Category Archives: vietnam

March 6, 2009 · 7:53 am

Swimming Upstream: “Rebellion in the Ranks!”

A recent phone conversation between Honey and me:

“What is your problem?” Honey said. “You can’t ignore Obama and let America slide down the drain. What about our children and grandchildren? I’m angry!”

“Honey, what are you going to do to stop President Obama?” I countered.

“Well, I’m going to read and listen, then write to politicians and newspapers. Make my voice heard,” she said.

“Good luck. The trail up that mountain is filled with bones of people who tried to win one for the Gipper.”

“Okay, Mister Smarty Pants,” she said, “what are you planning on doing?”

“Wait on God. Then, when He speaks, I’ll build His kingdom,” I replied.

A loud sigh. “Lord, I’m married to a man with his head in the sand!” She paused to add emphasis to her next point. “So, why build God’s kingdom now when nobody seems to care about God?”

“Ah, this is the perfect time. People have their guards down; their hearts are exposed. Some are angry about one issue or the other. Others are losing hope. We just need some groups like the early Salvation Army and leaders like William Booth to come forth. Then, the gospel can invade cities. It’ll be great!!”

“Yeah, right!” she said. “How can you and I be so different, yet still get along?”

“I’m praying God will change you,” I said.

“Funny that you say that because I’m praying the same for you,” she replied. “But I love you.”

“Honey, I love you.”

Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s a little of this and a little of that, all written to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian jouneys.

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March 4, 2009 · 8:03 am

Swimming Upstream: “What Do Gays Want?”

For the last three weeks, I have been helping our son remodel his newly purchased townhouse in America’s Finest City – San Diego. Scraping ceilings. Ripping out walls. Building stuff. Fixing drywall issues. Painting. Laying tile. While here, I have been visiting a Starbucks in Hillcrest which is sort of a mini-San Francisco city in that it is heavily populated with gays.

Yesterday, I forgot to bring a book with me so I picked up a gay newspaper. As I read it, I discovered what gays really want. And guess what? They want the same things that you and I do: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That’s why they are pushing so hard in the political arena for gay marriages, hate crimes, minority rights, etc. They want life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Now, let’s suppose they achieve every one of their goals. Happy days for gays? No, not at all. They will still be imprisoned by the cruel spirit of slavery and will not experience the life-giving spirit of adoption which can only come from Abba Father. How sad!

So, this is my prayer:

Father, send the Spirit of the Lord to anoint men to preach the gospel to gay communities. Let these men proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to their blind eyes, to set free these oppressed ones, and to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord for them.

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March 2, 2009 · 7:59 am

Swimming Upstream: “Where Are The Men With Fire In Their Bellies?”

The founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, received an urgent message from a lieutenant in a distant city. “Sir, we’ve encountered severe persecution. Some of us are in the hospital. Some are in jail. The rest of us are just hanging on. What should we do?”

Booth replied, “Keep doing what you are doing. The devil is upset. Don’t quit until he bows his knees to the lordship of Jesus Christ.”

America Christianity needs men with fire in their bellies. Men like William Booth and Peter Cartwright. Men who are willing to take a righteous stand and care not what the consequences of their convictions may cause them. Men who are willing to get their noses bloodied, eyes blackened and hands dirtied. Men who are willing to stay on the battlefield until Satan has been put on the run in our nation’s cities.

Where are these men?

Well, they certainly aren’t sitting in pews. Statistics show that Sunday after Sunday, most men do not attend traditional churches. And as for men standing behind pulpits, half of them want to quit, stating that they are burned out. Not much help in churches.

Where are these men?

Most will be found in the same places that Booth looked for his men: in cesspools of alcohol, opium, perversion and other deep sins. These men will be like the woman who wept and wiped Jesus’ feet with her tears. Though their sins were many, they will love much and have a passion for winning souls and seeing Jesus deliver others like themselves.

So, San Francisco, get ready. The Deliverer is on His way.

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March 1, 2009 · 6:24 am

Death: What’s It Like?

The thirty year old man broke down when he heard the doctor’s report. “Six months to live. It’s not fair! What about the things that I haven’t done, huh?” he cried, tears running down his face.

The older doctor removed his glasses and shrugged his shoulders. “Sorry,” he said, not knowing what else to say.

“Okay,” the young man said, “what’s death like? You know, tell me what lies on the other side?”

Again, the doctor shrugged. “I don’t really know.”

“What? You’re a Christian, aren’t you? And you don’t know? How am I supposed to have any hope?

A scratching and whining could be heard from the other side of the entry door into the room. The doctor stood up and walked over to the door and opened it. A golden retriever bounded in and eagerly sought affection from the doctor.

“Did you notice my dog?” asked the doctor to his patient. “He’s never been to my office before. So, he didn’t know what was on this side of the door, only that his master was here. And he had no fear about going through the door.” The doctor paused a moment. “I know very little about what’s on the other side of death, but I know this. My master is waiting for me, and that’s good enough for me.”

This was adapted from a pass along chain email sent to me by my daughter.

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February 28, 2009 · 7:09 am

Reflection On Mental Reflection

Got any hangups about your spouse? Is she or he less perfect than you are? Then, check this post by Philippa at Mental Reflections. It’s sort of like the old Mennen Aftershave commercial where the man slaps some Mennen on his face, and then says, “Thanks. I needed that.”

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February 27, 2009 · 8:37 am

Swimming Upstream: “Was Election 2008 A Test From God? Did We Fail?”

Spike Lee, the film director, declared, “God Himself ordained the financial crisis to happen when it did to propel Barack Obama to victory.”

Now, this statement has really, really bugged me. Not that Spike Lee is a prophet or a seer or had a divine revelation about the election. He just stated what many people seem to believe about the 2008 presidential election.

So, did God reach down from heaven and intervene on Obama’s behalf as Lee declared?

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:7-8)

In mid-September, Senator John McCain’s campaign was picking up steam because of the addition of Governor Sarah Palin to his ticket. The double-digit Obama lead had been overcome, and polls showed that McCain/Palin were ahead by a slim margin. Abortion and moral issues were Obama’s downfall, and the Dems were in a tailspin.

Then, the financial crisis hit. Overnight, Obama’s polling number shot up and it was all over for the Republican ticket.

What happened?

It is my deepest belief that the plumline issue for the 2008 Presidential election was abortion. Two pro-life candidates versus two pro-abortion ones. A clear-cut choice on this divisive issue.

As for the financial crisis, it was a gigantic mirror that God held up as a test to show us our hearts. Would we vote to stop murdering unborn babies or would we protect our billfolds? We chose to love money; and thus failed the test.

Okay, you say, what’s next?

National repentance must be made for the 2008 Presidential election. A nation can not thumb its nose at God and get away with it. But also, we need to cry out for mercy for those who voted for the Obama/Biden ticket, especially the African-American community who voted 95% for the pro-abortion ticket.

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February 25, 2009 · 8:37 am

Swimming Upstream: “Ignore Obama And Politicians; And Build”

I hate tossing in the towel on America. I just hate it.

Every part of my being wants our nation to fulfill the vision that President Ronald Reagan had concerning it:

“I’ve spoken of the Shining City all my political life. …In my mind it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, windswept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That’s how I saw it, and see it still.” (Reagan’s farewell speech.)

But now, I don’t foresee our nation ever returning to these lofty ideals. Instead, I see a blind America with a white cane stumbling down a path, bouncing off obstacles and circumstances, always looking for handouts from Big Brother, always searching for the next stimulus, always hoping that government will have the answers.

This does not mean that I don’t see a time of prosperity arising out of our economic crisis because I do. Time will help. But the transient prosperity will insure the reelection of President Obama and his cronies who will then continue to mortgage our children’s and grandchildren’s futures and redistribute wealth to their own voting bases. And of course, this cycle will continue on and on.

There are those who will decry that I am a quitter, a sore loser, but actually, I’m not. Like any good Texas Hold’em card player, I know when to fold a losing hand and wait for the next deal. This is one of those moments.

So, I’m going to ignore President Obama and all of the politicians. I won’t listen to Rush, Sean, Michael, Laura or any talk-radio hosts, not because I necessarily disagree with them, but rather, their insights and opinions will cause me to grieve and be angry over where America is going and what we are losing. And I don’t want to spend time wallowing in anger over the should-have-been’s or maybe will-be’s if only we can get our message out. For me, this is a waste of time.

Instead, I plan on building the kingdom of God because I know – positively and absolutely – that this liberal house of cards will fail. Then, America will be looking for the “change that we can believe in.”

And the church needs to be ready.

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February 23, 2009 · 7:33 am

Swimming Upstream: “Uptight Over Obama Yet? Then What?”

As soon as you jump into your Chevy Suburban, you hit the buttons on the radio. Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity orMichael Savage streams through the Bose speakers loud and clear. Thank God for these purveyors of truth, you think as you drive down the freeway, heading for your cubicle.

Rush’s or Sean’s or Michael’s point of view is so important that you are forced – yes forced – to stay in the Suburban with the engine running fifteen extra minutes to hear it all. Maybe your liberal anti-Prop 8 boss won’t notice. And if he does, you’ll give him your Clint Eastwood glare. The one that reveals a .44 Magnum Special rage held back by a hair trigger, but ready at an instant to be blasted at an Obama supporter, maybe him. Make my day, you think as you walk inside, reflecting on the somber news of the day.

All of this angst is due to President Barack Hussein Obama being elected. If only Christians would have voted according to the tenants of their faith instead of their comforts. If only Governor Sarah Palin had been the Republican candidate instead of John McCain. If only President George Bush had been more conservative. If only the Republicans in the Senate and Congress had not wasted their majority advantage by acting like a bunch of drunk Democrats. If only. If only.

Now yesterday, Alan Keyes states: “He [Obama] is going to destroy this country, and we are either going to stop him or the United States of America is going to cease to exist.”

This the end, you think as you sit down in your chair, staring at the computer. My children, my grandchildren will be forced to grovel on their knees before Big Brother with their hands out begging for bread crumbs. “Alms. Alms for the poor,” they will cry.

Hey, get a grip on yourself, will you?

Father still sits on His throne. Jesus is still Lord. Holy Spirit is still the Helper.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? (Romans 8:31)

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February 18, 2009 · 8:19 am

Cannonball Baptism

Mark Twain said, “If you want to be a good writer, be a good plagiarist. And if you want to be a great writer be a great plagiarist.”

So with that in mind, check this story out at Philippa’s Mental Reflection blog. It is a hoot and a must see.

Swimming Upstream: “Raising Kelly From The Dead”

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8)

My only experience in raising the dead happened in the Bible Belt city of Louisville, Kentucky. There Honey and I rented a home with a big backyard.

As happens from time to time, our common sense went bye-bye and we purchased two dogs, a Golden Lab named Casey and a liver and white spotted English Pointer named Kelly. Both were females and about fifteen months old.

The two dogs loved each other. They dug holes in the yard, chewed on phone cables, barked at squirrels, raced around with tennis balls in their mouths, but especially, they loved to puppy fight. You would have thought that Casey who weighed seventy-five pounds would easily have defeated the forty pound light-weight, Kelly, but this was not the case. Kelly was by far more assertive than Casey.

One day, Carol and I had a lunchtime appointment. Before leaving, I opened the dog run and let the dogs out into the backyard. They took off running.

When we returned, a loud wailing noise was coming out of our backyard. We jumped out of the pickup truck and raced to the backyard. There we saw the two dogs tangled up together. Somehow Casey’s jaw had caught under Kelly’s dog collar; and in the struggle to get free, Kelly had flipped over and was being strangled by her own dog collar. Her eyes were glazed over and her breathing was faint.

I tried to release the collar, but it was too tight. Honey ran to the house for a pair of scissors. She was only gone a couple of minutes, but by the time she returned and cut the collar, Kelly died. No Breathing. Her eyes starring off into space. She was a dead puppy.

Honey and I were kneeling on the ground by Kelly, praying in tongues with our hands touching her.

I began crying out to my heavenly Father. “Father, You can’t let my dog die. You gave her to me. You have to raise her up. You can’t let her die. It’s not right! Father, I’m asking You to raise her up from the dead.” Over and over, I prayed in this fashion with tears flowing down my face for five or six minutes.

Then, Kelly opened her eyes. She wobbled to her feet and walked over to Casey who was watching from the side of the house. They touched noses as if to say, “That was a close one, but everything is okay now.”

Honey and I remained on our knees, praising Father for His lovingkindness.

Later, Honey asked me, “How long would you have continued praying for Kelly?”

“Until Father raised her up from the dead,” I said.

Was it my great faith that brought about this miracle? No, not really. My words were not filled with faith, instead they were pleas for help.

So, why did Father heal Kelly? I tugged on His heart like a four year old child begging a parent for an ice cream cone on a hot summer day. And I knew He would eventually give in and do it because He is head over heels in love with me. Father is a good Daddy.

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