KennethSchustereit The Old Bolillo! - KennethSchustereit's Blog

KennethSchustereit The Old Bolillo! - KennethSchustereit's Blog - Victoria Advocate http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit I suspect I'll be writing about just a little bit of everything. I've been writing for more than 25 years. Here, however, I have noticed things are different. In a letter to the editor whenever someone rebutted a letter I wrote I'd do a line-by-line rebuttal and almost 100% of the time that was sufficient to silence anyone. Now I've noticed all the novices out there who mis-quote, take liberties with their paraphrasing and just down-right say you said things you can prove you never did! Blows my mind! You can clearly correct someone quoting them ver batim, introduce documentation to back your point, give credible references for where you got the information and they still want to argue! I say again; Blows my mind! I suspect I'll be writing about just a little bit of everything. I've been writing for more than 25 years. Here, however, I have noticed things are different. In a letter to the editor whenever someone rebutted a letter I wrote I'd do a line-by-line rebuttal and almost 100% of the time that was sufficient to silence anyone. Now I've noticed all the novices out there who mis-quote, take liberties with their paraphrasing and just down-right say you said things you can prove you never did! Blows my mind! You can clearly correct someone quoting them ver batim, introduce documentation to back your point, give credible references for where you got the information and they still want to argue! I say again; Blows my mind! en-us How we face life's problems often defines our character. Mirror preaching again! http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9907 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9907 <div> <p><font face="Verdana">Jehovah Jirah! Literally, in Hebrew, the God who sees and provides. I often wonder at people whom the Lord God has provided for and that provision is met with indifference. Ingratitude! Even rejection!</font> </p> <p><font face="Verdana">The Lord blesses us many times in life with many types of blessings because he sees our needs and has a desire to provide for them. Sometimes His provision is well accepted and understood but sometimes His provision is in forms we don't understand. Since His ways are not our ways, we fail to see that sometimes He provides things we don't really want.</font> </p> <p><font face="Verdana">Sometimes it's something, a trial, a problem that He knows will grow us and make us stronger in Spirit. Pastor John Hagee said, "The problem that infuriates you the most is the problem God will give you to solve!" Haa! Been there, done that! There's an old Mexican saying that goes, "Lo que tu mas odias, en tu casa lo has de ver!" What you hate the most will come and live in your house with you!" How do we handle things? Will we turn to Him or will we fill with resentment, rebellion and hate? Will we grow from the experience or will we allow it to scar and destroy us? Will we carry it with us for years or lay it down at the cross?</font> </p> <p><font face="Verdana">The Lord God once called a man named Balaam to be His prophet. Balaam was presented with a problem. A decision! He had to chose a path. The decision he made nearly got him killed. The key to saving his life was in his repentance.</font> </p> <p>22:9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? </p> <p>22:10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, </p> <p>22:11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out. </p> <p>22:12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. </p> <p>22:13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you. </p> <p>22:14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us. </p> <p>22:15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. </p> <p>22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: </p> <p>22:17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. </p> <p>22:18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. </p> <p>22:19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more. </p> <p>22:20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do. </p> <p>22:21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. </p> <p>22:22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. </p> <p>22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. </p> <p>22:24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. </p> <p>22:25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again. </p> <p>22:26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. </p> <p>22:27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. </p> <p>22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? </p> <p>22:29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. </p> <p>22:30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay. </p> <p>22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. </p> <p>22:32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: </p> <p>22:33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. </p> <p>22:34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again. </p> <p> <font face="Verdana">Balaam blamed and abused his donkey instead of stopping to think about his own disobedience! How many of us have abused people sent into our lives to bless us? I know I have! When I was living in the world I made fun of Godly and righteous people I worked with and then justified it with silly remarks trying to appease my conscience! Thinking back on it now makes me ill!</font> </p> <p><font face="Verdana">I had a frantic phone call from an acquaintance recently. She and her fiancé had broken up for the third time. Since she knew I was a Christian and was also acquainted with her now ex-groom to be, she asked me to talk to him. Oh, man! Was this a problem I did not want to get into! It was then I saw what the Lord was trying to show me!</font> </p> <p><font face="Verdana">I went to see, I'll call him Bob, and ask him what was going on and offer to listen. I heard confusion! With a capitol "C!" Bob, in one breath professed his love for, I'll call her Linda, and in the next swore he'd never let another woman hurt him like his last two did. I asked him one simple question he couldn't answer: "Are you going to make Linda pay for what two other women did?" He said, "But you don't understand!" He then went on to list a number of bad things they'd done to him. "And what has Linda done," I asked? Sullenly, he answered, "I honestly believe she loves me with all her heart!" "So, because you have been abused you become the abuser," I asked?</font> </p> <p><font face="Verdana">"Whoa! Wait just a minute, I never laid a hand on her," he demanded! "Excuse me but haven't you gotten back together and you've broken it off three times," I questioned? "Hasn't she been more than just someone you loved? Hasn't she been a friend, a confidant, a faithful moral supporter," I queried?</font> </p> <p><font face="Verdana">Like Balaam blamed his donkey Bob decided to blame Linda! To blame someone totally innocent! We all go through life being hurt by other people. It's how we deal with hurt, betrayal, abandonment or abuse that demonstrates our humanity and charts the rest of our lives! Will we rise above what someone else has done to us? Rise above our scars? Rise above our bad memories?</font> </p> <p><font face="Verdana">The Lord our God wants to do a new thing in our lives! He wants us to forget the past and lay down our burdens at the cross. He wants us to have faith in the excellent plans He has for us! He wants us to repent of the rebellion and deciet that gets us through each day! He doesn't want us <strong>surviving</strong> our past, He wants us <strong>thrivi</strong></font><font face="Verdana"><strong>ng</strong> in a new future He has planned for us!</font>  </p> <p><font face="Verdana">Dr. Mark Chirona said, "We must embrace a new season in our life! We must embrace the idea that our future will be better than our past!" We have to decide whether we will lay down our fears and pride and walk boldly into the problem set before us. We have to decide whether we will do battle for what God has for us and see through the problem to the other side. We must decide whether we will just survive or thrive in God's provision!</font> </p> <p><font face="Verdana">Yes, Jehovah Jirah sees and He provides! We need to learn to thank Him for the learning experiences we've been through and grasp His blessings we will surely have with obedience and faith! Grasp those He's sent into our life to bless us! Grasp His promise of good things He has planned for our lives!</font> </p> <p><font face="Verdana">If I had only learned these lessons at a younger age!</font></p> </div> Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition! http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9892 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9892 <div><font size="2">Imagine for a moment being outnumbered and surrounded by overwhelming numbers of people, all who want you dead! As we sit safely in our homes watching the TV five million Jews are surrounded by a billion Arabs who want them wiped from the face of the earth.</font></div> <div><font size="2"></font> </div> <div><font size="2">One need only visit the Hamas website to understand the hatred. One only has to consider the documented history of both Hamas and Hezbollah using civilian deaths as a propaganda tool!</font></div> <div><font size="2"></font> </div> <div><font size="2">I am proud to say I've supported LIBI, an organization for the defense of Israel for more than 15 years. You can support the winning side of this conflict by sending a check to:</font></div> <div><font size="2">LIBI Fund</font></div> <div><font size="2">Kiryat Ono</font></div> <div><font size="2">Yaakov Dori St.</font></div> <div><font size="2">P.O. Box 870, 55108</font></div> <div><font size="2">Israel</font></div> <div><font color="#000000" size="2"><a href="http://www.libi-fund.org.il/">www.libi-fund.org.il</a></font></div> <div><font size="2"></font> </div> <div><font size="2">You can also support the Israeli Defense Forces by sending a tax deductible check to:</font></div> <div><font size="2"> "The Friends of the IDF" 350 5th Ave Suite 2011. New York, NY 10118</font></div> <div><font size="2"></font> </div> <div><font size="2">"Alyah" is a Hebrew word describing going home. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews runs several projects. One of which id "On Wings of Eagles" flying Jews from around the world home on their alyah.</font></div> <div><font size="2">Alyah is necessary to keep the ranks of the IDF full since soldiers are needed to defend Israel from murdering terrorists who want them dead simply because they are Jews!</font></div> <div><font size="2">International Fellowship of Christians and Jews</font></div> <div><font size="2">P.O. Box 96105</font></div> <div><font size="2">Washington, D.C. 20090-6105</font></div> <div><font face="Verdana"></font> </div> <div>In February, 2006, Pastor John Hagee, Founder and National Chairman of Christians United for Israel, decided the time had come to create a national grassroots movement focused on the support of Israel. He called upon Christian leaders from across America to join him in launching this new initiative. Over 400 Christian leaders each representing a denomination, mega-church, media ministry, publishing company, or Christian university answered the call and Christians United for Israel was born.</div> <div>You can support this effort:</div> <div>CUFI</div> <div>P.O. Box 1307</div> <div>San Antonio, Tx 78295-1307</div> <div><a href="mailto:info@cufi.org"><font color="#000000">info@cufi.org</font></a></div> <div><font face="Verdana"></font> </div> <div><dd>For Zion's sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet, Until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory like a burning torch. Isaiah 62:1</dd></div> <div> </div> <div><font face="Verdana">I will not fail to support Israel. Should I fail to support Israel of pray for the peace of Jerusalem may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth and my right arm wither!</font></div> <div> </div> Where do my prayers go? Preaching to that fellow in the mirror! http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9884 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9884 <div><em>For those who don't care for "preachy" blogs from a "nut behind the keyboard" talking about the Way, may I suggest clicking elsewhere. Remember, however, that Jesus loves you too!</em></div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div>Why doesn't the Lord hear me? I've been praying so long! I've been praying so hard! Gee whiz! How many times have I asked that question?</div> <div> </div> <div>James, the brother of Jesus said, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16b </div> <div> </div> <div>There are lots of folks, myself having been chief, will take that verse out of context and run with it. Many times they'll sit back disappointed and wonder what they're doing wrong. Been there, done that!</div> <div> </div> <div>The key word in that verse is "righteous!" Paul quotes the Hebrew scriptures to the Christian Jews in Rome, "There is none righteous, no, not one!" Romans 3:10 We are made righteous by the shed blood of Jesus.</div> <div> </div> <div>Being a Christian, it is living in the promise of that blood that we attain the only righteousness we can ever have. Yet, some, like that fellow I see in the mirror, have strayed. We step back into the world. If we live in the world, out of God's grace, how can we expect God to hear our prayers?</div> <div> </div> <div>King David said, "If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear me!" Psalm 66:18 Ouch! The New King James translates "wickedness" as sin. In other words, if I am a Christian and I decide I'd like to live in the world, outside of the grace of God, my prayers go about as far as the top of my head!</div> <div> </div> <div>In that light, I look back and see where and how I've made a real mess of things and why my prayers, though heart-felt, were not answered. Hmm! Realizing now that they were not even heard I can only look back on my own foolishness and wonder why the Lord God didn't strike me dead!</div> <div> </div> <div>And what have I learned from this? Until the Lord hears a prayer of repentance and sees that repentance in action, my prayers and my religious attitude are nothing but a stench in the nostrils of the Almighty God and I am treading on the precious, innocent blood of One who suffered and died for my sin!</div> <div> </div> <div>Jesus goes one step farther and says, "If therefore when you are offering your gift before the alter, and you remember your brother has something against you, then leave your gift before the alter and go; first be reconciled with your brother, then come present your offering." Ahh! The wisdom in these words. Holding grudges and not forgiving past wrongs seems now to be yet another reason for un- answered prayer. Looking back, once again I can honestly say, oops, that's me again! </div> <div> </div> <div>The apostle Paul gets really serious with the Christians in Corinth saying, <font face="Arial Black">“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be <strong>guilty of the body and blood of the Lord</strong>. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks <strong>in an unworthy manner</strong> eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world." </font><font face="Georgia"><font face="Arial Black">1 <strong>Corinthi</strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong>ans 11:27-32</strong></font></font> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 122%" align="left">Strong's Exhaustive Concordance translates "sleep" as die! So if I eat of the flesh and drink of the cup of His suffering and have a grudge against my brother or have un-confessed and un-repentented of sin in my life I can expect sickness and death!</p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 122%" align="left">My only question remains, why am I not dead? Had I been the Lord God, a just and mighty God, I would have killed me a long time ago!</p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 122%" align="left">James, the brother of Jesus goes on to explain, "You lust and have not, you kill and desire to have and cannot obtain, you fight and war yet you cannot obtain, you ask and receive not because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts, you adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?"</p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 122%" align="left">Ouch again! James nailed my pasty hide to the wall with that one! It's no wonder the pious religious community of the day killed James! He nailed their pasty hides to the wall too!</p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 122%" align="left">I guess now I understand! I know where all those prayers went. It's a strange thing. I'm 53 years old and came back to the Lord in '96. Although there have been a few bumps, falls and many, many tears, I have just now actually learned how to pray. </p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 122%" align="left">I can only wonder at the way the Lord works because it was through a task He set before me that not only did I learn how to pray but have grown spiritually.</p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 122%" align="left">Dr. Christian Kiwia, a missionary from Mount Kilamanjaro, Tanzania, East Africa and my pastor at Friendship Bible Church, told me he's seen more growth in me in the last four months than the four years he's known me.</p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 122%" align="left">I can only thank God for this task He's set before me! I shall continue with this enjoyable task, no matter the consequences until the Holy Spirit tells me otherwise or until I meet my Savior!</p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 122%" align="left">NOW I know where my prayers go! One may wonder why this very public, literally worldwide, sermon to/confession about myself. Which takes me back to James chapter 5 verse 16a, "Confess your faults, one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed..." Reason enough for me!</p> </div> He neither sleeps nor slumbers who watches over Israel! http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9868 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9868 <div>I find it particularly disgusting to see the protests around the world insisting that Israel cease it's attack on Gaza. Where were these same angry protestors as Hamas rockets rained down on Israel? The majority of these same people were snickering, laughing and celebrating!</div> <div> </div> <div>Israeli settlers were forcibly removed from places like Gush Kativ in a vain hope for peace. Now this is how Israel is repaid!</div> <div> </div> <div>ABC News, while reporting on this showed Palestinian civilians, children, being carried on stretchers but did not report that Hamas makes it a habit to hide amongst civilians. Nor did they report on Israeli victims in the same stark manner.</div> Answers from scripture http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9852 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9852 <div>From the online responses it seems that my "preachy" blogs and guest column were little appreciated. Hmmm, I think I shall let scripture answer for me. "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my name's sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven, for they so persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses it's savor how shall it(the earth) be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under the feet of men. You are the light of the world!" Matt. 5:11-14 <strong>Lord, I bless your name and accept the criticism and glory in it for great is my reward! Indeed, the Talmud says, "Meat without salt is fit only for the dogs!" Help me Abba to be salt and light! Help me to continue being Your "nut behind a keyboard!"</strong></div> <div><strong></strong> </div> <div><strong>In order that I may continue to be a light to the world, </strong>"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make it's boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together." Psalm 34:1-3 </div> <div> </div> <div><strong>Yes, Lord I praise your name! Father, I glory in your protection and, </strong>"When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and my foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this will I be confident." Psalm 27:2-3</div> <div> </div> <div><strong>Lord, in your precept shall I walk so that, </strong>"Blessed is the man who walks not in the council of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of the sinner, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord..." Psalm 1:1-2 <strong>Lord, touch the heart of the scornful!</strong></div> <div> </div> <div><strong>Abba,  be with me for you were from the beginning, </strong>"When I lay down and slept; I awoke for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousand people who have set themselves against me all around!" Psalm 3:5-6 <strong>Lord, without Your blessing I would not wake in the morning and praise Your name for protecting throughout each day!</strong></div> <div> </div> <div><strong>Father, there are so many hurting people in this world today! Abused people. Hurt people. Some have been abandoned, some abused, both physically and mentally! Some, being innocent, have suffered for the sins of others. Some have been left destitute and have sworn never to trust again. Some have been raped and still carry the scars. Some have suffered tragic, unjust loss. Some live a Christian life in name only. (Of whom I have been chief!) Some have sinned in the past and carry a burden of guilt and self-condemnation. Lord God, I bless your name simply because you bring healing! You make people free of old bondages! You free them from the cares and damages the world has inflicted! Father, the Talmud tells us, "Men should be careful lest they cause women to weep, for God counts their tears." I would ask, Abba, that you count <u>all</u> tears for indeed human tears are older than the rain.</strong></div> <div> </div> <div><strong>Therefore on those who have condemned me for expressing my Spirit-inspired thought, </strong>"...Grace to you and peace from our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1:7b "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine, making request for you all with joy..." Philippians 1:3-4 "May the Lord bless and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26</div> <div> </div> <div><strong>Lord, Your servant, Dr. Christian Kiwia, Phd. is my shepherd and he has a good "grip" on me. Help me not to stray for he has my permission to use his staff to keep me on Your path. Please bless the Body of Christ located at the corner of Constitution and Vine!</strong></div> <div> </div> Pondering various headlines http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9850 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9850 <div>The governor of Washington state has declared a state of emergency after record snow fall and freezing temperatures! Has anyone noticed that since data was released from several agencies tracking the climate that the old buzzwords, "Global Warming" and are being replaced by "climate change?" Oh, but all of this cold weather and expanding Antarctic ice shelves is caused by global warming and that nasty old Exxon/Mobil and their cohorts are to blame! I noticed that the World Wildlife Federation has enlisted yet another gullible celebrity, Noah Wiley, to promote their pack of lies about the near extinction of the polar bear. This in spite of the fact that the actual polar bear herd numbers are on a steady increase.</div> <div><font face="Verdana"></font> </div> <div><font face="Verdana">Anyone notice that Mr. Bush has pardoned over 1,000 people and seven turkeys and has yet to pardon two border patrolmen who shot a drug fleeing smuggler who then smuggled drugs in when he came to testify against them?</font></div> <div><font face="Verdana"></font> </div> <div><font face="Verdana">Israel is ready to invade the Gaza Strip after 100 rockets are fired into Israel. Excuse me! It wasn't long ago, in exchange for peace, Israel evicted Jewish settlers from places like Gush Kativ and now there is still no peace! Israel, give these butchers no more land! There will be no permanent peace until the arrival of Machiach! You cannot give away what G-d has given to you!</font></div> <div><font face="Verdana"></font> </div> <div><font face="Verdana">Let me see if I've got this straight! An Iraqi journalist throws his shoes at President Bush and that particular brand of shoe has become so popular the Turkish manufacturer cannot keep up with the orders. Additionally, Iraqi's have marched in the streets in support of his actions! Now let us consider that under Saddam Hussein there <u>journalism was mostly forbidden and marchers in the streets were rounded up, tortured and shot!</u> Our troops freed Iraqi's from him and this is how we are repaid? I cannot stand a stinking ingrate!</font></div> <div><font face="Verdana"></font> </div> <div><font face="Verdana">The homosexual activist movement has now protested Mr. Obama's choice of Pastor Rick Warren to pray and invocation at his inaugural ceremony! Please tell me how a minority of less than 3% of the population can wield such heavy political power? In a democratic republic the rights of the minority are supposed to be protected, not promoted as official, politically correct public policy. It's funny how those who point their fingers at Christians for their intolerance are, themselves, intolerant!</font></div> <div><font face="Verdana"></font> </div> <div> <div _extended="true"><span id="intelliTXT" _extended="true"><strong _extended="true">"New York Governor David Paterson has proposed to levy an 18 percent tax on non-diet soft drinks under the guise of combating obesity. Government doesn’t get much more cynical than this.</strong></span></div> <p _extended="true">After alleging that “almost one in four New Yorkers under age 18 are obese,” Paterson’s budget proposal for 2009-2010 asserts that, “Significant price increases should discourage individuals, especially children and teenagers, from consumption and help fight obesity which results in higher risk for diabetes and heart disease.” So the purpose of the tax, according to proposal, is to discourage people from drinking non-diet soft drinks." Fox News contributor Steven Milloy</p> <p _extended="true"><font face="Verdana">Political correctness and politics seem to be creating a "1984" utopian PC police that want to control every aspect of our lives. While the bible calls gluttony a sin, the bible seems to be out and only the government can tell us we weigh too much. Man's rejection of God and reliance on government to save him! Prophesied in the bible thousands of years ago!</font></p> <p _extended="true"><font face="Verdana">Did I read this right? The banks that got billions of taxpayer's money to bail them out, now either don't know where the money went or don't want to say? I'd say a Federal Marshall's round up of those executives and their board members would shake loose some fast talking!</font></p> <p _extended="true"><font face="Verdana">It seems the whooping cranes are in trouble again. Due to the drought in South Texas there hasn't been enough freshwater inflows to create a good crop of blue crabs the birds live on. However, I found Aransas Wildlife Refuge whooping crane coordinator, Tom Stehn's remarks particularly alarming. </font></p> <p class="storyGraf">"But the past 20 years of human growth and recent coastal developments in Calhoun County in what could have been expanded crane habitat worry Stehn." Notice please the words, "...in what could have been expanded crane habitat...!" Is Stehn suggesting that the development in the area of <strong><em><u>private property</u></em></strong> be arbitrarily halted by Big Brother to save a species so obviously unable to survive on it's own? At a time when the taxpayer is already in deep trouble, how much of our precious taxdollar does Mr. Stehn suggest we spend to bail out a bird?<strong> For the sake of those who are unaware, some years ago helicopters were used to herd these ungainly birds from <em><u>their NATURAL nesting ground in the inland marshes onto the island in order to solidify support for the removal of Hawes family cattle from land taken from them by the U.S. Army prior to WWII.</u></em></strong> While the family was paid for the property they refused to pick up the checks until the government threatened to take their mineral rights also.</p> <p class="storyGraf">Let me see now, Freddie Mack gave $85,000 to homosexual causes one of which was aimed at fighting to allow them to adopt children. Fannie Mae gave $65,000 to the same causes! I find it interesting that Barney Frank of Massachusetts sat on the House Committee that oversees these two fine upstanding institutions and they gave his re-election campaign $40,000! I can only question why Barney Frank isn't in prison!</p> <p class="storyGraf">I find it quite funny that former Mayor Gary Middleton and O'Connor Ranch representative, Bill Jones both sit on the Region L water planning group yet neither felt it important to expose the threat of new versions of the Lower Guadalupe Water Supply Project and the LCRA/SAWS project that could conceivably go through Victoria County! In fact, when I uncovered the first project Jones was quoted in the article but my three months of work giving the reporter most of the details was ignored.</p> <p class="storyGraf">In trying to be a good watchman on the wall let me say that the next time there is the <strong>same rain event</strong> north of us the flooding will be so much worst there will be no comparison. These water transport projects carrying water into the watershed of the Guadalupe and Blanco Rivers cause more flooding in the Lower Basin. Both GBRA, LCRA and SAWS are aware of this and could care less!</p> <p class="storyGraf">HB43 sponsored by SAWS will aid that agency in looting rural Texas of it's precious water resources. I wonder where Hegar and Morrison stand on this? Bill Richter of Victoria has written legislation to give our local water conservation districts the authority they need to do their job.</p> </div> I am sorry! I was wrong! Please forgive me! I forgive you! I love you! http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9838 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9838 <div>Five three word phrases that could not only change your life but could indeed, change the world! How many of us have pain from the past that we've never dealt with? How many of us have inflicted pain on someone we've never apologized for? How many of us will never trust again because of an injustice done to us long ago? How many of us haven't been able to live again, love again, indeed, thrive again because of the pain of the past? How many of us have built walls around ourselves and then wonder why we're lonely? Because of pain we've suffered, how many have turned and hurt others (often those we love and who love us)? How many of us are broken people who put up a brave and prideful front and live in fear every day?</div> <div> </div> <div>Interesting questions for one to pose on Christmas Eve! One of the reasons for Jesus the Christ becoming man is listed in God's word. He came to heal the broken hearted! I can't help but say He came to heal mine then! I know because I can answer "Yes, that's me!" to most of the above questions!</div> <div> </div> <div>The fourth of the five phrases is easy! People don't like to use the fourth because of pride! "He/she hurt me but I survived! I did it! I lived through it! I'm back on top!" If you're a child of God the plentiful use of the word "I" in this declaration demonstrates pride. It was the Lord who helped you through! It was the Lord who picked you up just like He picked me up!  Pride always stands in the way of forgiveness! A lack of forgiveness always stands in the way of living a normal, Godly and righteous, thriving life! Jesus said "those who do not forgive will not be forgiven!"</div> <div> </div> <div>Forgiveness! The very idea is great when someone else forgives us but when we must forgive the idea sometimes seems foreign! The abused becoming the abuser is not just a concept repeated on <em>"Law & Order, SVU!"</em> Unless we forgive-unless we die to self and become Christ-like, we will most likely do unto others and someone has done unto us! History, indeed, the front page of America's newspapers are rife with examples every day!</div> <div> </div> <div>"Oh, but you don't know what he/she did to me!" Does it matter? Are we so arrogant today that we think we're the only ones who've ever been ________!" Fill in the blank! It's been just about 2,000 years since a sinless Jewish Rabbi was nailed to a Roman cross1 He suffered scourging for us! 39 lashes with a Roman <em>cat-of-nine-tails</em> that nearly skinned Him alive. Stripes for our forgiveness! Stripes by which we are healed of our broken hearts! A sacrifice that bore our sin, yours and mine, so not only could we be whole again but have the courage to say, "I forgive you" even to people who could care less! Courage to once again say,</div> <div> </div> <div>"I love you!" Ah, what a concept! How many marriages could have been saved? If hurt feelings were weighed by the pound, how many trillions of tons would dissolve away into nothing by healing and once again saying, "I love you" and really mean it from a new heart birthed by forgiveness?</div> <div> </div> <div>Ahh, there is that one remaining stumbling block! Trust! A Christian is supposed to trust in God. A Christian, even one who's been hurt, should trust in the Lord God! A Christian should never be found standing defiantly shaking his/her fist declaring, "I'll never trust another man/woman again!" That very declaration is a demonstration that he/she doesn't trust in God either.</div> <div> </div> <div>Jesus came to set us free from fear, pride and brooding over what he/she did to us! "For whom the son sets free is free indeed!" It's funny! If I were to preach this as a sermon I'd be admonished to borrow and compact mirror from one of the ladies in the congregation and place it open on the pulpit so I'd be preaching to myself.</div> <div> </div> <div>The way I see it! The way scripture sees it, pride, fear and brooding are among the spirits/demons that attack us every day! They take their place alongside lies, murder, hate, gossip, grumbling, pornography and blasphemy! We are admonished in scripture to "put on the whole armor of God" in order that we are not broken! In order that we can get back up when we fall. In order that we can acknowledge that it was the Lord God who picked us up and not we ourselves lest we become puffed up and prideful! In order that we might bless the Lord for the people He sends into our lives to help us up!</div> <div> </div> <div>God loves broken people! God blesses broken and fallen people. His love embraces us in such a way that demons and spirits flee! He embraces us in such a way that we can say, "I am sorry! I was wrong! Please forgive me! I forgive you! I love you!" Then we can add a new phrase, "Thank you, Jesus!"</div> <div> </div> <div>We live in a world today where broken people, hurt people, abandoned people, confused people, destitute people and lonely people can come to Jesus and be healed! We live in a world today that wants to have the warm fuzzies when they walk out of their church! A world where the truth is no longer appreciated! A world where broken people, bound by their past, abound! Pastor Christian Kiwia, a missionary from Africa to our ailing nation, preaches the gospel ( the good news) of Jesus Christ on the corner of Constitution and Vine. </div> Confused sparrows. A familiar old parable. http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9835 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9835 <div>There was once an aging widower in the northwest. He lived on a farm and ranch. On one long snowy winter night he heard some thumping at the window. He glanced up and saw sparrows thumping at the window trying to get in from the howling wind and snow.</div> <div> </div> <div>Being a compassionate and lonely man, he stepped over to the window and raised it to let the freezing little birds in. However, the sight of him looming in the window frightened the sparrows and they flew to the edge of the ranch yard and swirled around there confused and cold.</div> <div> </div> <div>The old man put on his coat and walked out to the barn and spread fresh straw and cracked corn. He opened the doors to the barn and stepped back and waited. The sparrows just flew around confused and cold. He walked around the barn and came up from behind them and tried to shoo them into the barn where there was a haven of warmth and food.</div> <div> </div> <div>The sparrows would not enter the haven prepared for them by the kindly man. He walked back into the house and wondered at the reason the sparrows would not accept his offering. Suddenly he thought, "If I could just become a sparrow, I could fly out there and lead them into the warmth and provision of the haven I have prepared.</div> <div> </div> <div>And the Spirit of God entered the virgin and God became man so He could lead His children into the heaven He has prepared for us. How sad that some of us still run around like confused sparrows refusing to accept the gift of God; His Son!</div> <div> </div> <div>How sad that we refuse to give up the things, the temporary comforts and pleasures and the lifestyles of the world and turn our backs on so great a salvation for eternity! The Lord God became man. Emmanuel! God with us!</div> <div> </div> <div>Like confused sparrows we prefer the needle, the bottle, pornography, fornication, wealth, power, immediate financial security, possessions, leisure, luxury and all of the temporary pleasures of the world! </div> <div> </div> <div>Shall we not step out in faith and praise His name? Accept His Son? Come out from amongst the cares of this cold, unfeeling world and live! Live in the warmth and glow of God's love? Live with His arms wrapped around us! To pick us up when we fall and be there for us? Isn't this preferable to the confusion and pain of living in the world? Isn't He that is in us greater than he that is in the world?</div> <div> </div> <div>You decide!</div> <div> </div> <div>At the corner of Constitution and Vine Pastor Christian Kiwia has lit a lamp. He tries to help guide confused, broken sparrows into God's salvation and provision through the knowledge and acceptance of Jesus the Christ.</div> Musings about God's provision. http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9814 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9814 <font face="Verdana"> <p>I’m tired! Today was long. I did a daylight fast today. No solid food until 6PM. I’ve been doing fasts on a weekly basis for about three months. Fasting and prayer is an excellent tool to battle satan. Anything that irritates him is alright with me! And I know he’s irritated because his attacks on me have increased exponentially. Tuff! My Master is greater than he!</p> <p>I slaughtered and butchered a wild hog today. It was a long tiring task but I enjoyed it. I stopped and rested every hour or so. I had a gastric bypass just 11 days ago so a daylight fast coupled with such work was difficult but the Lord helped me through!</p> <p>I’m hoping to actually go back to work and earn a paycheck by this time next year so it’s an exciting thought. Talk about exciting! This has been the best Christmas season in several years. I’m feeling healthier and actually have a joyful outlook! Losing 79 pounds will make anyone feel better!</p> <p>I buried the entrails in a spot between where I plan to plant two pear trees next spring. The blood from the carcass went into a special compost mix I’m preparing for my Meyer lemon trees. I put two buckets of fireplace ash, two bags of earthworm castings, two buckets of pecan shells, a bucket of sawdust and various table scraps in the wheel barrel and have been mixing it up with a shovel for days.</p> <p>Hmm, between being a full time primary caregiver for my mother and keeping this place up I keep busy all the time!</p> <p>Sometimes it seems like I can walk outside any one of three doors, close my eyes, turn around three times and open my eyes and see at least a half dozen things that need doing!</p> <p>I find it most interesting that despite the fact that I have been ill and unable to work at a regular job for quite some time that the Lord has not only provided for me but as I have been healing He has begun to prosper me.</p> <p>Father Abraham, when he saw the ram to take the place of Isaac, described the Lord as <em>Jehovah Jirah.</em> From the Hebrew the translation is “the God who sees.” It infers the God who provides. I happen to like both. I like to know that God sees my tears, my pain, my needs and my desires. I also like knowing that the same Lord God will comfort my tears, heal my pain (emotional and physical), provide for my needs and grant me the “desire of my heart” when I “delight myself” in Him.</p> <p>I see delighting myself in him in several ways. He has given me the task of caring for my mother. An honorable and worthwhile task indeed. I cared for my father until he passed into the Lord’s arms and shall do so for my mother because it is what He has told me to do. I have applied for work at which I am most skilled and physically able to do but it has not come along, I believe, because I have not finished the task at hand. I have learned to be comfortable with that and trust to His wisdom. Therefore I have delighted myself in His will.</p> <p>The Lord has tasked me with cleaning up and updating my family property and making this household more self sufficient. Dailey, through my gradual physical healing, I can see He is providing me with the wherewithal to do so! He is indeed the God who sees and provides!</p> <p>Considering the economic condition of our national economy I can see where a self-sufficient piece of property will make my life more secure.</p> <p>I have begun to realize that I am a truly wealthy man! How many of the elite in Victoria can walk out into their yard and harvest enough oranges to have fresh squeezed orange juice three months out of the year?</p> <p>I have planted plum, lemon, orange, fig and peach trees this year and, God willing, have plans for pear, apple, tangerine, cumquat and more orange trees next year.</p> <p>Additionally, the Lord has provided some occasional part time work that provides some pocket money and a new source of manure to replace the old one that dried up.</p> <p>Now wait just a cotton pickin’ minute! The Lord provides manure? Yup, the Lord provides manure. A deacon at my church raises miniature horses and has a need to get rid of the manure so it doesn’t pile up. I have a need for fertilizer for the orchards and organic material for the composts. I also have a need for sweat and exercise in order to continue my physical healing. Come to think of it, how much would physical therapy sessions or a gym membership cost for the same exercise? Just another example of the Lord providing even the small things as I continue to delight myself in Him!</p> <p>If you delight yourself in the Lord, His word says you will be blessed! I can see His blessings all around me!</p> <p> </p> </font> 365 times the Bible tells us not ot fear! One for each day! And we still fear! http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9791 http://community.victoriaadvocate.com/home/Blog/KennethSchustereit/9791 <div>And in our human form we do both every day! It seems to me that when I fear or worry I don't have the faith to allow Him to direct and control my day! It seems like fear and worry are, in reality, my own doubt that the Lord God has the power or the will to save me from what I fear or worry about!</div> <div> </div> <div>A railroad worker was working in a refrigerated train car in a large rail yard. It was the end of shift and someone walked by and closed the door on the car. In a panic the man began to pound on the door and walls screaming in stark fear. He pounded the walls for hours and finally died. The coroner deemed it an accidental death from exposure but facts revealed there was an open hatch for air and the temperature never was below sixty degrees! This man's panic and fear killed him!</div> <div> </div> <div>How many times do we panic and fear and later learn there was never anything to fear at all? A young prostitute began hearing the gospel and became convicted about her lifestyle. She, however, had a nice apartment and her child was in a good school. She feared giving up her lifestyle in order to get right with the Lord! She stepped out in faith and quit her work and applied for a job. After a struggle an opportunity came along to attend nursing school and she was blessed with income, benefits and security. All because she decided to have faith in the provision of the Lord God!</div> <div> </div> <div>What is your fear? Have you overcome destitution and survived it and don't wish to ever be down there again? Have you suddenly become divorced, abandoned, betrayed and don't ever want to trust again for fear it will happen again? Have you overcome addiction and fear ever going there again? Have you overcome rape, molestation or abuse and the shear memory of it terrifies you and you have set it down in concrete that no one will ever get that close again? Have you lost a loved one and fear loneliness? Do you fear giving a tithe off the top of your income because you may not have enough for the bills? </div> <div> </div> <div>If you have any or all of these fears you have overcome nothing! It still controls you! It still dominates your being! It affects how you deal with family, co-workers and life in general! Fear! Gut wrenching fear that keeps you awake at night! Fear and it's affects that keep you moving from job to job, mate to mate, obsession to obsession. What you fear is your master!</div> <div> </div> <div>At some point someone may ask, how do you know all of this? It's simple, I'm talking about myself. I've been through most of this and I'm out the other side and I survived! Not because I did it myself but because the Lord God reached down and picked me up and walked me through the desert! It's been a long trip!</div> <div> </div> <div>"The Lord's hand is not shortened that he cannot save, nor His ear dull that he cannot hear..." He heard my cry! He said to me, "Look, I will do a new thing!" And He is! Jesus stands with me, holding my hand! He is my Advocate with the Father. He heals me! He comforts me! He hears my prayer and is always faithful to answer! He provides for me and has a plan to prosper me and bless me!</div> <div> </div> <div>May the Lord bless all who read this! Friendship Bible Church is a wonderful place to hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the Corner of Constitution and Vine Pastor Christian Kiwia, from Mount Kilamanjaro, Tanzania, East Africa preaches the whole gospel!</div> <div> </div> <div>It's where broken people go to hear of a life without fear! </div>