dailybeacon

John 1: 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.(NIV) 

   John began his first chapter with the description, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (NIV)    I’ve asked myself many times how much confidence would it take to proclaim what John proclaims here, when he proclaimed it.  He followed Jesus for three years, saw him murdered by the ruling authorities, watched as other followers were imprisoned (Paul); a fate John ultimately experienced, and much more.  Yet without fear he proclaims that Jesus is the “One and Only, who came from the Father, full of truth.”  He was the Word and the “Word was God.”   The age old axiom of familiarity breeds contempt does not apply here, despite the claims Jesus made while walking the earth.  John heard them all but fifty or so years after Jesus’ crucifixion, he stands firm in the proclamation of who Jesus was and is.  How sure do I have to be to do the same?  John’s assuredness is enough to build my life on.  The story of Jesus is true

As the events of the past few days have unfolded, one has to wonder or perhaps marvel at the ineptitude of the Obama administration when faced with their first security challenge.  Obama wasn’t even told of the terrorist’s attempted bombing of an incoming plane to the Detroit airport until three hours after it happened.  He was on vacation.  What!?!  Our beloved media chastised President Bush for his facial expression when told of the terrorist bombings of the World Trade Center within minutes of it occurring but find nothing to question here?  Absolutely nuts!!

   Then there is the fact that a Muslim extremist attacked on Christmas Day.  Does anyone really think that was an accident?  A blatant attack against Christianity, period.  No one raises hardly a peep about that but don’t let our soldiers show any feigned disrespect for a Muslim or they face court marshal.  Frankly, the list goes on and on.  Our Homeland Security Director thinks our systems worked just fine at first blush, then recants the next day, likely when someone points out that a statement like that is ridiculous.  Does anything about this issue make you feel like we are in good hands?  Every accusation of inexperienced, unprepared, unqualified has proven to be true again.  Can 2012 get here soon enough?  Will we even be here in 2012 at this rate?  And then today it is reported that Obama left the golf course immediately when told of a family friend’s daughter being hurt.  That’s a good thing, right?  Concern for a friends child?  Yes it is.  But is it really more important than the first terrorist attack over our soil since 911?  No, apparently, that can wait three hours.

John 1:10-13 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  Yet to those who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 

   Imagine how frustrated you would be if you went to your adult child’s home for Christmas and he/she didn’t recognize you.  This is what Jesus did.  The Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) created the world and everyone in it, but few recognized the fact that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah when He came to earth in human form on Christmas, roughly two thousand years ago.  Despite His arrival being prophesied for centuries, He was not recognized!  Can you imagine what it would be like if that your child wouldn’t even let you in on your visit?  That’s what Jesus experienced everywhere He went.  He could have said forget it, like many of us would do, but no; He continued to fulfill the purpose for which He came.  He lived and died to allow us all access to being children of God.  Even though He was Jewish, the offer was extended to Gentiles too, everyone in fact.  Think of the worst person you know.  God still loves them, wants to redeem them, and have fellowship with them.  He wants to give them access into His heavenly mansion.  As you celebrate Christmas 2009, if you haven’t already, recognize Him for who He is and what He wants to do for you.  It will make this Christmas the best Christmas of your life, and every other Christmas you have as well.  Merry Christmas!

John 1: 6-9 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.  He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.  The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. (NIV) 

   John the Baptist is also a historical figure, whose birth was prophesied to Mary by the angel Gabriel when he told her that she had been selected by God to bear Jesus.  He was born to her cousin Elizabeth, wife of Zechariah.  Gabriel had also announced their impending parenthood to them.  Therefore, Jesus was also John’s cousin.   It’s hard to imagine how John could have consistently announced the coming of Jesus to a people who were desperate for a savior of some kind to rid them of the evil
Roman Empire.  They showered praise on him, followed him to hear him speak, calling him messiah.  If he were not so sure of his purpose, he would likely have succumbed to the cries of his audience.  He was so sure of Jesus, he never gave in, always paying homage to the true Messiah, “the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to tie.”   Today, we are not worthy either, but God offered us grace for all time when He sent Jesus to enter our human world to fulfill His purpose.  Thank you, God, is not enough!  Commitment to follow is all we can give, “so that through him all men might believe.”  It is an acceptable sacrifice, according to Him and that’s all that matters.  Amen (so be it!)

John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.   Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 

   Unlike many writers before or since, John opens his Gospel with a cannon shot across the bow of all humanity.  I cannot read this passage and not be keenly aware that he leaves nothing to chance or speculation.  Jesus was with God in the beginning and will be with Him in the end.  Jesus was God; He is the Word from which all life flows.  There is no doubt, this coming from an eye witness to virtually all the events recorded about the life Jesus lived while on earth. 

   John was a seeker.  First he spent time following John the Baptist, hearing first hand that someone was coming who The Baptist, in his own words, was not worthy to tie the sandals of and then he met the man himself.  He was asked to follow the one true One and he did so.  Then he became the disciple “whom Jesus loved.”  He loves us all but John was special, perhaps because Jesus new the Gospel that he was going to write.  There was a time when I was the darkness who did not understand.  By God’s grace, I have found the Light and He has enlightened my world, my very soul!  Praise God!He wants the same for you.

   Throughout history, there have been thousands of examples of the lesson apparently lost on Tiger, if the numerous affair allegations are proven to be true.  The reason that it is so much more poignant this time is that never before this age in history has celebrity brought such worldwide recognition.  We have left the Industrial Age and are now in the Information Age.  Tiger is the singularly most recognized celebrity in the world.  And what’s the lesson?   If all there is to life is stuff, there is NEVER enough.

   How many millions of Americans, let alone people around the world, have said to themselves, “If I had Tiger’s money, I would be happy.”  How many men have said, “If I just had a beautiful wife like Tiger, I would be happy.” Or, “If I could just be that good at something, I would be happy.”  Or, “Tiger has the greatest life there could be.  He can have anything he wants.”  Again, we see, it is NEVER enough!

   Until you and I are determined to bloom where we are planted, temptation will ALWAYS rule the day.  Faith in something other than ourselves, something bigger than we can ever be, faith in God is the ONLY focus that can bring true happiness and satisfaction.  Money, fame, companions, sex, power, lifestyle; all of it means nothing in the long run.  Giving to others, helping others, being selfless are the only things that are timeless and no one is big enough or successful enough at anything to escape the eternal truth that “to whom much is given, much is required.”  Or secularly, ‘the bigger they are, the harder they fall.’

John 15:26, 27 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.  And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” (NIV) 

   On the day of Pentecost, Jesus kept His promise and sent the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, from God the Father to His disciples and to me (you too).  The “Spirit of truth.” arrived.  Why?  Because the Holy Spirit’s arrival was the final confirmation that Jesus was who He said he was.  I’m like Thomas.Don’t tell me, show me, then I’ll believe.  I should live in
Missouri, I guess. God’s entire kingdom was hinging on a rag tag (to the world) band of average men.  If they didn’t testify to the world what they had witnessed for themselves, Jesus’ life on earth was for naught.  When Peter, a fisherman, stood before a crowd of thousands, risking having the same crucifixion fate that Jesus had experienced just forty days before, and confidently proclaimed the risen Christ with such conviction that three thousand men believed and accepted Christ as their Savior, history was changed forever.  Two thousand years later, over a billion people living today have made the same profession of faith with thousands more being added around the world every day.  The call continues to go out to you and me, “And you must testify”.  And so I am.

Has anyone besides me noticed that over the past two years, Tiger’s fuse on the golf course has been much shorter, his upsets more animated, and his smiles less common?  I guess now we may know why.  It had nothing to do with golf.  Anyone struggling with doing wrong is more apt to struggle elsewhere too.  Perhaps the distractions of balancing, what now clearly seems to be, a sordid personal life cannot help but be distracting elsewhere too.  Perhaps, he felt his greatness on the course was enough to not be eroded by guilt.  Lack of focus loses championships in any sport and in golf, majors require more focus than any other tournaments.  Could his lack of winning as many majors recently be tied to these distractions?  I’d say it’s likely.

   One definition of character is what we do when no one is watching.  His public persona has not changed, except for the tirades on the course, his private persona perhaps didn’t until the night he met a tree, but his personal persona apparently did change, unless there have been other prior incidents yet to receive the light of day.  Perhaps losing the rudder of his Dad put a chink in his armor and direction.  Perhaps his ego just led him to believe he could do whatever he wanted without penalty.  But whatever the reason, discovery is the only thing that could bring him back to where he needs to be in order to achieve his stated professional goals.  I really hope it does.  More than any other individual in any other sport, golf needs Tiger. 

   No matter what, he can be thankful that this didn’t occur thirty or more years ago, when the public would have not been so forgiving and character mattered more than a great smile or an unbelievable put.  There will still be a price, just no where nearly as high, unfortunately.  “To whom much is given, much is required.”  Tiger, you let everyone down, including yourself.  Your Target kids foundation, your kids, your wife, your adoring public and on and on.  For what?

   I hope you seek the help that you need to get things back together.  I’m pulling for you and your family  I have daughters.  Awesome and frightening responsibility.  I’ve done some failing myself.  For their sake, I hope you pull it all together.  For their sake, I did.

 This is long, but if you’re concerned about our freedoms it is a worthy red flag to be aware of today. 

   Moira Allen, an editor from Writing World writes, “ This Thanksgiving, my husband and I were deeply aware of the many things we have to be thankful for — chief among them being the fact that we are once again living in the United States.  As most of you know, we spent 15 months in England, pursuing (but not precisely living) a lifelong dream.  Those 15 months made us appreciate so many things that, as Americans, we take for granted.  Freedom, for example.  One thing I’ve always taken for granted is that if a civil authority (e.g., the police) wishes to enter my home, a warrant is required to do so, issued by a judge and only on presentation of “just cause.”  Not so in England!  Any number of “civil authorities,” including social workers, council representatives, “wheelie bin police,” and quite possibly the vegetable seller down the street can legally enter one’s home for any number of reasons (including things like whether you’re importing an illegal variety of potato — which admittedly wasn’t something we worried about over much).

   The latest furor, however, has arisen over a proposal to allow authorities to enter the homes of parents who are home-schooling their children, to “inspect” the premises and ensure that they are “safe” for this very “vulnerable” segment of the population.  (Apparently a child is considered unsafe in the home only during
“school” hours, as there has been no proposal to invade the homes of parents who send their children off to a public or private school.)  But it gets even better; now the British government has proposed to require any parent who wishes to home-school a child to undergo a criminal records check, to ensure that the parent has “no
record of violence against children.” (Again, evidently only parents who choose to teach their own children are considered potential child abusers; just HAVING a child isn’t enough to arouse official suspicion… yet.) Oh, and by the way, the parent has to
pay for a criminal records check, to the tune of approximately $300 (last time I looked; it may have gone up by now) — imagine paying your government just to prove you have the right to educate your own child!

   Did I mention that our beloved newsletter editor home-schools her daughter?  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we have a potential criminal on our staff, one who has already flagrantly defied the law of the land by swapping child-care with a friend. (Yup, this is illegal in England, because friends who swap child-care are receiving a “benefit” for offering such care — that benefit being getting their OWN child cared for in return — and they are therefore operating a “business” without a license.  Presumably, too, it’s illegal to watch your friend’s child without undergoing a criminal background check — because ANYONE who is involved in any sort of business or volunteer activity that might get them within 100 yards of a child must have one!)”

  Remember, it’s England’s socialized medicine that liberals are so enamored with.  However, anything that gives government excessive control only begins the process for more and more arenas to fall.  This concern is not paranoia.  The intrusion of government in socialized countries has happened all over the world, except here…yet, because so far we have not allowed socialism to seep into our society!  It could change before Christmas if Obama Democrats have their way.

   I have a special needs daughter who requires stomach medicine to control excessive acid from building up in her digestive tract.  She has been taking doctor prescribed Prevacid for several years.  As you know or maybe you don’t know, recently Prevacid has become an over the counter drug.  I went to the pharmacy yesterday to refill her prescription.  She has been covered by government (state) insurance her entire life.  As of December 1, the state no longer covers Prevacid, so she will now buy it for $28 a month.  She’s employed and a taxpayer and will cover the cost.  That’s not the point.  The point is that in this small way the precursor of a national government insurance plays out.  If the government decides something isn’t going to be covered like mammograms for women under fifty, for example, no coverage will be available.  Currently, without government insurance, it’s a new recommendation to reduce healthcare costs.  It it were in place, it would be the way it is.  H1N1 Flu shots have not been available to people over 49 for most of the coverage period.  Though there are some medical rationales for that decision, the point is, with government healthcare, rationing of coverage, or medical procedures allowed and more, will be the reality.  This is not a theory!  It happens in every country in the world with government run healthcare.

   Do we need healthcare reform?  Absolutely!!!  Do we need government healthcare?  Absolutely not!!!!