Being Politically Correct

I am sure that all of you have heard the phrase "Politically Correct". One of the definitions in the dictionary to this phrase is "Treating other people's religion, culture, etc. with sensitivity"

I think the main word in this definition is Sensitivity. What is sensitivity. The dictionary says that sensitivity is "The quality or condition of being sensitive".

In the world that we live in today, I wonder how many people are politically correct. You see, being politically correct has nothing to do with politics. I used to think that it did but it does not. If you really look at this the way I do, it really has to do with respecting other peoples views and treating those views with sensitivity. In other words, not attacking people just because they do not think the same way you do. That is really pretty hard to do for many people. I know people who think that their way is the only way and if you do not think the way they do then you are not fit to be a human being.

I know that this used to be wide spread back many years ago with the KKK and other groups like this but today you would think that all of this has changed. Well, it has not. It may not be about race as much as it used to be but let me tell you that it has sprung up in ways that will shock you. I am going to give you just a few examples of the lack of sensitivity that I have run into in my travels and while visiting many Churches in the U.S. First let me clarify that the majority of the Churches that I have visited are wonderful and the people treated us like family but there are always exceptions and some of our experiences are almost funny because they are so ridiculous. This will give you an idea on the different ways that people think today.

Sports is the cause of teen rebellion
I was in a church in North Carolina and a man came up to me and asked me if we has any sports programs in our schools in Honduras and Nicaragua. I told him that we had basketball, soccer and others. He looked at me and said that he was going to tell me a hidden secret and if we would implement this, we would save the lives of thousands of young people in our schools. He said that he has been studying for years the reason why teens rebel and many fall into drugs and alcohol. He said that he has traced the problem to SPORTS. At first I thought that he was joking but soon I found out he was totally serious. He said that Sports started out in Greece and this was the first country that the Olympic games were held and since the Greeks worshiped gods like Zeus and others, and since they invented sports then sports comes from the devil and as long as teens participate in sports then they will have the devil in them which will cause them to rebel. He said that any parent that allows their children to participate in sports is inviting the devil to enter their life. Are you shocked? I was, and I could not say a word. I just walked away.

Any String Instrument is not of God
Not to long ago, I visited a church with the Samaritan Revival Group. We asked the Pastor who we could give our sound tracks to so they could be cued and ready. The Pastor informed us that they did not believe in sound tracks. At first I was a little confused because I did not quite understand what he meant but I got the point. I told him that their was no problem. We had brought are string guitar and the group could play and sing. He suddenly looked into my eyes and said "String instruments are not from God. We only allow an Organ and a Piano on our platform." I know what you are thinking. I thought the same thing, You can not imagine how much I wanted to say "Brother, you better get your piano off the platform them because pianos are string instruments." You know i did'nt say that even though I wanted too. Eliu from our group also plays the piano beautifully so they played and sung for the congregation. Talking about being politically correct, this guy politically incorrect.

Wearing wire rim glasses
My father was about to preach in a church when he was still alive and just before he was going to go up to the pulpit to preach, the pastor said that they were proud that no one had ever preached in their church that wore wire rimed glasses. This is the funny part. Dad has on wire rim glasses and the Pastor had not noticed. Like a good missionary, dad took them off and he preached to the church. Where in the Bible does it say that wire rim glasses is a sin. I learned a big lesson from this and since I am half blind, I decided not to get into any problems and I either wear contacts of plastic rims. This is not a joke.

Last but not least You cannot show any emotion when you sing
This one really through me off guard and I had to respond to this one. After the Samaritan Revival group sung, a man told us that the group did a great job singing but they were doing something extremely wrong. If they did not change this, then the message of God was being watered down by theatrical a performance. I was shocked because I know that the Samaritan Revival group is not the best group in the world but something that do have is sincerity. These guys sing from their heart and they feel every word that is coming out of their mouth. The man said that when a person sings, their should be no expression on their face and no movement from their head or arms. If they do show expression, they are allowing singing to their self no to the congregation and God will not bless. This was one time that I said "Brother, I respect what you opinion and if you feel this way then that is fine but we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us and He guides us in a different way.

These are just some examples and I have no problem with people having different views. The problem occurs when people think that if you do not do things there way then you are a worldly person or you are not right with God. We do not have to agree with everyone but why cant we just respect and be sensitive toward other peoples views. That does not mean that we have to join up with them but we can respect them. No one is going to hell for playing sports. If you feel this way then that is fine but you should never judge someone just because they like sports. People have to understand that God has given us something called convictions, but not all convictions are from God. Many are man made.

My father taught me an important lesson. He said that are job was to preach the Gospel to the lost not to put down peoples religions. He said that our job is to preach the Word of God and then we the Holy Spirit does the rest. You can never get close to people if you start off by putting them down. We need to be sensitive toward others and we need to show love and compassion. This is just a thought. I wonder how many Christians today would of walked over and spoken to the Samaritan woman at the well knowing who she was and knowing her past? The disciples sure knew who she was and they did not want to have anything to do with her but Jesus did. Jesus was probably the only person in the whole town that showed kindness toward her and he did not judge her. What was the outcome? She went out and brought the whole town to hear Jesus preach.

I have changed so much in the last few years and I am sure that many disagree with me but I have learned that Love is something that God created and if Jesus showed love toward the ones that society had rejected then I am going to do the same.

You cant ever go wrong if you copy what Jesus did when he was on this earth.

Spanish Lyrics to Here with me by Mercyme sung by Samaritan Revival

Here with me - Yo siento su presencia

Señor abrázame cada día mas
Mirarte hoy aquí, tus manos sobre mi
Quiero verte, revélate a mi
Tu misericordia, me rindo ante ti

CORO
Yo siento tu presencia aquí en mi ser
Estoy perdido ante tu belleza
Puedo sentir tus manos sobre mi
En este momento yo me entrego a tu amor

Conmigo siempre estas
No siento soledad
Sanaste mi dolor
Tu perdón me alcanzo
Tu eres santo
Me rindo ante ti

CORO
Yo siento tu presencia aquí en mi ser
Estoy perdido ante tu belleza
Puedo sentir tus manos sobre mi
En este momento yo me entrego a tu amor

Yo me entrego a ti Señor
Yo me entrego a Jesús mi salvador

CORO
Yo siento tu presencia aquí en mi ser
Estoy perdido ante tu belleza
Puedo sentir tus manos sobre mi
En este momento yo me entrego a tu amor (bis)

This is Samaritan Revival recording Here with me in Spanish in Nashville, Tn

Spanish Lyrics to Spoken For by Mercyme Sung by Samaritan Revival

Spoken For - Su Palabra me Cambio

Mundo fuera de aquí
Ya no te ocupo mas
Ya tengo libertad
Jesús ya vive en mi
Oh yo te alabo
Oh yo me rindo a ti

CORO
Cubierto por divino amor
Jesús resucitó
Es dueño de mi corazón
Su palabra me cambio

Ahora tengo la paz
Que nunca conocí
Completo ya estoy
Su palabra me cambio
Oh yo te alabo
Oh yo me rindo a ti

CORO
Cubierto por divino amor
Jesús resucitó
Es dueño de mi corazón
Su palabra me cambio

Por el poder de la cruz
Perdido estaba yo
Y me hiciste tuyo
Redimido hoy estoy
Su palabra me cambio
Y todo por amor

CORO
Cubierto por divino amor
Jesús resucitó
Es dueño de mi corazón
Su palabra me cambio (bis)

Mundo fuera de aquí
Ya no te ocupo mas

This is Samaritan Revival singing Spoken For in Spanish

Spanish Lyrics to Who am I by Casting Crowns sung by Samaritan Revival

Who am I - Quien soy Yo

Quien soy yo
Que el Señor de la creación
Me quería conocer
Le importaba mi dolor

Quien soy yo
Que el sol en la mañana
Ilumine mi camino
De mi oscuro corazón

No es por lo que yo soy
Sino lo que has hecho en mi
No es por lo que hecho yo
Sino por quien eres tu

CORO
Yo soy una flor que decolora
Hoy aquí y sin mañana
La ola que sacuda el mar, vapor en el aire
Y así me escuchas si te llamo
Me cuidas cuando caigo
Me muestras quien yo soy

Tuyo soy, tuyo soy

Quien soy yo
Aunque miras mi pecado
Me miras con amor
Escuchas mi clamor

Quien soy yo
Que la voz que calma el mar
Hablaria por la lluvia
Calmando mi tempestad

No es por lo que yo soy
Sino lo que has hecho en mi
No es por lo que hecho yo
Sino por quien eres tu

CORO

Yo soy una flor que decolora
Hoy aquí y sin mañana
La ola que sacuda el mar, vapor en el aire
Y así me escuchas si te llamo
Me cuidas cuando caigo
Me muestras quien yo soy
Tuyo soy, tuyo soy

No es por lo que yo soy
Sino lo que has hecho en mi
No es por lo que hecho yo
Sino por quien eres tu

CORO

Yo soy una flor que decolora
Hoy aquí y sin mañana
La ola que sacuda el mar, vapor en el aire
Y así me escuchas si te llamo
Me cuidas cuando caigo
Me muestras quien yo soy

Tuyo soy, tuyo soy

A quien temeré, a quien temeré
Tuyo, soy

The Video Below is Samaritan Revival Recording WHO AM I in Nasville Tn.

Spanish Lyrics to Homesick by Mercyme sung by Samaritan Revival

Home Sick - Lejos de Mi Hogar

Estas en un lugar mejor,
me han dicho tantas veces
Y me gozo al saber que tu estas ahí
Y la razón de mi quebranto,
la razón que estoy llorando
Es por el tiempo,
que he de esperar para estar contigo

CORO
Cierro mis ojos y te puedo ver
Si mi hogar es donde estas,
aun no estoy en el
Dame las fuerzas Dios de poder esperar
Nunca he estado tan lejos de mi hogar

Ayúdame Señor a poder entender
Tal vez nunca lograre conocer tu proceder
Y aunque me mostrarás, el dolor será igual
Porque estoy aquí tan lejos de mi hogar

CORO
Cierro mis ojos y te puedo ver
Si mi hogar es donde estas,
aun no estoy en el
Dame las fuerzas Dios de poder esperar
Nunca he estado tan lejos de mi hogar

En Cristo no existe adiós
En Cristo no existe final
Me quedaré con Cristo
Y todo lo que soy,
Para volverte a ver
Para volverte a ver

CORO
Cierro mis ojos y te puedo ver
Si mi hogar es donde estas,
aun no estoy en el
Dame las fuerzas Dios de poder esperar
Nunca he estado tan lejos de mi hogar

This is Samaritan Revival Recording Homesick in Nasville, Tn

Honduras is becoming a socialist government

After experiencing the communist taking over Nicaragua in 1979 and after seeing them defeated in 1990, I never imagined that socialism would be returning to Central America.

Honduras is a country that I love and this is where I have spent most of my life.  Honduras as always been a friend to the United States and even when the Iraq war started, Honduras sent troops to help.  Now, the liberal party has taken over and Honduras has joined a new group started by Hugo Chavez called ALBA.  This group was promoted to the people in Honduras as a social organization that would use part of the earnings of the oil revenues from Venezuela to help the poor.  Some people bought into these lies.  El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama would not have anything to do with it but Honduras, Nicaragua joined.

The first thing that happened was, a rally was held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras with Hugo Chavez and Daniel Ortega.  I was about two miles from the rally and their were so many buses parked that you could not even drive on the roads.  The Honduran government had brought in over 100,000 people for this rally.  What they did not want any one to know was that they paid every person $27 dollars for assisting the rally so you can imagine how many poor people were there.

Hugo Chavez, Daniel Ortega, and Mel Zelaya which is the President of Honduras, spent two hours calling the United States every vulgar word you can imagine.  It made me sick at my stomach as I watched this on TV.  Why did I watch this?  Believe me, I live in a third world country and I need to know what is going on.

The next event that happened was a solidarity move.  The president of Bolivia, which is part of ALBA, kicked out the U.S. ambassador from Bolivia.  Hugo Chavez followed by doing the same. The U.S. embassy was in a transition with the ambassador and when the new ambassador came to Honduras to take his post, the Honduras government did not accept his credentials.  This means that Honduras would not recognize him as the ambassador.  When the president of Honduras was asked about this, he used the word solidarity.  He said that he was showing solidarity with his brothers, the president of Venezuela and Bolivia.  I think I left out that CUBA is also part of ALBA.

Here is the good news.  Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua has a popularity rating of only 24%.  Mel Zelaya of Honduras has a popularity rating of less than 20%.  This means that in a couple of years, their party will definitely lose the elections.

Let's just hope and pray and in the next couple of years, nothing really bad happens.

Philip

Samaritan Revival CD on CDBABY

We are so happy to have our Cd now being distributed by CDBABY.  Don't let the name fool you.  This is a major company who has led the way for Independent Artist throughout the world.  All you have to do is click the Banner and you are taken to CDBABY Samariatn Revival page where you can order our CD.  If you order one, the price is $12.97 but if you order more than one, you get a 40% discount.  

Our CD will now be in stores around the world and we know that God is going to bless us with this new venture.  Every CD that we sell, we are going to give one away to someone who cannot afford to buy a CD.  Why would we do this?  The reason is because our purpose is not to make money, it is to get music out to people that will touch their life in a spiritual way.

This month is full of concerts for us and we will be traveling throughout Honduras playing in different venues.  Please pray that God will touch hearts.

May God Bless you,

Philip

www.samaritanrevival.com

P.S. Be sure and click the banner to take a look at our CDBABY page.

Samaritan Revival Music

Send comments to philip@samaritanrevival.com

Find more music like this on Worship The Rock .com

Friends no matter what

Many of you may not know this but my wife and I are dog lovers.  I don't mean that we just like pets, I mean we really love dogs.  We have seven.  Yes, you heard me, SEVEN.  We have one Rottweiller, five labradors and one Sharpei.  I have learned so much about these dogs and they have even taught me about life and how to deal with different type of people.  Don't take me wrong, I am not calling people dogs, but like dogs, people are different and they react to different situations differently.

Lets start with Max.  He is beautiful black Male Lab who is the BOSS.  He keeps to his own but every one of the dogs respect him.  During the day, he spends his time out in the yard walking around letting the others know that they better behave.  Here is where everything changes. When their is fireworks or thunder, Max goes into a panic attack.  He gets very nervous and even though he does not cry, he starts running around trying to find a place to hide.  The other dogs just look at him like "What is the world is wrong with him?"  He is the only one that is afraid of fireworks on thunder.  At night, he comes in the house and he will not sleep unless he is in bed with us.  If we don't turn the air conditioner on, he will just stare at it until we turn it on.  He lays his head down and in three seconds, he is snoring.

Gus is a yellow male Lab.  We thank that he may be a little mixed with hound but he is an incredible loving dog.  He loves Olga. my wife, more than anything in this world.  We have finally figured out that he does not think that he is a Dog.  He will not have anything to do with the other dogs and even though we let him out to play, he just goes out and uses the bathroom and then he is back in the house wherever Olga is at.  At night, he sleeps with us and he even has nightmares.  He will start shaking and crying while he is asleep.  He eats alone.  He will not eat when the other dogs are around.  He is a loner and as long as Olga is around he is happy.

Jolly is a female Rottweiller.  She is a beautiful dog and she is so loving that she when she wants to give you a kiss, she will actually rap her paws around your neck and pull your face toward her.  She cares nothing about being in the house.  She loves the outdoors and that is where she sleeps.  She plays with all the dogs and sometimes a little rough but they all love her especially the males.  

Yellow, Browny, and Smokey are beautiful young labs.  They are all about six months old and my favorite is yellow.  She loves me more than you can imagine.  Where ever I am, she is there with me.  I can be working on the computer and she will lay their by my side for hours until I get up.  If I go to bed, she jumps in the bed and lays beside me.  She is faithful and loving. Browny and Smokey are playful.  They have so much energy that they can run all day long and not get tired.

Now lets get to Juliette.  She is so ugly that she is beautiful.  I know that sounds strange but she is totally different than all the other dogs.  All the other dogs don't really like to play with her much but let me tell you that when she wants to play, they are going to play whether they like it or not.  She will go after them and follow them around until they pay attention to her.  Being a Sharpei means that you are a guardian.  You are small in size but you feel like you are eight foot tall inside.  You don't look down at yourself and you no matter what happens, you will be in the middle of it.  Sometimes Juliette will want a kiss but instead of a kiss, she will grab your lip and almost bite it off.  She does not mean harm but that is just her way of showing affection.  

All of our dogs have different personalities and they have to be treated differently.  Just because they are different does not mean that one is better than the other.  They all have their good points and their bad.  Because we love them, we over look their bad and we focus on their good.  We show them love and they show us love back.  We don't wait for them to show us love first.

How many people do you know in your life.  Just think about how many different people with different personalities you know in your work, your church, or even in your family.  Sometimes we seem to notice the bad in them and they seems to over shadow their good side.  In the past, I have known people that just rubbed with the wrong way but when I got to know them, they turned out to be wonderful people.  I know that their are people out there that is just unbearable to be around but the question is "Does that make them a bad person?"  

I thank God for many things in my life but their is one specific thing that I am truly appreciative for.  I just don't judge people anymore.  That does not mean that everyone is my friend but I just believe that if anyone is going to be judged, it is going to be God that does the judging.  We all know this because the Bible tells us but in real life, it is hard to not judge others.  If I were to beat one of my dogs because of his flaws, he may not show much love toward me but if I can learn to live with them even though they have flaws and correct them in the right way, the love they show they can show is incredible.  

I know that this may sound funny but my dogs make me feel special, probably because I make them feel special.  We as human beings can be the same way.  Try it out.  Pick five people and start doing special things for them.  Start showing then extra attention.  Call them on the phone and just listen to their problems without judging.  Make them see that you care about them and every once in a while, do something extra special for them.  

Do this and let me know the results.  You will be surprised the impact you will have in their life.  How will you know?  Because they will start doing the same for you.  Their is a scientific equation that says "Every action has a reaction" and this is true in our relationships with our loved ones and even with the ones that we have not learned to love yet.  

Just love one another and be happy.  Easier said than done, you say?  Not if try and with Jesus living in our hearts, we can do it!!!

Philip