Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
Christians must think clearly about the results of the recent election. Because the 2020 election was such a fiasco, it was expected that 2024 might also yie... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
Christians must think clearly about the results of the recent election. Because the 2020 election was such a fiasco, it was expected that 2024 might also yield a result that took days or weeks to confirm. Not so. A few hours a&er polls closed it was clear that Trump had soundly defeated Harris. Because of the wisdom of our founders, the electoral vote yields a wonderful way to understand the mood of the country by region. Once again, it is clear that the states on the west coast and the extreme northeast of the nation are clearly more liberal than the vast majority of the nation.
Does that information help Christians? Well, it could. It might—if we understand that the more populated an area is, the more out of touch with nature—human and otherwise—voters tend to be. Across the nation, the closer an area is to a coast, an urban center or to a university, the more likely the voters are to be progressive and utopian in their thinking. Will American Christians grasp that ideas and philosophies have consequences? And will we believe that ideas about God are more important than anything else?
I have rejoiced that Donald Trump was elected to be our next President of the United States. I am happy and hopeful but I am not naïve. I know that no politician is perfect. I know Mr. Trump is not Jesus. I know it remains to be seen whether or not Donald Trump can keep some of the very big and bold promises he made during the campaign.
I also know evil when I see it. Bumbling and fumbling old Joe Biden and his cackling sidekick, Kamala Harris unleased massive wickedness on our nation. The American people sent them and their supporters a very strong rebuke at the ballot box. I thank God for that. Could it be that hope is on the horizon the way a cloud “about the size of a man’s hand” was on the horizon of Mount Carmel during the days of the prophet Elijah?
Will Mr. Trump and his administration have the courage and convictions to defang the federal government? A once small and limited government guided by the fear of God has become a secularized monster and a real danger to our democratic republic. It remains to be seen whether there is the national will to reign in our bloated and debt-ridden federal government. Will American Christians understand the times and diligently work for and fervently pray for a more just and Christ-honoring society?
What was once a Christian-flavored nation has become increasingly secularized to the point that government has become hostile to the ideas that gave birth to the nation. The founding generation were a people who were a Christianized people. They generally feared God and knew government needed to be kept in check. The influence of secular ideas in education and the culture at large have led the nation down a destructive path of growing dependency on government. Marxist and socialist seeds sown for decades have born the fruit of discontent and entitlement. We have gone from a people who were embarrassed at the thought of being dependent on government to one loudly demanding the government be involved in every crack and crease of life.
American education needs a massive revival. School choice must happen if the ideas of the American founding are to endure. Our national defense is in a shambles. The borders must become just that—borders once again. Americans must recover respect for human life—including family life. Marriage must be rescued from utopian experiments and human sexuality must be restored to its God-given binary categories.
All of these changes are too big for a purely secular country to make. It takes belief in a transcendent authority—that of God alone—to reestablish belief in the glory and purpose of human nature. Humans were made to be frui>ul and multiply. We were created to have God-granted dominion over the earth. We were created to image God into the world by being like Him. Christians must live Christ-honoring lives that are both reverent and productive. We must boldly proclaim that only Christ can change human hearts so that a man or woman can live a joyful and hopeful life and we must live consistent with our claims.
The election of Donald Trump may provide an opportunity for a revival of American greatness. If there is not a massive love for and obedience to Christ at its core, no a?empt at a revival will yield anything but a last pitiful gasp of a wounded giant. Christian must seize the day and be willing to labor for a just and prosperous society. If we do not, then no election will make a lasting difference.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…The king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.”... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…The king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.”
-from Psalm 33
The United States is a special nation. It was founded largely by evangelical Christians. Their robust Christian convictions and exaltation of moral righteousness are still woven into the fabric of the country. When Donald Trump addressed the nation as the President-elect last night (early this morning), he referred to his belief that God had preserved his life and brought him to the status of being the next president. It is impossible to know, but he appears to be a man whose near-death experience has changed his perception of the stewardship of his life. Life is extremely complicated—even mysterious—but it is hard to deny that individuals and nations have critical moments that change them and their direction. Leaders take their followers in a particular direction.
Obviously, a presidential election is always a major event, but this one may have been more important than most. To say that the previous presidential election was problematic is an understatement. There are always shenanigans and cheating in national elections but 2020 was beyond the pale. There was just too much strange and problematic behavior. Very few Americans thought the results were totally honest. Many (including me) believed all the changes in voting practices invited corruption of the election. I was never certain the right guy was declared to be the winner. But Americans are generally law-abiding and willing to keep the peace when possible. Donald Trump believed the election was stolen and let that be known. That frightened his political enemies to death. They pulled out all the stops to malign, impugn and discourage him. It all failed. Trump battled through dense and even demonic opposition and delivered a crushing blow with a massive electoral victory.
Christians must be careful not to confuse being Christian with being politically conservative. It matters what we attempt to conserve. Christians, by nature, are conservative. We are people who “do this in remembrance” of Jesus. The dynamic realities of the past like the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus stay current in our lives. Christians are truly traditional, but we are not traditionalists. Tradition has to do with continuing the living faith of dead people; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living. Tradition is remembering the truths of the past and holding on to them. The things worth conserving in our national body politic all are rooted in the Christian faith. Truth telling, doing justice while maintaining personal responsibility and respect for those who differ from us are all Christian concepts. Obeying the law and respecting the rights of others are rooted in biblical teaching. Christians know we are ultimately under the authority and watchful eye of our holy Creator God. We know that doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly before God is a timeless responsibility no matter the culture or circumstance.
Our nation faces many obnoxious and obscene ideas and forces. The only way our nation can continue to survive is for us to reject the madness of progressivism and wokeness and to return to beliefs and practices that birthed us as a people. I believe God uses even crooked sticks to strike straight blows. I also believe that the blessings that come to any (and every) nation are from God. If you and I want our nation to flourish, we must realize that the belief that secularism is morally neutral is a myth. Of course, there will be many tradeoffs in a fallen world, but truth always matters and reality can be denied but never abolished. Homosexuality will never be normal and killing an innocent baby will never be healthcare. Living together without being married will never be acceptable to a holy God and pornography or prostitution will never be victimless. American Christians must pray and work for a nation where it is okay to be a person who is openly and boldly willing to conserve the good things that bring honor to God. If America is to once again be a “strong, safe and prosperous” nation as President-elect promised last night, it can only happen if the things that are good, true and beautiful are conserved and embraced. The deceitful lies of the Marxist pied pipers must be abandoned—like the philosophical garbage they are.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Seek first the kingdom of God…”
-Jesus (Matthew 6:33)... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“Seek first the kingdom of God…”
-Jesus (Matthew 6:33)
Did you watch the presidential debate last night? I watched a few clips and I might watch more if time allows. In a very real sense, these events have become a delusion and largely a waste of time. They are not debates. Because of the left-leaning characters who ask the questions, they are terribly one-sided. No one who has been paying attention to the American political scene is likely to learn anything new about either candidate. It is all a charade. If these events are about democracy, then the Olympic games are about amateurism. If we all just keep pretending, then we will never have to face reality.
Each candidate is trying to gain the presidency so he or she can exert influence over the American people. Now, I will be honest. While neither candidate is a paragon of virtue, Kamala Harris is a despicable human being and her running mate is worse. Anyone who has followed her rise from being the mistress to a powerful California politician to the office of the Vice President of the United States knows how she got there. She has been willing to give her body and sell her soul to gain power. She is a Marxist. Tim Walsh is a lying buffoon who makes her look like a conservative. These are dangerous human beings who do not belong anywhere near the leadership of the nation.
Donald Trump is a brash egotist with a checkered past, but he has shown (by his speech and behavior) to care genuinely about the sovereignty and safety of our nation. I believe Trump deeply loves our country and is trying to save the nation from the progressive left’s drive toward a totalitarian state. Trump is a far better choice, but he is not the answer that some (including many evangelical Christians) believe.
Millions of Americans have voted for and will vote again for Trump because he is one of the few American politicians with enough hutzpah to tell the truth about the overbearing and tyrannical forces lurking underneath politics in our country. Trump has (I believe providentially) pulled back the curtain and exposed the wizardry of the deep state. These people are largely unnamed operatives who are willing to steal, kill (assassinate) and destroy anyone or anything that threatens their money and power. They operate largely in the dark and are embedded in every branch of the government. They are not just evil persons; they are traitors to America.
Christians must do all we can to preserve those things that are good about our nation. Christians must battle for the good, the true and the beautiful in every arena of life. We ought to be not just patriots but godly patriots. We must be concerned about what God is concerned about. When there is a lack of justice or decency or respect or opportunity, Christians must fight for what we know is right. When life is threatened, Christians must oppose those who want to murder and maim. When lies are being put forth as truth, we must shine the light of truth brightly upon the lies and the liars. When liars claim God is not the Creator of life and that human life is not special and precious because humans are made in the image of God, we must call them what they are—liars. When the secularists claim that all views are equal, we must tell them the truth—Jesus is Lord! There are only two views of life. Either humans bend the knee and worship Jesus or they follow the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2). Christians must speak this truth in every arena of life and we must be willing to face the negative consequences that truth telling and righteous living can bring.
When you vote for president (and you should) you will not be voting for a perfect person. You and I must vote for the person who is most likely to lead in a manner that accords with the teaching of God’s word. Sadly in the United States of America in the year of our Lord, 2024, one presidential candidate loves the prospects of killing unborn babies and desires massive government control of virtually every aspect of life. Please do not vote for death and slavery.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.”... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.”
-Proverbs 24:10
Just about every Christian would admit to spiritual struggles from time to time. If we cast even a casual glance at the cultural chaos unfolding around us, we have reason for grave concern. What once was considered normal is now turned on its head. The cruelty of abortion, the insanity of transgenderism and the crisis of American cities being terrorized by foreign gangs pouring across our unguarded borders ought to alarm us all. But should Christians allow these troubling realities to cause us to give up hope? Never! The hard things of life are (in part) a gift because they can drive us toward our only true source of strength—God.
The scriptures instruct us in how to remain stable and hopeful in the midst of trouble. When King David was downcast, he encouraged himself to hope in God (Psalm 42 &43). The great armor of God passage in Ephesians 6 teaches us that in order to stay strong in the midst of life’s spiritual battles we must rely on multiple aspects of the Christian life. First, we must always be aware that life is a spiritual battle with a real and dangerous (though unseen) enemy who deploys all sorts of wicked schemes. Christians must not fall into the broken thinking pattern of an unbelieving worldview. We have to think straight in a crooked world.
Christians must not be surprised by evil or deluded into thinking evil does not matter. We must never forget that our strength to fight our spiritual battles comes to us graciously by way of God’s ordained means. We are to wear the belt of truth but that means we must hear, read, study, memorize and meditate upon the truth revealed to us in God’s Word. If we want the protection of the breastplate of righteousness, we must be led by God’s Spirit to act righteously. The helmet of salvation means we first must be born again and then operate in the assurance of our salvation. God’s truthful word is a mighty weapon of warfare but that requires we learn how to deploy it in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Few Christians can maintain adequate spiritual strength without the fellowship of the community of the saints. Church is far more than a meeting. Church is a people—those called out of darkness into a saving and holy relationship with God through trusting in Christ’s saving work on our behalf. None of us is as strong in isolation as we are when we function as part of the community of the saints. Being part of a congregation of Christians reminds us that God’s best for us comes when we are consistently reminded of our great weakness and the great strength of our savior and Lord—Jesus Christ. He leads us in the battle and we encourage one another to be faithful and to practice love and good works. There is a comradery among believers that transcends age or race or national identity.
In Ephesians 6 the Apostle Paul urges us to both pray in the Spirit and to pray for one another. Prayer helps keep us alert and engaged in the battle. Prayer keeps us dependent upon God for our strength. Prayer drives the spread of the gospel message that in Christ, God rescues sinners and gives us a new identity and a high calling. Prayer reminds us of the things we cannot do for ourselves. We cannot stay spiritually strong by our own will power. We desperately need God’s strength.
Proverbs 24:10 warns us that we are susceptible to losing our strength and fainting. Ephesians 6 reminds us of the nature of our struggle and the source of true spiritual power to live boldly in troubled times. Moses’ song of Exodus 15 reminds us the strength to conquer and advance God’s will comes from God. Dear brothers and sisters, do not give up. Do not faint when you face adversity and the tough times. God is the source of our strength. The enemy of our souls wants us to believe that God is losing the battle. How ridiculous! God is working to bring about His rule and reign in the entire universe and we are highly privileged to be a part of the great battle to restore all things under the proper authority of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Fight on and do not faint. God is sufficient in every circumstance. The resurrection of Jesus is the first sign of what is coming. The forces of evil can do what they may. Jesus is Lord and one day soon, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father!
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Good words from Kansas about stolen Valor.
Servants of God,
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much,
and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”... View MoreGood words from Kansas about stolen Valor.
Servants of God,
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much,
and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”
-Luke 16:10
How important is it to tell the truth? One of the charges most often leveled against politicians is that of lying. Even in a time when almost everything is supposed to be relative, there seems to be at least some cultural memory that truth matters.
I have been watching with interest the rhubarb over the details of the military service of the Democrat candidate for Vice-President. A term often used in this argument is “stolen valor.” Tim Walz served in the Minnesota Army National Guard for 24 years. No one is contesting that. What has raised the hackles of military types (and plenty of others) is the fact that Governor Walz is on record claiming to have retired at the rank of command sergeant major. Military records show clearly, that he did not. Walz also is known to have made the claim that he “carried weapons of war in war.” Since Walz never served in a combat zone, that was not true either. The issue is not whether Walz served in the National Guard. The issue is whether he has made false claims to rank and combat duty in order to embellish his military service, particularly as he pursued political office. Walz is seeking to become the nation’s Vice-President. If, God forbid, he is elected to that office he would be one heartbeat away from being the nation’s commander-in-chief.
The Bible is such a wonderful help to us. Jesus clearly taught in Luke 16:10 that a person who is dishonest or unfaithful in small issues telegraphs that he will continue that pattern in larger, more important things. Proverbs 11:3 teaches that it is “The integrity of the upright” that guides his life. It also adds the warning that “…the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.” We should not be surprised in days to come to see Governor Walz’s reputation and political capital take a beating as American voters find that he has consistently lied about his military service. What else is he lying about?
No political candidate is perfect, but one who lies about something like military service and refuses to admit to the falsehoods, could prove to be particularly untrustworthy. The military culture of “Duty, Honor, Country” generally shapes its members to value those three sacred virtues. It is a high honor to serve in the armed forces, but it is a grave responsibility to do so honorably and to be truthful about the service rendered.
As Christians, we need to be very careful both about condoning sin and about being too harsh in condemning others. We know that “all have sinned” and that fact makes the gracious redemption we have in Christ very precious. At the same time, Christians must not be fools. When we see a man like Walz claiming to be someone he is not, we should be on high alert with regard to the rest of his life. What else has he lied about? What standard does he live by? Does he have such a low opinion of American citizens that he believes he can lie about something like military service, and voters will not care? Perhaps he will survive this charade. Maybe (God forbid) he will get elected. One thing he will not escape is the righteous indignation of thousands who served in the military and did not lie about their accomplishments and experiences. Far more important is the fact that a righteous God promises that an unrepentant evil person will not go unpunished (Proverbs 11:21).
Christians cannot afford to play games about the 2024 election. Our nation has lurched dangerously toward totalitarianism under the Biden administration’s lawless reign. The United States is in real danger and no citizen—particularly Christians—should stick our heads in the sand hoping that placating evil will bring good results. Please be informed about the individuals running for office and cast your vote in the direction that is most likely to advance righteousness and deter evil.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the recti... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved;”
-Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is ironic. It declares rebellion against one order and speaks of the need for a new one. An honest assessment of 1776 can conclude that the concepts of law and order articulated in the Declaration of Independence are largely rooted in Christian thought. The New Covenant life is a life lived out of a heart that has God’s Law written on it (Hebrews 10:16). Life rightly ordered, yields blessings to humans. The Bible teaches that there is only one way for life to be rightly ordered (Acts 4:12 and John 14:6). When life is calibrated to the will of God, humans flourish. When humans make up their own laws or use good law in an unjust manner, they violate the nature of the universe that God has created. Unjust laws and lawlessness precede disaster.
America as a nation is living on the precipice of such a disaster. Denying human nature and trying to bring about a human-centered utopia brings about God-ordained disorder. Denying the sovereignty of God, flaunting His authority and disregarding His Law brings God’s just wrath upon any person or any group of persons who attempt to live that way.
Law matters and it always has. As we near Independence Day, it is important to think about and understand both human law and the divine Law of God from which human law flows. Since the Garden of Eden, humans have needed to be instructed so they could live and flourish. The Creation ordinance spoken by God teaches humans who they are and how they are to live. All of human history is shaped by rules and regulations.
The Declaration of Independence begins with an explanation for what was about to happen. The body of the document is a list of complaints. It plainly states: “let the Facts be submitted to a candid World.” Then there is a list of 27 Grievances. At least 18 of them (perhaps more) have something to do with law or the violation of law(s). The document is filled with references to law, legislature(s), trials, judges etc. It is possible to say the Declaration is one long complaint about the misuse of law and/or legal power. The King of England, the document argued, had forfeited his right to rule over the thirteen states (colonies) who are now united and determined to launch a new and independent country. Law matters.
The American republic is breathing on one lung in large measure because God’s Law has been minimized and human laws have been magnified and multiplied. The American founders were swimming in a Christianized culture. The influence of the Bible was massive. Of course, the founding generation was not perfect but they had a solid grounding in biblical ethics and a great respect for the rule of law in general. The constitution, which came years after the revolution, has a preamble that makes it clear that ordered liberty was essential if the states were to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” There needed to be justice, domestic tranquility and a common defense if there was to be a way to promote the general welfare and secure the true blessings of liberty.
I hope that each of you might take time to read the Declaration of Independence and spend some time in reflection and prayer for the future of our nation during the next few days. Christians ought to be the best of citizens. That means we, like the founders, should know the facts about our time and our culture. Our nation may be too far gone to pull out of its moral nosedive, but it is never too late for Christians to do what we know is right before the face of our holy God. Only a person who has passed from spiritual death to new life in Christ can understand the joy of obeying God’s law in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
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