The Best The Black Church Has To Offer

Thought you might like to hear Obama tell you in his own words that Jeremiah Wright "represents the best of what the black church has to offer." Remember, Obama sat under Wright's teaching for 20 years.

Opponents to Marriage Amendment Playing Dirty

Our opponents are desperate and are now playing dirtier than ever because we are closer than ever to victory. The new Mason Dixon poll out today shows that we are gradually gaining steam and have moved from 55% to 57%. But we are still not at the 60% needed for a victory protect marriage in Florida on November 4th. And because we are within striking distance the opposition has become more desperate than ever because even their own phony scare tactic messages are not working. So they are resorting to anything goes -- below the belt campaigning. The hostility from the oppostion is showing absolutely no regard for the law, the rules, or fair play. Here are some examples of what we are facing: 1) Destruction of Campaign Signs and Personal Property: Around the state, reports are pouring in that our opponents are trespassing on private home yards to steal and deface yes2Marriage.org signs. Hundreds of our YesOn2 yard signs have suddenly disappeared in the night. A Miami woman reported to us that her car was keyed all around where she placed a bumper sticker. An Ormond Beach family had feces smeared and dumped on top of their yard sign. In North Florida, a bill board was vandalized and defaced and had to be replaced. 2) Filing Frivolous Complaints: The Red and Blue committee has filed bogus complaints against us with the Florida Elections Commission, saying we are “hiding secret money” and violating the rules regarding election laws. Do you think it is just coincidence that only days before this election they decided to start whining and complaining about Florida Family Action, a group that has been operating legally now for the past 4 years of this campaign? 3) Outright False and Fraudulent Claims in TV Ads: In every single one of their TV ads they say that the marriage amendment is “government interfering with your private life.” What??? This is a citizen’s initiative where three quarters of a million Floridians placed this matter on the ballot so that the people can stop the government and activist judges from redefining marriage. Their TV ads are filled with lies, scare tactics and outright fraud. 4) Media Bias that is Stunning and Unprecedented: The bias in the media we have seen is simply unbelievable. All sense of fairness and objectivity is out the door. We announce the endorsement of the entire Florida Catholic Bishops in favor of 2 and not a single daily newspaper covers the story. Not one! But our opponents just sneeze and or file a frivolous complaint against us and a major story appears in every single daily newspaper. Every one! 5) We Are Being Outspent Three to One: In the last reporting cycle, over 75 percent of our opponents’ money is coming from outside of Florida, from special interest groups trying to tell us how to define marriage in this state. We must have a final surge of funds to compete with our opponents and respond to their deceptive messaging. But despite their huge cash and liberal media advantage, we are on the verge of winning! That’s why they are resorting to such desperate and dirty tactics. We will not be deterred, but we must reach even more Floridians with our message -- and to do that we must have a final surge of funds to compete with our opponents and respond to their deceptive ads. Friend, I am asking personally for your help in the final days before this vote. Campaigns will come and go. But it is perhaps once in a lifetime that we get the opportunity to preserve a human institution as important as marriage. This is truly our moment in history. I personally just want to wake up on November 5th and be able to look myself in the mirror and be called “faithful.” Would you prayerfully consider making one final contribution to this historical effort today to help us ensure victory right now with our secure online paypal HERE? Even this close to the election, we can still immediately purchase the following tools. 1) Television Ads: A $900 gift can buy 1 TV ad reaching about 40,000 people. Our ads are airing now in planned markets but we need to immediately place them in other markets also. 2) Targeted Radio Ads: A $100 gift can buy 3 radio ads reaching 200,000 people. We have ads running in South Florida but need to increase the reach around the state in strategic areas. 3) Automated Phone Calls: A $30 gift can buy 600 automated calls to Florida undecided voters. These calls can be turned around in hours after we receive the funds for them. As you know, Florida has a history of close elections and it appears that this election for the marriage amendment will be no different. Your participation could very well make the difference between victory and defeat here in Florida. I would be happy to provide you with any further information or answer any questions in writing, by phone or in person. Thank you for considering this important request for assistance. Sincerely, John Stemberger PS - Your gift might be the one that puts us over the top in this razor close vote to protect our children by protecting marriage. Give online HERE: PSS- If you can not give financially but can volunteer your time we need help in every county with phone banks, posting yard signs and sign waiving in front of precincts for early voting and on election day November 4. Contact your local county leader HERE:

Abortion Survivor - Gianna Jessen

For those of you who are interested in the fight against abortion, check out the strength of this wonderful woman who survived abortion and now speaks out against it while honoring God with her life. This is her story.

Obama and the Murder of the Innocent

Today, my wife had me listen to a Focus on the Family program which featured a very special guest. She is an abortion survivor who became a Christian and now goes around the world proclaiming the evils of abortion. Her name is Gianna Jessen and she says that because of her attempted abortion she now has the "gift of cerebral palsy."

Just remember folks, when you vote on November 4, Obama voted 4 times, that's right, I said 4 times against legislation that would make it illegal to provide medical care to babies that survive a botched abortion. The liberals talk about the mother's rights, what about the baby's rights

There is a well written article by Jill Stanek of World Net Daily entitled: Gianna Jessen: Above Obama's pay grade. Just click the link to read the article. In my next post I'm going to post a couple of videos from YouTube of Gianna telling her story. It is unbelievable and I think you'll be very moved.

God bless

Rob

Yes 2 Marriage Amendment

This coming election there is a very important amendment for all Florida voters to consider and that is the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment also known as Amendment 2

There are many lies being told through false advertising by the homosexual lobby claiming Amendment 2 will invalidate domestic partnerships and deny benefits to seniors. By deceiving voters, a group called, Florida Red & Blue hopes to overcome support for the marriage amendment.

Amendment 2 is about marriage and only marriage. It is not about domestic partnerships, denying benefits to seniors or civil rights. This amendment will take the traditional definition of marriage - between one man and one woman - from our state law and put it under the jurisdiction of our state constitution. This will prevent socialist, activist judges, in the future, from redefining marriage in our state. The homosexual lobby is trying to say this is not necessary because we already have 4 different laws on our books regarding marriage. However, as you've seen, lawyers and the courts can easily twist the law to suit their own ends. Just take a look at what is happening in California, Massachusetts and most recently in Connecticut. These states also had laws on their books but are now forced to recognize homosexual marriage because the courts in those states over ruled the will of the people.

As James Smith says in the October 16, 2008 edition of the Florida Baptist Witness,

"This is not an academic, esoteric debate. The Florida Marriage Protection Amendment (also known as Amendment 2) is Floridians chance to settle the definition of marriage in our state before a few judges decide it otherwise."

Here is how Justice Richard N. Palmer of the Connecticut Supreme Court reinterpreted their marriage laws,

"Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitable to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry the otherwise qualified same sex partner of their choice. To decide otherwise would require us to apply one set of constitutional principles to gay persons and another to all others."

Smith finishes his column by saying, "For those who doubt it is necessary to protect the definition of marriage in the state constitution, the ramifications of these decisions can be seen in Massachusetts where children are being indoctrinated with homosexual propaganda in public schools - even against the wishes of their parents - because the state is now required to allow gay marriage."

Folks, on Nov 4 when you go to vote, be sure to VOTE FOR Amendment 2. The future of our state may very well lie in the balance. See the poster below for some additional info. (Just click on the image to view a larger size.)

God bless

Rob

The Foreknowledge of God

One of God's attributes that we recently studied a couple Wed nights ago was the Foreknowledge of God. When we hear the term Foreknowledge we generally take it to mean "knowledge beforehand." But is this what the Bible means when it talks about the Foreknowledge of God??

The Foreknowledge of God has been a term that has been consistently misused by many folks in the Christian community who deny the election and predestination of God's saints. These folks are known as Armenians and they believe that God looked down the corridors of time to see who was going to accept Jesus as their Savior and then the Father would choose them unto salvation. In other words, He looked into the future and if He saw a person come to saving faith, then He would predestine that person to be saved, base on foreknowledge of that person's faith. On the other hand, if He sees that a person will not come to saving faith, then He does not predestine that person to be saved. But is this truly what the Bible teaches? Are their any flaws in this argument according to Scripture? In this post we're going to take a closer look at God's foreknowledge and see what the Bible actually teaches about this great and controversial doctrine.

One of the primary passages used by Armenians when talking about God's foreknowledge is Romans 8:29-30 "For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified."

The problem with using this passage to argue that God looked into the future to see who was going to accept Christ is that it is not talking about a "fact" that someone would believe. Instead it is talking about the fact that God knew persons, ("those whom He foreknew"). Usually when Scripture speaks of God's foreknowledge or God knowing someone it is speaking of an intimate knowledge, an intimate love such as a father to a son. Lets take a closer look at how the word "Knew" is used in Scripture.

How The Word Knew Is Used In Scripture

When the Bible talks about God knowing someone it is usually a personal, relational knowledge that is spoken of. In his book Systematic Theology Wayne Grudem states it very clearly:

"God, looking into the future, thought of certain people in saving relationship to Him, and in that sense He "knew them" long ago. This is the sense in which Paul can talk about God's "knowing" someone, for example, in 1Cor. 8:3: "But if one loves God, one is known by Him." Similarly, He says, "but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God..." Gal 4:19. When people know God in Scripture, or when God knows them, it is personal knowledge that involves a saving relationship. Therefore in Romans 8:29, "those whom He foreknew" is best understood to mean, "those whom He long ago thought of in a saving relationship to Himself." The text actually says nothing about God foreseeing that certain people would believe, nor is that idea mentioned in any other text of Scripture."

We see this same principle applied in Mathew 7:22-23 when Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount says: "On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness." Of course Jesus knows who they are but what He's saying here is that He never had an intimate, saving relationship with them. So when people know God in Scripture, or God knows them, it is personal knowledge that involves a saving relationship.

Did God Choose Us or Did We Choose God??

Another problem I see with the Armenian definition of Foreknowledge is that it makes man sovereign over God in the matter of his salvation. This is a very dangerous premise. Under this view man is the one who decides to choose or not choose God first which then makes God obligated to save those who choose Him. Talk about turning the order of things upside down. Paul is quite clear about this in Romans 9:15-18 when he says,

"For He says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth. So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires." Sounds like its all of God to me.

Scripture nowhere teaches that any man ever has anything to do with his salvation. Scripture never teaches that the fact that we would come to believe in Christ is the reason God chose us. Just taking a look at Eph 1:4-11 I see nothing there that even remotely suggests that man has anything to do with his own salvation. All we see there is v.4 - "He chose us," "according to the kind intention of His will. v.6 - "To the praise of the glory of His grace," which He freely bestowed upon us," v.7 - In Him we have redemption..." and on it goes right through the end of verse 11. There is nothing in this whole passage of Scripture that has anything to do with the will of man. If man had any part to play in his salvation, don't you think Paul would have said something about that at least once?

So in conclusion I think its safe to say that election, based on God's foreknowledge of our faith is incorrect. The reason for election is simply God's sovereign choice according to the good pleasure of His will. Calvinists call election Unconditional because it is not based on anything in us that makes us worthy to receive His grace. So if you are a Christian today, give praise to your Heavenly Father who chose you because He KNEW you before the world began.

God bless,

Rob