"Why should they not be lazy if you are asleep and slient?" -Martin Luther
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Everything you need for an epic Easter

In its bid to part consumers with their money, Walmart has produced a television commercial advertising Easter merchandise. The ad makes reference to an Easter meal, an Easter basket, Easter eggs, and running shoes. The ad suggests that, with these items, kids can get ahead of the pack at an Easter egg hunt. The message of the ad is summed up by these words: “Only Walmart has low prices every day on everything you need for an epic Easter.”

In recent times, the term epic has come to be used to describe all sorts of things. From books and movies to the names of rather mundane churches, from ice cream to running and all sorts of human activities, epic is a widespread adjective these days. Apparently it also applies to Easter egg hunts.

And, apart from the bastardization of the English language, all of that might be okay. But if we think spiral-sliced hams, plastic eggs, and Starter running shoes are what make Easter epic, we’ve fallen a long way from reality.

Shortly before he was crucified, Christ prayed these words to God the Father (John 17:3): “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” Weighed against eternal life, fake eggs and juicy hams don’t seem important.

Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead was and is what makes Easter epic. Only Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross and his defeat of death and the grave can effect eternal life for mankind. The epic story of all time is the love and mercy of God shown in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

To learn more about having your own epic Easter, drop me a line.

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The Second Sunday After the Epiphany

  • Collect: “ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth; Mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
  • Epistle Reading: Romans 12:6-16
  • Gospel Reading: Mark 1:1-11

dramatic clouds || dramatische Wolken
Creative Commons License photo credit: Paraflyer

Introduction

Today is the Second Sunday After the Epiphany. Epiphany is on January 6th and the season extends for two to six weeks, depending on the date of Easter each year. An “epiphany” is a sudden realization or manifestation of some fact. In the church, during Epiphanytide, we mark the manifestation of Jesus as the long-promised messiah sent by God the Father. On January 6th, we remember the coming of the three kings to bring gifts to Jesus two years after his birth. They came to honor the king foretold by the prophets and born in their time, the king who rules over all. Today, we mark the baptism of Jesus. And next week, we will look at Christ’s first miracle at the wedding feast in Cana.

The season of Epiphany encapsulates the realization of who Christ is and what he came to do in the world. It was early in Jesus’ ministry that he was clearly revealed to be the Son of God sent by the Father to be a light to the nations, to restore mankind to the proper relationship with God. Continue Reading…

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Socialism leaves you penniless

The sitting federal Congress that will recess in a few days has gone down in history as the one group of people who has increased the debt of the United States more than anyone else. And all of this after the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, stated, “After years of historic deficits, this 110th Congress will commit itself to a higher standard: Pay as you go, no new deficit spending. Our new America will provide unlimited opportunity for future generations, not burden them with mountains of debt.”

111th Congress Added More Debt Than First 100 Congresses Combined: $10,429 Per Person in U.S. | CNSnews.com http://cnsnews.com/news/article/111th-congress-added-more-debt-first-100The federal government has accumulated more new debt–$3.22 trillion ($3,220,103,625,307.29)—during the tenure of the 111th Congress than it did during the first 100 Congresses combined, according to official debt figures published by the U.S. Treasury.

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During the Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) tenure as speaker, which commenced on Jan. 4, 2007, the federal government has run up $5.177 trillion in new debt. That is about equal to the total debt the federal government accumulated in the first 120 years of the nation’s existence …

The socialist program of the current Congress has led to this out-of-control spending. The American people are more burdened with the expense of socialist public policy than ever before. We are more burdened than ever with the tyranny of an oppressive government that eats out the substance of our productivity and punishes those who maintain personal responsibility in their homes and businesses.

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Socialism destroys free speech

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) determined earlier this week that it has the authority to regulate the internet. The federal Congress has never authorized the FCC to make any regulation or policy regarding the internet.

Terence Jeffrey makes some interesting observations about the current White House administration and free speech. In the column linked below, he notes that the Obama administration wishes to restrict political speech during periods of time around elections. Not only does this involve the repression of free speech through control of electronic book (e-book) distribution, but such a policy could well be used to restrict all political speech over the internet.

Keep the FCC Out of the Internet | CNSnews.com 

Keep the FCC Out of the Internet | CNSnews.com http://cnsnews.com/commentary/article/keep-fcc-out-internetIn other words, the Obama administration believes it can bar a publisher from electronically selling a book via satellite, cable or broadcast media in an election year if the book advocates throwing someone out of Congress or the White House.

Quite clearly, the U.S. Constitution prohibits the interference of the federal government in such a matter: “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press …” (First Amendment). If Congress cannot make law abridging free speech, no organism established by Congress can do so. The FCC is a blight on the liberty of this nation. Though the minders of the FCC are instituting rules to restrict the free market surrounding the internet under the guise of protecting the consumer, such meddling in the market and with the tools of free speech can only lead to a further encroachment–indeed tyranny–of the people’s liberties.

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Socialism murders babies

Planned Parenthood is a taxpayer-supported pro-abortion organism. Although Planned Parenthood may be prohibited from using taxpayer dollars on providing abortions, those funds from U.S. citizens are certainly used to subsidize pro-abortion activities such as literature distribution and “emergency contraception kits” (aka, the “morning after” pill–which causes chemical abortions).

Planned Parenthood's Federal Funding Rose to $363.2 Million in FY 2008-2009 -- Number of Planned Parenthood Abortions Rose to 324,008 in 2008 | CNSnews.com

Planned Parenthood’s Federal Funding Rose to $363.2 Million in FY 2008-2009 — Number of Planned Parenthood Abortions Rose to 324,008 in 2008 | CNSnews.com http://cnsnews.com/news/article/planned-parenthood-annual-report-shows-3(CNSNews.com) –According to its annual report for fiscal year 2008-2009, the amount of revenue Planned Parenthood received from federal grants and contracts was $363.2 million, which is up from $349.6 million (in FY2007-08), and represents a $13.6 million increase.

Government should have no role in funding organizations such as Planned Parenthood. Instead, every government should be involved in protecting the life of its citizens, including the innocent babes in the womb.

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