Fourth of July

 

 

I watched a “60 Minute” interview of historian and author David McCullough by Morley Safer. It’s worth googling. In it he laments young Americans’ historical ignorance [ignorance of history], even at the university level. He says that parents, not teachers, have the responsibility to correct this. In that vein, I would like to recommend that we take some time this Fourth to educate our kids. 

Some ideas are:

1.       Read the Declaration of Independence http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html   [].

2.       Read George Washington’s [McCullough says he’s our greatest president] Farewell Address. Here is a powerful quote from it, which seems appropriate in light of recent laws redefining marriage:

 Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice ? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.  [also a link: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp  ].

3.       Remind everyone who’s willing to listen that the concept of “separation of church and state” is not in the Constitution, but in a letter from Thomas Jefferson to some Baptists in Danbury, Connecticut   [     http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html  ] who were concerned about the statement in the Constitution that government should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." They were concerned that if the government assumed it should not make such a law, it was assuming that it actually had the authority to make such a law, and this was not acceptable. Jefferson assured them that a “wall of separation” between church and state would protect their freedom of religion, which was their, and the framers’ primary concern—not to protect Government or people from religion.

Ronald Reagan reminds us of this fact in one of his speeches. 

"George Washington believed that religion, morality, and brotherhood were the pillars of society. He said you couldn't have morality without religion. And yet today we're told that to protect the first amendment, we must expel God, the source of all knowledge, from our children's classrooms. Well, pardon me, but the first amendment was not written to protect the American people from religion; the first amendment was written to protect the American people from government tyranny. (President RONALD WILSON REAGAN)

4.       Let’s remember that government for and by the people presupposes that those people are capable of overcoming the base and natural tendencies of selfishness, and thereby to work for the common good. Furthermore that they not be prone to follow after loud, smooth-talking,  or fear-mongering demagogues.  In other words, if we want to maintain our freedom, we should heed the words of our primary Founding Father, Geo. Washington, and promote religion and morality, since these, more than any other endeavor facilitate the maturity and wisdom necessary to guard against insidious erosions of liberty.

5.       Let’s celebrate our nation’s birth, remember our roots, keep what’s important from the past clear, and pass it on to our children.  The Bible teaches clearly that God wants His people free to worship Him as he has revealed Himself to us. It teaches that freedom is, more than anything else, a spiritual reality attainable through submission to the God Who loves us more than we love our own children. Quoting Ronald Reagan again, “Between the covers of that single Book are all the answers to all the problems that face us today, if we’d only read and believe.”

May God bless America, and may America be worthy of His blessings.

Ethical Principles From Job's Defense

 

 

Job 31:2-4 For what is our lot from God above, our heritage from the Almighty on high? 

 Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong? 
Does he not see my ways and count my every step?

 

Job’s defense against the misguided accusations of his friends is a good statement of ethical principles for us all—a good reminder of some of what it looks like to live the Golden Rule [Lk.6:31].  You may recall that Job had lost everything: family, wealth, social prestige and physical health. And his friends were convinced that it was because of his hidden sin. They were mistaken. Even God had declared his righteousness [Job 1:8].  In his striving to understand his condition, he offers to God and to his friends his understanding of himself and of his way in the world. We can be guided by what he describes.

First, he acknowledges that it is worse than useless to do evil: it leads to “ruin” and “disaster”. We can rationalize evil, but we can never make it work for us in the long haul.  God sees and knows all—including the secret motivations of our heart. He not only knows what we do, He knows why we do it.

And it’s important for us to ask Him to reveal our motives to us, and to continue to eliminate selfishness from our personalities. For example, we can be more focused on impressing people [even with how “good” or “spiritually mature” or “intelligent’ we are] than on loving them with Christ’s Love. God knows this.  [And what a blessing it is when we allow the Holy Spirit to ferret out another cankerous pocket of selfishness in our personalities, confess it openly, and receive the glorious gift of His graceful forgiveness.]

Job recognized the danger and futility of lust [31:1]. Most of us have esperienced the difficulty and pain of lust. And what a relief it can be to make a once-and-for-all covenant of faithfulness to our spouse, and to continually turn away from desiring that which can only lead to hurt and guilt or worse. Satan, through various media, continually holds out sexuality like a tempting carrot on the end of a stick. The carrot has hooks and poison in it, as many have discovered.  Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell [Prov. 5:5].

Job also recognized the futility of falsehood and deceit [31:5]. Most sin leads ultimately to these, since we are ashamed and feel the need to hide it. We can descend into a habitual pattern of deceit and forget what it’s like to feel free from the paranoid-like fears of being “found out” that lurk always under the surface of a deceptive lifestyle.

Job realized that the same God that created him had also created his servants [employees, hired help, etc.]; and he recognized his accountability to God for how he treated them. He did not use his power over them to degrade or take advantage of them. He listened to their grievances, and took them to heart if they had merit. He was not a harsh master.[31:13-15].

Job did not ignore the poor, orphans or widows. He purposely ministered to them. He did not use his considerable authority to use or take advantage of the poor; contrarily, he used it on their behalf. He stood up for the powerless [31:16-21].  Job, before his testing, was a man of great wealth and power. But he did not put his trust in his wealth, nor did he brag about being a self-made man. He recognized that God was the source of all blessings, and knew that it could all be taken away in a moment—as had happened in his life [1:21;31:24-25]. Job carefully avoided the idols of his day. He did not allow his heart to place anything above the one true God Who created all [31:26-28].

Job did not rejoice in the demise or destruction of those who hated him. He did not wish ill will [“wish a curse”] upon anyone, no matter how evil they might be [31:29-30].  He cared for the needs of those in his own household, as well as the stranger in the street [31:31-32].  He had nothing to hide from God or man—nothing to be ashamed of or that he feared being discovered that would damage his integrity [31:33-34]. But he did not glory in his integrity, rather only in God Who had blessed him so richly.

We can see how God would describe him as righteous. And we can use his commitments and behaviors as models for our own. We have now what Job did not have: the advantage of Christ, His Love and His Spirit to empower us to live out this goodness, truth and integrity. And we have His wonderful promises of abundant life, peace, joy and eternal life as we walk in His Way.

May we live today in the Light of His goodness and these promises.

Hope for the World

Due to the amazing increase in technology in the world of social communications, people who were previously unable to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ are now able to bathe in its joyful, liberating Light. According to the statistics below, this is apparently resulting in a new revival or awakening in some of the darkest nations on earth. We celebrate this with great joy, and pray for its continuation, and for the ongoing spiritual growth of the new converts--our brothers and sisters! Now, more than ever, we have the opportunity to discover that we are all brothers and sisters--sons and daughters of a loving Father/Creator, Who has always desired that we love each other with a sincere heart, in spirit and truth; and Who has demonstrated what that love looks like through His Son, Jesus the Christ, our Lord, Savior and great redeeming Friend, Who's Name be praised forever and ever!

The following is from Dr. Waylon Bailey's blogsite, which I follow on this site. Read and rejoice.

 

When Simon Peter confessed Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:16-19).

Those words of Jesus are coming true. He is building His church and nothing is overcoming it–not persecution, not powers, not principalities.

God is at work creating a people for Himself made up of “every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:10).

This is something of what that looks like.

• In 1900 Korea had no Protestant church. Today, there are over 7,000 churches in just the city of Seoul, South Korea.
• At the end of the 19th century, the southern portion of Africa was only 3 percent Christian. Today, 63 percent of the population is Christian, while membership in the churches in Africa is increasing by 34,000 people per day.
• In India, 14 million of the 140 million members of the “untouchable” caste have become Christians.
• More people in the Islamic world have come to Christ in the last 25 years than in the entire history of Christian missions.
• In Islamic Indonesia, the percentage of Christians is now so high (around 15 percent) that the Muslim government will no longer print statistics.
• In China, it is estimated that there are now more self-avowed disciples of Jesus than members of the Communist party. Even the most conservative estimates suggest that China will soon have more Christians than any country.
• Across the planet, followers of Jesus are increasing by more than eighty thousand per day. This means 3333 people are being saved every hour–a pentecost every hour!
• 510 new churches form every day.
• Christianity is ranked the largest religion in the world today. According to the PewForum on Religion and Public Life, in 2010 there were 2.18 billion Christians around the world, nearly a third of the global population.
• Christians and churches exist in all 238 countries.

Our work is not done, but we are not without power. We have reason to rejoice, not because of who we are but because of who He is. May God be praised.

Waylon Bailey

 

Please continue to pray for  and support our brothers and sisters who live in oppressive cultures, and for those like Voice of the Martyrs who seek to minister to them.

The Truth is Good

Eph 1:13   In whom you also trusted, after that you heard the word of truth, the gospel [good news]of your salvation: in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise…

Jhn 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. [Jesus]

1Th 2:13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. 

 

Ultimate Reality is good beyond our current ability to perceive.  The Bible, and especially Jesus the Christ assert this. And the created world supports it. The Bible teaches that the Creator of all is merciful, kind, forgiving, and loves us like a parent loves his/her children. He is just, fair and compassionate to the point that, when we separated ourselves irreversibly from Him through disobedience, He Himself paid the price for our redemption so that we could be reconciled to Him. Our brother the apostle Paul was given a clear understanding of the goodness of this Truth, as recorded in Romans:

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?... For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,  nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord [Rom8:31-32,38-39].  Nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that was revealed by Jesus, who gave His life for us.

 

The creation itself also gives us the message of the goodness of God, as Paul indicates in Romans.

 Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made [Rom 1:20].  The very fact that we are alive, mobile, creative, perceiving, communicative, and free beings confirms the goodness of Truth. We had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that we are here, on this beautiful warm earth that provides everything we need for life and more beauty than we will ever be able to perceive.  The fact that we enjoy humor, music and beauty is itself a miraculous indication of the goodness of God. And the fact that we are man and woman.  The protective love that we naturally have for our children.  Life itself and the earth are gifts—given to us.  How can God not be good?

 

The Bible and the world both therefore bear witness that Ultimate Reality—the Truth—is good.  Jesus actually asserted that He is the Truth, and that He overcame the world [that is, the dark, oppressive forces of evil in this world] [Jn. 14:6, 16:33].  The ongoing effects of evil and suffering cause us to doubt.  But if you think deeply enough into the idea of life without evil, suffering and death, you realize that without evil we could not be free; without death life would be a meaningless trap; and without suffering we could not know joy. Without darkness, we would not even need the word “light” because it would not designate anything—there would be nothing to set it apart. Without having fallen from grace, we could never feel the value of forgiveness nor the joy of restoration.  We begin to see that even evil, death and suffering are aspects of God’s perfection, giving meaning and challenge to life on earth, and preparing us for the enjoyment of heaven.

 

Without Jesus’ Spirit abiding within us we can get lost in this world and lose touch with the goodness of Eternal Reality [Truth].  He is Light, and there is darkness in the world. Without light, one can be lost in the darkness. In the spiritual sense, one can be lost and blind to the fact that he/she is lost. This is a terrible lostness [Mt.6:23, 15:14].  But when we receive Christ and continue in His way, the Truth dawns in our consciousness like the rising sun and shines brighter and brighter toward the fullness of the desires of our heart. We begin to inwardly experience the peace, joy and abundant life that He promised His followers.  God has throughout the ages encouraged us to believe in Him [2Ch 20:20, Isa 43:10]. Jesus encourages us repeatedly to believe in Him and trust the goodness of God [Jn14:1].  In fact He says that to believe in Him is the “work of God” [Jn6:29].

A good synopsis of the Christian faith is:         Trust God. Love people. And be happy [blessed].

May it be so for us all.

In Christ’s Holy Name,

Amen

Encouragement and Growth

Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world….” [Jesus]

Mat 13:25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. [Jesus]

 

While working in my yard yesterday I noticed two things that God used to speak to me. I have some gardenias on the west side of my house that are only half exposed to sunlight. And only the half that receives sunlight have blooms on them. Many plants are like that—they need direct sunlight in order to bloom. And human personalities are like that. Children need the sunlight of being enjoyed and loved in order to bloom. Spouses need the sunlight of their mates’ appreciation in order to bloom. All of us tend to blossom in the light of loving kindness, encouragement, and appreciation. Jesus said that His followers would be the “light of the world.” We have the wonderful opportunity to shine this Light upon each other and encourage each other to blossom into the fullness of the potential that God has placed within us to be joyful and free.

 

I also noticed that the weeds, including poison oak, in the woods beside my yard keep trying to invade my lawn. I must continually fight back against them with my mower and with weed killer. I realize that it will always be necessary to fight back against this invasion so that my family can enjoy the yard without the nuisance of briars and poison oak. I see this reality in my spiritual growth also. If I stop being proactive in drawing near to God—if I stop attending church, praying, serving, reading the Word—weeds will insidiously invade my personality that are much more problematic than the weeds that grow in my yard.

 

I hope you are keeping the weeds of selfishness, laziness, criticism, judgementalism, anxiety, despair, [whatever your sinful nature tendencies are] pulled up out of the garden of your personality. And I hope you are shining the Light of God’s Love upon all those in your sphere of influence.

 

Shine His Light. Pull the weeds.

And, as always, be very thankful that you have heard His voice and reside in His eternal Kingdom.