PRAYER & FASTING IN FRISCO, COLORADO
I am joining close friends and partners in ministry for a few days of prayer and fasting in Frisco, Colorado this coming week. My heart is set to really press in to God. I need, desire, and must hear from God. Why? Because it is where we find true life and vision. Please support me in prayer. I would appreciate it.
HOW JESUS PRAYED
It is not time for our proper prayers and pompous, we need to start praying like Jesus prayed. Jesus offered up prayers with loud cries and tears (Hebrews 4:7). So, are you a Jesus-follower or a church member doing the good church stuff.
As for me, I want to pray with loud cries and tears that God’s kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Holy Spirit open my heart to heaven, and fill me with deep affections for Spirit and truth. I not only want something to live for, but also something to die for. Burn inside in 2009. Will you join me?
BOTOX AND GOD’S NEW CREATION
God’s ultimate future is a “new heaven-and-earth” (Revelation 21:1). In Christ, we become integrated into God’s “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
So, how does this biblical truth relate to Botox? Because we must ask: what is the internal driving motivation for men and woman to spend millions of dollars to “recreate” their bodies? I believe it is the God-given hope and longing for a “new creation,” a new resurrected body. This is some food for thought as we enter 2009. When is the last time you heard a sermon about this topic.
By the way, the company that makes Botox has just received USDA approval to release on the market an eyelash-thickeing drug called Latisse. It is estimated that global sales will top $500 million a year. What’s next?
I will put my hope in bodily resurrection, and life in God’s new heaven-and-earth. It is much more permanent.
PLEASE PRAY FOR DAVID WAYNE
Please pray for Pastor David Wayne (long-time blogger at JollyBlogger.com) who was recently informed he had colon cancer. David has been a father in the Christian Blogosphere almost from the beginning. I pray that God’s new creation power that raised Jesus from the dead will overcome his mortal body. Join me.
THE TALLSKINNY’S GREAT COMMISSION VEHICLE
Read about TallSkinny’s Great Commission vehicle and voyage. Last summer in Vegas, Andrew told me that he was thinking about his possible global trip.
RICK WARREN SPEAKS AT OBAMA’S INAUGURATION
President-elect Obama has chosen pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church as a speaker at his inauguration. I think this is a great choice, however, there are many crying out against the pick. Why? Well, because Warren opposes gay marriage and is anti-abortion.
Yet, Obama has come out to defend himself by declaring himself a “fierce advocate for equality for gay and lesbian Americans.” And, of course we know, that Obama supports abortion rights, even partial-birth abortion.
So, a smart political move by Obama to have Warren speak - Evangelicals are pleased - but, don’t be fooled, he will do plenty in the next few years to advocate for gay marriage and abortion rights.
TED HAGGARD’S HBO SPECIAL
Ted Haggard will have his own HBO special titled “The Trials of Ted Haggard” at the end of January. It is produced Alexandra Pelosi, daughter of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Apparently, Haggard is going on a press tour to promote his documentary.
Although I cringed when I heard about this documentary and its promotion, we must also uphold the biblical truth that God’s grace and forgiveness runs deep in all our lives, and is also abundantly available and active for Ted and his family. I pray that God will restore and recreate Ted’s personal and family life. God did not cast him out of the Kingdom of God for what he did - yet, many Christians would like to - and he is still a wounded member of the Body of Christ. Certainly, caution is wisdom here, but, God is our faithful creator and redeemer, even when we mess up big time.
SHOE THROWING NEW OLYMPIC EVENT
There is a push in the Arab world to include shoe throwing as a new Olympic event 
A N.T. WRIGHT QUOTE
I am reading N.T. Wright on the Kingdom of God, and I came across this statement about the religious right and religious left that I found interesting.
“I think the phenomenon of the religious right in the U.S. (we really have no parallel in the United Kingdom) may be construed as a clumsy attempt to recapture the coming together of God and the world, which remains stubbornly in scripture but which the Enlightenment had repudiated, and which fundamentalism itself continues to repudiate with its dualistic theology of rapture and Armageddon. It is as though the religious right has known in its bones that God belongs in public, but without understanding either why or how that might make sense; while the political left in the U.S., and sometimes the religious left on both sides of the Atlantic, has known in its bones that God would make radical personal moral demands as part of his program of restorative justice, and has caricatured his public presence as a form of tyranny in order to evoke the cheap and gloomy Enlightenment critique as a way of holding that challenge at bay.”
A RECENT INTERVIEW
Here is a recent interview I did for Jeremy Jernigan at tomorrowsreflection.com. Take a look. Also, check out Jeremy’s blog. Jeremy is a young leader at Central Christian Church in the east Phoenix Valley.
NOT ALL GOVERNORS WANT STATE BAILOUTS
Read this article.
IS BARACK OBAMA AN EVANGELICAL?
Read this post by Jeremy Pierce.
OBAMA, GOVERNORS, & MORE BAILOUTS
Obama is meeting with Governors today. Many Governors are seeking MONEY with no evaluation of how these States have been run and managed. I know Obama likes to use the word “investment,” but it is simply federal debt spending to bailout the debts of States. The Governors are being asked by Obama to present him with the infrastructure projects that they need in their States.
WILL BILL TRAVEL WITH HILLARY AS SECRETARY OF STATE?
I was listening to a commentator (I believe connected with the Obama transition team) who stated that Bill will at times be traveling with Hillary as she fulfills her functions as Secretary of State. Although I understand a husband traveling with his wife, but Bill is no ordinary husband. The big question is is how much will Bill be involved in traveling and meeting with foreign governments with Hillary?
OBAMA & EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT
Unions invested huge amounts of money in getting Obama elected, and they want the Employee Free Choice Act passed now. Obama has promised that its passage is one of his top priorities.
TOP 5 WAYS FOR INDIVIDUALS/FAMILIES/MINISTRIES TO GET OVER THE RECESSION
Andrew Jones (TallSkinnyKiwi) conducted a blog search for ways that individuals/families/ministries can face and overcome the present recession. My suggestion, and what I am doing, was included in Andrew’s top 5. Check these great ideas out, and implement them.
DIRTY MONEY
Paper money carries a lot of viruses and bacteria. So, when you handle a “Jackson” wash your hands.
AMERICA’S NEW CITIZENSHIP TEST
This is excellent. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has created a more standardized and meaningful naturalization process. They recently completed a multi-year redesign of the naturalization test. The revised test, with an emphasis on the fundamental concepts of American democracy and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, will help encourage citizenship applicants to learn and identify with the basic values we all share as Americans.
NEW REGULATIONS ON RELIGIOUS WORKERS VISAS
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it will make significant revisions to the special immigrant and nonimmigrant religious worker visa classification regulations. The final rule will ensure the integrity of the religious worker program by establishing a requirement that employers submit a formal petition for temporary religious workers, and by providing for increased inspections, evaluations, verifications, and compliance reviews of religious organizations. The rule also fulfills the recent Congressional mandate to issue final regulations to eliminate or reduce fraud in the religious worker program.
The final rule is designed to improve the Department of Homeland Security’s ability to detect and deter fraud and other abuses in the religious worker system. Previously, foreign religious workers were able to request an R-1 religious worker visa at a consular post without any prior, stateside review of the religious organization or job offer. The final rule will require individuals seeking to enter the United States through the nonimmigrant religious worker program to provide a consular officer an approved Form I-129, Petition for Alien Worker. Stateside review of the petition will allow USCIS to verify that the petitioner and the job offer are legitimate prior to the issuance of a visa and admission of the religious worker to the United States.
The rule also reduces the initial period of admission for a nonimmigrant from three years to a period of up to 30 months. This will allow USCIS an earlier opportunity to review whether or not the terms of the visa have been met before extending the nonimmigrant religious worker’s stay in the United States. Religious workers will be allowed one extension of up to an additional 30 months.
The final rule has been transmitted to the Federal Register and will become effective immediately after publication.
GEORGE WASHINGTON’S THANKSGIVING DECLARATION
Whereas 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–and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their Joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.” Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be–That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks–for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation–for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war–for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed–for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions–to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually–to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed–to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord–To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us–and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789. \
SEAN HANNITY & ALAN COLMES
After 12 years of right-left debate, they are splitting up.
ThanksGiving or ThanksGrieving?
I was listening to the radio while driving yesterday, and came across an animal activist program. At first they were talking about protesting those wearing fur, then they moved into calling ThanksGiving by the name of ThanksGrieving. Why? Because so many Turkeys would be killed and ate.
Well, I will stick with ThanksGiving and extend the blessing to all veggie eaters as well.
HOW THE OBAMA EXECUTIVE CABINET IS SHAPING UP
The authority to appoint Cabinet members is grounded in Article II of the Constitution which stipulates that the President “may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments.”
America’s first Presidential Cabinet, appointed by President George Washington, contained just four members (Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson; Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton; Secretary of War, Henry Knox; and Attorney General, Edmund Randolph).
Over time the Cabinet expanded to its current membership of 15 officials plus the Vice President. Additionally, each President may give “Cabinet level rank” to other members of the administration. All appointees are submitted to the Senate for consideration where they must receive a simple majority vote for confirmation.
Below is how Obama’s Cabinet is shaping up:
Secretary of Treasury - Timothy Geithner
Secretary of Defense - Robert Gates
Secretary of State - Hillary Clinton
Attorney General - Eric Holder
Secretary of Health & Human Services - Tom Daschle
Secretary of Homeland Security - Janet Napolitano
Secretary of Commerce - Bill Richardson
Secretary of Agriculture - ?
Secretary of Education - ?
Secretary of Energy - ?
Secretary of Housing & Urban Development - ?
Secretary of Interior - ?
Secretary of Labor - ?
Secretary of Transportation - ?
Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs - ?
WILL OBAMA KEEP HIS PROMISES?
Over the next few years, I will - along with many others - be watching to see if Obama will keep the many promises that he has made during his campaign.
Obama promised to pay for all his policy proposals and cut the deficit (Change We Can Believe In, p. 55). This sounds great. He claims that unlike Bush he will pay for all his policiy adn program proposals, and reduce the deficit and not add to the national debt. He states that he will clearly and openly tell the American people how he will pay for all his new proposals. Yes, he emphasizes that he will return to conservative budget practices.
Well, he is not even in office yet, and this promise has already been broken as he plans for a $700 billion federal spending proposal, and he will raise no new tax revenue. It is called “borrow and spend.”
You fiqure out whether he will do what he said he would. Why is he any different than Bush? I see no real change I can believe in.
AMERICA SPENDS MORE ON DEBT THAN THE IRAQ WAR
In 2008, the red ink (that’s the deficit) could be close to half a trillion dollars. When the government spends more money than it collects, it borrows to cover the cost. Over time, the U.S. government has accumulated a staggering $9.5 trillion federal debt.
Right now, we spend more money each year on interest on the debt than we spend on the war in Iraq. Many are complaining about how much money we are spending on the Iraq war, and how that money could be used here in America. BUT, we never hear from the same people about paying down America’s debt. In fact, Obama has nothing in his economic plan to pay down America’s debt. Actually, Obama’s promised policies will explode the size of our debt.
AMERICA’S INFRASTRUCTURE & NEW FEDERAL JOBS
Obama claims that he will create 2 million new jobs by investing (spending money) in our crumbling infrastructure and build new schools, roads, and bridges. (Change We Can Believe In p.4). Which companies will get these massive contracts?
The main question is: Is the infrastructure of America really crumbling (schools, roads, and bridges)?
Please e-mail me with specifics.
OBAMA’S FEDERAL REVENUES AND SPENDING
America is facing a major economic crisis. However, at a time like this Americans (The People) better not allow the apocalyptic fear espoused by professional power-based politicians, and especially Obama, cause us to stick our heads in the sand. Actually, it is times like these that “The People” better watch the chicken coop much closer. If we do not then we will repeat the mistake that was made by us doing Bush’s war on terrorism. We allowed Bush and the Congress to do things that he should not have out of the fear of terrorism. Now, Obama’s fear issue is not terrorism, but the economy.
The People must watch Obama in two primary areas right now: the Federal Constitution (attempts to side step and change Constitutional processes) and the Federal Budget (economic plans that are not realistic in light of the Federal Budget Crisis we are facing).
What are Obama’s primary sources of revenue?
Remember, the government does not make any money, it collects its entire revenue from THE PEOPLE. The federal government receives approximately $2.4 trillion each year in revenue from four primary sources:
1 - Individual income taxes at 43.4% (52 million people pay little or no taxes). Obama is going to implement a welfare handout to all lower and middle class people (what he calls tax cuts). This includes the 52 billion. Obama has decided not to raise income taxes on those making more than 250,000. This means income tax revenue will decrease under Obama.
2 - Social insurance and retirement receipts at 34.8% Obama wants to increase Social Security tax on those making more than $250,000 a year. However, this will in no way meet the need for retiring Baby Boomers. So, Social Security taxes will be decreasing, while Social Security spending will go up, way up.
3 - Corporation - big & small - income taxes at 14.7%. Obama wants to cut taxes for some companies, and raise them for others. So, we will have to see how this revenue washes out.
4 - Excise - alcohol, tobacco, gas - taxes at 3.1%.
5 - Other at 4.1%.
What will Obama spend money on?
The federal government spends its money in six primary areas:
ENTITLEMENT SPENDING
1 - Social Security at 20.7%
2 - Medicare at 12.4%
3 - Medicaid at 6.8%
DISCRETIONARY SPENDING
1 - General Discretionary at 31.9% (
Education
Veterans Space Program etc) Obama plans for HUGE new general discretionary spending)
2 - Defense Discretionary at 19.7%
(Obama states that we will save money as we end the war in Iraq and pull out troops. But, Obama has made Afghanistan his war, and he plans to expand this war by adding more troops. How much we will really save in this war exchange still remains to be determined.
DEBT SPENDING
1 - Debt - $9 Trillion (Obama has no budget plans to pay for our debt. Under Obama, the debt will explode. Right now, America would have to not spend one penny for approximately 5 years to pay off our national debt)
2 - Interest on Debt at 8.5%. (this percentage will grow significant under Obama as we borrow more money)
3 - Obama will continue to spend our Social Security taxes. This means as Baby Boomers retire we will have no Social Security trust fund to pay for it. This is the federal governments Social Security debt.
BOTTOM LINE: Under Obama, federal revenue will be going down, AND federal spending and the debt will be exploding. Much of this will be done under the disguise that if he dosn’t do this then America will enter a deep depression. Short-term it might provide some basic stability, but in the long-term it will make America’s economy much worse.
OBAMA’S THREEFOLD ECONOMIC STRATEGY
Brad Hightower thinks I am missing the big picture of Obama’s economic strategy. Brad is a good thinker and blogger, and so I thought I would publish his thoughts. I add a few comments in caps.
“Andrew, I think you miss the Obama agenda. What is needed is threefold and they both are absolutely necessary to avoid very high unemployment.
1. The banks have to be rescued. This is simply not an option. If capital is not available, the entire system will collapse. The entire accounting system of every business is based on the availability of credit. If credit continues to dry up the whole economy will contract. The federal government has to act to save jobs.
OBAMA PLANS TO BAILOUT MUCH MORE THAN THE BANKS, WITH NO GUARENTEE OF NEW MAJOR CREDIT AVAILABILITY, AS WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN.
2. Demand is the ultimate problem of any recession. We need middle class tax relief and possibly stimulus to generate demand. This is why Obama says we have to not worry about deficits for a while. If demand or consumer confidence does not respond pretty quick, we will see a huge round of layoffs in every sector. This round will then lower demand further and the whole system spirals until government steps in to artificially generate demand.
OBAMA’S NEW WELFARE HANDOUTS (THAT ARE OFTEN CALLED TAX CUTS) HAVE NO ASSURANCE OF CREATING OR SAVING JOBS. IT REALLY SCARES ME WHEN OBAMA SAYS THAT WE THE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT WORRY ABOUT DEFICIT AND DEBT SPENDING.
3. Jobs..The Obama plan as it unfolds will be a huge public works plan for infrastructure. The infrastructure is needed anyway but what the dems will push is energy technology. This is very important. In the same way that the cold war under Reagan led to huge deficits, the investment ultimately led to a huge burst in technology which came out of the military buildup and the military’s need for technology.
WHERE IS ALL THIS MONEY COMING FROM?
The point is the government does need to interrupt the crisis with decisive action or the whole system will collapse. Without this leadership, we are in for a significant contraction.
SOME GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP IS GOOD, A FAR-REACHING LEADERSHIP BECOMES SOCIALISTIC IN PRACTICE. THE FEAR MESSAGE THAT THE WHOLE WORLD IS GOING TO COLLAPSE IS WHAT IS ALLOWING OBAMA TO QUICKLY IMPLEMENT ECONOMIC PLANS AND PROGRAMS WITH LITTLE CONISERATION FOR LONG-TERM ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES.
OBAMA’S FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOWN ECONOMIC PLAN
Obama promised that he would bring economic health to America through a “bottom up” economic plan. The reality is, he is implementing a “Federal Government Down” economic plan of corporate bailouts, welfare handouts, huge spending plans, and new federal programs.
The most important issue facing America right now is JOBS! Job creation is the number one issue in my view.
Based on Obama’s own website, this is his “federal government down” economic plans: The first thing he says is “The FEDERAL GOVERNMENT has a role to play to ensure that every American is able to work at his or her highest capacity.” That’s right, the federal govenment, not primarily private businesses. Here are his 12 initiatives:
1 - Obama will double FEDERAL funding for basic research, expand the deployment of broadband technology and make the research and development tax credit permanent so that businesses can invest in innovation and create high-paying, secure jobs.
2 - Obama will improve access to jobs: America’s families and businesses depend upon workers having reasonable access to their places of employment.
3 - Obama will double the FEDERAL JOBS Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program to ensure that additional FEDERAL public transportation dollars flow to the highest-need communities and that urban planning initiatives take this aspect of transportation policy into account.
4 - Obama’s urban agenda will also help facilitate the creation of new jobs in underserved economic areas, so more low-income urban residents can find employment within their home communities.
5 - Obama will make long-term FEDERAL investments in education, language training, and workforce development so that Americans can leverage our strengths – our ingenuity and entrepreneurialism – to create new high-wage jobs and prosper in a global economy. A critical part of this process is ensuring that we reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and ensure that it strengthens FEDERAL investments needed for success in the 21st Century.
6 - Obama will increase funding for FEDERAL workforce training programs and direct these programs to incorporate green technologies training, such as advanced manufacturing and weatherization training, into their efforts to help Americans find and retain stable jobs.
7 - Obama will also create an energy-focused youth jobs program to invest in disconnected and disadvantaged youth.
8 - Obama will reduce crime recidivism by providing ex-offender supports: America is facing an incarceration and post-incarceration crisis in urban communities. Obama will create a prison-to-work incentive FEDERAL program, modeled on the successful Welfare-to-Work Partnership and work to reform correctional systems to break down barriers for ex-offenders to find employment.
9 - Obama will reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act, increase FEDERAL resources for community colleges and lifelong learning initiatives to ensure our citizens can continue to gain new skills throughout their lifetimes.
10 - Obama will also modernize and expand the existing system of trade adjustment assistance to include workers hurt by changing trade patterns.
11 - Obama will create flexible FEDERAL education accounts that workers can use to retrain.
12 - Obama will expand and fully funded FEDERAL apprenticeship programs to help workers get credentials and skills in crafts that reward that investment with a middle class income and benefits.
For Obama, bottom-up (grass roots folks) really means federal-government-down (professional politicians spending tax-payers money).
OBAMA’S ABORTIONIST COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
During Obama’s campaign, he said that he wanted to reduce the number of abortions in America. Well, his honesty seems to have been lost when he recently appointed Ellen Moran, the executive director of Emily’s List to become the White House communications director. Emily’s List is one of biggest pro-abortion activist groups in the U.S.
Dr. Andrew Jackson's New Book on Mormonism