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Sabbath Discussions : Revelation on Sexual Politics (the Book)

Have you heard? January is sanctity of life month. Americans and their churches not only give honor to the gift of life but thy also remember the continuing war against it. The right to life is unalienable not because Jefferson wrote it nor because our nation was founded on natural law. The right to life is unalienable because it is a gift of God. The newest commander in the war against that God-given right is President Obama.

The question to be answered in this post is do presidents, legislators, lawyers, or judges have any right to presume to make law that violate the unalienable right to life. The right to life surely means the right to be born, the right to grow up unmolested or harmed, the right to a morally good family and society, the right to live the best possible life on this earth, and the right to eternal life as God’s redemptive justice permits.

As I was studying Revelation, I realized that Jesus did say something about the issue of abortion, homosexuality, and other issues related to modern sexual politics. This led me to the answer that begins with Jesus’ addresses to seven churches in Asia Minor.

Jesus praises his citizens for their work and faithfulness, and he also pointed out their problems that required correction. He concluded his address by pointing to the reward for overcoming the issues at hand. Jesus rebuked two of the seven churches for sex related problems. He also praised one for their like-minded hatred of teaching and practices that the others should have opposed as well.

Here is what Jesus told John to write to the church at Pergamum:

“I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit immorality. So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore, repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will war against them with the sword of my mouth.” (Rev. 2:14-16)

The great mystery of this passage is who the Nicolaitans were. Little historical information about them seems to exist. However, who they were is not as important than what they promoted and practiced. Jesus refers to an account recorded in Number chapters 22-25. Here Jesus tells that it was Balaam who was responsible for the Israelites violating God covenant law. As Balaam encouraged Israelites to commit immorality, so the Nicolaitans taught the church it was okay to do likewise.

Before answering. the question what exactly does Jesus mean by immorality, consider what he said to the church at Thyatira:

“I have this against you, that you tolerate the women Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads my bond-servants astray so that they commit immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to repent of her immorality. Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts, and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.” (Rev. 2:21-23)

Did you notice the similarities in the two addresses? The issue at hand is leaders who teach God’s people to believe it is okay to practice immorality. As James wrote: “Each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust is conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” (Jas. 1:14-15) Just like Adam and Eve in the Eden’s garden of purity, the people of God were being taught by tempters in the service of the arch-deceiver. (Gen 3) Whereas the arch-deceiver comes to steal, kill and destroy, Jesus came so that we could have abundant life forever. (Jo. 10:10,28; 8:44)

That is why Jesus praised the church at Ephesus. He said, “This you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” (Rev. 2:6) Like Jezebel, one of their likely leaders, the Nicolaitans promoted and practiced what Jesus Christ hates.

So then what does Jesus mean by immorality? It is any sexual misconduct or sin. That is the short definition.

Jesus hates immorality just as God the Father hates it. This is codified in the covenantal laws recorded in the Torah. It is alluded to by the prophets in their call to Israel to repent of their covenantal infidelity and of their immorality. It is also an issue addressed by the other apostles to the early church.

In Deuteronomy, Moses tells the Jews who were about to enter the promised land that they were not to behave toward the Lord the way the Canaanites had for centuries. They did for their gods every abominable act which the Lord hates. They even killed their children to appease their god. (De. 12:31)

This same abomination is mentioned in Leviticus. It is this priestly book of law that we get a more detailed idea about Moses meant by abominable. Summarizing Leviticus chapter 18, a list of abominable include the following: Continue reading

What does Obama’s stimulus plan, outdated infrastructure, and gas taxes have in common

In a January 10 editorial, the New York Times approved Obama’s big spending stimulus plan but complained about his plans to continue the past era of tax cuts. One of part of the approved plan is $500 billion to bolster unemployment benefits, aid to states, and for investment in the nation’s crumbling and outdated infrastructure.

In an article critical of the Times editorial, Don Feder of Accuracy in Media rightly observed that “no matter how much the states get for highway repairs (from the gas tax, general revenue, tolls and federal aid), the infrastructure is still crumbling and outdated.”

The question taxpayers and gasoline consumers should be asking is why that is. The national average tax on gasoline is 47 cents per gallon. That means the amount of gas taxes collected by federal, state and local governments to maintain our roadways is a meager $66.5 billion a year. And the federal government returns to the states 90.5% of its portion of the national gas tax, which is 18.4 percent.

Are states using their part of the tax pie for projects other than maintaining our roadways?

We could probably define Obama’s plan as a pork-barrel bailout stimulating welfare program–what do you think?

Xenia is Growing–New People & New Businesses

Jim Percival submitted a census challenge on October 1, 2008 after assessing that the Bureau’s annual updated estimate of 23,656, which represents a two percent decrease from the 2000 population of 24,164, appeared to be inaccurate.

Nimfa Simpson, City Planner, compiled statistics utilizing worksheets and population formulas provided by the Population Division of the Bureau of Census. From these formulas, she was able to determine that the 2007 population of Xenia should be 27,291 rather than the Bureau’s 23,656 estimate. This growth projection is attributable to the following factors: major annexations, subdivision developments that have produced a total of 1,499 housing units during the census projection period, in-fill development of vacant land, and a stable housing stock.

Positive population growth is an important measure of the vitality of a city because it indicates that the community is an attractive place to live, work and play. Positive population growth is also an economic development stimulus because where there are people, business will follow and this means more jobs for the City and its residents.

And new business are springing up like daisies. At least 25 new business started operations in Xenia during 2008. New retailers and restaurants include Discount Smoke For Less, Vacs & Videos, Pass It On Antiques, The Sweets Boutique, S&W Auto Brokers, Walgreens, BP Station, Sonic Boutique, and one more to come is Biscuit World. New services cover a wide range of industries including legal, business, medical, entertainment, and consumer. Several new consumer services are Kirk Vincent Plumbing, Snap Fitness, Great Clips, Out Of the Box Creations and Designs, and Spectacular Eyewear Repair.

Another business on its way is called Eden World. I do not know what type of business it is supposed to be, but my guess is its either sells a little slice of paradise natural or possibly bass amplifiers. Who knows; the new business might be even be a school or just a seller of Eden World war games. We’ll see….

New Downtown Parking Policies For 2009

In 2009, the City of Xenia will be enacting new Parking Policies affecting Municipal Parking Lots in the Downtown of Xenia.

The policy will allow visitors to park in municipal lots for up to 3 hours without a charge. In the event that employers, landlords, or individuals would like specific parking in increments of more than 3 hours, they may lease spaces in several of the downtown lots either for $10 a month (Placard Parking) or $20 a month (Premium Parking.)
Application for rental space is March 1, 2009.

For more information, visit the City of Xenia website or contact Jim Osburn, Parking Enforcement Officer 937 376-7215.

Sabbath Discussions : On the most outrageous statement in Revelation (the book)

One of the most outrageous statements penned by the writer of Revelation is this:

Jesus Christ … the ruler of the kings of the earth. (Rev. 1:5)

How could John claim that Jesus was the ruler over the vicious Christian murdering Roman king Domitian? Show me any other king in the world who came to the aid of persecuted Christians before Emperor Constantine. I don’t know of any king today who appears to be ruled by Jesus either. Surely, the collective Emperor called the U.S. Congress does not follow the rule of Jesus Christ.

Do you doubt that Congress is king of a kingdom? Several years ago when new Congress was being sworn into office I caught the last part of the speech and prayer of the high ranking military chaplain, a black general, who was officiating over the ceremony. He instructed Congress to rule the kingdom they were inheriting well. There also seems to be a consensus among political analysts, economists, historians, theologians, journalists, and other scholars that America has achieved the status ruler over a global empire, and most regard it as an economic one. Some historians have shown how similar our federal government is to the Roman Empire at its terrible apex. Satan gave Jesus the tempting opportunity to rule over both the Roman Empire and all other earthly kingdoms as well. (Mt. 4 and Lk. 4)

Back to my question–how then could John make such an outrageous statement? Unless he saw Christians reigning with Jesus after the yet to occur resurrection, he could not be referring to Christ’s faithful followers. The world experienced what Christian rule was like. In the end, the Church ruling empire was not very Christ-like, just ask Martin Luther, John Calvin, or any of the dearly beheaded.

John may have meant that when Jesus returns he will reign over the kings of the earth. This would conform to the Hebrew prophets, the gospels, epistles, and Revelation 11:15-19.

However, I believe John is making a literal declaration not merely a prophetic one, which is supported by the gospels and epistles as well.

For Jesus to rule of the kings of the earth, Satan would have to loose his right and authority to do so. Jesus never disputed Satan’s right or authority to give him authority over all the kingdoms of the earth. (Mt. 4; Lk. 4) In fact, Jesus acknowledges the rule of Satan over the world. (Jo. 14:30; 12:31) The apostle Paul also acknowledged this rule. (Eph. 2:1-2) The thing to notice is this: Satan’s rule over the earth was from heaven, but he was thrown out of heaven to the earth. (Rev. 12:7-11; Jo. 12:31) The mission of Jesus was not just to restore willing humans the benevolent rule and kingdom of God. His mission also was to destroy Satan’s works and end his right to rule over repentant humanity. (1 Jo. 3:8; Heb. 2:14) Jesus accomplished the first by dying to satisfy justice fully for our moral crimes against God’s law. Having paid that price, he accomplished the second when God raised from the dead and gave him all of the authority both in heaven and on earth (Mt. 28:18). Paul describes this best in his letter to the Colossians:

For [God] rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins…. When [Jesus] had disarmed the rulers and authorities, he made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through [God]. (Col. 1:13; 2:15)

Everyone throughout the Roman Empire would have understood Paul’s meaning. It was common practice by the Roman generals to parade before all leaders and citizens of Rome the kings and leaders of conquered peoples and nations. All who read or heard Paul’s words understood that Jesus not only defeated his enemies but that he and heaven celebrated Satan’s and his followers humiliating defeat.

According to Peter, Jesus could not ascend to the throne of God until after angels, authorities, and powers had been subjected to him. (1 Pe. 3:22)

This may explain why Jesus appeared off- and-on to the disciples for forty days before his ascension. (Ac. 1:3, 9-11)

Paul further explains that after his resurrection, Jesus, the firstborn of all creation, created anew all spiritual and physical positions of authority and their powers. (Col. 1:16) This means no matter how many may rebel against the order and authority of Jesus’ rule the world will in the end bow to his world order. (Php. 2:9-11)

Though Jesus has authority over all powers as well as over all flesh (Jo. 17:2), but not all spirits or humans intend to submit to the kingly rule of Jesus Christ. The republican form of constitutional democracy may very well have reflected the rule of Lord Jesus. It certainly was shaped and informed by biblical principles. The noble idea of a nation that shines the biblical based light of law and freedom may have inspired many peoples; but,today, national and global trends indicate a determination not toward a messianic world but rather toward the kind worthy of judgment as previewed in Revelation.

The new types of ruler and kings of the earth cannot win by opposing the biblical reign of God’s risen Messiah. They certainly will never create a world of peace, justice, and prosperity for all by following the model of Rome or Satan. As any ruler worthy of the title, Jesus will have the last word concerning all of their schemes and plans.

Jesus died so that all of us could have an abundant life in good standing with the Supreme Judge of the world. Therefore, he is adamantly opposed to the abundance of choices for death, immorality, and injustice–social, economic, or any other kind. The wisest choice would be for a culture oriented to life, which is by definition messianic, and Jesus–a Jew–still agrees even after 2,000 years.

A look at foreclosures in Greene County and beyond

The bubble bursting housing market set off a rapid decline resulting in our current economic depression. Bursting of the housing market bubble was exacerbated by sharp rises of oil, food, and everything else. The fix envisioned by bureaucrats at all levels is more government intervention and monetary policies resembling New Deal socialism. The ownership of capital markets is the end of economic freedom.

The problem with our government’s corporate banking and business bailouts relates to a general rule of thumb that goes something like this: Government programs tend to last nearly forever. Historically, the promise of a temporary alleviation is most a government ploy to increase power. Welfare was supposed to be a temporary solution to economic crisis before and after WWII. Welfare statism is the norm on both sides of the Atlantic. Federal tax reimbursements to local communities with federal facilities were to compensate local schools, thus making taxation fair and equal. That an excuse for Congress to initiate the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. ESEA and its newest version NCLB was supposed to help the poor obtain a quality education. The old song and dance is still sung by bureaucrats, but ESEA has never just helped the poor or poor school districts. ESEA has always benefit non-poor. The same is the case with State Children Health Insurance Program. These are programs like all other socialist program to rob American of their freedom supposedly with their consent.

Once government gets the control over money, markets, jobs, and the rest of our lives it will not like end without the same struggles that George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Polish, or the many other peoples across the globe. The consolation is that our written national compact still gives Americans a peaceful means to right wrongs of government.

Anyway, foreclosures (and property ownership) serves as an indicator of the state of American economic independence. According to reports by RealtyTrac, foreclosures in the U.S. rose 80% in 2008. Foreclosures in Ohio soared 26 percent. Of 113,570 filing in Ohio, the Miami Valley accounted for only about 14% or 16,318. It seems property ownership that is supposedly the realization of the American dream is more illusion than reality. The reality is no one owns any property, at least for 20-30 years, except the federal money market.

The good news is foreclosures in Greene County were relatively low by comparison to the rest of Ohio. Only 940 foreclosures were recorded in 2008, which is less than 1% of all Ohio filings and only 5.8% of all foreclosures in the Miami Valley. Greene County is thus blessed compared to other surrounding countries.

Greene County residents also adhered more to principles of our founding during the past election than many other regions. Could there be a correlation?

Kevin Dewine Becomes Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party

Kevin DeWine was unanimously elected to the chairmanship of the Ohio Republican Party at a party meeting outside Columbus Friday.

Dollar & $ense

Every man woman and child in these United States of America owes $31,641 to the national debt. The interest alone is over $430 BILLION ( $1400 a piece ) with the national debt approx. 9.6 TRILLION and rising. No nation in the history of mankind is in as much debt as ours. Our children and grand children and possibly their children will have us to thank for that.

Famous economist Murray Rothbard, Henry Hazlitt and more recently, President of The von Mises Institue of Austrian Economics Lew Rockwell, understand inflating the nations currency (the dollar) makes our money worth less and less. Many don’t understand the Federal Reserve, or even realize their is nothing “federal” about it. The FED along with Congress, seem to be in love with famous British socialist John Maynard Keynes, who wrote a book in 1920 explaining whats happening to our wealth. Keynes said “by a continuous process of inflation, governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens.” You can do something about it though.

Come and watch the documentary “Dollars and $ense” with other liberty minded people Thursday, January 29th @ 7pm in the downstairs meeting room at the Xenia Library. The meeting will last approximately 1hr.

Project Rock & Project Rap 2009

Xenia is the host city once more for this year’s Project Rock band playoffs at The Cavern, the all-ages music venue in the basement of Express Yourself Coffeehouse & Art Gallery downtown. And a new contest has joined Project Rock in it’s third year: Project Rap will offer three rounds of head to head competition for the Hip-Hop and Rap audience Project Rock and Project Rap are vehicles for young musicians in the Dayton/Xenia area to perform in front of live audiences, to develop creative and original new music, and to learn the difficult challenges and great rewards that surround live music. The first Project Rock show is slated for January 16 and will continue weekends through early June. The schedule of bands for both competitions is available online at ExpressYourselfCoffeehouse.com

Friends, relatives, and fans alike enjoy the festive atmosphere on weekend evenings from January through early June as the bands compete for weekly bragging rights. As the first few bands are eliminated, the true musical and organizational skills of these young musicians begins to become apparent. Almost anyone can get the family and friends to come out to hear them play once or twice, but it takes real talent and enthusiasm, as well as some marketing savvy, to keep their audiences enthusiastic and growing.

In order to test the abilities of the bands, different challenges are presented at each level of the competition. For instance, in the second round each band must perform a classic rock (or rap) song in their own style and for the final show, each of the top bands or rappers must write and perform a totally new song which has never been performed in public before. Project Rock and Project Rap strive to be more than mere popularity contests, so a full panel of judges reviews each performance for professionalism, musicianship, audience interaction and originality and awards points accordingly. In the end, Project Rock has turned several green young bands into seasoned professionals by the end of the series.

The 2007 Project Rock winners were local Xenia indie rockers, Psylis, and the 2008 winner was Lebanon’s heavy metal rockers, Last Dead Hour. A top prize of $500 in cash and enough studio time to record three complete songs made the competition fierce and interesting in previous years. Sponsorships are still available for businesses interested in reaching the key 15-30 year old demographic. This year, Black Disco Ball Studio is a major sponsor and will offer studio time to the Project Rock finalists. Local Rap management company Hidden Talent Records is the major sponsor of Project Rap and is seeking contestants and sponsors for the first year’s competition which begins in February. The Cavern is located at 78 E. Main St. in downtown Xenia. For more information about either competition or to make sponsorship offers, contact Alan King at (937) 372-7446, email: xeniacoffee@sbcglobal.net or visit ExpressYourselfCoffeehouse.com or MySpace.com/TheCavernClub

Xenia New Youth Center Director Speaks at XAMA

Last Thursday, Nathan Chrisman, Director of The Cleft, presented a vision for a youth center to the the Xenia Area Merchants Association. The Cleft is an outreach center for youth. It is intended to provide opportunities for students to grow as individuals and community members. When completed, the facility on South Detroit Street will offer tutoring, counseling, mentorship, and opportunities for community service. Currently, the organization has a community service program running at Xenia High School, and also offers assembly programs on issues facing teens, such as drug and alcohol abuse, violence, and depression. It is not owned or run by AHOP as many people believe, but is run independently by Mr. Chrisman and one other staff member and many volunteers. Financial sponsorship comes from numerous churches, businesses, and community members. Additional financial support is needed to complete renovations and pay for operating expenses. To donate, or for additional information, call 937-671-4060 or visit www.thecleft.org.