Category: Uncategorized

Sunday July 6, 2014

Several weeks ago, I began to ponder the way we glibly say “God bless America.” I suddenly came aware of the fact that we are more blessed than we deserve. Isn’t that the way God does. But my mind was led to the reality that there must be something else, something better that we should pray. I say it is time for America to bless God, rather than the selfish and continual request for Him to bless us.

America has asked God to stay away from our children in school. We have told children and teachers that it is inappropriate to bring their religion into the classroom or even the lunchroom before the noon meal. We have ignored Him in the history classroom. We have ignored Him in the Social Studies classroom. We have ignored Him in the Health classroom. We have ignored Him quite notably in the science classroom. In the principal’s office and on the sports field, we have asked God to leave. Then we have the nerve to pray for God to bless America. I say it is time for America to bless God.

America has asked God to step aside while we kill thousands of unborn babies each year. We speak humanitarian reasons; we speak health reasons; we speak comfort and convenience. We speak anything and everything other than Godliness and holiness. Then we have the nerve to pray for God to bless America. I say it is time for America to bless God.

America has asked God to keep out of our homes. We do not concern ourselves with His word when we are dating. We don’t bother praying as we decide when and whom to marry. We don’t listen when we are raising our children. We throw away Biblical truth because we are too lazy and indifferent to apply it in our very own homes when there isn’t even anyone else looking. Then our marriages fail and we wonder why. Our children grow so indifferent to God that they are not even aware that we have left God out of the picture. There is not so much as a prayer before a meal. There is no reference to God unless we use Him as a threat against our children to make them fear. If anything, God is a crutch that we sit in a corner until we stumble and hurt our feet. Then we have the nerve to pray for God to bless America. I say it is time for America to bless God.

In our courtrooms, we shake our fists in defiance of the law of God. The very fact that it is in God’s law seems to make it necessary for out civil laws to discount it and deem it inappropriate for consideration. Then we have the nerve to pray for God to bless America. I say it is time for America to bless God.

Our government seems to have forgotten that it is God who gave us this place where we live. Somewhere in the process of administering the necessities of the people, they have determined that they are the owners of the people rather than the God who created us. They do not care that God has commanded. They believe that it is theirs to make all the rules and it is ours to blindly follow. They claim that now famous misunderstanding of the establishment clause of the United Constitution (the first amendment) claiming the founding document requires that there be no involvement of faith and government, especially when the elected officials want something outside of the written revelation of God. Then we have the nerve to pray for God to bless America. I say it is time for America to bless God.

Our military chaplains are given instruction to speak softly about Christ. Our soldiers are given instruction to keep their faith to themselves. We send them to fight for those who spit in the face of the one true and living God while proclaiming diversity with the same tongue that we praise the satanic regimes that do not know Him and shun any mention of His name. Then we have the nerve to pray for God to bless America. I say it is time for America to bless God.

Even our churches have forgotten God. His name has become simply the password for admission into the club with a cross on the top of the building. Godly truth is meaningless. The study of the Bible has been changed to studying about the Bible. Ministers are now hired hands rather than men called of God to be His ministers and church leaders. Times which are meant to be moments of corporate worship have been made into show times with a house full of audience members. We have failed to focus the attention of the worship on the audience of one. We want to feel the music. We want to enjoy the music. We want to perform the music. Much of the music is about men rather than God, and we still call it worship.  The preaching of the Word of God has become a brief moment to make sinners comfortable in their sin rather than experiencing the conviction of the Holy Spirit. We work hard so that there is no chance that anyone can be offended by God’s standards, and treat offence at the identifying of sin as the greatest sin of all. Many times, the group with church, or fellowship, or some other religious sounding word on the sign ignores God altogether. Then we have the nerve to pray for God to bless America. I say it is time for America to bless God.

America, God will be blessed when we read to His word – all of it.

America, God will be blessed when we preach His word – all of it.

America, God will be blessed when we live His word – all of it.

God will be blessed by America when He again becomes the center of our lives.

When our army fights for His cause, He will be blessed.

When our schools promote His greatness, He will be blessed.

When we stand for His people, He will be blessed.

When we oppose sin, He will be blessed.

When we care about lostness more than social ills, He will be blessed.

America, God will be blessed when we return to Him; all of us, to all of Him, for all of time.

God will be blessed when His people, “who are called by His name humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked way” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

And this preacher thinks that we should stop asking God to bless America. He has blessed us over and over again. We have turned on him. I say it is time for America to bless God.

See You SONday

Pastor Steve

(C) SF Gallagher 2014

 

May 24, 2014

 

I am a veteran of the United States Navy. My service was pretty light in its content. Yes I did go to sea and yes the ship on which I served did have a major fire while I was onboard and yes there were men who died in service while serving at the same time on the same naval vessel. But I was never under fire. I am not sure that my life was ever actually in danger during my service.

So I got to come home and I now enjoy the accolades and benefits of being a veteran. I am proud that I can. But the holiday we recognize this time each year is not about me any more than it is about going to the lake and getting drunk. It is about men like me who went to places and did things that may call them to their death. More so, it is about men who both heard and answered that call. It is about men who stepped out of time and into eternity just at the right moment as to guarantee that those of us who did not take that step may continue to walk in the freedoms that remain for us. We bow on this day giving thanks to them and for their sacrifice. It is good that we remember.

But there is one man who stepped out of eternity and into time. He did so to provide us a freedom that no other soldier could ever even offer. He offers eternal freedom. His name is Jesus. His sacrifice provides assurance of Heaven. Many knees have bowed and many tongues have confessed who He is and what He has done. Many have given thanks to Him for his sacrifice. Have you? It is even better that you remember this.

 

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11NKJV

See You SONday

Pastor Steve

One last thing; while this appears to be directed at career professional ministers, it is not. The well said motto of many churches states “Every Member a Minister.” That means that everyone can do a part of this sharing Jesus thing. When everyone gets involved, the message will be stronger. If the church waits for the few staff members to do all the evangelism, precious little will be done.

 

So you, pew sitter, and you musician, and you usher and you committee member and you, whoever you are, go lead someone to Jesus. At least help them get a bit closer to Him. Then this wonderful world that we live in will be even better.

 

See You SONday

 

…To Be Continued – Or at least it should be – Will it?

© SF Gallagher 2008

It is true that there is a great battle afoot. It is also true that there are many other topics that can be added to the list above. Marriages and families are treated as a throw away commodities or even less. Children are being tossed around as play toys and bargaining tools in these breakups. Generational conquest of the welfare system is becoming a full-time occupation for irresponsible yet able-bodied people who can, but will not work. By others, earning money is deemed more important than raising children. The government is too large and the courts are too powerful. In spite of all that I still repeat, “This world is a wonderful place.”

 

It is also true that the Church must stand and address these situations. We can not overlook that responsibility. And in many ways, churches are addressing these issues. We have social concern committees. We cooperate with law enforcement to catch the bad guys. We provide educational opportunities for addicts and families in trouble. We picket, petition, and pray. While all this is well and good, we have often used them to replace something much more important. If there must be a choice made between any of these things and the thing which I will mention in a moment, we must forgo all the other in order that we may truly address the most important situation.

 

Please remember that the church has the answer to all these problems. Sexuality can once again become a thing of beauty and purity rather than a debased and perverted thing. Drugs can be tools in the physician’s hands rather than a toy in the addict’s hands. The family can be strong and in the home rather than at the gang house. Children can be safe on the playgrounds and in the schools. Babies can be born and raised by their mommies and daddies. Welfare rolls can be shortened. The government and the courts can be brought under control. And the guy in the local paper’s headline will be there for something good rather than an act of unfaithfulness or violence. At least that is the way we dreamers see it.

 

The church has a vital roll here. We have a very large responsibility, because only the Church of the living God has the one answer that will fix all the problems. You see, one thing – and only one thing – will affect each and every one of our social concerns like nothing else can, and the church has the key to that file cabinet.

 

First though, we must stop expecting the baby not to cry. That is what babies do. We have to quit thinking that the dogs won’t bark. That is what they do. Druggies do drugs. Abortionists kill babies. And you can fill in a myriad of others. We need to stop expecting the lost to behave and believe as though they were redeemed. We need to accept them as they are so we can have an inroad to lead them to Jesus rather than building a wall to keep them away.

 

These things tend to bring up a rise of righteous indignation. But we have to learn to see as Jesus sees. He looks beyond the behavior, because He knows that lost people act like lost people. Isn’t that the point? We are so busy trying to remedy the bodies and behaviors of these lost folks, that we have forgotten that our primary task is not social, it is spiritual. The bottom line is that people need Jesus – FIRST! If these lost people have a real experience with the living Savior, their lives and behaviors will be changed and the social ills of our societies will be radically different.

 

If we righteously indignant preachers would quit trying so hard to be transformers of human behavior and get determined to be tellers of the grace of God, lost people would get saved. If lost people get saved, God the Holy Sprit moves in and there is then a new base line for behavior and the greatest transformer of that behavior is now on board. What a difference that would make.

 

Do you want to see the local abortuary closed? Tell the people running the place about Jesus. It is the best shot you have. A saved doctor in the business of healing is better any day than a lost one still plying his murderous trade. Do you want to see the gang-ridden streets cleaned up? Well, don’t go get your gun. That will just put a lost man in Hell. Rather, arm yourself with the sword of the Spirit of the risen Lord and go tell them about Jesus. A saved gang member is better than a dead lost one any day.

 

This preacher truly believes that the answer to the social concerns that are before this culture is not that we become pro-active against all the ills of the activities of lost people. I am not suggesting that we ignore them either. But, if our energies and resources limit us to only one course of action, the best course is that we tell them about Jesus. Jesus will do a much better job of changing those behaviors than anything of which we are capable.

 

What a tragic thing it is to lose our battle in such a useless manner. Satan cannot be allowed to change the battlefield. He must be stopped by any means necessary. There is no time to spare. He lies to others in order to perpetuate his business and line his pockets and he should be exposed for the kind of indecent and horrible being he is. We who are ministers and professors of the grace of Jesus Christ which alone can make a heart clean must do all in our power to stand for God and be His spokesman in this generation of lost people. It is time for the church of the living and true God to stand tall and call from the mountains the truth that will bring these horrible situations to an end. We must call them what they are. We must profess a remedy for the horror. We must tell the truth so loudly and plainly that the lies will have no chance of being heard. We must fight the battle. We must remember that the real need this world has is Jesus. He alone can change the heart and that will take care of the rest.

 

So please, remember that in a world where many things need repair, we must never let the broken shutter or falling fence to take away from the real need that will repair the whole. That fix is Jesus. In His name there will be total transformation. With Him men are new creations. With Him a new man will emerge. With Him eternity will matter more than today. With Him money will mean missions. Without Him nothing will change. So remember, oh please remember, we can let nothing take the place of telling people about Jesus.

 

This world IS a wonderful place. God made it and He is active in it. The more people who recognize God as the supreme everything to this world, the better it will become. Please help this world become an even better place. Go tell someone about Jesus now.

 

See You SONday

 

…To Be Continued

© SF Gallagher 2008

Under violent threats and murderous activities, gangs terrorize whole communities with their violence. Murder for the ability to claim a piece of a citizen’s property as their turf is a regular occurrence. Extortion is a way of life for these human leeches. They mark their bodies and boldly wear their colors. Schools are not safe because of them. Streets are a literal war zone when they are around. An axe handle to the head or a bullet in the gut is their response to a passing glance at the spectacle they have made of themselves.

 

These termites infest their way into anything they can. They would rather steal my car or my other possessions than find a legitimate way to interact with society and earn their own. On top of this, most are collecting public welfare to support their drugs and violence further.

 

Gang members spray their monikers all over anything to which paint will stick and expect that the rest of the community will cower to their claim that this is their place. This in turn costs businesses and communities their hard earned funds to abate their fantasy riddled delusion that they have any real respect from anyone. Since nothing they do accomplishes real respect from anyone that matters, they resort to extortion and tribute gathering coupled with cowardly violence to gain the appearance that in their worthless activities there is anything that merits any consideration of value.

 

These prey on our children and recruit them right from under our collective noses. With promises of anything they can steal and acceptance of all sorts of deviant behaviors, they entice children under the age of ten to commit their murders and terrorist acts. Then, when they have a grip on the child, they promise fates worse than death if they try to get out or reveal any information to anyone outside the “Family” – the gang.

 

What a tragic thing it is to lose our children, property and possessions in such a useless manner. Gangs can not be allowed to reign with their violence and hatred. They must be stopped by any means necessary. There is no time to spare. Those lying to others to perpetuate their business and line their pockets should be exposed for the kind of indecent and horrible people they are. We who are ministers and professors of the grace of Jesus Christ which alone can make a heart clean must do all in our power to stand for God and be His spokesman in this generation of gang infested people. It is time for the church of the living and true God to stand tall and call from the mountains the truth that will bring this horrible situation to an end. We must call it what it is. We must profess a remedy for the horror. We must tell the truth so loudly and plainly that the lies will have no chance of being heard. We must fight the battle.

 

See You SONday

 

…To Be Continued

© SF Gallagher 2008

Drugs are a major blight on this society. Illicit transactions take place thousands of times daily in probably every city and town in the United States. Children are being given these doses often before they even learn to read (and often, as a result never learn). From a young age, addictions are formed and lives are ruined before they really begin.

 

Illegal drugs are not the only abused drugs. Prescription pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter medications are also abused. There are improper addictions to these as well. While it must be noted that there are proper uses of these medications, often they are used in a manner just as dangerous and damaging as street drugs. Drugs are used as a substitute for learning to deal with the pressures of life. Drugs are used to escape unwanted realities. Drugs are used for a recreational “feel good” or an aide for boldness to do something – usually something clearly against God.

 

Regular houses in regular neighborhoods are turned into unsafe laboratories which explode and kill. Before they explode innumerable doses of mind and life-altering garbage is shoveled right out the front door. Young women turn to prostitution to support their addiction. Children are being used as delivery trucks for the dealers. Jails and courtrooms are jammed with the residue of this modern plague. Millions of dollars are spent on interdiction and surveillance attempting to stop the trafficking. Law enforcement officials are killed. Families are broken. Children are thrown away. Public safety is eroded. It has to stop.

 

Those who push such as this must be put in a position of accountability for their wrong. They must face the judge and hear the sentence pronounced – which may bring us to another issue to address. Here the church must stand. This ungodly activity has to be exposed. We have no choice except to expose the lie that there is anything of worth or value in the illicit use of drugs. It must be called sin, and the wrath of God must be pronounced.

 

There is no time to spare. Those lying to others to perpetuate their business and line their pockets should be exposed for the kind of indecent and horrible people they are. We who are ministers and professors of the grace of Jesus Christ which alone can make a heart clean must do all in our power to stand for God and be His spokesman in this generation of drug addicted people. It is time for the church of the living and true God to stand tall and call from the mountains the truth that will bring this horrible situation to an end. We must call it what it is. We must profess a remedy for the horror. We must tell the truth so loudly and plainly that the lies will have no chance of being heard. We must fight the battle.

 

See You SONday

 

…To Be Continued

© SF Gallagher 2008

There are other battles too. Battles that need the same attention and concern necessary to stop abortion. Children are becoming sexually active and having babies outside of the promises of a husband and wife, with commitment to one another for life and to the idea that the child will be a high priority in their lives. These children are growing up with no real parenting and it all begins with the lies that there actually is such a thing as “Safe Sex” when all who teach this must know that there is no sex between a man and a woman that is sure not to produce a baby without surgical intervention.

 

Sexuality is too common on the big and the little screen. Our girls are being taught to dress and make themselves up like playthings. Our boys are learning that our girls are nothing more than sexual playthings and to use them all they can, then throw them away when they are done. All of this with no regard for the future well being of this now woman and her children. They see it in their magazines, on their televisions and movies screens and on their computer screens. It is too easy for them be exposed to sexuality, and this society is paying the price. There are women who also perpetrate this abhorrent behavior. They are no longer always the used party in this sordid scenario.

 

With sexuality being the mechanism that God has chosen to use in order to further His created humanity, care must be given to every aspect of its expression. This inappropriate flaunting has caused us to consider that it is not important to be careful about sex. This lack of care has led to the rest of the equation (the family and parenting, etc.) to carry the same lack of commitment and concern. Our entire family structure is falling apart, and it can be traced to children’s sexuality.

 

Sexuality must be taken under control. Those lying to others to perpetuate their business and line their pockets should be exposed for the kind of indecent and horrible people they are. We who are ministers and professors of the grace of Jesus Christ which alone can make a heart clean must do all in our power to stand for God and be His spokesman in this generation of sexually perverse people. It is time for the church of the living and true God to stand tall and call from the mountains the truth that will bring this horrible situation to an end. We must call it what it is. We must profess a remedy for the horror. We must tell the truth so loudly and plainly that the lies will have no chance of being heard. We must fight the battle.

 

See You SONday

 

…To Be Continued

© SF Gallagher 2008

This world is a wonderful place. At least that is the way we dreamers see it. We tend to see things as they should be or could be. We also tend to want to fight everyone and everything that would seem to impair all that God intends or that we could conceive in our own version of the “Christian Utopia” to be. There can also be quite an argument made that those of whom God has required their professional lives in His service are more quick to action on these matters.

 

It is true that there are too many perversions of God’s perfect direction for the lives of His creation. There, too, are many who simply throw away His rules and live by their own desires and dreams. Pastors, and other professional ministers, who live daily in the reality that we are held to a higher standard of character and behavior, must need something to show our aggression against. So on to righteous indignation we go with the assurance that any who would disagree with our point of view must be a heathen infidel and have no place in the kingdom of God.

 

We do fight a lot of battles, many of them for righteous sounding causes. We fight against abortion with high sounding sermons and marches and rallies and petitions and all the rest. A lot of effort goes into wiping out this mass murder of babies.

 

It is truly a terrible thing that babies are murdered with so little thought to the moral aspect of the whole situation. Birth control is a poor reason to take a life. Personal convenience is a poor reason to take a life. The choice for gender, the harvesting of tissues for whatever purpose, the hiding of one’s infidelity or promiscuity and even the lack of integrity to care for a child with a disease or malformation are all poor excuses for taking the life of a baby. This writer would go even so far as to say that incest and rape still are no reason to take the life of a baby – the punishment should be on the perpetrator of that vile act. Murder is murder no matter what issues one tries to put on it.

 

Abortion should be stopped! Those lying to others to perpetuate their business and line their pockets should be exposed for the kind of indecent and horrible people they are. We who are ministers and professors of the grace of Jesus Christ which alone can make a heart clean must do all in our power to stand for God and be His spokesman in this generation of murderers who will murder our babies. It is time for the church of the living and true God to stand tall and call from the mountains the truth that will bring this horrible situation to an end. We must call it what it is. We must profess a remedy for the horror. We must tell the truth so loudly and plainly that the lies will have no chance of being heard. We must fight the battle.

 

See You SONday

 

…To Be Continued

© SF Gallagher 2008

Here is the last installment from a little Christmas program I have written. These poetic monologues are dispersed among songs and other symbols of the Christmas Season. I hope these little writings will help turn your attention to my Savior who is Christ the Lord.

 

Did You See Him – Person Today

 

Person Today

 

Did you see Him? I did

It was just yesterday

The pantry was empty

Buy groceries? No way!

 

But I heard the door bell

And right there on the mat

Was a basket of food

Now I might just get fat

 

I remember my friend

All racked up in pain

He was just barely conscious

In a hospital lain

 

The doctors all gave up

But we never would

And we gave it to Him

That was all that we could

 

But in just a while

He was out of his bed

And we all knew Jesus

Removed all our dread

 

I could tell you more stories

Of how I’ve seen Him

Of hope and forgiveness

I know I’ve seen Him

 

His face I can’t picture

I don’t mean it that way

But I really know

That I’ve seen Him today

 

 

 

In all that He’s made

In all that He does

I see His great glory

I know Him because

 

I’ve seen Him in my life

I’ve seen Him in you

Every day he makes known

His presence, it’s true

 

I’ve told you I’ve seen Him

In every which way

Now all I want to know is

Have you seen Him today?

 

See You SONday

© 2013 SF Gallagher

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