Where Do We Go From Here?

I want to pay it forward today.  I am giving you a recap of a message I just listened to yesterday in church.  It was very good.  I see lots of fighting back and forth on the internet about the new law that was passed, but there is a bigger battle, it is a battle for the hearts of man…

“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another,
love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil,
and his lips that they speak no guile:
Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye:
and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.”
1 Peter 3:8-17

In light of Independence Day, I wanted to share a few things about our history as a nation, under God.  On May 16th, 1776, nearly two months before the founding of our country, the congress had a day of fasting and prayer.  They were asking God for forgiveness.  Here is the original document…
In his first inaugural address, April 30, 1789, Washington said “… we ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained…”
Most of our major college institutions and public schools like Harvard and Yale were dedicated to teaching and equipping preachers with the gospel.  I find that interesting.  Even the college I went to was formally known as a religious institution.  You would never know it today!  While in college some 20 years ago, I spent a lot of time in my dorm room just reading my bible.  

While all the other students filled their minds with liberal propaganda, I filled my heart with truth!  

This nation was founded on biblical and moral principles.  Everyone used to agree that there was absolute truth of God’s word. 

In Deerborn, Michigan there were Christian men arrested for peacefully handing out bible tracks of the Gospel of John.  It was said that they were not disrespectful at all. 

How can this happen to this country in 100 years?

It is sad to see that our country has strayed so far off from its foundation, yet what are we to do about it?

Where do we go from here?

It surely is not politically correct to express any kind of moral integrity these days.  

1.  Fight the right battles…

  • You have heard the saying, “Pick your battles”.  I have to do this daily as a parent.  I can’t fuss about every single thing or I will go mad!
  • We make a mistake when we pick the wrong battles.  We say, “We have a cultural or political problem!”  That’s not our battle!

Our battle is a spiritual battle.  We do not boycott and force our agenda, that is not the way to go about this.  It is like trying to mop the floor while the sink is overflowing!

As bible believers we need to understand that it is impossible to…

  • Get citizens of Earth to act like citizens of heaven.
  • We can’t expect people to have Christian values when they are not Christians.

The best way to create change is not to change the LAWS but to change people’s HEARTS.
God’s agenda is not to change the mind but the heart first.  If the heart is right, the mind will follow, and the body will take action.

Our primary focus as followers of Christ should be to preach Jesus and him crucified for the power of our salvation.  

Our first calling is not to get the government right, it is to get the people right.  It is a change from the inside out!

2.  Use the right weapons. 
The weapons of our warfare are not physical but spiritual.

6 weeks before our country became a nation in 1776, they were praying for God to help the people. 

So we help by prayer and by knowing the truths contained in God’s word!
We have to have a renewed importance for God’s truth.

We have gotten to a time where people do not care about what the bible says.  A recent study tells us that even 53% of Bible Believing Christians do not believe that the bible is absolute truth!  That is a sad statistic.  If even those that call themselves believers cease from believing completely, we have a serious situation!

We do have absolute truth.  I believe every word in the bible!  Every single one.  When you start believing that bible like it is written without picking and choosing, without spiritualizing, you will avoid confusion and false doctrine.

Commit today yourself in prayer for your country, for our leaders, and the laws of the land that govern us.  Also commit yourself to studying the word of God!

It sure isn’t easy to live by the Bible, and you may even look odd. We may even be called to suffer for it.  

During the reign of Hitler, there was a man that wanted to take action to assassinate Hitler for all the wrongs he was doing.  He ended up getting caught and eventually hanged for having a plan.  He wrote a book and influenced a lot of people because he knew suffering and those that suffered. What it meant and what it means for anyone who follows Christ.  The man’s name was Dietritch Bonhoeffer. He said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”

As Christians, we may live to see things get pretty bad here.  It is going to get worse before it gets better.  It may not be next year, or even in the next decade, but we may be caused to suffer for his name sake.  But we have hope and comfort..

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18

“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” 1 Peter 4:13

Rejoice in your hope!

3. Have the right attitude

No matter what the battle or disagreement may be, we MUST speak with humility and grace!
If you get all stirred up, people will just puff up against you.  The bible says,
“A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1

Speak with gentleness and respect.  Jesus was full of grace and truth.

We as believers should be helping women raise their children instead of condemning them for aborting them.  We look down upon them for their actions, yet we take no action to help them.  We ought to minister to others when they are sick or in need.  It is the sick that need the doctor, not the well.  Jesus came for the sinners not the righteous!  

4. Learn to Love

Here is a story about a woman named Norma Jane Roe.  Remember Roe vs. Wade?  It was when the supreme court passed a law to allow pro choice.  Miss Roe was the ring leader.  She fought hard to pass the law to end the life of the unborn.

Years later she met a sweet little girl named Emily.  Emily loved Miss Roe and just treated her so nice.  She invited her to her home to meet her family.  Emily’s family loved Miss Roe and treated her just the way they would want to be treated.  They loved their neighbor.  They never judged or condemned her.  Never pointed their finger in her face to tell her how awful of a person she was to fight to pass that law. 

Later, Miss Roe followed that loving family to church where she heard the gospel.  Her heart was softened and she decided to also follow Christ. 

NOW, Norma Jane Roe is one of this country’s biggest defenders of life.  She now speaks out against abortion.  And all it took was love to change her heart.  One family, one small little girl, made a difference in a woman’s life that changed history.

It is never right to fight wrong in the wrong way!

The next time you see laws you are disgusted with, people who passionately support things that are against God’s word, pray.  And when you speak to someone who is not in one accord with your way of thinking, speak with humility, be gracious!  Love!  We are never to HATE!  Any life we encounter should know our love by how we treat them.  They should never be able to deny that we sincerely love them.

 Love always wins hearts.  Hate makes enemies of God!

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3 thoughts on “Where Do We Go From Here?”

  1. Lori Alexander

    Amen! Yes, things are changing on this earth but they are the same in God’s Kingdom! Carl Henry, a theologian wrote, The Early Church did not say, “Look what the world is coming to!” They said, “Look Who has come into the world!”
    Yesterday, David Jeremiah said these words, “Whenever there is a true prophet of God, He will preach judgment. These so-called ministers of God speak all things nice. There’s not any hell anymore, there’s not any devil anymore and there’s not any judgment anymore. In our enlightened and sophisticated day, we stand up and speak of the love of Jesus and we speak of peace and all things pretty and beautiful but remember, the same book that tells us about the good, tells us about the bad. The same revelation that speaks to us about heaven, speaks to us about hell. The Bible that presents the Lord as the Savior is the same Bible that presents to us the Devil as our enemy and adversary of damnation and destruction. The two go together; if there’s not anything to be saved from, you don’t need a Savior.”
    Just a bit more encouragement for the church of the Living God! Press on, my dear sister in Christ.

    1. Erin @ Keeper of the Homestead

      So true, Lori, we have to take stands on the truth and know the word of God in our hearts. It is the truth tempered with love, and I love that about Jesus. He was so gracious but so firm. I want to be ever like Him in all my ways. God bless you dear sister!

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