There was a time when these two would have almost been the same but that is not the case in the 21^st Century and has not been for a long time.  When I was a  young lad growing up my parents and grandparents taught us that your word and a handshake was a guarantee that you would fulfill whatever it was you had agreed to.  It did not need lawyers and reams of legal paperwork notarized and certified to be binding because you had given your word and sealed it with a handshake and that settled it as far as you were concerned.  You would never consider failing to fulfill your part of the agreement even if it was to your detriment to do so.  Your word was a representation of your character and your name was the most valued possession you had.  Truthfully, even in that generation there were unscrupulous individuals that were shysters and cheats who could not be trusted but for most people it was the normal and expected way of life and doing business. 

             We had a small farm and one of the crops that we grew to sell was peas and dad would sell them by the bushel and had two prices.  One price if the individual picked their own and a slightly higher price if we picked them, and naturally we kids never thought the price was enough for us picking them.  Although Dad loved us and valued our labors he did not consider it an unreasonable expectation to send us to the field to pick peas for someone while he and they sat under the shade of the Sycamore trees beside the house drinking coffee or iced tea and chatting.  When we came in with the harvest he would frequently send us back to gather a few more peas because his bushel was “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.”  It was not a bushel it was at least a bushel and one-third to one-half more.  To him anything less would not have been honorable and I learned to appreciate his reasoning, especially after I became a Christian.  I have seen him refund money when someone would mention that some of the peas from a previous purchase were not 100% fully mature.  Often he and we knew that this complaint was nothing more than an attempt to get something for nothing but he never flinched and always went above and beyond in his business dealings.  He would say, “My reputation is worth more than a few dollars.”   He worked hard and gave more than a full day’s work for a day’s pay and expected the same from us.  Laziness was not tolerated and failure to keep your word was not excusable.

             Today we see a CONTRACT as simply a piece of paper that has a negotiated arrangement that is only good until one side or the other decides that it needs to be altered.  I have always had a difficult time with that because of the way I was raised.  I have watched people break their contract because they decided that the other party benefited too much from the original agreement.  That should not, in my view, be a consideration because it was a negotiated agreement.  I have made deals with people before and realized that I would profit more than expected from the agreement and compensated the other party based on that in addition to the agreed contract because I considered it right not because I had to legally.  I have made deals and realized that I had grossly underestimated my costs and had some setbacks in the process and it resulted in me losing money in the deal but I did not complain nor try to renegotiate because I had made the deal and considered my word my bond.  Today that mentality is virtually non-existent for many.  This is true especially in the business, political, and sports worlds where contracts are virtually meaningless agreements broken with little thought of any sense of honor by either party.  As a minister I have watched the dissolution of marriages with almost no thought or remorse and often based on, “Well I grew tired of this or that.”

             A CONTRACT can be defined as a “written or spoken agreement, especially one concerning employment, sales, or tenancy that is intended to be enforceable by law.”  Supposed synonyms are:  agreement, covenant, treaty, pact, or compact and I suggest that those are not appropriate.

             A COVENANT is defined usually as “an agreement” but biblically a Covenant is far more than that especially a “Blood Covenant” which includes marriage.  Blood Covenants biblically could be defined as “a mutual understanding between two parties, each binding him/herself to the agreement, bond or pact and involves cutting the flesh.”  In the Old Testament the word “Beriyth” is used to describe a compact made by passing between pieces of flesh and is a “blood bond” from which the idea of “cutting the covenant” comes.  [Genesis 15:17; Jeremiah 34:18].  Covenants are made between men and between man and God.  In the New Testament two words are used:  “Distheke” which is a disposition, arrangement, testament or will.  “Suntithemai” which is to put together, place together, or to make arrangement and the purpose of a COVENANT was to establish an unbreakable bond, treaty, pact, or agreement between parties

 The Covenant always had:

 1.    The Words or Promises of the Covenant.  [The basis of the agreement]

         In this would be promises of blessing for keeping the covenant as well as promises or curses for breaking it.  The terms would be detailed and verbalized and there would be an “oath” or a “vow” – a solemn affirmation with an appeal to God to watch over the agreement and be the final judge and arbiter of the agreement.

2.    The Blood of the Covenant.

        There were always sacrifices signifying that to break this covenant or agreement would result in death and could only be invalidated or death.  It was a signifying of the total involvement and investment of the individuals in the agreement.

3.    The Seal of the Covenant.

        Very often would be a cutting of the flesh and at times gun powder or something of the like would be rubbed into the wound so that the scar would be forever noticeable and recognizable.  It was an identifying mark that one had “cut a covenant” and that they had bound their very lives to the fulfillment of that agreement.

             Honestly we know almost nothing of that mentality in today’s world and our government has no thought of their Constitutional Covenant with the American people.  Their oath of office is virtually meaningless to them and there is no sense of obligation to keep it at all costs.  That is one of the reasons that we have such a mess politically in today’s world.  If every elected official recognized and acknowledged that when they take the “Oath of Office” to faithfully perform the duties of that position and uphold and honor the Constitution we would not be in the mess we are in today politically or economically.  Party distinction would be virtually unimportant and partisan politics and gamesmanship would be non-existent.  Those elected to office would truly be representatives of WE THE PEOPLE and the BEST GOOD of the nation and the people would be the top priority.  Instead we have a climate of cronyism, favoritism, corruption, and the insatiable desire and drive for power and position.

             We have lost what our founders established and as far as I can see the old saying about used car salesmen applies to politicians – “You know they are lying when you see their lips moving.”  Honest Politician is deemed to be an oxymoron and that is a sad indictment on where we have declined as a people.  Many are crying out for a “Restored Constitutional America” but too many accept the modern Contract Mentality as normal instead of insisting on a Covenant Mentality in our dealings in the business, social, spiritual, and political arenas.  I will declare that UNTIL we come to the place that we fall on our faces before God and repent and demand and determine that we will not only be Covenant men and women who honor our Agreements we will NEVER see the America we so desire.  Will we ever see it? I do not know but if we do not strive for it we will leave a legacy for those who follow us that will go deeper and deeper into an amoral state that can only produce destruction and decay.

             I have been wordy and possibly failed to communicate the deep cry of my heart to see men and women return to a mentality where we “honor our word” with one another, as a nation, and a people.  I want to see a society where the normal thing is people doing, the “right thing” even if it does not give them a particular edge or windfall profit.  I believe that this would give us a platform for “limited government”, a “massive reduction in violence”, and a “new civility” that would not only get the attention of the rest of the world but would produce a prosperity and growth in new innovations that many of the plagues that terrorize our world would be addressed in a significant way.  We can see “healing come to our land” but that healing must first begin in each of us.

             If this resonates with you then all I ask is that you consider taking steps personally that will insure that you live as a Covenant Person who keeps their Contracts and Agreements – – KEEP YOUR WORD!  If enough of us demonstrate that lifestyle and insist on it from politicians, in business, socially, relationally, and spiritually we will see America the Beautiful returned to prominence and the Light of God will break through the dark clouds of despair that now enshroud this world producing a new and renewed hope that will be life changing.

             That’s the end of my rant, sermon, political speech or whatever you choose to call it.  May God bless, protect, and provide for you and may God defend and deliver America!  Thank you for your time!

History is valuable if we learn from it.  It is a curse if we ignore the lessons it affords.  In the early years of this land and prior to our becoming a nation the foundation was laid for what kind of people we would become.  I want to share some quotes and some thoughts here.

           The Plymouth plantation had at its heart to honor God and believed that what they were doing glorified the Lord and would advance the Christian faith.  They perceived no eventual rebellion against England or the king’s authority, and declared that their foundation and loyalty was to God above all else and that very thing would help lead to the eventual Revolutionary War.

           In fact, the man credited with discovering America although inhabitants were already here so discovery is a misnomer to me.  He discovered not something that was lost or had never been seen but something that Europe did not believe existed and flew in the face of Science and Philosophy of that day regarding the Earth’s shape and size.  His very name means “Christ bearer.”  Think about the places that he named and the meaning of those names.  San Salvador – “Holy Savior” Vera Cruz – “True Cross” La Navidad – “Nativity” or “Christmas” Trinidad – “The Trinity”.  Let me give you a quote from his log:  “It was the Lord who put it into my mind to sail to the Indies. The fact that the Gospel Commission is to preach to the entire world is what convinced me. Charting the seas is but a necessary requsite for the fulfillment of the great commission of our Lord and Savior.”

            Fisher Ames the author of the 1^st Amendment wrote an article called “School books” in the Pladium magazine in January 1801, “We have trouble in the classrooms we are putting in new text books.  Nothing wrong with new books but we are spending more time on them than the Bible; it is drifting to the back of the classroom.  We cannot tolerate this in American education.  The Bible’s pure morals, its examples are captivating and noble.”   My how far we have drifted from that today!  Today the Bible is banned completely from the classrooms in our public schools, something the founders would have never believed possible.

            George Washington in his farewell address on September 17, 1796 said, “The Bible…is the one supreme source of revelation of the meaning of life, the nature of God and spiritual nature and need of men.  It is the only guide of life which really leads the spirit in the right way of peace and salvation.  America was born a Christian nation.”  Wait, didn’t Barack Obama declare that America is no longer a Christian nation.  Mr. Washington what do you think of that?  George Washington went on to say, “Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”  Additionally he said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”  Can someone please remind Congress and the President that our 1^st President and our founders did not want the Bible removed from schools or the government!  Does that sound like they believed the liberal left’s view of “Separation of Church and State?”

            Moving forward we find Calvin Coolidge saying, “The fundamental basis of this nation’s law was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teachings we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul. I don’t think we emphasize that enough these days. If we don’t have the proper fundamental moral background, we will finally wind up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody but the state.”  Wow, even closer to us than Washington and Presidents still believed that the Bible and God were important in our lives and in government.

            Fast forward to Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, 1954 and he said:  “I believe that no one can read the history of our country without realizing that the good book and the spirit of the savior, have from the beginning have been our guiding geniuses.”

            Okay my rant is this, we sat like the proverbial frog in the pan and allowed the slow heating of the water to the point of boiling and now we are dying and losing our nation while we have not done enough to prevent it.  It is time that we STAND UP and STEP UP to the task of reclaiming America.  Agree or disagree with me that is your right, but if you love America as a Free Nation then you should want the Constitution honored.  Demand our Freedoms be preserved and help us boot out all in elected offices that are not willing to defend and protect that.

            May God bless and protect you and may God preserve and protect America!

I do not ask that question believing that it no longer exists but rather I question the pathway it has taken and what the end result of that path will be. I believe that the vision, spirit, and dream of the Founding Fathers exists in the hearts of many Americans today, sadly too many have grown silent and become somewhat isolationist attempting self-preservation at the expense of the nation.

Under George W. Bush, who made many mistakes and misguided decisions in governing, there was a successful painting of him and all conservatives as uncaring, unfeeling, money hungry, corporate stooges trampling on the dreams of the middle and lower classes. Obviously, not all Republicans, Libertarians, Independents, and those of a conservative mindset are a part of the so-called 1% and rich. The left-wing radicals painted us with a broad brush and they labeled the Tea Party as the most hate-filled organization of citizens since the Klu Klux Klan. They used class warfare, played the race card, and played on the fear and emotions of the masses to elect a Congress controlled by the Democrats during the mid-term election of Bush’s last four years. Then in 2008 that same paranoia and smear campaign produced Barack Obama as the President of the United States of America and at that point for two full years he and the Democrats controlled everything in two branches of the federal government. They had the Whitehouse and the Congress and had such a majority in Congress that they ignored the opposing voices and as Barack Obama told the leaders of the Republican Party – “Elections have consequences, you lost deal with it.” At that point we were force-fed numerous diabolical and destructive pieces of legislation including the “Affordable Health Care Bill” known as ObamaCare. At the time of voting on it in the House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “We have to pass the bill to find out what is in it.” How in the name of rational thinking could anyone accept that and the lame excuses from members of Congress that it was so large that they could not possible read it or even understand it, but they PASSED IT! In a family, classroom, or business that would have resulted in immediate repercussions including punishment, failure, and loss of one’s job or business but not in our government. We allowed our elected officials to get away with that and although we complained and the vast majority of Americans expressed they didn’t want it, WE GOT IT!

In the time of our fledgling nation a French political thinker and historian named Alexis Charles Henri Clerel de Tocqueville wrote his now infamous book “Democracy in America,” in which he saw the dangers that our Founders had so adamantly warned us of and correctly identified the means whereby America could and would eventually fall. Although we have not yet fallen we are rapidly descending the ladder of destruction that de Tocqueville warned of as did many of our founders.

His famous quote is glaringly accurate as we look at the world and this nation with regard to the peril that we are facing. He said: “The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public’s money.” ― Alexis de Tocqueville If that is not where we are today I guess I’m completely out of touch with reality. We have seen this building for decades and it has reached the point where almost if not one-half of our nation receives all or most of its livelihood from the Federal Government. People vote according to how they are personally impacted it seems rather than based on principle or for what is in the best interest of this Free Nation.

He also said: “Americans are so enamored of equality; they would rather be equal in slavery than unequal in freedom.” ― Alexis de Tocqueville What insight, as we look back with hindsight. What is one of the major themes of Obama’s message? FAIRNESS and EQUALITY. Yet in seeking what he calls a level playing field he and the powers that be are robbing us of our individual liberties and freedoms and it seems that people are content to live equal in slavery rather than unequal in freedom. Life is not now nor has it ever been FAIR. God did not promise that life would be fair; He promised that He would be just.

He further warned, “Democracy extends the sphere of individual freedom, socialism restricts it. Democracy attaches all possible value to each man; socialism makes each man a mere agent, a mere number. Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word: equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude.” ― Alexis de Tocqueville I know that for me to address the policies and politics of Barack Obama as Socialist or worse is to open me up to the charge of racism. If that is the basis of being a racist, to disagree with a sitting president then I’m guilty as charged. However, I disagreed with many things that Bush did so was I a racist then? No! The left would applaud that criticism but not of Barack Obama he is immune from criticism or so the left and media would have us believe and agree to. Sorry, but my patriotism will not allow me to passively accept whatever Big Brother wants to send my way! I believe in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and above all the Bible and each of those propels me to a different line of thinking than that of the left.

I want to give you four more quotes by Alexis de Tocqueville and then give you my final thoughts and you decide for yourself where the American Dream Has Gone.

“There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.” ― Alexis de Tocqueville

“As I see it, only God can be all-powerful without danger, because his wisdom and justice are always equal to his power. Thus there is no authority on earth so inherently worthy of respect, or invested with a right so sacred, that I would want to let it act without oversight or rule without impediment (p. 290).” ― Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America

Political parties were an anathema to many of our Founding Fathers because they saw how they could evolve into machines that would be controlled by the corrupt and cost the individual his/her liberty and freedom. Are we not there? Many of our Founding Fathers agreed 100% with de Tocqueville that Liberty required morality and morality faith and could not be legislated. His grave warning concerning the greatness of America and when America would cease greatness is most sobering. As a nation and people we are demonstrating our propensity to depravity on a major scale and what will the end result of that be?

The final quote that I gave you is so powerful it should touch our hearts and move us to a place of prayer in repentance before God, but so many believe that God is rightfully banned from all things political. Yet, the truth is, God’s involvement and investment in every dimension of human life is undeniable. In my view, without Him we will succumb to tyranny and be victimized on a scale that only the Book of Revelation can envision. Our government is running amok today and unless we somehow find a way to bring it in check we will have seen the Great America that we were given by those patriots who so valiantly fought and died, and those who in generations past have defended the right of freedom, liberty, and a Constitutional Republic will be forever lost. I sit in tears as I write today and pray to Almighty God for mercy and forgiveness. I too have been slack in times past and did not fully grasp the grave danger we were in and hope that it is not too late to stem the tide of this path to destruction that we are on.

We each have choices. We each have responsibilities. We each have obligations to those who have gone before us and those who will follow, to do whatever it takes to defend and protect Liberty and Justice for All. I love America and would consider it a small price to pay to die defending her. I love God supremely and recognize that my rights and liberties did not come from government but from Him and with that mindset I seek His guidance and counsel as to what course of action I am to take in this present time! America’s destruction is an inside job and we dare not sit idly by and allow it to happen. We must do everything within our power and with God’s help to preserve our precious Freedom for those who are following in our footsteps. So I ask, “What Is America Worth To You?”

May God bless and protect you and may God deliver America!

I am not coming here today to tell you that I have the answers to what happened or the clear direction of where we should go or what we should do. I am coming to say a couple of things in hope that it will help all of us move toward the next step.

WE CAN EITHER CAVE IN OR RESIST.

What do I mean? We can either fold up our tents and crawl into our own little worlds trying to protect what little we have left and watch the rest of the world go to “you know where” or we can resist and refuse life as rugs walked on.

HOW DO WE DO THAT?

One way, and the most important way, is to make “intercessory prayer” a part of our lives in a significant manner.

A. Pray for the “leaders” even the ones we don’t believe are legitimate leaders, that God will move on them, expose them, or do whatever is necessary to bring them into the light.
B. Pray for our “fellow believers” that God will protect and provide for them in this time of crisis.
C. Pray for “lost souls” that God will somehow engineer their situations so that they will become receptive to the message of the Gospel.

Another way is to selectively choose issues that are critical to us and go on a “letter writing campaign” to our elected officials.

A. Pick an issue such as the “cover up” of Benghazi and the criminal and even murderous/treasonous actions of this administration and contact your elected officials with regular follow-up. Write, email, text, call them at least once a month or every couple of weeks expressing your desire to see Congress take action up to and including “criminal prosecution.”
B. Make a list of issues and on a rotating basis – “weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly” contact your elected officials on these issues and not only request follow-up but follow-up yourself so that they will know that you are serious.

A third way is to “become involved” in organizations such as a local Tea Party or start one and begin planning now for the next election cycle with potential candidates, campaign strategies, and efforts to raise funds.

A final way is to “prepare” yourself spiritually, emotionally, financially, and physically to protect and defend that which is rightfully yours and your family. I won’t go into detail as to what that might include or involve I will leave that up to you. My family has been and will continue to seek to hedge against the dollar’s devaluation with things that will retain value and items with which we can barter. We also are securing generators that can operate should the power go out to give us some stability in our home. We are seeking to amass a supply of non-perishable food supplies and locate possible places we can turn to for the harvesting of game, fish, and producing vegetables should that type of crisis arise away from the city and in secluded areas. We are also prepared to defend our home and our persons against those who would come in and forcible take what does not belong to them. We cap that off with regular and consistent time of communion with the Lord, not making it last but making it the capstone of what we do.

I cannot speak directly at this time to each of you as to what is right for you but we are working on possible contingency plans that address various scenarios and as the Lord nudges my heart I will share some of those. Until that time, I offer the aforementioned items as possibilities for you to consider any or all of them.

America as we have known it faces doom without divine intervention from God and a unified, concerted effort by those of us who I would call “patriots.” We did not get out the vote in this election. There were millions that, for one reason or another, who opposed Barack Obama, chose not to go to the polls while his base and supporters did. That is a shame but a reality and we can’t change that now but we can work toward making sure it NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN!

It is my genuine prayer that God bless and protect you and that God deliver America!

Not only will we lose our “Freedom of Speech” but there is an effort being entertained by the Whitehouse and the Justice (Injustice) Department to consider “Criminalizing Criticism of Religion” and the religion in point is ISLAM. Let me go further.

Back in July Arizona Republican Representative Trent Franks asked Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez this simple question: “Will you tell us here today simply that this Administration’s Department of Justice will never entertain or advance a proposal that criminalizes speech against any religion?” Perez objected that there was “no context.” Franks asked the question a second time and Perez said “That’s a hard question… when you make threats against someone.” Remember that was not Mr. Frank’s question or assertion but that is the direction that Perez took it. Perez would never answer the question but danced around it all four times asked.

Representative Franks was asking the question because Muslims are persuading American courts to consider Sharia law in making decisions, and prominent Muslim activists have openly declared that they want to “criminalize criticism of Islam” and follow Sharia law’s directive on how that person so charged would be punished. According to them “insults” against Islam is blasphemy and the penalty for that is death! Is that frightening or what?

Perez and other officials from the Justice Department attended a meeting at George Washington University where an Egyptian-American (despise the hyphenation you are either American or you are not) lawyer was suggesting criminalizing speech against Islam. Then top Justice Department officials had a meeting where they invited Islamist advocates who want the Justice Department to make a legal declaration that any U.S. Citizen who criticizes Islam would be charged with “racial discrimination.” Now understand you can criticize Baptist, Pentecostals, Catholics, Jews or virtually anybody else but not ISLAM. The lawyer Sahar Azia, a female said: “The department’s ‘civil rights lawyers are top of the line’ I know that they can come up with a way to redefine criticism as discrimination.” Aziz the said, “I’d be willing to take a shot at it.” This is under consideration by the Department of Justice and the Whitehouse. I call that a complete violation of the Constitution and Treasonous.

Muslims who came to America “legally” to escape the discriminatory and cruel laws of Sharia have pleaded with the courts to afford them “equal protection under the laws and not subject them to the inhumane Sharia.” There have been over 50 cases thus far in which Sharia Law was deemed allowable in the U.S. courtroom. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?

Now what does this mean to you and me? If Obama does this it will happen via Executive Order and an end run around the Constitution and the Legislative Branch. It would mean that this so-called “blasphemy law” would be in force and would effectively put an end to any resistance to jihad because we would all be muted and thus defenseless against its onslaught. (If this happens then if you want to talk to me or visit me you will have to do so at the local federal prison if they let me live which, is doubtful.) I’m sure some of you are thinking, surely the First Amendment will prevent this. NOPE! Enforcing the First Amendment is dependent upon those whose charge is guarding, protecting, and upholding it. When you have a President and DOJ that wants to do away with it you are up the proverbial creek without a paddle. It would make the First Amendment virtually void as is the Second Amendment in many parts of the U.S. today.

Folks, I cannot stress enough how critical it is to defeat Obama and removed the man and his bunch from Washington! Getting good people in Congress is NOT ENOUGH we have to rid ourselves of this plague in the Whitehouse and the infectious poison that he is injecting into our society. Whatever we do we must vote in such a way as to OUST OBAMA in November. If we don’t there may well be an Islamic Flag flying over the Whitehouse as they have declared will be.

May God bless you and may God bless America!

Just a few years ago, it seems, I was a child growing up in East Texas in a rural setting in a home with two loving parents who loved God, respected the rights of others, and gave us moral moorings that still anchor our lives today. I could not imagine seeing the calendar rolling over to the year 2000. We imagined via the Science Fiction movies and comic books a world that would have flying cars, teleportation devices, and other innovations that were way outside the box. Now we have computers and other devices that almost take us to those places but we are not advanced technologically to the point of the Sci-Fi world of our imaginations.

In those times, growing up, the country as a whole had a “moral compass” and while there was corruption, crime, graft, deception, and dishonesty, there was a basic honesty or moral fabric to our society. We honored the sanctity of marriage, respected our elders, had a sense of pride that motivated us to “earn” what we received and did not expect a free ride. Today, it seems that we are losing that “moral compass” and are drifting if not rapidly declining into a society that is so “self-centered” and has such an “entitlement mentality” that we accept the ideology that “the end justifies the means” in all things.

We were not coddled growing up, nor did our parents instill in us that any problems or difficulties we faced were the fault of someone or something else. They were obstacles that come to virtually everyone and it was up to us to overcome through hard work, honesty, and faith in God. Our parents taught us “self-sufficiency” in the sense that we took the talents and abilities God had given us and developed them and made the best of our situation. They instilled in us the “Fear God” in a reverential way. We learned that we were expected to give an honest day’s work for a day’s pay. Our parents and grandparents taught us to be courteous, helpful, considerate, respectful, and loyal. From early childhood respect women and giving them the place of honor taught in the Bible was ingrained in us. Patriotism was instilled in our hearts at an early age and we believed that America was a nation founded upon principles of Freedom, rooted in Bible truths, and that every American had the right to believe what they choose and express that in a civil manner.

Today, it seems that we are losing our MORAL COMPASS and have abandoned the philosophy of earning a living through honest labor. It seems that we have abandoned the principle that God and His Word are foundational in our lives and society. We have allowed those who do not believe in God and want to transform this nation into something other than what the Founding Father’s established and envisioned to attempt to remove God completely from our Public Lives! We have abandoned the clear teachings of the Bible regarding many things and even enacted laws that strike down the commandments of God. As I muse over those things I am reminded of the disciples as they responded to commands to violate God’s directives – “Who shall we obey, God or man?”

We have a President today, and I readily acknowledge that he is not the first, that has no respect for the Constitution or American Exceptionalism. He says on one hand that he is a Christian and then takes positions for political expediency that violate the very biblical principles he claims to espouse. So many in our society are so filled with hatred that complete annihilation of those they hate be it based on race, gender, sexual preference, or something else would be perfectly acceptable to them. We still claim to believe in God yet our actions suggest that if we do we do not consider Him to be OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT, or OMNIPRESENT. We have become isolationist in the sense that we are more interested in “What’s in it for me?” than we are in “What is right?”

America is heading in a direction that breaks my heart and I know that it breaks the heart of God. We must return to our foundational roots and regain our moral compass or we will become nothing more than an afterthought in history. It is time that this nation, elect people to serve in the various offices from the lowest to the highest that recognize the sovereignty of God, the sanctity of human life, the God given rights of all people, and reestablish, a moral compass that moors us in the pursuit of honesty and right. I am not suggesting that we legislate that everyone believe in God or that we pass laws that mandate such, but I am suggesting that as individuals and a society of civilized people we must return to our MORAL FOUNDATION. I am convinced that we can make that transition and return to our foundation where we see a restored America again.

I cannot change the world but I can allow the Holy Spirit to change me. I cannot live for the rest of society but I can allow the Holy Spirit to order my life according to the principles of God’s Word. I cannot eliminate all dishonesty from society but I can eliminate it from my life. Therefore, it is my objective to “cast all my care” upon the Lord and allow Him to transform my life molding it into that which He desires. I believe that the more I accomplish that the more my moral compass will become evident to others and as that transpires the Love of God will become more evident and more will be drawn to Him thus changing lives for good. It does not take everyone doing this but if I can motivate one and that one motivates one, over time, we will touch the world.

Just a few thoughts about my life and life in general! May God bless you and may God bless America!

When I see millions spent seeking to be elected to a political office that pays little compared to what is being spent I have to ask what is the motive? In today’s world virtually any elective office is an incredibly costly perch to attain and often a significant portion of what is spent comes from the individual’s personal bank account. In the Texas Senate Race, to fill the vacated office of Kay Bailey Hutchinson, one candidate stated he has spent a little less than $10 million of his own money in the primaries. Obviously the salary in a six year term will never reach that amount, so what motivates an individual to seek an office that is so personally costly financially? Is it public service, the desire to be a public servant, or political power, ego, graft – WHAT?

When this Republic was founded virtually all the founding fathers viewed elected office as public service and considered themselves public servants not politicians. The very idea of a professional political elite class was offensive to them. When they sought office it was out of a desire to serve the interests of the public, defend the Constitution, and perpetuate the Republic not amass personal fortune and power. They were diverse in their views, backgrounds, and personalities but held a common ideal that made them unique and to be admired.

Today, virtually every individual that goes to Washington, DC leaves office with a dramatically increased personal bottom line financially, and a network of contacts that affords them access to enormous wealth and enables them to wield incredible power while in office and afterward. Most of them campaign on a platform of “service” and “defending the rights” of WE THE PEOPLE but upon arrival in the Capitol they seem to soon forget those pledges and promises and serve their interests and those of the special interest groups and bundlers that filled their campaign war chests rather than that of the public they were elected to serve. Their ethics and principles seem to be a fluid as the water in a flowing river and rise and fall like the stock market depending on the time frame of the electoral cycle, and the opportunities to become more established as a political power broker. Most have an agenda that is kept well hidden during the campaign but surfaces in bits and pieces once elected. Many, once in office, seek to remain in office as long as possible and even if they sought office initially with the desire to perform “public service” rapidly, evolve into “professional politicians.”

I think it would serve us well, when electing people to public office, to ask “What did the founding fathers really want for America?” Additionally, we should ask, “What do these current politicians want for America?” The founding fathers were an incredible diverse group that had a singular unifying goal and objective: American Liberty!  They fully believed that the citizens should have a say in their government and that government “only” derives its power from the consent of those governed.  That is in stark contrast to the view of politicians today as we clearly see by their actions, agendas, and policies regardless of what they say with their words and campaign rhetoric.  One only has to read the opening words of the Declaration of Independence to understand the hearts of the Founders.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

The founders understood that our rights were not government granted but came from God Himself. They understood that government should be limited and that the real power should be vested in the people, then the individual states and then in a limited scope the central government.  Today, we see the results of the slow erosion of that ideology into the current massive Federal Government and see it continually expanding.  Barack Obama and those of his ilk envision a Federal Government that is all encompassing and powerful with the people being “servants of the government” rather than the original design of the “government being a service to the people.”

We did not arrive at this juncture or condition overnight or in a decade or two and will not revert to the Constitutional Republic of the founders in a short span. It will take generations if it ever happens. However, if Barack Obama is reelected, it is my view, America has NO HOPE of being restored.  He will press forward with more vigor and abandon to achieving his ideological agenda than he did in the first term and we know how often he circumvented Congress, the Courts, and ignored the will of the people.  With the apparent narcissistic mindset and god-complex of this President it would seem that he would consider reelection validation of his agenda and throw off all restraint in a lame duck second term and possibly move toward becoming President for Life!  He and his policies are incredibly dangerous.  His mentors, advisers, followers, and co-conspirators behind the scenes who are funding and facilitating his Presidency are equally dangerous.  THEY MUST BE STOPPED!

I believe that God worked to enable the founding fathers to frame the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights to establish a nation where people could freely pursue His purposes. America has been a launching pad for incredible innovations, inspiration, and missionary efforts for a very long time but is in grave danger of becoming a very dark place spiritually, morally, and economically. I continue to make an impassioned plea for anyone and everyone to diligently and fervently cry out to God for guidance individually and for the nation. I urge everyone to do due diligence in examining the records of all political candidates. Do not just listen to what they say but examine how they say it and what they have done, are doing, and might do. If we want to keep a Free Republic it is imperative that we restore accountability to every elected office and limit the amount of time any individual can hold those offices. That alone will not stop all the graft and corruption but it will go a long way to restoring the power to where the founders envisioned it –  in the hands of the people the legal citizens of these United States of America.

How you vote is your right and prerogative but failure to vote is to allow the grand opportunity for unscrupulous people to manipulate and control the welfare and well-being of the nation. If we all examine the candidates, the records, and determine to hold them accountable we will have hope of seeing America restored!  Therefore, I ask that you become involved in the political process and at a minimum VOTE in November!

May God bless you and may God bless America!