Get Out and Vote!

I heard an excellent sermon on voting yesterday.  Pastor Cynthia Church, of the Georgetown, Ohio church of the Nazarene shared it in the morning service, and  I wanted to share it with you...

How Do We Please God with Our Vote?

Cynthia Church

As Christians, our desire is to know God’s will so that we will live a life worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in every way.  Living as citizens of the earthly kingdoms we belong to, we know we are to

·        Obey the civil authorities as those appointed by God

·        Pray for those in leadership that we might live godly and peaceful lives

·        Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s

·        In our country we have the opportunity to vote.

So the Big Question is, "How do we please God with our vote?"

1.      First of all I believe that we are to take our opportunity to vote.

Jesus told the Pharisees to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and to render unto God what is God.

In our country we have a representative form of government.

We elect, by our individual votes, those who are to represent us in governing our country and determining the laws by which we are all to live.

In our form of government, rendering to Caesar includes the responsibility of the ballot box

Jesus also told us that we are to be the salt of the earth

Believers are to influence the world around them as salt does food

Matt. 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

He told us we are the light of the world

Believers are to light up the path of righteousness just as light does a physical pathway

Matt. 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Through our vote, we can choose people and policies that influence the world toward goodness, godliness, light, and the glory of God.

This little light of mine can shine in a small way and join with other lights to influence a whole nation

With our vote, we can speak up

Proverbs 31

⁸ Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
    for the rights of all who are destitute.
⁹ Speak up and judge fairly;
    defend the rights of the poor and needy.

You get to vote for the representatives who will either defend or attack those who cannot speak for themselves; for the destitute; for the poor and needy

It is too late to register to vote in this election, but may I encourage you to make this the very last election that you do not vote in?

Some people will tell me that they do not register to vote because that might make them eligible to serve jury duty.

We cannot, or should not, as Christians, avoid our responsibility to do good just because it is going to cost us something

Especially when we consider the men and women who served their country and some died in order that this right to vote was established and preserved for you

So we Christians should take every opportunity to vote to influence our country toward godliness, mercy, peace and justice

Proverbs 29:2 says: “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.” Government policies can allow behavior, restrict behavior or promote behavior.

We can influence that with our vote.

And when we go into that voting booth, we need to go in as Christians- not as members of a political party.

It is fine to belong to a party, but your allegiance to God is a higher allegiance than your allegiance to your party or faction

2.      So how do you vote according to Biblical guidelines?

You don’t vote selfishly- you love your neighbor as yourself.

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through this sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage.”― Alexander Fraser Tytler

And please, don’t vote ignorantly- know what your candidate stands for and don’t take his or her political opponent’s word for it!

Voting for candidates

·        First, let me say that seldom is there going to be an ideal candidate especially where moral character is involved. The choice might be which candidate is the lesser evil

·        Secondly, especially with candidates who will be serving in Washington DC, you need to take into account the platform of the national party.

You may really like a candidate, but he would add to a national majority that would enact something that is un-Biblical.

You may have reservations about a candidate, but their party’s platform includes some very valuable legislation. That must go into your evaluation

In my opinion, one of the most important, if not the most important, criteria you need to find out about is the candidate’s status on abortion.

Let me say that if you have had an abortion or encouraged someone to have an abortion or voted for a pro-abortion candidate, there is forgiveness and grace in Jesus. But let me just as clearly state that abortion is a particularly heinous form of murder.

When God listed His Top Ten Issues in the form of the 10 Commandments, protecting innocent life was listed sixth.

“Guess which ones didn’t make the top 10 list? Poverty, immigration, healthcare, the economy, energy, education, taxation or global warming. That is not to say these things aren’t important. We are just to keep them in order, just as God does. If you truly want and desire to use your vote to honor God, then you have to put His priorities at the forefront of your mind and heart.” Liz Lemery Joy

·        Proverbs 6:17- God hates hands that shed innocent blood. There is nothing more innocent than an unborn baby
Deuteronomy 30:19 God has set before us life and death, he instructed us to choose life, so that we and our children may live.
Psalm 139:16 God’s eyes see that unformed body of that baby. It is not just a blob of cells, or flesh. In God’s eyes He has already ordained that baby’s days in the book of life.

·        Leviticus 17:14 Life is in the blood. That means where there is blood, there is life. To take a baby at any stage is to take a life

Also- what is their stance of euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Assisted suicide is legal in Washington DC, Colorado, Oregon, Hawaii, Washington, Vermont, California, one county in New Mexico, and is de facto legal in Montana. (Wikipedia)

Saying: What one generation tolerates the next embraces.

With health care costs skyrocketing, it is a smaller and smaller step from assisted suicide to forced euthanasia or withholding care from elderly, handicapped or undesirables

The next thing to look at is where they stand on issues of morality

Isaiah 5

²⁰ Woe to those who call evil good
    and good evil,
who put darkness for light
    and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
    and sweet for bitter.

Another of the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20

¹⁴ “You shall not commit adultery.

The Lord puts a high priority on sexual purity and the formation of families. Does your candidate do the same? Do their views on the use of our body’s sexual possibilities line up with the Creator’s? Or do they line up with the imaginations of fallen creation?

A quick Google search returned a list of 63 genders/sexes!

Another thing to consider is personal mind-set of the candidate.

Prov 6

¹⁶ There are six things the Lord hates,
    seven that are detestable to him:
¹⁷         haughty eyes,
        a lying tongue,
        hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸         a heart that devises wicked schemes,
        feet that are quick to rush into evil,
¹⁹         a false witness who pours out lies
        and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Ronald Reagan once famously said that some of the scariest words are ‘Hello, I am from the government and I am here to help you.”

Take note of proud and arrogant candidates with haughty eyes who think they know what is best for you, who think government needs to take control over your life. Is the candidate haughty or humble?

Many politicians have perfected the art of having a lying tongue. They say one thing to get elected knowing perfectly well that they have no intentions of following through with their promises

Does the candidate have a reputation for honesty?

And while few if any politicians have actually shed innocent blood, many have been willing accomplices in promoting abortion, euthanasia or in misusing our nation’s military or failing to support our law enforcement or looking the other way when wrongdoers cause others harm.

Does your candidate have a heart that devises wicked schemes? What schemers some politicians are! I can’t think that anyone truly was fooled by the scheming that accompanied the Kavanaugh hearings

And what are the goals of your candidate? Do they line up better with what God would want or what Satan would advocate?

Someone described feet that run to evil as a feeding frenzy of sharks. What happens when someone has fallen victim to a downfall of some sort? Do  they rush in to pile on and try to wring some political advantage for themselves? Or do they seek healing and restoration?

And if you want examples of false witnesses, watch those campaign ads!

We have another name for stirring up conflict. We call it the politics of personal destruction. And the political waters have been so polluted that we are no longer one nation, but a collection of warring tribes.

Moving from personal morality

We learn in Romans 13:4 one of the functions of governing authorities: They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 

Do they understand this protective role of government both nationally and locally?

What is the candidate’s position as regards the law of the land- the Constitution? Are they consistent in their willingness to operate under the law? Do they apply the law consistently or only when it is convenient?

When voting on a national level, one of the functions of the national government I to protect the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Jesus used kings as an example in Luke 14. Spoke of their wisdom in decisions of war and diplomacy

Does the candidate seem wise enough to make these kinds of decisions and courageous enough to follow through on them? Would you feel confident putting your safety and the safety of your family in their hands? Do they seem to be on the side of law-abiding citizens or criminals?

These are just a few issues you should take into consideration. Some other quick ones:

Do you think they will be good stewards of the taxes they collect?
Will they engage in a Robin Hood mentality of stealing from the rich to give to the poor?
Will they encourage people to covet their neighbor’s property?

Will they respect the fact that all government gets its authority from God?

3.      Finally, as voters, we have to put elections and governments in the proper perspective. God’s kingdom will not come through governments!

Psalm 2

¹ Why do the nations conspire
    and the peoples plot in vain?
² The kings of the earth rise up
    and the rulers band together
    against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
³ “Let us break their chains
    and throw off their shackles.”

⁴ The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
    the Lord scoffs at them.
⁵ He rebukes them in his anger
    and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
⁶ “I have installed my king
    on Zion, my holy mountain.”

⁷ I will proclaim the Lord’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;
    today I have become your father.
⁸ Ask me,
    and I will make the nations your inheritance,
    the ends of the earth your possession.
⁹ You will break them with a rod of iron;
    you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”

¹⁰ Therefore, you kings, be wise;
    be warned, you rulers of the earth.
¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear
    and celebrate his rule with trembling.
¹² Kiss his son, or he will be angry
    and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
    Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

We are those who have taken refuge in Him. We have elected Him King of our hearts and look forward to that day when He will make all things new. When every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. Then justice will roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

God’s dwelling place will be among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away

He Had to Go

Well, that was quick. General McChrystal returned today and resigned today. While it was unfortunate that this happened at such an inopportune time, it was necessary for him to go. I'm glad he resigned. His behavior was an embarrassment to the American military. He may not have said extremely incendiary things himself, but he allowed an environment of disrespect to grow under his command. In the military, respect of command is extremely important.

I may not support everything that President Obama does, but here is one thing where I am behind him completely. He did the right thing. McChrystal had to go. Had President Obama failed to "accept his resignation" he would have critically undermined his already weakened ability to lead.

Lack of support of leadership is addressed in the Bible. I read just this morning that I am to: "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith... Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us [leaders]" (Hebrews 13.7, 17-18a). Paul was very supportive of the idea of giving support to leadership: "Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor" (Romans 13.7). Also: "Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you" (1 Thessalonians 5.12).

These verses give us the biblical counsel regarding leaders. It's not our job to "fix" our leaders. We are to:

1. Remember them (Hebrews 13.7)
2. Obey them (Hebrews 13.17)
3. Pray for them (Hebrews 13.18)
4. Respect them (Romans 13.7 and 1 Thessalonians 5.12)

I've been in a position where those who report to me have failed to follow this biblical instruction. It always leads to confusion and pain. I also have been in positions where I could not stay because I was unable to follow one or more of these guidelines. Rather than making a fuss, I quietly sought to move out of the situation.

That is what McChrystal should have done. Instead of allowing - even encouraging - a culture of disrespect, he should have cleaned it up or gotten out long ago. Now we are extremely disadvantaged in a sensitive time in the prosecution of the war in Afghanistan. We can only pray that more lives won't be needlessly lost because of this extreme lack of judgment.

We should take a lesson from this moment in history, remembering this in our church relationships as well as our families and places of employment: Remember, obey, pray for and respect our leaders.

Slow Down on Government Interference in Health Care!

Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Zechariah 13-14
NT: Revelation 20
W&W:

Today’s Reflection:

How thankful I am for the medical care I receive in America! Today I am healing from carpal tunnel surgery I had yesterday. The surgery went well, and we were able to get it done before the end of the year. (That was an answer to prayer, as I had asked many to pray about that since we had met our deductible – we carry a large deductible – for 2009. Thanks for your prayers!)

Having the privilege of getting surgery through insurance – even if it is a high deductible – is not something we should take lightly. Not everyone has that opportunity. Some don’t have it because of calculated choice. Others don’t have it because they are citizens – and presumably are responsible enough to pay taxes to their homeland – of another nation. Some don’t have it because they are here illegally. And there are others who don’t have it because they refuse to work. Yet we know that there are those who don’t have that privilege because they can’t afford insurance.

It is the latter group that concerns me. What are we to do as a nation to help those truly in need? I’m quite confident that the course the Obama administration – along with the Senate and Congress – is taking will not only not help, but will actually make the situation worse. My gut tells me that the government cannot do a better job than the private sector in health care. Experience teaches us that politicizing medical benefits leads to corruption. The recent actions of the Senate confirm that politicians will not hesitate to be greedy in doling out health benefits.

Is private American health care perfect? No, but we need to slow down – even back up – before we do irreversible harm to the best health care system in existence on the planet.

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Revelation 19.6b-8a: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear."

We Are Not Alone!

Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Zechariah 8
NT: Revelation 17

Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Zechariah 9
NT: Revelation 18

Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Zechariah 10
NT: Luke 2.1-20

Today’s Reflection:

The past few days I was feeling a little like he prophet Elijah in the Old Testament, despondent that so few stood for right: “I am the only one…” But, with the news last night I am happy to say, “I’m not alone!”

I reported yesterday that I had sent a letter to Governor Heineman of Nebraska, urging him to refuse the political payoff that Senator Nelson had worked out with Harry Reid. Last night I was thrilled to hear the governor report that he did that very thing. My spirit was refreshed within me when I saw this statement of principle. It is a small beginning, but an encouraging one. The sweetheart deals worked out in the shadows and whispers of closed meetings are still very much a part of the health care deceit. (Yes, I meant deceit, not debate.) Yes, Harry Reid has established a sleazy atmosphere in the Senate – sinking beneath any semblance of honor – by publicly praising the kind of dealing that is anathema to most decent American citizens. But, there are glimmers of dignity. Governor Heineman, Senator Johanns, and the good people of Nebraska refuse to be bought!

We are not alone. Let us urge our national leaders to join Nebraskans in the fight to restore what has made America great – responsibility, sacrifice, honor.

I know that we cannot depend on man for our ultimate hope. We are not alone in the fact that God has come to be with us: Emmanuel. My faith rests on Jesus Christ, the divine Child who was born on the first Christmas night. But it is refreshing to see these values lived out in elected officials.

May God bless your Christmas celebrations with his peace, glory and joy.

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Luke 2.14: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.

An Open Letter to the Governor of Nebraska

Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Zechariah 6-7
NT: Revelation 16

Today’s Reflection:

Winston Churchill said, “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.”

Watching the news last night I was struck by how far our national leaders have come away from “convictions of honor and good sense.” The passage of cloture by the lone Democratic hold-out (Senator Bill Nelson – D, Nebraska) on the health care debate was anything but an indication of honor and good sense. And then he had the gall to try to pass it off on his Republican governor. I am so angry, that I did something I rarely do: I wrote to the governor. Following is “An Open Letter to Governor Heineman”:

Governor,

I'm a registered Republican in Ohio. I can't vote for you. I can't keep you in office or send you from office. I can only encourage you to have the moral courage to accept the challenge so brazenly and cowardly presented to you from Senator Nelson.

Do the right thing. Tell the Senator:
"Nebraskans are people of honor and dignity, of pride and decency. I am appalled that you have prostituted the people of Nebraska in such manner. Of course we will not accept the terms of the back-room deal you made to sell your vote to bring the health care debate to cloture. I stand with the good people of Nebraska in instructing you - as you promised you would do - to rescind the deal you secretly made with Harry Reid and the Democratic Caucus. We Nebraskans are not for sale. You, dear sir, should know that."

Go get 'em, Governor! Stand up for what is right! Call the coward's bluff. As Winston Churchill (in an age of apparently greater honor) said, "Never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense."

With votes so brazenly for sale in the Senate of the United States, our Christmas goose, dear reader, is cooked.

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Luke 2.14: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.

I Owe My Soul to a Federal Bailout

Wednesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Haggai 1-2
NT: Revelation 12
W&W:

Today’s Reflection:

As I was driving home from a doctor’s appointment today, I found myself behind a Saturn Aura. I thought of my friend, Aaron, who was the first person I really knew who owned a Saturn. He swore by them. I thought about how the company just blossomed when it began over a decade ago. And I thought, sadly, about how it was one of the companies on the chopping block of GM.

My mind began wandering. What has been happening in our great nation? Are saying good-bye to what we have known as America? Oh, to be sure, America will exist for many years as a great and powerful nation. America will enjoy lingering prosperity and liberty. But, are recent events the beginning the inevitable downward phase found in the lifecycle of nations?

I could wax philosophic about the decline of morals in our nation. Or, I could pine for the days when American seemed to have a different work ethic and feeling of pride in self-sufficiency. I could express concern about terrorist hatred. I could even write about how the American culture has been weakened by all the “hyphenation” going on that has prevented great segments of our society from joining in the melting pot.

What concerned me this morning, however, was what is happening to business in America. Having just left the doctor’s office, I was a bit miffed at the history of unresponsiveness on the part of my health insurance provider. But, I believe that what we have has been working better than anything else around the globe. Why does the federal government – with its stellar record – need to insert itself into my healthcare? And in traffic behind the Saturn Aura, my mind quickly revolted that two of the big three auto makers took money from American taxpayers to support failed management and labor – to subsidize poor performance. Is it right for the federal government to get involved in saving companies and unions who engage in poor business practices? Let GM figure it out. History proves that American ingenuity will far outperform American bureaucracy. And what of the banks and financial institutions bailed out in late 2008 and early 2009? I am beginning to think that we would have sorted this out a lot quicker and with less mess had we let those too big to fail fail. We are creating a spirit of dependence not independence.

Is anybody besides me nervous that the federal government (re – their stellar record above) is positioning itself to set policy and practices for private companies? Yes, regulations are needed to provide checks and balances that protect consumers and provide accountability in all these areas. That is a function of the government. But running great segments of our economy is not. Find for me, please - in the Constitution - the rational for the federal government reaching so far into private lives and businesses. I’m not a Constitutional scholar; I’m just a concerned citizen wondering if we’ve sold the soul of our great nation for a bail-out.

Is there not a better way?

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
John 1.14a: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us…

Zeal with Knowledge followed by Deeds

Tuesday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Daniel 9
NT: James 2
W&W: Psalm 130

Today’s Reflection:

Sunday night at Bethel Nazarene Church was fun! Our church hosted a community event to get to know the school board candidates and to get our questions about the levy in Bethel-Tate Township answered.

I began the night by sharing a devotional thought from Proverbs 19.2: “It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way.” It seems that our political process has a lot of zeal now that is driven by party affiliation instead of genuine knowledge. I shared that the purpose of our time together Sunday was to gain knowledge in order to vote from an informed perspective.

After the board candidates took time to speak to the assembly, our school board president talked for a few minutes about the levy. When he was done, the school superintendent shared a few thoughts. Then, the president and superintendent – along with the school treasurer – answered some questions from the congregation. It was great to have this forum to hear about the candidates and the levy. I hope to host this again in the future. (Hope it’s not a levy again, but we’ll see if this one passes or not…)

I am reminded that a follower of Jesus Christ is one who goes out in citizenship. Our relationship with Jesus is not confined to the property or service times of the local church. No, we are called to go out from our times and places of gathering to live as responsible and contributing members of our communities.

James – the brother of the Lord and the de facto leader of the church in Jerusalem – wrote a letter to the early church which has been preserved in the Bible in book which bears his name. In chapter 2, James shares that the only way our faith is real is for it to be lived out in tangible ways: “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?... Someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”

Are you involved in your community? Are you going out to live as a contributing and responsible member of your family, workplace, school, and neighborhood? Anything less than that is less than Christian!

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
James 1.22: Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Assumption of Infallibility

Thursday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 22
NT: 1 Timothy 1
W&W: Psalm 119.33-40

Friday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Ezekiel 23-24
NT: 1 Timothy 2
W&W: Psalm 119.41-48

Today’s Reflection:

John Stuart Mill wrote: “All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.” While I cannot agree with much of Mill’s positions, I must confess that this quote is very true. I see its expression particularly in religion and politics, but the desire to silence dissent is common in every area of life: from the living room to the board room, from courtyards to courthouses.

The reality is, as Jesus taught, that truth shall set us free. And, there is nothing to be feared in discussion as long as discussion is based in truth. That’s why I – as a Christian pastor – belief in truthful, helpful and loving openness. That is why I – as a citizen – am concerned with the climate in Washington (But we must remember that it is not unique to today.) that is attempting to hurry things through legislature (healthcare and stimulus) without open and transparent discussion. It seems to me that approximately one half of the elected officials are being left out of the debate. I can see no reason for doing this other than two possibilities:

1. An assumption of infallibility on the part of the champions of President Obama’s agenda. Or,
2. A fear that the truth will not help them accomplish their agenda. (e.g. the truth is not on their side.)

In either case, the results will be less than desirable.

We need to urge our elected officials to work together, to learn from each other, and to refuse to use parliamentary procedures that prevent discussion (reconciliation), bullying and intimidation, groundless accusations of racism, thinly veiled threats against private companies that dissent, or name-calling and posturing. Let’s have a fierce, civil debate on the merits of our proposals. What is true will survive scrutiny, but only if we scrutinize! If we lack courage to examine the issues, we will be trapped in sectarian and parochial solutions. There is a way forward in the healthcare debate. It is the way of truth.

Friday’s scripture reading includes the following: “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may life peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (2 timothy 2.1-2). We need to pray for our government officials that we may preserve the freedoms that make peaceful and quiet lives a possibility.

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 16.26: What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Do We Know How to Blush?

Yesterday’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Jeremiah 5
NT: 1 Corinthians 5
W&W: Psalm 91

Today’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Jeremiah 6
NT: 1 Corinthians 6
W&W: Psalm 92

Tomorrow’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Jeremiah 7
NT: 1 Corinthians 7
W&W: Psalm 93

Today’s Reflection:

Jeremiah 6.15 says, “They have no shame at all. They do not even know how to blush.”

How this describes our culture today. When entertainers can do any shameful thing and still be lauded for their “contributions to society” then I question what are we listening to and why. When politicians can say one thing while campaigning and then without so much as a blush say just the opposite, I feel a sense of hopelessness. When leaders decry – with great moral outrage – the sins of others and then are “caught with their pants down,” I wonder why they don’t listen to themselves.

Our great and free land is spiraling downward in the pursuit of pleasure and entertainment, in a mad rush to embrace relative truth, and in self-congratulatory hypocrisy. Are we being led by cultural icons, political pragmatists, and indulgent leaders to a place where we can no longer blush at sin?

I wonder.

But, there is hope in Jesus! He is the same “yesterday, today, and forever.” His Word is true and stands firm through the ages. He created all things and gives us life and hope, light and healing. We can turn to him with great confidence that he will heal our land. Our hope is indeed in him.

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
Matthew 7.9-11: Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Time for a Turn Around

Today’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Isaiah 38-39
NT: Acts 22
W&W: Proverbs 30

Today’s Reflection:

One of the saddest verses in the Bible is found in Isaiah 39.8. Hezekiah – the king of Judah – had just been told by Isaiah the prophet that the succeeding generations would be negatively impacted by poor decisions made by the king. Hezekiah’s response is appalling: “The word of the Lord you have spoken is good.” How could he say such a thing? Verse 8 goes on to explain: “For he thought, ‘there will be peace and security in my lifetime.’”

Oh Hezekiah! How could you be so insensitive? How could you be unaware of what the envoys from Babylon represented? How could you have so little concern for the needs of future generations?

From this story, I remember that “Babylon” is closer than we think. We must not take it lightly or trifle with it or entertain it in our hearts. “Babylon” may start out generous, concerned, friendly, and supportive, but it quickly becomes greedy, callused, cold, and controlling.

If Isaiah were alive today, he would say to citizens of our generation: Do not, O Generation, pass on to your descendants a legacy of:

• Immorality
• Ungodliness
• Consumerism
• Debt
• War
• Pollution
• Death
• Corruption
• Division

We must not trade our children’s well-being for our selfish comforts. Let us become a generation that turns the course of America around. Our children and grandchildren are depending on us.

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
1 John 1.7-8: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Neither a Borrower nor a Lender Be

Today’s Scripture Readings:
OT: Isaiah 25-26
NT: Acts 14
W&W: Proverbs 22

Today’s Reflection:

Though at the time I didn’t know where it was from, I remember my mother quoting the line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” Mom quoted it to me at times I would complain to her that one of my siblings either broke something I loaned them or wouldn’t return it. She was teaching me: “Don’t lend something you can’t afford to lose.” That’s a hard lesson to learn when you’re a kid.

The converse of that lesson is also true: Don’t borrow something you can’t afford to buy! The Wise Man in Proverbs teaches us something about borrowing and lending: “The borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22.7). How true that is! We are a nation of debtors, and we are working longer and longer to serve the debt. I’m afraid it is going to get worse.

Our politicians want to have it both ways. They are offering consumers easier, less responsible debt by making the creditors “give back” money to irresponsible debtors. The problem is that credit will get easier and borrowers will be less responsible in repaying their debts. Good debtors will be forced to pay for the spending habits of poor debtors (not monetarily poor, but poor in the sense of being unskilled at handling debt). President Obama and Congress feel compelled to offer this incentive to would-be debtors because they want us all to become even more consumeristic. But to whom are we becoming servants with all this debt?

We need to be very careful when we borrow. We will be servants to those we borrow from. Do we wish to serve:

• Banks and big business?
• China or other foreign governments?
• Our own over-sized government?
• A future of interest payments?

When we borrow, we open ourselves up to trouble. I read a church marquis this week that highlights our responsibility in debt-control: “Stay out of trouble: act your wage!”

So, thanks, Mom! Lord Polonius’ advice in Hamlet is sound: Neither a borrower nor a lender be. As much as possible, I intend to heed the admonition of the New Testament: “Let no debt remain outstanding but the continuing debt to love” (Romans 13.8a).

This Week’s Scripture to Memorize:
1 John 1.5-6: This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.

Blag-O-Sphere

Last month I entered the blog-o-sphere with the publication of my first blog: “Who Said It Couldn’t Be Done?” Today I am going to enter the Blag-O-Sphere.

I used to be a resident of Illinois. Yesterday, Rod Blagojevich, the governor of my former state, was arrested on some pretty serious charges. Guilt or innocence will not be determined by the opinions expressed by conservatives, liberals, or moderates. It has already been determined by the actions of Governor Blagojevich. My concern is the state of truth in our day.

“Did he do it” should be replaced with a more serious question: “So what?” If there is no absolute truth, then it doesn’t really matter that a governor attempted to sell a senate seat from his state. It doesn’t really matter that he attempted to extort money from a children’s hospital or get people fired for exercising their editorial freedom. If there is truth of the absolute variety, then that means that our actions can be judged against that truth.

I think that most people, in their hearts, believe that there is absolute truth, a truth that is more than the truth of factual evidence: He did it or he didn’t do it. There is truth that can shed light on the rightness or wrongness of what he did or didn’t do. Which kind of world do you want to live in? A world where everyone makes his/her own truth or a world that is grounded in eternal truth? Think about it:

• Do you want to live in a world where it is OK to use the public trust given you to extort money from those over whom you hold power?
• Do you want to live in a world where it is OK to beat to death pubescent prisoners and bury them in the backyard?
• Do you want to live in a world where it is OK to deny a person basic health and dignity issues because of age (pre-born or post-peak), race, sex, religion, or lifestyle?
• Do you want to live in a world where it is OK to expect someone else to take care of you because you don’t want to work?
• Do you want to live in a world where it is OK to run your stockholders’ and employees’ business into the ground while gaining millions of dollars in personal benefit?
• Do you want to live in a world where it is OK to shape the rules of employment such that you can perform in ways that do harm to the health of the company that writes your paycheck and the economy that sustains your job?
• Do you want to live in a world where it is OK to viciously and falsely attack your political opponent and after the dust of an election clears say, “That was then; this is now?”
• Do you want to live in a world where it is OK to be so consumption-focused that we forget all about the value of the earth from which we derive our goods or the life of the man in the door at Walmart?

What kind of world do you want? I want a world of truth, a world where what we say and what we do matters. It’s the only kind of world worth living in.

So, did he do it? We will certainly find out, but the truth already is. So what?