Pastor Pusch

Thursday, May 7th

The National Day of Prayer

What does this day mean today? What do you think it is meant by the “National Day of Prayer”? I would like to think that the National Day of Prayer is day this country focuses on our desperate need for Almighty God. I would like to think that this is a day that all leaders join together, recognize our need, and pray for this country. This is a day where moms and dads, grandmothers and grandfathers, can hover over their children giving thanks unto God for their family and for this great nation in which we live. It is day that all believers unite together (as we should) and pray for our churches and our families. It is a time that we specifically pray for the leadership of this country, from our nation’s President to the our members of the City Council. While it is true that we should keep all these items on the forefront of our prayers, today is the day we focus together, in one mind and in one accord, as a body of believers who recognize this plot of ground in which we call the United States of America is indeed HIS land. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

 “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” Psalm 33:12

George Washington: The Prayer at Valley Forge

Psalm 33

 ¹ Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
       it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

 ² Praise the LORD with the harp;
       make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

 ³ Sing to him a new song;
       play skillfully, and shout for joy.

 ⁴ For the word of the LORD is right and true;
       he is faithful in all he does.

 ⁵ The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
       the earth is full of his unfailing love.

 ⁶ By the word of the LORD were the heavens made,
       their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

 ⁷ He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
       he puts the deep into storehouses.

 ⁸ Let all the earth fear the LORD;
       let all the people of the world revere him.

 ⁹ For he spoke, and it came to be;
       he commanded, and it stood firm.

 ¹⁰ The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
       he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

 ¹¹ But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
       the purposes of his heart through all generations.

 ¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
       the people he chose for his inheritance.

 ¹³ From heaven the LORD looks down
       and sees all mankind;

 ¹⁴ from his dwelling place he watches
       all who live on earth-

 ¹⁵ he who forms the hearts of all,
       who considers everything they do.

 ¹⁶ No king is saved by the size of his army;
       no warrior escapes by his great strength.

 ¹⁷ A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
       despite all its great strength it cannot save.

 ¹⁸ But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
       on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

 ¹⁹ to deliver them from death
       and keep them alive in famine.

 ²⁰ We wait in hope for the LORD;
       he is our help and our shield.

 ²¹ In him our hearts rejoice,
       for we trust in his holy name.

 ²² May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,
       even as we put our hope in you.

Darfur – The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Sudan President Omar al-Bashire for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. Unfortunately the judge panel did not see inconclusive evidence for genocide in the region; however, if al-Bashire is brought before the ICC he will be facing life imprisonment.

Ominous Bill – Senator John McCain’s attempt to cut out billions of dollars in earmarks was denied by a senate vote of 63-32. The $410 billion dollar spending bill is said to be packed with over $32,000,000,000 (billion) in earmarks. Sadder yet is that upwards of 40% of the $32billion is being claimed by the G.O.P.  *Is this how it’s going to be? Spend, spend, spend? If it’s not one bill, it’s another… all while Obama talks fiscal responsibility and cutting wasteful spending.

Chicken McNuggets - Did anyone else hear about the 9-1-1 call against McDonalds? Latrease, of Florida called 9-1-1 after McDonalds ran out of Chicken McNuggets.

SSinHD – Tomorrow I am heading to the Sunday School in HD conference being held at the First Baptist Church in Woodstock, GA. The conference begins tomorrow at 12:30pm and will conclude at 4:30pm. It’s not to late to purchase tickets… so go… you will not be disappointed!  www.sundayschoolinhd.org

What I get to hear over the next two days…

Dr. Thom Rainer, LifeWay President and Southern Baptist Convention Leader of Education - Sunday School and the Essential Church 

Allan Taylor, FBC Woodstock Minister of Education, Author, and Founder of Ember to Blaze Ministries - Sunday School Upgrade – Standard Def to HD

Pastor Johnny Hunt, FBC Woodstock Pastor and Current President of the Sounthern Baptist Convention – 1. The Vital Role of SS in the Local Church 2. Having a Fire in your Gut

Elmer Towns, Co-founder and Vice President of Liberty University – A Biblically Grounded Sunday School Meeting the Needs of a Contemporary Society

Brian Robertson, FBC Woodstock Pastor of Assimilation – Closing the Back Door

… and several others!

Many of you know that I am not an Obama fan, but this is a little rediculous!

Yesterday, during a news conference in Detroit, Barak Obama used the word “sweetie” in reference to a female reporter who asked her question out of turn. I heard the bit and there was nothing ugly about it, Obama was just trying to keep the reporters questions in order. Later that day, Obama called this reported and apologized for calling her sweetie. He said something close to “I apologize for using the word sweetie. It’s a bad habit of mine that I use sometimes with all kinds of people. I meant no disrespect” (blah blah blah).

Just a couple thoughts…

1. What was wrong with the term “sweetie”? Obama was very kind and gracious with this reporter. I thought it displayed something “real” about Barak that he’s not always “picky and choosey” as he often times stumbles through his terminology for the sake of ”political correctness” (without teleprompters, of course). Ah… political correctness… the reason for the apology.

2. Barak Obama didn’t mean any disrespect when he addressed the female reporter as “sweetie”. If you would have heard him, you would agree. However, due to the “politically correct” environment that the left has so “wonderfully” created, Obama (or one of his staffers) felt that he needed to apologize for “demeaning women”.

Am I missing something? What is wrong with this picture? Are we all that ignorant? In a sense, I think the use of “political correctness” can be somewhat insulting and belittling. Barak meant what he said and how he said it and I thought it was fine. It was a true moment. Maybe there’re reading too much into this. However, he got caught up in his own party’s mix up and needed to apologize for being himself.