It has been a few weeks since the incident occurred in which three boys dowsed another boy with alcohol and set him on fire because the boy prevented his father's bike from being stolen. The boy sustained serious burns over 65% of his body and will have to go through months and months of surgeries and therapy, not to mention a lifetime of scars if he should survive at all. All of this because of a bike. One of the culprits in this hideous attack is only thirteen years old, with the oldest being fifteen years old.
This atrocity is only one of many modern-day scenarios that, at first, shock us. But given enough time and enough of these kinds of happenings, our minds begin to grow numb. What we are experiencing is what the Bible describes as the love of many growing cold. Don't you sense it? Is it me or are we seeing more and more episodes of hate in our time that seem to verify this prophetic statement?
Yes, the love of many is growing cold. But is the church immune? Well, according to the Book of Revelation, the church is not immune to this loss of love. Revelation 2:1-7 tells of the church of Ephesus that existed int he first century AD, but could very well be a church today in the world, in our country, maybe in your own town or city.
At first the church sounds like it really has its act together. The were working hard, persevering under increasing pressures. They would test anyone coming into the church who professed to be men or women of God but were found not to be. They would not tolerate people with evil intent and were not growing tired. They obviously had a great level of faith and hope. But even with all of the good they were doing, with all of the wonderful Christian church programs, there was something wrong...something missing. Jesus tells them, "But, I have this against you, that you have left your first love."
It is not so hard for churches, and us, to let our love grow cold, even when we're seemingly doing all of the right things. For those of you who have been married for a number of years, do you remember the time when you first fell in love with your significant other? Remember how you longed to be with them every moment of the day, when electricity seemed to pass through you each time you touched their hand? How is your love today? Do you still long to be with that person throughout the day? Is there still a spark of ignition each time you hold their hand?
Some couple's love begins strong, but over time, through work schedules, raising children, shuttling them to and from soccer games and flute lessons, even involvement in a church, a drifting in the relationship begins. Sure, many of the activities they find themselves involved in are good ones, but in filling their lives with many activities that, in and of themselves, are not all bad, they begin to see each other less, hold hands a little less often. By the time the kids are off on their own, some of these couples find themselves staring at each other as seeming strangers. Over time they had lost sight of what was most important; their first love.
The same holds true for many churches. They can get caught up in so many seeming good programs, even things like Bible studies, and yet, given enough time, can find themselves slipping further away from the very foundation of all of their business, which is the love of and for God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
All is not lost though. Jesus Himself gives the remedy for those churches that have lost their first love. First, He tells them to "Remember from where you have fallen." In other words, remember when you first fell in love, when that love was at its greatest. Then He tells them to "repent." To repent is to fully understand their mistakes and to make a decision to turn away from those things that caused them to lose that first love and to make the necessary changes (to turn) back to that love. Thirdly, Jesus tells them to "do the first works." In other words, get back to doing all of those things you did when you first fell deeply in love with Him. Sounds like a good remedy for any marriage where love has grown dim.
The good news is that Jesus gives them the plan to get it right. The bad news is for those churches who choose not to remember, repent, and do. For them Jesus says He will "come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place." In other words, the One who "walks in the midst" of the golden lampstands, i.e., the churches, will no longer walk or be among those churches who do not heed His warnings and accept His remedy for a love that has grown cold.
This should serve as a sobering wake up call for many churches today. Have we become so enamored with all of our church programs, missions endeavors, and other activities that we have moved away from our first love, our love for God and for His Son, Jesus? In Matthew 22 Jesus marries two commandments together when asked, "What is the greatest commandment in the law?" In essence, it is to love God and others with all of our being. 1 Corinthians 13 speaks of three things that will remain when everything else has long since waned, that being faith, hope, and love; "But the greatest of these is love." May we never forget the very reason for God sending Hid only Son to us; "For God so loved the world..."
Monday, October 26, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Elephant in the Room
The following is from a message I gave to our church on August 2nd. It was not what I had originally intended on preaching, but God has His own plans and I simply need to be obedient. This message came on the heels of two particular incidents in the news; the story of Professor Gates of Harvard and Sgt. Crowley of the Cambridge police force, and the story of the sixty black children in Northeast Philadelphia who were turned away from using a local swimming pool.
While I believe the incident with the professor and the police was blown out of proportion and the speculations of racism being bantered about were, for the most part, baseless accusations, it is hard to dismiss what happened to all of those children at the swimming pool as simply some error or fowl-up. But both of these recent issues, for right or wrong reasons, have brought the subjects of racism and prejudice to the surface.
It wasn't too long ago that a part of our country endured what was known as the Jim Crow laws. Jim Crow was the name given to a racial caste system that operated primarily, but not exclusively, in southern and border states between 1877 and the mid-1960's. Jim Crow was more than a series of rigid anti-Black laws; it was a way of life for many. Under Jim Crow, African Americans were relegated to the status of second-class citizens. In essence, Jim Crow laws worked to legitimize anti-Black racism. At that time many Christian ministers and theologians in the area, much to our disgrace, taught that Whites were the chosen people, Blacks were a cursed race, and God supported racial segregation.
Living here in Georgia for the past two and a half years, I am constantly aware of the racial tension that exists just below the surface. It is the proverbial elephant in the room. Everyone knows it's there, but few, if anybody, wants to acknowledge it or talk about it. But as Christians we must talk about it, because the saying still holds true in a lot of churches, that Sunday morning is one of the most segregated times of the week.
I think it's important at this point to define some words. So often words get thrown about too loosely and they fall prey to misuse.
Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capabilities and that racial differences produces an inherent superiority of a particular race.
Prejudice is an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, group, race, or their supposed characteristics. It is a preconceived judgment or opinion void of just or sufficient grounds or before sufficient knowledge.
Ecclesiastes 1:9b-10 says, "There is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one might say, 'See this, it is new'? Already it has existed for ages."
Prejudice has been around since the beginning. Cain was hostile toward his own brother because of Abel's relationship with God. The history of mankind is the story of wars and hatred, murder and genocide, all because of some kind of racism or prejudice. It is a sin as old as history itself.
There is an interesting story told in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, verses 25 to 37 that clearly illustrates prejudice and how Jesus dealt with it. It is the story of a conversation that takes place between a Jewish scribe (lawyer) and Jesus, and it all begins with a question posed by the lawyer to Jesus that was meant to test Jesus, to, if it were possible, trip Jesus up and make Him look less than who He said He was.
The question seems innocent enough; "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Well, as a lawyer of the day, this man was someone who was steeped in the law. He studied it every day. I guess you could say it was in one sense a professional student. You know the type. They study theories all their life but never seem to adequately transfer all of that head knowledge to the practical, day to day life. So Jesus, knowing this lawyer to be one who knew the law, answered his question with a question of His own; "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?"
The answer the lawyer gives would not have been the typical answer from your average scribe of the day. You see, Jesus was the one who first married these two passages of the Law together and elevated them as one (see Mark 12:31-33). One gets the feeling that if he was not the same lawyer that asked Jesus the question in Mark, then he at least was in earshot of the conversation, since his reply reiterates what Jesus said.
You would think that the conversation would end after Jesus' reply in verse 28; "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live." Simple. Done. End of conversation. No...not quite. It seems that the lawyer wanted to define the terms in a way that would justify himself. The word justify used here means to correct, to show to be righteous or right. It's a need or want to qualify oneself so as to be released from any guilt or wrong. The ironic thing about this is that the only way to truly receive this kind of justice was standing right in front of him.
So the lawyer probes further, as any good lawyer I suppose would do. "And who is my neighbor?" I think the lawyer was looking for a way to minimize his obedience in order to cover his bases, but Jesus is looking for nothing less than absolute obedience. You see, this scribe was a member of an elite, educated class. He wasn't like those "other" people. Perhaps he placed himself in a position above most other people, which put him in a place of judging others. Sounds like a case of prejudice to me, and Jesus wants to expose it for what it is.
Jesus answers his question by telling an illustrative story. The story has four prominent characters. There is the man who gets gets beat and robbed and left for dead. I think it is interesting that Jesus purposely does not identify this man by placing him in any particular class, race or status; he's simply a man on a journey. The robbers leave the man for dead along the road.
The first person in Jesus' story who encounters the man is "a certain priest." Priests were very special people. They served in the Temple and also instructed the people how they should live in keeping with the Law. They were to be living examples to the people of godliness and right living before a Holy God. He would have been a member of an elite religious class. You would think that out of loving compassion for his fellow man that the priest would have immediately stopped and attended to the needs of the man. But he does not. Instead, as Jesus tells it, "he passed by on the other side."
The lawyer would have instantly identified with the priest because he was a member of an elite religious class as well. I'm sure the lawyer was thinking that the priest had some legitimate reason for doing what he did by avoiding the man. Then Jesus introduces a Levite into the story as well. The Levites were descendants of the Levitical priests, and they worked alongside the priests of Jesus' day in a variety of capacities, making them part of a unique class of people as well. They had social status in the community. And yet the result is the same; "and saw him, passed by on the other side."
So far so good for the scribe. But now Jesus introduces another character to the story, but this time it is a person that is utterly despised by the scribes, priests, and Levites, and most Jews of the day. It's a Samaritan. Why the deep seeded hatred and prejudice toward Samaritans? Well, during the time when the northern kingdom was defeated and the people were exiled to Assyria by the Assyrians, King Sargon of Assyria repopulated the area known as Samaria with not only the captives from the northern kingdom of the Jews, but also captives from other lands as well. Consequently, the people intermarried, making the Samaritan Jews in the eyes of the other Jews to the south "defiled." They were no longer "pure" Jews. They were a tainted race.
Notice the Samaritan's response to the half-dead man in the road. he doesn't turn aside, but instead, sees the man and immediately has compassion for him and his plight. He does not judge the man based on his looks or current situation. He simply sees a fellow human being in dire need and stops to help him. And help him he does, going to great lengths to see that he is well taken care of until he is restored again. What a contrast to the ones who were so steeped in what they thought was right but failed to meet the most important part of God's Law, love. Not a simple brotherly kind of love, but a God kind of love; a compassionate love that goes beyond race, color, social status, or the accepted "norms" of the culture. it is a love that is utterly blind to the prejudices of our world.
Well, after telling the story Jesus asks the lawyer, "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?" The answer seems so obvious to us, the readers. But notice that the scribe cannot even bring himself to say the word "Samaritan." All he could say was "The one who showed mercy toward him." The lawyer had fallen prey to his own trap. Jesus nailed his prejudice on the wall for all to see.
Jesus finished his discussion with the lawyer with this admonition: "Go and do the same." We are to be just like the Samaritan, who overlooked any so-called differences and reached out with real God-like love. This is what is meant when it is said,"Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8b). The love that we have all received from God is so rich and undeserved. One of the word pictures used of His love is of someone who stoops down to us. How undeserving we are of such amazing love, yet God lavishes it upon us anyway. He calls all of us to have that same kind of love toward others. 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 speaks of the supremacy of love and Jesus' prayer for us in John 17_19-23 calls us all to be united in this amazing love.
The recent stories that hint at prejudice and racism and the prejudice that exists right below the surface (the elephant in the room) should serve as a clarion call to Christ's church to rise above it all and to show forth a love for all of God's people. It's time for the church to go forth and show the world what real love is; the kind of love that rises above the racism and prejudices of society.
Just a few final thoughts and references. James 2:8-9 calls partiality, or prejudice, what it is at it's root; sin. Romans 13:8-10 admonishes us to walk out this love of neighbor in our daily lives, and Galatians 5:14-16 tells us that the only way we are able to do this, to go against the tide of this world, is by walking in the power of God's Spirit that resides in all of His children.
I'm reminded of an older Christian song: We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord...And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. And they'll know we are Christians by our love. How about this one: Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world. Selah.
While I believe the incident with the professor and the police was blown out of proportion and the speculations of racism being bantered about were, for the most part, baseless accusations, it is hard to dismiss what happened to all of those children at the swimming pool as simply some error or fowl-up. But both of these recent issues, for right or wrong reasons, have brought the subjects of racism and prejudice to the surface.
It wasn't too long ago that a part of our country endured what was known as the Jim Crow laws. Jim Crow was the name given to a racial caste system that operated primarily, but not exclusively, in southern and border states between 1877 and the mid-1960's. Jim Crow was more than a series of rigid anti-Black laws; it was a way of life for many. Under Jim Crow, African Americans were relegated to the status of second-class citizens. In essence, Jim Crow laws worked to legitimize anti-Black racism. At that time many Christian ministers and theologians in the area, much to our disgrace, taught that Whites were the chosen people, Blacks were a cursed race, and God supported racial segregation.
Living here in Georgia for the past two and a half years, I am constantly aware of the racial tension that exists just below the surface. It is the proverbial elephant in the room. Everyone knows it's there, but few, if anybody, wants to acknowledge it or talk about it. But as Christians we must talk about it, because the saying still holds true in a lot of churches, that Sunday morning is one of the most segregated times of the week.
I think it's important at this point to define some words. So often words get thrown about too loosely and they fall prey to misuse.
Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capabilities and that racial differences produces an inherent superiority of a particular race.
Prejudice is an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, group, race, or their supposed characteristics. It is a preconceived judgment or opinion void of just or sufficient grounds or before sufficient knowledge.
Ecclesiastes 1:9b-10 says, "There is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one might say, 'See this, it is new'? Already it has existed for ages."
Prejudice has been around since the beginning. Cain was hostile toward his own brother because of Abel's relationship with God. The history of mankind is the story of wars and hatred, murder and genocide, all because of some kind of racism or prejudice. It is a sin as old as history itself.
There is an interesting story told in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, verses 25 to 37 that clearly illustrates prejudice and how Jesus dealt with it. It is the story of a conversation that takes place between a Jewish scribe (lawyer) and Jesus, and it all begins with a question posed by the lawyer to Jesus that was meant to test Jesus, to, if it were possible, trip Jesus up and make Him look less than who He said He was.
The question seems innocent enough; "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Well, as a lawyer of the day, this man was someone who was steeped in the law. He studied it every day. I guess you could say it was in one sense a professional student. You know the type. They study theories all their life but never seem to adequately transfer all of that head knowledge to the practical, day to day life. So Jesus, knowing this lawyer to be one who knew the law, answered his question with a question of His own; "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?"
The answer the lawyer gives would not have been the typical answer from your average scribe of the day. You see, Jesus was the one who first married these two passages of the Law together and elevated them as one (see Mark 12:31-33). One gets the feeling that if he was not the same lawyer that asked Jesus the question in Mark, then he at least was in earshot of the conversation, since his reply reiterates what Jesus said.
You would think that the conversation would end after Jesus' reply in verse 28; "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live." Simple. Done. End of conversation. No...not quite. It seems that the lawyer wanted to define the terms in a way that would justify himself. The word justify used here means to correct, to show to be righteous or right. It's a need or want to qualify oneself so as to be released from any guilt or wrong. The ironic thing about this is that the only way to truly receive this kind of justice was standing right in front of him.
So the lawyer probes further, as any good lawyer I suppose would do. "And who is my neighbor?" I think the lawyer was looking for a way to minimize his obedience in order to cover his bases, but Jesus is looking for nothing less than absolute obedience. You see, this scribe was a member of an elite, educated class. He wasn't like those "other" people. Perhaps he placed himself in a position above most other people, which put him in a place of judging others. Sounds like a case of prejudice to me, and Jesus wants to expose it for what it is.
Jesus answers his question by telling an illustrative story. The story has four prominent characters. There is the man who gets gets beat and robbed and left for dead. I think it is interesting that Jesus purposely does not identify this man by placing him in any particular class, race or status; he's simply a man on a journey. The robbers leave the man for dead along the road.
The first person in Jesus' story who encounters the man is "a certain priest." Priests were very special people. They served in the Temple and also instructed the people how they should live in keeping with the Law. They were to be living examples to the people of godliness and right living before a Holy God. He would have been a member of an elite religious class. You would think that out of loving compassion for his fellow man that the priest would have immediately stopped and attended to the needs of the man. But he does not. Instead, as Jesus tells it, "he passed by on the other side."
The lawyer would have instantly identified with the priest because he was a member of an elite religious class as well. I'm sure the lawyer was thinking that the priest had some legitimate reason for doing what he did by avoiding the man. Then Jesus introduces a Levite into the story as well. The Levites were descendants of the Levitical priests, and they worked alongside the priests of Jesus' day in a variety of capacities, making them part of a unique class of people as well. They had social status in the community. And yet the result is the same; "and saw him, passed by on the other side."
So far so good for the scribe. But now Jesus introduces another character to the story, but this time it is a person that is utterly despised by the scribes, priests, and Levites, and most Jews of the day. It's a Samaritan. Why the deep seeded hatred and prejudice toward Samaritans? Well, during the time when the northern kingdom was defeated and the people were exiled to Assyria by the Assyrians, King Sargon of Assyria repopulated the area known as Samaria with not only the captives from the northern kingdom of the Jews, but also captives from other lands as well. Consequently, the people intermarried, making the Samaritan Jews in the eyes of the other Jews to the south "defiled." They were no longer "pure" Jews. They were a tainted race.
Notice the Samaritan's response to the half-dead man in the road. he doesn't turn aside, but instead, sees the man and immediately has compassion for him and his plight. He does not judge the man based on his looks or current situation. He simply sees a fellow human being in dire need and stops to help him. And help him he does, going to great lengths to see that he is well taken care of until he is restored again. What a contrast to the ones who were so steeped in what they thought was right but failed to meet the most important part of God's Law, love. Not a simple brotherly kind of love, but a God kind of love; a compassionate love that goes beyond race, color, social status, or the accepted "norms" of the culture. it is a love that is utterly blind to the prejudices of our world.
Well, after telling the story Jesus asks the lawyer, "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?" The answer seems so obvious to us, the readers. But notice that the scribe cannot even bring himself to say the word "Samaritan." All he could say was "The one who showed mercy toward him." The lawyer had fallen prey to his own trap. Jesus nailed his prejudice on the wall for all to see.
Jesus finished his discussion with the lawyer with this admonition: "Go and do the same." We are to be just like the Samaritan, who overlooked any so-called differences and reached out with real God-like love. This is what is meant when it is said,"Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8b). The love that we have all received from God is so rich and undeserved. One of the word pictures used of His love is of someone who stoops down to us. How undeserving we are of such amazing love, yet God lavishes it upon us anyway. He calls all of us to have that same kind of love toward others. 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 speaks of the supremacy of love and Jesus' prayer for us in John 17_19-23 calls us all to be united in this amazing love.
The recent stories that hint at prejudice and racism and the prejudice that exists right below the surface (the elephant in the room) should serve as a clarion call to Christ's church to rise above it all and to show forth a love for all of God's people. It's time for the church to go forth and show the world what real love is; the kind of love that rises above the racism and prejudices of society.
Just a few final thoughts and references. James 2:8-9 calls partiality, or prejudice, what it is at it's root; sin. Romans 13:8-10 admonishes us to walk out this love of neighbor in our daily lives, and Galatians 5:14-16 tells us that the only way we are able to do this, to go against the tide of this world, is by walking in the power of God's Spirit that resides in all of His children.
I'm reminded of an older Christian song: We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord...And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. And they'll know we are Christians by our love. How about this one: Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world. Selah.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Church Talk
There's something comforting and reassuring to me when I see an old church building. Terri and I like to visit the small town of Senoia, Georgia any time we get a chance to get away. There was a blood drive being held at Senoia United Methodist Church today, so Terri and I used it as a good excuse to go there. The church is just a stone's throw from Senoia's historic downtown area.
I just love to visit Senoia UMC. Built in 1897 as a United Brethren Church, it is an historic landmark. They built an addition to the original church that extends from the back of the church, which is where the blood drive was held.
The church is a tall, stately, wood-shingled white building, with original stained-glass windows that depict familiar biblical themes, a round corner turret and, as would be expected of such an old and distinguished church, a tall steeple topped with a cross that splits the sky. There is even a small meditation garden and an area apparently reserved for community picnics and cookouts.
It's hard to imagine the amount of upkeep required to maintain such an aged facility, but for my money it would be well worth. To me the church speaks of a bygone era when things seemed to be much more clear-cut; black and white. It was a time when one's faith was naturally extended to every other area of a person's life. Faith wasn't a subset of one's life; it was the center from which everything else in life flowed from. There was the golden rule and the protestant work ethic, and a clear sense of right and wrong; of proper behavior and proper dress. Pastors were esteemed and God and country were revered.
In stark contrast, many of today's church buildings look more like department stores, distribution centers, or corporate buildings. Gone is the stained glass and steeple. In some cases crosses are all but completely absent, or stretched and pulled into a logo image that distorts its simplicity. I have visited some church facilities that had the feel of being more of an entertainment center that a place of reverent worship.
Some would no doubt label me as an old-fashioned, behind the times, and not in keeping with modern "trends" and the realities of a modern (or post-modern) generation and society. Perhaps they are right in part, but have we lost something in the process of letting go of the old and fully succumbing to the new?
Could we have, in our zeal to be more modern and forward-thinking, compromised what, as Christians, should be so clear-cut, so black and white as to be timeless and ageless? Have we thrown the proverbial baby out with the bath water? Have we, in our wanting to reach more and more people in more and more ways, clouded over what should be so clear and up front?
Perhaps the stained glass windows are showing their age. Perhaps the wood is showing a time-weathered look and in need of some new paint. Maybe the pews are well-worn and an antique smell permeates the interior. But what they represent, what they speak to me of, is as clear-cut and black and white as the day the church building was first built; God is real and Jesus Christ is Lord of all, and the cross of Christ still rises above all the other buildings for all to see. Not all that is old is bad. Like fine wine, it only gets better and better with age. Selah.
I just love to visit Senoia UMC. Built in 1897 as a United Brethren Church, it is an historic landmark. They built an addition to the original church that extends from the back of the church, which is where the blood drive was held.
The church is a tall, stately, wood-shingled white building, with original stained-glass windows that depict familiar biblical themes, a round corner turret and, as would be expected of such an old and distinguished church, a tall steeple topped with a cross that splits the sky. There is even a small meditation garden and an area apparently reserved for community picnics and cookouts.
It's hard to imagine the amount of upkeep required to maintain such an aged facility, but for my money it would be well worth. To me the church speaks of a bygone era when things seemed to be much more clear-cut; black and white. It was a time when one's faith was naturally extended to every other area of a person's life. Faith wasn't a subset of one's life; it was the center from which everything else in life flowed from. There was the golden rule and the protestant work ethic, and a clear sense of right and wrong; of proper behavior and proper dress. Pastors were esteemed and God and country were revered.
In stark contrast, many of today's church buildings look more like department stores, distribution centers, or corporate buildings. Gone is the stained glass and steeple. In some cases crosses are all but completely absent, or stretched and pulled into a logo image that distorts its simplicity. I have visited some church facilities that had the feel of being more of an entertainment center that a place of reverent worship.
Some would no doubt label me as an old-fashioned, behind the times, and not in keeping with modern "trends" and the realities of a modern (or post-modern) generation and society. Perhaps they are right in part, but have we lost something in the process of letting go of the old and fully succumbing to the new?
Could we have, in our zeal to be more modern and forward-thinking, compromised what, as Christians, should be so clear-cut, so black and white as to be timeless and ageless? Have we thrown the proverbial baby out with the bath water? Have we, in our wanting to reach more and more people in more and more ways, clouded over what should be so clear and up front?
Perhaps the stained glass windows are showing their age. Perhaps the wood is showing a time-weathered look and in need of some new paint. Maybe the pews are well-worn and an antique smell permeates the interior. But what they represent, what they speak to me of, is as clear-cut and black and white as the day the church building was first built; God is real and Jesus Christ is Lord of all, and the cross of Christ still rises above all the other buildings for all to see. Not all that is old is bad. Like fine wine, it only gets better and better with age. Selah.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Extreme Makeover Part 2: When Resistance Comes
Terri and I live in Georgia. We've lived here for two and a half years now. But I spent most of my life living in Colorado, where I loved nothing more than to be deep in the mountains. One of my passions is fly fishing. I have many fond memories of working a fly rod on some pristine, high elevation stream, trying to attract the attention of a native cutthroat or rainbow trout. I actually caught a golden trout once.
I remember one of my favorite fishing spots was located just down from the gold medal waters of the South Platte. The place was hard to get to; you had to do some hiking and boulder climbing to get to it, but once you were there it was usually well worth it. But in order to get myself in the best position I had to walk out into the swift running, icy cold water and make my way upstream to a spot where on underwater peninsula of ground split the river in two. This was where I could cast out to where the biggest trout were. It was hard and dangerous making my way out there, but anything worth anything usually requires some resistance.
What do you do when struggles and resistance comes into our life? When things don't seem to be working out the way you planned? When the going gets tough? Do you run? Give up? Or is it time for you to dig your feet in and work against the torrential current?
Ezra 4-6 helps us to see what we must do in times like these. Within these chapters we see the struggles, the resistance that occurred in the Israelite's desire to rebuild God's house, His temple, and how His people responded. It is a message as relevant today as it was then.
First there is the opposition. God called His people to rebuild the temple, but the way would not be a smooth one. There would be resistance, and we can see it coming from three types of people.
1. The wolves. We see this in verse 2 of chapter four. Their enemies pretended to want to help them. But their motives were not pure ones. They were really enemies who did not want to see the temple rebuilt.
2. The nay-sayers. As in verse 4, these are the ones who try to discourage you, as they did with those who endeavored to build the temple. They not only troubles them in the building, but they also hired other "counselors" to frustrate them "all the days." Do you know anybody like that?
3. The special interests. These were the ones who had gained some political clout and feared loosing their power and control, so they applied pressure to thwart the rebuilding (v.6ff). They wrote false accusations about them, calling the work "Evil and rebellious," even though it was God Himself who called His people to go and rebuild, "everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild" (1:5).
But the building resumed. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah prophesied (see Haggai 1:3-8; 12-14, Zechariah 4:1-9), and the people resumed tne building. The jews had been forced by fierce opposition to stop the work for a time, but now God was calling them to revive the work, and He expected His people to respond in faith and action.
Note verse four of chapter five; "The eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews." This speaks of the sovereignty and providence of God. God was protecting and watching over those who obeyed Him.
Then in Chapter six, the decree was sent out by the ruler to let the rebuilding continue without delay: "Let the house be rebuilt...Let the foundations of it be firmly laid...Let...the Jews build this house of God on its site...that they may offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to the God of heaven."
Eventually the foundation and the temple were rebuilt and dedicated, just as God called it to be. They celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy, for the Lord caused them to rejoice and turned the heart of the king toward them.
There is a word given to God's people during this time. It is a prophetic word that I and others in our church believe is a word for our church. Perhaps this word is for you and your church as well. It's found in Haggai 2:1-9. Let me just point out four things that are said inthis word:
1. "Take courage" (v.4).
2. "Work" (v.4b).
3. "I am with you" (v.4).
4. "My spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!" (v.5).
I believe this is a word for we at Pointe South Community Church. So what about you? Maybe you'r eready to give up on what God has called you to be or to do. Perhaps you know of a church that seems to have fallen on tough times. What are you going to do? I have four suggestions for you: "Take courage...work...I am with you...My spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!"
Winston Churchill, in a speech given on the cusp of France falling to the Nazi regime and the enemy mere miles from England's shores, said; "Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'" May that be said of Pointe South, and may that be said of all of His people when things seem bleak and we're feeling the resistance as we force ourselves against the current; this was our finest hour! Selah.
I remember one of my favorite fishing spots was located just down from the gold medal waters of the South Platte. The place was hard to get to; you had to do some hiking and boulder climbing to get to it, but once you were there it was usually well worth it. But in order to get myself in the best position I had to walk out into the swift running, icy cold water and make my way upstream to a spot where on underwater peninsula of ground split the river in two. This was where I could cast out to where the biggest trout were. It was hard and dangerous making my way out there, but anything worth anything usually requires some resistance.
What do you do when struggles and resistance comes into our life? When things don't seem to be working out the way you planned? When the going gets tough? Do you run? Give up? Or is it time for you to dig your feet in and work against the torrential current?
Ezra 4-6 helps us to see what we must do in times like these. Within these chapters we see the struggles, the resistance that occurred in the Israelite's desire to rebuild God's house, His temple, and how His people responded. It is a message as relevant today as it was then.
First there is the opposition. God called His people to rebuild the temple, but the way would not be a smooth one. There would be resistance, and we can see it coming from three types of people.
1. The wolves. We see this in verse 2 of chapter four. Their enemies pretended to want to help them. But their motives were not pure ones. They were really enemies who did not want to see the temple rebuilt.
2. The nay-sayers. As in verse 4, these are the ones who try to discourage you, as they did with those who endeavored to build the temple. They not only troubles them in the building, but they also hired other "counselors" to frustrate them "all the days." Do you know anybody like that?
3. The special interests. These were the ones who had gained some political clout and feared loosing their power and control, so they applied pressure to thwart the rebuilding (v.6ff). They wrote false accusations about them, calling the work "Evil and rebellious," even though it was God Himself who called His people to go and rebuild, "everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up and rebuild" (1:5).
But the building resumed. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah prophesied (see Haggai 1:3-8; 12-14, Zechariah 4:1-9), and the people resumed tne building. The jews had been forced by fierce opposition to stop the work for a time, but now God was calling them to revive the work, and He expected His people to respond in faith and action.
Note verse four of chapter five; "The eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews." This speaks of the sovereignty and providence of God. God was protecting and watching over those who obeyed Him.
Then in Chapter six, the decree was sent out by the ruler to let the rebuilding continue without delay: "Let the house be rebuilt...Let the foundations of it be firmly laid...Let...the Jews build this house of God on its site...that they may offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to the God of heaven."
Eventually the foundation and the temple were rebuilt and dedicated, just as God called it to be. They celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy, for the Lord caused them to rejoice and turned the heart of the king toward them.
There is a word given to God's people during this time. It is a prophetic word that I and others in our church believe is a word for our church. Perhaps this word is for you and your church as well. It's found in Haggai 2:1-9. Let me just point out four things that are said inthis word:
1. "Take courage" (v.4).
2. "Work" (v.4b).
3. "I am with you" (v.4).
4. "My spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!" (v.5).
I believe this is a word for we at Pointe South Community Church. So what about you? Maybe you'r eready to give up on what God has called you to be or to do. Perhaps you know of a church that seems to have fallen on tough times. What are you going to do? I have four suggestions for you: "Take courage...work...I am with you...My spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!"
Winston Churchill, in a speech given on the cusp of France falling to the Nazi regime and the enemy mere miles from England's shores, said; "Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'" May that be said of Pointe South, and may that be said of all of His people when things seem bleak and we're feeling the resistance as we force ourselves against the current; this was our finest hour! Selah.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Extreme Makeover: If the Foundations
I'm sure many of you have seen the television program, Extreme Makeover. In many of the shows the houses are in such disrepair that they have to demolish the house down to the foundation in order to rebuild. Sometimes they will build a new house starting with a completely new foundation.
A foundation is a substance on which you build a structure. It is the foundation that supports the structure. You can have a really good looking structure, but if the foundation is not solid, it's only a matter of time before the structure begins to give way.
Ephesians 2:19-20 says, "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone."
Psalm 11:3 says, "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
Like the houses on Extreme Makeover, sometimes we need an extreme makeover. Perhaps you've been dealing with a life-long addiction, perhaps with work or alcohol, and now you need, by God's help, to start your life anew. Maybe you've lost the job you worked so hard at for many years and now you need to go in a different direction, a different career. It's extreme makeover time.
Sometimes a church needs an extreme makeover. I've often wondered, after hearing about a church that had closed its doors, if perhaps they didn't do so prematurely. Often when it seems like the end is in sight it's merely the beginning of something new, perhaps a new direction; an extreme makeover.
Now, don't get me wrong. There may be legitimate reasons why some churches close their doors for good. But I wonder if some of them just gave up prematurely, just before God had a chance to do a new thing.
The book of Ezra is a wonderful story of God holding up His end of His covenant and redeeming His people, bringing them out of captivity and back to the land He had given them. They had been living as strangers and aliens in a foreign land for 70 years. But just as God had foretold, His people were returning and rebuilding what had been destroyed.
Why did God send the Babylonians to destroy the Temple and the city and to deport God's people? The Israelites had gotten fat and happy. They felt rich and secure and started to make peace accords with their enemies. They had moved away from their dependence upon God.
So God's people were forced out of the very land God had given them and marched down to Babylon. During this time the Jews were encouraged by the prophet Jeremiah to take wives, build houses, plant gardens and settle in, because they were going to be there for awhile (Jer.29:4-11). But they were never meant to stay there!
Of the many Jews who lived in Babylon during the time of the decree to go and rebuild the Temple and the city, only about 50, 000 went, "everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up" (1:5). The rebuilding would begin with the laying of a new foundation. Only then would the rebuilding of the Temple and the city truly begin.
I want to share with you from my reading of Ezra, particularly the first three chapters, what I call the five G's of a sure foundation. These are the things that occurred in the building of the new foundation. See if these don't in fact apply to a church as well.
1. First, their spirits were moved by God. This is seen in chapter one verses 1 and 5. God stirred the people's spirits up. Why? What for? The answer to this question resides in verse 2; "to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah." God stirred the king's and the people's hearts to build God's house.
2. The people who went gathered together as one. 3:1, "Now when the seventh month came, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem." As in the first church recorded in the New Testament, they were "together, and had all things in common" (2:44). They were unified, of one mind and heart.
3. Before the work began they glorified God first. This is made apparent in chapter 3, verses 1 - 6. They placed God first again and worshipped Him, even before a single stone was set in place. This shows that they understood that God is to come first before all things, even in the building of His house. It's all about God.
4. They Gave of their time (1:3, 5), talent (2:70; 3:7), and treasure (1:4, 6; 2:69). When we place God above everything else, and when God truly stirs our hearts, giving is simply something we want to do, not have to do. We want to see God's plan come to fruition, and we show it by giving of ourselves, our time, talent and treasure.
5. They got going (1:5; 3:8). They didn't wait around for somebody else to do it (Matthew 12:50). It was love with its sleeves rolled up. They got going because whey were filled with a deep love for God and a zeal to see His house rebuilt.
But there's one other thing that is mentioned in Ezra at the end of chapter three when the foundation was finally laid. Many of the ones who had seen the former Temple wept. But God had a word for these who lamented over the past; "Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it?" The former Temple that had been destroyed was gone. God was building a new house for Himself, and who were they to deny Him?
Extreme makeovers are never easy. That's why they're called extreme. Church makeovers are not easy, and most pastors and church people would choose to close the doors of their church rather than go through the pangs of a makeover. But for those who are willing, for those "whose spirit God had stirred up to go up and rebuild," the joy that comes is immeasurable, inexpressable; to see what God will do.
God is calling us to rebuild. Are you willing to go up? I want to take a little license here with a portion of Scripture from Ezra 1:3 as a message for the people of Ponte South who will be working with me to rebuild for the glory of God: Whoever there is among you of all His people, may God be with us! Let us go up and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Riverdale! Amen and amen!
A foundation is a substance on which you build a structure. It is the foundation that supports the structure. You can have a really good looking structure, but if the foundation is not solid, it's only a matter of time before the structure begins to give way.
Ephesians 2:19-20 says, "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone."
Psalm 11:3 says, "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
Like the houses on Extreme Makeover, sometimes we need an extreme makeover. Perhaps you've been dealing with a life-long addiction, perhaps with work or alcohol, and now you need, by God's help, to start your life anew. Maybe you've lost the job you worked so hard at for many years and now you need to go in a different direction, a different career. It's extreme makeover time.
Sometimes a church needs an extreme makeover. I've often wondered, after hearing about a church that had closed its doors, if perhaps they didn't do so prematurely. Often when it seems like the end is in sight it's merely the beginning of something new, perhaps a new direction; an extreme makeover.
Now, don't get me wrong. There may be legitimate reasons why some churches close their doors for good. But I wonder if some of them just gave up prematurely, just before God had a chance to do a new thing.
The book of Ezra is a wonderful story of God holding up His end of His covenant and redeeming His people, bringing them out of captivity and back to the land He had given them. They had been living as strangers and aliens in a foreign land for 70 years. But just as God had foretold, His people were returning and rebuilding what had been destroyed.
Why did God send the Babylonians to destroy the Temple and the city and to deport God's people? The Israelites had gotten fat and happy. They felt rich and secure and started to make peace accords with their enemies. They had moved away from their dependence upon God.
So God's people were forced out of the very land God had given them and marched down to Babylon. During this time the Jews were encouraged by the prophet Jeremiah to take wives, build houses, plant gardens and settle in, because they were going to be there for awhile (Jer.29:4-11). But they were never meant to stay there!
Of the many Jews who lived in Babylon during the time of the decree to go and rebuild the Temple and the city, only about 50, 000 went, "everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up" (1:5). The rebuilding would begin with the laying of a new foundation. Only then would the rebuilding of the Temple and the city truly begin.
I want to share with you from my reading of Ezra, particularly the first three chapters, what I call the five G's of a sure foundation. These are the things that occurred in the building of the new foundation. See if these don't in fact apply to a church as well.
1. First, their spirits were moved by God. This is seen in chapter one verses 1 and 5. God stirred the people's spirits up. Why? What for? The answer to this question resides in verse 2; "to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah." God stirred the king's and the people's hearts to build God's house.
2. The people who went gathered together as one. 3:1, "Now when the seventh month came, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem." As in the first church recorded in the New Testament, they were "together, and had all things in common" (2:44). They were unified, of one mind and heart.
3. Before the work began they glorified God first. This is made apparent in chapter 3, verses 1 - 6. They placed God first again and worshipped Him, even before a single stone was set in place. This shows that they understood that God is to come first before all things, even in the building of His house. It's all about God.
4. They Gave of their time (1:3, 5), talent (2:70; 3:7), and treasure (1:4, 6; 2:69). When we place God above everything else, and when God truly stirs our hearts, giving is simply something we want to do, not have to do. We want to see God's plan come to fruition, and we show it by giving of ourselves, our time, talent and treasure.
5. They got going (1:5; 3:8). They didn't wait around for somebody else to do it (Matthew 12:50). It was love with its sleeves rolled up. They got going because whey were filled with a deep love for God and a zeal to see His house rebuilt.
But there's one other thing that is mentioned in Ezra at the end of chapter three when the foundation was finally laid. Many of the ones who had seen the former Temple wept. But God had a word for these who lamented over the past; "Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it?" The former Temple that had been destroyed was gone. God was building a new house for Himself, and who were they to deny Him?
Extreme makeovers are never easy. That's why they're called extreme. Church makeovers are not easy, and most pastors and church people would choose to close the doors of their church rather than go through the pangs of a makeover. But for those who are willing, for those "whose spirit God had stirred up to go up and rebuild," the joy that comes is immeasurable, inexpressable; to see what God will do.
God is calling us to rebuild. Are you willing to go up? I want to take a little license here with a portion of Scripture from Ezra 1:3 as a message for the people of Ponte South who will be working with me to rebuild for the glory of God: Whoever there is among you of all His people, may God be with us! Let us go up and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Riverdale! Amen and amen!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Shades of Things to Come?
One of my rituals in the morning is to check the news from several sources on TV while I'm eating breakfast. I happened to click on Good Morning America and listened to two stories that caught my attention, as I'm sure it did for everyone else watching. Now, before I talk about the two stories and comment on them you need to understand that I have been teaching and preaching lately from Matthew 24. This Sunday I will be preaching on verses 9 - 14, which depicts outright persecution that is coming to Christians. It is through this filter of understanding that I offer these stories and my comments.
The first news story was an interview with one of the sons of Warren Jeffs, the breakaway Mormon polygamist sect. He alleged sexual abuse of both he and his brother (who later committed suicide) at the hands of their father. This rightfully should elicit disdain and disgust by everyone who saw the interview.
The second news item was about certain African "pastors" who were said to be casting out witches out of children for a fee. This too should anger us. But what I am concerned about is that people isolate these and other reports concerning religious groups and leaders while missing the larger picture.
Let me also say at this point that I understand the major secular news medias, both television and print, are owner by just a few large conglomerates. It is also my opinion that they serve the interests of their owners, which is a humanist, material-energy, Godless worldview. So when I hear and read news items from these enterprises I filter everything through a Christian/God worldview.
That being said, we must be able to see the forest from the trees. Could there be a larger agenda at work in reporting these news stories? After all, in today's world, there are certainly more newsworthy stories to report.
If Scripture is absolutely true, and this is my stance; and if what Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24 are the signs to watch for that indicate the beginning of the end, then should we not expect hatred and persecution of Christians to escalate? I believe this to be the case.
Taken as individual news stories we can all agree that these events are despicable. But taken as subsets of a much larger agenda, and taking the angle that the news media is in actuality serving a much larger agenda, could these, as well as future stories of church and pastor abuses, serve to bring about a growing disdain for Christians and the Christian church? Just something to think about.
The first news story was an interview with one of the sons of Warren Jeffs, the breakaway Mormon polygamist sect. He alleged sexual abuse of both he and his brother (who later committed suicide) at the hands of their father. This rightfully should elicit disdain and disgust by everyone who saw the interview.
The second news item was about certain African "pastors" who were said to be casting out witches out of children for a fee. This too should anger us. But what I am concerned about is that people isolate these and other reports concerning religious groups and leaders while missing the larger picture.
Let me also say at this point that I understand the major secular news medias, both television and print, are owner by just a few large conglomerates. It is also my opinion that they serve the interests of their owners, which is a humanist, material-energy, Godless worldview. So when I hear and read news items from these enterprises I filter everything through a Christian/God worldview.
That being said, we must be able to see the forest from the trees. Could there be a larger agenda at work in reporting these news stories? After all, in today's world, there are certainly more newsworthy stories to report.
If Scripture is absolutely true, and this is my stance; and if what Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24 are the signs to watch for that indicate the beginning of the end, then should we not expect hatred and persecution of Christians to escalate? I believe this to be the case.
Taken as individual news stories we can all agree that these events are despicable. But taken as subsets of a much larger agenda, and taking the angle that the news media is in actuality serving a much larger agenda, could these, as well as future stories of church and pastor abuses, serve to bring about a growing disdain for Christians and the Christian church? Just something to think about.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
A Christian Manifesto
I'm sure I'm like a lot of you; thinking about the many changes coming down the pike in our country. Whether you view these changes as good or bad really depends on your point of view, or to be more accurate, your world view.
I few days ago I was scanning one of my bookshelves and my eyes came upon Francis Schaeffer's book, A Christian Manifesto, which I had read a few years ago. Well, I felt a nudging to pull the book out and to read it again.Now understand that this book was published in 1981, but the message contained within its pages read as if it was written only yesterday.
I am not going to attempt to summarize the book here, but I do want to highly recommend it to you. In short though, it is about the clash of two world views; the Christian world view, in which God is recognized as the author of all of life and the center of all things, and the humanist world view, where God is a myth and man is the center of all things. These are two concepts of reality that are at total odds with each other and not just a set of isolated and separated differences.
When I listen to all of the talk and banter about the various changes going on in our country; bank bailouts, the erosion of confidence, and the overall, constant mantra of fear that comes from many people in the While House, I realize more and more that we are not dealing with a set of isolated issues. They are all a part of a much larger issue that has been around for a long time; the war between these two world views.
Here's the focus of contention; either we are a people under the governance of God, which in turn is the basis for all law and values, or we are a people who are a product of time and chance, devoid of any "god," and in which man is the beginning and end of all things; in which case results in a lack of any final base for values or law (which, by logical deduction, inevitably leads to a logical result--chaos).
This is really what is at the core of everything we see happening in our society today. Some people say that we are merely moving as a country from a Democratic Republic to a Social Democracy. Take a second a look up "Social Democracy" in the dictionary. The only difference between Marxism and Social Democracy is the way in which a Godless, socialist society in brought forth upon a people; not through a bloody revolution by through stealthy, so-called democratic means.
I have recently begun a series of messages based on what Jesus says in Matthew 24, which depicts the signs that would occur before Jesus' return. I fully believe that we are seeing Matthew 24 being carried out before our very eyes. It is much more than a struggle between two world views; it is a battle between the light and darkness.
So when you pick up the paper tomorrow or turn on the news on the radio tomorrow morning, and you hear about all of the new edicts coming down from the powers that be; fairness doctrine, abortion funding, the erosion of your rights, etc., keep in mind that this is much more than a Republican/Democrat, Christian/humanist conflict. It is the beginning of "birth pains" (Matthew 24:8).
Let me make a suggest. Why don't you pick up a Bible and do your own study of Matthew 24. Be sure to check out all of the cross-references as well. Then ask yourself; is this not what we are experiencing in our day?
"Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near--at the doors!" Matthew 24:32-33.
I few days ago I was scanning one of my bookshelves and my eyes came upon Francis Schaeffer's book, A Christian Manifesto, which I had read a few years ago. Well, I felt a nudging to pull the book out and to read it again.Now understand that this book was published in 1981, but the message contained within its pages read as if it was written only yesterday.
I am not going to attempt to summarize the book here, but I do want to highly recommend it to you. In short though, it is about the clash of two world views; the Christian world view, in which God is recognized as the author of all of life and the center of all things, and the humanist world view, where God is a myth and man is the center of all things. These are two concepts of reality that are at total odds with each other and not just a set of isolated and separated differences.
When I listen to all of the talk and banter about the various changes going on in our country; bank bailouts, the erosion of confidence, and the overall, constant mantra of fear that comes from many people in the While House, I realize more and more that we are not dealing with a set of isolated issues. They are all a part of a much larger issue that has been around for a long time; the war between these two world views.
Here's the focus of contention; either we are a people under the governance of God, which in turn is the basis for all law and values, or we are a people who are a product of time and chance, devoid of any "god," and in which man is the beginning and end of all things; in which case results in a lack of any final base for values or law (which, by logical deduction, inevitably leads to a logical result--chaos).
This is really what is at the core of everything we see happening in our society today. Some people say that we are merely moving as a country from a Democratic Republic to a Social Democracy. Take a second a look up "Social Democracy" in the dictionary. The only difference between Marxism and Social Democracy is the way in which a Godless, socialist society in brought forth upon a people; not through a bloody revolution by through stealthy, so-called democratic means.
I have recently begun a series of messages based on what Jesus says in Matthew 24, which depicts the signs that would occur before Jesus' return. I fully believe that we are seeing Matthew 24 being carried out before our very eyes. It is much more than a struggle between two world views; it is a battle between the light and darkness.
So when you pick up the paper tomorrow or turn on the news on the radio tomorrow morning, and you hear about all of the new edicts coming down from the powers that be; fairness doctrine, abortion funding, the erosion of your rights, etc., keep in mind that this is much more than a Republican/Democrat, Christian/humanist conflict. It is the beginning of "birth pains" (Matthew 24:8).
Let me make a suggest. Why don't you pick up a Bible and do your own study of Matthew 24. Be sure to check out all of the cross-references as well. Then ask yourself; is this not what we are experiencing in our day?
"Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near--at the doors!" Matthew 24:32-33.
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