You Gotta Get Up

This is a first for me, as a blogger, I am posting a song that I think is Super Cool. It is a Christmas song, perhaps my favorite of all time. The song is called, You Gotta Get Up by Five Iron Frenzy. It Should be seen in the side bar.

*** Update *** I can't get this HTML code to work... any ideas?

Theological Terms - Theophany

This is an important term, that follows with some very important concepts; the term is Theophany, lets explore it a bit.


Basic Definition -

An Appearance of God that is perceptible to Human Sight.

Entomology -

From the Greek Theos meaning God, and phainesthai meaning to appear.

Biblical Examples -

Genesis 12:7, Genesis 17:1, Genesis 18:1, Genesis 32:30, Exodus 6:2-3, Exodus 24:9-11, Exodus 33:11, Exodus 34:5, Numbers 12:6-8, Isaiah 6:1, Luke 3:22, Acts 7:2, And of Course Revelation.

ADF Update - When Police Ignore the Law

I get seemingly random updates from the Alliance Defense Fund, an organization that could be compared to the Christian version of the ACLU. The last update I received was this afternoon, and it had a story that was frankly, scary. I will share it with you here.

December 2, 2008

Because Kevin Deegan loves the Lord and cares deeply for his fellow man, he likes to preach and hand out gospel tracts on the commons area of Ithaca, New York. He doesn't exactly stand out from the crowd. In fact, on any given day, on that commons, you can find any number of recreation activities, celebrations, demonstrations, rallies, musical performances, poetry readings, speeches, and other expressive undertakings underway. It's a lively, rowdy crossroads of the community.

Not too long ago, Kevin was preaching in that setting when some of the local constabulary approached and told him he'd have to be quiet. City ordinances, they explained, dictated that no sound could be made on the city streets and sidewalks if that sound was loud enough to be heard more than 25 feet away.

Kevin was understandably stunned. Under those restrictions, public sneezing would be illegal on the streets of Ithaca. So would almost every other activity then underway on the commons. Indeed, as a noise expert hired by the Alliance Defense Fund (which represented Kevin) testified, this city ordinance would outlaw even such everyday sounds as the clicking of boots, small children playing, a ringing cell phone, and normal-decibel conversations.

Not only was the law ridiculous, it was very selectively enforced – in fact, ADF attorney Nate Kellum couldn't find evidence that the city had ever invoked the ordinance against anyone except the evangelist. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit agreed and found in favor of Kevin's First Amendment right to free speech…even on the Ithaca Commons.

That was two years ago. Three months ago, a friend of Kevin's, Jim Deferio was standing at Kevin's accustomed spot on the commons, doing a little preaching of his own. He, too, was approached by police officers who told him he'd have to stop, since he was violating the same city ordinance their predecessors had invoked against Kevin.

The next week, Kevin went back to the spot with Jim, and the two of them were approached by police, citing the same law. Kevin produced a copy of the federal court order authorizing him to exercise his rights, but the officers told him – incredibly – that the order didn't apply to them – only to the specific officers who had confronted Kevin years earlier.

So, now ADF is representing Jim. We've filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Ithaca on his behalf, along with a motion asking the court to suspend the ordinance while the case moves forward.

"Christians shouldn't be penalized for expressing their beliefs, especially when a court has expressly upheld their right to do so, as is the case here," said ADF Senior Counsel Nate Kellum. "Police officers cannot step beyond their authority and illegally suppress Christian speech in defiance of a court order."

The complaint in the lawsuit Deferio v. City of Ithaca filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/DeferioComplaint.pdf. The motion for preliminary injunction and memorandum in support is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/DeferioMPI.pdf.

Please pray for our lawyers, including ADF-allied attorney Bob Genant, who is serving as local counsel in this case. And pray for the judges who are hearing more and more of these kinds of cases, as First Amendment rights are being ignored with increasing frequency, especially as they apply to Christians sharing their faith.

Election '08 - Clergy for Obama

Lets begin with the website --- http://clergy4obama.wordpress.com/ ---



Frankly, Just the name makes me tremble. It sounds like saying, Pastors for Damnation. It seems like the two are just oil and water... That said, I will start with there motto and move on from there.

We are Clergy for Obama.

We believe in Barack Obama’s ability to change this country we love so dearly; more importantly, we believe in our ability to be the change.

We believe in our ability to create a country where:
all children have nourishing food
the sick can find affordable healthcare
our young adults have real opportunities and a future they can trust
the elderly live securely and in community
women and men have choices about their private lives
armed conflict is a last resort, not a substitute for diplomacy

Together we believe in our ability to move this country
to a politics of hope
to a deep regard for the life of the planet and care for all creation
to an investment in programs that work to end poverty
to equal pay for equal work

We are children of God.
We are citizens of the United States of America.
We believe now is the time for change.

We are Clergy for Obama

I would like to begin here --
We believe in our ability to create a country where: all children have nourishing food --

Problem 1: "NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC endorses Sen. Barack Obama for president in 2008. Sen. Obama has a fully pro-choice record, and we are confident that as president he will be a champion for women's reproductive rights." So really the issue here is that Sen. Obama, is without a doubt a liar and a hypocrite. Many would quickly ask, "What?!" Let me explain -- Mr. Obama, claims to be a Christian, I'll be it a unitarian universalist, but a Christian none the less. Christianity at its core believes that Murder is sinful, and an immoral act. It would then follow that if Sen. Obama, truly was a Christian He would believe that Murder is immoral. When looking at what is within a mothers womb, and what a fetus is, it is clear that it is both human and a person. I will grant that it is in an odd location ( though all humans seem to have been there at one point in time save the first two) and it is rather under developed. It is very small and it's environment is different, much attached to it's location. All this said, it is still human, still a person. So then how can Sen. Obama be consistent with his so stated beliefs, and yet be a Christian? How can Clergy who are Christian support him? I think the answer is clear. I think it is fair to call him a hypocrite and a liar.

---women and men have choices about their private lives---
First and foremost, I would like to say that I both agree and disagree with this statement. The problem here is that the implication is that they are talking about the choice to kill their unborn child. Should people be free to make all kinds of choices with their private lives? Yes, Should those choices be allowed to cause harm to other human beings? No. Choices like rape, murder, abortion, torture, infanticide, abuse, neglect, ect. should all be regulated by the state, because they directly harm other persons. They are not choices that people should be allowed to make. Choices to Hurt others are unacceptable. Moreover, there are many "private" choices that the government moderates... Drugs (Yes, they are still Illegal), Sex (passing STD's), Rock n Roll (sound Curfew), Adultery ( if you are in the military). Abortion is unacceptable because it ends a human Life.

--- armed conflict is a last resort, not a substitute for diplomacy ---
No one likes war. I personally don't like war, mostly because unbelievers die and go to hell. That said, I think that the idea that diplomacy can work with radical Islam, is a joke. These are people who's scripture tells them to Kill Christians and Jews. How do you suggest that we deal with Radical Islam? How can you be diplomatic with people who simply want you dead?


---Together we believe in our ability to move this country---
--to a politics of hope--
How can a biblical centered preacher think that somehow our hope is in politics and not the Gospel? Our Hope is in the Cross... We don't want to put our hope in anything else? How would this statement work for someone who is in China, it wouldn't work for Christians there, why should it work here?



--to a deep regard for the life of the planet and care for all creation--
A deep regard for life... well except for the unborn, being as a tree seems to have more rights then a fetus... Do you really expect Mr. Pro-Death Obama to Change this?

---We are children of God.---

I seriously question if the majority of you are more likely Children of the devil.


I would like to make the public statement that I will not be voting for Obama, I do not believe that A christian Can vote for Obama, without sinning.

I personally Endorse McCain/Palin in '08.

I may not live in California but ...

I realize that I don't live in California. But as they say, so goes California, so goes the country... Which brings me to Proposition 8. For those who are unaware -- The Passage of Proposition 8 would amend the state constitution to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman, negating a California Supreme Court decision in May that legalized same-sex "marriage" in the Golden State.

This then brings me to who is for and who is against this --

In support of Porp 8.

Rick Warren, Jim Garlow, Miles McPherson
The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
Roman Catholic Church, LDS Church


Opposed to Prop 8.

Google, Apple, Every Major Californian News Paper (10 in all)
All six Episcopal diocesan bishops in California, and Several Liberal Jewish Groups.


I would like to publicly say that I believe that Pastor Rick Warren, of whom I am often Critical, is acting in both a biblically sound and proper Christian Manner. Well Done sir, Well done.

To The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod - You have done well to speak out on all three state issues that you have. If I were a Lutheran, I would most likely Go Missouri Synod.

To the six Episcopal Bishops - May God have mercy on your souls. I pray that you would repent and return to sound biblical thought. I hope the Anglican Communion gives you the left hand of fellowship. You openly blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Notes - Image of God 1

1.Introduction – New Series on The Image of God
2.Gen 1:26ff “Creation
1. “Let Us” “Our” “Very Good”
2.What is the Image of God?
1.Character
2.Nature
3.Appearance?
4.Male/Female
3.Gen 3:6ff “The Fall”
1.Image Distorted
2.Romans 5:12 – Sin/Death
3.Despite all of this
4.Gen 9:5 “Man's Life is Still Valued”
1.Why?
2.Because of the image of God
3.Dispite
4.Romans 3:10-18
5.Gospel “God Seeks”
1.Man Doesn't like God/Law
2.Grace - Jesus

Evangelism: Fun or Not Fun?

Today I was in a Chatroom that will remain unnamed, to protect the innocent. I made the comment that I believe that evangelism, esp. in the context of meeting with Mormons, is fun. I was instantly attacked for such a view. I thought to myself, are these people joking with me?

Answer: Nope!

Without getting to technical I would like to argue my point, and really defend what I had said.

Now I would argue that first of all we should obey Christ's command to share the gospel. Matthew 28:18ff makes that crystal clear. Now I would also argue that that Christians should Delight in the Law of God (Psalms 119:77, Romans 7:22). To delight in something means that we get pleasure from it. Here is where it gets technical - The Word 'Enjoy' is defined as - "derive or receive pleasure from." The Word fun is defined as - "activities that are enjoyable or amusing." So based on language alone it is clear that Keeping God's Law is Fun, and therefore, evangelism, apologetics, ect should also be considered fun.