I could have bought some herbs.
I heard about how successful I could be.
I listened for five minutes to one “lady” who could not decide what verses she wanted to expound upon. Then upon choosing the verse [John 1:11] totally missed the point of the verse.
I learned how exercise can help me get more in tune with my spiritual side.
I had the opportunity to buy the tape, CD, DVD either individually or the whole series.
I was told by a large man in a large pulpit, “you have got to get your arms around this…”
I was impressed by packed auditoriums.
I was saddened by what was missing from every single one of the preachers.

There was no Jesus.
No cross.
No redemption.
No blood.
No sacrifice.
No one talked about sin, so there was no need for forgiveness.
None spoke of grace, atonement, mercy, or faith.

There was no Jesus.

In a world desperate for truth, brothers, preach Christ Jesus crucified, risen, and coming again.
Among a nation of pretenders, be the bearers of the Cross. It is the only hope.

pax,
prrcb

Got Girls?

We do, three of them. And looking good is SO important to thier little hearts. Tell them that they are beautiful–EVERY DAY. Don’t think it is important, take a look at the videos on the link: http://www.dove.us/#/features/videos/default.aspx[cp-documentid=7049579]/

if you are interested in an outline of the session I did in St. Louis, send me along an email and I will forward them to you, thanks. fastpastor@hotmail.com

Check out a great Bible study site. I was looking for a good map and it has tons. All free, but most are older resources. www.biblos.com

http://www.lulu.com/content/3649688

This is a link to a free download of a daily devotional. Each day uses writings of Luther to set the tone for one’s work. Take a look.

We are doomed.

There is no hope.

We can see the darkness of our time approaching. We will soon have to vacate this planet and find another planet on which to live.

Why? Because we have been such poor stewards of this planet that it will soon die, and we will as well. So the best course of action is to begin looking for another home.

Sounds like a movie plot doesn’t it? It is the plot of an upcoming summer 09 movie called Battle for Terra. I saw the trailer for “Terra” this past weekend, and was saddened to say the least.

[see the trailer here]

The theme of “Terra” is the standard issue, “we are destroying our planet and have to find a new one.” The twist is that the survivors of the old earth find a new one, and choose to take it by force.

Now this new earth, Terra, is described as perfect, peaceful, gentle. Terra is inhabited by natives who have found ways to live in harmony, in union with their planet. They are so much better than those floating out in space waiting to come and consume their virgin dirt. James Garner is the leader for the Terra-ites. His voice gives credence to the idea that their peaceful society can remain peaceful, even if they have to fight off the evil human invaders.

One little native Terra-ite [you can’t really call them “aliens” as they are the natives and we are to be the aliens!] laments, “If earth force invades, they will destroy all life on this world, including me…” You feel sorry for this young one. She too will be the victim of an evil empire of imperialists colonizers aggressively taking territory to which they are not welcomed.

Stop me if you have heard this joke before…

Many of the humanist ideas soaking our culture are portrayed in the trailer for Battle for Terra.
o We can be at peace if we choose to be.
o Humans are bad, not because they have a resident sinful nature, but because they choose to be this way. They could choose to be good if they only wanted it bad enough.
o If we let the aggressive among us rule, we are ruined because they will always lead us to war.
o Our earth is doomed to destruction because we will destroy it. We can save our earth, if we only try.
o And on and on.

The Biblical worldview contains similarities, but the foundation is so very different.

Yes, we are destroying our earth.
Yes, we choose aggression, war, and hate.
Yes, the opportunity to do better exists.

But no, we will never be any different that we are now.
The broken sinful nature will remain broken regardless of what we do.
The possibility for utopia is really an impossibility. Because of sin.
There is hope only in One, and His Name is Jesus.

I am sure I will see more than my percentage of kid flicks this summer…there is a new Harry Potter coming and I will be required to see it at least three times! But if you go and watch “Battle for Terra” let me know how you like it. I bet you already know how it will end.

Jesus’ peace and joy,
prrcb

Very funny video putting our American unthankfulness into context.

Click here to watch

This is speaker at the Heritage Foundation speaking on Islam and its goals in the United States. I feel that she has many very valid points and encourage you to take a listen. Allow about 30 minutes for her story and another 30 minutes for the Q & A afterwards. Well worth your time.

peace to all,
prrcb

http://multimedia.heritage.org/content/wm/Lehrman-092706a.wvx

I was a new pastor at a new church, right out of seminary sitting at my desk doing my pastoral thing. The phone rang. I was the staff, so I answered it.

“Randy!” the voice almost yelled at me.
“This is Pastor Bard,” I replied using my new hard-earned title.
“Randy, this is Francis, down at the mission. I need two packages of toddler diapers.”

She said it with such assurance that I had little room to turn her down.

“OK. Who are you again? Francis?”
“Francis Bright, and I run the Bowie mission and I have a family down here who needs diapers.
How soon can you get here?”
“Aaaah, well let me run to Wal Mart and I will be right over.”

She told me where they were located and that was that.

At my next Board of Elder’s meeting I asked about Francis Bright, a 70+ women who spoke with a Texas confidence. My elders told me that she ran the mission, and that whenever she needed anything she would call. If Francis said someone needed it, then they did.

In the few short months I served those folks I grew to respect and then to love her. She had a hard, demanding exterior, but a heart for people and a love of Jesus.

Knowing that I had much to learn about how to minister to people, I asked her once how she knew when to be generous and when to turn folks away. She talked a bit about using good sense, but then quoted me this poem.

I have wept in the night
For the shortness of sight
That to somebody’s need I was blind.
But I never have yet
Felt a tinge of regret
For being a little too kind.

Proverbs 19:17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord and HE will reward him for what he has done.

Peace to you,
prrcb

Lutheran Hour Ministries (www.lhm.org), the outreach and evangelism specialists of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (www.lcms.org) again had a beautiful float in the Rose Bowl parade.  But you would have never known. 

The float, called “Hallelujah” was a large pipe organ with choir singing.  LHM’s float was strategically placed in front of the Grand Marshall, an old bra’ed who evidently has again become famous for her appearance on “Dancing with the Washed-up Stars.”

This line placement allowed the major networks the perfect reason to break away for commercial, coming back to the Grand Marshall, and effectively skip the only overtly Christian float in the parade. 

HGTV, who promotes their coverage as all-inclusive, showed the Lutheran Hour Ministries float, but commentators spent their time, about 15 seconds, talking about the float’s co-driver who was dress as a choir member and was sitting with the Lutheran Hour Choir.  HGTV moved on to the Grand Marshall as quickly as they could.

If you are paying attention, you are watching the last vestiges of Christianity being squeezed from our culture.  We are, as Turkey and north Africa were a millennium ago, and Europe currently is, being overtaken by secularism, which will be replaced by another religion…Islam.

Kyrie Eleison!

prrcb