Cleaning Up Our Capitol Mess

     Well it's been a little bit since I shared any of my thoughts on the recent political and social developments of the day so why not go ahead and let it all out now. One of the main reasons I am so glad to be off social media these days is because I don't think my sanity would have remained had I been reading all of the conspiracy theories surrounding the election, the Covid, and the Capitol riots that have transpired over the last two months. However, one of the things I do miss is seeing all the handwringing concerning the end of the Republic by all sorts of people who would have sworn on their mother's graves that Trump was going to win the election, and even when the results didn't turn out like they wanted were still convinced that the "Kraken" was about to be released upon the American people and justice for all was merely a Sidney Powell press conference away. 

    Call me jaded but I never bought the hype for one second. Yes, I know all about the irregularities, the Biden only ballots, the infinitesimally small number of mail-in ballots thrown out compared to the averages, and all the rest of it; but I never believed it was enough to overturn any state wide elections, and certainly not by Rudy Giuliani. You can conjecture all you want in the media, but when it comes to a courtroom you better have the goods or your case is trash. Time after time when given the opportunity to show the goods they never did. Without sufficient evidence you cannot prove a crime or fraud actually happened. That's the fault of Trump's election legal team, not the state courts, the supreme courts, or congress. 

    Yet, none of the facts have slowed people down from expressing one conspiracy theory after another about all of these matters. And just to be clear, Christians that go along with conspiracy theories are living in violation of Scripture. In an earlier post I wrote about not living by lies, as the essay (https://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles/SolhenitsynLies.php) from Alexander Solzhenitsyn promotes. I continue to think that this principle is being greatly ignored by a huge percentage of believers, and it is being ignored to our shame and detriment. It is one thing for our Faith to be shunned, ignored, ridiculed, or mocked by the media and social elite. It is another to promote QAnon or any other right-wing leaning conspiracy theories that destroy our credibility as people who live by and promote the truth. Yes, we have a right to be concerned about our country and it's destruction, but NOT at the price of promoting truth and living with integrity. 

    The Apostle Peter makes clear that no Christian should suffer as a "murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler," because for any confessing Christian to suffer under these accusations would not be considered suffering at all, but rather justified shame because of their violations of the law of God and man. Peter goes on to state that if anyone suffers for being a Christian however, there is no shame at all in that situation because you are suffering for the name and glory of God. 

    That is why Christians can never become slaves to politicians or political parties, because all that ensues is acquiescing to cults of personalities or worse. That is why so many people have denied reality for the sake of Trump, because they actually believed that a narcissistic, self-promoter would save the Republic. Not to take away many of the good things that President Trump did accomplish in his four years, and not to ignore the support that he gained for his better governing over and above his rhetoric, however, when push came to shove it was always about Trump outdoing Obama, the media, and the rest of his perceived antagonist way more than it was about him improving America. This is why he had little to no problem with the demonstrations at the Capitol until it truly did get out of hand and ended up reflecting poorly on him universally speaking. No, his words alone aren't grounds for giving him the full blame for the loss of life, the breaking down of societal norms, or the appearance of a failing government that the pictures demonstrated; but he certainly did not quell the situation when given the opportunity and in that he bares responsibility. 

    Of course, I would also argue that the entire events of the year have been culminating in the moments we have seen recently. From being gaslighted by the media and told that riots were actually "mostly peaceful protest", to democrats ignoring the looting and burning of businesses, to calls for further insurrection by those considered marginalized by the right according to the "Woke", to conspiracy theories about EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN and probably even the SUN ITSELF, I don't see how anyone can be shocked by anything that happens from here on out. Rumors of martial law being declared, cession by the liberals or the conservative states, or the Republic being altogether lost at the hands of the geriatric incoming President and his Democrat controlled congress... all of it begins to blend together like a rotten smoothie, and I'm not having any of it.

    Can we just calm down the rhetoric a bit and breath for a second? I actually don't think things are as bad as everyone wants to convince you they are. As a matter of fact prior to this year and the Covid outbreak (thanks China), things around the world were getting remarkably better. From poverty, to food and water availability, to education, and infectious disease control everything was on a momentous upward improvement. And even with Covid sidetracking much of that, because of all the good things in place most believe that a quick recovery is inevitable in much of the world once Covid runs its course or the vaccine is rightly administered. 

    This is why I think much of the trouble that is promoted today is artificial. It's just another ploy by people who live and work in the anger business. Media, politicians, and strategist think that they are only necessary if a crisis is at hand. They peddle their wares on fear and anxiety. They need you to be worked up and aggravated about an issue for you to react the way they want. That is why you and I can no longer live this way. WE CANNOT LIVE BY FEAR just like we cannot live by lies. Fear is an enemy. It is a master that demands full submission. Even just a little fear will drive you to alter your life and your beliefs to the point that you begin to make all of your decisions and choices in life according to the fear you feel. Do not live this way! Fight fear! Fight it with reality and truth. Fight it with common sense and observation of the facts. Fight it with a Christian worldview armed to take down principalities and powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness. Fight fear with light by shining the spotlight of truth on everything you read, hear, watch, and speak. Fight fear with love! Love of God and love of neighbor fights fear ferociously because it refuses to see people as enemies, objects of wrath, or non-image bearers of God. Fight fear with kindness. Heap coals of kindness on those who would want to bring you down or lure you with lies designed for you to be caught in the trappings of fear. Fight fear for your family's sake and for all of your loved ones. Don't let them see you be taken in by fear so that they will have strength to fight the good fight when it comes to their door. 

    When we as a people can live according to the truth and reject the fearmongering of those seeking power over us, we will be united once again. We may not all agree, but at least we will assume the best and not the worst of one another. We can at least have open dialogue and work out our differences responsibly. We won't fear free speech, religion, or any of our other enumerated rights because we will graciously allow for the free exchange of ideas knowing that it is only true speech that can drive away lies and fear. People do need a voice today, but that voice must be one willing to be submissive to truth and reality. Cancelling speech, people, or politicians will not bring about unity or peace, it will only insight more fear and false narratives. We must live by truth and fight against fear. It's the only way peace and prosperity can continue. 

Faith Alone

 

From the Pastor:

Genesis 15:6

And he (Abram) believed in the LORD, and He (God) accounted it to him for righteousness.

In the reading plan last week, we came across one of the most crucial verses in the Holy Scriptures. Now, that may sound a little hyperbolic to some of you, but if we look ahead in the Bible and see how this verse is later quoted by the Apostle Paul (Romans 4:3,22; Galatians 3:6) we will quickly understand its significance. This verse, recorded at the very beginning of the Judeo/Christian epoch, makes clear that for a person to be declared righteous before God he or she must have faith in the promises of God as the grounds of that inherited righteousness. In other words, without faith in God no one will be saved. Faith is the means by which we receive the promises of God made by His Word. Faith is our response to the truth claims of Scripture. Again, “without faith,” the writer of Hebrews states, “it is impossible to please God.”  (Hebrews 11:6)

Let us now take a closer look at Abram’s faith. What exactly was Abram placing his faith in? First of all, he was placing his faith in the fact that God had told him he would have a son. Chapter 12 of Genesis tells us of Abram’s first encounter with God. In that encounter God calls Abram out of the land of Haran to the land of Canaan, so that he may grant to him and his descendants a place for them to grow into a great nation dedicated to serving the Lord and being a blessing to all the people of the earth. Abram was already 75 years old at the time and had yet to father any children with his wife Sarai, so the idea of him becoming the father of a great nation seemed a little farfetched. However, God continue to intervene and communion with Abram to constantly remind him of what He had promised. Years had passed and Abram had yet to have a child with Sarai and the prospects of this occurring only seemed to be growing darker. Yet again, the Lord appeared to Abram to reassure him that he would indeed have a child with Sarai just as God had promised, and that his offspring would as numerous as the stars in the sky. That is when Moses tells us in Genesis that Abram believed God.

Abram believed God even though he had no child with Sarai. He believed God even though he did not have any land of his own. He believed God even though it seemed impossible for God to fulfill what had been promised. And because he believed Abram was declared righteous before God. He was declared righteous even when the very next chapter tells us that he would try and usurp God’s plan and have a child with Hagar instead of Sarai. He was declared righteous even before he had been circumcised as a seal of the covenant promises of God. He was declared righteous even before he would be tested with sacrificing Isaac back to God. You see God’s work of granting faith and declaring a person righteous are all based on the work and promises of God and his ability alone to work true salvation in the soul of an individual. This is what makes this verse so very important. The revelation that God’s plan of salvation would be a plan received not by works or deeds, but by faith alone in the promises of God. That is why when we come to Christ today through saving faith, we too are considered children of Abraham the Father of the Faithful.

The Necessity of Prayer

 

From the Pastor:

Psalm 4:1

Hear me while I call, O God of my righteousness!

You have relieved me in my distress;

Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

This year to help encourage you with our daily bible reading plan, I will highlight a portion of the weekly reading in my “From the Pastor” section. As I mentioned last week, daily Bible intake is one of the most important habits that Christians can develop for their spiritual maturity. The other most important discipline that we can develop is prayer. That’s why I have highlighted this portion of Psalm 4 for this week. Pray is an incredible tool for the believer because it puts us in contact with our Heavenly Father. When we calm our mind and concentrate on spending time with God in prayer, we allow for the Word that we have read and the Spirit that works through that Word to lead us in meditation and communication with the Heavenly Father. Of course, God already knows what we need before we ever ask, but the very practice of taking time to talk to God in prayer shows our humility to go to the One who can meet our needs and grant our request. Most of the time when we forget, refuse, or simply do not make the time for prayer, whether we realize it or not we are telling God that we don’t need his help, guidance, or input to aid us in living our lives. This is a terrible practice that will lead to terrible consequences. Our need for God’s help each and every day is incalculable. We desperately need God direct us through every moment of life whether times are good or bad.

The Psalmist begins this hymn by asking that God would hear him when he calls to him in prayer. This may sound like a simple or even silly request, but the Psalmist is highlighting from the very beginning the necessity of God hearing us. That’s why he brackets the first verse with this request, “Hear me while I call… hear my prayer.” Unless the Lord gives ear, our petitions will go unheard and unanswered. That is a fearful proposition because, as we’ve already mentioned, we need God to hear us call to him in prayer because we need his guidance, grace, mercy, and divine intervention to make it through this fallen world. The Psalmist recognizes that already God has provided him with righteousness and has been the reliever of his times of stressing, so he understands very well how the Lord has sustained him and provided for him up to this point in his life. As the Psalm continues there is the continued realization that God has set apart the writer in some way so that the he may be heard by God when he calls to him in prayer, and that this knowledge calms his anger, allows him to trust the Lord, gives him unrivaled joy, and assures him of safety even as he sleeps. These are just a few of the important benefits of daily prayer in the life of the believer, but they are more than just benefits in so many ways. These things mentioned are incredibly necessary for us to survive life in a fallen world. No, we may not experience the same types of difficulties that King David experienced in his life, but we will encounter our own struggles and without the aid of our Heavenly Father we will not endure well. That’s why we need prayer to confess our weaknesses and the Holy Scriptures to make clear how God has already answered those prayers through His Son and by His Spirit.

New Year Preparation

 

From the Pastor:

Happy New Year!

For most, if not all of you, this mailout will arrive just before the new year begins. That’s good news because you will be ready to begin our new bible reading plan for the year and you will be able to prepare for the new sermon series starting this Sunday in the book of Romans. The Bible reading plan that we will begin this year is a two-year plan designed to slowly take the reader through the entire Bible in that time span while also reading either a Psalm or portion of Proverbs daily. This plan even has built in “catch-up” days in case you find yourself falling behind in your reading. I think this plan will be great for us to begin this year because it is slower paced than plans we have tried in the past, which allows the reader to spend time reading the Holy Scriptures at a more contemplative pace. Let me also encourage you to spend time in daily prayer either before or after you have spent time reading God’s Word. Scripture reading and prayer are two of the most important spiritual disciplines that the Christian must devote time to each and every day, and as your Pastor I want to provide you with the ability and the encouragement to accomplish these important tasks every day.

Secondly, let me encourage all of you that are able to join us this Sunday either in person or on the radio as I begin our new sermon series on Paul’s letter to the church at Roman. Romans is one of the most important books in all of the Bible because it explains to us the fullness of the doctrine of salvation in Jesus Christ by faith alone, while also providing us with the practical knowledge of how we are to live as Sons and Daughters of our Heavenly Father. Romans is a rich letter from beginning to end, and I pray that it will help us to not only grow in our knowledge of God, but also that it would aid us in growing in our worship, obedience, and discipleship as we take the time to examine this great letter of the Apostle Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of building up the body of Christ.

Lastly, I am incredibly thankful for each and every one of you and the blessing that you have been to my family and I this past year. Lord willing, come April of 2021 it will be four years since the Lord brought me here to serve as pastor of this local church body. The time has passed quickly, but the Lord has been faithful every second of every day, just like He always is. We have had the privilege of adding to our faith family in this past year through baptism as well as others joining us by letter and statement of faith. Through all of the ups and downs of 2020 I am most thankful that God has shown himself to be ever-faithful no matter what may befall us. Of course, we know this to be the case, but to see him constantly reassuring us of this reality time and time again displays how great of a Heavenly Father he truly is. May God bless us in 2021 and may He continue to grow this local body of believers in number and in faith. Sola Deo Gloria!

Anticipation

 

From the Pastor:

Luke 2:29-32

Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word;

For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.

 

Anticipation is a huge part of the Christmas season. We anticipate time with loved ones. We anticipate all the good food we will get to indulge in. We, of course, anticipate the gifts that we will receive. But there is another anticipation that Christians should also be considering during this time, and that is the anticipation of the Lord’s return and the completion of His plan of redemption which will be experienced in the culmination of God’s Kingdom here on earth. Anticipating for that joyous occasion is what Christmas is really building towards. It’s not just about remembering what Christ has done, but it is looking forward to what He will do in the future. One of my favorite texts that highpoints the anticipation we should be feeling is the statement above made by Simeon at the circumcision of Jesus.

Simeon himself had been anticipating the time in which he would lay his eyes on the Lord’s Christ because God through the Holy Spirit had promised him that he would. Now, we do not know when the Lord had made this promise to Simeon and we do not know how long he may have waited for the fulfillment of this promise, but even if it had only been one day in advance could you imagine the anticipation of such an amazing promise made to you? I will confess here that at least on one occasion, and my sisters think there were more, I vomited (not a lovely picture I know) in nervous anticipation of Christmas morning the night before. I literally was so full of nerves and excitement that I could not contain it. Even to this day I am terrible at waiting for such events. I get nervous and restless to the point where it is almost overwhelming. So, I could not imagine the level of anticipation Simeon must have felt waiting to see the Christ.

Then the time came. Whatever Simeon may have been expecting, when the moment came the Spirit filled him with such fullness that holding the eight day old Jesus in his arms overflowed in this glorious confession. Simeon was made aware that this child he was holding was the savior of the world. That the Christ, the Messiah, had come not just to redeem his kinsmen, but to even awaken the Gentiles to their need of saving grace through the Light of revelation that was accomplished through the person and work of Jesus. God used Simeon’s great anticipation to reveal to all that were there that this child was no ordinary baby. He would continue in the verses following this text and state that even through difficulty, opposition, and even heart break this Child would save His people. A people that would be from every tribe, tongue, and nation on the planet He Himself spoke into existence. A people He had created from the dirt and breathed the breath of life into. A people that had forsaken Him, but that He would not abandon.

This week as you anticipate time with family, food, presents, and all the accompaniments of the Christmas season, anticipate the fulfillment of the salvation of Christ. Look forward in hope, joy, and love to the coming of Christ. Pray that He would return quickly to establish His everlasting kingdom here on this earth, so that the joy of His first coming would be overwhelmed by the glory of His second coming. God bless you all and Merry Christmas!

Joy to the World

 

From the Pastor:

Psalm 98

A Psalm.

Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!

For He has done marvelous things;

His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

The LORD has made known His salvation;

His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.

He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;

Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.

Sing to the LORD with the harp,

With the harp and the sound of a psalm,

With trumpets and the sound of a horn;

Shout joyfully before the LORD, the King.

Let the sea roar, and all its fullness,

The world and those who dwell in it;

Let the rivers clap their hands;

Let the hills be joyful together before the LORD,

For He is coming to judge the earth.

With righteousness He shall judge the world,

And the peoples with equity.

 

The Psalm above was the main the text used by Isaac Watts when he penned his famous hymn, “Joy to the World.” A hymn celebrating the coming of the one true King of the nations. We mostly associate this hymn with the Christmas season, but that is not believed to be Watts’s original intent. However, the hymn certainly strikes the right tone and tenor when we think of the Christmas season and the hope, joy, and love that the coming of Christ stirs us in the hearts of those who know him to be their savior and Lord. From the very first verse of his hymn, Watts states that “Let every heart prepare Him room.” In other words, it is the duty of all men and women and everywhere to submit their hearts to the Lordship of Christ because He alone posses the authority to sit on the throne of our hearts. Christ is the one and only King, and it is the obligation of all men to receive him as such. From there Watts also follows the Psalmist in prompting us to sing with joy the amazing revelation of the coming of the King. We should indeed celebrate that Christ has come, and not only in this season, but in all seasons. That’s why the third verse of Watts’s great hymn is probably my favorite…

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make His blessings flow

Far as the curse is found,

Far as the curse is found,

Far as, far as the curse is found.

Why is it that Christ should be celebrated and praised as our one true King? Because He alone has removed the curse that condemned sinners from the very moment our first parents fell in the Garden. Christ came and became a curse for us, so that the effects of the fall could be overcome, and one day the results of the curse will be totally reversed. When Christ comes again He will not only our fleshly bodies, but He will also renew the earth and everything in it. Nor more will the creation suffer from sins reign. Christ will rule and reign on the new earth as all peoples from every tribe, tongue, and nation sing praises of joy and adoration to the King.

The Preaching Lab Podcast

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