Most of us have made nervous jokes about trusting God. I like to illustrate it with the story of Peter walking on the water. (Take a folding chair as the boat.) Peter is on his knees in the boat (chair) looking over the side. Jesus bids him, “Come.”

Peter climbs out of the boat (over the chair back) standing with one hand on the boat’s gunnel (chair back). Jesus encourages him. Peter “walks on the water” pulling the boat (chair) behind him. Jesus tells him to keep his eyes on Him and turn loose of the boat.

Now Peter cannot take eyes off Jesus without sinking. He feels behind him and for all he knows the boat is long gone. Only after he turns loose of the boat is he being irresponsible enough to trust God! It isn’t “trust” if he is holding onto the boat!

There is a “flip side” to balance this story. — If it isn’t Jesus bidding, Peter’s presumption is going to get him wet!

The existence of a problem is NOT a mandate to take responsibility for a solution. There were lots of problems Jesus walked past without addressing. In times past (I’ll be 80 this month) I have jumped in (unbidden) to help God. It wasn’t pretty!

I guess it is human nature to want to do things FOR God, rather than permit Him to do things THROUGH me. A form of pride.

All that to say this. Every evidence is that our nation is being led by people with an honest, sincere desire to destroy it, and replace it with a global benevolent aristocracy. Power is far more addictive than the strongest heroin, or sex drive.

As radical as it may sound, our foundations are systematically being attacked. It appears so openly blatant, that those in power behave as if there will be martial law, rather than traditional elections in 2010. Power grown too strong will not be yielded voluntarily.

Continuing with illustrations of the problem would only produce frustration, hopelessness, and anger. Not very useful goals!

What are we to do?

First – Stay cool. “Be still and know that I am God.” Christ said, “My peace give I unto you. Not as the world giveth….” If we will stay prayed up and open, we can use that “peace” like a compass needle for direction. Pride is what we must put aside. Let Him work through us rather than seeking to “do it for God” (and take the credit!).

I do not doubt for a second that this situation is firmly in the Lord’s hand. He will surely call some to lead and others to follow. Some will be called as candidates, others as organizers, still others as reporters and historians. There is only one General, the rest of us are privates!

Second – Expect God to move in positive ways for our best interests. That may seem hard to do, but it is not. “Privates” just follow orders! Draw close to Him and He will draw close to you. Follow the peace He uses to direct YOUR individual path. DO NOT allow yourself to be swept up into mindless activity, but be sensitive to recognize Godly leaders should they arise.

Third – This is NOT license to kick back in a self righteous “holy huddle” and sing “Cum by’a”. When God gave the promised land to the Israelites, He added, “Now go fight for it!” Each of us has a job to do if His work, and that of our forefathers, is not to have been done in vain! Pray, find the peace (which may pass understanding!), get your orders, and get on with it!

THERE IS ONE GOD WORKING
Proverbs 16:3

Daniel 2:31ff shares a vision of history. King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of a statue, and Daniel interprets the dream.

The Interpretation that Daniel offers is reasonably interpreted by Bible Scholars to refer to Babylon, then Persia, then Greece, and then Rome, and then the remains of the Roman empire.

A mountain strikes the statue representing these 4 (or 5) kingdoms and destroys it, but it itself becomes a mountain that fills the whole earth. Daniels interpretation says that “in the time of those kings” God is going to set up a Kingdom that will NEVER END!

You can see as plain as day that the Kingdom referred to was established by Jesus Christ and refers to the Church/Kingdom/Dominion of God.

So… The church/kingdom/dominion of God is like a rock that destroys the kingdoms of this world but itself becomes a mountain that fills the whole earth and reigns forever?

I have studied the Bible, and I do not see that God’s intent is that everything must get worse and worse and worse with us being rescued in the end (or right before the end). I see a people of God conquering and reigning with Jesus, as God makes Christ’s enemies a footstool for his feet!

I am concerned that Christians have developed a theology of the end times that does not reflect the Character and Nature of God, the call to “Dominion” or the destiny of the Church to rule and reign with Jesus.

My observation is that we tend to build and create what we believe in. If Christians only believe in getting people saved and prepared for heaven then we might render ourselves irrelevant to bettering society, our fellow man, and planet earth!

Something to think about…

“What we are trying to accomplish with this conference is to present to the politicians and to the public that the debate is not over about global warming or climate change; that there is plenty of room for disagreement; and that sound science shows that the earth is not warming,” says Miller.

“For much of the latter part of the 20th century there’s been a mild warming as we come out of an ice age — but the planet today is much cooler than it was a thousand years ago.”

Besides the 70+ scientists at this conference, more than 650 scientists worldwide have expressed skepticism over manmade climate change. [Read More]

“I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.” Thomas Jefferson (1802)

I am assuming that the quote will change tomorrow so here is a permanent link to a site that has that quote on it: http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/37700.html

Here is the statement released about the change:

It is clear that the provisions of the Mexico City Policy are unnecessarily broad and unwarranted under current law, and for the past eight years, they have undermined efforts to promote safe and effective voluntary family planning in developing countries. For these reasons, it is right for us to rescind this policy and restore critical efforts to protect and empower women and promote global economic development.

For too long, international family planning assistance has been used as a political wedge issue, the subject of a back and forth debate that has served only to divide us. I have no desire to continue this stale and fruitless debate.

It is time that we end the politicization of this issue. In the coming weeks, my Administration will initiate a fresh conversation on family planning, working to find areas of common ground to best meet the needs of women and families at home and around the world.

I have directed my staff to reach out to those on all sides of this issue to achieve the goal of reducing unintended pregnancies. They will also work to promote safe motherhood, reduce maternal and infant mortality rates and increase educational and economic opportunities for women and girls.

In addition, I look forward to working with Congress to restore U.S. financial support for the U.N. Population Fund. By resuming funding to UNFPA, the U.S. will be joining 180 other donor nations working collaboratively to reduce poverty, improve the health of women and children, prevent HIV/AIDS and provide family planning assistance to women in 154 countries. [From Whitehouse.gov]

President Obama is very wrong. The debate is not “over” and he overestimates his power if he thinks he can declare it so. It is obvious that we need to Pray for Revelation for this man!

I am very disappointed with his version of “unity.” Reader, do you understand that our President has just said that continuing to resist federal funding of the slaughter of the unborn is divisive?

So… Next time we elect a conservative President, should he/she declare that the federal government will not fund abortion and then say that all of those who disagree should drop the issue and stop being divisive?

It is our moral obligation to oppose this wrong policy. It is our moral obligation to continue to oppose the slaughter of the unborn, and we will do so.

And I truly hope this is not what our President means by “bringing the country together.” It sounds to me more like “if those who disagree would stop disagreeing then we could have unity.”

There is no right to kill the unborn. It is the duty of our government to preserve the rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

So Mr. President – NO, the Debate is NOT Over!

I know a lot of Christians. Some are happy about Obama’s election. I would imagine that most are quite distressed about it. Some probably don’t care at all.

I am a follower of Jesus Christ, Yeshua – the Son of God. I am unashamed of this. My life is His.

I endeavor to understand what He would want. I make no claim to have a perfect understanding of that. I study my Bible; I think with the brain that God has given me. I strive for truth and to know what is right. I submit that Believers in Christ should do these things with all of their might.

It is my belief that we as American’s have made a tragic mistake in electing Barack Obama. However, I will not do what many did when George W. Bush was elected in 2000 by crying “He is not my President.”

Barack Obama is my President. I will pray for him. I am pulling for him. I do not hate him. I am not afraid of him.

I do not know him personally or comprehend the truth or falsity of his claims to be Christian (anymore than I know anything real about George W. Bush’s faith).

Here is my gut feeling on Barack Obama. I think his worldview is off and does not reflect a Biblical Worldview. (Permitting the slaughter of the unborn, compelling others to accept “homosexual marriage” against conscience, “spreading the wealth around”, etc.) However, I sincerely wonder if there isn’t an openness in his heart towards God. I cannot prove this. It may or may not be true, but my get tells me there is something there.

I believe that some in the world of Christianity made a grievous mistake with Bill Clinton by participating in the conservative “Bill Clinton is the devil” approach to politics. Maybe it was unintentional, but it did more harm than good.

I don’t believe Bill Clinton was or is the devil. I don’t believe George W. Bush was or is the devil. I don’t believe Barack Hussein Obama is either.

These are just men, all of them, just like you and I. They are complex. They have strength’s; they have weaknesses. In the job of president the consequences of these can be horrendous, but we are stuck with electing a HUMAN!

Proverbs 21:1 says “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” I used to hear it quoted as “the heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord.”

Barack Obama is not a king, but he is the Chief Executive of the United States of America and an important leader on planet earth! His role is like that of a king in many ways.

Let’s pray like mad. Let’s encourage him when he does right, however rare that may seem to us. Let’s oppose him exercising all of our hard-won liberties when he pursues a destructive path, but let’s remember that with Jesus redemption is possible!

I don’t want to see our anger, even when it is right and good, be a stumbling block for Barack Obama! I suggest we leave all doors open for the redemption of His Worldview.

This is not compromise, it is hope and love.

Yes, it is possible to be vehemently opposed and yet still kind. It is possible to disagree, prevent, object, and hinder – yet still believe for God to move.

I do not agree with those who would take offense at our opposition to the policies of a President whose stated opinions are decidedly contradictory to a Biblical Christian Worldview (Just read the whitehouse.gov website!). We must oppose, pray, encourage, stand. However, let’s do it all understanding that God can even use a donkey; and let’s remember that it is only His Grace that has saved or is able to make use of any of us!

So, Barack Obama, show us what you’ve got; and please keep your heart open to God, you never know what He might put in you!

ThirstyJon