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Cows, Constitution and the Ten Commandments

I wish I could take credit for the following e-mail, enjoy.

COWS…
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that our government can track a cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps in the state of Washington, and they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give them all a cow.

CONSTITUTION…
They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq. Why don’t we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it’s worked for over 200 years, and we’re not using it anymore.

TEN COMMANDMENTS…
Know the real reason that we can’t have the Ten Commandments in a Courthouse? You cannot post “Thou Shalt Not Steal,” “Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery”, and “Thou Shall Not Lie” in a building full of lawyers, judges, and politicians! It creates a hostile work environment!

Author is unknown

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What’s That? – I’m a C.C.?

Well, I sorta thought this would turn out differently. Thanks to Jon for pointing this out in an entry on his blog

You scored as Cultural Creative. Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational.

Cultural Creative
56%

Modernist
44%

Romanticist
44%

Idealist
44%

Materialist
38%

Postmodernist
31%

Fundamentalist
19%

Existentialist
13%

What is Your World View? (updated)
created with QuizFarm.com

Take for instance these three questions:

  • The majority of religious scripture should be taken literally.
  • Evolution is taking us closer to the spiritual realm, whatever that may be.
  • Mankind is condemned to be free. (there is no outside control)

I couldn’t completely agree with the statement, “The majority of religious scripture should be taken literally.” because all of scripture should be taken literally.

The statement “Evolution is taking us closer to the spiritual realm, whatever that may be.” is a true statement, however the answer probably categorizes me incorrectly. Many would say a fundamentalist believes evolution leads away from the spiritual realm. Evolution, however, is a religion and therefore cannot necessarily lead away from the spiritual realm. Common knowledge would have it that evolution is not a system of beliefs and therefore would classify me in the wrong category with my answer.

The last question listed above “Mankind is condemned to be free. (there is no outside control)” has a semantics issue, in that, it is not a condemnation to be free. As a certain famous document states, “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.”

Overall, I would give this quiz as something fun and thought provoking I would give it a high rating. However, it receives overall poor rating, not because of me classification, but more for the secular humanistic bent in the lines of questioning and interpretations. For instance, I am sorta glad I am not perceived as a fundementalist according to the quiz from the description of fundamentalism.

Fundamentalism represents a movement in opposition to Modernism, stressing the highest importance on foundational religious tradition. Science has brought on corruption of society. God is real and is watching. Scripture leaves little room for interpretation; man is GodÂ’s creation. About a quarter of the population in the U.S. is classified as Fundamentalist.

Here is clue about the bent of the test, it states that fundamentalists believe that science (in the questioner’s view evolution) corrupts society. However, true science and not a system of hypotheses, fairy tails and beliefs does not corrupt society. It gives us a little better understanding of our wonderful and marvelous Creator and our dependent and feeble position. If anything it brings the creation closer to the Creator.

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A historic event . . .

July 4th, a memorable day for more then one reason. Today there was another added for me.

Picture while driving!

Maybe taking the picture while driving wasn’t the best idea, so I stopped to better capture the historic day. One of the nine times that the first 5 digits of the odometer will be the same.

Better when stopped
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What once was . . .

About one month ago, I found myself on top of a mountain for a Sunday service. As I was hiking to the top of the mountain I notice the cabin below. I took a picture on the way back and thought about the men who built the trail. At the end of the trail there was a marker memorializing 3 men who died while building the trail. In the 30’s these men sacrificed their live to earn a meager existence building trails as part of the CCC. Below is a shack they used to store dynamite.

CCC Dynamite Shack Sign

CCC Dynamite Shack

In the 30’s, people in our country sacrificed to attend church. As I sat on the log listening to the message, I pondered the ~3 hour hike up the mountain. I thought about my normal Sunday morning routine and the ease at which I go to church.

How little we have to sacrifice in-order to worship. Take a lazy morning with a good breakfast. Rush to get ready, speed to church and walk in casually. Yet this morning, I was up at 5:30. Out the door by 6:00 and carpooling with Andrew by 6:30. Arrived at the mountain ~7:15 and started hiking 7:30. After a several thousand foot ascent up a few miles of trail, we arrived at the site of the service. It seemed like a long trip just for a church service.

I’ve always heard that if you want to find out what it was like 50 or sixty years ago, travel to a third world country. On several missions trips to Mexico I met believers who traveled ~8 hours one way to their fellowship, every Sunday. If that is anything like it was like in the 30’s in our country, how little we sacrifice.

I wonder in what ways I could sacrifice and become more mature in my travel to church.

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Cold Water

Prov. 25:25
      Like cold water to a weary soul,
      So is good news from a distant land.

Imagine exhausting every part of your body. Working until you are bone tired, to the point of collapsing. Think of the relief even just a thought of a drink of cold, refreshing water brought to your body. Just imagining . . . dreaming, longing and then seeing the water. The extacy it brought. The fullfillment of expectation. Then wrapping your fingers around the cold glass, wet with condensation. Feeling the droplets run down a grimmy hand and arm. Raising the glass and finally, refreshment.

What a sweet thought and poiniant analogy to our own lives. Ever longed to talk to a distant friend. Then suddenly they call and setup a luncheon. The anticipation, the quesitons and the stories from lives long parted. Sharing any good news with a distant friend is just as cold water to a weary soul. It is refreshing, restoring, bringing new life to the hearer.

Just about now, I sure could use some good news.

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Back again

So, it’s been a while since I’ve posted, to say the least. Why, can’t think of any. I’ve had a multitude of reasons to post such as traveling to Reading, PA and Washington DC. Visiting a medical school and a friend graduating with a masters degree. Seeing the Enola Gay (plane that dropped the first atomic bomb) and a SR-71 Blackbird. Seeing the first Cray super computer and the Shuttle Orbiter that was used in testing. I guess all I can say is I’m back. Pictures to follow.

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Sermon Notes: A Spirit-filled Ministry

Spiritfilled Ministry – Tom Craig Sunday May 1st, 2005 – PM Luke 24:46-49 “But tarry ye here” – Are we doing the work of the spirit in the spirit or in the flesh?
What is the supernatural holy power?

  1. It is the means that I do the work of Christ
  2. It is the power by which Christ did His work (Luke ?)
  3. It is the means by which I do the witnessing for Christ Perform by the means of the Spirit. Acts 1

The power of the Holy Spirit is given

  1. when there is a great thirsting for it! We don’t feel parched and thirsty when we
  2. when there is a cleansing! The Lord left these men for 10 days which has been speculated that there was a great time of repentance among the disciples. We clean more for guest to enter our earthly house rather then the Holy Spirit to enter our spiritual house.
  3. when there is a complete surrender! God does not share our life, only controls it!

    It was once asked of D.L. Moody by a jealous young evangelist if he had a monopoly on the Holy Spirit. A wise old preacher replied “I don’t know if I have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit but I do know that the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on me.”

  4. when there is a asking! Be ye being filled! We become drunk with the spirit by being controlled by the spirit yesterday, today and tomorrow. Every minute of every day!

How did the Holy Spirit primarily affect the Apostles? Through Their tongue! – Acts 1:24-29

  1. It was manifested in their courage! Why don’t we witness? Because we are more concerned about ourselves then the commands that Christ has given us. We are scared!
    What is the difference in Peter between the beginning and the end of Acts 1?
  2. It was manifested in the convincing!
  3. It was manifested in the convicting!
  4. In was manifested in the converting!