Author Archives: Pastor Ed Boston

Holy Week – Palm Sunday

This year during Holy Week, we will have a special post each day talking about this most special week of the Christian Faith.

Source: Crosswalk.com

5 Things about Palm Sunday that Remind Us Christ is King

1. God’s Word tells us the people cut palm branches and waved them in the air, laid them out on the ground before Jesus as He rode into the city. The palm branch represented goodness and victory and was symbolic of the final victory He would soon fulfill over death.

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Cor. 15:55

2. Jesus chose to ride in on a donkey, which directly fulfilled Old Testament prophecy of Zech. 9:9. In Biblical times, it was common for kings or important people to arrive by a procession riding on a donkey. The donkey symbolized peace, so those who chose to ride them showed that they came with peaceful intentions. Jesus even then reminded us that He is the Prince of Peace.

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zech. 9:9

3. When the people shouted “Hosanna!” they were hailing Christ as King. That word actually means “save now,” and though in their own minds they waited for an earthly king, God had a different way in mind of bringing true salvation to all who would trust in Him.

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!” Ps. 118:26

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Rom. 10:9

4. The Bible says that Jesus wept for Jerusalem. In the midst of the praise of the moment, He knew in His heart that it wouldn’t be long that these same people would turn their backs on Him, betray Him, and crucify Him. His heart broke with the reality of how much they needed a Savior.

“As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it, and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes.” Luke 19:41-42

5. Palm Sunday reminds us that the reign of Christ is far greater than any the mind of man could ever conceive or plan. Man looked for someone to fight their battles in the present day world. Yet God had the ultimate plan of sending His Son to fight the final battle over death. This is the greatness of why we celebrate this week. Because of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, we can be set free of death.

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,'”John 11:25

We have so much to be grateful for this week.

The enemy knows that, and you can bet, he’s going to do everything he can to try and distract us away from the true meaning of what this Holy Week means. Don’t let him win.

In this Holy Week, may God direct our thoughts and attention towards what matters most, Jesus Christ our King…

Let’s choose to focus on worshipping our Lord, thanking Him for the gift of His sacrifice, celebrating the power of the Resurrection, and the new life found in Him alone.

Grace.

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Cor. 9:15

Friend of the Podcast Celebrates Birthday in a Big Way

John Schneider’s 2nd Annual Bo’s Extravaganza Draws Nearly 10,000 Fans to Rural Louisiana for Ultimate Fan Weekend

Fans celebrated the 40th anniversary of The Dukes of Hazzard and John “Bo Duke” Schneider’s birthday with celebrity appearances, live concerts, carnival rides, car stunts and explosions, bonfires, helicopter rides, a hood slide contest, food vendors, fireworks and more.

Nearly 10,000 fans descended on rural Holden, Louisiana over the weekend for John Schneider’s 2nd annual Bo’s Extravaganza. The 2-day fan event was held April 6-7 at John Schneider Studios, celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Dukes of Hazzard and John “Bo Duke” Schneider’s birthday with live music on 3 stages, carnival rides, car stunts and explosions, celebrity appearances, bonfires, helicopter rides, a hood slide contest, incredible food vendors, a fireworks show to end each day and so much more.

Without a doubt, a major highlight of the weekend was a series of live car stunts coordinated by veteran stunt coordinator Jack Gill (Fast & Furious series, The Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider and more), including an incredible moment when John Schneider arrived by helicopter and thrilled fans by jumping the General Lee on Saturday afternoon.

Additional highlights included a special performance by multi-platinum recording artist Kid Rock, and two concert appearances by John Schneider and the Hazzard Nation Band, with skydivers diving into the event while Schneider performed his popular tribute to veterans, “Can I Buy You A Beer.” Schneider and his partner Alicia Allain bought event tickets for all veterans and first responders, as well as their families.

Bo’s Extravaganza also featured performances by Schneider’s The Dukes of Hazzard co-star Tom Wopat, Whey Jennings, American Idol favorite Bo Bice,Trick Pony’s Keith Burns, Thom Bresh, JoEl Sonnier, Beau Young,Confederate Railroad’s Cody McCarver, Smith & Wesley, Christian Davis and more. Additional special guests included actor Butch Patrick (The Munsters), Lulu Roman (Hee Haw), and several of Schneider’s co-stars on Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots, including Peter Parros, Gavin Houston and Angela Robinson.

The ultimate fan weekend also featured the Hazzard County Car Show & Parade — the largest car parade in the south featuring cars from The Dukes of Hazzard, Smokey & the Bandit, Knight Rider, The Munsters, The Love Bug, Scooby Doo and more.

A portion of the proceeds from Bo’s Extravaganza will be donated to Children’s Miracle Network.

While plans are already underway for next year’s event, Schneider will keep busy with an upcoming Christmas movie, a new album project and extensive touring of new music throughout 2019. Download the free John Schneider app to keep updated on live events, new projects and more.

John Schneider Studios sits on a 58-acre property in Holden, Louisiana that offers camping, lodging, trails, ponds, bamboo forest, a 200,000 gallon swimming pool and more.

ABOUT JOHN SCHNEIDER: John Schneider’s extensive acting career includes the iconic roles of “Bo Duke” on The Dukes of Hazzard, “Jonathan Kent” on Smallville and “Jim Cryer” on his current series, Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots – the #1 primetime series on cable on Tuesday nights. John is also a celebrated country music artist with 19 albums to his credit and 4 #1 singles on the Billboard Country chart. In 2018, he launched an ambitious 52-song project, The Odyssey, as well as the album projects Greatest Hits…Still and Merry Christmas Baby. In addition to his entertainment career, John co-founded the Children’s Miracle Network – a non-profit organization that raises funds for children’s hospitals, medical research, and community awareness of children’s health issues. Founded in 1983, they have raised more than $4.7 billion dollars which is distributed directly to a network of 170 hospitals. For more information, visit the official website at JohnSchneiderStudios.com.

Palm Sunday Concert and Pastor Ed Preaches

On Sunday, April 14 at 3 pm, Pastor Ed Boston will be bringing the sermon at the Palm Sunday Concert featuring: Night Owl Country Band, Chapman Ministries and Melissa Ann/Out of the Box. This event will be at The Edinburgh Pixy Theatre.

NOCB at the Pixy

Below is the Facebook Event Link which has all the details.

https://nightowlcb.com/event/2574913/487757011/palm-sunday-gospel-concert-with-night-owl-and-friends — at The Edinburgh Pixy Theatre. 

 

Unplanned Off To A Great Start

Box Office Shocker: UNPLANNED gives birth to fifth-place finish

Despite Twitter ban, paid media blackout and R rating, abortion biopic earns rare A+ CinemaScore and highest per-screen average of any indie-wide release film; expands in second week

LOS ANGELES, Ca. – The controversial abortion biopic UNPLANNED over-performed its pre-release projections to become the #5 movie at the box office this weekend. The film took in an estimated $6,110,000 or a cumulative per-screen average of $5,770 on only 1,059 locations across the country. The film received a rare A+ CinemaScore.

Industry projections underestimated the film’s performance, predicting $2 million to $3 million. Despite a widespread paid media blackout across mainstream and some faith-based outlets and a Saturday morning Twitter ban that was quickly lifted after online outrage, the film’s strong word-of-mouth propelled audiences to fill theaters across the country. Next week the film’s distributor plans to add an additional 600 screens for a count of 1,700 screens.

Partially financed by MyPillow executive Mike Lindell, the film is the true story of Abby Johnson, a former rising star in the Planned Parenthood corporation. As one of the youngest clinic directors in the nation, Johnson was involved in upward of 22,000 abortions and counseled countless women on their reproductive choices. Her passion surrounding a woman’s right to choose led her to become a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, fighting to enact legislation for the cause she so deeply believed in, until the day she saw an ultrasound guided abortion that changed everything.

“We are very happy for the success of this film,” said Pure Flix president Michael Scott. “To bring the story of Abby Johnson to audiences and have them show up in such large numbers shows how the topic of abortion is so important to our nation. We hope that those on both sides of the pro-life and pro-choice debate will see Unplanned and begin to have a productive dialogue. This film can be that spark to bring more hearts and minds to understanding the value of life.”

The film made national news last year when its lead actress Ashley Bratcher revealed that it wasn’t until she was on set and filming that she learned that when her mother was pregnant with her, she nearly aborted her. Controversy has subsequently dogged the film, first when it earned an R rating from the MPAA, then when several television and radio networks refused to air commercials for the film and most recently on Saturday when Twitter suspended the film’s page only to reverse itself an hour later after fan outcry and media inquiries. Going into the weekend, trailer views for the film had reached 250K. By Saturday morning, after an evening of strong word-of-mouth, trailer views climbed to 1.7 million. The film has a 93% positive audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

“I am blown away by the public response to UNPLANNED as well as the box office numbers,” said Bratcher. “Not only is it beyond my wildest dreams, but it has surpassed the expectations of critics across the country. Despite biased critic reviews written more like op-eds, the audience has spoken. I just learned that Unplanned received a coveted A+ CinemaScore. While that is truly an honor, the most rewarding thing about this weekend’s opening is the flood of messages I’ve received from people experiencing healing and a change of heart.”

UNPLANNED was written and directed by Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman, the writers/co-producers of God’s Not Dead and God’s Not Dead 2, also distributed by Pure Flix Entertainment.

“We are thrilled, gratified and humbled,” noted Solomon and Konzelman. “We are so pleased that the American people have responded with such an enormous outpouring of support at the box office. It humbles us, and we look forward to seeing what happens in the weeks ahead.”

UNPLANNED stars Ashley Bratcher (WAR ROOM, 90 MINUTES IN HEAVEN) as Johnson; Brooks Ryan as her husband, Doug; Robia Scott (CSI, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER) as Abby’s superior at Planned Parenthood; Emma Elle Roberts (HUNGER GAMES:MOCKING JAY, I AM NOT ASHAMED,) as Marilisa Carney, Kaiser Johnson (LITTLE BOY, VAMPIRE DIARIES, SLEEPY HOLLOW); and Jared Lotz (OF LITTLE CONVENIENCE, THANKSGIVING) as Shawn Carney.

Please Do Not Disrespect the POW/MIA Flag

As a veteran of the United States Army, this infuriates me, but you shouldn’t have to be a military veteran to say that this is just unacceptable. Those that are replacing the POW/MIA flag with ANY OTHER FLAG are just plain wrong, even if it is their “right”.

Government officials and in this case, members of Congress work for We the People, and it’s our taxpayer dollars paying for the disrespect shown by replacing these flags.

Let’s put things into a little perspective on “rights”. If you work for Cummins, your employee would deny you the “right” to fly a Caterpillar flag outside of your office. I am a diehard St. Louis Cardinals fan and love their memorabilia. Would I be ok with a Missouri congressman replacing the POW/MIA flag with my beloved Cardinals flag? Not a chance!!!

This is in no way meant to be threatening because it’s not – but it’s just not a very good idea to get on the wrong side of our military veterans.

Read below and learn something. It is not included to make my point, just a historical reference.

PROTOCOL FOR THE POW/MIA FLAG OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FAMILIES

HOW TO DISPLAY THE POW/MIA FLAG OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF FAMILIES

The POW/MIA flag features a silhouette of a POW before a guard tower and barbed wire in white on a black field. “POW/MIA” appears above the silhouette and the words “You Are Not Forgotten” appear below in white on the black field. This black and white flag stands as a stark reminder of Americans still prisoner, missing or otherwise unaccounted for in Southeast Asia and is now accepted nationally and internationally as the symbol of vigilance and remembrance for all POW and MIA’s.

For an illustrated guide:   Protocol for POW-MIA flag
BASIC GUIDELINES

1. DISPLAYING THE POW/MIA FLAG AND THE UNITED STATES FLAG WITH OTHER FLAGS ON THE SAME FLAGSTAFF

When flying the POW/MIA flag on the same flagstaff as the United States flag, the POW/MIA flag should fly immediately below the United States flag. If the United States flag and a state flag and/or other flag or pennant will be flown along with the POW/MIA flag on the same flagstaff, the order from top to bottom should be: the United States flag, the POW/MIA flag, then the state flag or other flags, unless otherwise stipulated by your state flag code.

2. DISPLAYING THE POW/MIA FLAG WITH THE UNITED STATES FLAG AND OTHER FLAGS ON TWO ADJACENT FLAGSTAFFS

When flags are flown from two adjacent flagstaffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last. The POW/MIA flag should be flown on the flagstaff with and below the flag of the United States, which should be at the peak of the flagstaff. The state flag (or other flag) on an adjacent flagstaff may not be placed above the flag of the United States or to its right (the viewer’s left) if the flagstaffs are of equal height.

3. DISPLAYING THE POW/MIA FLAG WITH THE UNITED STATES FLAG AND OTHER FLAGS ON THREE ADJACENT FLAGSTAFFS OF UNEQUAL HEIGHT

When flags are flown from three adjacent flagstaffs of unequal height, the United States flag should be hoisted first and lowered last. The POW/MIA flag should be flown on the flagstaff to the right (the viewer’s left) of the United States flag. State and other flags should be flown from the third flagstaff, unless otherwise stipulated by your state flag code.

4. DISPLAYING THE POW/MIA FLAG WITH THE UNITED STATES FLAG AND OTHER FLAGS ON ADJACENT FLAGSTAFFS OF EQUAL HEIGHT

When flags are flown from adjacent flagstaffs of equal height, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last and no other flag should be flown to its right (the viewer’s left). The POW/MIA flag should be flown on the flagstaff to the immediate left (the viewer’s right) of the United States flag and state or other flags flown farther left, unless otherwise stipulated by your state flag code.

5. MARCHING WITH THE POW/MIA FLAG

When the POW/MIA flag is carried in procession by itself, it should be carried front and center ahead of a marching unit. When carried in procession abreast with the United States flag, the POW/MIA flag should be on the marching left of the United States flag (top illustration). When a line of flags follow the United States flag, the US flag is centered on the line. The POW/MIA flag should be on the marching right of the line of flags (bottom illustration), unless otherwise stipulated by your state flag code.

6. POW/MIA FLAG AND UNITED STATES FLAG IN CROSSED-STAFF DISPLAY

When displayed with the United States flag in crossed-staff format, the United States flag should be on the viewer’s left with its staff on top of the staff of the POW/MIA flag.

7. POW/MIA FLAG DISPLAYED ON A WALL OR BEHIND SPEAKER

When the POW/MIA flag is displayed on wall, such as behind a speaker’s platform, the flag must be displayed as shown.

8. POW/MIA FLAG DISPLAYED ON SPEAKER’S PLATFORM WITH THE UNITED STATES FLAG

When the POW/MIA flag is displayed with the United States flag on a speaker’s platform, the United States flag should be on the speaker’s right and the POW/MIA flag on the speaker’s left.

9. FLYING THE UNITED STATES AND POW/MIA FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF

When flying the United States and the POW/MIA flag at half-staff, they should first be elevated to peak position, held there momentarily, and then lowered to half-staff. At the day’s end, each should be again elevated to peak position before being lowered. If the flags are on different flagstaffs, the United States flag should be raised first and lowered last.

FEDERAL LAW ON FLYING THE POW/MIA FLAG

The Defense Authorization Act, Public Law 105-85, section 1082, signed by President Clinton on November 18, 1997, mandates that the U.S. Postal Service, the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Departments of State, Defense and Veterans Affairs, all national cemeteries in the Federal system, the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Memorial must fly the POW/MIA flag on the following designated days each year:

  • Armed Forces Day—the third Saturday in May
  • Memorial Day—the last Monday in May
  • Flag Day—June 14th
  • Independence Day—July 4th
  • National POW/MIA Recognition Day—the third Friday in September
  • Veteran’s Day—November 11th

If any of these days fall on a non-business day, postal facilities are required to display the POW/MIA flag on the last business day before the designated day, as directed by Postal Bulletin 21967 dated March 12, 1998.

LEAGUE POLICY ON POW/MIA FLAG DISPLAY

For some time, there had been debate over when the POW/MIA flag should be flown, whether daily or on the specific six days noted in federal law. While not addressing the question of posting the flag at the national/federal level, League members at the 32nd Annual Meeting in June 2001, voted overwhelmingly in favor of the following resolution: “Be it RESOLVED that the National League of POW/MIA Families strongly recommends that state and municipal entities fly the POW/MIA flag daily to demonstrate continuing commitment to the goal of the fullest possible accounting of all personnel not yet returned to American soil.”

 
— Illustrated guide:   Protocol for POW-MIA flag

–Complete instructions for displaying and respecting the United States flag can be found in–

the publication The Flag Code from The American Legion, National Americanism

Commission, Indianapolis, IN, USA

 

http://www.pow-miafamilies.org/protocol-for-the-powmia-flag-of-the-national-league-of-families.html

Kingdom, From The Erwin Brothers is Coming

What an event and look at all of the friends of the podcast who is part. FOR KING AND COUNTRY, Jon and Andy Erwin, Kevin Downes, and Madeline Carroll are all participating. All FRIENDS OF THE ED BOSTON PODCAST!

This event will be announcing the creation of Kingdom Studios – a new entertainment content company in association with Lionsgate which is coming from the Erwin Brothers, Kevin Downes, and Tony Young.

Kingdom, a partnership between the creators of hits such as I CAN ONLY IMAGINE and LionsgateTM will reveal its unprecedented lineup of content exclusively at Proclaim 19, NRB’s International Christian Media Convention, on Wednesday, March 27. Convention attendees will be treated to a unique Super Session as Kingdom unveils its full slate of films with a celebrity lineup including Jon and Andy Erwin, Kevin Downes, Jeremy Camp, for KING & COUNTRY, Greg Laurie, Madeline Carroll, and an executive from Lionsgate.

Erwin Brothers

“Following the success of I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, which was the number one independent film of 2018, we want to create quality entertainment with a partner that offers the widest possible audience,” said Kevin Downes, one of the creators of Kingdom along with Jon and Andy Erwin and Tony Young.

The company recently announced I STILL BELIEVE, the uplifting true-life story of Christian music megastar Jeremy Camp, as their next film.

Known for inspirational stories and epic cinematography, the Erwin Brothers have achieved the rare A+ CinemaScore twice, on I CAN ONLY IMAGINE and WOODLAWN. Past films from Erwins/Downes have all opened in the top 10 movies in America.

Kingdom is honored to serve as a Diamond Sponsor of Proclaim 19. The Kingdom Super Session will be held March 27 at 4 p.m. For more information visit KingdomIsComing.com.

Faith, Hope & Love Opens Today – Natasha Bure From the Movie Joins Us

The Ed Boston Podcast is proud to help promote the upcoming movie, FAITH, HOPE & LOVE. On the podcast, we will be sharing an interview with Natasha Bure, one of the stars of the movie.

Here is the link to the podcast interview: https://anchor.fm/ed-boston-podcast-network/episodes/Natasha-Bure-Introduces-Us-to-the-Movie-Faith–Hope–And-Love-e3fh9f 

FAITH, HOPE, & LOVE is a heartwarming romantic comedy about two vulnerable, lost souls who have each suffered deep losses and have their guards up, as a result. When they enter a dance contest, their lives connect, and they begin to discover new perspectives on life, love, and faith.

Starring
Peta Murgatroyd
Robert Krantz
Michael Richards
Corbin Bernsen
Natasha Bure
M Emmet Walsh
Ed Asner

New Feature “Anti-Christian News” To Start on EdBoston.com

An 84-year-old woman is being threatened with eviction from the California Veterans Home where she lives if she continues to host Bible studies there.

The Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) is standing up for the religious rights of Artis Breau in this case.

“For much of the past decade, Artis has volunteered with the chaplaincy program and led Bible studies in the Home,” PJI reports. “She began encountering opposition from officials last September when it was claimed that a discussion between herself and another resident about heaven and hell had allegedly caused him to lose sleep and therefore was elder abuse, emotional abuse, and otherwise illegal.”

We are going to start a new weekly feature here at EdBoston.com called “Anti-Christian News”. The more that Christians ignore or are not informed of these types of incidents – the worse it will continue to get.

The purpose of this new feature will not be just to get Christians riled up but to put out information for Christians to share and get involved with helping fight for the God-given rights that we have.

This week we will just have one story but in the future, there will be multiple stories linked and sharable.

It’s time for the “silent majority” to no longer be silent AND to sit around and not take action when these things happen.

Here is this week’s Anti-Christian News:

H/T to CBN News:

‘Deeply Disturbing:’ 84-Year-Old Widow Faces Eviction from Veterans Home for Her Voluntary Bible Studies

PJI points out Artis and her husband both served the US military honorably throughout their lives:

“Artis and her late husband moved to the Veterans Home about nine years ago. Her husband had served as a Merchant Marine in World War II, served in the famed 82nd Airborne Division overseas, and then served in the Air Force during the Korean War. Meanwhile, Artis worked as a civilian employee in the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army at the Pentagon during the Korean War.”

But officials are labeling her conversation with the other resident as “abuse.”

In December, her volunteer status at the home was suspended indefinitely and three months later she remains barred from serving in any official role.

“On Friday, March 1, PJI received an alarming e-mail from an attorney for CalVet, claiming Artis’ Bible studies were in violation of prior directives and would subject her to ‘involuntary discharge’ from the Home if they continued,” the PJI statement explains. “The Home claims it needs to protect residents from this elderly widow, even though attendance at her Bible studies is entirely voluntary.”

Meanwhile, Artis says that she’s been attacked because she’s “an evangelical Jewish believer in Jesus, which does not sit well with some of the chaplains.”

Brad Dacus, president of PJI, stated, “This shocking attack from the State against our client’s exercise of religious convictions is deeply disturbing. The State seeks to punish Artis based on non-existent directives and deprive her of a personal ministry to the veterans who have benefited from her religious services for years. Artis isn’t fighting just for herself, but for the Gospel and for the residents who are unable to fight for themselves against the State’s attempted intimidation.”

Attorneys are weighing all legal options in the case.

Prayers For Alex Trebek On His Diagnosis of Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the host of Jeopardy, Alex Trebek who has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer. That topic is very close to us here, as Pastor Ed Boston’s father passed away 10 years ago after getting the same diagnosis.

Below is the announcement along with the YouTube video that Alex released about his diagnosis and keeping the faith.

From TrevorDecker.com: 

Alex Trebek, the longtime host of the popular game show “Jeopardy” has revealed that he has stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He made the announcement in a video on Wednesday. The television icon vows to fight the low survival rate of the diagnosis and also says he will continue to work and host “Jeopardy”

 

“Hi everyone, I have some news to share with all of you and it’s in keeping with my longtime policy of being open and transparent with our Jeopardy! fan base. I also wanted to prevent you from reading or hearing some overblown or inaccurate reports regarding my health. So therefore, I wanted to be the one to pass along this information. Now, just like 50,000 other people in the United States each year, this week I was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Now normally, the prognosis for this is not very encouraging, but I’m going to fight this, and I’m going to keep working. And with the love and support of my family and friends and with the help of your prayers also, I plan to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease. Truth told, I have to! Because under the terms of my contract, I have to host Jeopardy! for three more years! So help me. Keep the faith and we’ll win. We’ll get it done. Thank you.”

Alex Trebek

Culver City, California

March 6, 2019