Republican-Controlled Congressional Committee Targets United Nations
(CNSNews.com) – Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), the new chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is holding a hearing Tuesday entitled “The United Nations: Urgent Problems that Need Congressional Action,” featuring some the U.N.’s most outspoken critics. Ros-Lehtinen in 2007 and again in 2009 championed legislation that linked U.S. funding to the U.N. to wide-ranging reforms. Funding of the U.N. is expected to feature prominently at the hearing.

Three SEIU Locals, Including Chicago Chapter, Waived From Obamacare Requirement
(CNSNews.com) – Three local chapters of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU)–whose political action committee spent $27 million supporting Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election–have received temporary waivers from a provision in the Obamacare law. The waivers allow health insurance plans to limit how much they will spend on a policy holder’s medical coverage for a given year.

Leaked Negotiation Papers Undermine Palestinian Maneuvering at U.N.
(CNSNews.com) – A Palestinian Authority plan to push for a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlement activity was dramatically upstaged Sunday by the embarrassing leak of secret P.A. negotiating records. The documents reveal P.A. positions on key issues – such as the future of Jerusalem and refugees — that differ significantly from the stances it takes publicly.

Share of Fed Income Swallowed by Deficit-Coverage Borrowing Jumps 566% in 3 Years, IRS Reports
(CNSNews.com) – The federal government’s reliance on borrowed money to carry out its functions more than doubled between fiscal year 2008 and 2009, according to the IRS. And between fiscal year 2007 and 2009, borrowing as a percentage of federal income increased by 566 percent.

Rep. Andrews: Feds Should Require Individuals to Buy Health Insurance
(CNSNews.com) – Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.) told CNSNews.com that the federal government should require individuals to purchase health insurance because currently an uninsured person can go to the emergency room, where their bill is “paid by insured middle class people.” Andrews said he doesn’t think that’s fair. “I think that the individual mandate is really the only effective way to solve that problem.”

Former House Health Subcommittee Chairman: Health Care Costs Will Rise Due to New Law But Slower Than Before
(CNSNews.com) - Rep. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.), the former chairman of the House Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee, told CNSNews.com he believes health care costs will increase under President Barack Obama’s health care law but more slowly than they have in the past.

Nearly 50 Million Abortions Have Been Performed in U.S. Since Roe v. Wade Decision Legalized Abortion
(CNSNews.com) – According to the U.S .Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, there were 846,181 abortions in the U.S. in 2006, the latest year for which government records are available. The pro-abortion rights Alan Guttmacher Institute reports that there have been nearly 50 million abortions performed since 1973, — and it says nearly 35 percent of all U.S. women will have had an abortion by age 45.

Pence: ‘A Nation That Will Not Stand For Life Will Not Stand For Long’
(CNSNews.com) - Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) — who appears to have his eye on higher office – told the 38th annual March for Life that pro-lifers “will keep gathering until Roe v. Wade is sent to the ash heap of history where it belongs.” “You know there can be no lasting prosperity without a moral foundation in law,” Pence told the crowd that braved Washington’s sub-freezing temperatures for Monday’s demonstration.

Perkins: Legalized Abortion Is Unjust, ‘No Question’
(CNSNews.com) – Conservative leader Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council (FRC), said that there is “no question” that legalized abortion is unjust and that pro-life Americans should work within the legislative process to limit the practice. Abortion, he said, is “counter to the law of God, but we have a means by which we can change that, and I don’t think we have done everything possible yet to change these laws.”

Black Pro-Life Leaders: Santorum ‘Absolutely Right’ to Wonder How Obama Could Support Abortion
(CNSNews.com) – Black pro-life leaders say they agree with former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), who in an interview with CNSNews.com last week, referred to President Obama’s African-American heritage and said he found it “almost remarkable” that the president could be pro-abortion. Santorum noted that, when asked during the 2008 campaign by Pastor Rick Warren “at what point” a baby “gets human rights,” President Obama was wrong to answer “(T)hat is above my pay grade.”

Obama Administration Touts New Tools to Fight Health Care Fraud
(CNSNews.com) - The Obama administration says its efforts to prevent health care fraud are paying off, and it expects to boost those efforts with new rules authorized by the Democrats’ health care law. Republicans also support efforts to reduce health care fraud, and they say such efforts can and should proceed, even if the Democrats’ health care law is repealed.

NOW President: Federal Government Should Run a Deficit to Keep Social Programs
(CNSNews.com) – Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women and Heidi Hartmann, president of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research are urging the federal government not to cut funding for social programs, despite the government’s mounting debt. “No, we need increases in the social programs and here’s why,” O’Neill said.

E-Verify Remains Susceptible to Identity Fraud, Report Says
(CNSNews.com) – The federal government’s E-Verify program is supposed to determine whether potential employees are eligible to work in the U.S., but the program is still susceptible to identity fraud because it can mistakenly “verify” those who steal or borrow legitimate documents from others, the Government Accountability Office says. GAO pointed out that E-Verify cannot detect when an employer is actually helping an employee skirt the law.

Hezbollah ‘Coup’ Poses New Challenges for U.S., U.N.
(CNSNews.com) – Two months after Israel’s top military officer warned of a potential Hezbollah “coup” in Lebanon, the Iranian- and Syrian-backed Shi’ite militia is poised to take de facto control of the government in Beirut, without having fired a shot. Some see Iran’s hand behind Lebanon’s latest political turmoil.

Obama’s ‘Investment’ Proposals Remind Republicans of Failed Stimulus Spending
Washington (CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama called for increased spending, or “investments” in infrastructure and alternative energy — part of his “winning the future” theme in Tuesday’s State of the Union speech. But Republicans said such expenditures amount to a second stimulus act. “These investments are basically government expenditures. I don’t think he’s quite gotten the message of the last election,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told CNSNews.com.

Obama’s Vow to Veto Earmarks Draws Agreement From GOP Lawmakers
Washington (CNSNews.com) – “And because the American people deserve to know that special interests aren’t larding up legislation with pet projects, both parties in Congress should know this — if a bill comes to my desk with earmarks inside, I will veto it. I will veto it,” Obama said. Most lawmakers seemed to approve, even though earmarks alone have little impact on the entire federal budget. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) said eliminating earmarks is largely a matter of restoring trust in government. 

Santorum: End Medicaid as a Federal Entitlement Program 
(CNSNews.com) – Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) says the second thing the next president should do to deal with the federal debt crisis—after signing legislation to repeal Obamacare—is to end Medicaid as a federal entitlement. Santorum said that giving states block grants to run the program themselves, according to state-based designs, could yield positive benefits similar to those that followed the 1996 welfare reform bill.

Obama Takes a ‘Mend-Not-End’ Approach to New Health Care Law
Washington (CNSNews.com) – Republicans want the Senate to vote on a bill repealing the $1 trillion health care law enacted last year, even though President Barack Obama has shown a willingness to work with Republicans to tweak it. 

Bipartisan Effort to Repeal ObamaCare Tax Reporting Provision Moves Ahead in Senate 
(CNSNews.com) – The effort to repeal a widely disliked provision of ObamaCare is gaining steam in the U.S. Senate after a bipartisan coalition of 54 senators introduced a bill to get rid of the mandate that both sides agree will prove burdensome for business. The provision requires businesses to report to the Internal Revenue Service any business-to-business transaction that is valued at more than $600. 

Obama Calls for Tax Increases, Five-Year Spending Freeze in State of Union Address
Washington (CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama’s proposed five-year freeze on the federal budget is not enough to put the nation’s fiscal house in order, Republican lawmakers said, particularly in light of his call for new government spending and eventual tax increases. The president acknowledged the proposed freeze would affect only 12 percent of the federal budget.

First Lady Asks Businesses to Allow Employees to Spend Part of Work Week Mentoring Youth 
(CNSNews.com) – “This is a program calling on businesses of all sizes to allow their employees to mentor, for short periods during the work day, giving kids positive role models and offering employees a way to give back,” First Lady Michelle Obama said Tuesday. She said the new program already has received commitments from leading companies “who have agreed to harness their resources and help us make a difference on a very large scale.” The program will be run by the federal agency tasked with overseeing volunteerism in the United States. 

Women’s Groups: Government Should Focus On Equal Pay, Not Promote Marriage 
(CNSNews.com) – Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, and Heidi Hartmann, president of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, said the federal government should focus on equal pay to achieve economic security for women rather than promoting the institution of marriage between a man and women.

Actor Richard Dreyfuss: ‘I Disapprove of Obama’ 
(CNSNews.com) – Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss says he “disapproves” of President Barack Obama, particularly because he believes Obama has simply carried on the policies of his predecessor George W. Bush. “I think it’s one of the great opportunities lost and one of the great chances of a character in the American story to be much smaller than he might have been,” Dreyfuss said.

Ban Ki-Moon and U.N. Human Rights Council Face Critical Scrutiny
(CNSNews.com) – On the defensive just months before the U.N. Security Council will discuss whether he should serve a second term, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday tried to shore up his human rights credentials, amid growing criticism of his own approach towards human rights as well as the workings of the U.N.’s top human rights body.

Egyptian Protests Look Set to Spread After Violent Clashes
(CNSNews.com) – Protest organizers in Egypt called early Wednesday for a two-day national strike after a day of sometimes violent demonstrations described as the most significant popular challenge to the 30-year rule of President Hosni Mubarak. Tunisia’s “Jasmine Revolution” has inspired demonstrations in Egypt, Algeria, Jordan and elsewhere, stoking speculation about a possible “domino effect” across a region where despotic and dynastic rule is the norm. Tuesday’s protests in Cairo and other Egyptian cities were the most serious so far. 

Dem Senator: Obama’s Attack on Supreme Court at Last Year’s SOTU May Not Have Been ‘Appropriate’ 
(CNSNews.com) – Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) said Tuesday that it may not have been appropriate for President Obama to attack the Supreme Court justices as they sat in front of him at last year’s State of the Union address.

Report: Colorado Churches to Pray for Political Peace Wednesday Night
(CNSNews.com) - The Rev. Sarah Freeman, vicar of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Central City, began planning the service in October, long before the Jan. 8 shootings in Tucson.

Senator Rand Paul: Obama and Democrats ‘Still See Government as a Solution to Everything’
(CNSNews.com) - President Barack Obama and Democrats “still see government as a solution to everything,” newly elected Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told CNSNews.com on Tuesday, after the president gave his State of the Union address to Congress and after Paul had introduced legislation to cut federal spending by $500 billion.

Medicare Official Doubts Health Care Law Savings
(CNSNews.com) - Two of the central promises of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul law are unlikely to be fulfilled, Medicare’s independent economic expert told Congress on Wednesday.

Bachmann Takes Obama to Task over High Unemployment, Obamacare, Gov’t Spending
(CNSNews.com) - Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) in response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday said Obama failed to deliver on his promise to keep unemployment under eight percent by spending a trillion dollars on the federal stimulus program.

Actor Richard Dreyfuss: ‘I Ceased Being a Democrat a While Ago’
(CNSNews.com) - Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss said he was no longer a Democrat and that he sees little difference between the two main political parties in the United States.

Russia’s Upper House Unanimously OKs New START Treaty
(CNSNews.com) - The pact was approved by the U.S. Senate last month after Obama pressed strongly for its passage, telephoning a handful of hesitant Republicans to lock in their votes.

CBO Says This Year’s Budget Deficit to Hit a Record $1.5 Trillion
(CNSNews.com) - The daunting numbers mean that the government will have to borrow 40 cents for every dollar it spends.

‘Skins’ Viewership Plunges for Its Second Airing
(CNSNews.com) - The viewer slump for the racy new MRV show comes after the Parents Television Council blasted the series’ content and condemned MTV for aiming the show at young people.

New TV Series Will Give Cable News the ‘West Wing’ Treatment
(CNSNews.com) - In a BBC interview, Aaron Sorkin says he’s written a pilot episode for HBO that takes place behind the scenes at a nightly cable show. The series is being cast.

Watchdog Says Financial Overhaul Won’t End Future Bailouts
(CNSNews.com) - A government official is preparing to tell lawmakers that the recent overhaul of financial rules has not delivered on its promise to end future bailouts.

Taco Bell Defends Its Mixture of Seasoned Meat
(CNSNews.com) - Taco Bell President Greg Creed said in a statement that the lawyers who filed the lawsuit got their facts wrong and that Taco Bell plans to take legal action against those making the allegations.

Britain Rolls Back Some 9/11 Security Restrictions
(CNSNews.com) - Britain on Wednesday overturned unpopular curbs on personal freedoms imposed after the Sept. 11 attacks but stopped short of ending the contentious practice of detaining suspected terrorists without trial.

Germany Suspends Payments to Global Health Fund
(CNSNews.com) - Germany’s development ministry said Wednesday it will halt all payments to a $21.7 billion global health fund until it gets answers about corruption allegations raised in articles by The Associated Press.

Lebanon’s Western-Backed Faction Urges Sit-ins Against Hezbollah
(CNSNews.com) - Fares Soeid, a senior official with the Western-backed coalition known as March 14, said the country is becoming entirely beholden to Hezbollah. He called on Lebanese to gather peacefully every evening, holding Lebanese flags, at Martyrs Square in downtown Beirut.

Former Chilean President Raising Funds for U.N. Agency on Gender Equality
(CNSNews.com) - The World Economic Forum will be an international coming-out party for former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, and the kick start of her campaign to raise $500 million over two years for UN Women, created by the General Assembly last year when it pulled together four existing U.N. bodies dealing with women’s advancement under a single umbrella.

Blackwater Lawsuit Tossed Seven Years After Contractors’ Grisly Deaths in Iraq
(CNSNews.com) - U.S. District Judge James C. Fox said court-ordered arbitration fell apart because neither side was paying the costs of that process, so he decided to shut the case nearly seven years after the killings.

Republicans Back at Work Cutting Spending
(CNSNews.com) - On Tuesday, hours before President Obama delivered his State of the Union address, Republicans went on record in favor of reducing most domestic programs to levels in place when Obama took office, and 17 Democrats joined them.

Congress Will Probe Special Exemptions to Health-Care Law Given to Select Unions and Businesses, Says Republican Senator 
Washington (CNSNews.com) – The Obama administration’s waivers to temporarily exempt certain companies, unions, and charities from rules established by the new health care law are a “perfect example of special interests” having influence in the administration and should be investigated, a leading Republican lawmaker said on Tuesda

CBO: Social Security to Run $45 Billion Deficit in 2011 
(CNSNews.com) – To pay benefits, Social Security will need $45 billion more than it will collect in payroll taxes this year, and $547 billion more over the next decade, according to a review released by the Congressional Budget Office.

Boehner Introduces Bill to Restore D.C. Voucher Program Cut by Obama Administration 
(CNSNews.com) – House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) on Wednesday announced they have introduced legislation to restore the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program that the Obama administration eliminated in 2009. Boehner and Lieberman’s SOAR Act would authorize scholarships of up to $8,000 a year for elementary school students and up to $12,000 for high school students. 

Rep. West Hopes Obama’s References to ‘Investment’ Are Not ‘A Synonym’ For ‘Government Spending’ 
(CNSNews.com) - Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) told CNSNews.com that he hopes President Obama’s references to “investment” during the State of the Union speech were not a synonym” for “government spending.”

Obama Does Not Mention ‘Islam’ in State of the Union Speech 
(CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday did not use the word ‘Islam,’ and the only reference to terrorism was as it relates to nuclear weapons, which he called “the worst weapons of war.” Obama did use the word “Muslim(s)” twice, once to describe Americans and again in reference to U.S. troops.

Actor Richard Dreyfuss: ‘If There’s a God,’ Politically Uncivil Guys ‘Are in Trouble’ 
(CNSNews.com) – People who are uncivil in their political discourse by bullying, interrupting, or patronizing the people they are interviewing “are in trouble” if “there’s a God” and if “he’s morally involved in our affairs,” the actor told CNSNews.com.

Obama Administration Cautiously Shifts Its Stance on Egypt’s Upheaval
(CNSNews.com) – Signaling a slight shift in its public approach to the unrest in Egypt, the Obama administration has begun to gently prod President Hosni Mubarak’s autocratic government, a longstanding U.S. ally, towards reform. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton encouraged the government Wednesday to “respond to the legitimate needs and interests of the Egyptian people,” although without specifically calling for free elections. She spoke more cautiously on Tuesday.

U.S. Ties With Vietnam Strengthen Despite Communist Nation’s Crackdown on Dissidents
(CNSNews.com) – The lengthy prison term given to a Vietnamese democracy campaigner Wednesday is the second incident in three weeks to raise questions about the communist government’s commitment to democratic reform and free expression. Human rights groups say dozens of Vietnamese democracy advocates and bloggers, anti-corruption campaigners and rights defenders have been targeted in a crackdown that worsened over the last year, even as Hanoi’s relationship with Washington continued to strengthen.

Iranian Media Hail Egypt ‘Revolution’
(CNSNews.com) – Iranian media outlets, especially those linked to the government and establishment, are using terms like “revolution” and “uprising” to describe the protests in Egypt, painting the demonstrators as heroic and giving headline treatment to voices predicting the downfall of President Hosni Mubarak. Sunni Egypt, viewed as the leader of the Arab world, and Shi’ite Iran are longstanding rivals.

Teen Dating Violence Is A ‘Cabinet-Level Priority,’ Attorney General Holder Says
(CNSNews.com) – Stemming teen dating violence and safeguarding children is a “Cabinet-level priority” of the Obama administration, Attorney General Eric Holder told a gathering at the Justice Department on Friday. He said “approximately 10 percent of adolescents nationwide report being the victim of physical violence at the hands of an intimate partner.”

Sen. Franken Explains Why He Thinks Obamacare Mandate to Buy Insurance Is Needed
(CNSNews.com) – At a Senate hearing on the new health care law on Thursday, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) said the individual mandate in the law requiring people to purchase health insurance is necessary to prevent Americans from waiting until they are sick to buy insurance. Franken said he thinks most Americans support the part of the law that prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.

Sebelius Testifies That Obamacare Is Helping ‘Young Adults’ Consider Entrepreneurship
(CNSNews.com) – Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told a Senate Committee Thursday that a provision in the new health care law allowing individuals to be included on their parent’s insurance policy until they are 26 is allowing more of those individuals to consider becoming an entrepreneur. She called it a “family strategy.”

Medicare Chief Berwick Dodges Whether Obamcare Redistributes Wealth, Which He Had Praised in Britain’s Health System
Washington (CNSNews.com) – Donald Berwick, President Obama’s recess-appointed Medicare chief, praised the new health care law in a speech on Thursday. But he declined to say if it redistributed wealth from the rich to the poor, as he has previously said a “just” and “equitable” health care funding plan must do.

Browner Resignation, Obama Omission Could Spell the End of Global Warming Policy, Say Climate Change Analysts
(CNSNews.com) – The abrupt resignation of Carol Browner, President Barack Obama’s global warming czar, and Obama’s omission of global warming from his State of the Union speech on Tuesday indicates that the White House has given up on global warming, according to climate change analysts.

Rep. Bachmann Targets 132 Regulations, Costing at Least $13.2 Billion, Created in First 2 Years of Obama Administration
(CNSNews.com) – If President Barack Obama means what he said about making regulatory reform part of his agenda, he should start by undoing the 132 regulations implemented in the first two years of his presidency, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) said in her post-State of the Union speech.

Freshman GOP Reps. Decline to Name Specific Cabinet Agencies They Would Consolidate or Dissolve
(CNSNews.com) - When reacting to President Obama’s vow to “develop a proposal to merge, consolidate and reorganize the federal government” during his State of the Union address, two Republican representatives declined to mention any specific cabinet agencies they would merge or dissolve.

TARP Watchdog Casts Doubt on Financial ‘Reform’ Law’s Promise to End Bailouts
(CNSNews.com) - The use of TARP funds to provide a safety net for “too big to fail” institutions is a “recipe for disaster” that can lead to more bailouts, according to a report by the TARP inspector general. In the report, Special Inspector General for TARP Neil Barofsky also blasted Obama’s Home Assistance Modification Program, which as CNSNews.com previously reported has not achieved its intended purpose of bringing down foreclosure rates by helping struggling homeowners

Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and became the father of Enoch. Then Jared lived eight hundred years after he became the father of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died. Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and became the father of Lamech. Then Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years after he became the father of Lamech, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died. Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and became the father of a son. Now he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the LORD has cursed.” Then Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years after he became the father of Noah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years, and he died. Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

This week, we will finish the study of Genesis 5 and our look at the generations of Adam. It is amazing that men lived for almost 1000 years before they died. It sort of makes me long for heaven…

One thing that I didn’t mention last week that I will this week is the fact that this chapter starts with the phrase “This is the book of the generations of”. As we go through the book of Genesis, we will see this phrase again. It is a good indication of a focusing of the story of this book as well as human history. Here in this chapter, we are looking at the generations of Adam. Jared continues this and we find that he lived for 162 years and had a son named Enoch. After Enoch came other sons and daughters and at the age of 962 years, Jared died. In the midst of all the names listed, Enoch stands out for two simple reasons. One, while all of the other men listed lived to at least 777, Enoch didn’t. Enoch’s life was measured to be 365 years. The second interesting thing about Enoch is the fact that unlike everyone else listed in this chapter, Enoch didn’t die. Let’s look at this a little closer:

So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

It seems like such a short statement for something so out of the ordinary, but this is all we have in Genesis. From these verses, we know that Enoch walked with God. We know that God took him. But, you may be asking why? Why did God all of a sudden just take Enoch and leave nothing left of him to be found? That answer is found in the book of Hebrews:

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:5-6)

Here we see the exact reason that God took Enoch up. He had obtained the witness that he was pleasing to God! And, he had done so by faith. As we see in the very next verse, it is impossible to please God without faith. By his faith, Enoch was taken from the earth without seeing death. There is one other thing that we find out about Enoch that is very important and special:

It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” (Jude 1:14-15)

Here we see that Enoch was a prophet. He preached about the judgment of God that would come upon all those who live in ungodliness and sin. He preached the truth about sin and the judgment to come. This leads to an interesting thought that I’m only going to mention. Enoch named his firstborn Methuselah. While there seems to be some discussion on the meaning of this name, there are two common answers. One answer is that Methuselah means “man of the dart”. The other meaning seems, in my mind, to be more apt for the context and that is “when he dies it will be sent”. This second name is a stricter Hebrew translation of the two parts that make up the name Methuselah. Enoch, being a prophet, named his son “when he dies it will be sent”. The interesting thing about this? Methuselah died the in the year of the Great Flood. I find that hard to take as merely coincidence….

At the age of 187, Methuselah has Lamech. This Lamech is not the same as the other (two different lineages). Not much is known about this Lamech other than he was the father of Noah. We see that Lamech names his son Noah saying that he will be the one that gives them rest from their “toils of the ground which the Lord has cursed”. This is a direct reference to the events of chapter 3 when God cursed the ground because of Adam and Eve’s sin. It is unclear whether or not Lamech saw Noah as the promised Messiah or not. The chapter ends with Noah being 500 years old at the births of his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

While it may not seem like an important chapter, it is. We must remember that everything in scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16-17) and therefore necessary for our “instruction, reproof, rebuke, and exhortation” so that we many be “fully equipped”. The genealogy listed here gives us a direct line from Adam to Noah. There is no reason to believe that there are any gaps at all in this list (unless you are trying to add something to the Bible – like millions of years). Because of this, the history of the Genesis account remains consistent from the first verse of chapter one to the last verse in chapter 50. It is a comforting thought that we can use to anchor us in times of strife.

Next week, we look at the events leading up to the worldwide Flood! Hope to see you here. As always, any comments, questions, suggestions and what-not can be left. We would love to hear from you if you’re reading along!

Values Voters Pick Mike Pence Over Huckabee for President
Social conservatives at the Values Voter Summit have crowned a new top contender for president, though the winner of this year’s straw poll only edged out last year’s by two points.

Anti-Poverty Groups Sound Off Ahead of High-Level MDG Summit

Pope Expresses ‘Sorrow and Shame’ Over Child Abuse

ELCA Receives 3 Lesbian Ministers

Few Americans Think Glenn Beck Is Fit to Head Religious Mov’t

Wheaton College Installs New President

Honoring a warrior
A small-town Mississippi preacher who became a thorn in the side of corporate America was honored his weekend for decades of unwavering commitment to the nation’s families.

Dems’ agenda hidden in defense bill
The Senate is gearing up to vote this week on a bill meant to involve just the military, but it includes a number of social issues.

Congressional petition targets ObamaCare
A Republican lawmaker on Capitol Hill has launched an effort for full repeal of President Obama’s healthcare bill.

GOP senator to speak at pro-homosexual benefit
The president of the Family Research Council is calling on a Republican leader to withdraw from speaking at a fundraiser for a homosexual group.

Perspective: Muslim Europe?
Europeans have created a spiritual vacuum by embracing moral relativism and rejecting biblical Christianity — a vacuum that Islam is rushing in to fill.

Pence Beats Huckabee, Romney, Gingrich and Palin in Presidential Straw Poll
(CNSNews.com) – Around 700 conservatives voted in the 2010 Values Voters poll, giving Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) 24 percent of the vote. Former Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee was a close second with 22 percent of the vote, followed by Mitt Romney (13 percent), Newt Gingrich (10 percent), Sarah Palin (7 percent) and Rick Santorum and Jim DeMint (5 percent each).

Tea Parties Gain Ground Abroad
(CNSNews.com) – When Britain’s Conservative Party holds its annual conference next month, some of the policies of the coalition government it leads will come under fire from a nascent British “tea party” movement that is drawing inspiration from its U.S. namesake. Similar conservative grassroots movements agitating for lower taxes and limited government have emerged in the Netherlands, Italy and Australia, where European conservatives are embracing the slogan “Taxed Enough Already.”

Energy Department Says It Has ‘Mandate’ to Force ‘Market Transformation’ for Household Appliances
(CNSNews.com) - Assistant Energy Secretary Cathy Zoi says she and Energy Secretary Steven Chu “love” having a mandate “where we can actually just issue regulations and do market transformation.” She was talking about a law giving the Energy Department the power to set efficiency standards for energy-consuming appliances. “As the secretary [Chu] says, ‘We’re going to make people save money for themselves,’” Zoi said.

Constitution Day Event Focuses on Tax Cuts, Terrorism, Obamacare
(CNSNews.com) – Conservatives repeated their ongoing call for limited government, lower taxes and the repeal of the Democrats’ health care law at a “Constitution Day Celebration” in Washington, D.C., on Friday. The keynote speaker at the event told CNSNews.com that the law should be repealed “on a number of grounds.”

Sen. DeMint: ‘It’s Going to Take a Few Years’ to Repeal ObamaCare
Washington (CNSNews.com) – Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C) said it could take years to repeal the Democrats’ $1-trillion health care overhaul mandating the individual purchase of health insurance. DeMint, in an interview with CNSNews.com during the Values Voters Summit on Friday, also said the Republican Party should run on the economic plan presented by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to address tax policy and solvency for Social Security and Medicare.

House GOP Wants You to Report Stimulus Signs
(CNSNews.com) – Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, led by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), are turning to the public in their effort to find out just how many promotional signs were erected using stimulus dollars. In a tactic known as crowd-sourcing, the public is asked to take pictures of promotional signs erected along roadways and at other stimulus-funded projects and submit them to the Republican committee staff. The effort asks people to “be a citizen watchdog” and to help Republicans document what they call “propaganda signs.”

Drop in Illegal Immigration in Va. Due in Part to County Law Against Illegal Immigration, Demographer Says
(CNSNews.com) – An ordinance against illegal immigration in Virginia’s Prince William County is partly responsible for the decline in that state’s illegal immigrant population, according to a senior demographer at the Pew Hispanic Center, as reported in The Washington Post.

‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ on the line
Today the Senate takes up the issue of repealing the ban on homosexuals serving openly in the military.

Perspective: Explaining Obama
Where do the roots of Barack Obama’s anti-America ideas lie? Dinesh D’Souza argues that they lie squarely at the feet of his late father.

Pro-family group target of Islamic hacker
An attorney who helped a Christian convert when she fled to Florida hopes law enforcement officials can track down the person responsible for recently destroying his organization’s website.

CA county contests judge’s marriage ruling
In a battle to preserve marriage in the state of California, a Christian law group is standing against a federal judge’s decision to overturn Proposition 8, the measure which defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

Saudi sale a potential positive for Israel
A group called The Jerusalem Connection says a multibillion-dollar arms deal the Obama administration is proposing to complete with Saudi Arabia could have some positive benefits for Israel.

White House Claims Success in Changing Course at U.N., But Critics Question the Results
(CNSNews.com) – As President Obama prepares to address the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday, the administration is emphasizing the fruits of Obama’s “new era of engagement” with the world body, but many of the touted achievements are open to challenge.

Iraq Ran Up Budget Surpluses as U.S. Ran Up Debt, Says GAO
(CNSNews.com) – Iraq has run annual budget surpluses every year since the United States returned sovereignty to the Iraqi people in 2004, according to an audit by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. In the six-year period from 2004 through 2009, according GAO, the Iraqi government amassed a cumulative surplus of $52.1 billion. During that same six-year period, meanwhile, the U.S. government ran deficits every year, and the overall U.S. national debt grew from $6.99 trillion to $12.31 trillion, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.

Europeans Think There is ‘No Military Solution’ in Afghanistan, EU Oficial Says
Washington (CNSNews.com) – Alvaro de Vasconcelos, director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies, told CNSNews.com that Europeans “in general” think there is “no military solution” to the war in Afghanistan, adding Europe is “not convinced” that President Obama’s decision to add more troops in Afghanistan will help reach a political solution in the region. “We are convinced that to find a solution to Afghanistan, you need a strong involvement of the neighbor countries of Afghanistan,” Vasconcelos said.

CBO: Unemployment Will Stay Above 8 Percent Until 2012
(CNSNews.com) – “Weak economic growth has serious social consequences. About 9-and-a-half percent of the labor force is officially unemployed, but many other people are underemployed or have left the labor force,” said CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf at a Sept. 16 policy seminar. Elmendorf said that long-term unemployment is the highest it’s been in six decades.

Obama Administration Releases Spanish-Language Video Showing How College Is ‘An Attainable Dream’ for Hispanics
(CNSNews.com) – The U.S. Education Department on Tuesday released a new video produced especially to show Spanish-speaking families how going to college is “more attainable and more affordable than ever before.” The five-minute video profiles a sophomore at California State University Dominguez Hills, showing the support she receives – scholarships and financial aid — in pursuing a college degree.

Sen. Lindsey Graham Stands by Murkowski’s Write-In Campaign
(CNSNews.com) – Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) refused Monday to condemn his colleague Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) for mounting a write-in candidacy for re-election after she lost in the primary to Tea Party-backed Joe Miller.

Huckabee: Obama Should Condemn Muslim Fatwa That Sent American Cartoonist into Hiding
Washington (CNSNews.com) – Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Friday that President Barack Obama should denounce the fatwa issued by a Muslim-American cleric that has sent an American cartoonist into hiding. He also said that there is a double standard at work; that insults to Islam are treated differently than insults to Christianity.

Pro-Life Groups Warn of Dangers of ‘Emergency Contraception’ Drug
(CNSNews.com) – In August, the Food and Drug Administration approved the drug called ella for emergency contraception, but during experimental stages, the drug caused abortions in all of the rats and half of the rabbits it was tested on, according to the FDA and the drug’s labeling.

Hillary Clinton Wants Global Standards for Cook Stoves
(CNSNews.com) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced a “global alliance for clean cook stoves” Tuesday at a meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative. The U.S. is paying $50 million over five years to provide clean cook stoves to developing countries, to reduce deaths from smoke inhalation and to fight climate change, Clinton said.

Clinton Did Not Raise Lockerbie Case in ‘Brief’ Meeting With Libyan Foreign Minister
(CNSNews.com) – Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a 30-minute meeting with her Libyan counterpart in New York on Tuesday, but did not bring up the case of Lockerbie bombing convict Abdel Baset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. Instead, the two discussed the situation in Sudan, the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, and Libya’s “desire for broader relations,” a State Department spokesman told reporters.

National Security Experts: Shariah Law Is ‘Preeminent Totalitarian Threat of Our Time’
(CNSNews.com) – A team of national security experts assembled by the conservative Center for Security Policy issued a report last week warning of that Shariah law is the “preeminent totalitarian threat of our time.” The group drew a distinction between Muslims who embrace Shariah law as the comprehensive model for governing all human society and those who view it as a reference point for personal behavior but not for the conduct of government and the state.

Conservatives Blast Chair of Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee for Helping Homosexual Activist Group Raise Money
(CNSNews.com) – Social conservatives are blasting Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the head of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, for accepting an invitation to speak at a Wednesday evening fundraiser hosted by the Log Cabin Republicans. The Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins reminded Cornyn that the Log Cabin Republicans are responsible for bringing a recent lawsuit seeking to end the military’s ban on homosexuals.

Approval of Congress at All-Time Low for Midterm Election Year, Says Gallup
(CNSNews.com) – Public approval of Congress now sits at 18 percent, lower than it has been in any prior midterm election year since Gallup started polling public approval of Congress in 1974, according to a USA Today/Gallup Poll conducted Sept. 13-16.

Small Pacific Island Becoming A U.S. Strategic Hub
(CNSNews.com) – The U.S. territory of Guam is about to become a much more important strategic hub and staging point for the U.S. military. The historic build-up of U.S. military assets on the small Pacific island is part of an alignment of forces designed to better handle future security challenges in a key part of the world.

GOP, tea party working toward truce
Tea party activists and the Republican establishment are quickly joining forces for the fall elections as fresh cash and energy flow to the upstarts.

Lawmakers oblivious to harm repeal would bring
A national defense analyst cannot understand why so many Democrats in the U.S. Senate apparently don’t care about the harm that would be inflicted on the military if an amendment were passed repealing the 1993 law banning homosexuals from military service.

Student prayer initiative hits 20-year mark
As students across the country and around the world gather around their school flag poles to pray, a Christian legal group is reminding them of their rights to participate in “See you at the Pole.”

Straw poll victor reflects conservative values
An Indiana pro-family activist is pleased that Indiana Congressman Mike Pence finished first in a recent presidential straw poll taken at a conservative gathering.

Obama’s omission speaks volumes
Was it an accident — or was it on purpose? An author and conservative commentator joins the debate over President Obama’s recent speech before a congressional caucus.

Christian Groups Hail Vote Blocking DADT Repeal
“This is a victory for the men and women who serve our nation in uniform,” said Family Research Council President Tony Perkins. “At least for now they will not be used to advance a radical social agenda.”

Texas Edu Board Considers Ban on ‘Pro-Islamic, Anti-Christian’ Textbooks

U.N. Launches $40 Billion Plan to Help Women, Children

National Prayer Campaign Launches for Sudan’s Worrisome Vote

2 Men Accuse Well-Known Prosperity Preacher of Sexual Coercion

Va. Gov., U.S. Supreme Court Won’t Stop Woman’s Execution

GOP’s ‘Pledge’ gets mixed review
Republicans’ “Pledge to America” both hit the nail on the head and missed the boat — so says an analyst with The Heritage Foundation.

Activists ready for Reid’s lame-duck plan
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised to resurrect such issues as the repeal on homosexuals in the military and the DREAM Act after the midterm elections — but opponents of those issues says they’re ready to continue the fight.

Perspective: Muslim barbarity gets a pass
Barbarity in the name of Islam is not even remotely condemned to the degree that the West condemns insensitivity by cartoonists, politicians, and anti-Islam clerics.

Court lifts ban on ‘gay’ adoption in Fla.
Florida’s ban on homosexual adoption has been ruled unconstitutional.

Governors for abstinence education
A new report shows that more governors are applying for abstinence education funding for their states.

Congressman Calls for Schools to ‘Promote the Agenda’ of Climate Change, Population Limitation
(CNSNews.com) - Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) told CNSNews.com on Tuesday that environmental education in schools can “promote the agenda” of climate change and population growth. “Like I keep saying over and over again, if you get young people invested in those ideas early on, that will result in those kinds of positive policy developments,” Sarbanes told CNSNews.com at a “Sustainability Education Summit” hosted by the U.S. Education Department.

White House: Economic Recovery ‘Is Going To Take an Enormous Amount of Time’
(CNSNews.com) – White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters at the White House Tuesday that the economic recovery “is going to take an enormous amount of time,” and when asked to clarify what that meant, he said, It’s going to take several years.”

Republican-Sponsored Bill Would Give Congress A Say on Executive Branch Regulations
(CNSNews.com) – Senate Republicans on Wednesday introduced a bill that would require congressional approval for major regulations issued by federal agencies. “We must put a stop to the reckless and costly anti-free market regulations that are destroying jobs,” said Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), who sponsored the bill.

Claims on Resource-Rich Artic Stoke International Rivalry
(CNSNews.com) – The potential future exploitation of the Arctic for oil and gas while protecting its pristine environment is the subject of an international meeting in Moscow this week, but beneath the scientific and diplomatic discussions lies hardnosed competition among countries with claims to Arctic territory. In hosting the Moscow event, Russia is stressing its willingness to cooperate with other countries that border the Arctic Circle.

Mideast Gulf Widens Over ‘Jewish State’ Question
(CNSNews.com) – Two incidents in New York this week have underlined the gulf between Israel and the Palestinian Authority over a key issue – Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state. On Tuesday, P.A. Prime Minister Salam Fayyad reportedly left a U.N. meeting in a huff after the Israeli representative said he would not endorse a summary of the meeting that referred to “two states” rather than “two states for two peoples.”

Conservative Barrasso to Replace Murkowski as Vice-Chairman of Senate GOP Conference
(CNSNews.com) - Members of the Senate Republican Conference on Wednesday selected a former cowboy and rodeo physician to become their new vice chairman. U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) will replace Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who was defeated in the Alaska primary and is mounting a write-in candidacy.

U.S., Other Gov’ts Benefit from Broken Immigration System, Says Expert
A Catholic leader who specializes in migration issues highlighted on Wednesday how both foreign governments and the U.S. government benefit from illegal immigrants.

Gay Adoption Ban Unconstitutional, Rules Fla. Appeals Court

Megachurch Pastor Preaches 24 Hours Straight on Audacious Faith

Millennials Concerned but Not Fanatical About Environment

Study: Leaving Religion May Be Bad for Health

Continued Ban on Converting Others Proposed in Nepal

U.S. Education Secretary Vows to Make American Children ‘Good Environmental Citizens’
(CNSNews.com) - U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan vowed on Tuesday that his department would try to make American children into “good environmental citizens” through federally subsidized school programs that teach children about climate change and prepare them “to contribute to the workforce through green jobs.”

U.S. Taxpayers Spend $1.5 Million to Study How Men from Tajikistan Acquire AIDS Working in Russia
(CNSNews.com) - The National Institutes of Health has spent nearly $1.5 million in taxpayer money over the last 3 years to study HIV among migrant workers from Tajikistan who are working in neighboring Russia. The research was developed  to address “the major global health problem of HIV prevention amongst married male labor migrants in Central Asia and the public health risk for an AIDS epidemic in Tajikistan.”

CNSNews.com Kicks Off Its ‘Golden Hookah’ Award: Federal Study Blames National Football League for Increased Domestic Violence
(CNSNews.com) - This week’s winner of our first-ever “Golden Hookah” award is a grant of more than $314,000 that went to a study that sought to establish a link between increased domestic violence and NFL games in which the underdog beats the point spread. The Golden Hookah is a weekly “What Were THEY Smoking” award for outrageous government spending.

Muslim Nations Call for U.N. to Track ‘Islamophobia’
(CNSNews.com) – Five years after establishing an “Islamophobia Observatory” of its own, the Organization of the Islamic Conference is now calling on the U.N.’s top human rights official to set up a comparable body at her Geneva office. According to the OIC, human rights commissioner Navanethem Pillay has agreed to consider the proposal.

House Republicans Pledge to ‘Establish Operational Control of Border,’ But Say Nothing about Border Fence, Worksite Enforcement or Amnesty
(CNSNews.com) – The Republicans’ new “Pledge to America” commits the party to “establishing operational control of the border” but makes no mention of border fencing, enforcing immigration laws in the workplace or whether the party would grant any form of amnesty to foreign nationals currently living in the United States illegally. By contrast, the 2008 Republican Platform committed the party to completing a border fence, enforcing immigration laws at the worksite and opposing an amnesty.

As Public Sees GOP Moving Right, More Say It Shares Their Values, View of Government, According to Gallup Data
(CNSNews.com) - At the same time the public perceives the Republican Party becoming more conservative, more Americans say the party reflects their values and their attitude about the role of government, according to newly released Gallup polling data. Democrats, meanwhile, have lost ground on these measures.

Democratic Congressmen on Obamacare: ‘Let’s Have This Debate About Repeal’
(CNSNews.com) – In response to the House Republicans’ “Pledge to America” agenda announced on Thursday, Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.) welcomed the debate over repealing the Democrats’ health care legislation. “There are obviously many things that people want to improve in the bill and we’re always open minded about that but let’s have this debate about repeal,” Andrews said.

Hoyer Personally Opposes Repealing Obamacare; Won’t Say If He’ll Ask Other Democrats to Pledge to Oppose Repeal
(CNSNews.com) – After House Republicans released a campaign document Thursday pledging to repeal Obamacare, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told CNSNews.com that he personally opposes repealing the health-care law passed by Congress in March, but neither he nor his spokesman would say whether the Democratic leader would ask other Democratic House members and candidates to pledge to oppose repeal.

Average Government Worker Receives 85 Percent Higher Pay, Benefits than Private Employees
(CNSNews.com) – Chris Edwards, director of tax policy studies at the libertarian Cato Institute, has studied the discrepancies between federal compensation and that received in the private sector and concluded that federal government workers are vastly overpaid. “Over the last 9 years, average private sector wages and compensation in the U.S. have risen about 30 percent, but average federal wages and compensation have risen about 60 percent.”

Majority of U.N. Member States Remained Seated As Ahmadinejad Accused U.S. of Orchestrating 9/11
(CNSNews.com) – As U.S. and allied delegations walked out during Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s provocative United Nations speech Thursday, the vast majority of countries’ delegates not only kept their seats, but many applauded afterwards. The U.S delegation walked out when the Iranian leader suggested that the U.S. government was behind the killing of 3,000 people on 9/11.

Obama’s Unconfirmed Medicare Director Who Called for Redistributing Wealth Through Health Care Won’t Answer Questions From Senate
(CNSNews.com) – Donald Berwick, who received a recess appointment to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services without a Senate hearing, will not answer questions from the U.S. Senate. “We’ve been trying to get him to answer questions in writing. He won’t do that,” Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) told CNSNews.com Thursday. “We’ve been trying to get him up for a hearing. He won’t do that.” Hatch said there will not be a confirmation hearing for Berwick before the election.

Military hospitals shouldn’t be abortion mills
“An abomination” — that’s how a national defense analyst describes Democrats’ recent attempt to allow abortions on military bases, both in the U.S. and abroad.

Pro-life group pleased with ‘Pledge’
National Right to Life is commending House Republicans for including pro-life priorities in the “Pledge to America,” which was revealed yesterday at a DC-area hardware store.

‘In God We Trust’ on display
A mayor in Southern California says if someone wants to complain about his community’s display of the national motto, “let them file suit.”

Protest against Christian concert at Ft. Bragg
Americans United for Separation of Church and State is calling for the cancellation of a Christian event this weekend at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

A worship leader at heart
At 21, Christian singer Sarah Reeves displays a spiritual maturity that comes with knowing her music is about God — not about her.

Social Conservatives Coolly Welcome GOP’s ‘Pledge to America’
Social conservatives expressed mild approval of the Republican Party’s new “Pledge to America,” an economics-heavy document – with some abortion commitments – that lay out what Republicans would do if they take Congress back.

Muslim States Press U.N. Council to Condemn Anti-Islam Actions, Speech

Army Post to Host Christian Outreach Despite Protests

Christian Rights Group Urges Indonesia to Protect Religious Freedom

Most Britons Still Identify as Christian

United Methodists Start to See Uptick in Young Clergy

Starting next week, Mondays we will be posting a Bible study that you can follow along with. We will be going “line by line” through different books of the Bible. As would be appropriate, we are going to start in Genesis! This will be done by myself and the divisions of scripture will be dependent on what I can get done with proper study and prayer. Because designs have become sporadic lately, we are going to make Wednesdays the potpurri day. This will be a mix of designs, events, and other blogs that I have been studying for. Fridays will hopefully be a day of focus on what is happening to Christians around the world. We have been troubled by what happens to Christians outside of America and hope to provide a short glimpse of the trials, tribulations, and death that they face on a daily basis just for calling themselves Christian. Sundays will still be for newslinks and will still offer a mix of Christian stories to keep you up on the latest happenings from a Christian viewpoint.

We hope to be more diligent about getting things posted on time and appreciate your time and patience in reading this blog. We would be extremely grateful if you would add us to your blog roll, pass along the link to both the blog and our shop, and find our page on FB. Our main desire is to glorify God and see the lost find the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ, and we would like to thank you for reading this blog and hope to have much more interaction as the blog grows!

Thanks for your patience!

The first story that made me start thinking about this was the sordid tale involving South Carolina governor Mark Sanford. Governor Sanford had a good, solid political career and a promising future. He was one of the GOP hopefuls for the presidency in 2012. Then, it all came crashing down as Governor Sanford’s sin found him out (Numbers 32:33). It was revealed that he had been having an affair with a former Argentinean news reporter. Governor Sanford cried and apologized to the people of South Carolina. Recently, it was reported that the governor had more than one affair and that none of the others were even hidden from his pastor. This is a tragedy on many levels. First, Governor Sanford’s sins were committed against God. He rebelled against the Lord and transgressed His law. He thumbed his nose at the sacrifice of Christ. Then, there are the sins against his wife and children. He has severely damaged the covenant vow he made with his wife (‘til death do us part!), and has strained his relationship with his four sons. Then there is the failure to be a responsible role model for not only his boys, but for many others in South Carolina. Mark Sanford is in a horrible situation and it will take time to mend all of the hurt he’s caused. Personally, I think that the governor should step down from his position. I believe this for a few reasons. One reason is because his main focus should be on mending his family. They should be his main focus after he repents of his sins and restores his relationship with God. Second, I don’t think he should be in a public office after doing the things that he’s done. John C. Calhoun wrote “the right of suffrage (electing officials) gives the people the power not only to choose their representatives, but to hold them responsible”. A related tragedy is the fact that actions like governor Sanford’s have become normal and even expected by politicians.

The next tragedy is the story of Steve McNair. Steve McNair is the former quarterback for the Tennessee Titans and was found dead in an apartment he was renting. McNair was shot four times while on his couch and next to his body was found another. On the floor next to him was the body of the 20-year-old waitress he had been dating. She had been shot once in the head. One of the problems with this is the fact that Mr. McNair was married with four kids. Again, the sins against God are the most tragic. God is holy, perfect, and righteous and has made every effort to reconcile their relationship with Him. There are the sins against his wife, children, and those of against the woman and her family. Another horrible thought is the fact that if Mr. McNair died in his sins, he is in hell and will be there for eternity. Many may be mad about this but it’s what the Bible says. It is my sincere hope that Mr. McNair was right with God before he died, but we won’t know until all is said and done.

The last tragedy that got me focused on this is the death of Michael Jackson. There are so many tragedies here that it’s mind-boggling. As always, the first is the sin against God. All of the sins that we commit are against God first. After this is the thought that Mr. Jackson, who was a Jehovah’s Witness that converted to Islam, isn’t born-again. Add to this the drugs, debt, and his court charges dealing with him being a pedophile and it’s a big mess.

When Michael Jackson died, it was all people talked about. Every news channel, many blogs, and most newspapers had huge sections of space devoted to his life, music, and tragic end. Some have camped outside his home “celebrating his life” while dancing and singing. It became the “where were you when JFK died” of this generation. Recently, they held a public memorial service for him at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. This service could only be attended by those who received tickets from a special lottery. The memorial was in a city that can’t afford it, in a state that can’t afford it, with over a million dollars of extra security and police involvement. Although this seems unwise to say the least, it isn’t what bothers me the most. While all of the media was focused on Michael Jackson, there was talk of North Korea launching missles. Also, our soldiers were dying in Afghanistan but they weren’t important. They were not useful to the media so they were ignored. What I see in all the drama, pomp, and circumstance surrounding all things Michael Jackson is something deeper – hero worship. The worship of Michael Jackson has lasted at least two weeks. The majority of things said about him have to do with the impact he made on the world and how great he was. It’s like he’s been separated from all of the odd and weird things in his life and absolved of all the sin and shame. Very few people spent any amount of time talking about these things and glossed over them because they just want to “remember the good things”. If that’s what you want to do, then it’s your choice, but would you be remembering the true man?

Some would argue, “Well, if you’re going to do this to Michael Jackson, then we can do it to you too”. You’re right. You could do this to me, and anyone else and the result would be the same. You would see that we are all sinners that will end up in hell if our sins are not paid for before we die. There is one thing that you may find different. If you compare my life to yours, or Michael Jackson’s, you may see that my sins are paid for. Granted, I don’t know that Michael Jackson didn’t cry out to God right before he fell to the floor and repent of his sins. I hope that he did, but I don’t know. As far as talking about my whole life, I wouldn’t have a problem with it. I was a sinful man and I’m still a sinful man. There is one difference. I have repented of my sins and put my faith completely and totally in Jesus Christ to save my from God’s wrath. I don’t revel in my sin but I do revel in the God that saved me from them when he didn’t have to. Through grace by faith alone I have been spared from God’s wrath to come.

Now, before you see this as a tirade against Michael Jackson, it’s not. He’s not the only one that this happens to. Movie stars like Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and others are worshipped like “gods”. They get paid millions of dollars a film to pretend and play like they’re someone else. They are followed around by paparazzi and plasterd all over newspapers, magazines, and the Internet. For what? They are just sinful men and women like the rest of us. We have sports stars like Kobe Bryant, Alex Rodriguez, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Tom Brady who are treated the same way. They are paid millions of dollars a year to put a ball through a metal hoop, hit a ball with a stick, drive a car in circles, or throw an inflated pigskin a hundred yards down field. They are revered and looked up to for their talent. So what? Like the rest of us, they are sinful men and women. I may catch some flack for saying this, but I don’t think that anyone is worth that much money. I don’t care what sport you play or how well you do it, you’re not worth that much money (in a way, you’re worth more, but not in a materialistic way). Amazingly, if everyone stopped making movies or playing sports professionally, life would go on.

It’s not just entertainers though. Politicians have become heroes that Americans worship. From Ronald Regan to Bill Clinton, politicians have become celebrities as well. For evidence of this, you don’t have to look any further than our current president. Barack Obama has been and still is worshipped by a large number of people. He is constantly all over the news and puts himself in the spotlight as much as possible. Even though he has poor judgment, poor speaking skills, and an ungodly, wicked agenda; people have hailed him as “The Messiah”. And he believes them.

And this is where hero worship becomes dangerous. The Bible makes it clear that we are to worship no man. When Cornelius saw Peter at his door, he bowed down to worship him (Acts 10:25). Peter quickly responded, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” When Paul and Barnabas were in Lystra, Lyconia, and Derbe (Acts 14:12-15) they were worshipped as Zeus and Hermes (to the point of offering sacrifices!) because Paul healed a man that had never walked. Paul and Barnabas immediately stopped the crowd and told them that they were “of the same nature” as the would-be worshippers. Not only are we not supposed to worship man; we are not to worship angels either. In the book of Revelation, John is told twice by an angel that they are not to be worshipped but that they are fellow servants with all those who serve the Lord.

Our worship is to be reserved for God alone. In Romans 1, Paul talks about those who know God but “do not honor Him as God or give thanks”. These people have become “futile in their speculations” and their “foolish hearts are darkened”. How many of those people dwell in America today? We profess God with our lips but our hearts are far from Him (Matt 15:8). It seems that we spend just as much time and energy worshipping fallen men and women that we have elevated as we do rejecting that God of the universe who measures the universe with the span of His hand. God is the only One that deserves our worship and praise and He is jealous about it. In Isaiah 42:8, God says that He will not give His glory to another. How far have we drifted when we will praise actors, sports figures, and politicians for their miniscule contributions; and ignore, or even worse rail against, God who has given us everything?

I am not against talent. If you have a talent, then use it to glorify God. I’m also not against people making money (although I think we’re paying way too much to be entertained). If you can use your talent to glorify God and make money that’s great. But, I don’t care how well you pretend to be someone else, how accurately you kick a soccer ball, or how well the Rasmussen polls portray you; you are just another one of many sinful men and women living on this planet. And while I may admire your talents (if you have any), I will not worship you or exalt you. You don’t deserve it. Only God does…

 Saturday’s Newslinks brought to you by At Ease Tees

 FCC Commissioner Circulates Internal Document on ‘The State of Media Journalism’
(CNSNews.com) – FCC Commissioner Michael Copps has circulated an internal report examining the state of media journalism in America and discussing options for addressing issues such as the rise of media conglomerates and the prevalence of opinion journalism. The report can be used as the basis for instituting new rules governing broadcasting ownership, licensing and content.

Biden Says National Health Care Plan is on Track to Pass Congress by End of August
White House (CNSNews.com) – Even while some Democratic senators reportedly are getting cold feet, Vice President Joe Biden affirmed that a health care overhaul is “on track” for passage by the end of next month. “Folks, reform is coming,” Biden said at the White House on Wednesday, flanked by hospital industry officials, who agreed to $155 billion in savings over 10 years.

Congressmen Who Vote for Government-Run Health Care Agency Should Be Its First Customers, Legislation Says (CNSNews.com) – Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) introduced a bill Monday that encourages members of Congress who vote for a government-run health insurance agency to forego their own comprehensive health insurance plans and enroll in the same “public option” they would have others embrace.

Former Surgeon General Elders Gets Standing Ovation from Religious Group after Advocating Sex Ed for Kindergarteners (CNSNews.com) – Former U.S. Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders received a standing ovation after telling the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice that sex education should begin in early childhood. She supports contraceptive distribution and comprehensive sex education in public schools.

Ford Motor Company–Never Bailed Out by Government–Beats Government-Owned General Motors in June Sales (CNSNews.com) – In the wake of the federal government bailout and takeover of General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Company outsold GM in North America in June, edging out the GM core brands in the U.S. and topping Canadian sales for the first time in 50 years.

Federal Agents Trace Guns Used by Mexican Drug Cartels Back to U.S. Buyers, But What About Warrants? (CNSNews.com) – More than 100 agents of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have been visiting the homes of gun purchasers in Houston, Texas. But the federal agency won’t say if agents have warrants.

 Catholic Bishops Urge Congress to Maintain Ban on Using Tax Dollars to Pay for Abortions in D.C.(CNSNews.com) – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is calling on the House Appropriations Committee to reverse action by one of its subcommittees – and reinstate the ban on federal funding for abortion in the District of Columbia.

GE Plans to Use Human Embryonic Stem Cells, Not Lab Rats, to Test Drug Toxicity
(CNSNews.com) – GE Healthcare, the medical research subsidiary of General Electric, has formed a partnership with a leading U.S. biotech company to develop products derived from human embryonic stem cells that can be used to develop new drugs. GE Healthcare, which is based in Britain, says that human embryonic testing could replace animal testing.

 White House ‘Arrogantly’ Ignored Will of Congress in IG Firing, Top Republican on House Oversight Committee Says (CNSNews.com) – The House Republican leading the probe into the firing of Gerald Walpin as the inspector general of the Corporation for National and Community Service said he’s “going to continue to push” the investigation. Rep. Darrell Issa of California said that such abuse of power from the White House is one of the reasons why the oversight committee exists.

Dump Cap-And-Trade, Experts Advise World Leaders
(CNSNews.com) – The Kyoto Protocol has failed, and the focus on reducing carbon emissions through cap-and-trade schemes like the one currently before the U.S. Congress should be replaced by efforts to improve energy efficiency and “decarbonize” the energy supply, according to an international group of academics. Their appeal came in a report released as Group of Eight leaders meeting in Italy wrestle over climate policy.
 
Creating Sperm From Stem Cells Raises Ethical Concerns: Making Males Redundant?
(CNSNews.com) – A new Canadian movie tells the tale of two lesbians who become pregnant through in vitro fertilization. They use their own eggs — and sperm created from each other’s stem cells — making each the mother of their own child and the “father” of their partner’s. The bizarre plotline of The Baby Formula may not be quite as outlandish it is sounds. Researchers at Newcastle University in Britain announced this week that they had succeeded in creating human sperm from embryonic stem cells.

Not only that, they talk about how they’re “anointed”, “called”, or “gifted” for the “ministry” they are doing. They use this prestige and “anointing” to lead people “into the throne room of God”, “storming the gates of heaven” to get their “vision” accomplished. They shout, yell, whoop, holler, and get red-faced when they preach or pray. Many of them strive to pack “megachurches” with thousands of seats. They preach whatever is necessary to keep people there and love to be looked on as leaders. They are happy to be sought out for advice and always have an opinion to give. They maneuver themselves into places of “power” and gain greater degrees of fame as their notoriety grows. But is this biblical? Is it right?

In Proverbs 25, we find words of wisdom written by Solomon and transcribed by the men of Hezekiah. One of the sections that caught my attention is the passage from verses 6-7:

Do not claim honor in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of great men; For it is better that it be said to you, “Come up here,” Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.

Do not claim honor in the presence of the king. This means that it is not our decision as to whether or not we get honor. That decision belongs to the king alone. It is also not our place to try and wedge our way in between great men. We seem to think that because we’ve done something for God, we automatically get the biggest and best reward we think we deserve. Unfortunately for us, that’s not the case. As I said above, it is the king who decides. If we’re not careful, it is easy for us to get caught up in the “vision” that we have and forget that it’s not about us. I can’t help but wonder (because that’s the way that I am) if this is how the marriage supper of the Lamb will be. Jesus echoed this in Luke 14:7-11:

And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. “But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

How many will enter in to the marriage supper of the Lamb and take seats at the Lord’s table? How many will place themselves in the place of great men and claim honor for themselves? How many will be asked by Jesus to move down to a lower spot to make room for someone they never recognized as worthy of a second glance here on earth? This will be sad (if it happens). The thing is, it’s already sad because many “Christian leaders” are doing this on earth. They are putting themselves in places of power and prestige.

While they chase the fame and money and high places, others they wouldn’t even think about are doing the real work. While the “leaders” ride around or fly all over the world “preaching the gospel”, many others are out witnessing, teaching, feeding, clothing, and ushering unsaved people into the kingdom of heaven. While the “televangelists” hoard money, jets, cars, and mansions (all things they say they’re entitled to), these are everyday people who are living out lives worthy of the gospel in front of their kids, friends, family, coworkers, and complete strangers. I could name many of these people but I won’t. One reason is because it’s not something they would want, and the other reason is because I don’t have to. If you ever get to meet them, you’ll know it…