SO I LIKE GEORGE W. BUSH

'When I go home tonight and I look into the mirror, I'm not going to regret what I see.' GEORGE W. BUSH, speaking to a crowd of supporters in Midland, Texas following President Obama's inauguration

THE PHOTO OF GEORGE W. BUSH BY TIMES

GREAT VIDEOS

Also a great article on what the Presidents do after their term is over here.

HOW TO PRAY FOR OUR PRESIDENT

A Prayer for President Obama

Our Father, Lord of all creation, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: We pray today with a sense of special urgency and responsibility. We come before you to pray for our new President, Barack Obama, and for all those in this new administration who now assume roles of such high responsibility. (read the rest of Al Mohler's web)

Praying for our President, Barack Obama

As Americans, I suspect that none of us can fully appreciate the far-reaching significance of this event, though our nation and much of the rest of the world are electric with the inauguration of Barack Obama as the new President of the United States of America. To say that this is historic, is a gross understatement. (read the rest of this pastor's idea, great)

-

AND PRAY FOR GEORGE BUSH AS WELL.....

GEORGE BUSH IS STILL MY MAN

PRESIDENT NUMBER 44 AND 56TH TIME

The meteoric rise of Barack Obama has been nothing less than astounding. To think that five years ago the now President of the United States was an Illinois state senator is the political story of my generation. The fact that a black man has been sworn in as the President of the United States during the lifetimes of people who endured segregation is even more amazing and far more important. It was only 43 years ago that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood at the Lincoln Memorial and gave his "I Have a Dream" speech to an overflowing Washington Mall crowd. Today a black American stood on the opposite end of the Mall and repeated the oath that only 43 men in history have uttered. This inauguration, the 56th in our nation's history, is a historical moment unlike any other in our nation's history.

-

Some good thoughts on this Inauguration Day check here. Dan Philips and Phil Johnson and the team are great. You will get some interesting perspectives on the day.

How the Evangelicals and Christians Voted

How People of Faith Voted in the 2008 Presidential Race

Evangelicals

Evangelicals are a small proportion of the national population - just 7% of all adults. But they tend to capture the imagination and attention of the national media and political pundits. The survey data consistently show that evangelical Christians have among the highest rates of voting turnout among all voter groups and are, in fact, strikingly different from the rest of the population - even from other born again Christians who are not evangelical.

• "Born again Christians" are defined as people who said they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today and who also indicated they believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they had confessed their sins and had accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. Respondents are not asked to describe themselves as "born again."

• "Evangelicals" meet the born again criteria (described above) plus seven other conditions. Those include saying their faith is very important in their life today; believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; believing that Satan exists; believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works; believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; asserting that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches; and describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today. Being classified as an evangelical is not dependent upon church attendance or the denominational affiliation of the church attended. Respondents were not asked to describe themselves as "evangelical."

My purpose here is to describe the definition given to Christians and Evangelicals. For a full report go to the full report, it is interesting.

Post Election Analysis One

Barack Obama Wins the Presidency

Post-Election Analysis: True or False?

Dr. Wyman Richardson, pastors FBC of Dawson, GA. He sent the following "True-False Test" to Tom Ascol, . It is timely and very helpful in giving us perspective on the presidential election. Take the test, then ask yourself how you should respond to the election results.

1. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, Jesus will still be King.
2. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, our responsibilities as Christians will not have changed one iota.
   
3. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the greatest agent for social change in America will still be winning the hearts and minds of men and women through the gospel, not legislation.
   
4. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my primary citizenship will still be in this order - (1) the Kingdom of God, (2) America, not vice-versa.
   
5. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the tomb will still be empty.
   
6. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the cross, not the government, will still be our salvation.
   
7. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, our children will still be more concerned with whether or not we spend time with them than with who is President.
   
8. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my neighbor will still be my neighbor, and loving him/her will still be the second greatest commandment. (Do you know the first?)
   
9. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the only way to see abortion ultimately overturned will still be winning men and women to a high view of life through the gospel of Christ.
   
10. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, the only way to see gay marriage ultimately defeated will still be winning men and women to a biblical view of marriage through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
    
11. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, my retirement will still not match my treasure in Heaven.
    
12. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, "Jesus Is Lord" will still be the greatest truth in the Universe.
    
13. True/False: The day after the election, regardless of who wins, we will still know that God is in control.

Election 08

Al Mohler on how we should pray:

1. We should pray that God will bless America with leaders better than we deserve. Democratic systems inevitably reflect the electorate's decisions, and these decisions reveal underlying worldviews. And, truth be told, all we can expect from democracy is the government we deserve. We must pray for a government and for leaders better than we deserve. May God grant us mercy as he reigns and rules over all things, including this election.
2. We should pray that Americans will be motivated to fulfill the responsibilities of citizenship, yet also that we will be stripped of an unhealthy and idolatrous confidence in the power of government to save us. God has given us the gift of rulers and governments in order to restrain evil, uphold righteousness, and provide for civil order. No human ruler can save. No government official or office holder can heal the human heart, solve the sin problem, or accomplish final justice. These powers belong to God and God alone.
3. We must pray that Americans will vote by conscience, not merely on the basis of celebrity or emotion. Christian citizens must vote to uphold righteousness and contend for righteous and just laws. But, at the same time, we must repent of moralism and the tacit assumption that better laws would produce better people.
4. We must pray that Americans will vote to defend the least among us -- and especially those who have no vote. This starts, but does not end, with concern for the unborn and for the recovery of respect for the dignity and sanctity of every single human life at every stage of development, from conception until natural death.
5. We should pray that God will prick the conscience of the nation on issues of morality, righteousness, and respect for marriage as the central institution of human civilization. So much ground appears to have been lost on these issues. We need to pray that much ground can be regained.
6. We should pray that God will protect these candidates and their families. They have been through an arduous ordeal and now face the deadline of the vote. They are physically exhausted and now face the judgment of the people. They are public figures, but they are also flesh and blood human beings, who are fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, sons, and daughters. Their families have withstood much. We should pray for their marriages and their children. May God protect them.
7. We should pray that the election is conducted with honor, civility, respect, and justice. We must pray that we do not face another round of litigation after an election. This brings democracy into disrepute. May there be a clear winner, not a contested result.
8. We must pray that Americans will be prepared to accept the results of the election with respect and kindness. This will be no time for rancor, condemnations, and conspiracy theories. Instead, we must pray that God will settle the hearts of the people. May Christians be ready to respond with prayer, respect for office, and a gentle spirit. Others will be watching.
9. We should pray that this election would lead to even greater opportunities to preach the Gospel, and that the freedom of the church will be respected, honored, and protected.
10. We must pray for the church, praying that the church of the Lord Jesus Christ would be strengthened in the truth, grounded in the faith, and empowered for witness and ministry. May the church, the sign of the coming kingdom, be faithful to declare the Gospel -- knowing that this is the only message that will save.(Bold highlights mine.)
Read the whole thing.

Eric and Leslie waited over an hour to vote in Lexington KY this morning

ttp://hstrial-cwhisnant2.homestead.com/contact.html

Take a look at this article on GROWBYLEARNING

Charity and I voted this morning.
VOTE TODAY

Return for futher comments Updates coming

MY CONVICTIONS ABOUT WOMANHOOD IN LEADERRSHIP OVER THE NATION.

Charity and Becky

MY CONVICTIONS ABOUT WOMANHOOD IN LEADERSHIP OVER THE NATION

My convictions about the implications of manhood and womanhood for political life HAVE A SLIGHT DIFFERENCES IN MEANING and rooted in Scripture. They are also complex and controversial. So they don’t fit blogs well. But I’ll try. The idea is this:

I think that the Bible command men to bear the burden of primary leadership, provision, and protection in the home (Ephesians 5:21-33) and in the church 1 Timothy 2:8-15. Add to this that these texts (and others, like (Genesis 1-2) build their case not on the basis of culture (which changes) but on the basis of God’s design in creation (which does not change).

Therefore, I am not able to say that God only speaks to the role of men and women in home and church. If our roles are rooted in the way God created us as male and female, then these differences shape the way we live everywhere and all the time.

Attach to this that the Bible does not encourage us to think of nations as blessed when women hold the reins of national authority (Isaiah 3:12). Nor in the Bible were women part of those recruited to fight the battles for Israel (Numbers 1:20).

These and other teachings in Scripture incline me to believe that manhood and womanhood are not mere social constructs. They are rooted in God’s design for creation. They are meant to shape culture, not merely be shaped by culture.

Discerning the implications of these biblical teachings for family, social, and political life is not easy. There will always be differences among Christians on this. I don’t presume that all my conclusions will be shared by other Christians, even by some who agree with the foundations I have just laid.

And I certainly do not think all of my conclusions should be arranged in law. It should not be illegal, in this fallen age, for a woman to be President of the United States. Christ does not implement his revealed will in this age with guns and fines. But all human government (rightly) enforces its laws with guns and fines. So law is not the way to deal with this issue. Christians should not crusade in this fallen age to pass laws to forbid women from the Presidency.

Not only that, a person with my view may very well vote for a woman to be President if the man running against her holds views and espouses policies that may, as far as we can see, do more harm to more people than we think would be done by electing a woman President and thus exalting a flawed pattern of womanhood. In my view, defending abortion is far worse sin for a man than serving as Vice President is for a woman. But to vote for a woman because she is a woman would not in my opinion be based upon scripture. And more than voting for a man just because he is a man. Could I vote for Charity as a Vice President?

I am sure Charity would not want to run for Vice President of any town, city, or nation. Could she be a good Vice President? Most likely.

Why economy seems more important than abortion.

I TOOK THIS PHOTO ON THE WAY TO CHURCH ON FRIDAY..... WHEN THE FALL COMES AND THE LEAVES FALL, YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE THE TRUTH BEHIND THE TREES....

I quoted a passage from one of David Wells' books:

• "It is one of the defining marks of Our Time that God is now weightless. I do not mean by this that he is ethereal but rather that he has become unimportant. He rests upon the world so inconsequentially as not to be noticeable. He has lost his saliency for human life. Those who assure the pollsters of their belief in God's existence may nonetheless consider him less interesting than television, his commands less authoritative than their appetites for affluence and influence, his judgment no more awe-inspiring than the evening news, and his truth less compelling than the advertisers' sweet fog of flattery and lies. That is weightlessness. It is a condition we have assigned him after having nudged him out to the periphery of our secularized life....Weightlessness tells us nothing about God but everything about ourselves, about our condition, about our psychological disposition to exclude God from our reality."

(God In The Wasteland [Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1995], pp. 88, 90)


"'Let the record show that John McCain and Barack Obama are polar opposites on partial-birth abortion, parental notification of abortion, marriage protection on the ballot, homosexual indoctrination of schoolchildren, gay adoptions, gun-owner rights, activist judges, and raising taxes,' said Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families. 'No one should base their vote on personality or mere feelings. Our carefully-researched report card shows you exactly where Obama and McCain stand on issues of importance to voters, their families, and our nation's future.'" (Campaign For Children And Families)


One of the reasons why issues like abortion, homosexuality, marriage, and judges are so weightless to so many voters is the weightlessness of God in their lives. The same party that tells us "It's the economy, stupid!" objects that its opponents are too concerned with money, that they're selfish, greedy, and too concerned about the upper class. There is a party in America that's more greedy than the other, but it isn't the Republicans.

"Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, told the Democratic National Committee’s Gay and Lesbian Caucus that her husband wants to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and reverse the rule on homosexuals in the military. In her speech, she also compared homosexual advocacy groups with the civil rights movement, referring to events 'from Selma to Stonewall' as a progression of justice. Cybercast News Service reports that Michelle Obama began her speech by praising the 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision Lawrence v. Texas, which struck down anti-sodomy laws. Because of the decision, she said, 'same-sex couples would never again be persecuted through the use of criminal law.'...Michelle Obama said her husband supports 'a world where federal laws don't discriminate against same-sex relationships' and he advocates equal treatment for 'any relationship recognized under state law.' 'That is why he has said the federal government should not stand in the way of states that want to decide for themselves how best to pursue equality for gay and lesbian couples -- whether that means a domestic partnership, a civil union or a civil marriage,' Obama said to the DNC’s Gay and Lesbian Caucus. A position paper on the Barack Obama campaign’s website says the candidate wants to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman and also states that a homosexual marriage in one state does not have to be recognized in another state. The repeal of the federal law could mean that the more than 40 states that have statutory or constitutional bans on same-sex marriage would be required to recognize a homosexual marriage license from another state as a legally binding contract.

The Obama campaign’s position paper also states Obama’s desire to enact legislation that would ensure the '1,100-plus federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally recognized union.' Lynn Wardle, a law professor at Brigham Young University, told Cybercast News Service it is likely this statement references the federal definition provision that, if so modified, would extend Social Security and other government benefits to same-sex couples. This, Wardle said, could effectively nationalize same-sex marriages....Sen. Obama’s opponent, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. He joined Obama in opposing a federal constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman, saying he believed states should decide on the matter. McCain supported a 2006 state constitutional amendment defining marriage as a heterosexual institution in his home state

of Arizona, but the amendment failed in the November election." (Catholic News Agency)

OKAY YOUR CHAP FOR THE WHITE HOUSE LOSES!

What If Your CHAP, well, Gentlemen Loses?

Fifty percent of those voting will lose their choice of who they wanted to win.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO THEN, FOLKS?

Well, every four years in America we vote for the POTUS (President of the United States), and every four years on the day after there is weeping and gnashing of teeth by the losing side. And the truth is, the losing side is just about as large as the winning side. Amazingly, there could be 60 million people who vote for the ticket that does not win on November 4th, 2008. That's a ton of people who'll have a choice to make.

The choice to whine, complain, bemoan, and blame—or simply bring personal accountability to their daily walk "What can I do today to move on?" "How can I be my best on the job?" and "What can I do to serve people?" These questions enable those whose candidate remains a U.S. Senator, to avoid the humanness of finger-pointing, victim thinking, and discouragement.

And for the slightly larger winning side, where does personal accountability come into play? Will this group think that now all is right with the world? It's so easy to give a U.S. President too much power—in our minds—over our lives. It always makes me laugh when, with our massive, ever-changing, and complex economy, we think it's all about the man in the Oval Office. The truth is, economies go up and they go down—and then they go up again. By their very nature they are cyclical. When they're strong, the President gets too much applause, and when they slump he's buried in way too much blame. And so, in that vein, for the winning voters on Wednesday morning November 5, how dangerous these thoughts would be: "Yes! My guy won! Now I'll have a better job and more income and good finances and perfect health and a happier life and ... !"

Really? Does the POTUS have that much power, influence, and control? Would we, in a democracy, want him to? Can he give and take away joy? Will he help me get my personal finances in order? Will his tenure improve my relationships or keep me in shape? Do I really need my guy to be in the Oval Office for me to excel at my work, love and provide for my family, and contribute to the lives of others?

Why I get so many email's about this matter is beyond me?