Its a beautiful Thanksgiving morning in Midlothian, Texas. Watching the news coverage of the Mumbai terrorists attacks remind us that we have been safe for 7 years. However, New York City and the railway system of the northeast are on high alert. While relaxing this morning I watched a re-run of Roseanne and her version of Thanksgiving. It included two male homosexuals who were about to adopt a child. Roseanne's mother had a fit, but guess what, she turned out to be a closet lesbian. Then there was a school play that showed the indians hosting the pilgrims for a holiday meal only to be slaughtered by the pilgrims. The pilgrims were also patriarchal and abusive of their wives. The indians taught them that to believe in a male god rather than in mother earth would lead to such abuse. I guess I should be thankful for such intelligent input to help me celebrate Thanksgiving.

It takes the Roseannes of the world to help me remember how thankful I should be. Our country is not perfect and our history is not holy, but without our past we would not be enjoying the present. Oh we have problems. The economy is in crisis, but even the economy would not be in nearly as much crisis were it not for 24/7 news coverage focusing on every conceivable negative they can surface. Real and not revisionist history will reveal just how different the present situation is from that of 1929. If you could choose any country of the world, where would you rather live than America.

As for me and my household, we will be thankful that we live where we live and continue to believe that our God has blessed us.

Thanksgiving is the second most important holiday of the year for most Americans and Christians. Families get together to overeat and watch football, well at least some family members do. Others browse the sales available the next day, black Friday. However, most of us at least give some attention to the name thanksgiving and express thoughts and prayers affirming our appreciation for America and the blessings God has bestowed upon this land. In some ways its far more comforting to look to the past than to look to the future. Of course if we look far enough into the future, we can find great hope and comfort.

Holidays such as thanksgiving and christmas remind us of where we are in America. The parents in California who are protesting the two kindergartens where children are dressing up like pilgrims and indians to eat a thanksgiving meal together in peace. Protestors feel such activity is a sad reminder to native Americans of the abuse their forefathers experienced at the hands of the Europeans when they arrived on this continent. I wonder how many of the protestors are native Americans. At least one native American mother with children in the school involved was on TV protesting the protestors. She wanted her children to enjoy the experience and did not see it as a painful debilitating experience.

Recently Steve Colbert on the Colbert Report on the Comedy channel, began the annual attack on Christmas. Every year we hear how devastating Christmas can be for atheists, muslims, and other non-christians. Do we as Christians feel humiliation because of atheists and muslims? I don't. I believe in a pluralistic democracy where freedom of speech is protected by the constitution. All religions have opportunity to celebrate the holidays or special holy days of their choice. I don't go into mourning during the celebration of hanakah. It seems that the only words and events that are threatening to others are those associated with christianity or patriotism.

Tomorrow I'm going to forget about what others think of me and christians. I'm planning to enjoy my freedoms and blessings by sharing an abundance of turkey, dressing and football. Friday I will confess my sin and fast (or not). If any are still reading this blog, may I encourage you to celebrate our forefathers faith and enjoy the blessing of family.

Good morning. It was 32 degrees early this morning and the sky is beautiful. God's creation is such wonderful place to live. However, I expect that the new heavens and earth that constitute our ultimate homeland will be infinitely greater because not only will we have the beauty, but we will have it without the storms of life that we now experience.

Since the election its been interesting to read the views of those who are counselling the Republican party on how to recover their lost influence. Some suggest the party forsook the social conservatives( translated"conservative christians"), and as a result they lost support. Others suggest that the selection of Sarah Palin was an effort to placate the social conservatives, but served to alienate the fiscal and foreign policy conservatives. Some suggest the party needs to move to the middle while others recommend it return to its roots. All of those making the suggestions seem to think views matter, but I wonder if they really influence the election in the 21st century.

In the first couple of centuries of our history, views were important in determining elections, but even then views were only one element among many that determined the outcome of elections. Why have most presidents been taller than your average citizen? Think its just coincidence! Do you think that Danny Devito could ever be elected president(and don't ruin my argument by appealing to his credentials"?

As America has moved from the era of print media to the era of the visual, requirements for the presidency has changed. Younger, better looking, and taller candidates tend to win. The Nixon - Kennedy debate signalled a shift from positions to posture and appearance. Its not what you say but how you say it. Its personality not positions. Did you hear some of the interviews conducted with voters who had just voted. They were not up to speed on the issues, but they knew who they liked better. The likeability factor is more important than complex issues or past positions.

Now my advice to either party would be to conduct a personality contest instead of a primary to select a candidate for president. Candidates would be judged by the wow factor. Does the opposite sex find the candidate extremely attractive, mildly attractive or just downright boring? Check the height of the candidate against candidates in the other party. Maybe a multiethnic panel could judge the potential candidate on the basis of looks, humor, height, smile, communication skills, walk, beauty of the candidate's family and what blessings he will promise those who vote for him. Once a candidate has excelled in each of those categories, he may be judged as presidential and offered to the public for viewing.

What does one believe and what will he do? Such questions are relics of a print era past and have no place in the visual world of the 21st century. If I'm right then the present input offered by reformation pundits is worthless. They just don't get it!

By the way churches in search of a preacher might want to consider the above approach. Oh, you say this is old news successful churches have been following this approach for several years. Take a look at some of the best known preachers among us, were the churches drawn to the preacher because of his knowledge and commitment or because of his appearance and style? Maypearl can never be accused of being part of the visual age because if you've ever seen their preacher.....I can't stand myself when that honest gene takes over.

About an hour ago I spoke with my financial advisor. According to the latest value of my retirement investments I have lost about 50% of my retirement in 4 months. I have no social security benefits so my entire savings are in this investment. Right now we could live about 10 months on what is left. Would all join me in a verse of "sing and be happy"?

As christians we should know that this world can never guarantee us security. Social security is security only as long as long as it remains solvent. In the Old Testament God taught His people over and over that money, land, ancestors, or government can provide only an illusory security. I, as much as anyone else need to learn and re-learn the fact that my confidence must be in God and His reign rather than in this world.

I, like my brothers and sisters want to provide a quality education for my daughter, and braces for her teeth. fashionable clothes and on and on and on. However, as we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas I am reminded that there are still more important realities. I have much to be thankful for and may I "seek first His kingdom" and truly believe that He will add whatever He perceives my wife, daughter and I need. May I continue to look out to those around me who are in more dire straits than I am, and may I offer a helping hand to them. These are the thoughts that I trust God will impress upon my mind and heart because without Him doing so, I will wallow in fear and self pity, forgetting how blessed I truly am.

May we continue to pray for our country and its people. I think we may be in greater need than any of us are willing to acknowledge.

Well, its been eight days and we've had time to reflect and consider the future of an Obama administration. Whatever it brings, we must as Christians realize that there are things more important than who becomes president of the these United States. As important as that is, we are citizens of a greater country.

Our no.1 enemy is not Iran and missiles it might acquire nor socialism nor islamic fascism. If we could eradicate the world of all evil governments that threaten our existence, we would not have dealt with our primary enemy. Satan is not frightened by our nation's military might.

The kingdom of God is bigger than America and stronger than America. Yet sometimes we forget that truth that's embraced only by faith. When John the Baptist came preaching "The kingdom of God is at hand", he thought he knew what it would look like when it appeared, but in Matthew chapter 11 we discover that he was wrong. He thought that in light of the Old Testament prophets the kingdom would express itself with great power which would overpower Rome and institute rule from Jerusalem. Some still long for that realization as shown by the "left behind books" of Tim Lahaye. When Jesus did not initiate an overpowering assault upon Rome, John wondered if he was really the Messiah. John's disciples posed the question to Jesus "Are you the one promised are should we look for another?". Jesus responded by pointing the disciples of John to Isaiah 61. "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."(matt.11:4f.)

Later in chapter 13 of Matthew's gospel. Jesus instructs his disciples about the mystery of the kingdom. "The disciples came to him and asked, 'why do you speak to the people in parables?"

"He replied, 'The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them."..

What is the mystery or secret? The kingdom is like a sower who went forth to sow. The kingdom is not like missiles and bombs, but like sowing seed. Some respond and produce fruit while other seed is unfruitful not because of the seed, but because of the soil. The kingdom comes by preaching and response rather than by force. John didn't know this secret. He was puzzled because of the lack of force.

The kingdom is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. when the wheat sprouted and formed heads. then the weeds also appeared. The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from? An enemy did this' he replied. The servants asked him,' Do you want us to go and pull them up?" 'No', he answered 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn." Later in the chapter Jesus explains the meaning. The field is the world(v38) the good seed are "sons of the kingdom" and the weeds are "sons of the evil one". The harvest is the end of the age.

This parable is not about the church that contains both faithful and unfaithful but it is about the world which contains kingdom people as well as those who could care less about the kingdom of God. God is not in the period of sowing going to overthrow the wicked. John the harvest is later and not now. The kingdom is both present as in Col:1 11ff/ and future as in 2 Tim.4:1. The mystery is that the kingdom in the present is not for judgment but for salvation. John said the Messiah would baptize with the Spirit and with fire. The present is the Spirit which indwells all sons of the kingdom and the future harvest will come with great power that will impress John as well as the angels of heaven. Then every knee will bow, now we choose whether to honor Him or not. The kingdom today grows by persuasion not by power.

Jesus goes on to say the kingdom is like a mustard seed. It comes appearing insignificant and unimpressive "where's the power?". Should we look for another?

Jesus was humble, son of a carpenter, born in Nazareth and without home or bank account. No wonder that most ancient histories hardly even mention him. Yet the kingdom he brings is like a precious pearl or hiddent treasure. To those who embrace the reign of God, they realize nothing else is as important. No wonder that in the beatitudes he describes his followers and the blessed as"poor, humble, meek, merciful, forgiving, peacemakers , hungering and thirtsing for justice in the world, and persecuted by those who oppose such kingdom people as they live among citizens of the world."

As we seek kingdom truths first and the reign of God as a growing reality we are less traumatized by the events of kingdoms of the world. "Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" which is our homeland. Praying for the kingdom to come is a prayer for God's rule to expand. Most of the time the word basileia rendered "kingdom" should be rendered reign. It refers to a rule and not a realm.

The kingdom comes not through political parties, or massive crowds of people, but like a mustard seed. Its coming is unassuming and humble, but its end will be powerful beyond anything we can imagine. Nuclear power will be like a spitwad when compared to the harvest power of the future, but for now our role is to sow the seed and watch the hidden power work withinthe hearts of changed people.

"Redeem the time; redeem the dream" (T.S. Eliot). According to Arnold Toynbee, the historian, cultures and civilizations develop and die. The process is one of challenge and response. A culture is challenged in some way and it either responds and overcomes the challenge or the culture dies and something else replaces it. Today, we are faced with plenty of challenges and it remains to be seen if we can respond so as to preserve and even strengthen the good that remains in our country.

Russell Kirk writes:"No culture endures forever: Of those that have vanished, some have fallen to alien conquerors, as did Roman Britain; but most have expired in consequence of internal decay. When the cult failed, the culture presently crumbled to powder". Kirk is using "cult" in the scholarly sense of "religion". Kirk adds that "great cultures commonly pass through alternating periods of decay and renewal, flickering out finally after many centuries".

The mandate for the christians in America is to shine as light in our culture and call for moral renewal and thereby a strenghtening of our people. It matters little if we are in the minority or majority, God can work through one, a few or many. In the Old Testament God called Isaiah to remind His people that only a remnant would keep covenant with Him. Yet through that remnant the messiah came into the world and through the Jewish remnant of 12 apostles and a handful of followers of Jesus, the world was turned upside down. Our culture of the past 200 + years owes much to those remnants of the cult from the past.

Father may we dedicate ourselves to remnant living in order that the light of a culture influenced by christianity will not go out, but will once again burn brightly to your glory>

We are awaiting what forecasters believe will be a stormy night in North Central Texas. We shall see.

It was disappointing to learn that the student newspaper at ACU, on the day before the election, endorsed Barack Obama, but again should we be surprised? Those of us who are alumni wish it were not so, but the liberal agenda is not a phenomenon of state schools only. Our Christian universities have discovered that we will complain but send our children to them in spite of the trends. When colleges reach university status, their association with other academic institutions carries more weight than their relationship with churches. Institutions of higher learning will not be held in high esteem if they appear too conservative religiously or politically. To be too conservative is to be closed minded and who wants that stigma attached to them. Conservative and intellectual are polar opposites as far as higher education is concerned. This is a significant reason that our country is moving left.

I hope that those who take the time to read the above will be blessed with a good evening and restful night.