“There will be strange things happening to the sun, the moon, and the stars. On earth whole countries will be in despair, afraid of the roar of the sea and the raging tides. People will faint from fear as they wait for what is coming over the whole earth, for the powers in space will be driven from their courses. Then the Son of Man will appear, coming in a cloud with great power and glory. When these things begin to happen, stand up and raise your heads, because your salvation is near.” Luke 21:25-28
In these verses Jesus describes the day of His coming, the day of judgement. Confusion similarly reigns today, not only in our nation, but worldwide. Ideological differences confuse and paralyze our government and threaten the very fabric of our nation. Governmental agencies are used to target political enemies and political leaders use fractured and false testimony against those they disagree. More and more seem confused about their gender identity when selfishness and progressive ideology persuade them to abandon their biological reality. Confusing and conflicting religious doctrines are acclaimed by “progressive churches”. Many of the world’s religions are overtaken by radical factions that twist the intentions of their founders, spreading death and destruction in the name of their god. Far too many of God’s “churches” are preaching a gospel unrecognizable from that which our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ taught. Even worse, some of those called to preach the word, reach out against the very God they have pledged to serve.
Case in point, ELCA Bishop, Kristen Keumpel shared an article calling the Reverend Franklin Graham’s ministry, Operation Christmas Child (OCC) that prepares shoeboxes with presents and a message about Jesus Christ to impoverished children around the world. The recommended article contains the assertions that "Samaritan’s Purse president Franklin Graham spews ever more hateful rhetoric about immigrants and Muslims" and that Operation Christmas Child is one of the "more toxic forms of charity." She goes on further to recommend that donations be redircted to the ELCA Good Gifts program instead of OCC. Bishop Keumpel’s ire was also directed at the Salvation Army when she retweeted, "A reminder this holiday season that the Salvation Army is a homophobic, transphobic, uncaring, garbage organization." Seems to me that casting stones at legitimate mission outreaches, such at OCC and the Salvation Army, is counterproductive to what is God’s church mission is to the world. I thought we were supposed to be on the same team with a goal to reach the lost, but apparently that is lost to those drowning in the apostasy that is the ELCA. Apparently, Christian organizations that fail to tow the line of the heretical teaching of the ELCA, are to be reviled and rejected.
What do we tell the world when those who dedicate their lives to Christ become enamored of the world? When Christ becomes secondary in the church’s teaching to diversity, homosexuality, abortion rights, transgenderism, borders, gun control, and any and all leftist goals and programs, it ceases being God’s church. I’m sorry, but if a church is so inclined to abandon their core beliefs in order to be more welcoming, diverse and tolerant, it is no longer performing the functions that our Lord and Savior intended. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
There is one thing lacking in these progressive churches that is all too apparent. Jesus Christ is simply an afterthought within the walls of many of the ELCA churches. There is far more emphasis on virtue signaling to an already lost world. Without our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the world spirals into disarray and chaos. Without our Lord and Savior, our great nation and its’ founding are at risk to the progressive, leftist agenda that seeks to replace our God with ever burgeoning government overreach. Without our Lord and Savior, we fall back into our selfish nature and society suffers as a result. Without our Lord and Savior to guide us, we lose our way, scurrying about like roaches in the light.
We are at a crossroads in this day and age. The progressive left is taking over God’s church. The progressive left is taking over the democrat party. The progressive left is taking over academia and the media. The progressive left is advocating for a global form of government. The progressive left has the same agenda as the prince of darkness and if we sit by idly, more and more will be lost to him. The time has long past for good Christians to rise up and speak out for our God. It is not too late to stem the tide if God’s good people decide to “go and make disciples of all nations” by proclaiming His Word to everyone. Let the world see that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ by not only your actions, but by your words.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make 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 world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed, and with your feet fitted with the readiness of 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. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
Showing posts with label evangelism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label evangelism. Show all posts
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Captive to Sin
While progressive churches are engaged in a headlong rush to minimize or even eliminate sin, those of us who choose to worship in more traditional denominations, confession of our sins and the affirmation of God’s forgiveness is an important part of the liturgy. Yes, by faith alone we are granted forgiveness, but for us ever sinful Christians, it is a comfort to have God’s grace confirmed in our worship services. We are sinful human beings, held captive by our sinful desires. We cannot escape from the bottomless pit of sin without our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Try as we may to obey God’s law, we fail over and over again. I was reminded of my own shortcomings as a Christian by a non-Christian friend who pointed out that I was not always a very good example of a Christian. I agreed, and told him that is why I need a Savior. My true nature condemns me, but through faith in Christ’s death and resurrection, even someone as unworthy as I am, is saved.
Many non-Christians and Christians alike, believe that being a Disciple of Christ simply means obeying the law, or, as some would say, the rules that God has imposed upon humanity to keep us in line. Many non-Christians are offended by what they consider “unfair” rules enforced by an unjust God. Believers are often looked upon as fancying themselves as belonging to an exclusive club that they believe grants them special dispensation. Yet, Christians, far too often, fall into the trap of judgmentalism, lashing out against rule breakers. I’ve often told my kids, my grandchildren and even suspects that I was questioning in my former life as a police officer, “It’s bad enough that you made a mistake. Don’t make it worse by lying about it, blaming others and/or failing to take responsibility for your actions.” We all fall into sin, over and over, and we only make matters worse for ourselves when we ignore our inadequacies by pointing out our neighbor's failings. We “good Christians” cast out our most pronounced accusations upon our neighbors that engage in the sin of homosexuality. We are quick to point out the error of the person that succumbs to desires that God forbids. And yes, God makes it plain in His Word that homosexuality is forbidden.
Jesus said that the second most important commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. Do you hate yourself when you act on desires forbidden by God, and fall into sin? Yet, we often fixate on our neighbors that succumb to their desires and engage in homosexual behavior. It’s a tangled web we weave. On one hand, as believers, we really should know better and the trap of sin should be apparent and easy to avoid. Unfortunately, this is far from reality. Paul said in Romans 7:14-25, “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” When the Apostle Paul, chosen to continue His ministry by Christ Himself, continually falls prey to his sinful nature, how can we call out our neighbor while we sin so boldly?
This is not to say that we are to acquiesce to sinful behavior by our neighbor. When our neighbor does not know Christ, it is our duty as disciples of Christ to lead that person to Him. Condemning our neighbors that engage in behavior that God prohibits will likely lead those neighbors away from God and if they do decide to try and find God they will likely fall into the hands of apostasy driven churches like the ELCA. We need to plant the seed that the Holy Spirit can nurture and grow in order for our neighbor to become part of the body of Christ. Once the love of Christ fills their hearts, they will come to realize what is pleasing to God. Our witness need not be by proselytizing, we can show the love of Christ in our actions towards our neighbor, and being openly critical of their behavior is not acting in love. The law is written upon the hearts of believers and non-believers alike, but if one does not know God, the Holy Spirit does not fill their hearts. Without the Holy Spirit, one cannot come to faith. If our actions only harden the hearts of our neighbor, we fail in the most important aspect of discipleship. For the believer, it is clear that God prohibits homosexuality. For the believer, it is clear that in order to please God the believer must not fall prey to that behavior. For the believer, it is clear that it is God's responsibility to judge the actions of humankind. If God can love me in spite of my continual disobedience, I can love my neighbor in spite of their faults. A Church of God in Milwaukee boldly proclaims in a large neon sign on their front door, ALL SINNERS ARE WELCOME! That church is welcoming without disregarding the fact that we all are sinners that fall short of the glory of God.
When our brothers and sisters in Christ, those who already know Christ, fall back to the ways of the world by willfully choosing to accept false doctrine, they must be led back to the path of righteousness. After all, it is worse for one to come to the Lord and then fall back to the ways of the world. 2 Peter 2, 20-21, "If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them." We must endeavor to correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. Our needs are to be secondary to our desire to please our Lord and Savior. Pleasing God entails following God’s will and acknowledging our innate selfishness. Prioritizing the fulfillment of human desires causes us to fall into disobedience. Sin may be pleasurable to the flesh, but it harms our relationship with God.
When a church decides to affirm sin, without repentance, it is no longer a Christian church. The leaders of the ELCA wag their collective finger at God and tell Him (or her in some of their churches) that they know better. The ELCA has abdicated its’ responsibility bring the lost to Christ and help them to travel on the path of righteousness. No one is righteous, as we all fall short, but as John wrote in 1 John 1:8-10, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”
The leadership of the ELCA promotes doctrine that claims that sin is no longer sinful, deceiving their membership. The truth is not in them. Confession of sin is replaced with the affirmation of sin by this wayward denomination. The leaders of the ELCA proclaim that God is a liar as they try to rewrite His word to placate the world, rather than to bring His word to the world. His word is not in them. Continue to proclaim the truth and pray that our brothers and sisters adrift in the apostasy that is the ELCA will truly open their hearts and minds and return to the Lord. Reach out to our neighbor with the love of Christ and pray that more will come to know Him.
Many non-Christians and Christians alike, believe that being a Disciple of Christ simply means obeying the law, or, as some would say, the rules that God has imposed upon humanity to keep us in line. Many non-Christians are offended by what they consider “unfair” rules enforced by an unjust God. Believers are often looked upon as fancying themselves as belonging to an exclusive club that they believe grants them special dispensation. Yet, Christians, far too often, fall into the trap of judgmentalism, lashing out against rule breakers. I’ve often told my kids, my grandchildren and even suspects that I was questioning in my former life as a police officer, “It’s bad enough that you made a mistake. Don’t make it worse by lying about it, blaming others and/or failing to take responsibility for your actions.” We all fall into sin, over and over, and we only make matters worse for ourselves when we ignore our inadequacies by pointing out our neighbor's failings. We “good Christians” cast out our most pronounced accusations upon our neighbors that engage in the sin of homosexuality. We are quick to point out the error of the person that succumbs to desires that God forbids. And yes, God makes it plain in His Word that homosexuality is forbidden.
Jesus said that the second most important commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. Do you hate yourself when you act on desires forbidden by God, and fall into sin? Yet, we often fixate on our neighbors that succumb to their desires and engage in homosexual behavior. It’s a tangled web we weave. On one hand, as believers, we really should know better and the trap of sin should be apparent and easy to avoid. Unfortunately, this is far from reality. Paul said in Romans 7:14-25, “We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” When the Apostle Paul, chosen to continue His ministry by Christ Himself, continually falls prey to his sinful nature, how can we call out our neighbor while we sin so boldly?
This is not to say that we are to acquiesce to sinful behavior by our neighbor. When our neighbor does not know Christ, it is our duty as disciples of Christ to lead that person to Him. Condemning our neighbors that engage in behavior that God prohibits will likely lead those neighbors away from God and if they do decide to try and find God they will likely fall into the hands of apostasy driven churches like the ELCA. We need to plant the seed that the Holy Spirit can nurture and grow in order for our neighbor to become part of the body of Christ. Once the love of Christ fills their hearts, they will come to realize what is pleasing to God. Our witness need not be by proselytizing, we can show the love of Christ in our actions towards our neighbor, and being openly critical of their behavior is not acting in love. The law is written upon the hearts of believers and non-believers alike, but if one does not know God, the Holy Spirit does not fill their hearts. Without the Holy Spirit, one cannot come to faith. If our actions only harden the hearts of our neighbor, we fail in the most important aspect of discipleship. For the believer, it is clear that God prohibits homosexuality. For the believer, it is clear that in order to please God the believer must not fall prey to that behavior. For the believer, it is clear that it is God's responsibility to judge the actions of humankind. If God can love me in spite of my continual disobedience, I can love my neighbor in spite of their faults. A Church of God in Milwaukee boldly proclaims in a large neon sign on their front door, ALL SINNERS ARE WELCOME! That church is welcoming without disregarding the fact that we all are sinners that fall short of the glory of God.
When our brothers and sisters in Christ, those who already know Christ, fall back to the ways of the world by willfully choosing to accept false doctrine, they must be led back to the path of righteousness. After all, it is worse for one to come to the Lord and then fall back to the ways of the world. 2 Peter 2, 20-21, "If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them." We must endeavor to correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. Our needs are to be secondary to our desire to please our Lord and Savior. Pleasing God entails following God’s will and acknowledging our innate selfishness. Prioritizing the fulfillment of human desires causes us to fall into disobedience. Sin may be pleasurable to the flesh, but it harms our relationship with God.
When a church decides to affirm sin, without repentance, it is no longer a Christian church. The leaders of the ELCA wag their collective finger at God and tell Him (or her in some of their churches) that they know better. The ELCA has abdicated its’ responsibility bring the lost to Christ and help them to travel on the path of righteousness. No one is righteous, as we all fall short, but as John wrote in 1 John 1:8-10, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”
The leadership of the ELCA promotes doctrine that claims that sin is no longer sinful, deceiving their membership. The truth is not in them. Confession of sin is replaced with the affirmation of sin by this wayward denomination. The leaders of the ELCA proclaim that God is a liar as they try to rewrite His word to placate the world, rather than to bring His word to the world. His word is not in them. Continue to proclaim the truth and pray that our brothers and sisters adrift in the apostasy that is the ELCA will truly open their hearts and minds and return to the Lord. Reach out to our neighbor with the love of Christ and pray that more will come to know Him.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
If a Tree Falls.....
"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" Many a philosopher and now even an auto insurance commercial wrestle with this question. In today’s hyper-partisan environment, when certain events occur, nary a peep is made. As the media controls the narrative of the day, only that which they deem important makes the news. In the former Soviet Union, propaganda filled the pages of Pravda and the airwaves. The Politiburo determined what it wanted its’ citizens to hear, think and say. Dissidents were jailed or simply disappeared, some ending up in Siberia with what amounted to a death sentence. In this bastion of freedom, known as the United States of America, we are hearkening back to those days behind the Iron Curtain. The narrative that drives our current day media outlets focuses upon progressive ideals, scoffs at conservative values and ridicules those foolish enough to profess their Christian faith. Our President, so longed for and expected to heal everything from the racial divide to our very planet, uses the arms of the government, such as the IRS to exact political revenge upon those seen to oppose his agenda. Yes, political retribution has been refined to a fine art by this current “Chicago style” administration. Wisconsin, which is becoming the poster child for partisanship in the aftermath of Act 10, has taken political retaliation to an entirely new level.
Israel Ozanne, democrat district attorney for Dane County, filed felony voter fraud charges against a republican state representative’s staffer. As you may know, Wisconsin democrats have been fighting tooth and nail to defeat a voter ID bill that they say will disenfranchise minority voters (when all it will really do is make it tougher for democrats to cheat and overturn the will of the people). Milwaukee’s democrat mayor, Tom Barrett denies that voter fraud is even an issue, complaining that there is nothing to see here and asking over and over to show him the violators if there is a problem. A 2004 report by Milwaukee Police found that between 4,600 and 5,300 more votes were counted in Milwaukee than the number of voters recorded as having cast ballots during the national election that year. Absentee ballots were cast by people living elsewhere; ineligible felons not only voted but worked at the polls; transient college students cast improper votes; homeless voters possibly voted more than once. 65 felony charges of voter fraud involving 35 individuals have been issued since 2008. One of those cases an Oak Creek man submitted 54 fraudulent voter registrations while working for the Community Voters Project, a liberal based organization. Common to each of these cases was the intent to commit voter fraud. Cue the crickets as little attention is given these cases by the media. However, the case of Marcie Malszycki, who cast her votes in 2008 and 2010 at the district where she lived before becoming a staffer for Republican State Representative Warren Petryk, apparently is a big deal. Her mother lives in that district and Malszycki resided there before moving to Madison. She did not cast a vote in either of those elections in Madison or any other polling place. This makes the front page of local newspapers and TV news reports. Ozanne, a democrat, also refused to issue charges against a Cross Plains woman who made repeated e-mail threats to kill Republican Governor Scott Walker and his family. Nary a peep on this issue either. I guess all is fair in love and war.
While the Obama administration is embroiled in a seemingly endless stream of scandals that would likely overwhelm any other administration, those abuses are decried as “phony” or contrived by the Tea Party and Fox News. Impeachable offenses by Obama and his administration are largely ignored or minimized by the main stream media, while any misstep by a conservative is blown out of proportion. (See Chris Christie and “BridgeGate”) Far worse are the thousands upon thousands of Christians that are being murdered throughout the Muslim world and yet the media remains silent. Repeated rocket attacks against Israel, targeting civilians are largely ignored. Even Secretary of State John Kerry claimed that there were no deaths in Israel due to terrorist attacks in 2013, ignoring the 6 Israelis that were murdered by Palestinians and that attacks in the West Bank more than doubled in 2013 -- 1,271 as opposed to 578 in 2012.
And then we have those athletes that announce their homosexuality and are immediately proclaimed heroes by the media. Keep repeating after me while watching the shiny object. There is no liberal bias in the media… The producer of the new epic film “Noah” complains that negative reactions to pre-screenings of his movie are unfairly being driven by a small minority of conservative Christians. Sorry about that, but if you are going to take creative license with a Biblical story, perhaps you should stick a little closer to the story line, after all it is about a historical figure. And since we are bringing up minorities that drive narratives, how does the minority LGTBQ community drive the opinion of so much of our secular society? Seems like a group, that consists of less than 5% of our population has much more clout than any other class of people in this country. When the mini-series, “The Bible” was broadcast, for the most part keeping true to the Word, it became the most viewed cable series of all time. Perhaps when conservative Christians speak up, Hollywood may behoove itself to listen.
All Christians can be assured that while the devil does his best to turn our world upside down, everything that happens, does so for God’s purpose. God’s plan continues to drive the events of our world, even those that seem to run contrary to His will. Each and every trial and tribulation is used by our Father in heaven to mold us. We can use these, sometimes troublesome events, as God intends or we can give in to our selfish nature and do as the evil one would desire, complain, blame God or behave in a manner unpleasing to Him. Every person placed into a position of authority is done so at God’s command. Those leaders that behave as they do, even when it appears that they are doing the devil’s work, are doing so for His purpose. When President Obama proclaims to the world that the United States is no longer a Christian nation, sleeping Christians wake up and work to restore their faith. When the leaders of the ELCA lead the faithful astray, a new revival begins and denominations true to the Gospel break away and thrive. We can never truly understand why God allows evil people into positions of authority, but know this, our Father in heaven is in charge and while we are called to submit to the authorities appointed by Him, we are not called to lay down as sheep being led to slaughter. Do not allow anyone to drive you away from your calling to be a disciple of Christ. Do not be frustrated when it appears that the powers of darkness seem to be winning every battle. The story has been written and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ has triumphed over the evil one and his minions..
1 Peter 2:13-18, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.”
This world is but a brief existence for God’s children. When we focus on what is truly important, submit ourselves to Gods’ will and work to further His kingdom here on earth, we come to understand our role in all of this. Do not be afraid to speak out for our Lord. Do not be afraid to speak out at the ballot box by supporting candidates that uphold Christian values. Do not be afraid to do the things that are pleasing to God.
1 Peter 1:23-25, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.”
Israel Ozanne, democrat district attorney for Dane County, filed felony voter fraud charges against a republican state representative’s staffer. As you may know, Wisconsin democrats have been fighting tooth and nail to defeat a voter ID bill that they say will disenfranchise minority voters (when all it will really do is make it tougher for democrats to cheat and overturn the will of the people). Milwaukee’s democrat mayor, Tom Barrett denies that voter fraud is even an issue, complaining that there is nothing to see here and asking over and over to show him the violators if there is a problem. A 2004 report by Milwaukee Police found that between 4,600 and 5,300 more votes were counted in Milwaukee than the number of voters recorded as having cast ballots during the national election that year. Absentee ballots were cast by people living elsewhere; ineligible felons not only voted but worked at the polls; transient college students cast improper votes; homeless voters possibly voted more than once. 65 felony charges of voter fraud involving 35 individuals have been issued since 2008. One of those cases an Oak Creek man submitted 54 fraudulent voter registrations while working for the Community Voters Project, a liberal based organization. Common to each of these cases was the intent to commit voter fraud. Cue the crickets as little attention is given these cases by the media. However, the case of Marcie Malszycki, who cast her votes in 2008 and 2010 at the district where she lived before becoming a staffer for Republican State Representative Warren Petryk, apparently is a big deal. Her mother lives in that district and Malszycki resided there before moving to Madison. She did not cast a vote in either of those elections in Madison or any other polling place. This makes the front page of local newspapers and TV news reports. Ozanne, a democrat, also refused to issue charges against a Cross Plains woman who made repeated e-mail threats to kill Republican Governor Scott Walker and his family. Nary a peep on this issue either. I guess all is fair in love and war.
While the Obama administration is embroiled in a seemingly endless stream of scandals that would likely overwhelm any other administration, those abuses are decried as “phony” or contrived by the Tea Party and Fox News. Impeachable offenses by Obama and his administration are largely ignored or minimized by the main stream media, while any misstep by a conservative is blown out of proportion. (See Chris Christie and “BridgeGate”) Far worse are the thousands upon thousands of Christians that are being murdered throughout the Muslim world and yet the media remains silent. Repeated rocket attacks against Israel, targeting civilians are largely ignored. Even Secretary of State John Kerry claimed that there were no deaths in Israel due to terrorist attacks in 2013, ignoring the 6 Israelis that were murdered by Palestinians and that attacks in the West Bank more than doubled in 2013 -- 1,271 as opposed to 578 in 2012.
And then we have those athletes that announce their homosexuality and are immediately proclaimed heroes by the media. Keep repeating after me while watching the shiny object. There is no liberal bias in the media… The producer of the new epic film “Noah” complains that negative reactions to pre-screenings of his movie are unfairly being driven by a small minority of conservative Christians. Sorry about that, but if you are going to take creative license with a Biblical story, perhaps you should stick a little closer to the story line, after all it is about a historical figure. And since we are bringing up minorities that drive narratives, how does the minority LGTBQ community drive the opinion of so much of our secular society? Seems like a group, that consists of less than 5% of our population has much more clout than any other class of people in this country. When the mini-series, “The Bible” was broadcast, for the most part keeping true to the Word, it became the most viewed cable series of all time. Perhaps when conservative Christians speak up, Hollywood may behoove itself to listen.
All Christians can be assured that while the devil does his best to turn our world upside down, everything that happens, does so for God’s purpose. God’s plan continues to drive the events of our world, even those that seem to run contrary to His will. Each and every trial and tribulation is used by our Father in heaven to mold us. We can use these, sometimes troublesome events, as God intends or we can give in to our selfish nature and do as the evil one would desire, complain, blame God or behave in a manner unpleasing to Him. Every person placed into a position of authority is done so at God’s command. Those leaders that behave as they do, even when it appears that they are doing the devil’s work, are doing so for His purpose. When President Obama proclaims to the world that the United States is no longer a Christian nation, sleeping Christians wake up and work to restore their faith. When the leaders of the ELCA lead the faithful astray, a new revival begins and denominations true to the Gospel break away and thrive. We can never truly understand why God allows evil people into positions of authority, but know this, our Father in heaven is in charge and while we are called to submit to the authorities appointed by Him, we are not called to lay down as sheep being led to slaughter. Do not allow anyone to drive you away from your calling to be a disciple of Christ. Do not be frustrated when it appears that the powers of darkness seem to be winning every battle. The story has been written and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ has triumphed over the evil one and his minions..
1 Peter 2:13-18, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.”
This world is but a brief existence for God’s children. When we focus on what is truly important, submit ourselves to Gods’ will and work to further His kingdom here on earth, we come to understand our role in all of this. Do not be afraid to speak out for our Lord. Do not be afraid to speak out at the ballot box by supporting candidates that uphold Christian values. Do not be afraid to do the things that are pleasing to God.
1 Peter 1:23-25, “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.”
Friday, October 18, 2013
Upward Mobility
Throughout our lives we are taught to work hard and good things will happen. When you are driven to succeed, you will be more likely to attain your desired outcomes. You may earn that job promotion with its greater salary. You may find that perfect mate. You may go on and purchase your dream house, have your 1.5 beautiful children and live happily ever after. But, once you reach those goals, why does it seem like your life is, somehow, unrewarding and unfulfilled? Why does something always appear to be missing? Why isn’t that success enough? As parents, we always want our children to attain that which we could not, to have a chance at a life that is better than what we achieved. How is it that you are still not as happy as you should be when you accomplish these important worldly goals?
Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” It is so easy to fall into the trap that is this world. It is so easy to look past the gifts God has blessed us with and seek the things of this world. It is so easy to focus on our own wants and desires while placing God on the backburner. We not only conform to the pattern of this world, we often embrace it. Our place in this world is very evident when we realize what is really important. We are disciples of Jesus Christ. We are called to be good stewards of this world that God has blessed us with. Our time here is limited. Our future lies ahead, and the things of this world are not the final objective. The one who has the most toys does not win in this competition. Our Father’s house has many rooms and He wants to fill them with all of His children. But, not all will be allowed to enter. Contrary to what some theologians would have the faithful believe, those who do not believe will not be welcomed into eternal paradise at our Father’s house.
John 1:10-13, “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” Things change, yet, still they remain the same. The very people called upon to serve the Lord, fail to recognize Him. When the leaders of the wayward ELCA embrace their gospel of social justice, they choose to reject Christ, rather than receive Him. By believing that we can make a difference in this world without the guidance of our Lord is nothing short of a fool’s errand. Bring the lost to Christ is the primary mission of the church. Our world is broken because of us and our unwillingness to let go and let our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ lead our hearts and minds. We can no more repair our broken world than we could build a new one. New things promoted by the self-proclaimed enlightened leaders of a new world order of Lutheranism promote a gospel that does not serve the Lord and drives their members that accept these new things, away from Him. Once we are filled with the Holy Spirit and come to understand and believe, our purpose becomes clear. We are to proclaim His glory everywhere and to everyone until all are saved.
Progressive mainline Christian church leaders are driving the faithful and those searching away with their embrace of secular ideals. Seems every time a church leader tries to minimize sin or revise doctrine to gain acceptance from the world, more are confused as to the role of religion in their lives. If it doesn’t matter what we do or believe, there is really no reason to believe in anything but ourselves. As children we need the boundaries provided by our parents, schools and faith. If left to our own devices, our selfish nature takes over and we would be lucky to make it to adulthood. The law is written upon our hearts and our obedience not only protects us, but is pleasing to God. And pleasing the Lord in all we do is the cure for the unfulfilled heart. When Christ is the reason we live, everything is a gift, even those trials and tribulations God uses to mold us. Each and everyone of us deserves to be condemned to hang on that cross. But in the greatest gift ever given, Christ took our punishment, carried away our sin and defeated death. To save all of us unworthy sinners from an eternal death. An act of unconditional love that is simply beyond our understanding. And by simply having faith in the Risen Savior, God grants us eternal life. Romans 2:7-8. “To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” Seek not to attain worldly wealth, but seek the glory that is the Lord’s. Whatever gifts God has blessed you with, use them to proclaim His glory. Seek the riches of the joy that the love and forgiveness that Christ has given to you. Proclaim His love to the world.
Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” It is so easy to fall into the trap that is this world. It is so easy to look past the gifts God has blessed us with and seek the things of this world. It is so easy to focus on our own wants and desires while placing God on the backburner. We not only conform to the pattern of this world, we often embrace it. Our place in this world is very evident when we realize what is really important. We are disciples of Jesus Christ. We are called to be good stewards of this world that God has blessed us with. Our time here is limited. Our future lies ahead, and the things of this world are not the final objective. The one who has the most toys does not win in this competition. Our Father’s house has many rooms and He wants to fill them with all of His children. But, not all will be allowed to enter. Contrary to what some theologians would have the faithful believe, those who do not believe will not be welcomed into eternal paradise at our Father’s house.
John 1:10-13, “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” Things change, yet, still they remain the same. The very people called upon to serve the Lord, fail to recognize Him. When the leaders of the wayward ELCA embrace their gospel of social justice, they choose to reject Christ, rather than receive Him. By believing that we can make a difference in this world without the guidance of our Lord is nothing short of a fool’s errand. Bring the lost to Christ is the primary mission of the church. Our world is broken because of us and our unwillingness to let go and let our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ lead our hearts and minds. We can no more repair our broken world than we could build a new one. New things promoted by the self-proclaimed enlightened leaders of a new world order of Lutheranism promote a gospel that does not serve the Lord and drives their members that accept these new things, away from Him. Once we are filled with the Holy Spirit and come to understand and believe, our purpose becomes clear. We are to proclaim His glory everywhere and to everyone until all are saved.
Progressive mainline Christian church leaders are driving the faithful and those searching away with their embrace of secular ideals. Seems every time a church leader tries to minimize sin or revise doctrine to gain acceptance from the world, more are confused as to the role of religion in their lives. If it doesn’t matter what we do or believe, there is really no reason to believe in anything but ourselves. As children we need the boundaries provided by our parents, schools and faith. If left to our own devices, our selfish nature takes over and we would be lucky to make it to adulthood. The law is written upon our hearts and our obedience not only protects us, but is pleasing to God. And pleasing the Lord in all we do is the cure for the unfulfilled heart. When Christ is the reason we live, everything is a gift, even those trials and tribulations God uses to mold us. Each and everyone of us deserves to be condemned to hang on that cross. But in the greatest gift ever given, Christ took our punishment, carried away our sin and defeated death. To save all of us unworthy sinners from an eternal death. An act of unconditional love that is simply beyond our understanding. And by simply having faith in the Risen Savior, God grants us eternal life. Romans 2:7-8. “To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” Seek not to attain worldly wealth, but seek the glory that is the Lord’s. Whatever gifts God has blessed you with, use them to proclaim His glory. Seek the riches of the joy that the love and forgiveness that Christ has given to you. Proclaim His love to the world.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Pulling Out All the Stops
When seeking to make a good impression you just may decide to pull out all the stops. This may entail buying a dozen roses for your beloved, taking your boss or a client out to the city’s best restaurant, or deciding to spend your money on that once in a lifetime trip. We place our frugalities on the back burner in order to curry favor in the hope that it will elevate your standing with that person. This saying actually has its roots in the church. Pipe organs, so prevalent in older churches, were equipped with what were called stops that controlled the air flow of the organ, in fact, controlling the volume. Organists would pull out all those stops to finish with a flourish. In our faith journey, pulling out all the stops is not part of our plan.
While we often shower those close to us with gifts and love, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ gets less than our best, often becoming merely an afterthought. The one who gave His life so that we may live is relegated to a place secondary to our selfishness. The one who should be celebrated as King of Kings stands outside patiently waiting for us to allow Him to enter our hearts. The one who lavishes His love upon His children is rewarded with disrespect and indifference from those who owe everything to Him. Why are we so quick to prattle on about our children and then ignore the opportunity to share our faith and give praise to our Lord and Savior? Has our secular society that so looks down upon those that “cling to their Bibles” causing us to be ashamed of our God? Jesus said in Luke 9:26, “Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
As our faith is assailed by the liberal media, academia and even by “progressive” churches such as the ELCA, it is our responsibility to stand up and proclaim His praise unending. Those that stand by and acquiesce to the all-out assault on Christianity are just as much to blame as those who wish to destroy it. While this so-called new progressive and all enlightened generation chastises Christians for being purveyors of the most exclusive of all the world’s religions, nothing could be further from the truth. Christianity is by far the most inclusive religion. After all, Jesus died for all humanity, one needs only believe in the one true Son of God took your sins to the cross, died in your place and rose so that all who believe can live eternally with the Father. Works are not required. Mandatory daily prayer is not required. Attaining enlightenment is not required. Faith in the Risen Christ is the only task required.
It is not important who is “in” or who is “out”. All are in if only they accept that the blood of the Savior cleansed their sin and accept the grace of salvation from the Father. When one accepts the gift of grace, we are filled with joy. When we first believe, we want to share our joy with everyone and bring the world to Christ. As we mature as Christians, it certainly seems that that joy and enthusiasm wanes when it should be just the opposite. As “baby” Christians our immature joyfulness, buoyed by our limited knowledge of Scripture, often would turn off potential believers. As we build up our spiritual armor through hearing and reading His word, we are much better equipped to be a Disciple of Christ, yet we balk when the Holy Spirit offers opportunities to share our faith. It is time to pull out all the stops and start proclaiming His glory, everywhere and to everyone. Every opportunity should be eagerly awaited and prayers made to have the Holy Spirit guide us in advancing His Kingdom. Share your joy!
Yet, the greatest impediment to those thirsting for the Lord is us. Yes, we are all too often the road block that turns potential believers away from God. Our propensity to remain trapped within the law by overemphasizing sin is the greatest obstacle. If engaging in sinful behavior would be a disqualifier, I’m sorry, but we would all stand condemned. That is why we look to the cross. We are saved not because of what we do, but because of what Christ did for us. We tend to put the cart before the horse and turn off those willing to accept by our self-righteousness. Are believers better than any other child of God? No! We are, in fact, worse if our behavior turns even one of His children away. 1 Peter 2:24-25, “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” We all were once lost. We all are a fallen humanity. We all fall into disobedience. We all need a Savior and Redeemer. Jesus calls on us to teach the Gospel and to make disciples of the world. That final crescendo is waiting to be played. Will you pull out all the stops, listen to our Lord and work to bring the lost to Him?
While we often shower those close to us with gifts and love, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ gets less than our best, often becoming merely an afterthought. The one who gave His life so that we may live is relegated to a place secondary to our selfishness. The one who should be celebrated as King of Kings stands outside patiently waiting for us to allow Him to enter our hearts. The one who lavishes His love upon His children is rewarded with disrespect and indifference from those who owe everything to Him. Why are we so quick to prattle on about our children and then ignore the opportunity to share our faith and give praise to our Lord and Savior? Has our secular society that so looks down upon those that “cling to their Bibles” causing us to be ashamed of our God? Jesus said in Luke 9:26, “Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
As our faith is assailed by the liberal media, academia and even by “progressive” churches such as the ELCA, it is our responsibility to stand up and proclaim His praise unending. Those that stand by and acquiesce to the all-out assault on Christianity are just as much to blame as those who wish to destroy it. While this so-called new progressive and all enlightened generation chastises Christians for being purveyors of the most exclusive of all the world’s religions, nothing could be further from the truth. Christianity is by far the most inclusive religion. After all, Jesus died for all humanity, one needs only believe in the one true Son of God took your sins to the cross, died in your place and rose so that all who believe can live eternally with the Father. Works are not required. Mandatory daily prayer is not required. Attaining enlightenment is not required. Faith in the Risen Christ is the only task required.
It is not important who is “in” or who is “out”. All are in if only they accept that the blood of the Savior cleansed their sin and accept the grace of salvation from the Father. When one accepts the gift of grace, we are filled with joy. When we first believe, we want to share our joy with everyone and bring the world to Christ. As we mature as Christians, it certainly seems that that joy and enthusiasm wanes when it should be just the opposite. As “baby” Christians our immature joyfulness, buoyed by our limited knowledge of Scripture, often would turn off potential believers. As we build up our spiritual armor through hearing and reading His word, we are much better equipped to be a Disciple of Christ, yet we balk when the Holy Spirit offers opportunities to share our faith. It is time to pull out all the stops and start proclaiming His glory, everywhere and to everyone. Every opportunity should be eagerly awaited and prayers made to have the Holy Spirit guide us in advancing His Kingdom. Share your joy!
Yet, the greatest impediment to those thirsting for the Lord is us. Yes, we are all too often the road block that turns potential believers away from God. Our propensity to remain trapped within the law by overemphasizing sin is the greatest obstacle. If engaging in sinful behavior would be a disqualifier, I’m sorry, but we would all stand condemned. That is why we look to the cross. We are saved not because of what we do, but because of what Christ did for us. We tend to put the cart before the horse and turn off those willing to accept by our self-righteousness. Are believers better than any other child of God? No! We are, in fact, worse if our behavior turns even one of His children away. 1 Peter 2:24-25, “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” We all were once lost. We all are a fallen humanity. We all fall into disobedience. We all need a Savior and Redeemer. Jesus calls on us to teach the Gospel and to make disciples of the world. That final crescendo is waiting to be played. Will you pull out all the stops, listen to our Lord and work to bring the lost to Him?
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