at this resort can cost over $1,000 per night. Invoices provided to the Committee show that AIG paid the resort over $440,000, including nearly $200,000 for rooms, over $150,000 for meals, and $23,000 in spa charges.

Average Americans are suffering economically. They are losing their jobs, their homes, and their health insurance. Yet less than one week after the taxpayers rescued AIG, company executives could be found wining and dining at one of the most exclusive resorts in the ation.

If the government buys out a company, the executives need to be removed and put in some reliable people in their place. When a company like AIG just blatantly refuses to buckle down and reduce unnecessary expenditures (of which these were), they need to just collapse! With the same people in the driver's seat, they will never be a truly responsible company.

Linked at Conservative Cat

Technorati Tags: AIG, Bailout, Irresponsibility, Government

Burning the house down

The following video was spammed on YouTube and taken down. Everybody needs to see the truth before they vote in the upcoming election on November 4th. The health of our nation depends on knowing the truth and making the right decision.

Check Jesus at the door

In this world of problems, it really angers me to hear that a governor in the United States would actually tell a Chaplain that he could pray but he could not invoke the name of Jesus in that prayer. But that is what the Governor of Virginia did to the state troopers chaplains for the state of Virginia.

Gov. Timothy Kaine of Virginia has affirmed his support for a new statewide policy under which state troopers serving as chaplains will not be allowed to pray "in Jesus name," explaining that he can pray "without mentioning Jesus."

"I would never do anything to inhibit anybody's religious worship. It doesn't diminish my ability to worship my God, to pray to the Father or the Lord without mentioning Jesus Christ," he said.

• John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Scripture plainly tells us that we cannot reach the Father unless we go through Jesus Christ, His Son. He is the mediator between man and God. Christ is how our prayers reach God. How can we, as Christians, check the name of Jesus at the door simply because someone tells us that it might offend others? To me, this offends the person praying as much or more than it would offend those hearing the prayer. It offends me to think that this Governor would support a policy that keeps these Chaplains from expressing their heartfelt belief in Jesus.

Six Chaplains turned in their badge and lost their job. They are no longer permitted to serve as Chaplains unless they agree to this policy.

On November 1, there will be a 'Stand up for Jesus' rally brought about to protest the move that made the 6 Chaplains to decide they had to resign. There were only 17 chaplains for the troopers before this move. The rally is headed by a coalition of pastors from different churches and denominations. This rally will be held at Capital Square Bell Tower at Richmond, VA, which is in earshot of the Governor's mansion.

Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, the former Navy Chaplain who lost his career because he refused to not pray in Jesus name, "won a victory in Congress allowing other chaplains to pray as their conscience dictates."

Klingenschmitt said the chaplains "were given direct verbal orders to stop praying 'in Jesus name' … [and] faced with a choice between disobeying orders and violating their conscience by publicly denying the name of Jesus Christ, they resigned."

That's exactly what persecution is, he continued.

The governor's response was "degrading and insulting to me, to the chaplains, to the 86 pastors, and to our faith," Klingenschmitt said.

What is your impression of this situation? Do you think this is wrong? If not, why not?

Technorati Tags: Jesus, Virginia, Governor Timothy Kaine, Chaplains, State Troopers

The upcoming election

I know we all have probably been obsessing about the debate between Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joe Biden tonight. And we know this could have an effect on tomorrow’s polls leading up to the election on November 4th. As I was reflecting on all this, praying for things to go smooth, the Lord reminded me of a scripture that I am sure most of you can quote:

Isaiah 55:8, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD."

We see the outward appearance of these candidates, not their heart. God sees every aspect of them, their lives, their thoughts and, more importantly, their intentions in the future. It seems very scary for you and I, but just a ‘piece of cake’ for the Lord. In other words, He doesn’t want us to obsess over the election. He wants us to pray and then trust Him to know what this country needs. We all have our preferences in this election. We all see things we don’t like and feel we could never put up with. But our hands are tied with the exception of voicing our opinions and praying for the best to come to our country in the way of a President who is on our side.

Again, in the view of this upcoming election we would do good to remember what is said in the following scripture and do those things that we are told to do. And, then, perhaps our prayers will be answered.

2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Technorati Tags: Election, Vice President, Sarah Palin, Joe Biden