Drive Carefully!

Well, it's official. Winter has begun in lovely Rochester, MN. No, it's not because of the weekend-long snowfall we've recently enjoyed (it's still early enough in the season that I actually enjoy it!). And, it's not the fact that my wife has switched out her extensive summer wardrobe for her "Man, it's still cold" winter wardrobe. The telltale sign that winter has officially come are the number of cars I see that have skidded off the road, or into the highway barricade.

That's right; Minnesotans sure know winter, but it takes a yearly reminder, it seems, to say, "Hey, you can't drive like that anymore" (and not for another six months, typically). Thankfully, I'm still new enough in town that I don't trust my instinct. I putter along like a nervous teenager, or an aging senior. But, I'm sure, like many of my Northern brethren, I will grow overconfident with each passing winter, and end up in a ditch somewhere.

Isn't that the way God works in our lives? We get a little overzealous, start to think we've got this thing figured out, and He allows circumstances to remind us, "Hey, this is My show." And, I don't know about you, but I'd much rather He pilot my life than keep bouncing against the guardrail!

My prayer is that you and I will "trust in the Lord with all our hearts, not relying on our own understanding," but, rather "think about Him in all of our ways, that He may guide us on the right paths;" that we "not consider ourselves to be wise, but fear the Lord and shun evil" (Proverbs 3:5-7). My prayer is that you and I will be so grateful for His care and providence over our lives (1 Peter 5:7-8) that we would never turn to the right or to the left (Joshua 1:7), but would follow faithfully His Word. The true disciple is the one who follows His Lord, even when he can't see through the snow.

The storms will come, whether you're in wintry Minnesota, or tropical Florida. The question is, will we confront them "sober and alert," ever vigilant to keep the faith, or will we succumb to that danger ahead, and all around?

Wait, wait...

Previously, I wrote of Christian girls "settling" for unbelieving boyfriends/spouses (since one will beget the other). As I've further considered this phenomenon, I fear I may have neglected one particularly affective component: the role of the father.

As a father, I have been reminded, already, that if I neglect my daughter, she will seek out that affection from the first one to show it. As fathers, it behooves us to rescue our daughters from this dastardly trap, by placing our affections squarely where they should be; on our families and mission, not on our own selfish interests. That includes working hard at our work, even if it is a "ministry." Let us not forget; Christ Jesus called us to Himself before He ever led us to serve His church. We must be the church, first and foremost, and that begins in our homes.

Please understand; I'm not advocating that these young ladies, then, are somehow exempt from their poor choices. I'm certainly not a proponent of the current trend to blame anyone else, save for one's self and their own sin nature. What I do want to be careful to note, however, is how easily my sin can impinge upon those I love, or profess to love, since love is best evidenced in action, not in words alone. We're reminded in Mosaic literature that the curse will extend to even the third and fourth generations of our family. We should be careful, then, to honor the Lord God in rearing our families in love.

Just Be Patient!

I'm scared. I"m scared for the number of Christian girls I know, or have known, who are mixed up in relationships with unbelieving guys. What gives? Why does this seem so prevalent and reoccurring? I'm sure I'll come off as an old dote in this, and will probably garner more negative feedback than anything, but, some things beg to be said, in the hopes that my true concern shines through, and defenses aren't automatically put up.

And, I'm not preaching here, people; far from it. I've just seen too often, and too close to home, what such relationships can do for a great Christian girl. My heart breaks at the prospect of such long-term relationships getting started on such unequal footing. I suppose it's easily enough done; guy shows girl interest, girl enjoys said interest, girl gives guy a chance. Guy may even make assurances of a walk with Christ, but, if there's one thing I know about being a man, it's that we'll do anything to "get the girl." We'll say stupid things, do stupid things, make up things; whatever it takes.

I'll never forget what my father-in-law said to me when he officiated my wedding. He said, in so many words, that guys enjoy "the hunt." And, it's so true; we are validated when we win someone's heart. And, girls--I'm no expert here, but...--girls seem to find validation in being accepted. In a way, both guys and girls are seeking approval, and we'll jump at the first "nice" guy or girl who will give it.

All I'm saying is this: I'm tired of watching people I care about settle. I don't know if we grow impatient for affection, or that we want to believe someone knows the Lord so badly that we convince ourselves that they do; I don't know. What I do know is that it's a recipe for disaster, and the Lord truly does have our best intentions at heart when He says not to be "unequally yoked." Our faith is tested when we decide whether we'll "seek first His kingdom," and if we'll truly believe that "all of these (other) things (joy, happiness, companionship) will be added" to our lives. The truth is, "He will supply all of our needs," including relationships, "according to His riches in glory."

For anyone who's reading this, know that I write this with all love and affection. With a daughter now of my own, I can think of little else that is more heartbreaking than the prospect that, one, she wouldn't know the Lord, and, two, that she wouldn't trust Him for providing the perfect mate.

You're worth waiting for, and so is he (whoever he is).

Your Christian Vote - Part 2

It is election season (if you haven’t noticed) and we find often find ourselves struggling with voting for the right person. Very often we see ourselves presented with two candidates, neither of which represents our views. Both of the candidates have so many things you disagree with but one is in agreement in an area you feel is more important than the others. So, knowing that one of the two is likely to win we plug our nose, close our eyes, and vote for “the lesser of two evils.”

Is this necessary? Most people in our country aren’t aware that there are more than two choices for President this year (and most years). Wouldn’t it be a waste of a vote to pick someone who doesn’t show well in the polls and would be lucky to get 5% of the total votes? What is a faithful Christian to do?

It is our responsibility as citizens of this country to choose our leaders. If our government is bad we have the option to vote those people out of office at the end of their terms.

"Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature ... If the next centennial does not find us a great nation...it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces." -James Garfield, 1877, 20th President of the United States

To vote for the “lesser of two evils” is to tolerate poor decision making simply because one makes slightly better decisions than the other. To vote this way is to tolerate recklessness because one is slightly less reckless than the other. It is to tolerate corruption because one is a little less corrupt than the other. If we continue to vote for the lesser of two evils, we continue to vote for evil; even if our goal is to simply slow down the evil.

We continue to vote for the lesser evil candidate hoping for him to change this country. But when his path is down the wrong road to begin with, what hope do we have for change. Isn’t this a picture of that cliché definition of insanity, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.”

Christians often vote for the republican candidates who claim they are pro-life and promise to work toward the end of abortion. But republicans had been in control for six years and did nothing to overturn Roe v. Wade. The republican president did nothing to deny funding to abortion clinics. We blindly accept over and over their promises and when they do nothing we vote for them again because at election time they call themselves “pro-life.”

If you were given the choice to vote for Joseph Stalin or Adolf Hitler, or a Christian who promises to uphold the biblical values set up by the founding fathers but is unlikely to win, who would you vote for? Both of the major candidates do offer some good things, giving money to those with little, funding the education system, and a strong military, but we already know their pitfalls. In this extreme example, the lesser of two evils idea doesn’t work. Why is it different now when we are presented with two candidates who have shown that they will not uphold Christian principles or even the Constitution of the United States? Especially when we have other good candidates to choose from?

"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." -- John Quincy Adams, 6th President of the United States

Christians believe (or should believe) that God is in control of this world. Nothing happens without God guiding or allowing it to happen. Barack Obama or John McCain will not sneak under God’s radar and change God’s plan. Everyone who comes to power comes because of the will of God (1 Samuel 2:6-8, Romans 9:17, Romans 13:1 1 Peter 2:13,14). As Christians, we aren’t supposed to try and manipulate the system with our vote for someone who will offer us a couple of snacks so he can get into office and then ignore the will of the people. We are to be faithful to God in all things, even against insurmountable odds. God is faithful to do His will; we are simply to be obedient.

Despite major public opposition, both major presidential candidates voted for the country to go several hundred billion dollars more into debt. They promise us one thing, but when it comes down to listening to their constituents, they don’t think we are smart enough to be listened to. If they hear us saying we want abortions to go away and promise to work toward that end, what makes us think they will actually do what we ask when the time comes? They haven’t listened to us in the past.

It is time for us to start voting for what is right, not simply to avoid the worst case. We should be obedient to God, and let Him handle the results. Vote for the person who best represents your beliefs. Don’t let fear guide your vote; if God desires to put an ungodly leader in control, He will still be with His people. Inform your conscience by investigating all of the candidates, give loyalty to God not to a political party, and vote for the person who you believe will lead this country with the fear of God, not the fear of men.

Gideon took on an army with just 300 men while God brought the victory.

A young shepherd boy named David trusted God to take care of an entire army as he stepped forward in faith with a sling and small stone.

The disciples were told to take the gospel to the ends of the earth; a few men to millions of people over millions of miles. They were simply obedient to an apparently impossible task and God brought about the results.

It is time American Christians stop playing on the defensive side of the ball and start voting for the right candidates. Many people would love to vote for the best candidate, but they are afraid they are throwing away their votes. Where are we putting our trust? In our single vote, or the God of the universe who rewards faithfulness? God changes nations through the faithful obedience of a few, not through the pragmatic scheming of the majority.

2 Americans 7:14 if my people who are called by my name, will get a majority together to vote pragmatically for a man who may pass good laws, then they will change the hearts of the people and heal the land.

OR

2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Let’s have faith in God to orchestrate the actions of men to bring about godly leaders as we humbly repent of our sins and act in faithful obedience in all areas of our lives to our biblically informed consciences.

Happy Reformation Day!

Happy Reformation Day everyone. I pray that your day is full of boldness for Christ as we proclaim to our neighbors the justification of sinners by faith in Christ. If you are wondering why I am not saying Happy Halloween instead of Reformation Day, take a few minutes to read this article for a reminder of what happened on this day 491 years ago.


And just to quickly remind you; what other day of the year do you have dozens of people come to your door asking for you to give them something? For the most timid of Christians, this day is perfect to be faithful in sharing the gospel. Get yourself a bunch of large candy bars and attach a good gospel tract; then pray like crazy that the little seed you planted will have an eternal impact in your neighbor's life. Evangelism has never been so easy!



UPDATE:
Congratulations to Brad and Stephanie for their new addition to the family this morning! Ben was born at 10:29 after they decided to head to the hospital at 10:15! He is a 7.5 pound, 20 inch Reformation baby. Thank God for such wonderful little miracles.

Your Christian Vote - Part 1

With election season upon us, many Christians are wondering who to vote for. Usually, one party tends to align with more conservative, Christian principles. This year that candidate appears to be far from the ideal candidate. There are other choices for president, but would voting for any of them make any impact in the election? Before you cast your vote, we should spend some time studying not only each candidate, but especially the Christian perspective on the role of the government. This first part will start there. Part two will discuss how a Christian should use his vote.

American Christians have a unique opportunity in the history of the world to have a major influence in choosing their government. Throughout history, Christians have found themselves under the rule of appointed kings and oppressive rulers. There has been nothing quite like the United States; where the people get to regularly choose their leaders and have a voice that can be used to make changes. If we don’t like how our country is run, we have the opportunity to vote for someone new; or even run for office ourselves. No Christian has ever had that freedom.

When deciding how to vote, we must first consider what we believe the role of government to be. We must also understand what our role as Christians in this country is to be. Nailing down these two points will help us understand how to use the unique opportunity of freedom we are presented with.

Not much is spoken of in the New Testament in regards to setting up a proper government. The Bible is not a political instruction manual. Most of the mentions of government address how Christians are to live under the authority structure they find themselves in. Romans 13, while addressing the importance of submission to the government, does provide us some insight into what the purpose of government.

Verse one states that all people in authority have been instituted by God. Every ruler, including the most wicked in history, was brought into power by the hand of God. Verse two continues to say, then, that if you rebel against the in place authorities, you rebel against what God has ordained. The following verses command us to pay the authorities monetarily and with respect and honor. Paul does not say how a proper government should handle taxes and revenue, just that these are appropriate and subjection to these provides for a peaceable, orderly society. In Luke 3:13, Jesus says that the tax collectors do have a right to collect revenue for the government, but they are not to cheat people out of more than what they owe.

What are some specific duties of the government that we should look to establish? Proverbs 8:15,16 suggest that God appoints rulers to exact justice. The word justice today has started to lose quite a bit of its original meaning. Today justice seems to mean that we feed hungry people, give money to poor people, and take care of the environment. The original meaning of the word (and the dictionary definition) is more akin to keeping order in society by holding people accountable for violating a law. Justice is not to favor one type of person over another. Special interest is to be given to those who are least able to protect themselves, however, sensitivity to the poor does not suggest the government is to show them favor either. “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly” (Lev. 19:15). At a basic level, the government is to provide order and safety to its citizens by curbing the immoral behavior of its citizens and those outside influences that infringe on the people’s natural, God-given rights. It is important then to determine what our rights are.

Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence that our unalienable, God-given rights are “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The founders of this country had a firm understanding of the biblical view of man and government. They knew that the role of the government isn’t to make everyone behave in a certain way or provide for the every need of the people. They felt that the government is to ensure that everyone has the right to live and to make their own choices on how to run their lives. The government is to simply provide safety and security in those freedoms. They knew that a group of sinful men would not be able to control every sinful decision of its people, so it was their responsibility to provide the freedoms and trust that the local governments and churches would work to provide order.

Especially important for us to consider is the amount of power the government has to provide direction for the country. Our founders understood that men were inherently sinful, and given too much power, they would exploit it for their own benefits. When the government was established, they balanced the powers between many different offices and provided checks on the power between the offices. It was set up so that one person would not be able to force his own will on the people contrary to the will of the majority. No matter who becomes president, he alone will not have the power to ruin this country.

Our country is not what is now popularly known as a democracy. A democracy is government directly by the majority. If the majority wanted sin, they could get it. Our country is a democratic republic. The majority choose representatives to lead them within the bounds of the constitution. The constitution even provides a check on the people’s representatives from legislating contrary to the basic rules laid out at the onset. If we want new laws we have to go through the constitutional means laid before us. Much of what our government does today and what we expect from our government is far beyond the bounds of the founders’ original intent for this nation.

What happens if the man that is elected is not the desired candidate? What are we to do as Christians? To keep us sane, we need to remember what our role as Christians is. We must remember that we are pilgrims (strangers, foreigners, aliens, sojourners) in this world. While we live in the United States, our citizenship is in heaven. No matter what happens in this country, prosperity or ruin, we have a placed reserved for us in heaven. While we work here for the benefit of others, our ultimate work is done for the kingdom of God with an eternal perspective. We are to live peaceably, in submission to the government where its commands do not oppose God’s law (Matthew 22:21, Romans 13, 1 Peter 2:17-25s), but focused on the mission to which all Christians have been called.

Currently, at our church, we have been encouraging everyone to memorize 2 Corinthians 5:20-21. These verses are a simple reminder of our primary mission in the world: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ; certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ’s behalf, ‘Be reconciled to God.’ He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Our role as Christians is to proclaim the gospel to lost, blind people. We are ambassadors of the God of the universe given the task to take the message of His kingdom to this world. Our primary mission is to get the word of God into the culture so people may repent of their sins and turn to the Savior. It is vital to understand that making new laws will not change people’s hearts. A Christian’s view on politics must be grassroots. We proclaim the gospel to individuals which changes hearts which creates new people who will pass good laws. Too many Christians put their hope in the government to do the work given to the church. Making good laws will not make good people. It is our duty to proclaim the gospel whether the leader of our country is Nero, Hilter, Bush, Obama or McCain.

So how does this influence our vote? An amazing privilege has been given to us to actually have a voice in who leads this country. What first century Christian wouldn’t have loved to have been given the right to choose to get Nero out of Rome? We must vote for the best candidates available to us who will protect our biblical liberties according to the law; and no matter who wins, we will get back to the business of sharing the gospel with our neighbors. We do not vote with the hope that our candidate will change the country and feel defeated spiritually if he doesn’t win. It is not our government’s responsibility to change the hearts of the people in the nation; God will do that as we are obedient to spread the gospel. No matter who wins and what laws are passed, we will continue to be foreigners in this world, pleading with people to turn from their sin and trust in Christ. It is the gospel that will change this country and if the majority becomes Christian again, godly leaders will result in this country where the leadership is simply a reflection of the people.

An Inspiration

I want to tell you a brief tale of a dear friend of mine, who has wowed me with his lifestyle. What has impressed me most about this brother in Christ is his tremendous generosity. He is the first to gift another in need, and does so so very often without any attempt at honor, striving instead to remain anonymous as possible. This is all well and good, but when I consider this gentleman's own humble means, then, I am blown away.

Why is that? As meritorious as it is that he would share, not out of his abundance, but alongside his own need, shouldn't this be the norm for the average Christian? Why is it that this seems so incredible to me? Is it because generosity has gone the way of the New Testament (2 Corinthians 8)? Are we so indebted these days to our 3-year leases, and excessive credit card balances, that we're incapable, or unwilling, to share with a brother in need?

That brings up a whole 'nother issue, of course, on par with the admonition of Ezekiel 18:13, which equates usury and excessive interest with "detestable things." The point is this: generosity should characterize our lifestyles, even more so when we ourselves are of humble means. This, then, is the meaning of Acts 4:32. This, then, is the goal of the Christian church. This, then, is where we need to match up with God's will. Amen.

Revival Preparation

As I have been reading through the provided materials to prepare us for the upcoming renewal services, I have been increasingly convicted of my worldliness in many areas of my life. I have often gotten caught up in the American Dream of having a great wife, a couple kids, a steady job, a nice home with a beautiful yard, and a grill to sit on my deck to enjoy with the neighbors on a nice summer day. While there is nothing specifically wrong with these things, it is so easy to get caught up in this world, forgetting that this world is not my home; I am a citizen of another world.

In my search for guidance out of this worldly attitude, I was brought back to the famous Revival Hymn. It is a compilation of some older sermons set to powerful music. I have heard it many times before, but as I listened to it again, I really recognized the shallow Christianity that has taken over today's church. I cry about my sin and the sinfulness of this world when I listen to this compilation; yearning for the restoration of the world. As we prepare for the upcoming revival services, I pray that the following can help you in the preparation of your own heart.



An mp3 version can be downloaded here to listen to on your computer or iPod.