January 13, 2010

Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)

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God knows I've often thought Democrats and Republicans will vote for Satan if he/it is their party's nominee for any office.

In these days of paralyzing polarities with loyalty litmus tests for everything that evoke poop-eating grins on the mugs of reincarnated (Oops!) Pharisees, those two pathetically partisan political parties are destroying America by lionizing anyone with 'em and demonizing anyone on the other side of the aisle.

Just like parochialists and other denominational jingoists who forget the primary identity of Christians is, uh, Christianity, I'm convinced too many Democrats and Republicans are prepared to sacrifice their primary identity as Americans for political gains with about as much staying power as Tiger's latest sack-sister.

Except for Jesus, I've never met anyone who is always right or always wrong on everything; except, of course, for Sister Bertha better than you.

For example, Dirty Harry can say PBHO's electability was enhanced by being "a light-skinned" African-American "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."

And everybody on his side of the aisle has rushed to defend him while everybody on the other side of the aisle...

Geez.

Can you imagine what would have happened if Sarah or Newt said something like that?

Uh, everybody on their side of the aisle would have rushed to defend them while everybody on the other side of the aisle...

That's why I've left both parties and search for candidates who love America and embrace our nation's highest ideals rather than...

Similarly, that's why I search for women and men of faith who love Jesus more than...

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Parenthetically, kudos to PBHO for forgiving the nut from Nevada.

Even if he's a secularist, it was the Christian thing to do; and a lot more Christian than a lot of what I see among those who don't walk what they talk about Him (see Matthew 6:12, 14-15).

I could hear His echo: "Forgive him, Father, because he's ignorant."

Unfortunately, he's also the majority leader of the U.S. Senate.

Of course, a Missouri pastor wrote to KD, "I knew PBHO was divine. This proves it. He knew Senator Reid's heart isn't as racist as his words betrayed. Wow! It's good to have a President who has the divine ability to know hearts!"

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Getting back to non-partisan faith more than politics, I met Mike when I was a young and famous pastor in Kansas City back in the early 80s.

He had just emerged from years of monkish study and spiritual discipline and felt called to plant a ministry in the cult capital of the Midwest.

We were introduced by Dick who I had convinced our church to hire as chaplain to the unchurched; which meant he ministered to about 40% of the people on our membership roll.

Anyway, when I said I thought planting a church/whatever had to be so much harder than inheriting one, he said, "You're wrong, brother! It's much easier! You just gather people who really love Jesus and exalt His Word and they are eager to pay the bills. It's not like those old wineskins that are so bound up in tradition, religion, denominationalism..."

That was almost thirty years ago.

He was right.

It's easier to deal with people who just love Jesus; or love Jesus much more than...

Again, it brings to mind those Democrats and Republicans who don't love America as much as they love their, uh, parties.

BTW, Mike is the main man at IHOP in KC (go to www.forerunnermusic.com for links home).

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I thought about all of that as we have almost reached groundbreaking for our family of faith's expansion: elevator, renovations, and multi-purpose facility.

We've had to "entertain" lots of wants, needs, feelings, and opinions that haven't always been...

It's been a slow process; but, fortunately, we now have a great group of officers to complement a great staff and a membership that has been pruned for growth with a renewed passion to be just for Jesus. Pruned of selfishness, narcissism, and judgmentalism, our family of faith has a renewed sense, experience, and expression of Biblical peace, unity, and purity.

Though I've crossed over to my fifth year with the wonderful saints in Belvidere, the "vision" for expansion preceded me by, oh, about 20 years; and, in the last five years, we've lost three elders for a variety of reasons related to Mike's retort to my ignorant comment upon first glance.

My point is simple.

Churches and countries can't move forward if they're always looking at their, uh, behinds.

Or as my favorite devotional writer wrote on 1/11 (passagewaymin@aol.com), "God is still creating new forgiveness, new mercies, new miracles, new direction, new vision, new anointing, and new hearts. A new day and a new season dawns for you as you exit the old and enter the new! Your prison has a door! Your river has a bridge! Your mountain has a tunnel! Your battle has an end! You don't have to stay where you are now, but there is an Exodus for you! Leave every weight behind you. Don't take the baggage of hurts or pain as you leave this season to enter into New Beginnings! Refuse to carry failures, guilt, or bitterness...Don't allow the enemy to paralyze you with his icy grip of yesterday's failures and condemnation. Rid yourself of the weights of hidden emotions, insecurities, fears, habits, and weaknesses that keep you pressed down. A door...an open window lies before you...and requires your participation to leave the old behind and embrace the new...Step into your God-given future!"

Just before receiving that, I received these notes from a VMTC leader who is thoroughly acquainted with our ministry that ain't so different from yours which means the word is for you too: "In Jesus' name, I bind the fear of failure and the fear of humankind. May your confidence not be eroded by the daily resistance to the gospel. Fear God more than people...May your heart be healed of any grief caused by ministry. May you wear a crown of beauty instead of ashes and be anointed with the oil of gladness instead of mourning. May you wear a garment of praise instead of a spirit of depression. You are an oak of righteousness, a planting of the Lord to display His splendor."

Absolutely; and as long as we're looking...(Colossians 3:1-4).

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Blessings and Love!