Self Expression

In America we prize individuals who are entrepreneurs, risk takers, pioneers. We value ethic's, morality, compassion, and individualism. We love to express ourselves in words, art, and in our music. We believe in the right for every person to worship God in their own way, or not. That is between God and you.

Our government is prohibited from making a law forcing the people to believe in, follow or act upon the teachings of any one religion. It is forbidden by law to make any law to establish one religion that would be a 'state' religion and preferred over any other. We believe every man woman and child has the GOD given right to choose for themselves. These right's are restricted only when it infringes upon the right of someone else to live, breath, worship, or express themselves.   This is called a civilization.

Civilized people respect each other's idea's. They may not agree, but they agree to disagree. Barbaric people do not. Barbarians in history believed in force. They believed in killing other's who did not agree with them, or who did not obey them. While I respect my fellow citizens rights to self expression - you must limit yourself expression if that would injure, harm, or infringe upon someone else. Killing someone because they dont agree with, like or believe in your religion or vision of God is barbaric.

God doesn't need you to kill for Him. That's ridiculous. The whole idea of God being a supernatural, all powerful 'Being' - indicates He has more power than we do and would clearly not need your or my help in disciplining anyone who didn't believe  in Him or who insulted Him. To say you are killing someone for your God, or because they insulted your God, or your religion means that you really do not believe He is strong enough or all powerful enough to rule the universe - and take care of those things all by himself.

Making a law, that says you have the right to arrest, seize, punish or kill someone on the basis of them insulting you or your religion or your God just shows how pathetically weak and unGodly you think your God is.

My God can take care of Himself. He doesn't need me to go around killing people who insult Him. He's bigger than that. God believes in 'free will'. Allowing people to choose to live for Him, or not. He doesnt force us - and you should not try to force someone to believe your way. Respecting each other is essential in self expression. Worship God your way, but if you think you have to harm someone to worship God then that isn't Gods voice that you are following.

Self expression in America takes many forms and some forms are offensive to many people. That's why we as a whole vote, elect, and meet together to agree on rules of conduct which become the laws of our civilization.

Sometimes people come to the USA thinking they can force their views upon other Americans. They don't want you to speak against what they believe. They want to dictate to you what you can say or not say when it is in reference to something they like or believe. Dictate is the key word, dictators dictate.

Don't allow the U.S.A. to become ruled by dictators.

Bible Basics

 The Holy Scriptures commonly referred to as 'The Bible' are the written records (letters) recorded by the apostles and various prophets of the word, the deeds of the people, and Gods plan for them.

The Bible is divided into two major sections named 'Old Testament' & 'New Testament'.  The old testament was in effect up until the death of Jesus Christ. Once Jesus was crucified, The 'New Testament' went into effect at the time of Jesus's death.

Heb_9:16  (For where there is a testament, the death of the testator must needs come in.
Heb_9:17  For a testament is of force when men are dead, since it is in no way of force while the testator is alive.)

To explain this in a little more detail, if you hire an attorney to write a 'Last Will & Testament' for you, you know that this only goes into effect upon your death.

 So anything you bequeath (give away) upon your death is written in your 'Will' (Last Will & Testament). It can include any specific directions to those who are your heirs, like conditions or stipulations that they must agree to or conditions that they must meet in order to inherit. But it does not legally go into effect until your death. Similarly  the grace of God through Jesus Christ for the forgiveness and remission of sins was not available during the life of Jesus Christ but did become available for all upon his physical death on the cross.

 Act_2:23  --him, given up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye, by the hand of lawless men , have crucified and slain.
Act_5:30  The God of our fathers has raised up Jesus, whom *ye* have slain, having hanged on a cross.

So when Jesus was crucified, his 'Testament' went into effect and those who believe on Jesus Christ are no longer governed by the old testament (aka 'The Law'). 


Christian Perspective as a historical note: Israel tried to follow the law's of God to be a righteous people (see Deuteronomy, Leviticus, Numbers), but like anyone today was prone to sin and was not able to achieve righteousness on their own so by the law's standards everyone had sinned. During that time God would forgive their sins when the high priest would make a sacrifice for the people at the temple of God. They offered animal sacrifices every year at the temple but this only 'rolled' their sins back for 1 year. It had to be repeated every year.


God had a better plan for His people and wanted the people to believe on him to love him and to have FAITH in him. Not just obeying Him through their religious deeds because it was the 'law'.

He wanted them to love him and have him in their minds and hearts.

The Plan

So God made another way (Jesus) so that whoever would believe on Jesus would not be ashamed.
See Romans 9:32

Rom 9:31  But Israel, pursuing after a law of righteousness, has not attained to that law.
Rom 9:32  Wherefore? Because it was not on the principle of faith, but as of works. They have stumbled at the stumbling-stone,
Rom 9:33  according as it is written, Behold, I place in Zion a stone of stumbling and rock of offence: and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed.

Though the Apostles of Jesus were all Jewish people who traveled with him and others who believed on him became disciples by believing on Jesus, over all, the Jewish people did not recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah, (many still do not accept him as the Messiah). John The Baptist said;



Joh_1:10  He was in the world, and the world had its being through him, and the world knew him not.
Joh_1:31  and I knew him not; but that he might be manifested to Israel, therefore have I come baptizing with water.
Joh_1:33  And I knew him not; but he who sent me to baptize with water, *he* said to me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding on him, he it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

Why do Christians have so much persecution? Why is it rare that a Christian is respected, or acknowledged?  Because they didn't recognize Jesus either and as it is written the servant is not above the Master..


1Jn_3:1  See what love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God. For this reason the world knows us not, because it knew him not.


I believe the Bible (Holy Scriptures) to be the inspired word of God. Both old and new testament are relevant to our lives in my opinion but in case you're one of those people who are only interested in the new testament let me share this.


Christians believe that jurisdiction of old testament law ended when Jesus was crucified for our sins.

The bible uses a lot of analogy's and one is the analogy of Jesus as 'The Vine'.

Joh_15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Joh_15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh_15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

So that explains how Christians (followers of Christ) come in the picture but where does that leave the Israelites?

Jesus said God could graft them (Israel) back into 'the vine'.

(to be continued).

Grieving For Connecticut

Last week there was a horrific act committed by a young man. The nation was stunned in disbelief and grieved that someone could do a thing so horrible to little children and those watching over them at the school in Conneticut.

We wrestled to try and understand, why?
But regardless of the why, it is still heart wrenching, still devastating.
We turn still reeling from this blow, staggering beneath its weight to pause from questioning why, to ask how we can prevent anything like this from ever happening again.
We cry at the horror inflicted on the young children and mourn the loss.

The fact is that that existing laws prohibit someone of his age to own a gun didn't stop him. He didn't own it, it was legally owned by his mother. He was not legally allowed to have a gun in a school zone but he took it there anyway. Murder is illegal but he killed anyway. And the truth be known, if he had not had access to the guns at home he would have sought another way to kill and exact his vengeance.

He planned the horrible act, down to his bullet proof vest.

So we pray for the families of those killed and express our deepest sympathy for their lost.

AUTHORS NOTE - I wrote this as you may surmise the week of the mass murder of children in Connecticut and decided not to publish it at that time.
Enough grief was being expressed, however I too grieved for those murdered and the hurt of the family's left behind. Does that warrant taking the way rights of law abiding citizens, of changing our bill of rights ?

No, I think not. It will not solve the problem, or prevent a similar tragedy in the future.

 It is only a process of making people THINK they have done something that will prevent a similar tragedy in truth it is a placebo. You will perhaps feel better for awhile but it won't cure the 'disease'.  Truth is, you can't prevent  every tragedy.

That's called Life.