Soul and Citizen–Liberated

While singing on a cruise ship around New York Harbor, American Gospel songwriter Neil Enloe saw the Statue of Liberty, and wondered why there wasn't a song that celebrated the Kingdom of God as the National Anthem celebrated the American Flag. He thought to himself, There must be a symbol of freedom in Christ as … Continue reading Soul and Citizen–Liberated

Home Plate

Douglas Raine posted this article on the Full Gospel Businessmens Training page. It's called "17 Inches-- by John Scolinos". Twenty years ago, in Nashville , Tennessee , during the first week of January, 1996, more than 4,000 baseball coaches descended upon the Opryland Hotel for the 52nd annual ABCA's convention. While I waited in line … Continue reading Home Plate

Freedom History

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." … Continue reading Freedom History

Game Plan

With the recent win of the U.S. Women's soccer team, it has given those athletes the chance to express their gratitude of the benefits of living in a free country. Except it didn't always come across that way. We saw scenes of the American Flag being dropped (thrown?) on the ground and danced on, and … Continue reading Game Plan

Patriotism is NOT Christianity

Another Fourth of July has come and gone; millions of Americans celebrated Independence Day with BBQs, parades, and fireworks. We have done this for 243 years. Nearly 2 1/2 centuries have passed since the first celebration of freedom from a tyrannical government that intended to govern with an iron fist of power and keep the … Continue reading Patriotism is NOT Christianity

Called to Be Free

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will … Continue reading Called to Be Free

Pain and Suffering

In my first round of college at Southwest Baptist University, I took a January-term class called "Pain and Suffering." It was a philosophy class that filled the requirement in that area. The professor, a PhD -- and try as I might, I cannot recall his name -- carefully guided us along the Biblical teachings on … Continue reading Pain and Suffering

The Fifth Column

Franklin Roosevelt stated May 16, 1940: “We have seen the treacherous use of the ‘fifth column’ by which persons supposed to be peaceful visitors were actually a part of an enemy unit of occupation.” Franklin Roosevelt described the “fifth column” tactics, Dec. 29, 1940: “Their secret emissaries … seek to stir up … dissension to … Continue reading The Fifth Column

Don’t Conform

We are inundated daily with ads and commercials that project what the world sees as "perfect" or "right" or "complete" and especially politically correct. Signs and billboards, TV, movies, magazines, newspapers, online and offline, they are wherever we look in our daily life. It's the stuff we need to train ourselves to immediately ignore, look … Continue reading Don’t Conform

A Father’s Influence

John Adams, signer of the Declaration of Independence and America's second President, was the father of six children. During the War for Independence he spent much time in public service and away from his family. Not wanting to neglect his children, he and Abigail Adams wrote letters to each other about how the children's education … Continue reading A Father’s Influence