Preserving Traditional Marriage

I have continued to be highly impressed with the stand that Gov. Mike Huckabee has taken against the promotion of homosexuality and homosexual rights. I am excited to see a candidate who does not waver or waffle on this issue.

In the second video clip you will see below, he is asked if he will accept the support of the log cabin republicans, or republicans that stand for homosexual rights. He doesn't even have to think about the answer. He pounces on it like a cat on a mouse and turns it into a positive stand for right!

I continue to find myself hopeful that we might actually have the possibility of an honest, Christian leader standing for the Christian principles that our nation was founded on as our next president.





"I support and have always supported passage of a federal constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman. As President, I will fight for passage of this amendment. My personal belief is that marriage is between one man and one woman, for life.

"No other candidate has supported traditional marriage more consistently and steadfastly than I have. While Massachusetts was allowing homosexuals to marry, I got a constitutional amendment passed in Arkansas in 2002 defining marriage as between one man and one woman. I got Arkansas to become only the third state to adopt "covenant" marriage. My wife Janet and I upgraded our vows on Valentine's Day, 2005. Today, many churches in Arkansas will perform only covenant marriages, so I'm hoping we'll see a decline in our divorce rates."

The Blood of the Lamb (Pt. 1)

It is the Blood of Christ that provides redemption from the prison of our own wicked sinfulness.

It is the blood of Christ that delivers us from the bondage, the distress, and the liability of the sin which characterizes our lives. We are, in a most literal sense, set free as a direct result of the pure, perfect blood which was poured out to the foot of the cross!

… Without shedding of blood is no remission. ~ Heb 9:22

Noah Webster defined the term Remission in a beautifully inspirational manner when he penned these words in the 1828 edition of his dictionary, “Release; discharge or relinquishment of a claim or right; as the remission of a tax or duty.”

The tax or duty that sin had laid upon us was the very wages of an eternity without Christ. It was the sentence of a literal lake which burns with fire and brimstone. It is to spend an eternity alongside the despondent rich man who looked up howling, screaming, and begging for a solitary drop of water to cool his parched tongue! It is to live in unending death for the span of eternity dwelling in regret and remorse.

Yet now, these chains have been torn as they were but a strand of thread. That burden has been ripped from our souls and we have been liberated by God’s grace through the shed blood of the faultless Lamb of Israel.

The Watchman Awards

Another week…another winner, or rather another three winners! Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to another week of the almost world famous Watchman Awards. Since I revived the Watchman Awards, I have been getting calls from all the major news networks and a few local news networks requesting exclusive interviews which I have, of course, declined. Fox News, CNN, Rush Limbaugh, Larry King, and many others are sorely disappointed......

And, don't forget about the free book give away that is taking place this week. Be sure to check it out and get in on the action!

1. Too Many "Coincidences" by Kent Brandenburg at The Jackhammer

"The events in the birth of Christ are enough to believe the Bible and to believe in Christ. They are events that are controlled from the outside of time and space."

2. The Virgin Birth - The Miracle of Christmas by Jim at Standing in the Gap

"Contrary to much popular lore, “The Miracle of Christmas” is not food for the hungry, or shelter for the homeless (though, of course, those are indeed wonderful things). “The Miracle of Christmas” is the Virgin Birth!

3. The Virgin Birth of Christ by Steve Weaver at Pastor Steve Weaver's Blog

"It’s interesting that for all the discussion of Jamie Lynn Spears’ pregnancy, no one has opined that it is the result of a miraculous virgin conception. We need to realize that the story of Mary’s miraculous conception of Jesus by the Holy Spirit was just as impossible to believe then as it would be today."

Important Prayer Request

I just received the following email from my former pastor at Clays Mill Road Baptist Church in Lexington, KY. I say former because I have moved to the Washington DC area and am now a member of a church in this area. Anyways, his wife has suffered a major accident and is in need of much prayer. It would mean a lot to me personally, and I know that it would mean a lot to him if you would pray for her. Thank you in advance and God bless you!

I am writing to tell you about an accident my wife had on this past Thursday evening in the kitchen at our house and to ask you to pray for her. Michelle had prepared supper and had boiled some tea for iced tea. She turned with a glass pitcher in her hands and it broke spilling the hot tea of her foot. When the tea hit her foot she jumped back and when she did her foot slipped and she fell, with her right arm and wrist first, on the broken pitcher. We knew immediately from the amount of blood that she was severely cut.

I held the artery in her right arm tight and got into the back of our vehicle with Joel driving toward the hospital. We called 911 and an ambulance met us on Clays Mill Road and transported her on to UK hospital. I rushed back home got the kids settled for a minute and then rushed back to the ER.

She ended up in surgery starting a little after midnight and the surgery lasted for almost five hours as she had cut all eight tendons going to her four fingers in her wrist and then had cut six of them again with cuts to the three fingers. She also lacerated her artery as well as several nerves. The hand surgeon said he was able to re-attach each of the nerves, tendons and arteries. She got into recovery about 5am and then to a room about 1PM today.

She was released from the hospital and sent home about 5pm this evening (12/28) and is here at home resting now.

The doctors say she will have several months of therapy and work to restore the use and feeling in her fingers again. Of course, we are concerned about her hand because of her ability to play the piano and teach piano lessons. The doctors say only time and therapy will tell. This is where we ask that you pray that she will be able to have the movement and felling restored to her fingers.

We have received many notes and emails from folks who have heard about this incident and we are grateful for your prayers, your friendship and love.


Preacher and Michelle

The Week In Review

I had a fantastic Christmas this week! On Christmas eve, my wife and I were invited to my former squad leader's house for some snacks and board games. We had loads of fun. We played a series of games in which we witted the guys against the gals. We played 'Scene It: Squabble,' 'Battle of the Sexes,' and 'Cranium.' The guys, of course, won two out of three of the games that we played that night. I also filled up on pizza bites, tacquitos, and mini egg rolls. Not very Christmassy, but very tasty!

On Christmas day, we were back at it again. This time, however, it was a nice couple from our church that had invited us over for Christmas. There were three couples total and again we played board games. This time, however, we played Taboo, which turned into a complete riot. We were all laughing so hard.

They also provided an awesome meal for us. We had turkey, ham, potatoes, green bean casserole I ate like a king. It was a great Christmas meal.

My wife and I cheated, however, when it came to opening presents. We tore into our gifts not on Christmas or even Christmas Eve. We opened our presents on Saturday night. We had a lot of fun, though. My wife got some scrap booking supplies and I got a new sweater. We both got new pajamas...mine are superman! I'm wearing my new Christmas sweater in the picture above.

On Wednesday and Thursday, I was really surprised. I went into work at my usual time of 5:45 AM only to be released from work between 9:00 Am and 10:00 AM both days. They basically gave me both days off.

So on Wednesday, my wife and I went out on a date. We headed out to Ruby Tuesday and had another huge meal. I took down a whole rack of barbecue ribs. I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it. I am going to be fat and out of shape by the time I really have to go back to work. We also went shoe shopping and bought some more Scrap Booking supplies.

Today, I will be participating in either two or three funerals in Arlington National Cemetery. I love having the privilege to do what I do and to honor the men who I am able to honor. I thank God for all that he is doing in my life. Pray for me as I go my way. God bless you!

P.S. I just added a new feature over at the resources section of The Baptist Muse. You can now rate each resource on a scale of one to five. Be sure to swing over there and try it out. Also, be sure to leave me some comments or email me to let me know of any resources that I can add to the site. I don't have a whole lot on there yet and I want to continue growing it. Thanks in advance and have fun!

Free Book Give Away!

In an effort to stimulate activity at my website, I have decided to initiate a free book giveaway contest. The first book that I will be giving away is Tom Brokaw's "The Greatest Generation." The book is brand new and is completely free to the winner of my newest competition.

On Friday, I will be posting my "Week in Review" segment. On Saturday, I will be posting my "Watchman Awards" segment. On Monday, I will be posting my "Mike Huckabee" segment. And I am currently working on an interview with a very godly Christian veteran who just got back from Iraq which I will hopefully be able to post prior to next Thursday. I have a lot of exciting things coming up so stay tuned or subscribe to my updates.

To be eligible for this contest, all you have to do is comment on any post between now and next Thursday. Each comment posted is another chance to win. You may post a maximum of three non-continuous comments per post. Of course, you can post more than that but only the first three will count. Non-continuous means that you may not have two comments on the same post in a row. Someone else must comment before you can submit your second comment.

To determine the winner, I will use a random number generator using the total number of comments to set the limits of the generator. I will then begin counting through the comments. The first comment posted this week will be number one. The second comment posted this week will be number two. Etc. Whatever the number generator spits out at me, that is the winner of the book. I will then announce the winner and contact you to get your mailing address and I will send it right out to you!

Product Description: "In the spring of 1984, I went to the northwest of France, to Normandy, to prepare an NBC documentary on the fortieth anniversary of D-Day, the massive and daring Allied invasion of Europe that marked the beginning of the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. There, I underwent a life-changing experience. As I walked the beaches with the American veterans who had returned for this anniversary, men in their sixties and seventies, and listened to their stories, I was deeply moved and profoundly grateful for all they had done. Ten years later, I returned to Normandy for the fiftieth anniversary of the invasion, and by then I had come to understand what this generation of Americans meant to history. It is, I believe, the greatest generation any society has ever produced."

The Average Modern Christian

This morning during my commute to work, I was listening to a powerful message from Dr. Roger Voegtlin. He was speaking very candidly about the current spiritual state of the modern average Christian. The following is a verbatim excerpt from the sermon entitled 'God's Kind of Fanaticism.'

"The average modern Christian is not Christ-like. Let me stop and say it to zero in a little more. The average independent, fundamental Baptist Christian is not Christ-like. But we're quick to defend our weaknesses, our flaws, and our defeats.

"The average modern independent Baptist has no desire to perfect his life for God, but is more interested in covering up his problems. Looking good in his eyes. Looking good in other people's eyes. I KNOW that. I am not saying all. I am saying average.

"With the average Christian all you have to do is just touch their problem and they are like a porcupine ready to throw their pricks out. I am amazed that Christians can read the strong appeals of our Lord and of the Apostles for us to be strong and separated unto him and still fight it...Fight it! At the same time they want to be accepted as spiritual. That to me describes the average Christian today.

"If the cross of Jesus Christ means what it should to us, we know that we've got to carry it!"

Mike Huckabee - Sanctity of Life

I am extremely impressed with almost all of the issues that Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee stands for. I have decided to demonstrate my support for him by placing support banners in the sidebar and by promoting the principles that he stands on.

Each Monday, I will post information about this man in an effort to convince all of you that he is a worthy candidate for the presidency. The following is an excerpt from Mike Huckabee's website which identifies his strong, Biblical position on abortion. I strongly support him in this issue and I invite you to find out more!

"I support and have always supported passage of a constitutional amendment to protect the right to life. My convictions regarding the sanctity of life have always been clear and consistent, without equivocation or wavering. I believe that Roe v. Wade should be over-turned.

"I applaud the Supreme Court's recent decision in Gonzales v. Cathcart forbidding the gruesome practice of partial birth abortion. While I am optimistic that we are turning the tide in favor of life, we still have many battles ahead of us to protect those who cannot protect themselves, and so it is vital that we elect a pro-life President.

"I first became politically active because of abortion, when I helped pass Arkansas' Unborn Child Amendment, which requires the state to do whatever it legally can to protect life.

"As Governor, I did all I could to protect life. The many pro-life laws I got through my Democrat legislature are the accomplishments that give me the most pride and personal satisfaction.

"I am opposed to research on embryonic stem cells."

The Return of the Watchman Awards

After almost a year since the last Watchman Awards, the long missed tradition is being brought back to life. The Watchman Awards is the element of this blog where the local neighborhood watchman scours the internet looking for well written, doctrinally sound, politically right-wing, original articles. This is the segment where I post a list of the top three articles that I found in the blogosphere this week.

It's up to you to let me know via the comments section about other blogs that I may not have yet discovered. Be sure to nominate your friends' blogs for next weeks awards. You can even nominate yourself for one of these much-sought-after trophies! Its a great way to find more blogs and bloggers that are interested in the same things that we are...elevating the truth! Plus its a great way to let others know about your blog.

Don't be shy. Head down to the comments section. Congratulate the winners. Criticize the winners. Just let us know what you think. Give us a link to your blog. Make yourself known. And be sure to swing back by next week for another episode of the Watchman Awards!

And now, I am pleased to present to you this weeks Watchman Awards!

1. The War Against Certainty by Kent Brandenburg at What is Truth?

"Benjamin Franklin is given credit for saying: "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." Influential nineteenth-century, liberal, British thinker John Stuart Mill wrote: "There is no such thing as absolute certainty, but there is assurance sufficient for the purposes of human life." I don't believe either of those guys lined up with God in this matter of certainty. I'm certain that God not only wants us to be certain, but He provided all the evidence we needed to be certain."

2. Have You Any Room For Jesus by Jerry Bouey at Buy The Truth

"It is almost Christmas once again. Looking forward to time we will spend with family and friends. All too often we forget the meaning behind this holiday - the meaning we say we are celebrating Christmas for!"

3. Daffy Definitions by Joe at Joe's Jottings

"It seems there are those in this county who would make it their practice to define, or re-define, words to mean whatever they want them to mean at the time they are using them. The way a society defines words depends on many factors, such as their linguistic origin, their historical meaning and, to a lesser extent, their common usage."

The Week In Review

For the first three days of the work week, I was able to enjoy half days at work. I got out of work on Monday through Wednesday at noon. During those days, I attended several holiday safety briefings, a absentee voting briefing, a change of command ceremony, and several other things. The change of command ceremony was to honor a new Command Sergeant Major who is taking charge of the 3rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) in Washington, DC.

As a result of the early release, I was able to spend some extra time at church on Monday afternoon. We have been working at the church to build a new Sunday School building. We are now at the final stages of the project and we hope to be moved into the building by the first of the year...or thereabouts.

On Thursday and Friday, however, I was back in Arlington National Cemetery participating in Funerals for soldiers. We conducted three ceremonies yesterday and one today. Today, my nose started running right at the beginning of the mission. That is one of the worst feelings because I am completely frozen in place. I'm not allowed to move a muscle and I know that it is going to be that way for about the next thirty minutes or more. It was torture! Oh well.

I heard a great Christmas story the other day. A grandfather comes home to see his granddaughter playing with her new toys. "Do you think the neighbor girl got toys as nice as you this Christmas?" He asks her.

"Oh, grandpa. She's not Christmas. She's Hanukkah...and she's not easter, either. She's passover." And then she paused for a few seconds. All of a sudden her eyes lit up and a huge smile swept over her face. "...but we're both fourth of July!"

I am looking forward to Christmas. I will not be headed home like I would wish, but I will be spending a lot of time with my wife with the four day weekend that I will be enjoying this week and next. I am definitely looking forward to gorging myself and taking a few days off work! I hope you all have an awesome Christmas! Merry Christmas!

Why Won't People Make Things Right?

Why is it, do you suppose, that people are so willing to put off making things right with God? People live as if every day of their life is guaranteed. Many folks are much like the rich man whose story is told by Jesus. The rich man decided to tear down his barns to build bigger and greater things to hold all of his wealth and savings. Instead, however, he died suddenly!

What is it that makes people die without Christ? Why don’t they realize the importance of that decision? What is it that Satan uses to blind their eyes?

Is it unbelief? Many people are going to be turned away from God because they did not believe in the rightly inspired Word of God in that they did not believe the pure and simple plan of God’s salvation. People may sincerely believe in baptism, deeds, or sacraments to get them to heaven. These, however, are only a sign that they do not believe that Christ is the only way to heaven. Their unbelief or misbelief, if I may create a word, will send them to a hell that was not intended for them. Sincerity does not matter. The object of our belief does matter.

Is it procrastination? Many people do believe that God’s Word is true and yet they continue to ignore his warnings because they are putting it off. I have heard many people say, “Well, I believe it is true, but I’m just not ready…maybe next week.” What a sad statement!

Is it that they grieved the Holy Spirit? Could it be that people spend so much of their life rejecting God and denying His conviction on their heart that He simply stops working on them? Could it be that God decides to draw the line and a person can find himself without hope.

Whatever the case, unbelief, procrastination, or grieving away the Holy Spirit, people will wake up one day too late when this life is over. They are going to find out that Christ was everything. The lost will wake up to a rude awakening in terms of the grave circumstances that they have placed themselves in by their sin and rejection of the savior.

Even we as Christians are going to find this true in our lives. Many Christians don’t really trust God in true belief and follow him in faith. Many Christians put off making things right with Him. Many Christians grieve away the Holy Spirit from working in their lives.