Thanks for My Father-in-law!!

CLICK ON PICTURE TO ENLARGE
I'm so thankful for God's protection and salvation! Here Elizabeth, my wife, explains our gratitude!

In 1962, my dad was navigating for this helicopter, when the pilot ran into some wires. When my dad looked up and saw what was happening, he called upon the name of the Lord and was saved.
The blades came into the cockpit and scratched his legs and dented the cigarette lighter in his boot, but he and the pilot were fine. He told this story of God's goodness with tears in his eyes at Thanksgiving dinner. I would not be here if he had not survived.

At the time of this picture, John Edward Kreiner was an Army helicopter pilot with a wife Regina and twin daughters Kim and Karen. My wife was not yet born. She would not be here except for God's saving mercy. Neither would my children, Jake, Erica and Elysia, whom I love!

And I would not be the man I am had God not saved my father-in-law - this time and several others during his entire career as a MASH helicopter pilot in Korea and Vietnam.
Thanks be to God!

With Obushama, the Rich Get Bailouts and the Poor Get Poorer

Obushama! Is something wrong with the picture? Its the same thing. Obama and Bush Obushama are doing the same thing!

The old and new administrations are essentially the same. They are both trying to bail our way out of an economic downturn by giving more money to the rich and powerful. Today I hear it's going to be another $800 billion in bailouts? Is that 1.5 trillion now - to the rich, to try to keep companies afloat so people can keep their jobs and keep consuming stuff on credit. Great. Thanks Obushama! That is really going to help the poor!

And according to Time online not one dollar will get to the rising number of people living in poverty.

Granted, poverty in America isn't poverty in Haiti, but the injustice of it all irks me. Where is all the change?

Are Lunatics Running the Asylum Obushama? Where is all the change?
Now Obushama tells us he is going to cut 'wasteful' government programs. Yeah right, wait until those special interest groups start complaining! How does that help the poor learn job skills and character that will enable them to work with dignity? It won't.

The churches and welfare agencies are going to see HUGE increases in people needing help with finding jobs and feeding themselves and Obushama wants to start massive infrastructure projects building roads and bridges. Guess who is going to get awarded those contracts? Not the poor!

How is that a change?
Real Change would be to help the churches help the poor learn character. Learn SPECIFICALLY NOT to go into debt! Instead, there are 10 million more poor people now than in 2007 and Citi Bank - who hands out credit cards to people like a drug dealer trying to hook new users - they get a bailout!

The poor have dignity and are created by God to work. Government programs that increase availability of credit aren't going to help the poor!

Okay, I need to breathe. Sorry, I get so worked up when I see solutions offered by our government that make the situation worse.

Is This Where the Emergent Church is Headed?

Is this where the church is headed?
This is just so wrong. On so many levels.
For so many reasons.

(WARNING: This video involves people disrobing in church and may cause seriously disturbing thoughts to go through your head.)

Content with Less

I preached on being content recently and it startled me - into more contentment in Christ. Since August, when I went down for foot surgery, I have had less internal stress and more joy (and contentment) in Christ's work for me.

It's nice to have a season of rest, even with the whole world apparently headed into a recession. Amazingly I'm not worried very much. I hope I hold up this well when more poo hits the fan.

If you have been praying for me, thanks!

(by the way, that is not a picture of my hands and stomach...)

Next President Will Change the World?

One of the many revelers who spontaneously flocked to the White House after Obama's win, chanting, screaming and waving signs like, "Why Wait? Evict Bush Now," summed it up.
"I came down here to make a prayer ... that we'll be able to change the nation and the world,"

So ends one of the many hundreds of articles about President-Elect Obama's mandate to change the US and the world. I can't help but wonder how people have such high expectations?

I think we are in for some serious heartache and disappointment.

After 30+ years of trying to change myself and a few people, only the route of brokenness in Christ has changed me at all. And even then I have so far to go...

Congratulations President Elect Obama

Now broken Christians and fractured saints, let's pray.

For God to protect Obama from idiots and fools.
Who would seek to steer him into sin.
Who would seek to increase arrogance in our nation.
Who would fight God's purpose of humbling and saving His elect.
Who might think we have elected a king.

And especially protect him from fools who would seek to do him harm out of prejudice, racism and hate.

I'm a broken pastor asking broken people to be praying for another broken leader.

And remembering that God is the King over all the earth!

I want Peace after this Election

This Monday morning between 8:30 and 9:30 I've already had five phone calls from live campaigners. I usually take it slow on Monday morning. But everyone wants my vote!

I want peace.
I want peace (and quiet) at home. No more phone ringing, attack ads on TV and my mailbox bulging with junk.

I want peace on the streets too. I was a kid living in a small town in the 70s. I only saw riots on TV news. But I live in ATL now. There's a part of me that worries that some folks will get so mad about the outcome of this presidential race, that they will fight. Am I being dramatic? We'll have to wait 36 hours to see.

I want peace in the church. Our church has both Democrats and Republicans (shocking?) and I told everyone to vote their conscience and then obey God and pray for whoever wins, live a quiet life, pay your taxes and remember who governs you supremely is not Obama or McCain, but Christ Jesus.

Don't get all on your high horse about this political season. It is small potatoes (or more accurately a drop in the bucket according to the prophet Isaiah).

1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

Romans 13:1-7

Christ Jesus is our King! The next president of the United States is His servant.

Let's keep this all in perspective. And let's all keep the peace.