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Archive for the ‘News & Commentary’ Category

It’s Okay to Say God Bless America

Posted in Devotions, News & Commentary, tagged , , , , , , on July 4, 2017|

GBA

It’s okay to say, “God bless America.” In Jeremiah 29:5-7 we find some interesting concepts.  God says to build houses and settle down. God also says to seek peace and prosperity of the city. In the last verse, we are told, “pray to the Lord, for if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

Here, we are encouraged to pray for the city. The governmental institution that controls and runs much of daily life. Even more interesting is the place of this suggestion, because the people were in captivity, i.e. Babylon. If Israel needed to pray for the cities, towns, and government while they were in bondage, perhaps we should pray for our nation in both good times and bad.

Nations need healing, just like people. Nations can offer forgiveness to both enemies and friends. Nations can receive our gratitude and thanks.

When we say, “God bless America” it is a prayer, not a boast.  May we continue to celebrate what is right with our Republic and pray for God’s power to make it even better.

God bless America!

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Adults on Vaction

Posted in Christian Living, Devotions, News & Commentary, tagged , , , , , , on February 20, 2017|

protest

Protests, riots, general strikes, and shouting matches, oh my! Where did all the big boys and big girls go in America? Every time I watch the news or read a story, it seems that all the adults are on vacation.

Coastal elites are burning more American flags than the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Today’s coalition of discontent wants to make a lot of noise, set things on fire, and boycott their jobs. Everyone is entitled to shout and protest. But worse yet, no one seems willing to listen to each other.

We cannot plug our ears and runaway if we do not agree with the message. No matter which protest you attend, those protesting must be willing not only to shout, but also to listen. Folks should be civil and respectful.

When people behave in a purely secular manner, we will witness a purely secular response. The ultimate result is a place more destructive and bitter than what we have today. There is a better way.

In John 13, Jesus shares this with his followers, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Jesus teaches a meaningful and difficult lesson for people to learn in the first century and in 2017 – love those around you. Jesus was frequently criticized for the company that he kept. Jesus acquired a reputation for being a wild child. Jesus knew tax collectors, fishermen, zealots, and other rowdies. Jesus went to their homes and befriended them.

Jesus was a loving, laughing, Lord, someone who enjoyed a good time. He befriended the leper, the lame, the outcast, the downtrodden, the soldier, and the saint. It was done out of pure, perfect, and heavenly love. He showed the kind of affection that transforms lives and honors God.

When people are given that kind of respect and love, they are willing to listen to each other. The challenge is demonstrating the love that Christ commands. May God empower us to love one another, no matter what others say or how they express it.

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Remember the Four Chaplains

Posted in Devotions, News & Commentary, Veteran Resources, tagged , , , , , on February 3, 2017|

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On the morning of February 3, 1943, the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, a converted cruise ship, was crowded to capacity with 903 service members, including four chaplains. The Dorchester, was moving steadily across the icy waters from Newfoundland toward an American base in Greenland.  It was struck by a torpedo and began to rapidly sink. Panic and chaos had set in on the ship. The blast had killed scores of men, and many more were seriously wounded.

Quickly and quietly, the four chaplains spread out among the soldiers. There they tried to calm the frightened, tend to the wounded, and guide the disoriented toward safety. By this time, most of the men were topside, and the chaplains opened a storage locker and began distributing life jackets. When there were no more life jackets in the storage room, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened young men.

As the ship went down, survivors on nearby rafts could see the four chaplains–arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. All four voices were heard offering prayers until their last moments of life.

Today, a grateful nation remembers Chaplain George L. Fox, Chaplain Alexander D. Goode, Chaplain Clark V. Poling, and Chaplain John P. Washington for their heroic deeds as soldiers and spiritual leaders.

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A Prayer for 9-11

Posted in News & Commentary, tagged , , , , , , , on September 11, 2016|

 

world-trade-center-9-11-crossHeavenly Father and Precious Lord, we seek you and your healing mercy.

As fifteen years pass, we remember the pain and suffering of a horrible day. We remember the loss of life, the destruction, and the chaos of that fateful morning. Sorrow remains. Grief returns. Heartache and despair weigh us down.

Almighty God comfort and calm our souls. Turn our hearts into an altar where healing can take place. Transform our spirits into a place of peace. Allow restoration and redemption in our lives. We are a people who need you and your presence.

Give us strength to perform your will. Allow us to move forward as a renewed people. Keep us bold, strong, and true. Just like clay on the potter’s wheel, shape us and mold us into a new creation, one that continues to show your glory.

As conflicts remain and others begin, protect our warriors in harm’s way. Guide their way and direct their steps. Comfort the families who are divided by war and give them the strength necessary for every day apart. Minister to their needs and surround them with your love.

Lord, hear our prayer. We are a nation and a people who need you. Allow us to feel your healing mercy through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Only 3 Percent of Teens Read the Bible Daily

Posted in News & Commentary, tagged , , , , , on August 29, 2016|

Bible teen

The Barna Group conducted a nationwide survey of over 1,000 participants between the ages of 13 and 17. The findings and factors may surprise you. While a majority of teenagers still have reverence for the Bible, their views have been heavily influenced by today’s secular society. Much of what teenagers believe today comes from public schools, the media, and the entertainment industry instead of their own family or the church.

Seven out of ten teens personally own a Bible, but only 3 percent report reading the Bible on a daily basis. One in ten teens read the Bible once a month and an additional 10 percent report reading the Bible three or four times a year. The survey also showed that 37 percent of teens say that they never read the Bible.

If those figures scare you, know that you are not alone. While we are able to put Bibles in the hands of teenagers, much more needs to be done on demonstrating the power and promise of God’s Holy Word.

Christian education in America has remained tepid for the last fifty years. Churches and faith-based organizations must come back to the task of making disciples in a Biblical manner. Ignoring the Great Commission will ultimately send the church into collapse.

When you look at Matthew 28:18-20, there are two parts to the Great Commission. The first is found in verse 19 to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The second part is often overlooked, but it’s vital to form new Christians. Verse 20 shares the necessity of “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” The second part of discipleship is teaching people how to live like Jesus.

If someone gave you a gift, but never showed you how to use it, you would likely lay it on the shelf. So it is with the Bible and faith. It is inherent for mature Christians to teach the next generation.

Perhaps we should also evaluate how we teach. If Sunday school teachers are producing teens with perfect attendance pins and little knowledge of God’s Word, then we have completely missed the point of Bible classes. Somewhere and somehow there is a failure that must be fixed.

I believe the Bible is the cornerstone of Christian discipleship. Through Scripture we find faith in Jesus Christ and receive instruction on how to live like Jesus. It is God’s truth. It shows us what to believe. It delivers genuine guidance from God. It is the standard that guides our life.

As the cornerstone for discipleship, let us commit ourselves to teaching the next generation of Christians what the Bible is and how to use it in life. The teens of today deserve teachers and mentors who will help them worship, witness, and work for the glory of God.

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Purple Heart Day

Posted in News & Commentary, tagged , , , , , on August 7, 2016|

purple heart

The Purple Heart Medal is the oldest award given in the US military.  It was established by General George Washington on August 7, 1782. Washington originally called it the Badge of Military Merit and personally awarded three medals during the Revolutionary War.

Today, we recognize Purple Heart recipients as heroes. The medal is awarded for being wounded or killed in any action against an enemy of the United States.

The Purple Heart differs from most other decorations in that a person is not “recommended” for the decoration; rather he or she is entitled to it because of wounds received in battle.

It is truly humbling to consider that someone is willing to die for me. These men and women are living examples of that sacrificial spirit.

As we remember Purple Heart Day, may we focus on the 1.7 million combat-wounded recipients and the sacrifices that they have made for our nation and our freedom.

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Russia Bans Evangelism

Posted in News & Commentary, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 25, 2016|

kremlin

Forget military aggression. Russia just made it illegal to talk about Jesus outside of a church!

Russia recently passed a set of anti-terrorism laws known as the Yarovaya package, which places broad limitations on missionary work, including preaching, teaching, and any activity designed to recruit people into a religious group. When it became a public law on July 20, it rolled back 19 years of religious freedom.

While Christians have enjoyed great freedom since the Iron Curtain collapsed, these laws are Russia’s most restrictive measures in post-Soviet history. The new laws contain several heavy restrictions on missionary activity and evangelism. The changes include laws against sharing your faith in homes, online, in writing, or any public space except a recognized church building.

As it now stands, Yarovaya requires missionaries to have permits, makes house churches illegal, and limits religious activity to the premises of registered church buildings. The rules are so tight that Christians in Russia cannot email their friends an invitation to church under the new surveillance and anti-terrorism laws. Anyone who disobeys could be fined up to $780 and organizations could be fined more than $15,000. Foreign visitors who violate the law can be detained and ultimately face deportation.

Russia’s Baptist Council of Churches wrote an open letter calling Yarovaya, “the most draconian anti-religion bill to be proposed in Russia since Nikita Khrushchev promised to eliminate Christianity in the Soviet Union.”

As fellow believers, we should all be appalled and upset with the Yarovaya laws. When religious freedom is swept away with the stroke of a pen, it affects the entire church. Now is the time for Christians across the globe to seek the Lord and pray that God will intercede for our brothers and sisters in Russia. Ask that God will unite Russian Christians and that this time of trial can be used to strengthen and grow the church.

 

 

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