America is not a democracy. It was never intended to be a democracy. The founders worked hard to see that the new government they created was not a democracy, but a growing segment of the population seems hell-bent on transforming this great nation into a democracy in which the rights of the minority are systematically ignored. The United States of America was quite deliberately designed to be a federal republic. The founders recognized the highest governing authority on earth to be the individual. They realized that they, as individuals, had the authority and the intelligence to create a new system of government, empowered by the consent of the governed to do only those specific chores that the people stipulated in a written Constitution. They recognized that in such a government, there would need to be direct accountability to the electorate for every official empowered to make laws that restricted the freedom of individuals. This new federal republic had to recognize and honor the state governments that were already constructed and the local governments within these states, if the new federal republic were to have any chance of succeeding. The Constitution these men formulated contained two provisions to ensure that the new government would forever remain a federal republic: a Senate chosen by state governments and a president chosen indirectly by what came to be known as the Electoral College. The 17th Amendment destroyed a major safeguard of the federal republic by allowing senators to be chosen by the public, rather than by the states. All our founders' inspiring, biblical quotes in one place – a must-have for your library: "America's God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations" The 17th Amendment was a significant part of the wave of progressivism ushered in by the Wilson administration in 1913. Imposition of the income tax, the Federal Reserve, the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Federal Trade Commission began the attack by progressives on the federal republic the founders had so carefully constructed. The Electoral College is the last and only element of the Constitution that keeps the United States of America from being formally transformed into a direct democracy. Now, the progressives have taken aim and are attacking this last bastion of the federal republic. Direct election of senators came as the result of a constitutional amendment, which can be reversed as was the Prohibition amendment, another progressive-era mistake. The war on the Electoral College is taking a different path: States are enacting legislation that authorizes all the state's electors to be awarded to the national winner of the popular vote, regardless of the how the people voted in the state. Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland and now Massachusetts have all enacted legislation that pledges to assign their electors to the winner of the national popular vote in the presidential election, regardless of how the voters in the state voted. Prior to this new war on the Electoral College, in all states except Nebraska and Maine, all the state's electors were assigned to the candidate who received the most votes in the state. This is the winner-take-all system. This system assures that small states have a say in the selection of the president. Progressives argue that the winner-take-all system is not democratic. So be it. It was not designed to be democratic; it was designed to help balance the power between and among the states and the various branches of government. It was designed to make government function as a federal republic rather than a democracy.
Few people understand the importance of the Electoral College because schools have all but erased the subject from the curriculum. The Electoral College is cumbersome, it is confusing, it is frustrating for the supporters of Al Gore who saw the Electoral College bestow the presidency on George W. Bush, who received fewer popular votes than did Al Gore. Consider the effect of eliminating the Electoral College: direct democracy. The president would be chosen by urban population centers. There would be no need to campaign in rural states. There would be no need to be concerned about the needs and cares of rural people. There would be no interest in the minority. The genius of the American system of governance is the carefully developed balance of power between the states and the federal government, the various branches of government, and between conflicting philosophies of governance. When the minority is driven from the debate, or ignored, tyranny reins. The first 18 months of the Democratic regime in Washington has demonstrated how the majority can ignore the minority and the Constitution. In the cycle of governance, democracy is the last phase before anarchy. The founders wanted no part of a democracy; they created a federal republic. A democracy is often described as two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. The wolves are at the door of our federal republic.
http://crossroad.to/articles2/010/sovereignty/8-republic.htm
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
TIMES ARE TOUGH……
Our world teeters on the brink of mass destruction. Madmen have always menaced our world. Research of any period in history reveals evil men who found great delight in destroying people as if they were nothing more than dead grass under their feet. But, never before in history has there been a day when delivery systems for evil were so close to everyone in the world. One push of a button could change life dramatically!
Why would I set forth such gloom and doom? There are several reasons.
First, it reminds me that we should never allow our lives to become Earth bound. Life today moves at a fast pace. We rarely stop to contemplate the larger issues. We are caught up in the next appointment, ballgame, music lesson, choice of restaurant or television show. The fact remains that life is fragile, and a day is coming when we will leave planet Earth in the Upward call. This world and all its pleasures are fleeting. Better not get too attached.
Second, this world is on a collision course with the eternal plan of Almighty God. The suffering Servant Who came to die on a cross to purchase our forgiveness will one day return as the Victor over the armies of hell. All His enemies will one day be as a footstool under His feet. The tyrants of this world who wield such power today will fall at His feet and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Third, we always live on the edge of eternity. Life is but a breath. We must never take any moment for granted. Every second of life is precious and should be lived to the glory of our God.
Fourth, we have the only good news that will never turn bad. We have the Good News of Jesus. We proclaim the only Name that offers salvation, for there is salvation in no other than Jesus.
Fifth, time is short, and we must convey the Good News to people living in this bad news world. It is easy to think “over there,” but we need to think up close. Many of us hesitate to share our faith for fear of rejection. Better to share and be rejected than to leave our family and friends to face the horror of a Christless eternity.
And there is an even better reason to share our faith……It is because we want people to know our wonderful Savior. We want them to have the same peace, love and joy that we have. Above all, we want our Lord to be glorified and worshiped by people we love.
Times are tough. Crazy people sit in high places. In the end, we win---- and all who know Jesus win also.
SHARE WITH SOMEONE THE GOOD NEWS TODAY!
Why would I set forth such gloom and doom? There are several reasons.
First, it reminds me that we should never allow our lives to become Earth bound. Life today moves at a fast pace. We rarely stop to contemplate the larger issues. We are caught up in the next appointment, ballgame, music lesson, choice of restaurant or television show. The fact remains that life is fragile, and a day is coming when we will leave planet Earth in the Upward call. This world and all its pleasures are fleeting. Better not get too attached.
Second, this world is on a collision course with the eternal plan of Almighty God. The suffering Servant Who came to die on a cross to purchase our forgiveness will one day return as the Victor over the armies of hell. All His enemies will one day be as a footstool under His feet. The tyrants of this world who wield such power today will fall at His feet and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Third, we always live on the edge of eternity. Life is but a breath. We must never take any moment for granted. Every second of life is precious and should be lived to the glory of our God.
Fourth, we have the only good news that will never turn bad. We have the Good News of Jesus. We proclaim the only Name that offers salvation, for there is salvation in no other than Jesus.
Fifth, time is short, and we must convey the Good News to people living in this bad news world. It is easy to think “over there,” but we need to think up close. Many of us hesitate to share our faith for fear of rejection. Better to share and be rejected than to leave our family and friends to face the horror of a Christless eternity.
And there is an even better reason to share our faith……It is because we want people to know our wonderful Savior. We want them to have the same peace, love and joy that we have. Above all, we want our Lord to be glorified and worshiped by people we love.
Times are tough. Crazy people sit in high places. In the end, we win---- and all who know Jesus win also.
SHARE WITH SOMEONE THE GOOD NEWS TODAY!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
DO YOU REMEMBER
Come with me, no shoes allowed. Let’s go barefoot in the grass.
Hold my hand as we remember, all the summers of the past. Eating ice cream in the sunshine as it dribbles down our arms, Playing hopscotch and singing songs Like “Old McDonald had a farm”.
Orange soda and Kool-Aid pops and cooking hotdogs on the grill. Trying to see who the strongest was, who would be King of the Hill? Sitting by the lakeside, squishing sand between our toes Chasing fireflies in the night sky, never knowing why they glowed.
Summer rains that gently fell and washed my little face. Sitting down at supper time, with family saying grace. Thank you, Lord, for giving me these precious memories. Older now but remembering, with every summer breeze.
Hold my hand as we remember, all the summers of the past. Eating ice cream in the sunshine as it dribbles down our arms, Playing hopscotch and singing songs Like “Old McDonald had a farm”.
Orange soda and Kool-Aid pops and cooking hotdogs on the grill. Trying to see who the strongest was, who would be King of the Hill? Sitting by the lakeside, squishing sand between our toes Chasing fireflies in the night sky, never knowing why they glowed.
Summer rains that gently fell and washed my little face. Sitting down at supper time, with family saying grace. Thank you, Lord, for giving me these precious memories. Older now but remembering, with every summer breeze.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Occupy Till I Come
We have been instructed by Jesus to "occupy till I come" (Luke 19:13). But how are we to be occupied? The answer is clear in Jesus' last instructions to His disciples in Acts 1:8, "You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." We have been left on this earth to lead others to Christ. Witnessing makes the wait worthwhile.
What then keeps so many of us from witnessing about Christ on a regular basis?
Roadblocks to Sharing Your Faith
Proxies. Someone who is authorized to represent you is called a proxy. In the church, we've developed a convenient system: "If you cannot go to spread the Gospel, you can send someone in your place." It is important to support our missionaries. But institutional missions was never intended to replace individual missions. God wants everyone to go somewhere.
Professionalism. You might ask your pastor, "What do you mean you want us to witness? Isn't that what we pay you for?" According to the Bible, it is the pastor's job to equip the people of God so they can do the work of evangelism. Witnessing is not only the job of the pastor; it's your job.
Pessimism. Many hold a pessimistic view of witnessing because they don't want to be viewed as being too aggressive or narrow-minded. We live in an age when people believe that all roads lead to God, as long as you sincerely believe. How many of you know you can be sincerely wrong? Jesus didn't say, "I am one of the ways." He said, "I am the Way" (John 14:6).
Panic. Just the thought of witnessing creates panic in many people. Many of us fear witnessing because we don't feel ready to share our faith. Preparing to witness is kind of like taking a CPR class. People learn CPR in order to resuscitate someone physically if necessary. You don't have to be a medical doctor with years of training to perform CPR. You just have to learn a few basic principles. In the same way, we ought to know some basic principles of witnessing so we can spiritually resuscitate someone.
The following steps will show you how to perform "spiritual CPR" and share your faith.
Sharing the Road to Salvation
Be Enthusiastic. Are you enthusiastic about your faith in Jesus Christ? A contagious Christian is doing something that's got them excited, something that gets them out of bed in the morning.
Be Authentic. People don't only read the Christian literature we give them; they read our lives. It's nearly impossible to ignore someone who authentically lives out his or her convictions. But it's easy to discount someone who says one thing and does another.
Be Looking for Opportunities. In the past month, how many of you have had dinner with an unsaved couple or individual? Witnessing presents a real challenge if we are always around believers.
Be Prepared. Prepare yourself for evangelism by praying and studying the Bible. Begin on your knees by asking God to touch your unsaved friends through the power of the Holy Spirit. Even if you don't see your friends come to Christ right away, keep praying!
Be Christ-Centered. Acts 8:5 tells us that Philip the evangelist went down to Samaria and preached Christ. He went right to the core of the Gospel message. We must be committed to preaching Christ's death and resurrection.
Finding Worth in the Wait
As you wait for Christ's return, is witnessing a priority in your life? Nothing can compare to being God's instrument to lead one person out of the kingdom of Satan into the glorious life of heaven. If you have never had that experience, or you would like to be more effective in your witness, God can use you starting today.
This article was taken from Turning Points, Dr. David Jeremiah's bi-monthly Devotional Magazine.
What then keeps so many of us from witnessing about Christ on a regular basis?
Roadblocks to Sharing Your Faith
Proxies. Someone who is authorized to represent you is called a proxy. In the church, we've developed a convenient system: "If you cannot go to spread the Gospel, you can send someone in your place." It is important to support our missionaries. But institutional missions was never intended to replace individual missions. God wants everyone to go somewhere.
Professionalism. You might ask your pastor, "What do you mean you want us to witness? Isn't that what we pay you for?" According to the Bible, it is the pastor's job to equip the people of God so they can do the work of evangelism. Witnessing is not only the job of the pastor; it's your job.
Pessimism. Many hold a pessimistic view of witnessing because they don't want to be viewed as being too aggressive or narrow-minded. We live in an age when people believe that all roads lead to God, as long as you sincerely believe. How many of you know you can be sincerely wrong? Jesus didn't say, "I am one of the ways." He said, "I am the Way" (John 14:6).
Panic. Just the thought of witnessing creates panic in many people. Many of us fear witnessing because we don't feel ready to share our faith. Preparing to witness is kind of like taking a CPR class. People learn CPR in order to resuscitate someone physically if necessary. You don't have to be a medical doctor with years of training to perform CPR. You just have to learn a few basic principles. In the same way, we ought to know some basic principles of witnessing so we can spiritually resuscitate someone.
The following steps will show you how to perform "spiritual CPR" and share your faith.
Sharing the Road to Salvation
Be Enthusiastic. Are you enthusiastic about your faith in Jesus Christ? A contagious Christian is doing something that's got them excited, something that gets them out of bed in the morning.
Be Authentic. People don't only read the Christian literature we give them; they read our lives. It's nearly impossible to ignore someone who authentically lives out his or her convictions. But it's easy to discount someone who says one thing and does another.
Be Looking for Opportunities. In the past month, how many of you have had dinner with an unsaved couple or individual? Witnessing presents a real challenge if we are always around believers.
Be Prepared. Prepare yourself for evangelism by praying and studying the Bible. Begin on your knees by asking God to touch your unsaved friends through the power of the Holy Spirit. Even if you don't see your friends come to Christ right away, keep praying!
Be Christ-Centered. Acts 8:5 tells us that Philip the evangelist went down to Samaria and preached Christ. He went right to the core of the Gospel message. We must be committed to preaching Christ's death and resurrection.
Finding Worth in the Wait
As you wait for Christ's return, is witnessing a priority in your life? Nothing can compare to being God's instrument to lead one person out of the kingdom of Satan into the glorious life of heaven. If you have never had that experience, or you would like to be more effective in your witness, God can use you starting today.
This article was taken from Turning Points, Dr. David Jeremiah's bi-monthly Devotional Magazine.
Monday, May 3, 2010
A TRIBUTE TO ALL MOTHERS
( selected article from the God@Work newsletter,
St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Lincoln, Nebraska.)
This is for all the mothers who have sat up at night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's OK honey, Mommy's here."
Who walk around the house all night with their babies when they keep crying and won't stop.
This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.
For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.
This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.
This is for all the mothers who froze their buns off on metal bleachers at football or soccer games Friday night instead of watching from cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.
This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet like a tired 2-year old who wants ice cream before dinner.
This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the mothers who wanted to but just couldn't.
For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.
This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.
This is for all mothers whose heads turn automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own off spring are at home.
This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.
This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.
For all the mothers who bite their lips sometimes until they bleed - when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.
What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
For all the mothers of the victims of all these school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting.
For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.
This is for mothers who put pinwheels and teddy bears on their children's graves.
This is for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation.
And mature mothers learning to let go.
For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers.
This is for all mothers everywhere.
This is for you all. So hang in there--YOU ARE LOVED!
--Author unknown--
THANK GOD FOR MOTHERS!
St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Lincoln, Nebraska.)
This is for all the mothers who have sat up at night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's OK honey, Mommy's here."
Who walk around the house all night with their babies when they keep crying and won't stop.
This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.
For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.
This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.
This is for all the mothers who froze their buns off on metal bleachers at football or soccer games Friday night instead of watching from cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.
This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet like a tired 2-year old who wants ice cream before dinner.
This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the mothers who wanted to but just couldn't.
For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.
This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.
This is for all mothers whose heads turn automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own off spring are at home.
This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.
This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.
For all the mothers who bite their lips sometimes until they bleed - when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.
What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
For all the mothers of the victims of all these school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting.
For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.
This is for mothers who put pinwheels and teddy bears on their children's graves.
This is for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation.
And mature mothers learning to let go.
For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers.
This is for all mothers everywhere.
This is for you all. So hang in there--YOU ARE LOVED!
--Author unknown--
THANK GOD FOR MOTHERS!
Friday, April 9, 2010
MOUNTAINS AND MONDAYS
Mountains...and Mondays!
I'm not a mountain climber, but I've seen the videos! Awesome, exhilarating moments when they reach the top.....and for most of us Easter Sunday was the top of the mountain. High praises, heavenly lilies, happy children--beauty and blessing all around--in sermon, in song, in family gatherings, in traditions and sharing of love--and yes, even in the ladies with courage to wear Easter hats! It's a day of celebration. Jesus is alive--He fills our hearts to the tiptop with joy and life; He's our reason for being--our reason for living, and how we love Him!
Uh....that was Sunday......but Monday came and --back to the office and the email; back to the laundry and dishes; back to the time-outs and taxis for kids....back to reality! Will the joy we felt Sunday still be there on Monday? He's just as much risen TODAY as He was last Sunday....and He's here to meet your daily routine needs, to give you a deep joy that doesn't fade...even when the Easter flowers do! He's alive for the highs AND the lows of your life--whatever day it is. Let's celebrate Jesus EVERY day...for whether it's mountains OR Mondays, HE doesn't change! Believe it, take an Easter praise break today--and have a GREAT day!
I'm not a mountain climber, but I've seen the videos! Awesome, exhilarating moments when they reach the top.....and for most of us Easter Sunday was the top of the mountain. High praises, heavenly lilies, happy children--beauty and blessing all around--in sermon, in song, in family gatherings, in traditions and sharing of love--and yes, even in the ladies with courage to wear Easter hats! It's a day of celebration. Jesus is alive--He fills our hearts to the tiptop with joy and life; He's our reason for being--our reason for living, and how we love Him!
Uh....that was Sunday......but Monday came and --back to the office and the email; back to the laundry and dishes; back to the time-outs and taxis for kids....back to reality! Will the joy we felt Sunday still be there on Monday? He's just as much risen TODAY as He was last Sunday....and He's here to meet your daily routine needs, to give you a deep joy that doesn't fade...even when the Easter flowers do! He's alive for the highs AND the lows of your life--whatever day it is. Let's celebrate Jesus EVERY day...for whether it's mountains OR Mondays, HE doesn't change! Believe it, take an Easter praise break today--and have a GREAT day!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
REFLECTIONS ON LENT
(Dennis Bratcher)
We enjoy celebrating Palm Sunday. We wave the palm branches and celebrate. And we all love Easter Sunday! It is a happy time, with flowers, new clothes, and the expectation of Spring in the air.
But it is too easy and promotes too cheap a grace to focus only on the high points of Palm Sunday and Easter without walking with Jesus through the darkness of Good Friday, a journey that begins on Ash Wednesday. Lent is a way to place ourselves before God humbled, bringing in our hands no price whereby we can ourselves purchase our salvation. It is a way to confess our total inadequacy before God, to strip ourselves bare of all pretenses to righteousness, to come before God in dust and ashes. It is a way to empty ourselves of our false pride, of our rationalizations that prevent us from seeing ourselves as needy creatures, of our "perfectionist" tendencies that blind us to the beam in our own eyes.
Through prayer that gives up self, we seek to open ourselves up before God, and to hear anew the call "Come unto me!" We seek to recognize and respond afresh to God’s presence in our lives and in our world. We seek to place our needs, our fears, our failures, our hopes, our very lives in God’s hands, again. And we seek by abandoning ourselves in Jesus’ death to recognize again who God is, to allow His transforming grace to work in us once more, and to come to worship Him on Easter Sunday with a fresh victory and hope that goes beyond the new clothes, the Spring flowers, the happy music.
But it begins in ashes. And it journeys though darkness. It is a spiritual pilgrimage that I am convinced we must make one way or the other for genuine spiritual renewal to come. I have heard the passage in 2 Chronicles 7:14 quoted a lot: ". . .if my people who are called by my name humble them-selves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." This usually is quoted in the context of wanting revival or renewal in the church, and the prayer is interpreted as intercessory prayer for others. But a careful reading of the passage will reveal that the prayer that is called for here is not intercessory prayer for others; it is penitential prayer for the faith community, for us. It is not to call for others to repent; it is a call for us, God’s people, to repent. It is our land that needs to be healed, it is our wicked ways from which we need to turn, we are the ones who need to seek God’s face.
Perhaps during the Lenten season we should stop praying for others as if we were virtuous enough to do so. Perhaps we should take off our righteous robes just long enough during these 40 days to put ashes on our own heads, to come before God with a new humility that is willing to confess, "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner." Maybe we should be willing to prostrate ourselves before God and plead, "Lord, in my hand no price I bring; simply to the cross I cling." That might put us in a position to hear God in ways that we have not heard Him in a long time. And it may be the beginning of a healing for which we have so longed.
O LORD, BEGIN WITH ME. HERE. NOW.
We enjoy celebrating Palm Sunday. We wave the palm branches and celebrate. And we all love Easter Sunday! It is a happy time, with flowers, new clothes, and the expectation of Spring in the air.
But it is too easy and promotes too cheap a grace to focus only on the high points of Palm Sunday and Easter without walking with Jesus through the darkness of Good Friday, a journey that begins on Ash Wednesday. Lent is a way to place ourselves before God humbled, bringing in our hands no price whereby we can ourselves purchase our salvation. It is a way to confess our total inadequacy before God, to strip ourselves bare of all pretenses to righteousness, to come before God in dust and ashes. It is a way to empty ourselves of our false pride, of our rationalizations that prevent us from seeing ourselves as needy creatures, of our "perfectionist" tendencies that blind us to the beam in our own eyes.
Through prayer that gives up self, we seek to open ourselves up before God, and to hear anew the call "Come unto me!" We seek to recognize and respond afresh to God’s presence in our lives and in our world. We seek to place our needs, our fears, our failures, our hopes, our very lives in God’s hands, again. And we seek by abandoning ourselves in Jesus’ death to recognize again who God is, to allow His transforming grace to work in us once more, and to come to worship Him on Easter Sunday with a fresh victory and hope that goes beyond the new clothes, the Spring flowers, the happy music.
But it begins in ashes. And it journeys though darkness. It is a spiritual pilgrimage that I am convinced we must make one way or the other for genuine spiritual renewal to come. I have heard the passage in 2 Chronicles 7:14 quoted a lot: ". . .if my people who are called by my name humble them-selves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." This usually is quoted in the context of wanting revival or renewal in the church, and the prayer is interpreted as intercessory prayer for others. But a careful reading of the passage will reveal that the prayer that is called for here is not intercessory prayer for others; it is penitential prayer for the faith community, for us. It is not to call for others to repent; it is a call for us, God’s people, to repent. It is our land that needs to be healed, it is our wicked ways from which we need to turn, we are the ones who need to seek God’s face.
Perhaps during the Lenten season we should stop praying for others as if we were virtuous enough to do so. Perhaps we should take off our righteous robes just long enough during these 40 days to put ashes on our own heads, to come before God with a new humility that is willing to confess, "Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner." Maybe we should be willing to prostrate ourselves before God and plead, "Lord, in my hand no price I bring; simply to the cross I cling." That might put us in a position to hear God in ways that we have not heard Him in a long time. And it may be the beginning of a healing for which we have so longed.
O LORD, BEGIN WITH ME. HERE. NOW.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
THINKING OUT LOUD
Yeah, that was MY president who gave the State of the Union message last week! I didn’t vote for him, don’t believe he’s doing a very good job for the American people, and would like to see him “resign” of his own volition….. BUT, like it or not, he’s my president right now …and I pray for him every day. I shudder to think what condition we would be in if we who call ourselves Christian DIDN”T pray for our national leaders these days!
Some days it seems as though things just couldn’t get any worse, but the next day comes and another friend has lost his job, his home, or his will to live. Never before in the nation’s history has there been a greater need for those of us who claim to be “Christians”..…(followers of Christ)….to get
Off our duffs and get to work! And I don’t mean to “go out and witness for Christ”! This is NOT OUR JOB….this is our CALLING! Our job is to impact and change the world in which we live by “being witnesses as we go about our daily lives”….because as Christ is, so are we (or should be) in this world. Jesus went about “doing good”.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the op-portunity we have as Christians to make a tre-mendous difference in changing our nation’s direction this year. Many U.S. House and Senate seats will be filled again this year! Do you ever ask yourself “What would Jesus do if He were in our shoes in today’s world? I can tell you one thing I’m certain of
JESUS WOULDN’T SUPPORT YOUR POLITICAL PARTY,
MY POLITICAL PARTY OR ANY POLITICAL PARTY AT ALL
I get so incredibly weary of hearing my pro-fessing Christian friends tell me that their political party is the “Christian party” and that whether or not I support their party is a test of my Christianity. Some of them want me to believe that it is Christian to support, among other things:
Aggressive war and the wholesale mass murder of innocents ...Torture... Spying ... Rogue Police...
Guilt without trial... Martial Law ... Prohibition ... Assassinations ... Internment Camps...
Trade sanctions and embargoes
They want me to join a party whose leaders promote these things claiming that this is the truly “Christian” thing to do.
Oppressive Taxation... Redistribution of wealth ... Aggressive environmental legislation ... Abolition of property rights...
Government monopolies in education & health care... Citizen disarmament... Affirmative action and racial quotas in employment and education
Government is force. It forces you to do things, to not do things or to pay for things. Jesus only implemented force one time: when He kicked the money changers out of the Temple. There was no doubt much sin, vice and inequality in His time. But He never once said or implied that the way to address these issues was to elect Christians to office, pass Christian laws and thereby usher in some kind of optimal Christian society. Yet today, we hear no end of it: just elect this slate of Christians to office, support the enactment of this menu of laws and we will arrive at some kind of optimal Christian society. This hope in the kingdoms of man is a false hope.
Jesus had no political agenda. Period. Indeed, in Matthew 4, Satan – i.e. the prince of this world – tempts Jesus twice, and Jesus refuses both offers. Then, Satan makes Jesus an offer He simply cannot refuse: all the kingdoms of the world. While it is noteworthy that Jesus does not question Satan’s authority to make this offer, it is more significant that Jesus flat out rejects this offer too.
Let’s stop trivializing Jesus by trying to fit Him into our partisan political box.. Let us all – myself included – get back into our Bible and see what it says rather than what the world says. And then let us live our lives accordingly and leave the societal results up to God.
Some days it seems as though things just couldn’t get any worse, but the next day comes and another friend has lost his job, his home, or his will to live. Never before in the nation’s history has there been a greater need for those of us who claim to be “Christians”..…(followers of Christ)….to get
Off our duffs and get to work! And I don’t mean to “go out and witness for Christ”! This is NOT OUR JOB….this is our CALLING! Our job is to impact and change the world in which we live by “being witnesses as we go about our daily lives”….because as Christ is, so are we (or should be) in this world. Jesus went about “doing good”.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the op-portunity we have as Christians to make a tre-mendous difference in changing our nation’s direction this year. Many U.S. House and Senate seats will be filled again this year! Do you ever ask yourself “What would Jesus do if He were in our shoes in today’s world? I can tell you one thing I’m certain of
JESUS WOULDN’T SUPPORT YOUR POLITICAL PARTY,
MY POLITICAL PARTY OR ANY POLITICAL PARTY AT ALL
I get so incredibly weary of hearing my pro-fessing Christian friends tell me that their political party is the “Christian party” and that whether or not I support their party is a test of my Christianity. Some of them want me to believe that it is Christian to support, among other things:
Aggressive war and the wholesale mass murder of innocents ...Torture... Spying ... Rogue Police...
Guilt without trial... Martial Law ... Prohibition ... Assassinations ... Internment Camps...
Trade sanctions and embargoes
They want me to join a party whose leaders promote these things claiming that this is the truly “Christian” thing to do.
Oppressive Taxation... Redistribution of wealth ... Aggressive environmental legislation ... Abolition of property rights...
Government monopolies in education & health care... Citizen disarmament... Affirmative action and racial quotas in employment and education
Government is force. It forces you to do things, to not do things or to pay for things. Jesus only implemented force one time: when He kicked the money changers out of the Temple. There was no doubt much sin, vice and inequality in His time. But He never once said or implied that the way to address these issues was to elect Christians to office, pass Christian laws and thereby usher in some kind of optimal Christian society. Yet today, we hear no end of it: just elect this slate of Christians to office, support the enactment of this menu of laws and we will arrive at some kind of optimal Christian society. This hope in the kingdoms of man is a false hope.
Jesus had no political agenda. Period. Indeed, in Matthew 4, Satan – i.e. the prince of this world – tempts Jesus twice, and Jesus refuses both offers. Then, Satan makes Jesus an offer He simply cannot refuse: all the kingdoms of the world. While it is noteworthy that Jesus does not question Satan’s authority to make this offer, it is more significant that Jesus flat out rejects this offer too.
Let’s stop trivializing Jesus by trying to fit Him into our partisan political box.. Let us all – myself included – get back into our Bible and see what it says rather than what the world says. And then let us live our lives accordingly and leave the societal results up to God.
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