I believe dependency on God opens the door to true security, life and freedom. (Isaiah 43) It is available no other way.
Dependency on government or other powers kills your spirit. (Psalm 146:3, Psalm 118:8-9) These powers lack commitment to you.
Dependency on self leads to disappointment when you discover your limitations. (Matthew 7:42, Galatians 5:17)
Dependency on God enlarges your spirit and transcends your limitations, for God's commitment to His sons and daughters is complete and His resources are unlimited.
Fear of evil, death, pain or punishment may cloud the reality of God's provision, but Christ has conquered these and promised to deliver His people to a new life and kingdom where peace (shalom) prevails. (John 16:33, 1 Corinthians 15:50-58) Christ has removed the causes for fear by means of the sacrifice He made of Himself on the cross and His ensuing resurrection.
Therefore dependency on God's commitment opens the door to true life, security, freedom - and I would add joy - and bears us up in the trials of this life.
First I spied the dimple, then the fish.
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Sanctuary from everything federal ...
Americans who want their cities to be "sanctuaries" for violators of federal law might properly go a step further and declare themselves free of ALL federal law. If one can selectively nullify a U.S. law, why not nullify the whole package? Including the U.S. Constitution.
Sounds absurd, doesn't it?
Is it any less absurd to rob your fellow citizens of the protection of a law that penalizes people who sneak into our country, or enter by deceit, or violate the terms of legal visas?
If you want people to have legal sanctuary who enter this way, shouldn't you make your case to the body that has jurisdiction over such questions - the United States Congress?
If you won't do that, will you at least have concern for your neighbors? I mean, stop asking state and local governments to encourage violation of federal law. They are authorities charged with protecting us, your neighbors. What makes it right to endanger your neighbors to indulge your philosophical or political opinion?
Sounds absurd, doesn't it?
Is it any less absurd to rob your fellow citizens of the protection of a law that penalizes people who sneak into our country, or enter by deceit, or violate the terms of legal visas?
If you want people to have legal sanctuary who enter this way, shouldn't you make your case to the body that has jurisdiction over such questions - the United States Congress?
If you won't do that, will you at least have concern for your neighbors? I mean, stop asking state and local governments to encourage violation of federal law. They are authorities charged with protecting us, your neighbors. What makes it right to endanger your neighbors to indulge your philosophical or political opinion?
Thursday, February 2, 2017
A spiritual plague ...
Our nation, like other nations, is experiencing a spiritual plague. We collectively and individually have doubted the authority of God and in many cases the existence of God. This often is true of Christians as well as others.
We Christians sometimes believe in a watered down Christ, or a Christ whom we embellish with our own will instead of diligently seeking His. In safe and prosperous times this attitude seems alright. In unruly hard times (like the present) the error should be obvious, but it often becomes obvious only after it has caused a lot of damage.
What Christians believe and do has a great influence - good or bad - on the community around us. The prophet Jeremiah identified the response God wanted from His people in a time when Israel was subdued and exiled in Babylon, having been defeated by King Nebuchadnezzar. They were at the mercy of hostile conquerors, but God commanded "... seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace." Jeremiah 29:7
The unruliness of America today stems from a spiritual problem, and I believe spiritual problems call for spiritual solutions. If the church of Jesus Christ prays in the way Jeremiah described, the church will move toward peace and the nation around us will do the same. How do I know this? God promises.
We Christians sometimes believe in a watered down Christ, or a Christ whom we embellish with our own will instead of diligently seeking His. In safe and prosperous times this attitude seems alright. In unruly hard times (like the present) the error should be obvious, but it often becomes obvious only after it has caused a lot of damage.
What Christians believe and do has a great influence - good or bad - on the community around us. The prophet Jeremiah identified the response God wanted from His people in a time when Israel was subdued and exiled in Babylon, having been defeated by King Nebuchadnezzar. They were at the mercy of hostile conquerors, but God commanded "... seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace." Jeremiah 29:7
The unruliness of America today stems from a spiritual problem, and I believe spiritual problems call for spiritual solutions. If the church of Jesus Christ prays in the way Jeremiah described, the church will move toward peace and the nation around us will do the same. How do I know this? God promises.
"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:13-14
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Shock and awful ...
"But because shock events destabilize a society, they can also be used positively. We do not have to respond along old fault lines. We could just as easily reorganize into a different pattern that threatens the people who sparked the event." So wrote Heather Richardson in the Dallas Morning News.
Who can disagree that the manner in which the president's executive order on immigration was put in place last weekend, was a shock?
It WAS a shock. To that extent I concur in Heather Richardson's opinion piece. However, I have no way of knowing whether it's motive was to shock people, or whether the author was the president's advisor Steve Bannon. Perhaps it makes no difference.
I also agree - to a limited extent - that the shock presents an opportunity. Not an opportunity for "threatening the people who sparked the event", but for collaborating with Congress and the White House to refine and explain the policy.
Ms. Richardson's piece provoked me to reflect more deeply on what is happening as a result of the order. As usual for almost a decade, the news media took sides and members of Congress retreated into opposing corners then came out fighting.
Isn't it time Congress functioned as a refiner of policy rather than an arena for mortal combat?
In my view Congress has failed too long to cooperate with one another and fulfill its constitutional role of advising and checking the president. All Members, House and Senate, Democrat and Republican, have a serious stake in maintaining the functionality of their respective chambers. Does Congress want to become as nonfunctional as the human appendix?
The prolonged dysfunction of Congress may at least partly explain the wracking chaos of the recent primaries, general election, and post election periods.
Both parties-all parties-are stakeholders in our constitutional republic. We still have the implements of a republic. Let's go back to using them so we can keep it!
Who can disagree that the manner in which the president's executive order on immigration was put in place last weekend, was a shock?
It WAS a shock. To that extent I concur in Heather Richardson's opinion piece. However, I have no way of knowing whether it's motive was to shock people, or whether the author was the president's advisor Steve Bannon. Perhaps it makes no difference.
I also agree - to a limited extent - that the shock presents an opportunity. Not an opportunity for "threatening the people who sparked the event", but for collaborating with Congress and the White House to refine and explain the policy.
Ms. Richardson's piece provoked me to reflect more deeply on what is happening as a result of the order. As usual for almost a decade, the news media took sides and members of Congress retreated into opposing corners then came out fighting.
Isn't it time Congress functioned as a refiner of policy rather than an arena for mortal combat?
In my view Congress has failed too long to cooperate with one another and fulfill its constitutional role of advising and checking the president. All Members, House and Senate, Democrat and Republican, have a serious stake in maintaining the functionality of their respective chambers. Does Congress want to become as nonfunctional as the human appendix?
The prolonged dysfunction of Congress may at least partly explain the wracking chaos of the recent primaries, general election, and post election periods.
Both parties-all parties-are stakeholders in our constitutional republic. We still have the implements of a republic. Let's go back to using them so we can keep it!
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