Another Example of Liberalism Challenging the Church

Hope you’re having a great June.  I haven’t taken to blogging in a while.  I’ve had so many things going in my life, family and ministry that I took a hiatus from writing. 

But yesterday as I was combing through the papers after my morning devotionals I came across something I thought it was so out-landish I just had to write about it.  As a matter of fact I thought about it all night.  I just don’t know what is wrong with the world other that they are void of judgment and morality.  The Bible tells us in Romans 1, professing themselves to be wise they became fools (or in the Greek morons).  What am I talking about?

Yesterday June 7, the Asbury Park Press reported on the possibility of Kirk Cameron being disinvited from speaking at the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove.  I will get to the reason in a minute.  But let me ask this question is not the Ocean Grove a old Methodist Camp Ground where people used to come for retreats and hear from God?  I believe it is still a dry town, where alcohol can’t be sold.

The founding of Ocean Gove…In 1867, Reverend William B. Osborn, a Methodist preacher, attended a week long outdoor holiness camp meeting at Vineland, NJ. Osborn's enthusiasm knew no bounds and, eventually, he found an ideal camp meeting site, a secluded community on the North Jersey Coast, where spiritual and physical health could be renewed. Thus, on July 31, 1869, a group of ministers and friends camped at what is now called Founders Park and, after a candlelight prayer service, dedicated themselves to establish a permanent Christian camp meeting community called "Ocean Grove."  So there you have it, how Ocean Grove came into being, it started as a holiness campground.

Which brings me to what I want to speak about today, I am minister, but first and foremost I am a Christian who believes that the Word of God is yardstick by which we must measure morality by. 

As I said the actor Kirk Cameron was scheduled to speak at The Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove this July.  Well Kirk is well known actor and evangelical Christian, who has a couple of movies out about the family.  He appeared on in March, on CNN and told Piers Morgan on his CNN TV show that he believes homosexuality is “unnatural” and “destructive to many of the foundations of civilization.”  I ask what is wrong with that are we not allowed to voice our opinions any more.  Well this gets better.  Then an Ocean Grove-based human rights organization now wants the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association to disinvite Cameron from two speaking engagements at the Great Auditorium this July.

Allowing Cameron to speak would reflect poorly on Ocean Grove and on the association, which owns all the land in the community, said Harriet Bernstein, co-chair of Ocean Grove United.

Stop the presses, what in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here.  Did I just not give you how and why Ocean Grove founded in the first place.  A place for spiritual and physical renewal, a place where you can get with God uninterrupted, now they want to ban someone who is speaking on marriage and is totally biblical in his belief on homosexuality.  What is the problem here?

Interestingly I did a little research on the subject.  I found out that there was documentary that was produced called “God’s Square Mile” and it is about Ocean Grove.  God’s Square Mile tells the story of a town entrenched in the legacy of Methodist social values and renewed, in large part, by the financial investment of the gay and lesbian residents who have revitalized Ocean Grove’s Victorian homes.  So in here lies the problem about Kirk Cameron speaking at the Great Auditorium. 

It seems the community of Ocean Grove is a Gay and Lesbian community, therefore anything that does not fit into social agenda should not be allowed in their community.  But it is okay for them to be in my community, my workplace, my school.  One of their own made this statement “The question of defining queer community poses a challenge because there is no ethnic or cultural neighborhood that one is born into as a homosexual. The homosexual individual “makes a conscious choice to assert a sexual orientation and ‘come out,’ to take on a gay identity.”  Anne-Marie Bouthillette, "Queer and Gendered Housing: A Tale of Two Neighbourhoods in Vancouver." In Gordon Brent Ingram, Anne-Marie Bouthillette, And Yolanda Retter, ed., Queers in Space: Communities, Public Places, Sites of Resistance,(Seattle, Washington: Bay Press, 1997). 216.

Okay that all being said, it seems hypocritical, that I have to put up with Gays social agenda is and listen to them and see them seemingly flaunt themselves.  But for someone who does not agree with them they want to ban them from voicing their beliefs, how hypocritical can you get?  And whenever someone says it’s immoral they them as homophobic and it is labeled hate speech.

Murder is wrong and immoral and when someone speaks against the murder I guess we can call it hate speech.

I’ve seemed to digress but I don’t have a degree in journalism.  My point is simple, allow Kirk Cameron to speak, if you don’t like don’t listen.  Ocean Grove was found on a higher purpose and I am sure that the Rev. William B. Osborn would not approve of the lifestyle taking place in Ocean Grove.

For us who call ourselves Christians, we’d better wake up and come out from among the dead.  Because when the judgment starts I don’t want to be milling around.

The liberals have labeled them a progressive movement to goes toward socialism.  Listen to God Word has to say on this subject.

   

Rom 1:18-32

God's Wrath on Unrighteousness

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,* wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,* unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. NKJV

I REST MY CASE

Behold When They Call Evil Good And Good Evil

Isa 5:20-21,20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! NKJV

As you can see by my title that this is not going to be a politically correct article? Every morning I go through the news whether it is local, national or international.  Lately I’ve noticed that this same tread keeps coming up and it is about High School graduations.

It seems to me that they are trying with all their hearts and stupid heads to God out of this country.  I’m talking about the progressives and liberals in this country and the amazing thing about all this is the fact is that the lame stream media never talk about it.

Well my case in point is the fact that Neptune High School has bowed to the demands of the ACLU when it comes to graduation ceremonies. 

Some dumb grandma went to a graduation at Neptune High, which by the way the graduation itself is held at The Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove NJ, which I will get to later.  But the fact is this grandma went there, probably knew what Ocean Grove was all about, but she turns around and says she is offended by the Cross on the building and the religious signs on the inside.  Well listen, grandma, stay home. I guess every time I go in a gas station and a person with a Turban on his head or Dot on his forehead comes out I should file a lawsuit with ACLU yea, see how far I get with that one.  No I simply don’t go there. Let’s look at a Chinese Restaurant for instance.  Chinese are about Buddha and they have their little Buddha statues in there and so forth for decorations (some are Buddhists) and some of them aren’t.  As a matter of fact a large majority is Christian, but it is part of their culture.  Maybe we should file a lawsuit with the ACLU or maybe I won’t go their (but I like Chinese food).

See my point, The Great Auditorium is a symbol of Christianity. That is exactly what this country was built on.  Honoring God and that is what the Great Auditorium does it honors God and that is  why the Methodists built it in the first place and if it offends anyone stay the HELL out, because that’s where you’re going anyway.

Now let’s get back to the Methodist’s at the Ocean Grove Association.  Hey, what are you thinking!!! This is consecrated ground and up until a few years you could not even drive a car in Ocean Grove on a Sunday, to my knowledge and I could be wrong but you could even have alcohol unless it was in a private home.  And now you cover your cross (on the inside) and cover your lit religious signs too. 

Ocean Grove you bowed and the Bible says “if bow you burn,” this is not a threat.  But when you turn form God and don’t take a stand for righteousness then His arm of supernatural protection is gone”   You caved in to the establishment, I would of told Neptune High School no way nothing get’s covered take your business somewhere else.  You see every time we cave in the progressives win a little more.  Our rights as Christians are being eroded away.  One more example I saw today was a judge in Texas ruled no prayers at High School Graduations and it is now illegal to say Amen.

Well I say AMEN this should be interesting.

Wake Up

As I sit in a hotel room in Denver Colorado this morning I’ contemplating all that took place this week.

From Congress Women Griffords to MTV new reality show, then we have the Jet’s vs. the Steelers’.

I think where is God is in all of this?  The scripture that pops into my mind is Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, NKJV and Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! NKJV

I am not comparing Congress Women Griffords or football to good or evil I’m just thinking of all the things that are happening in the world today. 

That is not to say I don’t have issues with MTV’s reality shows from the Jersey Shore to the new one Skins and let’s not forget 16 and Pregnant.  Then we wonder what it the world is going on with our kids.  The big wigs only care about the bottom line.  They don’t care what is happening to future generation of leaders.  I’m certainly not against people making money nor am I a hypocrite.  I believe in the free market and all of its benefits. But where do we draw the moral line in all of this madness?

I’ve walked the streets of City Center Denver CO for about a week.  It is a beautiful city but the thing that stood out the most was the enormous amount of kids wondering the streets.  I mean that are everywhere, with backpacks and sleeping bags seemingly wondering aimlessly.  Went to diner in a upscale restaurant in downtown Denver.  My wife and I were enjoying diner and having a conversation with our waitress or am I allowed to even say waitress any more, don’t I have to say server (the world is nuts).  This waitress/server was 23 years old living on her own and has traveled to more places than me and my wife and we’ve have travelled all over the world.  I’m not speaking negatively of the girl she was the nicest person I’ve ever met and God bless her for the courage to do what she is doing.  We see this more and more in the younger generation.  I believe it is because there are so many single parents.  When we were growing up things were different we went everywhere with our parents. And we did the same thing with our children.  Today it is a very different lifestyle.  Why?  Because there is lack of parental guidance, we’ve let the government and our education system what our children.  Not only we’ve let TV run our children, they’ve become our babysitters, video games, DVD players are the something’s. I don’t how many times I’ve been restaurants and watched parents pop in a DVD or give their kids DS systems to play with.  I’ve asked myself that question.

I believe the reason for this is this.  Number 1 we have to keep up with Jones, so we work 2 jobs and then we love the lifestyle and mom starts to go to work.  The kids are put in daycares, the daycare sees the kids more than mom and dad.  I’ve operated a daycare center and I saw these kids being dropped off at 7 or 8 am and being picked up at 5 or 6 in the evening.  It would break my heart because I thought how much quality time are these children getting with from there parents.  Do their parents really know or do the children really know their parents.

The other area I’d like to talk about in the area of TV.  I was talking about TV in the above paragraph MTV, well some of the garbage that appears on other cable networks is absolutely remarkably trashy.

And the commercials, I am tired of seeing commercials for K-Y Jelly intense.  Personally I don’t need K-Y Jelly me and my wife are very satisfied.  And Cialis or Viagra, has the world gone ballistic with all this stuff.  I’m not a prude and certainly don’t have a problem with sex in the context o marriage.  But every time you turn around it is all about sex.  And most of time it is outside the context of marriage.  I read an article on some statistics about sex and it is not uncommon for men and women to go out and hook up meaning they are just going out to look for sex.  This was brought in the Jersey Shore show. 

Friend I’m here to tell you this the Bible says in Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! NKJV

What we see is the world is changing the standards that God has set up in the Bible. And what used to be evil and something to ashamed of is now good and we should not be ashamed of. 

Let’s go one step further, same sex marriage and gays and right off the bat someone will say he is homophobic.  When in fact God created a man and women, Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve, people are certainly free to live they way want because God did give us a free will, but don’t try to make it legal and right because it is not right.  It is not something that I want forced down my throat.  Let me say this I have compassion on people but these people who claim they are gay or lesbians well it is just a spirit of lust.  Let me give you some scripture, Galatians 5:19-21, 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. NKJV

Let me give some definitions of what the first four words mean, and let’s recognize that those who practice these things won’t inherit the Kingdom of God. 

Adultery and fornication both come from the Gk. word porneia – this word includes all sexual activity outside of marriage.  This would include adultery, homosexuality and lesbianism.

Uncleanness = This word comes from the Gk. word akatharsia, which is the word kathario which is where we get catherization from which means cleansed or pure.  But it has the letter a in front of it, which reverses the meaning.  It now means dirty or unclean, it has to do with thinking.  I cover this in detail on the CD.

Lewdness or lasciviousness = This word comes form the Greek word aselgia and it means excess, but primarily refers to excessive consumption of food or wild, undisciplined living that is especially marked by unbridled sex.  This word aselgia is listed as the primary sin of Sodom and Gomorrah and the reason God over threw them.  This particular word aselgia means excessive consumption of food.  Which tells that over indulging in food is just as perverted as engaging in wrongful sinful sexual activities.  

Idolatry = when we hear that word we probably envision large carved images of stone pagan gods, with wild naked natives dancing in the moon light.  I don’t think this is what Paul had in mind when he used this word idolatry. The Gk word for idolatry eidolo-latria is a compound word.  The word idolatry means the “worship of idols”. Eidolo meant man made idol, a heathen edifice, a pagan statue, or an image of a false god

Let me close by saying this God does not hate these people as a matter of fact He loves them.  He loves them so much that He gave His life for them.  God is not against them He is against the sin.  If we continually hang onto sin He is going to judge it.

Let me end with this that we need to teach our children that God loves them and that there is a moral standard we have to uphold.  Don’t grow weary in well doing, and remember Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, NKJV

God bless you,

The Remnant Preacher

Bring it On

Amazingly as I watch TV and the stars you have to wonder what is wrong with them.  You have people defending people like Roman Polanski, and David Letterman gets a pass by the rest of the perverts that are out there.  Craig Ferguson the host of the Late, Late Night Show, says people like David Letterman should not be held to the same standards as politician and clergymen.  Then you have the likes of Dick Cavett, I thought he was dead weighing in on the situation, saying how masterfully the king of late night handled the situation and defused it. 

The Bible says in the Old Testament Isa 5:20-21, Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! NKJV.  And another verse in the New Testament says Rom 1:18-23,18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. NKJV.  Notice verse 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, is this not the bulk of the Hollywood crowd.  Not all of them, guys like Gary Sinese, Jon Voight, Diane Cannon and I think Angelina Jolie might lean to the right and I’m sure there are others.  But for the most part they really think they are smart but dumb as stump.

And then you have Woopie Goldberg, saying it wasn’t rape, rape, in the case with Roman Polanski. Then what the hell was it, when a girl is drugged, given alcohol and solemnized?  Oh that’s right it was consensual, after all she was in her right mind after she was drugged and given alcohol and she was thinking straight.  But when Woopie was asked if it was her 13 old daughter she had a hard time answering, she said something like well it depends.  I thought depends was something old people ware.  Anyway do we stand a chance with these lunatics influencing our young people, your son’s and daughter’s that are glued to front of the TV being brain washed by an ungodly media.  Wake up parents and take you kids back.

Not change the subject, but is Michael Moore an idiot?  He gets on TV and tells (or threatens) the democrats and says that if they don’t pass the health care he will make sure they don’t get elected in 2010.  I think that we should all write our law makers and tell them we will picket and come out against them if health care does get passed.  If Michael Moore can do it so can we. 

Well that is it for now and it only 7:30 AM.  I’m going to write my lawmakers and do exactly what Michael Moore did except in reverse.  I know 10 people who now 10 people who 10 people and we can if we stick together change this thing.

Have a great day.

Dumb and Dumber

Amazingly as I watch TV and the stars you have to wonder what is wrong with them.  You have people defending people like Roman Polanski, and David Letterman gets a pass by the rest of the perverts that are out there.  Craig Ferguson the host of the Late, Late Night Show, says people like David Letterman should not be held to the same standards as politician and clergymen.  Then you have the likes of Dick Cavett, I thought he was dead weighing in on the situation, saying how masterfully the king of late night handled the situation and defused it. 

The Bible says in the Old Testament Isa 5:20-21, Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! NKJV.  And another verse in the New Testament says Rom 1:18-23,18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. NKJV.  Notice verse 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, is this not the bulk of the Hollywood crowd.  Not all of them, guys like Gary Sinese, Jon Voight, Diane Cannon and I think Angelina Jolie might lean to the right and I’m sure there are others.  But for the most part they really think they are smart but dumb as stump.

And then you have Woopie Goldberg, saying it wasn’t rape, rape, in the case with Roman Polanski. Then what the hell was it, when a girl is drugged, given alcohol and solemnized?  Oh that’s right it was consensual, after all she was in her right mind after she was drugged and given alcohol and she was thinking straight.  But when Woopie was asked if it was her 13 old daughter she had a hard time answering, she said something like well it depends.  I thought depends was something old people ware.  Anyway do we stand a chance with these lunatics influencing our young people, your son’s and daughter’s that are glued to front of the TV being brain washed by an ungodly media.  Wake up parents and take you kids back.

Not change the subject, but is Michael Moore an idiot?  He gets on TV and tells (or threatens) the democrats and says that if they don’t pass the health care he will make sure they don’t get elected in 2010.  I think that we should all write our law makers and tell them we will picket and come out against them if health care does get passed.  If Michael Moore can do it so can we. 

Well that is it for now and it only 7:30 AM.  I’m going to write my lawmakers and do exactly what Michael Moore did except in reverse.  I know 10 people who now 10 people who 10 people and we can if we stick together change this thing.

Have a great day.

Mosque or No Mosque

With so much debate about whether there should be a Mosque or there should not be a Mosque we forget that the United States of America was founded on Christian-Judeo values. Over and over our founding fathers gave credit to God and Jesus Christ. Yet here we are in the 21st century debating if we should build a Mosque near the sight of the World Trade Center Site, known as Ground Zero. That attack 9 years ago was an attack on Christian-Judeo principals.


If we were to go to some places in the Middle East there are places where Christian Churches are not allowed. In other places our Military can't Crosses or any religious signs. Yet a country built on Christian values, is has been said not be a Christian Country anymore. We don't have a National Prayer breakfast anymore. On the other hand our President can go to a diner and pray with Muslims on Ramadan. There is something wrong with this picture. I am not a political, person I am a Christian, washed in the blood of Jesus Christ and I believe the Word of God from cover to cover.

On verse of scripture that comes to mind. Isaiah 5:20-21, 20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight! NKJV

Again with all rhetoric about the Mosque, I personally believe they should not build it at Ground Zero, I personally believe they should not build any Mosque's in the United States of America. But this only my personal opinion based on what values or country was founded on.

You decide!!!

The Remnant Preacher