Fear vs. Courage

Fear vs. Courage

Are you a “What if....?” kind of person? Those two words can lead many of us down all kinds of paths that eventually result in discouraging and disabling fear. Fear may be one of the biggest reasons why we, as a group in general, accomplish so little. Is there any wonder why the most common command in all of the Scriptures is “Do not fear.” I’m sure it plagues all of us at times, some more than others. At the root of fear is a heart that does not trust God, that He is who He says He is and that He will do all that He says He will do. If that is true—that the root of fear is a heart that does not trust God—then the way to victory over fear is complete confidence, trust, and belief in God and His love for you. A heart that fears not is a heart that is convinced it is loved. I John 4:18, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear....” Once we really understand, not with our minds but with our hearts, that God loves us with an everlasting love and that he is a faithful God, our heart is infused with courage. Why courage? Because we can say with confidence:

Romans 8: 31-39: If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, [nothing] will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

That kind of conviction in God’s love brings courage to our lives. And just what is courage? Courage is the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. It comes from the Middle English corage, from Anglo-French curage, from quer, coer heart, from Latin cor all of which refer to the heart. Courage rises out of a heart that believes “it can”, even when everything around it is screaming “it can’t.” Courage isn’t necessarily something we’re born with or that we inherit. I believe it’s something that develops over time as we grow in our confidence of who we are in Christ and our confidence that “If He’s for us, no one can be against us.” Courage is needed when we face the unknown, but it is also needed when we face the known. Courage is based on a heartfelt conviction that God is working all things in our lives for His glory and our good.

So how do you fill in the blank of your “What if” questions? I hope you can say, no matter what happens, my God loves me and will be faithful to carry out all of His purposes for me.

http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/2008/12/over-our-heads.html

Check out Beth's blog if you need a little encouragement today.

God bless

Proverbs 31:10

Proverbs 31:10

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. NIV

An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. NAS

A worthy woman who can find? For her price is far above rubies. ASV

An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. ESV

Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. NKJV

Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. KJV

Who can find a capable wife? She is far more precious than jewels. Holman Christian Standard Bible

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is worth more than precious rubies. NLT

A capable wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. NRSV

A good wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. RSV

I want to give some definitions for the bolded adjectives of the word wife listed above.

Noble--1 a: possessing outstanding qualities 2: of high birth or exalted rank 3 a: possessing very high or excellent qualities or properties b: very good or excellent 4: grand or impressive especially in appearance 5: possessing, characterized by, or arising from superiority of mind or character or of ideals or morals

Excellent--very good of its kind : eminently good

Worthy--1 a: having worth or value b: honorable , meritorious 2: having sufficient worth or importance

Virtuous--having or exhibiting virtue b: morally excellent: chaste

Capable--having attributes (as physical or mental power) required for performance or accomplishment: having or showing general efficiency and ability

Good--of a favorable character or tendency: virtuous , right , commendable: kind , benevolent: competent , skillful: loyal

These are all wonderful descriptions of what we, as women, should desire to be—noble, excellent, worthy, virtuous, capable and good. We should have character qualities that are marked by excellence, virtue, competence, kindness and goodness but what I just realized is that is not exactly what the original meaning of the word may be trying to get across. The Hebrew word used here is lyx, transliterated chayil. It’s definition is as follows: 1. strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army: a. strength: b. ability, efficiency: c. wealth: d. force, army. Interestingly, it is a word used 243 times in the Old Testament with an overwhelming majority of times referring to armies, army, forces, strength, valiant, valiantly, and valor. In the NAS, about 183 of the times it is used in a context of being strong and courageous warriors, whether valiant warriors or armies. As Beth would say, “Stay with me here,” the only time it’s translated excellent in the NAS is in reference to women, it calls Ruth a woman of excellence and the two references in Proverbs, 12:4 and 31:10. It is translated nobly when it is used of daughters in Proverbs 31:29; again of the 243 usages, only there is it translated nobly.

Ok, so what’s the point of all this? For too long, we as women have been taught that our role is to be the meek and mild one, waiting to be called upon to get into the action. I want to take exception to this. I think this goes right along with the Ezer theme, which, by the way, is also translated poorly in Genesis 2:18. We are to be strong and courageous warriors, fighting side by side with our men for the gospel and our families. There’s no room for cowardice and fear, a woman of valor fights valiantly for what she knows to be true and believes in. She’s out there alongside of her man, in the battle of living, whether it’s helping with the home, finances, or the good fight of faith. Now that’s a real woman, strong, courageous, valiant and capable. Ready to enlist?

Who is Mary of Nazareth? Part 4--Application

Who is Mary of Nazareth? Part 4--Application


So here we are, we’ve reviewed this important event in Mary’s life and now we need to answer the question, “Is there anything here we can apply to our lives?” I would like to make four points of applications, I’m sure you could come up with more.

1. Mary knew her God and we can know God. Mary’s most important identity was not in being the mother of Jesus—although that was an important aspect of her life. Her most important identity was in being a follower of the Most High God. It was this identity—this knowledge of her God that carried and supported her through everything that would come her way—from the ridicule and rejection of being an unwed mother to the searing grief and pain she experienced as she watched her son beaten and crucified. Through it all, her knowledge of God and her identity as a follower of Him sustained her and gave her hope for the future.

Now I can say with confidence that God will never call any of us to be the mother of His Son, but He may call us, and more than likely will call us, to handle some very difficult circumstances in our life. Maybe it will be the death of a spouse, child or parent, a prodigal, health issues, financial struggles, infertility, or divorce, but we can be sure that some difficulty is going to strike at some point in our lives. How are we going to respond? I hope we can respond like Mary—"I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said." We can and will respond that way if we make knowing God our passionate pursuit. Mary never had a copy of the Scriptures. She learned only what was passed down to her. Frankly, we are without excuse. Most of us have multiple copies of the Bible in a variety of translations. We have at our fingertips Bible Study tools, Bible Studies, books, Christian Radio; the list goes on and on. We just need to realize the importance of being like Mary—passionately pursuing a deep and intimate knowledge of God.

2. Mary was invaded by the Holy Spirit and we have been invaded by the Holy Spirit. Only one woman in all of humanity would be chosen to bear the Son of God, yet each one of us, as followers of Christ, has been invaded by Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13-14: And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.

Mary’s invasion produced the physical human body of Christ. Our invasion produces the mind of Christ and His character—the fruit of the Spirit—in us.

3. Mary considered herself a bond servant of God and we can and should consider ourselves as bond servants of God. As I meditated over this idea—“That a bond servant is someone who is absolutely dependent—the [master] having a full claim, the [servant] having a full commitment. The servant can exercise no will or initiative on his or her own.” It hit me that this is what Paul was talking about when he referred to himself as a bond servant of Christ. But as I studied it further, the early disciples in Acts, James, Peter, Jude and John all refer to themselves in this way. Even more interesting, Paul refers to Jesus as a bond servant of God in Philippians 2:7, “but made himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant.” That attitude inspired His prayer in Luke 22:42, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." We, too, should have that kind of total submission to the will of God for our lives. Like Mary, “Whatever you want, I want. Have your will and way in me.”

4. Mary was called “highly favored,” but can we be highly favored? As I was studying that word in the Greek, I realized it is only used one other time in the New Testament. Charitoo [khar-ee-to'-o] appears in Ephesians 1:6. Interestingly enough, it is actually is referring to us, those of us He has made “acceptable through the One He loves.” In that same chapter, it says we have been “blessed,” “loved,” “predestined,” “chosen,” “adopted,” and “lavished upon by grace.” If that’s not being “highly favored,” I don’t know what is!! If you are a follower of Christ, you, too, are highly favored. Now that’s something to get excited about!! That’s really good news!!

Mary really is someone to whom we can look with great respect. She knew her God and she considered herself His bond servant willingly submitting to the Father’s will. Mary knew her God, believed her God and had the confidence in Him that brought hope and joy to her even in a very difficult circumstance. That’s a life worth modeling ours after—a woman of faith called upon by her God to simply trust and obey.

Who is Mary of Nazareth? Part 3

Who is Mary of Nazareth? Part 3

(Mary has heard from the angel Gabriel that she is going to have the Son of the Most High and has gone to visit her elderly relative, Elizabeth, who is herself expecting a “miracle” child.)

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers. Luke 1:46-55

In these verses, we hear Mary’s Song of Praise to her God. Her spirit rejoiced in the news and its confirmation. The word used for rejoice here is not the most commonly used Greek word used for rejoice in the New Testament. The word for ‘rejoice’ in verse 47 actually means “to exult, leap for joy, to show one’s joy by leaping and skipping, denoting excessive or ecstatic joy and delight. Often spoken of rejoicing with song and dance.” This was the joyous response of a young teenage girl getting the best news of her life. She was ecstatic, possibly even leaping and jumping, as she praised her God, rejoicing over the awesome work God was doing in her life. But more importantly, this song also helps us get a view of why God had highly favored her in the first place. In these words we see reference to at least 12 different Old Testament passages. Here was a young woman who knew the Scriptures—yes, she was a theologian, even in a culture where girls weren’t given the privilege of formal education. She hadn’t just heard the Scriptures; she had meditated upon them, treasured them in her heart and memorized them. She was intimately familiar with the words of Hannah, Moses, King David and the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. She knew the history of her nation and God’s faithfulness to Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, Daniel and the people of Israel. She knew that with God, nothing is impossible. All of His promises would prove true. He is faithful, loving, compassionate and intensely jealous for the hearts of His people. She knew He is the Sovereign God who established all kings and kingdoms by the word of his mouth—the God who raises up and brings down. In a culture where women had few opportunities to learn, she had made it a priority in her life to learn the Scriptures. Because of that, she knew her God. She had passionately pursued knowing Him, and when she was called upon to become the mother of the Most High, she was ready for the job. Her theology was the driving force behind her response—"I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said." She was a bond servant of the Most High God ready and willing to do whatever He asked of her.

So how can we take these truths and apply them to our own lives....

To be continued.

Who is Mary of Nazareth? Part 2

Who is Mary of Nazareth? Part 2

(Mary had just been visited by the angel Gabriel telling her she was going to have the Son of the Most High. In the following verses, we see her response to this news.)

Luke 1:34-38:

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

Her initial response was “How can this be, I’m a virgin.” But I think by Gabriel’s response we can be certain it was not a question filled with disbelief or doubt...she was not doubting that she would have a child, she just wasn’t sure how it was going to happen since she was a virgin and she seemed to believe the message would be fulfilled sooner rather than later. So Gabriel proceeds to fill her in on the details of the how—"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” I like the Greek word for ‘come upon,’ it means to “arrive, invade...resting upon and operating in a person.” Once she understood the “how”, she answered, "I am the Lord's servant." Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology helps us to understand what she is really saying. The Greek word for servant here is actually the female equivalent of a male bondservant.

In the New Testament, doulos [dou'lo"] is frequently used to designate a master's slave. The term points to a relation of absolute dependence, in which the master and the servant stand on opposite sides—the [master] having a full claim, the [servant] having a full commitment. The servant can exercise no will or initiative on his or her own.

That’s how Mary saw herself. In essence she was saying, “Lord, I am your handmaid. Whatever you want, I want. I’m yours and you can do anything you want with me.” Total submission. No other questions necessary...no more answers needed.

The next section of this passage tells us of a teenager hurrying off to visit her elderly, pregnant relative, Elizabeth. There are a lot of unanswered questions—did she tell her parents? Joseph? Did anyone go with her? Did she tell anyone where she was going? How did she make the trip? But the one thing we know from the next few verses is that Elizabeth confirmed the news that Gabriel had given Mary. “Blessed is the child you will bear!..Why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Though wonderful, the news Mary received was traumatic...it would change her world. When you really stop and think about it, who was going to believe her story? Would you believe your daughter if she came to you with that story? There is so little physical evidence in the first few months of pregnancy. But did you notice that “by the way” statement there about her relative Elizabeth? Isn’t it just like our good God to provide someone to share in Mary’s joy, her belief in the impossible and to confirm that she was indeed going to be the earthly mother of the Son of the Most High.....

To be continued.

Who is Mary of Nazareth? Part 1

Who is Mary of Nazareth? Part 1


(I was asked to give the devotional talk at our Christmas Tea a year ago. I want to share the text of that devotional over the next several blogs.)

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers. Luke 1:46-55

These were the words of Mary of Nazareth as she praised her God: the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Notice I said as she praised her God. Mary had a relationship with God that was personal and real. I would like to take a look at this young girl to determine why, during one of the most uncertain times of her life, as pregnant and unmarried, she was able to turn to God in praise and respond with the words you just read.

Mary is one of the many women in Scriptures who has a great deal to teach us. Yet, as a follower of Christ, raised in a protestant denomination, I feel she has been largely ignored. Often the only time we really think of her is during the Christmas and Easter holidays. At Christmas, she is the mother of the promised savior. We think of her near her due date riding on the back of a donkey, giving birth in a stable, and being visited by shepherds. At Easter, she is the mother who watches in horror as her son is beaten and crucified.

But who was this Mary of Nazareth? Can we find insight into why God chose her, above all the other young Jewish women, to be the mother of His Son? And more importantly, can we apply what made her God’s chosen one to our lives today? I think we can by looking at the very familiar Christmas story in Luke 1 starting with verse 26.

Luke 1:26-28: In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

In the opening lines of Mary’s story we discover a few important details:

1. “She was a virgin, pledged to be married”—She was engaged or ‘betrothed.” Betrothal was more like our marriage than engagement. Although there was no physical intimacy, the relationship was legally binding, and an actual divorce would be necessary to break the agreement. It was usually arranged by the parents. The fact I really want to impress on you is that betrothal agreements were usually made soon after the onset of adolescence, so Mary was probably only 13-14 years old.

2. She was visited by an angel with a message. Not just any angel, but Gabriel—the bearer of God’s-news. Before he shared his news, he called her highly favored. Think of that for a moment....he calls her highly favored and she hasn’t done anything yet...she’s not even pregnant! Realize this, she was highly favored, not because she was the mother of the Son of God, but because of who she was...a follower of the one true God. The other piece of information Gabriel gives Mary is that God is with her. The realization of that fact—that God is with her—would carry her through the unknown and unexpected events which would define and surround her life.

Reading on:

Luke 1:29-33: Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

Mary was obviously afraid. She may have been trembling, shaking, she may have taken a few steps back, or she may have even fallen to the ground—but whatever her response, her fear was apparent to Gabriel, because he repeats himself—“Don’t be afraid, you have found favor with God.” Why was she troubled? Why was she talking to herself—the Greek word there looks very much like the word dialogue—about this messenger and his message? Mary lived in the Inter-Testament time when God had temporarily stopped talking. Zechariah 7:11-12 tells us that the hearts of God’s people became hard as flint and they would not listen to God’s prophets. Amos 2:11-12 tells us that God had commanded his prophets to stop prophesying. So God had stopped speaking...for about 400 years. I have little doubt that Mary wasn’t expecting an angelic encounter that day. The visit and the news were totally unexpected, and she was greatly troubled. Imagine yourself in her position—a very young teenager, alone—suddenly confronted by an angel who’s telling you not to be afraid and that you’re going to have a child. Greatly troubled—I’m sure if it was me, I would have been scared to death! Furthermore, this child was not going to be just any ordinary child, but the Son of the Most High!! All young Jewish women wanted to be the mother of the Messiah, but I’m not sure if they anticipated how and when they would receive the news. Here Mary stood—hearing for the first time the news that would not only change her life, but lives in the ages to come. God’s plan of redemption would come through—humanly speaking—the life of a young 13 or 14 year old girl.

We hear those words now and think of her—much like the serene scenes we see on the front of Christmas cards. But with the sounds of those words Mary lost her reputation, her dreams, the respect of her family and community and the trust of her future husband. Those were powerfully strong words—life changing words. I doubt if she had even begun to realize the full implication of those words for her. Little did she know of the cost of being the earthly mother of the Messiah....

(To be continued.)

Called...Loved....Kept

Called...Loved....Kept

Isn’t that a perfect three word description for us as followers of Christ? That is how Jude addresses the readers to his short epistle. Jude, the brother of Jesus and James (even though he refers to himself as the servant of Jesus Christ), wrote this short letter urging his fellow believers to “contend for the faith” because of the coming opposition and false teachers. But I have been meditating on those three words, “To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ...” all day and what a blessing they have been.

Called—Ephesians 1:4 tells us “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” Ephesians 1:11 goes on to say, “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.” He called us, he chose us. It was all God from the start. I have no merit on my own that made Him choose me, it was a decision God made before the creation of the world. I like that, because since I didn’t have anything to do with being called, I don’t have to worry about doing anything to be “uncalled.”

Loved—Again back to Ephesians, “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (1:5) and “because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.” (2:4-5) He loved us so much, He gave His one and only son for us. (John 3:16) Feeling unloved? Look at the cross, what a picture of love.

Kept—Think about this long and hard, He called you, He loved you, and He keeps you. It’s all Him! Ephesians 1:13-14 says “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.” If you are a follower of Christ, you have a mark, a guarantee, the Holy Spirit of God. It’s a guarantee that you’re the real deal and once you’ve got that guarantee, the guarantee is never voided. Praise God for that!

Called—Loved—Kept—now that’s something we all need to let marinate our minds and hearts.

A Tribute to My Mom

A Tribute to My Mom




Today is my mom’s birthday. She would be 73 years old today. She went home to be with her Lord the day after Easter, April 24, 2000. Shortly after my mom passed away, I began reflecting on how thankful I was for her and her influence on me. I came up with several things I was especially thankful and grateful for.

1. She was always there for us. I cannot remember a single day that she was not home when I got home from school. I looked forward to telling her all the details of my day and I believed she was genuinely interested. She also made it a priority to attend our games, marching band performances, and concerts. If we were there, she was there.
   
   
2. "But for the Grace of God, it could be me.” This was something I heard her say many times. She knew what she was capable of; what we are all capable of. Our successes are a result of His blessing and grace, without Him, who knows where we would be. That attitude kept her from being judgmental when others stumbled and fell. I’ve remembered it often, knowing that without Him in my life, there’s no knowing where I would be.
   
   
3. Love for music. She instilled in me a great love for music, especially the traditional hymns of the church. Since she served as the church organist for most of my life, she spent many hours practicing in our home. She would sit at the organ or piano and play and sing one song after another for hours at a time. Most of the hymns we used to sing, I know by memory because of her.
   
   
4. “You can never out-give the Lord.” This was another one of her favorite sayings. But it was more than just a saying, she truly believed it and as a result, lived it. She gave of herself to her Lord with her time, talent, and money. This is why she could say in her final hours, “Don’t grieve for me. This is what I have been waiting for. I am ready to meet my Lord.”
   
   
5. Love for God’s Word. This is the most important thing I learned from my mom. When I think of the saying “Children learn more by what is caught, than taught” I think of my mom. She never told us what we ‘should’ do, she just did it. The first thing she did in the morning and the last thing she did at night was to read God’s Word. When it would come up in conversation, she would tell me that the consistent study of God’s Word had made all the difference in her life. When I cleaned out her home after her death, I found several notebooks of whole books of the New Testament she had memorized. I also found journals of her thoughts and notes she recorded as she studied. There were numerous Bible Study Books of studies she had led and participated in. She genuinely loved God’s Word. It ‘s interesting that I carry one of her Bibles, and every once in a while I come across one of her notes, it’s as if she’s still speaking to me.

Thank you, Lord, for a mom that had such a godly influence on my life. My prayer is that I will have that same godly influence on the lives of my children and all those I come in contact with.

Need a Little HOPE Today?

Need a little HOPE today?

Hook yourself up to the IV of God’s Word. Let His Word infuse through your veins and give you the hope you need for today and all of your tomorrows. Romans 15:4: “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” His Word is our life line to Him. He speaks to us through His Word and today, He’s offering hope. Hope that is more than just a wish, but hope that can be based on confident expectation that He is a faithful God who will do all that He says He will do. Let the truths of His Word flow through you so they become more than just words on a page, but your very life and breath.

Remember there was a time when you were separate from Christ...without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:12-12) How good is that? There was a time when we were totally, helplessly lost, deader than dead, but He chose us and redeemed us and now through the cross, we have been made heirs of God, His very children. That is hope, hope for today and tomorrow. Trust in Him and in his Word, there you will find hope.

Romans 15:13: Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 10:32: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

I Peter 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

I Peter 3:15: but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

Psalm 130:5: I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, And in His word do I hope

Lamentations 3:21-25: Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;

Reflections on our Responsibility

Reflections on our Responsibility


I went to bed Tuesday before I knew the official outcome of the election, but in my heart, I knew that Senator McCain had been unsuccessful in his attempt to become president. As soon as I awoke on Wednesday, I heard the official news that Mr. Obama had won and my immediate reaction was “Lord, this is your plan, and now we know it.” The thoughts that flooded my mind were from an old hymn based on Lamentations 3:21-26, I’m sure it has comforted you in similar situations.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Refrain:
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me.

Summer and winter and spring-time and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Refrain

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain

Yes, Our God is a faithful God and when we face times of uncertainty, His faithfulness is a constant that we can put our hope and trust in. As I went through the day I realized that I really wasn’t depressed like I thought I would be and I was reminded of the story of King David in 2 Samuel 12. The chapter begins with Nathan’s rebuke of David over his sin with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah. David admits to his sin but Nathan tells him that his son is going to die.

2 Samuel 12:15-23: After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill. David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, "While the child was still living, we spoke to David but he would not listen to us. How can we tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate." David noticed that his servants were whispering among themselves and he realized the child was dead. "Is the child dead?" he asked. "Yes," they replied, "he is dead." Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. His servants asked him, "Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!" He answered, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."

David fasted and prayed until God took his son, hoping that God would show mercy and not take his son. Once his son died, he accepted God’s plan and continued on accepting it as God’s will for his life.


While the election process was going on, it was our responsibility to be informed and support the candidate that we felt most closely aligned themselves to the morals and values we embrace as believers—life, marriage, important family issues, our freedom of worship, etc. Up until the results were in, we did not know God’s plan for this nation and many of us even prayed that God would show mercy and postpone His judgment. Once the results came in, we knew His plan and that changes the way we approach it. Now we know, beyond any shadow of doubt, that President elect Obama is part of God’s plan for us now. Now we can pray for Mr. Obama, yes, I think we should pray for change—the ultimate change to occur in his heart. We should also pray that he makes wise choices as he chooses his cabinet and other critical members of his leadership team. We can pray for wisdom and discernment as he meets with the various world leaders—friend and foe. But we can also rest knowing that our hope is not in a man, but in a faithful, merciful, compassionate God and even though judgment may be coming, we know He wins—truth triumphs and justice will reign.

A Call to Repentance

A Call to Repentance

We as a nation may be facing God’s much deserved judgment. Yes, MUCH deserved....We started by kicking Him out of our schools when we abolished school prayer. We then taught our children that we were the products of evolution, the survival of the fittest, rather than a creation made in the Imago Dei. That led to a further devaluation of life with Roe vs Wade. We have lost our true identities and have nearly come to the point of total disregard for life. We have become a land of bloodshed and we call good, evil and evil, good. Yes, we deserve His judgment.

How can a good God judge? He has to, by the very virtue that He is good. His perfect character of justice demands that evil be judged. How can a good God take an easy or casual view of sin? He absolutely can not. It would make Him evil, not good; it would be a violation of His very character. So yes, we as a nation deserve the judgment of a good and just God.

But He’s also a God of mercy, compassion and love. He desires that His people repent, change from their wicked ways, and return to Him. These were the very characteristics of God that Jonah didn’t want God to extend to the Ninevites. It’s a short book to read and I would recommend reading it, because here we see just how much God is willing to forgive and even postpone His just judgments when there is true repentance. I want to draw your attention to chapter 3 of Jonah:

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you." Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city--a visit required three days. On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish." When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

There’s still time for us to repent, and not just as a nation. We who claim to be followers of Christ must lead the way in our repentance. We must give up the secret sins in our lives and plead for forgiveness. We must repent, change our ways, change direction and begin to live lives that are marked by strict obedience, love driven obedience not a pharisaical, law based obedience, to God and His Word. Then and only then will the possibility exist that God may relent and postpone the judgment we deserve.

The “Redistribution” of Wealth

The “Redistribution” of Wealth


Mr. Obama is one smooth speaker and he has carefully crafted his words and speeches to the point that it’s hard to figure out what he’s really saying. His first harmful slip came with Joe the Plumber when he told him he wanted to make it fair for everyone and redistribute the wealth. His campaign worked feverishly to claim it wasn’t what it sounded like, socialism. Then came the transcript from 2001, same man, same theme.....Obama is heard telling Chicago's public station WBEZ-FM in 2001 that "redistributive change" is needed, pointing to what he regarded as a failure of the U.S. Supreme Court under Chief Justice Earl Warren in its rulings on civil rights issues in the 1960s.

But, the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth, and of more basic issues such as political and economic justice in society. To that extent, as radical as I think people try to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn't that radical. It didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, at least as it's been interpreted, and the Warren Court interpreted in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. Says what the states can't do to you. Says what the federal government can't do to you, but doesn't say what the federal government or state government must do on your behalf.

And that hasn't shifted and one of the, I think, tragedies of the civil rights movement was because the civil rights movement became so court-focused I think there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalition of powers through which you bring about redistributive change. In some ways we still suffer from that.

Get the picture??? It’s pretty clear what Mr. Obama thinks about redistribution of wealth isn’t it? It’s economic justice! What about his comments about the Constitution? I find them particularly disturbing! Those “essential constraints,” as he calls them, were put there to keep tyrants from destroying our government and the government from taking control over every aspect of life. The entire purpose of the Constitution was to limit government and to maintain a balance of power within the government. It is a great concern to think that a man who feels this way about our Constitution and has strong views, that seem to indicate a leaning towards socialism, could actually be president.

Sound the alarm! Be informed, look beyond the rhetoric and talking points to what the candidates really believe and stand for. Remember “A man is known by the company he keeps”....Ayers, Khalidi, Resko, Olinski, Wright....to name a few.

I would be wrong to stop there, however, because I’m reminded that I’m a pilgrim here....this is not really my home. It is my responsibility to be informed and to vote, but always with the idea of eternity in mind. In our eternal home, now that’s where we can really talk about “Redistribution of Wealth.” As a follower of Christ, I am a co-heir with Him, all of His riches are mine. (Gal 4:7, Romans 8:14-17) We don’t need to be a afraid, we know who wins in the final event, and until that time we know the ONE who is “able to keep (us) from falling and to present (us) before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the ONLY God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”

Awareness

Awareness


Many of us live our lives unaware. Like the ostrich who buries his head in the sand or the young child who covers his eyes and doesn’t think you can see him, we tend to live oblivious to what’s going on in the world, hoping that if we ignore it, it’s really not happening. This is a dangerous way to live. Things are happening all around us and we need to open our eyes, get informed, and live in light of the reality of what’s happening.

Of course, this can be applied to us as we approach the final 2 weeks before the election, but my real purpose is the spiritual implication. We need to be aware of how the enemy of our soul is at work, not just in the world, but in his attempts to render us ineffective for the cause of Christ and the gospel. 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 uses the ideas of not being “outwitted” by Satan and not being “unaware of his schemes.” Yes, he is referred to as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may destroy, but more often than not, he’s scheming and outwitting us through deception and our own pride. When our pride keeps us from offering forgiveness, he has outwitted us and rendered us ineffective in our witness. When we allow anger to overtake us, he has gained a foothold in our lives. A foothold offers him an opportunity to establish himself by providing a base for further advancement. One of his most effective schemes is discouragement. Many years ago, I heard Chuck Swindoll tell this story:

The devil, according to legend, once advertised his tools for sale at public auction. When the prospective buyers assembled, there was one oddly-shaped tool which was labeled “Not for sale.” Asked to explain why this was, the devil answered, “I can spare my other tools, but I cannot spare this one. It is the most useful implement that I have. It is called Discouragement, and with it I can work my way into hearts otherwise inaccessible. When I get this tool into a man’s heart, the way is open to plant anything there I may desire.”

(Tan, Paul Lee: Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations : A Treasury of Illustrations, Anecdotes, Facts and Quotations for Pastors, Teachers and Christian Workers. Garland TX : Bible Communications, 1996, c1979)

I have thought of it often and have found it to be true in my life. When I get discouraged, my focus turns inward and I’m totally ineffective in my ministry and service for God.

Let’s not be unaware of his schemes. Don’t let him outwit you or get a foothold in your life. Don’t allow discouragement to make you ineffective for the cause of Christ. Ephesians 6:10-18:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Our fight and struggle is not against flesh and blood, even though it sure looks that way to us, but it is against the rulers, authorities, powers, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Let’s not be outwitted by his schemes against us, but let’s be aware, aware of anything in our lives that can make us ineffective in our service and ministry to our Lord.