1977 NCAA Final Four at The Omni in Atlanta,GA

                                  Marquette fans going Starsky and Hutch Mode to the big dance

                                      Phil Ford with a injured shooting wing that night

The Shark surrounded by Carolina and UNLV fans. Guess which schools they support by their dress.

The 1977 final 4 was in Atlanta's Omni my senior year. Few remember UGA was the host and you could get tickets. This was before the NCAA learned they could gouge their fans and double dipping after receiving hundreds of millions from the networks. Marquette beat UNC Charlotte on a Duke Kentucky 1992 type full court last play of the game shot. This was not over-hyped as both teams made the mistake of not being in the ACC (so it does not matter). Dean Smith suffered a key injury to Phil Ford against UNLV. Ford was limited against Marquette in the championship fina. It was a different day. Short shorts were on the court. Carolina fans wore ties to the game and politely spit their Redman in a stadium cup and clapped like it twas a tennis match (balancing those cups I guess). UNLV fans dressed in stereotypical fashion like Telly Savalas, had perms (unlike Telly) silk shirts, chest hair and gold chains flying, UNC-Charlotte had Cornbread Maxwell, and that about sums up their basketball history. The fans mixed in as a big community college did not fit the scene. Marquette was a media darling. Coach Al McGuire hyped the crowd as he was who I think a lot of pro wrestler promoters took lessons from. He won his last game and cried on the bench as a national champion. He parlayed that into millions talking about this one game for over 20 years as a TV analyst for CBS college basketball.


See UNC - Charoltte come up short on Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5u8JuNltiw

Preachers & Presidential Politics When It Is Convenient For Them

1 Corinthians 14:8 (NKJV) For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?

The term evangelical is clear as mud today.  What I once presupposed was that “evangelicals” all believed  John 14:6“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  

During a 1970’s presidential campaign many evangelical preachers thought they had one of their own running for office.  A candidate used the term “Born Again” in a Playboy article.   This man still teaches Sunday School.  This one term President's tribe or affiliate of a Protestant faith definitely refutes in practice any inerrancy or infallibility claims of the Bible.   Next the evangelicals supported the man who would defeat that "evangelical" former president.  The winning candidate was divorced and rarely attended church when he was president. Next we had a conservative who attended a liturgical and mostly self described liberal affiliate of Protestant Christianity. He was defeated by a member of the largest conservative evangelical denomination in America. Some members of this conservative denomination tried to throw their fellow denominational member and presidential election winner out but their own theology kept them from it (church autonomy).  He was followed by a conservative who talked evangelical talk but was a member of a “opened minded”  church denomination with which his statements of faith rarely coincided with his denomination’s leaders.   The current president has been often questioned if he were even a Christian or of a middle-eastern faith.  No, this president declared he was a Christian. The current president said when running  that he was grounded in the historic faith at his local church. His pastor was then found by the media to preach messages with theology far from the historic faith that declared Jesus Christ as Lord.  Later the president could not recall some explosive and racially charged sermons that were far from the orthodox Christian faith recorded by his pastor.  A president would not be the first American to drift off during sermons and miss a preached message, or miss church for a round of golf.

In the previous election the evangelical community as a majority tried to elect a man that was not evangelical.   This candidate was not even part of the historic Christian faith. “Close enough” was the message we received from many conservative evangelical leaders. They were willing to twist and compromise theology to get their official guy elected.  It did not work out.

Now influential evangelical ministers and theologians are throwing accusations and endorsements all over the place.  The leading Democrat is a self-described liberal who credits her mainline denomination with teaching her society changing policies.   Her denomination’s heritage used to boast of their genesis that they were “born in revival!”  Yet some who will support her claim to be “evangelical”.  The muddy lens is thickening. 

The conservative “evangelicals” are now swooping to attack a populist front runner. Why? Does this candidate have a record of serial allegations of sexual assaults on women like a recent former president had while married and in office?  No.  Does this candidate plan to further fund Planned Parenthood and use our taxes to fund the abortions of innocent children like the current president?  No.  Evangelical conservative big-wigs are coming out and going for his throat.  This man cannot be tolerated.  What are the accusations?  The leading Republican candidate is rude.  He has a history of brashness.  This cannot be tolerated by any of our “evangelical” church spokespeople. 

                     
                        A Message to Preachers

During the Christmas season this verse is often used and forgotten for the rest of the year.   Isaiah 9:6” For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;  And the GOVERNMENT will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”  Do you really believe Christ can deal with the government? 

Salvation is by grace and not works.  Politics are by works.   The people vote for people they can identify with.  The church today cannot even identify what an evangelical is.  Preacher your task seems pretty simple.  Preach the gospel clearly and stop making uncertain sounds with your trumpet of direction for your people.  If the church people do not know that an evangeical is one who brings the gospel then we have a big problem.   We now have to ask what is the gospel the church is bringing?  Confused people will cause confused voters.  How do you bring the gospel which is what an "evangel" is?  How do you serve the Christian faith?  When in doubt preach the only lifesaving faith through the life death, burial resurrection and one day return of Jesus Christ.  A good place to start is John 14:6 that says  “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” 

Preacher, If you want to change the culture then help change your people.   In a time of panic in His day the preacher Jesus gave a message.  Mark 1:14-15 “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

 

Ash Wednesday meditation-Gainesville,Georgia Style

            Ash Wednesday meditation- Martin Luther in Reformation era Germany engraved The Commandments (Law) on his beer stein. In Gainesville, GA we put them on our sweet tea and Coca-Cola cups. Galatians 3:19 says the law was given because of our transgressions. But, the Seed (Christ JESUS being THE SEED OF woman in Genisis1) who has come would mediate for or sins. The historic message of Ash Wednesday is "Repent and believe the gospel" ‪#‎ashwednesday‬ ‪#‎repentandbelievethegospel‬ Longstreet Cafe                                                                       

Strong Men of God Can Be humble and shy – and Effective

Dorsey Wilbanks is an 88 year old devout Christian who helped me and others greatly when he was active as a Gideon.  When I was the chaplain at Riverside Military Academy for nine years he was the Gideon who served our school.  My conservative estimate  is that in almost nine years he served Riverside as a Gideon he supplied us with over 2,000 pocket New Testament Bibles.   When called upon he would find us a needed Spanish, Korean or even Chinese version of the New Testament.  Some people do not believe in the power of the Word.  He does. Dorsey was and is a very humble and optimistic man.  He was happy when I told him where one of his testaments ended up.

Nine years ago I was picking up a friend returning from vacation in the atrium of the Atlanta airport.  As usual hundreds of people where intersecting at that point.  A young soldier walking by in a pack of camo wearing  soldiers and he yells out “Hey Chaplain Law.”  The soldier was a Riverside graduate from Chicago.  I was a civilian chaplain at the school.  I knew it was Riverside connection when I was ever called chaplain away from school.  The young man had enlisted in the U.S. Army since his graduation.  He told me he was catching a plane to eventually get to Afghanistan. My concern for this friend accelerated at the thought of this young person going to war.  I became almost frantic.  I asked him “are you trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation at this hour?” “Are you praying?” I kept asking more questions concerning salvation.  “Do you have a Bible?” He reached in his backpack and showed me a well-traveled green pocket New Testament.  It was one of the Testaments Dorsey had given me to give to students. The soldier said “Here is the one you gave me.”  I read it and he told me he believed the plan of salvation on the back inside cover.   I remember thinking   “thank you Jesus” and reflecting on Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Bud Grant - Warning Real Men still lurk in Minnesota

Retired 88 year old Bud Grant was sleeveless in -6 degree weather as an honorary coach at the coin toss for the Minnesota Viking vs.Seattle Seahawk playoff game. From Greg Aiello from CBS Sports on Twitter said
Bud Grant to NFL staffer: "Would you hold my jacket while I go out for the toss & show how we love this weather?" My fantasy is he left at halftime to go to Cincinnati to do for 2 Bengals what their mama's, daddy's, teachers and coaches have failed to give them in life. Warning Minnesota-there is a real man walking around up there.

Good News at Noon Christmas Eve 5:30 12/25/2015 The Christmas Story in One Syllable Words- Bob Russell preached by Pastor Fletcher Law

Good News at Noon Christmas Eve 5:30 12/25/2015

The Christmas Story in One Syllable Words- Bob Russell

preached by Pastor Fletcher Law

Good News at Noon homeless shelter and community ministry

Gifts - Good News at Noon, P.O. Box 1577 Gainesville,GA 30503

“God made man and loved him.  Man sinned and fell from God’s will.  God, in His great love, sent His Son to die for man’s sin and then raised Him from the dead.  Now if we yield our lives to Him, He will cleanse our sin and give us life for all time.  What great news!” Bob Russell

" Dios hizo al hombre y lo amaba. El hombre pecó y cayó de la voluntad de Dios . Dios, en su gran amor, envió a su Hijo a morir por el pecado del hombre y luego le levantó de los muertos. Ahora bien, si nos rendimos nuestras vidas a Él, Él limpiará nuestro pecado y darnos la vida para siempre. Qué gran noticia ! Bob Russell

#1 God made man and loved him.    ___    Dios hizo al hombre y lo amaba.

#2 Man sinned and fell from God’s will.   ____   El hombre pecó y cayó de la voluntad de Dios .

#3 God, in His great love, sent His Son to die for man’s sin and then raised Him from the dead.  ___

Dios, en su gran amor, envió a su Hijo a morir por el pecado del hombre y luego le levantó de los muertos.

#4Now if we yield our lives to Him, He will cleanse our sin and give us life for all time. ____

Ahora bien, si nos rendimos nuestras vidas a Él, Él limpiará nuestro pecado y darnos la vida para siempre.

#5 What great news   ____  Qué gran noticia

#6 Your response ---   tu respuesta

Repent of your sins and believe the gospel - Arrepiéntete de tus pecados y creer en el evangelio

Join God's family because of the blood of Jesus Christ  ___

Únete a la familia de Dios por la sangre de Jesucristo

MEMORY VERSE  ---- verso de memoria

John 1:14 John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,

Juan 1:14 Juan 1:14 Y el Verbo se hizo carne y habitó entre nosotros ,

On Earth as It Is In Heaven Is Not Happening –YET

On Earth as It Is In Heaven Is Not Happening –YET

Of all the things the disciples could have asked Jesus for – how to raise the dead, walk on water, give sight to the blind; we know the disciples asked the Master to teach them how to pray.
A striking almost incomprehensible part of the prayer to human ears is from Matthew 6:10.

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

We cannot comprehend this as for a recorded 2,000 years and longer, earth as a whole has not been anything like heaven.
Today we have fear of terrorist blowing us up, mass shootings, politicians lying more, economic chaos and a government supported program selling baby parts from the womb, and a whole lot of poor people suffering.

Two thousand years ago we had religious zealots, civil violence, lying politicians, economic chaos, a government supported program to kill infant males two years old and younger, and a whole lot of poor people suffering.

Earth’s situation for the last 2,000 years is described in the previous two paragraphs. It ain’t nothing like what heaven is described as the last 2,000 years and really eternity past.
Yes souls have been saved.  But, the situation of the world really has not changed other than advances in technology.

What is the review of events in heaven the last 2,000 years and longer? Heaven is unshakable, Sovereign and has been ruled by a gracious and loving Lord according to Scripture.

Hebrews 12:25 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Heaven has a steady rule steady reign by a Sovereign King fo r2,000 years plus. Heaven is unshakable and the glory of God transcends all. Here is the part Christians need to repent in sackcloth and ashes. We don’t act like where we are from. We must receive the rebuke of the world for motivation. We suffer from humanity’s ultimate put down. We forgot where we come from. Through the adoption of the Spirit –we come from heaven. We are not establishing the Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

Philippians 3:20-21 (NLT) 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.

But Christ was incarnated into earth at His birth. Christ ascended. He left the Holy Spirit with us. Salvation came to us. The elect are not US, Russian or Syrian citizens anymore. We are citizens of heaven.
Here is a wild teaching of Scripture I find hard to receive and yet we should all receive.
Ephesians 2:5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Part of our adopted selves is already in heaven. Let’s live like it. Pray and evangelize. Lives depend on it. This is a shaken world and will have an even greater time of shaking. Christ did his work. Christians now have to do theirs. The only firm left will be the Kingdom of God Christians were told to establish.