it is time for the CHRISTian to speak up and act today!

 As Frederick Douglass looked out on the boisterous crowd that had gathered to celebrate America’s independence, he thought of Psalm 137.

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept

when we remembered Zion. There on the poplars

we hung our harps,

for there our captors asked us for songs,

our tormentors demanded songs of joy;

they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

How can we sing the songs of the Lord

while in a foreign land? (v. 1–4)

The Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society had invited Douglass to deliver the keynote address for their Fourth of July celebrations in 1852. Fourteen summers earlier, Douglass had escaped from slavery. Now, at only 34, he was America’s most famous abolitionist.

Yet there’s a side of Douglass that’s not often remembered or celebrated: his radical Christian faith. Douglass was a kind of prophet crying in the wilderness of Christian slaveholding America. It’s no coincidence that in the most famous speech of his life—“What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”—Douglass quoted the prophet Isaiah at length. He aspired to speak to America as biblical prophets once spoke to their people: with words of warning and rebuke, grace and hope.

In honor of one of my wife's forefathers, I say it is time for the CHRISTian to speak up and act today!

Whose are we anyway?

I am appalled, angry, mad and disappointed in my Nation and even in many fellow "believers" I am tired of hearing folks take sides. I am tired of folks dropping the Bible and picking up the rhetoric of political parties and left-wing or right-wing agendas. When will the Body stand up for Christ and be The Body . . . active and involved . . . and biblical?

I lean upon Dr. Tony Evans this morning . . .He is a voice we must listen to today . . .

Today’s (Wednesday,January 6) political violence was a tragic illustration of what happens to a nation when it abandons God’s person, principles and policies. America is undergoing the passive wrath of God which takes place when His standards are compromised. (Romans 1:18-32.)

The result is chaos, conflict and lawlessness. Only a radical return to God by His people will change this. The answer to saving America is not in the White House - it is in the church house.

 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;  who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:18-32)

I am tired of having CHRISTians and CHRISTian leaders taking sides as well or simply ignoring the issues! It is time to be real . . . Whose are we anyway?

We have a HIStory with God!

Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,  “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.”  And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ” So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah. (1 Kings 17:9-16)

Elijah was led into isolation by God. However, as bad as the situation seemed . . . while he was alone and fed by ravens or now with the widow and her dying son . . . he trusted God. Despite our isolation . . . despite the loneliness . . . despite the depressed state . . . we must trust God. He has always cared for His people despite the situation. We have a HIStory with God!

God has been present throughout HIStory, now, and into the future. There is really no one else to trust but God! He will provide. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He is Jehovah God!

GOD supplies every day!

 

 . . . speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 

always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:19-20)

Yes, we all gather around the table (or the games) and say what we are thankful for this year. Unfortunately, some do not even mention God as they thank the nurses, the doctors, the employers, the neighbors, etc. All well and good, but GOD supplies all the people and the resources every day!

So we are over Thanksgiving and now looking forward to CHRISTmas . . .yes CHRIST-mas! He still supplies all to us, according to His riches in glory!

While I pray for healing, jobs, the economy, and all to get back to some sense of normalcy, I pray the most for God to be blessed, for me to give Him what He is due, for the Church to be BOLD and be HEARD and SEEN, and for our Nation to repent and turn back toward Him as well.

Then, only then, can God Bless America! Thank You God for not giving up and still being merciful even in this time! Your grace is still sufficient!

The gates of hell will never prevail against His Church!

Lord, your word lasts forever. It stands firm in the heavens.
90 You will be faithful for all time to come. You made the earth, and it continues to exist.
91 Your laws continue to this very day, because all things serve you. (Psalm 119: 89-91)

 Election 2020 . . .the dust has settled. Results are finally tricking in. Despite the politicians still talking, I am concerned with us . . .the folks who say we love God and believe scriptures, well until we come face to face with real issues!

Does President -Elect Joe Biden realize what he said the other night? "God loves you all. May God bless America and may God protect our church."

The gates of hell will never prevail against His Church! Yet some who profess to know Christ are compromising with the world and are twisting Scripture to suit their lifestyle. Many side with Democrats or Republicans, Socialists or Libertarians, Liberals or Conservatives.  

We must be better than that! We must get to know Scripture to watch out for false teachers to stand firm in the word of God. We must stand up to wrong and honor God! The devil will continually try to tempt us, but we must put on the full armor of God. 

Our Christian life will be an ongoing battle against sin. We must not become discouraged. We must continually renew our minds. We must never give in, compromise, or even change the TRUTH! 

It is God Who rules and over-rules and holds each of us accountable. He can use anyone at any time. Keep praying . . .keep standing!

I wanted My name to become known everywhere on earth.

 What should we say then? Is God unfair? Not at all!  He said to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy.
    I will show love to those I love."(Exodus 33:19)

 So it doesn’t depend on what people want or what they do. It depends on God’s mercy. In Scripture, God says to Pharaoh, “I had a special reason for making you king. I decided to use you to show my power. I wanted My name to become known everywhere on earth.” (Exodus 9:16) So God does what he wants to do. He shows mercy to one person and makes another stubborn. (Romans 9:14-18)

What is going on in our Nation . ..our world? No one really knows but God! Yet for those of us who call Jesus Christ our Lord, Savior and soon-coming-King, we trust Him alone. We do not trust in kings, armies or other weapons, but we trust in the sovereignty of God. We may not always understand it, yet we trust Him! I urge you to read all of Romans 9. Paul writes to allow folks to understand a bit better the ups and downs of life in this world. He is willing to enter hell for the sake of his people, the Jews. (Romans 9:1-4) Yet they rejected Christ! Today, I am so passionate to see believers embrace His Word and make Kingdom decisions rather than the popular ones or even the politically correct ones. So many professed believers are signing on with this party or joining that movement or attending one function or another, taking sides with the red or blue . . .even purple. Yet for the disciple of Christ, there is only one side . . .His!

It is not for us to always know why, but we always should know WHO! Our role on earth as His people is to make Him known to all. Can we do that . . . so that some may be saved? (1 Corinthians 9:22)

Partner With God

 . . .until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”  . . . . At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just.And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.(Daniel 4:25-27,36-37)

“Kingdom voting is the opportunity and responsibility of committed Christians to partner with God by expanding His rule in society through civil government,” Evans explained. “It’s only to the degree that you include God’s person and God’s policies in society through civil government — as He defines it, not as you prefer it — that we can begin to see healing in the Church so that it can be modeled in the culture.The further God is removed from the life of an individual, from the life and definition of a family, form the life and definition of the Church, from the life and definition of the citizenry of a society, the more chaotic those entities become.” (Dr. Tony Evans)

Looking various scriptures the past few weeks and just yesterday at these verses concerning at the Kingdom of Babylon,  I see some clear instructions concerning our upcoming National election. I pray you too are seeking scriptures and God's guidance!