God is on the Democrats Side- is He really?

This conversation was overheard and filmed on a plane from Denver to Charlotte following the Democrats' convention. It is a conversation between former National Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Don Fowler and Congressman John Spratt of South Carolina. Their conversation was interesting to say the least.

For example, they made fun of Gov. Sarah Palin for several minutes, Fowler calling her "Dan Quayle" on steroids and Spratt creatively describing her as "just terrible." They both agreed that, "Other than the simple fact that she's a female," she has nothing to offer. And then they begin to talk about Hurricane Gustav:


Don't you just love the Democrats sense of humor - laughing at a natural disaster and how it will benefit them. They always play these things to their advantage.

I even expect to see Barack Hussein Obama II milk this and be somewhere to show his great concern while behind closed doors they are laughing with Michael Moore: This hurricane is proof that there is a god in heaven.

They are right - there is a God in heaven for sure and He will judge the wicked!

I Am Voting Democrat because....

Well, after 3 nights of the Democratic Convention, I have decided to vote Democrat this year. With all the speeches given before Obama's tonight, I am convinced! Here are great reasons to do so...

I’m voting Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would.

I’m voting Democrat because freedom of speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.

I’m voting Democrat because when we pull out of Iraq I trust that the bad guys will stop what they’re doing because they now think we’re good people.

I’m voting Democrat because I believe that people who can’t tell us if it will rain on Friday CAN tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away in ten years if I don’t start driving a Prius.

I’m voting Democrat because I’m not concerned about the slaughter of millions of babies so long as we keep all death row inmates alive.

I’m voting Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as THEY see fit.

I’m voting Democrat because I believe three or four pointy headed elitist liberals need to rewrite the Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would NEVER get their agendas past the voters.

I’m voting Democrat because I believe that when the terrorists don’t have to hide from us over there, when they come over here I don’t want to have any guns in the house to fight them off with.

I’m voting Democrat because I love the fact that I can now marry whatever I want. I’ve decided to marry my horse.

I’m voting Democrat because I believe oil companies’ profits of 4% on a gallon of gas are obscene but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn’t.

Makes you wonder why anyone would EVER vote Republican , now doesn’t it?

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Thank you to Caleb Menikos where I first saw this and to Bud Simmons.

It's Convention Time- Love Those Democrats!

Through a friend, I was able to get a copy of the Monday evening agenda for the DNC Convention.

Schedule of Events
7:00 pm OPENING FLAG BURNING
7:15 pm PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED NATIONS
7:20 pm Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST TO Barack Obama
7:25 pm OPENING PRAYER - Reverend Jeremiah Wright
7:45 pm CEREMONIAL TREE HUGGING - Darryl Hannah
7:55 pm Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST TO Joe Biden
8:00 pm GLOBAL WARMING!!!!!!!!! - Al Gore
8:15 pm GAY WEDDING PLANNING - Rosie O'Donnell
8:35 pm Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST TO Hillary Clinton
8:40 pm CHARGING OUR TROOPS WITH WAR CRIMES - John Kerry
9.00 pm MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR SADDAM AND HIS SONS - Cindy Sheehan and Susan Sarandon
10:00 pm ANSWERING MACHINE ETIQUETTE - Alec Baldwin
11:00 pm Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST TO Evan Bayh
11:05 pm COLLECTION FOR THE OSAMA BIN LADEN KIDNEY TRANSPLANT FUND - Babs Streisand
11:15 pm FREE THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS FROM GUANTANAMO BAY - Sean Penn
11:30 pm OVAL OFFICE AFFAIRS - William Jefferson Clinton
11:45 pm Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST TO Nancy Pelosi's Rack
11:50 pm HOW GEORGE BUSH BROUGHT DOWN THE WORLD TRADE TOWERS - Howard Dean
12:15 am FREE THE MINUTEMEN IN IRAQ'S PRISONS - Michael Moore
12:25 am Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST TO Paris Hilton
12:30 am SATELLITE ADDRESS - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
12:45 am NOMINATION OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA - Nancy Pelosi
1:00 am Ted Kennedy proposes toast and SINGS NATIONAL ANTHEM
1:05 am CORONATION OF BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA
1:30 am Ted Kennedy PROPOSES A TOAST TO Ritt Momney
1:35 am Bill Clinton asks Ted Kennedy to drive Hillary home.

Sorry I missed it!

The Bible in a Minute

Click Here

Thoughts on the Need of Relationships-

I have been reading the best seller ‘The Shack.’ I have been struck by a number of comments in the book. Here is one: ‘Life takes a bit of time and a lot of relationships.’

Jim Darnell made a similar comment: “I am very much aware that much of life is relationships and if your relationships are good your life is good.”

Do you have good relationships? You do need them; a relationship with God, your spouse, and with others. I have some great relationships here at the church and around the world.

One such relationship is Pastor Rob and Brooke. They have been with me for close to 17 years now. They have won my respect and appreciation. They have stood the test of time, struggles, disappointments, and sorrow yet remained faithful, loyal, proven, and as refined gold increases in value they have increased in value to me, the Kingdom of God and The Vine Fellowship. I have few friends that have preserved and have my loyalty and trust as do Pastor Rob and Brooke.

Pr 17:9 He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
Pr 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Pr 27:9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.

True friends don’t tear each other down, reveal secrets, disrespect one another even when disagreeing, separate and divide from others, are not jealous and always remain loyal. I consider Pastor Rob and Brooke as true friends.

My prayer is that you too can experience that true friendship and relationships that we all desire and need. In order to have friends, one must show himself friendly!

I have had friends leave me, betray me, speak evil of me, turn others against me, given up on me - but I have never quit loving them and consider them friends to this day! I would always receive them back! That quality of never giving up on anyone regardless what they have done to me amazes my wife!

On another note for pastors, I think you can relate to this. I may be gone for a Sunday ministering elsewhere or on vacation. I generally don't announce my absence. I have been asked why I don’t announce when I am leaving town or having guest speakers. My answer is a difficult one to say and causes me great pain and frustration. But here it is — it is because attendance is generally down when I am gone. For some reason people feel that if I am gone they can be gone too. They may stay home, go to the lake or park, or visit another church. Who knows why this happens but it does grieve me. Do they only have relationship with me and not other members of the Vine? But, enough of that as that is my cross to bear alone.

Texas smoker/grill - for men only!

This is how we make our BBQ grills/smokers in Texas -
got to love it!

Populate or Disintegrate!!

Stagnant -- not advancing or developing (the economy is stagnant)

The economy is not the only thing that can go stagnant. How about a church going stagnant? How about your church growing stagnant and becoming irrelevant to our society?

What are some signs of a stagnant (dying) church? Consider these (list not exhaustive):
-Declining or steady number of baptism, attendance, and giving
-Little excitement for outreach or mission to save the lost
-Few new and young families
-Church work is perceived as what takes place inside the church building only
-Prevailing sense of complacency
-Witness and outreach effort are done mainly by the pastors
-A high percentage of inactive members

Jesus stated what our purpose as the church was and if we fail to follow this we become like the list above:

"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. "Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand — shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. Mt 5:13-16 TMB

Who among us wants to be thrown out, to be put in the garbage? None of us do! But that is what a church is in danger of if they fail to realize why they are here. Too many think churches are all about them, getting their needs met, and gazing at each other’s navels.

It is not! It is about being the Kingdom of God here on earth and visible to the world! It means demonstrating God’s love to all. It means going out to bring them in. It means inviting people to our activities. It means going out to where they are so as to reach them. How will they be saved if they don’t hear the message from you and me?

How do we avoid becoming stagnant?
-Invite your friends to services and special events?
-Endeavor to pray and seek new souls for the Kingdom of God.
-Encourage young families to come to the church.
-Help with your churches outreaches?

We either populate the church with new souls and families or we disintegrate!

(Listen, I am in FL for vacation- last post for a week! See you again on the 18th. Until then stay safe!)

Do They Think Jesus Was a Liar?

Do They Think Jesus Was a Liar?

By Cal Thomas
Syndicated Columnist/FOX News Contributor

I am shocked and appalled over a newly published survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. It finds most Americans believe there are many ways to salvation besides their own faith. Most disturbing of all is the majority of self-identified evangelical Christians who believe this.

Apparently they must think Jesus was a liar, or mistaken, when he said: “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father but by me.” Look it up.

This theological ignorance is a product of several things. It is surely a product of biblical illiteracy by people who don’t read, or selectively read scripture. It is also fallout from the political correctness vice that says you are intolerant if you believe anything to be true, because people who have another truth, or no truth, might feel bad and experience rejection.

If they feel rejection now, wait until they hear “away from me, I never knew you.”

Tolerance is a good thing. People should tolerate and respect people of different faiths, or no faith. But watering down your own set of professed doctrines in order to appeal to the lowest spiritual common denominator is akin to Peter denying Christ three times.

If there are many paths to heaven, Jesus suffered and died for nothing. He could have stayed in heaven, sent down a book of sayings and avoided crucifixion. Orthodox Christians have always believed – and their Bible teaches them — there is only one path to heaven and it is through Jesus Christ and him alone. One can believe whatever one wishes, but you can’t be considered a Christian without believing in this fundamental doctrine.

Christian churches have a lot of work to do in addressing biblical illiteracy, ignorance and, yes, heresy, in their midst. They might want to pay more attention to fixing what’s gone wrong among their members before expending too much energy on politics and politicians.

thanks bobby

Do they get it?

THIS IS A CEILING MURAL IN A SMOKER'S LOUNGE.

Congrats- Rush Limbaugh!

Ann Coulter had a great article singing the praises of conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh entitled the 'Other Inventor of Radio.' You can read it here:

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=27819

I remember 20 years ago today what I was doing when I heard the first Rush Limbaugh radio program. I was working for a friend laying tile. We laughed at all his zany antics, sayings, and attacks on Liberals. I was hooked!

I remember well his monologue on farding and the ensuing bashing he took for bringing this up. Who had ever heard of such a thing? Now it is common place and often time Rush does not get the credit for initially telling the world of this dangerous practice. For those of you in Rio Linda who still don't understand, farding is putting makeup on while driving a car; 'a farding woman drove into my car...' Rush knew then and now the danger of this female phenomena. Look at this article telling us today how dangerous it still is:

http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?sid=673206&nid=456

I want to extend my appreciation and congratulations along with President Bush 43, President Bush 41, and Jeb Bush the former governor of Florida as well as a host of others to Rush for being the best thing that happened to AM radio and the United States!

Thank you Rush for being the point man of Conservatism! You have taken your share of hits, but like the 'Energizer Bunny' you have kept on and not given up.

Your passion inspires us all.

the 'They Say' group

Do you know that often times in the church, places of employment, schools, etc. there is a large, often disgruntled, contingent of people that no one ever sees. They may not be able to see them, but boy do people listen to them and repeat what they are saying. That is the unseen group called “The ‘They Say’ Group.”

I have encountered them over the years in my experience here at the Vine. In fact, when I first came here I set out what I called ‘21 Rules of This House.’ When I shared them with the church I also told them we were not going to tolerate factions, egocentricity (the world moves around me, and in ministry it is all about me which causes people to get bent out of shape), and we would not listen to the unseen group called the ‘They Says.’

You have heard about them in conversations with other people. Because they will quote them often, “Well, you know what they say…!” You may ask that person who the ‘they say’ are and you will notice the blank look on their face because they can’t identify them or are unwilling to. So, with that said you should discontinue the conversation!

Listen, nothing of significance is ever accomplished by the ‘They Say’ Group. In fact, quite the opposite generally happens with strife, confusions, contention, disunity, etc. being but a few of their results!

A group closely associated with the ‘They Say’ Group is the ‘Anonymous Group.’ They too may mean well but they conduct their conversations, letter writing, behind the scenes ministry, anonymously.

I can find no place in Scripture where we are called on to deal secretly. We are Children of the Light! The Bible says let our ‘Yes be Yes and our No be No!’ In other words we are to own up to what we say and think! We are to allow someone to quote us if they are going to repeat us! We are to sign our name to all correspondence or notes that we send! Away with ‘don’t tell anybody I said that’ or anonymous notes.

We can all benefit from open discourse and an open exchange of ideas. But, if we don’t follow these rules we will be destroyed by the incessant picking of the ‘They Say’ Group or the ‘Anonymous’ Group.

Eph 4:2-3 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace(NIV).

We are all called on to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace! All of us should make this our endeavor too and not be part of these groups.