A Special Report from Francis Scott Key

Joseph: The Step Father of The Christ Child

I have always wondered about Jesus' earthly father - Joseph.  The Bible speaks very little about him, however, God's Word says more than we think.  We know that when Joseph found out Mary was pregnant, he decided to quietly divorce her, which in essence meant he was bearing her shame.

Matthew 1:19 NIV  Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.


God refers to Joseph as a "Righteous" man.  We would call Joseph an "Honorable" man whom loved and cared for Mary's welfare and reputation.  God, knowing what Joseph was going through, (He knows what you are going through also) sent the angel of the Lord to speak with him;

Matthew 1:20-24 NIV  
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

Not only could Joseph hear from God, but obeyed without question or hesitation!  Now you may be saying:  I don't know if I could have done that, not without some more explanation or time to think...   That always is the major difference between people who call themselves Christians and those who truly "Know His voice"!?  The latter can only come from a personal relationship with the Lord.


When God chose Mary to bear Jesus he had also chosen Joseph to raise Him!  We believe Joseph was "around" a lot (at home), working nearby, and as any father, desired to influence his adopted son.  Children are chosen by God for us, and a blessing from the Lord the Bible tells us.  However adopted children are twice chosen, once by the Lord and another by the parents - they are Doubly Blessed!  You to can receive this Double Blessing of God's sonship:

Romans 8:15 NASB  For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"


God not only chose Joseph and Mary, but chose you too...

Lord bless all the adopted children and step parents this Christmas Season.  I thank you for first choosing me.

A Different Christmas Story

Yesterday I received an email from a very good friend of mine whom has been struggling.  We live quite a ways apart and don't correspond as often as we should.  Earlier this year I knew something was not well with him, but he refused to tell me and said he needed time before he was ready to talk.  The following is a portion of the email he sent:

Ern:
I'm sorry it has taken me so long to write or call you. I'm at the lowest
point a person can be in their life. I'm getting divorced, no job, no money
& on the verge of homelessness. And to add to all that I was diagnosed with
leukemia 3 years ago & just recently diagnosed with prostate cancer &
recently had the radiation seeds put in. As soon as our divorced is
finalized in January, I'll have health insurance for 30 days and then I'll
be without insurance.  I'm sorry to contact you with nothing but bad news but
that's all I have.


To my knowledge, my friend has still not surrendered his life to the Lord.  I shared this with just a couple of family members and friends.  Ironically, my oldest daughter and one of my close friends responded immediately.  Breana has known him since she was two years old, and calls him "Uncle" to this day.

I write this because I think of how people will say; "I will pray for you."  I am sorry, but most of the time people say this because it appeases their conscience about not doing something.  In reality, most people don't know how to pray and can't because God doesn't hear the prayers of the unsaved.  UH OH, did I just loose some friends with that last one.  The only prayer God hears of the unsaved is their cry for salvation.

Lets assume that we are saved and say we will pray but don't - what a disgrace to God and those who ask us to pray.  While I'm prying, do you even read the Christmas story as recorded in The Book of Luke on Christmas Day - Sorry, I am hurting for him and not thinking...

God still answers prayer, and still uses people primarily to do it with.  Santa can't help my friend, but maybe Jesus will use you and me too?

This Christmas season is for people just like my friend because; Jesus came to heal the broken hearted!  Pray with me, at least once, that my friend will respond to Christ' calling him.

ern

PS  I know I need prayer in being more loving to you all and not judgemental.  Pray for me too....

Airport Security: Israel Profiles, We Strip Search Nuns and Children

If we look at the short history of airports and their security, it is not Americans that are making terrorist threats.  As a matter of fact, it's not Europeans, Canadians, Australians, or Jews - it is Muslims!  When you hear of a car bombing or other terrorist attack, honestly, who do you think of?

Maybe we should take a lesson from our Jewish Allies and concentrate on this group of people instead of strip searching my daughters?  Call me "Crazy", "profiling", as a former Law Enforcement Professional, I can tell you it is not politically correct but it works!  Nothing is perfect, but lets at least start with something that works and has been working in the most targeted airports in the world - In Israel.


The following are excerpts from "Sowell: Airport 'Security'?"  By Thomas Sowell November 23, 2010.

No country has better airport security than Israel-- and no country needs it more, since Israel is the most hated target of Islamic extremist terrorists. Yet, somehow, Israeli airport security people don't have to strip passengers naked electronically or have strangers feeling their private parts.

Does anyone seriously believe that we have better airport security than Israel? Is our security record better than theirs?

What other administration has had an Attorney General call the American People "cowards"? And refuse to call terrorists Islamic? What other administration has had a Secretary of Homeland Security warn law enforcement officials across the country of security threats from people who are anti-abortion, for federalism or are returning military veterans?
If anything good comes out of the airport "security" outrages, it may be in opening the eyes of more people to the utter contempt that this administration has for the American people.

What do the Israeli airport security people do that American airport security do not do? They profile. They question some individuals for more than half an hour, open up all their luggage and spread the contents on the counter-- and they let others go through with scarcely a word. And it works.
Meanwhile, this administration is so hung up on political correctness that they have turned "profiling" into a bugaboo. They would rather have electronic scanners look under the clothes of nuns than to detain a Jihadist imam for some questioning.

To Read Thomas Sowell's Commentary in its entirety: CLICK HERE

The Right Side of Man's Law, The Wrong Side of God's Law

This Blog is dedicated to my former Law Enforcement Brothers and Sisters and to my good friend Eddie Farnsworth.

I met Eddie 3 1/2 years ago, when he began coming to our church after getting "Saved".   (Acts 2:21 But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.')  He was in my Sunday School class and I took to him instantly.  Not knowing anything of Eddie's past, we began to talk after class and he would call me "Ernie Brother" as opposed to Brother Ernie (which is common in a church setting).  Unbeknownst to Eddie, "Ernie Brother" was a nick name given to me by my oldest sister after my mom brought me home from the hospital.  My mother told my sister that; "this is your brother Ernie" and she said; "Ernie Brother" and it stuck!


Today I visited Eddie in the local detention center, where he is serving a ninety day sentence for something he did five years ago - our justice system in action.  While visiting with him, he told me that he shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ whenever he can.  Now Eddie is a stout, loud, assertive man, and when he talks the inmates listen!  I told him that if we met nine years ago when I was with the Palm each County Sheriff's Office, we would have been on opposite sides of the law and enemies.  However, now (I told Eddie) you are one of three people I can count on in a moments notice for help.

As we both wiped away a tear, I began to think that I was once on the right side of the law and Eddie on the wrong side, but I was on the wrong side of God's Law (Ten Commandments).  Eddie told me that the guys (other detainees) don't get it.  They think they need to get better so they won't have to come back here - thats the lie!  The Bible says the heart (of every man) is deceitfully (translated: incurably) wicked and God doesn't make us "better or good", He "transforms" us (Romans 12:2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.) by changing the way we think.


I remember being so proud of being a Deputy, and nothing wrong with that, however I was a hypocrite.  I openly broke many of God's Commandments, and quite frankly, if you break one you have broken them all the Bible says.  I didn't want to be a hypocrite, but I was.


I was on the right side of man's law, but just as doomed as Eddie was behind bars in jail when he was caught.  I too, would be "caught" at Judgement Day.  It was then that I put my trust / faith in Jesus Christ and repented of my sins (which were many).


My Friends, call upon His Name while He is "Still Near" this Christmas Season.  If you do please call me to let me know @ 706-835-7941.  If you are calling to chew me out, don't bother, I still get that too...


Happy Holidays? Theres only ONE!!!   Merry Christmas

ernie brother

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Phillips Brooks lived from 1835-1893 in New England.  He graduated from the Virginia Theological Seminary in 1859, but was best known for two things; his size, for he was six feet four inches tall and for writing the manuscript of "O Little Town of Bethlehem".

Brooks had made a name for himself as a preacher and a patriot.  His great physical size was matched by his moral stature.  "My only ambition", Brooks once wrote; "is to be a parish priest and, though not much of one, would as a college president be still less".


As large and respected of a man as he was, Brooks only measured himself against his Master, Jesus Christ.  In a sermon on Humility, he wrote that people will never be able to achieve humility by comparing themselves against each other.  We must measure ourselves against the one true standard, The Lord Jesus!

"The true way to be humble," said Brooks "is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your real height against someone higher who will show you what the real smallness of your greatness is."

Every year we talk about the commercialism of Christmas, why not do something about it.  Start with yourself: 2 Corinthians 13:5 NLT
Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.

Make "humility" part of your life this Christmas!  Jesus, The King of Glory, humbled himself to be born a man, suffer for your sins and be crucified, raised back to life on the third day and for all of us it started in the Little Town of Bethlehem...

Are you a Praiser or Bystander?

Remember The REAL Meaning of Christmas!

Merry CHRISTmas my friends

ernie

Liberals SHUT UP!!! In God I Still Trust - Do You?

A very special thank you to my Brother In Christ, Craig Wiles for sharing this with us.

Lets take a test:
1.  Who printed the first english Bible in America?

2.  Who said; "this Bible is a neat addition of The Holy Scriptures for the use of our schools"?

3.  Who wrote on the cover of the first Bible that this book was recommended to the inhabitants of the United States?

4.  What building was the first mega-church in the United States?

5.  Who lead the worship service in that building?

A short simple test - the answers will not only shock you but tell you how far we have drifted away...

click below:

In God We Trust

Rememer HardRock, Coco & Joe!