You were Created for a Godly Purpose

As I post this article on June 25, 2007, it is very interesting that I finished this article on June 20, 2007 and the Sunday June 24, 2007 Church message (Lakewood with Joel Osteen) and Sunday school lesson were very similar to what you are about to read. God always confirms His Word.

Regardless of what you may have heard, you were created by God for a good purpose. You ARE NOT an accident; You ARE NOT a loser; You ARE NOT a whore; You ARE NOT a thug or a pimp; You ARE NOT the result of bad sexual experience between your parents; however, you ARE fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator (Psalms 139:14-16). Sure, you may have been a surprise to your parents here on earth, but God has been waiting for your arrival for a long time. He has need of you. He has a job for you, an assignment, a mission for you to complete. The enemy of our souls also has been waiting for you. Likewise, he has a job, assignment and mission for you. Which plan/destiny are you going to follow? Remember, we are all free moral agents, and although God does have good things in store for us, we have to willingly choose His way (Isaiah 1:19-20). If we don’t choose God’s way, it’s synonymous with choosing the way of the enemy. There is no middle ground, no de-militarize zone; you’re either hot or you’re cold; you're either with God or against God. Jesus said that if you are lukewarm He’ll spit you out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16). Remember, no matter what you are facing, you were created for a Godly purpose.

(Genesis 1:26-28) “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

(Ephesians 1:4) “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

(Jeremiah 29:11) “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

It doesn’t matter what century in which you were born; or in which nation you live; or into which ethnic race you were born. You might be facing terrible conditions, which are not God’s doing, by the way. You might be living under a governmental regime that is anti-God. There might be economic turmoil, famine, or massacres in your land. In the natural, the cards might be stacked against you, but God can still get the Glory from your situation and you can still fulfill a Godly purpose wherever you are (Genesis 50:20). You just have to be willing to find out what it is that you can do for God; and then do it as and when He leads you. Look at some Bible examples of how God delivered His people from bad situations and brought them into their promise: Joseph went from the pit to the palace; Jesus went from Heaven to Hell and back to Heaven with the keys of Death and Hell (Revelation 1:18); David went from being a little shepard boy to becoming the greatest King of Israel; and Rahab went from being a harlot to being named among the examples of having great faith in God (Hebrews 11:31). You and I are so important to God. Although He is the head of us all, we are His Body; and a head without a willing and properly functioning body is useless. The Head has the vision, insight and direction, but His Body carries out the instructions. So let’s get started! If you are already active in what God has called you to do, keep up the good work, and encourage others to find and to do their part, as well.

Some thoughts to ponder concerning the uniqueness and importance of humanity:

• God created you as a unique person with distinguishing characteristics: you’re the only one with your DNA and fingerprints. God knows exactly who you are and with what He has equipped you.
• God loves humanity so much that He was willing to sacrifice His only Son so that we could all be reunited with the Father in a loving family relationship.
• God created this entire earth and everything in and on it for humans to enjoy.
• God created us to have dominion over the earth and every aspect of it.
• After Adam and Eve, God can only use humans to create another human. The perpetuity of the human race depends upon humans. God doesn’t make people out of the dust of the ground anymore.
• After Adam and Eve, God only has access into this earth through willing humans. Why do you think God made covenants with men?
  

There are treasures, gifts and talents that are locked up inside of you that God wants to help you to discover. This is all so that you can bring glory and honor to His name, and be a benefit to the people He has placed in your circle of influence (Matthew 28:19-20). Think about this! Everything was created with the distinct purpose of being a problem solver. Chairs provide rest for us; hammers help us to construct things; stoves help us to cook things, and cars help to transport us from one place to another faster. Don’t you think that a creature made in the image and likeness of God with His breath blown in him/her has purpose? If these inanimate objects make our lives easier and help society to function better, how much more can you and I input into society with the Life of God on the inside of us? God is not a time waster, nor does He create junk. He creates wholeness, goodness and perfection. So know that God created you for a good purpose, even if you aren’t living a life that is pleasing to God. The enemy creates NOTHING. He only perverts the creation of God in order to steal, kill and to destroy (John 10:10). For example, God created sex to be a good thing in marriage, but the enemy has perverted that good thing and created a destructive form of entertainment called pornography.

You have been called out for God’s service, like a special forces training unit, separated for a specific duty; elected like a politician to execute a special job on behalf of the Kingdom of God. You were called out, elected, chosen, equipped and made responsible by the Creator of Heaven and Earth. Jesus said in John 4:34 “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work.” This is a general explanation for fulfilling the will of God for your life. It’s similar to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19). These are general thoughts about doing what God wants you to do. But where do YOU fit in this work? 1 Corinthians 3:8-9 says “Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.” WILL YOU ACCEPT THE CALL?

Some Christians use the “cop out” answer for what they are called by God to do in the earth. Going to church, just “being a Christian,” and one day going to Heaven is satisfactory for them. But to the rest of us, that is unacceptable. We want to participate in the Kingdom of God. Many say “I’m called to praise and to worship God, to preach the Gospel and to live holy.” Well this is good and it is true to an extent, but this is a blanket instruction for the entire Body of Christ. These are not specifics. Suppose you were on the phone with someone and you wanted them to visit you. But you didn’t know your or their location. How could you meet each other? How could you accomplish the task? You couldn’t! It’s the same thing with your created purpose. How can you specifically fulfill it if you don’t know what it is and where it is? Your purpose exists, but you have to find out what it is specifically. Don’t worry though, it’s not hard to discover. It may take some prayer, some spiritual listening, discernment and observation; but you can know why God created you.

Here are a few things to know and/or questions to answer about finding your God-given assignment:

Where has God ordained for you to be laboring? Where you are can be as important as what you do. Where you are lets you know the climate of your environment. For example, coconuts grow on trees that are planted in the ground. But they are never planted in Canada. Why? The Canadian ground can support coconut trees; but the Canadian climate does not provide an environment conducive to a fruitful coconut harvest. So be aware of your location, surroundings and/or environment.

What has God placed in you to do, specifically? What you do lets you know the equipment you will need to do the job properly. Do you have a burning passion, desire and love for something? Ministering to the elderly? Singing? Dancing? Teaching children? Mentoring young men and women? If you’re going to be in the choir, then having the ability to hear and to sing are important gifts to have. If God wants you to work in a restaurant, you may need to have a pleasant attitude around people, and/or an ability to cook. Also, notice what work of the Lord that you do joyfully and/or effortlessly. (Luke 10:17) The seventy were sent out to minister the Word of God and they returned with great joy. Doing the purposed will of God from your heart will produce joy. It’ll be a pleasure to do it. It won’t be a chore. Jesus said that “His yoke is easy and His burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30).

To whom are you called? If you are very impatient with kids, then you shouldn’t be working in the children’s ministry at church. God, not only has specific places in which for us to be, but He also has specific people or groups for us, as well. Paul was an apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13, 2 Timothy 1:11). Jesus came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Find out what people you are called to reach. It might be an ethnic race, a societal class of people, or a particular age group.

Preparation: Be willing to prepare and invest money and other resources into discovering your calling. Take a class, buy some books, and/or talk to people who are fulfilling their God-given mission. Jesus studied and prepared himself for 30 years, and his earthly ministry only lasted 3 years. Take your time; don’t be in such a rush to win the world to Jesus. Let your gift develop and let God open opportunities for you to minister.

Motivation: If every profession in the world paid $5.00 per hour, which profession would you choose? Most people want to be lawyers and doctors because those jobs pay well. But if that variable didn’t exist, and strictly based upon the cry of your heart, which would you do?

Understanding: Know that your closest friends and family may not understand your faith, gifting, assignment or calling. Joseph’s brothers were mad at him for the vision he had; Jesus came to the earth and wasn’t originally taken seriously (John 7:5); Job’s wife told him to curse God and die (Job 2:9).

Testing: Know that your faith, gifting, assignment or calling is going to awaken and/or anger an enemy that you won’t be able to avoid. This enemy appears before you so that you can defeat him. He won’t lie down and just let you win; you have to enforce the victory and Jesus has obtained that for us (1 John 5:4). David was taken to a new level in God only after he killed Goliath; Samson had his Delilah; Moses had his Pharaoh.

What is Your Image of Sex?

Disclaimer:

If you are very sensitive or easily offended by the mentioning of the word “SEX,” then you might not want to read this article. The contents of this article are very bold and forward, but I will be very tactful, decent and tasteful. Why am I writing about sex? Too often, Christians avoid real intellectual discussion about pertinent issues. This lack of discussion promotes ignorance and this causes problematic situations to worsen in our families and societies. My purpose for discussing this topic is to at least cause people to talk about what they are thinking, but might be afraid to say in public. Well, I’m going to be the bold one and say some tough things. You don’t have to agree with me, but you should have a stance on the issues discussed. Let’s stop running away from the three letter word: “SEX.” It’s not a bad word. The secular world has made it a nasty and dirty commercial enterprise. But in reality, it’s a beautiful and wonderful exchange of love created by God to be enjoyed within the marriage covenant (Hebrews 13:4). If it wasn’t for that exchange, you and I wouldn’t be here today. Don’t frown thinking about your parents either. (ha-ha)

We live in an over-sexualized society

Sex is a good thing, and anything that is good comes from God. But in all honesty, sex is truly over-rated, and society puts more emphasis on it then it deserves. I want to make sure that I do my part to put sex in it’s proper place in our society. Sex won’t make a relationship and it won’t keep one, so that should tell you something. But sex sells and that’s what advertisers depend upon to sell their products and services. Thin, buxom and scantily-clad women advertise to male-dominated industries. Muscular and well-built men advertise services and products to women. The physical features of the person have nothing to do with what the potential customers are buying, but people are attracted to “sexuality,” and “SEX SELLS!”

Young girls want the smaller shapes, bigger breasts, fuller lips, long hair and the like. Some of these women in commercial ads may be pretty, but don’t let the television determine what beauty is. A beautiful woman can wear a size 0 or a 12, or a 24. Beauty is what you see is beauty. If something or someone is beautiful to you, then it's beautiful. God gave us all the ability to discern beauty, so “Be beautiful!” Remember your body is God’s temple (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), so take care of it as best you can; be attractive and appealing; maintain those feminine qualities; smell sweet; do your hair. Men, take care of that mid-section, be well-groomed and shaven, get a hair-cut, get a clothing makeover, and look good while you’re representing the Kingdom of God, yourself and your family.

In general, men and women are beautiful creatures; however, some people tend to cover up their physical beauty by not dressing nicely, becoming overweight, not bathing and/or smelling nicely, not smiling and/or being pleasant, or having an unfavorable personality. Any of these things can be changed, so don’t worry, you can survive in this over-sexualized and superficial society. You are and can be beautiful regardless of what the advertisements say. So again, just be beautiful in your own way!

These sex-themed advertisements breed a sense of insecurity in men and women (young, middle-aged and older). A lot of men know this and play on the emotions of women. Women want to be made to feel pretty, appreciated, loved and wanted. There’s nothing wrong with this, but ladies, you first must be comfortable with who you are and who God made you to be. Otherwise, the enemy will send a smooth talking loser your way to tell you how beautiful you are and how he wants to treat you so nice, spoil you with gifts and romance you. [Author’s thought: That’s the oldest trick in the book. There’s nothing wrong with a genuine compliment. It’s nice to be appreciated. But ladies can be very emotional, so don’t get all mushy and let that go to your head. Keep smooth talking Romeo in check. Remember ladies, you’re a Proverbs 31 virtuous woman!]

Men and women usually annoy me when they are continually being forewarned about some gold digger or some guy and his sorry and tired "pick-up lines." I’ve told numerous men and women, “Don’t do it, don’t fall for this!” A few weeks or months later they tell me, “We’re not together anymore, it didn’t work out.” No surprise here, but these people who drop their standards, aren’t secure in God or in themselves and they let the slightest (non-substantive) thing spark their hormones. This society of sex is causing men and women to lower their standards for mundane reasons. Don’t lower your standards just to have a mate! Ladies, forget about your biological clock; forget about wanting to cuddle with someone at night; and forget about being the fifth wheel when you go out. It's not worth it. Strengthen and further solidify your relationship with Christ. Make sure that you are a complete single in Christ. You’re worth more than some of the people who approach you can emotionally afford. Keep your self-dignity and self-respect. Be patient, God won’t leave you stranded. If you can stand the stretch, God will pull you through to your victory! You may be growing weary and tired of being patient, but you can’t be tired of being a man/woman of God and a man/woman of integrity. You can do it! If you can be a successful single for one day, then you can do it for two, three, four, et cetera, ad infinitum. Take it one day at a time, folks.

A lot of times people associate insecurity with women. But a lot of men can also have moments of insecurity, such as: when men see women practically drooling over a very handsome man; or men may see a more well-endowed man than himself in the gym locker room. These things and more can affect a man’s self-esteem if he is not an emotionally secure person. Again, this comes from television programming, so don’t worry about someone else’s features. You are still attractive even if you don’t look like Boris Koejoe, Shemar Moore or Brad Pitt; and if your genitalia is not the size of a porn star’s or if you don't wear the gold packs (magnum condoms), it really doesn’t matter. Sure there are things that you can do to enhance your features, but don’t get so preoccupied with that to the point where it consumes you.

Sex is a learned act. No one is skilled at sex from birth, yet it’s like walking. You do it the first time, and you might not have done such a great job, but the more you practice and try it the better you become. Anyone who is good in anything has learned their techniques from trial and error, and repeat performances. My point is that anything that you practice enough you will eventually master. Remember that! Don’t let the media and pornographic movies convince you that you are unattractive and inadequate. A lot of men boast of their sexual prowess and abilities in bed. It’s an ego thing, male pride, and sometimes just flat out lying. Besides, you ARE NOT your sexual organ, it is a part of you. It doesn’t define your manhood! [Author’s thought: A very well-endowed man is not the average man. The average man is average sized, but most of these pornography actors are exceptions to the rule. Some of them are naturally built that way, but some are the result of pills and pump enhancements. So don’t lose your self-esteem over a gimmick. Sexual technique is more important than the size of your sexual organ. Some people make size the most important thing. However, I do believe that size does matter, too small and too big can be a problem. These are the types of discussions that need to take place between the couple, and if some sound counseling is to be done, as well. The couple knows the intimate details of their relationship and should know how everything fits, works and should feels. It’s an easy fix. Explore each other, find those sensitive areas: neck, ears, chest, or inner thigh. Men: find out how the clitoris (a very sensitive protruding piece of skin just above the vagina) works, be gentle with it though; see if you can find her G-Spot (it’s inside of the vagina and if you hit it, it feels like a soft piece of flesh). If you hit it you’ll both know it. Make sure you genuinely romance her outside of the bedroom, as well: talk sweet to her, thoughtful gestures, nice conversation, non-sexual touching, et cetera.]

Men tend to be very visual, and men who watch pornographic movies are watching women who are fulfilling their wildest fantasies. The men who watch them, want to do those things with that woman or that type of woman. Well, it’s a movie and the men can’t have that particular woman. So a lot of men who watch pornography either aren’t attracted to their wives because their wives don’t resemble these women, or the wives won’t perform the acts that the women in the movies perform or in the manner in which they perform them. This is why comparing your mate to other people is dangerous. If there is a sexual concern, the couple should discuss it and not leave it to the influence of a twisted message and view of sex. Communication and education dispels ignorance.

In an analogy, sex is actually like the spark plugs in the car. It’s a small part of the whole car, but it’s necessary if the car is going to run properly. Spark plugs are an easy fix and/or adjustment if needed. The love, respect, trust, communication, compatibility is like the engine. It’s the biggest and most important part of the engine, it takes the most work to fix and maintain, and it’s also the most expensive part of the car. But in today’s society in the Western world, sex is portrayed as this “it’s-the-end-of-the-world-if-I-don’t-get it” type deal. Sex is definitely over-rated in the grand scheme of things, but it’s always nice to know that it’s available from your spouse when you need it.

Sex is a pleasurable experience and an art

Sex isn’t just a “Wham, Bam, Thank you ma’am!” People who treat it as such have very flawed thinking. Sex is a fun, pleasurable and loving exchange that should be expressed solely by a husband and his wife. The mechanics of sex, however, need to be practiced and perfected like anything else. Why is this important to note? Because there are too many sexless marriages that exist, and there are too many married people who are sexually unsatisfied in their marriages for one reason or another. They are unsatisfied and look elsewhere for pleasure, i.e., self-stimulation, another partner, pornography, et cetera. This should not be the case, but unfortunately it is.

As far as satisfaction goes, some women aren’t accustomed to climaxing (having an orgasm) with their husbands consistently. An overwhelming majority of men have at least one climax whenever they are intimate. The women who don’t climax are either not familiar with their bodies, needs, wants or desires; she hasn’t patiently communicated them to her spouse; or he just doesn’t understand the female anatomy. Many frustrated men and women claim that they “have needs” (a need to orgasm/climax by themselves) and masturbate and/or use sex toys to please themselves. This is a very popular phenomenon, and it’s getting more popular in the 21st century. But I like to view sex as a ministry between the husband and the wife for the benefit of the other partner. Man should strive to please the wife and vice versa. There’s really no need for auto-sexuality (self-pleasure).

Again, why am I bringing up these topics? The Bible says that the Church is the ground and the pillar of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15) and the truth of the matter about sex in marriage is that there are still too many unanswered questions that need answers; however, the Church ignores these aspects and pleasures of sex, they only address the sanctity of marriage and that sex is acceptable only in marriage. Some people, including Christians are very sexual, but many people are ashamed to discuss sex and/or aspects of sex. The best way to dispel ignorance is to educate people. I blame the Church (in general) because God made sex to be a great thing in marriage. The world has twisted that great thing and makes it seem more fun, pleasurable and exciting than the original intent. Why are there so many sexless marriages? Why do so many people not want to please their mates? Sex is definitely one issue that needs to be discussed before marriage. You hear about salvation and Jesus before you accept Him, well the same premise applies to sex. Men and women need to discuss finances, schedules, duties/responsibilities, childbearing, etc., as well as the frequency of intimate relations both people would like to enjoy. If either partner has any intimacy hang-ups, things they don’t like or won’t do needs to also be discussed. A person with an unpleasant sexual past might bring a lack of libido (sex drive), or an unwillingness to experiment with new things to the relationship. Is the other person willing to deal with that? Will one person withhold intimacy from the other for an Unbiblical or illogical reason? Do you always need romance or can you handle a “quickie” or a “nooner” sometimes? [Author’s thought: Remember, don’t get all shy on me. We’re keeping it real, folks. This stuff needs to be discussed before you get married, or if you’re already married and have never discussed this, do it today. We stay ignorant when we aren’t educated. So ask these questions and everyone will be informed and know what is to be expected in the marriage covenant.]

Online dating

This is new sensation to meet new friends, business contacts or potential mates. There are many websites designed especially for dating, and sometimes you will see some encouraging success stories. People share testimonies of people meeting their spouses online (without physically seeing them initially for a period of time). This is comparable to our relationship with Christ. We have never met Christ physically, but the more we talk to Him and get to know Him, the more we understand, appreciate and love Him.

Along with online dating, the idea of importing wives has become lucrative and very popular. Some men pay tens of thousands of dollars to import and to naturalize a wife from third world countries. I know many men of all races that desire a non-American woman. There is a stigma on Western women. It’s unfortunate that any group of people is generalized, but there is a social engineering in existence, of the men and the women. Some men believe that they are better than women; some believe that women should just submit to whatever their husband wants, like a slave; and some men believe that marriage is a partnership. I tend to agree with the partnership philosophy, but like I mentioned earlier, some issues do need to be discussed before you walk down the aisle; you don’t want any surprises.

I mentioned insecure men before and some of these men don’t want an Americanized woman. I can understand them saying this, but some say this for insecure reasons. I personally know two (below average looking) men who had extremely beautiful, third world women imported to America to marry. The women’s idea was “my job and duty in life is to please my husband, and he will take care of me.” The women barely spoke any English, had no money or contacts in America. [Author’s thought: I’m just going to interject my opinion here, but these guys were looking for a love slave. I could be wrong, but based upon what I know about these situations, that’s what it appeared to be. The women were born in a country that didn’t enjoy real liberty and they had a chance to come to the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave and live a lifelong dream. All she had to do is marry an American citizen and submit to him.] Look at some of these Spanish or Asian women that you see in the States that aren’t Americanized and haven’t assimilated into our society too well. Ask the women if they would marry an American who will be nice to them, and take care of them on the condition that they give the husband unlimited sex every day and never fuss at him or question him. Those third world women will jump on that idea, and the American men will too. The women see an opportunity for a better life, and the men see an opportunity to have on-demand pleasure with less accountability. Most men wouldn’t mind having uninhibited sex. But what about having a woman with goals, dreams, visions and aspirations? What about having an intelligent woman that can think independently and navigate in this world independently? What about a woman that can lovingly challenge you or correct you when you’re wrong? A lot of insecure men don’t want to deal with that. They want someone that will fulfill all of his sexual fantasies, roll over and shut up until the sex session is over. These third world women aren’t as concerned about getting pleased sexually (as an American woman is) because she thinks her purpose in life is to serve her husband and fulfill his needs. An American woman WILL voice her displeasure at not being satisfied, and rightly so. A lot of men don’t worry about if she has a climax, I’m finished! A wife that just wants to serve her husband and be a sex slave wouldn’t work too well for me. Sex isn’t substantive enough for me, and it shouldn’t be for you either. I’d rather have someone with whom I can share my life and with whom I can enjoy a meaningful exchange other than sex. What about a woman who can strengthen you when you are weak? A woman that can support you spiritually when you need it? I think that a nice “happy-medium” between the two is a good balance. I would hate to think that the whole family would shut down spiritually, monetarily and intellectually if I decided to take a few weeks off.

Author’s conclusion:

The world in which we live is a world that was created with good things for us, not us for the things. Often times we let trivial and very shallow things consume our time and energy, and the more important and weightier matters are left unattended. Hence, the reason for this article. I would like the readers to glean the simple perspective and protocol of sex in our society.

First, it is sanctioned by God for the marriage covenant only.

Second, it is not the most paramount activity of your life.

Third, sex and/or sex appeal does not make you who you are.

Fourth, don’t let the sexy images of product and service advertisements dictate to you what is considered appealing

Fifth, sex is fun and exciting. If you want to moan, groan, shout, scream, do it. Have fun, don't be ashamed. Don't hide the smile on your face if your spouse pleased you. Express yourself! God is blessed when you enjoy what He has given you.

Enjoy the intimacy of being with your spouse. It is a gift from God. There are good, clean and sound (non-pornographic) books and materials on the market to help you understand the human body and enhance your sexual experience. What a man and his wife do in their bed is their business, so have fun. If you both agree, then do whatever you want and have a good time. If we keep snickering and avoiding these types of topics, it will only push people to look for answers in other places. So the Church might as well be providing the sound explanations for what God has created. There are a lot of hurting marriages out there, and there are many reasons for the problems they face. But most of the other problems, such as: finances, compatibility, and other irreconcilable differences are widely known and discussed. But the sex issue always makes people blush and stutter. I wonder if those people blush and stutter during sex. (ha-ha). Folks, I really appreciate you reading this article, it was a tough subject that needs to be extended in its content, but for the sake of the website posting I’ll cut it off here. By reading this article you have demonstrated that you don’t want to be ignorant, but you want to enjoy all of the blessings that God has made available to married people. Good for you! Happy loving!

Is There Any Hope in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Race?

I say, not really. But I would like to preface this article by establishing that I do NOT have the proverbial “axe to grind” with anyone or any party. I am NOT a Democratic or a Republican supporter. I am not a part of any left wing or right-wing ideologues groups or think tanks. I am, however, a supporter of issues and candidates that stand firm on and have convictions that are in line with the Judeo-Christian ethic (Bible principles) and the Founding documents (Bill of Rights, US Constitution 1788) for this country. I am being honest by telling you that this will not be an objective article, because these gentlemen and woman are just demagogues for corporate interests on most issues. [Please read my article called Apologetics]. Now let’s see what the media doesn't want you to see.

A few observations are worth noting: the debates for the 2008 election are starting nearly 2 years before the actual election [Author’s thought: this tells me that the American people are fed up with the foolishness of politics. President Bush’s and Congress’ very low approval ratings can attest to this. So the phony politicians want to shove themselves down your throat for the next 1-2 years, and by means of sheer repetition, people will tow the party line.]; the field of candidates for the Democrats is slim and the field for the Republicans is much larger [Author’s thought: the 3 major candidates, Former Vice-Presidential Candidate John Edwards, Senator Barak Obama, and Senator Hillary Clinton are the most visible people and the most well-funded of the Democrats. This doesn’t mean that they are qualified to run the country, but to the average American if they’re on TV, they must know what they are talking about. {Please forgive my sarcasm, but this really disturbs me} All these candidates are doing is blaming the policies of the Bush Administration for the mess America is in but these guys are dancing around the questions and the audience is so star-struck to see that many celebrities at one time, that they just applaud at anything. How disgraceful!]; some of the questions for this debate are becoming more and more “softball-esque” with limited time for a substantive answers, not to mention that the one or two substantive candidates, Ron Paul and Tom Tancredo, are getting silenced in comparison to the other establishment candidates.

Democrats

Former Sen. John Edwards (NC), Sen. Joe Biden (DE), Sen. Barack Obama (IL) and Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY) participate in the “Carnival Barker Road Show” and were joined by Gov. Bill Richardson, Sens. Christopher Dodd and Joseph Biden, former Sen. Mike Gravel, and Congressman Dennis Kucinich for the June 3, 2007 debate.

I'm not going to waste a lot of time and energy on this bunch, and I hope that you don't either. Sen. Barak Obama is the newest of the Democratic Party stars that is making headlines, raising a lot of money and attracting support. He’s your typical leftist, big government democrat, and surprisingly he finally mentioned something about being black (I guess because he went to a black church, hhhmmmmmmm); Sen. Hillary Clinton is the carpetbagger from Arkansas who took advantage of her husband’s Presidency to gain control of the Senate seat in New York, and New Yorkers fell for it. I heard the supposed kooks and “conspiracy theorists” back in 1993 talking about how she wanted to eventually become President and everyone laughed. She denied it the entire time; I guess the joke is on you, America. And lastly, we can't forget Former Vice-Presidential Candidate John Edwards, the trial lawyer. Well, need I say more? Don't worry folks, the Democrats aren't going to save you. They just play the game and are making big money while they tell you want you and the rest of the country want to hear. You may as well "write-in" Mickey Mouse on the ballot. If you're a Christian, I really can't understand what Biblical reasoning you use for voting a straight Democratic ticket. Don't waste your time explaining, there isn't one. I hope that I'm provoking you to anger and challenging your beliefs so that you can at least make the desicion to vote based upon your personal, Godly convictions and not on other people's thoughts. Don't worry, I'm getting ready to lay it on the Republicans now. I despise the Democrats more though, because they purport this idea that they love the minorities and the poor. HAHAHA! It is to laugh. Most minorities, especially African Americans buy into these lies, well at least at the polls they demonstarte this but their voting loyalty. In actuality, these people can't stand you. You're a pathetic peon to these elite megalomaniacs. Do you still love me, folks?

Republicans

On June 5, GOP declared candidates stand together before the start of their first primary debate (left to right): Rep. Duncan Hunter (CA), Fmr. Gov. Mike Huckabee (AR), Fmr. Gov. Jim Gilmore (VA), Fmr. Gov. Mitt Romney (MA), Sen. Sam Brownback (KS), Rep. Ron Paul (TX), Rep. Tom Tancredo (CO), Fmr. Gov. Tommy Thompson (WI), Fmr. Mayor Rudy Guiliani (NY) and Sen. John McCain (AZ).

Congressman Ron Paul, Former NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Sen. John McCain are the major candidates running. Giuliani is one of the worst political hacks that has ever entered into politics. Anytime he gets in a bind, he starts screaming about 9/11 and how he was a tough guy that day. Of the people in the Republican picture shown above, MAYBE 2 of them aren’t bought off.

The shills speak..............McCain, Guiliani, and Romney “have echoed Bush’s longstanding assertion that Iraq is the ‘central battlefront’ in the worldwide war against Al Qaeda and have declared that Al Qaeda would make Iraq its base of operations if the United States withdraws,” thus extending the neocon fabulist ruse, designed to carry out war against ill-defined enemies for generations, as promised. But then, as Winston Smith (1984, the movie) discovered when he read Emmanuel Goldstein’s book, “War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength.” [Author's thought: They don't want the troops to come home, they won't come home. Watch!]

Bush supporters, soon enough to lend support to McCain, Guiliani, or Romney, parrot stories about turban-wearing terrorists they have completely surrendered their higher reasoning faculties, that is if they had any to begin with. “The belief that there is a clear connection between Iraq and the 9/11 attacks has been a key determinant of support for the war. A Harris poll taken two weeks before the 2004 presidential election found that a majority of Bush’s supporters believed that Iraq was behind the 9/11 attacks—a claim that Bush has never made. Eighty-four percent believed that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had ’strong links’ with Al Qaeda, a claim that intelligence officials have long disputed…. But critics have maintained that Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney encouraged these ideas by using misleading terms to describe the threat posed by Iraq before the war.” [Author's thought: Imagine that, a politician using misleading terms. I not going to waste anymore time on this circus, moving right along.]

{Author’s conclusion}

The interesting thing is that I really enjoy politics and the intellectual discussion that it promotes. What I don’t like is that 99% of the people we elect to office are criminals. The race this year seems to be filled with more people from both sides that want to perpetuate an already “out-of-control” government. The Democrats have been crying that President Bush is taking the country in the wrong direction, seizing dictatorial-like control in some aspects. Yet, since the Democrats took control of the House last year, they have done nothing to rescind any of the laws that supposedly infuriated them when they were the minority. This tells me the Democrats are just window dressers, and not about substance. But they will campaign like nothing ever happened because they know that the American people are too preoccupied with Grey’s Anatomy, the baseball season and the NBA Playoffs to do anything. They said that they wouldn’t seek impeachment of the President; they won’t repeal any of his Unconstitutional Executive Orders, and mark my words the troop won’t be coming back anytime soon. The troops protect too many assets and interests around the world to bring them home. So don’t count on it! You may see a few thousand soldiers return home, but for the most part, they’ll just get shifted around the world or find some way to entice new recruits to join. They may suggest reinstituting a draft if things get bad enough. Democrat Charlie Rangel (NY) did mention that a few years ago.

The bottom line is that we have the potential new boss coming in, same as the old boss leaving. The old adage of the "lesser of two evils" still equates to settling with evil as a choice, and that just doesn't make sense. If you are a Christian, that definitely shouldn't make sense, nor should it be an option for you. The choices that we have been given across the board, again, are corporate shills and special interest, soft money socialists. But there is a dark horse running that makes good Constitutional sense, Rep. Ron Paul (Texas). He doesn’t have the political influence that some candidates have, nor does he have the war chest that they have. But at least I can say that he is consistent and principled. I can’t say that about anyone else running in either party. There is a small chance that this libertarian medical doctor from Texas is going to win the Republican nomination. His strict noninterventionist policy is too radical a change for Republicans. But on foreign policy the Republican Party could use a dose of criticism that gets to the root of things; and that is what Paul has to offer. The interesting thing is that Ron Paul was listed at Sportsbook.com with odds of 200 to 1 many weeks ago. In fact, early in the month he was not even offered on the political betting menu. Sportsbook.com (see website here) had experienced such a dramatically insurgence of betting action on Mr. Paul over the past two weeks they were forced to slash odds from 200 to 1 to the current 15 to 1 odds. "Ron Paul is a serious contender whose grass roots campaign is growing dramatically," explains Payton O'Brien, Senior Editor of Gambling911.com, one of the world's leading political betting news sources. "No other single candidate for US President has received the type of interest generated here at Gambling911.com." Case in point, articles on Ron Paul in some cases generated four times the amount of interest than both Hillary Clinton and Rudolph Giuliani articles combined. [Author's thought: Interesting, but why haven’t you and I heard much about him? I wonder why.]

Ron Paul is the only candidate (regardless of the party) to carry a message that resonates with the Judeo-Christian ethic (the Bible) and the US Constitution. Imagine that!!!!!! (How offensive for someone to honestly hold dear to a standard. I'm digressing again, forgive me.) Paul's thoroughbred anti-war and anti-big government stance is encouraging, but the establishment press has done their level best to keep Paul in the shadows while lying in claiming that every participant featured in last week's debate was pro-war.

Ron Paul is the only Republican candidate to have voted against the Iraq war.

Ron Paul is the only Republican candidate who will not seek to lead the U.S. into a military confrontation with Iran, something also that Democrats Obama, Clinton and Edwards have all vowed to keep "on the table."

Concerning the Immigration Bill, only Reps. Tom Tancredo and Ron Paul answer this issue directly and correctly. Paul says, “The reality is that this bill will grant amnesty to virtually all of the 12 to 20 million illegal aliens in the country today. Supporters use very creative language to try and convince us that amnesty is not really amnesty, but when individuals who have entered the United States illegally are granted citizenship – regardless of the fees they are charged – what you have is amnesty.”

Ron Paul is the only Republican candidate who is not compromised while the likes of Giuliani and Romney have more skeletons in their closet than a fancy dress boutique. He holds true conservative values unlike the vehemently pro-abortion Giuliani and Romney.

Ron Paul is the only candidate period that has promised to abolish the IRS and end the fraudulent fiat-based money system that is crippling America's economy while lining the pockets of the ultra-rich.

Ron Paul in Debate at Reagan Library (May '07)

Ron Paul on Bush and the Neo-Cons

"I think the arrogance of power that they have where they themselves are like Communists....in the sense that they decide what is right. The Communist Party said that they decided what was right or wrong, it wasn't a higher source."

"Mr. President," one aide in the meeting said. "There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution." "Stop throwing the Constitution in my face," Bush screamed back. "It's just a goddamned piece of paper!" I've talked to three people present for the meeting that day and they all confirm that the President of the United States called the Constitution "a goddamned piece of paper."

"Congress has generously ignored the Constitution while the President flaunts it, the courts have ignored it and they get in the business of legislating so there's no respect for the rule of law.”
~ Rep. Ron Paul (Texas)

Watch out for Fred Thompson, the "Law & Order" actor and former Tennessee senator. He is quietly getting support from a Bush family member that may highlight a stream of former Bush-Cheney aides and supporters who are signing on with Thompson. George P. Bush, a nephew of President Bush, has contributed to the prospective presidential campaign of Fred Thompson and signed an e-mail asking friends and associates to do the same. But all this tells me is that this is a field spread thin with dung. I’m done now you can go back to sleep.

1. He has integrity and is a True Constitutionalist!

2. He is against the Federal Reserve and the Income Tax!

3. He wants to really secure our nations borders.

4. He believes that Government is too large.

5. He is against internationalism and corporatism.

6. He believes in a gold backed currency.

7. He believes in Pro-Life and Pro-Family values.

8. He may be the last chance to save the Republic.

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
~ Mohandas Gandhi

Identity Crisis: A Culture of Low Self-Esteem and Social Acceptance

Jesus teaches about identity in a parable (natural illustration to explain a spiritual truth) Matthew 4:6 “But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.” Identifying with humanity is apart of human nature, and our roots are what connects us to our source, whether it’s God or something in the natural. We want to and need to identify with our surroundings and other humans (peers, family, our race, co-workers, etc). Humans will always want to connect with something/someone outside of themselves. Remember that! Don’t be fooled by these introverts and people that live hermit-like lives. They may not have a lot of interaction with the outside world, but they spend their time doing something. However, the most important link, in terms of identity, should be with our Creator first, not with one another or something. Acts 17:28 tells us that “in Him we live and move and have our being.”

We must share ourselves somewhere. We know this because we are made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). God wanted to express Himself and have fellowship with other beings. He longed to be accepted and loved in reciprocation for love He planned on demonstrating to us. But today, we lack that “root” that Jesus mentioned and we see a society merely acting out and expressing itself in hopes of gaining acceptance and self-distinction from the crowd. Humans are into the “in-crowd” mentality. He or she is cool, that person has the look we like, so they draw towards one another. It’s not very substantive, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Sometimes likenesses as well as opposites can healthily attract. But Scripturally-speaking, the Bible is emphatically clear about our identity and who we are. There are a myriad of Scriptures that we can use, but for the sake of this discussion we will use: Ephesians 3:17 “be rooted and grounded in love (God),” Colossians 2:10 “you are complete in Him (Jesus)” and 1 Corinthians 3:11 “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” I’m calling this article “Identity Crisis” because people are associating themselves with things for reasons that aren’t valid, reasons that make no sense, or because others are doing it, etc. It’s sad, because some of these precious people are procreating, and God only knows what they are teaching these innocent children. With whom and/or with what are you identified?

Tattoo/Body Piercing/Styles

We live in a culture where distinction and independent social and cultural expression is pervaded. Unique hair and clothing styles, body markings/piercing are all popular in the mainstream world. People African-American women have blonde hair, red hair, blue eyes; and Caucasians youth wear Mohawks and spiked clothing; and an overwhelming majority of the youth, regardless of ethnicity, wears clothes that is too big for them. Why does this happen? Some of the youth thinks they are cool, not knowing that the people who are selling them this dress in these clothes because the youth of today buy it. Most people can’t go to a job dressed like some of these kids. But the parents are just as guilty for buying into this stuff and not explaining the true mechanics of how the world works. I know that a lot of this has to do with the influence of the media and parents not monitoring their children, but we’re invariably perpetuating another generation of lost souls if we don’t instill a positive identity in them [Please read How the Media Thinks for You Parts 1-4].

In third world countries, these outward expressions (unique hair and clothing styles, body markings/piercing) are ancestral, cultural and tribal symbols that mean different things. Today, in some of the more industrial and technologically-advanced nations, tattoos (including the names and pictures of people) and body piercing has become popular. People who have no idea of what their ancestral roots are use this form of social expression. Famous athletes and celebrity icons have made tattoos and body piercing popular among the youth as a socially acceptable fad. At one point in time, African-American youth, who don’t even know the country of their ancestors, were putting Japanese and Chinese sayings on their body. (Now if that isn’t a manifestation of confusion, I don’t know what is.) Most African Americans say that their ancestors are from Africa, but Africa is a continent, not a country. You may see some Caucasian youth with the stretched ear lobes or lip rings that one may see in some third world tribal society. This is not an action that derived from their ancestry.

Is it wrong for young people to emulate these trends? No! But I always ask why are you doing this? The answers that I get generally don’t make any sense. Remember at B.G. Street we don’t just follow the crowd, we act with purpose and forethought. It’s unnatural for people to be more in tuned to the culture of another without knowing their own. That’s similar to someone who alienates him/herself away from their own family for invalid reasons, but will embrace their friends or strangers. That type of behavior and rationale is questionable, at best. As I write this article, I am reminded of impressionist paintings. They don’t look very appealing to me, but the artist is expressing something that he/she was thinking or feeling. That’s great, it was their personal expression. But why are people using someone else’s or someone else’s cultural expression as your own without any insight as to why they were expressing. For example, what if the tribal people’s purpose for the nose rings meant “kill the white man?” I’m sure that it doesn’t mean that, but you understand what I mean. In mutilating your body, the tribal people have a distinct purpose in doing so. I’m not telling anyone to change your clothes/hair styles or remove any tattoos or piercing. Why did you change your appearance? Why did you really mark and mutilate your body?

Fraternities/Sororities/Gangs

A lot of times, men and women, look for love, and acceptance in all of the wrong places. Fraternities, sororities and gangs will show you acceptance that is conditional: if you pay a monetary fee, let them humiliate you for a period of time, and then you can be in their group. Now gangs are on another level, because they deal with blatantly criminal activities, but they are a group that does provide a level of acceptance to the youth. I don’t care what anyone tells you, that is the attitude of these brotherhood and sisterhood groups. Some are more extreme than others, but basically that’s what happens, especially in college. I joined a fraternity when I was in college, so I know what I’m talking about. People saw that the popular fraternities and sororities were in the “in-crowd.” Some of the people were nice, but some really had some identity issues. I’ve seen it to many times. You enter college as a freshman, making friends and finding your way. Then one of your friends decides to pledge, and they change when they “go over.” They forget about the people who befriended them when they were a “nobody” and the opposite sex wasn’t interested in him/her. But now they have some letters across their chest and back, and sometimes they get branded or tattooed (here we go with that again). These people are seen on campus and in the cafeteria as in the “in-crowd” by the groupies. I really pity people like this, and most of us have personally experienced this or have seen the movies. A lot of these groups use weak excuses for joining them, such as: community service and networking. These are unadulterated lies. You can volunteer your time as an individual anywhere you want, and networking is fine, but you don’t have to go through humiliation and risking your life sometimes, in order to get acceptance and connect with people. God is the greatest networker of all. He can divinely connect you with whomever you need to get you to your destination. So these groups do all of these wonderful and loving things, but the inner workings are a secret to the uninitiated. Sounds like a scam, huh? Jesus didn’t keep secrets. He said in Matthew 10:8 “freely you received, freely give”; He said in John 18:20 “I spake openly to the world; and I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing”; He said in John 15:15 “for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known to you.” So where are your roots, in a group or in God? I know people who cried because they didn’t make it into one of these groups. To what have we been reduced as a society? Yes, I’m challenging your sacred cow right now, but I want you to think, and stop being a slave. Slaves don’t think; slaves just obey. Some people say, well I went Grad Chapter so I didn’t go through the hazing process. Stop trying to rationalize away the facts. You’re at B.G. Street now; that means you’re a thinker, and that’s encouraging. I’m not trying to make you quit your organization, but I want you to examine your own motives. Why did you really join the group? What did that organization provide for you that God couldn’t?

Dating/Associating

This can be a very “touchy” subject for some, but I’m not here to offend, but to raise the consciousness of the readers. There’s nothing wrong with having a preference or a desire for a specific type of mate. God gave us all the ability to discern beauty. What I consider an attractive person, someone else may not feel the same way, and that’s fine. But the “Identity Crisis” comes in where a person only wants to date and/or associate with certain people for very shallow reasons. Remember, if you find attractiveness in a specific quality, that’s fine, but don’t alienate yourself away from a potential blessing because: someone’s skin isn’t light enough; someone is of a different race; someone is of another socio-economic grouping then yours. This is how a shallow person would judge a person. But you and I must identify with our Source. What is the substantive part of this person all about?

The man or woman of your dreams, physically-speaking, may come into your life, but he/she might be an atheist and you’re a Spirit-filled Christian. Can you compromise with that? Or you may find a potential mate that is a Christian with some comparable beliefs as yours, but has a history of abusing mates in the past. Do you want to subscribe to those issues? I hear men and women adamantly declaring: I must have a black man; I must have a white woman; I must have a Hispanic woman; I must have a light-skinned mate; I must have a rich man. Hey folks, I don’t have to live with you, so do what works for you. But don’t be shallow in choosing someone as important as a mate. Be substantive and get your mind out of the gutter. The bedroom stuff will happen, but too many times, people are shallow, sadly enough. Why are you really dating/married to that person? Is your overall life better or worse? Remember, you can do badly by yourself. Shallow reasoning for being with someone is never worth it.

In conclusion, we all have a natural sense of longing to be loved, wanted and/or accepted. I am saddened when I see older folks fall victim to the things discussed here (and there are more points that could’ve been made), because the younger generation inevitably follows the examples of their predecessors. The youth will then confer with their contemporaries (which are generally unskilled and inexperienced in life) and they follow each other or what they see around them or in the media. This leads to a perpetual cycle of superficial living and ultimately failure. Don’t buy the lie! We have a hope and a calling in God. It’s sad, but I know people who are so afraid of being alone. You’re not alone; you just need time to get to know yourself. You’re looking at the situation all wrong. You can’t love your neighbor until you learn how to love yourself. Be good to yourself; treat yourself like a king/queen. Then when that mate comes along you will know how to do it. Don’t look to others for acceptance, if you are a Christian, then according to Ephesians 1:6 “you have been accepted in the beloved.” I know people who can’t enjoy extended time by themselves. They don’t want to go to a movie, to the grocery store or out to dinner alone. That is almost pitiful. These are some of the same people who are addicted to the phone. They are always talking on it, but are never talking about anything. You must be comfortable in your own skin, so to speak. Some of us are more private people or loners, and some of us are more of a people person, and that’s great. But find out who you really are and be comfortable with you. Don’t put on a façade and cover up your insecurities. Your eventual mate will be in for a big surprise, and it won’t be a good one.

I believe that the Church (as a whole) has failed in presenting the liberty and the love of Christ in an attractive and desirable package. For years we’ve heard about God striking us down with a lightning bolt and sending us to Hell. Nobody wants to hear that. Is it easier to catch bees by swatting at them, or by putting out a honey jar? The full Gospel of God can be presented without compromising the message and/or intent of the Word, yet still can be attractive and powerful. No one wants to be associated with a dry and lifeless place. If everyone can leave this article with at least one thing, I would say Ephesians 3:17 “be rooted and grounded in love (God),” Colossians 2:10 “you are complete in Him (Jesus)” and 1 Corinthians 3:11 “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” are the keys. A spiritual grounding, completeness and foundation are part and parcel to success in life. You will make more sound decisions and you will have peace in your life. You will have hope when things are not going your way, because Someone greater than you is anchoring your soul. These temporal groups, things and people can make you happy for a moment, but only Jesus brings true joy John 15:11. Please read some of my articles that deal with this same type of subject matter: Welfare Mentality, A Culture Waiting to be Rescued, and How the Media Thinks for You Parts 1-4. Live well!