Reconsider
May 11, 2018
00:00:59
The Hamilton Minute is a power packed 60 seconds where we tackle the issues of the day through the lens of God’s Word. You don’t want to miss a moment of it.
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Luke 1:37 (ESV)
The National Assessment of Educational Progress, a report released by the U.S. Department of Education, revealed 65% of eighth graders in public schools were not proficient in reading.
67% of eighth graders were not proficient in math.
These are the stats while over 91% of all American children are educated in public schools.
Decisions concerning our children’s education are really decisions about when, where, how and by whom they will be discipled.
Time is the critical ingredient to discipleship. Education is discipleship.
“For nothing will be impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 (ESV)
Chinese geologists have published a peer reviewed study confirming that the mountain above North Korea’s main nuclear test site collapsed on itself.
The study, carried out by scientists at the University of Science and Technology of China, concluded that the mountain buckled under the stress of multiple explosions.
Interestingly, these findings preceded the unprecedented talks between North and South Korea and a verbal agreement to end the Korean War.
They also precede direct talks between North Korea and the U.S.
Perhaps, this encouraged Kim Jong-Un’s presence at the international negotiating table.
“…in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.” 1 Timothy 4:1 (ESV)
Grace Cathedral Episcopal Church in San Francisco hosted its first ever “Beyonce-Mass.” Instead of the 50 people they’d usually have for a Wednesday night service this “Beyonce Mess” drew over 750 attendees.
They replaced worship songs and hymns with songs from the canon of Beyonce and Destiny’s Child.
The “church meeting” centered on an artist whose music is profane, sexually explicit and who’s admitted that her body is taken over by a spirit named Sasha Fierce when she performs.
“What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.” Genesis 4:10 (ESV)
England has shown us that single-payer “affordable healthcare” translates into kill the patient if it saves the government money.
When the government pays for your body’s care, the government decides what care your body receives.
So when they run the numbers on the cost of saving a life versus the mathematical probability of getting that money back through taxes paid during that patient’s lifetime, and the result is undesirable… kill the child.
First Charlie Gard. Now Alfie Evans. Whose next… because the pattern is clear.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18 (ESV)
Jeff Myers, President of Summit Ministries which is one the nation’s premier Biblical Worldview development ministries for teens and young adults, called California Assembly Bill 2943 “the most blatant chilling of free speech in America” he’s ever seen in his lifetime.
The bill, which seeks to criminalize the conveyance of the Biblical teaching on human sexuality, places Summit Ministries’ staff in legal jeopardy.
Consequently, Summit has cancelled the conferences it planned to hold in California saying “we cannot and will not bend God’s truth to accommodate California.”
“And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.”
Acts 17:26 conveys to us the reality that we were born and placed in the 21st century by God’s specific design. He determined before time where we would live and when we would live there.
If you’re in Minnesota, Mississippi, or Maine, God put you there on purpose.
He’s not surprised by the darkness we see around us, nor is He caught off guard by it. In fact, He specifically prepared for it by making sure you’re alive right now. God can do whatever He wants, but He’s chosen to use you and me as ambassadors of His kingdom.
We are His torches to light up the darkness.
"Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you.” 1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)
Many who oppose Christianity target their hostility on our foundation, the Bible. They say it is unreliable because Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 are contradictory accounts of the creation story.
In actuality, the 2 chapters are complimentary and not contradictory.
When Jesus was asked about marriage, He quoted from both chapters 1 and 2, saying that He made them both to be male and female in the beginning. "And for this cause shall a man leave his mother and father and cleave unto his wife."
Genesis 1 is an overview of the creation story and Genesis 2 is an up close examination of day 6. If Jesus relies on them both, so can we.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
What is the proper role of government? Romans chapter 13 outlines government’s function and it is basically this: to restrain or to punish wickedness and to reward righteousness.
Government was never intended to be our savior. Government is our servant.
As we focus on our civil occupations and our civic engagement responsibilities, let us never forget that government is not our God. We don’t put our trust in it; we put our trust in our Christ.
As a result, what we want is a government that stays out of our way and leaves room for our church to do our business of fulfilling the Great Commission.
What is the source of America's greatness? Alexis de Tocqueville, a 19th century French political thinker and philosopher, had this exact same question.
On the heels of the French Revolution, he came to America in 1831 to investigate America's ascendency. In doing so, he found that America's greatness did not lie in her economic system. It did not lie in her banking system. Nor did it lie in her educational system.
He found that America's pulpits, aflamed with righteousness, was the source of America's greatness. He opined that America is great because she is good, but when America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.
Let us pray for restoration of the flame of righteousness in our pulpits.
What would it take for you to compromise your principles?
Recently I heard a statement that went like this. “I don’t think principles matter if you can’t get elected.” Principles form the core of who you are; principles form the foundation of a civil society.
George Washington in his farewell address identified religion and morality as indispensable supports. “In vain would that man claim attribute to patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness”, George Washington said.
It makes me think of a scripture; “What would it profit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his soul?” What would it profit a candidate to gain an election but lose his principles?
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” 1 Timothy 6:10 (ESV)
A lawsuit has been filed against the Federal Election Commission because the entity ignore complaints that the Hillary Clinton Campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) funneled money through state parties to avoid campaign finance laws.
The lawsuit argues the Hillary Victory illegally funneled $84 million in donations from the DNC through state party chapters who then sent that money back into the Clinton Campaign war chest.
The money laundering effort included between 34 and 40 state parties.
The Clinton syndicate strikes again.
“…they have rejected me from being king over them.” 1 Samuel 8:7 (ESV)
California’s legislature is debating Assembly Bill 2943 which would criminalize the sale or purchase of any good or service intended to or that results in sexual orientation changes of same-sex attracted people including changes of behaviors or “gender” expressions of same-sex attracted people.
The Bible teaches that the inclinations of the sin nature, including sexual inclinations, are transformed by the powerful blood of Jesus Christ.
This law could literally make it illegal to buy or sell a Bible in California.
Folks, this is full fledged tyranny.
“A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating.” Proverbs 18:6 (ESV)
In an interesting turn of events, regressive Comedian whose no friend of President Trump—Trevor Noah, even recognized the walking hypocrisy that is James Comey.
You can’t present yourself as the lofty and noble patriot and still profit from a salacious book called ‘Higher Loyalty.’
Noah said, Comey’s pettiness “hurts his credibility. You can’t take the high road and the low road at the same time.”
Comey has lobbed barbs at President Trump to sell books not to protect the Republic.
His loyalty is to his pockets.
“Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.” Psalm 127:4 (ESV)
The Toys ‘R’ Us official statement concerning its imminent store closures said,
“Most of our end-customers are newborns and children, and as a result, our revenues are dependent on the birthrates in countries where we operate. In recent years, many countries’ birthrates have dropped or stagnated as their population ages.”
The only developed country in the world producing enough children to replace and grow its national population is Israel.
Overt hostility toward children that stems from a low regard for life destroys commerce, cultures and countries.
“Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” Psalm 139:16 (NASB)
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has signed a bill which allows them to bar TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid program, from giving money to any abortion facility.
In the wake of having given Planned Parenthood nearly $1 million over the last 6 years, Tennessee has now moved to defund the baby murder machine.
Funds that were once directed toward abortions will now be given to other health care providers.
Folks, the tide is turning.
"...and let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.” Luke 22:36 (ESV)
London Mayor Sadiq Kahn, the one who told the world terrorist attacks are part of the new normal for large city living, has now deployed tough new knife control policies saying “there is never a reason to carry a knife.”
This is his response to London’s murder rate surpassing New York’s, due largely to stabbings.
Since banning inanimate objects is the Regressive way to stop criminal attacks, what’s next? Motor vehicles? Spoons? Forks? Sporks?
Paper cuts are the worst. You better watch out Office Depot.
“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.” Psalm 127:3 (ESV)
Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts signed a state budget that eliminates federal title X family-planning funding to Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. The $8.8 billion two-year budget would prohibit money to facilities that commit, promote, or refer clients for abortions.
The budget also mandates health clinics in the state to legally, financially, and physically separate from abortion facilities.
So, Planned Parenthood’s bloody hands can be wrenched from the taxpayers money when a legislature and an executive leader are willing.
Congress, are you listening?
“…for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45 (ESV)
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey aroused controversy when he tweeted that an article published on the left-wing website Medium was “great.”
The article stated that there is “no bipartisan way forward” and that the U.S. is engaged in an ideological civil war that is a “fundamental conflict between two worldviews that must be resolved in short order.”
The solution? Destroy conservative opposition wherever it stands using California as the model to follow.
Twitter’s CEO thinks destroying conservatism is “great.”
Out of the abundance of his heart, he tweets.
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 (ESV)
The Barna Group released a study that showed Generation Z, children born between 1999 and 2015, is removed from religious identity more than any other generation before them.
The study showed the percentage of Generation Z teens who identify themselves as atheists is double that of the general adult population.
Sending children to be discipled in a system that excludes and denies the knowledge of God, we shouldn’t be surprised when they return atheists.
Education is discipleship.
“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” Proverbs 28:1 (ESV)
China’s President struck a conciliatory tone when he promised to cut China’s import tariffs and ease restrictions on foreign ownership in its auto industry as President Trump has zeroed in on America’s trade imbalance with China.
It currently imposes a 25% tariff on imported cars plus an additional 10% “super-luxury” tariff on vehicles priced over $200,000.
Don’t look know but seems like President Xi has blinked in the face of President Trump’s tariff stance.
China will dance… if they have the right partner.
