Friday, November 28, 2008

Thankfulness

Its the day after Thanksgiving. The leftover turkey and dressing are at my sister Clare's. That's one of the down sides of going to someone's house for Thanksgiving. No leftovers. I love Thanksgiving leftovers.

I was thinking about all the blessings God has showered down on us. It got me to thinking about God's grace. We have so much to be thankful for. Don't get me wrong, the past year has had its ups and downs. There have been some significant valleys and some tragedies. One thing was constant. God's grace, God's mercy, God's strength, and God's comfort. He has been and will continue to be the firm foundation upon which we stand.

We need to be thankful year round. I encourage you to remember just how involved God is in your life; how much He loves and cares for you. I cannot imagine life without Him.

Friday, November 7, 2008

A Great Reminder

John MacArthur said, "Preaching, not lobbying, is how we are supposed to make the truth known. Gospel, not law, is what changes sinful hearts. Service, not dominion, is the most effective way to win people in any culture. And Christ, not moralism, should be the primary substance of our message."

How true those words are. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter who is in the White House. Laws cannot change the human heart, they may be able to control human behavior, but not what guides a person's behavior. Only the Holy Spirit can change the heart through the blood of Jesus Christ. That's the transforming power of Christ.

Especially in this time, our message must remain the same with the same power as when Paul preached it. It is time for Christians to stand once again, on the firm foundation of God's Word.

Following God's Word is the change we all need.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Chuck Colson

I received this and thought I'd share it with you. These are the words of Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

Pray for Our President and Our Nation

Whether you voted for Barack Obama or John McCain, whether you're recovering from your all-night celebration or drying the tears from your pillow, today's a good day to remember the words of the apostle Paul: "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (1 Timothy 2:1-3). And the new President will surely need our prayers because he and his administration face huge, serious challenges to the health of our nation and to peace in the world—challenges that, in my opinion, neither he nor any government on earth will have the power to overcome without divine aid.
How has America come to this point? Why is our economy on the brink of disaster? Why is our culture so utterly depraved?

I can only think of what Alexandr Solzhenitsyn said about the catastrophic consequences of the Russian revolution. "I recall," he said, "hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened."

Solzhenitsyn was right. Indeed, I can't find any better explanation for why we Americans find ourselves in the state we are in. We have forgotten God. We have also forgotten that American democracy—indeed Western Civilization itself—is the product of the Judeo-Christian understanding of God and humanity. Without that revelation that man is created in the image of God, our founders never would have recognized the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Indeed, as I and others like Rodney Stark have argued, modern science and education, liberal democracy, capitalism flourished in Western civilization precisely because of the Judeo-Christian worldview.

The attacks on Christianity these days are only going to intensify in the months ahead. But we must press on all the more to make a winsome witness. Those who would banish Christianity from American life are risking the very survival of American society.

Friends have asked me whether this economic crisis is God's judgment upon us. I don't know. As I've re-read the Old Testament prophets recently, I couldn't help but notice the recurring theme: The people of God turned away from Him and worshiped false idols. The result was always disaster.

Is God responsible for credit markets collapsing around the world? No. We're responsible. Because instead of worshiping God, we've worshiped false idols of the marketplace, credit card companies and cheap mortgages. We've put our own appetites over our duties to God and neighbor.

So this is no time for Christians to go into the bunkers. No time to wail or moan over our retirement plans. This is a time to repent, to pray more, to give more. It's a time for Christians to lead, encourage, and minister to a faltering country in a faltering economy.

This is a time for the Church to get serious about Christian discipleship. Enough cheap grace.

So pray for the new President and his administration. But most of all, my brothers and sisters, this is a time to love our neighbors and to hunger for God and His righteousness.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

It Does Matter.

The time is quickly approaching for you to exercise your input into the state and national leadership profiles.

Some of you took advantage of early and advanced voting. I cast my vote yesterday opting for character. As I said in my last entry, character does matter. It is unfortunate that many people are believing what the main stream media is saying. They say the election is over. They have chosen the next president. Don't believe them. They want you to give up, they want you to be depressed, they want you to be hopeless. I've got great news for you. It's not over until the last vote is counted.

Get out to the polls and cast your vote. Be a part of the process. Your vote does matter. I cast my vote for smaller government, real tax cuts, and victory in Iraq. I hope you do the same.