Passion and Politics

 PASSION AND POLITICS

“Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” - John 18:36

I strongly dislike politics. Politics is a dirty business. It seems like candidates for these positions will do nearly anything to get elected. They will lie, cheat, rob and probably even kill to get elected. It seems like a person will sell his own soul to get ahead in the political arena. As a result, common sense is no longer part of our election cycle. Politicians are often selfish, mean and arrogant. Yes, I strongly dislike politics and many politicians.

I admit that I have strong political opinions, but I have little confidence in the politicians who seek my vote. I often vote reluctantly. I feel the need to express my opinions at the voting booth, but my vote for a candidate does not necessarily mean that I am blind to that person's faults, flaws and failures. In years gone by, a small scandal would end a man's political career. These days, the bar is so low that anyone can get elected regardless of whether they are inexperienced, inept or wicked to the core. We are living in scary times!

In the past several years, I've noticed how vocal people are about their political views. The passion displayed for a candidate or political party is amazing to me. What bothers me is the fact that most “believers” are far more passionate and vocal about their politics than they are about Jesus. People will drive long miles to hear a political speech, but won't drive across town to hear a sermon about Jesus. Folks will fill a stadium or an arena to catch a glimpse of a political candidate, but will stay away from church if the parking lot is getting full. Many will be stirred by a long winded political speech, but will complain if a sermon runs a little long.

I have strong political views, but I want my passion for Jesus to far exceed my passion for politics. Whether it is in person or on social media, I want people to know my Savior far more than I want them to know about a politician. The Bible never teaches us that there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels over one who changes their political views. Yet our passionate social media postings often seem to be geared specifically for that goal. It is obvious that this is an inferior goal.

Passion and politics were an issue during the ministry of Jesus. His disciples were expecting the Lord to bring about a political revolution. They expected Him to free them from Roman oppression. They thought that He would ultimately set up a kingdom and reign over it. When He was questioned by Pilate, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”

Even before His ascension, His own disciples asked for a timeline when He would return and set up an earthly kingdom. Jesus refused to give them a timeline. It seems like we've been trying to determine this timeline ourselves. Many prophecy conferences focus on providing a timeline of future events. Instead of giving His disciples a timeline, Jesus challenged them to get busy spreading the Gospel. We would be wise to do the same.

The big issue is not our passion for politics, but our lack of passion for Jesus Christ. I am bothered about the state of country and the awful direction we seem to be going. I am frustrated that the Christian voice is being silenced while ungodly, wicked people spread their venomous message of sin. I am troubled that children are growing up in an anti-Christian country. Persecution is just around the corner. Lunacy has replaced common sense. Many years ago, Lester Roloff said, "America is an insane asylum run by the inmates.” This is more true today than when he said it. Yes, all of this bothers me deeply.

Yet we have the answer that America needs. Shouldn't we be passionate about the good news? Shouldn't we be excited to share that our Redeemer lives? Shouldn't we pray for God to use us to penetrate this world of darkness with the light of His Gospel? Shouldn't we be thrilled that He may return at any moment?

Our lack of spiritual passion indicates that the world is having more impact on us than we are on the world. The American church is in dire need of revival. Our nation needs a mighty spiritual awakening. Souls need to be saved. This won't be accomplished through political means. Only the Lord can accomplish this. Only He can transform lives. Only God can bring prodigals home. Only the Lord can restore marriages and reunite families. Our mighty King is the only One who can bring deliverance to those addicted to drugs. God is the only One who can raise up a generation of young people who are sold out to Jesus and make a positive impact in this world.

I am praying that He will do all of this throughout our country. I am confident in His ability to do it. I am trusting Him to change this nation, one person at a time.

That is something to get passionate about!

The Christian And His Country

THE CHRISTIAN AND HIS COUNTRY

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” - Matthew 22:21

I am thankful that I'm an American! Of all the countries of the world, there is not a country I'd prefer to be a citizen of than the United States. When the Olympic games were held recently, I must confess that I had a lump in my throat each time I saw the American flag raised and our nation anthem played at a gold medal ceremony.

At the same time, I get angry and frustrated when I see Americans burn our flag. Many defy the very principles our country was founded on. It is inexcusable for an American citizen to publicly denounce and disgrace his or her own nation. Yes, we may disagree on certain things, but we should not abuse the freedom our nation provides by publicly trashing the United States. If you hate our country, perhaps you should find another one to move to.

While I love our nation, I must confess that I must keep everything in proper perspective. The first time I was born, I was born an American. The second time I was born, I was born a Christian. The United States of America is my natural country. Heaven is my spiritual homeland. The USA is my temporary home. Heaven is my eternal home. I am temporary citizen of America. I am an eternal citizen of heaven.

It is easy to emphasize the temporal, to the neglect of the eternal. I have affection for my country and have allegiance to her. Yet my greatest love should be for my eternal home. Earthly parents made my first birth possible. God brought about my second birth. Slowly, family members are transitioning from this world to the next. Soon, I will make the same move.

While I enjoy the freedoms America extends to her citizens, it is the freedom I've found in Christ that has made the major difference in my life. It seems like America's freedoms are eroding. The liberty that Christ brings never fades. Many men have shed their blood to make temporary liberty possible in this nation. One Man shed His blood to make eternal freedom possible to those who believe. I owe much to to the soldiers who died for America's freedom. I owe everything to the One who died on the cross for my eternal freedom.

I hope to live the rest of my earthly life here in America. Yet my expectations go far beyond that. My faith looks forward to a better place where I will live forever. My American citizenship will end on the day of my death. My citizenship in heaven will never end. On social media, I describe myself as, “A citizen of heaven, on temporary assignment here on earth.” In a sense, I am a missionary, serving here in America. Soon, my mission will end and I will be called home.

Although I love my country, I must confess that I am troubled that some seem to have elevated their love of country to equal or exceed their love for Jesus. It is possible to turn patriotism into idolatry. Some seem to treat our nation's Constitution to be as important as the Bible. The Constitution is a great document, but the Bible is God's inerrant, eternal Word. The Constitution will cease to exist some day, but the Word of God will abide forever.

Jesus taught us, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God ...” This is our top priority. Furthermore, He taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” We are to seek the increase of His kingdom. We can be guilty of seeking our nation's increase more than His kingdom's increase. While we seek to make our nation better, our primary allegiance should be toward His kingdom.

Jesus said, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” Back then, people hated to render anything to Caesar. In our day, people have no problem rendering to Caesar … we just resist rendering unto God.

As citizens of the United States, we should pay our taxes, vote and seek the best for our neighborhoods. As citizens of heaven, we should worship God, proclaim the Gospel and help those in need.

The United States of America is the best country on this planet. Yet it is not heaven. Although we pledge allegiance to the American flag, our ultimate allegiance is to be to Jesus Christ and His kingdom.

This world is not my home. The older I get, the more I realize that there is something better. For Christians, the best is yet to come. So let's celebrate our nation's freedom, honor our soldiers and respect the flag. Yet let's never forget that America is not heaven. The Declaration of Independence is not the Bible. The occupant of the White House is not God.

Love your country, but worship the Lord.

Praying With Faith

PRAYING WITH FAITH

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” - James 1:6

If you order something from a shopping channel, it isn't unreasonable to expect a package in a few days. When you order a cheeseburger at a McDonald's drive thru, you expect it to be ready by the time you reach the checkout window. When you leave a voicemail for a friend, you anticipate a return call.

However, do you expect any results when you pray? When you ask for things in prayer, do you really expect an answer? You see, it is one thing to pray, it is another thing to pray with faith. So many treat prayer like a wishing well, they throw their request in, hoping for an answer, but not really expecting one.

Faithless prayers cast doubt on the integrity of God. If we pray without faith, it reveals that we have little or no confidence that God hears and answers prayer. Yet shouldn't we believe God's promises about prayer? Hasn't He promised to hear and answer our prayers? Why don't we believe Him?

Most believers claim to believe that God hears and answers their prayers, but there seems to be a huge gap between theory and practice. In theory, they believe God answers prayers, but in daily practice, this kind of faith seems to be absent from their lives.

James wrote, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” James teaches us to pray with faith, but also note his word to those who pray without faith: “... let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” In other words, faithless prayers bring about fruitless results.

This may explain the lukewarm nature of many believers. After conversion, we prayed with faith and God did exciting things in response. Yet over time, our faith has been clouded by our daily routine, disappointments and trials. At one point, faith was like a mighty inferno, but now it is only embers.

Part of the problem lies in the fact that we moved our trust away from God and placed it on our prayer. Our faith should never be in our prayers, but instead, our confidence should be in the One we are praying to.

While we may be impressed with long prayers, God is not. John Bunyan once wrote, “In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” God wants us to approach Him with faith. Hebrews 10:22 says, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” Let's heed the words of Jesus from Mark 11:22-24: “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

Prayer is more than a spiritual discipline. It is the Christian's privilege to speak directly with God. He has invited us to come to the throne and speak with Him. When we pray, it is a time when we commune with Almighty God.

When we pray, we must come to Him by faith. The book of Hebrews teaches us, “... for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Notice two things in this verse. When we come to Him, we must believe that He is. We aren't wasting our breath or our words when we pray, because He does exist. Secondly, we are taught that we must believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. The Bible teaches us to pray with that kind of faith.

Are we diligently seeking Him? Do we believe that we'll be rewarded for this effort? It is one thing to seek His blessings, but are we seeking Him?

One of the problems we face is to pray based on emotions, rather than praying by faith. We are emotional people, but our emotions can easily beguile us. Although we may pray with great emotions at times, we should still pray when our emotions are dormant. If you only pray when you have an emotional “high,” you won't pray very often. God doesn't expect us to pray only when we “feel like it.” We pray with faith, not by emotions. Faith sees past the changing emotions and visualizes the One on the throne. We approach Him with dependence, relying on Him for help, trusting that He will hear and answer our prayers.

We can only come to the Father through the Son. We approach the throne of grace based on the merits of Jesus Christ. In His Name, we have access to the Father. Our faith in Christ is the key to a fruitful prayer-life.

By faith, let us come to the throne of grace today!

 

Thy Will Be Done

THY WILL BE DONE

“After this manner therefore pray ye … Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” - Matthew 6:9-10

In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus gave us a model prayer that many erroneously refer to as The Lord's Prayer. It isn't His prayer, it is the prayer that He taught to His followers. In that prayer, we find something that we tend to omit from our prayers. Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Do we really pray for God's will to be done?

Before His arrest, Jesus went to the garden and prayed. The weight of the world seemed to be on His shoulders. Realizing the extremely painful hours that awaited Him, Jesus prayed, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Notice the tagline of His prayer: “... nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” In other words, He prayed, “Not my will, but thine be done.”

It is one thing to say those words in a prayer, it is another thing to really mean them. Jesus faced the greatest agony possible with the realization that this was the Father's will for Him.

If we were honest, most of our prayers are more like this: “Not Your will but mine be done.” We spend a great deal of time in prayer trying to convince God to do things our way. We think that if we can inform Him of a situation, surely He'll respond the way we wish. Or if we can convince Him of the need, He will see things our way. Of course, He knows the situation better than we do. He knows the need far better than we can describe it.

Most of the time, we don't pray, “Thy will be done,” because we're afraid where His will could lead us. When a loved one is sick, or finances are dwindling, we pray for God to change His will to match ours. We're afraid His will may lead us to grief, pain or loss. Honestly, sometimes His will does lead us in valleys and through deep waters. We want to avoid them at all costs.

Yet we must confess that our greatest growth as Christians have come through adversity, not during easy times. We've grown closer to God when problems and pain have come our way, not during the good times.

The fact is that we are afraid to fully surrender to God and His will. When we sign a contract, we tend to read every word carefully before signing. True surrender is signing the bottom of an empty page and telling God that He can fill in the contract as He wishes. Whatever He wants is fine with us. Most of us are unwilling to do this on a daily basis. We'd prefer to read the contract and have the power to mark out the things we don't like. We want veto power. Of course, this is not total surrender. If we were honest, we'd have to confess that we want our will to be done rather than His.

I've heard many preachers say that God will never force us to do anything we don't want to do. Jonah would testify otherwise. He didn't want to preach at Nineveh. When he finally did go there, his heart wasn't really in it. I have to shamefully admit that there have been times I've done God's will, but did so kicking and screaming all the way. Each time, I was reminded afterwards that His will was much better than what I wanted to do.

Real faith is signing a blank contract daily and telling God to fill it out as He wishes. Can't we trust Him with the day ahead? If we can trust Him with our eternal future, can't we trust Him with the unseen path ahead of us? Faith is more than just believing that God exists. Faith is trusting Him for all things, taking Him at His Word and relying on Him for everything. It takes strong faith to say, “Not my will, but thine be done.” That is the kind of faith He is looking for.

I have to admit that this isn't easy. Our goals, dreams and aspirations can get in the way. Our sinful flesh wishes to be satisfied at all times. Our pride wishes to point the spotlight on us rather than the Lord. It is a daily battle.

It is wrong for us to be suspicious of God's will. To be wary of God's will is to mistrust God. It is wrong to think that God is trying to harm us or mistreat us. There are glorious blessings that can only be enjoyed as we live and walk in His will. At the same time, His will may lead us in dark areas. It may lead to persecution, pain or problems. Yet through it all, He is with us and promises us a glorious future with Him.

Why are we afraid of the will of God? It is better to walk through valleys with the Lord than to dwell on mountain peaks without Him. Where He leads will be better than any destination we may plan. If required, it is better to suffer in the will of God than to thrive outside of it. In His will, everything works together for our good. So trust Him today. Yield to Him in full surrender.

Today, let's pray as we are taught: “Thy will be done.”

Why Pray?

 WHY PRAY?

“... your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” - Matthew 6:8

When our Lord taught about prayer in Matthew chapter 6, Jesus said, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”

Notice that last sentence, “... your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” This verse reinforces our belief that God is omniscient. He knows all things. He knows our situation far better than we can explain it in prayer. Yet this fact causes some to ask, if God already knows our needs, why should we pray? What is the point in praying if God already knows our situation and the matters that trouble our heart?

Why pray? That is a fair question. I believe that there are three or four good reasons why Christians should pray.

First of all, we should pray because God commands it. Our Lord instructs us to pray. We are encouraged to pray. The Bible teaches us to pray. If there is no other reason than this one, it should be enough to motivate us to pray. Even though God knows what we need before we even ask, we should realize that He does not feel it is an inconvenience or an interruption when we share these burdens with Him. With all the critical situations that exist in our world, our Lord still welcomes His children in His presence. We should pray because God commands us to.

Secondly, we should pray because we need to. We have a need to get alone with God and express our cares and concerns with Him. Sometimes it is a relief just to have Someone to share our burdens with. There are some burdens that we carry far too long. We need to bring our burdens to the Lord and leave them there. As Christians, we must confess that there have been times we have felt so much better after a season of prayer. We've needed the time of confession, vulnerability and honesty. It has brought relief as we have poured out our heart and soul before the Lord. We exercise our faith as we bring our concerns to Him. In prayer, we entrust God with the overwhelming challenges that we face. Furthermore, many of us can testify how He has answered many prayers in the past. We should pray because we need to.

Also, we need to pray because others need us to. Many people around us face problems and challenges we can't help with. Yet there is one thing we can do for them … we can pray. Prayer is a means of showing our love and support to others. Although much of our praying is done in secret, it is still an effective weapon in the spiritual warfare going on around us. We need the prayers of others and they need our prayers, too.

Finally, we should pray because certain blessings are contingent upon it. God hears and answers when we pray. As we read the Bible, it becomes obvious that certain blessings are reserved for those who pray. In fact, James addressed this in his epistle when he wrote, “You have not because you ask not.” Although God is omniscient and sovereign, He has chosen to reserve certain blessings for those who simply ask Him in faith. Why can't that be you?

God hears and answers prayers. Praying is not a waste of time or energy. There was no one who needed to pray less than Jesus. Yet Jesus gave Himself to prayer. Jesus had busy days when people would crowd around Him, expecting miracles. Yet there were times He would get away from the crowd and spend extended periods of time talking with His Father. Let's follow His lead. We need to spend quality time talking with the Father ourselves.

Instead of asking, “Why Pray?” perhaps we should be asking, “Why aren't we praying?” The least attended church service tends to be the prayer meeting. While most Christians claim to believe in prayer, it seems to remain such a low priority for many.

If there has ever been a time when believers need to pray, it is right now. We are living at a critical moment in time. Much is hanging in the balance. The future of our country, the direction of the Church, the plight of souls are among the many vital issues facing us.

Let us pray!

A Call To Prayer

A CALL TO PRAYER

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” - Jeremiah 33:3

If there has ever been a time when Christians need to pray, it is right now. While most Christians believe that prayer is important, we tend to neglect this vital discipline. It is easier to busy ourselves with the events of the day than it is to get alone with God and pray.

Yet prayer is never a waste of time. The Puritan, John Bunyan, once wrote, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed. Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to Satan.”

We are living in perilous times. Sin is embraced and celebrated by our society. Righteousness is rejected and scorned. Common sense is no longer common. In fact, it is astonishing at the depth of depravity and ignorance that is common place in our nation. We can't help but shake our heads in disbelief at the extreme that people have gone with their “logic.”

As Christians, we should be preparing for greater degrees of persecution. The level of persecution in America is very light compared to Muslim countries. But we must admit that Christians seem to be the target of increased hostility. Furthermore, we are witnessing apostasy among “Christian” leaders and denominations. In an effort to be “cool,” “relevant,” and “tolerant,” many have embraced the very sins that God plainly condemns.

We are nearing another Presidential election. The future of our nation seems to be hanging by a thread. The news media is overtly biased and refuses to take responsibility for their conduct or the results of their own activity.

What a mess! As an American Christian, I feel as though our nation is like the Titanic, doomed to hit the iceberg of God's judgment.

While I believe strongly that Christians need to unite and boldly stand for the right things and strongly renounce sin and wickedness, I also must admit that our long-term silence has permitted this nation to go down the drain.

While I intend to vote in November, I intend to do something far more important in the mean time. I intend to pray. I call on all believers to pray. Our nation needs our prayers. Our communities need us to pray. Families stand in need of our prayers. Our churches are in dire need of prayer. Lost souls need our prayers.

The prophet was told, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Notice that there are three things in this verse.

First of all, he was commanded to ask. Jeremiah was told to, “Call unto me.” He wasn't told to call on the government or visit a lawyer's office. Instead, he was told to call on God. Why do we use prayer as a last resort? God is available to hear our prayers right now. We are called to pray. Will you heed that call?

Secondly, he was told that God would answer his prayer. God said, “... I will answer thee.” God made Him a promise. I think one reason why people neglect prayer is that they no longer expect answers when they pray. Yet God still hears and answers prayer. Why wait any longer? Pray today!

Finally, God made a second promise. In addition to promising to answer Jeremiah's prayer, He promised to do miraculous things in response to prayer. God promised that He would, “... show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” While we believe that God did miracles in the past, do we believe He can do them today? He has never changed. He is still able to do mighty things. Yet many of these things will happen in response to prayer. Perhaps we aren't seeing many miracles because few people are really praying.

As believers, we need to unite in prayer. We need to pray with greater vigor than ever before. These are desperate times. We need to pray with desperation. We should pray with faith, believing that God is hearing. We should pray with expectation, anticipating an answer from our Lord. We should pray for determination, persevering in spite of the circumstances around us.

Let us pray!

Restoring Worship

RESTORING WORSHIP

“Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.” - Psalm 51:18-19

A. W. Tozer once wrote, “We are saved to worship God. All that Christ has done in the past and all that He is doing now leads to this one end.” As I read about heaven in the Bible, I am convinced that the primary business of heaven is the worship of our Lord.

Don't be confused. Worship is not a boring, stuffy church service. Worship is an act of adoration. Worship is esteeming God as being precious and priceless, great and glorious, majestic and marvelous. Worship occurs when we are captivated with God alone. With a sense of awe and wonder, we concentrate on Him with reverence and piety. When we consider the vast nature of our God, as revealed in the Bible, we are struck with a sense of fear. Yet we also love Him. We prize Him above all things.

While we may express our worship through music, the lifting up of hands, or a response to a sermon, ultimately worship is a matter of the heart. In America, we tend to emphasize the external response of worship to the exclusion of heartfelt worship, which is a mistake.

When David sinned against God, his life of worship wilted away. You cannot worship God and practice idolatry at the same time. David's sin with Bathsheba and Uriah had devastated his life. Psalm 51 was his prayer of repentance, as he sought to have his fellowship with God restored. As he concluded the psalm, David realized that God's forgiveness and restoration would lead him to worship once again. This was something he missed greatly.

I believe that sin is keeping many Christians home on Sunday mornings. Instead of worshiping God with other believers, they are spending the Lord's Day away from their spiritual family. Rather than enjoying God's presence, they are drifting further from the place they should be. Perhaps that describes your situation right now. If so, let me encourage you to get back where you belong. Repent of your sins and get back in church. Get back to worshiping God once again. Don't let the devil deceive you into thinking that there is any substitute for worshiping God.

Personal revival leads to acts of worship. A believer should worship privately and publicly. Let's be active in both areas. God deserves our worship regardless of where we are at.

Also, we need to avoid deception. It is one thing to be enamored flashing lights or lively music at church, it is another thing to captivated by the Lord alone. While it is good to hear a strong, Biblical sermon on Sunday morning, the sermon should lead us to worship God with greater intensity.

Mankind was designed to worship. Sin has twisted this design and has led men to worship nearly everything from trees, to money, to success, to celebrities and even themselves. Everyone is worshiping something or someone. Few are truly worshiping the God of the Bible. As followers of Jesus, it should be our daily goal to worship the Lord alone.

It is easy to get distracted. It is easy to be deceived. Yet we need a revival of worship in America. Personal revival leads to repentance and change. Ultimately, such revival leads to renewed worship.

Our perfect God is worthy of worship. Why waste our time on anything less?