Rainbow After the Storm ~ Video by Fortis Media

Today, I decided to post this wonderful message that I watched Friday night, by JJ McNown, while he was pastoring the Foundation Church Portland (when he was a little younger!), which was featured on JJ's youtube channel, Fortis Media. Well, I meant to get this done before morning came, so that many of you would have the time to watch it on your day off. But, that didn't happen, because time ran out on me last night and I failed to get this posted. So, here it is now.

From the video description:

What you are about to see is a sermon I delivered during my time pastoring the church I founded when I turned 22. No matter what storm you’re presently going through, the Lord has ordained that it will end and that blessings will follow.

Listen to this message, and you’ll never think of a rainbow the same way again.

JJ is talking about the rainbow, and how it is mentioned in the Bible several times, and about storms that veil the sun for a time. To get through the storms, it is important to build your home (life) on a rock foundation, rather than the sand that will shift with the rain, and collapse the home (or your life).

I can assure you that watching this will give you hope, and peace, especially if you are going through a storm in your life right now. I pray that if you see this, that you will share it with others that may be going through storms in their life.

Kobe Bryant Died. What does it teach us? ~ Video by Fortis Media

What JJ is telling us in this installment is so true.  Life is like a race. Who crosses the finish line? We all do, except for those that give up part way through the race.

And then, we also have to wonder what our final words will be. Those words will tell everyone what we thought of life.  Is life a gift, are we created for His purposes? Or, are we just some biological entity with thought, but no purpose? Without any value on life, but with our own selfish purposes?

Well, the questions about God's purpose for us may start at the beginning of the race, but it is how we run the race that gives us the answers.  We can run the race to cross the finish line with strength and resolve. That truly does require the desire to want to see the Lord Jesus standing to the Right of God when we cross the final finish line.

Yes, JJ, only an old soul would be able to word it so well.  I hope that my final words will be as wise.

EVERYTHING works together for GOOD ~ Video by Fortis Media

Yes! Right off the bat, JJ McNown states how God "Allows what He hates, to accomplish what He loves." After reading that, or hearing JJ say it, some of you may wonder, "how could that be?" I am sure that it is many of us that won't understand those words. So many bad things have happened. So many people have treated you badly. "How can I forgive the things people have done to me?"

And then, along comes JJ McNown, to tell you a story about evil being used by God for good. The Holocaust. It's definitely one of the most evil things done in human history, at least in my mind. And I hope in your mind, too. JJ tells the story about how Corrie ten Boom reacted to somebody that would be so easy to never forgive. Yes, bring your tissues, when you watch this video.

But, here's the thing. There is an amazing message that you may grasp while watching this half-hour video, that may bring you just a little closer to what God wants for you. Imagine, if you've had a falling out with a friend, or a parent, or a sibling, or somebody close to you. And you KNOW they did you wrong. How could a person that should be close to you, hurt you so much? How could I ever forgive such a hurtful thing like that?

In this edition of Fortis Media videos, you'll learn what to do and how to overcome a lot of anxiety. I assure you. But I am not going to guarantee anything, unless you willingly listen to what JJ McNown has to say in this, because that is up to you. The Lord can use every evil for good.

BIG God, BIG calling, BIG victories, BIG hardships ~ Video by Fortis Media

There are always going to be crossroads along our path. Choices to make: Option A, or Option B, or even Option C.  Well, here is the news, "your faith will be tested whenever you stand at a crossroads."

Now, in this Fortis Media video, JJ McNown explains happiness and joy, victories and hardships, and the BIG God and Big Calling, in a way that will help us understand why we face hardships, despite our Faith and Joy in the Lord. As a matter of fact, it IS our Faith and Joy in the Lord that gets us through hardships, and brings us our victories. Yes, even if our faith is the size of a mustard seed. This not only applies in our personal lives, but for this country.

Please watch this video, and allow JJ to explain how it applies to America.

And then, share this video or this post with your friends.  No? Well, maybe it's something you just have to do, and use Jesus as your shield against any blowback. Oh, you'll get that when you watch this video.

VIDEO: The Devil remains on the cutting room floor

As an additional feature here on Blogging In Our Time 2 Escape, this blog will be including videos that have been posted on the johnny2k's America Facebook page! Videos can sometimes say more than what can be expressed in text.  Be sure to visit the archive with hundreds of videos to peruse!

Post by Johnny2k's America.

I can not wait to see the movie, "Son of God"! I never saw "The Passion of the Christ" because I refuse to read subtitles, and they take my attention away from the acting, etc. My guess, in my humble opinion, is that "Son of God" will do even better!

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Don't be afraid!

WE the PEOPLE

are the MOB
ONE NATION UNDER GOD

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
johnny2k's Tea Party Gear

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Encouragement for imperfect dads ~ By Greg Laurie

By Greg Laurie Posted: June 20, 2009 1:00 am Eastern © 2009 It is my opinion that a man who honors the vows he made to his wife and who stands by his children and grandchildren is the unsung hero of America today. You can take most of the social ills in our culture and find a link directly back to the absence of a father in the home. In the past 30 years, there has been a 550-percent increase in violent crime, a 400-percent increase in illegitimate births, a 200-percent increase in teenage pregnancy and a 300-percent increase in teenage suicide. And experts have traced all these things to the breakdown of the family and, specifically, the absence of a father. Now, I am not a perfect father, but I want to be the husband, father and grandfather God wants me to be. In the New Testament story of the prodigal son, we find an example of a great father, of what a dad ought to be. This father had two sons whom he loved and provided for. But one day, the younger son demanded his share of the estate. The custom was that the inheritance would be divided among the heirs when the father died, but this son was basically saying, "Dad, I am tired of waiting for you to die. I want my money now." What a brash young man. How disrespectful that was. How it must have broken his father's heart. All this son cared about was himself. So the father divided the inheritance between both boys. And upon receiving his, the younger son left home and ultimately squandered it all. Basically, this dad allowed his son to make his decisions and, yes, even face the repercussions of them. You see, we can only take our children so far – and not any further than we ourselves have come. Our children are watching us. They will walk in our footsteps. They will emulate our behavior. And hopefully as fathers, we are walking the right way. The Bible says, "Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it" (Proverbs 22:6 NLT). So start now. That is our responsibility as parents. [CONTINUE READING]

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Christians, here come the lions ~ By Pat Boone

By Pat Boone Posted: June 13, 2009 1:00 am Eastern © 2009 WARNING: This column is written for, and addressed to, America's Christians only. Well, maybe devout Jews as well, but no one else. People of other faiths, or no particular faith at all, probably won't comprehend the looming danger or see anything to be concerned about. But this is a three alarm, red alert wake-up call for people who are serious about their Judeo-Christian religion. The end of our religious freedom in America could be at hand. Can you believe it? In "the land of the free, the home of the brave," the one country in human history whose original purpose was to create and preserve absolute religious freedom for all? The nation whose foundational documents, its Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and its subsequent Bill of Rights, specifically guaranteed that government would absolutely keep its grubby hands off its citizens' freedom to exercise their faith however, whenever and wherever they choose? I've always been awed by the incredible courage of the early Christians (many of whom were Jews). Human beings just like us, bound up in their cultures as we are in ours, who became willing to sacrifice everything – everything including their very lives – rather than repudiate or abandon their faith in God. They were tortured and persecuted in so many ways, but I think the most terrifying trials came in the Colosseum in Rome when Christian men and women were herded out into the arena, sometimes tied to posts, and left to be torn to pieces and devoured by ravenous lions. I still shudder when I imagine myself one of those fervent believers, just wanting to worship and serve God as I believe He wants me to, being forced to face the unreasoning, snarling beasts that will literally devour me, just because of my professed faith. Another reason I'm thankful to be living here and now instead of there and then. But now that time is seeming less distant! Our new president, his administration, a Congress and much of the judiciary ruled by ultra-liberal, "progressive" and humanistic men and women, egged on and abetted by the ACLU, are actively making plans and devising bills that will force Christians to either obey the new laws, or be fined, jailed – or who knows? Perhaps physically punished, imprisoned, or worse. You think I'm exaggerating? Think again. [Continue reading]

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The surprising truth about happiness ~ By Greg Laurie

The Bible teaches that we should never seek happiness outright, but we should seek to be holy, and happiness will come as a byproduct. You can start over again with Christ. He will give you the strength to change and to be the person he has called you to be. And as a result, you will find happiness – genuine happiness – in the process. read more | digg story

Free speech under attack! ~ By Bill Keller

The freedom of speech that has been guaranteed under our constitution is not as protected as we hope to think. The hate crimes legislation is just one nail in the coffin of the First Amendment which also protects religious freedom and right to assemble. We all need to care. read more | digg story ~ Submitted by 4chin8

Oh Happy Day! (From "Sister Act 2")

And what a happy day it is! The fact that this song has nearly 10 million views since June 29, 2006, should tell you how much this clip is loved, and I am sure you will join me believing that Jesus Christ is touching many, many lives - even here in the cyberworld! See the video below (or click here to see the video on youtube.com)

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Getting it right: Why our opinion of God matters - By Greg Laurie

Far too many people today emote when it comes to God. They feel, but they don't think. We need to think carefully about these things. We need to study God – in essence, theology. To neglect it is to do so at our own peril. Experience is never to be the basis for theology; rather, sound theology should be the basis for our experience. read more | digg story

UFO-alien Christian 'smoking gun' - part 2

By Roger Marsh March 14, 2009 Joe Jordan is a man with a mission. Working on UFO reports as part of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) led him to additional stories of alien abduction. Coming in the door as an agnostic, he worked the cases like any other field investigator and eventually formed CE-4 Research in Florida to concentrate on these cases. If you have not yet read part one of this story, you can read that piece here. As his investigation into reported alien abduction continued, Jordan was cautioned by a colleague to be armed - a reference to Biblical study, which he followed up on and became a Christian himself. Following a vision he received during an intensive Biblical training session, he took a second look at witness testimony already reviewed. What startled Jordan - something he had heard, but overlooked in his original investigation - was the fact that some witnesses had revealed how they had ended both a current abduction and any future abductions. They invoked the name of Jesus Christ. A follow-up with ufologists from around the country revealed that he was not alone in his findings. Others who had gone before him had discovered similar testimony, but had overlooked it because they either did not know what to do with it, or they were afraid of hurting their research image. But now word was out. One local newspaper interview with a Gannett publication moved the story out to a wide audience. And the story was posted on web sites - like Flying Saucer Review. Jordan's phone calls suddenly took on a national, rather than local, flavor. While Jordan's findings may not be universal, he did find enough witnesses where the evidence can be considered repeatable. "We have repeatability," he said. "And MUFON stresses repeatability." But somehow, he said, it's the "most hated subject in ufology." [Continue reading]

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UFO-alien abduction sleuth spots Christian 'smoking gun'

By Roger Marsh March 12, 2009 “If this is real. This is huge.” An agnostic UFO researcher worked the incoming reports and followed up with witnesses in the field. Curiosity fed his hook-up with the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) and set-up up as Florida state section director in Brevard County. The beat was fielding a regular flow of incoming reports of unidentified flying objects - civilian reports of flying saucers and related anomalies. Monthly meetings boosted the witness count. Some of those witnesses were reporting alien abduction – a challenge working in a “nuts and bolts” scientific organization – but he soon realized that it’s all part of the same phenomena. The investigator is Joe Jordan. His story is multi-layered and takes us down a rough and questionable road to get to the truth – a turn to Christianity – and an awakening in him of a simple, historical and rather frightening truth about UFOs and aliens. And no one's talking about it on CNN. The “real” in “if this is real,” is that an emerging and growing body of alien abduction experiencers seems to have not only discovered a way of ending a single abduction scenario – but a method of halting the abduction process completely – by invoking the name of Jesus Christ. [Continue reading]

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What You've Just Seen...

This story has been around. The rumor is, something like this actually happened... somewhere, sometime... This is just one of those remarkable stories that must stay "viral." It's a story that we must all stay aware of, and remember. God actually DOES use us all. We ARE part of His Creation, and part of His Word. Our actions speak volumes. read more | digg story

Top evangelist launches counter-offensive on atheism

Just as atheists in America begin to develop unprecedented recognition, an evangelist with a long history of engaging skeptics is gearing up to help return them to obscurity. Comfort told WND he believes the rise of an aggressive "evangelistic" atheistic movement is a "symptom of moral decline." read more | digg story

The Bridge

May this bless you as it has blessed me! (6 minutes) ~ ChristNewsWatch

read more | digg story, submitted by ChristNewsWatch

From a "Closet" Longhorn Fan from Iowa Hawkeye Land

So, what does a college football bowl game have to do with Christian ministry? Or, maybe we should ask that question from a different perspective. Perhaps we could ask what Christian ministry has to do with a college football bowl game? From either perspective, I hope I'll be able to answer those questions. read more | digg story

'Try Jesus for 60 days' - by Joseph Farah

Jesus never said to give him a try. He never said it would be easy following him, and that life would be a bowl of cherries if you just accepted Him into your heart. Is there good news in the Gospel? You betcha! But, we should never soft-peddle it. We should never offer cheap grace when that unmerited favor came at such a heavy price - the cross.

read more | digg story

Character counts – how's yours? - By Greg Laurie

Character counts. Integrity matters. What kind of character do you have? Are you a man or woman of personal integrity? The evangelist D. L. Moody once defined character as "What you are in the dark." Humorist Will Rogers said, "So live that you wouldn't mind selling your pet parrot to the town gossip." Read Greg's lesson on character and integrity. read more | digg story

Who are we? The answer could be overwhelming...

Very early this morning, on an extremely cold wintry day here in Iowa, I finished reading "The Christmas Sweater", the best-selling novel by Glenn Beck. I will never, ever forget the thoughts that ran through my mind as I finished the last several chapters. Overwhelming feelings can come in different ways, as in the way we deal with our storms.

read more | digg story