What Next?

The Boston Globe has published an expose on a Massachusetts doctor who recently launched a sex change program for kids. The controversial "Gender Management" clinic, located at Children's Hospital Boston, aims to help young people delay puberty so that they can decide if they want to be a man or woman. With patients as young as 10, Dr. Norman Spack has been described as an "evangelist" for trans gender kids. In a "Q&A" session with the Globe, Dr. Spack says he administers powerful hormones to help kids "rewrite their future." When asked for the most difficult ethical issue he faces, Spack responds, "... You have to explain to the patients... [that] they may not be able to have children. When you're talking to a 12-year-old, that's a heavy duty conversation." But, he says, "if they don't [have the sex change therapy], they'll always have trouble fitting in." Most of us would agree that there's a lot more at stake here than "fitting in." Apart from the moral complications (which are too many to count), this is an adult decision. A 10-year-old child cannot possibly understand his sexual identity or comprehend the full meaning of sterility. But the hospital does. And it should know better than to lend space and credibility to a doctor who uses his radical agenda as an excuse to experiment on little children.

Source: FRC, Boston Globe

Earth Day (The Truth)

An estimated billion people celebrated Earth Day around the world yesterday, but few seem to understand its true motivation. Earth Day is not just another reminder to use recycled paper or drive energy-efficient cars. It's a calculated attack on the sanctity of human life. Population control is inextricably linked to the environmental and abortion movements. For years, the Sierra Club and other green militants have said that the best way to consume fewer resources is to have fewer children. Their own website says, "Talk to your decision-makers and demand an increase of funding for voluntary family planning programs and access to comprehensive sex education for young people." Last year, Optimum Population Trust released a paper that was even less subtle. It claimed that children are "bad for the planet" and called on nations to reduce the global population by five billion which would only be possible by forced abortion and sterilization. And how could we forget Barry Walters? The Australian professor published an article last year advocating a "baby tax" for every couple with more than two children. The latest fad crisis is global warming, but even that is just another excuse to fund "Planet" Parenthood and similar groups. Stewardship of God's creation is the responsibility of every Christian. But we must realize that there's a greater threat to the environment than climate change or scarce resources and that's the threat of environmental extremism that elevates the planet above people.

Source: FRC

Preptime

Preptime was the title of the teaching from pastor P. this weekend. We are still going through the book of John, we are up to the fifteen chapter. Anyways here are some of my notes from the teaching.

The Reality: The world will hate us (Christians)the same way that they hated and still hate Jesus. "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you". (John 15:18).

We as Christians will get persecuted, we are seeing this happen now in this country. We can see it in the way Christians are portrayed on T.V. How Christians get portrayed in the media. "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also" (John 15:20). "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Tim 3:12).


The Reason: The truth is narrow minded. People don't want to hear about their sins. "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin" (John 15:22).

People want to believe that there are many ways to get to God. They want to read and hear that all roads lead to heaven. But Jesus was real clear about the fact that He is the only way to the Father. "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

The Resource: so now that we now that we will get persecuted and we know why, we also know that the Lord will not leave us without the resource to deal with it. And that resource is the Holy Spirit. "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me" (John 15:26).

Praise!!!

Just got back from the water baptism. Wow, it was awesome, I'm still feeling the "high". I am so humbled by the fact that the Lord will allow me to be a part of such an important decision in people's lives. The day was beautiful, a typical south Florida morning sun out not a cloud in the sky, the water was cold though. Anyways the best part of the whole thing was listening to the people telling their stories of how they came to the Lord and what He is doing in their lives. It was also awesome to baptize young people and to see how fired up for God they are. Man as I looked at them I wished I could have been like that at their age. Overall it was an amazing experience AGAIN!!!. I never get tire of doing this. Rudy (our media guy) and his team where out there and they got some great footage so we will see a video pretty soon..

Wow!!!

Just got back from the youth concert. There were at least a couple of hundred kids there. It was awesome to see so many kids having a great time worshiping the Lord. The two bands were amazing. Among Our Refuge started things up and man let me tell you they were great they really brought it on. They are sooo young but yet they are great musicians and above all they love the Lord. I'm looking forward to seeing them again. Alexander was the second band and they also played a great set. Overall the music was awesome but the greatest thing of all was to see a whole bunch of kids giving their lives to the Lord, to Him be the glory. I really felt His presence tonight. Well now I got to sleep fast cause tomorrow we have the baptism.

Stoked!

I'm really stoked about tomorrow, see we CCK are having our first baptism of the year. It will be at the usual place out in Crandon Park. I'm stoked because as a pastor I have the honor of being in one of the teams that will be performing the baptism. I so look forward to hear the glory stories of the people that will get baptized, I so enjoy to hear what great things God is doing in their lives. Anyways if you never been baptized then tomorrow is your chance, come on out and follow one of Jesus' commandments. Bring an appetite also cause there will be plenty of food. If you have already been baptized come out anyways and show support for your brothers and sisters. Anyways is supposed to be a beautiful day tomorrow. Can't wait!!!

Tonight at CCK

Tonight at CCK Uth Nation (the youth ministry) is hosting a concert/outreach. Two local bands Alexander, and, Among Our Refuge will be rocking the place. Pastor Jose will say a few words and afterwards plenty of food and fellowship. What better way to spend Friday night than with friends listening to good music and eating free food? It all starts at 7:30 so come on down.

Play Ball!!!

Yesterday I had the opportunity of going to a Marlins game. It's the first time this season that I go and by the looks of it I picked the wrong day to go. The Marlins got crushed by the Braves, but I had a great time, I went with Pastor Pedro and his dad Pedro sr. I tell you there is something about going to a baseball game that takes me back to when I was a kid. Anyways there is nothing like spending time with friends eating peanuts telling stories and watching baseball. It doesn't get much better than that.

Another Illusion

Environmentally friendly fuels may appease the conscience of ecology lovers and make drivers in the U.S. feel greener, but a report out of the United Nations reveals a dark side to going green. According to the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the demand for biofuel particularly ethanol is creating a crop shortage that's resulting in a deadly famine for many of the world's less fortunate. The U.N. estimates that the amount of corn it takes to fill a 12.5 gallon car tank with ethanol is enough to feed a child for an entire year. America is already devoting 18 percent of its grain to ethanol production, and other countries are following our lead. Food prices are up, and the number of Third-World families that can afford to eat is down. In effect, this paranoia over global warming is leading to global hunger, a crisis far more destructive and credible than climate change. Despite what Al Gore says, this prescription for "solving" a climate problem (which scientists have yet to confirm) is not only expensive but also deadly.

Source: FRC

Taxman Cometh!

As we are all painfully aware, today is Tax Day that time of year when we are reminded that while we are working within a household budget, the U.S. Congress is already thinking of creative ways to spend our money or extract more of it. The latest example comes from House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) whose bill, the "Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act" (H.R. 5719), is scheduled for a vote this week. Ironically, the only assistance his legislation offers is to put a greater tax burden on the seven million Americans who have Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Under HSAs, participants can set aside their own money and invest it. If they use that money for medical purposes, members aren't required to pay taxes on their account. Rangel's H.R. 5719 would force HSA members to wade through piles of paperwork, which, if filled out incorrectly, would result in a hefty fine. Chairman Rangel (who has never met a tax hike he didn't like) sees this bill as an opportunity to create more unnecessary government bureaucracy in pursuit of more tax dollars. Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of tax hikes to come as Rangel and the Democratic majority plan on letting the Bush tax cuts expire. Without permanent tax relief, the average family will be paying an extra $3,500 every year to Uncle Sam.

Source: FRC

This is Strange

For the last couple of days I have been reading about a very interesting man. What make this guy so interesting is that he is a double amputee but he is also an athlete, yep you read right, he is a runner. He is able to compete because he wears prosthetic racing legs called "Cheetah Blades." Because of this he has earned the nickname the "Blade Runner." He's so good that he was a gold medalist in 2004 at the ParaOlympic games in Athens, and at the South African National Championships last year he finished second in the 400 meters, but get this he was running against able-bodied runners. Anyway, now the IAAF has ruled that this guy is ineligible to compete in the Beijing Olympics because according to them the prosthetic racing legs give him a clear competitive advantage. Wow that is in credible. I mean what are the odds that a double amputee could actually have an "unfair" advantage in a sport such as running? What are the odds that a man can loose both of his legs, yet have the will and mental toughness to become a champion runner who is actually good enough to compete in the Olympics? These questions make me think of the verse in the book of the prophet Jeremiah which says: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11). So what we may think that is a coincidence or an unfair advantage is simply what the Lord has intended for us all along.

GodTube.com - Allow me to re-introduce the Christ

GodTube.com - Allow me to re-introduce the Christ

Media Bias

By playing favorites and writing slanted stories, the press has been having an unprecedented field day with the presidential race.

The New York Times ran a page one story insinuating that there was something wrong with John McCain’s relationship with a pretty female lobbyist, even though no favors were exchanged and no one had sex.

Correspondents who accompanied Hillary Clinton on her 1996 trip to Bosnia knew that her claim of having come under sniper fire was false, yet none of them did a piece saying her story was untrue. Instead, among themselves, they tittered about the story, which she had told before less dramatically. Read Story Here.

Source: Ronald Kessler

McCain Starting to Attract Attention

David Brock, founder of the liberal organization Media Matters for America, is spearheading an effort to launch a $40 million campaign to attack Republican John McCain in the months leading up to the November presidential election. Read Story Here.

Tolerance Double Standards

In New Mexico, religious rights can disappear in a flash, and no one has learned that painful lesson better than Elane Photography. The company, a Christian husband-and-wife team named Huguenin, has become the latest victims of religious intolerance at the hands of the state of New Mexico for refusing to photograph a same-sex commitment ceremony. When a lesbian couple tried to hire the owners for their "wedding," Elaine and her husband declined, saying that the ceremony violated their moral beliefs. To get even, the women filed a complaint with the New Mexico Human Rights Division, alleging that the couple discriminated against them. They asked the commission to issue an injunction that would ban the company from ever rejecting a contract based on a client's sexual preferences. Yesterday, the commission charged Elane Photography with "sexual orientation discrimination" and ordered the couple to pay $6,637.94 in attorneys' fees to the lesbians who filed the suit. The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), who represented the photographers, called the ruling "a stunning disregard" of the First Amendment. Together with the couple, ADF has vowed to appeal. As a private company, Elane Photography has the freedom to establish its own criteria on issues of conduct and conscience. Clearly, the commission is so consumed with advancing the homosexual agenda that it is willing to trample the couple's constitutional rights in the process. Perhaps what is most infuriating about this decision is that the Huguenins' Christian beliefs aren't the only thing opposed to same-sex "marriage"--so is New Mexico's law. Neither civil unions nor homosexual "marriage" is recognized by the state. The Huguenins have the right to refuse to photograph any number of things they regard as moral issues, whether it's a photo shoot at Planned Parenthood, a poster for the Ku Klux Klan, or a keepsake album for participants in a baby seal hunt. The Constitution may offend the politically correct crowd, but it is quite clear that Americans should not be forced to promote a private message that violates their conscience.

Source: FRC.

Outrage!

By now most of us have seen the disgusting video of several teenage girls brutally beating a former friend. The reaction has for the most part been one of anger and disgust as well as bewilderment. People asking questions such as, how can this be? Where did we as a society go wrong? Well I have my own opinion about this. If we as a society teach these kids that they come from animals (evolution), why should it surprise us when they start acting like animals. If they can’t pray, or talk about God in school but they can talk about sex, murder and mayhem, why be surprise when they participate in all those things. Just look at the movies they watch, the music they listen to, the role models they admire and you will begin to see why they act the way they do. Young people today need direction and encouragement. Believe it or not they want to be told what is right and what is wrong. We as the parents, mentors, pastors and teachers have the responsibility to make sure they hear the truth. The truth that comes from the Lord. The truth that says that God loves them and has a plan for their lives. It is up to us to make sure that our young people meet our Lord and start a relationship with Him that is the only thing that will stop them from a continuous downward spiral.

Helping or Harming?

Starting tonight, the contestants on "American Idol" will be getting vocal about global poverty. As part of its second annual telethon, "Idol Gives Back," the Fox talent show hopes to raise millions of dollars to alleviate poverty in the U.S. and Africa. Instead of competing for themselves, the stars are competing for charity. Corporate sponsors have agreed to donate a set amount to groups like Save the Children and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for every vote cast. While it's admirable that the show wants to help the poor, the organizations they are supporting certainly don't have the vote of the pro-life community. Although the word "children" appears in the name of almost every one, many are part of the who's who of worldwide abortion promoters. UNICEF has partnered with International Planned Parenthood for 30 years. If these celebrities want to stop the real suffering, they need to be transparent about where the funding is actually going. But even that task may prove difficult after Idol officials refused to disclose a formal report of last year's $76 million. According to the New York Times, millions of dollars have yet to be allocated by Idol from last year's telethon haul. If the show prompts your family to give, consider donating to an organization that shares your values not one that masks its radical agenda.

Source: FRC.

Sports, Religious Freedom and Politics

Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.)has joined an already crowed Tibetan bandwagon by calling for President Bush to boycott the opening Olympic ceremonies in Beijing. Clinton's objections came just hours before the Olympic torch touched down in San Francisco, its only stop on American soil after a tumultuous tour through Europe. Both Clinton and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) are protesting on behalf of the Dalai Lama, whose followers were the victims of a brutal clash with the Chinese government. I find it kind of hypocritical that while a handful of mistreated Tibetans have captured the attention of U.S. leaders, the plight of hundreds of Chinese Christian pastors continues to go unnoticed and unopposed. Isn't the American ideal religious liberty for all, not a select few? Our leaders are creating the impression that when it comes to defending religious freedom overseas, Chinese Christians need not apply. Meanwhile, we've heard not a peep from Olympic sponsors that are helping to give China the world stage. McDonald's, Coca-Cola and the other sponsors who stand to gain millions of dollars from their Olympic exposure should send a message that they put a higher value on religious freedom than corporate profits. But don't hold your breath.

Source: FRC.

Just a Though

The more I talk to people the more I realize how hungry they are for the truth. I mean the real truth, not what the media and Hollywood is selling them. I also think that when it comes to spiritual matters they want to be confronted and challenged. That is why is so important to not be afraid to tell them about the political incorrect themes that the Bible deals with. Today so many churches and denominations are so afraid to deal with these themes for fear that they will offend their members, so instead they feed their flocks a watered down version of what God wants them to hear. How do we solve that problem, well here at CCK we do it very simply by teaching the whole counsel of God. Yep! we teach through the whole Bible, from Genesis to Revelations. This way we address all the subjects and themes that society is facing. As a result we have seen how the Lord has blessed and changed people. Every week we see lives being changed by the truth, the real truth. Don't believe me? Come and see for yourselves.

Acupuncture: Can it help?

As some of you know I have to deal with chronic back and neck pain due to injuries that I have sustained, well recently I decided to give acupuncture a try to see if it helps me with the pain. So far I'm happy to say that after two sessions my neck pain is almost gone. Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles through your skin, to various depths at strategic points on your body. Acupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago, but over the past two decades its popularity has grown significantly within the United States. Although scientists don't fully understand how or why acupuncture works, some studies indicate that it may provide a number of medical benefits. Are there any of you out there that have tried this. If so tell me did it work for you?

Standing on Principle

In what has been called "Ground Zero" in the fight for faithful Anglicanism, a state circuit court judge has handed a key victory to the 11 Virginia churches that voted to break away from the Episcopal Church (EC) over its growing hostility to the Gospel Truth. The EC's actions, including the consecration of an openly gay bishop, have done irreparable harm to its relationship with global Anglicans, leading EC membership to decline by the tens of thousands. When efforts to reconcile with the EC failed, orthodox churches in Virginia felt they had no choice but to vote to sever ties and realign as an outpost of the Anglican Church of Nigeria. But the stand for orthodoxy came at great cost to the Virginia faithful. Armed with wealthy endowments, the EC and Diocese of Virginia launched an unprecedented multi-million dollar suit against the 11 churches, their rectors, vestries, and trustees in early 2007, threatening to confiscate their property and church homes-some of which have stood near the nation's capital for 200 years. With scant resources, the 11 churches banded together in defense of their land, becoming a focal point of the national movement to preserve biblical Truth. Even Virginia's Attorney General Bob McDonnell weighed in, arguing that the parishes of the new Anglican District of Virginia (ADV) were entitled to their property under a Civil-War era division statute. Last Friday, Judge Randy Bellows agreed and ruled in favor of the 11 churches in what is certain to be a prolonged legal battle. Although the EC has indicated its intention to appeal, the significance of this victory could be felt well beyond these church walls. In a story of David versus Goliath proportions, the precedent established in Virginia could trigger a wave of exodus in other states. Already 200 American parishes have voted to disaffiliate with the EC, and similar property disputes have erupted in California and Ohio. As conservative Methodists and Presbyterians wrestle against their own liberal drift, all eyes are on Northern Virginia. What happens there could send a resounding message to every denomination's hierarchy that on Truth, God's people will not compromise.

Source: FRC.

Katinas at CCK

Saturday night service was awesome. The Katinas were the musical guest tonight, they did an awesome job of leading us in worship. Their set was solid, mixing their hits along with other worship music. On the teaching side pastor Pedro was "on" as usual, he taught on John 15. The place was packed, good music, good teaching and good friends, what else can we ask for. Can't wait to see how tomorrow turns out.