He is simply known as the greatest living player in baseball. And this year, due to his league-leading 54 homers, 156 RBIs and 143 runs, he won his third Most Valuable Player award. He is, of course, Alex Rodriguez – the player many New York Yankee fans either love or hate, depending on his performance on any given day.
After opting out of his already staggering contract with the Yankees, A-Rod recently came crawling back for more. Apparently the new $275 million dollar deal, factoring out to about $166,000 per regular season game, was ‘respectable’ enough to again sign on the dotted line. But despite the cash, and the assumption that he will now break Barry Bonds new home run record while in pin stripes, the star third basemen is not yet content. Recently he stated, "There's definitely a huge hole in the resume. And I mean, it's my third MVP and I'm here to say that I would trade all three for one world championship. I wouldn't think twice about it.
"Few would any longer argue that the money being paid to most of today’s professional athletes has crossed over from the amazing to the obscene. When compared to careers that better society - or even protect it - for relatively modest incomes, something is badly out of balance. But if the money and skills are there, who can blame today’s superstars from reaching out and hauling it in?
In Matthew 19, a man of affluence came to Jesus with the question of questions. In verse 16 he asked of the Lord, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?"But after confidently defending his outwardly upright lifestyle, Jesus hit him with an unexpected answer in verse 21. "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." The unhappy ending to their brief encounter comes in that very next verse. “But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
Riches, in and of themselves, are not evil, although the Bible does forcefully warn of their deadly influence and potential dangers in 1 Timothy 6:10. Also, some of God’s choice servants in Scripture were well off, materially speaking. The real issue, however, is one of simple priorities and whether or not earthy assets are used for heavenly pursuits and for assisting others less fortunate.
In Mark‘s gospel, chapter 8, another probing question is put forth, this time from the lips of Christ. Its answer must be seriously considered by all, and particularly by those who have been blessed with an excess of worldly goods. Verse 36 asks, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”
Simply stated, whether one is rich, poor, or somewhere in the middle, God declares in Matthew 6:33 His basic expectation for each of us. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
But is this really true? Does this really work? If we don’t really know, perhaps it’s only because we have never really tried it.
Bill Breckenridge
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
America’s Most Dangerous Cities
The 14th annual ‘City Crime Rankings’ have been released. The study, published by CQ Press, compiles the FBI’s crime data each year and then ranks the nation’s major and middle-sized cities. This year the controversial study looked at 378 U.S. cities with at least 75,000 people and then calculated how dangerous each one was. The categories analyzed included homicide, rape, aggravated assault, burglary and auto theft.
For the past year Detroit, MI was given the infamous top honors by squeaking past St. Louis - last year’s big loser. Crime has been no stranger to the Motor City, which was tagged with the distinction back in the 1980’s as the nation's "murder capital”. On the other end of the spectrum, the study ranked Mission Viejo, California, as the safest place to live in America.
All crime, whatever it is, wherever it is, and whenever it comes, results from sin. The source and results of all evil are described in detail in Romans chapter one. The Apostle Paul writes in verse 21, “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools.” Then in verse 28 he further explains the cause of the dilemma. "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting”. This is followed by perhaps the most comprehensive list of small and large sins in the entire Word of God.
All sin is offensive to a just God. And for Him to allow that to go unpunished and unpaid for would go directly against the grain of His holy character. Fortunately, His righteous character is balanced by His unfathomable love for a human race snared in the terrible web of rebellion.
This same love motivated Him to create and carry out an unimaginable and costly solution. That same plan of redemption allowed for any truly repentant lost sinner to break free of sin’s grasp and consequences. The entire concept is clearly defined and summarized in Romans 5:8-9. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
Sin came into being not long after man’s placement in God’s special garden of Genesis 2. Its devastating results will remain until Christ’s blessed return ends its brutal reign of terror. And even now evil seems to be intensifying as the calendar of time winds down. But when sin does rear its ugly head, whether in the most dangerous or the safest place on earth, those in God’s family by faith know well, and have experienced first-hand, the miraculous blessing of Paul’s words on Romans 5:20. “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Detroit may be ranked as number one in crime for now, but neither its frequency nor its wretched depths of depravity are priority one. In the final analysis, all that matters is whether or not sin has been fully forgiven by Jesus Christ, its power totally broken, and its penalty forever removed as shared in Psalm 103:12. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Bill Breckenridge
For the past year Detroit, MI was given the infamous top honors by squeaking past St. Louis - last year’s big loser. Crime has been no stranger to the Motor City, which was tagged with the distinction back in the 1980’s as the nation's "murder capital”. On the other end of the spectrum, the study ranked Mission Viejo, California, as the safest place to live in America.
All crime, whatever it is, wherever it is, and whenever it comes, results from sin. The source and results of all evil are described in detail in Romans chapter one. The Apostle Paul writes in verse 21, “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools.” Then in verse 28 he further explains the cause of the dilemma. "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting”. This is followed by perhaps the most comprehensive list of small and large sins in the entire Word of God.
All sin is offensive to a just God. And for Him to allow that to go unpunished and unpaid for would go directly against the grain of His holy character. Fortunately, His righteous character is balanced by His unfathomable love for a human race snared in the terrible web of rebellion.
This same love motivated Him to create and carry out an unimaginable and costly solution. That same plan of redemption allowed for any truly repentant lost sinner to break free of sin’s grasp and consequences. The entire concept is clearly defined and summarized in Romans 5:8-9. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
Sin came into being not long after man’s placement in God’s special garden of Genesis 2. Its devastating results will remain until Christ’s blessed return ends its brutal reign of terror. And even now evil seems to be intensifying as the calendar of time winds down. But when sin does rear its ugly head, whether in the most dangerous or the safest place on earth, those in God’s family by faith know well, and have experienced first-hand, the miraculous blessing of Paul’s words on Romans 5:20. “But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Detroit may be ranked as number one in crime for now, but neither its frequency nor its wretched depths of depravity are priority one. In the final analysis, all that matters is whether or not sin has been fully forgiven by Jesus Christ, its power totally broken, and its penalty forever removed as shared in Psalm 103:12. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Bill Breckenridge
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Praying for Rain
Georgia’s governor has reverted to a spiritual solution to the state’s drought by publicly praying for rain. Governor Sonny Purdue led a crowd of several hundred in prayer outside the state Capitol saying, "We’ve come together here simply for one reason only: to very reverently and respectfully pray up a storm … It’s time to appeal to Him who can and will make a difference." In direct prayer to Almighty, Purdue pled, "God, we need you. We need rain."
With very few days left in the water supply and inter-state tension over common dwindling water, Governor Purdue’s prayers evoked the wrath of the Atlanta Freethought Society, which protested a religious observance on state property.
Little actual precipitation is expected in the short run, but time will tell whether God answered this unusual supplication. Praying for various needs is a standard procedure of overstressed people, but most of them have no prayer standing whatever with God until they repent and submit to Him through Jesus Christ in a prayer for personal salvation as found in Luke 18:13: "God, be merciful to me the sinner."
General prayer is not an automatic verbal Aladdin’s Lamp. God may answer any prayer, but He has no obligation outside Christ’s notable exclusivity of prayer in His Name. "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:13-14) If the governor is born again and prays within this prayer legacy, there’s rain in his future.
The Bible records uniquely altered weather patterns. James 5:17-18 recalls, "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit."
Israel’s typical rainfall patterns were the two-fold early and latter rains so often mentioned in the Bible. "And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil." (Deuteronomy 11:13-15) Early rains softened the soil for planting, and latter rains fell to give maturing crops a final growth spurt.
Abnormal weather patterns reflected spiritual disorder and brought drought and crop failure. Repentant intercession restored proper rainfall as found in II Chronicles 7:13-15. "When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
If Governor Perdue’s praying is repentant intercession, his action is surely a step in the right direction.
Dave Virkler
With very few days left in the water supply and inter-state tension over common dwindling water, Governor Purdue’s prayers evoked the wrath of the Atlanta Freethought Society, which protested a religious observance on state property.
Little actual precipitation is expected in the short run, but time will tell whether God answered this unusual supplication. Praying for various needs is a standard procedure of overstressed people, but most of them have no prayer standing whatever with God until they repent and submit to Him through Jesus Christ in a prayer for personal salvation as found in Luke 18:13: "God, be merciful to me the sinner."
General prayer is not an automatic verbal Aladdin’s Lamp. God may answer any prayer, but He has no obligation outside Christ’s notable exclusivity of prayer in His Name. "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:13-14) If the governor is born again and prays within this prayer legacy, there’s rain in his future.
The Bible records uniquely altered weather patterns. James 5:17-18 recalls, "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit."
Israel’s typical rainfall patterns were the two-fold early and latter rains so often mentioned in the Bible. "And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil." (Deuteronomy 11:13-15) Early rains softened the soil for planting, and latter rains fell to give maturing crops a final growth spurt.
Abnormal weather patterns reflected spiritual disorder and brought drought and crop failure. Repentant intercession restored proper rainfall as found in II Chronicles 7:13-15. "When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
If Governor Perdue’s praying is repentant intercession, his action is surely a step in the right direction.
Dave Virkler
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Should you be worried?
Avian influenza (bird flu) is unsettling the medical experts and threatening the world. With haunting memories of the flu epidemic that killed an estimated 50 million people globally in 1918-1919, several strains of flu are jeopardizing the world. Some U.S. businesses are sponsoring seminars to ready their firms for a woeful reduction in their own workforces and the slowing of raw materials and delivery systems arising from millions being ill and unable to function.
The latest disquieting story comes from England where there is another outbreak of bird flu. According to a November 13th TIME Internet article, Britain’s poultry industry has already suffered a $19 million loss from a previous bird flu outbreak last February. And that is on top of two other animal pestilences of foot-and-mouth-disease and blue tongue disease. Now thousands of birds are again being slaughtered, and there are fears that a mutation of this deadly and virulent strain of bird flu could jump into humans and spread among global populations. How many more fowls face destruction to control the current outbreak is unclear.
One thing is perfectly clear. The world faces potential medical disaster from various bird flu outbreaks and from other viruses energized by casual overdosing of antibiotics. Even the vaccinations against these diseases are questioned by some who declare that the percentage of reaction illness, disability and death these injections cause are as bad as or worse than the peril of contracting the disease. (It is estimated that 25 died and 500 suffered the terrible effects of Guillain-Barré syndrome as a result of national swine flu inoculations in 1976.)
Whether the diseases are natural or man-induced, the Bible forecasts some rough medical years in the end times. Christ predicted, "And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven." (Luke 21:11) Pestilence is defined as "a deadly infectious disease." The 1918 Spanish flu epidemic took possibly the most lives worldwide of any recorded pandemic, and some analysts predict a potential epidemic eclipsing that. Interestingly, the Book of Revelation uses the term "plague" ten times indicating it will be a time of disease. The end times might well be upon us.
Should Christians fear? Never. Christ gives "perfect peace" to the trusting. Isaiah 26:3 says "You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You." And there is as much medical protection as is possible to those who trust. "You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you." (Psalm 91:5-7)
Whether you choose to be inoculated or not, Biblical insight, clean living, dietary discernment, optimistic attitudes and sound judgment are at least a foundation for health and a defense against disease. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones." (Proverbs 3:5-8)
The worst that disease ever does to the child of God is promote him to Heaven as II Corinthians 5:6 promises. "So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord…."
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, then genuine fear is warranted. Jesus Christ said that in the end times there would be the "distress of nations, with perplexity…men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth…" (Luke 21:26) Accept Him as Savior today, and you can face an uncertain future with the promise of Heaven and without fear.
Dave Virkler
The latest disquieting story comes from England where there is another outbreak of bird flu. According to a November 13th TIME Internet article, Britain’s poultry industry has already suffered a $19 million loss from a previous bird flu outbreak last February. And that is on top of two other animal pestilences of foot-and-mouth-disease and blue tongue disease. Now thousands of birds are again being slaughtered, and there are fears that a mutation of this deadly and virulent strain of bird flu could jump into humans and spread among global populations. How many more fowls face destruction to control the current outbreak is unclear.
One thing is perfectly clear. The world faces potential medical disaster from various bird flu outbreaks and from other viruses energized by casual overdosing of antibiotics. Even the vaccinations against these diseases are questioned by some who declare that the percentage of reaction illness, disability and death these injections cause are as bad as or worse than the peril of contracting the disease. (It is estimated that 25 died and 500 suffered the terrible effects of Guillain-Barré syndrome as a result of national swine flu inoculations in 1976.)
Whether the diseases are natural or man-induced, the Bible forecasts some rough medical years in the end times. Christ predicted, "And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven." (Luke 21:11) Pestilence is defined as "a deadly infectious disease." The 1918 Spanish flu epidemic took possibly the most lives worldwide of any recorded pandemic, and some analysts predict a potential epidemic eclipsing that. Interestingly, the Book of Revelation uses the term "plague" ten times indicating it will be a time of disease. The end times might well be upon us.
Should Christians fear? Never. Christ gives "perfect peace" to the trusting. Isaiah 26:3 says "You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You." And there is as much medical protection as is possible to those who trust. "You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you." (Psalm 91:5-7)
Whether you choose to be inoculated or not, Biblical insight, clean living, dietary discernment, optimistic attitudes and sound judgment are at least a foundation for health and a defense against disease. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones." (Proverbs 3:5-8)
The worst that disease ever does to the child of God is promote him to Heaven as II Corinthians 5:6 promises. "So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord…."
If you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, then genuine fear is warranted. Jesus Christ said that in the end times there would be the "distress of nations, with perplexity…men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth…" (Luke 21:26) Accept Him as Savior today, and you can face an uncertain future with the promise of Heaven and without fear.
Dave Virkler
Is Sin Taxable?
The price of an already expensive pack of cigarettes may rise again significantly if the Congress gets its way. It appears now that the House and Senate are trying to devise a veto-proof bill to further tax tobacco products. If passed, the increasing of one of the so-called ‘sin taxes’ would top $1.00 per pack and would be used to fund the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
Philip Morris USA, the nation's largest cigarette maker, has been urging people to pressure lawmakers to try and stop the proposal and have stated on their website, "Taxing smokers is unfair." But fair or not, few have forgotten how the major tobacco companies agreed to pay over 52 billion dollars in 1998 for smoking-related health care troubles.
While the two opposing sides scurry for allies, very few would any longer debate the fact that sin, especially when habitual, can be very damaging and costly! Those who have experienced any severe addiction can easily relate to the difficulty of breaking free when helplessly enslaved by some brutal habit.
In Romans 6 the Apostle Paul speaks about being a slave to sin. In verse 16 he relates the impact and devastating end results which occur when sin completely dominates a life. "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?"
That is the bad news. But the very next verse presents the good news. "But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness."
In Psalm 51, King David realized the far-reaching implications of his great personal sin. In verse 1 he agonizes before God crying out, "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil inYour sight, that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge."
Obviously sin is costly. But its impact is far greater than anything brought on by health or economical issues. It breaks and blocks the relationship between God and man. It ruins lives and can bring unimaginable eternal consequences. But it also caused the single most ‘unfair’ event ever! Man’s rebellion prompted the flawless Son of God to fully pay the wretched price for our sins. His sacrificial death on the cross, the solution to mankind’s universal plague, was beyond terrible. It was beyond our understanding. And it was also far beyond unjust. But fortunately, Christ’s sacrifice was not beyond the amazing mercy and redemptive plan of a loving Savior and Creator.
Romans 5:20 sums it up well. "Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more."
Bill Breckenridge
Philip Morris USA, the nation's largest cigarette maker, has been urging people to pressure lawmakers to try and stop the proposal and have stated on their website, "Taxing smokers is unfair." But fair or not, few have forgotten how the major tobacco companies agreed to pay over 52 billion dollars in 1998 for smoking-related health care troubles.
While the two opposing sides scurry for allies, very few would any longer debate the fact that sin, especially when habitual, can be very damaging and costly! Those who have experienced any severe addiction can easily relate to the difficulty of breaking free when helplessly enslaved by some brutal habit.
In Romans 6 the Apostle Paul speaks about being a slave to sin. In verse 16 he relates the impact and devastating end results which occur when sin completely dominates a life. "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?"
That is the bad news. But the very next verse presents the good news. "But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness."
In Psalm 51, King David realized the far-reaching implications of his great personal sin. In verse 1 he agonizes before God crying out, "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil inYour sight, that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge."
Obviously sin is costly. But its impact is far greater than anything brought on by health or economical issues. It breaks and blocks the relationship between God and man. It ruins lives and can bring unimaginable eternal consequences. But it also caused the single most ‘unfair’ event ever! Man’s rebellion prompted the flawless Son of God to fully pay the wretched price for our sins. His sacrificial death on the cross, the solution to mankind’s universal plague, was beyond terrible. It was beyond our understanding. And it was also far beyond unjust. But fortunately, Christ’s sacrifice was not beyond the amazing mercy and redemptive plan of a loving Savior and Creator.
Romans 5:20 sums it up well. "Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more."
Bill Breckenridge
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