Tag: CHRISTIANITY

We are all on earth to be God's helpers, getting as many people as possible to Heaven. We start by taking care of our own salvation. Then we teach those in our homes, churches and communities. Mission work in foreign countries is great, but perhaps we should start closer to home by focusing on today’s children.

The Puritans in Parliament agreed that God is the source of governmental authority but argued that He gives that authority to the people, who delegate it to lesser magistrates, who in turn delegate authority to the higher magistrate or king. America’s founding fathers definitely took the latter view.

Those who are truly contrite and broken because of sin are in a state of grace. How do we know this? Because Scripture tells us the Lord is near to them.

The only firm basis for unalienable rights is the recognition that these rights come from a higher Source than man and his institutions. And what Source could that be but God? Jefferson answered that question clearly, eloquently and succinctly – “by their Creator.” 

Ask yourself… what do you live for? Who holds first place in your heart?

Whatever Jefferson became later in life, in 1776 he spoke as a Christian, wrote as a Christian, and apparently thought as a Christian. The Declaration must be understood as the work of the Jefferson of 1776, not the Jefferson of 1820.

The doctrine of the Trinity, that God is one in essence and eternally exists as three distinct Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is foundational to the Christian faith. And while this truth is beyond our human comprehension, it is vital to our understanding of salvation.

But don’t you know, that from the wounds we bear for others, everlasting flowers bloom? That to suffer out of obedience in love is greater than any promise of sin?

But when we ask whether the Declaration of Independence was a biblical document, what matters is not what men like Adams believed in 1820, but what they believed in 1776 and 1787.

The true depth of a man’s faith shows up when the cameras are not around.

What a shame that even shared good faith can be reduced to a profane weapon in the political game! Comparison in a political contest is always a double-edged sword, where too much held in common – even a shared faith – sows division and discord.

I don’t know whether there is life on other planets or not, but if there is, it won’t affect my faith in God, the Bible, or the plan of salvation through Christ. The Bible doesn’t talk about life on other planets because God gave the Bible to men on earth. Perhaps, in all this vast universe, God sovereignly chose to enact His plan for redemption on one small planet.

There are certain things only we human beings can do that we should never allow the machines to pretend to do – else we create something ugly, wicked and untrue.

Man’s inability to save himself becomes more obvious by the day. A casual glance at the news reminds us that humanity left to itself rebels against God in mind, heart and body. Whether it’s the drama of Goat Hill or the wickedness paraded around by the World Economic Forum, something is clearly broken. Politics, intellect, money and technology cannot fix what is fundamentally a spiritual problem. Only Christ can.

Religious liberty is not a selective principle. It does not apply only to those who believe exactly as we do. It is a foundational American value that protects all of us or protects none of us.

A faith rooted in the risen Christ shapes our convictions, our character, and our courage. It calls us to live with purpose and to stand firmly in truth, even when our culture pulls us in another direction. Our faith influences our families, the values we pass down, and the example we set for generations after us.

As Jesus looked upon Peter and saw right through him, Peter saw himself as he really was: full of bluster and bravado, but proud and cowardly at heart. When Peter hit rock bottom, the Lord took hold of his spirit and built him into the leader and bold witness that he would become.

Our discord could be resolved in harmony – if only we would soften our hearts to hear the hymns of Holy Week.  The psalms sung for the Passover feast, the same sung by Jesus and his disciples before they went out to Gethsemane, the hymns of the new covenant the Apostle Paul would teach – what if all these rang out anew in our hearts this week?

Freedom is loving God the Father, giving up a broken and contrite heart to Him – just as God the Son gave up his spotless heart to wash away all crimson sin.  And liberty is believing in what He, through Christ Jesus, has done for you and me, sealed by the Holy Spirit so that we may love one another in a thanksgiving of everlasting fraternity.

Consider the following two prayers. Which of the two more pervades the Christian world today? Which of the two best betrays the hidden intentions of your own heart?

The wicked game the devil plays is to pretend he is the morning star most high, that his legions will forever torment the world, and that the best a man can hope for is to see his enemies, himself, and the world die. But the true Morning Star Most High teaches us neither indifference nor despair – but to love and pray for all, even our enemies, caught in the devil’s snares....

The global elite say they love the stranger, but their true love has always been estrangement. Put simply, estranged people are much easier to control than those with deep roots and long memories.

During Super Bowl weekend, two very different performances played out before millions of viewers.

Woe to the nation that falls under the yoke of those who wield the Bible – not to teach men to observe and obey all that Christ Jesus commands – but as a weapon of shameless self-promotion to usurp authority and power simply for authority and power’s sake. 

God has established civil rulers to care for the people He has placed under them, defending them against foreign enemies without and criminals within. From what I can see in Scripture, God has not given the civil ruler any duty toward aliens, other than fair treatment for those legal aliens within his borders.

All sin stems from the disorder of placing creation over Creator. Man has discovered unnumbered ways to miss the mark, yet there is one particularly modern way to place creation over Creator that this mere creature fears. 

Through confusion and doubt, we must tread new routes, yet for all the nimble and practical steps we take, we must first remember to humble ourselves, or be humbled, by a test of faith.