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
Good words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“It wasn’t no lucky catch.”
-Willie Mays... View MoreGood words from Kansas.
Servants of God,
“It wasn’t no lucky catch.”
-Willie Mays
“Do you see a man skillful in his work?
He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”
-Proverbs 22:29
In every human endeavor skill matters. Willie Mays, one of the most skilled athletes of the twentieth century, died this week. Affable as well as gifted athletically, he was known as the “Say Hey Kid.” Mays was among the first wave of Black major league ball players and is often called the greatest center fielder in the history of the game. Of course, as in most of baseball, fans who are of contrary opinion argue for their own favorite candidate for the title. In the 1950s the city of New York was awash with talented center fielders. Was it Willie or Mickey or The Duke (as in Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle or Duke Snider)? Like noses, every fan had his opinion. What is generally not disputed is “The Catch.” Mays made an over-the-shoulder catch during the 1954 World Series that is considered one of baseball’s best plays ever. Mays was a complete player and played a long time. The game has lost a legend.
Willie Mays was not a boisterous player, but he was a confident one. When Don Mueller, who played right field next to Mays asked Willie “Is it true you’re the best center fielder in baseball?” May’s curt reply was, “Best right fielder too.” When folks hinted that his famous play in the 1954 World Series was somehow not a matter of skill and ability his reply was classic. “It wasn’t no lucky catch.” That sort of play does not happen by accident. Spontaneity grows out of discipline. He more than paid his dues in the negro leagues before he signed with the major league New York Giants. In the negro leagues players were expected to be both excellent players and noteworthy entertainers. Willie’s circus catches were possible because he had honed such skills for years before he ever put on a Giants uniform in the big leagues.
Discipline is a matter of hard work and countless repetitions. Discipline requires that we choose what we want most over what we want now. The Christian life is like that. It is a process of both divine grace and the hard work of righteousness practiced. The process of discipleship is discipline lived out. We love Jesus and want to do his will and bring glory to him. That means we have been both rescued from sin and hell and that we choose the hard work of hearing and obeying God’s word. It means working at killing sin and fostering holiness. We know that this life is preparation for eternity. We know that what lies ahead of us—the celestial city whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10)—is far more glorious and important than the pleasures and leisure of the here and now. As disciples we know there is self-denial and submission to God every step of the way.
Willie Mays was confident, not because he was insecure, but because of massive amounts of mundane practice and a long record of game day performances. Over his long professional career he proved that he was capable of a level of excellence that only a handful of players ever achieved. Willie, more than anyone else, understood his level of skill. He remained a humble man but he chafed when others hinted that his play was a matter of luck and said so. Another baseball great, Dizzy Dean, famously opined “It ain’t bragging if you can do it.”
The Christian life is a matter of pursuing excellence in the things of the spirit. No Christian has anything to brag about. We have nothing except what we have received from God (1 Corinthians 4:7). We can be sure of one thing. Holiness and growth in righteousness is a matter of both working out our own salvation with fear and trembling and of God working supernaturally through us (Philippians 2:12,13). If we want to be excellent in anything, it should be in the pursuit of holiness—being set apart from the world and set apart to do the will of God. To paraphrase Willie Mays, we must realize that the Christian life “is no lucky thing.”
Blessings,
Pastor
Coram Deo
page=2&profile_user_id=170689&year=&month=
Load More
