WE ARE a Christian nation. I hear this repeatedly. It seems to be the mantra of most followers of Christ here in America, a mantra that seems cemented by the fact that most of the founders of this great land professed to be followers of the faith; it flows through the veins of our history; it is even reflected in our national motto: In God We Trust. Yes, it seems that everyone knows we are a Christian nation; especially the Christians.
This is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing because it means that we enjoy a rich heritage of religious freedom. As Christians we are sensitive to any attacks against that freedom that come our way; and even when we may not always be overly active in politics, we are quick to step up and speak out when religious liberty is threatened. However, it is also a curse. How so you say? Allow me to explain...
American Christians are great at evangelizing- in other nations. We are quick to run to other nations to spread the Gospel; and often when our missionaries go overseas they see great results- God moving in amazing ways, spreading revival throughout communities the missionaries work in, many people converting to become followers of Christ. I will be the first to admit it is very exciting to hear the testimonies that missionaries have to share when they return from foreign soil.
However, we are not so quick to share the Gospel here. It seems too often our mouths are more interested in praising our favorite sports team than we are praising God. Our heart is more content seeking the American dream than seeking to fulfil the Great Commission. We are more cautious with our words, which are chosen intentionally to ensure they do not offend those in this vast culture that may believe in something different.
And we have our excuses; sometimes they even sound good. The one on my mind tonight though, is the following: We are a Christian nation. So perhaps I am missing something here... Because we are a Christian nation, we as Christians are excused from sharing the Gospel here? It saddens me to no end when people tell me this... You see, in the mind of many Christians, so much of our culture revolves around Christianity that they really believe everyone here has already heard the good news... There is no point in making a special effort, in living mission minded in this land- because everyone has heard it already, and they have either chosen to accept or reject it.
You may ask- why does this sadden you? Isn't it true? In this nation where Jesus is so prevalent that His name is even a common curse word, shouldn't we turn more attention to other lands and not be so concerned about it here? After all, we will probably just offend others anyway, and then we will be labeled as self-righteous people who are just some weird kind of zealot...
Well? Is it true?
Tonight I had the opportunity to speak with a couple of teenagers about Jesus Christ. I asked them who they thought He was. Their response? He was a guy who taught some religious stuff. I asked them if they knew what sin was. Would you believe they didn't? They genuinely did not know what it meant to be a sinner!! It was a great joy that God allowed me to explain the Gospel to them- it is with greater joy that I have a new brother and sister in Christ when all was said and done... But the reason and purpose for this blog is not to shine a light on that, but rather on this fact: So many of us assume that everyone in America has heard the Gospel, that everyone knows what sin is, that everyone knows who Jesus is; we become so convinced of this that we make little or no effort to evangelize our neighbors, our co-workers, or families, our friends, or whoever else God places in our path...
The fact is, there are a lot of Americans that we have placed labels and assumptions on, who don't fit in to it at all. The reality is that this society is so exposed to the Gospel that many of the lost have become desensitized to it's message, never getting the whole of the truth. The reality is that too often we replace genuine evangelism with bumper sticker and t-shirt slogans, giving out only a half-hearted morsel of the whole loaf of the bread of life.
The reality is, here in America, Jesus' Words apply greatly : "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."
May I ask a question? When was the last time you shared the Gospel with someone? When was the last time you took a friend or co-worker aside and said, "can I tell you about Someone who has completely changed my life?" When was the last time you saw someone hurting and you offered to pray for them- not just when you got home or when you remembered to, but stopped right there, stopped what you were doing, and prayed WITH them? When was the last time you were intentional about being mission minded here in America?
I must confess- too often I am not. It grieves me to think of missed opportunities because I fell into the trap of believing "they have probably already heard it"...
Jesus never said, "Go-unless you think they already know."
Does that mean every time we share people will choose to accept Christ right then and there? No. Jesus was clear that many will reject Him, few will follow. But you see that part isn't up to us. It isn't for us to make the decision for them, and it isn't for us to get discouraged and give up when they don't. What is for us is to be obedient. And what is for us is that when we are obedient, we will see God move! You see, I really believe Jesus' Words, the harvest IS plentiful here in America! There are so many that have yet to hear the truth in our own backyard!
Do me a favor would ya? Let's agree together to be intentionally mission minded in THIS Country, in OUR state, in OUR city, in OUR neighborhood- you and me! What do you say?
I believe God will move and use us in an extraordinary way if we will commit to that! Let's be a part of His harvest here in America!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Why Libya Matters
IT WAS not that long ago we were honoring the memory of September 11. There were prayer events, political events, and times of reflection at sporting events. The nation was reminded of that time in our recent history when we suffered violently at the hands of terrorists... That time when so many of our American citizens died, and we swore that it would happen NEVER again. We had our time of tears, but those tears turned to anger, and that anger fueled war, in an attempt to send a clear mesage to the world: NEVER AGAIN. We thought that they heard us. The question is- did they?
That was answered 11 years after the first 9/11 attack. 11 years to the day. September 11, 2012 was a new day for terror. This time, the attack happened at our Consulate in Libya. An act of violence using military grade weapons and took the lives of 4 Americans. While it is true that we did not lose as many as we did on the orriginal 9/11, it does not discount the fact that our people were murdered. To their families, it is irrelevant if it was 4 or 3,000. Their lives are changed forever, their loved ones are never returning home to hug them, to kiss them, to hold them. Their world fractured that day. What makes it worse, though, is that a time that should be reserved for sorrow and healing has been fractured as well. Only this time it was not rocket launchers, gunfire, or mortars that has left a crater on their soul- no, this time it is betrayal.
Betrayal. A strong word, but we must understand the events of that day, and in so doing understand that the events at Libya were not just some random thing that happened, they were not some minor event in American history, nor was it something we should just ignore. Now I know the concern that some may have- we should not politicize the deaths of four Americans. I agree. I think it would be a grave disservice to them to turn this into a partisan politics arguement. HOWEVER- we must not avoid the discussion in fear of being taken as politicizing the event either.
We must first look at some facts that we do know: First, that there was an attack on sovereign American soil. International law states that a country's consulates in foreign land is sovereign soil to that nation. Basicly, if you attack a consulate you are in effect attacking that nation. So the American consulate in Libya was, by international law, sitting on American soil. The attack there on that fateful September day then, in the eyes of international law- as well as our own- was no different than if they had attacked us here in the states.
Less than a mile away from the consulate, there were 2 Navy SEALs. Upon hearing the gunshots they radiod in for support, requesting aid as they went into action to protect American soil, and more importantly, American lives. They were denied help. And they were told to stand down. They were told to do nothing as their fellow Americans fell under attack.
They chose to defy orders.
They left their safety and went into action, engaging the enemy in a firefight, rescuing 30 American citizens that day. Unfortunately they were not able to save everyone, as 2 other Americans- one of them our ambassador to Libya- were killed. Finally, near the end of a 7 hour firefight, these two Navy SEALs were killed in action as well.
After the attack we were told repeatedly by our President, by our Vice President, by the Secretary of State, and by all the other mouthpieces in between that this was the result of an anti-muslim video that had been made and put out on youtube. This video, which reportedly had 17 views before this incident, supposedly set the whole middle east into a blazing riot.
But that was not the case at all, as we have since learned that there was no protest. There was no uprising. In fact, less than an hour after the attack began- WHILE our men were still fighting- an islamic terrorist group was taking credit for it. Yes, my friends, we have learned that indeed this was a terrorist attack. On our soil. And our government, as investigations have proven, knew this the whole time. Not only did they know about it- but they lied to the American people about what it was. They covered up for a terrorist group as long as they could. And as testimonies and evidence have surfaced, they watched the attack on live video feed. They watched as these 2 SEALs fought to save others. They watched as they called for help, for backup, for something. They denied their requests, and then they watched them die.
Why does this matter, you ask? First of all, because of several unanswered questions. WHY was there inadequate security at this consulate? WHY were the SEALs told to stand down and not engage the enemy? WHY were their repeated calls for help denied? WHY were other military and CIA branches also told to do nothing and to stand down when they requested to go in for back up? WHY did our government do nothing but watch as this terrorist attack unfolded? WHY DID THEY COVER FOR A TERRORIST GROUP AS LONG AS THEY COULD UNTIL THEY COULD NO LONGER LIE ABOUT IT BEING A PROTEST?
WHY should we think this is anything less than treason?
Why does this matter? How is this not politicizing this event? Because republican, democrat, liberal, conservative, it really doesn't matter what the president believes. This was nothing less than intentionally leaving our men to die. They may have been killed by mortars and gunfire that day- but it was this administration's lack of involvement that enabled their murder. By OUR law, that is called being an accomplice to murder. It matters not what the party affiliation is. This was just wrong.
In the democrat primaries in 2008, Hillary Clinton campaigned against Barak Obama, asking the question- what will you do when you get a call at 3 a.m. in the morning about an American attack...
Well... Now we know what the answer to her question is.
What will he do? Nothing. Nothing but watch.
My friends, is this really what we want from our president? Is this what we should expect? This behavior does not warrant four more years as leader of the free world- it warrants 40 to life behind bars.
That was answered 11 years after the first 9/11 attack. 11 years to the day. September 11, 2012 was a new day for terror. This time, the attack happened at our Consulate in Libya. An act of violence using military grade weapons and took the lives of 4 Americans. While it is true that we did not lose as many as we did on the orriginal 9/11, it does not discount the fact that our people were murdered. To their families, it is irrelevant if it was 4 or 3,000. Their lives are changed forever, their loved ones are never returning home to hug them, to kiss them, to hold them. Their world fractured that day. What makes it worse, though, is that a time that should be reserved for sorrow and healing has been fractured as well. Only this time it was not rocket launchers, gunfire, or mortars that has left a crater on their soul- no, this time it is betrayal.
Betrayal. A strong word, but we must understand the events of that day, and in so doing understand that the events at Libya were not just some random thing that happened, they were not some minor event in American history, nor was it something we should just ignore. Now I know the concern that some may have- we should not politicize the deaths of four Americans. I agree. I think it would be a grave disservice to them to turn this into a partisan politics arguement. HOWEVER- we must not avoid the discussion in fear of being taken as politicizing the event either.
We must first look at some facts that we do know: First, that there was an attack on sovereign American soil. International law states that a country's consulates in foreign land is sovereign soil to that nation. Basicly, if you attack a consulate you are in effect attacking that nation. So the American consulate in Libya was, by international law, sitting on American soil. The attack there on that fateful September day then, in the eyes of international law- as well as our own- was no different than if they had attacked us here in the states.
Less than a mile away from the consulate, there were 2 Navy SEALs. Upon hearing the gunshots they radiod in for support, requesting aid as they went into action to protect American soil, and more importantly, American lives. They were denied help. And they were told to stand down. They were told to do nothing as their fellow Americans fell under attack.
They chose to defy orders.
They left their safety and went into action, engaging the enemy in a firefight, rescuing 30 American citizens that day. Unfortunately they were not able to save everyone, as 2 other Americans- one of them our ambassador to Libya- were killed. Finally, near the end of a 7 hour firefight, these two Navy SEALs were killed in action as well.
After the attack we were told repeatedly by our President, by our Vice President, by the Secretary of State, and by all the other mouthpieces in between that this was the result of an anti-muslim video that had been made and put out on youtube. This video, which reportedly had 17 views before this incident, supposedly set the whole middle east into a blazing riot.
But that was not the case at all, as we have since learned that there was no protest. There was no uprising. In fact, less than an hour after the attack began- WHILE our men were still fighting- an islamic terrorist group was taking credit for it. Yes, my friends, we have learned that indeed this was a terrorist attack. On our soil. And our government, as investigations have proven, knew this the whole time. Not only did they know about it- but they lied to the American people about what it was. They covered up for a terrorist group as long as they could. And as testimonies and evidence have surfaced, they watched the attack on live video feed. They watched as these 2 SEALs fought to save others. They watched as they called for help, for backup, for something. They denied their requests, and then they watched them die.
Why does this matter, you ask? First of all, because of several unanswered questions. WHY was there inadequate security at this consulate? WHY were the SEALs told to stand down and not engage the enemy? WHY were their repeated calls for help denied? WHY were other military and CIA branches also told to do nothing and to stand down when they requested to go in for back up? WHY did our government do nothing but watch as this terrorist attack unfolded? WHY DID THEY COVER FOR A TERRORIST GROUP AS LONG AS THEY COULD UNTIL THEY COULD NO LONGER LIE ABOUT IT BEING A PROTEST?
WHY should we think this is anything less than treason?
Why does this matter? How is this not politicizing this event? Because republican, democrat, liberal, conservative, it really doesn't matter what the president believes. This was nothing less than intentionally leaving our men to die. They may have been killed by mortars and gunfire that day- but it was this administration's lack of involvement that enabled their murder. By OUR law, that is called being an accomplice to murder. It matters not what the party affiliation is. This was just wrong.
In the democrat primaries in 2008, Hillary Clinton campaigned against Barak Obama, asking the question- what will you do when you get a call at 3 a.m. in the morning about an American attack...
Well... Now we know what the answer to her question is.
What will he do? Nothing. Nothing but watch.
My friends, is this really what we want from our president? Is this what we should expect? This behavior does not warrant four more years as leader of the free world- it warrants 40 to life behind bars.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Hamster Wheel Theology
"I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee." Psalm 119:11... Have you ever sat down and just absorbed that verse? Put all of your own thoughts aside, sitting somewhere, maybe laying in bed at night, just absorbing what David meant...
I have met so many Christians- including myself- that have said something along the lines of, oh if only I could overcome this sin, I promise Lord to do better next time, etc. etc. etc. It seems that too often we get caught like a hamster in his stupid wheel, spinning and spinning it, running with all our might to escape it, yet never going anywhere. The next step, we say, will free us from our bondage. When it doesn't and we get worn out, we stop for a breather and say to ourselves "I will no longer be in this place, I will be free", only to pick the pace right back up in our little hamster wheel.
Running, running, running. Spinning, spinning, spinning. Going nowhere fast. Our never ending quest to outrun what we cannot.
The truth is that we cannot escape our little hamster wheel on our own. They say that if you do not learn from history you are doomed to repeat it... And sadly, we will keep repeating it. The same spokes of the wheel repeatedly passing under our feet. Because too often we do not learn.
This brings me back to Psalm 119:11. David, ironically, gives us the key to escape our spinning world. "I have hidden Your Word in my heart"...
How do you hide the Word in your heart? By reading it. No, not just merely scanning over a few verses a day. Rather, we must READ it. Absorb it. Meditate on it. Study it. David hid the Word in His heart because it was God's Word, and God's Word is life changing. When we absorb His Word it penetrates the very darkest depths of our soul, and changes us from the inside out, in ways we could never comprehend or accomplish ourselves.
I am not meaning picking and choosing either. I have seen too many people take a verse here or a verse there and build theology from it. But we must guard against that temptation. What David was referring to was not a verse by verse theological argument- he didn't write "I have hidden chapter 10 vs. 2 in my heart" but rather, Thy Word.
Are you stuck in a hamster wheel of repetitious stupidity and sin? My friend, now is the time to step out of it, step away from the norm of the world, step away from the self help advice and replace it all with His Word, in your heart. It's that simple. When you fill up on the Word, when you absorb it, when you hide it in your heart- He will change you.
Step out of the wheel. You are not a hamster, after all...
I have met so many Christians- including myself- that have said something along the lines of, oh if only I could overcome this sin, I promise Lord to do better next time, etc. etc. etc. It seems that too often we get caught like a hamster in his stupid wheel, spinning and spinning it, running with all our might to escape it, yet never going anywhere. The next step, we say, will free us from our bondage. When it doesn't and we get worn out, we stop for a breather and say to ourselves "I will no longer be in this place, I will be free", only to pick the pace right back up in our little hamster wheel.
Running, running, running. Spinning, spinning, spinning. Going nowhere fast. Our never ending quest to outrun what we cannot.
The truth is that we cannot escape our little hamster wheel on our own. They say that if you do not learn from history you are doomed to repeat it... And sadly, we will keep repeating it. The same spokes of the wheel repeatedly passing under our feet. Because too often we do not learn.
This brings me back to Psalm 119:11. David, ironically, gives us the key to escape our spinning world. "I have hidden Your Word in my heart"...
How do you hide the Word in your heart? By reading it. No, not just merely scanning over a few verses a day. Rather, we must READ it. Absorb it. Meditate on it. Study it. David hid the Word in His heart because it was God's Word, and God's Word is life changing. When we absorb His Word it penetrates the very darkest depths of our soul, and changes us from the inside out, in ways we could never comprehend or accomplish ourselves.
I am not meaning picking and choosing either. I have seen too many people take a verse here or a verse there and build theology from it. But we must guard against that temptation. What David was referring to was not a verse by verse theological argument- he didn't write "I have hidden chapter 10 vs. 2 in my heart" but rather, Thy Word.
Are you stuck in a hamster wheel of repetitious stupidity and sin? My friend, now is the time to step out of it, step away from the norm of the world, step away from the self help advice and replace it all with His Word, in your heart. It's that simple. When you fill up on the Word, when you absorb it, when you hide it in your heart- He will change you.
Step out of the wheel. You are not a hamster, after all...
Saturday, September 1, 2012
America Again
I HAVE TO BE HONEST...
Gov. Rick Perry was my first choice for the republican nominee for president in 2012. That guy, in my humble opinion, is a rock star governor not afraid to live his faith. But... sadly he was defeated rather quickly and quite handily. SO... My second choice was Michelle Bauchman. I love that woman; she is not afraid to say what needs to be said when it should be said... Sadly, she was also defeated rather quikly. Well, you know what they say- the third time's a charm, so I went with Sen. Rick Santorum... only to be disappointed at his lack of finishing big. well, I guess he did come in second...
One thing is for certain, my very last choice was Mitt Romney. A guy who came across as a moderate establishment candidate. A guy who was carrying an awful big chain around his neck with bling attached to it that plainly read "Romneycare" in the gold glittery letters. A guy who was the poster child for the evil "one percent" that the left was going nutso about. Yeah... that guy. I hate to say, but I was more excited to bob for dead fish in a barrel than to vote for Romney.
I was firm in my convictions, refusing to acknowledge him as a viable candidate. When it became clear that he would be our nominee I entered a state of political depression, preparing my mind for another Obama victory. Visions of the end of America floated through my head. I was beginning to accept the premise of doom.
You see, I understand that the America I grew up with, the America that I had known and loved since I was a small child, is in critical condition. She is laying in the ICU room for nations, on life support. The prognosis is dim. Hope is not lost- but those with any logic know it might as well be. Her light is fading from her eyes, and her torch is but an ember. She has been beaten down by an administration that promised hope and change, and instead gave us no hope and a beating with chains. That once great Lady Liberty, crippled at the hands of her leader. Her people made to believe that American exceptionalism was a demonic plague. Her people assured that to believe in America as the last great hope, that city on a hill for all other nations to look to, was nothing more than a corrupt dream worthy of being abandoned on the trash heap of unfairness. No, we were told, it is time to look beyond what was and accept a new reality- that America needs to be brought to her knees, brought to a place where all the other nations can see eye to eye with her. Eye to eye, that is, as she looks up- at them.
That America, that once was great, that was the beacon of hope to all the world, had had it's beacon of hope extinguished by a leader who promised hope. Oh, how I look back to my youth, back to the America I grew up in, longing for her to pull through, to stand back up lifting high the notion that ALL men are created equal, that ALL men have the right to life and liberty, that ALL men can be free to pursue their dreams and reach as far as they are able, that ALL men through hard work, blood, sweat and tears can one day reach their dreams- and more importantly, that they can impact their neighborhood, their city, their state, their country, their world- that we are more than just a number, a nameless peasant...
I WANT that America back.
I WANT a better future for my children and grandchildren.
But I don't see that. I don't see anything but Lady Liberty taking her last dying breath under this administration.
That is where I was. That is what I saw. I had no faith in the possibility of a victory for conservatism.
But then... I watched something unfold. It was called hope. Not a glittery hope, not honey-like words spoken from the lips of a seducer in chief. No, there was something else here. It was hope spoken from a man once held in sway by the liberal left. It was hope spoken from a woman reflecting on being that little girl refused hamburgers at the local gathering because of her skin color, later elevated to Secretary of State. It was hope spoken from a man whose family immigrated from communist Cuba, whose father and mother poured sweat- not for their dreams, but for the dreams of their son. It was hope spoken from a man who assured us that it is ok- no, not just ok but the right thing to do to believe in America again!
The reminder that WE are the employers, and that this president has been no more effective than an empty chair flooded through my mind- and I pray yours. The reminder that THIS president, who PROMISED to slow the rise of the waters and to heal the lands SADLY FORGOT the millions of Americans without work, without food, losing homes, losing dreams, losing the very hope that they were promised. Most importantly, we were reminded that IT IS NEVER too late to HOPE for TRUE HOPE. It is never too late for Lady Liberty to rise up again. It is NEVER TOO LATE for OUR America to stand up and once again be that beacon of hope, that symbol of liberty that shines forth from sea to shining sea!
YES! America can be restored! There IS hope! Where there is truth, there is hope! Where there is faith, there can be victory! Where there are people who are willing to stand and fight for her, there is liberty!
My friends, NOW is our time. They had their time, those who would see America weak and defeated. But NOW is OUR time to rise! NOW is our time to say, that we are TIRED of more people out of work, we are TIRED of more people hurting, we are TIRED of more debt, we are TIRED of the right to life being trampled, we are TIRED of the right to liberty being stolen, and we are TIRED of a government that has gone TOO FAR!
Four years ago, God gace us the exact leader we asked for. But now it is time that we recognize our wrongs. Now is the time we get down on our knees, and go to Almighty God, admitting that we were wrong. Now is the time that we seek His help once again, then rise to our feet, and claim the idea of America, the idea of freedom, the idea of liberty that burns in our minds, our hearts, our souls again!!! LET US go forth from this day forward and fire those responsible for trashing our Constitution, fire those who have attempted to enslave us to their socialist views, and TAKE AMERICA BACK FROM THEIR HANDS AND BACK IN THE HANDS OF THEIR EMPLOYERS- WE! THE! PEOPLE!!!!
What do you say? Are you willing to stand? Are you willing to be a voice of reason in this time of insanity? Because my friends, the time is now, you are the voice that will restore hope, and your voice was never more needed than NOW!!!
Gov. Rick Perry was my first choice for the republican nominee for president in 2012. That guy, in my humble opinion, is a rock star governor not afraid to live his faith. But... sadly he was defeated rather quickly and quite handily. SO... My second choice was Michelle Bauchman. I love that woman; she is not afraid to say what needs to be said when it should be said... Sadly, she was also defeated rather quikly. Well, you know what they say- the third time's a charm, so I went with Sen. Rick Santorum... only to be disappointed at his lack of finishing big. well, I guess he did come in second...
One thing is for certain, my very last choice was Mitt Romney. A guy who came across as a moderate establishment candidate. A guy who was carrying an awful big chain around his neck with bling attached to it that plainly read "Romneycare" in the gold glittery letters. A guy who was the poster child for the evil "one percent" that the left was going nutso about. Yeah... that guy. I hate to say, but I was more excited to bob for dead fish in a barrel than to vote for Romney.
I was firm in my convictions, refusing to acknowledge him as a viable candidate. When it became clear that he would be our nominee I entered a state of political depression, preparing my mind for another Obama victory. Visions of the end of America floated through my head. I was beginning to accept the premise of doom.
You see, I understand that the America I grew up with, the America that I had known and loved since I was a small child, is in critical condition. She is laying in the ICU room for nations, on life support. The prognosis is dim. Hope is not lost- but those with any logic know it might as well be. Her light is fading from her eyes, and her torch is but an ember. She has been beaten down by an administration that promised hope and change, and instead gave us no hope and a beating with chains. That once great Lady Liberty, crippled at the hands of her leader. Her people made to believe that American exceptionalism was a demonic plague. Her people assured that to believe in America as the last great hope, that city on a hill for all other nations to look to, was nothing more than a corrupt dream worthy of being abandoned on the trash heap of unfairness. No, we were told, it is time to look beyond what was and accept a new reality- that America needs to be brought to her knees, brought to a place where all the other nations can see eye to eye with her. Eye to eye, that is, as she looks up- at them.
That America, that once was great, that was the beacon of hope to all the world, had had it's beacon of hope extinguished by a leader who promised hope. Oh, how I look back to my youth, back to the America I grew up in, longing for her to pull through, to stand back up lifting high the notion that ALL men are created equal, that ALL men have the right to life and liberty, that ALL men can be free to pursue their dreams and reach as far as they are able, that ALL men through hard work, blood, sweat and tears can one day reach their dreams- and more importantly, that they can impact their neighborhood, their city, their state, their country, their world- that we are more than just a number, a nameless peasant...
I WANT that America back.
I WANT a better future for my children and grandchildren.
But I don't see that. I don't see anything but Lady Liberty taking her last dying breath under this administration.
That is where I was. That is what I saw. I had no faith in the possibility of a victory for conservatism.
But then... I watched something unfold. It was called hope. Not a glittery hope, not honey-like words spoken from the lips of a seducer in chief. No, there was something else here. It was hope spoken from a man once held in sway by the liberal left. It was hope spoken from a woman reflecting on being that little girl refused hamburgers at the local gathering because of her skin color, later elevated to Secretary of State. It was hope spoken from a man whose family immigrated from communist Cuba, whose father and mother poured sweat- not for their dreams, but for the dreams of their son. It was hope spoken from a man who assured us that it is ok- no, not just ok but the right thing to do to believe in America again!
The reminder that WE are the employers, and that this president has been no more effective than an empty chair flooded through my mind- and I pray yours. The reminder that THIS president, who PROMISED to slow the rise of the waters and to heal the lands SADLY FORGOT the millions of Americans without work, without food, losing homes, losing dreams, losing the very hope that they were promised. Most importantly, we were reminded that IT IS NEVER too late to HOPE for TRUE HOPE. It is never too late for Lady Liberty to rise up again. It is NEVER TOO LATE for OUR America to stand up and once again be that beacon of hope, that symbol of liberty that shines forth from sea to shining sea!
YES! America can be restored! There IS hope! Where there is truth, there is hope! Where there is faith, there can be victory! Where there are people who are willing to stand and fight for her, there is liberty!
My friends, NOW is our time. They had their time, those who would see America weak and defeated. But NOW is OUR time to rise! NOW is our time to say, that we are TIRED of more people out of work, we are TIRED of more people hurting, we are TIRED of more debt, we are TIRED of the right to life being trampled, we are TIRED of the right to liberty being stolen, and we are TIRED of a government that has gone TOO FAR!
Four years ago, God gace us the exact leader we asked for. But now it is time that we recognize our wrongs. Now is the time we get down on our knees, and go to Almighty God, admitting that we were wrong. Now is the time that we seek His help once again, then rise to our feet, and claim the idea of America, the idea of freedom, the idea of liberty that burns in our minds, our hearts, our souls again!!! LET US go forth from this day forward and fire those responsible for trashing our Constitution, fire those who have attempted to enslave us to their socialist views, and TAKE AMERICA BACK FROM THEIR HANDS AND BACK IN THE HANDS OF THEIR EMPLOYERS- WE! THE! PEOPLE!!!!
What do you say? Are you willing to stand? Are you willing to be a voice of reason in this time of insanity? Because my friends, the time is now, you are the voice that will restore hope, and your voice was never more needed than NOW!!!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
My Destiny, Part Three: Rebirth
...until out of the corner of my eye I see- a light. Just a tiny hole poking through the darkness at first. But within mere moments I not only see, but am enveloped completely by it, overwhelmed by it. There is not even the smallest trace of darkness anymore. It has vanished so quickly that for a moment I wonder if it was even here. And then it is but a fading memory...
A breeze passes over me, and suddenly I feel lifted with new strength. It is not my own, no mistaking that. My body still feels as though it is made of sand, inconsistant with no ability to hold structure on it's own. Yet this strength holds me together, lifting me to my feet. New found freedom washes over me. Love infuses me. Life takes hold of me. Life...
It is then that I notice something laying at my feet. I look down and find a shell where only minutes ago I lay broken. It looks like me... Or, what was me. The twisted form of myself that had become gnarled from disease. Is it any wonder I could even move, I ask myself? Or were my previous movements just an illusion from the mind of a paralyzed man? What exactly is happening to me?
It is then that I see a lamb, as though it had been slain, yet living in all might and power. It is the very God I had cried out to, the very God whom seemed so very far away, standing not above me, but beside me, holding me up. It is then I realize that this new strength is His. He has taken the darkness from me. I do not have to ask, for the answer is already there- it was He who paid the price for my life. He had ransomed me with His very blood. Then in His power, He took my old self, that broken blackened creature of the night that I was, and changed it.
I am a new creation.
This is my destiny.
I have done many wrongs, hurt God and others, in a life that was a suicide mission. But no more. Now God has set me on a new path; a path of peace though we are in a war, a path of love though we are surrounded by hate, a path of hope despite being surrounded by hopelessness. This is the great adventure. I do not know what lies ahead of my feet. I am so blinded by the Light that it is all I can see- but it is that the Light, the Light of Christ, that I shall follow- no matter where it leads.
I am redeemed.
I am restored.
I am reborn.
The Lord Jesus Christ has came to my aid. The Son of God has taken my place in judgement where I should have stood. He saw my frailty, my weakness, my disease. When all others cringed from me, when all others ran from me, when there was no hope in any other name under Heaven- he ran to me, and purchased the rights to my soul with His very blood. He resurrected my dead soul just as He was resurrected from the grave. He is the Light that I will follow until the end of eternity- and beyond.
This has been my story, from beginning to end. Sometimes I forget myself, and I look back for that shell of a creature I once was. But I never can see it. Oh yes, sometimes my eyes do start to adjust to the darkness again. But they never fully adjust, and I stumble and fall to my knees where the Lamb lifts me up and surrounds me with His love and His light again.
Yes, this has been my story. But my question to you is, is it not your story too? For my brothers and sisters in Christ, do you remember the time when He came to your rescue? Or have you forgotten the joy His love brings? Stop looking back at your past. Turn yourself back around, focus only on Him. Your past is dead and gone, a distant memory cast into the sea of forgetfulness, cast as far from you as the east is from the west. It is forgotten by God... Why don't you forget it too?
As for those of you who may read this, who are still in that miry pit... There is only one way out my friend. There is only one way to freedom. You can remain in that pit, broken, twisted, dying... But there is another destiny that awaits. A destiny not of regret, not of hopelessness, not of hate. It is a destiny of peace, love, hope, redemption...
Your adventure awaits...
Well? What are you waiting for?
A breeze passes over me, and suddenly I feel lifted with new strength. It is not my own, no mistaking that. My body still feels as though it is made of sand, inconsistant with no ability to hold structure on it's own. Yet this strength holds me together, lifting me to my feet. New found freedom washes over me. Love infuses me. Life takes hold of me. Life...
It is then that I notice something laying at my feet. I look down and find a shell where only minutes ago I lay broken. It looks like me... Or, what was me. The twisted form of myself that had become gnarled from disease. Is it any wonder I could even move, I ask myself? Or were my previous movements just an illusion from the mind of a paralyzed man? What exactly is happening to me?
It is then that I see a lamb, as though it had been slain, yet living in all might and power. It is the very God I had cried out to, the very God whom seemed so very far away, standing not above me, but beside me, holding me up. It is then I realize that this new strength is His. He has taken the darkness from me. I do not have to ask, for the answer is already there- it was He who paid the price for my life. He had ransomed me with His very blood. Then in His power, He took my old self, that broken blackened creature of the night that I was, and changed it.
I am a new creation.
This is my destiny.
I have done many wrongs, hurt God and others, in a life that was a suicide mission. But no more. Now God has set me on a new path; a path of peace though we are in a war, a path of love though we are surrounded by hate, a path of hope despite being surrounded by hopelessness. This is the great adventure. I do not know what lies ahead of my feet. I am so blinded by the Light that it is all I can see- but it is that the Light, the Light of Christ, that I shall follow- no matter where it leads.
I am redeemed.
I am restored.
I am reborn.
The Lord Jesus Christ has came to my aid. The Son of God has taken my place in judgement where I should have stood. He saw my frailty, my weakness, my disease. When all others cringed from me, when all others ran from me, when there was no hope in any other name under Heaven- he ran to me, and purchased the rights to my soul with His very blood. He resurrected my dead soul just as He was resurrected from the grave. He is the Light that I will follow until the end of eternity- and beyond.
This has been my story, from beginning to end. Sometimes I forget myself, and I look back for that shell of a creature I once was. But I never can see it. Oh yes, sometimes my eyes do start to adjust to the darkness again. But they never fully adjust, and I stumble and fall to my knees where the Lamb lifts me up and surrounds me with His love and His light again.
Yes, this has been my story. But my question to you is, is it not your story too? For my brothers and sisters in Christ, do you remember the time when He came to your rescue? Or have you forgotten the joy His love brings? Stop looking back at your past. Turn yourself back around, focus only on Him. Your past is dead and gone, a distant memory cast into the sea of forgetfulness, cast as far from you as the east is from the west. It is forgotten by God... Why don't you forget it too?
As for those of you who may read this, who are still in that miry pit... There is only one way out my friend. There is only one way to freedom. You can remain in that pit, broken, twisted, dying... But there is another destiny that awaits. A destiny not of regret, not of hopelessness, not of hate. It is a destiny of peace, love, hope, redemption...
Your adventure awaits...
Well? What are you waiting for?
Saturday, August 25, 2012
My Destiny, Part Two: 1000 Apologies
...And it is in this darkness that I somehow muster the strength for a feeble cry... it barely escapes my lips, the smallest of voices in my mind and ears... and yet it echoes in the darkness, as if off of unseen walls in the black, growing louder, louder still until it becomes deafening... help! I cry, as I realize I can no longer move on my own. My spiritual state has struck me down, a sword to the heart, and left me for dead. But somehow I still manage breath. I choke out the whispered apologies...
I have so many to make. I have wasted so much time, precious time given by God... I have committed spiritual treason against myself, my family, my friends... Despite my own efforts, despite my own thoughts of myself I have become the hypocrite, the pharisee, the whitewashed tomb full of dead men's bones... So many apologies... Where to begin?
Where do you begin when you have 1000 apologies to make, apologies that are just words, that can never change the past, that can never mend the damage done, that can never erase the scars... Scars given to others, and to myself. If words can never hurt- then they can never heal. They are just empty expressions, void of meaning. Yet these empty expressions are all I have left in me. It is all my strength to put down my pride and admit I was wrong. It takes every muscle in my body to form the words, I repent. I commission these words with prayer, hoping that He will give meaning to the only thing I have left to give.
My reality lies in the fact that I cannot escape my destiny in my own strength. My reality is that I cannot rescue myself. As my life plays out before me, my reality is that it was not I that ever did anything good... nor was it I that had the strength to whisper my apologies, my repentance.
Repentance... Is it real? Do I have any capability to turn from this disease infected self that I am? Do I have any capability to not just apologize but to make a lifestyle change so radical that it is though I am a new creation? Will my apologies, barren and empty yet from the depths of my soul, will they mean anything?
All I can do is ponder these questions. They echo through my skull, driving me mad with hopelessness, until out of the corner of my eye I see...
...to be continued...
I have so many to make. I have wasted so much time, precious time given by God... I have committed spiritual treason against myself, my family, my friends... Despite my own efforts, despite my own thoughts of myself I have become the hypocrite, the pharisee, the whitewashed tomb full of dead men's bones... So many apologies... Where to begin?
Where do you begin when you have 1000 apologies to make, apologies that are just words, that can never change the past, that can never mend the damage done, that can never erase the scars... Scars given to others, and to myself. If words can never hurt- then they can never heal. They are just empty expressions, void of meaning. Yet these empty expressions are all I have left in me. It is all my strength to put down my pride and admit I was wrong. It takes every muscle in my body to form the words, I repent. I commission these words with prayer, hoping that He will give meaning to the only thing I have left to give.
My reality lies in the fact that I cannot escape my destiny in my own strength. My reality is that I cannot rescue myself. As my life plays out before me, my reality is that it was not I that ever did anything good... nor was it I that had the strength to whisper my apologies, my repentance.
Repentance... Is it real? Do I have any capability to turn from this disease infected self that I am? Do I have any capability to not just apologize but to make a lifestyle change so radical that it is though I am a new creation? Will my apologies, barren and empty yet from the depths of my soul, will they mean anything?
All I can do is ponder these questions. They echo through my skull, driving me mad with hopelessness, until out of the corner of my eye I see...
...to be continued...
Friday, August 24, 2012
My Destiny, Part One: Godforsaken by Law
I HAVE been called many things in my life. There is no denying that. Some has been justified, some- not so much. Some has been hurtful, some- not so much. I have been called hateful; and I have been called too loving. I have been accused of being a mocker of God's Word; and I have been called someone who takes God's Word too seriously. I have been called someone who caused division because I don't always agree with people; and I have been called a person who tries too hard to bring people together. I have been labeled a hypocrite; and I have been hailed as a saint... OK, maybe not literally on that last part, but you get the idea... :)
Yes, I have been called many things, have been many faces to many people... But the real question is what am I when all the masks break away, when the different perceptions are gone, when I am stripped bare to face the throne of God... When I am face down to the King of Kings, about to be judged by His law...
By His law... I am someone who has held other gods- including myself- before Him. I am an idolator. I have taken His Name in vain, both literrally and figuratively. I have mocked Him and His Word. Instead of being at rest and peace with Him, I have waged war against Him in my heart. I have disrespected my parents- indeed, the very gift of life itself. I have hated my brother, secretly killing him in my heart. I have lusted... the very sin of adultery in the shadows of my mind. I have stolen! Things that were never meant to be mine, clutched tightly in my hands... I have lied about my neighbor... and my neighbor's neighbor... And the guy down the street... And the girl 4 houses over... Oh the stories I have told about them... And why not? After all, THEY get all the good stuff- the nice car that should be mine; the huge house that I should be living in...
Hypocrite.
I admit it.
By His law, His holy Word, all of my good is stripped bare. I am exposed before Him and before all for what I am. I am an unclean thing. ALL of my righteousness is as filthy rags. I am dirty, disgusting, grimy, putrid. What is there in me to be proud of? What good in my life can I point to? What love in my life, what light in my soul?
I am hypocrite. Nothing more, nothing less. All of those hurtful things that have been spoken of me... are all true. I cannot deny them. Every accusation- though I would flee from them, to run away and burrow away hiding from them, they hunt me down and devour me because they are truth.
I am nothing. There is no good, no lovely thing about me.
I am Godforsaken, for He cannot look upon sin- and I am sin.
Now that the mask has deteriorated into dust I see for myself who I am. How I long to be able to go back in time, to change choices I have made, to undo wrongs and make them right...
But it is like the poet once said,
"I made a choice that I regret,
Now what I see is what I get
It's too late to look back
I've got no way to switchback."
No way to switchback. No way to undo. No way no how no help. The only thing before me now is to face what I have become, to face this unmasked creature from within, to take the sword and slay the dragon that I have allowed to consume my soul! But... there is just one problem. I do not have the strength of one man, let alone ten thousand. My attempt to reach for a sword falls flat; I cannot even lift a finger. This new sight has caused me to collapse as though dead on the ground, to be surrounded by darkness.
And it is in this darkness that I...
...to be continued...
Yes, I have been called many things, have been many faces to many people... But the real question is what am I when all the masks break away, when the different perceptions are gone, when I am stripped bare to face the throne of God... When I am face down to the King of Kings, about to be judged by His law...
By His law... I am someone who has held other gods- including myself- before Him. I am an idolator. I have taken His Name in vain, both literrally and figuratively. I have mocked Him and His Word. Instead of being at rest and peace with Him, I have waged war against Him in my heart. I have disrespected my parents- indeed, the very gift of life itself. I have hated my brother, secretly killing him in my heart. I have lusted... the very sin of adultery in the shadows of my mind. I have stolen! Things that were never meant to be mine, clutched tightly in my hands... I have lied about my neighbor... and my neighbor's neighbor... And the guy down the street... And the girl 4 houses over... Oh the stories I have told about them... And why not? After all, THEY get all the good stuff- the nice car that should be mine; the huge house that I should be living in...
Hypocrite.
I admit it.
By His law, His holy Word, all of my good is stripped bare. I am exposed before Him and before all for what I am. I am an unclean thing. ALL of my righteousness is as filthy rags. I am dirty, disgusting, grimy, putrid. What is there in me to be proud of? What good in my life can I point to? What love in my life, what light in my soul?
I am hypocrite. Nothing more, nothing less. All of those hurtful things that have been spoken of me... are all true. I cannot deny them. Every accusation- though I would flee from them, to run away and burrow away hiding from them, they hunt me down and devour me because they are truth.
I am nothing. There is no good, no lovely thing about me.
I am Godforsaken, for He cannot look upon sin- and I am sin.
Now that the mask has deteriorated into dust I see for myself who I am. How I long to be able to go back in time, to change choices I have made, to undo wrongs and make them right...
But it is like the poet once said,
"I made a choice that I regret,
Now what I see is what I get
It's too late to look back
I've got no way to switchback."
No way to switchback. No way to undo. No way no how no help. The only thing before me now is to face what I have become, to face this unmasked creature from within, to take the sword and slay the dragon that I have allowed to consume my soul! But... there is just one problem. I do not have the strength of one man, let alone ten thousand. My attempt to reach for a sword falls flat; I cannot even lift a finger. This new sight has caused me to collapse as though dead on the ground, to be surrounded by darkness.
And it is in this darkness that I...
...to be continued...
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