American Prayer
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-stewart/an-anthem-for-change_b_120514.html
“As an Englishman, I’m not an expert in all the intricate details of American politics. But as an artist, I understand how rare it is to inspire a connection to a bigger idea or purpose. This video isn’t so much an endorsement of Barack Obama as much as it is a celebration of all those who have picked up a sign, who have registered to vote and are working to make the world a better place. So as Senator Barack Obama ascends to the mountain top, let us not forget all of the others who for the past 40 years have sung anthems of change to make this moment possible.”
I received a post on my “myspace” from one of my favorite music artists asking me to check out a video they had an opportunity to be in. After doing so, I was disappointed to say the least. As much as the writer of the song wants to say
“This video isn’t so much an endorsement of Barack Obama as much as it is a celebration of all those who have picked up a sign, who have registered to vote and are working to make the world a better place”,
that’s exactly what it is. Show me anywhere in the video that this video or song promotes John McCain!
I guess what really kills me is people really think that Barack Obama can turn this country around like he is some kinda of God. Man cannot do this. A president cannot do this. For one, only God can do that. And two, it takes and act of MANY people to make decisions and create laws on Capitol Hill in order to change things.
What has this man done to prove that he can do these things? He has spent one term as a Senator and missed many crucial votes and people really think this guy is God! I’m just not getting it folks. Let me also say that I am not really for John McCain either so don’t bash me for bashing Obama. But at this time I’m not voting for someone. I’m voting against someone. That would be Barack. Because I can’t find faith in him. I can’t find hope in him. I can’t believe in him like everyone wants to. I can’t and I won’t because it’s not there. My faith and hope and belief lives and remains in Jesus Christ.
Which begs the question. Since when did it become an American prayer? And since when did any of those in the video bear fruit that we may all see they are living a life devoted to Christ, the ONE who they are supposedly praying to? Wait. Maybe they aren’t praying to Him. Well, that goes without saying their prayers will surely be unheard. And then again, I believe it does say in John 9:31 that
We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he does listen to anyone who worships him and does his will.
Show me you faith without deeds and I will show you my faith by what I do.(James2:18) What are these celebrities doing for Christ. Yeah, I didn’t think so either. Which leads me to believe who is this American Prayer being prayed to? All gods that might listen. Yeah I believe Paul had something to say about that in Acts.
And to put a topping on this cake, the co-writer along with Bono is an ENGLISHMAN. What is he doing getting involved with American affairs? Hey englishman, how about grabbing a relationship with Jesus Christ and inspire a connection to Him. He surely has a bigger idea and purpose.
Y’know, I wished celebrities and artists would simply quit using their platform for agendas other than their music. PLEASE!!!!!!!
And to say lastly, THE SONG SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Put that in your pipe and smoke it!
Grading on a Curve System
Since when did we start grading the 10 commandments on a curve system?
ONE: ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.’
TWO: ‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image–any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.‘
THREE: ‘You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.‘
FOUR: ‘Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.‘
FIVE: ‘Honor your father and your mother.‘
SIX: ‘You shall not murder.‘
SEVEN: ‘You shall not commit adultery.‘
EIGHT: ‘You shall not steal.‘
NINE: ‘You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.‘
TEN: ‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.‘
I think, and correct me if I’m wrong, but there are only four that can be punishable by American Standard law; commandments 6,7,8, and 9. After that there is maybe one, possibly two that are frowned upon in today’s society; commandments 5 and10.
The other four can quite possibly be thrown right out the door because in today’s society and by law, they are irrelevant. Spiritual pluralism and moral tolerance is the way to go these days.
But if our standards of laws were modeled after the Ten Commandments, what happened. How did four out of the ten make it be punishable by land laws? And that’s only if you bear false witness in the courts. It’s only frowned upon outside of court.
I thought sin was sin. Equal to one another. You break one, it’s like you broke them all. How did we ever get so far to start grading them saying one is worse that the other?
I just thought about this as I was driving back home and saw a huge monument in front of a church that looked like an over grown version of the tablets in the movie, the ten commandments.
Burn Us Up-Shane and Shane
You are able to deliver from the fire of affliction!
It’s the declaration of my Lord!
You’re not an image of gold!
You’re the God of Old.
You have made us. Come and save us. We are yours!
But even if you don’t we will burn.
So burn us up in the furnace of your desire.
“Shane and Shane-Burn Us Up”
Here’s something I deal with. I have been taught that if I read my word, I can have an intimate relationship with God and I can know his will in my life. But let’s take a story and apply it to real life for a moment. Shadrack, Meshack, and Abdnego were gonna be tossed into the fire for not worshiping the king. I think we’re all familiar with the story. Put yourself in their place for a moment.
You have faith that God will deliver you from the fire yet if He doesn’t you will burn anyway. No matter the circumstance, you win. But the attitude most people would have is this. Let’s say the fire didn’t consume you yet it did injure you quite terribly. The attitude you would probably have is to be angry with God because you weren’t consumed to be remembered as a martyr and you weren’t saved to be remembered as a miracle.
You were hurt. Spiritually and physically. So how can we truly now God’s will and purpose? Can we? I think we can but it takes getting on a God-level in our life and looking down on the situation rather than looking it at a human level. We will never understand His ways if we continue to look at things on a human level. We HAVE to look at it on a God-level.
So to look again at the situation we have brought up. Maybe you think God’s purpose was to martyr you and you were left a vegetable. You start questioning your faith. You start questioning if you really know God’s will in your life. You start questioning how close you really are to God to really understand what He wants in your life.
It’s just a thought. Because alot of times, I find myself in this very situation where I had faith God was going to do something, be somewhere and take care of situations only to find that God didn’t move the way I thought He would. Did the three guys know that they would be delivered or did they think they would be consumed? Nevertheless, they weren’t about to serve King Nebby!
If we take Romans 8:28 to heart, no matter what happens to us in life, we will overcome. I have come to learn no matter what I take on in life, it shouldn’t be for my glory at all. For I have been bought by the blood of Jesus and I am no longer mine but a bondservant of His. So if I were to be thrown in the fire, may God have the glory if He so chooses to rescue me, and may He have the glory if He so chooses to allow me to burn.
To God be the glory!
