Bread & Politics:

Something To Think About

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT Talk about bluntness.  In 2 Thessalonians 3:10 Paul reminds his beloved friends of this command, "If anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either." Lay that down next to the pattern for prayer that our Lord gave us: "Give us this day our daily bread."  Then let this inform us: "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." (James 1:17)   I am instructed to work for my bread, yet it is clear that ultimately my bread is not a product of my labor.  It is gift from God.  Bible stories that illustrate this abound.  God fed Elijah by air express and later by miraculously expanding a poor widows supply of meal and oil.  (1 Kings 17)   One of the best known miracles in the Bible is the feeding of the 5,000 from a little boys lunch.  (Mark 6:35-44) I, as well as most of the readers of STTA, live in a nation where I am not only the ruled, but the ruler.  As Abraham Lincoln said, this is a nation of "of the people."  It is appropriate for me to vote.  Though I greatly limit my "politicking" because of my position as a leader in the church, there is nothing wrong with Christians being politically active.  In fact I think some Christians need to wade into that realm.   Here is where bread and politics are similar.  God is soveriegn in the affairs of men.  That is one of the themes of the book of Daniel.  God is in control.  "The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, And bestows it on whom He wishes And sets over it the lowliest of men."  (4:17)   Vote.  Engage resposibly in politics.  More importantly, however, trust and obey the Lord.   It's STTA.    http://covingtonbiblechurch.com/lifesmostimportant.html

Let's Let the Church be the Church

Something To Think About

Politics is a horribly messy business.  I have frequently found myself voting for people that I don't think I would really like, if I had the opportunity to get to know them.  In past local elections--where I actually do know some of the candidates--I have found myself voting against people that I actually do like.  On one occasion, I remember trying to talk myself into voting for a guy.  "He's nice."  "He means well."  I remember a politically active lady asking me--sincerely and somewhat plaintively--concerning issues regarding the sanctity of life.  "Can't we make room for just a little of this?"  The woman was caught in the messiness of politics.  She is committed to the Biblical position of human life from conception onward being sacred, yet, at the time of our conversation, she continued a life-long  allegiance to a political party that is overwhelmingly "pro-choice."  My dad put food on the table through his labors in a steel mill.  Not only did he wear a hardhat, he gave old discarded ones to me and my siblings so we could play with them.  So I sympathize with the voters in my predominantly blue-collar area.  Some of my neighbors sat on the knees of grandfathers who wheezed out stories of mines, and miners, in the days when virtually every underground miner contracted blacklung.  It was just a part of business.  Folk with that kind of a background tend to see politics along the lines of "Us and them."  It was the alliance between certain business interests and certain politicians that resulted in labor being exploited in times past--some would say, still today.  And it was an opposing alliance that brought better conditions to working people.  It's complicated. Our national election, almost four years ago, caused the messiness to explode in many homes and some churches.  Lot's of older evangelicals said, "How could you vote for a platform that doesn't honor the sanctity of life?"  Many younger evangelicals said, "Here is an opportunity to decisively speak against the greatest injustice in the history of our nation.  How can you not vote for that?"  There was, and is, a strong case on each end.  Knowing my characterization is a great oversimplification, I present it as one more illustration of the messiness of politics. As one who has led a church for all of my adult life, and who has sought to influence the church.from my seat in my modest study in a small church in a little town, I put out a warning/challenge:  Let's not allow the messiness of politics to sully the church, the Bride of Christ.  I plan to say some more but here is a starting place.  Let us know with rock-solid, unshakable certainty that the relief people desperately need does not lie primarily in the political realm.  That is because the problems are primarily spiritual.  We deal in the Word of God.  We offer the water of life.  We represent the King of kings and Lord of lords.  Let's not allow the church to be seen as the lackey of a political party or movement.  Let's let the church be the church. It's STTA. And, here, is something else to think about.      http://covingtonbiblechurch.com/lifesmostimportant.html

"Facing" the World:

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT Yesterday STTA represented somewhat of a wrestling match.  I was trying to get a handle on the mystery of prayer, and doing so on the fly.  From an intellectual viewpoint, I'm no further ahead.  From a relational viewpoint, I experienced my Father's love in a fresh way. More here. From the sublime, wonder of prayer I go to this:   We had a Fair at our church last Sunday night--popcorn, cotton-candy, hotdogs, games, inflatable bouncy-house things for kids to play on--it was a lot of fun.  And we had a "foto"-booth, complete with silly things to wear for the picture.  Actually, a couple of lovely ladies joined me for the picture above. I cropped the photo and made it my profile picture on Facebook.  Just this morning I read a comment from one friend about what an improvement of my image it represents.  The comments I get on stuff I put online generally can be counted using one's fingers.  I've gotten more comments about the dumb picture than anything I've put up for a while.  What I look like, obviously, impresses people. WARNING!  I'm about to take a turn for the serious, here. The fact is: what people see in my life will have a greater influence than what they hear me say, or what they read that I have written.  That's quite an admission from a guy who runs his mouth for a living.  Peter tells Christian ladies who find themselves in the difficult position of having a husband who does not share their faith, to live in such a way that their husbands "may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives,  as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior."  (1 Peter 3:1-2)  I'm convinced the principle there has a wider application.  Psalm 40:3 speaks of the new song the Lord puts in a faithful heart, and goes on to say, "Many will see and fear and trust in the Lord."  Not hear, but see.  Ephesians 5:18-19 indicates that one of the results of a life controlled by God's Spirit is a singing heart.  That's the kind of thing folk can see. Lord, give me a face, today, that will impact people the right way. It's STTA.   http://covingtonbiblechurch.com/lifesmostimportant.html

PRAY

Something To Think About

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT I may be the least mystical Bible-believing pastor/preacher you will ever meet.  I'm really suspicious of "The Lord led me" statements.  When someone says "God told me," I almost always inwardly recoil.  I guess I've been around long enough to see people "led by God" to places God would never take them.  Many times my inner reaction when people tell me what God told them is, "I know the Lord, I've spent a good bit of time with what I know He said--the Bible--and I'm quite sure God didn't tell you that. Yesterday, though, I woke up to overcast skies and drizzly rain.  At times, through the morning the precipitation was much more than drizzle.  Thirty percent chance the weather forecast said. We had a big event--mostly outside-- scheduled for last night, and we needed 0% rain for two hours.   God gave Joshua a long day. Elijah was a man of like passions as me, and God answered his prayer about the rain. I figured there was someone who wanted rain.  Were they praying?   Am I arrogant enough to think that my weather wish is the best for all who are in my meteorological zone? Maybe the cause of Christ would be better served if our event was rained out. God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. I clearly felt I ought to pray.  I confessed my ignorance and limitations, but clearly told the Lord what I wanted.  Jesus said to pray about my daily needs. Yesterday I needed dry weather from 4:00 - 6:00.  God told Jeremiah to call on Him and would show him great and mighty things.  All I wanted was two hours of good weather.  I was reminded by James, "You have not, because you ask not." So I asked.  I was the guy at midnight knocking on the door looking for bread. I was widow pestering the judge.  I called to God.   We had a lovely evening for our fair. I'm very thankful that we had blue sky & sunshine with enough clouds to remind us of the threat earlier in the day.  But I am much more thankful for the reminder from my DAD.  "Son, just talk to me.  I love you, and I'll listen.". It's STTA.   http://covingtonbiblechurch.com/lifesmostimportant.html

Horse Liniment for the Soul:

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT Back when I was in college I hurt my shoulder playing "touch" football.  I went to see Dr. Wurst, pronounced "Worst."  After standing behind a flouroscope--something I thought only existed in old comedy movies--he showed me my problem on a skeleton in the corner, and by pressing forcefully on the sore spot several times.   Did I tell you he did that more than once?  At the end of the examination Dr. Wurst pronounced that I was a "young buck and would get better anyhow."  And provided me with some liniment.  My suspicions were as strong as the odor the cream gave off that the stuff had been manufactured for horses. Dr. Wurst's medical philosophy would have fit in perfectly with the religious views of the people of Isaiah's day, and many in my time.   RUB THIS ON THE OUTSIDE.  MAYBE IT WILL DO SOME GOOD ON THE INSIDE--or externalism. I encourage you to read Isaiah chapter 1.  God, Himself, gives a devastating  indictment of the people of Judah.  He begins by saying that these people showed less intellegence, gratitude,  and good sense than an ox or a donkey.  If, on my own, I preached like that, I would likely be called on the carpet.  He goes on to compare the nation to a totally sick body, pointing out that they "act corruptly," "have abandoned the Lord," and "despised the Holy One of Israel."  As a result desolation had descended on their land.  God compares them to Sodom and Gomorrah. When you get to verse 10 you see a list of all the religious things they were doing.  They went to the Temple, offered sacrifices, kept the feasts, and more.   Concerning all of it God says, "Just stop!  It makes Me sick."  Instead God puts them before a different kind of flouroscope and shows them that their problem was one of the heart, and no amount of mere religion rubbed on the outside was going to meet their need.   "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.  (Isaiah 1:16-18) Isaiah lived in a time when the clouds of coming disaster were dark on the horizon.  Many see similar storms in our future.  The solution is not primarily a matter of a better economy or a stronger military.  Then and now, it is a matter of the heart--my heart, and yours.  You'll find more below, about how the Lord can change your heart.   It's STTA.   http://covingtonbiblechurch.com/lifesmostimportant.html

Storm on the Horizon:

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT What many thoughtful people think and fear about the USA, and other Western nations, Isaiah new for sure about Israel 2,800 years ago.  Though times were still good, catastrophe was on the horizon.  Isaiah and his countrymen grew up in a time of peace, but now threats were growing like storm clouds.  Here is one example:  Now it came about in the days of Ahaz, the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Aram and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not conquer it.  When it was reported to the house of David, saying, "The Arameans have camped in Ephraim," his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind.  (Isaiah 7:1-2, emphasis added) I wouldn't say that people around me are shaking like leaves in the wind, but many people are concerned, and many of the folk who are concerned are the kind of people whom I respect--thoughtful, careful people.  Isaiah spoke as God's prophet.  He had irrefutable information that disaster was coming.  My contemporaries, of whom I speak, have no such sure word.  Still there are parallels.   Almost universally, the people of Isaiah's time looked to the wrong sources for solutions and safety.  We'll explore some of these in the days to come, but basically they looked to things on the outside, when in reality the basic problems were matters of the heart.  ". . . this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote. . ." (Isaiah 29:13) What the people of Isaiah's time, and my time need is to respond to the message of another Old-Testament prophet, ". . . rend your heart and not your garments."  Now return to the LORD your God. . . ."  (Joel 2:13) It's STTA.   http://covingtonbiblechurch.com/lifesmostimportant.html

Vacation Is Over:

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT

Though it has been a long time since I graduated from high school, the new pencil toting crowd and I have something in common--vacation is over.   The last STTA I sent out was kind of an anniversary announcement, our fortieth.  This milestone was particularly significant to me because it was the last one my parents reached.  My dad died in the year of life I'm in right now.  In celebration of forty years together Kathy and I took a lovely vacation. But it's over, and like the young scholars, it's time to get back to work.  No complaint, here, that's as it should be.   From the book of Genesis, where we readthat God gave the first couple a job (Genesis 2:15), to the book of Ecclesiastes where meaningful work is clearly held up as a gift from God (Here, for instance), to the New Testament, where work, even manual labor, is held up as a good thing,  the Bible makes clear that it is not God's intention that we live on perpetual vacation.  Lots of folk have a very bad attitude about their work--and, students, right now your job is your school-work.  Here are a couple of thoughts to help us adjust our attitude about work: Know that it is God's plan for His children to work.  You may have to take it by faith for a while, but work is good. Work done well leads to better things.  People who work well tend to advance.  There is a clear satisfaction in a job well done.  The mastering of new skills and the discipline of just showing up and doing one's job, often expands our horizons.  Labor adds to the pool of "goods" enjoyed by all of us. It is not a scriptural proverb, but there is truth in the aphorism: "Idle hands are the Devil's workshop."  (see 1 Timothy 5:13, for an example) Generally, going to work (and this applies to going to school in a future sense) is the means God has provided to meet our daily needs. Vacation is over, and that's OK.   It's STTA.     http://covingtonbiblechurch.com/lifesmostimportant.html