Red Sea Baptism

On Sunday evening around 1800 I had the privledge of baptizing SGT James Sokolowski in the waters of the Red Sea. James came to Christ less than two weeks ago. By the grace of God, through the faith he placed in Jesus Christ, James recieved the gift of salvation and eternal life. Obediently and courageously James shared his testimony prior to his baptism. James has now been buried with Christ by baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so he to can walk in a new way of life (Romans 6:4).
When James was united by faith with Jesus, as his baptism symbolizes, Christ's death and burial became his, as it does for every believer.

Praise the Lord!

Southern Baptist Relief in Oklahoma

Great video of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief efforts in Oklahoma.

Chuck Norris Stands with Tebow

When Chuck Norris watches Tim Tebow, he sees a version of himself on the football field. As such, the ultimate tough guy has come to the defense of the beleaguered quarterback in an online column.
Tebow hasn't drawn any interest from NFL teams since his release by the New York Jets last month. He's been told he can compete for a backup spot in the CFL and that the Arena Football League might be right for him. But Norris believes that Tebow belongs in the NFL.

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Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagicChuck Norris is a big believer that Tim Tebow belongs in the NFL.

In a column for nonprofit conservative website Newsbusters, Norris calls Tebow one of his UCPs: an Ultimate Clutch Player.
"Tebow is a player who rises to the occasion and delivers big in critical moments," Norris writes in a column posted this week. "He reminds me of myself when I used to compete in martial arts."
He writes that Tebow, like himself, takes his skill to another level when he needs to.
"I would spar with my black belts in class, and sometimes they would outscore me. Yet in the tournaments, I would defeat them. My students used to ask me, 'Why is it that we can contend equally against you in class but can't beat you in the tournaments?' My answer was always the same: 'When it counts, I rise to the occasion,'" he writes.
Norris writes that he has been following Tebow since he was the Florida Gators' quarterback, "and I never have seen a more determined or inspiring athlete to play the game of football."
Norris makes the case that the Jacksonville Jaguars should sign Tebow and references Martin Luther King Jr. in his argument.
He writes that he read a USA Today story on Shad Khan in which the Jaguars owner is quoted as saying that King's work is "a contributing factor to his success."
"So let me respectfully challenge Khan to consider these words from Dr. King: 'There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right,'" Norris writes.
The Jaguars have repeatedly said they aren't interested in signing Tebow, and the Bold City Brigade, a team booster group, started a website, "Evenifhesreleased.com," which was launched as a countermeasure to the Tebow-mania bombarding the team.
If Tebow can't find a job in the NFL, he has a standing offer to play in the arena league.
Philadelphia Soul part-owner Ron Jaworski, also an ESPN NFL analyst, said Wednesday he was serious about his offer to Tebow to join his AFL team.
Jaworski, a former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, reached out to Tebow a day after the Jets released him in April. Jaworski has yet to hear from Tebow but expects to eventually.
"I love the guy," Jaworski said. "I want him here just for his leadership."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

The Army's Sodomy Dilemma

As I was studying through the book of Ezekiel, chapter 16, the Spirit revealed to me something that I would like to share. The Army's Uniform Code of Military Justice defines a violator of sodomy as "Any person who engages in unnatural carnal copulation with another person of the same or opposite sex or with an animal is guilty of sodomy. Penetration, however slight, is sufficient to complete the offense."

First, let me define "carnal."  According to the Merriam-Webster's dictionary carnal is relating to or given to crude bodily pleasures and appetites. The Greek word for carnal is "sarkikos" which refers to the flesh or bodily implications as used in 2 Corinthians 10:4. Second, according to the Merriam-Webster's dictionary "copulation" is defined as sexual intercourse. So, with these two words defined and understood let me share the dilemma of the sin and issue of homosexuality in regards to sodomy.

Some already know where the word sodomy comes from. The origin of sodomy comes from the Anglo-French word sodomie and from the Late Latin Sodoma. You guessed it; the origin is from the homosexual inclinations of the men of Sodom in Genesis 19:1–11.

Just to refresh your memory about what happened in Sodom, let me remind you. In Genesis 19:4, 5 we are told this "before they went to bed, the men of the city of Sodom, both young and old, the whole population, surrounded the house. They called out to Lot and said, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us so we can have sex with them!"

Eventually we find that Lot gave these people his daughters to gang rape and ultimately God had to destroy Sodom along with Gomorrah. In some translations, verse 5 reads "to know them carnally" instead of "to have sex with them." Although they mean the same, it’s important to see the connection to the UCMJ's language. Since the Bible clearly condemns homosexuality in Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Romans 1:27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10, etc...we begin to see the dilemma with the UCMJ language.

In Ezekiel 16:48-50, the prophet Ezekiel writes how the Israelites had become worse that Sodom, despite all of the detestable things Sodom did, which is the scripture which triggered me to write this.

In conclusion, let me make this clear. Since the military now allows homosexuals to serve openly and even receive benefits such as commissary and PX privileges for their gay partners and we also know that these gay couples engage in sexual conduct (sodomy), especially the gay couples who have already married and been joined together in civil unions on military posts. The dilemma and contradiction is this: homosexual sex is unnatural. How do we know that? Because God tells us so! In Romans 1:27, Paul writes this, "For even their females exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. The males in the same way also left natural relations with females and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Males committed shameless acts with males and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error."

When homosexual soldiers engage in sexual relations with their partners, thus sodomize one another in what God defines as unnatural ways, will the military not have to redefine Article 125 of the UCMJ and remove the word "unnatural?"

Is our nation's motto still In God We Trust? Or has it change to In God We Trust As Long As It Doesn't Offend Someone?

Pray for the leadership of our country and our military and stand boldly upon God's Word!

 

Early American Christianity

I'm reading a book entitled "The Coming Revolution" by Dr. Richard Lee and I wanted to share something which greatly impacted American Christianity and continues to impact our churches today. Early in America's history, church membership and the sacraments of baptism and holy communion were limited to those who could give evidence of a salvation experience, as the Bible clearly teaches.
Around 1662, many Congregationalist churches in New England adopted the Halfway Covenant, which allowed the children of church members to receive baptism without making a profession of faith in Christ. Fifty years later the covenant was being applied to those wishing to join the church, whether or not they were confessing believers.
This is the kind of liberalized policies which have slowly eroded the church from the inside out. One reason this happened was that many public offices at the time required evidence of church membership, and this brought people into the churches purely for expedience, not because they were seeking God or a relationship with His Son Jesus Christ.
As you can guess, this increased church attendance, but it water down theology and liberalized the church. They slowly began teaching salvation by works and morality.
Thus thousands of people filtered through churches never understanding the doctrine of salvation.

Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone and this is not from ourselves, it is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-10)
 

The Office of the Army Chief of Chaplain's statement on "Sharing our Faith"

Since I posted the article from Fox News, I thought I would post this statement to be fair. The North American Mission Board also emailed all chaplains and discredited much of what was written in the article about restrictions on Sharing Our Faith in Christ.
We must be committed to prayer. Prayer for spiritual revival and for the turning of our country from sin is critical.

OCCH has verified that this is the OSD statement in response to recent media and public query. Thank you for your concern and prayers:

"The U.S. Department of Defense has never and will never single out a particular religious group for persecution or prosecution. The Department makes reasonable accommodations for all religions and celebrates the religious diversity of our service members. 

Service members can share their faith (evangelize), but must not force unwanted, intrusive attempts to convert others of any faith or no faith to one's beliefs (proselytization). If a service member harasses another member on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, or disability, then the commander takes action based on the gravity of the occurrence. Likewise, when religious harassment complaints are reported, commanders take action based on the gravity of the occurrence on a case by case basis.

The Department of Defense places a high value on the rights of members of the Military Services to observe the tenets of their respective religions and respects (and supports by its policy) the rights of others to their own religious beliefs, including the right to hold no beliefs. The Department does not endorse any one religion or religious organization, and provides free access of religion for all members of the military services.

We work to ensure that all service members are free to exercise their Constitutional right to practice their religion -- in a manner that is respectful of other individuals' rights to follow their own belief systems; and in ways that are conducive to good order and discipline; and that do not detract from accomplishing the military mission."

Slapping God in the Face

Anthony Foxx Declares Thursday 'A Day Of Reason,' And of Prayer, in Charlotte

By Elizabeth Flock

April 30, 2013 RSS Feed Print 

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, President Obama's nominee for transportation secretary, has proclaimed Thursday "A Day of Reason" in Charlotte.

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, who President Barack Obama tapped Tuesday to be the next transportation secretary, just declared Thursday "A Day of Reason" in his home city, and asked Charlotte's citizens to observe the day.

[READ: Obama Taps Charlotte Mayor to Replace LaHood at Transportation]
May 2 is traditionally the National Day of Prayer, a government-designated religious event intended to encourage people to "turn to God in prayer and meditation." Foxx separately issued a "National Day of Prayer" proclamation for the city of Charlotte.
Foxx said in his proclamation that May 2 should be A Day of Reason because "the application of reason, more than any other means, has proven to offer hope for human survival on Earth."
Several current and former lawmakers have also expressed their support for the day, including Rep. Michael Honda, D-Calif., Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., and former Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif.
The American Humanist Association, whose slogan is "Good without a God," created the National Day of Reason with the Washington Area Secular Humanists to raise awareness about government threats to religious liberty and up the profile of the non-religious community. The day will includes acts of service and discussions on rational thought.