What in the world is going on?

People are wondering what in the world is going on? Rebellions and uprisings; Islamic Jihad; earthquakes like the ones in Haiti and New Zealand; world wide seismic activity; rise in the frequency and intensity of violent crime; economic instability. All these events and activities have captured the attention of thinking Christians.

The truth is none of these are “signs” of the end. Jesus said when you see these things that the end is not yet.

Clearly, Jesus tipped us off to the two things, and only two things, that believers should be watching in the last days.

First, is that the Gospel will be taken to every nation. At least one person in every nation and people group will be introduced to the Gospel The death of 4 people killed by Somalian pirates is more of a sign of the end times than the uprisings in the middle east. Why? Those 4 people were attempting to take the Bible to the Far East. They were carrying out the command of Christ the “go in all nations.” That is relevant to end time prophecy.

Second, Jesus, and all of Scripture for that matter, told us that it’s all about Jerusalem. It’s not about world events or wars or pestilence. It’s about Jerusalem!

Jerusalem is the place the Messiah died for our sins; it’s where He rose from the dead; it’s place to which He will return; it’s the city He will replace with a whole New Jerusalem.It’s all about what happens to and in Jerusalem.

Many prophecy buffs try mark the time of Jesus’s return (against His specific command) from 1948, when the UN voted to establish the State of Israel. But that’s not as important as 1967 – when Israel reclaimed Jerusalem for the first time in 1,941 years.

Christians should be concerned with two things: 1. Taking the Gospel, and/or supporting the sending of the Gospel, to the world; 2. Praying for Jerusalem and the people of Israel.

What’s going on in the world is not nearly important as what is happening with the Gospel and with Jerusalem. What those two things.

Some Things We Never Forget

A representative to the U.S. House of Representatives is shot down, and others killed, at an otherwise happy, public event. There’s no rhyme or reason to it. Men, women and children who attended, and survived, will never forget the sights and sounds of that day. Some things you never forget.

I served in New York City as a chaplain immediately following the tragedy of 9-11. One assignment was to attend the funerals of first responders at St. Peter’s Cathedral. The grief on the faces of hundreds of firemen and policemen; the street lined with officers from all over the U.S. as the bagpipes played; the empty body-bags being carried on a fire truck; and the need for answers – and God – in every person’s eyes. Some things you never forget.

A seven year old first grade boy, doing what he does every other day of the week, was struck down as he crossed over to his house. The students on the school bus, the drivers waiting behind the bus while students disembarked, and the driver of the bus, and the driver of the pick up, were unwilling witnesses to this tragedy. Lives are changed forever in a flash, in a heartbeat, in just a moment’s time. Some things you never forget.

Where was God? If He is good, merciful, kind, and really loves us, where was God when all this happened? The answer: He was watching – and He was grieving – the same way He was watching and grieving the day His Son was being crucified on a cross. God’s Son died for our ultimate delivery from this earth of tears, pain, and death. I pray this is will one of those things we never forget.

Martin Luther King Day

Martin Luther King, a Baptist preacher, stressed the viability of the Constitution of the U.S. and constantly urged Americans to seek the rights already guaranteed them therein. MLK knew that it was hard work, individual liberties, and constitutional government that would give all men equal opportunity and equal access to the pursuit of happiness.

There's a debate raging over which party MLK belonged to. The fact is, he stressed the tenets of Christianity and faith in Christ more than political parties. And with that being said, let's take a quick history lesson.

Most black voters in the 1950s and 60s were registered Republicans. In their segregated South, it was the democrats like Lester Maddox, Al Gore, Sr, and George Wallace that fought for segregation, "whites only" schools, and "separate but equal" public facilities. Even John F. Kennedy voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1957 when he was still a senator.

The Civil Rights Act of 1963 passed because of the Republican Senators that supported it. Al Gore's father voted against it. Senator Fulbright, Bill Clinton's hero, voted against it. Leading Democratic Senators across the board, mostly southerners, voted against it.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, a Republican appointed the Supreme Court justice that would lead the charge to overturn the Jim Crow Laws. It was Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, that maintained a strong hatred of slavery and racial injustice. A southern democrat killed him.

There were racist Republicans, too, like Senator Jesse Helms, but their voices never resonated among true constitutional conservatives or the Republican Party as a whole.

The debate goes back and forth about which party favors the minorities in this country. And there are racists in either camp. But it's the constitutional conservatives of BOTH parties that carried the day. Eventually, JFK came around and demonstrated conservative views. For example, he was pro-life and against big government handouts. Remember this: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." That should be a bumper sticker!

I say, let's drop the party labels of Democrat and Republican when we talk about the direction of our government. We should clarify whether a person is a constitutional conservative, or a constitutional revisionist. The framers of the Constitution were visionary, intelligent, God-fearing men. Most hated slavery but were unable to end slavery using the Constitution. The best they could do is include this: "all men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; among which are the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

They added "liberty" so that future courts and generations would be able to end the atrocity of slavery. They added "pursuit of happiness" because they knew it was not the government's place to guarantee happiness.

That's a fact that we learn from all the letters and journals written by these great men.

There's enough fault to go around in both parties. Let's stick to the Constitution as our one and only reference point for all our laws and government reach. Then, like President Washington said, we too will agree, that "no government can rightly rule without the Bible."

I, too, dream of a country where people are judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin. Thank MLK for that dream. I hope that dream will belong to all us one day.

With Christ in the School of Adversity

That’s right. Adversity is more than a painful experience or a challenge that threatens our peace and happiness. Besides being a “normal” part of living on this cursed planet, it is also a school where we learn a great many lessons. One lesson (and there will be a test later) is about how faithful we truly are. We also learn a lesson about the faithfulness and love of Jesus.

Sunday we will attend class with Jesus in the School of Adversity. Check out Matthew 14 then join us in person or via the internet as we attend class together.

Thoughts on Second Chances

"Lord, when I read about Peter slipping into the water I think of myself failing You. But then You didn't reject / discard Peter. You reached out and took him by the hand and drew Him to Yourself. Thank You for giving me one chance after another. I walk and sink; walk and sink; walk and sink. But each time You rescue me and draw me to Yourself…and then continue to work in and through my life. I just pray that when it's all said and done that You receive the glory and praise You deserve."

Sick or Not, God Remains Awesome

I've been sick all week. You know, a cold with sore throat, larygitis, coughing, sleepless nights. When your head feels kind of woosie it's hard to concentrate on important things. One thing is certain, no matter how I feel God is still the same -- He remains awesome.

One friend of mine had a clear MRI this week; another friend's brother succumbed to our enemy, death; another friend's house burned to the ground; but Jesus died to rescue us from this cursed earth. he remains awesome. Thank You, Father, for everything.

Used My Miracle Mouthwash

Well, I'm sick with a head cold, sore throat included. So, I made up a batch of my Miracle Mouthwash (actually got it from my doctor) and boy do I feel better!!
Try it. See the previous blog for the recipe. I forgot to put in the recipe to add a normal dose of Mylanta to the concoction.

MAGIC MOUTHWASH

My doctor gave me this formula last year when I was sick. It works!!

INGREDIENTS
One small tube of ORAJEL, CHERRY FLAVORED
Liquid BENEDRYL, CHERRY FLAVORED
Liquid MYLANTA, CHERRY FLAVORED

DIRECTIONS
Cut the back or bottom of the Orajel tube with scissors and empty the entire tube into a cup.
Add twice as much Benedryl as gel
And about 20cc of water (a spoon used to measure medicine or a cup that comes with Nyquil can be used to measure the water)
Mix the contents

APPLICATION
Take 5cc to 10cc by mouth, swish it around and gargle deeply, then swallow.
Repeat every 2-3 hours as needed.
The Orajel and Benedryl help numb the sore throat; the Mylanta is to make swallowing them easy on the stomach.

There you have it: Orajel, Benedryl, and Mylanta -- all cherry flavored. Don't make a face...try it.

A Great Prayer from Thomas a' Kempis

I cant' seem to copy and paste this prayer into this blog format. Please go to link I've provided and make this prayer your own. ----->

READING THE BIBLE

I've added a new element to my blog. It's called "Faith Comes by Hearing" and makes the New Testament available to my viewers. You can listen to the Word in the English Standard Version (a good translation). So, go ahead. Take advantage and have a listen.

It's not about us, and it's not about NOW

Humans are physical by nature. God made us that way. But since we are under the Curse of sin we think in the NOW and have lost sight of eternity. But life is not about us, and it's not about NOW. Life, real life, is about Jesus Christ and what He has in store for believers.
The earth is temporary, but we invest all our emotional and mental stock in it. Truly, we give very little thought to what outweighs everything else -- the Lord and Heaven.
Worship, life, and love... it's not about us, and it's not about NOW.

Heaven just keeps getting better

I really enjoyed working on my message today about Heaven. We're studying the New Jerusalem and WOW, today I was into the River of Life, the Tree of Life (which is totally amazing!!), and even the natural wonders of the New Earth.
Think of it, mountains, trees, valleys, sunsets, waterfalls, precious stones, rivers and so much more. I wonder if the New Earth will have beautiful rings like Saturn does now; or maybe numerous moons. Why not? God always improves and advances on His work.
It's exciting; just plain exciting.

Heaven

Many of you know that I'm preaching a series on Heaven right now. In the process of reading, studying and preparing for the messages, Heaven has become even dearer and more desireable to me. Heaven is not a city floating in the clouds, or a ghostly place with ghostly inhabitants. It is a robust, full of life place where people enjoy success, work, pleasure, fun and fellowship.
Maybe all of us should be pre0ccupied with Heaven. It's our home, our future, and the place where our Savior and loved ones are.
The series can be seen on our website at www.gracekaufman.org or ordered and viewed on DVD.
I wonder what it would be like to place catch with Jesus. I always wanted to surf...I think I'll get my chance, if I want it. Sound weird? Maybe. Maybe not.

I'm not a Republican, I just seem vote Republican

Someone asked me about this the other day, and in today's political climate, I thought I'd exercise my freedom of expression (while I still have it) and answer: "Are you a Democrat or Republican?"
Sure, I've voted for Democratic candidates before when what they stood for mattered to me. But that was a long time ago. It seems I only vote for Republicans lately. But I do know some good public servants today that are Democrats on the local level.
You see, I'm a conservative. I have certain beliefs and values. I believe in a small federal government and that it's the role of the federal government to protect the homeland "from enemies, foreign and domestic", not regulate toothpaste, which medical treatment I can recieve, car emissions, nativity scenes, religious expression or free enterprise. I believe that less taxes stimulate the economy, not more taxes.
I also believe in the sanctify of human life. I belief God created human beings and our "abortion on demand" policies, and "abortion for convenience", tells God we think He made a mistake. It's like telling God that His crowning creation is disposable!!
I believe that our nation was founded on certain Judeo-Christian principles that will keep us strong, or only lead to our destruction if we abandon them.
I vote for candidates that hold to these and other conservative principles. And it seems that Republican candidates tend to hold to these principles more than Democrats. I'm open to correction if I'm wrong.
So, when I vote for conservatives with biblical foundations, more often than not they tend to be Republicans.
I think I'll join the Tea Party, however. I think the next time there's a Tea Party gathering around here you might find me there.
Bottom line? I belong to a set of principles, not a political party. So, I vote for Life. If you have to pick a single issue, make it Life. If anyone thinks unborn life is cheap and disposable, they're going to think your life is cheap and disposable, too!

Is That All There Is?

Do you remember that song by Peggy Lee many years ago? She always expected the best and most exciting things to happen, and when they did, they weren't so great.
Why anyone loves this world with all its temptations, plagues, pain, troubles, adversity, and calamity is beyond me. Yet, even with so many miseries, one on top of the other, there are people who would love this world and do all they can to preserve it... to stay here!!
Don't get me wrong, I am the last person to advocate something like suicide -- that is never the answer. Never. But I am amazed sometimes at the pain and agony people will put themselves through so they can continue to suffer pain and agony.
It's always right to preserve life and give it the respect and protection it deserves. But we believers often lose sight of just how temporary and insignificant this "vapor" of a life is. In the vast configuration of things, God created us for so much more!
Okay, let's live on earth; let's work together for God's Kingdom; let's live in harmony in Christ's Church; let's try to preserve and defend life... but let's keep our eyes on the BIG PRIZE. The best isn't here on earth, it's what comes next that is most significant.
This isn't all there is!!

Heavenly Music!

There are certainly different kinds of music that is a part of the worship scene. In America we think that music is limited to what we call traditional, contemporary, southern gospel, or black gospel. Of course, in Africa or Indonesia they never heard of any of those styles of music. As a matter of fact, some places use drums as the driving instrument, and rythym, not melody as the main factor. Southern Gospel would scare them to death and Contemporary/Traditional music would be offensive.
Is there a best style of worship and best kind of worship music. The answer is YES!
The best style, in my humble opinion, is whichever style draws the most number of people together at one time for praising God. In some cultures that would be Black Gospel with the creative organ stylings that mark that sound. In other cultures it would drums and bamboo sticks. While in others it might be guitars, flutes, or bagpipes.
I like what Greg Laurie said in a newsletter someone sent me today: "Music is not an art form, it's a heart form."
There you have it. Music is our heart response to our Creator and Savior. If we can only get our personal preferences past the style, and unite around the words, then God would truly be glorified. Now, that's heavenly music!!

What if things go wrong?

That's a loaded question. We already know that things will go wrong. It's not because Obama is the president; or the Dems hold congress; or that terrorists are out to kill us; or that the economy and the dollar are heading down the proverbial toilet. Those are all symptoms of a bigger problem.
We live in a dimension of darkness and hardship. It's about time we face it... this is not a world conducive to the welfare of humanity.
But wait! It wasn't always that way. It was once an environment that was fully compliant with, and in unity with, the needs of human beings. It was a paradise; a utopia. But alas, Sin and Satan ruined it. Don't despair. Everything God is doing has one purpose, one intent, and only one outcome: the removal of Sin, the demise of Satan, and the renewal of Paradise!
What if things go wrong? Keep your compass calibrated toward God. He's the eventual winner!

Hang on, 2010 could be quite a ride!!

It would be possible to list a lot of bad things that could happen in 2010... things related to terrorism, accidents, economic woes, higher taxes, hurricanes, and, well, you get the idea.
On the other hand, everything that happens -- and I mean everything -- moves history closer to God's ultimate purpose. The fact is, Christians wouldn't be so depressed if they understood the undercurrent of God's activity. And, as I always say, "with Christ the best is always yet to come." Our best days are ahead of us!
So lets hang on together and ride this out. God is in it...whatever it is.

HAVE A CIGARETTE...PLEASE!

I remember the good ol' days with good ol' fashioned sins. I remember when smoking a cigarette was as close to devil worship as you could get. You were a "good Christian" if you didn't smoke, didn't cuss, didn't drink, didn't gamble and didn't dance. Oh, and I remember that in some church circles you weren't allowed to have "mixed bathing". Do you know what mixed bathing is? It's when boys and girls swim in the same pool or on the same beach. You could make certain church people freak out by showing up without a tie!
Today Christians are smoking joints (marijuana), shooting up drugs, cutting themselves, having online sex, getting abortions, beating their spouses and children, abandoning all standards of decency, and experimenting with homosexuality. This is not to mention the acceptable behaviors of slaughtering other reputations with gossip, splitting churches with power plays that match those of the corporate world, and stealing from God with lousy giving.
Between you and me, the next time I see a Christian have a cigarette, I'll just assume they're engaging in that "sin" to avoid something worse like getting high, cutting themselves, or beating up on someone.
Please, have a cigarette. You won't hear a sermon from me.

CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN FEAR

That's one of the stories you'll find on the FoxNews website today. In Pakistan there are believers living in a tent city because they were burned out of their homes last Christmas. This year, they've been warned that they will be burned alive inside their tents!
Why? Because they will not deny their faith in Jesus Christ!
So if you think the Christmas season is stress for you, just remember your brothers and sisters living (for how long?) in Pakistan, China, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, and many other places where faith in Christ is not welcomed....not even tolerated.
Hmmm. That's starting to sound a lot like places in the U.S.