We Chose This America

We are picking foolish morally dubious presidential candidates because this is a democracy and we are electing candidates that reflect the people. We don’t want to say it, but it’s true… We as a country chose these two people because something in them resonated with the people of this country. Now we see this political horror show and say… “man that looks ugly.” As if that is some how NOT US… Sorry to say it but we picked them because they are the majority of us.

We watch them bicker on stage calling each other liars, calling for fact checkers, and America doesn’t know who’s telling the truth. That’s because America rejected truth a long time ago. We rejected God and His standard of truth. So now we all have our own truth. Now that everybody has their own truth the other person is a liar, but nobody else knows if that’s true… because we have rejected truth.

We picked immoral candidates because we have rejected God’s righteous Word. Sure we say “keep the Christ in Christmas” but when we never go to church and Fox News with its scantily clad reporters is the closest we as a nation get to reading the Bible, then we really have rejected God whether or not we miss the “good Ole days.”

We are destroying ourselves precisely because we have rejected God. God leaves us with this little thought. “As it all falls apart remember it’s because you left me and are doing this to yourself”:

And you shall be profaned by your own doing in the sight of the nations, and you shall know that I am the Lord .”  Ezekiel 22:16 ESV

The only answer is to admit our sin, repent, and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ.  The people will not elect a truthful, moral, and godly candidate until they repent and that candidate reflects their own hearts. Only Christ can redeem our wicked hearts. Until we actually repent nothing will change. You can say “praise the Lord” but if you aren’t actually going to church and following Jesus Christ in your life… I don’t buy it… neither does God… and nothing will change.

How to Clean Your House After a Flood

Because so many are affected by the regional flooding in Southern Louisiana I am posting this “mud-out” guide to help people cleaning out their homes after the flood.  This guide was originally provided to me by Dr. Lonnie Wascom with www.northshorebaptists.net a baptist association in Southern, Louisiana.

BASIC MUD-OUT GUIDE FOR HOME OWNERS

The removal of wet debris from a flooded home is called mud-out because everything flooded is saturated with muddy water.  The objective is to get the house cleared of all wet debris to discourage the growth of mold and to allow the structure to dry out as quickly as possible so reconstruction can begin.  The following sequence of actions is suggested for your consideration:

  1. Look for hazards such as broken gas lines, structural damage and damaged electric systems.  Other potential hazards may include contamination by chemical spills and overflowing of sewage systems.   Watch for snakes and insects that may be found in unexpected places.
  2. Be aware of personal health and physical limitations. People with respiratory or heart problems should approach mud-out work with great caution.  Furthermore, flood conditions bring increased risk of tetanus and hepatitis. Wear protective clothing such as boots, coveralls, hardhat, gloves and facemask.  A fiber face respirator with N-95 rating is normally adequate for dust and molds, but not for gas or chemical fumes.
  3. Open all doors and windows and use fans to help circulate air through the house. Try to prevent any additional damage to the home.  If the roof has suffered damage, temporary plastic roof covering may be needed.  Remember, the home can normally be restored to its previous or better condition.
  4. Prevent health hazards by removing perishable foods and any chemicals or medicine to safe areas where animals or children will not get to it.
  5. If the flood water was high enough to get the walls and insulation wet:
    1. Remove all damaged furniture and wet debris from the house. Separate it on the curb by type, as appliances, furniture, food, chemicals and dry wall (sheetrock).  Put insulation and miscellaneous items in plastic bags.    Please be aware that many of your things can be saved if properly cleaned and restored.
    2. Remove the carpets and pads. These can be cut into manageable pieces with a box knife for safe removal.  Some carpet cleaning companies can clean and restore carpets but the wet carpet pad has to be replaced.
    3. Remove the baseboard, window and door trim where the dry wall and insulation is wet and must be taken out. Drill 1” holes in the bottom of the wall between each stud to get air circulation.
    4. The dry wall and insulation should normally be removed about one foot above the high water level. Moisture Meters can be used to check the condition of the dry wall and insulation.
    5. Remove any wet items from fixtures or cabinets. Open all doors to cabinets.  If the water level was only several inches, drill a 1” hole in the bottom of each cabinet so an air flow can me maintained.  Leave permanent fixtures and cabinets for repair or removal by professional craftsmen.  Dry wall and insulation behind or on the opposite wall of a fixture should be removed to allow the dry wall behind the fixture to dry.
    6. If the flood water only reached the floor level but did not get the dry-wall and insulation wet you may only need to roll the carpet and remove the carpet pad, as some carpet cleaners can clean and dry the carpet and replace the pad. Adequate ventilation will be needed to remove excessive moisture.  See item c.
  6. When an area is drying, do not rewet it with a hose or power washer. Let the area dry out and then sweep up the remaining debris.  Spray with a fungicide such as Shockwave.  If it is not available, a mixture of one half cup of bleach per one gallon of water may be applied where the site is still wet and mold is growing, this may not affect black mold.
  7. Allow the house to dry out for several weeks before putting in new dry wall and insulation. The time required for adequate drying will depend on temperature, humidity and how well ventilated the structure is.
If you want to Donate to NSBA disaster relief efforts:

The people who provided this guide are the Northshore Baptist Association.  They are partnering with multiple local churches in South Louisiana and with other associations in the region for disaster relief efforts.  If you want to donate to their ongoing relief effort please make checks out to:  Northshore Baptist Association, 11411 McLaughlin Lane, Hammond, 70403 and mark them for “Disaster Relief.”

God bless and be praying for Southern, Louisiana.

Photo by darkday.

Love One and Hate the Other

If you love Jesus, hate what put Him on the cross. Loving Him means hating sin.

O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord , O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!
Psalms 97:10-12

Urgent: Call LA Congress Now

UPDATE May 23rd: The hearing for the Pastor Protection Bill HB 597 is set for 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 24, in the Judiciary B Committee room at the Capitol. I have been informed that there may be members on the committee opposed to the bill.  It will take only 4 votes to kill it! Here is a List of every Senator who is currently on this committee.  Contact them TODAY and let them know that you, your church, and others will be watching this closely and that you want them to SUPPORT the Pastor Protection Bill HB 597.

UPDATE: April 20th. Alright guys, with the bill passing the House it’s time to bring our fight to the Senate.  Here is the contact information for our state senators. Here is the link to find the one in your district. Tell them to pass the Pastor Protection Bill!

UPDATE: 7PM. The bill passed 97-0! A lot of the arguments against it fell flat. Praise the Lord!

UPDATE 5:30pm central: The bill is now being discussed.  Here is where we are in the house agenda. Here is the live feed.

Today, April 19th, after 1pm the Lousiana House of Representatives is voting on a Bill to protect Pastors from being arrested for practicing their faith. Please contact your Louisiana State House Representative and inform them to vote yes for HB597 – The Pastor Protection Bill.  This a bill that will protect Pastors like me from imprisonment and penalty for refusing to participate in or officiate weddings that are a violation of our beliefs. The LGBT community will be there to oppose the bill so they can continue to force people to violate their conscience and force them to submit to their beliefs. Something they claim all the time that they don’t do. Yet why would they fight a bill that prevents something they say they would never do?

Here is a list of Louisiana House Representatives Contact information. Find the one in your district, call and e-mail him or her. Tell them to Vote Yes on HB597.

Thank you all for your support.

Digging Up My Coin

image

The Lord has been on me about launching this website for a while. I struggle with being a perfectionist and in having the faith to leap when I don’t know all the answers. God’s been showing me that if He tells me to do something I better get started and let Him work out the details. The parable that sticks in my mind most is the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). I keep waiting for the right time but the time is now. I say to God “well I will get on that when it’s a better time.” But God’s plan is best. Sure I don’t know a thing about websites, sure I feel insanely busy all the time already, and maybe the site isn’t going to look that good at first… But God said get started and I don’t want to be the guy who buries God’s investment in the ground with nothing to show for it. Because If I become that guy and don’t repent; God’s not going to keep investing where there is no profit. God is never wastes his time or energy. So here it goes! I hope this site is a blessing to all of you.

In Christ,
Jared

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:14-30 ESV
http://bible.com/59/mat.25.14-30.ESV