Last Prayer

I've prayed often these last 4 years for the man who was then president, as scripture commands us.  One last prayer today for him, now that he is at last our EX-president.

This has to be the bitterest day of his life, exposing him before all the world as (in his own terms) a “big LOSER.”  So maybe this is the moment at which he can finally hear God speaking to him.

IF he will examine his heart for the ways that have brought on him what he considers this bitter failure, and will repent those evil ways, his soul and his life might yet be saved.

So I pray this last time that he will honestly examine his heart, and repent before God.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Inauguration Day

God says not to trust in man. Even if He didn’t, no wise person would. All human beings are fallible. The best of us make harmful mistakes: even the most upright of us may WILLFULLY turn from righteousness.

So this is not about the man himself: he is fallible and will make mistakes: but I’m hopeful in the things on which our new President has set his heart.  Foremost, his sincere faith in God; his belief in Christ’s teachings, and his determination to do as Christ commands.

Our nation’s greatest needs are exactly what Christ commanded of us all: heal the sick, show mercy to the poor and aliens, “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15), and love one another.

I trust all honest Americans, even (if any) among “Christian conservatives” and Republicans, wish these things for our country.  I trust all honest Americans will join in doing God’s will for our suffering nation.

Amen !

Definitions

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

God defines everything else (and every “thing” IS “everything else”). The nature of reality, of “good” and “evil,” of mankind, what is right and what is wrong...even satan. Every “thing” has its definition in reference to the One Who created it: and each created being by our relationship to Him.

(Even atheists, like a man leaning hard into a strong wind that stops blowing, would fall flat ..."mean" nothing...if there were actually NO God to give their denial of Him substance.)

God frequently gives us exact definitions in words. I quote some of them constantly: what IS the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:10 and Romans 14:17), who IS Jesus and “what” (actually “Who”) IS Truth (John 14:6), what true worship IS (John 4:23-4), who satan and his followers are (John 8:44). God’s “I AM” means that whatever He says a “thing" is, it absolutely, entirely, always, IS.

Some of God’s definitions are not in “A = B’ format, but “between the lines,” or even by negation, for everyone with “eyes to see.” For example, we can know that He defines “wisdom” as understanding His will, since Ephesians 5:17 contrasts "understanding God's will" with “foolishness.”

So I’ve always wanted to ask some Christians what they make of Acts 4:34-35.

“…there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.”

I’ve always wanted to ask those Christians so terrified of “socialism” that they choose instead to follow liars and murderers, what they make of the fact that the first Christians, newly filled with God’s Spirit, practiced all-out “socialism” ?

Of course, God’s not giving a human-political definition of what it IS to be a Christian. No one can get there by politics, and God's definitions are NEVER man’s definitions.

But I’ve always wanted to ask those manipulated by fear of “socialism” where they get their definition of it ?

Obviously, not from scripture.  In scripture, Christians' life in the Spirit looks exactly like the (unattainable by human POLITICAL "works") ideal of “socialism."

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Integrity in Politics

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

“…every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.” -- Matthew 7:17,18

INTEGRITY is the way Jesus says it is. People, and their “fruits” (words, thoughts, and deeds) are either “good” or “bad.”

Satan has especially led American Christians away from Jesus’ teaching through politics…in two different directions. Either that politics is not “spiritual,” and Christians shouldn’t dabble in it. Or that we can support political liars and murderers..and still be “good Christians” in God's eyes by going to church, praying, reading the Bible, and "talking the Christian talk."

Every person produces political “fruit” if they live in human society…even those who self-deceive that “I don’t do politics.” And every person brings forth political fruit of “righteousness, peace, and joy” (the Biblical definition of the Kingdom of God in Romans 14:17)…or of lies and murder (Jesus' definition of "children of the devil" in John 8:44).

God doesn’t judge by political party…that's man's stupid way of sorting out what "side" people are on. But we choose what soil we will grow in: and the soil we grow in determines whether we produce good or bad fruit.

And the fruit produced shows if the tree is good, or bad.

Amen.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Spiritual Warfare

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

As near as we understand, Isaiah 14:12-15’s “taunt” to “the King of Babylon” describes the angel lucifer’s (“shining one”) attempted rebellion against God.

In those few verses, he five times asserts “I WILL,” against GOD’s will: most notably, “I WILL raise my throne above the stars of God,” and “I WILL make myself like The Most High.”

That was also the temptation satan held out to Eve: assert your own "I WILL", and “you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5)

Jesus came proclaiming the “Kingdom of God:” He said the will of GOD rules right NOW “on earth as it is in heaven.”

The question is, as always, if we believe Jesus.

Let's.

God’s Kingdom is “righteousness, peace and joy” (Romans 14:17). Jesus said satan and his rebellious “children” show who they are by their love of lies and murder (john 8:44).

Can the issue of spiritual warfare be any clearer ?

Can the issues for America right NOW be any clearer ?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Democracy in the Bible

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

 

"Democracy...from Greek demokratia...from demos, 'the people,' and kratos, power or rule'..."

 

 "When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, 'Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.'

"Aaron answered them, 'Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.^'  So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool.  Then they said, 'This is your god, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt'...

Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt...I have seen these people,' the Lord said to Moses, 'and they are a stiff-necked people.  Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them.' "     --  Exodus 32:1-4,7,9-10

 

 

"So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.  They said to him, 'You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.'

But when they said, 'Give us a king to lead us,' this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord.  And the Lord told him: 'Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.' "     -  I Samuel 8:4-7

 

 

"So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, 'Whom do you want me to release for you ?  Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ ?^'  For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over.

But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death...the governor said to them, 'Which of the two do you want me to release for you ?' And they said, 'Barabbas.^'  Pilate said to them, 'Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ ?' They all said, ^'Crucify Him !^'  And he said, 'Why, what evil has He done ?'  But they kept shouting all the more, saying, ^'Crucify Him !' "

                                                                                                 --  Matthew 27:17-18, 20-23

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

 

 

Thanks-giving 2020

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Each year at this time we all sing a Dutch hymn the Pilgrims knew, and may have sung at America’s first thanksgiving.  Its opening verse is especially applicable for us this year:

 

"We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;

He chastens and hastens His will to make known;

The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing;

Sing praises to His Name; He forgets not His own."

This year, all Americans who have taken refuge in Him fervently praise Him for deliverance from the oppression of the wicked.

The last verse of the hymn also strongly resonates with me this year:

"We all do extol Thee, Thou Leader triumphant,

 

And pray that Thou still our Defender will be;
 

Let Thy congregation escape tribulation; 

 

Thy Name be ever praised !  O Lord, make us free !"

 

Jesus said "If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).

We who know and believe Jesus' words, know it is His unshakeable will that we continue in His word.  So we know that this song of petition is Jesus' Own desire for us...and that we will be free indeed.

Amen, Lord !  Thy will be done.