Category Where Eagle’s Soar

December 31 edition of ‘Pop Goes the Gospel’

Allen Frederick 1 Comment

'Pop Goes the Gospel'

'Pop Goes the Gospel'

Welcome to the December 31, 2008 edition of pop goes the gospel.

This Month’s Feature Article

Mike Weaver presents Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue posted at COURAGE FOR TODAY, Mike offers up a memory from Christmas past. Sometimes we need to take a journey back in time in order to appreciate where we are in the present time. Read about Mike’s encounter with the silver Christmas tree and perhaps you will remember your own encounter of the strange kind.

In Family Life

Rich presents Always Be Thankful posted at Blogger For Christ . com.Rich reminds us all to ALWAYS be thankful. We may never know when it will be too late to offer up a word of thanks. Thanks Rich.

In Church Life

Yvette Nietzen presents Ministry opportunities are right in front of you posted at Fresh Wind Ministries, Int´l.Yvette, a frequent contributor to this blog carnival, once again comes through with a thought provoking piece about love. Christmas may be past but the Christmas Spirit of love should continue throughout the year, Yvette reminds each of us to not over look the ‘lepers’ of society for those are the very ones Jesus came to save. And never forget we were once just like they are lost without Christ.

Stephen Miracle presents 5 Inspirational Bible Quotes To Enhance Your Day posted at AltNoise.net, Stephen offers us 5 bible quotes to get us all thinking. If we just put into practice these 5 verses they could change our lives in 2009 for the better. It seems so simple doesn’t it and yet sometimes it takes all we have to just forgive those who trespass against us. Apart from the Holy Spirit that enables us it would be impossible to live the life that Christ would have us live. Thank God He offers His Spirit as a helper. Thank you Stephen.

In Culture

ChristianPF presents What the Bible says about this economic downturn posted at Money in the Bible | Christian Personal Finance Blog.A must read for anyone who may be facing financial difficulties in 2009. ChristianPF offers solid biblical counsel in regards to how we should handle our finances according to God’s blueprint.

Rich Bordner presents Cross-less Christ posted at The Pugnacious Irishman, saying, Rich, a new contributor to this carnival, offers a well written post of a problem of our culture’s inability to call sin sin, or call evil evil. A good reminder that “why can’t we all just get along” is not a sound biblical basis in which to base your life. I hope Rich will contribute more posts in the future. Thanks Rich.

Brent Diggs presents Save Your Christmas posted at the Ominous Comma.Brent asks us to stop and consider What If? What if Christmas was more of a time of self-giving rather than gift-giving? Hmmm do we dare?

In Family

Tiffany Partin presents Electric Blankets vs. Cabbage Patch Dolls posted at Fathom Deep: Sounding the Depths of God.Tiffany’s post will give you that warm cozy feeling all over when you get done reading it. As a child we want what we want, but as parents we provide what is best. Sometimes what is best and needed is not what us children want and we rebel. But as we grow in God’s grace, and mature in our walk with Him we learn that His gifts are always on time and appropriate. The Lord truly shall supply all our needs. And when you think about it, that should be all we want.

Merry Christmas and may God bless you abundantly in 2009!
There you have it. This month’s edition of ‘Pop Goes the Gospel’ has gone to press. Thanks to everyone who contributed great articles to make this blog carnival a MUST READ.

So until next month. Keep blogging.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of pop goes the gospel using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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In Honor of Our Veterans

Allen Frederick 1 Comment

 

It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor. —George Washington

Vetsday2008.jpg (470x600 pixels)Abraham Lincoln gave his second Inaugural Address on March 4, 1865, as the Civil War was raging. He said, “Fondly do we hope — fervently do we pray — that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away.”

 

Lincoln’s next paragraph is especially appropriate for Veterans Day:

“With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan — to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.”

When President Lincoln finished his classic oration, he reportedly kissed the Bible and left the platform. He was assassinated the next month.

The freedoms we enjoy in this country did not come without sacrifice. The lady who stands on Liberty Island may be holding a tarnished lamp but the hope she stands for remains. The hearts of every American who thanks God each day for the greatness of America will keep that torch burning brightly. When the last soul falls to death and there is no one left to stand up for freedom for all, then the light will fade into darkness.

Here is hoping that day never comes.

Petrified from Greed

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

A comment from the Eagleman:

There are times when I read something that says so well what I have vainly attempted to say so often. Because of this I feel I must pass on the article so others can be blessed as well. I have been a regular reader of the Worthy News briefs for a while and there are many that speak to my spirit. I felt with all the unrest in the  financial markets this article is a worthy read for anyone who has suffered any anxiety during these rough times. I do wish to encourage my fellow travelers that the Lord knows how to rescue the righteous from any situation. Hold tight to Him and He will lead you beside still waters and cause you to lie down in green pastures. If the Lord is your Shepherd then indeed you have nothing to fear.

Now then on with the article.

1 Timothy 6:6-10 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

As I write, it seems the prevailing concern among people everywhere is – what’s going on with the economy? I’ve probably been asked more questions about the economy in the past two months than in my entire lifetime. People are watching their wealth dissipating and dwindling away. Reflecting on these material losses reminds me of a story about a lady who perished in Pompeii in the first century.

A computer-generated depiction of the eruption...

Image via Wikipedia

Pompeii was a flourishing city in Southern Italy until 79 AD. Suddenly, for two days Mt. Vesuvius erupted and completely destroyed Pompeii in all its pomp. The city was covered in meters of ash and pumice for 1700 years until it was accidentally discovered in 1748. When archaeologists began excavations in 1910 they uncovered a petrified woman clutching some of the finest jewelry ever recovered from the ancient world. She was apparently attempting to flee the doomed city, and in her haste, holding desperately onto her valuable possessions – she lost her life.

During its time Pompeii was a magnificent city, yet it’s destiny was destruction by a nearby volcano –- and so it is with our world today. There’s so much beauty on our planet earth –- yet its destiny is certain! The day is soon coming when it’s elements will be destroyed with fire, the earth and everything in it, laid bare, [2 Peter 3:10] –- and our earthly possessions will not come with us into glory, (only what we have done with them).

As the Apostle Paul said, we came into this world with nothing – and when we leave this world, we take nothing with us. We can make the mistake of holding too dearly onto our earthly possessions, making them our “treasure”, (rather than storing treasure where moth and rust do not corrode etc.) – but this is a costly error, as illustrated by our “petrified lady”. Instead, let’s remind ourselves that we are stewards of God’s possessions, responsible to use them with His interests in mind, to further His Kingdom with the things He has entrusted to us. With so much work to be done, let’s never allow our earthly possessions to petrify us with greed or fear thus preventing the eternal work we were preordained for, and stealing our eternal rewards.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George, Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah

*** If you’d like to have a listen and/or purchase Rivka’s cd, go to www.lazmanhazeh.comEach cd you buy will enable us to give away five in Israel. 100% the proceeds will be used to encourage and bless Israel.

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Passports

Allen Frederick 3 Comments

Insight for your “Journey across the Sky”

A View from the Nest

And nothing unclean may come into it, or anyone whose works are cursed or false; but only those whose names are in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:27 (BBE)

Passports: They say you can not travel abroad without one because they are checked at the borders of each country upon entry. If you do not have your passport in order, you can be detained at the border crossing or refused entry into the country.

I recently traveled into Canada when visiting Niagara Falls. I had not gotten around to getting a passport and was the designated driver of a van full of family and friends. They all had their passports and birth certificates and I, sitting in the drivers seat, had none. I had not planned on leaving the country because I love the United States and find all its natural beauty to be more than one life time can explore. However, I was being outnumbered to go to the other side of the falls. Secretly, if truth be told, I had planned all along to cross into the Canadian side to view the Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls from the vantage point of the Canadian side. The view from Canada was absolutely breathtaking!

The only way you could get over to the other side was to cross one of the two bridges connecting the American side to the Canadian side. We chose the last day of our trip to cross the border into Canada to visit.

Our van pulled up to the border crossing and the attendant asked to see all our papers and they were passed forward and handed out the driver’s side window to the border guard who checked them and then asked me where mine was. I simply told her I had not had time to get a passport before leaving for the trip and I was the designated driver. I gave her a silly stupid smile and she asked how long we would be in the country and I told her we were only crossing to see the falls from their side and would be leaving shortly thereafter to head for home.

We were allowed to proceed across the border and spent a few hours in Canada enjoying the beauty of the falls. To make a long story short, the crossing back into America was also uneventful and I did not have to produce a Passport in order to travel between the two countries.

I am sure having a car load of children and responsible adults all having valid passports helped my situation but the fact still remained I had no passport to cross the border, yet I did.

Although a passport was not required on that trip across the border I would not want to try that alone without the benefit of others who are legally documented. I am sure had I approached the border crossing alone without papers, I would have been turned away at the border and told to remain on the American side.

There are some places you can not travel without proper documentation. Secure areas of the capital and within the Federal Reserve bank and perhaps some science laboratories. There are areas that are off limits to those who do not possess proper clearances and credentials.

So it is with heaven. Only those who have the proper passports will be allowed to enter into that Kingdom. Only those whose names are found written in the admission book will be allowed access through the pearly gates. Only those who accept the proper identification with Jesus will be allowed to walk onto the streets of gold.

If Jesus is sitting in the driver’s seat you will have no problems crossing over to that country, if however you have delegated him to a passenger in your car you may find yourself standing outside the gate. Jesus needs to be foremost in your life, in the front seat, in first place, and not an after thought.

Passports are required for foreign travel and having your name written in the Lamb’s book of life is required for heavenly travel. Do you have your passport?

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)

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Wreaking havoc on America

Allen Frederick 1 Comment

Matt Friedeman – Guest Columnist –
On occasion I find articles written that reinforce the philosophy of this blog and I like to share those articles with you. This is one such article. Be sure to check out his webpage at www.InTheFight.com.

Matt Friedeman

There are four “modern horsemen of the apocalypse,” according to Dr. Richard Land in remarks delivered to the annual Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis, and they are “riding forth to wreak havoc and destruction in our society.” Land listed the four as the denial of the sanctity of human life, the rise of hardcore Internet pornography, the radical homosexual agenda and the attempt to undermine marriage, and radical Islamic jihadism.

Scary enough list.  Here’s an even scarier one:

• The inactive, rudderless Church
• Fatherlessness
• Undisciplined prosperity
• The values of popular culture
Let’s take these in reverse order:

The values of popular culture

Popular culture comes to us in many ways, most of them with the unfettered approval of evangelical Christians.  We of the faith watch just as much television as the secular world.  We allow our kids to view MTV just as much, R-rated movies to the same extent, listen to hip-hop and secular rock music, and are just as open to the lowest common denominators in Internet and computer games.

Through these technological media our children, our teens, and none-too-few adults learn the majority of their life lessons about sex, drug use, violence, family, materialism, and peer relationships.  And the lessons are hardly reflective of Judeo-Christian tradition, which receives much less of our time and attention on a daily basis.  Small example — the average television viewing per home is seven hours a day … more American households have televisions than indoor plumbing … the average American preschooler watches an average of four hours of television daily.

Care to guess how much the average household spends in private or family devotions, or how much daily conversation actually passes between parent and teen?

Undisciplined prosperity

Undisciplined prosperity and the development of Mammonites is a curse to any generation.  It is an easy thing to get wrapped up in the pursuit of happiness and to forget that the pursuit of holiness ought to trump the former.  Money, possessions, and comforts tend to fuzz up the clear thinking of a culture until the stern virtues of hard work, frugality, integrity, sacrifice, self-denial, and biblical righteousness — the things that led to the foundation of our prosperity — are shoved to life’s periphery.  The prophets and teachers of Scripture knew this, which is why the Bible talks four to five times as much about money as it does about the vitally imperative topics of prayer or faith.  Undisciplined prosperity that makes “self” the focus instead of God and others becomes the millstone around the neck of a once moral people.

Undisciplined prosperity tends to make a people sloppy, selfish and arrogant.  And it is an age-old problem, as can be seen from this description of Sodom’s sin in Ezekiel 16:49:

Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.

Part of this sloppiness becomes the sense of entitlement — the attitude that even if I can’t afford it, I will get it.  Call it debt — whether through personal credit cards or government borrowing.  Debt is no friend to society and, left unchecked, an ultimately lethal enemy. Continue reading “Wreaking havoc on America” →