People Can Change

Through a relationship with God and the power of Jesus Christ, people have the ability to change.   When we are born again, God gives us a new spirit, united with His Spirit, so that we live life with a new power and perspective.   In Ezekiel 36, we can read a passage about the great potential for change that God brings to us through Christ:
26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.27I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
I think so often we develop an opinion about a person and leave no room for the grace of God to work.   Just because someone acts in a certain way today doesn't mean that will be their course of action tomorrow. When Jesus is involved, He brings about heart change and can dramatically alter the trajectory of someone's life.   And, a person who has walked in darkness and makes a profession of faith doesn't automatically get it right - they have to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, just like you and me - we're all still walking toward God's standards.    So, recognize people can change.  And, don't give up on those that you think are not in the same place spiritually that you are.   

I was reading in Acts 28 the other day, where the apostle Paul quoted a passage from Isaiah.   We pick up in verse 25:
(25) "The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,26saying, 'Go to this people and say: "Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand; And seeing you will see, and not perceive;27For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them." '
Jesus also quoted from that passage 

Yesterday, thousands gathered near Johannesburg, South Africa to pay tribute to the former leader of that country, Nelson Mandela, whose impact was so strong that CBN reports that more than 90 countries flew in representatives.   President Obama and former Presidents Clinton and Carter were on hand.  

For almost a week, there has been extensive coverage of the death of this man and the legacy he built.   People from across the ideological spectrum compliment his leadership.   There are a couple of words that you hear in connection with him - reconciliation and forgiveness.    But, those were not always, it seems, words that would be used to describe him.

Cal Thomas wrote a piece for WORLD where he relates about a visit he and another reporter had with
Mandela in prison in 1985. He writes:

The Mandela celebrated by world leaders following his death was not the Mandela we interviewed. He received a life sentence in 1964 for attempting to sabotage the apartheid government but had been offered his freedom several times. He only had to promise not to engage in any more violence. Mandela told us, however, that if he were released from prison he would be back “in a day,” because he saw “no alternative” to violent revolution to end apartheid. There’s no room for “peaceful struggle,” said the man who would upon his release engage in peaceful struggle that would result in his becoming the first black South African president.

He goes on to say that, "Many violent revolutionaries became peacemakers once their oppressors were removed from power. Whether Mandela experienced a 'conversion' after we met him, or simply adapted a more pragmatic path to his goals, I cannot say.

"Let us charitably assume the best about a man revered by many who ended an evil and gave his country an opportunity to build something better."

D.C. Innes, also writing for WORLD, indicates that that Mandela that went into prison was not the one who came out.  He writes, "Mandela’s great accomplishment for which we revere him is, first, his triumph over himself in overcoming bitterness and the desire for revenge (the faith he professed indicates this was the triumph of Christ), and second, his national leadership in reconciling a bitterly divided nation that could have become one of the many tyrannies and bloodbaths of Africa."



Gary Bauer points out that, "Fortunately for South Africa, during his prison years Mandela ended his flirtation with Marxism and chose upon his release to be a voice for reconciliation, not revenge...Sadly, however, he retained an affection for some of the world's worst despots. He regularly praised Libya's Gaddafi and Cuba's Castro."

He goes on to say that, "Ironically, the Mandela who emerged from prison followed many policies that the American left today rejects. He cut spending, privatized state industries, reformed the South African economy, encouraged investment and strove to build a vibrant middle class. He rejected efforts to divide the country by exploiting class or race."

So, was there a faith component to Mandela's turnaround?   Hard to say, but there was an interesting piece on CBN.com that indicates there may have been.   One of South Africa's leading evangelists, Michael Cassidy says that Billy Graham asked him to visit Mandela in 1992 in response to a letter Mandela had written to Graham after he left prison.

He said he personally took a signed copy of Graham's book, Peace with God, to Mandela.

Cassiday says, "I remember him telling me that when he was in prison he never missed Bible study or church service or Sunday nights. I was very impressed by that."  He added, "I personally like to believe that the Christian Gospel also informed his responses. It wasn't just pragmatic politics. These were principles in his heart and soul and mind that he had come to believe were right."

It is clear to me that Mandela experienced a political transformation - moving from being reportedly associated with the Communist Party and devoted to the enacting of change through violence to a conciliatory leader who wanted to exercise principles of reconciliation.   And, there may have been a personal faith to some degree, as well - he apparently had an appreciation for the church, according to a Christian Today article I came across.   But, reminiscent of those leaders you read about in the Old Testament - you know the ones who we're told followed the ways of God, but didn't remove the "high places", the locations of idol worship - Mandela's legacy ends us being a mixed bag, especially when you factor in his endorsement of the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1996, that Examiner.com reports was called by the Guttmacher Institute as "one of the most liberal abortion laws in the world."That law essentially allowed abortion on demand up to the 20th week, as well as after it and up to birth for so-called "serious medical reasons".

I do think we can be encouraged - more often than not, we think that leaders hold to a political philosophy throughout their careers.   But, in politics, as in life, there is a capacity for change, and people can indeed change.   And, the presence of Jesus Christ and the search for a relationship with God can be a catalyst for it.   I remember Stephen Mansfield's contention that Abraham Lincoln was on a spiritual journey throughout his life that moved him from secularist, perhaps even atheist, to someone who was acknowledging God in his life.  George W. Bush was more forthright in his declaration of experiencing the new birth in Jesus Christ.  As we follow 1st Timothy 2 and pray for leaders, we can be devoted to praying for the Lord to change their hearts, and perhaps they will apply that heart change to a desire to put policies in place that are consistent with Biblical truth.

I think we also have to learn not to give up on people with whom we disagree, especially in instances where their beliefs are contradictory to Scripture.  Perhaps as you engage with family over the holidays, you'll have that cousin or uncle, maybe your parents, who hold a different position than you on the issues of the day, including those who do not know Christ.   We can choose to be winning in our approach and not confrontational, or we can make those areas of disagreement points of contention that destroy our family unity.   When we have the opportunity to share our viewpoint that is consistent with Scripture, we can do so with conviction - and compassion.  We all have blind spots, none of us have arrived in our spiritual walk - so we have to maintain a sense of humility when dealing with those with whom we disagree.  And, never, ever underestimate the power of prayer in the changing of a life.

 

In the Belly of a Whale...

In Psalm 54, as Saul was searching for David and he was hiding out with the Ziphites, David wrote these words:
1b Save me, O God, by Your name, And vindicate me by Your strength.2Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth.3For strangers have risen up against me, And oppressors have sought after my life; They have not set God before them. Selah4Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is with those who uphold my life.

We can ask ourselves, when we face trouble, who do we turn to?   Our self-reliant tendencies would attempt to dictate to us that we try to work things out for ourselves, and maybe offer up a cursory prayer if things get too tight or after we've exhausted our human options.  But, God wants us to walk in a different path, with an awareness that He is with us and that He is our deliverer.  If we are abiding in Him, as Jesus teaches, then we can know His presence and activate His strength, prepared to turn to Him at all times - in our deep troubles or even in simple decisions or challenges.

In the book of Jonah, we read his cry for deliverance in the 2nd chapter:

2And he said: "I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, And He answered me. "Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice.3For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.4Then I said, 'I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.'
Later, he confesses:7"When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple.8"Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy.9But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord."
Harrison Odjegba Okene is a Nigerian Christian sailor who was trapped for 3 days in the wreckage of a tugboat back in May.  The boat was carrying a 12-person crew when it capsized in the Atlantic off the coast of Nigeria.  Divers were sent to scene looking for the bodies.

According to a story in the Crossmap section of The Christian Post website, it was assumed that after two and a half days, everyone aboard had died.  However, shockingly, one man - Harrison Okene - was found alive. He was discovered in a tiny 4-ft air space.

He reportedly survived by breathing an ever-dwindling supply of oxygen in an air pocket, on only Coca-Cola and no food.

It is reported that Okene recited the Bible verses from the last psalm his wife had sent by text message: "Oh God, by your name, save me. ... The Lord sustains my life."  That seems to be excerpted from Psalm 54.

He told a Nigerian newspaper, "The rest of my life is not enough to thank God for this wonder, it is incredible."

The story of Okene's miraculous survival is unveiled by a video of his rescue in May. Having been posted for six months, the video has gone viral recently. The full video of the rescue captured by divers was released by DCN Diving after a request from The Associated Press.

Christianity Today likens Okene to a modern-day Jonah - like the Bible character, he was trapped underwater; unlike Jonah, he was trapped what was once a tugboat.   We're told in Scripture that Jonah prayed to God for deliverance from the belly of the fish - Okene trusted God for his deliverance, as well.

There are several takeaways for us in our walk with Christ.   For one thing, we recognize God as our deliverer.  Not only is He the one who has made a way out from the bondage of sin and death through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, but He desires for us to turn to Him and call upon Him, to trust Him in our struggles, even in the midst of our deepest despair.  

There's also an element of timing here.  Relief may not be immediate, and it wasn't for Jonah nor Harrison Okene.  But in the midst of hardship, when we may feel buried under the weight of difficulty, we can recognize that He will sustain us with His peace and presence.   He is our rock, our refuge, our source of strength, and as the Psalm reminds us, an ever-present help in time of trouble.

The verse texted to Okene by his wife gives us a reminder that the Lord sustains our lives.  We can acknowledge that our lives are in His hands, and He calls us to exercise utter dependence on Him.   And, that's a good word for us every day - to realize without Him we are nothing and can do nothing, and to decrease in our own strength and self-reliance and to increase in our knowledge and absolute trust in him.

It's Scientific

The good news for us at Christmas is that Jesus is a visible manifestation of the invisible God and we can come to know God the Father by entering into a relationship with God the Son.   Here is what Colossians 1 says:
15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.16For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.17And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

My goodness - that is indeed good news.  Consider the evidence of God all around us - the heavens declare His glory.  Even though humans skew toward the chaotic, I believe the presence of the Almighty God presents order for the world - the galaxies are held in place.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made by His hand, and your unique makeup reflects the design and the very nature of God.    Jesus came at Christmas so that we could know this mighty and majestic God, and He calls us to love and serve Him wholeheartedly.

In our celebration of Christmas, I believe that we have an opportunity to look beyond the lights, the trees, the festivities, and the shopping to really think about why Jesus came into the word and to examine our own knowledge of God.  In Romans 1, we see these challenging verses:
20For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,21because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Jesus came to make it possible to know the God about whom we discover the evidence of His existence.

The results are in and the 2013 Word of the Year, according to the dictionary people at Merriam-Webster, is “science”, according to a CNN story (“cognitive” comes in second).  Over at the Oxford American Dictionaries US, the top word is “selfie”, the result of the word's growing usage and digital fame. But its U.S. counterpart picked "science" primarily based on numbers on its website.

Merriam-Webster reportedly looked at the most searched-for words on its online dictionary, as well as those that showed the biggest increase in the number of look-ups.

“Science” had a 176% increase in look-ups. In a statement, the dictionary editors said that, "A wide variety of discussions centered on science this year, from climate change to educational policy…We saw heated debates about 'phony' science, or whether science held all the answers. It's a topic that has great significance for us."

For years, there has been an attempt to separate science from faith. Studying the science, however, can show us an amazing amount of evidence for design. If we look into the orderly world of applied science, we can see an incredible amount of order in the universe that cannot be explained by random occurrences.
Writing for the Institute for Creation Research, Dr. Duane Gish reminds us of two laws of thermodynamics which would be contradicted if the universe came from nothingness. Utilizing material from ICR's Harold Slusher, he writes:

The First Law of Thermodynamics states that the total quantity of matter and energy in the universe is constant. The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that matter and energy always tend to change from complex and ordered states to disordered states. Therefore the universe could not have created itself, but could not have existed forever, or it would have run down long ago. Thus the universe, including matter and energy, apparently must have been created. The "big-bang" theory of the origin of the universe contradicts much physical evidence and seemingly can only be accepted by faith.

Quoting from the work of Charles Smith, Gish goes on to remind us that, "...simple molecules and complex protein, DNA, and RNA molecules seemingly could not have evolved spontaneously and naturalistically into a living cell; such cells apparently were created."

The list goes on and on - if you study the science, you will find abundant evidence of design, and we can surmise that it is the work of a wise and omnipotent Creator.   If you grasp that, then you can be reminded of His presence with us, seen in the beauty of creation and the order of the universe.   And, if you believe there is a God, then you have to make a decision whether or not to follow that God.

That, I believe, is the rub for those who would like to use science to disprove the existence of a designer, for they think that if they acknowledge Him, then it would dramatically alter their lives.   And, that is so true - if you admit or recognize that there is a God, then you must explore what the conditions are for following Him.   And those conditions are found in His Word.    The good news is that yes, you can know God!   It's very simple - the Bible says that is you confess with your mouth that Jesus, the Son of God, is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.   The evidence of God is all around us - the science points to His existence, and the work of the Spirit  in each of our lives also testifies to the love of God working through our hearts.  

Life: Fast and Furious?

We're thinking together this week about the giving nature of our God, the One who sent His Son as a gift to us so that we might come to know and experience a relationship with Him.   Here are some encouraging words from Psalm 73:
25Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.26My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.27For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.28But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare all Your works.

Another translation says, "the nearness of God is my good."   We think about the Lord as the giver of all good gifts, and one of those gifts is certainly His presence.   We know that He is around us and we can see the evidence of His hand in creation.   We can sense the leadership of His Holy Spirit because He resides within our hearts - Christ in us is the hope of glory.   We recognize that He is near to us, drawing us close to Himself, comforting, strengthening, and directing us.   We are not alone, because He is with us - God with us, Emmanuel, the Savior we celebrate.

God is near to us, and He desires for us to experience Him consistently and acknowledge and walk in the light of His presence.   Here is what Psalm 145 says:
15The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season.16You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.17The Lord is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works.18The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.19He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.

I have to be honest, I was not familiar with Paul Walker before this weekend, as news reports announced his death at the age of 40.   Walker was one of the actors in the successful "Fast and Furious" movie franchise and was scheduled to be in the seventh installment, set for a 2014 release.

But, his life was cut short, ironically enough, in a car accident - he was reportedly a passenger in a customized Porsche driven by a friend.   Earlier that afternoon, he had been involved in an event sponsored by the charity he founded, Reach Out Worldwide, which was raising funds for victims of the typhoon in the Philippines, according to a report on the Christian Post website.

Often you'll find some mentions of God or prayer in the death of a celebrity.  But, I think it's unusual to see coverage of a person's faith and practice after his or her death. As the Post reports, Walker was quoted at IMDb as saying, "I'm a Christian now. The things that drove me crazy growing up was how everyone works at fault-finding with different religions. The people I don't understand are atheists. I go surfing and snow boarding and I'm always around nature. I look at everything and think, 'Who couldn't believe there's a God? Is all this a mistake?' It just blows me away."

He was reported to be a non-denominational Christian with a Mormon background.  In a GQ UK magazine interview, he is quoted as saying:

"Thing is, I went to a born-again Christian high school, was brought up in a traditional Mormon family where these ideas about parenting are of structure and sacrifice. To think outside of that idea of family and parenting that I've grown up with is tough, but also very freeing."

His sense of adventure was also seen in his participation in a National Geographic Channel series called, "Expedition Great White" where he was part of a crew that caught and tagged great white sharks off the coast of Mexico. Walker majored in marine biology in college and was a great enthusiast of all things related to the ocean, including surfing.

He had exclaimed, "To now be going on an expedition with National Geographic? Are you kidding me?! Where are we going? It's just one of those opportunities I had to seize."

In a rather surreal element of the whole story, rumors had circulated on Friday that Paul Walker was dead.   An "R.I.P." Paul Walker Facebook page had attracted some one million likes, according to the Mediaite website.

This story carries with it some spiritual implications for us.  I still don't know much about the way Paul Walker lived his life, but there was a sense of adventure about him.   And, while driving fast cars or chasing sharks might not be your idea of having fun, there was a "wide open" aspect of this man's life that can inspire us.   I do believe that God has called us to regard our lives as an adventure, full of wonder and opportunity to see His hand around us.   He doesn't call us to the mundane, but He desires for us to live with vigor, passion, and joy.   Life is a gift from Him, and He wants us to live it to the fullest.

I think it is interesting, and a bit creepy that Walker was the victim of a death hoax the day before he actually died.  And, even in response to a false story, perhaps a million people or more had responded.   Of course, now in his real death, he has attracted a far greater amount of attention.   Next week, you'll hear a gentleman named Guy Hatcher on the program who will talk about building a sense of legacy.  We can ask ourselves, do we have a sense of legacy about our lives?   We may not have millions of fans or starred in a multi-film movie series, but God has given us people to impact - our spouses, our children, friends, fellow church members, co-workers, and others.   We do have to think about how they are being influenced by us.

Finally, this intriguing set of circumstances reminds us about having a sense of spiritual awareness. Walker was apparently devoted to living life with a purpose and identified the presence of God around him. He said, "I look at everything and think, 'Who couldn't believe there's a God? Is all this a mistake?' It just blows me away."   We can live our lives with an appreciation of the evidence of God.   His hand is everywhere for us to see and experience, and He desires for us to know Him and to see and acknowledge His work - don't take His presence for granted - look for and identify those "God-instances" that we can encounter.

Haves, Have-Nots, and the Promise of a Provider

As we open up our Christmas season together, I want to think about what the Bible teaches on the topic of generosity, as we recognize that God is the giver of all good gifts, and has given the best gift of all by sending His son so that we might have salvation through Him.   Here is what 2nd Corinthians 9 says:
6But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.7So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

God has established certain economic principles, and they are predicated on the heart attitudes of love for Him and toward others, expressed in an unselfish attitude.  If we recognize that He owns it all and that what we possess actually belong to Him, then that will, I believe, cause us to develop an attitude of charity with compassion.   We have opportunities to share what we have with people in need, and by so doing we demonstrate the love of Christ and help them to recognize that goodness of a God who will work in their lives, as well.   When you take into account that those who are homeless or otherwise down-and-out are people created in God's image, just like you and me, we can break free from pride that separates and walk in compassion that brings healing and restoration and testifies to the faithfulness of a Savior.

In 1st Timothy 6, we see a Biblical attitude toward our possessions and our overall financial state:
17Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.18Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,19storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Across the country, including here in the Faith Radio broadcast area, the hearts and hands of people were opened to those less fortunate during the Thanksgiving weekend.    From the Salvation Army to a variety of rescue missions and others devoted to reaching out to the homeless and others who have experienced financial hardship in their lives, God's love was in action over the last few days.

During this Christmas season of giving, we hopefully will be involved in opportunities to serve.   Today, the Montgomery Baptist Association is collecting new and unwrapped toys to place on sale to hundreds of needy families who are not in a financial position to provide quality Christmas gifts to their kids.   This is just one of many ways in which Christian people can serve and demonstrate Christ's love.

I came across some survey results published at the DSNews.com website in September of 2011, which said that one in three Americans would be unable to make their mortgage or rent payment beyond one month if they lost their job.   And, despite being more affluent, the poll found that even those with higher annual household incomes indicate they are not guaranteed to make their next housing payment if they lost their source of income.  Ten percent of survey respondents earning $100K or more a year say they would immediately miss a payment.

The survey was conducted on behalf of a financial consortium comprised of the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Financial Planning Association, Foundation for Financial Planning, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Sixty-one percent of those surveyed said if they were handed a pink slip, they would not be able to continue to make their mortgage or rent payment longer than five months.

There are people who we could consider to be or have been successful who were actually homeless at one time in their lives.  Buzzfeed published a list earlier this year of 13 such celebrities.  They include: Halle Berry, who ran out of money while pursuing acting roles in New York. In 1989 she lived briefly in a homeless shelter before her luck changed and she landed a spot on an ABC drama.   Going back in time - significantly - Ben Franklin ran away from home in Boston at age 17. He took a boat to New York City, and then walked all the way to Philadelphia. Once there he lived on the streets until he was taken in by his future wife’s family.   When legendary actor Cary Grant was 10, he was abandoned after his father placed his mother in a mental institution and then he took off.   Cary spent time on the streets in Southampton, England, working the docks and sleeping in alleys when there wasn’t enough money to rent a cot in a boarding house.
Others on the list included Jim Carrey, David Letterman, Tyler Perry, Kelly Clarkson, and even Colonel Sanders.

So, there are a number of takeaways from these stories.   For one thing, as I mentioned earlier, those who have and those who do not are really not that different.   And, that is why we should be sensitive to the needs of those who are struggling economically.   When you consider that a third of Americans just over 2 years ago were one paycheck away from not making a mortgage or rent payment, it shows that we could be closer to a challenging financial time than we might think.   If you really think about it, we should be grateful to the Lord for what we possess, and realize that He is the source for our financial well-being.

And, as our celebrity examples teach us, there is hope for a way out of homelessness.   That's where the body of Christ can make a significant impact, as well.  Not only can we provide those temporary basic needs, such as food and clothing, but we can perhaps help to change a mind or a mindset - if we come along side people who are struggling and help them to develop marketable skills, they can become more productive, and in the process, we might just have an opportunity to make a spiritual connection.

There are also several practical financial principles.   You can hear or read a number of financial experts talk about them - one is that you should bring to the Lord your firstfruits - this is also called the tithe. If your heart is devoted to giving, then there is a Biblical principle of sowing and reaping, and we can rejoice in God's blessing as we desire to give to His work.   Another solid principle is to save - and that is difficult when someone is in debt; you'll hear it taught that we can take the necessary steps to get out of debt and strive to save, so that we have financial resources set aside in the case of a job loss or a major expense.   God's word gives us the key to living - and giving - generously and practically.

Humility and Thankfulness

A powerful reminder regarding the attitude and practice of thanksgiving is found in 1st Thessalonians chapter 5:
16Rejoice always,17pray without ceasing,18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Having a thankful heart can produce some incredible fruit for the glory of God - the Bible directs us to bring praise to Him.  He promises to inhabit the praises of His people - so if we want to experience the presence of God and grow in our awareness of Him, our praise can cause that to happen.  And, our attitude is shaped by the thankfulness we display...if we give honor to the One who is the maker and sustainer of all things, the One who controls our lives, and if we are careful to acknowledge Him for all the benefits that He brings into our lives, we can find that we are living in a state of constant humility or dependence on Him.

We think together on this day before Thanksgiving on the goodness of God, who has brought us into a relationship with Himself.  In Psalm 140, we read:
6I said to the Lord: "You are my God; Hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord.7O God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.
And, later in the chapter, we are reminded that:12I know that the Lord will maintain The cause of the afflicted, And justice for the poor.13Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence.

I was reading Jerry Newcombe's excellent piece at WorldNetDaily earlier today as he shared about early Thanksgiving celebrations - we of course think about the 1621 Thanksgiving celebration at Plymouth, but he points out that two years earlier, in Jamestown, Virginia, Capt. John Woodlief declared on Dec. 4, 1619: “We ordain that the day of our ship’s arrival at the place assigned for plantation in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

Newcombe points out that even though a number of its residents had died, eventually, providentially, Jamestown survived, and because of its permanency, the Pilgrims, a small group of Christian separatists, decided to settle in what they called “the northern parts of Virginia.” Hence, the voyage of the Mayflower in 1620, which they said was “for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith”.

Providentially, they were blown off course and were hindered from going south of Cape Cod.

The circumstances leading up to that Compact were rather dubious - there apparently was great unrest on the ship as it had encountered difficulty during its journey from England, and as Mark Ammerman points out at Christianity.com:

Shortly after these mutinous murmurings, a strategic meeting of the voyage's leaders took place in the captain's quarters. After prayer and much lively talk, Elder William Brewster dipped a quill in ink and began to write. The words he penned are now famous; at the time, they were simply the best reasoned efforts of a small group of English Separatists to stave off a mutiny while ensuring the common good...

Elder Brewster wrote: In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, having undertaken--for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith--a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.

The entire ship's company was called together to hear it read aloud. Every man who signed the compact promised to obey the laws that would soon be made for their life together.

This Compact became the foundation for a system of government that has stood the test of time. Ammerman points out that "Once landed, the Pilgrims would need a sure form of government or there could be rebellion. If everyone didn't pull together for the common good, they might all starve in the wilderness. And so they came together in the captain's cabin, where (in the words of Winston Churchill) they 'drew up a solemn compact that is one of the most remarkable documents in history.'...

Forged in the fire of necessity, the Mayflower Compact was more a declaration of solidarity among the Pilgrims than it was a document of democracy. But in this brief charter, we have America's first written covenant for a society ruled by common assent and laws of its own making.  

So, on this Thanksgiving Day, we can remember to Whom we show appreciation.   We aren't paying homage to human effort and not celebrating how the Pilgrims thanked the Indians.  In our study of history, we see people who were dedicated to God, who followed a cause greater than themselves, pursuing a course of religious freedom - we celebrate values that are uniquely grounded in the Scriptures.   They had a vision for a system of laws that were centered on the Lord's principles and developed with sense of humility to Him and to one another.  Affirming God's sovereignty and human dignity, these early Pilgrims recognized that submission to Him and to each other was a powerful basis for living together effectively.

As you go into this Thanksgiving celebration, I would encourage you to think about a few things based on this visit to a powerful historical time:

First of all, take a few moments to thank the One who has made you, sustained you, and blessed you.  We would do well to do that individually, and maybe even collectively, as you reflect upon how God has shown up and shown Himself faithful in your life.   Indeed, God desires for us to come before Him with grateful hearts.

And, realize that humility is a powerful force, and we could all stand to be a little more humble.  As the Pilgrims approached land, disunity was setting in - they had been blown off course, and there were some that thought that the law of Virginia, where they were originally heading, did not apply to them any more.   There had to be a solution to bind the hearts of the people together - they recalibrated and humbled themselves before God and each other.  Perhaps, even in your Thanksgiving gatherings, where there might be some potential for tension, a surrendering to God and the demonstration of a gracious spirit may work to bring harmony.

Finally, we recognize that thanksgiving is way more than a once-a-year holiday or the occasional pronouncement of a blessing or two - it is a Biblical attitude of the heart, as we are called to be people of praise and worship to God.   If we exhibit appreciation to Him, it will greatly affect our spiritual growth, our outlook on life, and the way we relate to other people.   May we be challenged to be people of thankfulness.

The Bible: Real to You?

We find some challenging teaching by Jesus in Matthew chapter 10, where we see essentially his charge to those whom He was sending out.  Beginning in verse 32, we read:
32"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.33But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
Now, let's jump down to verse 38 - he says:38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.39He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

I think it is very telling that He uses the word, "cross", here, because He is teaching these disciples to deny themselves, to die to self, and follow Him.  He would later die a brutal, physical death, which sends a powerful message to us about the surrendered life which we should be willing to live, rendering ourselves as dead to sin and alive to Christ, crucified with Him, so we could experience new life.  We are called to live in the reality of the resurrection.  This takes more than just mental assent or mere verbal agreement that we are a Christian - He calls us to walk by faith, so that His life is expressed through us.

In Acts 17, we see a brief account of the Christians at Berea, who are marvelous examples to us of people who embraced and emulated the reality of Christ:
10Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.11These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.12Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.

Calinfornia Pastor Caleb Kaltenbach made an alarming discovery recently when he noticed a Simi Valley Costco had labeled all its Bibles as “fiction”. A Religion Today piece stated that after several unsuccessful attempts to report the matter with store employees, the pastor snapped a photo of the Bible display and sent it to his congregation.

The story quotes Kaltenbach as saying to Fox News that, “People are pretty shocked and upset...We are supposed to be living in an era of tolerance, but what Costco did doesn’t seem too tolerant.”

Costco headquarters initially attributed the event to human error at the warehouse, but declined to comment further.  Reaction to the incident has been varied. Some Christians have responded with outrage, while others have asked that this not become a major incident. Other viewers have used the incident as a springboard to express their disbelief in religion, while still more have stepped forward to defend their faith.

When interviewed by Christian News, Costco had this statement:  “’Costco’s distributor mislabeled a small percentage of the Bibles; however, we take responsibility and should have caught the mistake. We are correcting this with them for future distribution,’ the company stated. ‘We greatly apologize for the error.’”

As for Kaltenbach, the pastor told CBN News that he believes the error was an honest mistake, though a very telling one.

"’I totally believe them," he said. "I believe it was a mistake. I don't believe there's some kind of evil genius behind the scenes, but I do believe it is telling where our nation is spiritually.’"

I agree - this is not an incident that should contribute to the narrative of our religious rights being disregarded. Some would say that it shows a lack of respect for Christianity, but I tend to think it was a matter of mislabeling.  However, I'd like to know if all the Bibles have been relabeled or removed from the shelves.

Well, we know there are some in our society today that believe the Bible is fiction - simply not true.  And, as we have opportunity, perhaps we can relate the truth about God and His Word to them.   The Bible tells us to be prepared to share the reason for the hope that we have, and as we trust in the Lord and as we have experienced His work in our lives - through the new birth and through ways that He is evident to us on a consistent basis - we can share our own personal story with those who do not know Him, who think the Word of God is fiction.  And, on an intellectual level, we can also have defenses for our faith in hand and mind in order to engage in discussion about the evidence for God.

Then you have others that say they believe the Bible, but act as if they do not.   And, that's a dangerous place for anyone.   I want to challenge each of us today to examine our lives - our behavior, as well as the thoughts and intents of our hearts - by the way that we act, do we confirm or deny that we believe the Bible is true?   Could you say that the Bible is actually fiction - for you?  If we adhere to the truth contained within the Scriptures and if God is alive in our hearts, then our lives will reflect the evidence of His presence. If our actions contradict the faith we say we have, then we have to make the choice to bring those two realms of faith and action into a place of consistency with one another.  Because God is real, then the reality of the risen Lord will be expressed through us - we can release the power of the Holy Spirit to transform every area of us - the regeneration of our spirits, the renewal of our minds, and the realization of the spiritual in the physical realm, in our bodies.