MSSQL Restore

After doing the restore, use the sp_change_users_login with the auto_fix option to fix the users.

Helpful UNIX commands

VI:

In vi, to copy the whole line and have it repeated (I use when doing mass mv or cp commands)

:%s/.*/& &/

REDIRECTION:

Dump to a file:

ls -1a > output.txt

Append to a file:

ls -1a >> output.txt

Redirect standard error:

ls -1a 2> error.txt

Run a script to redirect to a file AND show on the screen:

ls -1a | tee -a output.txt

MySQL: Master Master Replication

This is a copy of the following site

MySQL Master Master Repliction Tutorial

This tutorial describes how to set up MySQL master-master replication. We need to replicate MySQL servers to achieve high-availability (HA). In my case I need two masters that are synchronized with each other so that if one of them drops down, other could take over and no data is lost. Similarly when the first one goes up again, it will still be used as slave for the live one.

Here  is a basic step by step tutorial, that will cover the mysql master and slave replication and also will describe the mysql master and master replication.

Notions: we will call system 1 as master1 and slave2 and system2 as master2 and slave 1.

Step 1:

Install mysql on master 1 and slave 1. configure network services on both system, like

Master 1/Slave 2 ip: 192.168.16.4

Master 2/Slave 1 ip : 192.168.16.5

Step 2:

On Master 1, make changes in my.cnf:

[mysqld]
datadir=/var/lib/mysql
socket=/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
old_passwords=1

log-bin
binlog-do-db=<database name>  # input the database which should be replicated
binlog-ignore-db=mysql            # input the database that should be ignored for replication
binlog-ignore-db=test

server-id=1

[mysql.server]
user=mysql
basedir=/var/lib

[mysqld_safe]
err-log=/var/log/mysqld.log
pid-file=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid

Step 3:

On master 1, create a replication slave account in mysql.

mysql> grant replication slave on *.* to 'replication'@192.168.16.5 \
identified by 'slave';

and restart the mysql master1.

Step 4:

Now edit my.cnf on Slave1 or Master2 :

[mysqld]
datadir=/var/lib/mysql
socket=/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
old_passwords=1


server-id=2

master-host = 192.168.16.4
master-user = replication
master-password = slave
master-port = 3306

[mysql.server]
user=mysql
basedir=/var/lib

[mysqld_safe]
err-log=/var/log/mysqld.log
pid-file=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid

Step 5:

Restart mysql slave 1 and at

mysql> start slave;
mysql> show slave status\G;


*************************** 1. row ***************************

Slave_IO_State: Waiting for master to send event
Master_Host: 192.168.16.4
Master_User: replica
Master_Port: 3306
Connect_Retry: 60
Master_Log_File: MASTERMYSQL01-bin.000009
Read_Master_Log_Pos: 4

Relay_Log_File: MASTERMYSQL02-relay-bin.000015

Relay_Log_Pos: 3630
Relay_Master_Log_File: MASTERMYSQL01-bin.000009
Slave_IO_Running: Yes
Slave_SQL_Running: Yes
Replicate_Do_DB:
Replicate_Ignore_DB:
Replicate_Do_Table:
Replicate_Ignore_Table:
Replicate_Wild_Do_Table:
Replicate_Wild_Ignore_Table:
Last_Errno: 0
Last_Error:
Skip_Counter: 0
Exec_Master_Log_Pos: 4
Relay_Log_Space: 3630
Until_Condition: None
Until_Log_File:
Until_Log_Pos: 0
Master_SSL_Allowed: No
Master_SSL_CA_File:
Master_SSL_CA_Path:
Master_SSL_Cert:
Master_SSL_Cipher:
Master_SSL_Key:
Seconds_Behind_Master: 1519187

1 row in set (0.00 sec)

Above highlighted rows must be indicate related log files and  Slave_IO_Running and   Slave_SQL_Running: must be to YES.

Step 6:

On master 1:

mysql> show master status;
+------------------------+----------+--------------+------------------+
| File                   | Position | Binlog_Do_DB | Binlog_Ignore_DB |
+------------------------+----------+--------------+------------------+
|MysqlMYSQL01-bin.000008 |      410 | adam         |                  |
+------------------------+----------+--------------+------------------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

The above scenario is for master-slave, now we will create a slave master scenario for the same systems and it will work as master master.

Step 7:

On Master2/Slave 1, edit my.cnf and master entries into it:

[mysqld]
datadir=/var/lib/mysql
socket=/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
# Default to using old password format for compatibility with mysql 3.x
# clients (those using the mysqlclient10 compatibility package).
old_passwords=1
server-id=2

master-host = 192.168.16.4
master-user = replication
master-password = slave
master-port = 3306

log-bin                     #information for becoming master added
binlog-do-db=adam

[mysql.server]
user=mysql
basedir=/var/lib

[mysqld_safe]
err-log=/var/log/mysqld.log
pid-file=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid

Step 8:

Create a replication slave account on master2 for master1:

mysql> grant replication slave on *.* to 'replication'@192.168.16.4 identified by 'slave2';

Step 9:

Edit my.cnf on master1 for information of its master.

[mysqld]
datadir=/var/lib/mysql
socket=/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock

# Default to using old password format for compatibility with mysql 3.x
# clients (those using the mysqlclient10 compatibility package).
old_passwords=1

log-bin
binlog-do-db=adam
binlog-ignore-db=mysql
binlog-ignore-db=test

server-id=1
#information for becoming slave.
master-host = 192.168.16.5
master-user = replication
master-password = slave2
master-port = 3306

[mysql.server]user=mysqlbasedir=/var/lib

Step 10:

Restart both mysql master1 and master2.

On mysql master1:

mysql> start slave;

On mysql master2:

mysql > show master status;

On mysql master 1:

mysql> show slave status\G;

*************************** 1. row ***************************
Slave_IO_State: Waiting for master to send event
Master_Host: 192.168.16.5
Master_User: replica
Master_Port: 3306
Connect_Retry: 60
Master_Log_File: Mysql1MYSQL02-bin.000008
Read_Master_Log_Pos: 410
Relay_Log_File: Mysql1MYSQL01-relay-bin.000008
Relay_Log_Pos: 445
Relay_Master_Log_File: Mysql1MYSQL02-bin.000008
Slave_IO_Running: Yes
Slave_SQL_Running: Yes
Replicate_Do_DB:
Replicate_Ignore_DB:
Replicate_Do_Table:
Replicate_Ignore_Table:
Replicate_Wild_Do_Table:
Replicate_Wild_Ignore_Table:
Last_Errno: 0
Last_Error:
Skip_Counter: 0
Exec_Master_Log_Pos: 410
Relay_Log_Space: 445
Until_Condition: None
Until_Log_File:
Until_Log_Pos: 0
Master_SSL_Allowed: No
Master_SSL_CA_File:
Master_SSL_CA_Path:
Master_SSL_Cert:
Master_SSL_Cipher:
Master_SSL_Key:
Seconds_Behind_Master: 103799
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

ERROR:
No query specified

Check for the hightlighted rows, make sure its running. Now you can create tables in the database and you will see changes in slave. Enjoy!!

What happens when you ask Harlem why they support Obama?

Shortsightedness by the Democrats

The following is a 2004 video about the potential problems at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Politicians saw this problem coming.  Don't listen to their lies now.

Proof Christ was the Jewish Messiah

Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh to refer to its canon, which was later adopted as the Christian Old Testament. In academic circles, the term Hebrew Bible is commonly used to refer to the Tanakh or Old Testament.

With the above in mind, I will use the Old Testament to prove Christ is being spoken of and cross reference the New Testament.  The most notable section of scripture in the Old Testament that speaks of Christ's crucifixion is Psalm 22.

VIRGIN BIRTH
Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:  The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Matthew 1:23 - "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"  - which means, "God with us."

CRUCIFIXION
Psalm 22:1 - My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.
Matthew 27:46 - About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" - which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Psalm 22:7 - All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads
Matthew 27:39 - Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads

Psalm 22:8 - "He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him.  Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."
Matthew 27:43 - He trusts in God.  Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, "I am the Son of God."

Psalm 22:16 - Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.
John 20:27 - Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe."

Psalm 22:18 - They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
Mark 15:24 - And they crucified him.  Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.

SACRIFICIAL DEATH
Isaiah 53:5 - But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
Romans 4:25 - He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Luke 23:33 - When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals - one on his right, the other on his left.

RESURRECTION
Psalm 16:10 - because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay
Matthew 28:5-6 - The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come and see the place where he lay.

Credit Cards

Before writing this article, I'm going to make a statement.

IF YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR MONTH-TO-MONTH BILLS OR EVEN CONSIDER CARRYING A BALANCE ON A CREDIT CARD, DON'T GET ONE.  PAY FOR EVERYTHING WITH CASH AND GET YOUR LIFE FIXED FIRST.

Simply put, I like cash back credit cards.  If you're going to spend the money anyway, get some money back for doing it.  Generally, somewhere around 1.5%.

Before you apply for any of the mentioned credit cards, make sure you investigate everything about them - do they have an annual fee, what are the terms for the rewards, etc.

My Favorite Cash Back Credit Cards:

• Fidelity Investment Rewards Visa Signature^® Card with WorldPoints^® Rewards
  
  
  
  • My recommendation
  
  
  • No annual fee
  
  
  • Earn 1.50% back on everything you spend
  
  
  • You need a Fidelity Investments brokerage account to tie it to
  
  
  
  

• Chase Freedom Mastercard/Visa
  
  
  
  • No annual fee
  
  
  • Earn 3% back on 3 of 15 categories up to $600 in purchases; all other purchases receive 1% cash back
  
  
  • You can learn more about this card here.
  
  
  
  

• American Express Blue Cash
  
  
  
  • No annual fee
  
  
  • Under $6500 in spending, 1% on everyday purchases, .50% on other purchases
  
  
  • Over $6500 in spending, 5% on everyday purchases, 1.50% on other purchases
  
  
  • You can learn more about this card here.
  
  
  
  

A fantastic site to learn about the various credit cards is Ask Mr. Credit Card.

My final thoughts are that you should immediately take the cash you get from your credit card and put it into some type of savings account that earns interest; otherwise, you'll just end up spending it.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs will save you money.  Forget about the green movement's environmental stuff.  Just focus on the money savings.

For anyone that doesn't know, Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) Bulbs are the curly Q light bulbs that use about a quarter of the power of regular incandescent light bulbs.

After seeing these light bulbs show up in more and more places, I actually ran the numbers and converted my house.  I saw my electric bill drop by several hundred kilowatt hours per month.  First, lets show the facts.

Incandescent Wattage / CFL Wattage
100 Watts / 26 Watts
60 Watts / 13 Watts
40 Watts / 11 Watts

Electric bills are calculated in kilowatt hours.  In order to get one kilowatt hour, you would need to run a 100 watt incandescent bulb for 10 hours.  The equivalent CFL bulb is 26 watts.  In order to reach one kilowatt with the CFL equivalent, it would need to be run for roughly 38.5 hours.

Let's do a real world example.  Let's say you come home each day after work and turn on ceiling fan lights running 4 100 watt incandescent bulbs and 4 more 100 watt incandescent bulbs in your kitchen or another room.  Also, let's assume you run them for 5 hours at a time.  That's 8 lights x 100 watts x 5 hours x 30 days in a month which equals 120,000 watts or 120 kilowatts.  At $.15/kilowatt, that would cost you $18/month of your electric bill.  With CFL bulbs giving off the same light, the example would be 8 lights x 26 watts x 5 hours x 30 days which equals 31,200 watts or 31.2 kilowatts.  At the same $.15/kilowatt, that would cost you $4.68/month.  That's a savings of $13.32/month or $159.84/year just for changing out 8 light bulbs.  The more you change, the more you'll save.

I know several people that want to change light bulbs after the incandescent ones burn out.  Run the numbers yourself.  You'll see that it makes sense to change out the bulbs now.

A couple of side notes from personal experience on CFL lights.  I had a garage door light that would consistently burn out an incandescent bulb every 3-4 months.  I switched it to a CFL, after a year and a half, I'm still on the same bulb.  Also, for those that don't like the amount of heat generated from standard incandescent lights, CFLs run about 85% cooler.

Walmart has an online savings calculator here if you want to see how much you can save in your particular house.

Check Your Credit Report

One of the best methods to make sure that someone isn't stealing your identity is to check your credit report.  I'm not a big believer in the sites that continuously monitor your credit reports.  Others may disagree, but I think they are a waste of money.

That being said, I do believe you should check your credit report.  The government has setup a website to allow you to annually check your credit report for free.  That site is AnnualCreditReport.com.

For those that need to make sure this site is legitimate (yes, I was one of those people), check out what the Federal Trade Commission says about the site here.

There are 3 credit reporting agencies - Experian, Equifax, and Transunion.  Since the AnnualCreditReport.com site only lets you freely check your credit report annually, I'd recommend staggering the checks.  For instance, check Experian in January, check Equifax in May, and check Transunion in September.  You can check your credit report every 4 months that way.

Redirecting one domain to another in IIS

To redirect domaina.com to domainb.com:

1.       In IIS,  create a website www.domaina.com  . it doesn't matter if it goes anywhere . my recommendation . point it to a blank directory

2.       Go into the properties of www.domaina.com

a.       Verify that the IP address is a static IP address . not (All Unassigned)  . can stay at 10.10.10.10

b.       Click the Home Directory tab

i.      Click a redirection to a URL

ii.      In the blank, type  http://www.domainb.com$S$Q

iii.      Click the exact URL typed above

iv.      Click a permanent redirection for this resource

Side recommendation, not necessary to make the above work:

In DNS, have the entries as follows:

www.domainb.com             IN           A                             10.10.10.10

www.domaina.com             IN           CNAME                www.domainb.com

FOR REFERENCE:

If anyone's ever tried to move domain, you'll know its a pain. One way to make things a little easier is to provide an automatic 301 redirect from your old domain to your new one - this marks the new destination as a permanent change, and will generally be picked up by search engines.

IIS provides an easy way to do this - but it's not immediately obvious how to get it to forward querystrings too - for instance, if you wanted to forward developerfusion.com/show.aspx?id=20 to developerfusion.co.uk/show.aspx?id=20. Here's how! (This works in both IIS 5 and IIS 6)

Go into the IIS site properties for the domain you're moving from. In the "Home Directory" tab, click the option "A redirection to a URL".

In the Redirect to box, enter the domain you wish to move to (no trailing slash), plus $S$Q - for example, http://www.developerfusion.com$S$Q

Next, check the options that state the client will be sent to "The exact URL entered above", and "A permanent redirection for this resource"

And that's it! Now, what does this $S$Q do? These are basically tags that IIS will automatically replace - $S will be replaced with the subdirectory location (such as /images/show.aspx) and $Q will be replaced with the querystring (such as ?id=30).

You might be wondering why we can't just use $Q, and then turn off "The exact URL entered above" - but in this situation, you get your domain name, then the query string, and *then* the subdirectory location - which probably isn't what you wanted!

Redirect HTTP to HTTPS on IIS

First, get a certificate so you can have a https website.

Second, in Directory Security - Secure Communications section of the properties of your website, hit the edit button and choose Require secure channel (SSL).

In order to have whatever page on your IIS website automatically redirect to a secure version, replace the 403.4 file in the Custom Error section of your website with the following script.  I generally call it 403-4.htm.

---

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>REDIRECT</TITLE>
<META content="text/html; charset=windows-1252" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<script>
var theLink = "https://" + location.hostname + window.location.pathname + window.location.search;
function redirectPage()
{
window.location.href= theLink;
}
</script>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor="#FFFFFF" leftMargin="0" topMargin="0"
onLoad="redirectPage();">
one moment please ... (redirecting to secure site)
</BODY>
</HTML>

DNS Cache Poisoning 2008

DNS ... all DNS was determined to be vulnerable to DNS Cache Poisoning due to the lack of randomness in the transaction ID.  Fixes have been put into place by most DNS vendors.  Please upgrade to the latest version of DNS and run the following test on your DNS Server:

dig +short porttest.dns-oarc.net TXT

It should come back with something like

porttest.y.x.w.v.u.t.s.r.q.p.o.n.m.l.k.j.i.h.g.f.e.d.c.b.a.pt.dns-oarc.net.
"x.x.x.x is GREAT: 26 queries in 0.7 seconds from 26 ports with std dev 19513"

If you see GREAT, you're good.  If you see POOR, you still have work to do.

Another test site is Web-based DNS Randomness Test

If you want to read the original CERT writeup about the vulnerability, it's here.

UNIX Check Password File Script

#!/bin/sh
#
#  @(#)sec_ckpwd    v1.03
#
#
#  Description:        Checks the password file for changes and mails  any
#                      changes to designated persions.  This  script  needs
#                      to be run as root.  And can be either  manually  or
#                      submitted nightly via a cron entry.
#
#  Usage:        sec_ckpwd
#

MAILTO="user1@domain.com user2@domain.com"
PASSWD=/etc/passwd
SEC_PATH=/ssi;export SEC_PATH
SHADOW=/etc/shadow
USER_ID=`id|sed 's/uid=//;s/(.*//'`

###
###    FUNCTION SECTION.
###

process_files()
{

umask 077

# The following takes care of merging the shadow password information
# into a temporary password file.

sort -t: +0 -1 $PASSWD > /tmp/passwd
sort -t: +0 -1 $SHADOW |
join -1 1 -2 1 -o 2.1,1.2,2.3,2.4,2.5,2.6,2.7 -t: - /tmp/passwd \
> $SEC_PATH/tmp_passwd
rm -f /tmp/passwd

# Move to where the merged passwd file is located.

cd $SEC_PATH
echo ">>>> Password File Check For:  `uname -n`"
echo ">>>> As Of:  `date`\n"

echo "**** Accounts Without Passwords:\n"
grep '^[^:]*::' $SEC_PATH/tmp_passwd
if [ $? -eq 1 ]  # grep found no matches
then echo "None found."
fi
echo ""

echo "**** Non-Root UID=0 Or GID=0 Accounts:\n"
grep ':00*:' $SEC_PATH/tmp_passwd | \
awk -F: 'BEGIN      {n=0}
$1!="root" && $1!="smtp"  {print $0; n=1}
END        {if (n==0) print "None found."}'
echo ""

# Sort the temporary passwd file.  This file is used for comparison.

sort < $SEC_PATH/tmp_passwd > $SEC_PATH/tmp1

# Check for sorted saved passwd file.  If it doen't exist, create it.

if [ ! -f "$SEC_PATH/sec_spf" ]
then cp $SEC_PATH/tmp1 $SEC_PATH/sec_spf
chmod 444  $SEC_PATH/sec_spf
chown root $SEC_PATH/sec_spf
chgrp root $SEC_PATH/sec_spf
fi

# Sort the saved password file.

sort < $SEC_PATH/sec_spf    > $SEC_PATH/tmp2

# Check for saved saved shadow file.  If it doesn't exist, create it.

if [ ! -f "$SEC_PATH/sec_ssf" ]
then cp /etc/shadow $SEC_PATH/sec_ssf
chmod 400  $SEC_PATH/sec_ssf
chown root $SEC_PATH/sec_ssf
chgrp root $SEC_PATH/sec_ssf
fi

echo "**** Accounts Added:\n"
comm -23 tmp[1-2]      # lines only in /etc/passwd

echo "\n**** Accounts Deleted:\n"
comm -13 tmp[1-2]      # lines only in saved passwd file

# Remove the temporary files created by this script.

rm -f $SEC_PATH/tmp[1-2] $SEC_PATH/sec_passwd

# Compare the current files against previously saved files to
# determine if the permissions have been modified.

echo "\n**** Password File Protection:\n"
one=`ls -l $SEC_PATH/sec_spf | \
awk '{print $1 ":" $2 ":" $3 ":" $4}'`
two=`ls -l /etc/passwd | awk '{print $1 ":" $2 ":" $3 ":" $4}'`
three=`ls -l $SEC_PATH/sec_ssf | \
awk '{print $1 ":" $2 ":" $3 ":" $4}'`
four=`ls -l /etc/shadow | awk '{print $1 ":" $2 ":" $3 ":" $4}'`

if [ $one != $two ];
then echo "The Passwd File Permissions Have Changed!!!"
else echo "The Passwd File Permissions Are O.K."
fi

if [ $three != $four ];
then echo "The Shadow File Permissions Have Changed!!!"
else echo "The Shadow File Permissions Are O.K."
fi

echo "\n>>> End Of Report.\n"
}

###
###    PROCEDURE SECTION.
###

# Verify the script is running as root.  If it is then continue
# and mail the results to the appropriate administrator(s).

if [ $USER_ID != '0' ]
then mailx -s "sec_ckpwd for `uname -n` - Aborted!" $MAILTO \
>/dev/null <<!
The $SEC_PATH/sec_ckpwd script for `uname -n` aborted!  The user must be root.
!
exit 1
else process_files |
mailx -s "sec_ckpwd for `uname -n` - Completed." \
$MAILTO >/dev/null
fi

Rsync Ssh Expect Backup Script

#!/bin/bash
#
# A script to backup various items to via sudo with a user when you can't use passkeys
#
#
USER="remoteuser"
PASS="remotepassword"

for x in \
server1:/home/user \
server1:/etc \
server1:/export \
server2:/home/user \
server2:/etc \
server2:/export \
server3:/home/user \
server3:/etc \
server3:/export \
; do

HOST=`echo $x|cut -f1 -d":"`
DIR=`echo $x|cut -f2 -d":"`

if [ ! -d /export/backups/$HOST$DIR ]; then
mkdir -p /export/backups/$HOST$DIR
fi

/usr/bin/expect -c "

spawn /bin/bash
expect \"]#\"
send \"/usr/bin/rsync --rsh='/usr/bin/ssh -l $USER' --rsync-path='/usr/bin/sudo /usr/bin/rsync' --delete -avz $HOST:$DIR/ /export/backups/$HOST$DIR\r\"
expect \"word: \"
send \"$PASS\r\"
expect \"]#\"
send \"exit\r\"

"

done

Presidential 2004 County by County Results

Let's talk for a minute about the 2004 Presidential Election between George W. Bush and John Kerry.  While we all know how close the final vote count was, very few people seem to realize why it was so close.

If you look at the country as just land mass, Bush ran away with the election.  The key for John Kerry which made the election so close is that he won the major metropolitan cities with the exception of Dallas and Houston.

This led me to wonder why there was such a difference between people who live in the country and people who live in the city.  The conclusion that I arrived at was that people in the country are used to fixing their own problems and people in the city are used to complaining to a governmental authority until the problem goes away.

Below is a map of the county by county results for the 2004 Presidential Election.

[caption id="attachment_81" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Presidential 2004 County by County Results"][/caption]

McCain's views vs. Obama's views

Let's cover what each candidate believes.  As much as possible, I'm going to try to make this an item by item comparison.  On the subjects they agree on (yes, they agree on a few even though they phrase it differently), I'll highlight those subjects in green:

A website that does an excellent comparison is Obama vs. McCain

McCain

• Abortion:  Pro Life


• Alternative Fuels:  Supports research into alternative fuels


• Budget:  Wants to attack governmental spending and claims he'll have a balanced budget by the end of his first term


• Death penalty:  For the death penalty


• Gay marriage:  Against gay marriage but supports same sex unions
  


• Global warming:  Believes global warming is occurring
  


• Gun Control:  Wants to uphold the rights of citizens to keep and bear arms


• Health Care:  Does not want government run health care


• Iraq War:  Supports the Iraq war and wants to keep troops there until they can be brought home without the threat of going back for another war


• Marijuana:  Against legalizing the use of marijuana


• Oil:  Supports drilling in United States to reduce independence on foreign oil


• Patriot Act:  Voted for the Patriot Act


• School vouchers:  For


• Social Security:  Supports privatization of a portion of Social Security


• Stem Cells:  Supports federal funding of embryonic stem cells


• Taxes:  Wants to keep the Bush tax cuts, doesn't want to raise taxes on anyone


• Unions:  Anti union


• Vice President:  Young and spunky (just had to throw this in for fun)

Obama

• Abortion:  Pro Choice


• Alternative Fuels:  Supports research into alternative fuels


• Budget:  No claims about balancing the budget.  Says he'll curb future spending by cuts or increased revenue (taxes)


• Death penalty:  For the death penalty


• Gay marriage:  Against gay marriage but supports same sex unions
  


• Global warming:  Believes global warming is occurring
  


• Gun Control:  Supports limits on gun ownership


• Health Care:  Wants government run health care


• Iraq War:  Wants the troops to come home now without concern for the future consequences


• Marijuana:  Admits to smoking marijuana and for medical marijuana


• Oil:  Opposes drilling in the United States to reduce independence on foreign oil


• Patriot Act:  Voted against the Patriot Act


• School vouchers:  Against


• Social Security:  Against privatization of Social Security


• Stem Cells:  Supports federal funding of embryonic stem cells
  


• Taxes:  Wants to raise taxes on those making over $150,000, wants to repeal the Bush tax cuts, wants to raise dividend taxes to 40%


• Unions:  Pro union

Who Should You Vote For?

Use the link below and answer some questions about your beliefs and you'll quickly find out whether you agree more with John McCain or Barack Obama.

Find Your Candidate

Financial Links

Bankrate

Bankrate is a one stop financial site where you can find out the rates for checking accounts or get financial advice on mortgages, retirement, taxes, or just about anything else financial.  Use this site to educate yourself.

Fidelity Investments

If you want to buy stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc., go open a brokerage account at Fidelity Investments.  I've been with several different companies over the years, and these people have their act together.

Google Finance

Google does a lot of things very well, but they need to look at these other sites and learn how to do a financial site.  I put this site here because it can be helpful, but it's my least favorite.

MSN MoneyCentral

If you own stocks or mutual funds, this site is a must.  It gives you the Morningstar ratings and last 10  years of returns.  Also, in the case of a mutual fund, you can see the top 25 holdings and each of their returns.

Yahoo Finance

I love this site.  It was the first one I started with years ago and it's still one of the first I go to about stocks and mutual funds.

Religious Links

Believers Chapel

This is a church in Dallas, Texas dedicated to teaching the Word of God as presented by the Bible. It’s site has some booklets online discussing various subjects as well as sermons in MP3 format. The church is based upon a belief in the five points of Calvinism.

End Times

This site was created by someone who's done a lot of research about how he see's the end times. I don't vouch for all of its accuracy, but it will make you think.

Proclaiming The Gospel

This site is a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting the Gospel. They have a unique slant specifically towards Roman Catholics.

Definitions

Glorification

To give glory, honor, and high praise to; exalt

Justification

To free man to the guilt and penalty attached to sin

Regeneration

Spiritual rebirth; God imparting eternal life to us

Salvation

The deliverance of man from the power and penalty of sin

Santification

To make holy; purify

Premarital Sex

Most of the time when I read the Bible, I read the New International Version (NIV).  Unfortunately, the NIV doesn’t do justice to the subject of premarital sex.  I believe the main problem to be the “loosening” of terminology.  In the King James Version, the word fornication is used 36 times in 32 different verses.  In the New International Version, the word fornication doesn’t appear.  Instead it has been replaced by the phrase “sexual immorality.”  My personal belief is that the phrase sexual immorality is vague and the word fornication should have been used instead.  For anyone that doesn’t know, the definition for the word fornication is sexual intercourse between a man and woman not married to each other.  The verses I go to most often when talking about premarital sex are 1 Corinthians 6:15-20.  I’ve given them below in both the KJV and the NIV so that you could see and read the distinctions between the two versions.  Please note that the Lord makes a distinction that “All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.”  Because the body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, this sin should be guarded against vigilantly.

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1 Corinthians 6:15-20 (KJV)
Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.  What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.  But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.  Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

1 Corinthians 6:15-20 (NIV)
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!  Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."  But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.  Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.  Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Matthew 19:9 (KJV)
And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Jude 1:7 (KJV)
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Homosexuality

Today, we live in a world where right and wrong seem to be defined in relative terms.  We’re debating whether homosexual couples have equal rights with heterosexual couples.  And, we have homosexuals that are pushing to be recognized as a minority in the eyes of the government.  This debate of morality has even spread to our churches where these same issues are being discussed.  I have even heard so-called preachers teach that the Bible doesn’t say anything about homosexuality.  Nonsense.  You just have to go to Genesis 19:1-14 to see that the Lord destroyed Sodom for the wicked stench of homosexuality.  How about Romans 1:24-32 where God speaks of such things being deserving of death or 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 where God says that those who commit these indecent acts will not enter the kingdom of heaven?  Homosexuality is wrong – plain and simple.

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Genesis 19:1-14 (NIV)
The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.  "My lords," he said, "please turn aside to your servant's house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning." "No," they answered, "we will spend the night in the square."  But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.  Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom--both young and old--surrounded the house.  They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."  Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing.  Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof." "Get out of our way," they replied. And they said, "This fellow came here as an alien, and now he wants to play the judge! We'll treat you worse than them."  They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.  But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door.  Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door.  The two men said to Lot, "Do you have anyone else here--sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it."

Romans 1:24-32 (NIV)
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.  They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised.  Amen.  Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.  Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.  In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.  Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.  Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.  They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity.  They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice.  They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.  Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NIV)
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Calvinism

God's Attributes

• Omnipotence
• Omniscience
• Omnipresence

History of Calvinism

Biblical Basis for the Five Points of Calvinism

• Total Depravity
• Unconditional Election
• Limited Atonement
• Irresistable Grace
• Perseverance of the Saints
• Synopsis

Logical Discussion of Calvinism & Arminianism

Questions & Objections

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GOD'S ATTRIBUTES

To understand exactly what I believe, first one must understand precisely what I believe about the Lord. God has many attributes, but the three which summarize his entire being are as follows:

1. Omnipotence
2. Omniscience
3. Omnipresence

The backing for these three attributes of God are written into the Bible time and time again; therefore, I will only show a couple of verses to support each attribute.

Omnipotence

Psalm 147:4-5
He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

Job 42:2
I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.

Luke 1:37
For nothing is impossible with God.

Matthew 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Omniscience

Matthew 6:4,6,8
so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you ... But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you ... Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Psalm 139:1-6
O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in - behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Jeremiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

Omnipresence

Psalm 139:7-8
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

Jeremiah 23:23-24
“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord, “and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord.

As one can see, the above verses often speak of more than just one of God’s three attributes. This intermingling of the attributes shows the totality of God’s power, knowledge, and presence.

HISTORY OF CALVINISM

Now that I have explained God and His attributes, a little more in depth study of the plan of salvation is in order. To put it simply, I believe in predestination. Predestination is God’s work in ordaining salvation for people without their prior knowledge. The basis for my belief in predestination is most succinctly stated within the Biblical backing of the five points of Calvinism. The five points of Calvinism were until 1610 the unquestioned view of the Bible taken by the church.

In 1610, the followers of James Arminius came up with the five points of Arminianism. These five points stated as follows directly oppose my beliefs in the five points of Calvinism. The five points of Arminianism are as follows:

1. Each sinner possesses a free will, and his eternal destiny depends on how he uses it.
2. God's choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world was based upon His foreseeing that they would respond to His call.
3. Christ's redeeming work made it possible for everyone to be saved but did not actually secure the salvation of anyone.
4. The call to salvation made specifically by the Holy Spirit can be resisted.
5. Once saved, man can fall from grace and lose his salvation.

In 1618, a national Synod (a council or assembly of churches or church officials) met in Dort for the purpose of examining the views of Arminius in the light of Scripture. There were 84 member and 18 secular commissioners. Included were 27 delegates from Germany, the Palatinate, Switzerland and England. There were 154 sessions held during the seven months that the Synod met to consider these matters, the last of which was on May 9, 1619. These meetings resulted in a total denunciation of the views of Arminianism.

Out of these meetings came the five points of Calvinism (named after John Calvin). These five points are the most succinct way of stating what I believe. I will give the five points and then proceed to provide Biblical backing for each. As above in describing God’s attributes, I am not going to bring in every passage in the Scripture that backs these points, but I will try to capture the Scriptures which most vividly express the proof for each point. The five points and their definitions are as follows:

1. Total Depravity
2. Unconditional Election
3. Limited Atonement
4. Irresistible Grace
5. Perseverance Of The Saints

BIBLICAL BASIS FOR THE FIVE POINTS OF CALVINISM

Total Depravity - Because of the fall, man is unable of himself to savingly believe the gospel. The sinner is dead, blind, and deaf to the things of God; his heart is deceitful and desperately corrupt. His will is not free, it is in bondage to his evil nature; therefore, he will not - indeed cannot - choose good over evil in the spiritual realm. Consequently, it takes much more than the Spirit’s assistance to bring a sinner to Christ - it takes regeneration (Spiritual rebirth) by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature. Faith is not something man contributes to salvation but is itself a part of God’s gift of salvation - it is God’s gift to the sinner, not the sinner’s gift to God.

Romans 3:9-12
What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

Romans 8:6-8
The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

1 Corinthians 2:14
The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Job 14:4
Who can bring what is pure from the impure? No one!

John 6:44
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.

Jeremiah 13:23
Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.

1 Corinthians 4:7
For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

Unconditional Election - God’s choice of certain individuals unto salvation before the foundation of the world rested solely in His own sovereign will. His choice of particular sinners was not based on any foreseen response or obedience on their part, such as faith, repentance, etc. On the contrary, God gives faith and repentance to each individual whom He selected. These acts are the result, not the cause of God’s choice. Election therefore was not determined by or conditioned upon any virtuous quality or act foreseen in man. Those whom God sovereignly elected He brings through the power of the Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ. Thus God’s choice of the sinner, not the sinner’s choice of Christ, is the ultimate cause of salvation.

2 Timothy 1:9
who has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time

Romans 9:11-13,16
Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad - in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls - she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated ... It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

Matthew 11:27
All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

Ephesians 1:4-5
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ in accordance with his pleasure and will

2 Thes. 2:13-14
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.

Limited Atonement - Christ’s redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually secured salvation for them. His death was a substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin in the place of certain specified sinners. In addition to putting away the sins of His people, Christ’s redemption secured everything necessary for their salvation, including faith which unites them to Him. The gift of faith is infallibly applied by the Spirit to all for whom Christ died, thereby guaranteeing their salvation.

Matthew 22:14
For many are invited, but few are chosen.

Ephesians 1:4-5
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ in accordance with his pleasure and will

Romans 8:28-30
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Titus 2:13-14
while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Colossians 1:21-22
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation

John 6:35-40
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 17:6-10
“I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.”

Irresistible Grace - In addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation. The external call (which is made to all without distinction) can be, and often is, rejected; whereas, the internal call (which is made only to the elect) cannot be rejected; it always results in conversion. By means of this special call the Spirit irresistibly draws sinners to Christ. He is not limited in His work of applying salvation by man’s will, nor is He dependent upon man’s cooperation for success. The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ. God’s grace, therefore, is invincible; it never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is extended.

Romans 9:18-21
Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?” But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

1 Corinthians 12:3
Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:4-7
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

John 3:27
To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.”

1 Corinthians 4:7
For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

Ephesians 2:4-5
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.

John 1:12-13
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

Perseverance Of The Saints - All who were chosen by God, redeemed by Christ, and given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved. They are kept in faith by the power of Almighty God and thus persevere to the end.

John 10:27-30
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.

Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Jude 1:24-25
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Synopsis Of The Five Points Of Calvinism - Salvation is accomplished by the almighty power of the Triune God. The Father chose a people, the Son died for them, the Holy Spirit makes Christ’s death effective by bringing the elect to faith and repentance, thereby causing them to willingly obey the Gospel. The entire process (election, redemption, regeneration) is the work of God and is by grace alone. Thus God, not man determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation.

LOGICAL DISCUSSION OF CALVINISM & ARMINIANISM

The five points of Calvinism and the five points of Arminianism can both stand up to logical reasoning because they are both diametrically opposed to each other on each and every point. Logically, only Calvinism and Arminianism are capable of supporting themselves. Any mixing of the five points between these two beliefs opens inconsistencies in one’s views. Arminianism is based entirely on man. Calvinism is based entirely on God.

Biblically, only the five points of Calvinism can stand. Arminianism can only stand logically if you remove the attributes of God (omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence). First, the concept of being able to reject God’s call goes against Biblical principles. If man was able to reject God, then for that instant of time on that particular subject, man becomes more powerful than God. This concept removes God’s omnipotence. Second, to put it simply, if salvation depended upon man, no one would have assurance of his salvation. Man has neither the knowledge nor the power to guarantee his own salvation. Our assurance of salvation (once saved always saved) can only be there if that assurance comes from the Lord. Third, let’s talk about man’s total depravity. If man is not totally depraved, why exactly did Jesus die on the Cross? If there was any amount of good in man, Jesus would not have had to become the perfect and total substitution on the Cross. Jesus’ death and resurrection did not then nor does it now require any action upon man’s part. God’s master plan is perfect in every regard. The only way God’s master plan could fail is if man with his limited knowledge had anything to do with it. God is omniscient - man is not. Fourth, man’s salvation depends upon nothing but the Lord (unconditional election). Everything from doing good works to being a member of a specific group or denomination is in some way man earning his own way to heaven. Once again, if man is the deciding factor in whether or not he goes to heaven, man becomes more powerful than God on that particular subject. Let’s jump in a little deeper here. If God is waiting for us to choose Him, He is essentially waiting for our answer to the message of the Gospel. God already knows our answer not because he looked down some mystical tunnel and saw how we would decide but because he is omniscient. If God saw our answer by looking down a tunnel and then worked it into his master plan, God would have had to of learned our answer. God does not learn anything - he is already omniscient. Finally, does everyone go to heaven? If your answer happens to be yes, why does the Scripture reference hell more than it does heaven? Christ’s death on the Cross was complete in its purpose. His death secured the salvation of those He came to save (the elect). God has full knowledge of who the elect are through His omniscience, and He has the power to bring the elect to Himself at their individually appointed times because He is omnipotent.

QUESTIONS & OBJECTIONS

If God is in control of everything, doesn’t that mean that we are no more than puppets on strings?

O.K. I can live with this particular analogy. Let me see if I can get you to look at this question from a different perspective. Who is better off - a man who has free will and limited knowledge trying to outguess the next event on the horizon or the puppet who has as its puppetmaster God who is omniscient. Personally, I would much rather see life as God’s master plan which God is guiding me through than a series of random events which God doesn’t have control over. With God in control, I do not have the stress of having to worry about things like what will tomorrow hold, can I provide for myself (& others), and where will I be in the future. God has already taken care of all things. If I thought that I was in control of things, I’d be a basketcase. To simplify things, God is in control as seen by His attributes of omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence.

The Five Points of Calvinism destroy my belief in free-will.

Good. Free-will is not a friend, but an enemy; for the will of man, being corrupt, leads to his condemnation; man’s true friend is the free-grace of God, which comes to his rescue, delivering him from the relentless tyranny of his own nature, from which he would otherwise be powerless to escape. With the downfall of free-will, all grounds for human pride and boasting are gone. With everything being a gift from God, man cannot rightly say “I accomplished this or look what I did.” The concept of having the Almighty God be in total and absolute control of my life does not bother me personally. I would challenge anyone who believes that he is in control of his own life to ask himself the question, “Do I believe in free-will because it is Biblically sound or because I am unwilling to give up the power and status that free-will appears to provide?”

If the salvation of individuals depends on God’s decree of election, why do we have missionaries?

If for no other reason, the preaching of the Gospel is justified, at the most basic level, by the express command of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Great Commission as stated in Matthew 28:16-20. God is a God that works through means and the appointed means by which man comes to faith is the preaching of the Gospel. While all things are known to God, I or anyone for that matter does not know whom God has chosen. I may be the means through which God brings the Gospel to one of His elect.

Why do we need to pray?

The simplest answer is to say that God commands us to pray in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and Luke 18:1. One modern view of prayer is to believe that we pray to acquire what we want or need. To this concept, I say nonsense. Prayer is taking an attitude of dependency upon God, spreading our need before him, and asking for those things which are in accordance with His will. God has a master plan for each and every one of us - He does not modify that plan with each new whim that we come to Him with in prayer (this concept would deny His omniscience). Prayer is an act of worship - an acknowledgment of God’s goodness, power, and grace, and a submission to His will. Prayer involves coming into the presence of God and realizing our total unworthiness. Our attitude in prayer should be one of “Not my will, but yours be done” as evidenced in Luke 22:42.

If God only saves certain people, isn’t God being unfair since the others never have an opportunity to believe?

If God is to be charged with dealing unjustly with men, it will have to be shown that men in some way deserve what God has chosen to bestow upon some and deny to others - the eternal salvation of their souls. In the total depravity section in the earlier part of this paper, all men were proven to be sinners and therefore all men justly deserve to go to hell. Take a moment to ponder the concept that all men justly deserve to go to hell. Puts things in a little different perspective now doesn’t it. God’s mercy is great and His wisdom is eternal. Why did God choose me to be one of the elect? I don’t know, but I am grateful for the mercy that He has chosen to show me. Let me now remind you of Romans 9:18 which states, “Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens who he wants to harden.”

Does our salvation depend on things like baptism & partaking of the Lord’s Supper?

Absolutely not. If our salvation was dependent on items such as these, we would once again be working our way to heaven. Let’s look at Ephesians 2:8-9. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.” Items such as baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and good works are evidence of our walk with Christ, but they are in no way required for our entrance into heaven.

Come To Christ

In all of the Biblical discussions of the day, we often forget that there is one overriding truth, the Gospel.  Believing the Gospel is the ONLY way into heaven.

The Gospel is:

• We are sinners deserving eternal damnation (Romans 3:9-12)


• Christ died for our sins, He was buried, He rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures
  (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

A simple prayer to come to Christ:


Dear Lord,

I am a sinner deserving of death.  I ask for your forgiveness and pray that you will come into my life to rescue me from my sinful nature.  Please Lord, grant me entrance to the kingdom of heaven.

In Jesus name, Amen

Comment on the above prayer:
There is nothing special about the wording of the above prayer.  In order to come to Christ, you have to believe you’re a sinner and you have to ask for forgiveness.  Period.  That’s it.  The key here is your belief in the above facts.  No special wording, no additional manmade action, not even being a member of a specific denomination, just belief.

Common Misconceptions:
I have often heard people say that they believe everyone goes to heaven or that there are so many religions in the world that they can't be sure that Christianity is the right one. Since so many of the religions today believe everyone goes to heaven, I have to bring up John 14:6 where Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." OK, let's say that you've read all this and still don't believe, I urge you to take time to read the below chapters and books of the Bible. The Bible is God's word to us. Teach yourself the truth, His answers lie within.

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Proverb 3:5-6 (NIV)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path.

John 3:16 (KJV)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.



John 14:6 (NIV)
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.



Romans 3:9-12 (NIV)
What shall we conclude then?  Are we any better?  Not at all!  We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.  As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.  All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NIV)
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:  that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures