Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple,Ā Spotify, or Audible.Ā
Politics are a reality for anyone who lives under a human government. But Christians need to be cautious that we donāt put more weight on temporal politics than we do on the eternal Kingdom of God.Ā
You can check out the full sermon that this clip came from here.Ā
And Iāve shared quite a bit about praying for those in governmental leadership positions:
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple,Ā Spotify, or Audible.Ā
Much like Jude who had a message he wanted to deliver to the saints, but was compelled by the Holy Spirit to address something concerning him (Jude 3-4), I, too, was excited to deliver the next message in our series on discovering your gifts and then living in your gift zone. But I am deeply concerned about the words and actions of Christian saints during these past election cycles.Ā
I recently heard John Stonestreet say, āCurrently, politics is carrying far more cultural weight than it is able to bear.ā I agree: Christians are putting far too much emphasis on political candidates than the Bible would suggest.Ā
I frequently quote something from Charles Colson that always makes people smile. He said, āSalvation will never arrive in Air Force One.ā The flip side is true as well: Neither will the Apocalypse arrive on Air Force One.Ā
We have to remember that the Most High is sovereign over all the nations of the earth, and He gives them to whom He choose (Daniel 4:25, 32). When we think that our candidate or our party is the only way our nation can be saved, arenāt we elevating the political process above Godās plan?Ā
I hope this doesnāt come as a shock to anyone, but there are no perfect candidates, perfect political parties, nor perfect party platforms. We can study our Bibles, pray, study the candidatesā lifestyle and policies, but ultimately we will have to cast a ballot for an imperfect candidate.Ā
God doesnāt have an āRā or āDā next to His name. He has not endorsed a political candidate. You may be sitting next to someone right now that is going to vote for the opposite political party that you will be voting for. And the way we interact with those peopleāwhether they are fellow Christians or notāis deeply concerning to me.Ā
Moses saw a couple of fellow Israelites fighting each other, and he asked them, āWhy are you hitting your fellow Hebrewā (Exodus 2:13). The Hebrew word rea means a friend who is also a fellow citizen. These Hebrews were citizens of Zion, but they were living in Egypt, and they definitely werenāt treating each other in a way that would be a testimony to the Egyptians.Ā
When Stephen retold this portion of the story in his sermon, he phrased it this way, āMen, you are brothersā (Acts 7:25-26). Stephen used the Greek word adelphos which literally means āfrom the same womb.ā But the Christians used this word to mean brothers and sister in Christāpeople with whom we will spend eternity.Ā
Let us always remember that others who are participating in the American political process are BOTH fellow US citizens AND brothers and sisters in Christ.Ā
In J.R.R. Tolkienās Return of the King, when Gandalf sees fellow citizens and friends at each otherās throats, he exclaims, āWork of the enemy! Such deeds he loves: friend at war with friend, loyalty divided, and confusion of hearts.ā Indeed, the enemy of our souls would love to see the chaos of a nation at war with itself; especially to see Christians at odds with each other.Ā
Paul said, āTherefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,especially to those who belong to the family of believersā (Galatians 6:10). On the flip side, Jesus said that when we think or speak poorly of a fellow human, we are in danger of judgment (Matthew 5:22).Ā
Listen to Paulās appeal to his friends at Philippiā
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 2:1-2, 4:2-3)Ā
The politicians we have are always downstream from culture, which means we have allowed those sorts of politicians to be in place.Ā
John Stonestreet used a phrase I hadnāt heard before, but I think itās appropriate: āChristian political engagement should hit its fever pitch notduring elections. The only way to relieve the political pressures of our day is to build up the pre-political aspects of our life together, especially the family and the Church. When we care well for our children, our neighbors, and our communities, the state doesnāt have to.āĀ How true this is!Ā
I wrote something this summer based on Isaiah 3:4-5. In essence, I wrote that God gives nations the āleadersā they deserve. They are leaders in that they occupy an office, but they donāt lead people nor care for the citizensāthey donāt have wisdom to lead nor do they care about anyone but themselves. This is the inevitable result for a nation that turns its back on God! So if we think our political and civic leaders are self-focused, unskilled, and childish, we should look in the mirror. Itās not āthem,ā itās us. We have to changeāturning wholeheartedly to Godāand only then God can change our leadership.Ā
We need to be praying for our governmental leaders, not vilifying them. We need to be speaking well of our fellow US citizens. We need to be especially treating our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ well.Ā
Our hope is not in the results of an election. Our hope is in Jesus. The way we treat BOTH fellow US citizens AND brothers and sisters in Christ will either point people to Jesus or to manmade political systems.Ā
I pray we can do better at pointing people to Jesus! I pray I can do better!Ā
This is a weekly series with things Iām reading and pondering from Charles Spurgeon. You can read the original seed thoughtĀ here, or type āThursdays With Spurgeonā in the search box to read more entries.
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple,Ā Spotify, or Audible.Ā
Donāt Let Your āWell Begunā Be Only āHalf Doneā
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! (Philippians 3:20ā4:1).Ā
Ā Ā Ā The start is not everything, but it is a great deal. It has been said by the old proverb that āwell begun is half done,ā and it is certainly so in the things of God. ā¦ See to it that you lay a good foundation. It is better to have no repentance than a repentance that needs to be repented of! It is better to have no faith than a false faith! It is better to make no profession of religion than to make an untruthful one! ā¦ We should learn early on the difference between grace and merit, between the purpose of God and the will of man, between trust in God and confidence in the flesh. If we do not start aright, the further we go, the further we will be from our desired end and the more thoroughly in the wrong we will find ourselves.
In the biblical passage Spurgeon used as his text, we read some important words. First of all, we need to live as citizens of Heaven, not as citizens of Earth. That means we need to always follow Godās laws, not the passing fads of culture.Ā
Second, the apostle Paul calls Jesus both Savior and Lord. We donāt get to choose one and ignore the other. We cannot say, āThank You, Jesus, for saving me, but Iāll take it from here.āĀ
Finally, we need to not only stand firm, but as Paul also says in another letter, āSo, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you donāt fall!ā (1 Corinthians 10:12). No assumptions. No coasting. No merely going through the motions of Christianity, but keeping a humble heart that responds to the correcting word from the Holy Spirit.Ā
Letās make sure that our walk with Jesus is never described as only āhalf done.ā But instead, letās begin well, walk well, and rejoice to hear our Savior say, āWell done, good and faithful servant!ā
āThe Bible is the best of all books, for it is the word of God, and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it, and to regulate your life by its precepts.ā āJohn JayĀ
āOnly a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.ā āBenjamin FranklinĀ
āWhile we are zealously performing the duties of good Citizens and Soldiers we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of Religion. To the distinguished Character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to add the more distinguished Character of Christian.ā āGeorge WashingtonĀ
āIn this situation of this assembly, groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights, to illuminate our understandings? ā¦ I have lived, Sir, a long time; and the longer I live the more convincing Proofs I see of this Truth, That God governs in the Affairs of Men! And if a Sparrow cannot fall to the Ground without His Notice, is it probable than an Empire can rise without His Aid?āWe have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that āexcept the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.ā I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring Aid we shall succeed in this political Building no better than the Builders of Babelā¦. I therefore beg leave to move, That henceforth Prayers, imploring the Assistance of Heaven, and its Blessing on our Deliberations, be held in this Assembly every Morning before we proceed to Business.ā āBenjamin FranklinĀ
āAnd can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep for everā¦.ā āThomas JeffersonĀ
āThe diminution of public virtue is usually attended with that of public happiness, and the public liberty will not long survive the total extinction of morals.ā āSamuel AdamsĀ
āNeither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt.ā āSamuel Adams
āFor the Christian, citizenship is about stewardship. Thatās especially true in a country where our most important governing document begins with āWe the People.ā That means we have a lot of responsibility. ā¦ Ā
āGod has ordained a government as one way that He shows grace to all people. Government should recognize the God-given duty of human beings and respect the roles and responsibilities of family and church. Government is to keep the peace through the rule of law and to use force to punish those who break it. The role of government is to maintain justice and peace in society so other institutions, especially the family in the church, can do what they are designed to do. ā¦
āChristians should enter the public square with a biblically shaped perspective. To apply a Christian worldview to questions of public policy is not exercising self-interest. It is simply serving our neighbor by testifying to the way God has made the world.ā āJennifer A. MarshallĀ
For the Christian, citizenship is about stewarding the responsibilities God has given us to the countries in which we live. Those include things like:
Showing proper respect to those in leadership positions (Romans 13:1-6)
āAll the opportunity for self-government through the rule of the people depends upon one single factor. That is the ballot box. . . . The people of our country are sovereign. If they do not vote they abdicate that sovereignty, and they may be entirely sure that if they relinquish it other forces will seize it, and if they fail to govern themselves some other power will rise up to govern them.ā āPresident Calvin Coolidge
āSeeking the Kingdom is not an easy road; Jesus did not exaggerate when He used the term āviolenceā to describe the progress of the Kingdom in this world. Like the Sharks and the Jets in Leonard Bernsteinās West Side Story, the citizens of the Kingdom of God are engaged in a turf war of cosmic proportions with the citizens of this world and the dark forces that shape their worldview and way of life.ā āT.M. Moore
āThis vain world is no friend to the principle of the work of grace. If you were of the world the world would love its own, but as you are not of the world but of a heavenly race, you may expect to be treated as an alien and foreigner, no, as a hated and detested foe. All sorts of snares and traps will be laid for you; those who sought to entangle the Master in His speech will not be more lenient towards you.ā āCharles Spurgeon
āWe do the work, but God works in us the doing of the works.ā āAugustine
āOne stumble does not define or break a person.Ā Though you failed, Godās love does not.ā Read more from Max Lucadoās post: Godās Love Never Fails.
If you are as concerned about the devastation abortion is causing in our country as I am, you will find Father Frank Pavoneās book,Ā Abolishing Abortion, as helpful as I did. You can read my full book review by clicking here. Below are the first set of quotes I wanted to share with you from this book. Unless otherwise noted, the quotes are from Father Pavone.
āFirst among the āunalienable rightsā the signers pledged to protect was ālife.ā Legalized abortion clearly violates the principles they risked all for. It is not simply a ābad policyā or an āunjust law,ā but rather, it marks the dissolution of this nationās most fundamental contract with its citizens.ā
āI am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not caused for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or to speak, or write, with moderation. No! No! Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallenābut urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnestāI will not equivocateāI will not excuseāI will not retreat a single inchāand I will be heard. The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal, and to hasten the resurrection of the dead.ā āWilliam Lloyd Garrison, speaking of slavery
āWe do not look for a utopia. We look for Christ to come again. But while looking for Him to come again, we do not wait passively. We wait actively. ā¦ As we wait actively, we must also remind ourselves to act judiciously. Passion does not preclude good judgment and a measure of reserve.ā
āDemocracy cannot be value-neutral. It cannot fail to ascertain that there are certain things that are good, certain things that are right. ā¦ A fundamental right is a human right without which we cannot express our humanity. ā¦ To deprive a person of life is to deprive that person of liberty. It stands to reason, literally, that the very right to life has to be respected and protected. Life is an even more fundamental right then freedom. The Declaration of Independence confirmed the sameāālife, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,ā in that order. The state reinforces what the Church teaches. To hold the state accountable for protecting those fundamental rights has nothing to do with imposing religious beliefs and everything to do with reason.ā
āWe always start with the dignity of the human person, realizing that human rights and dignity donāt come from government and canāt be taken away by government. If elected officials were the ones who decided whether people have their human rights, those wouldnāt be human rights anymore. Human rights belong to humans because they are human, not because Congress decided to grant those rights. Therefore, we can rightly exclude no one from our service, our care, our protection.āĀ
āWhen a government says that some people donāt have to be protected, that is the stuff of which genocides are made. So when you hear a citizen or a candidate or a public servant or a congressman or a senator or a president or anybody say, āI think Roe was a good idea,ā he is not just telling you what he thinks about a medical procedure. He is telling you what he thinks about the authority of government: what kind of government he believes we have, and what kind of government he believes we ought to have.ā
āThe root of modern totalitarianism is to be found in the denial of the transcendent dignity of the human person who, as the visible image of the invisible God, is therefore by his very nature the subject of rights which no one may violateāno individual, group, class, nation or State. Not even the majority of a social body may violate these rights, by going against the minority, by isolating, oppressing, or exploiting it, or by attempting to annihilate it.ā āPope John Paul II, The Splendor Of Truth (1993)Ā
āHuman rights are not granted by political systems. They are āpre-political.ā They exist before government and, in fact, must be honored, served, and secured by government, not because the leaders of government say so, but because all failure to do so undermines the very purpose of government.ā
āMany people are very, very concerned with children in India, with the children in Africa where quite a number die, maybe of malnutrition, of hunger, and so on, but millions are dying deliberately by the will of the mother. And this is what is the greatest destroyer of peace today. Because if a mother can kill her own childāwhat is left for me to kill you and you kill meāthere is nothing between.ā āMother Theresa, in her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech of December 11, 1979
āMany friends asked me, āWhat is our first spiritual duty regarding the abortion issue?ā They think I’m going to answer, āPrayer.ā But actually, the answer is repentance. The first step in abolishing abortion is to examine our own hearts and to repent of the role we each have played in allowing this holocaust to happen.ā
āI swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.ā āElie Weisel
More quotes from this outstanding book coming soon….
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple,Ā Spotify, or Audible.
I love the United States of America! As we celebrate our countryās birthday, here are 10 quotes from my files about America.
āThroughout our history Americans have put their faith in God and no one can doubt that we have been blessed for it. The earliest settlers of this land came in search of religious freedom. Landing on a desolate shoreline, they established a spiritual foundation that has served us ever since.ā āRonald Reagan
āAmerica was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.ā āHarry Truman
āA patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.ā āEdward Abbey
āIf ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.ā āSamuel Adams
āIf American democracy is to remain the greatest hope of humanity, it must continue abundantly in the faith of the Bible.ā āCalvin CoolidgeĀ
āThe strength of a country is the strength of its religious convictions.ā āCalvin Coolidge
āIt is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favors. … The Hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.ā āGeorge WashingtonĀ
āWe have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!ā āAbraham Lincoln
āWeāve staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government. Far from it. We have staked the future upon the capacity of each and every one of us to govern ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.ā āJames Madison
āThere is not a single instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty preserved entire.ā āJohn Witherspoon
āReason can engage the conversation; winsomeness can set the tone; patient listening can earn the right to be heard; but only divine revelationāthe Gospel of Jesus Christāis powerful to break the hold of the Lie and open someoneās heart to the truth of God.ā āT.M. Moore
āI am sure, whenever we see Christ, we ought to remember the deluge of wrath from which He has delivered us, the flames of hell from which He has saved us; and so, humbly bowing ourselves in the dust, let us love, and praise, and bless His name.ā āCharles Spurgeon
āRemember: āI cannot turn one hair black or white: but I can brush my hair daily and go to the barber at regular intervals.ā In other words we must divert our efforts from our general condition or frame of mind (which we canāt alter by direct action of the will) to what is in our powerāour words and acts. Try to remember that the ābottomless seaā canāt hurt us as long as we keep onĀ swimming.ā āC.S. Lewis
āWhen Yonggi Cho began holding services in May 1958 in Seoul, South Korea, he couldnāt have known what God would do through his ministry. Only five people attended the first service, held in the home of a friend. However, the small gatherings grew in size, ultimately developing into the largest Christian congregation in the world, Yoido Full Gospel Church, an Assemblies of God church with over 700,000 members.ā Read more about Pastor Cho in From Buddhism To Christ.
George O. Wood is the General Superintendent for the Assemblies of God. In light of last weekās Supreme Court decision, he sent out a letter that I really appreciated. Here is how the letter closes:Ā āI close with three words of pastoral adviceāFirst, to Assemblies of God ministers: Politics reflects culture, and culture reflects religion. If you are concerned with the political drift of American culture, preach the gospel! As it sends out roots in the lives of believers, the seeds of the Gospel will change hearts and minds.Ā Second, to Assemblies of God adherents: You are privileged citizens of a blessed nation. Use your citizenship well! Seek the common good. Advocate for the last, the lost, and the least. Speak the truth in love. And vote for candidates and issues that reflect a biblical perspective. The difference in so many conflicts in American politics and culture turns on who turns out to vote.Ā Third, to all Christians: If you are troubled with the Supreme Courtās decision, keep perspective! In this and every other matter, always remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: āIn this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the worldā (John 16:33).Ā Let us all pray for a great spiritual awakening in our country!ā
And Iāve shared quite a bit about praying for those in governmental leadership positions:
Craig T. Owens 