SHAME on RNC!!!

Shame on the Republican National Committee!

Listen guys.  We all know that you waste our money (both sides of the aisle).  We know that most of you are as corrupt as the day is long (both sides of the aisle).  We know that you have no morals. We know that all you care about is yourself and your career (and your executive Congressional healthcare reserved exclusively for you).

We know that most likely you spent money that didn't belong to the American taxpayer when you went on your perv-fest.

SHAME ON YOU!

We know parties are nothing but a big show and all you care about is your agenda.  We know you care nothing about us or America.

SHAME ON YOU!

That is why I put my faith in Jesus, not in our political system.

YOU ARE ALL CORRUPT!  YOU ARE ALL SNAKES! 

WE ARE TIRED OF THIS! 


LET'S CLEAN HOUSE THIS NOVEMBER!!

Missionary Quote

Sunday evening, we had Bryan and Melissa Abbott of New Tribes Missions in our church.  The provided us with an update of their first two years in Indonesia.

Bryan said something profound that I wanted to share in this format.

The Great Commission isn't something God gave us just to keep us busy until Christ returns. ~ Bryan Abbott

I thought this was quote-worthy and hope it provides you with something to think about today!

Jackpot in Manuscript Form

I've completed the first re-write of Jackpot! and have printed it off to take for editing!

I must admit I am giddy with excitement!

Chaplaincy Training

I completed the initial two day Chaplaincy training at the BGCO in Oklahoma City.  My friends from Thailand, Robert and Faye Griffin, were kind enough to provide me lodging for the event.

It was conducted by Dr. Naomi Paget, FBI Chaplain and literally the Author of the Chaplain's Manual.

The training was never boring, and that's really saying something coming from a short attention span person who is EASILY bored.

My next step is to take the Critical Incident Stress Management course offered at the Oklahoma City Police Department on April 5-6.

After completing these two courses, I will then apply to be endorsed by the North American Mission Board.  This will afford me the Chaplain's credentials to serve outside the borders of Oklahoma as an SBC Disaster Relief Chaplain.

Obama Lied

During the campaign, then candidate Obama promised health care reform stemming from open bi-partisan effort.

What we got was a closed door hidden agenda crammed down our throats.

Effectively, the bill is illegal.  It is illegal because it is unconstitutional. 

While (obviously) I am not a Constitutional lawyer, a cursory examination of the Constitution reveals, to me at least, that it violates Article 4 Section 4 and the Tenth Amendment.

Furthermore, it provides for incredible spending and false-accounting savings over the "life" of the bill.  Unfortunately, it is open-ended and could literally bankrupt our country.

Obviously, it violates the common sense of several state's attorneys-general as they have already file lawsuits to protect their state's citizens from illegal federal mandates.

Now, let's get this clear:  I am totally one-hundred percent in favor of health care reform.  Greedy lawyers, greedy health care providers and greedy litigious patients have broken our current health care system. 

We need reform.

We DO NOT need reform in this particular underhanded way.

1973

Pam & Rick circa 1973

In 1973, March the eighteenth fell on a Sunday.  I know that because on that particular Sunday, I asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life.

I didn't understand it all then, and quite frankly, I still don't today, but somehow, I was adopted into the family of God.

He gave me a second chance.

He wiped my slate clean.

He made me to be born anew.

I haven't been the best adopted son.  I've wondered and been very disobedient at times.  The best part is, He never disowned me!

Despite my unfaithfulness, He has always proved faithful to me.

Thank you, Lord, for the salvation that comes through Jesus Christ!

Happy Birthday Martin!

Martin & Me on my wedding day

My friend, Martin Whipple, celebrates his birthday today.  Martin, or Martino as I've called him since high school Spanish class, is one of those friends that is closer than a brother.

He and his wife, Linda, live in Enid, OK.  He has worked for the State of Oklahoma for quite a while and keeps telling me he is going to retire in 4 more years. 

That's just sick.

In any case, Martin is a Godly man who desires to glorify God in all he does.

It is my honor and privilege, not just to call him my friend, but to be counted among HIS friends!

I love you, man.

PS: You're still ugly and your wife dresses you funny.

Social Justice?

Glen Beck caught a lot of flack for suggesting that people should not attend churches that preach social justice (or something like that; I don't follow Beck).

In any case, I've been watching the rhetoric fly back and forth about this.

From what I have been able to assertain from researching Social Justice, this is what it amounts to:

• Social Justice = Abortion
• Social Justice = Wealth Distribution
• Social Justice = Progressive Taxation
• Social Justice = Property Redistribution
• Social Justice = Divorce
• Social Justice = Gay Rights
• Social Justice = Gay Marriage

On the surface, Social Justice sounds like something we should all be supporting.  It gives the impression that it means "justice for all".  But, as I dig further into its meaning, that isn't what it is all about.

As I think more about it, this isn't something I want to be promoting from my pulpit; I am accountable to God for the things I preach.  I'm not going to add this to the "hay and stubble" pile.

So, for what it's worth, I'd like to sum up my thoughts on Social Justice:

• Social Justice ≠ Gospel

Something to the Rumor

Well, there must be a little more to the rumor than just internet scuttlebutt.  The following quote comes from an international security firm that puts out a daily update of world events, called "Hotspots"

Israel (Country threat level - 4): Rioting occurred in the East Jerusalem neighborhoods of Issawiya, Wadi Joz and Abu Tor on 16 March 2010 during Palestinian protests against the reopening of a synagogue in the area. Angry demonstrators burned tires and threw rocks at anti-riot police officers, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. At least 20 protesters and two police officers were injured in the unrest. Authorities have been on a heightened state of alert in Jerusalem, which has experienced a significant degree of unrest in recent weeks, motivated by several developments that include Israeli building announcements for East Jerusalem, Israel’s decision to add two disputed shrines in the West Bank to its list of national heritage sites and rumors of an impending Jewish settlers' takeover of al-Aqsa Mosque at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City.

The Palestinian Hamas faction had reportedly called for a day of rage on 16 March, prompting authorities to deploy thousands of additional security personnel in Jerusalem; there were reports that authorities had turned back buses of Palestinians attempting to enter Jerusalem to join protests. There were also reports of additional disturbances near the Old City, including near the Mughrabi and Majlis gates. The aforementioned developments in recent weeks combined with the lack of progress in the peace process have only exacerbated Muslim-Jewish tensions in Jerusalem as well as the West Bank, and further disturbances are likely to occur in the near-term.

I continue to find this very interesting indeed!

Just a Rumor

I posted a story about the rumor that construction on the Third Temple of Jerusalem was to begin on today, March 16.

Unfortunately, it was just a rumor.

A colleague of mine just returned from the Holy Land (for the 23rd time) and said that while all the temple tools are ready and warehoused, construction hasn't begun because the Jews look upon the area as defiled because of the Islamic structures in place.

Yet, isn't it interesting how, Israel, so small and insignificant, remains in the news all the time? 

I heard just yesterday that the relationship strain between the US and Israel is at all time high, that is, most strained, now, because of Obama's insistence of no more building and Israel's insistence to build.

I'm not going to get into that, because, well, I don't want to.  However, I think there is something to the fact that when we bless Israel, we are blessed and when we curse Israel, we will be cursed.

I personally don't like the path that our president is taking us.  I personally feel as if he has no regard for Israel.  If we don't take up for them, there won't be anyone who will.

Of course, this may all be a part of God's master plan; I don't claim to  be privy to that!

Nevertheless, pray for Israel, that they would recognize Jesus as the Messiah!

Sally

We just found out early this evening that my wife, Sally, passed the two examinations she took last month for the Oklahoma Alternative Certification to become a school teacher in Oklahoma!

The two tests she took were the basic education test and middle-level mathmatics test.  This will allow her to be a junior high or senior high math teacher here in Oklahoma!

She has pretty good connections in Muskogee, since she works for the Board of Education already.  She knows about 5 different math teacher openings for this fall.

We, however, are praying that there will be a position open with the Wagoner Public Schools and she can get hired here.  This would change our family dynamics greatly as she wouldn't have to drive to Muskogee everyday.

Will you join us in praying for her to get a teaching positio here in Wagoner?

CONGRATULATIONS SALLY!!!

Chaplaincy

While attending the Evangelism Conference in Moore, OK, this past January, I spoke with the head of the Chaplaincy Department at the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.

To make a long story short and readable, I am attending Chaplain's Training next week in OKC. Two weeks later, I'll complete a Critical Incident Stress Management course at the OKC police department.

When these two things have been satisfactorily accomplished, I'll then apply for endorsement from the North American Mission Board.

The goal is for me to be an Endorsed Chaplain available for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. It appears my first assignment may be Haiti!

Please pray for me as I begin this new "chapter" in my life. I have the full support from my church and I shouldn't have to be away from the pulpit more than a few times each year.

First Draft Complete

I am extremely pleased to report that I completed the first draft of my novel, Jackpot!

Of course, that is just the pre-publication title that I have given it. The publisher has the option to title the book anyway they please.

Now, the next procedure in this project it to re-write the book, cleaning up messy plot lines, weak verbs and sentence structures and such before I have it edited. Since I've already done some preliminary self-editing, it shouldn't take too long.

Update on My Book

Just in case you've been wondering how my book is coming along, I thought I'd give you a brief update.

Today, I passed the seventy thousand word mark. I had been aiming for 80-100K words, so I'm getting pretty close.

I should be done with the first draft this month. Then, I'll start my re-write, then send it off to my friend for editing, then fix things from his recommendations.

Once I've done these things, then I'll start looking for a literary agent to sell the book to a publisher.

I have no disillusions. After I finish my manuscript, the real work begins. Finding someone who believes in my book and representing it to publishers is both a big deal and lots of work. While my family, friends, and even I believe that it is a good work, finding someone in the business is a little harder.

Even if I find a publisher, that doesn't guarantee success. I happen to think I'm on to something special; there are few other books with the same subject on the market; hardly any of them in the fiction genre.

I pray that the book will be a success, not just for the financial rewards, but that it would honor God by helping people to search for Him. I'd covet your prayers as I complete my part of this project.

Please join me in the support of this project by "following" my main character, Owen Risgby on Twitter and becoming Facebook fan.