Posted on

Enticements

Just Say No

Synopsis: As Christ-followers, we are on a glorious journey, but it is no easy trip. An infinitely glorious and eternally rewarding trip, yes, but a very difficult one. In fact, Jesus said that the path we will travel is straight and narrow, and not too many will actually find it, much less successfully walk it. To stay on this path, Jesus went on to say, there will need to be self-denial, cross-bearing, and intense focus—on a daily, if not moment-by-moment basis. But if we will do the hard, focused, self-denying work of turning our back on sinful enticements, we will reap the grand prize at our journey’s end that will far outweigh any pain our self-denial required as well as whatever “loss” we incurred by rejecting those sin’s mouthwatering promises. And best of all, we will hear the Lord say, “Well done! Now come and share your master’s happiness.”

Discerning the sugar-coated manipulations of sin

Moments With God // Proverbs 1:10

My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them!

Oscar Wilde famously said, “I can resist just about anything—except temptation.” Me too!

God’s Word says that you and I are on a glorious journey, but the truth is, this is no easy trip. An infinitely glorious and eternally rewarding one—yes—but easy? No way! In fact, Jesus said that the path we travel on is straight and narrow, and not too many will actually find it, much less successfully walk it. To stay on this path, Jesus went on to say, there will need to be self-denial, cross-bearing, and intense focus—on a daily, if not moment-by-moment basis.

That means today (let’s let tomorrow worry about tomorrow), you will have to say “no” to what this proverb calls sinners: “My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them.” (Proverbs 1:10) The fact of the matter is, these “sinners” are all along your way, devilish hecklers disguised as adoring fans whose one and only assignment is to entice you down an alternative path, a shortcut to pleasure that, truthfully, always fails to deliver what it promises while saddling you instead with nothing but disappointment, pain, and loss.

Sorry to have to be the one to break it to you like this, but those “sinners” are waiting for you as you head out the door to wherever your glorious journey will take you today—to work, to school, to play, or even staying indoors to serve God in the daily routine required by your assignment at home. Here’s the thing: You have to be alert to them, be discerning to their sugar-coated manipulations, and be ready to give them a throaty “no way” when they ply you with their counterfeit divines.

I am sure you already know this, but these enticing “sinners” may not be real, live people. They may be subtle arguments that enter your mind, slick operators coming through the airwaves, simple desires at work within your soul, or sinful systems at work in the world that throughout the day routinely pull you away from God as sure as the gravitation pull of the moon working twice a day on the tides.

They are called temptations, by the way, and you are called to resist them. Moreover, as strong as those temptations might be, 1 Corinthians 10:13 reminds you,

Remember this—the wrong desires that come into your life aren’t anything new and different. Many others have faced exactly the same problems before you. And no temptation is irresistible. You can trust God to keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it, for he has promised this and will do what he says. He will show you how to escape temptation’s power so that you can bear up patiently against it.

If you will do the hard, focused, self-denying work of turning your back to the sinner’s enticement, you will reap the grand prize at your journey’s end that will far outweigh the pain your self-denial required as well as whatever “loss” you incurred by rejecting their mouthwatering promises.

Take A Moment: Meditate on 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Identify some of the “ways out” God has given you in every temptation. Today, look for those divine exits—and take one of them.

Posted on

A Promise Made Is A Promise Kept

God’s Got All Your Concerns Covered

SYNOPSIS: Do you have either a nagging concern distracting you or an overwhelming burden pulling you down? The good news is there is a promise in the Bible that covers all your concerns and burdens: “God will perfect everything that concerns you.” (Psalm 138:8, NKJV) Did you catch that? EVERYTHING! So fulfill your end of the promise: take your concerns to God in prayer, obey what he tells you to do, trust his loving care and complete competence to meet the need, then stand on his promises. You see, with God, a promise made is a promise kept.

Moments With God // Focus: Joshua 21:45

Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.

What a great verse! Toward the end of the Book of Joshua, after Israel had conquered their enemies and had taken possession of their promised land, Israel’s brilliant commander, Joshua, made this declaration: not a single one of God’s promises remained unfulfilled. What an amazing testimony about God’s faithfulness. But more than just a significant piece to ancient Israel’s historical record, the author of the book, inspired by the true Author, God, included this line so that you and I would know that since he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, this will be our experience with God as well.

A certain Bible scholar pointed out that God has made over 6,000 promises to us in the Bible  Some of those promises are universal in nature—all believers anytime and anywhere who are walking in obedience to his commands can claim them  Other promises are quite specific to certain people at certain times, and the Holy Spirit reveals them to us through prayer and the study of God’s Word in response to situations that arise in our lives.

Whether God’s promises are universal or personal, what we are taught repeatedly in the Bible, including this verse in Joshua, is that God is a promise maker, and more importantly, God is a promise keeper  The fact is, God has never broken a promise—not even one  I can’t say that about me, and you probably can’t say that about you, but we can say that with complete certainty about God  With him, a promise made is a promise kept.

When I was a little kid in Sunday School, we would often sing a song about God’s promises that went something like this:

Every promise in the Book is mine
Every chapter, every verse, every line.
I am standing on his Word Divine,
Every promise in the Book is mine!

Over 6,000 promises—and he will bring every single one of them to pass  Here are just a few of those 6,000 promises that are for you  Upon which one will you “stand” today and every day until God fulfills it in your life?

  • That he will forgive all your sins  (Psalm 103:3)
  • That he will supply all of your needs  (Phil 4:19)
  • That he will never leave you or forsake you  (Heb 13:5)
  • That he will give you Divine wisdom for your lack of human understanding  (Jas 1:5)
  • That he will turn all of your circumstances to your good and for his glory  (Rom 8:28)

What is your area of concern  A promise covers it, so look it up in God’s Word  Fulfill your end of the promise—that’s the big caveat here—and then rest in God’s proven character  What is your end  Pray, obey, trust, and stand  Do that, and you can plant your feet firmly in the certainty of God’s Word because a promise made is kept with him.

Yes, you can expect that “God will perfect everything that concerns you.” (Psalm 138:8, NKJV)

Take A Moment: Are you “standing” on a specific promise  Are you praying, asking God to fulfill it  Are you offering him a life of obedience in your attitude and actions  If not, why not  Don’t leave any of those 6,000 promises on the table  Your Father wants to fulfill them in your life.

Posted on

Trophy Wife

She Deserves A Trophy Husband

Synopsis: As a Christian man, if you desire the wife of noble character that Proverbs 31 describes – the truest kind of trophy wife, not because of her physical beauty and charming personality, but because of her godly virtues – then work on growing as a man of character. She will grow in response to the growth in godliness she sees in you. But even if she doesn’t, you are accountable to God to be that kind of man anyway.

Moments With God // Proverbs 31:10

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

Most red-blooded American men want a trophy wife. And every man deserves one! Oh, not the kind you may be conjuring up in your mind right now—the kind hot babe Hollywood has invented—with the aid of cosmetic surgeons, make-up artists, and photoshop, of course.

The one I am referring to is the kind of woman Proverbs 31 talks about. She is a trophy gal not because she has a hot bod, but a holy character. Guys, that is a longer-lasting and infinitely more rewarding kind of woman than the carefully coiffed and cosmetically crafted woman our sensual and selfish culture promotes. The culture-built woman’s looks have a shelf life of only so long, and while you are enjoying her looks, if she doesn’t have a godly character to sustain her, those looks probably won’t be that pretty after all!

If you have a woman of noble character, like me, you are a blessed man indeed. I am doubly blessed with a woman of both beauty and grace. If you are looking for a trophy wife, take my advice: Set your sites on noble character above all else. As Proverbs 31:30 says,

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Now if the wife you have, in your opinion, is not a Proverbs 31 woman, here is what I would suggest: Begin to treat her as if she were, and watch what God will do. And as he is working on her, be the man of noble character she deserves.

And if you are in a serious dating relationship, make sure your soon-to-be trophy wife will have a sugar daddy husband in you. Not the kind you are thinking, but the kind the Bible calls you to be: a man of pure and noble character himself. What kind of husband is that?

  • He offers her a character that is morally pure: “your name [which represents character] is like perfume poured out [refined from all impurity].” (Song of Songs 1:3)
  • He desires to know her, talk to her, and listen to her: “Husband, dwell with your wife with understanding way.” (1 Pet 3:7 NKJV)
  • He refuses to control and pressure her into what he wants her to be: “Honor her, delight in her.” (1 Pet 3:7, Message)
  • He serves and sacrifices for her: “Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting.” (Ephesians 5:23, Message)
  • He loves her just as Christ loved his bride, the church: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church.” (Eph 5:23, NIV)

As a husband, if you will work on growing in those areas, your wife’s noble character will grow in response to the growth she sees in you. Even if she doesn’t, you are accountable to be that kind of man anyway.

And if you are not yet married, work on being that kind of man. And if you will do that, you will not be able to keep the ladies away—the right kind of ladies!

Take A Moment: If you are a wife, develop a set of growth points from Proverbs 31. If you are a husband, develop your set from Ephesians 5:25-33.

Posted on

Tying God’s Hands

Only You Can Surrender Your Willful Unbelief

SYNOPSIS: What is the one thing Jesus can’t do? Violate a person’s willful unbelief, that’s what. He will help a person’s humble admission of unbelief (“Lord, help my unbelief”), but he will not impose his Lordship on someone’s refusal to give him a chance. And that includes you! Only you can control your willful unbelief.

Moments With God // Mark 6:5-6

Jesus could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief.

This is one of the most amazing texts in the entire Bible. Jesus—the second person of the Trinity, the visible image of the invisible God; the one who existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation; the one through whom God created everything in heaven and on earth, the things we can see and the things we can’t see. Think of all those things Jesus created and controls, even when it doesn’t seem like things are under control: thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Yes, Jesus is the one by whom all creation is held together (Col 1:15-17). He is the one who had raised the dead, healed the sick, delivered the demonized, fed the five thousand, and walked on water. Astoundingly, this very Jesus could do no mighty works in his own town because of the unbelief of the people who knew him.

And even he—the one who had seen it all—was amazed by their unbelief. I would dare say it must take an awful lot to stump Jesus!

What is the one thing Jesus can’t do? Violate a person’s willful unbelief, that’s what. He will help a person’s humble admission of unbelief (“Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’” Mark 9:14-25), but he will not impose his Lordship on someone’s refusal to give him a chance.

Now before we get all huffy about Jesus’ neighbors, do you think we sometimes do that with Jesus, too? Haven’t we seen his glory, tasted his goodness; been touched by his love and grace and power, yet we still question his right of Lordship over our lives? You might say, “but I don’t do that!” Yes, you do—so do I! How? We do that when we give in to doubt, worry, fear, depression, anger, or engage in any number of other self-medicating, self-destructive acts, like overspending, overeating, oversleeping, over-talking, over-sharing, over-indulging in sexually addictive behaviors, substance abuse…and the list goes on.

Why would we surrender to any of those harmful and deceptive things when we have seen and touched the power and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ? Truthfully, I don’t know why we would. Sometimes my own propensity to resist Christ’s loving Lordship amazes me.

Here’s what I do know: If we will take an honest look at where we are resisting Jesus’ right to rule over us—both passively and willfully—and come to him with a humble request that he help our unbelief, even that crack in the door will be enough for him to do his mighty works in our lives.

Otherwise, you will be tying God’s hands. And that will amaze even him—and not in a good way. So instead offer him your humble, simple faith, and Jesus will likewise be amazed—and I mean in the best way possible, just as we see in Luke 7:9,

Jesus was amazed. Turning to the crowd he said, “Never among all the Jews in Israel have I met someone with faith like this.”

Take A Moment: Offer this prayer sincere today: Jesus, there are still areas of my life where I resist your Lordship. Help my unbelief. I open the door of my heart to you and invite you to burst through it to accomplish your mighty works in me.

Posted on

Dependently Wealthy

Something Greater Than Our Independence

Synopsis: God provided manna for the Israelites to eat, but only a day at a time. They could only collect enough manna for that day, but they could not store it for tomorrow. Why did God do it that way? So that every twenty-four hours they would have to trust God to meet their need. That is where the verse came from, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deut 8:33) You see, God has made it so that we must come back to him daily because he is the source of all we need. That is why Jesus taught us to ask God for daily bread: to keep us ever mindful that our Father, himself, is the source of our life.

Moments With God // Proverbs 30:8-9

Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, “Who is the LORD?” Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Who doesn’t want to be independently wealthy? Anything that provides independence, especially here in America, is highly prized. That’s why our most treasured national document is the Declaration of Independence.

Yet there is something greater than our independence, and that is our utter dependence on God. When we live in the daily awareness of our absolute need for God, we are dependently wealthy—and there is nothing better. That is what this proverb is saying—a vital Christian life principle that was repackaged by Jesus most profoundly when he taught us in the Lord’s Prayer to pray,

Give us today our daily bread. (Matt 6:11)

Did you notice two times in just six words Jesus refers to “daily?” Apparently, that was significant to Jesus. Why daily?

It is the only time in the New Testament that this particular Greek word was used. In fact, this word baffled scholars for years because they couldn’t find a record of it in ancient Greek literature—sacred or secular. Then, between 1947-56 the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, and the word “daily” was found in both business and religious documents. It referred to a daily shopping list of perishable items good only for that day.

That brings up an important point to what Jesus is saying: Even though God is our provider, his promise to provide is provisional. That means prayer is not a blank check. Jesus deliberately chose the word “daily” not because God likes to hear us beg but to teach us the importance of expressing our day-by-day dependence on God.

Now that is hard to relate to since for most of us, we have not just today’s food, we have tomorrow’s food and next week’s food in our freezer. And when we run out, we have Costco, which is not like a grocery store; it is the size of an international airport. Employees do not use box-cutters; they drive forklifts. Your shopping cart is the size of a Volkswagen. You do not get individual items; you pick up pallets of food. When you check out, it is akin to making a car payment. Then you haul it home and you must figure out where to put all that stuff.

In twenty-first-century America, daily bread is not much of a felt need. Even still, that daily bread comes from God and it can be taken away in a heartbeat, so we should never take God’s provision for granted. But even if daily bread is not our need, we probably have other more pressing needs: a difficult marriage, sour finances, an under-paying job, an impure addiction, or a life-and-death battle with cancer. And the pressing issue is if we will trust God and lean into him to meet our needs today. The need may not be for food, but our need for God’s provision of daily bread is still just as great.

Remember in the Old Testament when God provided manna for the Israelites to eat, but only a day at a time. They could only collect enough manna for that day, but they could not store it for tomorrow. Why did God do it that way? So that every twenty-four hours they would have to trust God to meet their need. That is where the verse came from, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deut 8:33)

What does that mean? God has made it so that we must come back to him daily because he is the source of all we need. That is why both this proverb and Jesus taught us to ask God for daily bread: to keep us ever mindful that our Father, himself, is the source of our life.

What is your manna? What drives you every twenty-four hours to say, “God, you are my source, and I am going to trust you for this. Today, I declare my dependence on you.” When you learn to lean into that truth every day, you have become dependently wealthy—and there is no better way to live!

Take A Moment: First, look up and memorize Philippians 4:19. And second, take five minutes to write out your own Declaration of Daily Dependence.

Posted on

Election Alert: God’s Open Letter To America

We Are Our Own Worst Enemy

SYNOPSIS: Choose your issue: inflation, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, gender-bending, CRT, Christian Nationalism, BLM, social justice, QAnon, the refugee crises, identity politics, racism, inflation, the death of truth and the rise of moral relativism, abortion, homelessness, protests in the streets, lawlessness, violence, the rising crime rate, national anger, cultural decline, neighbor hating neighbor over politics—no matter what belief system with which you side, no matter what life philosophy by which you choose to live, most of us are worried about our nation. With good cause, many of us believe we are watching the self-immolation of America. We are at a point where God stands ready to judge us—or help us—depending on the heart response that we offer. If the worsening conditions of our country lead us to repent and return to him, then he is prepared to meet us with his provision of peace for our land.

Moments With God // Exodus 23:1-9

Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness. Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit. If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it. Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent. Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

America is living in an incredibly divisive, mean-spirited, win-at-all-cost environment, with no signs of letting up. Racial disharmony, hatred, name-calling, government gridlock, lawsuits, violent protests, destroyed friendships, national anxiety, and general nastiness continue to pound our nation, and many of us are seriously worried about America’s stability and longevity as the best hope of the world. We are in trouble, and only we can fix it, with God’s help. We must create a grassroots, organic, internal movement that will call a stop to our national cannibalism and return us to the common ground that has made us the envy of the world, imperfect as we have been, for hundreds of years.

The blame for our mess is not to be laid at any one person’s feet—not at former Presidents Obama or Trump, nor current President, Joe Biden. The blame is not one political party or another—it is not the Republicans or the Democrats. It is not the media’s fault. Secularists or academicians are not to blame. Nor is it right-wing nut jobs, shrill Christians, or blue hairs from the Tea Party. The problem isn’t leftists, socialists, open borderists, or anarchists.

The fault is ours. We have met the enemy—and he is us. Let me be clear: you and I are to blame.

If you don’t believe me, read Exodus 23. God gets up in our grill in this chapter and shows us issue after issue where we have not just gone off the rails, we have annihilated his holy law and have deeply offended his righteous character. In very unmistakable language, he turns into an equal opportunity judge and goes after us on issue after issue:

  • Dishonesty, dissembling, fake news, and flat-out lying: “Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.” (Ex 23:1)
  • Pandering for popular appeal, blind loyalty to a political leader, media bias, and pushing a false narrative for political power: “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.” (Ex 23:2-3)
  • Nastiness, the politics of personal destruction, name-calling, and argumentum ad hominem: “If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.” (Ex 23:4-5)
  • Social justice, inequality, racism, profiling, judicial activism, and a legal system that is biased in favor of the wealthy: “Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.” (Ex 23:6-8)
  • Immigration reform, open borders, religious discrimination, and the mounting refugee crisis: “Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.” (Ex 23:9)

Did God leave anything out? I don’t think so. There is no cultural issue currently dividing us that God’s Word hasn’t already addressed. And when you look at what he has declared with an open mind and a tender heart, you realize that we are all guilty before a holy God who sees through our sophisticated philosophies and convoluted arguments with utter moral clarity. And he stands ready to judge us or help us, depending on the heart response that we offer him.

Choose your issue: inflation, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, gender-bending, CRT, Christian Nationalism, BLM, social justice, QAnon, the refugee crises, identity politics, racism, inflation, the death of truth and the rise of moral relativism, abortion, homelessness, protests in the streets, lawlessness, violence, the rising crime rate, national anger, cultural decline, neighbor hating neighbor over politics—no matter what belief system with which you side, no matter what life philosophy by which you choose to live, most of us are worried about our nation. With good cause, many of us believe we are watching the self-immolation of America. We are at a point where God stands ready to judge us—or help us—depending on the heart response that we offer. If the worsening conditions of our country lead us to repent and return to him, then he is prepared to meet us with his provision of peace for our land.

And make no mistake: you are a lawbreaker. So am I. If not the letter of the law, we have murdered the spirit of the law in our hearts and minds. And may your acknowledgment of guilt lead you to repentance.

What can we do to save America? It might sound simplistic, but I believe it starts with personal confession and repentance. Then comes obedience to God’s law, not man’s opinion or political preferences, or cultural philosophies. And when we follow God’s way, he makes some wonderful promises of what life will be like as he leads us into a time of peace and prosperity—which you can read about in Exodus 23:20-33. Among other blessings, our repentance and obedience will be met with his provision of peace: “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.” (Exodus 23:20)

If enough of us do that—repent and obey—we can save America. We really can!

<strong>Takes A Moment:</strong> Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Posted on

Faith and Politics

Your Opportunity To Make The Master Proud

Synopsis: The key moments of history are not winning elections but transforming lives. Therefore, the most important thing a Christians can do for the good of their country is to leverage all their efforts for the ultimate goal of spiritual awakening, not political ascendancy. So, when we offer our political opinions, we must do so in a way that creates interest in the gospel.

Moments With God // Proverbs 29:2.

When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan.

Oh great! Just when you thought the political fervor that roiled the public might die down, another election cycle looms, and the free-for-all starts over. It seems that we are never more than a few months from a full-out war for the White House, or Congress, or the possibility of controversial Supreme Court decisions that will dominate the airwaves, print media, and water-cooler conversations for much too long. Like Christmas, political seasons come earlier and earlier—and each outdoes the others with the craziness it births in the citizenry.

So what’s a Christian to do? Whatever your political persuasion or your beliefs about the mixing of Christ and politics, the Bible makes it clear: We have an obligation to engage our culture at every level—including the political level—as ambassadors of the kingdom of God. Christ desires his people to encounter this world, in every country, in every city, at every level, as his emissaries representing the interests of his kingdom! And we must never apologize or retreat from that—even in our politics!

Contrary to what we’re being told today in America, it was for this very purpose that our forebears fled England for the new world. The pilgrims’ stated mission was clearly articulated in the Mayflower Compact: “For the glory of God, and the Propagation of the Christian Faith.” Those are our roots—our nation’s true birth certificate! Since that time, Christians have played a central role in shaping American government—and must continue to do so, even in this risky political climate.

Why? Simply because, as Charles Finney said, “God will bless or curse the nation according to the [political] course Christians take.” So if Christians don’t speak into our political process, who else will be the moral compass of our nation? Jesus said in Matthew 5:13,

You are the world’s seasoning, to make it tolerable. If you lose your flavor, what will happen to the world? And you yourselves will be trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the world’s light—a city on a hill, glowing all night for all to see. Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all.” (Living Bible)

Now having said that, just remember this: The key moments of history are not winning elections but transforming lives. Therefore, the most important thing Christians can do for the good of their country is to leverage all their efforts for the ultimate goal of spiritual awakening, not political ascendancy. When we offer our political opinions, we must do so in a way that creates interest in the gospel! 1 Peter 2:13-17 says,

“Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you are a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.” (The Message)

Unfortunately, some politically active believers are shrill and obnoxious, not a winsome witness to the Good News. To a large degree, that is why many think we are “a danger to society.” But if we can engage with “respect for the authorities, whatever their level…treat everyone with dignity…and respect the government,” then our ultimate objective of transforming lives will be advanced.

Likewise, as we engage, we need to value God’s agenda over our party’s platform. Jesus said, “Make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” (Matthew 6:33) Whenever possible, our political energies should be leveraged to vigorously promote kingdom concerns, such as:

  • Speaking out for the innocent and vulnerable! Proverbs 31:8 says, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” That means not only babies who face abortion before they leave the womb, but the destitute, the immigrant, and the marginalized.
  • Defending the poor and oppressed! Proverbs 31:9 says, “Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
  • Confronting sin and moral decay! Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Again, this calls for speaking truth to power but doing it with gentleness and respect. Truth without love becomes a cudgel that may force compliance but will never win hearts.
  • Working toward the peace and prosperity of Israel! Psalm 122:6 tells us, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure.” That is not to say that we remain silent when Israel acts immorally or inhumanely—even God didn’t turn a blind eye to their wicked behavior—but it is to recognize their special place in God’s plan for the ages.

By engaging in our political world assertively, respectfully, and Christianly, you and I will “make the Master proud by being a good citizen”—dual citizens, actually, of both heaven and earth. And, giving Jesus reason to be proud is what is most important!

Take A Moment: Memorize Romans 13:1-6 from The Message, “Be a good citizen. All governments are under God. Insofar as there is peace and order, it is God’s order. So live responsibly as a citizen. If you’re irresponsible to the state, then you’re irresponsible to God, and God will hold you responsible…Fulfill your obligations as a citizen. Pay your taxes, pay your bills, respect your leaders”